Robert Downes

Random Thoughts Robert Downes Would You Buy This Bridge?
Anyone interested in buying the Mackinac Bridge? It’s perfect for the
person who has everything, or that ‘hard to shop for’ person on your
Christmas list.
There was a flurry of manufactured outrage over an alleged plan to
sell the Mighty Mac last week to help patch the state’s $1.6 billion
budget hole. The idea seems about as likely to happen as selling 40
acres and a mule to homesteaders on the moon, but it’s worth passing
on.

Books Robert Downes On the Trail of Peter Matthiessen
By Robert Downes
Author Peter Matthiessen reached a summit in his literary career years
ago during an expedition to find a rare and elusive snow leopard in
the Himalayas. A student of Buddhism, the search for the nearly
extinct cat became a metaphor for his own quest for enlightenment in
the 1978 book, “The Snow Leopard.”

Random Thoughts Robert Downes Trick or Treat...
This used to be the time of year when you kept your black cat indoors
at night and peered out the window now and then to make sure that
young hoodlums weren’t out smashing pumpkins and acting up on “Devil’s
Night.”
Those were the days when teens were revved up to go out tossing eggs
and toilet paper at night, spray-painting graffiti, and role-playing
in inappropriate places like cemeteries.

Random Thoughts Robert Downes For gay people, a dangerous world
When an anti-discrimination ordinance for gay and lesbian citizens was
considered by the Traverse City Commission last month, some locals
wondered why such a measure would even be necessary in this day and
age in America.

Art Robert Downes David Grath captures the Spirit of the Land
By Robert Downes
Painter David Grath has a funny story about his earliest days in
Leelanau County.
“I came up to Leland in 1957 and was wandering around Fishtown Harbor
with no place to stay,” he recalls. “Then I found this big
hollowed-out log on the beach just south of the harbor and I crawled
in with my sleeping bag and spent the night there.

Random Thoughts Robert Downes A Republican for health care reform
A Republican friend of mine -- let’s call him Joe, since that is in
fact, his actual name -- agrees with his party on most issues, with
one exception:
“Sometimes I wonder if the Republicans aren’t going the wrong way with
the idea of doing away with health care reform,” he says.
Joe reads two newspapers each day, especially the editorial pages. He
gets most of his TV news from FOX. He prides himself on having a
“point of view,” and it tends to be a strong one.

Random Thoughts Robert Downes A Canal Runs Through It
Travel is expensive, especially in America. Thus, the arrival of the
so-called “staycation,” the oxymoronic equivalent of a cruel joke
perpetuated on people who are unaware of cheaper options.
There is an exciting alternative with a rock bottom budget, however:
bicycle camping.

Random Thoughts Robert Downes The bittersweet season
Fall is that time of year when we “get our life back” here in Northern Michigan.
I’m always amazed at the hush that falls over the region just after
Labor Day Weekend. Suddenly, the road along the bay looks less like
the Daytona 500 and more like a country lane. As the smog and
automotive roar of the tourist migration dissipates, you can start to
see something of that small town we remember from way back when -- a
place more like Lake Woebegone than the Vegas Strip. Fall reminds us
that life here isn’t all just a cabaret, old chum... we get our sense
of home back.

Random Thoughts Robert Downes Losing our Religion
Maybe it’s just a wild coincidence, but most of the Muslim people I’ve
ever met have been remarkably gentle and considerate.
Not a terrorist among them.
There was Darla, a college friend of Arabic descent from Dearborn who
aspired to a career in journalism. A mysterious beauty with a sense of
dignity and style, I can’t imagine she ever thought of a side career
in bomb-making.

Random Thoughts Robert Downes The Gunslingers
You have to wonder if Second Amendment activists are going to shoot themselves in the foot in Royal Oak this weekend, because they’ve finally succeeded in pissing off even the Republican establishment, along with the business community and the average American family.
An organization called Michigan Open Carry, Inc. is encouraging gun owners to carry their holstered pistols to a family festival called Arts, Beats and Eats in downtown Royal Oak on Labor Day weekend. The festival hopes to draw 25,000 people or more.

Random Thoughts Robert Downes The Pie in the Face
Give her credit, Ahlam Mohsen, 22, has got some guts, if not a lot of sense.
The anti-war activist and Michigan State University student from
Coldwater smacked U.S. Senator Carl Levin (D-MI) in the face with a
Dutch apple pie last week. Now, she faces a felony charge of stalking,
along with misdemeanors for assault and disorderly conduct.

Random Thoughts Robert Downes The 100 Thing Challenge
If you’re into the ‘less is more’ lifestyle built on simplifying your life, you’ve probably heard of the “100 Thing Challenge.”
If not, then now’s your chance to have one heck of a garage sale this weekend.
The idea is to get rid of all of your possessions except for the 100 things you can’t live without for an extended period of time -- from 100 days to a year.
Blogger Dave Bruno (www.guynameddave.com) came up with the idea and has charted his progress (perhaps “regress” is a better word) online and in a soon-to-be-published book. He’s been feted in Time magazine as far back as 2008 and apparently has plenty of disciples who are busy ditching the clutter in their lives.

Random Thoughts Robert Downes College & the Middle Class
Several years ago, I hurt a reader’s feelings by reporting on the
amount of income it takes to be considered “middle class” in America
these days.
I can’t remember the amount now -- it was probably some arbitrary
figure cooked up by an economics professor.
But I do remember the crushed look on her face as she said, “If that’s
how much money you need to earn, then I’m no longer in the middle
class.”

Features Robert Downes Tour de TART: Wheels spin for bike trail fundraiser
Pedaling for a good cause is what the Tour de TART is all about, with at least 500 cyclists expected to turn out this week to ride the trail between Traverse City and Suttons Bay.
“We’re celebrating the 10th year of the Tour this year and we’re really hoping that we’ll have 600 riders turn out,” says Pam Darling, outreach coordinator for TART Trails, Inc.
The Tour will be held this Friday, Aug. 13, with cyclists starting between 4-6:30 p.m. in the parking lot at Brick Wheels and McLain Cycle on 8th Street in TC. Riders will proceed along the West Bay bike path, hooking up with the Leelanau Trail to pedal a total of 19 miles to Suttons Bay.

Music Robert Downes Mt. Holiday gets a musical makeover
Music-lovers who check out the “new” weekly concert scene at Mt. Holiday Ski Resort in Acme may be surprised to learn that it has it actually has a fairly old and distinguished background.
In fact, folk superstar Joni Mitchell and her then-husband Chuck performed in the lounge atop Mt. Holiday way back in May of 1966 when she was an unknown singer-songwriter trying to make it in Detroit.
“I can remember her standing on the fireplace at that show when this was a coffeehouse called the Bucktooth Clam,” says Sandy Blumenfeld, who has seen many shows and performers come and go at Mt. Holiday through the years. “She didn’t have anything going on nationally at that time -- it was just before Joannie Collins and Tom Rush recorded her songs and she became a star.”