Category Archives: From My Files

Going Postal — My First FOIA

Posted on January 21, 2009 by admin

By Joel Thurtell Sixteen minutes past seven. In the evening. Mail’s still not here. Our neighbors are disgruntled at being on the tail end of this motorized postal route. By two minutes after eight, it had arrived. I think I … Continue reading →

Posted in Bad government, From My Files, Joel's J School | Tagged , , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Animal rights — spin, spin, spin

Posted on January 16, 2009 by admin

By Joel Thurtell “Pound release.” Fightin’ words. I remember a packed suburban Detroit city council meeting back in 1985 when well over a hundred angry citizens confronted elected officials over the issue of selling animals from the animal shelter for … Continue reading →

Posted in From My Files | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

Pistol-packin’ Monica

Posted on October 8, 2008 by admin

[donation] By Joel Thurtell I’m against the death penalty, so I don’t agree with Monica Conyers that child-killers ought to be executed. Dealt with strictly? Absolutely. But the Detroit City Council President is correct when she says we ought to … Continue reading →

Posted in From My Files, JC & Me | Tagged , , , , , , | Leave a comment

Hypocrisy: First Amendment and the “free” press

Posted on June 11, 2008 by admin

By Joel Thurtell The Detroit Free Press seemed both angry and mystified in its June 8, 2008 story about a Detroit judge who barred the public and media from a hearing about evidence in Detroit Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick’s text message … Continue reading →

Posted in From My Files, Joel's J School, Kwamegate, Unions | Leave a comment

Wannabe lawyer: Monica Conyers

Posted on June 9, 2008 by admin

  From my files…(updated) By Joel Thurtell Hubby’s a lawyer, and so is she. But what’s this? Monica Conyers, a Detroit city councilwoman and wife of U.S. Rep. John Conyers Jr., is not in the Michigan Bar Directory. Yet her … Continue reading →

Posted in From My Files, JC & Me, Kwamegate, People | Tagged , , , , | 8 Comments

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 →

Posted in From My Files, People | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

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 →

Posted in From My Files, People | Tagged , | Leave a comment

Stumble and recovery: Barbara-Rose Collins

Posted on April 30, 2008 by admin

Isn’t it amazing how some people are blessed with the ability to avoid near-certain political or social death, re-inventing themselves so they can let loose their bag of tricks in some new venue? I’m thinking about Barbara-Rose Collins, vaulted into … Continue reading →

Posted in From My Files, JC & Me, Kwamegate | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

Whatcha got in your purse, Mon?

Posted on April 12, 2008 by admin

By Joel Thurtell Monica Conyers says she wants more respect from her fellow Detroit City Council members. They might be wise to give her a bit more deference. Or maybe just a wide berth. All depends on whether she’s packin’ … Continue reading →

Posted in From My Files, JC & Me, Kwamegate, People | Tagged , , | Leave a comment