Mark Maynard | 2010 | December

The christening of the U.S.S. Paul Lynde

By Mark | December 19, 2010

Funny headlines aside, we all know that, in reality, not one goddamned thing will change in the military based on the recall of Don’t Ask Don’t Tell. It’s a ridiculous non-story, and I can’t believe the extent to which the whole thing has been in the news. Hopefully, now that it’s done, what’s left of our nation’s journalists can turn their attention to the Wikileaks documents and start reporting on things that matter a hell of a lot more than who our soldiers shower with.

[note: I didn’t mean to suggest that the repeal didn’t matter. It’s a big deal. I just can’t believe the extent to which we as a nation discussed the possible ramifications of allowing gay men do our killing as opposed to straight men.]

Posted in Civil Liberties, Other | Tagged Bilko, Don't Ask Don't Tell, Fort Baxter, Kansas, military, Paul Lynde, the gay, the sad state of journalism, U.S.S. Paul Lynde, Wikileaks | 12 Comments

Will Obama lose his base?

By Mark | December 19, 2010

Prevailing wisdom seems to be that Obama doesn’t need to garner the favor of his progressive base. Those of us on the left, it’s thought, will vote for the President regardless, as we know there aren’t viable alternatives that are any better. All he needs to worry about, according to those who study such things, is those independents who float back and forth between the two parties. If he wants a second term, all he has to do keep moving steadily right, up until the point that he senses that our wallets are getting ready to close, and then hold steady. (Clinton called the maneuver “triangulation.”) The only problem is, it would seem to me that he’s already overshot that point. By not fighting the Republicans on tax cuts for the super-wealthy, which he knows will, among other things, jeopardize the future of Social Security, he’s run a good mile past the point where a great many of us have drawn the line. If you didn’t catch it on Friday, Sam Graham-Felsen had an interesting piece on this in the Washington Post which is somewhat related. Here’s a clip:

…I worked as Obama’s chief blogger during his presidential campaign, and my primary focus was telling the stories of these supporters, many of whom had never been engaged in politics or were reengaging after years of disillusionment. There was a common thread in my conversations with the hundreds of people who gave time, sweat and small donations – that amounted to $500 million – to Obama’s campaign.

They were inspired by Obama’s promise to upend Washington by governing from the bottom up. “The change we need doesn’t come from Washington,” Obama told them. “It comes to Washington.”

Yet at seemingly every turn, Obama has chosen to play an inside game. Instead of actively engaging supporters in major legislative battles, Obama has told them to sit tight as he makes compromises behind closed doors.

During the battle over tax cuts, Obama’s grass-roots network, Organizing for America, was silent. An OFA spokesman said that the network would engage supporters when the time is “ripe.” But many people feel the time is ripe now – that tax cuts for millionaires in the midst of cuts in basic services and a spiraling deficit are unacceptable – and they don’t understand why Obama won’t let them fight…

If the White House wants to keep its grass-roots supporters at bay during major legislative fights, that’s its choice. But there’s a larger problem looming.

Obama needs this list in 2012 – and he needs its members to dig much deeper than in the last election. The Citizens United ruling has allowed campaigns to become an unprecedented corporate cash free-for-all – and Obama will likely need to raise far more than $500 million from the grass roots to be competitive.

While Obama’s political team intensely focuses on independents, the grass-roots list seems like an afterthought. Every time Obama chooses to compromise behind closed doors, and keeps OFA quiet, he might win over a few independents. But he’s also conveying a message that the grass roots doesn’t really matter, that the bottom-up ethos of his candidacy doesn’t apply to his presidency….

I think he’s absolutely right. While a lot of us will no doubt vote for Obama in 2012, I can’t see us investing the same amount of our money, or our time. Here, on that subject, is a comment that was left on the site a few days ago by Glen S.

I first got involved with politics going door-to-door for Mondale/Ferraro in 1984, when I was still just a kid. Since then, I’ve spent countless hours — and countless dollars — supporting the Democratic Party and dozens of Democratic candidates, including Jesse Jackson, Michael Dukakis, Bill Bradley, Howard Dean, John Kerry, and Barack Obama, etc. I did so because I believed that, in general, the Democratic Party genuinely represented the interests of poor and working people, and the middle class — and was willing to fight for what was right, and what was fair.

So, naturally, I was thrilled when Obama and the Democrats won the White House and big majorities in Congress in 2008, and very much looked forward to seeing them use the power of their mandate to enact real (and much-needed!) change.

Instead, however, almost from day one — Obama and the Democrats have allowed Republicans, conservatives, tea-baggers, and Wall Street and corporate lobbyists to set the agenda, define the nature of the debate, and move the ever-elusive political “middle” further and further to the right…

So I guess I shouldn’t be surprised that we have now reached the point where President Obama has promoted, and a majority of Democrats in Congress have supported this disastrous “compromise” with Republicans — which will not only accelerate the massive upward transfer of wealth that has been going on in this country for decades, but also lays the groundwork for the eventual destruction of Social Security. For me, this turn of events represents not just another “vote,” not just another “compromise,” but rather, a dramatic turning point that makes mockery of “Democratic” values and the whole Democratic Party.

Going forward, I will likely continue to vote for individual candidates (like Senator Carl Levin) who continue to exhibit some degree of integrity, and who are willing to continue to stand up for what is right — but I will certainly no longer actively support the Party, nor consider myself a “Democrat” — whatever that even means anymore.

And, if I personally know a half dozen people like Glen, here, in the relatively small town of Ypsilanti, who don’t plan to support Obama at anywhere near the level that they did in 2008, I’ve got to think that there are millions across the country who feel the same way. And, I’d think that, at some point, it’s got to enter into Obama’s political calculus. The Republicans won’t be holding anything back in 2012, and Obama is going to need his base to be actively engaged, and financially contributing. Hopefully, for his sake, our memories are short.

Maybe a few progressive wins, like the one this weekend on Don’t Ask Don’t Tell, will ameliorate those of us on the left. Maybe we’ll believe him when he comes back, telling us that he’s changed. Maybe we’ll forgive him for not keeping his word on Guantánamo Bay, caving on the public option, and agreeing to tax breaks for the wealthy without so much as throwing a single punch. I hope, though, that I know better. I hope that, at the very least, I’m able to stay strong during the primaries, backing someone that, if nothing else, I knew wouldn’t betray his principles. I can live with compromise. I cannot, however, fight for a President who doesn’t want to fight for the working men and women of America.

And, while we’re on the subject, I thought that you might enjoy this brilliant little video:

Posted in Economics, Observations, Politics, Predictions | Tagged Bill Bradley, broken campaign promises, Bush tax cuts, campaign funding, Carl Levin, Citizens United v. Federal Election Commission, Don't Ask Don't Tell, Glen S, Guantánamo, Howard Dean, Jesse Jackson, John Kerry, Michael Dukakis, middle class, Obama, OFA, Organizing for America, pissing off the base, political contributions, public option, Sam Graham-Felsen, social security, the growing gap between rich and poor, triangulation | 48 Comments

Goodbye Captain Beefheart

By Mark | December 18, 2010

There are rumors flying around the internet today that two influential musical giants have died – Justin Bieber and Captain Beefheart. Sadly, one is real. My heart goes out this morning to the entire Beefheart family.

Here, in tribute, is Walt Whitman’s “O Captain! My Captain” from his book, Leaves of Grass, published in 1900.

O CAPTAIN! my Captain! our fearful trip is done;
The ship has weather’d every rack, the prize we sought is won;
The port is near, the bells I hear, the people all exulting,
While follow eyes the steady keel, the vessel grim and daring:
But O heart! heart! heart!
O the bleeding drops of red,
Where on the deck my Captain lies,
Fallen cold and dead.

O Captain! my Captain! rise up and hear the bells;
Rise up—for you the flag is flung—for you the bugle trills;
For you bouquets and ribbon’d wreaths—for you the shores a-crowding;
For you they call, the swaying mass, their eager faces turning;
Here Captain! dear father!
This arm beneath your head;
It is some dream that on the deck,
You’ve fallen cold and dead.

My Captain does not answer, his lips are pale and still;
My father does not feel my arm, he has no pulse nor will;
The ship is anchor’d safe and sound, its voyage closed and done;
From fearful trip, the victor ship, comes in with object won; 20
Exult, O shores, and ring, O bells!
But I, with mournful tread,
Walk the deck my Captain lies,
Fallen cold and dead.

And I know it may not be proper blog etiquette, but I’d like to congratulate myself for not taking the opportunity above to theorize as to how Captain Beefheart and Justin Beiber may have come to pass together. I had a few wonderful scenarios in my mind, but I chose not to share them, as I have too much respect for the Captain.

Posted in Art and Culture | Tagged 1900, American Bandstand, Captain Beefheart, Captains, Dick Clark, died, Don Van Vliet, Justin Bieber, Leaves of Grass, Magic Band, O Captain! My Captain!, people to bring back from the dead, poetry, visionary musicians, Walt Whitman | 8 Comments

Krampus recap

By Mark | December 16, 2010

From what I remember, the Krampus event was a huge success. At least that’s what people tell me. And everyone looks giddy in the photos that I’ve seen. My memories, though, are a little foggy. I thought, when I woke up the next morning, and started trying to fit the pieces together in my thoroughly dehydrated mind, that maybe I’d had too much to drink. And that was the hypothesis for a good part of the day, until I got the text message about the disco ball. My friend Chris wrote to ask if I was alright. It seems that, at some point, he dropped an enormous, 25-pound disco ball on my head, knocking me to the ground… which kind of makes sense, given that I woke up with a giant lump on my head, and a broken horn. So, while I’m sure that the beer contributed to it, I think I may have had a concussion too. In spite of it, though, I had a wonderful time, as evidenced by the photos of me smiling uncharacteristically… Speaking of photos, the event was pretty heavily documented. I can’t recall where the shots I’ve used in this post came from, as I’ve copied them from a few different places, but they likely came from either Sam Abuelsamid, Mike Giannouris, Kassandra Frost, Leighton Mann or Ryan Groendyk, all of whom have posted things to Facebook and/or Flickr. There’s also a little bit of video footage floating around, thanks to Thomas Kula. Here it is, for those of you who are interested:

[How lucky were we that the sonic mayhem didn’t send the walls of the Thompson Block tumbling over on us as we passed?]

Anyway, I’d like to thank everyone who contributed toward making it such a magical evening, from the volunteers who helped spray-paint the garbage garland gold, to the members of the Detroit Party Marching Band, who led the parade across the railroad tracks to where the drag queens of Elbowdeep were waiting for us. It was a truly unique Ypsi event, that could have only happened here, and it really couldn’t have happened without everyone’s active participation. Thank you, Ypsilanti.

Oh, speaking photos, if you haven’t seen it yet, the folks at AnnArbor.com have a pretty good gallery up on their site. Unfortunately, their photographer had to leave before the shit got crazy, but she did get a few nice shots, including a really lovely one of Linette, whose head was covered in pom poms and moss.

Again, thank you to everyone who got dressed up and came out… Thanks for your enthusiasm, your creativity, and, above all, your sense of humor and love of community.

It’s probably a little premature, but the non-lactating members of the Michigan Design Militia had a meeting tonight and agreed that, barring some unforeseen incident, like nuclear war or cannibal holocaust, we’d do it all again next year. (We’re already trying to figure out a way to incorporate hot tubs and fire.)

One last thing – those of you who weren’t able to get a copy of the incredible poster that we made for the event, just let me know, and we’ll try to work something out. We’ve got a few left over, and I’d be happy to leave one for you somewhere if you can come up with $10… They make wonderful Christmas gifts, by the way.

Special thanks to the Corner Brewery, Woodruff’s, VG Kids, Dreamland Theater, WCBN, the Dirty Brothers, DJ Soul Percussion, Elbowdeep, the Shadow Art Fair volunteers, the Michigan Design Militia, Mike Perini, Ryan Groendyk, Logan Schaedig, and the folks behind DIYpsi and Toys for Tats, who did such a great job of getting the day started for us. It’s amazing what can happen in a little town like Ypsi when everyone comes together and contributes.

Posted in Mark's Life, Shadow Art Fair, Special Projects, Uncategorized, Ypsilanti | Tagged cannibal holocaust, concussions, costumes, Depot Town, Detroit Party Marching Band, disco balls, DIYpsi, Elbowdeep, happenings, injuries that Mark has suffered, Krampus, Krampus Ball, Linette, Linette Lao, Logan Schaedig, memory loss, Mike Giannouris, moss, Ryan Groendyk, Sam Abuelsamid, Thomas Kula, Thompson Block, Toys for Tats | 34 Comments

The return of Hugh for the holidays

By Mark | December 16, 2010

Last year at about this time, I ran an interview with a friend of mine named Joe Posch about a pop-up (temporary) shop that he was opening in Detroit. Well, the business, called Hugh, is back again this Christmas season, and I tracked down Joe to find out what was new, and what, if anything, he learned last year. Here’s out conversation:

Mark: Most people drag their junk to the curb in order to get rid of it. You open a store. Why is that?

Joe: Thank God people get rid of their junk or I’d have nothing to sell. There is no doubt most things people buy are destined for the landfill (or the incinerator, depending on where you live), but a lot of great stuff becomes useless and someone has to be there to make sure it passes into appreciative hands. I’m just doing my part to reuse and recycle. You know, saving the world.

On a serious note, vintage has always been a part of what I’ve sold, but it’s actually the most fun. And I like finding cool stuff that isn’t mass-produced, at least not anymore.

Mark: So, what have you got for us this year at Hugh? And, if I could ask you another question, why did you decide to do it again this holiday season?

Joe: This year the concept for Hugh is tweaked a little bit. Since the original store was inspired by the classic bachelor style as embodied in Esquire and Playboy magazines in the 50s and 60s, I thought about what Hugh (the hypothetical proprietor, not necessarily Hefner) might be doing for the holidays and decided obviously he’d be on a swank European ski holiday. So this time around classic bachelor pad style meets Scandinavian chic.

This time there is a lot more vintage stuff, partially because people responded so well to it last time and partially because vintage is a lot easier to sell online than new if it is left over after the store closes. The emphasis is on drinking and entertaining with style… a lot of cool vintage barware, classy decorative items and, in a nod to the wonderful local foodie thing going on right now, lots of great serving items. Plenty of Danish stainless steel or teak items.

There are two reasons I did Hugh again this year. The real impetus is that my friend who owns the Iodent Building called me up and asked if I was interested in using the space for December, an idea we’d thrown around last spring. And the second reason is that I have been compulsively vintage hunting for the past six months and our mutual friend Laura Abraham told me if I don’t start selling it then I’m a hoarder.

Make that three reasons: I did have a lot of inquiries about bringing Hugh back, and it is exciting to do something special like this.

Mark: Have your thoughts on pop-up retail changed at all since our interview last year? And, do you think you’d ever go back to regular, full-time, year-round retail again?

Joe: I still think it is a great way for an underserved area to create interest and excitment. And it is an excellent way to test new concepts and activate a vacant retail space.

But if I can be honest, I am feeling a little guilty about my pop-up this year. My friends in the retail game in Detroit spend the whole year working on it, maintaining inventory, promoting, sitting there through busy and slow periods. I’ve been there, for years, and I know it can be frustrating as often as it is gratifying. I think Hugh is pretty spectacular, and worthy of notice, but I really want to ensure that the other spots like Bureau of Urban Living, Spectacles, Leopold’s Books, City Bird, Rachel’s Place and so many other great independent shops get business too. They are the regular cast at this point. I’m just a special guest star.

Mark: I like all of those places, but I just find the concept of pop-up retail so interesting. I also like the idea of transient retail. If I’m not mistaken, you and I have discussed this before – the notion that one could travel the country in a kind of rolling store, promoting one’s travels through a blog… I think that would be incredible. Do you know if anyone’s done it?

Joe: Pop-up retail has the advantage of exploiting immediately interesting concepts, maybe ideas that aren’t sustainable. And I have to say as someone who has done independent retail for over a decade, it’s nice to not worry about the soft times of the year.

That idea we discussed is incredible, and I’ve talked about it to a good degree with a few other entrepreneurial-minded folks. A semi that pulls up and brings some super-cool store into an area? Awesome. The beaureacratic elements of that are daunting, however.

I don’t know anyone who has done it, certainly not to the extent that a fully conceptualized independent store pulls up and shakes things up a little bit. But I think it is worth exploring, and I wouldn’t rule it out in the future.

Mark: Do you think full-time retail is in your future? Or, having now run operations like that in both Detroit and Ann Arbor, have you had enough? Might we see Hugh again next holiday season, or perhaps online? And didn’t you mention to me once that you were interested in designing products of your own?

Joe: I do feel like Hugh, this time around, is kind of a last hurrah for a while. After twelve years, I kind of want a change of pace. But I wouldn’t rule anything out – the time from the offer on the space to the opening of Hugh for the Holidays was about three weeks. I guess once you’ve popped up it becomes easier and easier.

One comment I’ve received a few times is that this time around Hugh seems really tight, conceptually, and the people saying that mean it in a good way. It’s really a store that could only exist for a short period of time because it is so so specific. I guess if Hugh comes back next year it will be the Halloween USA of pop-up stores.

Online is a good idea, but it takes a different kind of approach. One of the things I love about retail is the physical retail experience, and you get absolutely none of that with an online store. Plus a physical store enhances a community and creates more local economic benefit than an online store, and as hippy as it may sound I ultimately believe that is important.

Producing my own designs would be a total gas, but for now it’s just a bit of a dream. And something I yammer about with renowned bloggers at cocktail parties.

Mark: Is there anything else you want to tell people, Joe?

Joe: Sure. If you are thinking of opening a small business you should do it, it’s a great experience, you work a lot but get a lot of flexibility and sometimes you even make a little money. If you aren’t thinking of it, you should make an effort to support the ones around you. And that includes Ann Arbor, even though I know people like to hate on it. It’s a nice place.

And visit wonderful Detroit!