Your comments reflect the caustic remarks I was practically bludgeoned with from the moment I moved in. It took me nearly two years to shake the resulting bad attitude and dig out from that ugly impression. While many of your points can’t be denied and definitely should not be ignored, it is my intent – and that of this site - to highlight the people, places and things that are moving Michigan forward. This site and I may be “new” - but how do you suggest we advance the situation if we stick with the “old.” I think we both agree that the old way of thinking is exactly how Michigan got stuck in such a mess to begin with.

Also, I’m curious, can you tell us how you tried to affect change while you were here? I ask, because I am truly trying to identify and promote ways a new generation of talent can impact change instead of becoming jaded, complacent and apathetic. I want to understand what great efforts have been made and why they failed.

I believe life is made up of a series of decisions that get you to where you stand today. Some things are totally out of my control But I chose to move here. I choose to stay here. And I choose to insert myself and all my capacities into the movement toward a progressive Michigan. MiLifeMiTimes chooses to spotlight like-minded people and organizations. We don’t mean to sugar-coat - but we absolutely mean to look at life here from new perspectives.

First of all, to even post articles even mildly suggesting that the brain-drain in MI is a myth, is sheer ignorance. No, it may not be to the extent that some may advocate, but maybe that sort “state of urgency” is what is needed for people to actually care.

It seems there are alot of “authorities” on this topic. Yet, I wonder how many of them have actually experienced the drastic decline of the Detroit region, and Michigan as a whole, over the past 5 years.

How many “experts” watched all their friends and colleagues leave for greener pastures in “real” cities, how many were crushed by unfinished projects into which went months or years of heart & soul?

Sure, that may be an increase in “higher education” jobs in the “information / knowledge” field, thanks to the universities, but how many THOUSANDS of people have lost their jobs and homes in Michigan in the past 5 years?

70,000 new jobs do not replace the HUNDREDS of thousands of people that lost their jobs, and often homes, due in large part to 3 major auto corporations for which there is no accountability.

Compound that with a city and state bureaucracy that is beyond ridiculous, and good luck opening a new business.

What gets me the most is this: You advocate for young entrepreneurs to create and open their own businesses.
Great.

How long will that take? 3 years? 5 years?

Then, once the strong (or rich) few do open, WHO are their customers going to be???

People with their homes in foreclosure?
People that just lost a job they’ve had for 20 years?
People that suffer from some of the worst primary education systems in the country?

Yes, Governor Granholm does get it, and she tried. But instead, she will be blamed for the state’s demise… a demise which was in motion long before she came into office.

People such as myself do not appreciate publications and organizations that are too new to be deeply rooted in actual communities sugar-coating the situation and promoting false-advertising for Michigan.

Yes, Michigan is a great place. It has great forests and lakes and farms… it has some cities with great potential. It has some of the world’s most remarkable architecture. And MOST OF ALL: it has the highest concentration of truly innovative talent.

Yet, these YOUNG people have NO support networks. They are receiving some of the worst primary educations.

Yes, financial support of higher education is crucial… but let’s remember that to even GET to that level, PRIMARY education and community-building will be the determining factors of who even gets to those higher education opportunities.

Yes, I do agree that the disgusting amount of money spent on incarcerating people is unforgivable considering the education crisis. Hm, perhaps if people had the skills and knowledge to solve problems, there would not be such a need for so many prisons…

The bottom line is that: Michigan is always late to the party, so to speak. To be jumping on the “information age” train now is already late. And one of the main reasons we are always last to the party is because those in positions of power are both afraid of change, afraid of merging, and most of all, want the next phase to look solely as they perceive it.

If the “Big 3″ and all related transportation & energy companies in Michigan we smart, they would reserve what open farmland is left in MI to grown vegetable fuel, subsidize the farmland, and put organic-fuel-powered vehicles on the market like no other company. Then MI could lead that economy, and the MI auto industry could begin to redeem itself. And of course, this is only ONE way big moves could be made in MI.

This does include the entire issue of Detroit, and Michigan, refusing to capitalize on the economy of CULTURE. Flat-out refusing. Even the “Visitors Bureau” denies proposals for guided music tours of the city.

As a native Detroiter, who spent many summers, and even falls, in northern Michigan, I must say that there is some serious re-thinking that needs to happen at the core, and the heart, of the people before we can even hope to move forward.

I have lived in New Orleans for the past 3 years now - a city RAVAGED by 2 hurricanes and a flood in 1 month’s time. And do you know that the people of New Orleans have ALOT to teach the people of Detroit (MI) about supporting their OWN first, about capitalizing on their inherent hometown culture, and about just how powerful this resource can be in re-building a fallen metropolis…?

Michigan refused to diversify its economy for too long, and if the primary educational systems necessary to do just that are not put in place immediately, MI may miss this bus too…

I had to leave Michigan as a new grad because I went through [4] jobs in one year. All of them were lay-offs or businesses going out of business, except for one: one I was fired from because I was late too many times because I relied on the Detroit bus system to get to work, and it failed to be reliable.

How are you going to sugar-coat that one?