I've been planning a baghdad diorama for quite some time. Doing all the research, finding what models I want, etc. One of the things I wanted to find was some really good pictures of baghdad on the internet. A few burnt down buildings, and bombed streets. And I swear to god, every picture I found looked like my home town Detroit (Archetiecture aside). So I think I've just decided to take a few pictures of the streets and bridges here and just call them baghdad. Maybe I will put them on a website in a quiz format asking the question "Detroit or Baghdad?"
Just a thought.

Jay, :-)

From what I've seen on Animal Planet's Animal Cops Detroit, it's about as bad as it gets! My only direct experience is tranferring planes at the ariport once or twice.

But in Baghdad the Iraqis want to pursue peace and better their city....

Got to live in the Detroit suburbs for almost 4 years. The similarity between the two cities would be that each have certain areas where you don't stop the vehicle.

With all the adobe, parts of Santa Fe look like Baghdad.

Paul

Too funny! :-) :-) I also live in the Metro area (but not originally from here). With a little creative photo editing, you could take some shots of buildings on Michigan Ave or Grand River, and then superimpose the signs on the buildings with shots taken on Warren Ave in Dearborn.

Tom

Do the folks in Mo Town still burn down half the city on Halloween? You know, just askin'

Shaun

Actually they've reduced the Halloween fires quite a bit. What a shame. The one thing that the city really needs is a good burning.

Thanks for the laugh. I occasionally have the pleasure of traveling to Detroit on business. Not a place you want to have car trouble.

Shaun

My wife is from a suburb of Detroit, Sterling Heights. After watching Animal Cops she says it looks exactly like she remembered it, from twenty plus years ago. I've heard it said that Detroit is a great place, to be from.

OK...lived within 20 miles of the D for all 50 years of my life.

It is just not as bad as it is made out to be...quite. I've seen parts of Chicago, LA and other cities that have that special, war-torn third world charm as well. It is a tough town, population is about 60% (I think) of its' peak, but parts have been improved- a couple, well maybe. Devil's Night is not the Fire Bomb Festival it once was...not even close. THere are some good things happening, but not enough- they need a real mayor for one!

However, the surrounding areas are quite different. I live in Royal Oak, all of 5 miles from the Detroit City limit. Royal Oak's downtown, 3 miles from the D, is a very popular, bustling town. Full of people in the evening, plenty of places to go, eat, drink, etc. Oakland County, which borders Detroit on the north, is one of the wealthiest counties in the nation.

We host the Woodward Cruise each year- 1-1.7 million people line Woodward Avenue for the largest Auto Event in the world. A GREAT time for fans of classic cars- mostly Detroit Iron, but something for everyone. THis event is a great time, party atmosphere and as peaceful as could be.

OK, enough Rah Rah Detroit- it is a mess, not as bad as its' rep, but not a good place. And well, ya, I would not let my kids hang around in Detroit...

My official $.02- for whatever its' worth.

Jim

Had a lot of good times in Royal Oak and Birmingham when I lived there. Detroit gets a lot of grief about the section between 8 mile and downtown. I left before downtown got the casinos and the new stadiums.

I miss a good coney restaurant and Detroit has some damn good Lebanese food.

Paul

You guys are right. WHen you talk about Detroit's bad reputation it is for Detroit proper. Once you exit to city limits it's out of the combat zone

Sounds alot like Paterson or Newark N.J.
O.K. checklist time.
#1 Stay out of Paterson after dark.
#2 Stay out of Newark after dark.
#3 Stay out of Detroit proper - period !
#4 Stay out of Bagdad unless armed.
#5 Don't fry bacon naked.

O.K. I'm good to go.
Cheyenne

I think most inner cities of large metro areas are similar. Dallas doesn't look like a war zone, but you won't find me walking around after dark except in the west end which is set up as a touristy area and they have a couple of dozen cops riding around on bicycles. south Dallas is kinda ramshackle, but I've seen worse. East Dallas has been getting a facelift, and NOrth Dallas is a mixed bag of residences and restaurants. Of course all the suburbs and mid-cities (twn Dallas and Fort Worth) are all fairly nice places with most areas beig safe to walk around in