The possibility of a public boarding school in Detroit

By Mark | February 8, 2010

I’m sitting here tonight, thinking about all of the stuff I should be writing about, like the EMU student with tuberculosis and Rick Snyder’s “One Tough Nerd” gubernatorial ad, but all I really feel like discussing is this article in the Free Press today about the state of Detroit’s public schools. Maybe it has something to do with having just finished season four of The Wire, which is all about how monumentally difficult it is to fix an entrenched educational system that isn’t really serving inner-city kids, but I can’t stop thinking about one of the ideas put forward in the article - the possibility of a public boarding school in Detroit… Here’s a clip from the article.

…Former Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick floated the idea in 2008 of creating a public boarding school on Belle Isle, but the plan never gained enough support. The school would have steered students toward careers relating to waterways and oceanic studies.

Kilpatrick’s idea was based on the work of Carl Taylor, a Michigan State University professor, and his brother, Virgil Taylor, who have worked with urban youths.

They envisioned a boarding school framed by military regimen and discipline. It would be isolated from the chaos of the streets. A team of teachers, counselors and even a physical education teacher could work with students on their academics, health and social skills.

And parents would have to stay away for a while.

“I think the problem that a lot of people don’t want to discuss is that a lot of kids would do better without their parents,” Carl Taylor said…

The nation’s only two college-preparatory public boarding schools are in Washington, D.C., and Maryland, operated by the Washington-based SEED Foundation. The nonprofit bills the schools as “a comprehensive solution to the challenges facing urban students.”

It costs $20 million a year to operate both sites. But the schools have showed results since opening in 1998 and 2008, respectively — 97% of graduates have been accepted to college, and 75% of last year’s graduates were first-generation college students, according to the foundation’s annual report…

According to the web page of the SEED Foundation, they are currently working with leaders in Ohio and New Jersey to establish new schools in those states. And I’m wondering why Michigan isn’t on that list. My fear is that we didn’t make it through their rigorous screening process, which seeks to verify community support, identify appropriate sites, and “determine the availability of the financial resources necessary to build and sustain a school,” but maybe that’s not it. Maybe Detroit hasn’t yet been considered. If not, I don’t see how it could possibly hurt to open up a dialogue with the organization… Right now, I’m reading through their 2002 analysis of Milwaukee (pdf), and starting a letter to the Detroit Public School Board… This, you see, is apparently what I do for fun these days.

And, for what it’s worth, if Rick can pull off something like this, he’s got my vote.

Posted in Education | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 2 Comments

The one man arts community of Ann Arbor

By Mark | February 6, 2010

It seems that all the talk last week in Ann Arbor about how the city might be losing its cultural edge, may have been a bit premature. According to an article just published at AnnArbor.com, the city does still have a thriving arts community. Of course, it is just one man.

Sorry, but when I read the headline “Forest Juziuk is a one-man arts community in Ann Arbor,” I just couldn’t resist.

Posted in Ann Arbor, Art and Culture | Tagged , , , | 22 Comments

Jon Stewart takes on Bill O’Reilly, calls him the voice of sanity at FOX

By Mark | February 6, 2010

Jon Stewart went of FOX News a few days ago, to do an interview with Bill “Papa Bear” O’Reilly. The interview was great. But viewers of FOX didn’t see it. At least, they didn’t see all if it. They saw a highly edited version. Here, if you saw it on FOX, during the O’Reilly Factor, is what you missed.

Also of interest, here’s a link to some footage taken the following day, as Glenn Beck sat down with Bill O’Reilly to discuss Stewart and his comments about them both.

Posted in Media, Politics | Tagged , , , , , | 5 Comments

Boundary issues

By Mark | February 6, 2010

a2ypsimap2

In yesterday’s discussion about the new Chinese restaurant on Washtenaw Avenue, the question of boundaries came up again. Specifically, someone suggested that the new restaurant might not be in Ypsi at all, but in Ann Arbor. (It’s not, by the way. It’s technically in the Charter Township of Ypsilanti.) Well, it reminded me that I’d been meaning to move this comment by Ypsi’s outgoing city planner Richard Murphy up to the front page for a while now. The comment was left several months ago, during our last big debate on Ypsi/Arbor boundary issues.

Contributing to the fuzzy boundaries is the number of different definable boundaries available.

There’s the municipal boundaries, obviously, with the two Townships in between (Ann Arbor and Ypsilanti).

Culturally, though, people are more likely to attach themselves to the boundaries of school districts (pdf) or zip codes and postal addresses.

Going by school districts puts a hard line at Golfside. The Ann Arbor 48108 mostly stops at 23, but has a little peninsula between Washtenaw and Packard that extends as far as Golfside.

Political boundaries give more layers. The County Board of Commissioners ward map stops Ann Arbor at US-23, with Pittsfield finally getting the recognition it doesn’t from either the USPS or the school districts. The Michigan House of Representatives (pdf), though, returns to Golfside for the defining line.

So there’s not really much support for considering, “anything east of Huron Parkway to be Ypsilanti”, but if Arborland wanted to switch who they sent their tax payments to, I doubt Ypsi would turn them down.

[note: The "B" on the above map marks the location the new Asia City Restaurant.]

Posted in Ann Arbor, Ypsilanti | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 8 Comments

Obama in the lions’ den

By Mark | February 4, 2010

Last Friday, President Obama stopped by the GOP House Issues Conference in Baltimore, and spent almost 90 minutes engaging the Republican members of Congress, and answering their questions on healthcare, taxes, defense and any number of other subjects. He did brilliantly, and I’d love to see more of it. Those of you who missed it, can see it here:

Among those impressed by the performance, was the Huffington Post’s San Stein, who said the following:

…He rebuked a questioner who insisted that the monthly deficit is higher now than Bush’s annual deficit. “That’s factually just not true,” he said. “And you know it’s not true.” He lampooned Republican lawmakers seated in front of him for portraying his health care legislation as “some Bolshevik plot.” He mocked Republicans for railing against the stimulus package and then showing up at “the ribbon-cuttings for some of these important projects in your communities.” And he did it all while calling for “a tone of civility instead of slash and burn will be helpful.”

Whether it was chutzpah, political savvy, or both, it certainly was refreshing. Reporters were thrilled with the British Parliament-style exchange between president and lawmakers. The Atlantic’s Marc Ambinder asked that forums like these be held monthly. The Nation’s Chris Hayessuggested Obama next go before the progressive caucus. Ezra Klein of the Washington Postlabeled it “the most compelling political television I’ve seen…maybe ever. NBC’s Chuck Toddadded: “The president should hold Congressional ‘town halls’ more often. Public needs to see this if they’ll ever trust Washington again”…

He handled himself so well in fact that the folks at FOX News, which was airing the Q&A session, made a decision somewhere in the middle to turn their cameras off.

And, before we move on, here’s a quote from Joel Klein, who commented on the Q&A session for Time.

…And therein lies the crisis of democracy that our country faces: a moderate-liberal President, willing to make judicious compromises, confronted by a Republican Party paralyzed by cynicism and hypocrisy, undergirded by inchoate ideological fervor…

One would hope that at least one Republican would be willing to do the unthinkable and help Obama pass legislation that they’ve historically been in favor of, but that apparently isn’t going to work in today’s climate, where Republicans would much rather see our nation fail than run the risk of making our President look good. It’s pathetic, and we as a nation should be ashamed for allowing it to happen.

Posted in Politics | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 10 Comments

Might there be good Chinese food in Ypsi’s future?

By Mark | February 4, 2010

I’m reading the AnnArbor.com story on the new restaurant opening next to the Hua Xing Asia Market on Washtenaw, and it’s got me really excited. (Excited to the point where I’m almost guaranteed to be disappointed.) Prior to reading the article, I thought that the owners were likely opening a newer version of the faux-Chinese buffet they operated previously at that same address. But, thankfully, that seems to not be the case. Here’s a clip from the article:

…Chinese Buffet 2 was not authentic Chinese food, Wang said. It catered more to American tastes. “Now, everything will be authentic,” he said…

So, don’t go there looking for chop suey or sweet and sour chicken… This, in my opinion, is a very good thing. Or, at least it could be. I enjoy dim sum at Great Lakes Seafood (their fried squid rocks), but it’ll be great to have another good place on this side of the Canadian border, and it will bring people here. (In Windsor, I’d recommend Wah Court.) Anyway, after reading this article, I’m hopeful. Here’s a clip:

…With seating for close to 400 and 15,000 square feet, it will be one of the largest Chinese restaurants in Michigan when it opens this weekend.

…But (Xingshou) Wang’s plans go even bigger. He hopes his market and now his restaurant will be the center of what will some day be a small Chinatown, something he sees when he visits New York and other big American cities, but missing in Michigan.

He owns eight acres of land on the south side of Washtenaw Avenue, between Golfside and Hewitt, and wants to attract more Asian businesses to the area.

For now, Wang is focused on opening Asia City Restaurant, which cost more than $1 million to build and furnish. It replaces Chinese Buffet 2, which Wang owned and operated for 15 years before he closed it two years ago to begin planning Asia City Restaurant. The old 7,000-square-foot building was razed to make way for the new restaurant…

And it’s cool to know that we’ve got another entrepreneur here in Ypsi with real vision. Here’s hoping the launch of Xingshou Wang’s newest enterprise comes off without a hitch this weekend, and that his ambitious plans for a local Chinatown come to fruition. I think it would be an awesome thing for Ypsi.

Oh, speaking of good food along the Washtenaw Feeding Corridor, I also highly recommend Pacific Beach Burritos. The people are friendly. The food is delicious. And it won’t cost you a fortune. We’re lucky to have them.

Posted in Food, Ypsilanti | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | 23 Comments

“Worms in space serve no purpose”

By Mark | February 4, 2010

The title of this piece comes from an article on the launching of an Iranian rocket yesterday. It’s a direct quote from a scientist, who had been asked to comment on the fact that they sent earthworms and turtles into space.

Anyway, I was thinking about it just now, as I was watching South African director Neill Blomkamp addressing a TED conference on the subject of what life might look like in outer space, and what the future might hold for mankind. If, like me, you can’t sleep tonight, I’d highly recommend it. It may give you freaky dreams, but it’s interesting stuff.

And, yeah, in the whole cosmic scheme of things, I do kind of think that we’re just earthworms who happen to be in way over our heads.

Posted in Science | Tagged , , , , , , , | 10 Comments

Saving Democracy from activist judges

By Mark | February 3, 2010

It was announced today, in response to the recent Supreme Court ruling giving corporations unprecedented influence over the American elections, that Representatives John Conyers and Donna Edwards had introduced a Constitutional amendment to remedy the situation. The amendment, which is being called the Free Speech for People Amendment, reads as follows:

Amendment XXVIII

Section 1. The sovereign right of the people to govern being essential to a free democracy, the First Amendment shall not be construed to limit the authority of Congress and the States to define, regulate, and restrict the spending and other activity of any corporation, limited liability entity, or other corporate entity created by state or federal law or the law of another nation.

Section 2. Nothing contained in this Article shall be construed to abridge the freedom of the press.

And, in related news, our friend Lawrence Lessig just launched a new online initiative called Fix Congress First, which is dedicated to both the idea of a Constitutional amendment on the corporate funding of election campaigns, and the passage of the Fair Elections Now Act, which would accomplish the following:

Under this legislation, congressional candidates who raise a threshold number of small-dollar donations would qualify for a chunk of funding—several hundred thousand dollars for House, millions for many Senate races. If they accept this funding, they can’t raise big-dollar donations. But they can raise contributions up to $100, which would be matched four to one by a central fund. Reduced fees for TV airtime is also an element of this bill, creating an incentive for politicians to opt into this system and run people-powered campaigns.

I’d encourage you all to read up on these issues, and write to your elected officials, reminding them that corporations aren’t people, and that money isn’t free speech.

And why is it that we don’t hear the right howling about “activist judges” anymore? It seems that, for a few years, it was all that they could talk about.

Posted in Civil Liberties, Other | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , | 74 Comments

What Republicans really think

By Mark | February 3, 2010

The folks at the Daily Kos just commissioned a poll of 2,000 self-identifying Republicans by independent polling firm Research 2000. I think you’ll find the results enlightening. Here’s a sample:

• Over a third of Republicans believe the birth control pill is abortion (which explains why nearly a third of them want contraceptive use outlawed).

• 68% of Republicans believe or are not sure if Obama should be impeached (39% believe Obama should be impeached, 29% are not sure).

• 58% of Republicans don’t believe or are not sure if Obama was born in the United States (36% believe Obama was not born in the United States, 22% are not sure, 42% think he is a legitimate citizen).

• 63% of Republicans think that Obama is a socialist. Another 16% aren’t sure.

• 64% of Republicans believe or are not sure if Obama, to quote Glenn Beck, is a “Racist who hates White people” (31% believe Obama is a “Racist”, 33% were not sure, 36% said he was not a racist.).

• 57% of Republicans believe or are not sure if Obama wants “the terrorists to win” (24% of believe Obama wants “the terrorists to win,” 33% aren’t sure, 43% said he did not want the terrorists to win).

• 76% of Republicans believe or are not sure if ACORN stole the 2008 election (21% of them believe ACORN stole the 2008 election, 55% are not sure, 24% said they did not steal the election.)

• 77% believe that public school students should be taught that the book of Genesis in the Bible explains how God created the world?

• 42% of Republicans believe or are not sure if their state should secede from the United States (23% believe that their state should secede from the United States, 19% aren’t sure, 58% said no.)

• 53% of Republicans said they believe Sarah Palin is more qualified to be president than Barack Obama.

This, my friends, I’m sure I don’t have to tell you, is some truly terrifying shit. The folks on the other side aren’t just wrong - they’re crazy.

Posted in Observations, Politics | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 20 Comments

Robot animals

By Mark | February 3, 2010

Am I the only one who read the press release from PETA about how they wanted to replace Punxsutawney Phil with a robotic groundhog, and thought of Mark Pauline and his terrifying, robotic animal carcasses? While I don’t support PETA across the board these days, I could totally get behind something like that.

Posted in Art and Culture | Tagged , , , , , , | 5 Comments