Friday, October 31, 2008

Late night open thread

We'll get to the videos another time, there was so much free Halloween entertainment we didn't wanna go overboard today...

Time for Ypsilanti, After Dark

Not only is it Halloween ...

... but it's also the 82nd anniversary of Harry Houdini's death in Detroit. Here's some footage that I never knew existed of Houdini's funeral in New York City. Keep in mind that Houdini was arguably the most-popular performer in the world at the time, hence the massive crowd that turned out to see his coffin -- perhaps the one enclosure from which he couldn't escape.

Here's a ghostly piece Johnny previously wrote for another website

Sadly, Michigan is Amazing is no longer around, but Johnny kept some of the stories he wrote, this group of Michigan haunts being one of them...

Michigan is amazing, some say it's also very haunted, so on this Halloween, lets take a look at six Michigan ghostly legends and let you make up your own mind. Perhaps one of these haunted stories is close enough to where you live to see for yourself.

Dateline: Westland, MI.
Butler Cemetery
OK, it's not REALLY called Butler Cemetery but that's where the legend comes from. In truth it's William Ganong Cemetery and it's located along Henry Ruff Road between Annapolis and Van Born Roads. The cemetery itself is neglected and overgrown in many places. Years of wear and some vandalism have taken their toll. Yet this remains to be one of Michigan's most haunted cemeteries. Drivers have seen a woman dressed in white walking along the road and some have swerved to avoid her. Other sightings from the road place her in the cemetery proper. Others have reported seeing a male apparition in some kind of uniform. Research shows an inordinate amount of car accidents right near William Ganong Cemetery. Are these accidents the result of trying to avoid hitting apparitions in the road or is there a more scientific reason?

Dateline: Forester, MI
Just north of Port Sanilac, on the eastern Michigan coast, lies the small community of Forester. It's not the town that's haunted, nor is it a cemetery or house, its the shoreline there.
The ghost of Minnie Quay is a sad and eerie tale of a young woman waiting for her man to return from a ship he was on sailing the Great Lakes. Minnie's parents greatly disapproved of her romance with the young sailor as did the townspeople. In the spring of 1876, word reached Minnie Quay that the ship that the young man had been working on had gone down in a storm. A few days later, Minnie committed suicide by diving off the town pier into Lake Huron. The ghost of Minnie Quay is said to walk along the shoreline near Forester crying mournfully. Several young women claim to have seen Minnie's ghost call them into the lake to join her, legend even says one girl did. The old Quay House stands across the street from the Forester Inn should you want to see if Minnie is walking her shoreline yet today.

Dateline: Marquette, MI
Hotels will advertise all kinds of amenities in trying to get you to stay. Cable TV, internet hook up, PlayStation games and the like but they never seem to advertise guests who never check out. Such is the case of the Landmark Inn in downtown Marquette. In a story similar to that of Minnie Quay, the Landmark has a librarian who used to look out over Lake Superior awaiting her true loves return, which of course never came. The librarian is said to haunt the Lilac Room overlooking the big lake. Male guests have reported keys not working, calls to rooms in the middle of the night, while the front desk is said to get phone calls from the Lilac Room when nobody is there. However by far the most famous of spirits is that of Amelia Earhart who stayed at the Landmark Inn in 1932, room 502. Some have reported seeing her ghost there as well.

Another rumor is a ghost in room 304 Halverson Hall at Northern Michigan University in Marquette. A student who hung himself as the story goes. Interesting this one and imagine this writers amazement since in the fall of 1981 he himself lived in room 304 Halverson Hall. I never heard or saw anything ghostly nor undead other than my own grades.

Dateline: Grayling, MI
Along Cemetery Road in Grayling lies the ruins of a very old cemetery from a town that no longer exists. The Pere Cheney Cemetery is said to be haunted by many many spirits. People report troubles with electrical devices such as cars and car radios. Radio stations that simply switch, or the radio just cuts out while on. People have also reported childish laughter from disembodied voices. The Pere Cheney Cemetery is also said to have it's share of apparitions after dark. A full plate of hauntings from a hard to find, almost devoid cemetery.

Dateline: Ypsilanti, MI
Libraries make excellent places for a ghost to make a home. Quiet, and not a lot of commotion. Such is the case with the Ypsilanti Ladies' Library located at the corner of Washington and Emmet streets. The Library was built and lived in by the Starkweather family. It was willed to the city by owner Marryanne Starkweather upon her death. Someone forgot to tell Marryanne she doesn't live there anymore. People have seen her apparition on the upper floor drifting down hallways. She is also heard walking around late at night by workers who know nobody else is in the building. Some have reported unexplained cold spots in upstairs rooms. Marryanne may have willed the house to Ypsilanti but she just didn't tell anyone she came with the deed.

Dateline: Nunica, MI
Just off of I-96, in the small hamlet of Nunica, there is a cemetery that ranks among the most haunted in Michigan. This cemetery, located off of M-104 (luckily there is a BIG sign) just east of Spring Lake Road, is home to just about any ghostly activity you can imagine. Rope that appears from nowhere, dark figures behind tombs, orbs, detached voices and apparitions actually seen by real ghost investigators. This place is the real deal for ghost buffs. One ghost in fact has his own name, "Mr. Bond". Mr. Bond supposedly got his name from actual communications with him. Apparently there is a shed on the premises where a lot of the supernatural activity manifests itself. A favorite haunt of paranormal researchers, perhaps the Nunica Cemetery is a gift that keeps giving, if you consider frights as gifts, all the year round.

And in Sports Today ...

Welcome to Philadelphia, where post-Series revelry looks like this:

How about a local ghost story--from the Dixboro General Store

The Ann Arbor News fills you in on the ghostly happenings....

More Halloween Scariness

This time courtesy Screamin' Jay Hawkins. Take it away, Jay:

Yet another Halloween TREAT today at YCD, all-around creepy guy Christopher Walken reads Edgar Allan Poe's 'The Raven'

A classic

We kick off Halloween 2008 with everybody's favorite Dallas psychobilly rock band, The Flametrick Subs!

Singing about drinkin', which we heartily endorse here at the Ypsi City Desk. Now there are a couple rough language type words here so headphones are advised...Don't forget to go back to last year's Halloween Flametrick Subs video of the classic 'Creepy Dead Folk' with Satan's Cheerleaders

Happy Halloween

Thursday, October 30, 2008

Late night open thread

Halloween tomorrow, we'll have fun with it here at YCD. Let's get an early jump shall we?


Time for Ypsilanti, After Dark

YCD's chump of the day OR how not to sell a car to Johnny

Hang on kids, here we go....

So Johnny has been in the market for a new whip lately. After much research he chose a Pontiac Vibe GT. He then began sending out email inquiries to several local Pontiac dealership internet sales managers telling them his option requirements and talking price. He began the process of whittling down who he'd buy from on price and options available and who had the car he wanted. Alan Johnson (and remember that name kids) at Randy Wise in Milan had the best price on the GT and Mr. Johnson MADE AN APPOINTMENT to sell the car to Johnny yesterday afternoon. Johnny drove down to Milan fully expecting to be driving home in something different. As Lee Corso says on ESPN, "Not so fast my friend"

Johnny walks into the showroom, has Alan Johnson paged, he comes out, and Johnny excitedly says "Let's take a look at the car!"

Alan Johnson: "Oh, it's not here"

Johnny: "What?"

Alan Johnson: "It's not here, I''ll have to call someone to get one here"

Johnny: "You're kidding"

Alan Johnson "No, I'll have to locate one for you"

What a weasel. What an unprofessional weasel car salesman. When Johnny makes an appointment to buy a car he expects said car will be on the lot. Alan Johnson had two days lead to get it there. Car deals can fall apart for a lot of reason, financing mainly. But to have the Randy Wise sales manager, ALAN JOHNSON make an appointment to sell a car and not have it there is completely unacceptable. Alan kept going on how "There's no bad intent here". Maybe not Alan, perhaps it's just incompetence. He said he could TRY to locate one, in fact he knew of one that was out on an overnight test drive (just not from HIS dealership derrrrr). I told him I didn't want THAT one, it'd be USED to me. He also could not give a date that car would be available. Alan hemmed and hawed about trying to locate a car, made a few fruitless phone calls, but by then the trust was broken and Johnny drove home mad as hell.

So if you are in the market for a new car, feel free to take this tale as a warning if you find yourself thinking about Randy Wise in Milan and a gentleman named Alan Johnson.

Oh and by the way Alan, the base Vibe model does NOT come with a 1.4 L engine, it's 1.8 L, you should know that going forward. You made mention twice of the 1.4 L. engine compared to the 2.4 L on the AWD and GT Vibe, just sayin'...

Hey rock and rollers, The Killers are coming to EMU

No, the actual band The Killers. We know you probably had a dozen jokes ready at that headlines but it's true, The Killers will be performing Thursday January 22, 2009, (two short days after President Obama is sworn in LOL) at Eastern Michigan's Athletic and Convocation Center. Tickets go on sale at 'how is this even legal' Ticketmusty outlets, tomorrow, Halloween. No prices are listed, we checked...

Wednesday, October 29, 2008

Late night open thread

State trivia night.....

Which state does the famed Route 66 NOT go through?

A) Texas
B) Kansas
C) Oklahoma
D) Nevada

Answer HERE

Time for Ypsilanti, After Dark

Note to crooks, what kind of haul did you expect from the Dollar Store?

A robber who said he had a gun held up the Family Dollar Store 2840 Washtenaw last night. The crook took the money and ran west.

Mr. Criminal, we're laughing your take wasn't larger but what did your pea-brain think when you settled on the Dollar Store? Was White Castle too tough? Was LaundryLand closed? No arcades around to rob?

Good Grief......

If you'd like to take a look at the ballot you'll be using next Tuesday, have a gander

The link to the Washtenaw County ballot can be found HERE and it is in PDF format so open it however you view PDF files. It'll give you a chance to see how the ballot is laid out and where the races fall on the ballot. It'll also hopefully help you familiarize yourself with it and not get confused in the voting booth...

Tuesday, October 28, 2008

Late night open thread

If you have never seen the brilliant film 'Drop Dead Gorgeous', put it in your Netflix queue. It's a mockumentary of the highest order with a bright, sassy, spot on ensemble cast. It follows the Sarah Rose Cosmetics Teen America Beauty Pageant in Mount Rose Minnesota. Chock full o' great young actresses and the one time Kirstie Alley made Johnny laugh, often. Ellen Barkin, Allison Janney, Kirsten Dunst, Denise Richards, Amy Adams, Mindy Sterling, and Brittany Murphy are all damned funny.

(one bad word if you're at work or the spawn are around)


Time for Ypsilanti, After Dark

The Ann Arbor News editorial board sure comes off as chickesh*t

NO endorsement for President? They endorsed George W. Bush twice so they're willing to endorse a seriously flawed candidate/president but they won't endorse McCain or Obama? WTF? Sounds like they we told by the Editor in Chief they were NOT to endorse Obama. Anybody think they showed INDEPENDENT thinking here? Anybody think the Editor in Chief has 'em by the ahem, short hairs? 

What a weasely way out. 


Sweet Home Ypsilanti

Our friend Charlie made a couple of big mistakes yesterday. First, he confessed to a fantasy of singing in a classic-rock cover band, which was bad enough. Then, he imagined a scenario in which the band would perform a version of Lynyrd Skynyrd’s “Sweet Home Alabama,” only it would be reinvented as an homage to our favorite city.

That’s when I made my mistake by taking up the challenge and offering the following verse to Sweet Home Ypsilanti:

    “Now the Elbow Room has got the hipsters
    And they can drink a Pabst or two
    Man, that indie rock is so loud
    Ain’t Cross Street Station but it’ll do
    ‘Til half past 2”


Okay, now it’s your turn. Extra credit for anything that includes references to the water tower, the EMU Hurons, the Chick Inn or the cow on top of the Carry Dairy.

Ready? Go.

You remember Frederick McKaney don't you? The man who was arrested for assault with a deadly chicken?

If you are a regular Ypsi City Desk reader, you may recall Frederick's McKaney's assault first with a fork, and later on his mother's neighbor, with frozen chicken. Well friends, the frozen chickens have come home to roost. He has been charged with one count of felonious assault. 

According to the Ann Arbor News, McKaney will be sentenced for it December 11th. He'll face four years in prison and a $2,000 fine. 

Monday, October 27, 2008

Late night open thread

The word "Checkmate" in chess comes from the Persian phrase "Shah Mat," which means, "the king is dead"

Time for Ypsilanti, After Dark

BREAKING NEWS: Is Tonight the Last Night for TC's Speakeasy?

No confirmation yet, but word on the street tonight is that it's the last night for TC's Speakeasy.

Don't know the details and don't know for sure that it's even true -- although our information comes from a very good source -- and we don't want to spread any rumours that turn out to be untrue. Okay ... I suppose you could make the case that that's exactly what we're doing right now. Fair enough. But until we know more we don't want to add to any innuendo that's already circulating on the street.

Suffice it to say that, if true, this is a shame for the local live music community. After years of being on the decline, TC's has recently undergone a renaissance of sorts, booking great, multi-act bills -- and actually paying musicians for their efforts -- and looking better than ever thanks to some cosmetic improvements.

(And don't tell the Sidetrack, but TC's serves - served? - the best damn cheeseburger in Washtenaw County! I know; I've tried them all ... )

The bulk of the credit for all these improvements goes to manager Christine, who clearly has had the big picture in her sights. If the rumors are true, all this is happening in spite of her hard work and vision.

So is it true? Is this the end of the road for TC's as we've known it? Time will tell. Stay tuned and we'll keep you posted as we hear more. And if you know something, please let us know.

Meanwhile, here are the Ragbirds, filmed live at TC's Speakeasy:

Sure, We Love to Poke Fun at Ann Arbor ... But This Is Too Cool Not To Share

One of the things that's always frustrated me about Ypsilanti is that it tends to see itself more in terms of how it relates to Ann Arbor than how it stands as its own, proud city. Honestly, is there another town that suffers as much of an inferiority complex as Ypsi does vis-a-vis it's big brother to the west?

Wait ... what was my point? It doesn't matter.

Wystan Stevens is Ann Arbor's unofficial historian and is a wealth of knowledge about anything and everything having to do with Washtenaw County's past. Check out his Flickr photos, which, if nothing else, show that student binge drinking has changed little over the past century or so.

A Shelby Township man was dressed up as a policeman a few days early. The problem is, so was his car...

OK, truck. It appears a Shelby Township feller was following his pal with lights and sirens flashing on his non-police vehicle, and pulled over to chide an unmarked Ann Arbor police car with REAL policemen in it for almost running into his friend. The undercover police said they were going to pull over his friend for blowing the light at Packard and Arch at 2:40am anyway. Police said the man swore when he realized he had pulled over real cops. Anybody wanna guess which two swear words that fit here he used? (Johnny's guessing the F one said real slowly)

Mr. Faux Cop was arrested (maybe so he could get to know how it feels to really slap the cuffs on someone) and will be appearing in court at a later date. We hope he'll be driving another car, without police amenities on it.

Here is the ONLY thread you'll get to promote YOUR candidate

So slander away! Tell us who you support and WHY you support them. Anything goes, rants, slime, promote and preach. Candidates and proposals are both fair game....

Sunday, October 26, 2008

Late night open thread

Johnny's got ya covered this upcoming week but then he's gonna put his feet up for a week. Gotta take a vacation once in a while or screaming at interns with John the Revelator becomes drudgery. Ypsi City Desk regulars will recall hearing about last year's lazy week in Folly Beach, SC. This year Johnny's going somewhere a tad bigger. Details to follow.

Time for Ypsilanti, After Dark

Sunday open thread

Snow tonight? Flurries tomorrow? It's not November 26th, it's October 26th. Ah well, you can talk weather or football or Halloween or whatever ya wanna today...

Late night open thread

Ahhh, Johnny is just rolling in from a fine outdoor bonfire party tonight. Something special about an upper midwest bonfire on a crisp autumnal evening. All is right with the world.

Time for Ypsilanti, After Dark

Saturday, October 25, 2008

Eastern Michigan Football GAMEDAY!!

Party pooper edition. Or, if you prefer 'turd in the punchbowl' edition, 'wet blanket' edition perhaps, all mean just one thing; Eastern has a chance to RUIN Ball State's perfect season and Top 20 ranking. Yes, it's a longshot, and Eastern doesn't have much of a history of pulling upsets BUT it's the fact they have a chance on Ball State's home field to gank up their season that makes us happy.

On paper Ball State should win. They average over 460 yards of offense a game (260 through the air and 200 rushing) they're balanced, they have a top flight triggerman in Junior Nate Davis. They have a running back in MiQuale Lewis who will most likely go over 1,000 yards on the season and he also has 13 rushing touchdowns. Lewis has scored a touchdown in every game this season but one.

There's no way Eastern's swiss cheese defense can stop this attack, right? That's why they play the game.

Eastern DID show some moxy in going down to Woodsy Owl country and upsetting Bowling Green at BG earlier this year. Despite a pathetic defensive effort against Akron they were in a position to win at the end but for a bad hop of a blocked field goal. Plus there is the fact that Eastern WILL be up for this game. They realize the chance to really make something out of an otherwise disappointing season. Beating a top 20 team could help the bumps and bruises heal after this season is gone. You always hear the weaker team after some level of upset say 'Nobody believed we could do it but US'. We hope Eastern still believes in themselves.

Noon kickoff from Muncie Indiana.

Look, everything says a Ball State rout and that may well end up being the case but picking a 40-14 would be easy. We hate easy.

Our call (Upset Special--Screw Ball State's ESPN love-fest)
Eastern Michigan 27
Ball State 24

Late night open thread

Tomorrow might just be a razor's edge game for Michigan. Win and Rich Rod buys time and goodwill as Michigan once again, even in a down year, beats MSU. Lose it, and suddenly MSU begins to look more and more appealing to recruits as Sparty builds a top notch Big Ten program. There is no debating Michigan State is on the right track for once, and even in a non-bowl year, Michigan needs a win tomorrow. More than pride is on the line tomorrow, the futures of these programs intersect.

No pressure or anything....

Time for Ypsilanti, After Dark

Friday, October 24, 2008

Friday night MULTIMEDIA EXTRAVAGANZA with HOWLIN' WOLF!

After John the Revelator's brilliant piece on Son House this week, Johnny wants this Friday to be Blues Friday! Let's kick it off with a man with a voice you cannot mistake, Howlin' Wolf. Wolf was one of the Rolling Stones biggest idols, and they insisted on having him on stage with them one night on an old show. While the MC wanted to talk to the Stones Brian Jones told him "I think it's about time you stopped talking and we had Howlin' Wolf out on stage'.

It's nice to see the kids show respect for their idols....

Here's Howlin' Wolf with 'How Many More Years'.

Friday night MULTIMEDIA EXTRAVAGANZA with MUDDY WATERS!

That's right YCD blues fans, no blues Friday night would be complete without Muddy Waters. And when Johnny thinks Muddy Waters he thinks 'Mannish Boy'.

Friday night MULTIMEDIA EXTRAVAGANZA with JOHN LEE HOOKER!

John Lee Hooker, Johnny's personal favorite bluesman. Made a very short appearance in the Blues Brothers he did. One of the Maxwell Street players.

Here's John Lee Hooker with his classic 'Boom Boom'

Saying hi to your musical idols can be fun!

Driving into Ann Arbor to work early this morning Johnny saw David Byrne's tour bus idling quietly on Washington where so many other touring coaches have parked before. So as he drove by at about 20 minutes of 7 Johnny tried playing his car horn to 'Burning Down the House'. No doubt Mr. Byrne was amused and probably recognized it.....

He's at the Michigan Theater tonight hep cats. Tickets still available...

Thursday, October 23, 2008

Late night open thread

If it's Thursday in Cool City, it must be Sifl and Olly night...


Time for Ypsilanti, After Dark

Finding Son House

Last weekend, my buddy Pat and I made one of our frequent treks to Detroit to seek out some or another landmark to the Motor City’s musical heritage. From jazz to blues to soul to rock ‘n’ roll, there’s such a rich and diverse history there that we never seem to run out of cool things to find.


But Sunday’s trip was extra special for me, because even though I’ve enjoyed listening to blues pioneer Son House for many years, it wasn’t until last week that I discovered he had lived his last 15 or so years in Detroit. A little Interwebs research revealed that he was buried on the city’s northwest side in the Mt. Hazel cemetery.

And so off we went early Sunday morning to pay tribute to the man who, among many other things during an 86-year-long lifetime, taught Robert Johnson how to play guitar and inspired the White Stripes to cover his seminal blues, “Death Letter.”

Mt. Hazel is definitely a funky old cemetery with plots dating back to the mid-19th century. It didn’t take us long to find Son House’s grave, as, some years after his passing, the Detroit Blues Society erected a granite headstone to mark his final resting place.

But it was a little eerie when we walked closer to the gravestone and discovered that we just happened to be visiting on the 20-year anniversary of the great singer’s death. Obviously, others had realized this before us, as there were some flowers on the grave and a couple stacks of quarters – presumably as tribute to his many years playing for tips on Mississippi street corners – aligned along the gravestone.

We spent a few moments quietly taking in the scene and snapping a few pictures. I left a guitar pick I happened to have in my pocket … and then we were on our way back to Ypsilanti.


But it got me thinking.

According to my friend Jeff Meier, Eddie James “Son” House Jr., plagued by Parkinson’s and Alzheimer’s diseases, spent his final years as a janitor at Wayne State University. This after touring the world as part of the so-called “folk revival” of the early 1960s that rediscovered him and his music after he had stopped playing for some 20-odd years.

I can’t stop thinking about our time there and how Son House is just one of countless others around Detroit, who made a life out of playing soulful, meaningful, important music, only to be all-but forgotten, even as others gain fame and fortune building on the foundation they built. It’s nice to know that there are some folks out there who care enough to stop by with some flowers or to leave some spare change in tribute to someone who gave a hell of a lot more to the world in his lifetime than he ever got back from it.

Light coverage again today, thanks to intern Zoltron

He HAD to fiddle with things, broke the waterline to our new hot tub, flooded the palacial offices, and now we have to wait for Coach's Carpet Care and Catastrophe Cleaning to show up.

Interns, they're just so silly....

Wednesday, October 22, 2008

Late night open thread

Odds and Ends night

A group of owls is called a parliament
A pregnant goldfish is called a twit
A peanut is neither a pea nor a nut
A ten gallon hat holds three quarters of a gallon
Ireland is the only place where windmills turn clockwise

Time for Ypsilanti, After Dark

YCD offices being renovated today, expect light reporting

As we here all decide where we want the new office hot tub....

Tuesday, October 21, 2008

Late night open thread

A bedtime date with Vince Clortho...


Time for Ypsilanti, After Dark

We'd like to COMMEND the officer who broke off a high speed pursuit this afternoon

A Michigan State Police trooper was chasing a suspect this afternoon on M-14 at speeds that approached 100 mph. The chase wound up in the Plymouth Road area when the trooper felt it was just too dangerous to keep after the suspect vehicle.

Well done.

It can't be easy for the trooper to make this decision. They WANT to catch the bad guy and somebody running from the cops at 100 mph is a bad guy. They want him off the street and so do we citizens. We also respect very much an officer with the judgement to call it all off on OUR behalf.

Ann Arbor and State Police are continuing to search around Pontiac Trail and Barton Drive.

Who is YOUR choice for President?

If you're for Obama, say so, if you prefer McCain, tell us. If you want Ralph Nader or Bob Barr speak up. If you want Hillary, speechify. Whomever you'd like to see as President, tell us in comments. We don't do national too often here so here's your chance. Of anybody available to be President, who is YOUR choice?

Fire at the U-M's Mary Markley Residence Hall displaces about 100 students

The Ann Arbor News has more but a fire on the sixth floor, room 6215 to be specific, caused enough water and smoke and fire damage that about 100 students have been told they cannot return to their rooms at this time.

Get those plants inside, growing season ends tonight

Weatherman's calling for temps to drop all the way down to 27º tonight. That'll put a quick end to anything you have outside. Bring in any plants you still want around by the weekend.

Monday, October 20, 2008

Late night open thread

"Fashion is a form of ugliness so intolerable that we have to alter it every six months."
--Oscar Wilde

Time for Ypsilanti, After Dark

Ya know, it's almost Halloween...

How about a ghost story?

Emily's Bridge, Stowe Vermont (Yeah, Johnny's been to Emily's Bridge)

"...The most popular story of Emily's death starts with her angry parents forbidding her to marry the man of her dreams. In a fit of rage and sadness, she ran away with her lover with plans to elope. That night they were to meet at the Gold Brook Bridge and begin the first night of their lives together. Emily arrived at the bridge early, but her soul mate would not arrive. As the hour of their meeting came and left, Emily gave up hope and at the peak of her sadness, anger and depression, she took her life. Emily hung herself from a beam within the bridge in the dead of night.

Since this terrible day, the bridge has been haunted with what is rumored to be the anger ghost of Emily. Some events at the bridge that have been connected with her include the scratching of passing horse drawn carriages, and later cars, with invisible claws in day or night. Also, a woman's voice is heard in the bridge, along with ghostly figures and strange lights..."

A huge moment at YCD, John the Revelator joins the staff!!

That's right hep cats, Johnny has added a voice to the Ypsi City Desk, John the Revelator. He's gonna help make this here site even better. Treat him as you would Johnny....

Poor interns Zoltron and Kiki, playing second fiddle again....

Welcome John the Revelator!

Hey kids, don't forget to make a pledge to WEMU, a local JEWEL of a station

Johnny was up early this morning listening to our mayor, Paul Schreiber and Ann Arbor DDA Executive Director Susan Pollay helping out with WEMU's pledge drive and was HAPPY to make a pledge himself. WEMU is quite frankly THE BEST radio station around. News, local news, hep music you won't hear anywhere else, and EMU sports. It really is OUR responsibility to make sure OUR station gets the financial love it deserves.

This station NEVER disappoints like many things in life can do.

Pledge whatever you can. You're not a better or worse citizen if you give 5 or 50 clams. Just help 'em out, they really deserve our cash love.

487-8936

And thanks Mayor Schreiber and Susan Pollay for your time!

Sunday, October 19, 2008

Late night open thread

If today is your birthday you share it with Chuck Berry, Martina Navratilova, Mike Ditka and master thespian Jean Claude Van Damme.

Time for Ypsilanti, After Dark

Hey, let's start out Sunday with some groovy tunes

The Ypsitucky Colonels have some new stuff up on their site and if just click HERE you'll get the autoplay (meaning just click and sit back and listen) of the Colonels performing 'Heart of the Matter'.

Like fruits and vegetables, local music is always better. This neither implies the the Colonels are fruits or vegetables. After 'Heart of the Matter', turn up the speakers and blast 'Marie Marie'....

If you have a local band and want some YCD love, leave us a note here. Tell us in comments where you're playing and where we can find you online!

Late night open thread

It's hockey night in Ypsilanti, hell it's hockey night everywhere, so hockey it is in tonight's cavalcade o' hockey fun...


Time for Ypsilanti, After Dark

Saturday, October 18, 2008

Eastern Michigan Football GAMEDAY

It's Band Day at Rynearson Stadium today. 10 local bands will take part in a special pre-game and halftime show. So you get that entertainment PLUS you get to watch Eastern Michigan take on the Zips of Akron. Akron comes into the game at 3-4 overall and 1-2 in the MAC East. EMU is 2-5 overall and 1-2 in the MAC West.

Akron has a very adept offensive squad which will certainly challenge Eastern's less than stellar defense. Chris Jacquemain runs the show for Akron BUT he'll throw interceptions, oh will he throw interceptions. If Eastern can contain the Akron ground game, maybe get a lead and force Jacquemain to throw, the EMU side will have a much better chance. Eastern's offense had been clicking until last week's effort against Army. Akron will give up points so if EMU can establish a solid running game and work the passing game off of that, again, they'd have an advantage.

The season is growing late and the expected improvement in Jeff Genyk's team has yet to appear. A win against Army sure would have helped. After today EMU has but four games left to really show the program is on the right track. Trouble is 3 of the last 4 games are against teams vying for a MAC West title, and one, Ball State who is ranked in the top 25. Today could (and we think should) be played as Genyk's last stand.

We hope Eastern Michigan is ready to go to the wall to beat Akron. For today we'll trust they are.

Our call:
Eastern Michigan 23
Akron 21

Friday, October 17, 2008

Late night open thread

Time for Ypsilanti, After Dark

Friday night MULTIMEDIA EXTRAVAGANZA with THE FOUR TOPS!

Sadly, The Four Tops front man Levi Stubbs passed today. His powerful, strong and heartfelt voice was always a draw to their brilliant music. He made every song he sang better. He brought something to songs that not every singer can. A sense of urgency, a sense of 'you'd better be listening as THIS is important', as sense of ownership of the song. So many songs by the Four Tops are such staples of American music.

Here are The Four Tops with 'Reach Out, I'll be There'. Godspeed Levi, you leave here having made people happy.

Friday night MULTIMEDIA EXTRAVAGANZA with LITTLE RICHARD!

The man from Macon Georgia, luckily still with us. Colonel Will said he reviewed a show by Little Richard earlier this year and but for the longer time it take him to get to the piano stool, he still rips it up. This is energy. This is hot. This is rock and roll.

Little Richard with 'Lucille' from 1956

Friday night MULTIMEDIA EXTRAVAGANZA with THE CARS!

Johnny remembers listening to The Cars back in high school at good old Brandon High, in 'The Hawks Nest', the school store to get his Starburst candy before class. That first album was a monster of it's day. Johnny just did some checking and it's really been 8 years now since the lead singer on this track, Benjamin Orr, passed away. After hearing that the lead man of The Four Tops, Mr. Levi Stubbs passed away today, Johnny was feeling sadly nostalgic.

Here at The Cars from 1978 with 'Bye Bye Love'.

A friend in need is the one who didn't fall off the roof

Reports from Ann Arbor's fraternity row, specifically the Alpha Chi Sigma house, say a man was transported to the University of Michigan Medical Center after falling from the roof while looking for a friend's shoes. Yes, shoes. The shoes were on the roof so a 23 year old frat alum went all Batman and tried to rescue the shoes before he went all Wile E. Coyote and hit the ground below. Witnesses said the gentleman who fell was alert and talking when the ambulance arrived.

Strange, something Johnny's mother used to ask him when he'd do something stupid just came flashing back. Something about friends and jumping off the roof....

Now here's a creepy Halloween type mystery, courtesy of the Ann Arbor News

Headstones used as walkway steps? How could this happen? Was it nefariously made? Were gravestones stolen? From where?

Some, but not all these mysteries will be answered HERE

Dear candidates, don't just throw your pamphlets and flyers on my front porch

Especially YOU Mike Eller. Johnny came home yesterday to see a few Mike Eller flyers/pamphlets just tossed on his porch and one had blown down into the yard. Unless you want me to send Mongo over to your place of business on Washington Street, Populist Cleaning Company (oh the irony eh, cleaning company making a mess), to discuss this litter issue, wise up. It's not JUST Mike Eller, there have been others, but none so sloppy about it. If it wasn't you, instruct your campaign staff not to just toss flyers on porches. This is the third time the Eller campaign has paper bombed Johnny's porch

This goes for any candidate, try being respectful of voters property.

Johnny Action Space Punk approved this message.

Thursday, October 16, 2008

Late night open thread

What's the largest state east of the Mississippi River?

Answer HERE

Time for Ypsilanti, After Dark

Space, the final frontier.....or something

Johnny chanced across an amazing image of the planet Saturn from the Cassini spacecraft he's gonna share. This is an image from directly underneath Saturn looking straight up. Click the image for a much larger look.

God bless NASA...

U-M DPS investigating some athlete on athlete violence in Tree City

Sounds to us reading the Detroit Free Press and listening to local reports, that former U-M wrestler and current walk on football player Mike Milano assaulted and took a real pound of flesh off of Michigan hockey defenseman Steve Kampfer this past weekend on Church Street in Ann Arbor.

Kampfer suffered a fractured skull and a fractured neck in the alleged assault. Kampfer is most likely also done playing hockey this season because of his injuries.

This is really a sad state of affairs.

What gets into people's heads?

So, Johnny is gassing up at the BP on Washtenaw

Yeah, the one just up the way from Dom's and he swipes his card, pushes 87 grade, grabs the pump handle slides it into his tank and FOUR CENTS runs on the total. Johnny, friends, DID NOT touch, nor bump nor squeeze the trigger, he WATCHED four cents run up on the pump (Pump #1 for those scoring at home).

We're not saying the owners are crooked, we are saying that pump needs recalibrated BADLY. Four cents just adding itself to the total. Amazing. The extra four cents wasn't worth going in to claim it, or it would have been if Johnny didn't have a venue such as the YCD to rant on.

Things to think on before your next fill up...

If you've been a victim of profiteering at the pump let us know

Wednesday, October 15, 2008

Late night open thread

Tonight, a few good minutes with Steven Wright


Time for Ypsilanti, After Dark

How badly does your home or office need automatic toilet flushers?

Last night, ALL the automatic toilet flushers in the men's rooms of Strong Hall at EMU were stolen. You read that right, the automatic toilet flushers were unbolted, and stolen. Somebody decided they needed them so badly, they risked being caught unbolting toilet flushers.

So, uh, why? Is someplace now enjoying new, free toilet flushers? Would this go unnoticed at their new home? "Ya know, I used to hate using the restrooms at Initech, but now with these new automatic flush doohickeys, I'm more productive and enjoy my time in here more".

Yikes...

All hail EMU Cross Country runner R.P. White, MAC runner of the Week

R.P. White, a senior out of Hillsdale was named the Mid American Conference runner of the week. White ran 25:57 on the 8,000-meter course. 8,000 meters? Jeebus, Johnny's be dead trying such feats of endurance. Well done Mr White, the University community congratulates you!

Tuesday, October 14, 2008

Late night open thread

What was your favorite Halloween costume growing up?

Time for Ypsilanti, After Dark

Minor league baseball coming to Ypsilanti in 2009!

That's right, not Ann Arbor, Ypsilanti. The 'Midwest Sliders of Ypsilanti' (the baseball team formerly known as Prince) will begin play next year at their home field, EMU's Oestrike Stadium. The Sliders will play in the Frontier League. Now, before you go too nuts, this is only a one year deal. The team is having a stadium built for them in Waterford and will be renamed in 2010 'The Oakland County Cruisers'.

More information about ticket plans, schedules and prices is available HERE.

So, for one year anyhoo, Go Sliders....On a side note, don't forget the REAL home team at Oestrike, Eastern Michigan, is pretty damned good, winning two consecutive MAC West regular season and MAC tournament titles.

BREAKING NEWS--Oakwood Street closed by EMU campus, accident involving bike

The YCD just got a tip that a cyclist was hit by a car this morning near or in the Oakwood/Washtenaw intersection. Police are on the scene. No report yet as to the condition of the bicyclist.

Let's be careful people, keep an eye out for cyclists and you too cyclists, a red light means you stop, NOT proceed through the lights or stop signs just because you're on a bike and it's not motorized. Pardon the bad play on words but it's a two way street....

Lucinda WIlliams at the Michigan Theater tonight

Hey, you, bored people who love good music. Git yet lazy butts over to the Michigan Theater tonight and catch alt-country, alt-cool musician and songwriter Lucinda Williams. The show is at 7:30 so you'll have plenty of time to go home after and take the trash out or study for a Wednesday quiz. 35$ for some damned fine entertainment.

Sample this, Lucinda WIlliams with her song 'Passionate Kisses'

Monday, October 13, 2008

Late night open thread

Last chance for Johnny's Browns to make anything of their season tonight. This point is where hope meets reality. Maybe the Giants got some bad shellfish for dinner.

Time for Ypsilanti, After Dark

Monday open thread

Talk about anything, weekend football, your costume plans for Halloween, or your bobbing for apples prowess...

Sunday, October 12, 2008

Late night open thread

Did you know then, the first toilet ever shown on TeeVee was on Leave it to Beaver

Time for Ypsilanti, After Dark

Sunday open thread

We're sure not going to spend today rehashing yesterday's god-awful EMU and U-M football games. You can feel free to do so, but we're going outside to play today. Mom's kicking us out of the house and off the computer and making us go outside.

Late night open thread

We really feel Eastern blew a great opportunity today. A game they should have won.

Time for Ypsilanti, After Dark

Saturday, October 11, 2008

Anybody think you can get a table at Tony Packo's tonight?

Us either. OK, talk about it. Maybe it's a pass the whole first year. Maybe this was a little more upsetting.

Eastern Michigan Football GAMEDAY

In 20 short minutes EMU will kickoff with the Black Knights on the Hudson. Neither team is going great guns (Army joke there) and both are coming off victories. EMU has 2 wins, Army has 1. This is the kind of razor's edge for Eastern games. If they win, they'll have finally beaten a name program outside the MAC. Something to build on. A 2 game winning streak at this point in the season would do wonders. Truthfully this game could go either way. Army is at home but EMU has some confidence.

Hows this for hedging

Army 20
Eastern Michigan 20

Flip a coin in OT

Late night open thread

EMU vs Army tomorrow, if anybody wanders into the YCD offices before 1pm we'll give you a game preview.

Aaaaaaarrrrrmmmmmyyyy football, sir

Time for Ypsilanti, After Dark

Friday, October 10, 2008

Friday night MULTIMEDIA EXTRAVAGANZA with BELLY!

Yes. it's ladies night tonight here in The Orbit Room of the YCD offices. Here's a tip, never go to the Youtube and just punch in the search term 'belly', yeah you don't wanna do that. Johnny wanted to make sure to get the delicious and talented Tanya Donnelly involved in our Friday night music series. When it's night in the shoot, and she's in that leather jacket, hooo man. Johnny would go up and talk to her but she was busy feeding the tree and all, you know how it is, one doesn't wanna be pushy.

Belly with 'Feed the Tree'

Friday night MULTIMEDIA EXTRAVAGANZA with KATE BUSH!

Here's one from a while back that still sounds pretty darned good. As we continue ladies night, here's Kate Bush from her release 'The Hounds of Love' with 'The Big Sky'. It's funny watching this video we see no hounds but we do see some incredible binoculars that one could peer through and make the case that you could see Russia with them.....yes, from your house.

Friday night MULTIMEDIA EXTRAVAGANZA with LINDA RONSTADT!

Wish they all could be California Girls! Here's one of the biggest sex symbols, with an amazingly powerful voice, of the 1970's. After leaving the Stone Poneys, Linda toured with Jackson Browne, The Doors, and Neil Young. After her album 'Heart Like a Wheel' made her a star there was no stopping her. She has charted 38 Billboard Hot 100 singles, 21 of which have reached the top 40, 10 of which have reached the top 10, three peaking at No. 2, and the No. 1 hit, "You're No Good".

Speaking of which, here's Linda Ronstadt with 'You're No Good'

Oh look, Studio 4 back in the news

The disgraceful tawdry bar also known as Studio 4 needed a police visit last night as a woman said she was struck in the head with a bottle by a woman she knew. Police are still seeking the bottle basher.

What a classy joint that Studio 4 is....

Ya think?

This caught Johnny's eye today. Some people are really not that bright. Remember, Chicago police SUSPECT homicide, but will need to wait for the autopsy:

Woman found in park likely slain: cops

October 10, 2008
The body of a woman was found in a Southwest Side park Thursday morning, and Chicago Police detectives said they think she was the victim of a homicide.

The woman, described as Caucasian and in her 30s, was found about 10 a.m. near the lagoon in Marquette Park at 3015 Mann Dr. She was unclothed from the waist down and a belt was tied around her neck, authorities said.

An autopsy is scheduled for today.


Quote Charlie Brown--"Oh good grief"

Our mayor, Paul Schreiber quoted in today's Washington Post

Discussing the downturn in manufacturing and auto jobs, the Washington Post interviewed our mayor. Now we're not gonna give it away here, but we will direct you to the (rather depressing--but what can ya do it's reality) story.

Look for Mayor Schreiber's quotes HERE

Boy Howdy, make those weekend plans NOW, brilliant October weather is afoot

Today will be 70º and sunny, how can it get any better? Try 74º and sunny tomorrow OR try 80º and sunny on Sunday. Yep, go get those pumpkins, rake the yard, have a BBQ, or do anything you can to get outside. We doubt this weekend will repeat itself anymore this year.

Thursday, October 9, 2008

Late night open thread

In these lean economic times, there are those seeking to prey on unsuspecting victims to pay their own bills. Some are using ATM card readers you may not see called 'skimmers' at self serve gas pumps. They collect PIN and number information as you pay for gas. A good read HERE tonight to try to keep your resources safe from jagoffs who steal info and then your money.

Time for Ypsilanti, After Dark

Father who was tasered must stand trial

For what sounds like an INEPT, and we'll say that again so our position is clear, INEPT Washtenaw County Sheriff Deputy Katrina Bourdeau. First reports were she felt threatened because of her diminutive size by the larger Lloyd Brumbaugh, who refused to give his own child back to the officer investigating (key word here, investigating, not deciding) after several calls from a park about lost children who belonged to Lloyd Brumbaugh and his wife. So, in previous comments Bourdeau admitted saying she wasn't up to the challenge size wise and decided to use her taser after first holstering it because the child was present. At one point she said she grabbed Brumbaugh's arm to try to restrain him but said she was dragged along after he decided to leave. She told him to get to the ground and he did, by Bourdeau's own admission get on his knees.

After handing the child over he stood, she then tasered him.

This is where her ineptitude becomes complete. When getting ready to put the cuffs on the tasered man, she HANDED HER TASER TO A BYSTANDER AND TOLD THEM TO USE IT IF HE MOVED. Are we serious? Handed her taser, her frontline weapon to a bystander? What if this person handed the taser didn't want to play cop? You better believe they would be brought up on charges right now for whatever the Washtenaw County Sheriff Department could think of. What if they didn't wanna taser a fellow citizen? Who is she to give her weapon away? Is this policy?

Look if you cannot handle the situation because of your size, maybe police work isn't for you. These are life and death situations we're talking about and NOW we talk about her not being able to handle the situation to the point she's handing weapons out to protect her? Sorry. Bzzzzzt, wrong. What kind of background check did she use before handing over her weapon? NONE. It sounds like panic with a weapon. We already have serious issues with the WCS department as they quite unnecessarily shot up Johnny's neighborhood a while back. Stay bullets into houses unnecessary. Drug busts in public areas issues. This is just another shining example.

This is NOT about Deputy Boudreau JUST being a woman. However police work is a physical job at times. Should Lloyd Brumbaugh face charges because he touched a Deputy ? You bet he should. Should Katrina Bourdeau still be a deputy? No, we don't think so. Not if this is indicative of her decision making in a crisis.

Have at it....

Thursday morning open thread

Tell us what's bugging you

Wednesday, October 8, 2008

Late night open thread

Only one state in the US of A makes it illegal to carry ice cream in your back pocket. You've got a 1 in 50 chance. Answer HERE

Time for Ypsilanti, After Dark

What a crap day, let's have some fun...

THE pinnacle of Marx Brothers scenes for Johnny's money. And who doesn't love tutsi frutsi ice cream?

The things we do to keep you entertained....

Hey, Johnny found a cool diary reading the Daily Kos this morning and somebody named 'Eclectablog' has a supremely cool panoramic image of the Bruce Springsteen show for Obama at Oestrike Stadium Monday. You can check it out HERE. It's a complete 360º view with sound. Very well done.

A YCD tip of the cap to 'Eclectablog'...

No more raking your leaves into the streets Ypsilanti, City Council sez so

Since there was only one leaf pickup last year, the leaves in the street started plugging sewers and attracting what City Manager Ed Koryzno said to the nice radio man, 'vermin'. We think Ed meant mice, rats and other short furry rodents and not kids from say Canton.

No more leaves in the street, you can and will be fined. Same goes for limbs and twigs of unapproved sizes next to the street.

Homer says:



"Just burn them in a big barrel but first soak it with gas so you get the big BOOM, adding fun to a tedious fall chore."

Tuesday, October 7, 2008

Late night open thread

For 50 points and a trip to Belleville, name tonight's Cash Call Mystery Movie image



Time for Ypsilanti, After Dark

It's the little things Johnny notices

Being an online sleuth and avid cold case researcher sometimes means he picks up on things or mannerisms others may miss. Today driving home coming down Emmet St., he noticed John Norman Collins' old abode is now a sorority house. Where once evil and anger towards women lived, now a far more upbeat and positive view of women now resides.

And that's a good thing...

A cigarette ad from yore you all might get a kick out of

The New York Times ran a story on old cigarette ads and just whom enjoyed these delicious treats. Here was one we wanted to share with you.

"Hi, I'm Santa Claus, and I smoke Pall Mall because after a hard day in the toy factory, I like to unwind by means other than kicking elves..."

Sounds like Pfizer wants to kick Ann Arbor in the family jewels before they slunk outta town

So, not only is Pfizer pulling up ties to Ann Arbor and slunking outta town, but NOW they're sniveling that the property they own isn't worth what it's assessed at they're crying they need a reduction. Pooooor babies. "Oh, we only wanna pay half of what we owe so we'll go to court".

Guess what, you don't work or live here anymore. You did what you said you had to do, now sack up and pay the bills you owe. If the crybabies at Pfizer are successful, not only will they have cost the city all those jobs, and the major hit to the city's tax base, but it would immediately cost Ann Arbor 2 million dollars in lost tax revenue.

What class Pfizer is showing on their way out of town.

11,000 at the Springsteen concert at Oestrike Stadium yesterday

Was anybody there? How was it? Share with us man, be groovy...

Monday, October 6, 2008

Late night open thread

Things are getting waaaay too serious out there, time to call in Pee Wee Herman


Time for Ypsilanti, After Dark

Howz about a little Bruce primer for this afternoon

Bruce Springsteen with 'No Surrender' which we understand is on his set list for later this afternoon at Oestrike Stadium...

Big apartment complex kerfuffle tonight in old Ann Arbor Towne

Yes city government watchers, there will be a big old battle tonight over the unnecessary, poorly planned, and hideously placed proposed 25 story student housing complex at 601 Forest.

You know where this site stands on it, the question here is who REALLY runs Ann Arbor, the citizens and the city government or the developers. Developer Dan Ketelaar, who lives WAY UP in the Leelanau peninsula, or about 4 hours from where this mess would be built says he'll stomp his feet, pee his pants and sue the city if he doesn't get his way (no mention of what order that would happen). When the Ann Arbor News tried to contact Ketelaar for a comment, he wouldn't return calls.

Look if the entire city doesn't turn out for this meeting to try to stop this abortion, they'll regret it for decades. You thought Washtenaw Avenue was a zoo around University before? Just wait.

The city council meeting is tonight and you'd better stand up for yourselves Ann Arbor residents....

Sunday, October 5, 2008

Late night open thread

The Detroit Shock DID win the WNBA championship at EMU's Athletic and Convocation Center this evening so a tip of the cap to them. Bruce Springsteen a couple hundred yards away at Oestrike Stadium tomorrow in the entertainment capital of Southeast Michigan, the Eastern Michigan University Athletic complex.

Time for Ypsilanti, After Dark

Ruh Ro--guess the AP didn't get the memo or they have an old EMU grad writing copy

See for yourself...

"Jones led the Hurons (2-4, 1-2) with 60 yards on 13 carries and also had four catches for 61 yards. Dwayne Priest ran for a 12-yard score and Terrence Blevins added another TD on a 1-yard plunge for Eastern, which had 410 yards of total offense. Schmitt completed 21-of-29 passes for 253 yards."

Saturday, October 4, 2008

Late night open thread

Frost on the pumpkin tonight

Time for Ypsilanti, After Dark

Johnny's big ass dinner of braised crow; Eastern Michigan 24-Bowling Green 21




Mmmmmmm, nom nom nom, soooo nourishing. Mmmm, crow.

Well kids, lets set the scene. Eastern is down 21-17 with less than two minutes to play with a first down on their own 22. Anyone following EMU football for any amount of time knows this is normally a fatal affliction. Enter Andy Schmitt. Schmitt led Eastern on one of the best drives in school history.

3 yard pass to Jacory Stone
15 yard pass to Jacory Stone
16 yard pass to Marvon Sanders
Andy Schmitt ran for 5 yards
22 yard pass to Josh LeDuc
16 yard pass to Tyler Jones---YAHTZEE

36 seconds left but BG could only get to Eastern's 35 and it was OVER.

Game ball Andy Schmitt who went 21 for 29 for 253 and the winning score. Schmitt also ran for 22. Eastern ran well behind a huge effort from the offensive line and 60 yards by Tyler Jones and 45 by Dwayne Priest. Jacory Stone had 6 grabs for 81 yards.

The 9 game Bowling Green winning streak vs EMU just died alongside I-75 outside of the Bowling Green exit

Go Green, EMU is 2-4 overall and 1-2 in the MAC West. They're at Army next weekend.

The Detroit Shock could win the WNBA title tomorrow and the game is at Eastern's ACC

That's right hoops fans, tomorrow's game three of the WNBA Finals between the Detroit Shock and the San Antonio Silver Stars will be tomorrow at 4:30 at the Athletic and Convocation Center on the campus of Eastern Michigan University. If the Shock, coached by former Piston Bill Laimbeer win, it's title time for them. The Palace of Auburn Hills is booked for another event, so Ypsilanti it is!

The Shock on Sunday at the ACC and Bruce Springsteen Monday at Oestrike Stadium, Eastern will be HOPPING for the next couple days.

Bright spot, the EMU women's Futbol squad is rolling along

Futbol, you know the OTHER football. Sometimes you Yanks call it soccer. Either or, the Eastern Michigan women's futbol team is kicking ass and taking names. They put the smack down on the Kalamazoo Crew yesterday 2-0 at Scicluna Field (yes that is EMU's home pitch). With the 2-0 win over Western, Eastern is now sporting a sharp 7-3-2 (2-1-0 MAC) record. Carissa Wilson and Ashley Rodrigues had marks for Eastern and lets see, yep, nobody scored for Western, which means EMU goalkeeper Monique Budani records the shutout.

Eastern is home again this upcoming Monday at 1 pm vs Northern Illinois.

GO EMU, go go EMU EMU

EMU football Gameday

Oh God, not Bowling Green. Lets check the schedule again real quick to be sure........Yep, it BG down in Bowling Green (even though their color is burnt orange). Eastern Michigan has lost the last NINE times to BG. EMU isn't playing well. Could it be a decade of futility today? In fact BG has had our number so long we can only remember one HUGE win over them in 1987 that cinched the MAC title and sent us on our way to the California Bowl.

Last week Eastern couldn't stop the pass nor the run, and couldn't move the ball. BG is better at the skill positions than Eastern so you tell us. The 4pm kickoff would have let us ponder the ins and outs of this game breaking it down into a case by case basis as to why Eastern has a chance. Yeah any given Saturday and all that and we'd love to eat our words but it doesn't look promising.

We'll call it:

BG 31
EMU 17

We HOPE we're wrong. Let's not let this losing streak to the Woodsy Owls reach

Late night open thread

Boy seeing your breath on a damned cool night lets you know you're alive.

Time for Ypsilanti, After Dark

Friday, October 3, 2008

Friday night MULTIMEDIA EXTRAVAGANZA with PUBLIC ENEMY!

Yeeeaaaahhh Boyyyyyyyyyyyyyy

How about a brilliant piece of music where it intersects with society and actually says something other than I have lots of money, look at me I'm tough. Johnny dislikes narcissistic rappers. He likes rappers who remember they weren't always blessed with music channels and radio airplay. Guys (and gals) who had to fight their way into the public mind by having better music and lyrics than anybody else, ANYBODY else. Flavor Flav's TeeVee show today? What's WRONG with music. 'Fight the Power' is what's RIGHT with music.

Now, this is the uncut version, bad language can be found so if the kids are around, maybe not. Chuck D, Flavor Flav, Professor Griff and Pubic Enemy with 'Fight the Power' (we still ADORE the use of this song at the beginning of Do the Right Thing as Rosie Perez dances and shadowboxes).

Friday night MULTIMEDIA EXTRAVAGANZA with ROCKPILE!

Nick Lowe and Dave Edmunds in the same band, yep. Lots of people know of Dave Edmunds and Nick Lowe's music by itself but they did have a band known as Rockpile. A pretty flippin' awesome band. Here's Rockpile from the old TeeVee show Friday's from December 19, 1980 with 'Teacher Teacher'.

Friday night MULTIMEDIA EXTRAVAGANZA with PATSY CLINE!

Ah yes, the sweetest voice of all time. That is a pretty good debate to have, who is in Patsy's class as the creme de la creme of voices. k.d. Lang, Leeann Rimes, Annie Lennox and whomever you wanna tell us about. Here at the YCD offices we tossed around Aretha Franklin, Neko Case (and Kelly Hogan), Pat Benatar, Ann Wilson but for whatever reason they just didn't fit that Patsy mold. Here's Patsy Cline with the delicious 'Walkin' After Midnight'

Apparently Saline wants to RANDOMLY test students for drugs and alcohol at school events

Yeah, as in, hey you, come over here and pee for us.

WTF?! So you're sitting in the stands watching Saline high school play football and somebody on the 'gestapo school spirit squad' points up and says "Hey you, yeah, we're gonna need a urine sample". No need for suspicion of drinking or drugs, just random. Like when they pulled Al Gore out of an airplane line and made him strip in case he was carrying a bomb.

Go to a dance--pee in a cup
Go to a basketball game--pee in a cup
Go to a band recital--pee in a cup

What an excellent way to cut down on attendance at such events and force students back into somebody's basement or god forbid somebody's vehicle to drink or smoke some weed. Seems to us the recent problems with drinking have been the attitude and reaction of PARENTS in Saline, none of whom when contacted by the Saline po-po would cooperate with a drinking on school grounds investigation.

This idea is frightening.

Environmental nightmare landlord David Kircher is off to jail, and he's earned it

Slumlord/scumlord/horrible landlord David Kircher is today serving the first day of his 5 year sentence for dumping 100,000 gallons of raw sewage into a drain that leads to the Huron River. Nice. Kircher was dumping the raw sewage from the Eastern Highlands apartments off of LeForge Road directly into the Huron River. Lots of people like to fish and canoe in the Huron River so more than just the residents of Ypsilanti were affected by Kircher's disgusting actions.

Kircher, for the uninformed or newcomers to Ypsilanti, has racked up over 1000 building and fire code violations in his lengthy time as an Ypsilanti landlord.

Nobody deserves time in the clink like this asshole, trust us.

Thursday, October 2, 2008

Late night open thread

The kind of cold wet windy rainy night in Cool City that makes Fiji so popular...

Time for Ypsilanti, After Dark

Springsteen at Oestrike update

According to the Ann Arbor News some tickets (which are free) will be distributed at Obama campaign offices. Also the concert is expected to be 30-40 minutes long.

Gates open at 3, show at 4:30

Personally we see no reason for anybody from U-M or Ann Arbor to come to this since they wouldn't be caught dead next to Ypsilanti, Eastern Michigan or Rynearson Stadium for this spring's U-M graduation. I mean here's your chance to back up your snotty words with actions, U-M supporters. If it wasn't good enough for you then, well, you get the idea....


Update #2

As well as tickets being available at Obama offices, tickets will be given out on a first-come, first-served basis this FRIDAY. EMU students can obtain one ticket by showing a valid university ID. EMU ticket offices are located across campus; the general public should use the location at the EMU Convocation Center, which will be open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

--A2 News

Some guy named Bruce Springsteen will be at Eastern Michigan's Oestrike Stadium on Monday--FOR FREE!

We don't know who this guy is, apparently he's in the music industry but he'll be performing a FREE concert for Presidential candidate Barack Obama. The gates are open at 3 pm and the performance (acoustic performance) will begin at 4:30ish. Now, before you run over there now, no ticket info has been announced. Yeah, it's free, but you'll need some kind of wristband or ticket we're guessing. This will PROBABLY be the best singing done in Oestrike Stadium since Johnny had the 7th inning stretch gig back in the early 90's.

Huh, guess the Boss had no use for Ann Arbor. Must not like hippes we suppose.
"tramps like us, baby we were born to play hacky sack and eat hippie hash at the Fleetwood...."


Ypsi is far more Bruce-y than Tree City anyhoo

Wednesday, October 1, 2008

Late night open thread

Happy 58th birthday Randy Quaid.


Time for Ypsilanti, After Dark

Yes Virginia, they are having a Willow Run recall election

Washtenaw County Board of Election Commissioners voted 2-1 to allow the recall election of board President Claudette Braxton, Andy Blakita and Clifford Smith. No date has been set for the recall election date.

According to the Ann Arbor News:

"Election commissioners Darlene O'Brien, who is chief Probate Judge, and Larry Kestenbaum, the Washtenaw County Clerk, voted in favor of the language. Election Commissioner Catherine McClary, who is Washtenaw County treasurer, voted against the proposal."

The Ypsi City Desk proudly casts it's one vote for the new class at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame for...

Wanda Jackson. Yes the Stooges are up, but we cast ours for Wanda. Let the fight begin....

That's no lady, that's a bankrobber!

We're all for equal pay for equal work here at the YCD, just ask intern Kiki who makes as little as intern Zoltron, but here's a woman who made a big score at the Ann Arbor TCF bank Tuesday by robbing the joint. The TCF at the corner of Stadium and Pauline was her withdrawal choice yesterday around 9:30 am where she presented a note but no weapon was seen.

Police describe her as 5-7" with blonde to light brown hair and a pink baseball cap (which if she were smart she'd be disposing of after reading the YCD). If you have information on the woman in this picture please call 734-996-3199.