Mark Maynard | 2009 | May

Obsessed

By Mark | May 25, 2009

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It starts in ten minutes, and I don’t have cable, so there’s probably about a 100% chance that I won’t see it, but the A&E network has a new reality series starting tonight on Obsessive Compulsive Disorder, which I’m sure will be hilariously entertaining, if not terribly informative. The new unscripted documentary series, entitled Obsessed, seems to have been introduced by A&E to further capitalize on the success of their show, Intervention, which allows you, the viewer, from the comfort of your own couch, to share in the fun as families, torn apart by addiction, are given an opportunity to tearfully confront the relatives that have ruined their lives and led them through hell. Obsessed, according to the network, claims to show not only individuals struggling with debilitating mental illness, but also stay with them as they attempt cognitive behavioral therapy. Given that it’s produced by the men who gave us the informative and meaningful series The Two Coreys, though, I don’t hold out much hope.

Sorry if I’m coming across as touchy about this, but, knowing how TV works, I expect this series will be chocked full of anxiety-producing scenarios, and very light on conveying information that might actually be useful to those, like myself, who actually suffer from the disorder. (I’m picturing Fear Factor, only a lot funnier.) I have no doubt that it’ll be compelling television. Who, after all, wouldn’t want to watch someone with an irrational phobia be forced to confront said phobia? The intention of the producers, however, is not – regardless of what they tell you – to help those individuals triumph over their fears. Their goal is to provide programming sufficient to hold the attention of individuals in key marketing demographics. That is all.

But maybe there’s an upside in it. Maybe, if a show like this had existed when I was younger, I would have sought help earlier. Maybe it’ll even encourage people to be a bit more sympathetic toward individuals who suffer from what really can be an incredibly painful disorder. Maybe the show isn’t all, “Let’s take this guy who panics at the very thought of water, and throw him in the pool,” and there are some real, significant resources directed toward those individuals featured. Maybe I could support something like that. I just don’t think that’s what I’m missing tonight on A&E.

Posted in Mark's Life, Media, OCD, Rants | Tagged A&E, Intervention, mental health, mental illness, Obsessed, reality television, The Two Coreys | 8 Comments

Milla in the Garden

By Mark | May 25, 2009

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Word is that when actresses Minnie Drive and Drew Barrymore were here in town, they ate most of their meals at the upscale Ann Arbor restaurant Eve. That didn’t much surprise me. I was, however, surprised when I heard that George “Ace from Facts of Life” Clooney, during the time he spent trapped here in Michigan, hoisted a few back at Ypsi’s Mr. Mike’s Lounge. But nothing prepared me for the email I received yesterday, IN ALL CAPS, telling me that model-turned-actress Milla Jovovich was eating at our local Olive Garden! That, for some reason that I’m still trying to comprehend, really freaked me out. And, on some level, I refuse to believe it’s true. I refuse to believe that anyone from Hollywood, super-hot or not, would eat at Olive Garden. I can accept that, on occasion, a celebrity might go through the McDonald’s drive-thru. That doesn’t shock me. But I can’t see anyone even remotely successful in the entertainment industry choosing to eat at an Olive Garden. Maybe it has something to do with the fact that she’s Ukranian. Or, maybe she’s tired of eating around skinny people. Or, maybe she has to eat there for some contractual reason. Maybe there’s a crossover co-promotion deal between the faux-Italian Olive Garden chain and the Resident Evil franchise that I’m not aware of. I would feel better if that were the case. Anyway, I thought that I should start a thread, in case she’s online right now… Milla, if you’re out there, let me know and I’ll send you directions to somewhere better. It’s a little off the beaten path, but there’s a lovely little seafood place called Red Lobster that’s not too far from the OG. And, if I’m not mistaken, it’s either Shrimp Mania or Shitload of Shrimp month.

And, for the love of God, if you know of someone who saw her eating at Olive Garden, please encourage them to draw something for my languishing pencil Paparazzi project. It would mean the world to me.

Posted in Art and Culture, Food | Tagged Ann Arbor, celebrity sighting, Drew Barrymore, George Clooney, Michigan film incentives, Milla Jovovich, Minnie Driver, model turned actress, Olive Garden, pencil paparazzi, Red Lobster, Shitload of Shrimp | 13 Comments

Granholm to join the Supremes?

By Mark | May 25, 2009

If you’ll recall, back when Obama first took office, there was talk of him bringing on his friend and fellow Harvard Law School alumnus, Michigan Governor Jennifer Granholm, as a cabinet member. At the time, a few, such as yours truly, suggested that, more likely, she’d land on the Supreme Court. Well, now that the great shame of the Republicans, David Souter, is stepping down, and with Obama under pressure to name another woman to the high court, she’s looking like a frontrunner. As was mentioned in yesterday’s New York Times, though, Granholm doesn’t have much of a legal record to stand on, but maybe that’s not such a bad thing. Here’s a clip:

…Now Ms. Granholm, nearing the end of a second term as governor that has been defined more than anything else by the economic crisis in her state, is among the small number of people being considered to succeed Justice David H. Souter on the Supreme Court. But her fast ascent to the state’s top political job and lack of judicial experience has left only a lean record for scrutiny of her legal thinking.

“As the A.G., in my judgment, she never showed a strong passion for the right or left of center,” said Steven A. Freeman, a criminal defense lawyer in Lansing, Mich., who estimates that he faced off in court with Ms. Granholm’s team on at least 60 cases. “If you didn’t know her, you couldn’t tell if she was a Democrat or a Republican, conservative or liberal.”

To some, Ms. Granholm’s legal style, or absence thereof, is a clear asset because it shows that she put the issues of the law ahead of any personal agenda. Despite favoring abortion rights, for instance, she defended the more conservative views of the Republican administration in Michigan in the late 1990s on abortion. In one opinion as attorney general, she stated that taking RU-486, known as the abortion pill, was legally tantamount to having an abortion…

It’s also worth considering how this might impact the upcoming Michigan gubernatorial race. If Granholm is nominated and confirmed, Lieutenant Governor John Cherry would assume her role as Governor, and one would expect that being an incumbent would give him an advantage going into the election. I saw Alma Wheeler Smith earlier today, but it didn’t cross my mind to ask her if this might hurt her chances. She looked happy, though. (Alma recently announced that she’d be running against Cherry for Governor when Granholm steps down, in accordance with Michigan’s law concerning term limits.) Speaking of local candidates for Governor, Ann Arbor Republican Rick Snyder, who I don’t believe has officially joined the race yet, has launched a website and a statewide listening tour. One would hope that our Republican friends on the west side of the state would be willing to consider supporting an Ann Arbor Republican, but I guess we’ll just have to wait and see. I’d like to think that, in the wake of the Bush era, they’ll come to see the error of their ways and support someone who doesn’t just fan the flames of culture war and pander to the anti-science fundamentalist minority, but I know that’s asking a lot.

Posted in Civil Liberties, Observations, Politics, Religious Extremism | Tagged Ann Arbor Republican, Harvard Law, Jennifer Granholm, John Cherry, Obama, Souter, Supreme Court, West Michigan Republicans | 7 Comments

Ypsilanti DDA Director forced out of office

By Mark | May 21, 2009

This afternoon, Ypsilanti Downtown Development Authority (YDDA) Director Brian Vosburg offered his resignation. According to board chair Peter Rinehart, Vosburg did so prior to a job evaluation that was to be conducted during a closed-door session of the board. While it may be true that no formal performance evaluation was conducted, it appears as though Vosburg was subjected to several hours of closed-door assault. At least that’s the sense that I get, having received a few letters like the following:

Today Brian Vosburg was asked to resign from the Ypsilanti DDA Board. There was a closed board meeting, after which Brian was asked to resign or be terminated. The only reason given was an error he had made regarding a façade grant that was received 10 minutes late and therefore disqualified. The board said there were other reasons as well but chose not to share them with Brian.

Members of the Depot Town DDA Board were not part of the discussion regarding his termination, even though he acts as their Director too. The YDDA’s actions have put us in a position where we will probably loose a streetscape grant that Brian had been working on. I believe if he didn’t do anything illegal, immoral, or unethical he should not have been terminated on the spot. He has a young family and the economy is such that he will have a very hard time.

I question if this doesn’t have something to do with YpsiTucky. He was on leave when the CDC Board chose the name but I believe he could be the sacrificial lamb. There have been two very negative, mean spirited, letters that went out from individuals that were not happy after the HRC meeting last week. Last night, DAY sent a resolution asking that the name be changed as they opposed it. Today at the YDDA meeting, my understanding is they are suggesting to Council that they take the parks back from the CDC.

I can’t believe this has gone so far and I am upset by the direction the YDDA Board went. Brian had resigned his position from the CDC Board and no longer had an active participation role.

I personally don’t think that it had to do with the decision of the Depot Town Community Development Corporation (CDC) to use the name Ypsitucky. I suppose it could have been the straw that broke the camel’s back, but I think this had a lot more to do with the fact that the members of the Downtown Association of Ypsilanti (DAY) have had it in for Brian for years. I don’t know the history there, but it wasn’t a secret that the people behind DAY had been angling for Brian’s head for some time.

[Sorry about the alphabet soup in this post. The important thing to take away is that Brian served on the downtown’s YDDA board, the Depot Town DDA board, and the Depot Town CDC. And, now that he’s been let go by the YDDA, the Depot Town DDA also finds themselves without a director.]

Eventually word will come out, but my guess is that today’s action of the YDDA was initiated by the two members of the YDDA board who also serve on the DAY board. Brian’s fate was probably sealed a few weeks ago, when, due to the size of the document that he was sending by email, he missed a big grant deadline by ten minutes.

Maybe that, in and of itself, is a fireable offense. My fear is that by letting him go, though, the City may be shooting themselves in the foot (yet again). As the anonymous letter above states, the Depot Town DDA has a State grant in progress to repair Cross Street, and it’s not clear that the money can be secured without Brian. Furthermore, I believe that Downtown has some money for parking lot repairs that has to be spent before July 1. And, again, without Brian I don’t know that this can happen.

In the Ann Arbor News story linked to above, YDDA board chair Peter Rinehart says they will begin searching for a new Director immediately. Furthermore, he says, “The (intent) is to keep the momentum going that we have in Ypsilanti”… Not to be a prick about it, but if there’s really momentum, I don’t understand why we’d be changing horses midstream. At any rate, the time it will take to find a new Director is time that will be lost. And, even though the market is terrible at the moment, and there are plenty of job seekers around, I have my concerns about the kind of candidate that would willfully enter such an environment.

I should mention that I hardly know Brian. I don’t even think we’re Facebook friends. But, I’ve liked the direction that the City has taken in the two years since he’s been in charge of the DDAs, and I’d hate to see that momentum stop now. And, yes, I’m sure there’s more to the story than I’ve been told, but if it’s true that that the board, when asked, could only point to the fact that he was 10 minutes late with a grant application (which I’m sure wasn’t just his fault), then I have to call “bullshit.”

Here, for those of you who are interested, are the names of the YDDA board members: Stewart Beal, John Coleman, David Curtis, Darryl Daniels, Scotty James, Karen Maurer, Jim Nelson, Peter Rinehart, Paul Schreiber. I suppose, if you felt inclined, you could write letters.

I suppose it’s possible that the YDDA could choose not to accept his resignation. I suspect that’s unlikely, though…. Assuming he really is gone, I’d like to thank Brian for his efforts here in Ypsi. I know it must have been an incredibly difficult environment to work in, and I appreciate what he did to help move us forward as a community. And, I hope that he and his young family weather this storm successfully.

Posted in Politics, Ypsilanti | Tagged Brian Vosburg, closed-door sessions, Darryl Daniels, David Curtis, Depot Town CDC, Depot Town DDA, Jim Nelson, John Coleman, Karen Maurer, Paul Schreiber, Peter Rinehart, Scotty James, Stewart Beal, Ypsilanti DDA | 46 Comments

The other side of the Ypsitucky debate

By Mark | May 21, 2009

I told you a few days ago why I felt it was fine to use the suffix “tucky” to promote a Bluegrass music festival here in Ypsilanti this summer. Now, in the spirit of open mindedness, I give you the other side of the debate. The following letter comes from my fellow Ypsi 2020 Task Force member Gary Clark:

Friends and Neighbors,

A few friendly thoughts and ideas after the meeting of the HRC on 5/18/09. The discussion at the Human Rights Commission meeting was a good start on an important discussion, however I am extremely disappointed that it did not occur before naming the event in question and before controversy over the issue was elevated to that point. Let’s be clear, there was no wide notice by the DTCDC soliciting input before the naming of the event. Also, as someone who got a call from the DTCDC after the name was published, the DTCDC attitude prevented people from feeling that they could have any sort of productive exchange with DTCDC members and that is why people did not have more discussion prior to the HRC meeting. By all accounts, they did not even get input from their own advisory committee, two of whom are city council members and both of them favor a name change.

The name “Ypsi-tucky Jamboree” was a mistake which is obvious at this point, and inexplicable considering the intelligence of the people involved. One theory floating around is that the event was named as it was with the intention of creating controversy and therefore publicity for the event. I would like to say out front that if that is the case the DTCDC member or members responsible for this approach should resign im mediately and let the advisory board replace them with a more responsible and less self-serving individual or group. They must not be allowed to put their own interests above regard for the city which has contracted with them. I call on the DTCDC to go on the record about this theory and formally attest if this is true or false as soon as possible.

The fact that the majority of Ypsilanti City Council members including the mayor oppose the “Ypsi-tucky” name was not mentioned at the HRC meeting. Please think about what this majority opinion means coming from our own city council members and our mayor to an organization contracted by the city to help the city. I ask the DTCDC to please take a positive step for yourselves our city and rename this event so we can all get behind what is otherwise a good idea.

After the meeting on 5/18/09 an African-American businesswoman who did not speak at the meeting mentioned to me that naming the event the “Ypsi-Tucky Jamboree” is a message to black people not to come. The pain of this connection to a negative past relationship between African-Ameri can people and the people who came here from the south was only briefly mentioned by HRC member Mary Louise Foley, but only a little bit of thought about this by the DTCDC should have revealed this obvious negative connection to the “Ypsi-Tucky” name. “An event by white people for white people” was part of what she said. Earlier in the meeting I sat next to an African-American gentleman who kept saying “…no respect for the black only respect for the green”, meaning that this group was thinking about money first and respect for Africian-American people after that. This division between the races is something we in the city of Ypsilanti are trying hard to heal, not reinforce. Perhaps the DTCDC has not thought about this in this way before. Please DTCDC, change the event name and show that you have the respect for others that they deserve. Change the name and we can all support this event together.

I was disturbed also by the continuous language used by the DTCDC in the phone call to me, in discussion at the HRC meeting and elsewhere splitting the older and younger populations in Ypsilanti. Many of the older people have a larger an d longer sense of the negative history of the pejorative term “Ypsi-Tucky” which has been used both in regard to certain people and to the city as a whole. Perhaps the younger citizens could learn an important lesson from the older community members memory and experience. In any case, this is another split we do not want to foster in Ypsilanti. We are a city with diversity in it’s motto. It expresses the goal of living and working together in a cooperative way. Change the name of this event so we can all support and enjoy it together.

Much has been made of the 10% the DTCDC says oppose this name. Even if this figure is correct, which I doubt because the “study” quoted was an online survey known mostly to their supporters which included the possibility of multiple votes from a single person and no indication of demographics. However, even if that figure is correct I would remind people that Ypsilanti has minority populations of African American people, Gay and Lesbian people, Latinos, Asians, various religious groups etc. all of who’s sensitivities we as a city respect and who’s rights we fought for as a city when we voted in our non-discrimination ordinance….twice!. 10% of the people even in the survey used by the DTCDC regard the use of the term “Ypsi-tucky” as a personal slur, or one against the city itself. That should be enough to convince e ven the DTCDC that a name change would be more respectful to the people it purports to work for. We would never have a festival that featured a term of derision in the name for any of the groups I mentioned above.

I spoke with the man who is the coordinator of the Jamboree and he confirmed that the music to be performed is not just from Kentucky, but has a much wider focus. To my thinking, the “Ypsi-tucky” name does not even fit the music to be performed. Since the festival features a wide range of music, calling it the Ypsilanti Music Jamboree or something like that might actually be more fitting both for the event and for the future of our city.

At the HRC meeting we heard from merchants, community activists, regular citizens and HRC members who spoke against this name. We have seen the petition and the signatures of many community leaders thereon, we know the majority of city council members do not support this naming, nor do some members of the DTCDC’s own advisory committee. That should be enough to convince anyone that a name change is in the best interest of the city, this event and the DTCDC organization itself. The DTCDC apparently thinks of the name “Ypsi-tucky” as interchangeable with Ypsilanti. I realize that the DTCDC thought of this as whimsical and as trying to own a negative,20but as you can see from the HRC meeting that is not the case for many of us who live here.. I also do not believe that the DTCDC has the authority to “re-brand” the city of Ypsilanti as was stated by the DTCDC executive director. Please change the name so we can all enjoy and attend the event and continue to support your organization. The word “Ypsi-Tucky” does nothing but divide us.

I fear that this controversy will produce a negative image for the DTCDC in spite of it’s good work and position it as an adversary to some in the city instead of the friend it wants to be, and should be.

On a personal note, I am one of those people who have given countless hours of my time as a volunteer to help to improve Ypsilanti. Some of my history is listed below.

7 years president of Historic Eastside Neighborhood Association.
Member, Non-discrimination Ordinance Steering Committee.
Founding member of Ypsilan ti Pride Clean-up day.
Founding member of COPAC.
Founding Member of Ypsilanti New Years Eve celebration.
15 years as a guide at Heritage Festival Home tour.
9 years member of Ypsilanti Planning Commission.
Founding member and sponsor of the Ypsilanti “Give Local” campaign.
1 1/2 years chairperson of Ypsilanti 2020 Task Force (final report can be viewed on line on the City of Ypsilanti website).

In every one of these activities part of the goal has been to move away from the image and the history of the city of Ypsilanti as described by the term “Ypsi-tucky”. The 2020 Task Force was charged to vision the city of Ypsilanti in the year 2020 and propose ways for Ypsilanti to move forward. Working together and honoring each other is central to our success. Many of the things the DTCDC is20doing will help build economic development through the arts which is one of the 2020 goals. However, doing it at the expense of community unity is unacceptable. It is so easy to fix this problem. Just change the name. Zingermann’s did it immediately in a previous instance. Why should we be having this controversy with members of our own community? Change this event name and we can all move forward supporting the event and the future agenda of the DTCDC.

Respectfully,
Gary Clark
Ypsilanti, Michigan

I don’t know where to begin. I don’t have a lot of time, as I have a roller skating date this evening, but I wanted to say a few quick things in response. First, with all due respect to the anonymous African Americans overheard at the meeting of the Human Relations Committee, the name Kentucky in an of itself is not a pejorative. I cannot imagine that any grown adult in this country would recoil at the suffix “tucky” because of said state’s association with slavery centuries ago, any more than I’d believe that people ran screaming out of a restaurant serving “Texas chili” or “New Orleans gumbo,” in horror. To suggest as much is ridiculous. Also, the committee that met the other day wasn’t the Human Rights Commission, as I understand it, but the Human Relations Commission. Speaking of which, I’ve asked and it doesn’t look as though this commission was called together a few years ago, when that young black man was shot in the back by cops and killed. And I think that’s the most bewildering thing about all of this. A young, unarmed black man was shot and killed here, and, when asked for a justification, the cops pointed to a rap video the man had been in, which showed him with guns. If you want to talk about harmful stereotypes that really do damage, let’s talk about that. Somehow, though, all the people up in arms right now, didn’t feel as though that rose to the level of the terrifyingly harmful “Ypsitucky” stereotype. Oh, and I was at the Zingermans-sponsored Ypsitucky dinner that everyone keeps talking about, and, while they may have apologized for it, I don’t recall them renaming the event… OK, my friend’s dad is here to pick me up, so I’ve got to go… Let me say one more time, though, that associating our fine city with Kentucky is not offensive. I sympathize with these individuals who feel as though this association is a slap in the face, but it really isn’t. Kentucky is a wonderful place, and its men and women contributed toward making this community great. I know there are some that think that’s when our community went to hell, when the poor, stupid people from Kentucky traveled up (or were brought here against their will) to Michigan, but I beg to differ… And, for what it’s worth, Henry Ford supported the Nazis and I think we should shut down the parks to classic car shows.