Things that make you go What the F**k?

[johnneycool]

MP Eric Joyce arrested after reports of Parliament bar disturbance

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-politics-21796157


'The Sports and Social Club was said to be packed for its regular karaoke night at the time of the incident'

Karaoke night, I wonder what George Osbourne's party piece is?

[Billys Boots]

What in hell happened this city?


Bankruptcy expert takes over running of Detroit
RTE.ie Updated: 09:12, Friday, 15 March 2013

Michigan Governor Rick Snyder appoints bankruptcy expert to run Detroit Michigan Governor Rick Snyder appoints bankruptcy expert to run Detroit.  Detroit has run operating deficits for nearly a decade and is starved of cash Detroit has run operating deficits for nearly a decade and is starved of cash

Michigan Governor Rick Snyder has announced a state takeover of Detroit's finances.

He appointed a corporate bankruptcy expert who took a can-do attitude toward turning around the destitute US city, calling it the "Olympics of restructuring."

Kevyn Orr is a lawyer best known for his work on the restructuring of Michigan-based car maker Chrysler.

He said he hoped to avoid a bankruptcy filing by Detroit, something that would rank as the biggest municipal bankruptcy in US history.

"Let's get at it and work together because we can resolve this, people of good faith. Don't make me go to bankruptcy court," Orr told a news conference, where he was introduced by Snyder and flanked by Detroit Mayor Dave Bing.

Snyder's move amounts to the biggest state takeover of an American city in over two decades.

Orr, who was officially approved by a committee of state officials yesterday, is expected to assume financial management of Detroit on March 25. As the emergency manager, he will supplant the authority of Detroit's elected officials, both the mayor and the city council.

Orr will have broad powers, including the ability to renegotiate labour contracts, privatise services and sell certain city assets.

The dramatic move is the latest stage in the long decline of a city that was once the thriving centre of the US car industry and the birthplace of Motown music. Once the fifth largest American city, Detroit now ranks 18th with 700,000 people.

In addition to his work with Chrysler - for which Orr billed $1m in fees during the first year of the restructuring of the smallest of the three major US car makers - Orr has other Michigan ties. He received both undergraduate and law degrees from the University of Michigan.

The emergency manager will face the huge and controversial task of repairing the finances of a city in crisis. Detroit has run operating deficits for nearly a decade, is starved of cash and facing a crushing burden of debt from commitments such as pensions and health insurance.

More than a third of Detroit residents are officially classified as living in poverty, and it has an unemployment rate of 18.2%, far above the US jobless rate of 7.7%, according to government figures. Basic services such as street lights and police protection have broken down, and the city has suffered from mismanagement and political corruption.

[Declan]

What in hell happened this city?

The sharp end of global capitalism allied to greed and corruption

[Billys Boots]

What in hell happened this city?

The sharp end of global capitalism allied to greed and corruption

Is it that the car industry upped sticks to 'cheaper' horizons - Flint, Michigan part deux?

[Declan]

Pretty much and the fact that soul music hasbeen replaced by rap!!!

[Bingo]

What in hell happened this city?

The sharp end of global capitalism allied to greed and corruption

There is a couple of websites that show then and now photos of Detroit and how bad things have got in it. Just generally abandoned buildings very commonplace.

[Denn Forever]

Michael Moore needs to ride to the rescue.

[seafoid]

What in hell happened this city?

The sharp end of global capitalism allied to greed and corruption

Is it that the car industry upped sticks to 'cheaper' horizons - Flint, Michigan part deux?

Flint was much smaller .
All the white middleclass people left Detroit for the suburbs starting late 1970s.
Huge swathes of infrastructure were abandoned. The tax system collapsed.

The Yanks are great for just walking away like that.

[Canalman]

As posted earlier it is the city itself that is in trouble. Detroit metropolitan area has I think 4 million or so people all made up of individual townships etc. Used to be a Corktown in Detroit I believe.

People in Chicago look to Detroit city and thank their lucky stars they had Mayor Daley Snr running the show when Chicago city was teetering on the edge.

[Gabriel_Hurl]

We have a Corktown in Toronto as well

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Corktown,_Toronto

[seafoid]

As posted earlier it is the city itself that is in trouble. Detroit metropolitan area has I think 4 million or so people all made up of individual townships etc. Used to be a Corktown in Detroit I believe.

People in Chicago look to Detroit city and thank their lucky stars they had Mayor Daley Snr running the show when Chicago city was teetering on the edge.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u6PaewtfWVY
Photographer Andrew Moore discusses his powerful images of decaying buildings in a once-booming Detroit during a presentation at the Eastman House on October 21, 2010.

00:09:28

[tyssam5]

What in hell happened this city?

The sharp end of global capitalism allied to greed and corruption

Is it that the car industry upped sticks to 'cheaper' horizons - Flint, Michigan part deux?

Flint was much smaller .
All the white middleclass people left Detroit for the suburbs starting late 1970s.
Huge swathes of infrastructure were abandoned. The tax system collapsed.

The Yanks are great for just walking away like that.

As indeed we are ourselves, hence the diaspora.

[Tony Baloney]

A mate who works on the periphery of the car industry was there a couple of years ago and said it was in a desperate state then.

http://www.foundmichigan.org/wp/2012/04/18/what-the-hell-is-happening-in-detroit/

[Tony Baloney]

Jesus, I think even Laoislad would think twice 

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/magazine-21788238

[Apparently so]

Thats disgusting