FIX THE BUSES
We had a number of online responses to Ryan Felton’s cover story about metro Detroit’s history with public transportation and the region’s inability to forge an efficient transit plan. A user identified as George Viera posted:
I think light rail in Detroit is a secondary issue at this point. We need buses that run on time and more frequently. That would do infinitely more good for the region than light rail. Even if we got a truly adequate rail system running on all the main thoroughfares, the system probably wouldn’t be up and running until — like — 2030 (or later), and we’d still need a good connector system.
In response to the same article, Alan Diede posted:
Getting to the conclusion that Detroit’s public transit is woefully inadequate is a no-brainer. But is that something that sets Detroit apart? Many cities in America have inadequate public transit. What sets Detroit apart is that it can go from pathetic to proudly productive in such a short period of time. (Boom, Bust, Boom) Public transit will be no different. The coming of the Woodward corridor LRT is a major step forward, and you don’t need me to tell you this. The reason it is so essential is the Woodward street train will spur growth along Woodward in relatively rapid order. This is not speculation. It is a given.
MARIJUANA FAIRY TALES
Also, we had a number of people chime in online about Larry Gabriel’s article about how the state Medical Marihuana Review Panel voted in favor of adding Post Traumatic Stress Disorder to the list of qualifying conditions for medical marijuana certification in the state. A user identified as William Clark posted:
Research at the University of Saskatchewan indicates that, unlike alcohol, cocaine, heroin or Nancy (“Just say, ‘No!’”) Reagan’s beloved nicotine, marijuana actually encourages brain-cell growth. Research in Spain and other countries has discovered that it has tumor-shrinking, anti-carcinogenic properties. These were confirmed by the 30-year Tashkin population study at UCLA.
Marijuana is a medicinal herb, the most benign and versatile in history. “Cannabis” in Latin, and “kaneh bosm” in the old Hebrew scrolls, quite literally the Biblical Tree of Life, was used by early Christians to treat everything from skin diseases to deep pain and despair. … It was clothing on their backs and incense in their temples. Medicinal oil could calm one’s nerves, imparting a sense of benevolence and connection with all living things … What gets to me are the politicians, prosecutors and police who pose on church steps or kneeling in prayer on their campaign trails, but can’t face the science or the historical truth about cannabis.
We also had a number of online responses to Jack Lessenberry’s article about a proposed state bill that seeks to fight the influx of Asian Carp in the Great Lakes by closing the canals that connect Lake Michigan with the Mississippi River. A user identified as Mikey posted:
Hate to have to tell you this Jack, but closing the Chicago canal will not keep the carp out of the Lakes. They are likely already in the lakes, and if not yet, they will be, and soon. There is simply no way to stop them. If they don’t enter through the Chicago canal, they’ll get there through the Maumee/Wabash connection. And if not that, people will transfer them, either by accident or on purpose. People have already been apprehended transporting these carp live. I think somebody was bagged taking them across the bridge to Windsor. Catching a couple people doing this probably is the tip of an iceberg. It’s going to happen. Either by stupidity, carelessness or malice, it will happen. Guaranteed.
Erratum: In our March 12 cover story, we incorrectly spelled the surname of the proprietor of DetroitTransitHistory.info, an exhaustive overview of Detroit’s transit involvement dating back to the 19th century. His name is Bernard Craig. We regret the error.
