Today's Reading - 02/05/08

● Leopold’s Leaving

Bad news for anyone who enjoys a bar where you can just hang out and chat with friends over beers, rather than constantly tussling shoulder to shoulder just to move around, let alone get the bartender's attention. The Ann Arbor community is definitely lessened without establishments like Leopold's Bros. That place got me through many late nights after work, and I always enjoyed the time I spent there. Get there while you can before they close up shop in June.

(via MGoBlog)

● Downtown Ypsi offers wireless Internet

There's something very amusing (and, well, frustrating) about Ypsilanti having wireless internet across its city before Ann Arbor. See what happens when a community gets together on something, rather than argue over who gets which piece of what or who foots the bill? Maybe I'll live blog while enjoying a London Broil at Haab's.

● Obama vs. the Phobocracy

Sure, Robert De Niro endorsed Barack Obama yesterday, and is now campaigning for him. But Michael Chabon has publicly supported Obama for a while now, and addressed the fears and reservations that some voters might have of voting for him in a Washington Post editorial - just in time for Super Tuesday.

● A Medical Mystery Unfolds in Minnesota

Why is there an outbreak of similar symptoms (nerve damage) among residents of Austin, Minnesota? And why do all of these patients seem to work at the same meat-packing plant (and more specifically, at the same station)? "Aerosolization of brain tissue"? Just watch - this is going to be a storyline on House.

Between this news and this story, and talk of cloned meat, I'm inching ever closer to vegetarianism. (Is that Mis Hooz skeptically sitting and waiting, with arms folded?)

● WGA Strike: The Questions

With rumors of the writers' strike coming to an end, David Poland looks at whether or not the WGA picked the right time for a work stoppage, and if that strategy helped the WGA accomplished its objectives. Unfortunately, just as many - if not more - questions have been created than answers.

● Trading Johan Was a Raw Deal

Here's your unsolicited plug for the day. Mike McClary and I have launched a new baseball blog, mostly to provide an outlet for writing about teams other than the Detroit Tigers. It's called BaseballBlend, and for the baseball fans in the house, we hope you'll stop over and take a look. I'm really excited about it. My first post is about the recent trade of Johan Santana from the Minnesota Twins to the New York Mets.