Coke Mountain, Detroit

Not that kind of coke....petroleum coke...from Alberta oil sands...piling up along the river front. Apparently the Canadians aren't too happy with the view. This is the most popular article trending on NYTimes this morning:

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/05/18/bu...anted=all&_r=0

I'll just leave this right here
lol

http://www.nypost.com/p/news/local/b...CD76GXNYDrth7L

http://www.detroitnews.com/article/2...xt|FRONTPAGE|p

I'm sure people will travel to Hickory Corners from all over the world to see this museum. I know I would, and I've never even heard of the place. Detroit has one of the best cultural collections in the world but I wish the big 3 would create a real car museum that is not like any other. One that starts from the very first auto diagram up to today's latest corvette. This could create many jobs and lots of spin-off work. People will travel and pay top dollar to see something like this.

What gets to me is why these groups who hold the conference always seem to hold them in these exotic places, or where gambling is the major draw to the location.

I used to belong to a group that held such annual conferences. Originally, they were held in major US cities in the Midwest, as it was a "Midwest" organization. Then the powers-that-be decided it would be more fun to go to places that were a "bigger draw" which meant it was more expensive to travel, stay and eat.

These were not municipal conferences, but were still paid for by the smaller organizations, who obtained their funding from their individual members. So, similar to taxpayers, the little guy was footing the bill for these lavish junkets.

I believe that people need education sometimes to perform their tasks, whether paid or volunteer. What I don't believe is that the education has to take place in Hawaii, Las Vegas, Puerto Rico, New York, or on a cruise ship. These conferences should be held on a local basis, maybe at a college campus. The participants can stay in a local Holiday Inn.

I know from personal experience that most of the attendees at such things may attend one or two seminars over a week, but for the most part they are vacationing on someone else's money.

Can you list one reform or improvement that has happened under his watch?

1. Finances: He sold bonds, that's about it
2. Academic achievment: Any gains seen have more to do with moving out the lowest performing schools to the EAA. He can trump an improvement in scores but that is like claiming you're healthy because you lopped off a gangrenous limb.
3. Morale, class size, etc: No comment

The guy has been a complete failure in every regard and will leave DPS in a similar financial situation (but with more long term debt), scores will be similar or worse.

A good event for the general public to see the club.

http://www.greatlakesboatingfestival.com/