h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

I had gone to Toronto Canada a few years ago to attend a Hullabaloo party (I will definately post a note about those later, but for those that don't know...Hullabaloo is a Rave that (until July this year (2005)) are organized and hosted by a DJ named Anabolic Frolic who, as far as this researcher is concerned, is the best damn Happy Hardcore DJ around). Coming from where I was previously at and going to where I was hoping to get, I had to drive through Detroit, Michigan to get. With it's towering smoke stacks and car production noises and nonsense I would have to say that beyond a shadow of a doubt and without taking into consideration that there is technically already one Hell on Earth (as mentioned earlier also located in Michigan) that Detroit has to be Hell...or at least it resembles it rather closely (not that I can say I have actually seen hell...ok...at least not sober anyway).
And on that note...I will mention that if Anabolic Frolic ever decideds to host another Hullabaloo I will, once again, go through hell to get there!

Being from Ann Arbor Michigan (home of the profound University of Michigan) I frequent Detroit for both commerce and pleasure. And I have to say, that in its defense Detroit isn’t all that bad. And you wouldn’t know that unless you’ve ‘stopped and smelled the roses’.

Detroit isn’t significantly different then any other U.S. major city, really what makes it look bad is its randomized dilapidation. As in, for example, if you go to Toledo (a larger city in Ohio) or even Chicago, they each have their own profound social class tiers. You have the wealthy upper-class with their large sky scrapers, and huge business hubs, and then you have your upper middle classes with nice bungalows and manicured lawns, and then you have certain lower income areas; which people take well care of, and then finally in certain segments of a city you’ll find severely dilapidated, rundown buildings or homes where the majority of crimes are committed, and where hoodlums live.

Detroit was Americas powerhouse for motorcars, until just recently Detroit, and Michigan as a whole was a very manufacturing oriented state. Economic times have forced us to become more of a service industry, so factories are being run down and shut out, causing eye sores. Furthermore (as I said random dilapidation) you have certain city blocks in Detroit that are absolutely fabulous, with Comerica Park on your left side, and the Detroit metropolitan Opera house on your right, with fine fancy dining all around with nothing on the menu less then $30.00 an entrée; and beautiful automobiles lining the parking lots like BMW and Lexus; walk sixty meters down the sidewalk and you see a half burnt down apartment complex with rats, cats, and homeless sharing shelter. Another 30 or 40 meters off and you run into a new development called the ‘presidential condos’, and those are for sale in the 200-300 thousand dollar range. Detroit doesn’t have any specific tiers, there are just patches of good, and patches of ‘hell’.

Although I wouldn’t want to walk around, or drive my fancy car at night alone if I didn’t have to, anywhere. Its always funny to see the people come out of the Opera house and wait for the bus to take them back to the parking lot. I’m smart, and stay indoors. The others risk being marks for beggars.

Well, I must say that you have opened my eyes. Well, mearly cracked them I suppose. I will say this...next time I make my way through Detroit, as long as there is plenty of daytime left, I will be sure to stop and smell the roses. Thank you...