i want to crawl under a rock and wait bush out. i am completely incredulous as most of what he said in a speech this morning. its hard to beleive that any informed person can say such things. they are either ridiculous lies, or he is living in a different world than i live in. and i live a long walk away from the white house. somehow he seems to be worlds away.
lets start with Hamas and Carter. they met last week. Bush wasnt happy.
He declined to criticize former president Jimmy Carter for meeting last week with leaders of the Palestinian militant group Hamas, but made clear that he will continue to shun the group, which he said is undermining Israeli-Palestinian peace efforts.
as Carter said on NPR's Diane Rheem Show, you cant engage Palestine in negotions without Hamas. they won legitimate elections and represent half of the Palestinian population. Bush and Isreal wont even talk to them because they are "a terrorist organization." not talking to people who disagree with you wont make them change. you cant ignore a problem away.
also, in the Carter interview today he said that all Arab countries would leave Israel alone if they just went back to their 1967 boundaries. not only that, they would assume diplomatic and trade relations. Israel wont back down from what is essentially and invasion of another country's land. i dont understand our unwavering support for Israel.
next, Bush is blaming congress for our economical woes. once again i say it to a republican, you cant take the effect and make it the cause. the economy was churning along just fine with quite a surplus at the end of the Clinton years. an unjust and wholly unnecessary war have squandered that surplus and given us a tremendous debt to the Chinese. to add insult to injury, Bush and a republican congress cut taxes for the richest of the rich, which by the way McCain wants to make permanent.
now that congress is refusing to pass laws at a whim to make life a little easier, Bush decries them as the cause. in reality, Bush and the republicans shat the bed and congress is making him sit in it for a while.
gas is expensive. bummer. get a hybrid. i have trouble finding sympathy on that subject. i pay the same prices at the pump as everyone else. its the price you pay for dependence on gasoline. now it seems foolish that we dont have an alternate, eh. and suspending fuel taxes for the summer is stupid. it wont help much, people will be super pissed when the taxes go back into effect, and as Barack Obama pointed out it will take money form necessary highway and bridge work. perhaps you forgot about that bridge in Minneapolis that fell down? removing the taxes is like putting a bandge on a broken leg. sure you may slow or stop the bleeding, but you still cant walk. take the time and care to do it right so that you can heal, and in a couple months walk. i am so fucking tired of Bush's fucking bandaid solutions!
food prices are going up, too. there i do have sympathy. as i said before, we need to eliminate the bipartisan quotas on biofuels as it is taking food out of the supply.
i have also addressed mortgages. we should try and help legit home buyers from ending up in foreclosure. investors took a risk and got bit in the ass on it. tough luck.
George Bush needs to man up, admit he made mistakes. take a real hard look and try to fix what he has done. its hard to have any respect for someone who cant admit that hes wrong, instead of righting the wrong, he comes up with a hackneyed fix that wont do any good in the long run. i cant wait til he is gone. i hope so hard that whoever wins is string enough to look at the problems and com up with real solutions. no preconceived notions, no partisan politics, no bandaids. do what is best for America and the world. the one candidate i see capable of doing that has a funny name and a good portion of America thinks is a Muslim.
Tuesday, April 29, 2008
Monday, April 28, 2008
hold the McCain, please
Fareed Zakaria is a smart guy. McCain scares him. McCain scares me. he already announced to the world that he hasnt a clue about how to control and stimulate the economy- which polls indicate is at the top of voter's agendas. his platform is essentially the status quo, but with less torture. he is now the biggest war hawk the right has, while Bush's approval ratings are at or near all time lows, especially on that subject.
now McCain has given us more reasons to fear a McCain presidency: he has no idea what to do on the international stage. he wants to kick Russia out of the G8 and exclude China. he wants to create a League of Democracies that would, in effect snub the UN and NATO and pursue its own agenda. the problem is that isolating democracies from the rest of the world is just the sort of thing that makes those who live in non-democracies hate us. any global discussions need to include China. the ought to include Russia. how can any of this be productive?
i remember liking McCain back in 2000. i was disappointed that Bush beat him out for the nomination. but that free thinking straight talking McCain has yielded to political influences and has become a neo-con stooge. either that or the boxing, plane crashes, torture, and 80+ years of life have taken their toll and he is no longer thinking all that clearly. i dont relish bashing McCain.
i really did like him. but, now, the prospect of him being our next president terrifies me. i refuse to beleive that he will win. its like 2004 all over again. i thought that anyone but bush would win by virtue of not being Bush. somehow Kerry was nominated and showed how, if deftly handled, an election can be lost that should have been a cake walk.
now we have 2 strong democratic candidates. both are miles ahead of Kerry. either is a far greater choice than McCain. but, as you know if you have read this before, i think Obama is the choice. its not that McCain is a bad man. he has lost his way. i think he truly believes his agenda will better America. and if thats true he will stick to misguided decisions as tenaciously as Bush has. we have seen where thats gone.
ill take a new president please, but hold the McCain. do you have any of that new Obama? ive head good things...
oh, and if you missed it, read Fareed's article.
now McCain has given us more reasons to fear a McCain presidency: he has no idea what to do on the international stage. he wants to kick Russia out of the G8 and exclude China. he wants to create a League of Democracies that would, in effect snub the UN and NATO and pursue its own agenda. the problem is that isolating democracies from the rest of the world is just the sort of thing that makes those who live in non-democracies hate us. any global discussions need to include China. the ought to include Russia. how can any of this be productive?
i remember liking McCain back in 2000. i was disappointed that Bush beat him out for the nomination. but that free thinking straight talking McCain has yielded to political influences and has become a neo-con stooge. either that or the boxing, plane crashes, torture, and 80+ years of life have taken their toll and he is no longer thinking all that clearly. i dont relish bashing McCain.
i really did like him. but, now, the prospect of him being our next president terrifies me. i refuse to beleive that he will win. its like 2004 all over again. i thought that anyone but bush would win by virtue of not being Bush. somehow Kerry was nominated and showed how, if deftly handled, an election can be lost that should have been a cake walk.
now we have 2 strong democratic candidates. both are miles ahead of Kerry. either is a far greater choice than McCain. but, as you know if you have read this before, i think Obama is the choice. its not that McCain is a bad man. he has lost his way. i think he truly believes his agenda will better America. and if thats true he will stick to misguided decisions as tenaciously as Bush has. we have seen where thats gone.
ill take a new president please, but hold the McCain. do you have any of that new Obama? ive head good things...
oh, and if you missed it, read Fareed's article.
Friday, April 25, 2008
dont force ignorance.
the Detroit News published an article today that seems irresponsible. i have emailed this post to the News in response to the article, which has no author.
Your op/ed piece today on renewable energy comes off as written by a coal company executive. In a day when it is widely accepted that the climate is changing and resources are dwindling, advocating for antiquated coal power is irresponsible.
Renewable energy, like wind, solar, and hydroelectric, are essential in moving forward. Bashing our state government for pushing a progressive agenda that reduces pollution and the tax on resources is not only counterproductive, but also ignorant. No, the wind doesn't always blow everywhere. No, the sun doesn't always shine in Michigan. But streams and rivers always flow. No, a power grid in isolation in Michigan cannot function on such sources alone. No grid functions in isolation. But most of the US and Canadian grids are connected.
Perhaps you missed the black out a few years back. Your coal/nuclear power grid wasn't so stable back then. Had large wind farms, hydroelectric, and solar generation been in place, they would have continued to provide at least some power when the more traditional plants went down. Perhaps then we would not have had to boil water and trash all our food. Even if there were still outages, I don't believe that they would have been as wide reaching or long lasting.
Yes coal must still play a part in our energy needs, but lets not start building more dirty coal plants. Nuclear also has a role, but no nuclear plants have been built in the US in decades. Concerns over safety and nuclear waste are real, and big deterrents. I would prefer to have a seagull or a duck meet an unfortunate end with a misguided crash into a windmill(i cant believe that happens all that often, most birds are pretty agile, and the blades are the size of tour buses) than have Chernobyl right here at home. (Thats hyperbole, by the way)
Michigan legislators are on the right track with setting modest renewable energy goals. It sparks innovation and what could be a new industry to bring some jobs and wealth back to the state. Coal's role in our power needs going forward must be balanced against the pollution that it puts out. We should never allow any new coal plants to be built that are not gasification plants, as the pollution is drastically reduced and efficiency is greatly increased.
Our energy use in the US dwarfs much of the world and we lead the industrialized world in polluting. Check out this website to see how well, or more accurately, poorly we do compared to the rest of the world.
Lets not bash anyone for taking steps to lessen our impact on the Earth. We should all do what we can.
Your op/ed piece today on renewable energy comes off as written by a coal company executive. In a day when it is widely accepted that the climate is changing and resources are dwindling, advocating for antiquated coal power is irresponsible.
Renewable energy, like wind, solar, and hydroelectric, are essential in moving forward. Bashing our state government for pushing a progressive agenda that reduces pollution and the tax on resources is not only counterproductive, but also ignorant. No, the wind doesn't always blow everywhere. No, the sun doesn't always shine in Michigan. But streams and rivers always flow. No, a power grid in isolation in Michigan cannot function on such sources alone. No grid functions in isolation. But most of the US and Canadian grids are connected.
Perhaps you missed the black out a few years back. Your coal/nuclear power grid wasn't so stable back then. Had large wind farms, hydroelectric, and solar generation been in place, they would have continued to provide at least some power when the more traditional plants went down. Perhaps then we would not have had to boil water and trash all our food. Even if there were still outages, I don't believe that they would have been as wide reaching or long lasting.
Yes coal must still play a part in our energy needs, but lets not start building more dirty coal plants. Nuclear also has a role, but no nuclear plants have been built in the US in decades. Concerns over safety and nuclear waste are real, and big deterrents. I would prefer to have a seagull or a duck meet an unfortunate end with a misguided crash into a windmill(i cant believe that happens all that often, most birds are pretty agile, and the blades are the size of tour buses) than have Chernobyl right here at home. (Thats hyperbole, by the way)
Michigan legislators are on the right track with setting modest renewable energy goals. It sparks innovation and what could be a new industry to bring some jobs and wealth back to the state. Coal's role in our power needs going forward must be balanced against the pollution that it puts out. We should never allow any new coal plants to be built that are not gasification plants, as the pollution is drastically reduced and efficiency is greatly increased.
Efficiency gains are another benefit of coal gasification. In a typical coal combustion plant, heat from burning coal is used to boil water, making steam that drives a steam turbine-generator. In some coal combustion plants, only a third of the energy value of coal is actually converted into electricity, the rest is lost as waste heat.
A coal gasification power plant, however, typically gets dual duty from the gases it produces. First, the coal gases, cleaned of impurities, are fired in a gas turbine - much like natural gas - to generate one source of electricity. The hot exhaust of the gas turbine is then used to generate steam for use in a more conventional steam turbine-generator. This dual source of electric power, called a "combined cycle," is much more efficient in converting coal's energy into usable electricity. The fuel efficiency of a coal gasification power plant in this type of combined cycle can potentially be boosted to 50 percent or more. (source)
Our energy use in the US dwarfs much of the world and we lead the industrialized world in polluting. Check out this website to see how well, or more accurately, poorly we do compared to the rest of the world.
Lets not bash anyone for taking steps to lessen our impact on the Earth. We should all do what we can.
Tuesday, April 22, 2008
the ethanol scam
ethanol is hurting America and the world. government subsidies and mandates are propping up ethanol production. this production is extremely inefficient and takes food from the global marketplace driving up prices.
the idea of using domestically produced sources of readily renewable resources to fuel up our cars sounds great. except when you look at the reality of the situation. ethanol uses up a quarter of our corn production. that only has resulted in a drop of 1% of oil imports.
that one quarter also represents another competitor for food. with food riots in Haiti and Egypt, should we be diverting a food source into a fuel source? lower income families here at home are feeling the squeeze as food prices rise and the value of the dollar falls. domestically and internationally this food to fuel policy is hurting people.
ethanol production in its current state is highly inefficient. depending on which source you beleive, US ethanol has a rate of return of 1.1 to 1.8. (some sources) in Brazil, where ethanol production was govt mandated in the 70's they use sugar cane to produce ethanol at a rate of 8 to 1. that is, it takes 1 Btu to produce 8 Btus worth of ethanol. in comparison the corn exchange rate sucks. its financially inviable, which is why it is propped up by govt subsidies. that doesnt even take into account the byproducts of production that must be disposed of in way or another.
ethanol is a nice idea. it is worth researching. the current mode of production is inneficient and takes crops out of food production where there is ever growing demand. we need to look into new technology in all forms from cellulostic ethanol to using bacteria to make the process more efficient. we should not prop up the current wasteful process with subsidies, we should fund research to find new processes and sources.
of current technology, biodiesel is way better. you can go to just about any restaurant and get used cooking oil for FREE. some modified engines can use this oil without modification, but you can run it in any diesel through a simple process you can do at home. this removes a waste product, doesnt take food from the market, doesnt require imports from often hostile nations, is more efficient in already more efficient diesel engines, is at least twice as energy efficient as corn based ethanol, and reduces harmful emissions that traditional diesels produce, and your exhaust will smell like french fries! (or freedom fries, if you like.)
at any rate, we still have a long way to go. the current gamble on corn ethanol is not paying off, in fact its harmful. lets cut the funding from ethanol production and put it into further biofuels research. Brown and Lewis agree.
the idea of using domestically produced sources of readily renewable resources to fuel up our cars sounds great. except when you look at the reality of the situation. ethanol uses up a quarter of our corn production. that only has resulted in a drop of 1% of oil imports.
that one quarter also represents another competitor for food. with food riots in Haiti and Egypt, should we be diverting a food source into a fuel source? lower income families here at home are feeling the squeeze as food prices rise and the value of the dollar falls. domestically and internationally this food to fuel policy is hurting people.
ethanol production in its current state is highly inefficient. depending on which source you beleive, US ethanol has a rate of return of 1.1 to 1.8. (some sources) in Brazil, where ethanol production was govt mandated in the 70's they use sugar cane to produce ethanol at a rate of 8 to 1. that is, it takes 1 Btu to produce 8 Btus worth of ethanol. in comparison the corn exchange rate sucks. its financially inviable, which is why it is propped up by govt subsidies. that doesnt even take into account the byproducts of production that must be disposed of in way or another.
ethanol is a nice idea. it is worth researching. the current mode of production is inneficient and takes crops out of food production where there is ever growing demand. we need to look into new technology in all forms from cellulostic ethanol to using bacteria to make the process more efficient. we should not prop up the current wasteful process with subsidies, we should fund research to find new processes and sources.
of current technology, biodiesel is way better. you can go to just about any restaurant and get used cooking oil for FREE. some modified engines can use this oil without modification, but you can run it in any diesel through a simple process you can do at home. this removes a waste product, doesnt take food from the market, doesnt require imports from often hostile nations, is more efficient in already more efficient diesel engines, is at least twice as energy efficient as corn based ethanol, and reduces harmful emissions that traditional diesels produce, and your exhaust will smell like french fries! (or freedom fries, if you like.)
at any rate, we still have a long way to go. the current gamble on corn ethanol is not paying off, in fact its harmful. lets cut the funding from ethanol production and put it into further biofuels research. Brown and Lewis agree.
Friday, April 18, 2008
keep your stick on the ice
this is good.
ever since i visited Finland, which has a similar social support system to that of Sweden, i wondered what was wrong with the US. most middle class Americans already pay a third of their wages in taxes. i dont see how increasing that to half and worrying about nothing is a bad deal.
call me a liberal or communist, i dont care. i do think it is ridiculous that untold numbers of Americans struggle the way they do. i have said a number of times how thankful i am that i was born into a middle class situation with few barriers in my path to a good life. not everyone is that fortunate.
not everyone can pull themselves up by the boot straps. a guy in Greenville, Michigan who has been building refrigerators for 20 years isnt in the position where he can just start a new career over night. its not like theres another factory in town. he has a house and a family to look after, so he cant afford to go to school. its a real tough spot.
i was fortunate to get and education and a degree in an in demand field. i was unfortunate enough to be laid off from my first job out of school through no fault of my own. but being young, and single, and in a booming metropolis i quickly found new work. but without that degree and tied to a state with a failing economy, i would be screwed.
those who say that you need to make your own way and that they should not have to pay someone else's way are short sighted and unfeeling. not everyone has control over their own fate. people should not just be left by the wayside if they fall off the tracks. especially if its of no fault of their own. Greenville's woes are not theirs in a bubble. its one piece in a great chain that is the American economy. and any chain is only as strong as its weakest link. we are better as a whole if we are better as individuals. that means lending a helping hand from time to time. treating everyone as a friend or neighbor.
as Red Green says 'keep you stick on the ice. i'm pulling for ya, were all in this together.'
ever since i visited Finland, which has a similar social support system to that of Sweden, i wondered what was wrong with the US. most middle class Americans already pay a third of their wages in taxes. i dont see how increasing that to half and worrying about nothing is a bad deal.
call me a liberal or communist, i dont care. i do think it is ridiculous that untold numbers of Americans struggle the way they do. i have said a number of times how thankful i am that i was born into a middle class situation with few barriers in my path to a good life. not everyone is that fortunate.
not everyone can pull themselves up by the boot straps. a guy in Greenville, Michigan who has been building refrigerators for 20 years isnt in the position where he can just start a new career over night. its not like theres another factory in town. he has a house and a family to look after, so he cant afford to go to school. its a real tough spot.
i was fortunate to get and education and a degree in an in demand field. i was unfortunate enough to be laid off from my first job out of school through no fault of my own. but being young, and single, and in a booming metropolis i quickly found new work. but without that degree and tied to a state with a failing economy, i would be screwed.
those who say that you need to make your own way and that they should not have to pay someone else's way are short sighted and unfeeling. not everyone has control over their own fate. people should not just be left by the wayside if they fall off the tracks. especially if its of no fault of their own. Greenville's woes are not theirs in a bubble. its one piece in a great chain that is the American economy. and any chain is only as strong as its weakest link. we are better as a whole if we are better as individuals. that means lending a helping hand from time to time. treating everyone as a friend or neighbor.
as Red Green says 'keep you stick on the ice. i'm pulling for ya, were all in this together.'
a fundamental misunderstanding
Michael Gerson has missed the point in his latest article. he attributes morality and the respect of human dignity to the catholic church. all the while referencing terrible things that popes of the past have done, not to mention what clergy of late have done. he claims that catholicism is the moral compass of the world. that it leads the way in caring for the downtrodden and valuing every human life.
i can think of a number of ways to refute that. starting from the beginning, Catholicism is built on Judaism. the only thing original about catholicism is the pope and the that Christ is the son of god. sure theres some different rituals (many of which are just different versions of Jewish ones), some different names and places, but the basics are the same. how can you claim to be the original human rights watchdog when you have copied most of your faith from an older one?
second, as we move through time, come the crusades. crusaders really valued human life as they slaughtered Jews and and Arabs alike for dusty town that none had any real need for. thats not showing much respect for the value of human life. not to mention the papal atrocities that Gerson himself cites.
next we come to the inquisition. i dont think i need to explain myself on this one. just be glad you werent around unless you happen to be catholic.
fast forward to the 20th century. where was the catholic church when Hiltler was taking over Europe murdering and imprisoning millions at a time? why were they silent as Mussolini was Hitler's man in the Mediterranean? maybe i missed that day in history class.
how about the more modern and ever expanding list of child molesters that use their position as a moral and spiritual guide to take advantage of children?
politicians are constatly citing records as to why or why not to vote for a candidate. as Gerson states, the catholic church has been around longer than any nation on earth(he must not be counting China) and therefore has a lengthy record on human rights on which to judge their moral leadership. looking back on it, i cant say that it is impressive. well, not in a good way, anyhow. and they continue to lobby against women in the clergy while the rest of the modern world has given women full rights so long ago the idea that they wouldnt be equal is about as foreign as can be. they also obstruct the right of clergymen to have a wife. i have to say of all requirements of the job, thats got to be the toughest. they claim to have the high ground on birth control and abortion as well. i wont comment on abortion other than to say that medically, i think that doctors need to have that option at times. birth control is a complete misnomer. in reality it is conception control. and in thins age when we are fighting AIDS and other STDs on a world wide scale, lobbying against safe sex practices is just irresponsible.
the catholic church says it has moral authority, but when you look at the record and policy of the church, it is easy to argue otherwise. religion in general, and especially not the catholic church, doesnt have a monopoly on moral teaching. in my opinion thats the parent's responsibility. i was raised Lutheran, but we were never a very religious family. i dont like church. i havent been voluntarily since middle school. i havent done much raping and pillaging lately. i am always troubled by unethical actions. the kindest people that i personally know are not religious if they even associate themselves with any church. i think the idea, no, the belief, that my god is the right god and anyone who believes other wise is wrong plays a large part in the problem. having a faith in the underlying goodness in humanity in general is much more universal and opens the mind and heart to everyone.
catholicism is not the path to righteousness. i can be. but there are many paths. religion with exclusivity clauses like catholicism are frequently paths to false righteousness. that path leads to misguided efforts of conversion like the inquisition and missionary work such as it was in the 18th and 19th centuries. i think we are much better off as a human race if we just allow each other live and love and just dont be a dick.
i can think of a number of ways to refute that. starting from the beginning, Catholicism is built on Judaism. the only thing original about catholicism is the pope and the that Christ is the son of god. sure theres some different rituals (many of which are just different versions of Jewish ones), some different names and places, but the basics are the same. how can you claim to be the original human rights watchdog when you have copied most of your faith from an older one?
second, as we move through time, come the crusades. crusaders really valued human life as they slaughtered Jews and and Arabs alike for dusty town that none had any real need for. thats not showing much respect for the value of human life. not to mention the papal atrocities that Gerson himself cites.
next we come to the inquisition. i dont think i need to explain myself on this one. just be glad you werent around unless you happen to be catholic.
fast forward to the 20th century. where was the catholic church when Hiltler was taking over Europe murdering and imprisoning millions at a time? why were they silent as Mussolini was Hitler's man in the Mediterranean? maybe i missed that day in history class.
how about the more modern and ever expanding list of child molesters that use their position as a moral and spiritual guide to take advantage of children?
politicians are constatly citing records as to why or why not to vote for a candidate. as Gerson states, the catholic church has been around longer than any nation on earth(he must not be counting China) and therefore has a lengthy record on human rights on which to judge their moral leadership. looking back on it, i cant say that it is impressive. well, not in a good way, anyhow. and they continue to lobby against women in the clergy while the rest of the modern world has given women full rights so long ago the idea that they wouldnt be equal is about as foreign as can be. they also obstruct the right of clergymen to have a wife. i have to say of all requirements of the job, thats got to be the toughest. they claim to have the high ground on birth control and abortion as well. i wont comment on abortion other than to say that medically, i think that doctors need to have that option at times. birth control is a complete misnomer. in reality it is conception control. and in thins age when we are fighting AIDS and other STDs on a world wide scale, lobbying against safe sex practices is just irresponsible.
the catholic church says it has moral authority, but when you look at the record and policy of the church, it is easy to argue otherwise. religion in general, and especially not the catholic church, doesnt have a monopoly on moral teaching. in my opinion thats the parent's responsibility. i was raised Lutheran, but we were never a very religious family. i dont like church. i havent been voluntarily since middle school. i havent done much raping and pillaging lately. i am always troubled by unethical actions. the kindest people that i personally know are not religious if they even associate themselves with any church. i think the idea, no, the belief, that my god is the right god and anyone who believes other wise is wrong plays a large part in the problem. having a faith in the underlying goodness in humanity in general is much more universal and opens the mind and heart to everyone.
catholicism is not the path to righteousness. i can be. but there are many paths. religion with exclusivity clauses like catholicism are frequently paths to false righteousness. that path leads to misguided efforts of conversion like the inquisition and missionary work such as it was in the 18th and 19th centuries. i think we are much better off as a human race if we just allow each other live and love and just dont be a dick.
Thursday, April 17, 2008
perspective strikes again
i just read a really good commentary in the Washington Post from the Palestinian perspective. it brings up what i have thought as a problem for some time. that the west, especially the US unwaveringly backs Israel. i dont understand it. as Americans i thought that we should support freedom, not oppression. we should not have to remail Israel's ally just because we once rightly supported the creation of a Jewish state. that Jewish state now oppresses, exiles, imprisons and kills Palestinians.
the White House has not only allowed this to happen but has openly supported the Israeli domination of Palestine. the elections of January 2006 were widely viewed as the most democratic that the Arab middle east has seen. and yet the mandate of the people has been largely ignored as Israel and the west continues to exile, blockade, bomb, and oppress Palestine.
it is hard for me to blame Palestinians for becoming militant in the face of this Israeli attack. i dont support any violence, but its easy to see their side if you step out of the west backs Israel mindset. lets say Canada decides that Michigan belongs to Canada. im sure some Michiganders would go along with it, but others would resist with everything they have. the result would likely be a portion of Michigan breaking away to join Canada with the rest of the state fighting to take it back. the odds of that happening are slim to none, but it illustrates the point. i dont want anyone taking over the land i grew up in and saying you cant be here anymore. youre damn right i would fight for it back. thats the point this article makes. just back off to the 1967 borders, stop being a fucking jerk, and let Palestine be Palestine.
the White House has not only allowed this to happen but has openly supported the Israeli domination of Palestine. the elections of January 2006 were widely viewed as the most democratic that the Arab middle east has seen. and yet the mandate of the people has been largely ignored as Israel and the west continues to exile, blockade, bomb, and oppress Palestine.
it is hard for me to blame Palestinians for becoming militant in the face of this Israeli attack. i dont support any violence, but its easy to see their side if you step out of the west backs Israel mindset. lets say Canada decides that Michigan belongs to Canada. im sure some Michiganders would go along with it, but others would resist with everything they have. the result would likely be a portion of Michigan breaking away to join Canada with the rest of the state fighting to take it back. the odds of that happening are slim to none, but it illustrates the point. i dont want anyone taking over the land i grew up in and saying you cant be here anymore. youre damn right i would fight for it back. thats the point this article makes. just back off to the 1967 borders, stop being a fucking jerk, and let Palestine be Palestine.
Wednesday, April 16, 2008
new Pope
'i like classic Pope better than new Pope.'
-Will (Okkervil River)
so the Pope is in town. everyone is freaking the fuck out about it. at least the news and police and catholics. like Will said, classic Pope is way better. i fell like Benedict is a let down after John Paul. he seems to say some real dumb divisive stuff at times, which doesnt seem very Popely of him. but then im not catholic, or even religious...
anyway, he is staying like a half mile from me. right across the street from Dick Cheney. the Russian and Chinese embassies are also a short walk from my place. its kind of odd. its all these somewhat shadowy figures all coming together in Glover Park. i feel that no good can come of this. i think i like the Russians best. but we'll see what Putin does in the months and years to come.
but i digress!!!
anyway, the Pope's presence in my neighborhood has resulted in closing off half of Massachusetts Ave which is normally a heavily used 4 lane artery. plus he'll be closing it altogether a few times in the next couple days. its odd to me. the Dali Lama was here a few months ago, and people barely noticed. and i think that guy has a lot better things to say. visiting presidents dont get this kind of treatment. it all seems a bit much to me. its not like he's Jesus. hes just some catholic guy that got elected Pope. which is an oddity of its own.
i must be missing something. all it is to me is a big crazy hubbub over some German in a goofy hat who gets publicity from time to time for saying silly things. i do hope some good comes of this. that he says some smart stuff. so we can all say 'that Pope fella is a smart guy. no wonder they elected him. im glad he came to America.'
two random Pope related thoughts:
-the Pope should be on cribs. he would make all those rappers look like hacks. he has a whole fucking city. and a Pope-mobile. they may have sweet cars, but are the custom and named after them? Pope what!!?
-does anyone tithe anymore? i really cant see me giving ten percent of my income to a church. dude, have you seen gas prices lately? how am i supposed to fill up my Escalade and give you ten percent of my money? i mean, whats that going to? what have you done for me lately? i mean, aside from saving my soul?
p.s. i drive a Rabbit, not and Escalade. but it makes the point better.
-Will (Okkervil River)
so the Pope is in town. everyone is freaking the fuck out about it. at least the news and police and catholics. like Will said, classic Pope is way better. i fell like Benedict is a let down after John Paul. he seems to say some real dumb divisive stuff at times, which doesnt seem very Popely of him. but then im not catholic, or even religious...
anyway, he is staying like a half mile from me. right across the street from Dick Cheney. the Russian and Chinese embassies are also a short walk from my place. its kind of odd. its all these somewhat shadowy figures all coming together in Glover Park. i feel that no good can come of this. i think i like the Russians best. but we'll see what Putin does in the months and years to come.
but i digress!!!
anyway, the Pope's presence in my neighborhood has resulted in closing off half of Massachusetts Ave which is normally a heavily used 4 lane artery. plus he'll be closing it altogether a few times in the next couple days. its odd to me. the Dali Lama was here a few months ago, and people barely noticed. and i think that guy has a lot better things to say. visiting presidents dont get this kind of treatment. it all seems a bit much to me. its not like he's Jesus. hes just some catholic guy that got elected Pope. which is an oddity of its own.
i must be missing something. all it is to me is a big crazy hubbub over some German in a goofy hat who gets publicity from time to time for saying silly things. i do hope some good comes of this. that he says some smart stuff. so we can all say 'that Pope fella is a smart guy. no wonder they elected him. im glad he came to America.'
two random Pope related thoughts:
-the Pope should be on cribs. he would make all those rappers look like hacks. he has a whole fucking city. and a Pope-mobile. they may have sweet cars, but are the custom and named after them? Pope what!!?
-does anyone tithe anymore? i really cant see me giving ten percent of my income to a church. dude, have you seen gas prices lately? how am i supposed to fill up my Escalade and give you ten percent of my money? i mean, whats that going to? what have you done for me lately? i mean, aside from saving my soul?
p.s. i drive a Rabbit, not and Escalade. but it makes the point better.
Tuesday, April 15, 2008
honk if youre horny
or whinny. over the last couple weeks there have been a couple of protests by truckers over the cost of fuel. thats like a car wash complaining about the cost of water or a road builder about concrete costs. look, you chose to be a trucker. a trucker needs fuel. i think its ridiculous to ask the president to use our strategic fuel reserves to lower fuel prices.
if its not working out, perhaps you should find something else to do. this all reeks of the auto companies lobbying congress to keep CAFE standards high. we already have the most lenient MPG standards in the industrialized world. its ridiculous. no one like paying $3.50 at the pump. but to save money and the environment i think that cost is a good impetus to make vehicles of all sorts more fuel efficient. maybe people will drive less. maybe live closer to work, and reduce sprawl a little bit.
i live in DC. rent is HIGH. but i dont take a day off to protest it and say the government should give me money to make up for it. it was my decision to live here. i have to live with that or move elsewhere. truckers chose to be truckers and it is not the rest of the taxpayers' job to bail them out. not to mention that these rolling road blocks used up a few gallons of fuel.
quit whining and get back to work.
post article.
if its not working out, perhaps you should find something else to do. this all reeks of the auto companies lobbying congress to keep CAFE standards high. we already have the most lenient MPG standards in the industrialized world. its ridiculous. no one like paying $3.50 at the pump. but to save money and the environment i think that cost is a good impetus to make vehicles of all sorts more fuel efficient. maybe people will drive less. maybe live closer to work, and reduce sprawl a little bit.
i live in DC. rent is HIGH. but i dont take a day off to protest it and say the government should give me money to make up for it. it was my decision to live here. i have to live with that or move elsewhere. truckers chose to be truckers and it is not the rest of the taxpayers' job to bail them out. not to mention that these rolling road blocks used up a few gallons of fuel.
quit whining and get back to work.
post article.
Monday, April 14, 2008
taxicab politics
ive really come to enjoy cab rides in this city. i never really took cabs much at all before i moved here. it is true that most cabbies are foreign. and in this area, tend to be middle eastern. whether getting a lift home from a bar, entirely too intoxicated to talk politics, or sober on the way out, i inevitably engage the driver in some sort of political conversation.
thus far the consensus from the cabbies is that McCain is not the guy for the job. most have liked Obama, but a few are for Clinton. this didnt really surprise me.
th cabbies have helped me change my perspective on the idea of withdrawal from Iraq. i have thought that we couldnt just up and leave. that doing this would leave the country utterly mired in turmoil. but they said something i hadnt thought of, and i think that Washington is entirely missing. the US is both disrupting and keeping peace. we have to keep a presence large enough to protect itself there, or no presence at all.
'terrorists target Americans. if there are no more Americans, terrorism in Iraq falls.' this is the paraphrased statement a cabbie made to me lately. i cant help but think he is right. the only want that we can keep a peace there is to have large contingent there. if we leave, it takes out one cause of instability. it leaves the Iraqis to figure it out. and they need to step up soon. i have always learned best in a trial by fire situation. perhaps throwing them the reigns and leaving is the best solution. 'give us a call if you need anything.' and let them go for it. at least that way its theirs. its not something Bush, or America has shoved down their throats.
i also heard a story on NPR the other day about all that money from oil that was supposed to be used in reconstruction. there is oil money. but Iraq isnt spending it. why would they when the American pocket book is open. im not going to buy lunch if someone else is willing to. at some point we have to stop making this our problem.
it doesnt sit well with me to create a mess and walk away from it. but if youre only going to make things worse, no matter how much you try, eventually you just have to cut your losses and walk away.
all i am saying is that the decisions about this war seem only to take into account the thoughts, ideas, comments of those from the US. what about what Iraqis want. if the cabbies i have met are any indication, we should leave Iraq to be Iraq and they will be happier and better off for it. perhaps we should get our lawmakers to start hailing cabs.
or perhaps i just really appreciate the different perspective on things.
thus far the consensus from the cabbies is that McCain is not the guy for the job. most have liked Obama, but a few are for Clinton. this didnt really surprise me.
th cabbies have helped me change my perspective on the idea of withdrawal from Iraq. i have thought that we couldnt just up and leave. that doing this would leave the country utterly mired in turmoil. but they said something i hadnt thought of, and i think that Washington is entirely missing. the US is both disrupting and keeping peace. we have to keep a presence large enough to protect itself there, or no presence at all.
'terrorists target Americans. if there are no more Americans, terrorism in Iraq falls.' this is the paraphrased statement a cabbie made to me lately. i cant help but think he is right. the only want that we can keep a peace there is to have large contingent there. if we leave, it takes out one cause of instability. it leaves the Iraqis to figure it out. and they need to step up soon. i have always learned best in a trial by fire situation. perhaps throwing them the reigns and leaving is the best solution. 'give us a call if you need anything.' and let them go for it. at least that way its theirs. its not something Bush, or America has shoved down their throats.
i also heard a story on NPR the other day about all that money from oil that was supposed to be used in reconstruction. there is oil money. but Iraq isnt spending it. why would they when the American pocket book is open. im not going to buy lunch if someone else is willing to. at some point we have to stop making this our problem.
it doesnt sit well with me to create a mess and walk away from it. but if youre only going to make things worse, no matter how much you try, eventually you just have to cut your losses and walk away.
all i am saying is that the decisions about this war seem only to take into account the thoughts, ideas, comments of those from the US. what about what Iraqis want. if the cabbies i have met are any indication, we should leave Iraq to be Iraq and they will be happier and better off for it. perhaps we should get our lawmakers to start hailing cabs.
or perhaps i just really appreciate the different perspective on things.
Friday, April 11, 2008
Krauthammer, not smart.
this guy fucking kills me. why advocate poking a relatively docile bear with a stick? he wants Bush and every subsequent president to issue a warning to Iran saying that an attack on Israel is and attack on the US. and that we would respond as if we had been attacked.
look, jerk, Iran is nor the USSR. they dont have nuclear weapons now. the cannot for years. and even then they dont have missiles that can reach our shores. we have been propping up Israel since it was founded after WWII. they spend the most money per capita on military of an nation on earth. they should, after 60 some years, be able to make it on their own.
and its not as if Israel is innocent. they havent exactly been kind to the Palestinians. im not about to get into a debate on whether Israel or Palestine has more of a right to be, because i simply dont know. i never will.
sure i think we should defend freedom where it is necessary, but thats all you have to say. you dont have throw Israel in their faces. havent we all had enough of war mongering? we need to stop preemptively picking sides. we need to stop fighting other people's battles. we need to leave Iran alone until there is REAL reason not to. if one ever arises. perhaps Iran is only seeking nuclear power. if they are seeking nuclear weapons, perhaps its to defend themselves. lets not provoke another cold war situation.
look, jerk, Iran is nor the USSR. they dont have nuclear weapons now. the cannot for years. and even then they dont have missiles that can reach our shores. we have been propping up Israel since it was founded after WWII. they spend the most money per capita on military of an nation on earth. they should, after 60 some years, be able to make it on their own.
and its not as if Israel is innocent. they havent exactly been kind to the Palestinians. im not about to get into a debate on whether Israel or Palestine has more of a right to be, because i simply dont know. i never will.
sure i think we should defend freedom where it is necessary, but thats all you have to say. you dont have throw Israel in their faces. havent we all had enough of war mongering? we need to stop preemptively picking sides. we need to stop fighting other people's battles. we need to leave Iran alone until there is REAL reason not to. if one ever arises. perhaps Iran is only seeking nuclear power. if they are seeking nuclear weapons, perhaps its to defend themselves. lets not provoke another cold war situation.
Thursday, April 10, 2008
Washington acknowledges Detroit
i can't possibly say it any better, so here it is, verbatim. thanks to the Post and Warren Brown.
The Generals Are Losing the War at American Axl
By Warren Brown
Sunday, April 6, 2008; Page G02
Management and labor sometimes do the dumbest things. Consider the strike against Detroit-based American Axle & Manufacturing Holdings, a first-tier supplier of drive systems and electronic components to General Motors and other car and truck manufacturers around the world.
The strike against American Axle has been underway since Feb. 26, when a labor agreement between the company and the United Auto Workers union representing 3,650 of its workers expired.
It has been a bitter dispute, one that has wiped out tens of thousands of units of production -- about 75,000 GM trucks, according to one industry estimate.
The good thing is that the forced production cuts have come at a most propitious time, when consumers, many of them struggling to keep roofs over their heads and gas in their tanks, are buying substantially fewer fuel-thirsty trucks.
GM and Chrysler last week each reported 19 percent sales declines for the month of March, much of that led by drops in truck sales. Ford's sales fell 14 percent. Toyota, which has pumped tens of millions of dollars into the marketing of its gargantuan Tundra pickup, said its sales fell 10 percent from March 2007. Toyota has cut back Tundra production.
So, from that perspective, the strike by American Axle's workers seems dumb on its face. Why shut down a company whose products are in low demand in the first place? Isn't that doing management a favor, giving the company a free pass to do what it would have had to do anyway -- cut production and trim jobs?
But nothing is as simple as that.
The truth is that the global automobile industry is going through wrenching changes, many of them occasioned by economic developments worldwide, but just as many, if not more, caused by the creeping realization that the industry can no longer afford to keep rolling out cars and trucks with little regard for the environments in which they operate or the amount of fuel they consume.
More aggressive jurisdictions, such as those in Europe and Asia, are putting heavy taxes on automotive carbon dioxide emissions, effectively forcing consumers to consider more wisely their choices in the automotive marketplace. Those consumers, in turn, are beginning to purchase smaller, more fuel-efficient vehicles, as evidenced by current sales reports from Europe.
Something similar is happening in the United States, but not because of higher fuel taxes. (Our elected leaders would much prefer holding congressional hearings on oil industry profits than they would on a national energy policy that requires some degree of sacrifice by the electorate.)
U.S. buyers are turning to smaller, more fuel-efficient vehicles because of rising gasoline prices. It's that simple -- and that complicated for the automobile industry and its workers.
We are at the beginning of a massive shift in a global understanding of the automobile: how it is designed, developed and manufactured; how it is distributed, fueled, garaged and ultimately used.
It costs money -- lots and lots of money -- for the automobile industry to adapt to those changes. Those future investments, billions in global currencies, both in products and now in infrastructure (as represented by GM's new investments in alternative fueling stations), work against profits. That's especially true in the United States, where government policies tell manufacturers to improve fuel efficiency while promising the electorate the continued availability of the cheapest gasoline in the developed world, thus assuring continuation of the often-wasteful consumer behavior that cheap fuel affords.
What it comes down to is a need for us all to understand and be committed to the concept of equality of sacrifice -- to give a little on labor contracts, to give a little on executive compensation and perks, to invest more in fuel economy, perhaps to pay more of the real costs of the fuel we burn in our cars and trucks.
Equality of sacrifice -- it is on that issue that the management of American Axle did something so dumb, it borders on the unforgivable. While demanding that its workers accept cuts in pay and other compensation to help the company underwrite future development and competitive costs, American Axle's top four managers gave themselves hefty raises.
Richard E. Dauch, 65, the company's chairman and chief executive, earned $10.2 million last year -- $850,000 more than in 2006, according to Securities and Exchange Commission filings. American Axle earned $37 million in 2007 after posting a net loss of $222.5 million in 2006, when it began hinting that its workers would have to give something back for the company to keep moving forward.
It just doesn't sit right. It matters not that the company is Dauch's company, or that he can move it to Mexico if he wishes. It is simply wrong to ask the troops to bleed while the generals feast.
No one wins wars that way. And no company trying to gain a favorable position in the future of the global automobile industry will succeed using such an ill-considered strategy.
bass ackwards
im not sure what the Detroit News was aiming for with this article, but heres what i got from it:
Michigan shot itself in the foot. we tried to be more relevant on a national level and ended up irrelevant. now Michigan's democratic big wigs are scrambling to be seated at the convention.
so upon the scene arrives, tho no one says how, Robert Bragar. an extremely well educated man who has lived in Europe for 14 years. married to another man. without car. and he wants to be Michigan's voice. all half vote of him. (apparently foreign based Democrats get 11 votes but 22 delegates because this whole convention process is really well thought out.)
so he wants to come home. which i take as back to the US. tho he was born in Jersey, and educated on the east coast, I imagine a Michigan haven would be welcome. but Michigan is one of those states that placed a ban on gay marriage. you might as well outlaw masturbation. people are still going to do everything a married couple does and still get deprived of the legal benefits of marriage and recognition from society. a society, i add, that claims to lead the world.
so what to take from all this? Michigan is stupid. ive always been proud to be from there, but this whole election thing is an embarrassment and outlawing gay marriage is just bigoted and ignorant and i cant believe that ballot initiative went through. passing half baked laws is not what makes you relevant. it makes you irrelevant. it wastes legislative time. it leaves Michigan worse off than it was.
i dont know how to tie a nice little ribbon on this turd. i just wish i wasnt disappointed in my home state. i wash i wastnt beginning to feel embarrassed for the first time in my life for being from a state that has become so backwards of late.
Michigan shot itself in the foot. we tried to be more relevant on a national level and ended up irrelevant. now Michigan's democratic big wigs are scrambling to be seated at the convention.
so upon the scene arrives, tho no one says how, Robert Bragar. an extremely well educated man who has lived in Europe for 14 years. married to another man. without car. and he wants to be Michigan's voice. all half vote of him. (apparently foreign based Democrats get 11 votes but 22 delegates because this whole convention process is really well thought out.)
so he wants to come home. which i take as back to the US. tho he was born in Jersey, and educated on the east coast, I imagine a Michigan haven would be welcome. but Michigan is one of those states that placed a ban on gay marriage. you might as well outlaw masturbation. people are still going to do everything a married couple does and still get deprived of the legal benefits of marriage and recognition from society. a society, i add, that claims to lead the world.
so what to take from all this? Michigan is stupid. ive always been proud to be from there, but this whole election thing is an embarrassment and outlawing gay marriage is just bigoted and ignorant and i cant believe that ballot initiative went through. passing half baked laws is not what makes you relevant. it makes you irrelevant. it wastes legislative time. it leaves Michigan worse off than it was.
i dont know how to tie a nice little ribbon on this turd. i just wish i wasnt disappointed in my home state. i wash i wastnt beginning to feel embarrassed for the first time in my life for being from a state that has become so backwards of late.
turn that frown upside down
let me start by saying this: Kwame Kilpatrick is insane. he should by all means not be mayor at this point. he is facing 8 felony charges. its amazing that he goes on. you have got to admire the vision, even if he has blinders on the the reality of his situation.
if you have read this blog before you know that i think that there is no way that Kwame should be mayor at this point. that being said, i am starting to see the witch hunt that is after him. yes he did wrong. no, he shouldnt be mayor. but that doesnt mean that he has no good ideas.
this article in the Free Press explains plans for 'Paradise Valley.' this is the reason i like Kwame. i never like his playboy ways, but he has had a visions for improving Detroit. he has helped bring investment, development, and more suburbanites into Detroit. it is unfair to criticize the plan because the guy who proposed it is... shall we say, less than perfect.
the comments below the article criticize the plan for various reasons. like going for this paradise valley plan while schools are going to hell. the thing is, theres no money for schools. the city doesnt really have to pay much if anything for this to work. developers foot the bill. the development brings first construction jobs, then permanent jobs. this brings in money. money that is taxed by the city. those taxes go to pay for things like schools.
Detroit cannot just mint money to improve its schools. it has to come from somewhere. this plan, the river walk, the new stadiums, campus martius are all ways to bring money into the city so that the city has money. throwing money at a problem is no good: youll never get any value out of drowning a problem in money. especially money you dont have. but if you start to get money, meter it out in thought out and useful ways, the results will come. now, i havent seen a plan for that second part, but in reality thats like me planning to be promoted tomorrow. not likely. but i can count on working hard toward that and having it come true in a year or two.
there is a lot of pessimism in Detroit. there has been since 1967. the riots took the wind out of Detroit's sails. the fall of the domestic auto industry shredded the sails. the boat has been still in the water for a decade at least now. but its there. and Kwame is trying to put up some sails to catch whatever breeze is blowing. theres no guarantee that it will. but its beyond pointless and idiotic to stand on the deck of a boat with no sails and curse the still air.
what my prolonged metaphor says is that Detroit elected Kwame for better or worse. we all hope he pays for what he did wrong. but maybe theres still some good he can do. hes captain of the ship and its either follow or mutiny. and i dont see a mutiny working out well. now is the time to follow him, use the council to keep him in check, and hope for the best.
bottom line: development in Detroit cant be bad. and it might be good. lets give it a chance. lets have some faith and optimism that it works.
if you have read this blog before you know that i think that there is no way that Kwame should be mayor at this point. that being said, i am starting to see the witch hunt that is after him. yes he did wrong. no, he shouldnt be mayor. but that doesnt mean that he has no good ideas.
this article in the Free Press explains plans for 'Paradise Valley.' this is the reason i like Kwame. i never like his playboy ways, but he has had a visions for improving Detroit. he has helped bring investment, development, and more suburbanites into Detroit. it is unfair to criticize the plan because the guy who proposed it is... shall we say, less than perfect.
the comments below the article criticize the plan for various reasons. like going for this paradise valley plan while schools are going to hell. the thing is, theres no money for schools. the city doesnt really have to pay much if anything for this to work. developers foot the bill. the development brings first construction jobs, then permanent jobs. this brings in money. money that is taxed by the city. those taxes go to pay for things like schools.
Detroit cannot just mint money to improve its schools. it has to come from somewhere. this plan, the river walk, the new stadiums, campus martius are all ways to bring money into the city so that the city has money. throwing money at a problem is no good: youll never get any value out of drowning a problem in money. especially money you dont have. but if you start to get money, meter it out in thought out and useful ways, the results will come. now, i havent seen a plan for that second part, but in reality thats like me planning to be promoted tomorrow. not likely. but i can count on working hard toward that and having it come true in a year or two.
there is a lot of pessimism in Detroit. there has been since 1967. the riots took the wind out of Detroit's sails. the fall of the domestic auto industry shredded the sails. the boat has been still in the water for a decade at least now. but its there. and Kwame is trying to put up some sails to catch whatever breeze is blowing. theres no guarantee that it will. but its beyond pointless and idiotic to stand on the deck of a boat with no sails and curse the still air.
what my prolonged metaphor says is that Detroit elected Kwame for better or worse. we all hope he pays for what he did wrong. but maybe theres still some good he can do. hes captain of the ship and its either follow or mutiny. and i dont see a mutiny working out well. now is the time to follow him, use the council to keep him in check, and hope for the best.
bottom line: development in Detroit cant be bad. and it might be good. lets give it a chance. lets have some faith and optimism that it works.
Tuesday, April 8, 2008
what an idiot
Baseball: Bad Sport, Bad Religion, National Security Threat
thats the title of this d-bags column. what the hell is that? is he trying to piss off half of America? probably.
the thing is, if you read it, its obvious that the guy hasnt a clue about baseball or why people like it. he thinks that people only like baseball because their fathers took them. i think my dad took me to one game. he wasnt a fan. no was i. until college. my love of the game comes from my roommate who has a passion for the game that rubbed off.
he says the game is intolerably slow. hes hays the players move little more than the pieces on a chess board. therein lies the beauty of the game. the strategy. you have to get inside a pitchers head to hit the ball. you have to think like the batter to be able to catch it.
he obviously knows nothing about the sport or why people watch it. he just doesnt get it. if youre going to write an article, at least do your research, ass. what a prick.
F the DIBC
a couple days ago i wrote about MCS as a symbol for Detroit. the way that it near perfectly reflects the state of the city. today i want to talk about the building itself.
as i said, the building has always been a crumbling sign post to me and many other metro Detroiters. it has become a hub of Detroit's urban exploration. you can find photos and videos online in any number of sites from those who have sneaked into the building to explore its crumbling grandeur. it is no longer a hub to transit or commerce.
with a price tag of roughly $80 million for renovations, it may be more of a liability than an asset. but the responsibility of that falls largely on the owner of the building: Detroit International Bridge Co., the owners of the Ambassador Bridge. big surprise that the company that is working against the City, the State and the Canadian government has let one of Detroit's treasures decay.
they missed the boat in not making a deal with one of the casinos. that location would have helped the Corktown neighborhood that lost the Tigers to Comerica Park 8 years ago. apparently DIBC only acts in their own best interest without regard for the community in which it exists. unwilling to deal the building, or absorb costs and make a lease deal, why would the casinos push to build there when land in the city is so cheap and they can build whatever they want brand new.
the Detroit Economic Growth Corp. says the only real option is to raze the building. thats the economic reality. that $80 million renovation costs more than it would to build a similar new building. the DIBC has let the building rot and now owns a decrepit signpost of a building that is now more of a liability than and asset. all the DIBC had to do was occupy the building in order to avoid this fate. had they moved their offices in and rented out other floors the price tag would be much less to make it a viable option for sale or renovation. simply living there and maintaining the structure over the last 20 years would have avoided this state.
but the DIBC has been charging thousands of people a day to cross its bridge that is still in disrepair. anyone who has recently crossed the bridge can attest to the poor conditions of the bridge. granted it is 80 years old, but obviously the DIBC has the money to fix it and wants to keep its racket going as it has proposed building its own new bridge at its own cost.
now the DIBC is poised to profit from its irresponsibility. the state passed a bill making Michigan and Detroit very appealing spots to film makers.(freep) Hollywood loves MCS and its faded glory. its is the perfect 'post apocalyptic' setting for movies like last year's Transformers. so now the DIBC will be charging Hollywood to make movies in the building it has ruined. it is once again poised to profit from the community it has ignored.
the DIBC has ignored recommendations of Detroit, Michigan, and Canada and pursued its own goals. the DIBC has allowed Michigan Central Station to crumble and deteriorate to an unusable state. the DIBC is using money from its operations to screw the very people that it is serving. the DIBC is a model of corporate irresponsibility. i hope that MDOT and Canada get together and build a new span and condemn the Ambassador and force the DIBC out of business. Fuck the Detroit International Bridge Co.
as i said, the building has always been a crumbling sign post to me and many other metro Detroiters. it has become a hub of Detroit's urban exploration. you can find photos and videos online in any number of sites from those who have sneaked into the building to explore its crumbling grandeur. it is no longer a hub to transit or commerce.
with a price tag of roughly $80 million for renovations, it may be more of a liability than an asset. but the responsibility of that falls largely on the owner of the building: Detroit International Bridge Co., the owners of the Ambassador Bridge. big surprise that the company that is working against the City, the State and the Canadian government has let one of Detroit's treasures decay.
they missed the boat in not making a deal with one of the casinos. that location would have helped the Corktown neighborhood that lost the Tigers to Comerica Park 8 years ago. apparently DIBC only acts in their own best interest without regard for the community in which it exists. unwilling to deal the building, or absorb costs and make a lease deal, why would the casinos push to build there when land in the city is so cheap and they can build whatever they want brand new.
the Detroit Economic Growth Corp. says the only real option is to raze the building. thats the economic reality. that $80 million renovation costs more than it would to build a similar new building. the DIBC has let the building rot and now owns a decrepit signpost of a building that is now more of a liability than and asset. all the DIBC had to do was occupy the building in order to avoid this fate. had they moved their offices in and rented out other floors the price tag would be much less to make it a viable option for sale or renovation. simply living there and maintaining the structure over the last 20 years would have avoided this state.
but the DIBC has been charging thousands of people a day to cross its bridge that is still in disrepair. anyone who has recently crossed the bridge can attest to the poor conditions of the bridge. granted it is 80 years old, but obviously the DIBC has the money to fix it and wants to keep its racket going as it has proposed building its own new bridge at its own cost.
now the DIBC is poised to profit from its irresponsibility. the state passed a bill making Michigan and Detroit very appealing spots to film makers.(freep) Hollywood loves MCS and its faded glory. its is the perfect 'post apocalyptic' setting for movies like last year's Transformers. so now the DIBC will be charging Hollywood to make movies in the building it has ruined. it is once again poised to profit from the community it has ignored.
the DIBC has ignored recommendations of Detroit, Michigan, and Canada and pursued its own goals. the DIBC has allowed Michigan Central Station to crumble and deteriorate to an unusable state. the DIBC is using money from its operations to screw the very people that it is serving. the DIBC is a model of corporate irresponsibility. i hope that MDOT and Canada get together and build a new span and condemn the Ambassador and force the DIBC out of business. Fuck the Detroit International Bridge Co.
Monday, April 7, 2008
free press
i have been thinking about something for a while. our nation is primary obsessed, Eliot Spitzer resigned, Detroit mayor, Kwame Kilpatrick refuses to, and is charged with 8 felonies while still in office. Hilary and Obama battle and McCain tries to undermine both. all the while news outlets tell the tales with their own spin.
heres what i wonder: should newspapers endorse and denounce candidates and elected officials or should they just report the news of the day?
i in no way believe that any news outlet should stop publishing opinion and editorial pieces. i personally love to read such columns whether i agree or not. frequently news men and women are the most informed and i like to hear their thoughts. but i feel like it is somehow different when the organization as a whole endorses a candidate. in this day of conglomerates its hard to take it all seriously. a conservative CEO couple push hundreds of papers toward endorsing McCain. likewise a left leaning President could push others all toward Obama and Clinton.
to me, papers, like politicians, should serve their constituents. so the Post publishes a lot of political and international news to serve the people of DC. papers in Detroit focus on sports, labor and the auto industry, and the economy. in New York there is an emphasis on the stock markets. papers in theses cities are parts of bigger organizations and conglomerates. it scares me when they throw in their lot with a particular politician. a local opinion piece is not the same ans the greater organization's endorsement or denunciation. i wonder where to draw the line.
The Free Press has done much to denounce Mayor Kilpatrick. i have to agree with them, but at times i have thought that they have gone too far. i applaud then in getting the text messages that cost the city $9million, but out right calling for his ouster seems like too much. shouldnt the people make that call? at the same time, its one reason i keep going back to Freep.com. i like that they dont mince words.
and now that Kwame's fall is all but inevitable, they have chosen their successor in Ken Cockrel Jr. while i again agree, i wonder if articles like this go too far. i think Cockrel would be good for the city. his reserved politics would be a good change after the Kwame Kilpatrick show. he would bring a class and grace to the Manoogian Mansion that it hasnt seen since Archer left office. i can say that because blogs are all about telling the web what you think and all four people who might read this probably cant vote in Detroit. but if i were a writer for the Free Press i feel like you have to walk the line a little more.
i wont say that papers shouldnt endorse or denounce politicians, maybe the solution is the we, the voting public, ought to derive our decisions from more than one source. we ought to take in all that we can and make our own decisions. its our right and duty to choose and it is the papers' right and duty to gather news and information and inform.
i welcome comments to this and all posts.
heres what i wonder: should newspapers endorse and denounce candidates and elected officials or should they just report the news of the day?
i in no way believe that any news outlet should stop publishing opinion and editorial pieces. i personally love to read such columns whether i agree or not. frequently news men and women are the most informed and i like to hear their thoughts. but i feel like it is somehow different when the organization as a whole endorses a candidate. in this day of conglomerates its hard to take it all seriously. a conservative CEO couple push hundreds of papers toward endorsing McCain. likewise a left leaning President could push others all toward Obama and Clinton.
to me, papers, like politicians, should serve their constituents. so the Post publishes a lot of political and international news to serve the people of DC. papers in Detroit focus on sports, labor and the auto industry, and the economy. in New York there is an emphasis on the stock markets. papers in theses cities are parts of bigger organizations and conglomerates. it scares me when they throw in their lot with a particular politician. a local opinion piece is not the same ans the greater organization's endorsement or denunciation. i wonder where to draw the line.
The Free Press has done much to denounce Mayor Kilpatrick. i have to agree with them, but at times i have thought that they have gone too far. i applaud then in getting the text messages that cost the city $9million, but out right calling for his ouster seems like too much. shouldnt the people make that call? at the same time, its one reason i keep going back to Freep.com. i like that they dont mince words.
and now that Kwame's fall is all but inevitable, they have chosen their successor in Ken Cockrel Jr. while i again agree, i wonder if articles like this go too far. i think Cockrel would be good for the city. his reserved politics would be a good change after the Kwame Kilpatrick show. he would bring a class and grace to the Manoogian Mansion that it hasnt seen since Archer left office. i can say that because blogs are all about telling the web what you think and all four people who might read this probably cant vote in Detroit. but if i were a writer for the Free Press i feel like you have to walk the line a little more.
i wont say that papers shouldnt endorse or denounce politicians, maybe the solution is the we, the voting public, ought to derive our decisions from more than one source. we ought to take in all that we can and make our own decisions. its our right and duty to choose and it is the papers' right and duty to gather news and information and inform.
i welcome comments to this and all posts.
Friday, April 4, 2008
chasing the wind
today the Free Press published an article about the building that is probably the best physical symbol of the city of Detroit: Michigan Central Depot. its frequently referred to as Michigan Central Station, and thats what i have always know it as.
the building was built as Henry Ford's empire was coming together. it thrived through Detroit's industrial heyday. it began to wither as the racial divide in the Detroit deepened in the late 60's and 70's. its doors were shuttered in the late 80's as Detroit's hard times set in. since then is has been a majestic decrepit symbol of the city.
i remember coming into Detroit as a kid, and i knew that the hockey game, Greektown, or the Tigers were only a few minutes away. its broken windows and stained facade were a sign to me that the we had arrived. we made it through the decay of outlying Detroit and that downtown was mere moments away.
as i made this same trip through out the years its status as a well visible signpost remained, but it took on the deeper meaning of embodying Detroit's woes. i have given credit to that building in creating my interest in construction on a large scale. somewhere in high school i thought that it would be great if someone fixed up that old station. somewhere in college i decided that it would be best if i could fix it up, then i Detroit at large. and while those dreams are like chasing the wind, i still think it deserves credit for helping to funnel me into my present profession.
the station has been shuttered for all of my memory. for the last 20 years. there have been a number of renovation proposals of late, but none have come to pass. but in that time my perspective on Detroit has changed. i used to view the downtown area as an outpost in a decaying, dangerous urban jungle. ive come to see in recent years that Detroit at large is inhabited by good people. sure it has its urban prairies, its main street shabbiness with crumbling and condemned businesses. but behind these are their old proprietors. Detroit's residents today are largely victims of the past. the legacy that the race riots and the sputtering manufacturing industry. the adage is that is takes money to make money, and in the 70s all the money left for the suburbs and only visited for hockey games and baseball games. more recently it has left Michigan all together. people like me have moved out in search of greener grass.
while i have found greener grass in DC professionally, i still miss Detroit. its shabby facade, its tenacity(sometimes to a fault), its blue collar ease. in DC i have found work. i have also found that vagrancy, crime, and slums are not unique to Detroit. Detroit has a reputation for it, and perhaps a larger problem with these issues. but that can be in large part attributed to the economic decline and recession that Detroit has seen. i have never been one to assign blame to 'hard times' for people's bad situations, but its hard not to at least allow it to factor into Detroit's equation. the people suffering there today cannot be blamed for Detroit's decline. the auto execs who failed to see changing trends arent suffering in slums. but those who are voted to keep Coleman Young in office for decades as their city rotted beneath their feet.
they are those who accepted union jobs on the lines for generations and didnt try to better their lot. they found a meal ticket and clung to it. unfortunately that ticket has lost its value. the article that sparked this cites Ford's ground breaking $5 a day wages in 1908 and revolutionary assembly line and Model T as what made Detroit. since then little has changed. we still manufacture cars on that same premise, and still pay people roughly the same when adjusted for inflation. but it makes sense to any person in management that if your value has not increased, then neither will your pay. you cant lament a steady wage when you havent added value as the author of that article does.
what can bring Detroit back to boom is not early 20th century manufacturing. its the resurgence of early 20th century style ingenuity. the kinds of leaps that Henry Ford and Jimmy Durante made are what we need now. Jake Sigal, who started up Myine Electronics to make internet radios, is the future of Detroit. people like him who innovate and take a chance could be the next Ford or Durante. Detroit needs some ingenuity like that of a century ago to make it great again. its not going to be easy, but it never was.
the Freep found R. Kelley. now Detroit needs to find a new Ford, and new Durante, another Peter Karmanos, another Dan Gilbert, and a real leader.
the building was built as Henry Ford's empire was coming together. it thrived through Detroit's industrial heyday. it began to wither as the racial divide in the Detroit deepened in the late 60's and 70's. its doors were shuttered in the late 80's as Detroit's hard times set in. since then is has been a majestic decrepit symbol of the city.
i remember coming into Detroit as a kid, and i knew that the hockey game, Greektown, or the Tigers were only a few minutes away. its broken windows and stained facade were a sign to me that the we had arrived. we made it through the decay of outlying Detroit and that downtown was mere moments away.
as i made this same trip through out the years its status as a well visible signpost remained, but it took on the deeper meaning of embodying Detroit's woes. i have given credit to that building in creating my interest in construction on a large scale. somewhere in high school i thought that it would be great if someone fixed up that old station. somewhere in college i decided that it would be best if i could fix it up, then i Detroit at large. and while those dreams are like chasing the wind, i still think it deserves credit for helping to funnel me into my present profession.
the station has been shuttered for all of my memory. for the last 20 years. there have been a number of renovation proposals of late, but none have come to pass. but in that time my perspective on Detroit has changed. i used to view the downtown area as an outpost in a decaying, dangerous urban jungle. ive come to see in recent years that Detroit at large is inhabited by good people. sure it has its urban prairies, its main street shabbiness with crumbling and condemned businesses. but behind these are their old proprietors. Detroit's residents today are largely victims of the past. the legacy that the race riots and the sputtering manufacturing industry. the adage is that is takes money to make money, and in the 70s all the money left for the suburbs and only visited for hockey games and baseball games. more recently it has left Michigan all together. people like me have moved out in search of greener grass.
while i have found greener grass in DC professionally, i still miss Detroit. its shabby facade, its tenacity(sometimes to a fault), its blue collar ease. in DC i have found work. i have also found that vagrancy, crime, and slums are not unique to Detroit. Detroit has a reputation for it, and perhaps a larger problem with these issues. but that can be in large part attributed to the economic decline and recession that Detroit has seen. i have never been one to assign blame to 'hard times' for people's bad situations, but its hard not to at least allow it to factor into Detroit's equation. the people suffering there today cannot be blamed for Detroit's decline. the auto execs who failed to see changing trends arent suffering in slums. but those who are voted to keep Coleman Young in office for decades as their city rotted beneath their feet.
they are those who accepted union jobs on the lines for generations and didnt try to better their lot. they found a meal ticket and clung to it. unfortunately that ticket has lost its value. the article that sparked this cites Ford's ground breaking $5 a day wages in 1908 and revolutionary assembly line and Model T as what made Detroit. since then little has changed. we still manufacture cars on that same premise, and still pay people roughly the same when adjusted for inflation. but it makes sense to any person in management that if your value has not increased, then neither will your pay. you cant lament a steady wage when you havent added value as the author of that article does.
what can bring Detroit back to boom is not early 20th century manufacturing. its the resurgence of early 20th century style ingenuity. the kinds of leaps that Henry Ford and Jimmy Durante made are what we need now. Jake Sigal, who started up Myine Electronics to make internet radios, is the future of Detroit. people like him who innovate and take a chance could be the next Ford or Durante. Detroit needs some ingenuity like that of a century ago to make it great again. its not going to be easy, but it never was.
the Freep found R. Kelley. now Detroit needs to find a new Ford, and new Durante, another Peter Karmanos, another Dan Gilbert, and a real leader.
Tuesday, April 1, 2008
idiocy loves company
at the very least its good to know that Americans dont have a monopoly on stumping for intolerance. this article discusses how Europe, especially Denmark, seems to struggle with Islam. what i am about to say will make a lot more sense if you take a look at that first.
first the insulting Mohamed cartoons. now a whole movie on intolerance that includes such cartoons. it seems that Denmark and Europe at large are having trouble with Islam. it is perhaps, as is mentioned in the article, that Europe has become largely secular. without a strong faith of their own, many Europeans may struggle with the way that Muslims feel when they see such things.
Danes cling strongly to free speech and i dont blame them. Muslims decry the publishing of material that insults their beleifs on more than one front, and they too have a good point.
freedom of speech is essential to keeping a free and open discussion which is essential to a free and open society. but the abuse of this core freedom can make others feel less free. its like a your mama joke spiraling into a fight into a high school lunch room. i have seen it happen. violence erupts over stupidity. just because you can insult people doesnt mean that you should.
at many points i could call people i work with pricks, but i dont. they could probably say nasty things about me as well, but they dont. you act with a certain degree of decorum because in reality we share the world of construction and will end up working together again. we cant have the bad blood between us because it obstructs the greater goal of completing a project.
in the same way, the people of the world need to get along. we need to bite our tongues at times for the sake of each other's feelings. we all have to share this world and it becomes increasingly difficult if we go around insulting each other's core beleifs.
the reality is that Muslims are not inherently evil. nor are Danes. sure some are evil, some are stupid, some even have a pulpit and a hate to spew. theres Geert Wilders and Osama bin-Laden. but there are those who dont spew hate. the Dali Lama embodies the ability to hold close what he believes all the while embracing those who have different views.
i dont think that we will ever be able to shut up the village idiot. what we need to do is realize that the village idiot doesnt not speak for the village. bin-Laden does not speak for all of Islam just like Wilders does not speak for all of Denmark or Europe. the reality is that both Wilders and bin-Laden are doing what they think is right to protect their views. neither are right in their actions and neither speaks for the larger group to which they are associated.
free speech needs to be used to have an open discussion, not to fan the flames of ignorance or insult people. if we all figured that out i think we would be better off.
first the insulting Mohamed cartoons. now a whole movie on intolerance that includes such cartoons. it seems that Denmark and Europe at large are having trouble with Islam. it is perhaps, as is mentioned in the article, that Europe has become largely secular. without a strong faith of their own, many Europeans may struggle with the way that Muslims feel when they see such things.
Danes cling strongly to free speech and i dont blame them. Muslims decry the publishing of material that insults their beleifs on more than one front, and they too have a good point.
freedom of speech is essential to keeping a free and open discussion which is essential to a free and open society. but the abuse of this core freedom can make others feel less free. its like a your mama joke spiraling into a fight into a high school lunch room. i have seen it happen. violence erupts over stupidity. just because you can insult people doesnt mean that you should.
at many points i could call people i work with pricks, but i dont. they could probably say nasty things about me as well, but they dont. you act with a certain degree of decorum because in reality we share the world of construction and will end up working together again. we cant have the bad blood between us because it obstructs the greater goal of completing a project.
in the same way, the people of the world need to get along. we need to bite our tongues at times for the sake of each other's feelings. we all have to share this world and it becomes increasingly difficult if we go around insulting each other's core beleifs.
the reality is that Muslims are not inherently evil. nor are Danes. sure some are evil, some are stupid, some even have a pulpit and a hate to spew. theres Geert Wilders and Osama bin-Laden. but there are those who dont spew hate. the Dali Lama embodies the ability to hold close what he believes all the while embracing those who have different views.
i dont think that we will ever be able to shut up the village idiot. what we need to do is realize that the village idiot doesnt not speak for the village. bin-Laden does not speak for all of Islam just like Wilders does not speak for all of Denmark or Europe. the reality is that both Wilders and bin-Laden are doing what they think is right to protect their views. neither are right in their actions and neither speaks for the larger group to which they are associated.
free speech needs to be used to have an open discussion, not to fan the flames of ignorance or insult people. if we all figured that out i think we would be better off.
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