Sunday Rantings

There is an attempt being made through the Michigan Legislature to ban certain types of ticket purchases. Apparently there is software out there which allows ticket brokers to almost instantly buy large amounts of tickets the instant the go on sale online; this prevents individuals from having a fair shot at a direct purchase for various events.

Ordinarily we are slow to support government involvement between private transactions, but this one has merit. As it is, small groups are able to control the free flow of commerce. This makes the proposed legislation something which would free up rather than restrict the markets for concerts and sporting events. That makes it a good thing.

Speaking of concerts and events, the Detroit Symphony Orchestra is scheduler to hold five free concerts later this year in the Detroit area. They apparently been off strike since April of 2011! We apologize, but we didn't notice. It does make us wonder how many others didn't notice either.

A reader pointed out, in response to our article yesterday, that the Detroit Occupiers do not own the buildings which they currently occupy. If he thinks this helps their position, well, it doesn't. If they're squatters, whether on city but especially if they're on private property, then they should be given the boot. If the properties have been donated for their use, then the Occupiers are hardly true to their principles. But we have become accustomed to this sort of inconsistency among, particularly, the extreme left. They want what they want solely because they want it, and such minor thing as consistency about philosophy are beneath them.

Kwame Kilpatrick must go on trial. Again. US Federal courts have said so. We don't know why and we don't care. We just want the Kilpatrick circus to move on. Detroit has enough issues without having him dragged through the legal system again and again. Perhaps there is good reason to keep up the pursuit. We don't care about that either. It's time to let Detroit move on, even if it means letting him skip out on a few things. We need to let it go, for our god, not his.

Neil Armstrong has passed away at the age of 82. He was, as we all know, the first man on the Moon. Godspeed, Mr. Astronaut. Godspeed.

The DSO is still out

The Detroit Symphony Orchestra is still on strike, and the rancor between the two sides has not ebbed. Indeed it appears to have increased recently, with each side basically pointing the finger at one another. And all this despite former Governor Jennifer Granholm and US Senator Carl Levin having put themselves into the mix suggesting compromise.

You know that a situation is heated when governors and senators chime in with their two cents. It must be important that we keep a symphony orchestra around: the Government says so!

Yet through it all no one seems to miss the DSO. That in itself should be evidence enough that Detroit doesn't care. It should also be a fair warning to the musicians and their bosses that the longer they aren't around, the less they'll matter, except, perhaps, to a smattering of small businesses. It was interesting to side the musicians cloak themselves in concern with the plebes while they appeal to almost exclusively the upper crust.

Further, in light of recent events out west, to hear musicians clamor about vitriol sounds particularly hollow. There are folks in the world with real troubles while they rant about the value of a local band. That says about all we, the general public, need to know about the situation.