Monthly Archives: May 2008

Political gifts okay at Detroit Free Press, says arbitrator

Posted on May 30, 2008 by admin

An arbitrator has ruled there was nothing wrong with my $500 donation to Michigan Democrats in 2004. Last year, Free Press managers told me they might fire me if I continued to give money to political parties. The Newspaper Guild … Continue reading →

Posted in Arbitration, Joel's J School, Unions | 1 Comment

How many reporters does it take to count a lake?

Posted on May 29, 2008 by admin

After virtually drumming Detroit’s mayor out of office, you’d think the town’s vigilante press would let up once in a while. Nope. The ever watchful Detroit Free Press maybe thought they’d pound another nail in the coffin of this area … Continue reading →

Posted in Joel's J School, Lakes and streams | Tagged , | 1 Comment

More equal than others

Posted on May 23, 2008 by admin

I was still trying to digest Eric Alterman’s long, thoughtful article in the March 31, 2008 New Yorker about the demise of American newspapers when I noticed the March 29, 2008 Detroit Free Press Page One story from Mackinac Island. … Continue reading →

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The governor and history — John Swainson’s house in Plymouth

Posted on May 21, 2008 by admin

Revised November 20, 2024 to note Swainson-related stories HISTORY ONCE LIVED HERE and PICKING UP THE JUMBLED PIECES Here is the speech I gave Wednesday, May 21, 2008 to Friends of the Plymouth Library: Pontiac has its Governor Moses Wisner … Continue reading →

Posted in Adventures in history, People, Places | Tagged , | Leave a comment

American Axle is ‘big bad wolf,’ says worker

Posted on May 21, 2008 by admin

The burn barrel was cold and deck chairs overturned Tuesday morning where UAW picketers for a dozen weeks had struck the giant American Axle plant in Hamtramck. In theory, picketers are still standing watch at the gates on Holbrook near … Continue reading →

Posted in Unions | Leave a comment

Great story, but…

Posted on May 20, 2008 by admin

Wonderful story in Sunday’s (May 18, 2008) Detroit Free Press about hizzoner’s self-dealing before he became Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick. “Kilpatrick helped friends get grants,” the Page One headline blazed. Subheads tell us, “He steered funds as state rep” and “Money … Continue reading →

Posted in Kwamegate, People | Leave a comment

Cradle to grave — Birth and death of cars on Rouge River

Posted on May 8, 2008 by admin

There was a time in the 20th century when Henry Ford’s Rouge car factory literally started at one end from scratch with iron ore, limestone and coke and at the other end rolled out finished automobiles. Sort of a nativity … Continue reading →

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A challenge to the council

Posted on May 7, 2008 by admin

Go ahead, prove me wrong. I predict that Detroit’s City Council never will remove Kwame Kilpatrick as mayor. That long opinion they paid attorney Bill Goodman to write, which supposedly excoriated the mayor for his behavior in the text message … Continue reading →

Posted in JC & Me, Kwamegate | 1 Comment

Identity crisis again

Posted on May 6, 2008 by admin

I was just kidding when I said my birth certificate might cast doubt on whether I’m me. A clever little kicker to a mildly sarcastic story about the need — post 9/11 — to prove unequivocally who we are. Planning … Continue reading →

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My (external) identity crisis

Posted on May 5, 2008 by admin

By the time you read this, I may well be back from my jaunt across the state of Michigan to my natal city. It’s my birthday, and I’m heading west in quest of my identity. I suppose you could say … Continue reading →

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