ypsi~dixit

I think there is an Asian market on Washtenaw (across from the old Farmer Jack) that sells live fishies...

Acoss from the old Farmer Jack....across from hte old Farmer Jack.....

(racks porous brain)....

Yes, that *big* asian market - you probably can't think of it because you're thinking of something smaller. They have gold lions out front, all protected by big cement posts so they don't get run into by wayward SUVs.

Ohhh...the really big, new one? The blue one? Something like the Hwa Sang Tsing Tze Market? I'm not remembering the name right but I think it has a 4-part name like that. I've been dying to go there.

Yes, THAT Asian market. we have this ritual where we go get Indian food at Temptations (awesome food, btw), which is across the street in the strip mall near Dunhams and Sec of State office. after stuffing ourselves to our gills (tee hee), we go across the street to the Asian market. It's like browsing the pet store. The kids get a kick out of the bizaare live creatures (altho, personally, it leaves me a bit depressed) and we buy cheap tea, rice and candy.
they have huge tanks, and many of them. i wonder if it was them?

Hm, I should try Temptations; I just love Indian food.

That sounds like a very fun evening. Now I have to visit the market. I can do so next week during the evening rush hour when the #4 is running every 15 minutes. If the federales don't lock it up in the meantime.

Scary scary fish mouth!

Srah: Isn't it? It's like a giant feeding tube-vacuum or something. Can you imagine snorkeling in the Huron and seeing the gaping mouth of a 100-pound carp coming straight at you? Yeek.

And, yep, they can get up to 100 pounds and 4 feet long!

On a fish like that, I imagine its mouth would be the size of a punchbowl.

The only thing that I can think of that is more horrifying than that scary fish mouth is the idea of snorkeling in the Huron!

I know folks who do so. Admittedly, they are members of a fish cult at the U-M. But if given a chance, I might do so too--I got plenty of exposure to the Huron water last year and, you know, I'm just fine. A little facial tic never killed anyone.

We had to test the river water in high school Biology classes. The fecal coliform levels scared me to the extent that I still remember the phrase "fecal coliform." It takes a lot of scaring to make me remember science terms from high school!

Read all about fecal coliform in the Huron here.

Upshot: Things were really bad in the 1970s, 80s, and 90s but are slightly better now, and the zone of death begins around Argo Park and continues to Old Dixboro Road, with the worst area of pollution being the eastern edge of Gallup Pond, and the whole river unsafe for total body contact.

I don't think that's where the zone of death ends, but that's where they stopped measuring.

Half of the fish in those tanks have algae growing on their eyes. Amanda is right - that store is depressing, like zoos are.

(shudders)

I'm glad I'm not the only one to think we need to evolve beyond zoos and that they are behind the times.

I'm sure we go to the one in Southfield all the time-big Chinese store with large fishtanks of various uncomfortable-looking fish. Well, when one leaps out of Lake Erie and knocks me out,I'll know who to blame.

You are right--they have indeed knocked folks out and even broken bones, &c. They are immensely strong jumpers.

When you find out where the offenders are, let me know. Trust me, you won't be tried as an accessory.

Avenger, I'm hoping the names will surface in the paper.

But if some tanks at the Asian market on Washtenaw suddenly become empty, I suppose we'll have our answer.