Who Knew Ponies could be so Entertaining?

Is it wrong to enjoy a cartoon whose target demographic is for young girls? I think that's a question that a lot of adults find themselves asking once they get hooked on a relatively new cartoon that airs on the Hub cable channel. That show is none other than "My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic." I, myself, have recently discovered the series thanks to a couple of people I've come to know over the years who are big into the animation genre. I can honestly say that I thoroughly enjoy "My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic". Yes, the title is very girly, but you have to look beyond the title to know what this show is all about. As a male in my late 20's, you can understand how awkward it might be to talk about a show like this. People might question a person's manliness when considering a person's association with such a show. But you know what, there are thousands of other male fans out there like me who enjoy the show just as much, if not more. So honestly, it does not bother me to bring up my thoughts and feelings on a show that is largely considered the best cartoon of 2011.

I guess I'll always be a kid at heart, but I think that's everybody. One such connection to living like a child for me is to watch cartoons on occasion. These days, however, my time watching cartoons is few and far between. I've written about it before, but "All Grown Up", the Rugrats spin-off was a huge favorite of mine during my late college years (I even developed a website about the show, for those out of the loop). I've watched every episode of that series a countless number of times. But lately, I can't tell you when the last time I watched a full episode of "All Grown Up". A couple of years ago, it was "The Secret Saturdays" that I was into. But that show eventually got cancelled after a couple of seasons. Now, the new cartoon that I can't stop watching is "My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic."

Gosh, even typing out the title of the show sounds so wrong. But like I said, it goes far deeper than the title. There have been three other versions of the "My Little Pony" franchise, and the latest version is by far the best. The other versions really fit the mold as being a show for girls. They featured lots of pink, very cutesy and sweet storylines that could figuratively make your heart melt, and the characters would speak very corny dialogue that would make any person shudder. The new version is nothing like the old shows. Obviously it's modern, molded for 21st century eyes. It includes modern slang, excellent animation style, great storylines, and after watching a few episodes, it'll cheer you up. It certainly won't make you feel ashamed of watching it, especially if you don't think of the title too much.

I'm not going to describe the show in too much detail because I'm afraid that I would keep writing forever. But the basic jist of the show revolves around a pony who is out to find the true meaning of friendship. She's also a magical pony who is able to do a variety of tricks (she is a unicorn, after all). She befriends five other ponies and they together go on a variety of adventures, often to save the world from menacing beings looking to take over. Obviously nothing is perfect and they endure a multitude of problems along the way (something you probably didn't see in prior versions of the show) but eventually they reach their goal and truly make things happily ever after in Equestria.

This probably won't be the last time you'll hear me write about this show - I just might end up writing reviews of episodes that come out. But for now, I'll try to keep my fandom for "My Little Pony: Friendship is Magic" to a minimum. I don't want to obsess about the show every waking moment (although lately that's been difficult not to do). This is after all, only my opinion about a cartoon that I think is really good and is something that anyone of any age can watch. So if you're a male, from the ages of 18-35, and you end up going completely head over heels for a show about six ponies, don't say I didn't warn you. For awhile I resisted the temptation of watching the show, but then I finally went all in. And you know something, I don't regret it for one bit. It truly is a quality show and is something everyone can watch. Embrace what the show can do for you, in potentially turning you into a brony.

NMU's Jamrich Hall...No More?

Jamrich Hall, on the campus of Northern Michigan University in Marquette, is the center piece of campus. It's where the majority of the university's classes are held, especially for those not majoring in a science-based degree. It was built in 1968 during a time when the university began constructing additional facilities west of the existing core of campus buildings. Since 1968, the building has remained the same; no significant renovations have taken place within the structure. Other buildings surrounding Jamrich have received their fair share of renovations yet, the most important campus building was untouched. All of that is soon about to change.

In fact, under a new plan announced by NMU officials last week, Jamrich Hall may not even exist in a couple of years. The university may be able to construct an entire new building with the same allocated money they received from the state. It would be a slightly smaller structure, which university officials say would make better use of classroom space than the oversized classrooms located within Jamrich and the most important part of the proposal: it would be a completely new structure. NMU would be able to take advantage of new "green" building concepts in today's modern era. Needless to say, the university is taking a serious look into this option.

However, I myself feel rather sentimental when it comes to Jamrich Hall and would hate to see it demolished. The critics out there contend that it's a rather boxy and plain structure, with the classrooms not having a lot of originality to them. Well what can you expect for a building constructed in the late 1960's? I like the fact that on each of the building's four corners, that's where you enter and exit. The first floor's interior hallway walls are constructed of brick which is something rather unique to most buildings. On the first floor is where the large auditorium classrooms are in Jamrich, the biggest being in room 102 where NMU often screens movies for the students on weekends. The second floor is home to the smaller classrooms, but even the critics contend that many of the classrooms there are too big, as well. I will say this, the HVAC and electrical systems in Jamrich are sorely outdated. In a lot of rooms, there's only one outlet. And the building does not meet today's technological standards. But, how can that problem not be solved with a major renovation?

I guess part of me will be sad to see it go because I have some good memories of being within that building. Often times in grade school, there'd be school functions held there, such as Young Authors, in which elementary-grade children would create their own books and show them off to other students from other schools. And then we had our Science Olympiad award ceremony, where our school would always be crowned first or second place. We had our fair share of exciting moments then. And then it was where I had taken the majority of my college classes when I attended NMU in the early 2000's. I was never happy having to attend classes as it was, but I didn't hate the building because of it. It's a major gathering place for all these students who attend NMU. That's not to say the same atmosphere wouldn't exist within a new building. It's just that for me, part of NMU's history would be gone forever.

A new building probably would look much more modern and classy compared to the plain brick-and-mortar construction of Jamrich. But who's to say they wouldn't be able to put some modern touches on a renovated Jamrich, too? As you can see, I have mixed emotions about NMU's construction plans, but whatever they decide, I will accept. It's not like I am overwrought with fret about the possibility of losing Jamrich Hall forever. After all, it's just a building. And if NMU is to accomplish their long-range goals in building a new structure and replacing Jamrich, then more power to them. Anyways, the focus is all about the students and creating a comfortable learning atmosphere for them. Whatever NMU decides regarding a renovated Jamrich or a new building, it'll definitely continue the university's path of modernization within the new century.
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Recent Update:  Construction of a "new" Jamrich Hall is underway and is about 40% complete.  It is currently being erected between the Learning Resources Center and the Hedgcock Building, where an old parking lot was.  The university states that the building will be ready for the new fall semester in 2014. Meanwhile, the old Jamrich building and Gries Hall will be demolished once the new Jamrich building is fully occupied.

6/27/14 Update:  The "new" Jamrich building is 90% complete while demolition on the old Jamrich Hall began this week.  Gries Hall will remain standing for at least another school year, according to NMU officials.  For a new blog I wrote on this subject, click here.

The Power of Recall Elections

Why does it seem like there are more and more efforts out there in recent years to recall elected officials from office? Years ago, you never seemed to hear about recalls. Is it that people are getting more involved in politics, not just locally but nation-wide? Or more because of the economic state? I'd have to think it's a little of both.

Back in 2005, a recall election ripped the city of Marquette apart. It was because of a decision by members of the city commission to terminate the employment of the city attorney without cause. Four members of the commission were targeted to be recalled, they being Mayor Jerry Irby, Mayor pro-tem Sandy Spoelstra, Stu Bradley, and Sue Kensington. Many in support of the attorney were outraged at the decision, which seemed sudden and abrupt. Some claimed that the commissioners had an agenda against the attorney, and once a majority of commissioners supported the decision to terminate her employment, they did just that. Their vote to fire her took place during a meeting on January 31, 2005 and a recall election was eventually held later in the year.

It was a resounding yes by voters in the city of Marquette to recall the four targeted commissioners during the election on August 2, 2005. Whether residents were for or against this particular recall election, it signaled an end to the strife that existed in city politics at that time. Not only could the commission move forward in a positive light, but they could also begin the process to seat new commissioners. Obviously just because those four particular commissioners were recalled, it still took some time for the healing process to complete itself. Nearly seven years later, the troubles during 2005 are gone but I don't think they'll ever be forgotten. You have to believe that those four ex-members of the commission still hear some negativity of their decision all these years later. Some residents may have even boycotted their respective businesses and/or services (a couple of those former commissioners were part of prominent Marquette-based businesses). But in time, I think a large majority of people in the community have forgotten. And when you get a new influx of people into the area, they know nothing of the past troubles that Marquette have gone through. As you can see, the power of recall can have a resounding effect even in a small city like Marquette.

More often than not, when a recall election takes place, those being recalled tend to be ousted from office the majority of the time. A few years back, voters in Marquette Township recalled four members of their township board. Other smaller elections U.P.-wide have resulted in people being removed from their respective boards. This year, three members of the Ishpeming City Council are being targeted for recall. It's because of their unwillingness to support the city's police chief, Jim Bjorne, in purchasing retirement service credit. Bjorne would like to retire due to health reasons, but the majority of the commission would not support his attempts to purchase the service credit. Ultimately, the strife ended up causing him his job, but that story is far from over as he is planning on suing the city of Ishpeming as well as the eventual recall election for the three members of the Ishpeming City Commission. It'll be interesting to see what happens with that in the months to come.

So as you can see within the local area, recalls have been a prominent part of local politics in recent years, and they have proven to be effective. Yet, you have those detractors of recalls who would rather see those individuals targeted for recalls get the chance to serve out their terms, and then get voted our or stay in office. These days it seems, if you make a decision that ultimately upsets a large majority of the population, it could end up costing a person their political job. Recalls are definitely a tough thing for a community to go through, but once they are over, it allows a community to start over and heal. At least that is one positive that a recall is good for.

My Dad's Old Car Gets Retired

Last year, you may have remembered me talking about my dad's Oldsmobile that he drove religiously to and from work for the past eight years nearing the end of its life (Read about it HERE). Last week, my dad finally made the decision to retire the old car. It had fallen in too much disrepair and would have needed a large amount of work to get everything working the way it should be. The car ended up with nearly 296,000 miles on it - the most my dad had ever accumulated driving a vehicle. Yes, it probably would have been pretty neat for him to surpass the 300,000 mile mark with it, but with winter fast approaching, it probably was for the best to retire it now rather than risk him driving it during bad weather. As the saying goes, all good things must come to an end.

I am sure you'd be the least bit surprised to know that my dad was a little sad to leave it behind at a local scrap yard. After all, the Oldsmobile proved to be the most reliable car he's ever had, with hardly any major problems to deal with since he owned it. As I mentioned before, it did need a new transmission, but other than that, the car just needed a little bit of minor maintenance every now and again. I know when I drove it for that one year during college, I didn't have one ounce of trouble with it. Now when you intend on buying a car, that's the way you want it to perform, with very little trouble. Obviously we can't all be that lucky, but who knew it would end up being so reliable for my dad when his brother picked it up for him in downstate Michigan and brought it to the U.P. It really did its job perfectly.

My dad has moved on to a different vehicle now to take him to and from work. It ended up being my old car, after I purchased a used vehicle from a dealer about a month in a half ago. Already he has quickly fallen in love with my old Pontiac Grand Prix. Heck, I was a little bit sad myself to see him drive off with it. But I felt it was time for me to upgrade to something a little bit newer - going from a 2001 to a 2009. He's enjoying many of the options that I was able to enjoy with that car - and a lot of those he never had with his Oldsmobile. They include the sun roof, the radio controls on the steering wheel, the speedometer projected onto the windshield, and just a better driving vehicle for himself. He just needs it until the end of next August, and I think he'll get through the winter just fine with it.

After that, what becomes of the Pontiac remains to be seen. My dad and I had discussed selling it once he retires, but then my mom is kind of looking forward to keeping it for awhile, since it is such a good car. My parents won't need nearly as many vehicles when my dad is retired, and there's some discussion that they may end up getting rid of their old 1994 Chevy pick-up. Lots of important decisions lie ahead in the upcoming new year. But one thing is for sure, it's going to take a little bit of time to forget about that Oldsmobile.

Getting Back Into Blogging

The days are gradually getting shorter and the colder weather is slowly settling in. That means I am hoping to get back into the swing of things and start blogging again! I really can't explain my absence, other than I just got sick of writing. Apparently it happens to all writers at some point in time - it just happened to be my time. As for the future of Luke's Ponderings; I have decided to go back to the random blogging subjects instead of coming up with "themed" days. I think in the long run, that will help me to churn out more blogs. So, for those of you who looked forward to reading what I had to say prior to my hiatus, I am hoping to make a big return.

In one of my previous blogs, I had mentioned a health problem that I had been experiencing that was nagging me. It wasn't anything overly serious, but it was a problem that needed some attention. After doing some research, everything pointed to it being an anxiety problem. After dealing with it for well over a year, I decided to take the first step and consult with a doctor. I have been prescribed some medication for it and all in all, I think it has helped. Initially the medication was giving me some side effects, such as light-headedness, nauseousness, and feeling sleepy, but I think I have acclimated pretty well to the medication and am feeling much better these days. Every now and again, the anxiety symptoms do show up in certain instances, but it's not nearly as bad as it once was. So that it definitely one good thing happening these days.

The summer was a busy one for myself, as I helped with projects not only at my house but at my dad's as well. The big project at my house was the installation of a basement entry door. The topography slopes away from my house in the backyard, so it made it ideal for an entry door into the basement. My brother-in-law owned a Case skid steer loader and brought it out one day and started mucking out a path to the new entry into the basement. Where I live, the soil composition is all sand, so it made the digging fairly easy, although it was also easy to get stuck with the loader, too! Needless to say, it took more than a couple of days to get the pathway sloped away from the doorway just enough so moisture getting into the basement wouldn't be a problem. Eventually, my dad and a friend of his came over to cut out an opening in the block and installed the new door. So far it has proven to be an excellent addition to the home! I can't tell you how nice it is to be able to bring things to the back of my house and into the new entry door instead of hauling it up and down the stairs of my house. All that is left to do on the project is to complete some landscaping and it will be 100 percent finished. But that will have to wait until the spring now.

As for the project at my dad's, we've finally wrapped up phase three of a project to install new siding on the house. All we needed to do during phase three was re-side the remaining four walls of the garage and house and installing three new windows. It took us a good couple of months to be finished with the outside of the project, which was wrapped up yesterday. And it wasn't like we had lots of days to work on it; we had to schedule the work around our days off. So there were plenty of gaps in between times when we actually could work on the project. Thankfully, we wrapped up that project before the cold weather really settled in. My dad has some inside work to do, including installation of new trim around the windows and finish one wall that he had to tear down. Other than that, it's another project that's closed to being finished.

So as you can see, I had a couple of projects that kept me pretty busy during my days off this summer. And it's no wonder than the summer flew by. Now, with the cooler weather settling in and winter not far off, it's time to settle inside and begin to work on the blog again! So don't be surprised to see a few new blogs pop up every now and again. I won't promise a bunch of blogs right off the bat; I think I have to slowly work into it. But in due time, it'll be just like the old days.

A Summer of Change

During a day off from work yesterday, I traveled out to my parents home in the hometown I grew up. It's a community where things often remain the same for years. The only thing that changes tends to be the people that come and go. Well lately, this summer in particular, there's a lot going on within the hometown. And during yesterday's visit home, I really gained a sense in that.

Road construction has been aplenty within the village. The Michigan Department of Transportation began a project earlier in the summer to replace curbing and gutters, along with replacing the pavement within the village. During the previous few summers, the village has been replacing a lot of sidewalk within the downtown area, and that continues along with the DOT's project. It's really helping to give new life to a community that hasn't had this kind of work done in quite awhile (even though the highway running through town was last resurfaced in 2003). When the homecoming and county fair takes place in early August, the community will look as good as new. It really has been nice to see, even though road construction can always be a bit of a headache to deal with.

Another dramatic change to the west side of town is the demolition of an old sawmill building. The sawmill industry had been a big part of the village's history, dating back to the founding of the community. However, a sawmill has not been in operation within the village since the mid-1990's. This particular sawmill went out of business in the late 1980's and early '90's, and all of the buildings were left behind and never kept up. Two out of the three buildings had begun caving in and thus had become a liability if someone happened to sneak in there and more of the building caved in on them. Plus, they were an eyesore to look at when driving by and made the village look shabby. So finally, after 20+ years of not being in use, one of the buildings is coming down and there's hope that the entire property will be cleaned up. Work is about finished on the demolition of the first building, so we shall see progress continues on the remaining others.

I know these two particular changes do not seem all that dramatic when compared to more populated areas, but to a community that only has a population of roughly 200 people, it's a pretty big deal. It signifies a new look to the village, making things look cleaned up and fresh. Nobody wants to see streets with a ton of potholes and buildings partially collapsed. What kind of statement does that say about a village when visitors pass through? 2011 has been a great summer of change to the village and one that has been a long time coming.

Tragic Weather Down South

I know it's easy for those of us that live in more cooler climates to complain about it being too cold and wishing the weather would be more summer-like. This spring here in the U.P., we've had a few nice, warm days. But so far, the cooler, rainy (and even snowy) weather has been winning out. For example, the last three days were miserable and cold, with plentiful of precipitation falling from the sky. Now today, we have bright sunny skies with temperatures predicted to reach near 60. After a cold front moves through tomorrow, we'll be back into the 40's for Sunday and Monday but sunshine will be abundant, at least. Yes, it would be nice to have more consistent spring-like weather, but we'll take it over the destructive and violent weather that other parts of the country have been enduring.

I am sure many of you have seen the images from the deep south regarding the tornado damage. The death toll from the last couple of days of violent tornadoes is close to 300. In today's modern times, a death toll that high is unheard of. The last major tornado outbreak to kill so many in the United States was in the 1970's. And I am sure the majority of the individuals killed during these storms knew they were coming. It's just that the tornadoes were so menacing and destructive. Unless you were in an underground cellar, it was a situation hard to survive. Now, for those that survived, they are left without homes and are needing to start over.

The 2011 tornado season as a whole has been one for the record books already; and we're only finishing up the month of April. Who knows what the rest of the year will bring - hopefully a much calmer season! And they are already predicting an active hurricane season, so it remains to be seen how potentially destructive the hurricanes that form this season will be. So as you can see, 2011 is proving to be a wild weather year across the country. From wildfires, floods, hurricanes, and incredible snow storms, it's been a year unlike any other. And we can't forget to include the devastating earthquakes and resulting tsunamis that other parts of the world have had to deal with. So yes, the cold and snow at the end of April can make anyone's heads spin. But in comparison to the rest of the country, I can definitely deal with it.

Catching Up on American Idol

So it has been awhile since I blogged about American Idol. In fact, this is probably the first time that I have stopped blogging about American Idol since I started back in season six. But as the saying goes, all good things must come to an end. To be honest, I'm not missing doing the recaps all that much. Sure, I'm disappointed that my recap-streak had to end, but I actually find it pretty enjoyable just to watch the show at my own leisure and not worry about producing a recap. With that being said, I feel like there are a few things I need to discuss regarding the show, things that have happened within the past month that are hot-topic discussions.

First off is Pia Toscano's sudden and shocking elimination from the show. There's no question that ever since her performance of "I'll Stand By You" during the semi-finals that Pia became a front-runner and she had been at the top ever since. We haven't seen as shocking of an elimination as Pia's since Michael Johns was abruptly eliminated in season seven, thus the creation of the judge's save used since season eight. But there was just something about Pia that the audience did not connect to. She seemed to lack personality and seemed rather dull, most likely due to poor editing from the producers and directors of American Idol. Those in charge of Idol should have done a better job of highlighting Pia's personality better in the taped pieces that they do, filler-pieces as it's known in the television industry. Pia had probably the best chance out of the remaining two women to be the show's first female winner since Jordin Sparks. I mean, how often did she sing bad notes during her performances on Idol? She had the total package and for some reason the powers at be on Idol did not focus on that. And in the end, it resulted in a shocking elimination.

The judging panel appears to be receiving a decent amount of blame in regards to Pia's elimination. It seems like more and more people have been longing for Simon Cowell's presence on the show since the live voting rounds have taken place. The judge's just cannot say a negative thing about these singers week in and week out. Are they afraid of being booed by the audience, or for hurting the feelings of the contestants on stage? I think it was two or three weeks ago where it appeared that Jennifer was really starting to step to the plate to deliver constructive criticism to the contestants, but that was a very brief moment this season. Even Randy has reverted back to his repeated comments from year's past, acting like a total slug on the panel and not delivering poignant comments. Steven Tyler is basically just a male version of Ellen DeGeneres. And probably out of all the contestants during the week Pia was eliminated, the judges delivered (specifically JLo) the most constructive criticism to Pia and Stefano - the contestants in that week's bottom two. I really don't know what to say about the judging panel now - it seemed to work really good during the auditions and Hollywood week. Now, they appear to be utterly useless. It's up to America to be the real judge's anyway, since the current judging panel doesn't really have much of an influence on what the voters think.

Should the voting system used on the show be changed yet again? I've been an advocate for this in the past and although they tweaked it somewhat last year, it still hasn't been enough. Do as they do on shows like "America's Got Talent" and "So You Think You Can Dance" where the judges either have the final say or have some part in deciding who stays and who goes. Limit the amount of times a person can vote or text and make it more favorable for female contestants to stay in the competition. Yes, it's true that mostly females vote on the show as it is. But there has to be a way that can make the votes more uniform and to be more favorable for the female contestants to have a fighting chance.

And last but not least, the incorporation of the judge's save. During the two previous season's that the save has been used, it was used justly, but not in a manner that saved a front-runner from being eliminated. Honestly, did we ever believe that Michael Lynche and Matt Giraud were going to win their particular seasons? Much could be said of Casey Abrams. At this stage of the competition, I just don't see him winning at the end of the day, unless he puts together a couple of memorable and meaningful performances. So the use of the save on Casey Abrams during top 11 week has come into question, especially considering that the save could have been used on Pia Toscano. But to be fair, aren't shocking eliminations one of the reasons why Idol is great as it is? It seems that once Chris Daughtry and Jennifer Hudson were eliminated far too soon on the show, they became mega-stars anyways. I have reason to believe that Pia will end up doing quite well as it is.

Mourning Two Family Losses

It was ten minutes before 4 PM this past Saturday when I got the call. My Great Uncle Les, who was diagnosed with colon cancer a few months ago, had passed away. I was prepared for his passing because I knew his cancer was terminal. So that didn't come as much of a shock to me. However, to hear that my Great Aunt Midge also passed away, just 12 hours later of her husband, was a total shock. She had undergone a leg bypass vein surgery that day and suffered one heart attack. She was stabilized and then suffered another heart attack which ultimately lead to her passing. As you can imagine, it wasn't easy to take the news so suddenly. I had gotten to know them both very well the past ten years at least so to have them both gone in such a short span of time is a difficult pill to swallow. However, I think with them passing in such a short amount of time together is a sign of their undying love for each other. I think it was meant to happen the way that it did.

Les and Midge were born and raised in the Upper Peninsula, eventually moving to Lower Michigan to raise their family, and would often come back to the U.P. in the summer and fall seasons. Approximately ten years ago, they purchased a home to live back in the Upper Peninsula full-time. My dad and I ending up doing a lot of work on their home for them, including mowing their grass, picking up the leaves in the fall, shoveling the snow off their roof, installing a new closet in the hallway, and painting the siding on their house, among other things. For me, I ended up becoming quite close with both Les and Midge during the past ten years, more so than I had earlier when my visits with them during their trips up north were fewer. I enjoy sitting down with them, hearing their stories, and even catching up on present day events. I sure am going to miss those visits with them.

Ever since moving to their new home in the U.P., I was entrusted with the yard work. There were only a select few times since they owned their home that I did not mow their grass. They liked the job that I did and the yard ended up looking better cut with a push mower. Their yard was not an easy one to mow, especially in the front near the highway. It was a steep grade and it was necessary for me to have decent shoes with good treads to tackle such a yard. But I can say that I've had a safe record mowing their grass. There were times where I didn't get over to their yard in a quicker fashion to mow, resulting in a yard that looked like a hay field. But they did not seem to care - and I could take care of it whenever I had the chance. They were good that way, not rushing me to get the job done and paying me whatever price I asked. They always provided me good refreshments for when I was done and I always enjoyed their company. They even provided me with dinner on occasion which proved to be an extra-special treat. Yes, mowing grass was a physically exerting job at their house, but for me it was all worth it, getting the chance to spend time with them.

Uncle Les wasn't in the best of health, particularly within the last year, even prior to his cancer diagnosis. He had gotten pretty weak and frail. But he still had a great desire and interest in life. Aunt Midge had one leg amputated about a year in a half ago due to veins in her leg being blocked. It was due to having diabetes. But other than that, she was in great health. And now, they are suddenly both gone. The blow of losing them both within 12 hours of each other came as a total shock to the entire family. For me, it was like losing a pair of grandparents that I never had. Both of my grandfathers passed away when I was five years old, so I never had the chance to really get to know them. For my Uncle Les, he kind of filled that role for me. Both Les and Midge led full lives, being married together for nearly 65 years, and were lucky to spend every possible moment together right to the very end. Wouldn't it be nice for all of us to experience that? I feel blessed for having known them and having gotten to know them better these past ten years. Maybe that's why it's been a lot more difficult saying goodbye to them both than I thought. R.I.P. Great Uncle Les and Aunt Midge. Until I see you again.

The Center of It All: Marquette, MI

Marquette is the largest city in the Upper Peninsula and in more recent years, has garnered several national honors bestowed on it. You could attempt to compare it to any other city of its size but more often than not, Marquette will have an advantage in something. Just take Lake Superior; the city is bordered by it to the east. The city owns the majority of the shoreline within its borders - a feat many communities along the Great Lakes cannot admit to. So, instead of condos blocking the view from the various roadways that parallel the shoreline, all one sees is the pristine lake and white sandy beaches. One of several examples that make Marquette a city unlike any other.

It's difficult to list everything that's great about the city in one blog posting, because there are virtually thousands of reasons why Marquette is so great. So, I'll attempt to list some of the finer points, including Marquette's vibrant downtown. These days, with bigger retailers building stores miles away from any center of a city, many downtown areas have suffered. The exact same thing has happened in the Marquette community; the bigger retailers have built stores out in Marquette township. However, Marquette's downtown has not suffered, not in the very least. It's probably the most vibrant downtown that one could expect, with very few shuttered store fronts and a plethora of activity. The downtown has a combination of unique and interesting stores, eating establishments, and even things tailored for fans of arts and culture. Historic businesses such as Donkers, Washington Shoe Store, and Getz's are just a few of the places that make up the heart and sole of Marquette's downtown.

The city also caters to the walking and biking crowd. It boasts a trail system that circles the city. With its bike path system in place, it's not uncommon for an individual to be able to walk or bike from point A to B. And the city even plows its bike paths in the winter time, so walking and biking is not limited to just the warm weather months. With the creation of the Iron Ore Heritage Trail, Marquette's bike trails will soon be connected with other nearby municipalities. So that means a person would be able to bike from Harvey, Marquette, Negaunee, to Ishpeming without having to travel on a busy highway. And what biking community would it be without some bike races? The Superior Bike Fest is held annually in downtown Marquette, where they race the city streets, even at night. The Ore to Shore Mountain Bike Epic travels from Ishpeming to the finish line at the Superior Dome in Marquette. So needless to say, it's no wonder that Marquette has become such a notable destination for walking and biking.

There are some great things to see in Marquette as well. I already mentioned the relationship the city has with Lake Superior, but Presque Isle Park is another gem. It's a 323 acre park opened to the public year round, featuring scenic outlooks, wooded areas, walking trails, a gazebo, a pavilion, a marina, a band shell, the Moosewood Nature Center, a small ice cream shop (open seasonally), and public beaches. I mean honestly, the "island" has it all. It's easy to spend hours here exploring what all there is to see. Presque Isle Park Road, which circles the island, is closed during the winter months, but people are still able to visit the island's southern and western points as well as walk, snowshoe, or ski the closed roadway during the winter. And as one would expect visiting a wilderness area, it's not uncommon to see a variety of wildlife active on Presque Isle such as deer and many species of birds. It's a place unlike any other.

I've only scratched the surface when it comes to discussing all there is to see and do in Marquette. Honestly, there is so much to cover that I could write a series of blogs on what goes on within the U.P.'s largest city. And if what I've told you so far about the city has piqued your interest, be sure to check out the city's official website to find out even more. No wonder Marquette has received so many awards and distinctions within the past few years - because it's all deserving! Be sure to plan a visit to find out about it for yourself.

American Idol 10 - Top 13

I barely have enough time to finish writing this week's top 13 American Idol performance recap before the night is over - in fact, the results show has already been over for almost an hour! Well anyways, I finally got it completed. You know, it takes a lot of time recapping all 13 contestants. I try to keep my comments fairly short, but some need longer recaps than others. Nevertheless, here is this week's recap. It's featuring songs from each contestant's musical idols, and some have some interesting choices for idols. Here's how it all went down...

Lauren Alaina - "Any Man of Mine" by Shania Twain : One of the proverbial favorites goes first tonight with another country tune. I wasn't aware she was a big country fan, so color me surprised two weeks in a row. Yes, the song is a fun one to sing, particularly in a karaoke bar. But by no means do I think it's a smart song to sing on American Idol. It was just an okay performance by Lauren. I mean sure, she sang it fine but it's not a performance I find to be all that memorable. She seemed rather surprised by the negative critiques she got from the judges. Lauren must not be lazy with her song selections from here on out, otherwise she'll be in for a rude awakening and an even quicker departure from the show.

Casey Abrams - "With a Little Help from My Friends" version from Joe Cocker : Casey is one of this season's eclectic performers, who you cannot help but root for. He has a comedic side to him, yet he's a pretty good singer, too. I wasn't sure if this was going to be the right song for Casey, but he was absolutely stellar. He infused a lot of energy into the performance and gave it all he got. It's not a song that really shows off a singer's vocals per se, yet it suited Casey quite well. He really got the crowd into his performance and it was one of the most energetic of the night.

Ashthon Jones - "When You Tell Me That You Love Me" by Diana Ross : Ashthon is one performer with big potential; she just needs to know how to use it and in the perfect moment. She could even be this season's diva; that is if she can stay in the competition long enough. She barely made it through last week, so we'll see if she's able to capitalize on another opportunity. All in all, I didn't think it was too bad of a performance. It was slightly boring and not all that memorable, but I did like the fact that she was able to turn the song into something current. It had a contemporary feel to it and the song didn't over power her. It was a decent performance, but there's definitely room for improvement.

Paul McDonald - "Come Pick Me Up" by Ryan Adams : Paul is up next and his song choice has me scratching my head a little bit. I know of Ryan Adams and I am familiar with a couple of his songs, but is he that mainstream nation-wide? Is enough of America going to recognize the song to connect with Paul's interpretation? I do rather enjoy his shout-outs to America before he sings - like he is so comfortable being out there. Yep, my earlier fears as to whether this song will work for Paul are confirmed. It started out rather slow and pretty low for Paul's range. Then as the tempo picked up, so did his pitchiness. Although I do enjoy his random movements on stage most of the time, I think it kind of threw him off during this performance. Certainly not his strongest night on the Idol stage.

Pia Toscano - "All By Myself" by Celine Dion : Here is one of last week's brightest stars - a memorable rendition of "I'll Stand By You" that had everyone on their feet after she had concluded singing. She has raised the bar quite high for herself so it will be interesting to see if she's able to keep that momentum going. I would like to see her experiment a bit and go away from the ballads, but there is no denying that she excels at performing the slower-tempo songs. And again, it's another strong performance by Pia. She even hits higher notes with such ease. She is quickly becoming one of this season's front runners with her vocal prowess.

James Durbin - "Maybe I'm Amazed" by Paul McCartney : As James performed this song, I think back to last season and remember Crystal Bowersox singing this song, hitting it out of the park. Let's see if James will have similar success. Despite some of his unfortunate comments during Hollywood week, I think James changed a lot of people's opinions of himself last week. And I think even more people are becoming Durbin fans after this week's performance. James picked a very smart song by one of the world's most enduring singers. I really enjoyed his look this week and I enjoyed his performance even more. His vocals were spot on, he didn't overdue it with his rocker-esque screech, and he presented himself quite well. Another strong week for James.

Haley Rinehart - "Blue" by LeAnn Rimes : Haley is one contestant who has sort of flown under the radar, but she has a unique sound to her voice that is unforgettable. However, she has to know when to use that uniqueness, otherwise it sounds off. Whether it was nerves or what-have-you, she's pitchy right from the get-go. She almost sounds like a strangled hound dog at times with her howl. Needless to say, I am not a fan of this performance and this song just not suit Haley all that well. She thinks she did well and had fun, but it did not translate well on the Idol stage. I think she could find herself in trouble during result's night.

Jacob Lusk - "I Believe I Can Fly" by R. Kelly : Here's one song that should be permanently banned from being performed on the Idol stage from here on out - because it's been performed too darn much, and to mixed results, too. However, I'm not upset that Jacob is performing it because maybe he'll be able to work his magic on it. It seems that thus far, everything he's performed has turned into a gospel affair, which is definitely not a bad thing. But tonight, it did not work. I actually thought the second half of the song was better than the first and I wasn't a huge fan of the falsetto-portion of the song, but he did seem to get things together at the end. Unfortunately it wasn't enough to save his performance this week. However, he's in no danger of going home anytime soon.

Thia Megia - "Smile" version by Michael Jackson : I don't entirely get Thia yet - and I understand that's how many people feel about her at this stage of the competition. A lot of people are wondering about her personality, because at this point it looks as if she doesn't have one. Yes, it's obvious she loves to sing and she is totally passionate about it. But we don't know much else about her, do we? What other hobbies does she enjoy, does she like school, etc? I mean there's no question she's an excellent singer. However I don't think she is connected to the American audience like she could be. Tonight's performance was great again, albeit not too memorable and kind of sleepy. Let's see if she's able to pick up the pace a little bit more one of these weeks.

Stefano Langone - "Lately" by Stevie Wonder : I have really been finding myself enjoying Stefano as a performer lately. I did not get a chance to comment on the wildcard performances of last week, but my god, the passion and soul he poured into that wildcard performance that solidified his spot in the top 13. It was well-deserved and so I am looking forward to more awesome performances by Stefano, now that I know that he is capable of such. Now this week wasn't quite as memorable as last for Stefano, but I did find his performance of this Stevie Wonder song to be enjoyable. I liked how the tempo picked up, although it was a tad-bit corny. However, he sang it well and every note was spot on. Now THIS is how you perform an up-tempo song.

Karen Rodriguez - "If I Could Fall In Love" by Selena : There is something very intriguing about Karen and I think it could be her bubbly personality. I enjoy her smile and she appears to be a very positive person. Now Karen is an example of someone who's personality we can connect to. Let's see if she's able to connect to the audience with her singing this week. All in all, I wouldn't say it was too bad. It certainly wasn't her best vocal. She seemed to struggle with the lower-end notes in the song, particularly in the beginning. It was a bit of an underwhelming performance from Karen and I know she is capable of much more.

Scotty McCreery - "The River" by Garth Brooks : Another one of this season's proverbial favorites, who had a bit of a rocky road, particularly during Hollywood week, but now seems to be hitting his stride. You know what would really surprise me one week, if he did anything but a country number. I am sure later on that could happen, especially if there are more specific themes. But Scotty is in a league of his own and totally excels on any country song he sings (except when he doesn't know the lyrics). I'm not a huge country fan but I've always enjoyed Garth Brooks' songs. So needless to say, I thoroughly enjoyed Scotty's performance this week. It was a song that virtually everybody knows and he performed it splendidly.

Naima Adedapo - "Umbrella" by Rihanna : There have been a few contestants who have picked questionable song choices this week and Naima can be included in that bunch. It reminds me of Jordan Dorsey singing "OMG" and Ta-Tynisa Wilson singing "Only Girl" last week. These are not songs that caters to an individual's vocals. And Naima's performance was all over the place. However, she did something different with the song with the infusion of reggae into it and the little bit of rapping. And her dance moves were pretty cool. No, it wasn't the best vocal this season, but she made it very entertaining and it proved to be a nice way to cap off the night. I think Naima will be around for a few more weeks, at least.

Top 13 Performance Rankings:
1: Casey Abrams
2: James Durbin
3: Pia Toscano
4: Scotty McCreery
5: Naima Adedapo
6: Thia Megia
7: Stefano Langone
8: Lauren Alaina
9: Jacob Lusk
10: Paul McDonald
11: Karen Rodriguez
12: Ashthon Jones
13: Haley Rinehart

UPDATE: Ashthon Jones is sent home during tonight's results show. The judge's do not invoke the save.

American Idol 10 - Top 12 Girls

Here we are back at it again for another recap, this time the top 12 girls. The semi-finals this season are going to be much shorter, as tonight there will be a massive cut in contestants. We'll go from 24 down to 10 in one night! There is talk that next week, a wildcard show will take place which will allow two contestants previously eliminated the chance to join the ten that made it through and form this season's top 12. So we'll see how that all pans out next week. As for last night's girl's performances, here's how it all went down:

Ta-Tynisa Wilson - "Only Girl (In the World)" by Rihanna : I guess I am a bit perplexed as to why Ta-Tynisa chose this song because it is not a song that really caters to a person's vocal abilities (much like Jordan two night's ago). It's such a fast-paced song that she seemed out of breath at times with it and she had difficulty keeping up. Plus the background singers and herself did not match up very well together. Her voice just didn't sound very good performing the song and it was just okay for me. It does not look like she'll be moving forward.

Naima Adedapo - "Summertime" by Ella Fitzgerald : Another questionable song choice, particularly when Fantasia in season two absolutely killed it, making it one of the greatest Idol performances of all time. So you know those comparisons are already going to take place. I actually thought she sang it pretty well, but I'm not sure that she made it all that memorable. She created this jazzy, loungy feel to it which is a pretty interesting combination. Naima definitely proved that she has the pipes to sing such a song; now we'll see if the voting audience connected with her.

Kendra Chantelle - "Impossible" by Christina Aguilera : Kendra had a couple of memorable performances prior to the green mile selection show, including her rendition of "Georgia on my Mind" and her duet with Paul McDonald on "Blackbird." So you know she has the capabilities of doing something special this season. And there's a lot of risk in doing a Christina Aguilera song but Kendra proved she was up to the challenge. She was in tune, she made the performance interesting, and she's got a pretty darn good voice. Nice job to Kendra.

Rachel Zevita - "Criminal" by Fiona Apple : The judges and/or producers in previous seasons (and to some extent this season) have always been on contestants to turn songs into their own. But, you don't want a song completely rearranged into something that makes it unrecognizable from the original. And that's exactly what Rachel did with "Criminal." I liked her attempt with the song, but it was just too much. I agree with Steven's assessment that it turned into a broadway-type performance, whether Rachel wanted to hear it or not. It just did not work on the Idol stage.

Karen Rodriguez - "Hero" by Mariah Carey : So Karen did something to turn this Mariah classic into her own; she sang half of it in Spanish! Prior to tonight, I didn't think she had much of a chance to make it to the top 12, but she just might have a fighting chance after last night's performance. I don't know that she did anything else different with the song, other than sing half of it in Spanish, but she proved that she can sing with the very best of the best on the girl's side of the competition. I certainly thought she made the song interesting to listen to.

Lauren Turner - "Seven Day Fool" by Etta James : Now here's a contestant on the girl's side in which I don't know very much about! I don't know if she received as much air time compared to the rest of the girls, but she proved with this performance that she belongs within the top 24, at least. It was such a fun, upbeat little ditty and she made it so contemporary! It's as if you could listen to that on the radio today, it sounded that good. Now that's how you perform an old classic like an Etta James song.

Ashton Jones - "Love Over Me" by Monica : This is one Monica song I am not familiar with, so Ashton is doing good by me in picking a more unfamiliar Monica song (at least in my eyes). I mean, she sang it pretty well, I'll give her that. But I don't know if it's a performance I am going to remember again tomorrow. Actually I don't remember any of her other performances prior to tonight! So that doesn't bode all that well for her. I will say this, she performed this Monica song pretty well, even though I wasn't a huge fan of the song when all is said and done.

Julie Zorrilla - "Breakaway" by Kelly Clarkson : There is always a risk in choosing a Kelly Clarkson song on this show, considering that she is THE original American Idol! If you choose such a song, you have to nail it, and sadly Julie did not. There were a lot of high expectations for Julie - she did such a stellar job during Hollywood week. But alas, it did not pan out as well during the first live show. It just wasn't the right song for her style. She was off-pitch and sharp in spots and it just did not flow together as well as when Kelly sang it originally. It just did not work.

Haley Rinehart - "Fallin'" by Alicia Keys : She has a really unique female voice, doesn't she? I remember her being rather up and down during Hollywood week, so we'll see if she can step it up here. It usually never bodes well for a contestant to perform an Alicia Keys song - nobody ever seems to have much success doing it! And I'd have to say the same for Haley. Right off the bat I knew it was going to be the wrong song for her. It just did not suit her vocal style. It almost seemed a bit too theatrical for me, as well. She should have tried a little less harder to prove herself - and to pick a different song, too!

Thia Megia - "Out Here on my Own" from the musical Fame : Thia is an amazing vocalist for someone so young, but some people do not find her singing to be all that endearing. Let's see if she's able to prove herself to those folks tonight. I actually thought it was a pretty decent performance. Maybe she wants to focus her talents towards broadway singing, because she performs those kinds of songs quite well. Her performance seemed to be controlled more so than usual, as if she was holding back a bit, and I didn't mind that at all. Nice first try on the big stage for Thia.

Lauren Alaina - "Turn on the Radio" by Reba McEntire : Here we have one of this season's front-runners, even Steven has her picked as being the winner already - and that was after her audition! Well, she has a long way to go yet, but she's off to an exceptional start. I actually thought she made a smart move by choosing a Reba song as opposed to choosing a Mariah, Whitney, or Alicia Keys song like a few of the others. She knows exactly who she is as a singer and she proved that she can sing country, too! It was an enjoyable, upbeat performance and she should glide right into this season's top 12.

Pia Toscano - "I'll Stand By You" by the Pretenders : Pia had that memorable moment in Hollywood week when she was with two other girls performing the song "Grenade" by Bruno Mars. Their performance of that song made me enjoy that song all the more. So we know Pia can definitely sing, and she proved it by knocking "I'll Stand By You" right out of the park. It was soulful, sensual, and just plain good. She was very deserving of that standing ovation from the judges and it looks like she's capable of going very far in this competition.

The Top 12 Girl's Performance Rankings:
1: Pia Toscano
2: Lauren Turner
3: Kendra Chantelle
4: Lauren Alaina
5: Thia Megia
6: Karen Rodriguez
7: Naima Adedapo
8: Ashton Jones
9: Ta-Tynisa Wilson
10: Hailey Rinehart
11: Rachel Zevita
12: Julie Zorrilla

So there we have it; the top 24 performance shows are in the books. The semi-final results shows are always so unpredictable - last year we definitely had a few shocking eliminations at this stage. So we'll see how it all goes down this season; especially when 14 contestants will be sent packing tonight! Enjoy the fun! I will recap the wildcard show next week.

American Idol 10 - Top 12 Boys

So I haven't had much time to blog lately, and that's especially the case this week with me being on afternoon shift (not exactly the best week for the American Idol live shows to start!). But I will do my best to get through last night's episode, where the top 12 boys sang from a pretty wide-open theme. There were a few stand-outs as well as some disappointments. Let's see how it all shook down:

Clint Jun Gamboa - "Superstition" by Stevie Wonder : I don't know if I was totally impressed with Clint's rendition of a song that's been overly-done on American Idol through the years. Yes, he definitely can sing as I did not detect too many botched notes. However, he did tend to overdue it with the runs and over sang at times. It is a very energetic song to perform and he definitely had people clap along. He certainly is no karaoke singer and proves that he has the vocal chops but I wasn't totally won over quite yet.

Jovany Barreto - "I'll Be" by Edwin McCain : The song is kind of a safe one for Jovany to pick as he did not change it up too much from the original. I was actually pretty bored by his performance and it was just okay. There's no question he can sing; heck they all can if they made it to this point in the competition. But he has to bring a lot more fire and intensity if he wants to make it further than the top 24. It probably would've done him better if he selected a song a little more upbeat, or if it had a more upbeat chorus. "I'll Be" is pretty much a simple, syrupy ballad and it did not do Jovany any justice.

Jordan Dorsey - "OMG" by Usher : I'll let you in on a little secret (last night's episode was actually taped this past Friday!)... so, spoilers were released as to which songs each of the boys picked. Usually I can't wait to find these things out, so I checked it out and to me, Jordan's choice of this song probably left me the most bewildered. It isn't a song that allows an individual to really show off their vocal abilities. I mean sure, it's a fun, upbeat song but it does not cater to a singers vocals. And just as I figured last week, it was not a good song for Jordan. Unfortunately I don't think he'll make it beyond this week.

Tim Halperin - "Streetcorner Symphony (Come on Over)" by Rob Thomas : I can honestly say that from out of the top 12 guys, Tim is probably the least I know about. He kind of flew under the radar, even though he did get screen time prior to the live rounds starting. I'm not sure that this particular song did Tim any justice. It started off pretty underwhelming and it kind of ate him up. I don't think he's all that comfortable performing on stage without a piano in front of him. It was just an okay performance for me as he could've done much more to the song to make it his own. To me at this point, he's just an average singer.

Brett Loewenstern - "Light my Fire" by the Doors : So Brett is one contestant we've been following right from the very beginning and could be considered as one of the early favorites. I must say his song choice was a little odd as I figured he would pick something a little more contemporary. However, I think he did a pretty decent job with it. I wouldn't say it was his best vocal, particularly early on in the song. But I think he did make a pretty positive impression on the voting public tonight (if he didn't already). Brett is definitely unique and different, and that should help in his favor.

James Durbin - "You've Got Another Thing Comin'" by Judas Priest : James is a bit of a controversial contestant, especially in regards to his stage-parents comment during Hollywood week. However, he does have a bit of an endearing side to him, too. He really wants to make it big with a singing career. And honestly, out of all of the male contestants tonight, I think James' performance was the best of the night. It was controlled, he didn't overdue it with the rock screech and it was an absolute fun song to hear James perform. It was as if he was already a professional on stage. He certainly hit a home run with this song.

Robbie Rosen - "Arms of an Angel" by Sarah McLachlan : Robbie was one of those stand-out younger contestants featured during the early rounds of the show who could go far, if he can just get through the semi-finals! He did a pretty decent job with the song vocally, although it wasn't totally perfect. However, it was a boring and safe song choice. If I would've watched it live, I probably would have been in danger of dozing off. He needs to carefully choose his songs; there's no question he can sing great ballads, but it needs to be a ballad with a little more energy, too.

Scotty McCreery - "Letters from Home" by John Michael Montgomery : Scotty needs no formal introduction; he could quite possibly be this season's most famous contestant thus far. No real surprises from Scotty this week as he stays true to his roots and selects a country song. And I think that's good because if he chose to take a risk and deviate away from country and fails miserably, he could never recover. And he did a solid job performing "Letters from Home." I wouldn't say it was anything outstanding, but it was much better than a lot of the performances we saw last night. He certainly has great quality and control with his vocals.

Stefano Langone - "Just the Way You Are" by Bruno Mars : Stefano is going very contemporary with this Bruno Mars hit and he does an admiral job with it. Obviously it wasn't perfect particularly in the end with that falsetto, but it was pretty decent. I enjoy it more when a contestant chooses a song that's more relevant to today - not that there's anything wrong with songs in the past. But more people, particularly the younger voters, can relate to a modern song more. I really enjoy the tenor sound to his voice - he's another contestant that can stray higher in his range and still be comfortable doing so.

Paul McDonald - "Maggie Mae" by Rod Stewart : Here's a contestant who has the ability to make anyone smile when he sings. Yes, he's quirky and unique and he's also a pretty good performer. Just look at the way he acted on stage last night; just like a true professional. I think "Maggie Mae" is a song that suited Paul well and he did an exceptional job choosing it. And yes, the way he moves around on stage is a little quirky as well; fits in perfectly with Paul's style. I think he already has a big audience following and he should be able to advance quite far.

Jacob Lusk - "House is Not a Home" by Luther Vandross : Here's the guy that is totally passionate about singing and really gets so emotionally involved within a song. Earlier on, we did not really know too much about Jacob, that is until he blew the box out of "God Bless the Child." Now Jacob has become a household name. He was back in true form last night singing "House is Not a Home," infusing his own style into the song, yet still keeping true to the original. He is such a delightful contestant and honestly, a breath of fresh air to the Idol stage. At this point there's nothing that Jacob cannot do.

Casey Abrams - "I Put a Spell On You" by Jay Hawkins : My goodness, what a potentially great season we have unfolding, and we haven't even seen the girls perform yet! Casey is another one of those unique birds, as we saw him perform with a large bass instrument during Hollywood and do exceptionally well with it! I liked it last night that he took an old classic and brought it to the forefront on American Idol and knocked it out of the park. Was it as unique memorable as some of his Hollywood performances? Probably not, but it was still a great way to end last night's episode.

Top 12 Boys Performance Rankings:
1: James Durbin
2: Jacob Lusk
3: Scotty McCreery
4: Casey Abrams
5: Paul McDonald
6: Stefano Langone
7: Clint Jun Gamboa
8: Brett Loewenstern
9: Robbie Rosen
10: Jovany Barreto
11: Tim Halperin
12: Jordan Dorsey

And there we have it, the first night of live performances is in the books (although it wasn't technically live). All in all, it was a decent night with the latter half of the episode being the best. Tonight, it's all up to the girls to show off their vocal talents. Be sure to check back here tomorrow for a recap of that.

President Obama in Marquette Tomorrow

Marquette has been in the news a lot lately. Last week it involved the threat of a mass shooting on the Northern Michigan University campus (which thankfully, it was only an on-line threat) and now this week with the expected arrival of President Obama to Marquette on Thursday. Both items have made national headlines and I am happy to say that Obama's trip to the Upper Peninsula will bring bigger headlines and will involve a much more positive storyline than last week's story. Needless to say, security is heightened around Marquette and Northern Michigan University with the president's arrival. Air Force One is expected to land at Sawyer International Airport sometime around 11:45 AM. His visit will be short, but it's an exciting time for a region like the Upper Peninsula. It's not often that a sitting president of the United States visits.

So exactly why is President Obama visiting a small town like Marquette during the middle of winter? It involves a subject that he highlighted in his state of the union speech involving wireless internet access to rural areas. His goal is to see 98 percent of rural areas in the country have access to wireless internet. It's a lofty goal, but the city of Marquette and Northern Michigan University are perfect examples where it actually works. NMU has a WiMax wireless broadband internet system that allows students, faculty, and staff to connect to the internet county-wide. Northern is the only known university to set up such a network for its campus and President Obama is looking to highlight NMU's technological advances. There are also several tech-savvy businesses in the Marquette area that Obama will be visiting to see how their businesses have thrived thanks to the internet. It will definitely be an exciting time to be on NMU's campus.

Obama's visit will be the first time an incumbent president of the United States has come to the Upper Peninsula since George W. Bush campaigned in July 2004 at the Superior Dome. Prior to that, it wasn't until 1911, when William H. Taft visited the U.P. So as you can see, it's a pretty monumental occasion to get any president to come up here. And actually, out of all presidential visits to the Upper Peninsula, this will mark the first time that an incumbent president will NOT be campaigning. That's a pretty remarkable fact in of itself.

Many of the events set up for President Obama in Marquette are not open to the public and the speaking engagement at Vandament Arena is by invitation only. So for those lucky enough to get an invite or to be at one of the destinations where Obama will be visiting, it should prove to be one of those once-in-a-lifetime events. Marquette will be buzzing with excitement tomorrow, even though President Obama will only be in town for roughly three hours. Still, his visit will linger with the community for sometime. And with Marquette continuing to get a ton of press for being such an accommodating, livable community, having President Obama visit will help all the more in attracting new people to the area and also to help launch new businesses on the heals of the area's internet capabilities.

Update: Classes Resume at NMU

A day after an on-line anonymous blog posting targeted the Northern Michigan University campus for a potential shooting rampage, life gradually returns to normal for students, faculty, and staff of the university. Still, that doesn't mean the anxiety and jitters will immediately go away. It's never easy for things to return back to normal after such a frightening experience. Yes, there was no shooting, no hostage situation, and nobody was injured. But just knowing there's a potential threat out there and not knowing when or where it's going to take place is certainly scary. All in all, I must say NMU handled the situation well and the campus was locked down in no time.

Last night, Northern officials along with NMU Public Safety determined that the threat posted against the university was no longer serious enough to cancel classes for a second day. It appears that the blog posted targeting NMU was also similar in fashion to other threats against other schools in the United States. The investigation continues as to whom sent the message and whether the posting actually was credible. At the time, NMU officials felt that the posting was credible and called on a lock-down of the campus immediately after being tipped of the posting. The decision from NMU caused a ripple-effect across the city as all of Marquette public schools were closed in addition to Marquette General Hospital increasing its security measures.

As always when something like this happens in a community, rumors start flying about circumstances that just did not occur. One involved a hostage situation on campus, others involved deaths, the city of Marquette being on lockdown, and the need of the National Guard coming in to help deal with the situation. All of those were unfounded and simply not true. You have to wonder if people like to stir up even more trouble than what's already happening. They're taking advantage of a troubling situation to get noticed and to help spread rumors, which only help to make things worse. Thankfully everything ended up well in the Marquette community and all that the situation involved was this blog posting that was threatening to the NMU campus community.

Of course there are going to be those people who think the situation could've been handled better. It seems that no matter what happens and how quickly an area is evacuated and locked down, there's always room for improvement. All in all, I think NMU handled the situation very well and alerted people in a very fast manner. The threat targeted the campus for 10:11 AM and there was little, if any activity going on at that time, except students being locked down in their residential halls. What more can you expect in a situation like the one that occurred yesterday? As the saying goes, alls well that ends well. But that doesn't mean the anxiety experienced by students, faculty, and staff at NMU will be leaving right away. And who can blame them.

'Serious Threat' Closes NMU Campus

It's a crazy world we live in these days - as exhibited by the September 11 attacks on our country, attacks on our public transportation systems, and school shootings. A few months ago, there was a school hostage situation that hit close to home to many of us in the Upper Peninsula at Marinette High School. The hostage taker was killed from a self-inflicted gun shot wound, while the hostages themselves were uninjured. Thankfully that situation wasn't any worse than it could have been, but it was still bad enough. And having a situation like that happening so close to home really shakes a person up. And now we're dealing with a serious situation in the city of Marquette today...

The campus of Northern Michigan University has been shut down due to a serious threat it had received via a blog. According to NMU officials, they are unsure as to which part of the campus was being targeted so as a precaution, they have shut down the entire campus. The message posted on the blog apparently said that they would break the record of those killed during the shootings on the Virginia Tech campus during a rampage at NMU. One of the local news stations in the Marquette area, WLUC TV6, has not been able to locate the blog in question and so it is not known exactly what the blog says. It is very evident that officials at NMU have seen the blog posting, however. But NMU officials are taking the situation very seriously by closing the campus and restricting all activities until everything can be investigated.

In addition, because the NMU campus is close to several of the Marquette Area Public School buildings, Marquette schools will be dismissing early (most of the buildings have already released students as of this time). Marquette General Hospital is also very close to the NMU campus so they have greatly increased security in and around the facility but are not totally closed. Access can be made at five different points within the MGH building complex. If you have appointments, Marquette General is still open, but you may need to search around for an access point.

For continuing updates on the threat posed to the campus of NMU, please follow a few of the sites I have linked. I will not be able to update throughout the day, so these other sites will be your best bet. As of now, this has just been a safety precaution taken by officials at NMU to prevent a potentially serious situation to its students and staff. In this day and age, you can never be too safe. And yes, it just goes to show you that a situation like this can happen here in the Upper Peninsula. Thankfully, the authorities were alerted of the situation before something actually could happen. Preventive measures need to be taken to avert a potentially terrible situation here in Marquette.

UPDATE (12 PM): As per some rumors floating around out there - there has not been a hostage situation on NMU's campus and no arrests have taken place as of yet. The situation is under control. NMU officials remind people to stay away from the campus today and a determination on whether classes will be held tomorrow will be made later in the day. Marquette General is still open, just access to the various MGH building is restricted to five entryways. The Marquette YMCA facility is also closed, due to its close proximity to NMU's Berry Events Center. This closure also includes Marquette's Lakeview Arena. Traffic in and around NMU's campus and various Marquette Public School facilities has been hectic so please avoid those areas, if you can.

-WLUC TV-6 Facebook Page - Their website is currently down due to traffic demand. Their website is uppermichiganssource.com

-The Marquette Mining Journal

Changes for the Blog in 2011

Hey folks, I know that things have been a little more quiet than usual here on Luke's Ponderings, but I am looking to start ramping up the content featured here again. Also, I will be implementing a slight change in content on a couple of the days. Wednesdays will feature television AND/OR music content, as opposed to those topics being separated during different days. Thursdays will feature a brand new topic here on Luke's Ponderings - sports. Sports is another topic I am definitely involved in and look forward to discussing a plethora of sports topics here on the blog in the week's to come. I know not everyone enjoys reading sports topics, but I hope for those that don't, it will help bring in a new audience for those that do. And in turn, I am hoping that this slight change will keep my writing motivation up, too.

I know I promised a recap of the Top 10 songs of 2010 as part of my Songs I Dig feature blog and it is still in the works! In fact, I am over half-way done with it; I just need to recap the remaining four songs left and it will be posted. So stay tuned for that. I will also be looking at incorporating a new look to the blog in the months ahead. So there are many new things to look forward to in this new year.

Just a few things I wanted to share with you as we head into the second month of 2011. And as always, thanks for your interest and loyalty to Luke's Ponderings. Believe me, I have plenty more in store for the months ahead.

American Idol 10 - Auditions Continue

The second week of America Idol's newest season commenced last week with auditions taking place in Milwaukee and Nashville. For those of you who may be getting tired of the audition rounds already, you only have a couple of more weeks in which to suffer. According to the schedule, the Hollywood week shows begin airing on February 16. Actually, I find myself to be enjoying the audition shows this season more than ever. So far, there have been far less mind-numbingly bad singers featured and more of the quality singers shown. So that is a big plus for me. Still, some 50 plus singers made it out of the Milwaukee auditions and how many actually made it on screen, probably less than that? Surely Idol producers could've been able to squeeze in a few more of those hopefuls in.

Although one of the intriguing factors to seeing the awful contestants that couldn't sing was to hear the insults Simon would retort at them. Obviously that's missing and nobody on the panel really fills those shoes, although Randy does seem to be stepping up and being harsher in his criticism of some of those contestants. However, this may be one of the reasons why fewer of the bad singers are being featured, because the interaction between the current panel and these contestants just doesn't make for as good TV as it once did. Still, no matter how you slice it, those contestants who can't sing will still get treated the way that they deserve to be treated, regardless of who is sitting at the judge's table. It's just the way the game is played.

As for the better singers who made it out of the Milwaukee auditions with a Golden Ticket, here are a few of them who caught my eye. Scott McCreery is the 16-year old with the freakishly-low country singing voice. Clearly the show has not had a country-sounding male contestant with the talent that Scott has and he could go far. Naima Adedapo is the 25-year old working at the Milwaukee Summerfest Amphitheater, helping to support her family. It has the potential to be a real nice rages to riches kind of story for her. I really liked her soulful sound. Thia Megia is one of the 15-year olds featured on the show with a strong, confident voice. She was also on America's Got Talent a few seasons ago. Molly DeWolf Swenson is the 22-year old White House Intern, currently working for the Obama administration. She really surprised me with her vocal talent and I look forward to seeing what more she can do in this competition. Steven Begun is the 27-year old CPA and another one that surprised me with his voice. I thought he was going to be one of those awful singers but was anything but. Scott Dangerfield is the unassuming 22-year old that wowed the judges. I don't know if he has me entirely sold yet, but he definitely had a good audition. And last but not least, Chris Medina, the contestant who's fiance was involved in a car accident that resulted in her having a brain injury. It was a touching and heartfelt story to end the night, but I am hoping this doesn't turn into another Danny Gokey situation.

Now, for the contestants featured on Thursday's Nashville audition episode that caught my eye include: Chelsee Oaks and Rob Bolin - a pair of contestants who were once involved with each other but whom are now separated. They both sang well together and individually and both deserved a shot to move forward. Adrienne Beasley, the 22-year old African-American girl who was adopted by white parents at the age of two. She had a wonderful country-sounding vibe to her voice and could go far. Jackie Wilson is the 28-year old contestant who had a stunningly-strong audition that had the judges clapping after she was done. Paul McDonald didn't have as long of an audition as some of the others, but he's another one to watch with his smoky vocals. And last but not least, Lauren Alaina, the 15-year old contestant that sure didn't look or sound 15 years old to me. She sounded way beyond her years and has already been chosen as "the one" by Steven Tyler. Sure, her audition may have been out of this league, but let's wait until she has to sing live before we get way ahead of ourselves here.

So yes, there are definitely a few hopefuls in the midst of all those auditioning for this season's American Idol. We look to have a good crop of singers and it'll be interesting to see how things get whittled down as we head towards Hollywood Week and the live voting rounds. I honestly don't know what will make up the semi-final rounds, whether viewers will be voting or not or how many contestants will make up that particular round. All of that appears to be a surprise for the viewers that we'll just have to wait out until it comes. In the meantime, be sure and enjoy the audition episodes this coming week! Let's see who steps forward as front-runners in these upcoming episodes.

A Brand New TV

I've had my eye on a new television for awhile; ever since I moved into my house. The living room can accommodate a big TV, but I made due with my 27" Toshiba that I had for awhile - the one I received as a gift from my parents six years ago. It's still a nice TV; a flat screen with a nice picture. But compared to today's TV's, it was still a behemoth to move around. And it isn't compatible to today's HDTV standards. As I mentioned, I had my eyes on a new TV for awhile but I wanted to wait until after Christmas before I bit the bullet. Now I finally have that TV I had been looking forward to having.

Best Buy opened a store in Marquette this past November and I had been keeping my eye on their sale's paper for a good deal on a TV. It seems like every week, they have a deal on a different brand of TV. A few weeks back, I was looking into the Best Buy brand on TV's, the Insignia. Overall it had decent reviews, but they weren't over the top. So I decided to hold out for a little while longer. Then, last week they had a sale on the Sharp brand of TV's, specifically the Quattron, which uses a fourth color subpixel, that being yellow, in addition to red, blue, and green. It produces a much clearer and more vibrant picture. I went into Best Buy and took a look at the picture in person. Yes, the Quattron TV's had an equally, if not better picture than the rest of the TV's. I was pretty happy with how they looked, but I wanted to ponder my decision a little more, so I left.

Not only was I looking at a much bigger TV, but one that also conserved energy. TV manufacturers nowadays build TV's with LED technology, thus using less electricity to run. The LED technology wasn't quite there last year - if it was, those kinds of TV's were way expensive. LED TV's have come down in price since, but they are still higher than their plasma counterparts. But hey, no matter what you buy in regards to LED technology, it will always be more expensive in comparison to something that uses the standard methods of powering something up. I wanted a TV at least 50" big, so I settled on a Sharp Quattron TV that was 52" in size. I suppose I could have went with a 55" or even a 60" TV, but I was satisfied with the 52". So, I ordered the TV on-line and within a few days, went and picked it up at the Best Buy store in Marquette. It was as easy as that.

You can either put the TV on a pedestal that comes with the TV or mount it on a wall. I had it on the pedestal for a few days but ultimately wanted it mounted to the wall. And honestly, it looks the best of all being on the wall. I got rid of the old clunky TV cabinet which the old TV sat on and purchased a new shelf unit that mounts to the wall where the cable box and DVD/VCR player sits upon. Everything in front of the living room takes up so much less room now, I've added more space in there. I waited awhile to buy a new TV for my house and it was certainly worth the wait. Now I'll able to enjoy the comforts of watching anything I want on that TV for many years to come. I certainly have to regrets in making that purchase.

U.P. Packer Pride Runs Deep

In some locations from the U.P., the city of Green Bay, Wisconsin is an hour away. Where I live, it's three hours away, which in comparison to bigger cities like Detroit and Chicago, a very short drive. So as you can imagine, there are a lot of Green Bay Packer fans in Upper Michigan. It's probably the largest following of fans for one professional team here in the U.P., with the Red Wings and Lions closely behind. Generations of Packer fans have listened to the games on radio, personally gone to Lambeau Field to watch games, and faithfully watch them on television. Me personally, I am not a Packers fan and never have been. But the loyalty to the team from my fellow Yoopers is amazingly strong, in both times of good and bad.

As you can imagine after yesterday's victory against the Chicago Bears, Packer fans are gleaming with pride today. The team finished off the Bears at Solider Field in the NFC Championship Game with a score of 21-14. They will now face the Pittsburgh Steelers in the Super Bowl on Sunday, February 6 in Dallas, Texas. It's the Packers first Super Bowl appearance since 1997, when they lost to the Denver Broncos. As a Detroit Lions fan, it's always difficult for me to root for the Packers all that often. The Packers and Lions are conference foes and in most recent years, the Packers have won most of the contests between the two teams (if you don't follow the NFL that much, the Lions have been horrid the past ten years). However, I must admit that I was rooting for the Packers to win more so than the Bears yesterday. I don't know what it was; maybe to see Aaron Rodgers have success or to have the city of Green Bay experience the euphoria of the Packers having this much success again.

I remember the Packers' last two Super Bowl appearances in the mid-1990's extremely well. Brett Favre was the quaterback and Mike Holmgren was the coach. There was so much Packer pride going around it was crazy. I was in high school and the kids that were Packers fans were so boisterous about the team it was driving me bonkers. Back then, the Lions were still mediocre but they weren't as bad as they have been the past ten years. So it was always tough to hear the Packers fans yuck it up during those two successful seasons. But then, when the Packers lost in the Super Bowl in 1997, they weren't so boisterous anymore. But now, with maturity and understanding the fierce loyalty that Packers fans hold, I am compelled to show unity with those Packer fans as they march towards the Super Bowl.

It's hard to say exactly whom I will be rooting for come Super Bowl Sunday. I may have been rooting just a little bit for the Packers this past Sunday, but I'm not sure if I'll be able to keep that up two Sunday's from now. But hey, how can you not admire the way the Packers have played in the playoffs thus far. They certainly have a legitimate shot to win it all, especially considering their playoff performance. And all this for a team just a few hours away from the Upper Peninsula. You can't say that about any other professional sports teams in existence.

American Idol Season 10 Begins

For American Idol fans, once January rolls around, you know it's not too much longer before the new season starts. And sure enough, last night the premiere episode of the new season aired on FOX, featuring a new judge's panel and a new enthusiasm for the show. Preliminary ratings numbers from last night show that the show continues to lose some of its ratings compared to the season premiere from a year ago, but with 25 million people still tuning in, I'd say that's a pretty healthy number. Heck, the show may never again see the 30 million viewer benchmark like in previous seasons, but if it can halt the ratings drop that has been witnessed during the past few years, the show will be okay for awhile.

I think the biggest thing that was on all of the minds of Idol fans was how well the new judges would do. Aerosmith front-man Steven Tyler exceeded my expectations and proved to be a very valuable addition to the judge's panel. He was funny, witty, and yet constructive when he needed to be. No, he's no Simon Cowel - in fact, I don't think anyone should try to fit Simon's shoes. Those that make up the panel this year are doing exactly what they should be doing - being themselves and not trying to replace someone. Jennifer Lopez also proved to do well, although she did have some difficulty saying no to a few of the contestants whose singing wasn't up to par. I think she got the hang of it after awhile. I think she'll end up being the nicest judge of the group - the one to be motivating and not so harsh when a contestant isn't singing the greatest. However, I do think she'll be tough when she needs to be.

The remaining judge on the panel has been a constant since the show began nearly ten years ago and actually, it was nice to see one familiar face still there. Randy Jackson shines the most during the audition rounds and he tends to lose his luster once we reach the live rounds with some of his repetitive critiques and phrases. However last night, Randy certainly did not lose his touch, still using his usual "dawg" tendencies and turning away contestants that honestly did not have a chance. While Stephen and Jennifer fall pray to the "puppy dog pouts" of certain contestants, Randy stays firm and turns contestants away because their vocal abilities just aren't there. He often says "this just isn't for you" when describing their singing skills. Although he's no Simon Cowel either, he may be stepping into that roll in his own way.

As for the contestants themselves, there was nobody that really stood out to me as having a jaw-dropping audition quite yet. It's just too soon to tell who might wind up being the favorite in these early rounds - but once we get into Hollywood week, then the favorites begin to sprout up. Time will tell on who becomes the stand-outs on this season of American Idol, but all in all I'd have to say that this season is starting out much better than I had hoped. The judges seem to know what they are doing and aren't annoying the heck out of me just yet. Steven Tyler surpassed my expectations as a judge and Jennifer Lopez did fine out of the gate, too. Let's hope this momentum continues this season and we'll end up with one of the best season's yet.