Tag Archives: University of Michigan

Antique oboist plays Denison Hall

Posted on March 22, 2013 by admin

By Joel Thurtell This tale is all about a joke, really, but it begins with my chirimía. For years, this curious musical instrument sat atop the hutch in our kitchen. It was made by a musician from the Lake Pátzcuaro … Continue reading →

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Stick-up at UM

Posted on February 24, 2013 by admin

By Joel Thurtell Two ways to make it big. There’s singer Petey Pablo‘s way: Put the money in the bag before I blow your head off. And there’s University of Michigan President Mary Sue Coleman’s way: Parley your fancy title … Continue reading →

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Rattlesnakes for sale!

Posted on October 4, 2012 by admin

By Joel Thurtell I visited the University of Michigan’s Ruthven Natural History Museum today. I’m always a bit wary in that place. You’d be nervous, too, if you went back to the place where you’d been attacked by a rattlesnake. … Continue reading →

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UM evades Michigan’s anti-racism law

Posted on June 2, 2012 by hro50ta1

By Joel Thurtell What do the felon Kwame Kilpatrick and the University of Michigan Alumni Association have in common? Both the disgraced Detroit mayor and the UM alum group have behaved tried to act as if the 2006 Michigan constitutional … Continue reading →

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My natural experiment

Posted on January 31, 2012 by hro50ta1

By Joel Thurtell For years — decades, in fact — I’d been telling the same story. I was trained as a historian and I ought to know. The famous dictum of the great medieval historian Marc Bloch that “history is … Continue reading →

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‘Luke Warm’: as real as the ‘Big Ten’

Posted on December 3, 2011 by hro50ta1

By Luke Warm Professor of Mendacity University of Munchausen Okay, kids, listen up! The Big Lie is afoot! There is a rumor out there that I, Professor Luke Warm, first and foremost holder of the John Hope Despair Chair of … Continue reading →

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Hank Fonde: “I beat Ohio State!”

Posted on November 27, 2010 by hro50ta1

By Joel Thurtell The 80-year-old old guy with the shock of white hair wore a fading maize and blue University of Michigan t-shirt. But this was not just any Michigan fan. Nor was it just any UM t-shirt. The younger … Continue reading →

Posted in Beginnings, Hank Fonde | Tagged , , , , | 1 Comment

The Rich Rod punt

Posted on November 6, 2010 by hro50ta1

“I am proud of how our coach has handled all of this, as well as his players.” —  University of Michigan President Mary Sue Coleman, on the NCAA’s verdict that the UM football program committed five major rules violations By … Continue reading →

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Setting an example at UM

Posted on October 24, 2010 by hro50ta1

By Joel Thurtell The Detroit Free Press’s Drew Sharp was right on the money when he wrote that Coach Rod needs to fess up, shoulder the responsibility for a third miserable University of Michigan football season and stop blaming assistant … Continue reading →

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Scab concert

Posted on October 10, 2010 by hro50ta1

By Joel Thurtell Once upon a time, before the Great Newspaper Strike of 1995, the Detroit Free Press published a huff-and-puff editorial chastising Big League Baseball for putting on games during a strike of players. “Scab Ball,” the Free Press … Continue reading →

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