Savaged: County Commishes Suggest Euthanizing Local Humane Society Over Money Dispute
By Chris Savage
"The greatness of a nation and its moral progress can be judged by the way its animals are treated."— attributed to Mohandas Gandhi
What would you call a group of municipal leaders that was receiving $1.5 million in…
The Culture Vulture: Gangster Movie Madness
by Nick Leshi
Even though they are often fraught with stereotypes, gangster movies are still one of my all-time guilty pleasures. Some of my favorite films are in that genre: The Godfather, Carlito's Way, Goodfellas, Donnie Brasco, TV's …
Why Is Ann Arbor’s State Senator Accepting Free Meals From the City’s Own Lobbyist?
by P.D. Lesko
In September 2011, MLive political analyst Susan J. Demas outed Democratic State Senator Rebekah Warren (left) as one of only four Michigan legislators who had accepted more than $1,800 in free food and drinks from lobbyists…
Culture Vulture: IN TIME—A Movie Metaphor for the OWS Movement
by Nick Leshi
The new science fiction movie "In Time" opened and I had high hopes. It was written and directed by Andrew Niccol, the guy responsible for "Gattaca," one of my favorites, and it stars the multi-talented Justin Timberlake who…
Urban Exile: Do We Care More About Starving Kids in Africa Than Starving Kids in Michigan?
by Erika McNamara
Sometimes I wonder if needy people in Africa get more of our attention then people right here in our own state and town.
Almost a month ago a judge put a halt to the state of Michigan’s new cap on cash assistance for…
The Parent Trap: It’s ALL Our Fault—Parental Guilt
by Betsy McMillin
I am feeling a great deal of parental guilt lately.
My eight-year-old daughter has a medical (non-life threatening) condition. She is being tested for a learning disability as well. She is a sweet, bright, funny, happy,…
Michigan Messenger Online News Site Shuttered—Why You Should Care (A Lot)
by P.D. Lesko
If you never read the Michigan Messenger, you missed some of the best investigative reporting around. Eartha Jane Melzer on the Benton Harbor and environmental beats outreported virtually every other news outlet in the state.…
The Culture Vulture: The Unsolved Mysteries of Harry Potter
by Nelle Engoron
Now that the final film (Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, Part 2) has unspooled in Muggle theaters, there are no real surprises for the fans, who know full well how the saga ends from having read the books (to…
New Report: Michigan Economy Is Moving “Significantly Backward” By Hiking Taxes on the Poor
by P.D. Lesko
The Center on Budget and Policy Priorities, one of the nation’s premier policy organizations working at the federal and state levels on fiscal policy and public programs that affect low- and moderate-income families and…
The Parent Trap: Raising Girls “Full Of Awesome” (Self-Esteem)
by Betsy McMillin
I am raising four girls ages three to fifteen, and I am scared. Cautiously optimistic, yet wary and scared.
Every day I, along with countless other parents of young girls, face obstacles that interfere with raising…
