Detroit Pleasure Society | Doug Coombe

DETROIT, MICH. – Itching for some Dixieland? Longing for Prohibition’s Top 40? Come celebrate the debut album release of Detroit Pleasure Society!

Before Swing, before Bebop, there was Dixie Land, and the Detroit Pleasure Society easily takes you to another era. The newest sibling to the Detroit Party Marching Band, Detroit Pleasure Society has a different lean on similar instrumentation. With horns, drums and banjo, this 6 piece group perform tunes of times past, with Dixie Land and New Orleans style brass music, playing everything from Rebirth to Bix.

Detroit Pleasure Society hosts a slew of talented Detroit musicians with a variety of backgrounds. Members include guitar aficionado Nick Schillace (of the folk group Lac La Belle) on Tenor Banjo, Ben Luckett (of Kenny Tudricks’ band) on Drums, and Nicole McUmber, Thomas Gilchrist, Paul Mardirosian, and Stephen Bublitz of the Detroit Party Marching Band.

Friday, February 22nd
Detroit Pleasure Society CD Release
wsg Danny Kroha, Glenn Tucker

PJ’s Lager House
1254 Michigan Avenue
Detroit, MI
313-961-4668
www.pjslagerhouse.com
21+
$5
Doors 9pm

DPS will perform two sets, along with sets from special guests Glenn Tucker on the piano and Danny Kroha playing the Delta blues. Expect the finest in Detroit Dixieland as they take PJ’s Lager House back to its prohibition days.

http://detroitpleasuresociety.com/

Glenn Tucker is a versatile up-and-coming jazz pianist, organist, composer, and arranger currently from Detroit, Michigan. He is a recent graduate of the University of Michigan, where he studied privately with Geri Allen. Glenn has also been mentored by area piano greats including bebopper Claude Black, early jazz historian James Dapogny, and modern jazz stalwart Roger Jones.

www.glenntucker.bandcamp.com

Danny Kroha, known for his work in rock bands The Gories and The Demolition Doll Rods, one of Detroit’s most treasured musicians. His expressive solo performances offer deep-roots in the style of Delta blues, along with long woven tales that bring the listener to the core of each tune.

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WASHINGTON (AP) — Hundreds of schools in the nation’s largest cities are sitting empty as education officials struggle to sell these potentially valuable properties that are a drain on school district finances, according to a study released Monday.

In the dozen cities the Pew Charitable Trusts reviewed, some 327 schools were sitting idle last year and for sale. That means those properties — typically nestled in residential neighborhoods — are costing districts that still have to keep them secure, insured and heated. Meanwhile, the financially strapped districts are not collecting taxes on some prime real estate to fund the schools that do survive.

“We still have school police officers and engineers in the building to make sure it’s not a dangerous location,” Philadelphia schools spokeswoman Deirdre Darragh.

But with more parents choosing charter schools or private options, the need for these aging public buildings has shrunk in cities. Pew researchers anticipated the number of for-sale buildings will swell in coming years as school districts consolidate their facilities in response to tighter budgets and more families moving out of the cities and into the suburbs.

In Philadelphia alone, 37 schools are set to be closed next year in what would be one of the nation’s largest closings. That follows the sale of 11 buildings already and another six that are on the market.

Nationally, the data foretells a shift as public school officials take on added roles of real estate agent, auctioneer or landlord. Some districts have turned to real estate brokers for help while others have accepted lower bids simply to get the buildings off their books. Some, such as Detroit, manage their real estate marketing internally with two staffers.

“Typically, they’re not just set up to sell and manage real estate,” said Pew researcher Emily Dowdall.

And it’s not always easy to sell these schools, which were built decades ago for very specific uses.

Since 2005, Detroit has either sold or leased 63 of its buildings but still has 124 former schools on the market. A sharp decline in the city’s population, as well as a 31 percent growth in charter school enrollment since 2005, prompted the one-time manufacturing hub to overhaul where it is teaching its students.

Detroit is hardly alone.

The District of Columbia has sold or leased 40 of its buildings, largely to charter schools, since 2005. Cincinnati did the same with 27 of its schools. Cleveland has found new uses for 25 of its buildings.

Even so, Cleveland still has 27 up for grabs and bulldozed seven others to turn those sites into parks.

The number of idle buildings does not include properties that the districts are holding on to but are not using. Cleveland, for instance, kept several buildings at the ready to fill in for others they plan to renovate in the future, officials there said.

Even for districts that are able to sell unused buildings, they seldom are getting their full value. For example, Cincinnati auctioned 11 buildings and a piece of land for $3.5 million. The county auditor valued the property at almost $31 million.

Most buildings, Pew found, sell for between $200,000 and $1 million.

Some 42 percent of the schools Pew reviewed found a second act as a charter school. Ohio, Georgia and Washington have laws that require districts to let charter operators make a bid on a closed school before anyone else, easing the way for those schools.

One of biggest challenges for districts looking to unload excess property is that many of these buildings were built to accommodate hundreds of students — not tenants. And many have been vacant for more than a decade and appear abandoned.

In a few cases, the schools have been completely gutted and transformed. One Detroit school was made into a recording studio. Another in Milwaukee is set to become a community center. In Pittsburgh, one building became a technology center focused on environmentally friendly jobs.

Pew’s study looked at school systems in Washington, Atlanta, Chicago, Cincinnati, Cleveland, Detroit, Kansas City, Mo., Milwaukee, Philadelphia, Pittsburgh, St. Louis and Tulsa.

Motown Winter Blast | Detroit, Mich.

By Jeffrey Buck

Quicken Loans is the presenting sponsor of this weekend’s Motown Winter Blast being held starting today at 11 a.m. The weekend long event will continue from 11 a.m. to 11 p.m. tomorrow Saturday, February 9 and will wrap up on Sunday, February 10 from 11 a.m. to 9 p.m.

What a great weekend, with the addition of  fresh snow, to visit Campus Martius Park for family friendly music, food and activities  This year’s event sees the addition of several new activities that are sure to be hits, including:

• Free Skate Rental courtesy of Blue Cross Blue Shield of Michigan Blue Care Network
• Blast Off with Science presented by the GM Foundation
• The Detroit Red Wings Hockey Haven in the D
• The Great Expressions Hockey Shot competition
• The Girl Scouts of Southeastern Michigan’s Cookie Van

With three stages of music, Michigan Lottery, Fathead & Meijer, there’s bound to be musical acts for the whole family to enjoy. For the complete lineup click here.

With so much to choose from this year be sure to take a look at the ‘Top 10 List’ put together by the Motown Winter Blast which highlights the must-do activities  Below is a map of this year’s activities:

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Here are some examples of the shoot. Not only did I take shots of the food but also snapped a few of the atmosphere.

Kilpatrick told a judge that he understood he had the right to speak in his own defense but would pass. His father, Bernard, and buddy Bobby Ferguson also declined to personally rebut the government’s evidence of kickbacks, fraud and tax violations during the younger Kilpatrick’s time at city hall.

Closing arguments are set for Monday.

Kilpatrick, 42, declined to comment outside court. The Kilpatricks and Ferguson are charged with a broad scheme to enrich themselves by fixing contracts and pressuring businesses to pay bribes to stay in favor.

An IRS agent recently testified that Kilpatrick’s spending exceeded his W-2 tax statements by more than $800,000 from 2003 to 2008. His defense lawyer has suggested Kilpatrick saved money before becoming mayor and said he was showered with cash gifts from staff and supporters while in office.

The final witnesses Wednesday were two people who said Ferguson spent millions of dollars on equipment and insurance. It was an effort to show that he had a legitimate construction business, which no one has disputed.

U.S. District Judge Nancy Edmunds praised jurors before sending them home until next week.

“It’s been going on a long time. You’ve been taking a lot of notes. … There’s a lot to go over,” she said.

The trial began in September but was held only for half-days. Many weeks were lost to the holidays and the illness of Ferguson defense attorney Gerald Evelyn.

Kilpatrick, a Democrat, was elected Detroit mayor in 2001. He resigned in 2008 and pleaded guilty to obstructing justice by lying in a civil case about having sex with an aide. He subsequently served 14 months in prison for violating his probation in that case.

Voters booted his mother, Carolyn Cheeks Kilpatrick, from Congress in 2010, partly because of a negative perception of her due to her son’s troubles.

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Copyright 2013 The Associated Press.

The under appreciated mechanics behind our everyday commute.

Location: Detroit Auto Show

Date Taken: Sunday, January 27th, 2013

Personal Comments: Since I’ve moved to Michigan, my ties to the auto industry have slowly, but powerfully educated me on the history and mechanics of our fuel dependent civilization.  This photo, in my opinion, captures the heart of every society’s ability to function.  How do we get to work? How do we transport goods and trade?  How do we achieve physical contact with one another? In all of humanity’s endeavours .. is there one that does not involve an engine? One might say “my computer,” but how did you acquire it? How did it get to the place of which you acquired it?  and so on…

Jose Calderon | Raptorsrepublic.com

By Patrick Smith

As I am sure most of you know, last night the Detroit Pistons traded Tayshaun Prince and Austin Daye to the Memphis Grizzlies in a three team trade in which Rudy Gay went to the Raptors and the Pistons netted Jose Calderon.

Obviously this is great news.

You would be hard pressed to find anyone calling this a loss for the Pistons, so I am not going to spend too much time explaining why it’s so great for Detroit, but I need to spend at least a few paragraphs spiking the football here. As others have pointed out it’s probably the first trade since 2004 that the Pistons and Joe Dumars actually won, and they won it in a big way. This trade made the Pistons better right now and increased their salary cap room to around $30 million next season. The trade also increased the Pistons chances of making the playoffs, although it still seems unlikely they will catch the Celtics.

First off, Jose Calderon may be the best player involved in this trade across all teams, his player efficiency rating (PER) this season of 19.38 is five points higher than Rudy Gay’s, and ranks as 38th in the league, and he has a higher win share than Gay or anyone else. How you feel about these combo stats will determine your excitement about this, but it is arguable the Pistons got the best player and gave up the least in this trade.

What is not arguable is that the Pistons got the absolute best fit. If you were to make a list of needs for the Pistons, regardless of position it would go in some order like this:

1. More playmaking
2. Less turnovers
3. Better 3-point shooting
4. Better free throw shooting
5. Better perimeter defense

Calderon hits on four of those five needs. He is a weak defender (so he will fit right in) but he is an excellent playmaker who takes care of the basketball and is a lights out shooter. This season, Calderon is averaging 7.4 assists and just 1.7 turnovers, while shooting 43 percent from three and 90 percent at the charity stripe. Calderon ranks second in the league behind only Chris Paul with a 4.45 assists-to-turnover ratio, and his assist and turnover numbers are almost exactly even with his career numbers, so there isn’t any concern about regression.

I’ll admit, as excited as I am about Calderon, much of the excitement just comes from the Pistons finally doing something. Obviously it is much easier to enjoy a good trade like this one, but any shakeup of this roster was welcome. I will root for Tayshaun in Memphis, and I think he could fit in really well there, but I will not miss him on the Pistons. The biggest problem with this team the past two years has been that even while they are bad and rebuilding, they have remained boring and old. No one is asking you to tank, but what is the point of playing mediocre veterans over younger players while flailing your way into the lottery? Tayshaun is a fine player who was absolutely not suited to this Pistons team. Even if he didn’t actually hold the team back, his presence was a symbol of Joe Dumars’ inability to move on from the ’04 squad and embrace the chaos and possibilities of a new era.

As for Austin Daye, I am going to put it at a 5 percent chance he develops into a useful player for the Grizzlies. He was never going to work in Detroit and considering the team’s glut of below average forwards, it is better he is gone now.

This trade presents two questions for the Pistons, one obviously more important than the other: what will the Pistons rotation be for the rest of the season, and what are the Pistons planning to do this summer and beyond?

Because I am a slave to instant gratification, let’s start with the less important question of the rotation. According to MLive, Calderon will be starting at point guard alongside Brandon Knight on Friday against Cleveland. The tandem of BK and Calderon is clearly the Pistons best offensive option, Calderon is the best point guard on the team and as the team’s best shooter, Knight will benefit from some open looks. The question is how terrible a defensive backcourt of Knight and Calderon will be. Knight has grown into an average defender at the point guard spot this season, but he has done so by using his size to his advantage. As a two guard Knight will be dwarfed by most of the players he is checking, and Calderon is a weak defender.

Defensively Stuckey makes a good deal more sense than BK. Stuckey is no defensive stopper, but he is a better defender than Knight and is much more equipped to guard shooting guards. If the team is making the calculation that the better offense with BK is going to help the team more than the better D with Stuckey, I am OK with that, and only time will tell. Part of me does worry that this is a decision based more on the team’s insistence that Knight is part of the future core. Even after trading away Tay, the organization may not have the balls to demote their “point guard of the future” to backup shooting guard. That being said, Stuckey would really not be good on offense with Calderon. If Jose’s time with Demar DeRozan is any indication, Calderon’s passing could inspire Stuck to shoot more three pointers, which is the worst thing that could happen ever. (Seriously, it is a horrendous dereliction of duty by Lawrence Frank that he takes Drummond out for little mistakes but doesn’t raise an eyebrow to Rodney jacking up horrible threes).

There is one way the Pistons could help offset the weak defense of BK and Jose, START DRUMMOND.

Whatever the backcourt rotation, this trade also opens up a number of opportunities elsewhere on the court. With Tayshaun and Daye gone, Kyle Singler should get an extended look at the starting small forward spot, and that is important. Obviously if the Pistons are able to add an impact player at the 3 this summer they should, but it is worth seeing if Singler, playing in his natural position, is good enough to be the fourth or fifth best guy on a good team, and I am excited for Jonas Jerebko to get a shot at small forward minutes as well.

As for the playoff race, the Pistons are currently 5.5 games back from the Celtics for the 8th spot, with 36 games to play. Considering the Pistons just gained a point guard and the Celtics just lost one it seems possible Detroit will overtake them, but it isn’t likely. If the Celtics go 18-19 the rest of the way, the Pistons will have to go 23-13 in order to tie them at 40 games. Adjust the Celtics down if you like, but the truth is the only way the Pistons will make the playoffs is if the Celtics choke it away.

Now, onto more important matters. The Pistons are going to have somewhere between $22 million and $35 million in cap space next year, and they may be able to add more if they decide to amnesty Charlie Villanueva. What are they going to do with all that space?

The first option is free agency, throw out any dreams of Chris Paul, and let’s pray to God the Pistons aren’t considering another shoot first point guard like Tyreke Evans, Brandon Jennings or Monta Ellis. Here is a position by position list of free agents I think the Pistons should at least look at next season. In many cases I am not suggesting these are saviors, or even necessarily starters, just quality players who may provide value for the dollar. The shooting guard position offers the most excitement, although that may be bad news if it turns out BK is suited for the two guard spot.

Point Guard

• Jose Calderon
• DJ Augustin
• Jarrett Jack

Shooting Guard

• OJ Mayo
• Kevin Martin
• JJ Redick
• Kyle Korver

Small Forward

• Andre Iguadala
• Corey Brewer

PF/Center

• Carl Landry
• JJ Hickson
• Andray Blatche

There are obviously a number of other players out there, and please let me know in the comments who you think the Pistons should go after. What seems more likely than free agency are trades. With cap space to burn, the Pistons could serve as an ideal dumping ground for teams looking to shed salary and stay under the luxury tax level. As the Grizzlies trade just showed, it is possible to get a big name from a team in desperate need to shed salary. Let’s just hope the Pistons get someone better than Rudy Gay.

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In the studio Stoney and Bill asked the girls the best part of working at Hooters. There was also a rendition of “Don’t Stop Believin’.” Also, check out the slow mo of a Hooters girl jumping up and down in the video! You can also check out the photo gallery HERE.

As you probably know Bill McAllister is a huge fan of Pitbull so we had the girls do their best dance to the song “International Love.”

WARNING: Stoney does start dancing with the girls and may damage your eyes!

Hooray for everything!

Oh, you’re not done, friend. You need to go check out 27 more photos of the Hooters girls frolicking in the studio with Stoney & Bill.

Kate Upton does everything better. Or does she?

Then ask yourself Who Danced the Cat Daddy Better: Kate Upton or the Hooters girls?

Kilpatrick left the Michigan Corrections Department facility in Detroit Monday morning. He had been locked up there since Friday afternoon.

He’s expected to return Monday to federal court where he’s on trial in a separate matter.

The Michigan Corrections Department says Kilpatrick violated parole by not disclosing all his financial transactions last fall. He still owes Detroit $855,000 in restitution and must report details about his income and expenses.

Kilpatrick was convicted of obstruction of justice in 2008 in a scandal involving text messages and an affair with a top aide. He’s been on trial on corruption charges since September.

Copyright 2013 The Associated Press.

Viper Electronic Cigarettes – A Detroit Company

We are a Detroit based company that offers a new and safer nicotine alternative to current tobacco products. Viper Electronic Cigarettes specializes in a clean and 100% recyclable electronic cigarette. The company was founded just over a year ago in November of 2011 on the premise of bringing safer smoking products to consumers. The technology behind electronic cigarettes is well-established and is gaining market share as consumers move to electronic cigarettes as a suitable replacement for traditional smoking techniques. Scientific research is starting to emerge, from studies across the globe, of the benefits to choosing an electronic cigarette over a standard lit tobacco cigarette. In the coming years, we foresee consumers beginning to change their smoking habits by choosing an electronic cigarette due to ongoing workplace regulations and public smoking bans.
Viper Electronic Cigarettes is proud to represent an alternate means to enjoying a cigarette. The cigarettes we offer can be smoked virtually anywhere; in the office, the car, the restaurant or the bar. Viper Electronic Cigarettes provides you with that freedom. Our electronic cigarette is an extremely lightweight, 100% recyclable, liquid vaporizing inhaler. It comes in a range of flavors and varieties including, tobacco, menthol, and nicotine free.

Each disposable e-cig from Viper is equivalent to 800 puffs or three packs of regular cigarettes. It is our sole belief that electronic cigarettes are a safer medium and offer a more pleasurable smoking experience.Viper Electronic Cigarettes offers a large selection of disposable electronic cigarettes and ensures the quality of each of our products while offering a great value to the consumer by pre-pricing each electronic cigarette at only $6.99  Our goal is to give the consumer a great product that we believe is not only safer for the consumer, but also provides them with a greater savings on their tobacco purchases. This is why we have designed a soft-tip disposable electronic cigarette that offers a safer and realistic alternative to traditional tobacco products. We look forward to the future that electronic cigarettes have to offer in this ever changing world.

When given the opportunity to waive the formal parole violation process and instead serve three days at a Detroit lockup as punishment, Kilpatrick agreed, said Michigan Department of Corrections spokesman Russ Marlan.

Kilpatrick is to report to the Detroit Reentry Center Friday afternoon and will be released from custody early Monday.

He is on parole for a 2008 state conviction for obstruction of justice and still owes Detroit $855,000 in restitution. He’s required to report gifts and other income as a condition of his parole, something officials say he has failed to do on a number of occasions.

“Additional charges and/or sanctions could be possible should new information on potential parole violation behavior come to light,” Marlan said in a statement.

A message seeking comment was left with Kilpatrick’s attorney, Todd Flood, on Friday.

Corrections officials earlier this month told Kilpatrick to give up the names of people who wired him $4,000 he failed to disclose to the state. He was fitted with an electronic tether at the time for not disclosing money sent in December from a Chicago pastor.

Officials have expressed concern that Kilpatrick is hiding assets that could be applied toward the restitution he owes.

Kilpatrick, who also is on trial for public corruption in federal court in Detroit, has been confined to his mother’s home in the city and banned from traveling to Texas where his wife and three sons live.

Copyright 2013 The Associated Press.

We would meet over the fence in the backyard…..I would trade her one of my home-made pies……..for one of her famous roasted turkey legs.

This dear sweet lady began her life in Georgia April 1, 1904.  She was twice married…….had three children and all passed before she did.

Georgie lived in Atlanta before moving to Detroit.  She was a seamstress……gardener…….cook ………and loved to crochet.  For  years I sent her boxes of yarn…..and her afghans were admired by all those who got one.

HATS were her passion.  For every Christmas and  birthday………I would send a hat and scarf…………..a brooch or pearls.

If the hat didn’t have flowers or feathers…….she would send it back and tell me to gussy it up.  I loved her spunk.

At age 100…..her friends from the Tabernacle Missionary Baptist Church and I gave her a Birthday Party.  The President sent her a congratulatory wish….as did the Mayor of Detroit.  She was tickled!

Georgie…….sweet photo taken in 1908.

I admired her for her directness………she loved to give her take on politics…….she took no “cuff” from anyone…..and she hated gossip.  In the nursing home she took all her meals in her room…….had no use for all those “old people” sitting in the dining room…….gossiping!  Georgie was 106 when I took this photo……….and still possessed “all her marbles”

Georgie…..passed last week at age 109.  She will always have a place in my heart.  I will miss our phone calls.

Unfortunately this week has been a busy one and at times without internet access. I apologize in advance for the short write up but I didn’t want to go dark completely this morning. If you have any information on the Empire Theatre feel free to post in the comments section below!

Take a look at the photograph entitled “Campbell’s Empire: 1904“:

Circa 1904. “Empire Theater, Detroit.” Valet parking for bicycle patrons! 8×10 inch dry plate glass negative, Detroit Publishing Company.

Image | Source

With a fresh look that sticks close to the lines of the previous model while evolving the details into a more modern feel, the Maserati Quattroporte remains one of the most expressively-designed cars in the luxury sedan class. Inside, it’s more of the same, with attention to detail and quality materials–including leather and wood–that communicate passion as well as luxury.

The 2014 model year sees the Quattroporte grow lighter, larger, and faster than before. The standard engine is a V-6, but a twin-turbocharged one, rated at 410 horsepower and 376 pound-feet of torque. That might sound like V-8 power, and it is, accelerating the large luxury car to 60 mph in just 4.9 seconds. If you feel the need for even more power, there’s a twin-turbocharged V-8 to upgrade to, bringing with it 530 horsepower and 479 pound-feet of torque–as well as 4.7-second 0-60 mph times and a top speed of 191 mph.

Apart from performance that would have qualified it as a supercar a decade ago, and which still stands it in good stead with modern sports cars, the Quattroporte is much more than a performance sedan. The Maserati Touch Control infotainment center display also relays the feed from a backup camera, and provides access to an optional 15-speaker Bowers & Wilkins audio system. A WiFi hotspot and smartphone connectivity area also available.

Despite the solid tech feature set available, the Quattroporte looks much more the modern version of old-world luxury than the button-heavy or gloss-frenzied interiors of competing sedans. The idea, according to Maserati, is that less is more–and with handsome, simple, but well-detailed styling like that found in the 2014 Quattroporte, we tend to agree.

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This article originally appeared at The Car Connection.

Produced by Insomniac Events, EDC will take over the Chicagoland Speedway May 24-26, with tickets going on sale January 23 at noon, CST.

The Chicago edition of EDC will be the first (and only) one to offer attendees the option of overnight camping adjacent to the event.

“As Insomniac continues to grow, our first priority is listening to our fans and they’ve made us feel confident that EDC has a home in Chicago,” said Pasquale Rotella, CEO of Insomniac. “This is the first EDC that will offer fans the opportunity to camp while enjoying the festival and I know that the Chicagoland Speedway is the ideal location. I’m really excited we’ve added Chicago to the EDC family of festivals.”

After moving the West Coast EDC location from Los Angeles to Las Vegas, Insomnia has established tour stops in New York, Orland and Puerto Rico.

Three-day general admission tickets for EDC Chicago will initially sell for $175, with VIP tickets going for $299 (both prices are without additional service fees), with a layaway option. There are also plans to offer a limited number of single-day tickets at a later day.

For fans interested in taking advantage of the camping option, general admission passes will be priced at $295, with VIP admission plus camping for $419, before applicable fees. Campers will have the added perk of being able to freely move between the camp grounds and the festival.

For more information and to purchase tickets, check out the official Electric Daisy Carnival website.

The Chicago EDC could potentially be courting controversy in the EDM world, as it’s scheduled to happen at the same time as Detroit’s riverfront Movement Electronic Music Festival, which has been occurring in various guises over Memorial Day Weekend since 2000.

“Are we concerned that this is going to take place only four hours away? Sure,” said Jason Huvaere, president and co-founder of Paxahau Event Productions, which has been producing Movement since 2006, to the Detroit Free Press. “Am I glad we have a good relationship with Insomniac, and we’ll be working to avoid conflicts? Yes.”

“We love what they do, and they’re friends of ours,” explained Electric Daisy Carnival spokesperson Erika Haney in the same article about the potential conflict as EDM fans choose between the two festivals. “We’ll definitely be bringing a different kind of environment and musical landscape to fans in that area. There’s not a ton of crossover. The vibe of the events is fundamentally different.”

-Scott T. Sterling, CBS Local

He was in the beginning with God. All things were made through him, and without him was not any thing made that was made. In him was life, and the life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it. (John 1:2-5 ESV)

We live in a dark sinful world. There is so much atrocity, so much wickedness, so much evil. Sin’s fruits have been reaped upon mankind and the evidence is overwhelming. Racism, the slave trade, cruelty, violence, poverty, rape, murder & genocide is just the tip of the darkness.

Our society has promoted the slave trade of minors with the sex trade industry. Our society has cast down poor minorities and our prisons are this generations slave masters. We live in a world that is at world war, we just have masked it.

Currently, mass genocide has occurred on every continent in the past 50 years. From Hitler, to democide, the drug trade, to gun violence, to suicides, to overdose, to homelessness, to poverty & wars. Our society is dark.

While much of the darkness in our world gets covered on the front page, Detroit is overlooked. Outside of a joke told by Conan or Fallon about the crime rate in Detroit, you won’t hear much about my city because its an eye sore and no one wants to talk about it. The violence and murders here, seem to get overlooked nationally. (In my travels when I speak about Detroit, people are shocked to hear the statistics).

• In 2012, Detroit recorded its highest homicide rate in nearly two decades. 386 homicides in 2012 according to the FBI, is the worst in twenty years! This placed Detroit second for the city with the highest murder rates, only behind New Orleans.
• Through December 28, New York City had only recorded 414 homicides, despite having a population more than 11 times the size of the city of Detroit’s. If NYC had the same murder rate as Detroit, they would have recorded nearly 4,400 homicides this year, according to a release issued by the city.

The point I want to stress, is that there is a problem. Martin Luther King Jr. did not die for this darkness, he dreamed of a promised land, this nightmare is not it. Sin is still everywhere. Evil still abounds. But there is hope…

• There is Hope in Jesus

The thief comes only to steal and kill and destroy. I came that they may have life and have it abundantly. (John 10:10 ESV) 

While our world might be collapsing around us, and just last night more violence in our neighborhood, there is hope in Jesus. There is no hope in a President, or a political party. No hope can be found in drugs or sex. No hope can be found in guns or gangs, for there is only hope in Jesus.

Jesus said to him, “I am the way, and the truth, and the life. No one comes to the Father except through me. (John 14:6 ESV) 

Hope in Jesus from real conversions. Hope in Jesus from real change and real life growth, not fake religious imagery & sayings. We must be about real answers in life, real help for those off the way, and real solutions to real problems.

Here’s a couple ways to help:

-Take over your neighborhood (after school activities, volunteer at school, hood cleanup & trash pickup, have block parties at your house, etc. Your neighborhood should know your a Christian and should hear, see and feel it).

-Volunteer in Church, Schools, parks, city and everywhere you go (make your Christian presence known. For too long Christians have hid indoors in their green houses while the world burns around them.  Get out there and let people know who you are).

-Help those around you who are less fortunate with food, clothes & love (don’t be condescending but there are those that need help and would welcome your assistance if you were like Jesus and just cared without ego).

-Have your family be the example of real life, real change and real hope (in my house this means not acting, but being real).

• The Bible has the Answers, not us

“Enter by the narrow gate. For the gate is wide and the way is easy that leads to destruction, and those who enter by it are many. For the gate is narrow and the way is hard that leads to life, and those who find it are few. (Matthew 7:13-14 ESV)

It shouldn’t surprise us that our world is full of so much evil and wrong doing, and it shouldn’t surprise us that we must share in the blame. Don’t blame Hollywood or the gays, or that we took the Bible out of the school, blame yourself for not being obedient.

Much of Christianity has jumped on the bandwagon of blaming the “so called wicked people” out there for the wickedness we face here. But the truth is just the opposite. The wickedness in our lives is what is evidence out there.  Let us stop blaming the boogeyman and take responsibility for what we have created.

Much of Christian Evangelicalism is phony and we all know it. The titles are right and sayings are right, but the actions from the top down have left horrible consequences. From preachers doing wickedly and getting away with it, then covered up for, to blaming people not giving enough is the reason why you did wrong (here & here). I could go on and on and on and on…

Here’s why I mention this, if Christian leaders who are supposed to be the example and guiding influences are doing wickedly, why does it surprise us that so many churches are dead, don’t do much and are sad examples of the Kingdom?

• Fifteen hundred pastors in America leave the ministry each month due to moral failure, spiritual burnout, or contention in their churches.
• Fifty percent of pastors’ marriages will end in divorce.
• Eighty percent of pastors and eighty-four percent of their spouses feel unqualified and discouraged in their role as pastors.
• Fifty percent of pastors are so discouraged that they would leave the ministry if they could, but have no other way of making a living.
• Eighty percent of seminary and Bible school graduates who enter the ministry will leave the ministry within the first five years.
• Seventy percent of pastors constantly fight depression.
• Almost forty percent polled said they have had an extra-marital affair since beginning their ministry.

-Pastor Darrin Patrick from The Journey in Saint Louis compiled these statistics from Barna, Maranatha Life, and Focus on the Family

Take a drive around my city and you will see the darkness. Yet amidst all the darkness is a plethora of churches. How can there be so many “christians” and yet so much darkness? The answer is more obvious than you may realize, it is a lighting issue. We are not shining like we are supposed to and the effect is visible.

If the light shines in the darkness,at the room is still dark, than we have a light problem. There are so called lights, that aren’t shining. Let today be the day where we as Christians stoke the flame! Rise up and shine!

In him was life, and the life was the light of men. The light shines in the darkness, and the darkness has not overcome it. (John 1:4-5 ESV)

Let the redeemed speak louder,

jon 

Now it’s time to inject a little more flair into the Volt’s ‘wheelhouse’—in the form of the 2014 Cadillac ELR, a coupe that simultaneously takes Cadillac design to the next level and has more panache than any other plug-in from a major automaker.

For the inspiration in the ELR, you need not look any further than the Converj concept car from the 2009 Detroit Auto Show. From the dramatic upward-swooping side crease, to the all-LED lighting and jewel-like lighting elements, along with the sculpted hood and unique roofline, the ELR bears a passing resemblance to the CTS-V Coupe, yet it’s also something completely new.

Inside, the blend of materials is unlike that of other Cadillacs to date, with trims like microfiber suede, piano-black real wood, and real carbon fiber, and available plus Opus leather combined with these trims brings the whole package a custom look.

The ELR is built on the same platform that underpins the Chevrolet Volt, with essentially the same extended-range electric-vehicle (EREV) propulsion system—including the 16.5-kWh battery pack, and the same 1.4-liter turbocharged four-cylinder engine under the hood. Just as in the Volt, you won’t need to worry about driving range in the ELR; you’ll get about 35 miles of driving on electric power alone before the gasoline engine fires up seamlessly to provide range-extending power for the motor system (as well as traction-motor support at higher speeds).

But thanks to revised software and calibration, as well as a new Sport driving mode, GM has managed to eke more performance from the electric system: The electric motor system delivers a bit more: 207 hp (154 kW), with 295 foot-pounds of instant torque, and 0-60 times are expected to be eight seconds, or possibly even a bit better than that. In addition, GM has ensured that the ELR has decent sporting credentials by adding a more aggressive suspension tune, with a HiPer Strut front layout, an additional front transverse lower brace, a Watt’s linkage in back, and a Sachs continuous damping system that allows crisper control while also filtering out road roughness. Standard active noise insulation should also help keep the cabin serene.

Think of the ELR as a personal luxury coupe for the green-car set. So in addition to electric motoring, a little more performance, and a lot more luxury, it’s going to offer some tech and active-safety features for discerning shoppers—like adaptive cruise control with crash mitigation, Lane Departure Warning, and a Side Blind Zone Alert system with Rear Cross Traffic Alert.

GM isn’t expecting to sell nearly as many ELRs as Volts, and it emphasizes the niche aspect behind the ELR; considering that, our best guess at a starting price would be around $55k.

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This story originally appeared at The Car Connection.

ROYAL OAK, Mich. – Birds do it. Bees do it. Find out how animals at the Detroit Zoo do it at the second annual Love Gone Wild on Thursday, February 14, 2013, 6:30 to 10 p.m. Open to both singles and sweethearts 21 and older, this memorable Valentine’s Day event offers a candid, intimate and entertaining look at how some of the Detroit Zoo’s animal residents do the “wild thing”.

Hosted by Chief Life Sciences Officer Scott Carter, the evening includes stories of passionate – sometimes tawdry – encounters, May-December romances, unrequited love and mate swapping. The adult-themed exposé reveals details of the “love lives” of animals that are not always visible to Zoo visitors or fit to print on Zoo signs.

“From prolonged public bouts of coitus to brief clandestine assignations, sex happens at the zoo. We’re usually involved in planning or facilitating it, but we don’t often talk about it. At Love Gone Wild, we not only talk about it, we show pictures,” said Carter.

Held in the Detroit Zoo’s Ford Education Center, Love Gone Wild features a strolling supper and delectable desserts prepared by the Zoo’s culinary team from Dining in the Wild. A Champagne welcome and two drink tickets are also included.

The cost is $75 per person for Detroit Zoological Society Members and $85 per person for non-members (includes parking). Tickets must be purchased in advance and are available at www.detroitzoo.org/lovegonewild or by calling (248) 541-5717 (press 9).

Love Gone Wild Menu

Champagne Welcome

Butler-passed Hors d’oeuvres
Goat Cheese Royal with Beet Marmalade
Chicken Spring Rolls with Smoked Jalapeno Sour Cream
Crispy Pork and Smoked Shrimp Flatbread with Pickled Radish

Station One
Fresh Mozzarella Salad with Vine-ripe Tomatoes, Basil and Extra Virgin Oil
Baby Spinach Salad with Toasted Walnuts, Crumbled Blue Cheese and Dried Cranberries
with Champagne Vinaigrette
Assorted Artisan Breads

Station Two
Braised Short Ribs with Grilled Fennel and Tri-color Potatoes
Lobster and Brie Stuffed Pork Loin with Preserved Lemon Basil Curd

Station Three
Pasta with Artichoke, Roasted Bell Peppers and Spinach in Roasted Tomato Vodka Sauce
Grilled Bok Choy, Zucchini, Squash, Asparagus, Baby Carrots and Fresh Herbs
Roasted Sweet Potatoes Mixed with a Coconut, Mushroom and Ginger Broth

Dessert Station
Petite Sweet Station with Fruit Display
Hot Cocoa and Coffee with Cordials

Includes two drink tickets. Cash bar available thereafter. 
Non-alcoholic beverages are complimentary.

The Detroit Zoological Society is a nonprofit organization that operates the Detroit Zoo and Belle Isle Nature Zoo. Situated on 125 acres of naturalistic habitats, the Detroit Zoo is located at the intersection of 10 Mile Road and Woodward Avenue, just off I-696, in Royal Oak, Mich. The Detroit Zoo is open 362 days a year, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. November through March, 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. April through Labor Day and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. the day after Labor Day through October. Admission is $14 for adults 15 to 61, $12 for senior citizens 62 and older, and $9 for children 2 to 14 (children under 2 are free). The Belle Isle Nature Zoo is open Wednesday through Sunday 10 a.m. to 4 p.m. November through March and 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. April through October; closed Mondays and Tuesdays. Admission is free. For more information, call (248) 541-5717 or visit www.detroitzoo.org.

X

Real Detroiters (who remember the 80′s) love this commercial.

In the Detroit area, there was a Ford dealership with a commercial I pretty much remember from the 80s. Everyone I knew could sing the song:

“Here dog, come on dog. Me and dog want you to go to Tel-e-graph rooooaaaaddd. Right noowww, get a good deal.” Then the dog would bark.

This isn’t the version where the dog barks, but the song is the same.

Ah memories.

In addition to some of the year’s most eagerly anticipated new vehicle debuts, there’s also the long list of concept cars to ogle as well as all the industry people to get updates from.

Last year there were a total 38 world premieres at the Detroit Auto Show and this year’s expected to be even bigger. Some of the highlights include the all-new Lexus IS, Infiniti Q50 (the replacement for the G37) as well as the updated Jeep Grand Cherokee and Mercedes-Benz E Class range. Oh, and the highly-anticipated C7 Corvette.

Let’s now take a look at many of the vehicles we know will be unveiled.

2014 Maserati Quattroporte: Maserati’s flagship sedan, the Quattroporte, has been completely renewed. The new car grows considerably in length, allowing it to better compete with its German rivals while also providing space for a mid-size Ghibli sedan to join the ranks later in the year. The new Quattroporte also brings more engine options to the table as well as all-wheel-drive capability, should you require it. We’re not completely sold on the looks just yet, though we’re sure it will look much better in person than in the initial press shots.

2014 Chevrolet Silverado and GMC Sierra: General Motors has launched the latest versions of its tough-as-nails Silverado and Sierra pickup trucks, both of which are now bigger and brawnier than ever. They’re also a lot more intelligent than ever, with both models offering new MyLink and IntelliLink connectivity features, a new damping system for the tailgates, accident-avoidance technology and more fuel-efficient engines. The only trouble for General Motors Company [NYSE:GM] is that Ford may steal some of its thunder by previewing its 2015 F-150 pickup with a new concept. This is still a rumor though we wouldn’t rule it out completely.

2014 Mercedes-Benz CLA Class: One of the more interesting debuts is a brand new CLA Class from Mercedes-Benz. This will be the automaker’s first compact model sold in the U.S., though it certainly won’t be the last. The stylish sedan combines a sleek coupe profile with four-door practicality–and it should also be extremely fuel efficient. The only downside is that it’s based on a front-wheel-drive platform, though MB is expected to only offer all-wheel-drive versions in the U.S.

2014 Jeep Grand Cherokee: Jeep is introducing a substantial facelift for its popular Grand Cherokee model in Detroit next week. The new vehicle will sport revised styling, new LED lights, a revamped interior and a new diesel option. The new ZF eight-speed auto, which has already made its way into a number of Chrysler products, is also expected to be offered on the full 2014 Jeep Grand Cherokee lineup.

2014 Infiniti Q50: Just last month Infiniti took the bold step of completely renaming its lineup, choosing to discard the alphabet soup of names currently employed in favor of a new Q-based naming structure that mimics Audi’s strategy. This shouldn’t come as much of a surprise as Infiniti’s new global president has been an Audi man for two decades. The first of the new Q cars will be the 2014 Infiniti Q50, which is essentially the replacement for the aging Infiniti G37 sedan. It once again will be a spacious four-door sedan with V-6 engines and rear-wheel-drive dynamics, just this time around it’s a Q and not a G. The new Q50 is a completely new design from Infiniti, though it is expected to share many elements with the next Mercedes-Benz C Class thanks to the alliance deal between Renault-Nissan and Daimler. The teaser image above shows the new headlight design which incorporates an LED ‘eyebrow’ similar to Mercedes’ current headlight design trend.

2014 Lexus IS: One of the Q50’s direct rivals, the redesigned Lexus IS sedan, will also be on show in Detroit. It, too, gets a sleek new look and V-6 engines, though this particular model will be retaining its IS 250 and IS 350 nameplates. Overseas, a new hybrid model, the IS 300h, will also be launched.

2014 Chevrolet Corvette: Easily one of the most anticipated cars of the show, perhaps of the whole year, Chevrolet’s seventh-generation Corvette will be bowing in Detroit. We’ll only be getting our look at the standard Corvette at next week’s show, though this will still be packing a brand-new 450-horsepower LT1 V-8 engine that promises to rocket the car from 0-60 mph in less than 4.0 seconds. In addition to brute power, the C7 ‘Vette will also herald a new level of quality never-before-seen on the iconic American sports car.

2013 Nissan Leaf: In its third year on the market, the updated 2013 Nissan Leaf will have a slightly longer range, a new and lower-priced base model, faster charging, a more efficient cabin heater, and, perhaps most important of all, a “Made In America” sticker. The battery electric car goes into production at Nissan’s assembly plant in Smyrna, Tennessee, this week.

Via Motors X-Truck: Electric vehicle startups come and go, but it’s harder to ignore one fronted by “father of the Chevy Volt” Bob Lutz. Yes, we are, of course, talking about Via Motors, which last year in Detroit debuted a Chevy pickup converted to electric power. Via has started taking orders for the truck but deliveries are yet to happen, though that hasn’t stopped the company from announcing several new models. One of these will be an extended-range electric pickup with more than 800 horsepower on tap.

These are the rest of the vehicles, including concepts, that we know are coming to the 2013 Detroit Auto Show:

• BMW 4-Series concept
• 2013 Dodge Dart GT
• Honda Urban SUV concept
• 2014 Cadillac ELR
• Hyundai Genesis four-door coupe concept
• 2014 Audi SQ5
• 2014 Audi RS 5 Cabriolet
• 2014 Mercedes-Benz E Class Coupe and Cabriolet
• 2013 Bentley Continental GT Speed
• 2014 Mercedes-Benz E Class
• Toyota Furia concept

That’s just some of the cars and concepts we will be seeing at the 2013 Detroit Auto Show. But in addition to these, we’ll also see the winners of the respective North American car and truck of the year awards, which once again will be presided over by a panel of judges including our own editor Marty Padgett.

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This story originally appeared at The Car Connection.

*It’s a great show, very informative, lots of beautiful stuff. If you have a chance (on a weekday) to see it, go!!