Oh, Al!

Al Gore.
After winning his Oscar for "An Inconvenient Truth," A conservative think-tank, managed to dig up his utility bills- Apparently the Gore mansion in Nashville uses nearly 30,000 dollars worth of electricity and gas every year. Ouch. Of course the newsies are having a field day right now, and the blog world is also astir with this topic. For the record, I'm with ol' Al on most things-- Should be in the White House, as most of us know. Yet, even setting aside this conservative watch-dog groups hidden agenda (don't be fooled- there is one, why else would this story 'break' right after he won that Oscar?) they do have a point in their statement that Al Gore should walk the walk, if he's gonna talk the talk. The numbers show that Al's 20 room house (8 bathrooms!) uses over 20 times the power needs of the average American home-- Not exactly the sort of numbers I'd expect from a poster child of the 'live greener' camp. To say that I'm a little disappointed, is mild at best. So Al-- The next time you chide us into installing some compact-fluorescent bulbs-- Make sure all twenty rooms of that family manse of yours has them first, AND turn off those damned showy gas lamps that light your driveway while you're at it. Wasteful.
Of course, his staff is in full damage control mode now-- And they should be. One of his staffer's put out that he's buying blocks of 'clean air chits' to offset the big house's power needs. I'm sorry, but that really just amounts to a rich man's guilt-relief, so is his paying into the TVA's version of green initiated power-- There isn't a 'separate' power line running wind energy up to his house. He's on the same coal-fired nuclear-boosted grid like everyone else in Nashville, no matter what 'feel-good' monies he throws out there.
So Al, take the hits, wipe the egg off, and get more in line with what you preach-- Then regroup and go after the real bastards that are ruining this planet-- You'll find a bunch of us behind you.

UPDATE: Some friends and whatnot, have called me with the news that this conservative "Think Tank" is a sham, and a recently created monster by various Neo-Cons like the American Taxpayer Party and others-- Well, I've heard that news too, and thought of deleting this post, but I decided not to, even knowing that a bunch of boobs are behind this 'stunt'-- Without dredging up too much more on this topic, I still think that Gore needs to live smaller-- I'm not saying he should be living in a sod hut on the prairie with only solar or wind power, but if he's going to take the lead on mainstream environmental issues, he's got to live the part more then he currently is. 'Nough said.

Mr. Ware's customers looking for a new source?

Last night my wife and I turned in for the evening rather early, about 10pm., as she had to work a day shift (her least favorite) and I was going to drive her. She dropped off rather quickly, and I was flipping through the channels, somewhat later, trying gain a more stupor-like state so I could drop off as well.

Pound. Pound. Pound.

Huh? Wazzat? Cursing, I soon realized that someone was knocking at my door, and I heard giggling outside on my porch. I peek through the peephole (south side habit, natch), to see two twenty-something blondish white girls with Jennifer Aniston approved hairstyles shuffling about my porch. My threat indicator dropped down to Homeland Security green status rather quickly as I sized up my visitors, so not in the least bit fearful, I opened the door.
"Yes? May I help you?" I inquired with some curiosity.
"Um, does Base (Bass?) live here? Asked the taller of the two, and apparently the leader.
"No, he doesn't-- And I couldn't tell you where-- Don't know the man." I told them somewhat sleepily as I stepped out unto the porch myself.
Still giggly, the shorter one punches her companion on the arm, "Told you, Carrie, I knew this wasn't the right house--"
Laughing outright, the tall one, (Carrie?) spins about in what I would term a 'drunken fashion' and staggers into her companion as they both retreated from my porch, saying "Sorry to bother you...." over her shoulder. They get into their late model Camry and soon drive off. As the did so, I couldn't help but notice the University of Michigan sticker in the back window...
This morning I'm left pondering what this errant visit was all about. So allow me, please, to wax somewhat rhetorical: First off, was it just as it seemed-- Two people lost, looking for a friends house? Possibly. Yet what of the time? It was nearly midnight when this visit occurred, and what of their apparent glassy-eyed intoxicated state? The friends name? 'Base', or 'Bass'? In either case, I see a 'party' connection, what with Base having a drug-like undercurrent and 'Bass' with a musical or hip-hop connotation to it. Maybe I've been a south of Harriet dweller for too long-- And my own mind is building its 'ghetto-fortress' even as I write.
Now allow me to assume the worst, as I try to think about all the intangible 'what-ifs." I'm fairly sure these two were drunk-- Or high. And late night visits by what appears to be well-off (UofM?) kids in my neighborhood usually means drugs-- Almost to a certainty. Now allow me to further travel this tangent of thought, as I wonder what would happen to these 'future leaders' of society, if this pair stumbled upon a police sting on this 'Mr. Base.' Cuffed and thrown to the sidewalk? Guns drawn, and pointed at them? I doubt it. I've watched enough episodes of the voyeuristic show "Cops" to know that the tearful (white) college kid is usually just admonished before the camera, by a fatherly cop figure (no matter how old said cop actually is) to the point the embarrassed collegian is allowed to leave (in their own car), so long as he/she promises not to try to buy those 'nasty' drugs again, and to stay out of those 'dangerous' neighborhoods as well. My view, though I'm not really sure that I'm projecting one, is that there are differences in how similar actions play out-- How a black kid and white kid are treated during a drug buy/sting can be as different as night and day, not always, but sometimes-- To claim otherwise would be akin to putting your head in the sand. As to Mr. Ware, and what happened to him, juxtaposes rather nicely when one considers the news of that Brighton Lawyer (ugh, find the links yourself- its recent news), caught up in the drug trade himself (at the very least a user and provider), what is his current punishment? Some community service time? All this while the police investigate further the dead coed in his apartment-- Excuse me if I ramble overly much and my story meshes somewhat clumsily, but I feel this example mirrors what I'm trying to say: This guy, pillar of society type, will in all likelihood get some counseling and a reduced sentence-- Possibly never serving any 'time' at all-- The poor black kid in a similar circumstance, will see nothing but 'prison gray' with maybe a couple of 15 minute counseling sessions thrown in-- For no other purpose than to make the 'system' look or feel good about itself.

This 'war' on drugs... Look closely, its destroying more than the drug trade. What does the tearing of the fabric of society sound like? I'm not sure, but if we try maybe we'll eventually hear it (before it's too late). As to this never-ending war itself? I'm sick of it, especially when closet alcoholics 'tsk-tsk' with an air of superiority as they view the drug war from afar, pouring another couple of fingers worth of Cutty Sark, at their posh suburban bars-- Before hopping into their SUVs as they head home to the wife and kids...

Did you remember to put your flag out?

Well, I forgot. Yet how could I? I mean am I really so busy as to forget that this past thursday was John Frum day? At least I set a reminder for next year.

Days of Sadness...

Is it me? Or, is Ypsilanti truly cursed? Right after I post something of a positive nature about Ypsi, a tragic fire occurs, killing three little kids. That fire, which happened at Paradise Manor, is something I've been dreading for the longest time. They've had fires there before, and on more than one occasion I've seen the dumpsters at that place blazing as well. It's popped into my thoughts, down through the years, that it would be just a matter of time until a tragic fire occurred-- And I don't feel good at all about being right. There have been too many close calls over the years with that substandard place. Now the worst has happened. No need to post links here, you've heard the news by now. Over on detroityes.com there's a character named "Rasputin" on their message board, who's often at odds with the preservationists on that site over many of Detroit's empty and historic buildings, he usually gets their ire by calling for the demolition of some of these structures (which admittedly some are dangerous), by concluding his posts with a "Tear that schitt down!" mantra.
In light of what happened at Paradise Manor (basically known as the 'Ave' by us south-siders) he may be on to something, at least in this instance and for our purposes. That place is dangerous. Apparently those buildings are built in such a way that they would be illegal today, as the upstairs bedrooms can only be accessed by a stairway that runs through, or at least too close to the kitchen. I've also read on another local blog, that the damned place didn't even have a current certificate of compliance-- Which is a city requirement. Now, I understand by calling for the demolition of this death trap, the question arises as what to do with the residents that dwell there, who of course, are the poorest among us. I would answer: Almost anything and anyplace... Temp housing, vouchers for some area apartments, hell even Cobble (Tuscan?) Creek, like what AA did to their YMCA residents-- Anything! That's how bad the place is. Bulldoze the lot, and when/if Ypsi ever finds the dough, build something nicer and safer in it's stead. I would also state that even if that place had any 'historic value' (it doesn't), I'd still be for junking that eyesore, and if you've read the header to my blog, you can garner how much I love historic things-- But never over people. AND (since I'm ranting at full speed) while the 'experts' are at it, take a long hard look at Armstrong Ct. and Hollow Creek as well...
To finish up, Aubrey's restaurant in Depot Town, is holding a fundraising dinner for the victims of the fire from 4 to 8pm this coming Monday, Feb. 12-- 10 bucks a plate, but even if you can't attend, please stop by briefly, and consider donating something-- No matter how small.