The Bunker

I've been out looking this past week and thought some of you might enjoy seeing the rejects. I should probably mention that I only saw the very worst properties in town. There are plenty of gigantic $120,000 houses that just need some redecorating.


I'm told the first house I looked at is worth about $30K, less than the asking price for this prize in Ypsi. The plaster is obviously disintegrating and there is a hole large enough to see the back yard through in the basement, but I'm told that a very nice 2-unit with a studio and skylight in the attic I saw later in the day was in similar condition not long ago.


Nearly all the houses I looked at were 2-units. One or both units were rented in many cases. Some were owner-occupied and very clean like this 2-unit with a garage. Others were built as rentals on both floors and in pretty rough shape.


This $90,000 palace will be 3 apartments when the attic renovation is completed. None of the houses in Hamtramck were built as 3-units. It's not uncommon for the attic or garage to be converted into an apartment. In some cases, the gargage has been replaced with another 2-unit house for a total of 4 units.


Probably the strangest building I toured was this former 3-unit + storefront. I say former because at some point, the bedrooms on the first floor became part of the storefront. It looks like they were in the process of adding two bathrooms as well. Maybe a restaurant?

According to Planned Parenthood, an amendment to the House version of the FY '05 Labor-HHS bill would allow any health care provider or institution (not just religious entities) to refuse to provide, pay for, or even refer for abortion for any reason".

* It allows individuals and institutions to refuse to provide abortions or give women full information about all of their options. They can also refuse to refer women elsewhere for abortion.


* While being portrayed by proponents as a matter of religious freedom, an entity claiming discrimination need not have religious grounds for doing so.


* This legislation reaches beyond the federal government and intrudes upon state and local decision-making.


* The sponsors of the federal refusal clause want to nullify decisions that are based on a state's own constitution.


* A federal refusal clause would allow the "conscience" of a corporate entity to trump the "conscience" and needs of the women they serve.

Planned Parenthood Action Network is an easy way to send an e-mail or fax to your Senator.

Lately, we've been trying to familiarize ourselves with Detroit by driving around until we find Hamtown rather than looking at a map. Mostly, our map isn't very useful because it's in several pieces and also from the Milliken administration.


A Detroit police car actually followed us down Rosa Parks Blvd for several minutes before speeding past and running a stop sign.



Boy Scouts of America and a house on Rosa Parks and Warren.


A little over a year ago, I stayed with my Grandma Dean for a week and she talked about how excited Grandpa was about moving to the new suburbs of Middleville. They drove out every weekend from their first house on Eastern and Alexander in Grand Rapids on newly-opened M-37 to look at the house construction.


Now I know what she meant. Steve and I drove to Hamtramck on Sunday to get a paper and wander town a bit. It's so fun just to be in Hamtramck. I had so much fun, I didn't take any pictures.


We were going to have shish-kabobs on Conant, but they were closed for Ramadan, so we headed over to the Salvador Deli on Yemans for lunch. The food was great and they had a mellow DJ. Yes, a DJ. Steve tells me you can't walk 10 ft in New York without bumping into one, but I'd never seen a DJ hanging out in a deli. Very cool.


After lunch, we bought some chocolate covered wafer blocks from Croatia at the corner grocery next to the deli. Their regular stock includes grape leaves and spice packets for dishes I've never heard of. Local sausage, too.


On the way home, we drove through Highland Park and another area of Detroit.




Handyman special.

Earlier today, 20 skippers set sail from France in the 5th Vendée Globe, a single-handed race around the world. Less than half of all competitors finish the race and 2 have died trying. The rules are "no stopover" and "no assistance".

Without stopovers! During his incredible adventure in New Zealand in the Vendée Globe 2000-01, Yves Parlier demonstrated that it was possible, in a particular way, to make a stopover. In reality, the skippers don’t have the right to tie up to a buoy, to another boat or along a quay, but may drop anchor in a bay to make repairs. Roland Jourdain did just that after Cape Horn, in the archipelago of Wollaston, to repair a broken mast track. In New Zealand, Yves Parlier went to the limit of the ruling by disembarking onto land, but at low tide, and without exceeding the limits of high tide. In this way he never made any physical contact with people or exterior infrastructure. Without assistance! No physical aid, no material from outside, no extra food is authorised after the start, unless they return to Les Sables d’Olonne.

The last winner and runner-up have decided not to compete so it could be anyone's race.

It doesn't look like the "Blizzard of 2004" will generate any t-shirt business. NOAA is forcasting another drier than average winter for SE Michigan.