offbeat

How long do you wash your hands? Be honest.

Mark Brush — Tue, 11 Jun 2013 15:35:34 +0000

This morning, Rebecca Williams reported on the MSU research that found we are still falling down on the job when it comes to washing our hands.

I say "still" because these kinds of studies have been done in the past.

Superheroes fly in to Ann Arbor's C.S. Mott Children's Hospital

Michigan Radio Newsroom — Wed, 05 Jun 2013 15:14:13 +0000

It’s a bird! It’s a plane! No, it’s the window washing crew!

Earlier this year, we posted on an unusual window washing trend. At children hospitals across the nation it appears that independent window washing companies and contractors have been donning super hero costumes to spread a little cheer.

This past Monday, superheroes visited the University of Michigan’s C.S. Mott Children’s Hospital in Ann Arbor.

3 ways to procrastinate and feel like a better person

Michigan Radio Newsroom — Fri, 17 May 2013 19:30:05 +0000

It's Friday. Your Facebook news feed is stale and if time slowed down any more it would stop. Here are three ways to procrastinate, while simultaneously making yourself think that you're becoming a better person.

1. Curate your LinkedIn profile, iTunes library, and Facebook "Likes"

Remember those budding musical groups that you "liked" on Facebook five years ago to support a friend? Or the phase when you decided to try to become an "album person" and download an artist's complete discography to your iTunes library after hearing one of her songs on the radio?

The most popular YouTube videos in 4 Michigan cities

Mark Brush — Tue, 07 May 2013 20:21:19 +0000

The new "YouTube Trends Map" shows you the most the popular videos by city. It can also be broken down by sex and age group.

What's trending in Michigan right now?

Well, apparently you like your country music in the northern part of the state:

Traverse City - Alan Jackson "He Stopped Loving Her Today" George Jones' Funeral

Your dating advice in West Michigan:

Grand Rapids - Ten Things You Should Never Say to a Guy

Your vampires in southern Michigan:

Detroit - True Blood Season 6 Trailer

And in the UP, you are in a time lapse kind of mood:

Marquette - FULL VERSION! Marquette, MI - HDR Color Time Lapse - A City Motion Production

That's what is trending now. But I venture to guess that it won't be long before this interview with Charles Ramsey becomes the most popular in your area:

http://youtu.be/SdtCEaxfT38

H/T to Heather Bryant

Jet Skiers let it rip on the flooded Grand River (VIDEO)

Mark Brush — Mon, 22 Apr 2013 21:41:28 +0000

So much for the "no contact" order from the health department.

These guys suited up and went places they normally can't go:

http://youtu.be/fdi-YG7mghM

One commenter asks "That's pretty awesome, but isn't the water disgusting?"

Looks like the fun outweighed the "disgusting" in this case.

H/T Dustin Dwyer

Ann Arbor nuns going to finals on 'American Bible Challenge' game show

Mark Brush — Wed, 17 Apr 2013 18:00:52 +0000

Sure, the three sisters from Ann Arbor's Dominican Sisters of Mary, Mother of the Eucharist are probably going to beat you in a game of trivia about the Bible.

But you wouldn't expect them to take you on the physical challenges as well.

It turns out Sister Evangeline, Sister Peter Joseph and Sister Maria Suso are pretty darn good at flipping forks into glasses:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CwRK4T5lBg4

"American Bible Challenge" airs on the Game Show Network at 9 p.m. Thursdays.

'I want to go to a Bob Seger concert' - 2 years later, a wish granted

Mark Brush — Fri, 12 Apr 2013 15:04:31 +0000

The Palm Beach Times, ABC, the Guardian, UPI, the Examiner, even "Perth Now" covered the amazing story of Evie Branan.

The 79 year-old woman woke from a five-year semi-coma in the spring 2011 and said "I want to go to a Bob Seger concert."

Two years later, she got her wish. Here she is dancing at last night's concert with a little help:

From MLive's Sarah Schuch:

At 79 years old, Evie Branan still cheered, threw her hands in the air, shook her booty and rocked out the Bob Seger concert Thursday night.
She met Seger and his family, chatted with crew and band members and received VIP treatment at The Palace of Auburn Hills. Complete strangers recognized her after hearing her name or seeing her pushed through the halls of The Palace.

When she came out of the semi-coma in 2011, Branan wrote a letter to "whomever" looking for love.

"I'm full of pep. I like doing things. I love dancing," she said:

Branan lives at the Willowbrook Manor assisted living facility in Flint Township

Letter from boot camp in 1953 returned to sender

Associated Press — Sun, 17 Mar 2013 19:50:06 +0000

An ex-soldier living in southwestern Michigan says the U.S. Postal Service has returned a letter he wrote to his wife from boot camp 60 years ago.

Girl brought $20,000 in cash to school, hands it out to friends

Michigan Radio Newsroom — Wed, 13 Mar 2013 15:20:53 +0000

A 6th grader in Taylor brought $20,000 in cash in her backpack to school on Monday, school officials told the Taylor police.

Taylor Police Chief Mary Sclabassi told the Detroit News that the 12-year-old girl said she received the money from another girl who lives across the street from her.

"The school district called us and said a 12-year-old student had a backpack full of money," Sclabassi told the News. "The principal became aware of it when she heard the student was giving money away to friends. They brought in the student, secured the backpack and retrieved the money she had given away. This is a real first for me."

Lock-picking horse 'Houdini' making waves on YouTube

Mark Brush — Thu, 14 Feb 2013 21:04:43 +0000

Bob Johnson of The Saginaw News posted a piece on Sandy and Don Bonem's lock-picking horse this morning.

The Bonem's shot video of their horse last year and were hoping it would wind up on America's Funniest Videos.

But when that didn't happen, the decided to post it on YouTube:

Superhero window washers swoop down to cheer up patients

Mark Brush — Mon, 28 Jan 2013 16:00:07 +0000

This post from Katie Hosmer on MyModernMet.com caught my eye.

You've got to clean the windows, so why not do it with a little flair?

The photo to the right is from All Children's Hospital in St. Petersburg, FL.

Window washers from Clearwater's High Rise Window Cleaners got dressed up in Spider-Man costumes and then made several trips from the top of the building to the ground, washing windows and waving at ecstatic patients along the way...As the hospital states, "There were actually three Spider-Men on the job and their high-rise moves were the hands-down hit of the day."

And here's a video of superhero window washers descending on Le Bonheur Children's Hospital in Memphis, Tennessee.

http://youtu.be/UfhR-SNhi0A

H/T to Zach Feinstein

Petoskey Batman back in action, faces felony charges

Mark Brush — Wed, 03 Oct 2012 16:38:43 +0000

When I posted last April that 'Petoskey Batman' was 'hanging it up,' I was quickly corrected:

Your information is false. The Petoskey Batman is selling off the suit, but he is FAR from hanging it up. He has constructed a new suit, and plans to go back on patrol in a few weeks.

Now we hear news that sure enough, Mark Wayne Williams was at it again.

The Petoskey News reports Williams was arrested last Saturday night for interfering with a police investigation.

Sgt. Jeff Gorno told the News the incident happened in Bear Creek Township:

Troopers were responding to the scene of a personal injury accident in which the driver had left the scene.
“When we arrived, (Williams) was at the scene in his Batman outfit. He wouldn’t clear the scene and we had a canine out there and he kept screwing up the scent,” Gorno said. “He said he wanted to help us look for the driver.”
“We didn’t want the dog to track Batman instead of the accident scene and he was getting in the way of officers who had a job to do.”
Williams’ Batman costume and gear were confiscated. Gorno said he was not carrying any dangerous weapons.
Williams posted bond and was released from the Emmet County Jail.

Williams faces felony changes for "resisting and obstructing police in an investigation."

He was arrested last year after he was spotted on a rooftop in downtown Petoskey. He was ordered not to don his costume while on six months of probation.

'Petoskey Batman' is listed as one of the members of the 'real-life-superhero' group "The Michigan Protectors."

No word on the whereabouts of the bat cave yet:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sBe3QzVW5_8&feature=related

Police digging under driveway for Hoffa, search is a 'circus' for one neighbor

Mark Brush — Fri, 28 Sep 2012 15:25:35 +0000

Police are digging under a driveway in Roseville, Michigan this morning to see if they can come up with evidence of a body.

Ground penetrating radar indicated an "anomaly" under the driveway earlier in the week.

There's wide speculation the body could be former Teamsters union boss Jimmy Hoffa, but that appears to be a long-shot. From CNN:

Police Chief James Berlin told CNN on Thursday that while the tipster's information seems credible, he's not convinced the body is Hoffa's because of the timeline. He spoke with the tipster on August 22 and says he believes the person did see a burial.

Police will send soil samples from the dirt under the driveway to MSU for analysis.

The samples will be sent to a forensic anthropologist and tested for human decomposition. Results aren't expected before next week.

In the meantime, one homeowner tells the Associated Press that the search for Hoffa has turned her neighborhood into a "circus."

Szpunar tells The Associated Press Friday that the Roseville home she's lived in for 24 years has been turned into a "three-ring circus" by onlookers and media members who gawk and take photos.

Szpunar told the AP she just wants to be left alone.

Legitimate membership into the 'mile high club'? Michigan business wants to help

Mark Brush — Thu, 27 Sep 2012 15:11:09 +0000

Not surprisingly, there are online, how-to instructions for joining the 'mile high club,' but to join might set off a security alert.

That's where someone like Traverse City pilot Scott Conaway steps in.

VIDEO: An 'apex hunter' rides to the rescue in Asian carp battle

Mark Brush — Thu, 13 Sep 2012 15:39:03 +0000

Shark Week, schmark week.

It's Asian Carp Week here at Michigan Radio!

All week long, The Environment Report has been bringing us stories about Asian Carp & the Great Lakes.

Messages from Shelter #10 on Isle Royale

Mark Brush — Wed, 06 Jun 2012 18:46:03 +0000

When you camp on Isle Royale, you don't necessarily have to sleep in tents.

You can sleep in a "camping shelter," which is basically an elevated, screened-in, wooden structure.

It can protect you from the elements and the bugs.

And based on our experience, it seems people have had some time on their hands waiting out storms in these shelters.

Park visitors have left messages on the walls - something we humans love to do - even long before we had Facebook walls to write on.

We were expecting profane, but we found inspiring, humorous, artistic, and messages describing their experiences while on Isle Royale. (O.k., there was a little profanity here and there. It is graffiti, after all.)

To see the messages, take a look at the slideshow above.

Some of our favorites:

"45 miles 8 days all w/diabetes! 2010"
A diagram showing you where to "BANG HEAD." It was surprisingly accurate. I hit my head on that low beam 5 or 6 times.
"Flight over for 3 - $625.00 - Gear and food - $300.00 - Spending my 50th birthday hiking with my daughter and son - priceless (50 miles) - JMR 8/2007"
"...My girlfriend says everything is my fault (it is)..."
"...Lots of rain, no bugs, probably going to have tapeworm. LIVING THE DREAM!"
"we came, we saw, we got eaten by giant, rabid, mutant squirrels! Help..."

Write on our walls! Tell us about your camping experiences around Michigan. The good. The bad. The unforgettable.

Michigan teen from Ishpeming makes prom dress out of Starburst wrappers

Mark Brush — Tue, 08 May 2012 20:19:09 +0000

I remember making little chains out of Starburst wrappers when I was a kid, but building an entire garment with them?

That's what Diane McNease of Ishpeming High School has done.

WLUC-TV produced a short piece on McNease and her dress. Here it is (I like the host's reaction to the lead of the story):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Iukf2_qi8-4&feature=youtu.be

McNease definitely has some artistic flair. She said she strung wrappers in the dress below the corset to "give the illusion that the dress is, kind of like, falling apart."

She said friends donated around 18,000 wrappers for the corset, matching hair bands, and purse. It took her around 5 months to make.

More evidence that young kids today are far from slackers. We stopped after stringing 10 Starburst wrappers together.

Michigan superhero "Bee Sting" arrested, other Michigan superheroes named

Mark Brush — Fri, 27 Apr 2012 14:39:27 +0000

Another Michigan superhero has drawn the attention of local police.

Just as Petoskey Batman is wrapping up his probation, Bee Sting turns up in Burton, Michigan with a little shotgun mishap.

Do we really need foam and lycra baby helmets?

Mark Brush — Mon, 16 Apr 2012 15:44:19 +0000

These helmets are not for kids with medical conditions, but for your run-of-the-mill little snappers who take a dive every now and again.

Sue Toms on MLive asks whether these helmets are necessary on their "Question of the day."

I can’t help but feel sorry for parents of small children trying to figure out how much to protect and how much to let go in a world where their fears are fodder for profit-making marketing campaigns.
Do infants need 3.2 ounces of foam and Lycra, with little bunny ears, strapped on their heads as they crawl or walk in their living room? The doctors, paramedics and psychiatrists endorsing the product on the website say they do.
But watching a YouTube video of a toddler cruising along a coffee table wearing a Thudguard on his head is a little unnerving...

Here's the video... complete with a close call with a sandal.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=54XC693XLcw&feature=player_embedded

Too much?

Michigan pair lose appeal in John Stamos extortion

The Associated Press — Mon, 16 Apr 2012 15:08:20 +0000

MARQUETTE, Mich. (AP) - A federal appeals court has upheld the convictions of a man and woman from Michigan's Upper Peninsula who were accused of trying to blackmail actor John Stamos.

A three-judge panel in Cincinnati rejected challenges to the indictment Monday as well as claims that Allison Coss and Scott Sippola should have received a break at sentencing for accepting responsibility.

They were sentenced to four years in prison in 2010 after a jury convicted them of conspiracy and using email to threaten a person's reputation. Coss and Sippola threatened to sell old photos of Stamos with strippers and cocaine to the tabloids unless he paid $680,000. The FBI said the photos didn't exist.

Stamos met Coss in Florida in 2004 and had a friendship.