State’s growth of EV sales, local lithium deposits and cutting-edge automotive technology is paving the way.
Attention: peripherally-metroDetroit™-specific content You'll cope. You're strong.
From the East Bay Ray Times, authors David Hochschild and Liane Randolph postulate an 180° turn from the media's doom-and-gloom regarding Detroit's main product…
> Californians purchased 108,372 new zero-emission vehicles in the first three months of 2024 — nearly 7,000 more than the same time last year and the highest-ever first-quarter sales. […] Today, one in four new cars sold in the Golden State is electric, up from just 8% in 2020.
> Challenges persist, and chief among them is the need for more widely available charging options. Many more charging stations need to be built as fast as possible to keep up with EV adoption. To address this, California is investing $4 billion over six years to rapidly build out the EV refueling network, on top of billions in investment by utilities. Equally essential is improved reliability of the EV charging network. Too many drivers today encounter faulty charging stations, which is why the California Energy Commission is developing the strongest charging reliability standards in the country and will require companies to be transparent with the public about their performance.
Meanwhile in the Great State of Michigan, from reporter Kelly House at BridgeMichigan…
> [The State of Michigan] has $110 million in federal dollars for the cause, several times more than Michigan’s dedicated spending on EV chargers to date. […] But a Bridge Michigan analysis of early grants shows that with a price-per-plug that rivals the mortgage debt on an average Michigan home, the money won’t go far.
> So far, federal data shows Michigan has just 756 fast-charging plugs and 2,568 slower ones scattered across the state. […] “We have a long way to go,” said Amy Rogghe, executive director of the nonprofit Michigan Electric Vehicle Alliance. A swift EV transition is possible, she said, but “we just need more funding.”
The Detroit Riverfront Conservancy fired embattled Chief Financial Officer William Smith on Friday.
More than USD$40,000,000.00. Vanished.
> Smith was placed on unpaid leave in mid-May after discrepancies in financial statements were discovered in April. The nonprofit's board ordered investigations by the auditing firm, PwC, and the Honigman Law Firm. The group asked former U.S. Attorney Matthew Schneider, who leads Honigman Law Firm's investigators, to bring evidence against Smith to Michigan State Police and request a criminal investigation. The FBI has since taken over the investigation because of its complexity.
> According to the Detroit Riverfront Conservancy, the two independent investigations estimate the loss to the nonprofit to be more than $40 million.
Meanwhile, over at the Freep…
> Free Press attempts to reach Smith or his attorney have been unsuccessful.
> “Our investigation has revealed that Mr. Smith has embezzled significant sums of money from the DRFC and has converted DRFC funds to his own personal use," said a termination letter sent to Smith's attorney by former U.S. Attorney Matthew Schneider, who investigated with an outside law firm hired by the conservancy. "Mr. Smith’s unlawful conduct spans several years."
I realize no one is sneaking around with a big sack with a dollar sign printed on it but my crack research team (or is that "on crack research team") of flying monkeys hasn't yet unearthed the timeframe in which the $40M was allegedly embezzled.
Just in case you're wondering what exactly the Detroit Riverfront Conservancy is or does…
> The Detroit Riverfront Conservancy (DRFC), a 501(c)(3) organization, is responsible for the establishment, improvement, operation, maintenance, security, programming and expansion of the Detroit RiverWalk and associated green spaces. Through its public/private partnerships, the DRFC will support the development of the riverfront district and facilitate community access to the waterfront. *** What We Want Now !detroit@midwest.social ☆ !michigan@midwest.social ☆ !music@midwest.social
DWI? DUI? What's the difference? The drunks alcohol enthusiasts over at Forbes magazine explain the difference…for those of you who don't have to cover one eye to focus.
Stay sick, scratch glass, turn blue, climb walls…but don't get caught!
!detroit@midwest.social ☆ !michigan@midwest.social ☆ !music@midwest.social
I hate to be "that guy"—I prefer being "this guy"—but why is this posted here?
What We Want Now
!detroit@midwest.social ☆ !michigan@midwest.social ☆ !music@midwest.social
🤔 Sarcasm? It's so hard to tell these days.
What We Want Now
!detroit@midwest.social ☆ !michigan@midwest.social ☆ !music@midwest.social
Is this a first in history: a true Onion article that could be posted in !nottheonion? 🤣 😭
What We Want Now
!detroit@midwest.social ☆ !michigan@midwest.social ☆ !music@midwest.social
This will be the 11th annual Mustang show Tapper Ford has held and it’s going down Saturday, June 1 from 8 AM until 1 PM. There will be live music and those with classic cars can even get theirs sketched up by professional sketch artist Lou Hoekstra.
From Kalamazoo's WRKR Radio…
> This will be the 11th annual Mustang show Tapper Ford has held and it’s going down Saturday, June 1 from 8 AM until 1 PM. There will be live music and those with classic cars can even get theirs sketched up by professional sketch artist Lou Hoekstra. The event is being held at their dealership located at 816 S. Kalamazoo St.
What follows is a pretty sweet collection of photos from a past show, giving us all a taste of what's to be seen this year.
And it's in Paw Paw, home of A.W. Underwood, purported telekinetic firestarter…!
The patient has had a cough, the first case of respiratory illness associated with bird flu in people in the U.S.. There's still no sign the virus is spreading from person to person.
Remember to always wash your hands after touching infected bovines. 🐮
> Another human case of bird flu linked to sick dairy cows has been detected in Michigan, marking the third farmworker diagnosed with the illness in the United States since March, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported Thursday. None of the cases are connected.
> This is the second farmworker in Michigan in a week to be diagnosed with the illness. And a dairy worker in Texas was diagnosed in March. In those cases, the patients' only sign of illness was a pink eye.
> This latest case is different, however, because the patient also had a cough that accompanied eye symptoms. The person was given Tamiflu and was reportedly recovering.
Where's that box of N95s I had stashed?… *** Stay sick, scratch glass, turn blue, climb walls…but don't get caught! !detroit@midwest.social ☆ !michigan@midwest.social ☆ !music@midwest.social
Disclaimer: while the article is national news, the first cited example is based right here in The Great Lakes State (where? -- r2 ).
> In December, a new company registered in Michigan: American Lidar. Its planned home would be an easy drive from the big three U.S. automakers. […] The company behind American Lidar, and not mentioned in its registration, is China-based lidar maker Hesai Group, which the U.S. has labeled a security concern. It is a familiar playbook: a company facing regulatory or reputational problems sets up a subsidiary or affiliate with a different name.
> Chinese companies’ efforts to shift production, rebrand as American or set up subsidiaries with new names are legal, lawyers say. Still, such moves irritate regulators who can’t enforce laws when it isn’t clear who is behind a company.
> A month after it set up American Lidar to be its manufacturing facility in the U.S. heartland, Hesai was added to the Defense Department list that designates companies as Chinese military entities operating in the U.S. Its stock fell 30% in a day after the list was published and hasn’t recovered. Almost one-fifth of Hesai’s revenue comes from the U.S.
> Hesai filed a lawsuit this month against the Defense Department, asserting it should be removed from the list because it has no affiliation with any military and isn’t controlled by the Chinese government.
…which is false as all Chinese "private" business is "enlightened" in Xi's CCP.
Further reading interaction:
-
Original WSJ article
- The article is paywalled but the "Listen" audio works and the related video, What Banning TikTok in the US Would Look Like* plays
BridgeDetroit reporter Malachi Barrett has your roundup from Mackinac Island: Eastern Market response to I-375, 'brainstorming mode' for RenCen, land value tax status and mental health investment.
Ace reporter Malachi Constant Barrett and his notebook at BridgeDetroit once again cover the pressing issues of our fair city, this time from the Detroit Regional Chamber of Commerce annual policy conference on olde-world Mackinac Island. Among the topics discussed…
Eastern Market leaders ‘nervous’ about I-375
> Eastern Market CEO Dan Carmody and soon-to-be successor Katy Trudeau said they’re eagerly awaiting a state plan to address disruption during the multi-year project. Construction is expected to start next fall and end in 2028. […] We’re very nervous about it, as there’s not an established mitigation plan yet,” Trudeau said. “It’s a huge unanswered question.
Downpayment assistance Phase II
> Detroit renters can receive up to $25,000 to buy their first home through a down payment assistance program set to relaunch this summer. […] Residents can sign up to receive an alert when applications open. Applications already received will continue to be processed until all funds are exhausted.
Land value tax uncertain
Pay attention to this one, kids! It appears the state's interest in last year's much-vaunted Land Value Tax proposal is dwindling, go figure…
> One year after Duggan used his Mackinac Policy Conference address to promote a plan to overhaul the city’s property tax system, it’s unclear whether Michigan lawmakers will advance bills needed to make it happen. […] Bills introduced in the Michigan House were tabled last year after failing to gain enough support from lawmakers.
> [House Speaker Joe Tate, D-Detroit] said he’s “trying to identify solutions to lower the property tax burden” for residents that could include other proposals. […] “I feel this is a place we can still have discussions around and can be one of many solutions,” Tate said. “There still needs to be more education, more conversations with my colleagues in the chamber.”
This is the same language parents use when kids ask if we can go to the zoo. 🙄
RenCen future in ‘brainstorming mode’
I get the connection between billionaire Dan Gilbert and his Hudson Building and its new tenants, General Motors, but why is Gilbert's opinion on the future of the "The City Within The City" anything more than an interesting side-note? In any case, take a picture 'cause it's coming down.
> Gilbert said GM’s decision to move into the Hudson’s building and reinvent the Renaissance Center is a “big bet,” comparable to Ford’s redevelopment of the Michigan Central station. […] Detroit also needs large investments in affordable housing, nightlife and activities for young people and public transportation. *** What We Want Now !detroit@midwest.social ☆ !michigan@midwest.social ☆ !music@midwest.social
This coverage is made possible through a partnership with Grist and Interlochen Public Radio. Like many buildings in this part of rural northern Michigan, the Tsuber Auto garage in the Village of Mesick is heated with propane, delivered by truck once or twice a month to the tank outside. On a recen...
And why not? DTE says there's plenty of money still to be made on Michigan's abundant methane resources, global warming be damned, and compared to northern Michigan's propane jones, it's almost half the cost and at least a stop-gap measure.
> Like many buildings in this part of rural northern Michigan, the Tsuber Auto garage in the Village of Mesick is heated with propane, delivered by truck once or twice a month to the tank outside.
> On average, [owner Vyacheslav Tsuber] said, it costs anywhere from $3,000 to $5,000 a year to heat the shop. But that could soon change. DTE Gas Company, a subsidiary of Michigan’s largest utility, is expanding its natural gas network to the area, giving over 1,000 homes and businesses the choice to switch to natural gas.
> What’s left out of that equation, say climate advocates, is a third option: electrification. Instead of locking in fossil fuels for decades to come — and reducing the incentive for people to electrify their homes — why not make it easier to switch to electric heating instead?
> As Sam Stolper, an assistant professor at the University of Michigan School of Sustainability puts it: “We have really ambitious [climate] goals for good reason[…]and we’re not going to hit them if we keep making decisions to switch to natural gas … instead of going straight to electrification.”
So many stumbling blocks. *** What We Want Now !detroit@midwest.social ☆ !michigan@midwest.social ☆ !music@midwest.social
Consumers Energy, one of the state’s largest energy providers, has agreed to pay $1 million after state energy regulators investigated complaints of malfunctioning electrical meters, violations of rules on estimated billing and significant delays in providing new electric and gas service. The Michig...
…or maybe Consumer Energy has to give back ~USD$1M of the recently approved USD$92M rate increase
Power outages. Clients in the cold. Incorrect billing estimates. Broken meters. Inordinate delays in new service. This is Consumers Energy.
From crack reporter Kyle Davidson at MichiganAdvance…
> Consumers Energy has faced repeated criticisms on the quality and reliability of its services, with members of the House Energy, Communications and Technology Committee pressing the company on its plan to address future long-term outages after an ice storm in February 2023 left thousands of Michigan households without power for days.
> “It is a fundamental job for a utility to measure the amount of electricity used and then accurately bill their customers,” MPSC Commissioner Katherine Peretick said in a statement. “There was a clear and obvious failure here, and this $1 million fine and the corrective actions required in the settlement agreement will hopefully ensure this doesn’t happen again.”
> Consumers Energy has not responded to a request for comment as of the time of publication. *** Remember…Parma spelled backwards is AMRAP! !detroit@midwest.social ☆ !michigan@midwest.social ☆ !music@midwest.social
> If you could buy $18 worth of pastries for 70% off, would you? What about a full dinner for only six dollars? What if you had no idea what you were going to get? […] The founders of Too Good To Go are betting you would.
> Too Good To Go, an app-based startup founded and headquartered in Copenhagen, Denmark, by Lucie Basch and Jamie Crummie, is expanding to Detroit. The premise is simple: a restaurant or grocery store can sell its leftover food for the day, or would-be food waste, at a minimum of 70% discount to reduce the amount of food waste in landfills and offer a fun and affordable option to consumers.
> Dessert Oasis Coffee Roasters, which has locations in Ferndale, Royal Oak, Rochester and Detroit, has registered all four locations on the app. “All four of our locations do have food waste, some more than others. In Ferndale we have the bakery, so there's some leftover items, maybe things that are a little imperfect that we couldn't sell for full price anyways,” said Christian Kettenbiel, director of finance for Dessert Oasis.
> During the last half hour of each day, customers can buy a surprise bag of baked goods for $6. That includes muffins, cookies, croissants, cheesecake and more, said Nathan Hamood, president and director of coffee at Dessert Oasis. Coffee beans that are more than three weeks old will also be up for sale through Too Good To Go.
Alt link for your convenience via archive.is *** Stay sick, scratch glass, turn blue, climb walls…but don't get caught! !detroit@midwest.social ☆ !michigan@midwest.social ☆ !music@midwest.social
The Detroit Institute of the Arts is located in Detroit’s cultural corridor. Our address is 5200 Woodward Avenue, Detroit, MI 48202.
Late to the game on this one, friends. Apologies.
Evil Does Not Exist, (JPN, 2023) Detroit Film Theatre 5200 Woodward Ave, Detroit, MI Saturday, May 25, 2024, 3:00pm and 7:00pm Sunday, May 26, 2024, 2:00pm
Multi-nominated and multi-awarded 2023 film by director Ryusuke Hamaguchi…
> Deep in the forest of the rural village Harasawa, single parent Takumi lives with his young daughter, Hana, and does odd jobs for locals. The serenity of this untouched land is disrupted by the arrival of a Tokyo company ready to start construction on a glamping site for tourists—a plan that could have dire results for the community.
> This potent and foreboding new film from Oscar®-winning director Hamaguchi (Drive My Car) is a haunting, unexpected experience with its rapturous score that breaks from the usual country-vs.-city themes and walks the line between the earthly and the metaphysical. Grand Jury Prizes, Venice Film Festival and Asia Pacific Screen Awards. In Japanese with English subtitles. (105 min.)
See full event lineup for Ann Arbor's 200th birthday celebration on Saturday
The Temple Bar, 2906 Cass Ave. and near Little Caesars Arena, was said to be empty at the time of the collapse.
> Owner George Boukas said he first learned of the collapse from a 10 a.m. phone call from Detroit police. He said he intends to reopen the bar once the damage is repaired, although he isn't sure when that will be. A masonry repairman was already at the bar Friday afternoon to survey the damage. […] “It’s all about getting everything back up to code — engineering, permitting, construction — so it’s going to be a whole process," Boukas said. "Right now, we’re closed indefinitely.”
> The timing of the collapse was particularly inconvenient for the bar's business, coming on the eve of this weekend's Movement electronic musical festival. Temple Bar was set to host a Friday night fundraiser for the Underground Music Academy and a Saturday night dance party. […] “I had 11 DJs lined up for tonight," Boukas said. "I had to cancel everything."
Alt link for your convenience via archive.is *** Remember…Parma spelled backwards is AMRAP! !detroit@midwest.social ☆ !michigan@midwest.social ☆ !music@midwest.social
I never thought someone would actually rebuild that place
My thought was that it was making more money derelict as a movie location than renovated…or at least more famous. But I am glad it was rescued and given a second life. It is a majestic building.
A look at an aerial view of Michigan Central Station in Detroit's Corktown neighborhood. The June 6 concert celebrating restoration of the property will feature a lineup of well-known Detroit artists, organizers say. For the complete story: https://bit.ly/3VbGH9E For more Detroit and Michigan new...
The Freep just published a drone fly-by video of the renovated, iconic Michigan Central Station—despite the name, there's been no actual commitment by Amtrak—scheduled to officially reopen June 6, 2024.
Interesting to note: the drone video unfortunately neglects to show the northmost-facing corner, the location of the newly-added Ford Virgin Sacrifices Plaza, designed in an Egyptian-futurist motif, and the remodelled Entrance to Hell, developed in tandem with Elon Musk co-founded The Boring Company. With the future of the towers uncertain and no real plans forthcoming, both Bedrock and GM are considering their own direct, non-stop shuttle to Hell at the Renaissance Center location.
Compare-And-Contrast BONUS:
- From 2014, Drone Flies Over Abandoned Train Station in Detroit, Michigan USA *** Everything I say is a lie… !detroit@midwest.social ☆ !michigan@midwest.social ☆ !music@midwest.social
Uhmm...that's certainly an interesting talking point to concentrate on.
🧘
Do not give your attention to what others do or fail to do; give it to what you do or fail to do
~Gautama Buddha
A Michigan dairy worker, like the Texas dairy worker earlier this year, reported just one symptom: an eye infection.
Rule #1: Don't panic.
> In Michigan, the case initially went undetected. A nasal swab first tested negative for influenza in Michigan, but an eye swab from the patient was shipped to CDC. There, it tested positive for the flu virus, according to the CDC.
> The virus has been circulating in dairy and poultry farms across the U.S. for several months, and was detected in Michigan cattle March 29. Just more than a month later, the Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development’s director Tim Boring directed farmers to take extra precautions to separate potentially infected livestock and to minimize interaction between humans and farm animals. […] Boring, in the statement released Wednesday afternoon, said finding the human case is “exactly how public health is meant to work, in early detection and monitoring of new and emerging illnesses.”
From the Freep's coverage…
> [Michigan chief medical officer, Dr. Natasha] Bagdasarian said the average Michigander shouldn't panic. […] "The risk to the general public remains low," she said. "And that's for a few reasons: No. 1, we have not seen evidence of sustained human-to-human transmission. ... For this to become a bigger risk to the general public, we would be looking for sustained human-to-human transmission and we have not seen that."
> Citing privacy concerns, no details were released Wednesday about specifically which farm employed the Michigan worker or in which county the infection occurred. The Michigan Department of Agriculture and Rural Development reported Monday that avian influenza outbreaks have been identified in 18 dairy cow herds in the following Michigan counties: Clinton, Gratiot, Ionia, Allegan, Ingham, Isabella, Montcalm, Barry and Ottawa.
> It's more cow herd outbreaks than in any other state, according to the Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy at the University of Minnesota. Since the outbreak began in February 2022, H5N1 avian influenza also has been detected in domestic birds from 23 Michigan counties: Bay, Branch, Cass, Eaton, Genesee, Gratiot, Ingham, Ionia, Kalamazoo, Lapeer, Livingston, Macomb, Menominee, Montmorency, Muskegon, Newaygo, Oakland, Ottawa, Saginaw, Sanilac, Tuscola, Washtenaw and Wexford.
Alt Freep link for your convenience via archive.is *** Everything I say is a lie… !detroit@midwest.social ☆ !michigan@midwest.social ☆ !music@midwest.social
Movement Music Festival is one of the longest-running dance music events in the world, committed to showcasing authentic electronic music
Synthesized beats and sounds will abound downtown this Memorial Day weekend in modernist Hart Plaza for the 123rd annual Movement Festival, the yearly mecca for EDM/techno/house/tekno fans from Detroit…aAnNdD bBeEyYoOnNdDdDdDdDd…
!Saturday !Sunday !Yes, Monday too!
Besides the official Movement Festival website's infographic, the Metro Times also has a schedule with dates and descriptions and a thorough list of this year's special guests, like…
Ludacris ☆ Carl Craig ☆ DJ Etta ☆ Stacey Pullen ☆ Dames Brown* ☆ Rimarkable ☆ Stacey Hotwaxx Hale ☆ Tee Grizzley ☆ Ryan Elliott ☆ Speedy J ☆ Reference ☆ Milan Ariel ☆ Waajeed ☆ *and SO MANY mMoOaArRrRrRrRrR
See y'all there and remember to hydrate. *** Stay sick, scratch glass, turn blue, climb walls…but don't get caught! !detroit@midwest.social ☆ !michigan@midwest.social ☆ !music@midwest.social
As the Legislature hammers out the details of the Fiscal Year 2025 budget this summer, Lt. Gov. Garlin Gilchrist is urging lawmakers to include tax credits for caregivers. The Caring for MI Family Tax Credit is one of the proposals under Gov. Gretchen Whitmer’s recommendations for the state’s next b...
From ace reporter Anna Liz Nichols at MichiganAdvance…
> The Caring for MI Family Tax Credit is one of the proposals under Gov. Gretchen Whitmer’s recommendations for the state’s next budget and would afford caregivers tax relief of up to $5,000.
> “That work is almost always uncompensated. … It is not always visible in policy in terms of how we respond to the needs of caregivers, things that caregiving requires so that people can do it,” [Michigan Lt Gov Garlin] Gilchrist said. “Caregivers are a critical infrastructure to life, to success, to wellbeing, to stability, and we need to make sure that they are really supported.”
> “These are people who care for their loved ones and use their own dollars for out of pocket expenses, grandparents taking care of grandchildren, aunts, uncles, sisters, brothers, mothers daughter taking care of those who they love,” [state director of AARP Michigan Paula] Cunningham said. “They don’t do this for the money, they do it because of their commitment to their family members and … their loved ones.”
Although the majority of the readers of this community were hatched from reptile eggs, I'm sure there are those among us who are part of this uncompensated, unofficial nursing team (if you aren't, I wouldn't ever wish it on you). Talk about tough; you're constantly in damage-control mode. At least with the state's proposal, this monthly USD$416.00 largesse could help with, for example, occasional outside care so you can do stupid stuff…like take a shower or grocery shop or talk to someone.
Otherwise, you know, we could always demand the dismantling of the trillion-dollar racket known as "American health insurance" and maybe shoot for a system proposed back in 2003 by the late representative John Conyers (D-MI) that would cover most of these needs…? No, I get it…y'alls too busy checking…
With a Tuesday ceremonial groundbreaking set for the 12,000-capacity riverfront venue, here’s what to know about the venue’s timeline, seating capacity, how many acts it’s expected to draw, and more.
Reporter Brian McVicar at mlive.com covers the big news about the coming outdoor covered arena in Grand Rapids…
!The planned Acrisure Amphitheater in Grand Rapids, MI
> After years of planning and fundraising, a ceremonial groundbreaking for Acrisure Amphitheater, the 12,000-capacity venue that officials say will transform a sprawling stretch of Market Avenue in downtown Grand Rapids, is happening Tuesday.
> The venue would have 7,000 fixed seats and 5,000 lawn seats. Its main entrance would be along Market Avenue, and its pedestrian plaza would be open to the public during events and non-events.
> In addition to 201 Market Ave. SW, the venue would also occupy 225, 233 and 301 Market Ave. SW. The site is bordered by the Grand River on its west, by Market Avenue on its east, by U.S. 131 on its north and railroad tracks on its south.
> The venue is expected to host an estimated 54 events per season, with a projected 300,000 visitors.
Me, I got an allergy to stadiums and arenas named after corporations.
How automaker lobbying threatens the global transition to electric vehicles
> All fifteen automakers, except Tesla, have actively advocated against at least one policy promoting electric vehicles. Ten of the fifteen showed a particularly high intensity of negative engagement and scored a final grade of D or D+ by InfluenceMap’s methodology.
> Only three of fifteen companies – Tesla, Mercedes Benz and BMW - are forecast to produce enough electric vehicles by 2030 to meet the International Energy Agency’s updated 1.5°C pathway of 66% electric vehicle (battery electric (BEV), fuel cell (FCEV) and plug-in hybrids (PHEVs)) sales according to InfluenceMap's independent analysis of industry-standard data from February 2024. Current industry forecasts analyzed for this report show automaker production will reach only 53% electric vehicles in 2030.
Long story short: only Tesla would meet the 2030 100% EV production target; in not-even-close 2nd and 3rd places respectively, Mercedes-Benz with 71% and BMW with 69%.
American producers? Ford predicted at 54%, Stellantis at 53% and GM at 46%. Is Stellantis even considered "American" or any longer one of the "Big Three"?
Strangely enough, nowhere mentioned in the report are the Chinese manufacturers.
If you can’t take an insult you have no business being in politics, which is just a formalized method for handling conflict.
…I think we can all agree on this.
MTG made it personal because she’s an asshole
…and here's where you throw your whole argument out the window. Pushback (and language) of this nature has no place in civil discourse, much less justification of such. We, and they, are not friends at the bar. We, and they, are in a public arena where, like it or not, we are held to certain social customs and rules. Rep Greene was clearly out of line with such a playground ad hominem attack on Rep Crockett. But instead of "taking the high road" or having Greene officially reprimanded for her childish behaviour most unbecoming of a public official—at least Rep Ocasio-Cortez correctly addressed the attack initially—both Reps Cortez and Crockett returned the volley with Ms Crockett improvising that scene from Do The Right Thing. Would you applaud that kind of escalation from your children?
"Pearl clutching," my ass.
Attention: non-metroDetroit™-specific content. I'll still respect you in the morning.
Something's been bugging me for a while now regarding the quality of discourse in this country, especially from the people in positions who have been educated in this nation's higher institutions of learning, people who have studied how to string words together in a cohesive manner to present ideas both simple and complex, people who are at least familiar with the concept of rational debate, people who may even be considered role models but minimally are usually held to a higher standard.
Y'know…people who should know better.
Apparently I'm not alone in this as The Freep's Mitch Albom gives his take on the nosedive of intellectual exchange in politics and elsewhere…
> During an evening hearing last week, U.S. Rep. Marjorie Taylor Greene, a Republican, got into a testy exchange with U.S. Rep. Jasmine Crockett, a Democrat.
> GREENE: “I don't think you know what you are here for. ... I think your fake eyelashes are messing up what you're reading."
> CROCKETT: "I'm just curious, just to better understand your ruling, if someone on this committee then starts talking about somebody's bleach-blonde, bad-built, butch body, that would not be engaging in personalities, correct?" […] All that was missing was the food fight.
> It’s all terrible. It’s all dishonorable. And it’s our Congress. Our lawmakers. The people who determine the fate of the country. […] And we are making a mistake if we think, optimistically, that this will somehow get better.
> […]what has changed in recent years is that the low-brow stuff, instead of behind the curtain, is now proudly in front of it. Surely Donald Trump led the way in this revolution. From his early campaigning days in 2016 calling Hillary Clinton a “monster” and Elizabeth Warren “Pocahontas,” to more recent insults of Adam Schiff (a “pencil neck” with a “fat, ugly face”) and President Joe Biden (“He can’t put two sentences together” and “Everything Joe Biden touches turns to s---"), Trump is a single-handed, monster-truck force for lowering public debate to schoolyard trash talk.
> Everyone is sinking into the same mud. And we’re kidding ourselves if we think our side is righteous, or the other side started it, or coarse language is worse than clever insults. […] Needing a dictionary doesn’t wash away ugly.
The emphasized passages are where I and Albom diverge: "coarse" is worse than "clever" because at minimum "clever" shows you're not "working without tools." And these are the last people that should be working without tools.
Doncha think?
Alt link for your convenience via archive.is *** Everything I say is a lie… !detroit@midwest.social ☆ !michigan@midwest.social ☆ !music@midwest.social
I just wanted to say thank you for this. It shouldn't ever be an invitation for violence, the topic is far from being black-or-white and I'm sorry you feel threatened daily by, for lack of a better term, the ignorant.
Stay sick, scratch glass, turn blue, climb walls…but don't get caught!
!detroit@midwest.social ☆ !michigan@midwest.social ☆ !music@midwest.social
The Motown legend was conferred the certification of registration as a citizen and a Ghanaian passport during a ceremony Monday in Accra.
cross-posted from: https://midwest.social/post/12305822
> May 17 is Mr Stevie Wonder's birthday and to celebrate, with Mrs Tomeeka by his side, he became officially citizen of the Republic of Ghana, something the artist has spoke of doing since 1972! > > > The 25-time Grammy Award-winning artist was[…]conferred the certification of registration as a citizen of Ghana and a Ghanaian passport during a ceremony Monday at the Jubilee House, the presidential palace in the capital city, Accra. > > > "I, first of all, give all praise to God," Wonder said in footage posted online. "Since a little boy, I always believed in my heart that there was nothing impossible ... And for years, since about 1972, I've talked about coming to Ghana." > > > It was immediately unclear if Wonder would maintain dual-citizenship. > > > Ghana President Nana Akufo-Addo said the west African nation extends "our warmest embrace to a beloved son of Africa," adding that Wonder's citizenship reaffirmed "our belief in the enduring spirit of Pan-Africanism and the global African family, and the boundless potential of our continent and all its descendants," he said Tuesday on X, formerly Twitter. > > Strangely enough, at the time of this writing, the Freep didn't cover the news regarding Wonder's birthday nor Ghanian citizenship. According to the Freep archives, Wonder's been talking about the move since at least their March 15, 1974 article… > > !Free Press: Stevie Wonder Plans To Move To Africa > > From the Freep's article from February 2, 2022… > > > […]the music great told [Oprah] Winfrey about his intention to move to Ghana. Asked why, he alluded to the state of race and politics in America: "I don't want to see my children's children's children have to say: 'Oh, please like me, please respect me, please know that I'm important, please value me.' What kind of s--- is that?" > > > He added to the Free Press that the Ghanaian president "has allowed me to have some land." > > Allow us to wish Mr Wonder a most happy 74th birthday in the official language of the Republic of Ghana… > > Happy Birthday, Stevie! > > (Ha! The official language is English!) > > MUSIC! 🎉 🎺 🎉 🎺 > - From My Cherie Amour - Yester-Me, Yester-You, Yesterday > - From Songs In The Key of Life - Sir Duke > - From Innervisions - Don't You Worry 'Bout A Thing > - From Talking Book - You Are The Sunshine Of My Life > > *** > Alt link sausage for your convenience via archive.is: > - The News: Stevie Wonder marks 74th birthday by becoming a Ghanaian citizen > - The Freep: Stevie Wonder moving to Ghana? Not so fast ... > *** > Stay sick, scratch glass, turn blue, climb walls…but don't get caught! > !detroit@midwest.social ☆ !michigan@midwest.social ☆ !music@midwest.social
Thanks, @bob! 👍 Sometimes the tone of the message gets lost in written communication, as we've all experienced.
But both parties are the same, am I right?
Care to elaborate? Or is my snark detector not working today?
Chesterfield? I always liked that area, small-town suburban and close to the water. But, duuuude! Just hop on I-94 and come downtown already! You'll thank me later!
chode
🤣
I did like the downtown revitalization that was happening during his tenure.
Like what, exactly? What did "one of the worst mayors in America" do for the City of Detroit during his tenure? Y'know, besides bankrupt it even further and use it as his personal Al Capone Junior Playhouse®…?
I haven’t been to the city in almost 17 years but I’d be interested to see how it’s held up.
I forget sometimes that participants of this community are not necessarily from the city nor metroDetroit™. I have to ask: where are you residing that you haven't visited Detroit 2.0 since the end of Kilpatrick's reign of terror time in office?
P.S.: I 💘 your username!
No way they’ll reliably meet US safety standards.
The linked article mentions that the Seagull presently doesn't meet US Safety Requirements. But that's probably the least of our worries.
BYD and its line of EVs is an economic scatter bomb Made in China. BYD's products are heavily subsidized by the PRC and built by unionless "slave labor." It doesn't matter at all if the Seagull makes one yuan of profit, like the Chinese solar panel market they're created to flood the market and later, when the competition folds during the inevitable "race to the bottom", attain market dominance. Even if BYD does meet US safety standards, even with heavy US import taxes and tariffs applied, their EVs would still sell for less than a Volt or a Tesla. At that point, how could the average US car buyer not be tempted?
This is not to say that American automotive industry is without blame or was somehow blindsided, having dropped the ball as they did back in the 1970s with the first wave of Japanese imports. The US government must share the blame for being at least 10 years too late on having in place a national EV charging strategy much like the Highway Act of the 1956. I guess, like the pre-2008 banks, everyone was just making too much money to do anything about it.
Here's an article over at Electrek regarding the present US EV situation. While I won't say I entirely agree with their analysis they do make many legitimate points regarding EV strategy.
we can be bought with sporting even tickets???
Well, yeah. You pick the event, what's a "good seats" ticket cost these days? Not "nosebleed section" tickets where us mere mortals sit.
It's the pay me back part that chafes me too. Like that isn't any greasier. Ugh, I need a shower now.
The point lost on all those who "side" with the "tin man": I didn't ask for its intervention.
Cheers -- r2
Screw, tin man! Who asked you?
Didj'all know that that's inherent behaviour in all felines? No, not to put their puss up close to the camera lens…to sit in boxes or, more correctly, delineated spaces? Don't believe me?
Then again, mental as cat owners are, y'all probably did know this already. 🤦♂️
Everything I say is a lie.
!detroit@midwest.social ☆ !michigan@midwest.social ☆ !music@midwest.social
From BridgeMichigan: Pro-Trump attorney, former clerk face Michigan election tampering charges…
The new charges could result in up to 20 years of jail time for Scott and 15 years for Lambert.
Scott, who did not immediately respond to a request for comment on Wednesday, previously claimed she’d “done nothing wrong” before Adams Township voters recalled and removed her from office in May 2023.
In October 2021, Scott was stripped of her ability to conduct elections by the Department of State after refusing to turn over her voting machines, assigning her duties to the Hillsdale County Clerk. […] At the time, Scott told Bridge Michigan that she did not trust the machine and wanted to preserve any old data on it, echoing unfounded claims that tabulators may have been rigged against former President Donald Trump in 2020.
I'm just gonna leave this here…
- Metro Times: ‘I’m not going to be a quiet poet laureate’, interview with Detroit's new poet laureate. Look OUT! ❤️🔥
Possibly not up in Canada—I doubt it, though—but the rest of the world seems to think it's still a thing.
The upside to your comment is that you run in a relatively wholesome social circle and have outgrown cheap thrills like huffing whippits. Cheers! -- r2
