How badly does your home or office need automatic toilet flushers?

Last night, ALL the automatic toilet flushers in the men's rooms of Strong Hall at EMU were stolen. You read that right, the automatic toilet flushers were unbolted, and stolen. Somebody decided they needed them so badly, they risked being caught unbolting toilet flushers.

So, uh, why? Is someplace now enjoying new, free toilet flushers? Would this go unnoticed at their new home? "Ya know, I used to hate using the restrooms at Initech, but now with these new automatic flush doohickeys, I'm more productive and enjoy my time in here more".

Yikes...

The things we do to keep you entertained....

Hey, Johnny found a cool diary reading the Daily Kos this morning and somebody named 'Eclectablog' has a supremely cool panoramic image of the Bruce Springsteen show for Obama at Oestrike Stadium Monday. You can check it out HERE. It's a complete 360º view with sound. Very well done.

A YCD tip of the cap to 'Eclectablog'...

The Detroit Shock could win the WNBA title tomorrow and the game is at Eastern's ACC

That's right hoops fans, tomorrow's game three of the WNBA Finals between the Detroit Shock and the San Antonio Silver Stars will be tomorrow at 4:30 at the Athletic and Convocation Center on the campus of Eastern Michigan University. If the Shock, coached by former Piston Bill Laimbeer win, it's title time for them. The Palace of Auburn Hills is booked for another event, so Ypsilanti it is!

The Shock on Sunday at the ACC and Bruce Springsteen Monday at Oestrike Stadium, Eastern will be HOPPING for the next couple days.

Springsteen at Oestrike update

According to the Ann Arbor News some tickets (which are free) will be distributed at Obama campaign offices. Also the concert is expected to be 30-40 minutes long.

Gates open at 3, show at 4:30

Personally we see no reason for anybody from U-M or Ann Arbor to come to this since they wouldn't be caught dead next to Ypsilanti, Eastern Michigan or Rynearson Stadium for this spring's U-M graduation. I mean here's your chance to back up your snotty words with actions, U-M supporters. If it wasn't good enough for you then, well, you get the idea....


Update #2

As well as tickets being available at Obama offices, tickets will be given out on a first-come, first-served basis this FRIDAY. EMU students can obtain one ticket by showing a valid university ID. EMU ticket offices are located across campus; the general public should use the location at the EMU Convocation Center, which will be open from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m.

--A2 News

Some guy named Bruce Springsteen will be at Eastern Michigan's Oestrike Stadium on Monday--FOR FREE!

We don't know who this guy is, apparently he's in the music industry but he'll be performing a FREE concert for Presidential candidate Barack Obama. The gates are open at 3 pm and the performance (acoustic performance) will begin at 4:30ish. Now, before you run over there now, no ticket info has been announced. Yeah, it's free, but you'll need some kind of wristband or ticket we're guessing. This will PROBABLY be the best singing done in Oestrike Stadium since Johnny had the 7th inning stretch gig back in the early 90's.

Huh, guess the Boss had no use for Ann Arbor. Must not like hippes we suppose.
"tramps like us, baby we were born to play hacky sack and eat hippie hash at the Fleetwood...."


Ypsi is far more Bruce-y than Tree City anyhoo

Eastern Michigan Football GAMEDAY Homecoming 2008 Edition

That's right EMU fans, today is Homecoming and judging from the rowdiness displayed in Johnny's neighborhood last night, you're pumped! Eastern's opponent is Northern Illinois who comes into the game at 1-2 and like EMU is 0-1 in conference play. Oddly, both have their lone victory over hapless Indiana State's Suckamores. Let's take a look at the game shall we?

Eastern's offense proved it could and will move the ball despite Andy Schmitt being unable to play with Kyle McMahon having an off the charts good 132.14 QB rating. We all know Terrence Blevins can pound the rock and if he goes for 100 yards today we think EMU can dominate. Yes, Northern Illinois has a fairly decent defense but they will go against Eastern's strength which is offense.

Eastern's defense has been a tremendous disappointment thus far. After the opening night shutout of ISU, they have allowed 42, 41 and 51 points in consecutive weeks, that's just not going to win many games. Coach Jeff Genyk will have to do something to sort this mess out. May we suggest the George Costanza OPPOSITE defense--whatever you were doing that wasn't working, do the exact opposite. Weren't blitzing much? Blitz every play. Sitting back in a zone defense on third down? Send everyone.

Something on defense has to change and fast.

Perfect weather is expected over Rynearson Stadium this afternoon with temperature in the low 70's and we can smell charcoal being lit around town right now. This game will hopefully live up to what everyone wants a Homecoming game to be.

Northern Illinois plays QB by committee, runs the ball by committee and today they LOSE by committee. Our call?

Eastern Michigan 28
Northern Illinois 20

How come EMU no longer has the Homecoming parade through Ypsilanti?

Ypsi is THE town in southeast Michigan to hold a parade. We have the BEST parades that nobody can touch and yet Eastern Michigan doesn't hold a Homecoming parade anymore. They used to back when. We right enjoyed it. Why no longer? We think it'd go a long way to connecting Ypsi and EMU who both need each other especially now.

A bird with a cowboy hat on a placard told Johnny it's EMU Homecoming week!

If the bird in the hat says it's Homecoming, it's Homecoming this upcoming Saturday on the campus of Eastern Michigan University. Saturday's game is against Northern Illinois (Well scheduled AD) at noon.

For all the excitement and schedule of all the week's events, check HERE

Boy have we got a 'Citizen of the Week' candidate

A 20 year old EMU student is walking near Emmet and Washtenaw, he is sucker punched by a coward while his loser associates hold the victim down while the puncher rifles through his pockets. When the idiots leave, the victim wisely calls 911. While police are assisting the victim, EMU police are contacted that a student is FOLLOWING THE SUSPECT on campus and reporting his position via cell phone.

FANTASTIC stuff. The attacker was arrested and sits in jail this morning, where he belongs, because a wise and brave student followed the criminal and made the call. We'd like to nominate this person as YCD's Citizen of the Week and understand why they need to remain anonymous.

Good stuff indeed. See what YOU can do to stop crime? Everyone has a cell phone these days. Take a cell phone picture or call police when you see this kind of thing going on.

It's YOUR campus

Eastern Michigan football GAMEDAY!

Normally we roll these out on Friday night or Saturday but it's a special kickoff edition today as the Indiana State Suckamores are in town at venerable Rynearson Stadium on this fine August night. Rynearson Stadium celebrates it's 40th season beginning tonight.

Indiana State's Suckamores are in town to provide EMU with some tough competition and since Larry Bird has used up ALL his ISU eligibility, he won't be playing for the Suckamores. EMU holds a 9-3 advantage over ISU historically though the last time Eastern beat Indiana State they were the Hurons, September 23, 1978.

EMU has a pretty good record in home openers historically, going 70-41-4 all time. Under Jeff Genyk, Eastern is 2-2.

Thanks to the generosity of the Sports Information Office, Johnny will be snapping shots of the game for all of you later tonight.

Nerves, mistakes, and anxiety all run high in the opener. It's possible EMU could be TOO fired up early on but we expect them to right the ship and get a strong defensive effort, enough for the offense to get going. We'll call it like this:

Eastern-27
ISU-17

Here's a stick in the eye---EMU, citing MAC policy refuses to give press credentials to bloggers--UPDATED

Johnny just got off the phone with Eastern Michigan's Sports Information office. He simply requested the ability (even offering to pay for a ticket) to get down on the sideline to take some pictures to talk UP the EMU football program. He was DENIED by someone spouting MAC policy.

See above

EMU hires new top man for baseball

Eastern Michigan has hired Jay Alexander to run the resurgent EMU men's baseball program as former head man Jake Boss left for Michigan State after only a year. Mr. Alexander comes to Ypsilanti from Wayne State where he compiled a 161-148 record. He also took Wayne State to the NCAA Division II regional championship game, and a 34-19 record overall this past year.

Alexander was a standout player for Wayne State in the mid-90's. We wish him nothing but the best. EMU as you'll recall are riding a two year consecutive MAC tournament and MAC West regular season title win streak.

The Susan Martin era at EMU has begun! Tuition increase of 7.7% on the way

Sure it wasn't her making the entire call, but it does come as the first thing most people have noticed at EMU since she's been there (unless you mean the parade she supposedly ditched that some are grumbling about).

Here's an amazing stat about this 7.7% increase, Regent Roy Wilbanks says 6.8% of it will not be going to update classrooms, not going to update computer labs, not going to update dorms, not going to update internal computer systems---nope, almost ALL the increase will be going to cover salaries. Students will be paying an average of $579 for the privilege of paying higher salaries to EMU employees.

0.9% will go to building improvements. 0.9%.

Student housing costs will also increase 5.1%.

PFFFFFFT. All the good PR, all the street signs, all the radio ads, all the promotion of 'Education First' kinda sorta just flopped. Not a lot of EMU students jumping up and down today saying "Oh boy, I can't wait to get back to Ypsilanti and Eastern Michigan".

We're sure the financial aid office will now work overtime to help students cover the increase in costs and make sure they are covered by the time school starts. Yep there's more money in the financial aid pool this year for all students to draw from, and no doubt a bunch of new requests after reading this article. Seeing as how the Financial Aid Department at EMU is the deepest pit in hell on the campus, and has been for some 25 years running, we fear for the students who need more right now.

It's not going to be a pretty August around EMU.

EMU 'agrees' to pay $350K for violating the Clery Act

Yeah, 'agrees' as in they have no choice. Eastern Michigan University will pay $350,000 to the US Department of Education for violating the Clery Act, which mandates universities inform their residents when something heinous, like, mmm, a murder takes place on your campus.

This is the largest fine EVER for violating this act.

Don't take our disgust at face value, here's Mary Gust, director of administrative actions and appeals with the DoE:

"an egregious violation, which endangered the entire EMU campus community."

Again, we'd like to thank those who really helped made this fine all possible; Former President John Fallon, former Vice President of Student Affairs Jim Vick and former Public Safety Director Cindy Hall. Well played.

Now, is God smiting the U-M gradzillas or upholding the honor of Rynearson Stadium?

Now there's a real poser huh? First off, let's check tomorrow's weather report shall we:

Saturday
Showers likely with a chance of thunderstorms during the morning. Otherwise mostly cloudy through mid morning...then becoming partly sunny. Windy. Cooler with highs 59 to 63 early...then temperatures slowly falling. West winds 15 to 25 mph...with gusts to 40 mph...increasing to 20 to 30 mph...with gusts to 40 mph through late afternoon...then diminishing to 15 to 25 mph...with gusts to 35 mph. Chance of rain 60 percent.

40 mph gusts? Hold onto grandma eh?

So, again, is God upholding Rynearson's honor or smiting Michigan? In our opinion it's payback for Michigan hiring Rich Rodriguez...

And people wonder how the Laura Dickinson case got so messed up EMU Campus Police-wise

Eastern Michgan has settled a sex discrimination suit with former Sgt. Stacy Cain of the EMU Campus Police. But much like Arlo Guthrie singing 'Alice's Restaurant' that's not what we came here to talk about.

No, the allegations about slackers and gun wavers on the EMU police force were far more disturbing and it really tells us the culture there that led to EMU's Department of Public Safety make such a hash of the Laura Dickinson case under former Chief Cindy Hall.

What we learned in court:

*Cain, in 1986, was dismissed for leaving campus to provide mutual aid to the Washtenaw County Sheriff's Department and then taking her break at St. Joseph Mercy Hospital, leaving the campus unprotected

*Cain contended that another officer who left campus was only suspended for three days

*An officer lied about being in court and missed a hearing

*Another officer who waved a gun in a bar while off-duty was reinstated and promoted

*Cain was terminated and later reinstated for alleged use of a university password to make personal and long-distance phone calls

Any questions?

Eastern Michigan in the FINAL FOUR! Well for the new University President search anyway

That's right, Eastern has named the FOUR finalists for new University President:

*Kenneth Burnley, senior resident fellow and director of the Education Leadership Center at the University of Michigan's School of Education.

*Michael Flanagan, Michigan's superintendent of public instruction.

*Susan Martin, a provost and vice chancellor at the University of Michigan-Dearborn.

*Donald Shelton, a Washtenaw County Circuit Court judge and former EMU regent.

They will be looking to improve upon the abysmal performance of EMU's last two Presidents, John Fallon and Samuel Kirkpatrick which shouldn't be exceptionally hard to do.

The Ann Arbor News has MORE, yes even color pictures

Pick up basketball game between two EMU frats turns violent, THREE police agencies needed to break it up

Boy, we don't have the names of the fraternities involved but we will and we will post them here for the entire world to see. What the hell is wrong that a pickup basketball game at the REC-IM building on the campus of Eastern Michigan turns into a melee?

EMU police chief Greg O'Dell said several HUNDRED people refused to disperse. Police from EMU, Ypsilanti, and the Washtenaw County Sheriff's Department were needed to move people outside where, you guessed it, the cement-heads started fighting again.

Gee, guys, what part of your honor were you fighting over involving a BASKETBALL GAME? Can you embarass your frat and your school any more?

We can, we can't wait to get the names of the fraternities involved posted here. They should be ashamed and we're here to help.

EMU as discount landlord "We're crazy, everything must go, we're DEALING!"

Sounds like a used car dealer or other late night TV huckster doesn't it? But, if you're looking to live ON campus next year, EMU has a deal for you. They are NOT raising on-campus rents in student apartments for 2008-09. The EMU Board of Regents voted to keep rents the same this upcoming year for returning lessees.

Now for the crazy car dealer part, if you're willing to live in one of the Hill dorms, EMU is ready to front you a cool $1000 dollars (in grants mind you, going towards the cost of the room and board). Word on the street is that Eastern will also pass these amazing savings along to those looking to live in the dorms (Excuse us, Residence Halls) next year. At these rates, you can't afford NOT to live on EMU's campus. Who knows, maybe you will have Johnny as a suitemate in Best Hall next year (his old EMU on campus haunts) and Johnny has an ID to legally procure alcohol.

Bitchin'....

Retrial of Orange Taylor III begins today

The retrial of Orange Taylor III, charged in the murder of EMU student Laura Dickinson in December of 2006, will begin in Washtenaw County court this morning. Taylor claims he is innocent of Dickinson's murder and the original trial ended with a hung jury as one juror held out for a not guilty verdict meaning a jury deadlock. Taylor will be represented by a public defender in this case, Laura Graham, not Alvin Keel as he was in the first trial.

We've got a pretty darn good idea what happened but in the interests of fairplay and respecting the justice system, we'll keep personal feelings and raw emotions in the comments section. We look forward to your commentary on this highly charged case.

We did find one quote in the Detroit News interesting. Previewing today's case they had a quote from Taylor's mother in which she finally remembers asking him if he was innocent, she doesn't remember his verbatim answer but recalls him saying "Mom, you know this is not me".

We would have just said YES.