Ypsilanti's Bill Riney: A wage slave version of Don Quixote

That's Riney on the left.

Ypsilanti Township's Bill Riney is a political agitator, unsuccessful political candidate, and free hot-dog philanthropist, who earns his living as a self-employed lawn mower, handy-man, runner-of-errands, snow shoveler, and jack-of-all-trades.

Riney's biggest stunt so far was when on Labor Day 2010 he climbed to the top of the Washtenaw County Building in downtown Ann Arbor, and which required both the AAFD high-ladder unit and the AAPD SWAT team to get Bill down. That stunt cost Riney some jail time and an $830 fine & court costs (the DA had asked for $19,000, so there's that).

I wish all of our local politicians were as interesting as Riney.

Irritated hunters shoot down animal rights group's aerial drone

Can't blame the hunters really. The hunters were on their private property and engaged in a lawful activity while the drone was trespassing and trying to disrupt their activity.

Weblog - Michigan edition

Redistricting could mean trouble for Michigan Democratic Rep.s Carl Levin, Gary Peters (Alec Jacobs, Daily Caller)
"Elections have consequences. Especially in a redistricting year. And Michigan Democrats are learning that the hard way." Too bad they can't get rid of John Conyers or John Dingell instead.

Ann Arbor voters need to decide what they want and what their willing to pay for (Tony Dearing, annarbor.com/)
A decent editorial as far as it goes. The thing is, times have changed. We can't afford as many cops, firefighters and high-end manager/bureaucrats at $100k or more plus benefits without a lot more tax dollars coming in. We can't even afford the ones we have now in fact, hence the layoffs. Just like with the industrial unions city employee's gains come at the expense of their jobs. Fewer but still gold-plated cops, firefighters and managers or more employees with less pay & benefits. That's what it comes down to in my opinion.

Quitting Borders: Staffers flee the bankrupt bookseller  (Eve Silberman, Ann Arbor Observer)
"The common sentiment ... was that 'if you weren't looking for another job, you were crazy.' Another refugee says the company is so short-staffed it recently called and asked him to come back (he refused)." Indeed. Why wait for the last life raft? Get out while the gettin's good.

Christian missionaries take on Muslims, Catholics at Arab International Festival in Dearborn (Niraj Warikoo, Det Free Press)
Hey folks, "infidels" (i.e., everybody but Muslims) have free speech rights too. Welcome to America.

Taking back the park (Dylan Lawrence, Det Metro-Times)
Local activists tear down developer's illegal fence at the foot of the Ambassador Bridge that cuts through a neighbor hood public park. A little direct action is good. More is better.