 
Jjaba
Member
Username: Jjaba
Post Number: 3363
Registered: 11-2003
Posted From: 67.160.138.107
| | Posted on Saturday, March 18, 2006 - 1:48 pm: |    |
jjaba would be interested in learning from Lowell and other early members, the history of this Forum.
Thanks.
jjaba, Westsider. |
Kova
Member
Username: Kova
Post Number: 199
Registered: 12-2003
Posted From: 141.213.184.173
| | Posted on Saturday, March 18, 2006 - 2:32 pm: | |
In the beginning there was Lowell |
Naturalsister
Member
Username: Naturalsister
Post Number: 522
Registered: 11-2004
Posted From: 68.42.169.65
| | Posted on Saturday, March 18, 2006 - 2:39 pm: | |
... and the internet was without form, and void. |
Hardhat
Member
Username: Hardhat
Post Number: 109
Registered: 10-2003
Posted From: 69.208.117.244
| | Posted on Saturday, March 18, 2006 - 3:07 pm: | |
And Lowell said, let there be light... |
Itsjeff
Member
Username: Itsjeff
Post Number: 5684
Registered: 10-2003
Posted From: 69.242.213.167
| | Posted on Saturday, March 18, 2006 - 3:24 pm: | |
And lowell saw the internet and said that it was good. |
Naturalsister
Member
Username: Naturalsister
Post Number: 523
Registered: 11-2004
Posted From: 68.42.169.65
| | Posted on Saturday, March 18, 2006 - 3:27 pm: | |
Then Lowell said "Let us make man have discussion... |
Patrick
Member
Username: Patrick
Post Number: 3293
Registered: 10-2003
Posted From: 68.251.24.154
| | Posted on Saturday, March 18, 2006 - 3:30 pm: | |
Then, out of the blue, a mysterious monk names Rasputin appears... |
Bussey
Member
Username: Bussey
Post Number: 144
Registered: 12-2003
Posted From: 69.212.58.28
| | Posted on Saturday, March 18, 2006 - 3:44 pm: | |
and he said..."TEAR THAT SCHITT DOWN!!" |
Rustic
Member
Username: Rustic
Post Number: 2209
Registered: 10-2003
Posted From: 67.163.181.81
| | Posted on Saturday, March 18, 2006 - 4:14 pm: | |
Some may think that the roots of this forum go back to the erosion of market share of the domestic auto firms coupled to ossified attutides of Auto execs and union oficials. Others point to the election of CAY or the start of school bussing in Detroit, others, the summer of '67. Some may say it was the post war tax subsidied housing boom coupled with freeway construction.
In fact the roots of this forum are directly a result of an apparently small but significant change in how auto assy. and component plants were designed which eroded the city's job base and dessicated the heart of Detroit's industrial entreprenureal core. It was the evolution of larger single story sprawling factories requiring more land generally on greenfield sites (not only outside the city itself but often outside the metro area). This rendered many factories in the city less efficient than greenfield site factories and destroyed the smaller job shops in Detroit's industrial corridors. Auto comapnies which couldn't afford to build new factories quickly lost market share and dried up into shell of their former selves or went of of business entirely. This happened very very quickly, essentially in the first decade of post war economic restructuring it became a done deal, although it took a while for the social impact of this to become apparent. This coupled with the unique dynamic culture of metro detroit which placed little value on place or location ... this was the fallow ground into the seeds of this forum were sown ...
...  |
Blessyouboys
Member
Username: Blessyouboys
Post Number: 324
Registered: 07-2005
Posted From: 69.209.175.150
| | Posted on Saturday, March 18, 2006 - 4:26 pm: | |
Rustic, a bit off the mark, I'd argue it was abortion, plain and the simple. Aka the black holocaust. |
Zulu_warrior
Member
Username: Zulu_warrior
Post Number: 2647
Registered: 10-2003
Posted From: 205.188.116.137
| | Posted on Saturday, March 18, 2006 - 4:37 pm: | |
....And these are the sons of Rasputin: Brian, Dove, Zulu Warrior, and JMil. Brian begat Ilovedetroit,Royce, and Shave. Dove begat Sparkle, Rabbit, Danny, and SuperD; Zulu Warrior rose up and became a Mighty Hunter in the Earth. Zulu Warrior begat English, DStylin, 1honey, Naturalsister, and Livernoisyard; Jmil begat LeoQueen, Ltorivia485, Lmichigan,Eastside, Metrodetguy, JT1, and Jams.
From Rasputin to Jams is 2000 postings
(Message edited by zulu warrior on March 18, 2006) |
Ray1936
Member
Username: Ray1936
Post Number: 377
Registered: 01-2005
Posted From: 207.200.116.139
| | Posted on Saturday, March 18, 2006 - 4:37 pm: | |
All wrong. It began with the demise of The Detroit Times. |
Itsjeff
Member
Username: Itsjeff
Post Number: 5686
Registered: 10-2003
Posted From: 69.242.213.167
| | Posted on Saturday, March 18, 2006 - 4:40 pm: | |
No one begat me. Apparently I'm a bastard. |
Livernoisyard
Member
Username: Livernoisyard
Post Number: 316
Registered: 10-2004
Posted From: 69.242.223.42
| | Posted on Saturday, March 18, 2006 - 4:48 pm: | |
Wrong, wrong, wrong, Rustic. None of those events could ever happen, especially to Detroit. You forgot to praise the school systems of SE Michigan for their academic excellence.
Wikipedia has an article about Detroit that may shed some light on its character.
Some of the less praiseworthy excerpts:
Detroit is the United States' 11th most populous city, with 900,198 residents, according to the United States Census Bureau's 2004 estimate. This is half the population the city boasted at its peak in the 1950s, and Detroit leads the nation in terms of declining urban population.
Detroit has endured a painful decline during the past several decades, and is often held up as a symbol of Rust Belt urban blight. The city's population has plummeted since the 1950s as residents moved to the suburbs of and to different parts of the country. The 12th Street Riot in 1967 and Court-ordered busing accelerated "white flight" from the city. Large numbers of buildings and homes were abandoned, with many remaining for years in states of decay. The percentage of black residents increased rapidly and the first black mayor, Coleman Young, was elected in 1973. Young's style during his record four terms in office was not well received by many white Detroiters.
Though the 1960s saw the rise of heroin, use leveled off as the population declined. The Detroit gang Young Boys Inc. was formed in the 1970s and introduced a crack cocaine epidemic and produced collateral property crimes. Violence was common as competing drug dealers fought for territory.
Ongoing urban renewal efforts have led to the razing of abandoned homes. With the large number of homes razed, sizeable tracts have reverted back to nature to become a form urban prairie. Wild animals have been spotted migrating from their destroyed former habitat in the suburbs to the city.
Detroit's population increased more than sixfold during the first half of the 20th century, due largely to a massive influx of Eastern European and Southern migrants—both white and black—who came to work in the burgeoning automobile industry. One consequence is that Metro Detroit has a higher percentage of blacks than any other northern U.S. metropolitan area—roughly one quarter of the metropolitan population. Altogether, more than a million African-Americans live in the area, over 80% within city limits. With the suburban outflux, Metro Detroit is among the nation's most racially segregated regions.
Metro Detroit's ethnic communities are diverse and include descendants of the French founders, as well as Germans, Poles, Irish, Italians, and Greeks who settled during the city's early 20th century industrial boom. Metro Detroit has the largest concentration of Belgians outside of Belgium. The Detroit area is also home to a large Chaldean-Assyrian population and to the country's largest concentration of Arab Americans. Chaldean-owned businesses are the retail life of the Detroit neighborhoods, including some 90% of the city's "party stores" (selling high volumes of lottery tickets, hard liquor, and snack foods). The southwest side of the city contains a notable Chicano community and the area has in recent years been renamed "Mexicantown" to reflect the large number of businesses and properties owned by the Hispanic population.
Up until the 1980s, there was a growing gay community in the northern part of the city in the area surrounding Palmer Park along Woodward Avenue. The community disappeared as crime rates rose and gays often found themselves the object of discriminatory law enforcement targeting, with many residents eventually migrating north to the cities of Ferndale and Royal Oak.
The median income for a household in the city was $29,526, and the median income for a family was $33,853. Males had a median income of $33,381 versus $26,749 for females. The per capita income for the city was $14,717. 26.1% of the population and 21.7% of families were below the poverty line. Out of the total population, 34.5% of those under the age of 18 and 18.6% of those 65 and older were living below the poverty line.
In a 1998 government study by the National Institute for Literacy, 47% of Detroiters were deemed as "functionally illiterate." Detroit's population trends may imply that today this figure is significantly higher. At the same time, some 72% of all Detroit children are born to single unwed mothers.
In addition to property tax, the city levies an income tax of 2.65% on residents, 1.325% on non-residents, and 1.6% on corporations. Revenue is also obtained from the Detroit-owned Water and Sewer Department which operates most of the fresh water and wastewater treatment facilities within the metropolitan area. The city has for some time been actively cutting its workforce and closing operations to avoid state-ordered receivership.
As with most large urban centers in the United States, Detroit consistently supports the Democratic Party Elected first in 2001, Mayor Kwame Kilpatrick, son of Democratic congresswoman Carolyn Cheeks Kilpatrick, has been dubbed by wags as "America's hip-hop mayor" because of his fond appreciation for youth culture, flashy dress, and a diamond stud earring as well as his sponsorship of a "hip-hop" summit. Since taking office, however, the mayor and his administration have found themselves dogged by accusations of scandal and personal and financial impropriety. The mayor denied accusations of wrongdoing and in 2005 was re-elected to a second four-year term.
During the latter half of the 20th century, Detroit's crime figures were often among the highest in the U.S. The city is currently listed as the second most dangerous city by the Morgan Quitno Corporation's statistics (after Camden, New Jersey). Detroit is consistently in the top five for homicide rates, and was third in 2004, with a murder rate of 42.1 per 100,000. The highest murder total for Detroit was 714 murders in 1974, though the highest murder rate was recorded in 1991, when there were 615 homicides and the city's population was just over a million. This factored into a rate of around 60 murders per 100,000. Many of these problems are blamed on the widespread middle-class flight (which has contributed greatly to urban decay), poverty, de facto segregation of the region, and unemployment. In 2005, there were 374 murders in Detroit.
An analysis of crime in downtown Detroit by the Michigan Metropolitan Information Center at Wayne State University found crime rates in the central city lower than rates for the entire nation, state and other large Michigan metro areas — and improving. Detroit also includes middle-class neighborhoods in which crime is less prevalent than in impoverished areas. Many predominantly white suburbs (though some include sizable African-American and Asian minorities) that boast much higher household income levels than Detroit are among the 25 safest cities in the United States with a population of 75,000 or above.
The city has faced hundreds of arsons, often in the city's many abandoned homes, each year on Devil's Night, the evening before Halloween. The Angel's Night campaign, launched in the late 1990s, draws tens of thousands of volunteers to patrol the streets during Halloween week. The effort has reduced arson: in 2002, there were just 110 fires during the October 29–31 period, representing a 30 percent decline in total fires and a 41 percent decline in suspicious fires; this compares to 500-800 fires over the past decades. In 2003, the three-day number was 117, increasing slightly to 141 in 2004.
In 2004, following scandals and legal decisions, a court-ordered reorganization of the Detroit Police Department was implemented under the supervision of the Federal Bureau of Investigation.
More than half of the city schools were built before 1930. Because of rapidly declining enrollment, Detroit Public Schools has a goal of closing 95 schools by 2009. Detroit Public Schools has closed 29 schools due to declining enrollment.
The student population of the Detroit Public Schools was 129,150 (revised from 130,600) as of November 2005, a drop of 11,500 students (revised from 10,000) and $63 million in per pupil state funding from November 2004. Auditors consistently denounced the district for overestimating the number of students.
In the early 1970s, the federal courts ordered busing to desegregate the system, which helped to accelerate the white flight that had been on-going within the city. As of 2004, Detroit schools were 91% African-American.
In the mid to late 1990s, the Michigan Legislature removed the locally elected board of education amid allegations of mismanagement and replaced it with a reform board appointed by the mayor and governor. The elected board of education returned following a city referendum in 2005. The first election of the new eleven member board of education, with four chosen at-large and seven by district, occurred on November 8, 2005.
Detroit has a well developed charter school system with about 54,000 Detroit students. When charter school and Detroit Public Schools enrollments are combined, the total number of children in public schools in Detroit has increased. If the current growth trends continue, more of Detroit's public school students will be attending charter schools than the Detroit Public Schools during the 2009-2010 school year. |
Soulaholic
Member
Username: Soulaholic
Post Number: 8
Registered: 07-2005
Posted From: 68.42.91.130
| | Posted on Saturday, March 18, 2006 - 6:43 pm: | |
Al Gore invented it! |
Rustic
Member
Username: Rustic
Post Number: 2210
Registered: 10-2003
Posted From: 67.163.181.81
| | Posted on Saturday, March 18, 2006 - 7:58 pm: | |
LY, hint from a forum oldtimer: it ain't funny if ya don't write it urself ... |
Thecarl
Member
Username: Thecarl
Post Number: 665
Registered: 04-2005
Posted From: 69.14.30.175
| | Posted on Saturday, March 18, 2006 - 8:09 pm: | |
quote:Up until the 1980s, there was a growing gay community in the northern part of the city in the area surrounding Palmer Park along Woodward Avenue. The community disappeared as crime rates rose and gays often found themselves the object of discriminatory law enforcement targeting, with many residents eventually migrating north to the cities of Ferndale and Royal Oak.
finally, the truth behind detroit's most recent struggles: GAY FLIGHT!
i wonder how law enforcement enacts discriminatory targeting against homosexuals? and, i find it peculiar that the gay community would find relief in the suburbs, when many forumers regard police in those cities to be highly prejudiced. nonetheless, the folks i know who moved from the palmer park area, gay and straight, did so because of the crime. |
Jjaba
Member
Username: Jjaba
Post Number: 3365
Registered: 11-2003
Posted From: 67.160.138.107
| | Posted on Saturday, March 18, 2006 - 8:32 pm: | |
jjaba had asked the hisotry of THIS Forum and he gets a Detroit history lesson.
Now he realizes that the Forum IS Detroit history but can you gimme Chapter One, FORUM HISTORY, then the context?
Thanks. Canadians are free to chime in if they know anything, eh.
jjaba. |
Supersport
Member
Username: Supersport
Post Number: 9946
Registered: 10-2003
Posted From: 69.246.37.236
| | Posted on Saturday, March 18, 2006 - 8:45 pm: | |
quote:....And these are the sons of Rasputin: Brian, Dove, Zulu Warrior, and JMil.
Hey, I was his son once! Till I pissed him off. LOL |
Hamtramck_steve
Member
Username: Hamtramck_steve
Post Number: 2801
Registered: 10-2003
Posted From: 69.209.164.236
| | Posted on Saturday, March 18, 2006 - 8:47 pm: | |
jjaba, a Google search will pull up some interesting pieces, including a college research paper about this web site, the forum and us, the personalities behind it all.
My personal knowledge about the forum is this: it was here in late 1997, early 1998 when I stumbled across it. I remember more focused threads back then, less thread-jacking. The threads were focused more on the history of this place or that place, too.
For a long time, I simply read the posts, because it was clear that everybody else knew a hell of a lot more than I did. It was sort of a giant "Old Car Factory" thread. You only posted if you could add something to the subject at hand.
Take the wayback machine, too, at webarchive.org to read some of the old threads. |
Jjaba
Member
Username: Jjaba
Post Number: 3368
Registered: 11-2003
Posted From: 67.160.138.107
| | Posted on Saturday, March 18, 2006 - 8:56 pm: | |
So this dog and pony show is nine years old?
jjaba. |
Jimaz
Member
Username: Jimaz
Post Number: 467
Registered: 12-2005
Posted From: 68.2.191.57
| | Posted on Saturday, March 18, 2006 - 8:59 pm: | |
Yes, to Jjaba's call to focus, I'd add that the history of the forums should eventually be made accessible from the GUIDES TO SITE>About This Site link in the masthead in anticipation of future, similar inquiries. It's pretty obvious DetroitYES is important to Detroit. History is a good thing.
I'd also be interested in learning why it's so much more successful than other forums. My theory is that the fabulous ruins photos generate the initial interest then the engaging forum dialog holds the interest.
(Message edited by Jimaz on March 18, 2006) |
Jimaz
Member
Username: Jimaz
Post Number: 468
Registered: 12-2005
Posted From: 68.2.191.57
| | Posted on Saturday, March 18, 2006 - 9:02 pm: | |
From the About This Site link in the masthead:
quote:In 1999, the DetroitYES Forums were created to extend the conversation about the problems and promises of the City of Detroit and the surrounding international metropolitan family of communities.
|
Shave
Member
Username: Shave
Post Number: 1100
Registered: 06-2005
Posted From: 205.188.116.137
| | Posted on Saturday, March 18, 2006 - 9:03 pm: | |
"...Brian begat Ilovedetroit,Royce, and Shave..."
Thanks Zulu. Yes, indeed. Brain begat me via the Election Superthread. |
Jjaba
Member
Username: Jjaba
Post Number: 3369
Registered: 11-2003
Posted From: 67.160.138.107
| | Posted on Saturday, March 18, 2006 - 9:10 pm: | |
1,100 posts, and Shave is going great. Thanks.
jjaba learned about The Forum from a Northwestern college student in Cuba. Crazy but true.
jjaba, Westsider. |
Rustic
Member
Username: Rustic
Post Number: 2212
Registered: 10-2003
Posted From: 67.163.181.81
| | Posted on Saturday, March 18, 2006 - 9:31 pm: | |
I recall prior to the forum there was a guestbook and a few people signed into it and began conversations there. I posted infrequently on the actual forum in 99-00 but I _THINK_ I started posting as "rustic" in late 2000 when I began posting more regularly.
As someone who has been here for a while what was remarkable were the demographic shifts a few years ago to (1) younger posters (the early days it seemed to be mostly mid to late baby boomers) and (2) increasing numbers of self described black posters (I recall when Detroit_styling_seven_mile_rid ing (whatever happened to him , lol!) was the only self described black voice on the forum) and more recently (3) the increasing numbers of vocal right leaning political voices on this forum. |
Jimaz
Member
Username: Jimaz
Post Number: 471
Registered: 12-2005
Posted From: 68.2.191.57
| | Posted on Saturday, March 18, 2006 - 9:51 pm: | |
quote:(3) the increasing numbers of vocal right leaning political voices on this forum.
, suspected taxpayer-funded propagandists directed by anti-American neoconservatives masquerading as patriotic conservatives.
(Message edited by Jimaz on March 18, 2006) |
Mackinaw
Member
Username: Mackinaw
Post Number: 1278
Registered: 02-2005
Posted From: 141.213.173.94
| | Posted on Saturday, March 18, 2006 - 10:27 pm: | |
Right-leaning and Detroit in the same sentence?!? Say it isn't so!
Detroit has passed it's peak when it comes to Democratic support in elections. Republican candidates will slowly get towards 15%, 20%, and eventually 1/4 of the vote over the coming 10-15 years, so it just makes sense that this forum reflects that. Think of the political ramifications of gentrification. |
Jimaz
Member
Username: Jimaz
Post Number: 472
Registered: 12-2005
Posted From: 68.2.191.57
| | Posted on Saturday, March 18, 2006 - 10:33 pm: | |
Blocked Trojan Horse attempt from 222.122.60.98:1328.
Excuse the hell out of me if I've called attention to the elephant in the middle of the room. |
Jams
Member
Username: Jams
Post Number: 2949
Registered: 10-2003
Posted From: 68.251.25.126
| | Posted on Saturday, March 18, 2006 - 11:04 pm: | |
Thanks to Skipper of the infamous "Skipper's Rule" I found this site. Made some great friends, learned a hell of a lot, and every so often made an Ass of myself.
Hopefully less than more. |
Gistok
Member
Username: Gistok
Post Number: 1896
Registered: 08-2004
Posted From: 4.229.105.165
| | Posted on Sunday, March 19, 2006 - 1:36 am: | |
I first posted in 2000 and 2001, then had a 3 year hiatus, until I posted again in 2004. I had computer problems, and procrastinated on getting it fixed. |
Jjaba
Member
Username: Jjaba
Post Number: 3371
Registered: 11-2003
Posted From: 67.160.138.107
| | Posted on Sunday, March 19, 2006 - 2:01 am: | |
Jams and Gistok are closing in on century marks. jjaba gives prizes for century posting. Be sure to do a thread on Detroit Connections about this feat. Both of you serve us well. We learn alot from you. Thanks.
jjaba. |
Matt_the_deuce
Member
Username: Matt_the_deuce
Post Number: 565
Registered: 10-2003
Posted From: 69.14.248.252
| | Posted on Sunday, March 19, 2006 - 2:18 am: | |
Can you engage in a begat without begetting someone? Sounds like fun, but I'm concerned about the repercussions.
I didn't know that Detroit had the most Belgians outside of Belgium.
I'll ask the obvious - outside of Lowell, who was the first poster/posters? What was the first thread? |
Broken_main
Member
Username: Broken_main
Post Number: 977
Registered: 06-2005
Posted From: 69.222.11.226
| | Posted on Sunday, March 19, 2006 - 2:26 am: | |
I have been posting for almost a year, BUT I had been lurking for a while before.
I always hear about skippers rules, what are they??? |
Matt_the_deuce
Member
Username: Matt_the_deuce
Post Number: 566
Registered: 10-2003
Posted From: 69.14.248.252
| | Posted on Sunday, March 19, 2006 - 2:28 am: | |
Better yet - Who was/is Skipper? |
Matt_the_deuce
Member
Username: Matt_the_deuce
Post Number: 568
Registered: 10-2003
Posted From: 69.14.248.252
| | Posted on Sunday, March 19, 2006 - 4:19 pm: | |
I'm getting my answers on my own, thank you.
http://www.detnews.com/apps/pb cs.dll/article?AID=/20060319/M ETRO/603190401 |
Rsa
Member
Username: Rsa
Post Number: 796
Registered: 10-2003
Posted From: 205.188.116.137
| | Posted on Sunday, March 19, 2006 - 5:43 pm: | |
hmmm. hopping in the way-back machine are we? well, i haven't been here since the introduction but probably around chapter 2...
i stumbled upon this site (i think it was fabruinsetc.com at that time) during a long a boring day at work in '99. i loved detroit then as i do now and just thought i'd do a google search on detroit to see what it brought up. low and behold...
rustic tells it how it is. altho i think i might amend it a little; there were quite a few of us younger posters at the time as well. the common thread (no pun intended) all seemed to be preservationists, detroit activists, etc. i was pretty heavily involved with preservation wayne at the time and i can't tell you the number of times i'd have the forumer-discovery discussion with people i interacted with.
it was a fairly small community at the same time, and most of the talk revolved around buildings and history. on the flipside, you had to wait 2 or 3 days for somebody to respond to a thread - as opposed to now which is almost instantaneous. there also weren't as many candid, personal stories about experiences. there were also very few threads about politics, sports, no connections forum, no other issues forum, etc.
anyway, enough of my rambling. from what i have seen, lowell started a website based on his art (there is some kinda search engine that you can use to find old websites, i just can't remember it). this was gradually expanded to include his photography, including that of detroit ruins. this was expanded to a more tour/locale oriented format which evolved into the fabulous ruins of detroit, with an emphasis on history as well as compostions, color, etc. i believe this is when people started email lowell with corrections, information, details on the places he was photographing (not that lowell is a novice to detroit; he's been here longer than most of us). that begat the forum. from my perspective, that happened probably around 1998ish. few people knew about it until he won a yahoo best site of the year award. more hits, bigger server, greater word of mouth, fsc, summer picnics, registration, hotfudgedetroit, and on and on (and some old time forumers might call the demise).
so, that's how i've seen it. not an official forum historian, just a 7 year veteran
-rsa (RockStArchitect back in the day, but ever since registration that's a b!%@h to type in all the time!) hope it helps jjaba! |
Jimaz
Member
Username: Jimaz
Post Number: 477
Registered: 12-2005
Posted From: 68.2.191.57
| | Posted on Sunday, March 19, 2006 - 5:53 pm: | |
quote:(there is some kinda search engine that you can use to find old websites ...
Oh! Are you referring to http://www.archive.org/ ? That should be informative. |
Jimaz
Member
Username: Jimaz
Post Number: 478
Registered: 12-2005
Posted From: 68.2.191.57
| | Posted on Sunday, March 19, 2006 - 6:08 pm: | |
Bummer. That only goes back to 2003 for https://www.atdetroit.net/ and 2001 for http://www.detroityes.com/ . Oh well. |
Jams
Member
Username: Jams
Post Number: 2951
Registered: 10-2003
Posted From: 70.230.16.38
| | Posted on Sunday, March 19, 2006 - 10:16 pm: | |
"Skipper's Rule"
Don't believe it, until you see it!
If Skipper chooses to show up again, he'll explain himself. |
Cheddar_bob
Member
Username: Cheddar_bob
Post Number: 507
Registered: 10-2003
Posted From: 204.128.192.8
| | Posted on Sunday, March 19, 2006 - 10:30 pm: | |
quote:No one begat me. Apparently I'm a bastard.
Your lineage has nothing to do with your bastard status. |
Lowell
Board Administrator
Username: Lowell
Post Number: 2384
Registered: 10-2003
Posted From: 66.167.58.120
| | Posted on Monday, March 20, 2006 - 1:07 am: | |
Jams, Skipper's rule is more specific. No dreamed of project is real until tenants actually move in. |
Jjaba
Member
Username: Jjaba
Post Number: 3374
Registered: 11-2003
Posted From: 67.160.138.107
| | Posted on Monday, March 20, 2006 - 1:42 am: | |
Lowell, while we gothca ear, give us some historical nuggets. Thanks, Merci.
(With a nod to our Canadian neighbors.)
Also, thanks for Skipper's Rules. You've explained it better than jjaba had ever heard, even from Skipper, (where is Skipper Curmudgeon?)
jjaba. |
Rsa
Member
Username: Rsa
Post Number: 798
Registered: 10-2003
Posted From: 70.236.164.178
| | Posted on Monday, March 20, 2006 - 10:50 am: | |
i think that's it jimaz. thanx.
i also think the forum went under another name before 2001. that might be why you can't find it. i tried searching for "fabulous ruins of detroit" but came up with nothing... |
Hamtramck_steve
Member
Username: Hamtramck_steve
Post Number: 2806
Registered: 10-2003
Posted From: 136.181.195.65
| | Posted on Monday, March 20, 2006 - 11:05 am: | |
I think the DetroitYES! was added in 2001. Before then, it was simply the Fabulous Ruins of Detroit. |
Rustic
Member
Username: Rustic
Post Number: 2218
Registered: 10-2003
Posted From: 130.132.177.245
| | Posted on Monday, March 20, 2006 - 11:08 am: | |
try searching archive.org for bhere.com. be careful though because the archived linked have a tendency to link to the current forum pages. some of it is there tho ... a forum page is shown in Jan 1998 |
Jimaz
Member
Username: Jimaz
Post Number: 480
Registered: 12-2005
Posted From: 68.2.191.57
| | Posted on Monday, March 20, 2006 - 11:14 am: | |
Rustic, thanks! Oh, yes! This is interesting! |
Aiw
Member
Username: Aiw
Post Number: 5409
Registered: 10-2003
Posted From: 64.228.67.25
| | Posted on Monday, March 20, 2006 - 11:55 am: | |
Try this: bhere.com |
Zulu_warrior
Member
Username: Zulu_warrior
Post Number: 2650
Registered: 10-2003
Posted From: 68.251.27.41
| | Posted on Monday, March 20, 2006 - 12:23 pm: | |
My "Begat" discourse above was somewhat designed to layout what I consider a school of thought on this board. There are several and they add to the dynamic of what is a stimulating discourse.
Maybe someone else might reference another school.
As a poster since 2002, I think the level of discourse has grown trememdously, with more mature posters entering the dialogue-on all sides of the debate.
Of course we have our fun, and our bad moments, but its more than often enlightening. |
Rustic
Member
Username: Rustic
Post Number: 2226
Registered: 10-2003
Posted From: 130.132.177.245
| | Posted on Monday, March 20, 2006 - 12:35 pm: | |
Zulu' you have a good point, as much as I hate to admit it, when Mr. Lowell gated this community things improved quite a bit and it continues to do so -- things had devolved and something had to be done. The early days were also quite good tho.
Ya know there is a point #(4) that I should have added back there:
(4) a small but probably growing trend of older posters sharing things (Ray1936 comes to mind but there are others too that have recently popped up). Not too long ago the only posters predating babyboomers onthis forum that I can recall were jjaba and therock. |
Lowell
Board Administrator
Username: Lowell
Post Number: 2386
Registered: 10-2003
Posted From: 66.167.58.120
| | Posted on Monday, March 20, 2006 - 1:32 pm: | |
Jjaba, as I recall, the forum started some time in 1999. Some day I will dig through my backups to see exactly when. The software I used was some canned code provided within Microsoft FrontPage, a web design program, and based on FrontPage extensions for processing.
It had no administrative features, so removal of offending posts was difficult and time consuming and frequently resulted in annoying crashes. Volume on the board grew quickly and this soon became unmanageable.
A year or two later, I came across Discusware discussion software, starting first with the freeware version. While it was more stable and had admin features, it lacked accounts and many other important features. So in 2003, I bit the bullet and bought the full featured Discusware Pro version which is what exists today. The previous discussion files were not migrated; hence the forum only reaches back to then.
In Oct. 2003, following sabotage attacks by the pesky DRW and others, I instituted registration. The pro version proved very stable, easy to manage and maintain, once the learning curve was crested, and little has changed since then.
The initial growth spurt occurred in 2000, so much that I called a tribal gathering at the Cass Cafe in Feb. 2001. Truthfully I wondered if anyone would show up. In fact, it turned out to be the biggest traffic night ever at the Cass Cafe with an estimated 400+ passing through including visitors from Dallas [outoftowner] and St. Louis [Stlgasm] and his twin brother. Dday helped out greatly as we periodically webcasted pictures. Even CL showed up early on enroute to a gig. |
Jjaba
Member
Username: Jjaba
Post Number: 3386
Registered: 11-2003
Posted From: 67.160.138.107
| | Posted on Monday, March 20, 2006 - 2:43 pm: | |
Thanks Lowell. Now we have some important benchmarks of the Forum in several of its incarnations.
jjaba is totally clueless of when he first popped on but this Forum has changed his life and orientation to Detroit. He has faithfully reported from many foreign countries such as India, South Africa, Dominican Republic, Cuba, Argentina, Peru, Poland, and Cleveland.
jjaba has made many good Detroit and Windsor friends, absent in his life previously.
jjaba enjoys the support he gets from trivia contests, spirited conversations about Detroit's Eastside, and what Detroit means to so many.
Thank you so much.
jjaba, Westsider. |
Rustic
Member
Username: Rustic
Post Number: 2229
Registered: 10-2003
Posted From: 130.132.177.245
| | Posted on Monday, March 20, 2006 - 4:11 pm: | |
jjaba, (according to the webarchive site) you replied to one of my first "rustic" posts to this forum so you've been poking around here a bit longer than I have under this handle. I recall Histeric, CityLover, Ham_steve, Lowell, Detroit-Stylin', and you as probably the most frequent posters from back then that still post frequently now (at least keeping similar handles -- I suspect there are several forumers from back then who have changed their names). Apologies if I forgot anyone, I am sure I did. I didn't post that much back then I mostly lurked -- I started posting more frequently about a year or so after that in 2001. By then I think Rasputin, Dove-7, DaninDC, Andrew_in_Windsor and several others who still frequently post were regular contributors (I am certain there are many many others who I have forgotten to mention and others who post under different handles.)
Mr. Lowell, thanks once again for creating and maintaining this forum. Like the community it nominally discusses, I am sure maintaining it has its terrible and its wonderful moments. Things that you did that I didn't like at the time you did them (e.g. gating the community, balkanizing the topics) proved to be catalysts for growth of the forum in new directions. Great work.
(Message edited by rustic on March 20, 2006) |
Goat
Member
Username: Goat
Post Number: 8291
Registered: 10-2003
Posted From: 70.53.98.36
| | Posted on Monday, March 20, 2006 - 4:22 pm: | |
I started posting here in early 2000 (I think Feb. of that year) under "The Eternal" but then everyone changed handles (I think in 2002 or 2003??) so I changed mine to GOAT. |
Jjaba
Member
Username: Jjaba
Post Number: 3396
Registered: 11-2003
Posted From: 67.160.138.107
| | Posted on Monday, March 20, 2006 - 4:44 pm: | |
Good work Rustic. Does Rustic remember the date of that first jjaba post you mentioned?
Goat, AIW, and Supersport must go way back also.
jjaba. |
Rustic
Member
Username: Rustic
Post Number: 2230
Registered: 10-2003
Posted From: 130.132.177.245
| | Posted on Monday, March 20, 2006 - 6:12 pm: | |
jjaba, the earliest post I could find in the archives site for you was Jan 19 2001. From the tone of your post it was most likely NOT your first. I was unable to find any older list of forum posts in the archive although the forum was certainly active before that. From the archive I can see that the post that you replied to me was dated Feb 3, 2001. (I had figured it was earlier than that, I musta transformed into my current forum persona later than I had thought.) |
Jjaba
Member
Username: Jjaba
Post Number: 3399
Registered: 11-2003
Posted From: 67.160.138.107
| | Posted on Monday, March 20, 2006 - 8:27 pm: | |
That means jjaba has been on the Forum about 5 years. No wonder jjaba has written from several foreign countries since he does get out a few times a year.
Thanks Rustic.
jjaba, Fellow Westsider. |
Aiw
Member
Username: Aiw
Post Number: 5415
Registered: 10-2003
Posted From: 209.216.150.127
| | Posted on Tuesday, March 21, 2006 - 11:15 am: | |
My fat ass has been wasting my personal time, and my employers time here since early 1999. I first stumbled over here around 98/99, and it took a while to find the forum. I think my first ever post was a question about Waterworks Park. |
Velma
Member
Username: Velma
Post Number: 2814
Registered: 10-2003
Posted From: 68.78.185.190
| | Posted on Tuesday, March 21, 2006 - 11:50 am: | |
I wanna say that I started posting on this site either in 99 or 00. I became a junkie in 00 while living in Harrison Twp. I wanted to find an urban exploring partner, so I posted an "Exploring Partner Wanted" thread. That's how I met DDay. We had a blast! One trip, thanks to I94 construction, I missed meeting up with DDay, but ended up meeting Snoop Dog and Bishop, The Pimp, at the Ren Cen. I had no idea that there were famous pimps! I became so hooked on the site that I went on and on about it to a friend living in Boston (DRM). Thanks to a guy from the sticks named Supersport 420 or whatever the hell it was, I met a bunch of other people. While age eventually led to my feelings of urban exploring being "too dangerous," I've made some great lifelong friends who I wouldn't trade for anything!
The forum is a wonderful thing. God only knows where we'd be if some guy named Lowell didn't have one hell of a great idea. |
Toolbox
Member
Username: Toolbox
Post Number: 851
Registered: 10-2003
Posted From: 66.184.29.148
| | Posted on Tuesday, March 21, 2006 - 1:30 pm: | |
quote:Velma
The forum is a wonderful thing. God only knows where we'd be if some guy named Lowell didn't have one hell of a great idea.
Or how many cyber stalkers you would never have had! |
Jjaba
Member
Username: Jjaba
Post Number: 3408
Registered: 11-2003
Posted From: 67.160.138.107
| | Posted on Tuesday, March 21, 2006 - 3:19 pm: | |
jjaba still likes "Andrew in Windsor" better, but that was your call.
There is nobdy that knows more about Windsor than Andrew. His hospitality is cherished by all.
The photos coming at us daily are amazing. We even had withdrawals when he went on a long trip.
jjaba had to go back to his 12-step counsellor to get over that one, eh.
jjaba, N. Westsider. |
Broken_main
Member
Username: Broken_main
Post Number: 1001
Registered: 06-2005
Posted From: 69.222.11.226
| | Posted on Wednesday, March 22, 2006 - 4:40 am: | |
I find it amazing how addictive this forum is. Not to mention the wealth of information, the comical threads and the disputes on the site has. This is destination #1 for me, daily at work and at home. I have learned so much from all of you and I have had some of my lifes greatest laughs as well. The people here at work think i am going crazy when i burst out into laughter(I work in a very quiet area) |
Zulu_warrior
Member
Username: Zulu_warrior
Post Number: 2656
Registered: 10-2003
Posted From: 68.251.27.41
| | Posted on Wednesday, March 22, 2006 - 10:44 am: | |
1000 posts and counting Broken Main...your hooked. |
Michael
Member
Username: Michael
Post Number: 722
Registered: 10-2003
Posted From: 67.38.11.214
| | Posted on Wednesday, March 22, 2006 - 10:55 am: | |
quote:I became a junkie in 00 while living in Harrison Twp.
Another reason to be careful in the 'burbs. Just say no kids. |
Pam
Member
Username: Pam
Post Number: 137
Registered: 11-2005
Posted From: 67.107.47.65
| | Posted on Wednesday, March 22, 2006 - 1:28 pm: | |
quote:and more recently (3) the increasing numbers of vocal right leaning political voices on this forum
2 questions: Where did they come from? And can we send them back?
|
Jjaba
Member
Username: Jjaba
Post Number: 3425
Registered: 11-2003
Posted From: 67.160.138.107
| | Posted on Wednesday, March 22, 2006 - 5:01 pm: | |
Broken Main, jjaba sends gifts to century posters.
Post your email and jjaba will respond.
jjaba, Mazel tov. |
Motorcitymayor2026
Member
Username: Motorcitymayor2026
Post Number: 621
Registered: 10-2005
Posted From: 68.79.92.234
| | Posted on Wednesday, March 22, 2006 - 6:20 pm: | |
congrats, broken_main on 1,000 posts!!
we still on for lunch one day?!?! my treat |
Patrick
Member
Username: Patrick
Post Number: 3307
Registered: 10-2003
Posted From: 70.238.43.182
| | Posted on Wednesday, March 22, 2006 - 8:33 pm: | |
I started around 99 and used various asshattish names. I guot a bit of unwanted recongition after a rather infamous thread, which was created in a drunken stupor. Let's just not go there. |
Matt_the_deuce
Member
Username: Matt_the_deuce
Post Number: 586
Registered: 10-2003
Posted From: 69.14.248.252
| | Posted on Wednesday, March 22, 2006 - 9:01 pm: | |
"Let's just not go there." literally... |
Gumby
Member
Username: Gumby
Post Number: 967
Registered: 11-2003
Posted From: 68.60.143.186
| | Posted on Wednesday, March 22, 2006 - 9:32 pm: | |
I still remember my first post. It was asking about the GAR building. I ended up answering my own question and have been hooked ever since. Can't wait til I hit that 1000 mark so I can get the coveted gift from Jjaba. Soon Jjaba so have it ready. lol. |
Thnk2mch
Member
Username: Thnk2mch
Post Number: 73
Registered: 02-2006
Posted From: 67.38.87.62
| | Posted on Thursday, March 23, 2006 - 3:41 pm: | |
It would be interesting to know the demographics of ALL the forumers. It seems pretty diverse.
Is there a tally on how many forumers to date? |
Ndavies
Member
Username: Ndavies
Post Number: 1686
Registered: 10-2003
Posted From: 129.9.163.233
| | Posted on Thursday, March 23, 2006 - 4:35 pm: | |
Thnk2mch, Some of that info is buried in the archives.
<---------------------do a search forum
https://www.atdetroit.net/forum/mes sages/11557/62672.html |
Lghart
Member
Username: Lghart
Post Number: 100
Registered: 03-2004
Posted From: 64.25.16.100
| | Posted on Thursday, March 23, 2006 - 4:46 pm: | |
I would also be interested if there was a way to record all of us lurkers who post infrequently but read almost everyday. Been visiting the site since 98/99. |
Thnk2mch
Member
Username: Thnk2mch
Post Number: 75
Registered: 02-2006
Posted From: 67.38.87.62
| | Posted on Thursday, March 23, 2006 - 4:50 pm: | |
Thanks Ndavies!
You made that too easy. |
Jjaba
Member
Username: Jjaba
Post Number: 3438
Registered: 11-2003
Posted From: 67.160.138.107
| | Posted on Friday, March 24, 2006 - 2:05 pm: | |
Gumby, start a thread "Gumby hits 1,000 posts," and if jjaba sees it, bingo, a prize is in the mail.
Congratulations. That's a lot of dedication to this wonderful Forum.
jjaba. |
Detroit_stylin
Member
Username: Detroit_stylin
Post Number: 2576
Registered: 10-2003
Posted From: 66.202.227.12
| | Posted on Monday, March 27, 2006 - 4:11 pm: | |
I believe I had accidentally stumbled on this site installin software into my first computer and been stuck ever since,....
Thats was WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAY back in '98 |
My2cents
Member
Username: My2cents
Post Number: 131
Registered: 10-2003
Posted From: 24.253.67.62
| | Posted on Tuesday, March 28, 2006 - 2:25 pm: | |
Hmmm.....remember finding Lowells photos December of 1998 WAAAAAAAAAAAAAAY Back, Thx stylin!(do not recall the name of the site) and have been here ever since. Under the same handle too...........
Thanks Lowell! |
Detroit_stylin
Member
Username: Detroit_stylin
Post Number: 2582
Registered: 10-2003
Posted From: 66.202.227.12
| | Posted on Tuesday, March 28, 2006 - 3:08 pm: | |
quote: Zulu Warrior begat English, DStylin, 1honey, Naturalsister, and Livernoisyard
Good to see I am in good company.... |
Broken_main
Member
Username: Broken_main
Post Number: 1011
Registered: 06-2005
Posted From: 69.222.11.226
| | Posted on Wednesday, March 29, 2006 - 6:50 pm: | |
Motorcitymayor2026,
Whats up??? It's been crazy here at the job. Haven't even been able to get my forum time in.
Lunch is still on, yes!! But my treat. I insist. |
623kraw
Member
Username: 623kraw
Post Number: 881
Registered: 10-2003
Posted From: 68.41.224.200
| | Posted on Wednesday, April 05, 2006 - 3:21 am: | |
I've been around since 1999. When the discus software was implemented, I posted as "E-Z" or "E-Zoner". One could change usernames on the fly and no password was needed. How I got stuck with 623kraw is a mystery... |
Jjaba
Member
Username: Jjaba
Post Number: 3544
Registered: 11-2003
Posted From: 67.160.138.107
| | Posted on Wednesday, April 05, 2006 - 8:31 pm: | |
E-zoner, you're baaak. We missed you.
You useda give us great photos. Can we re-start that?
Thanks. We missed ya.
jjaba, Westsider. |
Xphillipjrx
Member
Username: Xphillipjrx
Post Number: 126
Registered: 11-2004
Posted From: 68.75.240.133
| | Posted on Wednesday, April 19, 2006 - 5:33 pm: | |
I am a newbie compared to most. I think there was an article in the Freep and that's when I discovered it. Either that or I stubled upon it during a late night web surfing session while the West Coast games were on the dish. |
Northend
Member
Username: Northend
Post Number: 914
Registered: 10-2005
Posted From: 69.220.232.15
| | Posted on Wednesday, April 19, 2006 - 6:00 pm: | |
What is preventing Lowell from being given the key(s) to the city of Detroit???
He'll join Saddam for one thing |
Lowell
Board Administrator
Username: Lowell
Post Number: 2500
Registered: 10-2003
Posted From: 66.167.210.27
| | Posted on Wednesday, April 19, 2006 - 6:46 pm: | |
Sorry, I'm not going to Baghdad and sitting that dock with Saddam.
If the Saddam keys could be found, what do you think they would fetch on eBay? |
Atl_runner
Member
Username: Atl_runner
Post Number: 1902
Registered: 10-2003
Posted From: 24.98.116.13
| | Posted on Wednesday, April 19, 2006 - 10:05 pm: | |
I'm late to this thread, but have been here for a few years. I am pretty sure at least 2001 / 2002 sometime. I have no clue really. It's just a part of my life now. I'll be here in one way or another for a long time to come. I love the information gained, and the dynamics, no matter how they change. It's a virtual world that carries over to the physical world very well. |
Gannon
Member
Username: Gannon
Post Number: 5692
Registered: 12-2003
Posted From: 70.236.198.22
| | Posted on Wednesday, April 19, 2006 - 11:25 pm: | |
The effects keep ripplin', too.
I met the forum while answering phones for WDET, so this past pledge drive makes for three years...I think. It is all a blur...OK, two picnics, it's been two and a half years ONLY for my >5000 posts.
That's a LOT of syllables...and all the fault of the station engineer's wife. (for those keeping score)
Funny, thinking about how things carry on into the tangible...I am finally ready to buy one of those GPS trackers for my running training.
Since I travel so much for work, I need to be able to watch my distances on roads that I don't know.
Cheers to you Atl_runner, for turning me onto those GPS devices! |
Itsjeff
Member
Username: Itsjeff
Post Number: 5812
Registered: 10-2003
Posted From: 69.242.213.167
| | Posted on Thursday, April 20, 2006 - 12:19 am: | |
Would it be possible to get a monitor, so I know in advance when you're coming? |
Gannon
Member
Username: Gannon
Post Number: 5699
Registered: 12-2003
Posted From: 70.236.198.22
| | Posted on Thursday, April 20, 2006 - 12:26 am: | |
LOL...you traitor HFD paparazzi...need to get that camera ready, doncha?!
You're just trying to catch me in some compromising position...like actually showing up for work. |
Jjaba
Member
Username: Jjaba
Post Number: 3691
Registered: 11-2003
Posted From: 67.160.138.107
| | Posted on Thursday, April 20, 2006 - 8:25 pm: | |
We need the monitor to know when you're coming.
Gannon, reconfirm any appointments. Itsjeff's social calendar is very demanding on him.
Oy veyesmere, he's a social butterfly.
jjaba, LOL. |