Michigan (pronounced ) is a Midwestern state of the United States. It was named after Lake Michigan, the word 'Michigan' itself being a French derivative of the Ojibwe misshikama (read "mish-ih-GAH-muh"), meaning "big lake" (compare kitchikama, meaning "Great Lake" - pronounced "gitch-ih-GAH-ma," or "Gitchee-Gumee" as rendered by Longfellow).

Bounded by four of the five Great Lakes, plus Lake Saint Clair, Michigan has the longest freshwater shoreline in the United States, the longest total shoreline after Alaska (including island shorelines)"Does Michigan have the longest coast line in the United States?" Michigan.gov, and more recreational boats than any other state in the union. A person in Michigan is never more than 85 miles (137 km) from open Great Lakes water and is never more than 6 miles from a natural water source.

Michigan is the only bi-peninsular state. The Lower Peninsula of Michigan, to which the name Michigan was originally applied, is sometimes dubbed "the Mitten," owing to its shape. When asked where in Michigan one comes from, a resident of the Lower Peninsula may often point to the corresponding part of his or her hand. The Upper Peninsula (U.P.) is separated from the Lower Peninsula by the Straits of Mackinac, a five-mile channel that joins Lake Huron to Lake Michigan. The Upper Peninsula (whose residents are often called "Yoopers") is economically important for tourism and its natural resources.

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Drew Sharp: Lions should look into trading Calvin Johnson
Wed, 16 Dec 2009 02:48:00 -0500
The Lions are facing their own Curtis Granderson moment. If it wasn't apparent before, it should be clear now after the Bailout in Baltimore. The Lions are looking at 2012 -- at the earliest -- before they're relevant.
RISING FROM THE WRECKAGE | CHAPTER 4: Rattner on GM, Chrysler turnaround plans: 'They were delusional'
Tue, 15 Dec 2009 22:47:00 -0500
As our story continues, help arrives for GM and Chrysler in Washington. But in Michigan, officials see the industry's problems starting to weigh on the state as a whole.
Ex-autoworker moves into film
Wed, 16 Dec 2009 01:03:00 -0500
Lewis Smith's family helped build Michigan's bedrock industry. At the end of his automotive career, Smith was helping to dismantle it. He didn't like that work, so he got out and is building a new future with giant green screens.
Kilpatrick could face penalty if he paid lawyers from fund
Wed, 16 Dec 2009 01:19:00 -0500
Kwame Kilpatrick violated Michigan campaign-finance law if he used money from his mayoral campaign fund to pay lawyers who defended him against assault charges.
DMC request being challenged in Greene case
Wed, 16 Dec 2009 01:28:00 -0500
A lawyer for Detroit Receiving Hospital is challenging a subpoena filed by an attorney for the family of slain exotic dancer Tamara Greene seeking any possible records of her treatment there.
November housing construction up 8.9%
Wed, 16 Dec 2009 09:07:00 -0500
WASHINGTON — Construction of new homes, helped by better weather, rebounded in November following a setback in the previous month.

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