Mark Maynard | 2011 | October

Wolf Eyes on The Office

By Mark | October 29, 2011

On Thursday night, if you watched The Office, you heard the music of the Ann Arbor-based noise band Wolf Eyes. The piece used, entitled The Driller, was released by Sub Pop in 2006. I’ve asked Nate what other sitcoms he’d like to produce music for, but I’ve yet to receive a response.

Speaking of Wolf Eyes, I ran into a guy last night who told me that, last Halloween, he turned his speakers toward the windows at the front of his house and played their music in hopes of upsetting trick-or-treaters. His wife made him stop.

Posted in Ann Arbor, Art and Culture, Uncategorized | Tagged Aaron Dilloway, Bulb Records, Halloween, John Olson, Mike Connelly, Nate Young, noise, sitcoms, soundtracks, Sub Pop, The Driller, trick-or-treating, Wolf Eyes | 7 Comments

You’ve just crossed over into… the Queer Zone

By Mark | October 27, 2011

It’s nice to be reminded on occasion that, in spite of all the bad shit going on in the world, there are still incredible people doing good things all around us, trying to make life better for people who are desperate, confused, scared, hungry, etc. I had the occasion to speak with one of those people a few days ago. Here’s our interview.

MARK: What’s your name, what do you do, and do you live in Ypsi?

QUINN: My name is Quinn Phillips. I’m a youth specialist at Ozone House Youth and Family Services, a non-profit which serves homeless and at-risk youth in Washtenaw County. I’ve lived in Ypsilanti since I started at EMU in 2006. I stuck around after graduation because I absolutely love this town! Where else can queer hipsters in zombie make-up hold hands in public and not be looked at strangely?

MARK: I understand that I live not too far from a designated Queer Zone. Can you tell me what exactly this means? Is my family in danger?

QUINN: I’m a co-facilitator of Queer Zone, a support group for LGBTQ and questioning youth ages 13-20 at the Ozone House Youth Drop-In Center (on Hamilton St. a block from the Ypsilanti Transit Center). We meet every Friday night from 6:30pm-8:30pm.

MARK: Let’s say that I was a gay teenager, growing up in Ypsi. Why would I want to go to the Queer Zone? And what would I find there?

QUINN: First, the Ozone House Drop-In Center is a great place for any teen to hang out on weeknights from 4pm-8pm. It’s a very welcoming space for youth to meet new people, get a free meal, check Facebook, do something creative, and know they are safe and supported. All our services are free and confidential.

People come to Queer Zone for fun, food and a sense of community. It’s so refreshing to walk into a place where everyone identifies as LGBTQ, even the staff. We do have nights open to straight allies, but usually our group is for queer and questioning youth only. This ensures that youth feel safe. Many youth in this area are not able to be “out” at home or with friends. This is a place they can come and really be themselves without fear of rejection or violence.

We talk about issues that are important to queer youth and give folks a chance to be heard. Equally as important, we spend time relaxing, dancing, making art, watching movies and forgetting for a minute that society considers us “different”. Did I mention free food? The fabulous Bee Mayhew has been hand-delivering delicious soup from Beezy’s Cafe for us to enjoy free of charge. What more could you ask for? Check us out our Facebook page here.

MARK: What are the biggest issues facing LGBTQ teens today in Washtenaw County right now?

QUINN: Homelessness among queer youth is a huge problem. 40% of homeless teens identify as LGBTQ. LGBTQ youth are also at much greater risk for suicide, substance abuse and mental health problems due to the discrimination, rejection and violence they face. Ozone House has a 24 hour crisis line, emergency youth shelter and counseling program for youth facing these and other issues.

Many of the young people we serve at Queer Zone are youth of color from lower-income families. These kids have to deal with racism, classism and homophobia from their peers at a time when they are just trying to fit in and figure out who they are. They are often less likely to have families that are accepting of queer identites than white middle-class youth. Finally, the epidemic of anti-gay bullying has been getting a lot of deserved attention lately, but Michigan schools are still not safe places for queer youth.

MARK: I have a friend that serves on the Ozone board, and he was telling me that you’ve recently lost funding for some of your Ypsi programs. There was one in particular that he noted. I believe it had to do with hiring teens to do outreach in the local community, identifying at-risk students, and making sure they got the care they needed. Am I remembering that correctly?

QUINN: Yes. You are referring to the Street Outreach program at the Ozone House Drop-In Center. It’s an incredible program where we employ local youth to do outreach about our services to their peers at the places they hang out. These Peer Outreach Workers can build trust with other at-risk youth in a way that adults can’t, so it is our most effective way to spread the word about the work we do.

Each fall we have scores of kids apply to be a Peer Outreach Worker. It’s a great first job for many teens. We help them develop skills they need to be successful in the work force and to improve interpersonal relationships. It is amazing to watch them transform into young adults over the course of a year. When they graduate from the program, youth often tell us, very emotionally, how much their lives have changed for the better from having the consistent support that Ozone House provides.

This year we did not receive the funding for this program, which we had been awarded annually since 1999. Social service agencies all across the state are being asked to do more with less money in recent years. Ozone House has been named one of best-managed non-profits in south-east Michigan, and we are certainly working hard to ensure we do not have to cut any programming.

We have always counted on local support for our programs, and this year it is more important than ever. There are a lot of ways community members can help out. Information about volunteering, donating, and events can be found at our website.

MARK: I hear you’ve got a benefit coming up soon. Can you tell us a little about it?

QUINN: Absolutely! The second annual “Kicked Out the Jams!” benefit concert will be raising money for LGBTQ youth at-risk of homelessness on Friday November, 18th at Necto. It will feature performances by Nervous but Excited, Bitch (an Ypsi native, formerly from the duo Bitch and Animal) and other fabulously queer local guests. The cover is $10 with student ID and $15 for general admission (ages 18+). Necto is giving us exclusive access to their venue from 6:30pm to 10pm, so even folks who shy away from clubs will enjoy the atmosphere. Just ask anyone who attended last year’s “Kicked Out the Jams” at the Corner Brewery! We raised over $4000 for local youth and had an amazing time.

100% of the proceeds of this event will benefit Ozone House’s “Kicked Out” fund, for which this benefit is named. The fund was started by Homofactus Press, local publishers of the “Kicked Out” anthology of stories by LGBTQ youth who are “kicked out” of their homes for being queer. The proceeds will be used for our Queer Zone program and 24 hour crisis line, which gives local youth access to help any time day or night.

MARK: One last question…. Just so I’m clear, I suspect that the fundraiser is open to straight folks, is that correct?

QUINN: “Kicked Out the Jams” is open to everyone ages 18 and older. Last year we had attendees of just about every sexual orientation and gender identity, including many straight allies. This year will be no less diverse. If you want to support the cause, but can’t make it to the event click here for information on how to support the “Kicked Out” fund.

And, now that I’m posting this, I realize that I forgot to ask my big “gotcha” question about how, after they fatten these kids up on free soup, they use Satanism to turn them gay. I guess that will have to wait until next time… In the meantime, please consider making a donation to Ozone House.

Posted in Civil Liberties, Ypsilanti | Tagged at-risk youth, Bee Mayhew, Bee Roll, Beezy's, Bitch and Animal, bullying, EOS, gay agenda, gay demonization, gay rights, Hamilton Street, homelessness, homophobia, Kicked Out the Jams, LGBTQ, local non-profits, mental health, NAMBLA, Necto, Nervous but Excited, Ozone House, Ozone House Youth and Family Services, queer, queer hipsters, Quinn Phillips, Street Outreach, substance abuse, suicide, teens, the gay, Washtenaw, zombies | 111 Comments

Orson Welles and his dinner with Hitler

By Mark | October 27, 2011

I consider myself to be a pretty big Orson Welles fan, but, up until this evening, I never knew that he’d dined with Hitler. I suppose I still don’t know it for certain, as it’s possible that Welles is lying in this interview with Dick Cavett, but, nonetheless, I find it fascinating that he may have dined with the Führer during a trip to Germany as a young man. For what it’s worth, his claim later in the interview to have have been descended from U.S. Secretary of the Navy Gideon Welles appears not to have been the case. In his defense, though, he may have been brought up thinking that he was related to the Civil War hero… There are very few people in this world whom I regret not having met. Orson Welles is one of those people. As weird as this may sound, I feel as though he had something to teach me. And it may be delusional on my part, but I suspect that, had I written to him as a young man, he would have written back. I hate myself for not being more motivated as a young man… or, for that matter, now.

Posted in Art and Culture, History, Mark's Life | Tagged Civil War, compulsive liars, Dick Cavett, Germany, Gideon Welles, hating myself, Hitler, motivation, Orson Welles, people I would like to interview, people whom I respect | 8 Comments

Bee Roll, owner of Beezy’s, on the potential of The Wolverine

By Mark | October 27, 2011

Yesterday, when I posted about The Wolverine being up for sale, I was hoping that our successful restaurateur friend Bee would leave an enthusiastic comment of some sort, confirming my belief that Ypsi could support another small, well-run restaurant. Well, not only did she leave a comment expressing enthusiasm for the idea of reopening The Wolverine, but it looks like she herself may want to do it. Here’s her comment:

I’m going to look at it on Monday via the realtor.

I don’t have the [any] capital, but I think I can pull monkeys outta my butt and make something happen if I walk through there and it *feels* right.

I think there’s potential there like woah- and I’d love to helm a place actually designed for breakfast. I’d love to recruit talented & passionate people like Andrew and Autumn Rae to give different day-parts different personalities. I’d love to have a 24 place that didn’t give me gut-rot & the runs. I’d love to serve an Ugly Mug brew. I’d love to have flapjacks & hashbrowns and real butter & real syrup. I’d love to keep an under $5 filling but not heart attack inducing food menu, but I’d also love to have a really good upscale grilled cheese and chocolate malts. I’d want diner dresses & bow-ties, polished shoes and sassy servers. House made pies, fresh baked buns, shiny formica and perfect corned beef hash, crispy hand cut french fries and a roast beef au jus [omg] on to vegan tofu rellanos & migas to perfect coneys & chicago dogs, individual pot pies, meat loaf sandwiches on thick, fresh texas toast and sloppy joes, lasagna and roast chicken… things I can’t execute at beezy’s due to equipment/space limitations.

My guess is it seats about 40 people, at peak capacity it would take 2 servers, 1 cook, 1 disher/prep cook per shift- at full throttle, another person running the counter/register and probably an additional prep cook that doubled as a busser. If the average check were around 6 bucks, that’s only $250/hour max, but that’d be a sustainable target for profitability w/good management.

I’m sitting on about 40 amazing looking applications/resumes, an almost 3 year old cafe that gets to running itself more and more without me [so much practicing] and all the dabbling I’ve dipped in the last couple years gave me cold feet but the clarity to see more of what beezy’s needs to keep growing and adapting and how I need to work differently to make those things happen. It’s akin to spacing births- beezy’s is getting ready to wean, but is still incredibly demanding [whoever said terrible 2’s hadn’t lived through 3 yet] but it’s almost ready to send off to pre school and I could consider having another “baby”.

But here I am daydreaming. We’ll see.

Those interested in learning more about Bee, and her restaurant, Beezy’s, are encouraged to check out our old interview with her on the occasion of her first anniversary in Ypsi.

Posted in Food, Ypsilanti | Tagged Autumn Rae, Bee Mayhew, Bee Roll, Beezy's, bow-ties, buns, Chicago dogs, chocolate malts, coney dogs, corned beef hash, entrepreneurism, food entrepreneurship, grilled cheese, meat loaf sandwiches, pancakes, pies, pot pies, restaurant ideas, roast beef, sloppy joes, syrup, Wolverine, Wolverine Diner | 51 Comments

Iraq War vet critically injured in police crack down on Occupy Oakland

By Mark | October 26, 2011

Last night, in downtown Oakland, police were sent in to forcefully evict protesters sympathetic to the Occupy Wall Street movement from two public parks. Things escalated through the night, as 500 riot police moved in, and protesters refused to leave. The police, in the immediate aftermath, denied using rubber bullets and flash-bang grenades on the crowd, but the evidence seems to indicate that they did both. If I’m not mistaken, you can even hear them whizzing by in this YouTube video.

The young man in this video, who witnesses say was shot in the head by a police projectile, is named Scott Olsen. He’s a 24 year old Iraq war veteran. According to The Guardian, he’s presently in critical condition, with a fractured skull and brain swelling. Olsen, who served two tours of duty in Iraq, is a member of Veterans for Peace and Iraq Veterans Against the War.

Here’s another angle of the same scene, which clearly shows the cops not only not coming forward to help Olsen when it’s clear that he’s been badly injured, but then launching another flash-bang grenade into the group of protesters who come to his aid.

I might be able to excuse the actions of police up to a point, as it’s been documented that some in the crowd of protesters were throwing rocks, but what’s absolutely inexcusable in my eyes, is not coming to this young man’s aid when it’s clear that he’s in desperate need to medical attention. I’m not one to throw around the phrase “police state” willy nilly, but it’s hard to watch the video of these faceless officers, behind their shields and masks, launching flash-bang grenades into a group of people coming to the aid of an injured man, and not feel as though we’ve crossed a line.

As my friend Matt noted, though, we may not be subjected to these kinds of troubling videos for long, as a number of communities are moving to make it illegal to record the actions of police officers. So I guess that’s something to be thankful for, right?

It would certainly make things easier if we only had one side of the story to consider, wouldn’t it… Speaking of which, here’s a clip from the Oakland Police Department’s press release about the incident:

…During the evening protest, a number of officers were assaulted, doused with hazardous materials and hit with large rocks and bottles, which resulted in the declaration of an unlawful assembly and the order to disperse. To assist in the dispersal efforts, officers used less lethal force tactics.

At approximately 10:00pm this evening, a group of approximately 300 protesters in the area of Frank Ogawa Plaza began throwing large rocks and bottles at officers after receiving the order to disperse, which again prompted the use of less than lethal munitions. At the time of this release, there are approximately 200-300 protesters in the area of 14th and Broadway and enforcement efforts are continuing…

It kind of sounds like we should be thanking the cops for showing restraint, doesn’t it? After all, they were doused with hazardous materials and hit with “large” rocks. [note: I would have described these large rocks as boulders, if I’d been writing this.]

There was also a Q&A included in the press release. It included the following.

Question: Did the Police deploy rubber bullets, flash-bang grenades?

Answer: No, the loud noised that were heard originated from M-80 explosives thrown at Police by protesters. In addition, Police fired approximately four bean bag rounds at protesters to stop them from throwing dangerous objects at the officers.

And this would have been fine with me, if not for the video above, which clearly shows flash-bang grenades being used, and all of the photos going around the web of what look like projectile injuries.

If this same thing happened in the Middle East, our leaders would have condemned it, but, since it happened here, we’ll just agree to accept the fictional version of events in which the bad hippies were the ones making the explosions and dousing our heroic crime fighters with unnamed “hazardous materials”.