Metroblogging Azeroth

Are you freakin’ kidding me?

Ah man, please don’t tell me how many thousands more hits they probably get than Metbloggin’ Detroit.

The Detroit Free Press began a new editorial series today called “Cities Now and Tomorrow” that will focus on the state of cities today and their future. The series will run regularly through November.

This should be an interesting series for anyone concerned about the future of our city. There are historical, political, economic, and sociological reasons why some cities are better off than Detroit, and why some cities (if you can imagine it) are worse off. It will be interesting to see what insights the writers of this series may discover through their investigations.

The first installment is a comparison between Highland Park, MI, and Highland Park, Ill. Check it out.

Since it’s too cold for wimps like me to head out into the elements my computer and my TV have been my best friends today, and both have introduced me to some pretty good (well, at least better than usual) Detroit housing references.

First, my fall-back-on-when-I-can’t-find-any-episodes-of-Law and Order-channel, HGTV, ran an episode of House Hunters Detroit…even if it was mostly centered in Royal Oak. The show went so far as to say that “the city’s suburbs are becoming as dynamic as the city itself”. I found it odd considering than here in our own hometown our suburbs generally enjoy a much rosier image than the city, but at least our national TV watching population was witness to a fleeting view of some of Detroit’s best attractions.

Then – while checking my email for the millionth time today, I noticed a headline story advertising the “13 Worst Places to Live…Or Are They?”. Surprisingly, to me at least, the D made an appearance on the list! As I’ve mentioned before, it seems to me that Detroit usually gets overlooked when these types of lists are created, but the blurb mentions some of the same positive things about living in or moving to Detroit that we’ve been hearing around these parts for some time now. Of course, the title of the article still leaves a little something to be desired (how about 13 Most Awesomest Places to Live Ever!?) but, hey, I’ll take it!

It is, of course, the job of the writer to fit, fashion, and mold together words in meaningful, descriptive, and sometimes passionate and illuminating ways. To investigate the unknown and misunderstood with the implacable determination of the grittiest of hardboiled detectives and to confer unto our readers the prodigiously awe-inspiring yet sometimes uncouth world with soaring verbs and shimmering adjectives, full of moxie and bravado, this is the calling of the writer. Truly, the art of language is the nectar of the mind, and the writer is its steward.

It is with this great and weighty duty that I write the following of Scrummage University:

It’s f-ing awesome!
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Did the Democratic/Independent crossover vote give Romney the win? (see my two previous posts)

Who knows?

But it’s clear that the GOP primary will be very long, very heated, and very expensive. With nothing to gain by voting between Hillary or Uncommitted, I have a feeling that Michigan Democrats did what they could to help their party.

While I would rather have had a true Democratic Primary in Michigan as well, the decision to move our primaries up to January 15 was a success because it made our issues the issues of the American political media for a solid week. We do need more economic stimulus and a fair playing field for the American auto industry. We do need job growth and an end to the stream of foreclosures plaguing the state. And for a week, the nation listened and took notice. One week on the national platform may not be much, but it’s more than all of the Super Tuesday states will get.

Check out this video by some guy you’ve never heard of that makes the case for Romney, and 5 points to anyone who can tell me what the Treaty of Ghent was without going to Wikipedia.

I want to thank Scotter for the post he did last week on why some Democratic voters may opt for Mitt Romney at the Michigan primary this Tuesday. Though I highly doubt I will vote for Romney, Scotter’s idea offers an alternative to “Uncommitted”, but I especially liked the post because it brought Scott Gifford, creator of www.WhoStoleMiVote.org, out of the woodwork and directed me to his informative site.
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This is the slogan that encompasses picturethisdetroit.com’s reason for being. This company hits up venues around the Detroit area snapping shots of bar and club goers that are available for purchase online. Most probably just want to forget some nights out, but for others who wish to fill in the blanks of an excessive night or want to boast about the hot guy or girl they were dancing with, this is a really great service. All photographs are taken with consent and you will receive a card with the website for future retrieval of your night out.

No work or school on MLK day? Instead of a day off, think about taking what City Year Detroit calls “a day on” by showing up at the Blue Cross Blue Shield building at 500 E Lafayette in downtown Detroit. The MLK Service Day is an opportunity for anyone to become a City Year member for a day (normally a 10 month commitment is made by the corps members) and pack books for the library, volunteer at a soup kitchen, spend a day with kids or seniors, or any other needed activity. It begings at 9AM, ends at 4PM and sounds like a really neat way to spend the day. Check out a list of activities available at the Service Day website or call 313-874-4558.

<img src=”http://images.dailykos.com/images/user/3/demformitt.jpg”

Michigan’s primary election takes place this Tuesday, January 15, and as many of you know, the Democratic choice will be between Hillary Clinton and Dennis Kucinich (and “Uncommitted,” if you really want to vote for Obama and Edwards, but can’t). THIS IS VERY IMPORTANT: DO NOT WRITE IN A CANDIDATE’S NAME ON THE BALLOT. YOUR BALLOT WILL BE TOSSED. (I don’t know why this is. I haven’t been able to figure out. But everyone says it’s true, so don’t do it.)

But there is one other choice….

Michigan Democrats can make a difference in the overall election after all. The beauty part of Michigan’s primary election rules is that you can cast a ballot for either party, no matter your party affiliation. And since Hillary will be the winner anyway, why not shake things up in the Republican primary, by voting for Mitt Romney.

Daily Kos, a popular Progressive blog, is rallying the troops to upset the Republican election like we did in 2000 when our state went for John McCain over George W. Bush, after then Governor John Engler (remember that scumbag?) “guaranteed” a win the Bush.

Here’s why you may want to vote for Romney:

The longer the Republican primaries go on, the more money they’ll spend and the more they will attack each other, viciously. Mitt Romney has pulled his money out of other states and has bet his political future on Michigan this Tuesday. If he wins, he stays in. If he loses, he lost for good. The longer he’s in, the better for the Democrats.

So by voting Romney, it turns out that the Democrats in Michigan can effect change with their primary vote.

If you feel particularly strongly about Hillary, then by all means vote for her. But instead of voting for “uncommitted” and hoping the Democratic party gives back some of Michigan’s delegates at the convention, why not shake things up a bit?

I know, I know. If you do vote for Romney, you may feel a little dirty and in need of a shower after leaving the polls. However, if you want real change in Washington, if you want to hold the Bush Administration accountable for every pernicious lie and abuse of power over the past 8 years, then the “big picture” candidate for Michigan Democrats is Mitt Romeny.