UPDATED 8/4/2018: Ann Arbor Mayoral Race Endorsement: VOTE FOR CHRISTOPHER TAYLOR FOR MAYOR ON AUGUST 7, 2018

Hello gentle Ypsi/Ann Arbor readers 

I stated at the beginning of this campaign that I would not be endorsing candidates from either side in the A2 council/ mayoral races. 

I identified the two primary issues of advocacy for me as 1) Housing policy 2) Police policy

Well, things changed a bit when Ryan Hughes entered the Ward 1 Council race running on the two issues i identify above [I've since told him he might consider a slightly more broad platform ;-) ].

I support Ryan as his values closely comport with mine. It doesn't hurt that he is running as a Democratic Socialist, and is aligned with Huron Valley Democratic Socialists of America, participates in our housing committee.

And now, we have hit a point in the campaign where I am prepared to make an endorsement in the Mayoral race. [Again, this was not my intention at beginning of campaign]

Process**: I should also note that I personally spoke with both candidates, along with fellow HVDSA member Mike Auerbach from Ypsilanti.

While we did not represent HVDSA views to the candidates, we wanted each to know that we were working with the HVDSA Housing Committee when we met and would be thus reporting back to the committee what was said at the meetings and include them in follow-up emails. By the way, While Taylor's response to our email follow-up to the in-person meeting we had was far from acceptable in my view, at least he responded to it with his view. 

We received *no response* from Eaton. When I've asked Mr. Eaton in person about his lack of response [it's now been three weeks], he states that he's been "busy politicking, going to meetings." As I walked away from him he added, "And besides, if I give you anything, you will just mischaracterize it anyway..."


I created a table to show a basic rundown of my decision-making process. Feel free to tear it apart if you want. Feel free to use it however you see fit in your own decision-making on this important primary vote on August 7.

I am now supporting Christopher Taylor for re-election. Yesterday, I went out on the doors for both he and Chuck Warpehoski, who I support based on his council record of support for housing affordability and for his thoughtful consideration of viewpoints in opposition to his. 

Ali Ramlawi's support for Jack Eaton's "Proactive Policing" policy and desire to add more police officer outlays to our General Fund Budgeting process kinda helped too. FWIW, I am a Ward 3 resident and will not have the chance to vote for Chuck.

Back to the Taylor/ Eaton race. Feel free to check out my decision table linked-to below:

https://bit.ly/2LlnagW 

And regardless of who *you* support, good luck on the doors and in the polls! 

Note: This is not in any way, official nor otherwise an endorsement from the Huron Valley Democratic Socialists of America. I am a member and have been most directly involved with the Housing Committee.

Note 2: This article has been updated with feedback on positions in the table below by Taylor. I also added the **"Process" section which is the sentence attached to that word and the paragraph below it.

Here is the table:

UPDATED 8/4:

	Christopher Taylor	Jack Eaton
Housing Policy	Christopher’s plan currently is to implement Zoning disruptions along transit routes that will allow for more building. Other solutions in realm of social housing he will rely on experts like Jennifer Hall for policy ideas/ planning.	Jack has... *no policy or plan* for housing....added social housing policy suggestions to his platform with two weeks to go in the campaign. He does not, however, advocate for any type of realistic steady funding stream and therefore undercuts his advocacy. We will have no social housing w/o adequate funding AND as we already know, He does mention that he wants “no new taxes” on residents and that "You can't solve the problem of affordable housing by building luxury apartments." He further states that before we tackle AH, we first must “build trust” with residents by fixing roads, etc.
County Housing Affordability and Equity Report recommendations	Voted in 2015 *to support* recommendations for housing affordability	Voted in 2015 *against* the resolution adopting the housing affordability recommendations
Funding Affordable Housing Inititiatives	Taylor voted to put $900K/yr of County Public Safety Millage rebate in Affordable Housing Fund [each year for 8 years]. Millage Context: ALL Community Mental Health (CMH) dollars go to CMH ALL Public Safety (Sheriff) dollars go to Sheriff. The millage returns a rebate to cities with police so that they are not double taxed. The rebate comes in to Ann Arbor unallocated and without stipulations -- suitable for any purpose in Council's discretion. The Use Resolution we passed in advance of the vote pledged to use rebate for Pedestrian Safety (20%); Climate Action (40%); Affordable Housing (40%). Taylor is also open to other funding ideas, but nothing solid yet has been presented in his view	Jack voted against the $900K/yr, but to be fair, the vote was on a resolution that took rebate money from county public safety millage to other city purposes he does not support. Jack wants “no new taxes” on residents But is open to ideas like further decreasing cap on DDA TIF capture as well as exploring alternative uses for the DDA parking revenues.
Police Oversight Commission	Initially “wanted to learn more about how the Police Commission might work.” He has since acceded to its creation. Taylor sees this commission as having input on policy, but no direct investigation of complaints. From his website: “we already have robust civilian oversight of the police department. The Chief of Police reports to the City Administrator; the City Administrator reports to City Council and the Mayor; and we report to you.”	Jack was initially against the idea of this commission. Sumi brought him on-board and he supports a fully funded, fully empowered, independent police oversight commission.
Increasing Police Staffing Levels	Has consistently voted against adding more police officers in at least the last two years. States he will continue to vote against such measures if presented to council again.	Has advocated and voted in favor of adding more police officers for the last two years. From his website: “I regularly seek to add police officers to allow for proactive policing, including traffic enforcement and downtown beat officers.”

UPDATED 8/4:

Scoring	Christopher Taylor	Jack Eaton
Housing Policy	0.5	0 0.5
County Housing Affordability and Equity Report recommendations	1	0
Funding Affordable Housing Inititiatives	0.5	0
Police Oversight Commission	0	1
Police Staffing Levels	1	0
TOTALS	3	1 1.5

8/4/18 update:
*BUDGETS ARE MORAL DOCUMENTS*

This chart has been updated to reflect the last minute addition of *Social Housing* proposal/ Affordable Housing Platform Plank by Team Eaton. While I appreciate his team putting Social Housing on the agenda, they have **NO FUNDING PLAN** and therefore get only a "half-point credit" for that.

Taylor is still the best choice for mayor of A2 based on these two issues. When voting on Tuesday Aug 7, I challenge current Eaton supporters to think about your priorities, and how Eaton's budget proposals meet your criteria for adequate support, especially budgetary support, of the issues that matter most to you.

To John on the Summer Solstice

\

I agree with Steichmann that Ossoff's loss was not a doomsday event. Both sides invested significant resources, however, not only the GOP.
Mmmmm.. cream corn...

--
Uh, no, actually I am NOT drinking again. Thanks for your concern.
--
I think that if we propose to take over an institution, an organization or a private club, what have you, that means we aspire to be the establishment of said institution etc.
Attacking "the establishment" becomes attacking ourselves before we even get a chance at governing ourselves. This is problematic. I am open to your thoughts.
--
"We" needs to be defined, as well as, the policies to which "we" aspire. So far, that is not happening from what I am reading in the "papers" and for the last 90 or so minutes in this cesspool of human communication, i.e., Facebook.

No is not enough.
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Status quo [our racist/classist society] has been enabled by our moderation policy agendas.
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We should not be organizing against small businesses intending to improve local affordability outcomes.
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A commons policy I can get behind is Land Value Taxation.
If you agree with that then you should also agree we need to organize for power at the state level.

In Ann Arbor, we need to stop spending so much time deliberating what to do with deer in the city and to stop overpaying professional police consultants to study us in order to better market police to us as the hyper-multifaceted public service/control that particular profession has become.

Across the USA, we spend way too much money on police and military.

We have a lot of parks in Ann Arbor. They're great. I love them all.

Negotiating zoning changes is a fucking drag. What a mess and waste of time. Why did we do this to ourselves? Oh, right, I forgot: White American Exceptionalism.

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My prediction, regardless of any policy progress we can make, is that the USA will fail before it adequately remediates the wrongs of racism/classism/slavery. No illusions here, pal-ly.
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I don't have all the answers and I am willing to listen to others. I am also willing to do my part, which for right now, consists of tending to those completely shut out of a fair deal in life. THAT is consuming my energy.
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Social media equivocation, bickering and the like is not discourse and does not accomplish what some may state as their intentions.

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Will the circle be unbroken?

#BeyondHRCandBernie #USA

"August By Cake" The New GBV Double Album // Music Review for April 9, 2017

I remember reading an interview with Robert Pollard years ago in which he claims to write five songs every time he goes to the bathroom, three of which will be masterpieces.

Fortunately, most of the songs in his repertoire sound better than that image might indicate. With "August By Cake," Pollard has released his 100th studio album. Bandmates this time around include Kevin March and Doug Gillard, along with Mark Shue and Bobby Bare, Jr.

"August By Cake" is a double album featuring several tracks penned by band members in addition to the typical preponderance of Pollard pop gems. The sounds from this record are more diverse in nature than recent GBV releases and some hearken back to the sound & mix from 90's era releases.

There are likely several who might read this while rolling their eyes, "Another GBV album...zzzzzz," but I would invite you to check it out in spite of yourself and your hangups :)

I also invite you to check out the WCBN show I hosted July 3rd, 2016 if you are interested in the "classic lineup" era of Guided By Voices.

The new album begins with a magnanimous invitation/invocation from Pollard. Song highlights for me include, "Generox Gray," decidedly sluggish with a nod to political considerations of some abstract aging population. "West Coast Company Man" is one of the more inventive pop songs I've that I've heard from Pollard in years, featuring odd segues, dramatic climax affect and rugged individualism. "Dr Feelgood Falls Off the Ocean," is driven by drum machine-like beat in 3/4 time. "Deflect/Project," a song by longtime GBV lead guitarist Doug Gillard, employs minor scale harmonizing and soul beat.

Additionally, there are some good interlude tracks with the drone/feedback laden "Chew the Sand," an instrumental with voice samples and written by bassist Mark Shue. "Fever Pitch" is a song that begins engulfed by fuzz and distortion, leaving my ears ringing and my mind off center. I liked it. 

When they play on April 29 at the Pyramid Scheme and May 5 at the the Magic Stick, I hope to hear a good chunk of these songs.

Freeform DJ notes: No FCCs. Most of the songs fade into and out of each other, a consideration when "free forming" it with other musics.

01. 5° On The inside.

02. Generox – Gray
03. When We All Hold Hands
04. Goodbye Note
05. We Liken The Sun.
06. Fever Pitch
07. Absent The Man
08. Packing The Dead Zone
09. What Begins On New Years Day
10. Overloaded
11. Keep Me Down
12. West Coast Company Man
13. Warm Up To Religion

14. High 5 Hall Of Famers
15. Hiking Skin
16. Sudden Fiction
17. Its Food
18. Cheap Buttons
19. Substitute 11
20. Chew the Sand
21. Dr. Feelgood Falls Off the Ocean
22. The Laughing Closet
23. Deflect Project
24. Upon The Circus Bus
25. Try It Out Its Nothing
26. Sentimental Wars
27. Circus Day Holdout
28. Whole Tomatoes
29. Amusement Park Is Over
30. Golden Doors
31. The Possible Edge
32. Escape To Phoenix

Additional WCBN DJ reviews:
Animal Collective "The Painters" EP

Domino Recording Co. 2017

FCC on 1


A brief follow-up to the 2016 release "Painting With," this EP eschews the pop experimentation often present in AC releases for what I would describe as mid 80's Manchester-esque indie bounce pop. For example, think Happy Mondays. Pick any track for freeform radio. There is a sneaky FCC in the first track and their cover of Martha and the Vandellas [nothing special IMO], ends quite abruptly at 4:00. - D.W.C.B.N.

1. Kinda Bonkers "...What the fuck is happening?"
2. Peacemaker
3. Goalkeeper
4. Jimmy Mack ---- Ends abruptly.

Goldfrapp "Silver Eye"

Mute 2017

No FCCs


New release from this synth pop duo. This album starts out with some fuzzy electro pop disco polo tunes and trudges along to the end. I can see if you are into this, it could get you through the work day, but I am really struggling to write anything of note about this record. It's not that the record is horrible or anything, it just is very... medium. It will fit into any freeform set. - D.W.C.B.N.

1. Anymore
2. Systemagic
3. Tigerman
4. Become The One
5. Faux Suede Drifter
6. Zodiac Black
7. Beast That Never Was
8. Everything Is Never Enough
9. Moon In Your Mouth
10. Ocean

Music Review and Seizure Experiment a-LIVE in April 2017

In April 2017, the Seizure Experiment [Sundays 10p-12mid on WCBN] will bring you at least two bands: BUBAK [Ypsilanti] and the Frick Boys. 

BUBAK is a stoner/doom metal duo from Ypsilanti featuring Jeff West on Bass and vocals along with drummer Justin O'Neill. The Frick Boys are a mysterious local act yet to reveal their musics, nor their intentions. 

BUBAK will play live on WCBN on April 23, Frick Boys on April 16. 

Additionally, if you are in Hamtramck this Friday March 31st, you can catch BUBAK live at Trixie's !! Looks like they have a new 4-song EP which you can choose to purchase at the show, check it out:

1. Bio-Grey'd

2. Hang 'em Higher

3. Space Weed

4. The Fall

This is a limited release so get them while they last! The band is selling the CDs at their shows, not yet available in stores.

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In addition to hosting the Seizure Experiment and "engineering" the public affairs program "Grey Matters," I also review music for station WCBN FM Ann Arbor. I am one of many volunteers who keep this thing going. 

Below are the reviews from over the past two weeks. Feel free to comment with questions or additions! Happy Listening :) DJ-WHO-CANNOT-BE-NAMED

Meatbodies "Alice"
In the Red Records 2017
No FCCs

1. The Burning Fields [Abrupt end leading into track 2]
2. Kings
3. Alice
4. Creature Feautre
5. Disciples
6. Scavenger
7. Touchless
8. Count Your Fears
9. Haunted History
10. Gyre
11. Fools Fold Their Hands (Grievous Evils Under The Sun)

Second album for Chad Ubovich [FUZZ] and band. The album is framed as a "self-critical epic." Lyrics and songs do not tell the story from A to Z, but instead provide brief fuzz pop psychedelic excursions into the story. The Psych/Garage soup provided by Meatbodies on "Alice" is heavy on reverb and delay. Nothing groundbraking here, but some good heavy pop - D.W.C.B.N.

UNION ANALOGTRONICS X BLU "Cheetah in the City" 

Fat Beats Records 2016; FCCs in Bold

1.  LA Counting

2.  Whatever "Shit"

3.  Weekends

4.  Sleepin' interlude: patchwork of keys and lyrics

5.  Working' [Featring Joro] "fuck" and others

6.  Sunny

7.  French Kiss [Featuring Chat]; fade but ends abruptly

8.  One Two

9.  Don't Trip [Featuring Dam Funk]

10. Lynx

11. City Dreams [Featuring Oliver DaySoul]
12. Cheetah
13. [Bonus]The Factory [Featuring Erik Riko]

The box wave bass beat on the opening track of this record is not indicative of the rhythm section sounds from UA X Blu. Blu is a rapper raised in San Pedro, CA whose interests vary from people making "paper" to stories from a childhood in the ghetto. The sounds and beats from Union Analogtronics [from Paris, FRA] range from techno box waves to rhodes piano jazz fusion segues. The sounds are dense, layered and at times psychedelicized. UA seems to be fond of fuzzy box wave bass sounds. The combo of these artists provides great freeform radio material.  

Those Who Walk Away "The Infected Mass" Constellation Records 2017

No FCCs

1 Before the Beginning
2 First Degraded Hymn
3 First Partially Recollected Conversation
4 Second Degraded Hymn
5 Second Partially Recollected Conversation
6 Third Degraded Hymn
7 After the End

Winnipeg composer Matthew Patton presents a minimalist ambient concept album conflating the buildup to an airplane crash with internal human body functions. The mix includes choir voices, string quartet and sampled sounds including human blood flow, breathing and airplan cockpit sounds. You can take any piece out of context for your free form. This is also worth a listen from beginning to end - D.W.C.B.N.

Revolutionary Snake Ensemble

"I Want That Sound" Innova Recordings 2016; No FCCs

1.  Slippery When Wet

2.  Discoveries

3.  Higgins Hollow

4.  Nature

5.  I Want That Sound!

6.  Just Walk Closer

7.  Roohane

8.  John's Jailhouse Blues

A Boston area band jamming since 1990, the sound RSE brings New Orleans brass bad jazz together with funk jams and plenty of space for players to solo. There is also space here for experimentation and fun. The sound is definitely celebratory. Listening to this I could sense the collective joy of the players coming out of the songs and their solos. This would go well in any free form show in addition to "What it is" - a great way to get the party started! D.W.C.B.N.

Nnamdi Ogbonnaya "DROOL" Father/Daughter/Sooper Records 2017; Songs with FCCs in bold

1.    Cindy OsO Ft. mOrimOtO

2.    nO drOOl
3.    HWT//nO nEeD
4.    hOp Off
5.    dOn't turn me Off Ft. JD AKA   

       ThrashKitten & Mal Devisa
6.    drOOl//drink that Prod. By Liz 
7.    hOney On the lOw Ft. mOlly MallOy
8.    let gO Of my egO
9.    sHOULD hAvE kNOwN
10.  Think That Way Ft. Julia Steiner
11.  N0TICE
12.  Me 4 Me
13.  iVyTRA

Multi-instrumentalist Nnamdi Ogbonnaya from Chicago, IL with another in his long line of solo musics. His lyrical style is casual in delivery and at times awkward. The songs often feature soulful refrains in between extended raps. Wait a minute, is that a theremin? The sounds are soulful and quirky here. "You could never write shit like this!" I would say that any of it can fit nicely into any free form show, however his potty mouth prevents that with the exception of tracks 7 and 13 - D.W.C.B.N.

Debris of Titan "ASTRON: The Fallen" 

Self-Released 2017; FCC ON 10

1.  {Enter} - Astra [Genesis]

2.  Bridge to the Meadows

3.  Waves of Oblivion

4.  Ride On

5.  The Fallen

6.  Come My Way

7.  Night Walker

8.  {Run} - Astra

9.  Wonderland

10. Moonlight Shadow

11. The Lost and Damned

12. {Depart} - Astra [Lysis]

Dreamy Psyche-Pop from this duo with their second full length album, a loose concept offering featuring greek mythological character Astra/ Astron? who doesn't follow the rules of order and is now down on earth dancing around in the, wait for it.... Debris of Titan. It's funny to me that the band lists Tame Impala and Pink Floyd as influences on its facebook page. That is certainly evident, along with all the shoegaze bands from the 1990s. The most obvious influence left out: Deerhunter and or anything by Bradford Cox [the vocal textures are pure BC bliss]. This observation is not a dig on them, I thoroughly enjoyed this record. Even though ASTRON is a concept album, each song stands well on its own. Enjoy! D.W.C.B.N.

#RESIST #MICHIGAN #CorporateDems #USA

Daily Pratt for March 21, 2017

"Back in the 20th century, I learned one must never assume meaning from peoples' rhetoric and poetics. But, here we are anyway, or, at least here I am..."

QUESTIONS FROM MARK WENZEL:

[ ] Is it important to get their sense of how the presence of weapons and SWAT tanks and combat gear actually might escalate a situation rather than de-escalate?

[ ] Do police feel that they’re being used by the elite to protect them (the elite) from those who strive to bring more and more justice to their lives?

[ ] Do police believe they have moral obligations to obey unjust laws & what would be an example of an unjust law to them?

[ ] The role of the ‘war on drugs’ and ‘homeland security’ on making the police more dangerous to their community

[ ] The cardinal values police seek to bring to the building of moral communities -vs- the actual practices

[ ] What do they think of the work which claims to show that the KKK has been infiltrating police departments since forever?

FORTHCOMING FROM SEIZE YOUR LEISURE:

"Washtenaw Metro Special Weapons and Tactics [SWAT] HISTORY and PRACTICE"

#RESIST #MICHIGAN #CorporateDems #USA 

RACE ROUNDTABLE FORUM LIVE ON WCBN TONIGHT 7PM, SEIZURE EXPERIMENT AT 10PM

Tonight WCBN will be broadcasting a live roundtable forum on race facilitated by WCBN DJ/ UM Student Jason Young and featuring UM student activists Lakyrra Magee, Leah Schneck and UM LEO Lecturer Ian Robinson. Tune in to learn about the circumstances on-the-ground regarding race and inequality with some ideas about how to work together and improve the cultural climate on the UM campus, in Ann Arbor and beyond. 

Tune in by dialing 88.3 FM on your toaster in Ann Arbor OR click HERE to listen online anywhere in the world. This broadcast will begin at 7pm EST.

[REMEMBER: we "sprung" forward so adjust your clock if you haven't yet already!]

After that, you may as well stay tuned because starting at 10pm sharp I'll have full control of the WCBN broadcast signal for another edition of The Seizure Experiment. I have a lot of new [to me] music including, but not limited to: Wormrot [Singapore Grindcore], Tsjuder [Norwegian Black Metal], Magrudergrind, Shitstorm and several more selections with special freeform segues and soundbites that will be sure to delight your ears and distill your anger and frustration with the human condition in these united states. 

The Seizure Experiment is a 2-hour foray into Thrash, Hardcore, Grind, Metal of all varieties and Noise curated and populated by a rotating set of hosts: Rev. Bomb Back, Minister and Administer of Noise, Kristin [of TIGHT PANTS], Marie, Chayne and yours truly DJ-WHO-CANNOT-BE-NAMED. 

COMING SOON to the SEIZURE EXPERIMENT: a live, in studio performance by Ypsilanti two-piece stoner/doom metal act BUBAK in April 2017 on a Sunday night yet-to-be-determined!!!! 

Thanks again to all who support WCBN by donating, sharing, listening and contributing content: WE LOVE YOU