From A Detroiter to Southern Brethren

[ebacon]

The 80s were tough in Detroit too, particularly the early 1980s. But nothing like the conundrum it is in now.

[BlueStreak]

Crime exploded. Arson, drugs, prostitution, robbery, murder, car jackings, people looting abandon homes and businesses for scrap metal........... It was the craziest thing I've ever seen. If your a Detroiter, you know what I'm talking about.

I'm hearing the Mahoning Valley is doing much better these days. Still a little tight for jobs, but the bulk of the blight and insanity is gone.

Dave

[BlueStreak]

Originally Posted by ebacon

The 80s were tough in Detroit too, particularly the early 1980s. But nothing like the conundrum it is in now.

Yep. There is a number of recent YouTube videos about Detroit as it is today. It looks eerie, actually. The "rush hour" videos of downtown with hardly any cars or people in the streets. Huge, abandoned buildings everywhere. Like something from a movie, except it's real.

Dave

[ebacon]

During the 1990s the picture started to come in focus for me. That was when Chrysler built their new HQ in the suburb of Auburn Hills. At the time it was a country community with a small downtown and small homes within walking distance. They had a horse ranch.

After Chrysler built their new HQ I saw the village rush to spend the new cash. It hit me when I was walking through town and noticed that they replaced the old concrete sidewalks with bricks. It was then that I thought, "bricks?" This crap can't survive Michigan winters. Do the city planners know what kind of maintenance bill they have just signed up for and that the businessmen at Chrysler play hardball?

It just seemed like a house of cards and I felt sorry for the local politicians that got sucked into the game.

[bobabode]

Originally Posted by JJIII

If you want to sit down and make a list of every writer from the South, go ahead. I wanted to mention one.

An interesting one, old man. Kinda Hemingway-esque? I might have to read me some. I guess those southern writers had to suffer a bit, to sing the blues. Conrack was a decent writer.

Sorry for the threadcrappin', Ed.

[JJIII]

Originally Posted by bobabode

An interesting one, old man. Kinda Hemingway-esque? I might have to read me some. I guess those southern writers had to suffer a bit, to sing the blues. Conrack was a decent writer.

Sorry for the threadcrappin', Ed.

Try the follow-up to "Old Man". The Boy learns just how much the Old Man has taught him. If you, or anyone you are close to, has ever gone through a divorce, "The Honey Badger" is a good read.
"Uhuru" gives an interesting perspective on the Kenya Emergency in the 50s.

There was also a movie made on the same subject, based on another of his books... http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Something_of_Value

(I read all of his books at a young age. I was drawn to them because my mother went to school with him. They were casual friends.)

[piece-itpete]

I love the idea of old Detroit and am hoping to spend a weekend there as a tourist soon.

They'll come back eventually, the worm will turn. Might take a while though.

Big business? If it wasn't for the rich folks years ago Cleveland wouldn't have Severance Hall, our free art museum, the Cultural Gardens, Lakeview cemetary...

We've still got some (very few now) brick streets here and some of the weathier suburbs are bricking their sidewalks, but brick on concrete.

Pete

[merrylander]

Originally Posted by JJIII

Try the follow-up to "Old Man". The Boy learns just how much the Old Man has taught him. If you, or anyone you are close to, has ever gone through a divorce, "The Honey Badger" is a good read.
"Uhuru" gives an interesting perspective on the Kenya Emergency in the 50s.

There was also a movie made on the same subject, based on another of his books... http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Something_of_Value

(I read all of his books at a young age. I was drawn to them because my mother went to school with him. They were casual friends.)

Been there, done that, don't need any reminders.

[BlueStreak]

Originally Posted by JJIII

Try the follow-up to "Old Man". The Boy learns just how much the Old Man has taught him. If you, or anyone you are close to, has ever gone through a divorce, "The Honey Badger" is a good read.
"Uhuru" gives an interesting perspective on the Kenya Emergency in the 50s.

There was also a movie made on the same subject, based on another of his books... http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Something_of_Value

(I read all of his books at a young age. I was drawn to them because my mother went to school with him. They were casual friends.)

Did someone say "Honey Badger"?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nggAj0cxLro

Dave

[JJIII]

Originally Posted by BlueStreak

Did someone say "Honey Badger"?

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nggAj0cxLro

Dave

There were beliefs at the time that Honey Badgers would go straight for a mans crotch. Sure sounds like a divorce case to me.