A friend of mine, Steve Barker, is the youth pastor for Grace Community Church (in Detroit). A couple days ago his brother was in a really serious car accident in Canada. At least for now it appears as though he may be paralized from the chest down. The family is doing pretty good right now, but if you have ever been near someone in a serious medical situation, you know that the incidentals and travel can be very expensive.

I set up a paypal account for Mike (Steve’s brother) and ALL of the proceeds will go directly to him (Paypal does take a small cut of the gross). There is a link to the fund on my blog you can go to once this one gets bumped by other stories. If you would like to stay posted on the situation check here. Please consider donating a few dollars; also be sure to leave a note of encouragement. An exerpt of the incident is included below the fold.


Original post here.

“For those of you who do not yet heard about the accident this is what we know. They were traveling on the major highway between home a work when the driver of the truck, Cody, fell asleep and drifted across the center line narrowly avoiding a head on collision with a semi-trailer coming in the opposite direction. Once completely through the lane the driver woke up and tried to steer the truck away from the ditch. The truck then began to roll. Mike had been sleeping up to this point, reclining in his chair (buckled up). The truck rolled multiple times and came to a rest on its hood. Mike was trapped in the truck for a couple of hours. He told me today that that time upside down in the truck was the hardest experience he has ever had. He was trapped and was having major difficulty breathing. The jaws of life arrived, he was rescued and they then flew him to the University of Alberta Hospital in Edmonton.

He is currently sleeping next to me with a tracker going from just above the ear, over the head, to just above the other ear. It is attacked to his skull and has a twenty pound weight pulling his neck straight. He will probably have to stay like this for the next several days as the swelling goes down and as they wait for the scheduled surgery.

The biggest prayer requests right now are the following:

1. His lungs stay as stable as they are and that he doesn’t have to be on a respirator.
2. That he gains more strength in his hands and arms.

We know that God is still with us. And that he is writing his story as we speak.”

This year, Granholm is facing a stiff challenge from Republican Dick Devos, and it seems she cannot even go to a DC fundraiser for herself at Vernon Jordan’s place without the Michigan Republicans’ “jobs clock” there to remind her that her State is losing one job every 20 minutes.

Quips MRP Chairman Saul Anuzis: ‘I hope the jobs clock sitting outside the fundraiser serves as a reminder to the Governor that in the 2 hours she spends hobnobbing with fellow Democrats, Michigan will lose another 6 jobs.’

Tick, tick, tick, tick… ”

Well put, and well noted.

In other news I recently went to a poetry slam at Beans and Bytes after class on Tuesday with my hipster friend Rachel and the equally hip Kara. I actually enjoyed it a lot. There were the conspiracy theorists that were rapping slash flowing on how the Man invented AIDS (kinda like that CHris Rock sketch, but not funny); but most of the poetry was very forward thinking and positive. There was a call to stop black on black violence and an emphasis on home ownership. I will post a little later on the home ownership movement. It was cool.

Then today I saw a Sikh parade as they marched through the center of campus. Now that I am going on my third year at WSU, this annual parade let’s me know that summer in drawing nigh. The food is great too!

Anyway, I am looking forward to posting more and glad to get back in the saddle!

My friend Amanda, my social maven, suggested that we check out the band “Hot Sauce” that was playing that night. As soon as these guys started playing I knew we were going to be parked for the night. The band consisted of a lead singer, guitars, a horn section, a drummer, and a slew of keyboards. I was worried when I saw all of those keys at first, but they were put to good use. Their mantra is “real good, feel good music” and they delivered. Their original music was full bodied and fully thought out, not at all amateurish or cookie-cutter – and their covers were spot on. They played a little Stevie, a little Black Eyed Peas and some other upbeat soulful stuff I pretended to know to try to fit in and be a hep cat white guy. :P

I cannot overstate how good these guys are musically; as a drummer I have a special affinity for the percussion – this drummer was absolutely amazing. If you have ever heard Carter Beauford from Dave Mathew’s Band play then you have a feel for this guys chops. The sax player and the bass player also stood out as something special; but the whole band was very talented. If you get a chance to see a live show anytime soon and you need a reprieve from the worries of this world try to catch one of these guy’s shows.

I did some research and the ONE Campaign is a good group whether you are a conservative or liberal, white black or brown. ONE is a new effort by Americans to rally Americans – ONE by ONE – to fight the emergency of global AIDS and extreme poverty. The ONE Campaign is engaging Americans through a diverse coalition of faith-based and anti-poverty organizers to show the steps people can take, ONE by ONE, to fight global AIDS and poverty.

If you have about 146 seconds, please drop the Senator a line. Thanks.

Go here.

Thanks.

Racist Collins said, “‘The symbolism is that Detroit is a black city and that we’re unable to govern ourselves. So we need an overseer, the state legislature, or what have you, to step in and tell us what we must do and how to do it.’ She said she will not sign off on an operating agreement until it protects Detroit’s interests and the state should not try to force them with a funding deadline. ‘That is a racist attitude. I resent it very much. I’m trying not to let it color my judgments, but we’re not a plantation, blacks aren’t owned by white folks anymore,’ said Collins.”

Well, Barb – you apparently are unable to govern yourself – that’s kinda what it means when you are considered for recievership. But hey, don’t listen to me…I’m white, and uh, I live in the burbs…