Welcome to the auto show press preview

While most people around town have to wait until Jan. 16 to catch the 21st North American International Auto Show, the Kage peaked in this afternoon for an early look during the Press Preview. (These Kage credentials are unbelievable!)

It's always a busy time of year downtown, but everybody seems particularly chirpy this time around, probably because there have been some good-news headlines lately regarding the auto industry. The fact that homeboys at Ford swept the Car and Truck of the Year awards seems to really have people giddy. The media gang was in full force earlier today; all of the local radio stations are set up in the main hallway inside Cobo. About 15 feet from where I took this picture there was a TV guy from Spain delivering a live report. My Spanish is a little rusty, but I think I heard him say, "There are a lot of cars inside. And they're all very shiny." 

For more news from inside Cobo, stay tuned to the Kage, the official source for auto show updates that have little or nothing to do with engines, gears, horsepower or anything else car-related. (You can read stuff on that other crap anywhere!)

Jenemy #2: WDIV Guy

We stumbled across this WDIV cameraman waiting for the Underwear Bomber on Friday. His choice of headgear - in addition to clashing terribly with his coat - earns him a spot as Public Jenemy No. 2. What was he thinking?

Detroit awaits the arrival of the Underwear Bomber

It was a pretty surreal atmosphere down in front of the federal court building in Detroit this afternoon. Media folks from all over the country were setting up cameras outside the courthouse on Lafayette Boulevard, eagerly anticipating the arrival of the Nigerian kid who packed his drawers full of explosives on that flight landing at Metro Airport on Christmas. In addition to the cameramen and reporters, there were police officers everywhere, even on horseback. Media helicopters circled overhead.

In front of the courthouse, there was a small group of Muslims and a small group of Nigerians, all looking to separate themselves from Frankie Flashpants by carrying American flags and signs that read, "Terrorism is bad!" and "Don't look at me, I don't even wear underwear!" (I'm paraphrasing, of course.) 

We'll see if anything eventful happens today. The scheduled hearing is supposed to last no longer than a few minutes, at which point I assume Captain Elastic will head back to his new digs in Milan. If you ask me, I think they should make him walk back.

Book Tower: Renovation or Demolition?

A lady with whom I work also works at a jewelry store downtown. Sometime last year, the store moved to a new location a few blocks from its previous home. Almost exactly one year ago, Bookies Tavern opened in a new location a few blocks from the stadiums. Before that, it neighbored the jewelry store on Washington Boulevard, in street-level space in the Book Tower, which, with everyone leaving, was now completely empty.

With the building vacant, people started talking about whether the Book Tower (and the original Book Building, to which the tower is connected) would be demolished, ala Hudson’s, Tiger Stadium,… But then reports came out that a real estate investment firm in Clinton Township had bought the Book with plans on converting it into 39 floors of environmentally friendly residential and retail space. And then other people said stuff like, “I’ll believe it when I see it.” And then a few months ago, I was standing in front of the already-refurbished Westin-Book Cadillac Hotel, looking up at the Book Tower across the street, and there was a guy standing on a platform that hung about halfway up the building. He was power-washing the limestone. 

I have no idea what’s going to happen to the Book, but I walked away thinking, “I don’t remember the last time I cleaned something before I threw it away.”