Roundabouts

After hearing about Ryan's topic on the roundabouts I am worried. I live in that area of West Bloomfield. When I'm out driving I try to avoid those high traffic areas already, but now with the roundabouts I'm curious to see if the traffic actually gets better. I know the type of drivers out there, they are kids with mommy's Lexus or daddy's BMW. The drivers have no respect for others. The mentality is "Get out of my way, I'm coming through". At first there will be many more accidents and it will not make it any better, but after a while the drivers will get used to them and they should help.

end of the road

For my last paper of this class I will be analyzing the issue of scholarship money to be allocated to various graduating high school students when in their chosen college. This will entice more high school students to go to college and stay in college.
"Granholm wants to replace the current Merit Scholarship, a $2,500 award for college-bound high school seniors who passed the MEAP test, with a $4,000 scholarship paid upon completion of two years at a college or trade school."
http://www.macombdaily.com/stories/052605/loc_mcc001.shtml
I like that she wants to wait for the students to complete two years at school because this shows that the student is already interested in pursuing a degree at a college and even if they did not do so well in high school, this is the final chance to prove that they deserve this scholarship.
Now, a high school degree no longer means much. You can't obtain a career anywhere. Students must have a college degree in order to make it anywhere in life now.
There are two sides to this: students deserve scholarship money to further their education and to provide an incentive to them to stay in school longer or that is a waste of government money and that is not what the government is there, set up to do; their job is to use tax money for other purposes especially when we are in stagnant economic times. Other government programs need that money. Others may argue that only the best and brightest deserve that money or it is too much to allocate to each individual student and the scholarship should remain at $2,500 like the MEAP money students now in college received.
I can give different student's perspectives on this proposed plan. Along with information on how the MEAP plan worked and what changes will be made to alter that into this new $4,000 scholarship. Who supports it along with who opposes it.

Don't Leave Birmingham

Residents are leaving Michigan in the droves. The economy is in a state of stagnation. Why should Michiganders stay here? Moving is not the answer. Don't run away from problems--face them head on. Michigan may be going through rough times at the moment, but with some time, effort, and fresh ideas we can make Michigan great again.

Just looking at Birmingham alone, I saw more than twenty homes up for sale in a two block radius. This is sad to see. Someone who once lived here lost their job and can’t afford their home anymore. Homes for sale are sad to see; they show that a part of someone’s life is over. They will not make anymore memories here. It is time to write the next chapter of their life, whether they like it or not.

These homes are located on Bates in Birmingham:

It took less than five minutes to find the first home up for sale.

The empty shell left of the home.

The second home for sale: located kitty-corner to the first home.

A hose on the side of the house is all that remains.

This home is located across the street from the last one.

Intimidating....a bit avant-garde.

Half a dozen different realtor companies represent the homes for sale here. This is Weir Manuel.

Just down the street.

This same company represents many homes in this neighborhood.

Next block.

Prudential represents this home.

Even the birds are leaving.

There is a newspaper on the front stoop; they must have not moved yet.

Here, two neighboring homes are for sale.

When these people moved, they even took their basketball net with them. They spare nothing.

Three homes right next to each other are for sale. That's very disconcerting to see.

Close up

One of the homes in the lineup.

Old and new homes alike are up for sale.

Open doors are not so friendly anymore. They are closing. Your neighbors are leaving. Permanently.

Once people put their homes up for sale, there is just despair and hopelessness left. No energy to clean up their yard. They won't live here anymore so why bother improving it anymore with the little energy they have left.

Notice the heart on the door: "Home Sweet Home". It's a little odd with that for sale sign up on the lawn.

Leaves on the roof...no time for maintaining the home is exemplified once again.

These homes are located on Birmingham in Birmingham:

The van belongs to someone interested in the home.


Broken blinds.


Lock box on the door. Inviting.

Even unique homes with fascinating designs are not selling.

Life is very dismal in Michigan at the moment. But, there is hope. The economy will not be like this forever.

IKEA :D

I love IKEA. I went there yesterday and picked up some new bedroom furniture. :D I'm pretty excited. I put 3 dressers together today and tomorrow im gonna tackle the bed. It's gonna be kinda hard taking stuff out of my room to get these dressers and bed in there. What a project. I should have saved this for the summer time. I still need to do my homework and taxes. Good thing I don't have to work tonight. Happy St. Patty's Day! or Happy Green Day (and not the band lol)!

Graffiti

Graffiti is counter productive. Even if there is a message to be conveyed. This is not the right outlet. It only sets back a neighborhood. It can be found in most areas. Where it is prevalent, the neighborhood is typically not expanding, but people are moving away from the area. Why would they want to stay in a neighborhood going down hill?

Here the person actually wanted to just put "nothing" there is no reason for this, but someone was bored and wanted to be destructive and vandalize a building.

Here is an example of someone who is clearly talented, they just need to be redirected. They could do so much with this artistic talent.


This is "cute" graffiti. However, just because it is pleasing to the eye by no means makes it right or excused. This could be painted on paper, not a building.

ok, I think I have a topic

For the photo essay I'm going to take pictures of Birmingham. And for the argumentative paper, I'm going to argue granholm's proposal of giving every high school graduate $4,000 for college. I am a scholarship recipient so it has more value to me. I don't want to see that money go to kids that don't work hard for it and deserve it. Kids in Birmingham, whose parents make 6 figure incomes should not get that money if some other kid that is just as bright and talented but doesn't have parents that well off. The poorer kid should get it. So, I'm going to try and take photos of Birmingham kids and also just Birmingham in general. The area. The feel of the city. I want to capture the workers of tomorrow, today's youth. These are the people that will be running the world in 10 years. How do they interact with one another. I don't want to actually interview them, i want to observe them in their habitat. Or maybe I will go with another angle on the photography....

Graffiti

Defacing public property is not right, no matter what the message is. Yes, there are some good points, but mainly graffiti in Detroit and other cities is just plain disgraceful. The messages that are trying to be conveyed could be done another way that is less destructing. Most graffiti is there to warn people of gang territory, show who is "top dog" in the area, or it's the result of adolescents daring each other to see who will actually go through with spay painting on a building. It's also about getting the adrenaline rush of seeing if you can get away with it and not get caught by the police. Rarely are there political or important messages to be read. A lot of times there are swear words and demoralizing comments to specific religions, races, cultures, or even genders. I hate to see it because defacing a city just devalues it.

Here is an example of hope for Detroit's future. Detroit will become a city to be proud of once

again, in someones opinion. It's kind of ironic that they would do this, if they want Detroit to rise again, and be someplace to be proud of and respectable, why would they spray paint on this building? They are going against building up the city.

Other graffiti is just pointless and demoralizing, here it's to women. It looks like "hips" is spelled out. There are two women on the "H" that look naked. Whoever did this piece sees women as sex objects and not worth respecting.