Detroit of Asia goal likely to be missed
Thailand, which is attempting to promote itself as the ”Detroit of Asia”, is quite certain to miss the target of exporting US$10 billion worth of auto parts and accessories and producing two million vehicles by 2010 due to the slump in the local automotive market and tough competition from emerging countries, say industry leaders.
[via Bangkok Post]
Wine Bar could add “hip” to Downtown Brighton
In the next several months, Brighton’s “trendiness quotient” could take a quantum leap forward.
Two suburban Detroit women hope to open a wine bar and restaurant in downtown Brighton. The City Council recently approved the first step toward granting a redevelopment liquor license for the wine bar.
Add to it a planned martini bar across West Main at West Street, and the new Stonefire Bistro two blocks down, and you have a recipe for the evolution of downtown Brighton from quaint to trendy.
Well, they can try to add hip to a downtown that doesn’t allow storeowners or artists or anyone to live above a store or business.
[via MLive.com]
DWSD proposing to add line from Oakland County to Flint
DETROIT (AP) The Detroit Water and Sewerage Department is proposing a major water line extension from northern Oakland County to Flint.
The move could lead to new homes and businesses being built in areas not designated for growth.
This is not smart growth. This is dumb growth. Suburban sprawl, it divides and conquers.
[via MLive.com]
Mexicans pour into city from US
Every single day this month, Mexican nationals who have been living illegally in Florida — some for a dozen years or more — are turning up at the Windsor-Detroit border seeking refugee status. The first group arrived at the YMCA on Aug. 28.
[via Windsor Star]
Detroit teen turns MySpace passion into $1 million business
A Detroit teenager has turned her passion for designing MySpace layouts into a business that has generated more than $1 million in revenue.
Just 17 years old, Ashley Qualls, started her web site whateverlife.com two years ago with an initial investment of $8 from her mother, whichsheused to buy the domain name.
By 2005 her traffic had gotten to the point where she needed a dedicated server. In order to finance the server, she decided to incorporate Google Adsense into her site. The first check she received was for $2,790.
In January 2006, she withdrew from school to focus on her website full time. In September 2006 she bought a two-story four-bedroom home for $250,000.
[via TECH.BLORGE.com]
