The University of Florida, Florida State University found that physically attractive people almost instantly attract the attention of the interlocutor, sobesednitsy with them, literally, it is difficult to make eye. This conclusion was reached by a series of psychological experiments, which were determined by the people who believe in sending the first seconds after the acquaintance. Here, a curious feature: single, unmarried experimental preferred to look at the guys, beauty opposite sex, and family, people most often by representatives of their sex.

The authors believe that this feature developed a behavior as a result of the evolution: a man trying to find a decent pair to acquire offspring. If this is resolved, he wondered potential rivals. Detailed information about this magazine will be published Journal of Personality and Social Psychology.

In turn, a joint study of the Rockefeller University, Rockefeller University and Duke University, Duke University in North Carolina revealed that women are perceived differently by men smell. During experiments studied the perception of women one of the ingredients of male pheromone-androstenona smell, which is contained in urine or sweat.

The results were startling: women are part of this repugnant odor, and the other part is very attractive, resembling the smell of vanilla, and the third group have not felt any smell. The authors argue that the reason is that the differences in the receptor responsible for the olfactory system, from different people are different.

It has long been proven that mammals (including human) odor is one way of attracting the attention of representatives of the opposite sex. A detailed article about the journal Nature will publish.

At the last Central Business Community -CBC meeting in December we discussed two things (amongst others).
One idea was changing the name of the CBC due to the thoughts that: 1)We are working toward non-profit status in an effort to become more autonomous and independant in our efforts and activities promoting downtown Ypsilanti. 2) Some of our most active members do not have/operate/work downtown but are residents. The idea promoting something like the Downtown/Michigan Ave Neighborhood Association/Community or some other name that would be more inclusive, reflective of the membership and friendly than using the word ‘business’ seemed to have appeal. Any comments?
The other idea dealt with the Waterstreet (uh,err,um – insert diplomatic word) situation(?). It was understood that M. Ed Koryzno, City Manager was appointing a commitee to look at the Waterstreet Situation/Developement. We nominated Kevin Hill (who was highly interested in doing this and had worked so hard on the Downtown Parking). This was done in part because we felt that Waterstreet is so important to the vitality of downtown (and all of Ypsilanti) and we wanted input and information on what was happening as well as information. When this nomination was presented for an endorsement by the DDA at the DDA meeting the next morning, I was given to understand that this wasn’t the type of community involvement that the City Manager would be looking for at this time. That financial and developement people chosen by Koryzno(?) would be on this commitee and that at a later time “other people” would have a time for input. I don’t know about you but I think the time is now. I’m tired of spent tax money and leaving these matters in the hands of people I don’t know and who haven’t been successful with Waterstreetr in the past. I’d like to see some people who have an interest like Kevin Hill or Bob Doyle (Landscape Architect and Developer), who are local and proven to be involved in different aspects of our Ypsilanti on this commitee. Now, maybe I don’t understand this correctly and someone can explain what is happening but until I do – this is how I feel. I’m tired of the lack of progression and the spinning on the WaterStreet Project. I want people who live here and pay taxes involved.
Yours in thought and understanding,
Mark Swanson

First Subject:

The Ypsilanti Chamber of Commerce: You will never find a more continually positive person about the future of the Greater Ypsilanti Area than Keith Peters. He speaks positively about the future of Ypsilanti and defends us to the hilt (ie., the USA Today article). He and his wife shop locally, and both have lived and worked in the town forever. That said, I feel there is a disconnect between the small independant businesses downtown and throughout the city of Ypsilanti for the following reasons:
1) Few people that I can relate to on the board. What do I mean? The board members year after year consist of every bank in town, representatives of government (city and township), 2-3 people representing EMU, Utilities (YCUA), big business (Briarwood, Waste Treatment Companies,etc…), with the occassional local lawyer thrown in. Many of these people do not live in Ypsilanti. I do not say that they should not be on the board-but I dare say that very few of them over the years have popped their heads into many of the shops downtown or interact with the independant merchants or businesses downtown other than the occassional chamber member seeking a loan at a bank or at the Chamber Gala.
2) This leads to the fact that there is a Disconnect between Chamber and Downtown Businesses other than when you are solicicted for a Chamber Membership. We belonged to the Chamber the first two years we were in business. Than we started to ask: what are we getting for our membership? The answer was that we were listed in the directory, listed on the website, a suggestion that Chamber members are more likely to buy from Chamber Members, Invitations to the Golf Outing Fundraiser and the Gala for a price, an Insurance Program, and a few savings with some other businesses. The bottem line for us was that 250-300 dollars was a lot of money to be one of several hundred businesses listed on a website/directory, didn’t have time or money for the Golf or Gala, had an Insurance Program, other businesses were more interested in the value of our services and products than if we were Chamber Members.

Thoughts and Solutions

I feel that the Chamber should be a Vangaurd in helping Businesses in Ypsilanti (and not just Downtown). The Chamber is and should be trying to bring Big Business to the Area-but they should also promote small independant businesses that exist now.
I suggest the Chamber do the following:
1) Expand the Board: this suggestion was given to me by Ed Clemente (now State Rep. Clemente) who was the in Charge of the DownRiver Chamber of Commerce. Keep your Executive Board full of your lawyers, Bankers, University Administrators, and Politicians- but put some merchants and small independant business people who pay their own way more directly out of their own pocket. Give us a voice with representation. I have been told that if I am a Chamber Member that I cannot go to a board meeting and speak or comment. I hope this is not true.
2)Develop a business plan and a budget that helps Ypsilanti Small Businesses. Take part of our dues and use that for advertising the diversity, the variety and vibrancy of business in Ypsilanti. I want a bang for my buck. This last year we gave the money we would use for a Chamber Membership to the CBC for the Concerts Downtown.

Enough on the Ypsilanti Chamber of Commerce-On to other thoughts and institutions later.
Mark Swanson

With regards to Ed’s statement about the DDA needing to write more Cool City Grants, Right On!. But let’s take an honest look at why Downtown Ypsilanti was denied the Main Street Grant. When we were notified that we (YPSI) were in the final 8 communities being considered for the grant, I was one of a number of citizens who went to Lansing to demonstrate our support for Jennifer and the DDA. The interview at the MEDC in Lansing was the final step in application of the Main Street Grant, Ypsilanti lost out for one single reason. The former DDA director refused to release her responsibilities for the DepotTown DDA. The question, was re-phrased and re-stated 3 different ways.
1) Mainstreet puts a huge time obligation on behalf of the adminstrator, how would she divest herself of her responsibilities to the DepotTown DDA.
2) We were reminded that the state prohibited the development of 2 DDA’s in a single municipality for some valid reasons. could she turn those responsibilities to another?
3) She was informed that the MEDC really believed that Ypsilanti was deserving of the Grant and that they wanted to give it to us. They had decided not to qualify another application because there were two separate DDA’s involved (Dearborn and Dearborn Heights), and that the director could not serve two masters. She still refused.

Three grants were awarded, and she was given still another opportunity to qualify, by coming up with another proposal that would work within the parameters they had explained to her. A few weeks later the grant was awarded to Howell.

We should seriously consider that eventually it will be necessary to UNIFY THE TWO DDA’S. That may be years down the line but it should be considered. As things stand it has been an impediment to progress.

I am optimistic about the future of our downtown. Brian Vosberg has made himself far more approachable than his predecesor, and has been willing to listen to the businesses and to work with them. The city goverment has been responsive as well (though there is much room for improvement). Instead of crying about the parking lots and the dumpsters the Central Business Community formed action committees that wrote a comprehensive parking plan which the city adopted; and mobilized to provide Brian and the DDA Board with the information they need to negotiate a plan for the dumpsters. (Suprising as this may sound- there was no study to find out who would need access and when or how often. In one block alone there were 200 entities that would require access- and that was based on single occupancy in the apartments. There are 8 dumpster units that need to go into a space that can only be occupied by 4. Eight units means eight existing contracts that require renegotiation.)

There is a great deal of work yet ahead, but with the commitment of people like Peter Rinehart, Dave Curtis, Brian Brickley, Derek Block, Joyce Ramsey, Kevin Hill, Julia Collins, Tondra Williams, Delores Emerson, Bethany Schultz, and others who actively promote downtown, and who extend their efforts beyond the walls of their businesses I think we are up to the challenges ahead.

p.s. For those of you who do not know her, Bethany Schultz is the woman who coordinated the Jamming Michigan Avenue four month music program as a VOLUNTEER. She deserves much credit for it’s success.

Bowerbird Mongo is a members of the Think Local First network and we support other local businesses whenever we are able. We would love to see more Ypsilanti residents downtown in the future and are eager to hear what it is people want to see and will truely support on this corridor.

Here is an invitation to those who would like to support local businesses downtown during the week of December 4th -10th:
BOWERBIRD MONGO INVITES YOU to an OPEN HOUSE on Thursday December 7th and Friday December 8th from 12 Noon to 8 PM. We will have refreshments, gift certificate drawings and lots of fresh “old/vintage” merchandise. Please Visit !