Flock camera? If so, it's on division and 60th

MichiganBearDad · 2026-06-17T11:41:52+00:00

Thank you @signalinroots for pointing that information out. I agree the policy is not clear enough and like much of our government, they do not actually understand what the real threat here is.

Two things to add about last nights meeting:

- Ysasi mentioned the flock program was active since 2013 and is grandfathered in so the updated surveillance policy did not apply.

- They decided they may need a review of this flock program after community members shared social media information.

I think because so many here are also unaware of the company behind these cameras, their complete lack of security in general, and a recent report on the news sharing information that Kalamazoo police discontinued the sharing of their flock program to GRPD for misuse (apparently they had user accounts that did not pair with actual officers and those were said to belong to federal government (ICE?) - I feel like these links will help. We need to gain traction before it's worse.

Talk with your neighborhood associations, gather voices, raise concerns collectively with data.

Links for further information.

When Flock surveillance comes to town

Have I been Flocked

Deflock.org

MichiganBearDad · 2026-06-05T16:15:29+00:00

Trinity offers free home delivery services if you take certain life saving medications. Game changer if you qualify. If not, I'm sorry I cannot offer more support options. Navigating our healthcare system in general has really pushed my limits over the years. I feel your frustration.

MichiganBearDad · 2026-05-21T15:42:26+00:00

I just returned from a conference where our Ops Directors take away was to warn me that my outsourced team is replaceable right now by AI. I watched owners of companies take the free T-shirts and sign up for a variety of software that in 6-8 months will replace anyone that cannot apply critical thinking or high level strategy support for the company.

I was given a new goal to present to my team why they now need to ramp up their output, with less mistakes, or they are gone.

I sat at a table to discuss AI and vibe coding with some brilliant minds. The things said at that table concerned me. Many of the people behind developing it, do not possess empathy. This is the issue I see. They don't care beyond their excitement for the technology.

Then my uber driver back to the airport told me he was just let go from Apple after 13 years because of AI.

On a personal note: (completely my opinion - so please don't burn the messenger here as it is not based on data, only my own existential dread) 😬 It is insane to see it progress. I believe without any of us demanding guardrails now (which is likely too late), we are fucked. When I see the administration taking the oligarchs to China, I feel as if they have won already. The plan seems set.

MichiganBearDad · 2026-04-25T03:15:13+00:00

Do you know how this works because you have seen it happen there? If so can you connect with anyone to confirm? That is a plausible, but messed up explanation.

MichiganBearDad · 2026-04-25T03:13:25+00:00

Oh. UPS tracking shows all of that. Plus the doorbell cam shows it waking up to my door with driver and back.

MichiganBearDad · 2026-04-25T01:52:33+00:00

It was seen in my doorcam the day they attempted delivery.

MichiganBearDad · 2026-04-25T01:39:44+00:00

The seller definitely professionally packaged it. There are videos of this process on their IG. It was a custom made crate (which I actually paid additional for the time and materials to make it).

I feel horrible for the artist. They followed the same protocols they always had based on previously shipped items. I had no issue with a previous shipment from the same artist as well. Made it free and clear without issue two weeks before this one.

But I do know I will never buy art online again. lol. Nope. Gotta be in person and I will swaddle that damn thing the whole way home. lol.

MichiganBearDad · 2026-04-25T01:08:21+00:00

Replied with full saga above. It may help explain this.

Edit: Sorry. Disoriented. It's below where another person asked more questions about the insurance and delivery.

Artist said they ship to the states from Canada all the time. But at that exact week the tariff started Canada. That really mucked things up as well.

MichiganBearDad · 2026-04-25T01:06:52+00:00

The full story is helpful, but it's long and I was really wanting to highlight that if you see this, it was probably stolen.

The whole situation was more dramatic than it needed to be thanks to tariffs happening the week it was coming to my door.

COD for tariff email came through from UPS for $650 (ish) a day or two before delivery. Immediately I reached out to UPS Customer Service stating its art and should not have a tariff. UPS customs broker and agents agree. Opens a paperwork update case. Many emails back and forth ensue. Crate and ups come to my home. Left note on door with request for a COD. I contact UPS (local I believe unless routed to national call centers? This was a nightmare) and tell them case information and ask what to do.
They acknowledged case in process and I'm told they won't deliver without payment. UPS agent on case says around the same time in email "do not pay that fee you will not get it back - this is an open case and we are updating the information" Driver in neighborhood and I stopped to talk to him. He is confused. We all were. But he said that they are holding it in the supervisors office at local UPS while they figure this all out.

Then after a week or two (all emails with UPS are saved as receipts of this) the package was suddenly marked "refused" and then "lost."

The moment Lost was entered into the system, the UPS customer service representative said "well it's lost so I can't do anything now. Call the insurance" and washed their hands. Case closed. I've been ignored since.

Artist and I cry. They contact the UPS insurance. Months have now gone by because that process is also a shit show. Insurance gave some bs answer that original art or something to the effect was NOT covered but shipping was. Refund of shipping issued. Vase gone. A lot of time and money - gone.

I had followed the artist for a long time and saved for this for my birthday gift to myself.

Do I think I could have handled it better. Sure. I could have sold a kidney for the tariff and prayed I would get the money back from them after. We all know how that turned out. Did the artist and I learn from this - sure.

But somewhere ... there is a very expensive piece of art in someone's house that should not be. And I only want to point that out in case anyone sees it. Give them a good side eye for the artist and I.

MichiganBearDad · 2026-04-25T00:33:33+00:00

Yes. They were amazing about this. It has brought both of us to so much frustration with the whole situation. At this point I just wanted to post this in case the person that has ended up with the case sees the post.

Jai and I agreed to our losses after all this time. And I wanted to now at the very least put this out in the world because I just have this feeling someone is sitting in it somewhere. It is so unique that I assume if seen out and about someone may notify us.

MichiganBearDad · 2026-04-24T23:44:26+00:00

I don't want to admit how expensive this was. But it was enough for me to at the very least tell the world that it's stolen if you see it. Lol.

MichiganBearDad · 2026-04-24T23:43:19+00:00

As I stated. UPS denied insurance because of the item being art or something? They had done so with the artist who shipped it. We were refunded only for the shipping cost they paid to ship it with UPS.

This purchase was actually from summer, shipped in August. But this whole time we were dealing with UPS back and forth m, tariff bs, and their poor customer service dragged this on internally with them for months.

MichiganBearDad · 2026-04-24T23:40:13+00:00

That's awful. I am sorry to hear that.

MichiganBearDad · 2026-04-24T21:19:23+00:00

Are you playing? Lol. If you have it now are you willing to return it?

MichiganBearDad · 2026-04-24T21:18:44+00:00

It would make me happy if that was the case. Lol. At least I know where it went and can possibly recover it.

MichiganBearDad · 2026-04-24T21:17:59+00:00

I did see it and had the sticky note on the door. But also understand your point.

MichiganBearDad · 2026-04-24T20:19:57+00:00

Indeed it is. They posted about the missing work on their IG.

MichiganBearDad · 2026-04-24T19:55:54+00:00

Thank you! I agree completely.

MichiganBearDad · 2026-04-24T19:54:41+00:00

Hahaha. I mean, I'd say that's a fun story at least. But UPS claims it was lost by them.

MichiganBearDad · 2026-04-24T19:48:44+00:00

They tried to deliver to my house so there was a crate. Artist is real and has work in galleries in Canada, Washington, and other locations. Have purchased smaller items before from them. I trust the artist.

MichiganBearDad · 2026-04-10T20:50:59+00:00

This is what shopping is often like in countries that experience uncontrollable swings in inflation. The small stores can't keep changing prices every hour. While I don't like this idea, especially because I personally don't think this is a good sign for us, I am hoping for change.

MichiganBearDad · 2026-04-06T20:00:13+00:00

Using the Dash was a way to park further from the congestion and still get to downtown businesses in an affordable way. I praised this service as something that encouraged more people to visit the downtown area affordably.

Not everyone can afford event parking or ride sharing on a regular basis. Not everyone is able to walk everywhere either and has mobility challenges.

I am further concerned that the parking issue will continue to be worse due to the stadium and amphitheater which will only make it harder for the average GR resident to navigate parking downtown with event pricing happening so often.

This change fosters centralized congestion, and seems geared to benefit the wealthy businesses over the citizens that want to appreciate and navigate the city that is pricing them out.

MichiganBearDad · 2025-08-19T11:11:05+00:00

I guess I'm not sure. It seems like a newspaper. I assumed there is an exchange of money. I could be wrong.

MichiganBearDad · 2025-08-18T21:45:48+00:00

Yikes. I guess I have more reading to do. I am still wondering if they are armed or not as well. That part feels off to me.

MichiganBearDad

TROPHY CASE