Tell Us Something We Don't Already Know

Ryan Avent of The Economist writes:

"Cities that had relatively skilled populations in 1980 have become more skilled and more productive, and have generally featured fast-rising wages and housing costs. Places that were relatively less skilled, by contrast, have stayed that way and have mostly experienced a growing wage and productivity gap with the high flyers."

Paul Spaniola of Paul's Pipe Shop Turns 100

Obviously not the best shot of Paul Spaniola, but this photo captures "old Flint" better than anything I've seen in a long time. It's the city as I remember it. Some things don't change in the Vehicle City. (Special thanks to Sammy Jo Hester of the Flint Journal, a great photojournalist, for the shot. See her other work here.)

The ultimate survivor, Paul Spaniola, is 100 years old. Paul and his family have managed to keep the venerable Paul's Pipe Shop in downtown Flint going, despite Flint's well-documented socio-economic swan dive. And as a Catholic school kid, I have to admire his cordial relationship with the local nuns, as evidenced by the photo above.

Speaking of Paul and nuns, the Flint Journal's Scott Atkinson relates this story in an excellent piece on Spaniola's birthday:

At the party at the pipe shop, his children recounted the story of when Spaniola was in the sixth grade at Catholic school and the nun told him he had to spend the rest of the day in a closet. There was one problem with her plan -- the closet had a window.

Spaniola jumped out the window and took off, making it back just in time to be let out by the nun, who, as the story goes, had no idea.

Now 100, Spaniola may stand as a living testament to those who want to break all the rules -- like staying in school and not smoking.

Flint Postcards: Mar-Jo Motel, Restaurant and Service Station in 1960

Flint Artifacts: Buick Summer Suggestion Campaign

Morrissey Lands in Hospital After Canceling Flint Concert

I know Flint can be a stressful place, but is it really this bad? Billboard reports:

Morrissey has been diagnosed with a bleeding ulcer after being hospitalized in Royal Oak, Mich. last week. According to a rep for the singer, the 53-year-old is expected to make a full recovery, but has rescheduled six upcoming tour dates due to the ailment.

MSU Medical Students Coming to Flint

Here's a little good news. The old Flint Journal building in downtown Flint will soon be home to an estimated 100 third- and fourth-year medical students from Michigan State University, along with MSU public health researchers.

Shaun Byron of Mlive reports: 

MSU's College of Human Medicine had announced plans in late 2011 to expand its medical education and public health programs in Flint, utilizing a $2.8 million grant from the Charles Stewart Mott Foundation.

The property consists of 200,000 square feet of building space and more than 5 acres of land.

The lease includes about 40,000 square feet of office and teaching space in the building, according to a press statement from MSU officials.

Have College Degree, Will Travel

If you're hoping for something positive when New York Times columnist David Brooks references Flint, you're bound to be disappointed:

The highly educated cluster around a few small nodes. Decade after decade, smart and educated people flock away from Merced, Calif., Yuma, Ariz., Flint, Mich., and Vineland, N.J. In those places, less than 15 percent of the residents have college degrees. They flock to Washington, Boston, San Jose, Raleigh-Durham and San Francisco. In those places, nearly 50 percent of the residents have college degrees.

Buick Electra 225

This is how Flint used to roll...1970 Buick Electra 225.

Flint Artifacts: AutoWorld Polo Shirt

Direct from the closet of Shawn Chittle, official curator of the Flint Fashion Collection in New York.

Flint Artifacts: Makuch's Red Rooster Plate

This is a pewter salad plate from Makuch's Red Rooster. The Flint landmark closed Oct. 1, 2012. It was the last of the linen-tablecloth-and-tableside-cooking restaurants left in Flint. Thanks to Bob Garrison for this artifact of old Flint.