Rhinos and gorillas but no elephants at the Detroit Zoo for the Autumnal Equinox

Happy Autumnal Equinox!   Last year, I wrote about national days celebrating elephants, hobbits, and being car free on the equinox, but it turns out that was not even the half of it for this day.  National Day Calendar lists 15 national days for September 22, 2018, quite a few of which are on-topic for this blog.  However, I'm going to begin with one not on their list.


My wife pointed out last month that today is World Rhino Day.

World Rhino Day is celebrated on September 22 every year! This special day provides the opportunity for cause-related organizations, NGOs, zoos, and members of the public to celebrate rhinos in their own unique ways.

We plan on celebrating by going to the Detroit Zoo, which is observing the day, too.

Southern white rhinoceroses Jasiri, 18, and Tamba, 17, will be celebrated – along with their wild counterparts – during World Rhino Day on Saturday, September 22, at the Detroit Zoo. Matt Yurus reports.

Yesterday was my birthday, so this also serves as a birthday party for me.  I've already paid for a joint membership for my wife and me, something I promised I would do four years ago and again three years ago.  Took me long enough.

The Detroit Zoo no longer has elephants, but I can still observe National Elephant Appreciation Day in their absence, as elephants are one of the few animals that longer in the wild than in captivity.  They are better off in either in captivity or in a zoo that can take better care of them.  Also, Monday is World Gorilla Day and the Detroit Zoo has gorillas close by the rhinos.  My wife and I will celebrate that day early today as well.

Normally, I'd write about National Hunting and Fishing Day and National Public Lands Day in addition to recycling Car Free Day and Hobbit Day, but I have a date to go on, which means I definitely will skip Car Free Day.  Buses stop at the Detroit Zoo, but they don't pass by my house, so my wife and I will drive.  Next year.  In the meantime, I wish my readers a happy Autumnal Equinox if they are in the Northern Hemisphere and a happy Vernal Equinox in the Southern Hemisphere and hope those of you who can go to your local zoo do so to see the rhinos, gorillas, and elephants.

Trump greeted by protestors in Detroit

While I was posting the latest batch of Student Sustainability Videos, Donald Trump visited Detroit and was greeted by protestors.  WXYZ covered the demonstrators, both inside and outside the hall.  It took two videos to summarize the protests adequately, beginning with Protesters interrupt Donald Trump's speech at Cobo Center in Detroit.


A second video, Protestors march at Cobo Center for Donald Trump's speech, captured more of the people ejected from the hall, as well as the rest of what those already interviewed had to say.


MLive covered even more of the anti-Trump message in Rashida Tlaib.

Rashida Tlaib, Moms Against Trump, speaks to media and protesters after being kicked out from Trump's speech at the Cobo Center.

Trump should have expected as much, considering the last time he was here, the signs read "Dump Trump" and "Arrest Snyder" at the Detroit Republican Debate.  I'm sure when he returns, so will the protestors.

Speaking of presidential candidates visiting Detroit, Hillary Clinton will be here later today.  Expect me to cover her appearances as well.

Detroit TV on Motor City Comic Con 2016

For today's Sunday entertainment feature, I'm going to do for Motor City Comic Con what I did for Youmacon a year and a half ago, explore the convention through the eyes of Detroit's media.  This year, I'll focus on how the local television stations cover it.  They seem to love it, with WXYZ, WJBK, and WWJ all uploading multiple reports to their YouTube channels on the event.  The most came from WXYZ,* who began hyping it a week in advance with Motor City Comic Con 2016 to be held May 13-15 in Novi.

BAM! POW! WOW! Motor City Comic Con 2016 gears up for its 27th annual, three-day, celebrity-filled metro Detroit comic event.

Video in this story comes from http://MotorCityGeek.com.

The promotion continued on Friday with Motor City Comic Con happening this weekend.

Motor City Comic Con is going on all weekend long at the Suburban Collection Showplace in Novi.

Follow over the jump for another promotional segment plus more reports from the convention floor.

Small Business Saturday 2014

Today is Small Business Saturday.  I skipped observing the day specifically last year, covering all the shopping days of the long weekend in KPBS on retail desperation.  This year, I return to KPBS with two videos.  First, Small Business Saturday Keeps Money In the Local Economy.


Next, San Diego Small Businesses Are Banking On Saturday Shoppers.

The Saturday after Thanksgiving is designated Small Business Saturday, a day created by American Express to encourage shoppers to buy local. In San Diego, many businesses are hoping shoppers will spend money at their stores.

That's what the day looks like in San Diego.  Follow over the jump for how it's playing out here in Detroit.

Detroit media covers Youmacon

I'm in another "I can't be all DOOM all the time" mood, so for the Sunday collapse-related entertainment entry, I'm dispensing with the collapse and going directly for the entertainment, albeit one with a personal connection.

Youmacon, the major Detroit anime and video game convention, was held last weekend at Cobo Center.  I've never attended, but I know the person who organizes it, Morgan Kollin.  Eight years ago, my then-roommates were friends of his and he'd come over to visit.  I had an invitation to go in 2006, but I didn't feel up to it.  Even if I had, I had another engagement to go to that day and would have gone there, instead.  In retrospect, I should have gone.

At the time, Youmacon was just getting off the ground, but it's now a major entertainment event, one that the local media found worth covering.  I begin with WXYZ covering the last day of the convention with four clips during their Sunday morning broadcast.  They opened with an interview of Morgan.


Compare this interview with WDIV's segment from the morning of the first day--Youmacon 2014: Celebrating amine, video games--and WWJ's taped segment from the day before--WWJ-TV in Youmacon Anime Convention To Takeover Downtown Detroit (Video).  Unfortunately, the videos at those links won't embed here.  I think Morgan looks and sounds a lot less chipper than he did on Thursday.  I guess four days of running the convention took its toll.

Follow over the jump for more videos from WXYZ, along with coverage from the Detroit Free Press, WWJ-TV, CW50, The News Herald, and Examiner.com.

Detroit fireworks show continues for yet another year

Yes, I told you all to stay tuned for comments about "Defiance" and "Falling Skies" at the end of Animals predict the World Cup in space, but other than a couple of cursory comments, I'm not really feeling it tonight.*  Instead, I want to follow up on what I wrote in last year's Detroit River fireworks show continues.

Last year, I commented on the possibility that there might not be a fireworks show this year.

Based on what I think motivates Americans to act and the presence of the Michigan State Police and Wayne County Sheriffs at the show, I'm sure that the fireworks and parade will continue. People want their entertainment, especially if it comes in the form of an annual civic ritual to celebrate the seasons, and messing with America's entertainment is the one guaranteed thing that will get Americans to act.

The fireworks show was held again last night with a lot of help from the Michigan State Police...

The security efforts of the police seemed to have worked.  That should mean more fireworks next year.

Speaking of events continuing next year, this year's Thanksgiving parade has already been scheduled.  Take that as evidence that, while Detroit may go into bankruptcy, the entertainment people demand will go on.

I already commented on last year's parade in Detroit's Thanksgiving Parade--the tradition continues and Detroit Thanksgiving Parade--Battle of the Bands.  Tonight's entry is about the fireworks show, which is indeed being held--tomorrow (Monday) night.  Follow over the jump for the news about the event.