GM's Rick Wagoner takes his message of hope to YouTube

Trying to calm fears about GM's future Rick Wagoner CEO of GM took his message of hope to YouTube. Here's the video from YouTube. For details on this story check out CNBC

Resorting to this method of communication is great, it is though puzzling as to why GM has disabled comments for this video on YouTube.

General Motors begins 2nd Century today!!

Congratulations to General Motors as it turns 100 today. General Motors (GM) was founded on September 16, 1908 in Flint, Michigan and currently employs approximately 284,000 people around the world. GM's global headquarters is the Renaissance Center located in Detroit, Michigan.

Here's Oldsmobile Curved Dash - from early 1900'sand here's the future - Chevy Volt!!

The Private World of India's Mughal Emperors

There's an exhibition opening at the Detroit Institute of Arts from Aug. 23 to November 16th, 2008 titled "The Private World of India's Mughal Emperors".

This exhibition features 86 outstanding miniature paintings, calligraphic examples and albums from the libraries of the Great Mughals of India: Akbar (r.1556–1605), Jahangir (r. 1605–1627) and Shah Jahan (r. 1628–1666).

For more details visit Detroit Institute of Arts Website.

Atif Aslam, Amanat Ali, Kailash Kher and Richa Sharma coming to Michigan on June 20th

(UPDATE: Just heard on Narendra Sheth's Radio Program that this event has been cancelled)
Atif Aslam along with Sa Re Ga Ma Pa fame Amanat Ali will be in the Metro Detroit Area on June 20th. They will be accompanied by Richa Sharma and Kailash Kher.

They will be performing live in the Summer Beats Concert at Detroit Opera House on June 20th at 8.00 PM. Ticket Prices are $38/- $58/- $78/- and V I P. For more details call 586 506 0043 or visit palace-entertainment

Here's the amazing Amanat Ali in Sa Re Ga Ma Pa

Careful!! - Mike's Hard Lemonade is not your plain Nimboo Pani

Christopher Ratte is a tenured professor of classical archeology at the University of Michigan. This means (quoting Detroit Free Press)

on a given day, he's more likely to be excavating ancient burial sites in Turkey than watching "Dancing with the Stars" -- or even the History Channel, for that matter.

Christopher goes to Comerica Park (downtown Detroit) with his 7 year old son. At Comerica Park he stops by at the concession stand which has a sign (shown in the image) to buy lemonade for his son. Considering the Professor's background I doubt if he realised that the lemonade had alchohol in it.

So he buys Mike's Hard Lemonade for his son. His nightmare starts now. Some snitch in the stands complained to the Comerica Park security guard. The Security Guard then escorted Dad and son out of the stands to a police station where it was decided that the professor's son had to be checked out at the Children's Hospital. What happens next (from Detroit Free Press)

an ER resident who drew Leo's blood less than 90 minutes after he and his father were escorted from their seats detected no trace of alcohol.

"Completely normal appearing," the resident wrote in his report, "... he is cleared to go home."

But it would be two days before the state of Michigan allowed Ratte's wife, U-M architecture professor Claire Zimmerman, to take their son home, and nearly a week before Ratte was permitted to move back into his own house.

Read more on this story at Detroit Free Press.

It was a colossal overreaction by the State. Now if the Dad really wanted to give alchohol to this son why would he do it in front of thousands of people at Comerica Park?

Events - April 2008

Kavi Sammelan - Uttar Pradesh Association of Greater Detroit
Event will take place at William Costick Activity Center, 28600 Eleven Mile Rd., Farmington Hills, MI 48336.
Event Time: 4 pm on Sunday April 20, 2008
Tickets – $50, $30, $20
Visit Uttar Pradesh Association of Greater Detroit - Website for more details

Indian American Cultural Association
Holi and Vaisakhi Celebration on Saturday April 19th, 2008 at Costick Activities Center, 28600 Farmington Hills, MI. The Event will take place from 5.30 PM to 11 PM.
Contact the following or visit miiaca.com for more details

• Harvinder Singh: 586-295-0131 Rashmi Upadhyaya: 248-615-4819
• Bharat Malhotra: 734-495-0188 Keshav Raizada: 734-722-8990
• Shailender Madani: 248-822-8182 Arun Jauhar: 248-652-1773
• Ashu Ahluwalia: 248-349-2105 Satyen Bhama: 248 540-9458

Gudhi Padawa - Maharashtra Mandal of Greater Detroit
When: Saturday, April 12 2008
Where: Bharatiya Temple of Troy
Entertainment items
1. Maajhi Fillumbaji by Shirish Kanekar
2. Men's Cooking competition
3. Best Saree Contest
4. Under 18 Fashion Parade

Contact Mrinalini Arkatkar : 248-740-1223 or visit Maharashtra Mandal website.

Ugadi - Michigan Konkani Association

Event will take place on April 12,2008 at Southfield Civic Center, Southfield. Visit website for more details.

Detroit Metro Leads in Population Decline

In the latest estimates released by US Census, on population changes between July 2006 and July 2007, Metro Detroit had the largest decline with 27,314 folks leaving the area. Compare this with Dallas-Fort Worth which gained approx 162,350 folks.

It would be interesting to see population changes as far as Indians are concerned in the Metro Detroit Area. With Temple expansion (Bharatiya Temple, Canton Hindu Temple, Indian Temple in Novi, New Canton Gurdwara) underway in our area, one would think that the expansion is taking place because temple folks are seeing influx of more Indians.

Click here for a look on Google Maps at Population growth at 100 largest Metro Areas in United States.

What's in your Drinking Water?

CNN was reporting yesterday that researchers have found prescription drugs in the drinking water supplies of 24 major metropolitan areas which includes Detroit, MI where researchers had found "Unspecified Drugs".

Even though quantities found are far below the levels of medical dose, scientists are worried of long-term consequences to human health.

I have mapped out the metropolitan areas affected on Google Maps along with prescription drug info. (Note: Information window pop up after every 8 seconds. However you can click on "Disable/Pause" button if you need more time to read thru the text in the information window.

Here's a screen shot of Drugs found in drinking water around Columbus, OH.

Detroit tops Forbes list of "Most Miserable Cities" in America

Forbes Magazine thinks Detroit is the "Most Miserable City" in America.

Wait! Michigan is still not done. Forbes ranked Flint, MI as the 3rd most "Miserable City".

The factors Forbes considered in coming up with this ranking are

unemployment and personal tax rates, commute times, weather, crime and that toxic waste dump in your backyard.

My Fellow Desis! What do you think? Do you agree with "Forbes".

I work in the city of Detroit. Yes on a day like today (we are expecting around 6 inches of snow) the commute will be a headache. But Downtown Detroit is changing for sure. Major Corporations are moving there offices to Detroit. Do they think Detroit is "Miserable" - don't think so.

There's a lot going on in Detroit even in this harsh winter weather. There's The Winter Blast in Downtown Detroit starting February 8-10 which will attract lots of people.

Happy New Year

Happy and Prosperous New Year to all. Mother Nature helped us welcome the New Year by dumping 8-10 inches of snow in the Metro Detroit Area.

Sure this looks pretty but its no fun shoveling the white stuff. I do have a snow blower but it does not like this much snow so I had to shovel.

"Bump and Pump" Scam at Detroit Area Gas Stations

Today's Detroit Free Press is reporting that some bad elements in our society have come up with a new scheme to rob you at the Gas Station. Here is how it works.

• A supposedly good Samaritan approaches you, offering to pump gas for you while you sit in the car
• When your car is filled up, the good Samaritan asks you to move forward as there is another car behind you
• Remember the good Samaritan does not hang up the nozzle
• The car behind you is the good Samaritan's buddy
• If you don't pull your car forward, then the good Samaritan's buddy begins nudging your car forward. When you finally pull away, the lowlife begins fueling the car driven by his buddy.

Moral of the Story:
Fill it up yourself! (ALWAYS!)

Detroit and suburbs on Google Maps Street View

Hello Detroiters! You are now on Google Maps Street View. Check out maps.google.com and click on "Street View" Button. You can view street level photographs. Here's a look at Jain Temple located in Farmington Hills, MI (Thanks to Mike Pegg of GoogleMapsMania for the the tip)

Thanksgiving Day Snow in Metro Detroit - 2007

Here's a image of 1st snowfall (though not much) on Thanksgiving day in Plymouth, MI.

MIBAZAAR: World Map at General Motors Plaza, Detroit, MI

MIBAZAAR: World Map at General Motors Plaza, Detroit, MI

It's 3 AM and I don't have anything better to do so what do I do, I look around Detroit on Google Maps. I pan towards the river front and follow the path I use to take during my jog (when the weather was warm) which is right by the river front from Cobo Hall to beyond General Motors Plaza. Guess what I noticed on Google Maps - A World Map on Granite at the GM Plaza. I blogged on this at MIBAZAAR. Here's the permalink.

Quicken Loans to move headquarters from Livonia to Detroit

Detroit gets a boost. Quicken Loans announced today that it is moving its headquarters from Livonia to Detroit. The move involving approximately 4000 employees will take 3-4 years. Dan Gilbert Chairman and CEO of Quicken Loans has (via Detroit FreePress)

contractually promised the city that he will make a final decision within the next 12 months between two possible sites for the new Quicken headquarters – a 2-acre parcel above the Premier Garage on the site of the former J.L. Hudson’s store, and a site off Grand Circus Park that once housed the now-
demolished Statler and Tuller hotels and vacant United Artists Theater.

Fly to Premier Garage Location, Detroit in Google Earth or view in Google Maps.

Fly to Statler Hotel site (now demolished), Detroit in Google Earth or view in Google Maps.