Posters Like These were Plastered all over Detroit and Windsor
If you have one hangin around in your attic it's worth Big Bucks
Click on these pics to enlarge
A bit of nostalgia for all of the hippies out there (some of you traded in your tie dye shirts for suits). Remember the Grande Ballroom in Detroit? Sunshine, window payne? Perhaps trippin to the MC5 or maybe Eric Clapton. How about Frigid Pink, Frost or bouncin to "I wanna be your dog". These pics were pulled from "The Fabulous Ruins of Detroit". The Grande sure was a groovy place. Operative word "was". See if you still know how to make out the lettering on the posters. Did you know that you can still buy them? Here's one man's memory of the place:
"my most memorable night at the Grande was a show where I went to see John Mayall. Mayall was legendary for his blues style, and for the amazing selection of musicians he chose for his bands, such as Eric Clapton, Mick Taylor, John McVie, Peter Green, Jack Bruce...the list goes on. That night I don't remember who played warm-up, but Mick Taylor was lead guitar.I was at the show partly because I thought Mayall was so great, and partly because I could not afford to go see the Cream, who were at the Olympia that night. As I remember, the Mayall ticket was $3.00. Mayall and the group played for hours, and he lost much of the audience. He was a little tame for what attendees at the Grande were fortunate to have heard over the years.You used to have to enter the stage from a stairs off to the side. Around midnight a guy came about halfway up the stairs and started talking to Mayall in the middle of the set, and Mayall looked down at him and kept playing the whole time, but also talking to him. I thought "how incredibly rude"! Then the visitor came a few steps up further, and I recognized (Eric) Clapton. I jumped up and started poking the people around me saying, "Look its Clapton, its Clapton!" A number of people told me to shut up, sit down, and go back to sleep, which unfortunately a lot of them were. Clapton then came up and stood in the middle of the stage, and Mick Taylor got down on his knees, raising and lowering his head and arms, doing his best version of "I am not worthy, I am not worthy". He handed his guitar to Clapton from the floor. By this time, everyone was on their feet clapping and cheering.I don't remember what they played other than that the first piece...ran on for about 45 minutes. I believe they played one other tune for a few minutes, and then Clapton exited off the stage as magically as he came in. We all stood there awestruck. THAT WAS THE KIND OF EVENT THAT DEFINED THE GRANDE BALLROOM.." - Glenn Spencer
A curious bit from International Metropolis. Notice that there are no sidewalks around the park. Also note the caption on the card. Which street was Victoria Road? See the full posting by following the link.
There have been several reports of skunks seen wandering through the hood during the day. Concern was raised as to wether or not this indicates that the animal might be rabid. The following piece from the internet gives some great background:
The Sweetness of Skunks
by Constance Young
Okay, so, like me, your dog has been "skunked." Or perhaps you have had to deal with a dying or sick skunk on your property (which means calling the animal control officer or police because skunks can carry rabies). Still, I insist that skunks are sweet. By learning a little about their personality and anatomy you can avoid skunk-related problems. You might also learn to enjoy and appreciate these appealing creatures. Anyone who has come close and personal to a skunk will tell you that skunks are generally docile and sweet. Laura Simon, Urban Wildlife Director of the Fund for Animals says, "Skunks are one of the most misunderstood creatures. They are perceived as being harmful when they are really benign and gentle." She adds that skunks rarely spray people and that by taking some precautions a person can avoid being sprayed during human/skunk encounters. Simon has rescued skunks from all kinds of situations (more about that later) and she says that she is rarely sprayed. Hyde Park wildlife rehabilitator Val Nassetta claims, "Any human who gets sprayed by a skunk deserves it. Skunks don't just spray when they see a human—they usually stomp on the ground with their paws and make warning sounds two or three times before spraying. " Nassetta has a special license to deal with "rabies vector animals"—that is, wild animals that can carry rabies, such as skunks, raccoons and bats. More sweet news about skunks: According to Erica Mills of Aspen Skunk Rabies Research, Inc., skunks are "nature's sanitation engineers." They are an important part of our ecosystem and have a hearty appetite for grubs, insects, mice and baby rats. They also rid the environment of cockroaches, gophers, moles, "road kill," and even poisonous animals such as rattlesnakes and black widow spiders. If you have an insect or rodent problem, a skunk in residence might be just the ticket.
First, Know the Facts
"Know your adversary" is an accepted maxim. If we apply this aphorism to skunks, it is important to understand that skunks are exceedingly nearsighted. Because of their terrible eyesight, skunks often confuse quick and loud movements with those of a predator. Therefore if you move slowly and talk softly during skunk encounters you will usually avoid being sprayed. Should you and a skunk come face to face, the skunk will usually warn you before spraying. Skunks run directly toward a threat, stop (sometimes within inches), then stomp and hiss or squeal. They can make sounds like a squealing pig, grunt, whine, screech and even chirp like a bird. Skunks can only run at a rate of about ten miles an hour, which explains why so many are killed by cars. Drivers expect them to move away, just as other wild animals do—but instead a skunk will stand still, getting ready to spray. Another skunk myth is that skunks only come out at night, and therefore skunks seen during the day must have rabies. Not true. Wild skunks will usually come out in the evening and early morning hours, resting at night and sleeping during the day. However, in the winter and early spring, when they have young, they may be hungry and will forage for food at almost any time of day. Skunks do not hibernate in winter. The time to worry is if you see an adult skunk who appears to be paralyzed or who exhibits odd behavior, such as circling, screeching, self-mutilation, unprovoked aggression, or uncharacteristic tameness. Call your local animal control officer or police department for assistance.
If Your Dog Is Sprayed
Skunks do not usually spray cats, possibly because cats' movements are slow, not bold. In addition, Nassetta claims that dogs will run and grab the skunk from behind, which cats do not do. Should your dog get skunked, common home remedies such as tomato juice usually do not work, claims The Fund for Animals. (Wildlife Fact Sheet #6). The Fund recommends its Magical Skunk Deodorizer to use on dogs, as well as on your clothes and skin. (See below.) To remove skunk smell from your house, the Fund for Animals recommends Odors Away, which can be purchased at most hardware stores. Other remedies that were suggested to me by friends and acquaintances who have been "skunked" include burning vanilla and citrus candles and incense to get rid of skunk smells in the house, or washing dogs with a solution of vinegar and dish liquid.
Other Common Problems
Most other problems you might encounter also stem from skunks' poor eyesight, as well as their short front limbs that are not suitable for climbing but are good for digging. Wildlife rehabilitators such as Simon and Nassetta claim that skunks trapped in window wells or garages are frequent problems. Skunks also often get their heads stuck in Yoplait yogurt containers, which are designed with a particularly narrow opening. Nassetta recently rescued a skunk whose head was stuck in a broken mayonnaise jar. The animal had to be taken to a vet to have it dislodged. Simon rescued a skunk whose head was stuck in the drain opening of a dumpster. To release the skunk she covered the animal with olive oil and had to enlist the entire fire rescue squad, who together used their "jaws of life" equipment. Here is what the Fund for Animals recommends if you are faced with certain common skunk problems: Skunks caught in the window well. Skunks are poor climbers. If the window well is less than two feet in depth, angle a piece of wood to serve as a plank. (Remember, do everything in slow motion.) For traction, tack a towel or chicken wire to the board. If the window well is deep, place smelly cheese or canned cat food in the far corner of an animal carrier (or plastic rectangular garbage can tipped on its side) and slowly lower it into the window well. The food should entice the skunk to walk inside; then raise the can or box to the ground, elevator style, keeping your hands on the outside of the container. If you continue to move slowly the skunk will not spray and will amble out. Getting skunks out of the garage. A skunk might get into your garage or shed if the door is left open. To evict the animal, leave the garage door open before dusk and sprinkle an eight-inch band of flour under it so you can watch for a track of exiting footprints. Close the door when you know the skunk is gone. To stop skunks from digging in the lawn. Skunks might dig for grubs after heavy rain or over-watering because grubs come close to the surface of the soil when it is wet. Use the skunk deterrent (in the sidebar on the preceding page) to keep skunks from digging. To evict skunks from under a shed or deck. Skunks sometimes raise their young in cavities such as those under decks. Since skunks are nomadic by nature, they will usually leave when the young are old enough. The simplest solution is to wait for the skunks to leave on their own, then seal off their entry hole with hardware cloth. The Fund for Animals does not recommend trapping because starving young are likely to be left behind. Spraying a repellent around the area, or poking some ammonia-sprinkled rags underneath (careful not to poke the skunks), might encourage them to leave. If you need to pick up a skunk, cover the animal with a towel or blanket. "Slow and easy; nothing quick or fast," says Nassetta.
Skunks as Pets
Nassetta claims that although they are sweet, skunks make bad pets. "They are nocturnal, so you have to keep waking them up when feeding time comes around. They also become overweight when kept as pets. They don't get enough exercise," she adds, "And over the long-term, cat food is not good for them. Their preferred diet is insects and grubs." To see some pretty pictures of the pets you cannot have, go to http://www.skunkhaven.net/ .
Magical Skunk Deodorizer
Mix the following ingredients: • 1 quart 3% hydrogen peroxide • 1/4 cup baking soda • 1 teaspoon liquid dish or laundry soap Dip a wash rag in the solution and rub down the dog. Then rinse. Warning: the hydrogen peroxide may give a dark-furred animal rust-colored highlights, which will go away.
Some Skunk Deterrents
(from the Fund for Animals "Wildlife Fact Sheet, #6) Castor Oil Formula: Mix together 1cup castor oil and 1 cup liquid soap. Then add the mixture to 1 gallon of water in a spray can. Spray around area where skunks may have their den. Hot Pepper Repellent: Ingredients: 1 chopped yellow onion; 1 chopped Jalapeno pepper; 1 tablespoon cayenne pepper. Boil ingredients for 20 minutes in 2 quarts of water. Let cool, then strain mixture through cheesecloth. Apply with spray bottle around the skunk hole (denning area). Do not spray into the hole or the skunk may reciprocate. Reapply after 3-5 days. Cayenne pepper: Sprinkle around denning area. Finally—this is a necessary final step: After completing one of the above steps, create an L-shaped barrier by covering the entry hole with hardware cloth and sinking it 4 to 6 inches into the ground. Then bend it at a 90-degree angle, away from the deck for 8-12 inches to create a false bottom so the skunk cannot dig under the barrier. Check the next day for signs of digging from the inside to ensure that no skunk was sealed inside. The Fund for Animals recommends that you not use mothballs as a deterrent because they are toxic and do not work.
China is proving to be a repeat offender with its poisonous offerings to North America. The recent purge of name brand pet foods from store shelves appeared as just the tip of the ice berg. Today (June 19, 2007), Canadian news sources announced that poison tooth paste has shown up in southwestern Ontario. http://news.sympatico.msn.ctv.ca/TopStories/ContentPosting.aspx?feedname=CTV-TOPSTORIES_V2&showbyline=True&newsitemid=CTVNews%2f20070619%2fcounterfeit_toothpaste_070619 This stuff is apparently loaded with ethylene glycol, the main ingredient of anti-freeze. It has already cropped up across the United States and in Latin America. It’s even packaged as a knock-off to Colgate. Remember the deadly melamine filler found in pet food? It wasn’t to be wasted. Its use was diverted to the production of poultry feed. Why waste a profit generating ingredient, right? The list goes on:
Baby formula that has killed Thomas & Friends" wooden railway toys which are loaded with lead paint Diethylene glycol contaminated "Mr. Cool Junior" toothpaste sent to Central America Chinese dietary supplements Toxic cosmetics and counterfeit medicines Lipstick with cancer causing dye Vitamin C supplements and poison cold remedies Dried Apples preserved with a cancer-causing chemical Frozen catfish laden with banned anti-biotics Scallops and sardines coated with putrefying bacteria Mushrooms laced with pesticides Imported Monkfish which was actually Puffer fish (deadly)
Blood serum
These were among the 107 known imports from China which the Food and Drug Administration detained at U.S. ports last month alone. U.S. inspection records show that China has flooded our market with food unfit for human consumption for many years.
On the medicinal front, China has captured 90% of the U.S. market for vitamin C, 70% of the world’s penicillin, 50 percent of its aspirin, 35% of its acetaminophen (some under the brand Tylenol) and the bulk of vitamins A, B12 and E. This all happened in less than a decade.
So what are our governments and regulatory bodies doing about all of this? Hanging on for the ride. The hard fact is that the North American economy is intrinsically attached at the hip to China’s new found industrial revolution. It is like hooking up to the Borg. We want to sell their cheap products here and we want a chunk of their markets as well. Kow Tow is the name of the game. Chinese authorities aren’t doing much to help either. They always start with denial and then they go on the offensive. None of that seemed to appease us so last week a Beijing court handed down a death penalty for Zheng Xiaoyu, the former head of the State Food and Drug Administration (SFDA), after he was convicted of dereliction of duty and accepting some $850,000 in bribes. Now that’s how you responsibly manage a government regulatory body. Lip service just for us.
So what do we do? To start we have to get in the habit of reading labels. We also need to push for full packaging disclosures which tell us the source of all ingredients. Be careful where you buy. Dollar stores are notorious for selling off-brand Chinese food products. Could you even trust a package of crackers from China? Coffee cups and dinner plates found at these stores and elsewhere are likely to have lead paint on them. Plastic toys made with inferior or questionable polymers can leach poison. Think about your diet supplements. Remember…Just about all vitamin C is manufactured in China. Watch out for imported canned or processed food products of any kind. Maybe it’s simply time to stop buying Chinese goods whenever possible. Why do we need to wok on the wild side?
It's been several months since we last looked at the Graffiti problem in Old Walkerville and in Windsor at large. Not much seems to have changed. That is, not much new tagging has taken place and the old marks are still in place. Net activity zero. Is this a positive indicator? Maybe. It could be that the message is starting to sink in that this sort of vandalism is just plain lame. It doesn't land you in the hall of cool and it won't get you a chick.
If this hypothesis holds true then whats next? There is probably no better time than now to start blotting out each and every trace of graffiti. Get rid of the examples while idle minds are otherwise preoccupied. If there is a blemish on our properties then we should take a stab at removal now. Otherwise the opportunity is just as good for the Municipality to exorcize every shred of evidence from our streets and alleys. "Out of site; out of mind."
311 is the proper tool for this. It's also a good gage as to how much this city administration cares. Sieze the moment.
June 6, 2007
Ford beats Toyota in Quality Rankings
Automaker takes lead spot in five of 19 segments in survey!
David Zalubowski / AP file
DETROIT - People might have to stop making all those jokes about the quality of Ford’s cars — the ones that say Ford stands for “Found on Road Dead” or “Fixed or Repaired Daily.” Now, it could be “Fixing Our Reputation Daily.” Ford Motor Co. supplanted Toyota as leader of the pack in J.D. Power and Associates’ annual initial quality rankings released Wednesday, grabbing more individual awards than any other automaker for the first time since 1998, when it tied for the top spot.
“What we saw today is the result of several years of adhering to our design and manufacturing processes with complete discipline,” Ford spokeswoman Anne Marie Gattari said of the automaker's finish. “It took some time for the results to be evident.”
Have you noticed anything missing from the Wyandotte streetscape in Old Walkerville? Not only are some of the trees missing (victims to vandalism and emerald ash borers) but this year there are no hanging flower baskets (victims of budget shortfall). The sad thing is that the BIAs immediately west and east of Old Walkerville do have their baskets up. This definately makes Old Walkerville look like the "other side of the tracks". Vandalism and damage have also taken their toll on other important details like historical street lamps. Globes are missing or broken and some of the standards are completely shorn off. Trees are not getting the care and TLC they deserve either. As an example, the cast iron grates around their bases have never been clipped to accommodate growth and girth (this condition will cause them to die). Many of the trees have been broken off and never replaced. Those which have been replaced are mere saplings doomed to be broken again. All in all, this section of Wyandotte looks pretty worse for wear.
So what's the deal with the hanging baskets? Too costly to water. The baskets have to be watered on a daily basis and the company hired to water the plants charges a pretty penny to do so (apparently high insurance and licensing fees). The next obvious question is how do the neighbouring BIA's do it? The answer is probably higher business density. More businesses mean more membership fees and therefore a larger budget. For whatever reasons businesses have dried up in this area. Icon, Old Walkerville Pizzaria, Black Opal, The Meating Place, Poster Optics, Lasik; there are so many more.
So how should our BIA meet these tough challenges without sacrificing the integrity of the Old Walkerville business community? Perhaps the local BIA could open itself up to it's surrounding residential community for help and input. Such a proactive stance might bring volunteers and a fertile "think tank" to the table. Maybe the good folks from Parks and Rec could help out with the trees (replacements with larger caliber trunks and maintenance) and maybe Public Works or Windsor Utilities might offer timely help with repair and replacement of light standards etc. The most immediate difference though, has to come from the local BIA members themselves. Sweeping and scrubbing the sidewalks and even watering the plants might be a possibility. Hey...It works in Europe.
There are obviously a lot of good fixes and ideas out there. If you've got one why not share it in the comments section of this posting? There's no such thing as a bad idea. What do you think?
Art in the Park had a refreshingly different appeal this year. The ratio of art to crafts was much higher and the layout was much more comfortable. Day one saw a typical turnout which overwelmed most of Old Walkerville as visitors clamored for parking and sidewalk rights. Yard sales seemed at an all time high and children hawked pop and lemonade with bravado.
With the anticipation of rain, day two had a slow start but managed to build quite a fanfare by noon. It was actually a perfect time to visit the event. At one P.M. the weather decided that it just couldn't hold off any longer. Gentle but continuous rain doused the event.
Highlights were excellent period jazz, terrific food and snacks (this writer made a point to order egg salad sandwiches which were excellent) and last but not least was the photo exhibition on display in the Willistead Manor. Great and curious shots of Windsor's past.
Thumbs up to this year's organizers. You are definately on to something.
The Grande Ballroom. A Sixties happenin
Click on these pics to enlarge
