School

This past week was extremely busy. Writing this research paper, a huge group project, and homework in my other classes. This week I have a couple of tests and the group project will have to be completed. I know that everyone else has the same if not more to do than me so I should stop complaining. I hope that I can just focus for the next couple of weeks and finish off strong this semester. I know that there will be plenty of distractions including the nice weather (hopefully) and working. I start to really work this week so I am going to try to stay ahead so I do not fall behind in my classes. I can't wait until my last final is over . Good luck to the rest of you!

I already talked about the Masters on my last post, but I figured I would talk about it a little more. It was nice to just relax for the most part of yesterday and watch one of the most exciting tournaments in all of golf. I know that I am probably in the minority when I comes to believing that watching golf is exciting. However, this is one tournament that I think even non-golfers would enjoy. If you have not seen what the golf course looks like, then your missing out. It is so nice, not one thing out of place, and everything is green without any bad (brown) spots to be found. It truly is an amazing golf course and hopefully one day, I will have enough money to go there once in my lifetime.

Final Paper

Well, over the past couple days I reworded my thesis around. I decided I liked what I had, but I needed to reword it so my stance was evident. "The Novi library expansion proposal needs to be approved because it will solve the current library's space, resource, and infrastructure problems immediately, and Novi's citizens need to see that these pros outweigh the cons." I think I finally found the right one. This one tells my position and it has focus. During the paper, I am definitely going to present both sides to the issue/proposal, but ultimately the pros will outweigh the cons. Hopefully, it turns out pretty good.

I also hope everyone had a good holiday weekend. It was nice having my relatives come over. I hadn't seen some of them for quite some time so it was great seeing them. Also, I hope everyone had a chance to watch the Master's. I am a huge golfer and this is one of my favorite tournament's of the year.

Second Blog Draft

Well, this weekend I began to start working on my paper. I finished getting all of my sources and I started to write the beginning of the research paper. I am writing about the Novi Library expansion proposal on this November's ballot. In coming up with a thesis, I wanted one that would not be one sided or biased. I wanted one that was general, but it included all sides to the issue. It says: Many of Novi's leaders, including the Library Board, the City Council, and Mayor David Landry are all in favor of this proposal, but the people of Novi are the ones who need to weigh the pros and cons and to make their decision based on the facts. I reason I decided to go with this thesis is because it shows that many of Novi's important figures are pushing for it. This shows that is an important issue in the community. The second part of the thesis (pros and cons) is important because ultimately it is up to the people to make the decision. The power lies in their hands. Throughout the paper I am going to talk about all sides of the issue. I want the people of Novi to know everything there is to know about the issue. Then, after they know all the information, they can make an informed an educated decision.

After I have weighed and explained all the pros and cons in the paper, I too, will make my decision based on the facts. Personally, I want the expanded proposal to happen. I think that they are some many positives and good things that will come out of the expanded library. However, I still need to make this paper as unbiased as possible. This issue has been a constant topic of debate for the last six years, and it will get even hotter as the month of November draws closer.

List of Sources that I am using:
1.) Articles out of the Novi News- November 1st and 15th 2001
2.) Another Article out of the Novi News-March 1st 2007
3.) Letter written by Robert Cutler, the Novi Library Board President, to the City Council and Mayor Landry about the expansion proposal
4.) A Report done by Plante & Moran Corporate Real Estate Service Advisors on the current state of the library
5.) Report of the Facilities Planning Committee to the Novi Library Board-
6.) Report of the Stategic Planning Task Force to the Novi Public Board of Trustees
7.) I have conducted several interviews throughout this entire process
-Robert Cutler-Library Board President
-David Landry-Mayor of Novi
-Mary Ellen Mulcrone- Assistant Library Director
-Kelly Kolchuk-Youth and Teen Services Librarian

Past Week

Over this past week, I have been quite busy. School has been demanding and I hardly have time to relax anymore. I had a bunch of tests and a couple of group projects to work on. Thursday was a nice day-my birthday. It was a good time Friday because I went to Michigan State to celebrate. I did not go to Canada yet because my brother was in Vegas this weekend, and he is the one planning the whole Canada night. On Thursday, I was thinking about how it felt like yesterday when I was in grade school. Looking back on those days. I wish I could go back sometimes. I had nothing to worry about, no responsibilities, and the world felt like it was in my hands. Now I am in college and in a few years I will have to meet the real world head on. Hopefully all of this schoolwork and hard work will help in getting me a bright and successful job.

I have been blogging about the NCAA tourney for the past couple of weeks. Recently, I found out that if Georgetown wins it all, I would come in third place-$190.00. This would have been helpful considering I am broke right now. Unfortunately Georgetown lost to Ohio State on Saturday night. I cannot believe they lost to Ohio State. The Buckeyes should have lost to both Xavier and Tennessee-they are overrated. I know that I am whining, but this game potential cost me a great deal of money. I will be pulling for the Gators to beat the Buckeyes and repeat as National Champions. It's a rematch of the BCS Football game.

Novi Library Proposal

I have decided to do my argumentative essay on the Novi Library Proposal. The proposal will expand the current library of 23,190 square feet to 60,000 square feet, with the option of expanding the library to 90,000 square feet in 2030. The current Novi library was built in 1976 when Novi's population was 22,525, however Novi's current population is over 53,000. Novi's population is estimated to reach 80,000 by 2030. The current library is old, outdated, and way to small. The size of the library is the biggest issue. There was a proposal in 2001 for the library to be expanded, but the people of Novi rejected it. The previous proposal asked for 20 million dollar bond, but the citizens of Novi would had to have paid an annual fee as long as they lived in the city. This year's proposal is asking for a bond between 14 and 16 million, and the citizens will only have to pay an annual fee for twenty years compared to the lifetime fee of before. If you have a house value between 175,000-220,000 then your annual fee is $29.83; 220,000-400,000 then your annual fee is $37.62; 4000,000 and above then your annual fee is $68.40. This is a close estimate as to what the costs will be, but the exact price will be determined in the the next month and a half.

I spoke with Robert Cutler, the Novi Library Board President, and he explained that they really can't just add on or expand the current library because it was not designed for this. The old library will have to be pretty much torn down and then rebuilt. If the proposal is approved at the polls the expanded library will be 10 percent of the old building library and 90 percent new. They will keep some of the old building but not much. The major concern for many citizens is what will they do when the library is under expansion. Cutler explained to me that they will hire a professional company to move all of the current library equipment and put it in a new building off site. The off site location will be five minutes away from the current library. This will allow for the citizens to still have a library while the expansion process is ongoing. The cost of moving off site will be close to a million dollars, but this is already included in the 14 to 16 million dollar estimate.

The current library was never meant to serve such a big population. It has served the community well for over 30 years, but it has way to many problems. As mentioned above, size is the biggest issue. The lack of space limits the number of library programs offered, the number of books they can order/store, and the addition of new computers. In addition, the library staff has terrible working conditions because their work area in the back is extremely small. These are just a few of reasons why the current library needs to be expanded, but their are plenty more. I will mention and explain more of the problems throughout the entire paper. If the people of Novi do not vote "yes" on this year's proposal they are making a huge mistake. If the library does not get redone soon, more and more problems are going to arise and become very evident. Each year the library expansion gets delayed the construction cost will rise 5 to 10 percent per year due to the increase in material costs. The time is now for the people of Novi to vote yes, and I am going to try to convince them of this.

Last Couple Weeks

These next four weeks of classes will be quite interesting. I already have a lot of work to do and I am sure that plenty more is on the way. Right now, I am starting to work again so that is taking up a good amount of my time. I know that I am lucky compared to other kids who have to work more hours than I do! It is hard to focus during this time of year because the weather is getting nice, and I do not want to be stuck inside writing papers, doing group projects, and studying for exams. Unfortunately that is what college demands of you. I am counting down the days to the end of the semester.

One bright spot this weekend was watching the NCAA tourney. My bracket is pretty much busted. I have three out of the four final four teams left, but so do a lot of other people. I picked the Georgetown Hoyas to win it all, so I am sticking with them. The last couple of games should be good. Let's Go Hoyas!

Photo Essay Revision

Yesterday I finished putting the final touches on my photo essay. I added two more pictures, which is not a lot, but I thought they were good enough to be in there. I got some good feedback last week from everyone. All the comments were very positive and I really appreciate what they had to say. I tried to take out some of the words in the captions-I hope it helps! These are the only major changes I made to the essay. I don't know what else I could do. If anyone has anysuggestions, please let me know!

Photo Essay Progress and March Madness

Well, I finished the photograph essay today. I think that I might want to add some things here and there, but overall, I am very pleased with how it turned out. I tried to take pictures that would be interesting and ones that would capture the theme I was going for. I definitely exceeded the one hundred word minimum. I didn't try to, but all the writing I put in the photograph essay was necessary. I wanted to make sure everyone had an understanding of each picture and its importance to the central theme of the essay. I think people will learn something new about Novi and come to understand Novi as a "Booming City."

March Madness, what else do I need to say. It is by far my favorite time of the sport year. There is so much excitement to each game, and you are always on the edge of your seat. I love filling out my different brackets, even though I end up losing money. I wish the first weekend of the tournament wasn't over, but I look forward to the rest of it. Let's Go Hoyas!

Flickr Pictures

I choose this picture because little kids might walk past this and wonder what this words means. No young kids should have to be subjects to this kind of language at such age. I can only see problems from this kind of language.

I really don't think that this type of graffiti is necessary. I don't see any good that can come from this. Who cares that KING BNE was here. It serves no purpose and it makes the wall and the city look dirty. It does not make the city better by any means. This person probably had nothing better to do, so they decided to do something like this.

The person who did this obvioulsy has some talent, but yet again I do not see the need for it. To me, graffiti like this one just takes up space on a wall. I see this as destruction of property and people who do this should be be punished.

Overall, I am not a fan of graffiti. I wish that people would stop writing on walls and buildings that do not belong to them.

Graffiti

In reading this article, it is quite clear that Kriegel opposed the idea of graffiti. I personally do not like graffiti . The thing that stuck out the most to me was the fact that Kriegel still remembers the hate words written on the walls of the tunnel. After all these years, the discriminating words are the ones burned into his memory. I feel bad for kids like Kriegel, who were subject to learning the meaning of these words this way. No kid should have to learn/experience these words at the age of eight. They are to young, and they can be influenced to accept these words as if they are true. Kriegel obviously did not accept them, but other kids might. In my opinion, graffiti usually has more negative things to say rather than positive. I do not see graffiti a lot, but the times I have seen it, it has something derogatory to say. I don't see the need for gaffiti.

What I liked in this article was how Kriegel would say something, then say what his opposers would say, and then explain why he thinks their wrong. In a sense, you have both sides of athestory. One side in favor of graffiti, the other one not. I thought it made the article more interesting and added some credibility to it.

This is a picture from FadedDetroit. I really can't make out what some of the words say or represent. There were some more explicit pictures, but I decided to go with one instead.

Novi as a "Booming City"-Final Draft

I have lived in Novi for six years now and since I moved here, I have seen the city develop, grow, and expand. New buildings, restaurants, houses, etc. are constantly being built in Novi. The Southwest Michigan Council of Governments reports that Novi is the fastest growing municipality in Oakland County. In 2005 Novi had a population of 53,115, but in the year 2030 the population is estimated to increase to 79,264. For this reason, Novi must continue to expand and develop, and that is exactly what Novi is doing! These pictures will help you to see how Novi has become this "Booming City" and how it continues to grow before our very eyes!


The St. John's Providence Hospital, located at Grand River and Beck Road, is building a brand new, 200 bed, state of the art hospital. The new hospital will be 500,000 square feet. In addition, the hospital is building a new hotel with 108 rooms. Novi wants people from all over the country, not just Michigan, to have a hospital where families can stay in a nice suite hotel, while their loved one is receiving the best possible care. The hospital should be completed in the Spring of 2008. Unfortunately, as of right now, there is no set date for the hotel completion.

This picture and the one above are pictures of the hospital being built....

The tent and the surrounded area is where the new hotel will be located....Construction workers just broke ground about six weeks ago...

Almost everyone is familar with Twelve Oaks Mall. I thought that this mall couldn't get any bigger, but I was wrong. A new Nordstrom department store will be built (165,000 square feet), which will add 20-30 new stores. The expansion does not just stop here. Macy's, which use to be Marshall Field's, will also add 60,000 square feet. The entire mall expansion will bring over 800 permanent jobs and 1,100 construction and design-oriented jobs to Oakland County.

The Novi area is recognized for having a great school system. Novi added its already superb school record with the addition of Detroit Catholic Central High School. The school opened in August 2005 and it is located on Wixom Road. This is an unbelievable school, with everything at the students disposal. It has five computer labs, a wonderful science laboratory, art and music studios, two gymnasiums, and great sports fields and stadiums. This school has over 1,100 students and it will surely attract many students and families to the Novi area.



These are two pictures of Catholic Central....The land for the school was donated by Mr. Pelleritio, and the money to build the school was provided by former alumni and raised through various fundraisers...It is a huge school....A great addition to the city and the school system......

Novi's population continues to grow and grow. People keep on moving to Novi, so new houses and subdivisions must be built for people to live in. It is amazing to me how many new houses are constantly being built in the city. Everywhere you turn, you see construction and signs for new homes. As you can tell, these are not your average starting homes.


This is a picture of a house that is under construction...The subdivision is called Cheltenham Estates located on Beck Road before Ten Mile Road.

And this is what a finish house looks like in Cheltenham Estates...pretty nice...

This house is part of a new subdivision called Mirabella Estates...This subdivision, which has ten houses, has been built in only a year and a half....Works still needs to be done, but the houses are almost finished...This subdivision is located on Meadowbrook Road between Eight and Nine Mile Road...

This house is also part of Mirabella Estates...This is a picture from behind the house...As you can tell the house is pretty much complete, but there is work to be done in landscaping department


This house is part of the Mission Pines subdivision....It has just been completed...This subdivision is just past Mirabella Estates on Meadowbrook Road....Mission Pines took about two years to complete and it contains eight brand new houses...


Look at this...More plans and construction for 13 new luxurious homes...All of this space is for the new homes...The subdivision is called Normandy Hills...

This is another picture of the area that will be used for the new subdivision...Normandy Hills is located on 8 Mile Road just past Meadowbrook Road...

These last three subdivisions (Mirabella Esates, Mission Pines, and Nomandy Ells) are all located within 200 yards of each other... You can find new homes/subdivisions being built all over the city...The city truly is expanding and adjusting to the population increase...

With more people visiting and moving to Novi, the city has to have more restaurants and stores for people to enjoy. Novi is handling this problem pretty well.

Uno Chicago Grill is an excellent restaurant to enjoy with family and friends. It was built just over a year ago...

Melting Pot is a new addition to the city's already wonderful restaurant selection...

However, the building of new restaurants never ends in Novi...

This might not look like much now, but a new TGIF restuarant and Panera Bread are coming to Novi soon...This is located on 8 Mile Road and Haggerty...

In addition, Novi has also built little shopping/strips malls like these two....

With the population expected to reach 79,264 in the year 2030, Novi is building and preparing its future today.

While the rest of Novi keeps on developing and expanding, one building stays the same-the Novi public library. This library was built in 1976, when Novi's population was one third of what it is today. There will be a proposal this November on the ballot for the citizens of Novi to determine whether or not they want to expand the existing library. I plan on doing my argumentative essay on this issue, arguing for why the people of Novi need to vote "yes." The people of Novi rejected a proposal in 2001 because the proposal was poorly thought out and there was no clear idea as to what the new library would look like. This time, it is very different. I spoke with both the Library Board President, Robert Cutler, and the Mayor of Novi, David Landry, and both agree on the fact that the current library is inadequate. With the growing population, the current library cannot meet the citizens' needs/demands. The proposal will expand the library from 23,190 square feet to 60,000 square feet, with the option of expanding it to 90,000 square feet in 2030.

The city of Novi has become a "Booming City" because it has kept growing and adjusting. Now is the time for the citizens of Novi to step up and to make sure that the library expansion is approved at the polls. Everything has changed in Novi, and the library needs to change with the growing population. Here are some pictures of the current library.....

This is one of only two rooms set aside for kids/adults who need to study or do research....They are not very comfortable or spacious...In talking with several librarians they need at least two or three more rooms like this one....

There are four tables (A,B,C, and D) with six computers at each table...This is not nearly enough...Good luck trying to get one of these after school from 3-5 or on the weekends...They probably need double this amount...

This room in the library is designated for the kids' program. Novi library has the biggest and most popular kids' program in the state. However, as you can tell, this room is not big at all, so kids, and the adults leading the program must squeeze into the room. Also, many parents would like to stay and watch what their kids' are learning, but due to the size of the room, they must leave.

This is part of the adult section of the library...There is not much room between each isle, which makes it difficult for everyone to move around, especially handicap people...Also, many people struggle with getting books from the top and bottom shelves...

This part of the library is the children section for kids in the 8th grade or younger....

Novi has become a desirable city to live and visit. Hopefully, now you have an understanding and appreciation for what is going on in Novi and why I like to think of it as a "Booming City." Now, the city and people of Novi need to focus their attention on expanding the library.

Our Fortified Ghettos

I thought this article to be very intesting. Atythe same time, I found it to be very depressing. I feel blessed that I live in a neighborhood where I do not constantly feel threatened. It truly is sad when people have to build houses with bars on the windows, spikes on the roof, and multiple locks on a door. I take for granted what I have, and I don't think twice-pretty lucky. The thing that really caught my attention was how thirteen kids died in a "fortified" Detroit house. It is a shame that innocent children died and suffered because their house had to be "fortifed." If their house had not been "fortified" they could have lived. We will never know now.

The second to last paragraph about the consequences of "fortication" also grabbed my attention. I feel that "trust" is a major problem. When people have to constantly look over their shoulder, I understand why it is difficult for them to trust others! People who have to "forify" their houses, do not know what it means to relax and feel safe. They must always be alert, wondering/guessing what could happen next. They can't trust people, which is sad! They must live their lives in fear, something that no one should have to do.

Photos

Well, as I said on my last blog, I am doing my photograph essay on the idea of Novi as a "Booming City." I took some pictures already, but I have to take more. I want to show the construction of new buildings, houses, and restaurants. The point behind these pictures is to show how Novi continues to grow and develop as a city. I think it is important to show people, who don't get to seee Novi on a regular basis, what exactly is going on! Everyone will learn something new, which is what I want to happen.

In my photo essay, I am going to put a picture or two of the Novi library in there. The reason I am doing this is because the Novi library needs to expand like the rest of the city. It seems like everything else is, so why not the library. There is a proposal on this year's ballot for a new one. I am going to do my argumentative essay on why the citizens of Novi should vote "yes" on the proposal. Hopefully, I will be able to get some good information on this issue soon. I plan on talking with someone from the library board. It should be interesting!

News Coverage II

1.) The local issue that I feel is getting the most attention involves Comerica Bank's decision to move its headquarters from Detroit to Houston. It has caused many people to become upset because they realize that this has several consequences. Consequences include: people losing their jobs, Michigan and Detroit receiving bad publicity across the country, and people from other states see what is happening, which stops them from thinking about or considering to work in the Metro area.

-The second local issue that is getting the most coverage is the Tara Grant murder case. It seems like new things are developing each day. To me, I am interested in the case, but it is getting more and more difficult with each day to hear/learn more disturbing news.

2.) The thing that stands out the most to me about the coverage on FREEP.com is the fact that the two top/most popular stories are very sad. Both the Comerica Bank and the Tara Grant story involve sad developments and I wish that there could be more positive news.

-The human factor in both of these stories is very evident. There is no denying the fact that these two top stories are having an impact on many citizens. They are taking a toll both finacially and mentally on many people. Many people are losing their jobs due to Comerica's decision, which affects not only the people losing the jobs, but their families. Michigan's economy is not in good shape right now, so this just adds insult to injury. It is tough having to watch people losing their jobs for essentially no reason. In the Tara Grant murder case, everyone in the state feels so sad and sorry for both Tara and her family. While watching the coverage on TV, it is hard not to get feel the pain suffered by both Tara and her family.

-I really do not feel any drama in the Comerica story because it is a very serious issue. In my opinion, the news is not exaggerating this story. People and family will go through tough times because of this decision. I can on the other hand see why people would think the News is adding drama to the Tara Grant story. At times, it seems like the news may push/go to far.

3.) I was looking for things in FREEP.com about my own neighborhood (Novi) and I really didn't find anything too interesting. There were not any real big storylines or anything like that. There were a couple of stories, but nothing that really stood out to me.

4.) I having been thinking about what I want to do my research about and I think I have found an idea for my photograph essay. I want to show everyone in class how the city of Novi continues to grow and develop with the city's increasing population. Within the past one or two years I have seen Novi grow dramatically with new schools, new hospital hotel, new subdivisions, many new restaurants, and possibly a new library. Because Novi is growing at such a rapid rate, the city has to keep developing and it surely has. When I interviewed the Mayor of Novi for my profile essay, he harped to me about how much Novi is developing. I think that the photograph essay would be a perfect opportunity to show my classmates pictures of Novi's new buildings and developments. I do not think I could right an argumentative essay on how Novi continues to develop, but I could right an essay about the issue of whether or not the city of Novi needs a new library. In November 2001, the citizens of Novi rejected the proposal for a new library, but the issue will again be on this year's ballot. I will argue that Novi's population has grown so much within the past six to seven years and that the current Novi library will is not adequate enough. I think that the people of Novi need to vote "yes" on this year's proposal.

Revising Essay

Reading the restaurant reviews yesterday in class was quite interesting/fun. It was a nice chnage in pace from the other formal papers earlier this semester. I enjoyed reading my classmates essay's and I had a good time writing mine. Going to a restaurant and writing was different. Usually I go to a restaurant, stuff my face, and then leave. However, this time, I tried to take everything in. I tried to be critical of the restaurant (Cinco de Mayo), but I really couldn't find anything wrong with it!

Today, I looked over my peer-viewers comments and got to work! I really appreciate what they had to say, and hopefully I can make the necessary changes. They both said that I had a great start and I just need to add/correct some miner things. I look forward to getting my review back tomorrow to see what else needs to be done. I hope that there won't be to much to fix-wishful thinking! I also think that I have a good idea for my photograph essay. I am going to show with various pictures, how the city of Novi contiunes to develop, grow, and adjust to the city's increasing population. I have blogged about how Novi continues to grow, and now it is time to show it! I think that everyone will enjoy it and most importantly, everyone will learn something about Novi that they never knew before.

Reading the News

The first headline on the Free Press's website jumped out at me. It said that the verdict of the Lewis "Scooter" Libby trial will read today at noon. This interested me because I like to follow politics and the National news, so a major story like this engages me.

The second thing that jumped out at me was reading the articles on the Tara Grant murder case. Everything that I read I already knew about, but I can't help to read it again because I find it to be very interesting.

I tried to look for interesting stories in the Novi area but I nothing struck me. Hopefully, I will find something soon.

The last thing that I read was about how Congress plans on giving our troops better care when they return from Iraq. This has to be improved because it is a shame that men and women are risking their lives for us and they are not even given the proper treatment. They deserve the best and we should do everything we can!

Tara Grant

If you have been watching the news over the past few weeks, you probably have been following the Tara Grant murder case. It truly is a very sad story, and it is hard to imagine how much this innocent lady had to suffer. It makes me sick to even think about it. Tara Grant lived life to the fullest each day. She loved her kids more than life itself and she loved to be around others. It is a shame that her life was cut short. I wish the best to her family and kids during this difficult time.

As far as her husband, Stephen Grant, I think that this man should never see the light of day again. After what he did, I have no mercy/compassion for him. This was such a disturbing and malicious act, and it warrants the worst punishment possible. How can you murder your wife? This is the person you are suppose to cherish, love, protect, and care for, not destroy. Why don't you just get a divorce instead of killing her? I wish that this poor woman never had to go throuhgt this. May God Bless her soul.

It's Over

Well, it's hard to imagine that Spring Break is already over. It seems like yesterday the week long break had just begun. Now, it's time to go back to work (school). I enjoyed the break, just sitting around and relaxing with my friends. I know that this doesn't sound to exciting, but I think that this was just what I needed. Although, going somewhere warm and sunny would not have been bad either. This break gave me the chance to catch up on some sleep and do some work around the house. The way I look at it, there is only seven more weeks left of classes, which is not too bad! You have to stay positive.

Over break, I also had to write the restaurant review. I choose Cinco de Mayo, a Mexican restaurant located in Redford. I really enjoyed this paper because it was fun to be a critic. I am pretty much done writing the first draft and so far I am well pleased with how it has turned out. To be quite honest, I absolutely loved the restaurant I choose. I had never been there before, and after leaving there, I really don't have anything to criticize the restaurant for. Out of the five things we needed to critique, the bathroom (cleanliness) was the only potential issue. There were a couple of paper towels on the floor, but that's all! Everything from the food, atmosphere, prices, service, and cleanliness was excellent. I really worked hard to keep this review interesting and engaging throughout. After reading it, I think readers will have a good idea of what Cinco de Mayo is all about. I look forward to reading everyone else's.

Bob Woodruff

Watching the special on Bob Woodruff yesterday, To Iraq and Back, made think about how lucky I am. Bob Woodruff was reporting from Iraq when a road side bomb destroyed his tank. One second he was on top of the world: lead reporter for ABC news, wonderful family, and living his dream. The next second he is fighting for his life. It is amazing how quickly life can change. It took several months for Bob to recover and it truly is a miracle that even he survived the accident. Now, months later, Bob is alive to tell his unbelievable story.

I sometimes forget how blessed I am. I have a great family, friends, and I am in good health. What more do I need! In the special last night, I saw kids my age (18 years old) in war. What a wake up call! These kids risk their lives each day to protect our country. There are many kids my age that have been severely injured in Iraq. Some with missing arms or legs, others with permanent brain damage. They go through each day not knowing if they will make it. They truly are heroes and I hope they can come back safely. I need to appreciate what I have and count my blessings each day. God Bless The Men And Women Serving This Wonderful Country.

I Wish I Was There!

This is a picture of a place where I wish I could be for Spring Break! Instead, I am staying home and the weather here (in Michigan) could not be any more different than the weather in this picutre. So far there has been an ice storm, which has made the roads brutal to travel on. I am jealous of all my friends who are somewhere like this picture. It was my choice not to go, but I really do not have the money to spend. A couple of my friends, like me, stayed home, so it looks like we will be hanging out for the majority of break. Hopefully, the weather will start to turn around and so will my break.

Cinco de Mayo

Well, I really wasn't sure what restaurant I wanted to do a review on, but I think I found the one. I decided to go with Cinco de Mayo, a Mexican Restaurant located on Beech Daly Road, just past Five Mile. There were many restaurants to choose from, but I decided on this one because I have never been there before. My mom and her friends go out to eat here, and they always rave about how much they love it . I will not be biased toward the restaurant and I think that it sounds like a very interesting place to do a review on. I believe that I will be able to go there tomorrow, so I am looking forward to the experience.

I called the restaurant today to get some background information (the restaurant's history) before I go there. I spoke with one of the owners, Guillermo Torres. He explained that his family owns half of the restaurant, while Miles Handy owns the other half. The Torres family moved from Guadajara, Mexico. They had been looking to open a restaurant for quite some time, and when they talked with Miles Handy the right opportunity presented itself. He mentioned that most of the food is homemade. A lot of the food is taken from recipes used back in Mexico. Trucks deliver new food each day, which keeps the food fresh. The restaurant opened November 24th, 2006. I can't wait to eat here!

Paper Agenda

1.) The first thing that I need to do is to change my thesis around. Professor DeGenaro said it was very good, but I just need to steer away from making it sound like a five paragrapg essay thesis. I already have an idea in mind.

2.) The second thing that I want to change is making the body paragraphs follow the P-I-E format better. I tried to do this in the rough draft, but I need to improve on what I have already done. I have a clear idea of what needs to be done.

3.) The last thing that I want to do add is more vivid details. I have established a good tone for the paper, I just need some more details. The more details, the better!

Restaurant Essay

As I was looking at the class syllabus, I noticed that we are going to have to write a restaurant review essay over Spring Break. Although, I am not to excited about having to write and essay over break, the idea seems interesting. I have a couple of restaurants in mind, but nothing set in stone. I absolutely love to eat, and I love to go out an eat with family and friends. The restaurnat experience always seems to make eating that much better. I am curious to see the requirements for this essay. Hopefully, they won't be too bad!

I am finishing up the corrections that I had to make from my peer viewers. I tried to incorporate their input/ideas as best I could. I think I did a pretty good job of doing so, but I shall wait and see. This week is very busy for me and I am sure that it is very busy for the rest of you too. I have a test, mid-term, and the profile paper all due on Thursday. I am trying to keep ahead, but it seems like things just keep getting piled on!

"I Just Want To Be Average"

After reading this essay it certainly makes me realize how lucky I am. I take so many things for granted, so when I read or hear a stopry like this, it makes me feel sad. All of the things that I take for granted are things that people, like Mike Rose, only dream of having. Mike Rose's father inspired me because even though he was very sick, he still managed to keep his family together. He never complained about how much pain or suffering he was in, which truly is incredible. Roses' father tried to be the rock of the family, and from the sound of things he did a excellent job. I enjoyed reading about the special relationship that Mike and his father had; it was something special.

The last paragraph from this excerpt was the one that I thought had Rose's main message. He says, "What finally affected me was subtler, but more pervasive: I cannot recall a young person who was crazy in love or lost in work or one old person who was passionate about a cause or an idea" (122). He then went on to say, "I developed a picture of human existence that rendered it short and brutish or sad and aimless or long and quiet with rewards like afternoon naps" (122). These two quotes gave me the idea that Rose'schildhood affected him in a neagtive way. It painted him a "picture" of society that no young child should have to deal with or understand. His childhood taught him that life was tough and most of the time things are not as promising as they seem. It is sad that Rose had to experience these things at such a young age. Most kids are lucky enough and do not have experience the struggle that Rose had to.

Resonse to Today's Class

I really enjoyed reading the two essays today by Stephanie and Holly. Both were about people who had great personalities and who had a real love for life. After reading their essays, I noticed that in my paper I could describe Mayor Landry a bit more. I tried to stay away from making the essay to personal, and concentrated on making more critical analysis. However, I realized that adding a few more details would make the paper that much better. It would allow the reader to have a better picture and understanding of Mayor Landry, which is vital.

In response to the comments I received, I really appreciate them. Both of the readers said that my paper was very good and that I stuck to my thesis throughout. Two things that I want to work on are: having more action verbs and making a few more original claims. I tried to make sure that I addressed these two areas in the rough draft, but I need to do more. I was very pleased at how the rough draft turned out, and hopefully the final draft will be that much better.

Peace Talks

Listening to the news two days ago, I heard something very interesting: The United States and North Lorea may have a possible agreement. It sounded like the U.S. would help North Korea turn around their economy, if North Korea in turn agreed to disarm or stop their nuclear weapons and nuclear program. This is what I took out of it, but do not quote me on it. However, if this is the case, I would be quite happy. Being able to solve such a huge problem diplomatically and peacefully would be awesome. This may not be as easy as it sounds, but it is certainly a step in the right direction. Let's keep our fingers crossed and hope that all goes to plan.

I was also watching the President's press conference (briefing) yesterday and that too caught my attention. It seems like the U.S. has the same problem with Iran and their nuclear weapons program. I know that there looks to be no agreement in sight between these two countries, but it is imparative that we get one done. The U.S. needs to find a way to talk with Iran and resolve their problems. It will be very difficult, but it looks like we made headway with North Korea. I have all the confidence that we can do the same with Iran!

Songs

1.) Rags to Riches by Tony Bennett/Trick Daddy- The title of the song symbloizes Novi's transformation as a city. Years ago, Novi was just farmland, but now it is one of the nicest places to live and its economy is in great shape. Nobody use to want to live here, but now it has become a hotspot.

2.) All Night Long by Lionel Richie- I choose this song because Novi is known for being a big party city, with all of its bars. Although I can't go to them, my brothers tell me that they are always busy and the party seems to last all night.

3.) Forever Young by Rod Stemwart- Novi is an extremly young city. It contiunes to grow each day and new things are constantly being built. It has a great future.

4.) All About the Benjamins by Puff Daddy and Mase- As I mentioned earlier, Novi's economy is healthy compared to many others cities in Michigan right now. Plus, when people go to Novi they usually spend a good amount of money at Twelve Oaks, restaurants, movie theaters, etc.

5.) Yeah Yeah Yeah by Uncle Cracker- The song says, "Don't no why I come here, but I know I'll never leave, it's the only place I want to be." I love the city of Novi and I hope that I will be able to live in this city when I move out of the house.

6.) In the Air Tonight by Phil Collins- I live in Novi so I am a little biased toward the city. However, Novi provides me with a feeling of happiness. It provides me with a place where I feel comfortable and where I know that I will enjoy myself.

7.) Cheeseburger in Paradise by Jimmy Buffet- This song reminded me food and Novi has great restaurants. Novi has all types of different restaurants to choose from. You can enjoy your friends and family during a great meal.

8.) Can't Touch This by MC Hammer- I feel that Novi is a very special city and I enjoy each day living here. I do not think that other cities can offer what Novi has to offer.

Profile Essay

Well, I am doing my profile essay on the Mayor of Novi, David Landry. I e-mailed him Tuesday after class and before the end of the day he e-mailed me right back. I conducted the interview on Wednesday night. The interview lasted for about twenty minutes. I never met Mayor Landry before talking to him so I was quite nervous. However, after talking to him I found himself to be in awe of how nice of an individual he is. He treated me so kindly, and he answered all my questions thoughtfully and thoroughly. The experience was awesome. I learned a lot about him and what his job involves. I also talked to two other people Sarah Walsh (Community Relations Manager ) and Clay Pearson (City Manager of Novi). Both had nice things to say about him and they provided me with great information. I was able to find articles written on Mayor Landry in the Novi News, which will help me with writing the paper. It should be interesting.

Abu-Jamal

Live from Death Row, written by Mumia Abu-Jamal, truly is a powerful story. So many different lines caught my attention. "Law is simply politics by other means" (135) rang very loud in my mind. I agree with Abu-Jamal when he says this. People who do not have a lot of money or who are in the minority suffer greatly in court because politics influence the court system in a way that hinders their chances. When I read the part about the cages, death cases, designed only for the African American inmates I was astonsihed and upset. I cannot understand why African American inmates have to be treated worse then the White American inmates. It simply is not fair!

The last part of the essay was very moving. I cannot imagine how embarrassed Abu-Jamal must have felt when he was not allowed to hug, kiss, or hold his daughter. He must have felt hopeless and rage probably filled his entire body. I would never want to experience such feelings and I wish those feelings upon no one.

Profiles

Looking at the various profiles was quite interesting. Wendy Case's profile really jumped out at me. Her profile engaged me and it kept me looking forward to see what happened next in her life. She struggled throughout most of her life with alcoholism, which is a sad. However, reading about how she persevered was incredible. The thing that I appreciate the most about her story is how she quit drinking, while she still continued to tour with the band. Alcohol was surely present on tour when was trying to get sober, so the temptation to pick it back up must have been overwhelming. Being able to stay away and say 'no' shows how strong of a person she is. Reading a feel good profile like Wendy Case's made me feel happy. I wish her the best of luck and keep up the good fight.

I also enjoyed reading about the Detroit Red Wings head coach, Mike Babcock. I never knew how he struggled before he reached his dream job as an NHL head coach. He spent many long and hard days coaching junior and college league hockey teams, not knowing what would happen next in his life. He spent many nights awake in his bed, wondering when the pressure he felt would ultimately go away. Through his hard work and dedication things in his life began to turn around. Eventually, the Anaheim Mighty Ducks gave him his first shot, by hiring Babcock as their head coach.

These two profiles have a common theme. Wendy Case and Mike Babcock had to work extremely hard to persevere through their difficult times, and now they can showcase their talents for everyone to see!

Today's Class Discussion

After reading through my free-writing paragraphs today, two lines stuck out. The first line said "Winter takes a toll on everyone" and the other line said "The weather sucks the life and energy out of me." These lines both had the same meaning/point to them. The winter months create a depressive feeling for everyone. People try to stay positive by saying that Spring is just around the corner, but this does not seem to do the trick. The cold, freezing temperatures simply add insult to injury.

Listening to what other people said about the winter contributed to me picking these two lines to blog about. The overwhelming attitude toward the winter was one of frustration and exhaustion. Disappointment and anger filled the faces of many people. Hearing what people had to say about our current weather situation sounded very similar to my own opinions/feelings. The message I received from my peers was that they too feel the affects of winter. The winter truly is taking its toll on them too. I do not have advice to give on how to get through the next few months, but hopefully Spring will come soon. Spring Break certainly cannot come soon enough.

Detroit 'cool'

Reading about this new promotional campaign for the city of Detroit excited mine. I think that this idea could be a huge success. Many people worked very hard to get this idea developed, and they deserve a great deal of credit and respect. I respect them because they did not give up on Detroit, but rather they continued to work on an idea that will show people how great Detroit can be.

The attributes selected for this campaign have good variety and are all interesting. I agree with Larry ALexander, president and CEO of the DMCVB, when he said that these strenghts "best set us apart from other cities" (1). Alexander and others have done extensive research and surveys on this project and it looks like they captured the five best atrributes for Detroit. These strenghths are diverse and innovatice, which should grab people's attention.

One of the reasons why I think this campaign will work is because it specifically targets the ages between 21-34. The article mentions that the campaigns's "target audience is much narrower than past efforts" (2). To me, this makes sense and is a great idea. Narrowing the target audience down allows you to focus your attention on the people who will most likely enjoy and respond to the promotion. The research team decided that this age group gives the campaign the best chance for working, something I agree with.

Detroit has heard many visitors say that Detroit's offerings have not been easy to find or well-promoted. In response to this the TEDC, (Tourism Destination Districts) has geared this campaign toward making life on their tourists much easier and more enjoyable by chossing five specific districts. The Districts include Downtown Dearborn, Wayne, Macomb, South Oakland, and North Oakland. This will provide tourists with a great way to understand and enjoy metro Detroit through "concentrated , smaller destinations" (2) making their trip that much better.

In response to the visual, I see creativeness, ingenuity, and classiness. The DMCVB gave this campaign a logo that looks fresh, alive, and positive. I think they did a great job with it. Putting the campaign's five strengths/attributes on the logo is a nice touch because it reminds their audience what Detroit 'cool' is all about.

Here is a link to the article!

Reaction to Yesterday's Class

I really enjoyed yesterday's class because it gave everyone a chance to help other people's paper, but also because it gave me feedback on what I need to do. Both of the people who read my essay did a great job. I could tell they put a great deal of effort into revising/critiquing my paper. One of the things that both Holly and Stephanie said was that I need a little more detail and or description. This was helpful because it allowed me to go back through my paper and see what area(s) needed this. It was also nice to get their feedback because they added comments/ideas that could possibly make my paper better.

One of the things that I liked about yesterday's class was it allowed me to read other people's essay. Both of the essay's that I read were fascinating. One was about a Coney Island, while the other was about an old theater in Wyandotte. Both had many different voices to their papers as well as a good amount of detail. Reading their papers gave me some ideas as to what maybe I can do to fix my paper. Hopefully, the revision process will help all of our grades.

Last Night's Debate

When I was flipping through the TV channels yesterday, I tuned into the special regarding Detroit's current car industry situation. It was hosted by Charles Gibson. Many important people were there, such as Michigan senator Debbie Stabenow and others that represented the Big Three. It was very insightful, and I learned a great deal about the car situation here in Michigan. Overall, I thought the tone of the discussion to be very depressing, but almost all of people who were present on the stage said the same message-Detroit is going to get out of this situation soon! It was quite hard to listen to this same message over and over when the situation has been bad for quite some time. Unfortunaltey, my uncle has been a victim of Ford's many layoffs. It is a very vary sad time for many of the people in the auto industry.

One of the things that caught my attention was a question asked by a mother and her son to the panel of people on the stage. It wasn't so much the question that caught my attention, but the son's facial expression. It was one of disappointment and frustation. He graduated from the University of Michigan and had a two year internship at Diamler Chrysler. After, two years, he then went out West to have an internship there. He is now going to work out West because this company is offering him a better situation. However, he said that he would like to work in Michigan, but the current car industry situation simply won't allow him to. We need to get this fixed as fast as possible so we don't fire or lose any more hard working people. I know, easier said then done.

A Booming City

When my family was going to move to Novi about six years ago, I was very skeptical and upset. I didn't want to move becasue I would have to make new friends and start all over. Plus, I really enjoyed living in Dearborn Heights. However, six years later, I hang out with the same people and I absolutely love the decision my parents made. Novi has developed so much and there is always something to do. New restaurants at every corner, Twelve Oaks Mall, and new stores make Novi a nice place to live and have fun. I am not saying that Novi is the best city around, but it always seems to keep me busy. I know many other people who also love the city because it always offers something new to do each time. I call it a booming city because every time I turn around, it seems like new stores and houses are being built, which keeps it interesting. I keep thinking that the city is going to run out of room for new places, but it looks like it won't be running out of room any time soon, something I certainly don't mind.

Unfortunately Novi has one major problem, and that is traffic. I love going to places in Novi, but it takes forever. The intersection at 8 Mile and Haggerty is guaranteed to add an extra 15 minutes onto your trip and 275 always seems to have a traffic jam. It just gets very frustating when you want to go somewhere because you have to plan ahead. I'd like to get your feedback on the city and see what you think about it!

Not A Whole Lot to Do

This weekend is not turning out to be the weekend that I was hoping for. I planned on going up to Ann Arbor to visit with my friend, but he has ROTC obligations. I understand though, the ROTC is important and I would not want to get in trouble with them. So my plans for tonight have pretty much been scraped and I do not have anything else planned as of right now.

I love the Michigan weather, except for winter. I 'm not the biggest winter person and the snow today certainly has not helped to make my day any better. No football games this weekeend, which is another big disappointment. I can't wait for the Superbowl, hopefully Manning will be able to get his first championship. Maybe this weekend will turn out be okay after all, will see shortly.

Research Progress

I was quite nervous about the interviewing process, but it turned out to be quite enjoyable. I picked two customers that go to the local restaurant I'm writing about. Both were extremely friendly and they provided me with some good information. I also interviewed the owner, Steve Nedanovski. He gave me some good insight into his family history and into the restaurant dynamics. It was quite hard for me to find written articles on Steve's Family Diner. However, I called the Livonia Observer and they had an article in their archives. They also directed me to another article that was written on Steve's in the Detroit News about three years ago. These articles will certainly be a big help in writing this paper. After looking at the interviews and the research articles, my paper is going to center around the notion that Steve's Family Diner is more than just another restaurant to the Plymouth community.

The three areas that make it more than another restaurant are its hard working family history, its special atmosphere, and the special relationships that have formed as a result of Steve's. I will concentrate on these three things and I will explain how they make Steve's Family Diner siginficant to the community. Steve's is special to the community, and everyone values its presence. Steve's is a second home to many people, where relationships have formed and families have grown closer. Conducting research on this site has made me realize that Steve's Family Diner provides something special for the community, something that no other place in the community can do!

Response to Yesterday's Class Discussion

Listening to yesterday's class discussion was quite interesting. It seemed like everyone had very insightful things to say about coffeehouses. I agree with Hisam when he mentioned that people our age usually go to coffeehouses because they provide us with a palce to go when nothing else is going on. Coffeehouses give my friends and I a place to go when we can't find anything to do or when we are just bored. I also agree with Stephanie when she said that kids go to coffeehouses because they don't want to stay home. Coffeehouses act as an outlet for kids that just want to get out and relax.

Reading this article by Michael Marriot really caught my attention because it made me think about this growing phenomeon. Coffeehouses have become extremely popular and it looks like they will be around for quite some time. This article touched on the many aspects of coffeehouses, and it provided various opinions. Marriot provided quotes from frequent coffeehouses goers, something I found to be interesting. Hearing different viewpoints on the same thing (a coffeehouse) certainly is intriguing. Many people like coffeehouses because it allows them to do various things such as reading a book, relaxing, enjoying a cup of cup, hanging out with friends, etc. People like coffeehouses for different reasons, but the common factor that everyone shares is their liking for coffeehouses.

Response to "Jiving with Java"

After reading "Jiving with Java" I found this article to be very entertaining and interesting. The sudden increase in the popularity of coffeehouses is certainly worth talking about. I know that until a couple of years ago, I never even considered entering into one. Now, my friends and I will go every so often because they can be a good time. The line in the article that says, "We have everyone" (464) really jumped out at me. I thoguht about it, and it really seems quite true. Almost everybody now goes to coffeehouses! It is nice to have a place where people can go to just relax. Coffeehouses provide a place for people to go when they simply need a break from their busy lives as well as a place where they can enjoy their friends company. Coffeehouses provide people with many simple pleasures.

The last two paragraphs also caught my attention. When reading these paragraphs about the high levels of caffeine addiction among many people, I could not tell whether the writer (Michael Marriot) was either being sarcastic or serious. I hope that coffeehouses haven't become "middle-class crackhouses" (465) for some people. I believe that Marriot was simply poking fun at people who constantly visit their local coffeehouses. It will be quite interesting to see if this phenomeon lasts for years to come.

Progress on Analysis Paper

I have just completed my interviews for this paper. I am writing about a local diner and its significance to the community. I talked to the owner (Steve Nedanovski) as well as two customers who go to the local diner quite often. In talking to the customers both of them had similar responses to many of the questions I asked them. Both of them agreed that the diner is important to the community for many different reasons and that they feel welcome and like family every time they go there. I received a lot of good responses from the both of them. The owner, Steve Nedanovski, talked to me for about 15 minutes and shared a lot about him and his family, his customers, and the restaurant. He explained to me that the restaurant means everything to his family and that the people of Plymouth have really embraced it. He believes that the restaurant symbolizes family and friendship.

I also did some research on the internet, but I was not able to get anything really good. However, I talked to the Livonia Observer publisher and he had an article on Steve's from their archives. I was also able to get an article on Steve's that was written in the Detroit News about three years ago. Both were short, about two to three paragraohs long, but I did get information from them that will be very useful for the paper.

Progress on Analysis Paper

I have just completed my interviews for this paper. I am writing about a local diner and its significance to the community. I talked to the owner (Steve Nedanovski) as well as two customers who go to the local diner quite often. In talking to the customers both of them had similar responses to many of the questions I asked them. Both of them agreed that the diner is important to the community for many different reasons and that they feel welcome and like family every time they go there. I received a lot of good responses from the both of them. The owner, Steve Nedanovski, talked to me for about 15 minutes and shared a lot about him and his family, his customers, and the restaurant. He explained to me that the restaurant means everything to his family and that the people of Plymouth have really embraced it. He believes that the restaurant symbolizes family and friendship.

I also did some research on the internet, but I was not able to get anything really good. However, I talked to the Livonia Observer publisher and he had an article on Steve's from their archives. I was also able to get an article on Steve's that was written in the Detroit News about three years ago. Both were short, about two to three paragraohs long, but I did get information from them that will be very useful for the paper.

Response to Today's Class Discussion

After today's class discussion, my stance on the blogs certainly changed. I originally viewed the first blog, FadedDetroit, as completely negative, but after listening to several people voice thier opinions, mine began to change. I still believe that sarcasm was used in many of the titles, but I did not notice that the writer of the blog used juxtaposition. In using this techinque, the writer was able to identify the good of Detroit along with the bad. Viewing the blog in this way made it much easier to understand many of the images presented on the blog.

The other blog, Detroitfunk, had a more depressed view of Detroit. Many of the pictures contained graffiti written on street walls, burned buildings and houses, and empty streets. However, after talking and listening to many people in class, I realized that this blog also had other pictures that reflected a positive light on Detroit. There was more to this blog then I had first realized. Stephanie K. pointed out an arrow in the last Chance Gas photograph, which pointed to the open sky. She interpretated it as being a possible message for Detroit to move in a new and oppournity filled future, something I thought to be very insightful.

Pretty Sad Pictures

Looking at many of the pictures on the Detroitfunk blog I found the majority of them to reflect destruction and sadness. I understand that there were other pcitures that showed positive images of Detroit, but the majority of them were negative. The pictures that were front and center on the blog did not show Detroit in the brightest of lights. Many of the pictures were black and white, which contributed to the depressive feeling of the city. I thought the title of Bleak, on the Detroitfunk blog said it all. These pictures had graffiti written on the walls, destroyed structures, and looked lifeless. The one thing that these pictures left me with was a feeling of sadness. The city looked lifeless and without any real direction for its futue.

Response to MIke T.

I agree with you and your ideas about this essay. I also thought several of her paragraphs to be genuine and very thought provoking. I have a little different opinion about bell hooks attitude. To me, hooks did not seem to be upset but rather disappointed that this societal role was automatically given to women. I think she believes that nobody really did anyhting to change this perception or role of women, which is disappointing to her.

Response to Bell Hooks

The first part of this essay talks about Gloria Watkins (hooks) experience growing up as a little girl. Watkins discusses the importance of her mother and the place she created, homeplace. Watkins's mother worked for a white family all day long, but when she came home, homeplace was established. Homeplace was "a safe place where black people would affirm one another and by so doing heal many many of the wounds inflicted by racist domination" (69-70). Watkins understood how hard it was for a black woman in these times to establish homeplace because they were exhausted from working all day. She appreciated these efforts by her mother and valued what her mother had done for her and the family. Watkins wants the African American community to realize that homeplace is remarkable and vital.

Unfortunatley, Watkins believes that the efforts of African American women are being devalued. Homplace has lost it resistance, and many people have forgotten what the word symbolizes to the community. Watkins sees a political shift in the African American community, where the women are being pushed aside. These women have responded by changing their values and perspectives, which Watkins idenifies as "the crisis of black womanhood" (74). This is the worst thing that they have done.

Watkins believes that if the African American women do not change their values back to the idea of homeplace, then the result will be the eventual destruction of the African American family life. African American women must renew their "concern with homeplace" (75) so that everyone else remembers its (homeplace) significance . Watkins knows the solution to their political problem. The question is, will the other African American women follow her lead?

Response to Stephanie K and her post

I think that Stephnaie K. is right when she says that the clean-up of Detroit during the Super Bowl showed the possibility for change. If the city of Detroit truly wants to look better, why can't we on a regular basis have a program in place, that is dedicated to the clean-up of the city? Money should be spent here because it is vital for Detroit to start to look better. Detroit looked awesome for the Super Bowl, why does it have to stop there. Let's continue to establish programs that will help clean Detroit, which ultimately will make everyone start to feel a sense of pride for this great city.

Brainstorming for the Essay

There are two sites that immediately came to my mind when brainstorming for this essay. The first was a park in the local neighborhood and the second was a local restaurant that my family and I attend regularly. Both have significant meaning to the area and both symbolize something about the community. After doing some thinking, I am going to choose the restaurant.

The local restaurant that I am going to write about is Steve's Family Diner located on five mile and haggerty. Steve's is not just another restaurant to the community, but rather a place that symbolizes family and commitment. My family and I have been eating here for years, and we also agree that Steve's is not just an ordinary restaurant. Steve's is family owned and the food is homemade and prepared everyday by the Nedanovski family.

For the past ten years Steve's has stood for family and commitment to the people of this community. This restaurant makes you feel as family becuase the Nedanovski family makes it a point to get to know every customer before he or she leaves. Leaving from this place feels like leaving home, and you always want to come back. Steve's is opening a new restauarnt, but Steve's on five mile and haggerty will still be run by the sons of the family. In this essay I am going to write an analysis on how this important site for the past ten years has made an impact on the people of the community.

Response to class discussion on Detroit

Personally, I see no problem with Greektown. I think it is a great place for the people of Detroit and Michigan to spend time and money. I disagree with Jerry Herron's notion that Greektown is a place that acts as a cover up for Detroit's many problems. People who go to Greektown realize that Detroit has probelms and that the city is not all about fun and games. To me, Greektown serves as a standard that Detroit can create nice things for people to enjoy. People see Greektown and know that Detroit can create more nice places like this .

Events such as the SuperBowl and All-Star game also show how nice the city of Detroit can be. I believe that Detroit can be a great city not just for a week or two, but for a long time. The attitude surrounding Detroit must change first. People need to start believing that Detroit can change. Once this occurs, people can start to take the first steps to change Detroit. Detroit is a city filled with hard-working people who care about it enough that they are willing to help in the process. The people of Detroit and Michigan love this city and they want to see it flourish. Detroit has problems just like any other city, but we should not be afarid or humiliated by it. If we want to change Detorit, we have to become more interested and take better care of it.

Critical Response to Niki's Window Essay

After reading this essay it seems clear to me that Jerry Herron is not to happy with the city of Detroit. The one thing that Jerry seems most upset about is Greektown. He believes that Greektown has become a town that is "largely make -believe" (47). Jerry sees Greektown as a place that covers up many of Detroit's problems. Greektown is a "stand-in" (47) that has no significant meaning to Detroit's history. Herron 's central point in this essay is that many new buildings such as Greektown are being built on old historical sites and because of this nobody will come to know or appreciate Detroit's past or history.

Jerry Herron uses the words pastness, nostalgia, and humiliation in his essay. Pastness in this essay meant that Trapper's Alley has no tie or meaning to Detroit as a city. This building has no historical value or meaning to Detroit, which is disappointing to Herron. Nostalgia in this essay means that there is no historical context or value to the bulidings. Humiliation is the feeling that Herron comes to know when thinking about Detroit. Herron feels that Detroit has become humiliated in the sense that people try to cover up its past because it is so bad. I believe that Herron wants us to embrace Detroit's city and build on its past.