Just over 100 years ago, Dearborn, by way of Henry Ford, became the agent of innovation and industry for Michigan. Believe it or not, this storied city has the opportunity to once again change the face of our state. Only this time it's through the diversity of its people. Metromode takes a look at how Dearborn could become the model for urban multiculturism.
As corporate radio blands out the airwaves with lowest common denominator programming, local college radio remains the last bastion for original and ecclectic soundscapes. And with the Internet, these student-run shows are finding listeners all over the globe.
As the hyperbole of election season politics hits full swing it's useful to remember that there's still a place for pragmatism. Meet John Hartig, a dedicated conservationist who helped bring govermental, corporate and international interests to the table in order to establish The Detroit River International Wildlife Refuge.
Did Shirley Temple have an oral fixation? Did Luke Skywalker want to sleep with his mother? The Reel Deal is a local film discussion group lead by psychotherapists and psychoanalysts. Along with the audience they examine the unconscious inspiration behind our favorite flicks. Think of it as group therapy with explosions and movie stars.
Rich Homberg wants public television to speak to Detroit's two identities -urban and suburban- while deepening its commitment to local issues, local programming and new media technologies. Metromode's Dennis Archambault sat down to discuss with him the future of DPTV.
The handwriting is on the wall: SE Michigan's economy needs to develop new industries in order to thrive. Given the power and prestige of our local research universities and the fact that biotech startups are popping up like dandelions, some see the life sciences industry as our next best hope.
Once upon a time Ferndale was a dying inner ring suburb. Then the gay community moved in. Now it's one of Metro Detroit's fastest developing cities, drawing a hip, young and diverse population to its walkable neighborhoods. How did longtime residents react? They not only embraced the change, they voted in Michigan's first openly gay mayor.
Chicago, San Francisco, and Boston do not thrive on home ownership alone. If you look at most successful cities in the U.S., a robust rental market is necessary for urban health (and attracting young talent). Here, however, rentals are what you end up with when you can't sell. Should we rethink what it means to "live" in Metro Detroit?
Power planting at power plants! Chris Lehr does more than create attractive landscapes for his corporate clients, he makes things environmentally right where nature has been wronged.
Marcel Proust once said, "The real voyage of discovery consists not in seeking new landscapes but in having new eyes." To wit, Michigan's smaller universities are enthusiastically expanding their commitment to research, understanding that high-tech talent and innovation are needed to remake the state's economic landscape.
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