This thread is open to all readers. Tell us what you want to see here at Metblog Detroit. What do you like? What don’t you like? Why do you read it? Why don’t you?

We are looking for honest feedback.

Reading one of my daily blogs, Engadget, I read about a new movie payment method. The Emagine Entertainment Theater in Novi is using a system that displays the ticket barcode on your cell phone. You simply just present the image to the ticket taker to be scanned. You simply order your tickets over the phone and the barcode image is sent to your phone. That sounds neat and all, but what got me was this quote.

A movie theater in a suburb of America’s technology capital has begun trial-running a payment method that allows customers to not only purchase tickets from their cellphones but actually present an on-screen barcode to the tickettaker.

I’ve never heard Detroit called America’s technology capital before. Especially from a blog born out of Southern California, where all the tech news comes from.

Driving to the airport last night, we noticed the highway light signs stated “People Mover serves Downtown Detroit”, even on the sign closest to the airport going west. Problem is – to ride the People Mover, you need to be Downtown Detroit already.

This morning, I noticed one of the signs mentioned a shuttle service from the Zoo to downtown for all events. That’s a good idea since parking will be entertaining to say the least. I doubt I’ll do any driving that weekend if I can help it, since I live right outside Greektown (aka one area that will be hopping for sure).

lately, i just haven’t bothered to watch the Pistons… it’s like you know they’re gonna win, so why bother??? i turned on the game briefly yesterday, to check the score and we were up by like 15 in the 2nd, so i turned it off assuming they’d take the game easily… of course, they only won by 2, enduring a stellar performance by Tracy McGrady (nothing compared to Kobe’s 81 against Toronto last night)…

quote of the night: “I like games like this much better than the ones we win by 10, 15 or 20 points. I don’t like playing games like that.” – Chauncey Billups

whatever man… while a close game every once in a while keeps us on our toes, i’ll take winning by double-digits any day…

yesterday the Pittsburgh Steelers and Seattle Seahawks earned their rights to play in Superbowl XL… of all the playoff teams, my hope was that the Indianapolis Colts and Chicago Bears would make it to the big game, because i felt it would be best for our city… alas, the Colts choked again and Chicago’s defense just couldn’t handle the Panthers (who lost to Seattle)…

personally, i’ll be rooting for the Steelers and more specifically Jerome Bettis… Bettis has been a favorite in the league for 13 years now and originally hails from the D… how awesome is it that he gets a chance to play the biggest game of his life in his hometown??? it would be wonderful if he won it all at home… in addition, Pittsburgh is a town just like the D known for it’s toughness and industrial economy… so we can identify with them a little better…

so who will you be rooting for in SBXL???

I ran across this article on Indystar.com.

“…Wearing a white tank top covered by a denim shirt, a beard so unruly it could scare away a client and sunglasses atop his head on a cloudy day, he isn’t an executive’s dream. But Boneham couldn’t care less. For the first time in his life, he doesn’t answer to a boss. He is the boss. America’s favorite survivor, who received $1 million after winning TV’s “Survivor: America’s Tribal Council” in 2004, is using his money to build a modest business empire on his own terms. RFB Enterprises, which stands for Rupert Frederick Boneham, is the parent company of three business ventures: promotion, real estate and production companies….Tournament Towers, his production company, recently secured a deal to build the walkways, connections and floors of tents for Super Bowl vendors in Detroit. His crew of camera truck drivers, who typically travel to college football games, will turn into carpenters for the Super Bowl…”

Rupert, the tie-dyed, bearded, viking-type from Survivor – done went and started himself a production company. He has a contract in the D for the Superbowl it seems. Too bad they couldn’t/didn’t get a Detroit based production company though…

In marketing they say kids and animals pull at heart strings and cause people to pull out their wallets. Well, that said, I am hoping that the above picture will cause you to put your mouse to good use. Some friends of mine, the Fosnaugh’s took a picture of their baby and on a whim submitted it to Nikon’s “Pride and Joy” cute baby contest. The purse is $25,000 and will be applied to the child’s college education. The Fosnaughs are really good people – Jeff teaches at an alternative highschool and really helps out troubled teens…yada yada yada…that’s the pitch. Good people, cute kid, vote here.

PS: spam your friends with this ;)
PPS: The baby’s name is Hannah

It was a busy night in the city last night. The wait for a table at Slows as at least an hour when we got there, but the food was worth it. Never seen Slows so crowded. Yea for them.

Then it was off to the Lager House for some music. I hadn’t been to see a band in a while, so I was geeked for this. The first band (Freer) has promise but had a tendacy for overdramatically rifts which actually took away from the music. The second band (Office) was so much fun. Definitely a group I’d see again. Sadly, we didn’t stay for the third band but I have heard good things about them (Tiny Steps).

I love seeing bands at the Lager House. Next week it sounds like a trip to Smalls may be in order on Saturday night. Yea.

This was just the message I was waiting to hear:

WSU has been designated as an official Park and Ride location for Super Bowl activities (Motown Winter Blast, NFL Experience and all game-day events). Visitors can park at any of WSU’s main campus parking lots for $10 and take a shuttle to the above events Thursday, Feb. 2, through Sunday, Feb. 5. WSU students and employees enrolled in the parking program or those who use their OneCards to pay for parking will access their parking facilities as they usually do and pay regular OneCard rates. Please note that if you are not enrolled in the parking program or do not pay with your OneCard, you will be charged the $10 cash rate for these days.

Read the rest here.

In conclusion, us Warriors are screwed. Parking is hard enough as it is.

Are we ready? I don’t feel like we are. I told myself that I was going to only post positive articles on this site. But Detroit has made this impossible for me.
How is it possible that the biggest news around getting the town ready for the Super Bowl is the Fox theaters throw back marquee on the top of the fox theater? How does this help the city look better? How does this help the mass crowds get around Detroit metro?
And how is it possible that the city of Detroit wants people to stay home! This is the best chance for the shop owners in Detroit to make some cash, and The City wants people to keep their money in the burbs. Wow.
How is it possible for the world famous Motor City to blow this opportunity? I see a disaster! I am afraid that Detroit is going to go down in history as the worst Super Bowl hosted ever!
Will my now 2-year-old daughter ever say to me “Hey dad, lets go down into the city today?”