Check out the rest of the MI-Blogosphere:
Cathleen has a fantastic write-up on the web presence of the Michigan Democratic Party. C'mon guys: get it together!
Cordelia Lear is on fire via Michigan Liberal.
Congressman Mike Walberg, Republican of Michigan is fighting for a nationalized "flat tax." Way to go, sparky. Mmmhmm....
She also debunks the MSM meme about Levin supporting troop increases in Iraq. Don't let the media fool you into thinking our senior senator is a Benedict Arnold. Cordelia offers the skinny with some thought-provoking insight.
Zach over at Pohlitics watches the baby steps of Michigan's new laws for umbilical cord blood stem cell banks.
The Republic of M wants you to know about "Safe Schools Lobby Day" at the Capitol on March 28th. Show your support for anti-bullying legislation!
1.07.2007
Hancock, MI: Local Man Pays $171 in Library Late Fees
This is just funny. A man paid $171.32 in late fees for a book that is 47 years past due in Hancock, MI.
Ha! 47 years. Talk about "bad credit." Now I'm wondering about his AT&T bill. ;)
Ha! 47 years. Talk about "bad credit." Now I'm wondering about his AT&T bill. ;)
1.05.2007
Deeper and Deeper and Further She Goes.
Michigan House Rep. John Stahl's very own 101st Fightin' Keyboardist thinks that the best way to get out of a hole is to dig deeper.
Luckily for her, she had a very special defense for her very special comments:
Amazon.com = smoking break = accusing the left blogosphere that abortion is a secret plan to commit genocide of African Americans, and harrassing Michigan citizens for their political beliefs. Got it.
At least we can take a big sigh of relief that Jamie Hope is "fighting for her beliefs" on our dime rather than committing the evil crime of taking a cigarette break. Or supporting Michigan business at a local coffee shop. Beaner's is a Lansing, Michigan headquartered and founded business, you know.
... And people wondered why Gov. Granholm and the Republican State Legislature weren't BFF in her first term.
Check it all out via LLP.
So for Jamie Hope, I doth offer this song to her in tribute:
Madonna: "Deeper and Deeper"
Luckily for her, she had a very special defense for her very special comments:
Secondly, if you want to talk about what I was doing on my computer at work why don't you drive down by the House Office Building and see your fellow liberals taking multiple smoke breaks and hanging out at beaners.
[...]
Or check Jenny G's administration to see how many of them take smoke breaks everyday or get on their computer to do a little shopping. At least what I am doing on my computer is fighting for mine and other constituent beliefs and laying to rest whatever misinformation they may receive from visiting your web site, thus that is part of my job.
Amazon.com = smoking break = accusing the left blogosphere that abortion is a secret plan to commit genocide of African Americans, and harrassing Michigan citizens for their political beliefs. Got it.
At least we can take a big sigh of relief that Jamie Hope is "fighting for her beliefs" on our dime rather than committing the evil crime of taking a cigarette break. Or supporting Michigan business at a local coffee shop. Beaner's is a Lansing, Michigan headquartered and founded business, you know.
... And people wondered why Gov. Granholm and the Republican State Legislature weren't BFF in her first term.
Check it all out via LLP.
So for Jamie Hope, I doth offer this song to her in tribute:
Madonna: "Deeper and Deeper"
Lansing City Pulse: Anti-Gay Petition Fizzling?
Lansing's City Council unanimously passed councilwoman Kathie Dunbar's Human Rights Ordinance. In 1996 Lansing had such an ordinance until it was removed via popular referendum.
The Lansing City Pulse investigates the differences between 1996 and 2007, and the contrasting political landscapes on the ordinance. Times sure are a-changin' in this debate, and that couldn't be better.
AFA's web site has not been updated with news since 11/14/06, and there is no mention of a petition to put the issue to voters. The necessary signatures need to be collected by the 17th if they want to push the issue on the ballot.
Councilwoman Dunbar says bring 'em on. So do I. If it does come to a vote, it's time for Lansingers to prove that our great city is ready for equal opportunity employment and housing for all its residents -- and that we're ready to become a part of the New, 21st Century Michigan.
The Lansing City Pulse investigates the differences between 1996 and 2007, and the contrasting political landscapes on the ordinance. Times sure are a-changin' in this debate, and that couldn't be better.
AFA's web site has not been updated with news since 11/14/06, and there is no mention of a petition to put the issue to voters. The necessary signatures need to be collected by the 17th if they want to push the issue on the ballot.
Councilwoman Dunbar says bring 'em on. So do I. If it does come to a vote, it's time for Lansingers to prove that our great city is ready for equal opportunity employment and housing for all its residents -- and that we're ready to become a part of the New, 21st Century Michigan.
1.04.2007
When Angry Republican Staffers Attack the Blogosphere!
With winning statements like this...
Source: http://www.ncsl.org/programs/health/shn/2006/sn476b.htm
... it's good to know that there are very sensible staffers to speak for very sensible policies. And by the italicized sensible, I don't mean Mr. Webster's plain-jane definition. I mean the exact opposite.
Jamie Hope. Staffer to Republican MI-House Representative John Stahl of North Branch (Lapeer County). She's such a champ -- if emergency contraception doesn't require a prescription, then predators will molest more girls! Man, she must have just been spinning in her heels over that flawless pearl.
But Jamie Hope doesn't just have an axe to grind with her archnemeses logic and reason: she has a new enemy! The Michigan Blogosphere.
LiberalLucy has a bit of Ms. Hope's comments to share with the world. Comments the staffer left on work time from a government building. Rep. Stahl -- it's all about the company you keep, neh?
Get over to LLP and read the low-down. It's the latest gem of the week! I'll give it Ruby status. A rosy red ruby for rosy, red, republican antics.
Some states are considering actions that would go beyond the boundaries of Medicaid. As noted above, a Michigan bill would require a prescription for all sales of emergency contraceptives. HB 5311 was introduced in 2006, and its chief sponsor, Rep. John Stahl, hopes to advance the measure in 2007, said Jamie Hope, Stahl’s staffer. The representative’s biggest concern is that pedophiles will obtain the drug OTC and give it to underage girls in order to prevent their becoming pregnant, she said. “It’s going to give predators another avenue to carry out their crimes,” she said. “We’re just trying to protect our women and children.”
Source: http://www.ncsl.org/programs/health/shn/2006/sn476b.htm
... it's good to know that there are very sensible staffers to speak for very sensible policies. And by the italicized sensible, I don't mean Mr. Webster's plain-jane definition. I mean the exact opposite.
Jamie Hope. Staffer to Republican MI-House Representative John Stahl of North Branch (Lapeer County). She's such a champ -- if emergency contraception doesn't require a prescription, then predators will molest more girls! Man, she must have just been spinning in her heels over that flawless pearl.
But Jamie Hope doesn't just have an axe to grind with her archnemeses logic and reason: she has a new enemy! The Michigan Blogosphere.
LiberalLucy has a bit of Ms. Hope's comments to share with the world. Comments the staffer left on work time from a government building. Rep. Stahl -- it's all about the company you keep, neh?
Get over to LLP and read the low-down. It's the latest gem of the week! I'll give it Ruby status. A rosy red ruby for rosy, red, republican antics.
1.02.2007
Photoblogging Lansing Pt. 2: Trains, Trains, Trains.
Following up the last post on Amtrak, here's a bit of photoblogging and wishful thinking on Lansing train depots.
Three train depots of note exist in the Lansing area:
1. Clara's Restaurant, located in the old Lansing Central Station near Michigan and Pennsylvania Avenues.
2. The Grand Trunk Western Depot, on S. Washington.
3. The East Lansing Intermodal Station, on Harrison and Trowbridge.
The Amtrak Blue Water train hurtles by two of these stations, but only one of the three stations is operating: the East Lansing station. Wonderful for MSU, but it makes you weep tears of sorrow from an architectural standpoint.
As you travel through Michigan, several communities have taken the time to restore grand old train stations, bringing historic charm to these cities: Kalamazoo, Holland, Dowagiac, Niles, Bangor -- all of these cities have depots with beautiful facades, restored interiors, and always offer a lively jolt as you hurtle along your journey. For Lansing? We have this:
Click any Photo to Enlarge in New Window
The East Lansing station. When Amtrak decided to re-instate the Chicago-Toronto (now Chicago-Port Huron) line, they had already sold the Lansing Grand Trunk station. MSU sold Amtrak an inexpensive storage house, and passenger rail returned to Lansing. Yet it did not have an ounce of the majesty carried by the former Lansing depot down the tracks.
The Grand Trunk Depot is a gorgeous building, but with each passing year it falls further into disrepair. A shame, because it is located in the heart of the redeveloping REO Town neighborhood and just south of the Capitol District.
The station served rail passengers until 1971 when it was sold and converted to a restaurant in 1972. Growing up, I remember the restaurant held little of the charm of the gilded Clara's, and it came as no surprise that as the neighborhood declined, so did patronage: the restaurant was eventually closed some time in the late 90's.
Time has not served the building well. The stone structure remains beautiful as ever: red brick with white accents, and a striking tower and circular room on the north side of the building. But the grounds, woodwork, and windows are a different story.
Although it has ample parking and the neighborhood is turning around, the lot is overgrown with weeds, and several windows have been broken in and subsequently boarded. The painted doorway to "The Station" -- the moniker of the former restaurant -- is visible over the plywood haphazardly sealing the door from entry.
The station was enclosed by a high, chain link fence on the south end of the station, possibly to prevent patrons from wandering onto the tracks and into the line of freight trains. It now appears more like a cage to enclose the station from the world around it, only protecting the broken glass from shattered windows that litter the pavement around the 100-year old structure.
The east end is littered with remnants of the restaurants: tables, booths, chairs, boxes, crates -- all of the unwanted remnants of the station that have remain unmoved.
If restored, the station could add a vibrancy and renewed, historical feel to Downtown Lansing. It's a prime location with ample parking, and close to downtown, the Capitol, Lansing Center, and the Radisson -- but with a cash-strapped Amtrak, City of Lansing, and State Government, such a prospect is high in the clouds.
It would be wonderful if Lansing could one day become a central hub for passenger rail in lower Michigan. The creation of a new route from Grand Rapids-Lansing-Ann Arbor could create an awesome educational and business travel network. And a renewed depot would add to Lansing's image and long-lost historical character.
And besides, it would be super awesome. I say we call it the "Granholm Express."
I'm such an engineer. ;)
Three train depots of note exist in the Lansing area:
1. Clara's Restaurant, located in the old Lansing Central Station near Michigan and Pennsylvania Avenues.
2. The Grand Trunk Western Depot, on S. Washington.
3. The East Lansing Intermodal Station, on Harrison and Trowbridge.
The Amtrak Blue Water train hurtles by two of these stations, but only one of the three stations is operating: the East Lansing station. Wonderful for MSU, but it makes you weep tears of sorrow from an architectural standpoint.
As you travel through Michigan, several communities have taken the time to restore grand old train stations, bringing historic charm to these cities: Kalamazoo, Holland, Dowagiac, Niles, Bangor -- all of these cities have depots with beautiful facades, restored interiors, and always offer a lively jolt as you hurtle along your journey. For Lansing? We have this:
Click any Photo to Enlarge in New Window
The East Lansing station. When Amtrak decided to re-instate the Chicago-Toronto (now Chicago-Port Huron) line, they had already sold the Lansing Grand Trunk station. MSU sold Amtrak an inexpensive storage house, and passenger rail returned to Lansing. Yet it did not have an ounce of the majesty carried by the former Lansing depot down the tracks.
The Grand Trunk Depot is a gorgeous building, but with each passing year it falls further into disrepair. A shame, because it is located in the heart of the redeveloping REO Town neighborhood and just south of the Capitol District. The station served rail passengers until 1971 when it was sold and converted to a restaurant in 1972. Growing up, I remember the restaurant held little of the charm of the gilded Clara's, and it came as no surprise that as the neighborhood declined, so did patronage: the restaurant was eventually closed some time in the late 90's.
Time has not served the building well. The stone structure remains beautiful as ever: red brick with white accents, and a striking tower and circular room on the north side of the building. But the grounds, woodwork, and windows are a different story.Although it has ample parking and the neighborhood is turning around, the lot is overgrown with weeds, and several windows have been broken in and subsequently boarded. The painted doorway to "The Station" -- the moniker of the former restaurant -- is visible over the plywood haphazardly sealing the door from entry.
The station was enclosed by a high, chain link fence on the south end of the station, possibly to prevent patrons from wandering onto the tracks and into the line of freight trains. It now appears more like a cage to enclose the station from the world around it, only protecting the broken glass from shattered windows that litter the pavement around the 100-year old structure.The east end is littered with remnants of the restaurants: tables, booths, chairs, boxes, crates -- all of the unwanted remnants of the station that have remain unmoved.
If restored, the station could add a vibrancy and renewed, historical feel to Downtown Lansing. It's a prime location with ample parking, and close to downtown, the Capitol, Lansing Center, and the Radisson -- but with a cash-strapped Amtrak, City of Lansing, and State Government, such a prospect is high in the clouds.
It would be wonderful if Lansing could one day become a central hub for passenger rail in lower Michigan. The creation of a new route from Grand Rapids-Lansing-Ann Arbor could create an awesome educational and business travel network. And a renewed depot would add to Lansing's image and long-lost historical character.
And besides, it would be super awesome. I say we call it the "Granholm Express."
I'm such an engineer. ;)
Post Inauguration: All Aboard the Michigan Express!
Now that the whirlwind of the 2006 Granholm/Cherry (et al) Inauguration has passed, it's time for some more substantial blogging from this end. Of course, you can always catch LiberalLucy's analyses of today's events in Lansing via Michigan Liberal here and here. And also check out some great photos by Cathleen over at her blog! Keep it up, chica!
The inauguration is now over -- and now it truly is "all hands on deck." But instead of all hands on deck, I'll chime in with "all aboard!" And what better way to ring in the statement than to talk about Michigan's passenger rail service.
You may not know it, living in the Automotive Capital, but Michigan is home to three Amtrak passenger rail line services: the Wolverine (Chicago-Detroit), the Blue Water (Chicago-East Lansing-Port Huron), and the Pere Marquette (Chicago-Grand Rapids).
Photo: Michigan Department of Transportation.
Click to Enlarge Map... sort of.
I absolutely love the train. It costs $50 round-trip -- a much better alternative to air travel. No heinous downtown parking fees in Chicago. It takes me straight from Chi-Town to Lansing -- or to Kalamazoo to visit the BFF on occasion. There's plenty of room, you can use your cellphone, and outlets are abundant so I can easily work on my laptop as we cut across Michigan (preparing for that next knock-out blog entry, no doubt)!
Delays do occur, but remember fellow Michiganians: for most of these routes, Amtrak does NOT own the rail tracks. Only a stretch from Indiana to Kalamazoo are in the hands of Amtrak themselves, providing a high-speed corridor to boost travel time. From Indiana to Chicago, or anywhere outside of the KZoo corridor, Amtrak needs to move on over for any and all freight traffic that may come.
And trust me. Having to stop right outside of downtown Lansing after the hardy commute is one of the most frustrating experiences in the universe. At that point, it's a good thing that Amtrak sells cabernet savignon by the 1/2 bottle.
But even with the price, convenience, and luxury of travel (sans the unavoidable delays), passenger rail is constantly beset by a lot of negative word-of-mouth. From the common citizen to the flippant (oft republican) politician, Amtrak means a few (often misconstrued) things: frequent delays, slow travel, costly to fund, not a money maker.
And these negative images have threatened two of Michigan's three lines for years. The Pere Marquette and Blue Water routes are State-supported routes; only the Wolverine line is a national corridor route, and also has the highest in ridership in the state. Simply put: Michigan funds its west-side and capital city rails. Only Detroit gets the Federal love -- ironic to all get-out, I know.
So it comes as little surprise that in Fiscal Year (FY) 2005-2006, the Michigan House Appropriations committee proposed to cut the Amtrak budget short $1 million ($7.1m in FY 04-05 down to $6.1m) in a gamble to push Amtrak to relocate an engineering station from Indiana to our home state. The station wasn't going anywhere, so the two State rails were again on the chopping block. Luckily it was saved through additional federal funds, though the future was still uncertain.
But the times are a-changin'.
Source: Passenger Rail Service in Michigan, w/ MDOT data.
Source: Passenger Rail Service in Michigan, w/ Amtrak and MDOT data.
With an overall increase in ridership of 8.1% between 2005-06 and 21.1% between 2004-06 -- and an increase in ticket revenues -- it looks like Michigan passenger rail won't worry about being "phased out" in FY 2006-07. Gov. Granholm's request to continue the passenger rail subsidy at $7.1m was granted and signed in August of 2006. Huzzah! However:
I won't pretend to fully understand this right now, since reading bills and acts for varied FY budgets at 2am makes me hemhorrage from the skull.
Still: passenger rail is growing and received the necessary funding to keep the Pere Marquette and Blue Water routes active in the next year. As we tighten our belts and prepare for the budget of 07-08, hopefully we won't have to continue to engage in the will-we-or-won't-we Amtrak budget dance, keeping thousands of riders on their toes.
If you're interested, check out Amtrak's Web Site for train schedules, fare information, and more. Trust me: get business class, especially if you're going from Chicago. You get to board early and bypass the mega-line of doom and get a free non-alcoholic drink, all for an additional $8.
And you can also check out the web sites of other train enthusiasts and advocates:
Michigan Association of Railroad Passengers
Save Our Trains: Michigan
Next round, I'll return to some photoblogging with Lansing area train stations, architecture, and some wishful thinking. Cheers!
The inauguration is now over -- and now it truly is "all hands on deck." But instead of all hands on deck, I'll chime in with "all aboard!" And what better way to ring in the statement than to talk about Michigan's passenger rail service.
You may not know it, living in the Automotive Capital, but Michigan is home to three Amtrak passenger rail line services: the Wolverine (Chicago-Detroit), the Blue Water (Chicago-East Lansing-Port Huron), and the Pere Marquette (Chicago-Grand Rapids).
Photo: Michigan Department of Transportation.
Click to Enlarge Map... sort of.
I absolutely love the train. It costs $50 round-trip -- a much better alternative to air travel. No heinous downtown parking fees in Chicago. It takes me straight from Chi-Town to Lansing -- or to Kalamazoo to visit the BFF on occasion. There's plenty of room, you can use your cellphone, and outlets are abundant so I can easily work on my laptop as we cut across Michigan (preparing for that next knock-out blog entry, no doubt)!
Delays do occur, but remember fellow Michiganians: for most of these routes, Amtrak does NOT own the rail tracks. Only a stretch from Indiana to Kalamazoo are in the hands of Amtrak themselves, providing a high-speed corridor to boost travel time. From Indiana to Chicago, or anywhere outside of the KZoo corridor, Amtrak needs to move on over for any and all freight traffic that may come.
And trust me. Having to stop right outside of downtown Lansing after the hardy commute is one of the most frustrating experiences in the universe. At that point, it's a good thing that Amtrak sells cabernet savignon by the 1/2 bottle.
But even with the price, convenience, and luxury of travel (sans the unavoidable delays), passenger rail is constantly beset by a lot of negative word-of-mouth. From the common citizen to the flippant (oft republican) politician, Amtrak means a few (often misconstrued) things: frequent delays, slow travel, costly to fund, not a money maker.
And these negative images have threatened two of Michigan's three lines for years. The Pere Marquette and Blue Water routes are State-supported routes; only the Wolverine line is a national corridor route, and also has the highest in ridership in the state. Simply put: Michigan funds its west-side and capital city rails. Only Detroit gets the Federal love -- ironic to all get-out, I know.
So it comes as little surprise that in Fiscal Year (FY) 2005-2006, the Michigan House Appropriations committee proposed to cut the Amtrak budget short $1 million ($7.1m in FY 04-05 down to $6.1m) in a gamble to push Amtrak to relocate an engineering station from Indiana to our home state. The station wasn't going anywhere, so the two State rails were again on the chopping block. Luckily it was saved through additional federal funds, though the future was still uncertain.
But the times are a-changin'.
Source: Passenger Rail Service in Michigan, w/ MDOT data.
Source: Passenger Rail Service in Michigan, w/ Amtrak and MDOT data.
With an overall increase in ridership of 8.1% between 2005-06 and 21.1% between 2004-06 -- and an increase in ticket revenues -- it looks like Michigan passenger rail won't worry about being "phased out" in FY 2006-07. Gov. Granholm's request to continue the passenger rail subsidy at $7.1m was granted and signed in August of 2006. Huzzah! However:
"(2) Any state subsidy for rail passenger service between Grand Rapids and Chicago and between Port Huron and Chicago shall be limited to an amount equal to revenue generated from operation of these routes, including, but not limited to, revenue from fares and concessions. The state subsidy shall not exceed $7,100,000.00."
Source: Act No. 245, Public Acts of 2006.
I won't pretend to fully understand this right now, since reading bills and acts for varied FY budgets at 2am makes me hemhorrage from the skull.
Still: passenger rail is growing and received the necessary funding to keep the Pere Marquette and Blue Water routes active in the next year. As we tighten our belts and prepare for the budget of 07-08, hopefully we won't have to continue to engage in the will-we-or-won't-we Amtrak budget dance, keeping thousands of riders on their toes.
If you're interested, check out Amtrak's Web Site for train schedules, fare information, and more. Trust me: get business class, especially if you're going from Chicago. You get to board early and bypass the mega-line of doom and get a free non-alcoholic drink, all for an additional $8.
And you can also check out the web sites of other train enthusiasts and advocates:
Michigan Association of Railroad Passengers
Save Our Trains: Michigan
Next round, I'll return to some photoblogging with Lansing area train stations, architecture, and some wishful thinking. Cheers!
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