CityFest

I did not take this picture

Hit up the Comerica Cityfest in Detroit last night with my Craft Night girls. What drew us out was the free performance by the talented (and handsome) Avett Brothers. 'Twas a good show, all in all, but for some reason their music struck me as a little more Revival-ly (new word!) and pedantic than it does in the intimate setting of a recording being pumped into my headphones. A lot less punk, a lot more shiny happy. Even so, it's always fun to listen to banjo and cello live, especially if the musicians playing them are dead sexy. (I have to say though that I miss the beards).





There's a pretty good line up for the rest of the Comerica Cityfest for the weekend. Check it out here.

Bone Marrow Transplant Urgently Needed

Anthony Lee, a 15-year-old resident of the small enclave of Hessel, Mich., urgently needs a bone marrow transplant. So far, there’s been just one major obstacle: A suitable donor needs to have ancestry similar to the lad’s – a mix of American Indian, Korean, German and Swede.

Lee loved participating in sports at Cedarville High School and was active in skiing, basketball, football and track. Then he began having difficulty regaining normal breathing after exerting himself, the condition eventually led doctors to the aplastic anemia diagnosis. Lee wants to resume his involvement in academics and sports, perhaps pursue a career as a doctor. But first, a suitable donor must be found.

Read the rest of the article at Indian Country Today

If you would like to join the marrow registry or learn about how easy it is to host your own marrow donor registration drive, contact Trosko in East Lansing, Mich., at (800) 471‑3020, ext. 101. Trosko will provide kits for anyone who wants to join the registry.

Weekend in Detroit

I had a great time with loved ones in Detroit this weekend. My camera's broken so no riveting shots but I do have a few recommendations for anyone wanting to poke around a bit.

First, I headed to the Museum of Contemporary Art Detroit (MOCAD) with my girl Lauren to catch the Jesper Just and Art Spiegelman exhibits. The museum is free, welcoming and the gift shop has about every sexy art book a girl could ever want. I especially liked the Jesper Just films. A Viscious Undertow was particularly haunting.

Later we drove around the Boston Edison neighborhood to check out the gorgeous houses, one of which was Berry Gordy Jr.'s during the Motown heydays. My grandma also grew up in one of the houses and I was happy to see the area full of life, which is not how I remember as a kid.

Motown Mansion

On Sunday my folks joined me and a few of my EMU HP compatriots for a Detroit River Boat tour with Diamond Jack Tours. The tour was sponsored by the HP Alumni association. The 2 hour trip took us along the river skyline, past Belle Isle, along the parks of Windsor to Fort Wayne and back. The water was as aquamarine as ever and the wind was blowing hot. From the river, the city seemed full of life. People fishing and walking and biking and lying in the sun. A special treat, arranged by Nathan, an HP student and River Boat Guide, came when the mail boat pulled up along side the tour boat and dropped off a postcard Nathan had mailed us earlier in the week. Very cool.

After the tour we headed over to Corktown to Slows BBQ where we feasted on pulled pork and black-eyed peas and okra fritters. A quick peek at the Detroit Central Station rounded out the weekend. Just beautiful, with family, friends, good food and sights, there's nothing better to be had.

Cambodia and child prostitution

Again, I'm posting something that has little to nothing to do with Michigan, other than the fact that I like to step back and take a global perspective every once in a while. My friend Mary Croy, whom I met while teaching in Vietnam has written a blog about the human trafficking problem and I'd like to share it with you. Thanks Mary for sending it to me.

One of the serious social problems in Cambodia is human trafficking and especially child prostitution. This is especially a problem in Phnom Penh and Sianhoukville. The hotel we stayed in is part of "child safe" a program by local businesses to try to curb this problem. Child safe businesses train their employees to be aware of the signs that a child may be in trouble or be involved in a prostitution ring. There are also programs in Sianoukville for at risk kids and for those who have been victims of abuse. In Phnom Penh there was dramatic police raid in which they shut down a "sex village"in which hundreds of children were held prisoner.But the problem is huge. Thailand has been kicking out many undesirables Westerners and many head for Cambodia. As the police in Thailand have tried to crack down on human trafficking, many operations have gone across the border to Cambodia. These sex slavery rings not only operate in Cambodia, but also ship girls to other parts of Asia. In fact, many of the girls (and sometimes boys) who are involved in child prostitution come from Viet Nam or China. This is certainly one of the saddest aspects of life in Cambodia and a symptom of the enormous poverty in this country.To find out more please check these links:

http://childsafe-international.org/CAMBODIA/CSCambodia.asp

http://www.uri.edu/artsci/wms/hughes/cambodia.htm

http://www.gvnet.com/childprostitution/Cambodia.htm

Mary's personal blog about her experiences in SE Asia can be found here at Journey to Peace Village.

Die Mute Swan, DIE!

There's a news item in the Ludington Daily News today about the shooting of a Trumpeter Swan in Custer Township. Trumpeter Swans are on the State Endangered Species list and this particular swan had been released on Lost Lake from a captive breeding program in 1994.



Now I'm going to get on my soapbox so brace yourselves.


Listen, people, if you feel like being a destructive honky, at least do the world a favor and shoot a MUTE swan, not a Trumpeter. Trumpeter swans are a native species that have very different personalities from their mute and invasive cousins. Mute swans were imported to the United States in the 19th century to grace private gardens and parks. They are highly aggressive, often attacking and killing other fowl that attempt to nest in their territory. Mute swans take over small ecosystems very quickly (drive out to Lincoln Lake north of Ludington to get a clearer idea of this). They drive other species out of the area, their poo contaminates the water, and while pretty, they're just generally jerks.


Trumpeter swans on the other hand, mostly stay away from humans. They're native to Michigan and they don't attack other fowl in their nesting areas. Also, their breeding and communal habits mean that they won't take over a small ecosystem like Mute Swans do. Because their numbers aren't usually concentrated in small areas, their poo doesn't become concentrated in the water, stagnating and killing it.


Here's how to tell the difference.


Mute Swans (bad): They're the ones with orange bills. They are usually slightly larger and much more aggressive. They're the ones hissing at you as you canoe past their nests or bully the ducks when you try feed them breadcrumbs. Here's what they look like:

Trumpeter Swans (good): They're similar but have an all black bill. They are much more rare and shy so if you see one, consider yourself lucky. Also, they make noise (hence the name) which can often be heard in the spring as they migrate and begin to mate. Here's what they look like:

On a related note, I think it's really interesting what we choose to label invasive and what we choose to value. People think I'm some kind of barbarian for advocating hunting of mute swans (or at least management). Many people react negatively when I explain the bumpersticker on my car which reads 'Die Mute Swan, Die' but they would never react that way if my car sported a sticker reading 'Die Lamprey, Die' even though both species have a similar impact on the Michigan ecosystem. The simple difference is that swans are pretty, lamprey are not. Swans have a plethora of romatic association tied to them, lampreys do not. This comparison could also be extended to Salmon which, sorry folks, are not a native species either but are not considered invasive because they stimulate the economy and we like to eat them. What's the difference between a zebra mussel and a Coho? Not much, except that one species is tasty and the other is not. One stimulates the tourist and fishing industry and the other does not.

If you want to read more about Mute Swans click here.

If you want to read more about Trumpeter Swans click here.

Don't Shoot a Swan! from the DNR

Anyone with information about the shooting in Custer Township can call the DNR Poaching hotline at (800) 292-7800

Lastly, if anyone wants a 'Die Mute Swan, Die' bumpersticker, I have extras.

Follow MSU archeology

The MSU Campus Archeology program is on Twitter (of course). Follow their goings-on and recieve updates on local archeology projects here.

The Urban Village concept applied to Detroit

This article on Freep.com was published in May in response to the report from the American Institute of Architects entitled A Leaner, Greener Detroit that envisions the future of Detroit as a mix of urban villages interconnected by greenways and agricultural areas. The plan was designed by a comittee of planners as part of the SDAT program (Sustainable Design Assessment Team) and it provides a fascinating blueprint for the future. To me Detroit has always seemed a city that existed partially in the imaginations of the people that love it, forever projecting their visions of how it may 'rise from the ashes' (that being the city's motto, after all). It's obviously a ravaged place, like postwar Berlin, and a rapidly shrinking one at that so I think the idea of approaching its development in a conscientious way is the best way to move forward. Reconnecting people to the land and to producing the things they consume (in this case food) is even better.

One of things I found most telling about the situation in Detroit was not this idea of higher density, agriculturally based urbanism. This is not really a new idea in planning circles. No, instead take a look at the comments for a fuller idea of what ails D-town. There are 173 comments and I'd say the majority of them are dismissive of Detroit's residents and farming in general (guess they don't relaize where their food comes from). Here's a sampling:

"Sounds idealistic. However idealism is not reality, never has been never will be. The english countryside is not crawling with people who would steal your crops and livestock. Ot just trash it for the fun of it.And the people of the english countryside work the land. The people of Detroit would only wait around for someone else to work the land then demand they be given a share of it .The only way to really understand the behavior of the future is to study the behaviors of the past.And that only predicts futility. English countryside, I had to laugh out loud."

"you can't just have goats and sheep, need donkeys to keep away the coyotes and dogs, other Watermelon thieves bloodthirsty chicken-stealing varmints will be dealt with severly. As the sun comes up over Detroit, the morning call to prayer will echo accross the land.. the most beautiful sound... LOL"

"Perhaps after a spot of tea and crumpets with our crack we could have some yorkshire pudding before we take our lorry to the market where it will be hijacked. This is the most silly idea I have ever heard!! I live in what is left of Detroit----"A English Meadow surrounded by quaint villages"; I think the urban "planners" are the ones who smoked some crack.."

"The problem with the abandonment of Detroit is that the well organized, productive and moral citizens of Detroit are moving to the suburbs. Don't they know it is warmer in Atlanta, and that Washington DC has 5.6% unemployment. Probably not, they can't read."

And on and on for over 22 pages. Granted, I can't draw conclusions on the entire socio-political climate of Detroit based on online comments but I think it paints a clear picture of the divide between the 'sides' that will be making Detroit's future. I guess I found it breathtakingly sad that most of commenters had no inkling of how Detroit came to be the way it is. On top of everything (horrific race relations, class and labor wars, exploitation, corruption, etc.) the main problem is a lack of a coherent and visionary city plan. The fact that so many voices were speaking out against an attempt by planners to impose people-based organization to the chaos because they viewed it as socialist or a product of "Obama sheep" mentality shows how much of an imaginitive leap such a plan would be. The only alternative to such a vision given by commentors was (to paraphrase), "Let the motherf***er burn!"

Until a btter idea than that comes along, I think the AIA ideas are a great place to start. They're not pie-in-the-sky, nor are urban-village plans a white-only, 'hippie' phenomenon. It's good, solid, pragmatic planning that could give people meaningful work and a more vibrant community that could be sustained over the long haul. To me, that could be better than anything Henry Ford ever did for Detroit.

Oh MJ...

The word on the street is that Michael Jackson has died. Whatever you think about his (tragic and bizarre) life, you have to admit that his music rocked. One of my earliest memories is of cleaning the house with my dad with Off the Wall spinning on the record player. And watching Thriller on repeat with my cousin Megan so we could get the dance moves down.
My friend Jenne has danced as a Zombie Girl for the MJ-inspired punk band Neverland. In honor of the passing of the king of pop, I share it with you now.
What a bummer.

Music for a thuderstorm

Here it comes... a break in the heat and a growl in the sky. Time for another playlist.

Kate Bush- Cloudbusting

The Knife- Forest Families

Husker Du-Standing By the Sea

Magnetic Fields- All the Umbrellas in London

Charlotte Gainsbourg- Somewhere between waking and sleeping

Bill Callahan- The Wind and the Dove

Bob Dylan- Shelter from the Storm

Billy Bragg- Black Wind Blowing

Sibylle Baeir- I Lost Something in the Hills

Hank III- Thunderstorms and Neon Signs

Bye Bye Lafayette

"The historic Lafayette Building could be demolished in the next several months, after the Downtown Development Authority voted unanimously this morning to raze the office tower.
Local preservationists have fought to save the building, at Lafayette and Shelby near Campus Martius Park. The DDA awarded Adamo Demolition Co. a contract for about $1.4 million to demolish the structure. Officials said that could happen in the next 90 to 120 days.
The building was designed by noted architect C. Howard Crane, who also designed the Fox Theatre in Detroit. "

read the rest of the story here.

Book Review: A Northwoods Companion

An almanac that I have been consulting on an almost daily basis since I picked it up at the West Michigan Birding Festival is A Northwoods Companion by John Bates. The book is the ultimate Michigan/North Country guide. It focuses on the study of phenology or "the orderly timing and progression of natural events." Towards this goal, Bates divides his opus in to two-week sections between two volumes: Spring/Summer, Fall/Winter. It is full of insightful, ambrosial prose that illuminates the processes that surround us. It is a book for explorers, as Bates clearly states in his introduction, and that being my primary passion, I am inclined to agree. His exploration of bird migrations, otter breeding habits, Moon transitions, the life cycles of old growth pine stands and other topics is as engrossing as it is magical. He encourages his readers to pull on their waders, skis, snowshoes, or swim trunks and observe the world around them. In short, I love it. This quote, from the introduction, illustrates the philosophy behind the making of the book, a spirit which infuses the entire work:

"While I'm sure I would greatly enjoy traveling and seeing the world, I've discovered more than enough universe near my doorstep in which to travel."

I felt exactly this way in my damp Hanoi apartment last February when I started i think i love you michigan. When I read A Northwoods Companion, it renews my passion and I feel like I've come home all over again.

You can purchase John Bates' books at amazon.com or from your local Aububon Society.

Living is easy

I get together about once week with a group of friends for an event we've dubbed Craft Night. I've posted projects in the past but mostly, we do very little crafting and lots more eating. We continue to call it Craft Night, however, in the hopes that someday, we will actually make something (perhaps in the same way that Israeli/Palestinian negotiations are still called Peace Talks?).

So anyways, last night's Craft Night was absolutely magical. By hook or by crook, one of the girls in the group (Em) has somehow come to live in a cottage on the shore of South Lake in the center of the Waterloo State Recreation Area, the largest State Park in the lower peninsula. It's totally awesome. With a cooler full of beer, tummies full of kebabs and a sky full of stars, we spent the evening swimming in the 80+ degree water off of a pontoon boat. There are almost no houses on the lake and lush Michigan forest all around. The frogs were playing their banjos, the lightning bugs were winking in time. My heart almost broke from the love of it.

I woke up this morning on Em's couch to the sight of mist rising out of the lake and a green heron preening himself at the shore. I decided to take the backroads to work and when I was but a stone's throw from Em's house, I saw a sand hill crane and its chick in a corn field. I threaded my way to Lansing through tiny, bucolic communities full of life and color as I drank my piping hot cup of coffee with fresh local cream. Now, from my office window I can see the State Capitol dome against the blue sky and I know when I go outside to eat my lunch the air's going to be hot, hot, hot- my favorite kind of weather. I'm wearing a flouncy skirt and sandals. My hair is curly from the humidity and I've a bag full of sweet cherries to eat with my sammich.

I can't believe it but I think that summer might actually be here!

The Arts and Crafts movement in Detroit

In terms of aesthetics, design and landscape, Michigan is most known for its contributions to Modernism from the mid-20th Century onward (the cloverleaf interchange, the superhighway, the Cadillac, Minoru Yamasaki, and Herman Miller being a few of the most vivid examples) . The earthy design of the Arts and Crafts movement does not immediately spring to mind, especially when thinking of Detroit (unless you count Pewabic Pottery). That's why I found this article on how the Arts and Crafts movement thrived in industrial Detroit fascinating. Discussed are the founding of Cranbrook, Pewabic, and the Center for Creative Studies, the latter of which was established to specifically encourage nascent artists in the Arts and Crafts movement. I was especially interested in how Arts and Crafts transitioned into Modernism in Detroit and that artists and curators at the time considered automobile design a natural extension of this evolution. I've never thought of car manufacturing and design as a craft but really, I think it could be, albeit a communal and industrial one. Thinking of the car in these terms drives home to me the cultural loss (not to mention economic) that accompanies the collapse of the auto industry. Or should I say the craft of automaking?

Read the article here.

More Deyoung Farm press

photo by Nathan Harris

My North magazine carried an article recently about our field work at the Deyoung Farm near Traverse City. There are a few inaccuracies but over all, it's a pretty good story. Read it here.

Iran's election and the Baha'i community

One of the overlooked aspects of the recent electoral chaos in Iran is the plight of Iran's religous minorities, including the Baha'i, who are not recognized by the Iranian government and who have been officially persecuted since '79 Revolution. Their cemeteries have been bulldozed, students have been barred from attending school, others have been killed or jailed. I include these links on a blog about Michigan because I have several friends who are Baha'i and I know that there is a strong community within our state. One of the tenets of the Baha'i faith is a view of the international community as a common family and so I'm confident that many are following the news in Iran closely.

http://news.bahai.org/

Iran's Religious Minority Speaks Out On Elections

Murder with Impunity

Baha'i Faith Detroit Center