Category Archives: Rants

The Ann Arbor News Does Not Speak For Ypsilanti, a rant from the sickbed of Mark Maynard

I’m in bed with a cold. My eyes are burning, I’m coughing up copious mounts of phlegm, and I’m grumpy as hell. And I know from experience that, when I’m in a condition such as this, I should probably refrain from blogging. But I’ve had a few swigs of extra-strength cough syrup, and I’ve convinced […]

Also posted in Ann Arbor, Economics, Ypsilanti | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | 93 Comments

Ann Arbor declares itself to be “Compassionate”

A few months ago, when we were discussing plans in Ann Arbor to hire a small army of so-called “ambassadors” who would be charged with both warmly welcoming visitors and shooing so-called “street people” away from downtown, some of us questioned just how compassionate our neighbors to the west were. Well, apparently it’s no longer […]

Also posted in Ann Arbor, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | 20 Comments

Why Ypsilanti’s identity, independent of Ann Arbor, is important…. and why we should fight to keep our Convention and Visitors Bureau

It was made public today that members of the Washtenaw County Board of Commissioners are considering the possibility of forcing a merger between the Ypsilanti Area Convention and Visitors Bureau (YACVB) and its counterpart in Ann Arbor. This, as I understand it from my sources, is something that the Ann Arbor Area Convention and Visitors […]

Also posted in Ann Arbor, Marketing, Uncategorized, Ypsilanti | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , | 73 Comments

If Washtenaw Avenue were a taint, would that make Ann Arbor or Ypsilanti the anus?

I’d like to preface my comments by saying that I like the Ann Arbor News. I may, on occasion, disagree with their corporate

Also posted in Ann Arbor, Uncategorized, Ypsilanti | Tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , | 19 Comments

Fuck Small Business Saturday

Today is Small Business Saturday. According to executives at American Express, who dreamed the whole thing up in 2010, it’s a day when Americans should eschew big box chains and fast food franchises, and spend their money closer to home, at independent shops owned and operated by people in their own communities. While I’ll acknowledge […]

Also posted in Local Business, Locally Owned Business, Marketing, Uncategorized | Tagged , , , , , , , , | 15 Comments

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