I just got home after hanging out at my friends' house in the shadow of the Motor City Casino. He watched this building rise up but even the dread from seeing its architecture take shape could not be matched by the nightly LED-light show that fills the night sky around it. Looking for an example on Youtube, I had to choose between this one and the one made by the girl on ecstasy watching it from her car listening to the XM "trance" station. Apparently it's someone's full-time job to program the lights:
I've been on national radio a few times the last few weeks, and I haven't done any preparation other than think about what to say if they asked me some general question about what Detroit is like day to day. I wanted to make it clear that living here is very normal and that most days are completely uneventful, and that's the way it is for the many thousands of people who live and work here. I think some people believe Detroit is a lot like the dystopian alternate 1985 in Back to the Future 2, what Hill Valley would be like if Biff Tanner is allowed to bring back the 2015 Sports Almanac to his 1955 self. All I could find is a Spanish version, but whatever:
It's not that bad, obviously. But our casino is way tackier than Biff Tannen's Pleasure Paradise Casino and Hotel. And two days ago my friend listened as the bomb squad detonated seven "bombs" inside the parking garage.
Okay, so maybe it's a little like that.
[RIP, J.G. Ballard]
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