ZingIT

Earthday Electronics Recycling

By Craig · In: Green

29 Mar 2010

Once again, the Ann Arbor Public Schools and the Climate Savers Computing Initiative at U-M are providing free electronics recycling. Schools and businesses can drop off items Thursday and Friday, April 22-23, from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Washtenaw Intermediate School District, 1819 South Wagner Rd. The general public can drop off items on Saturday, April 24 from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m. at the Pioneer High School Parking lot.

photo from IT NYC 2006

No Comments

Flash Mob for Google Fiber

By Billie · In: Good Stuff|News

23 Mar 2010

GoogleFest – Flash Mob to Nominate Ann Arbor for Google Fiber
Friday, March 26
University of Michigan Diag, Ann Arbor
11:57am – 12pm

GoogleFest kicks off with a flash mob from 11:57am to 12pm on the Diag. A picture speaks a thousand words. We will have photographers / videographers at the Diag flash mob to capture HUNDREDS of A2 citizens cheering the A2 Fiber anthem for three minutes. We are going to catapult Ann Arbor’s Google Fiber fight to the national level.

Participating local-area businesses / restaurants / bars will provide GoogleFest discounts over the lunch hour for flash mob participants and the public. Each participating business / restaurant / bar will have a laptop for patrons to fan the A2 Fiber FB page, send a tweet, upload a YouTube video, submit a Google nomination form, etc.

More info on the event

Don’t forget to fan A2 Fiber on Facebook!

No Comments

IT Dinner #13 – Thai

By Billie · In: Food

22 Mar 2010

Elph’s House
March 19, 2010

Elph was head chef for the night. He picked the menu and assigned tasks for everyone to do. The result: a complete delicious Thai meal!

Thai iced tea, white wine
Tom Ka Gai (coconut soup with chicken or tofu)
Jicama, carrot, cucumber salad with peanut chili dressing
Corncakes with spicy cucumber sauce
Red Snapper with chili sauce
Coconut ice cream with mangoes and bananas

No Comments
Tags: it dinner

Google Fiber for A2, iPad for you!

By Billie · In: fun|Good Stuff

17 Mar 2010

Right on the heels of Zingerman’s Mail Order’s Balsamic Vinegar Video Contest (there’s still time!), Lunch Ann Arbor Marketing (LA2M) launched a really cool YouTube contest supporting Ann Arbor’s bid for Google Fiber.

Think about how high speed internet connectivity will change your business, life, attitude — then show us in a creative, entertaining and informative 30 – 90 second video how Google Fiber will make your life better. The creator of the winning video will receive a grand prize. There will be multiple runner up videos as well. And the top videos will all have a chance to win an Apple iPad. Videos can be uploaded to YouTube for judging beginning March 17, 2010. The deadline for submission is 1 p.m. EST on March 26, 2010.

Betsy, Zingerman’s graphic designer, jokes, “Can I submit the balsamic video I’m making?” Why not? Balsamic vinegar adds rich sweet flavor to your salads, while Google Fiber in A2 would be just plain SWEEEEET! Let’s win it!

No Comments

Google Adds Bicycle Routes to Maps

By Craig · In: Transportation

10 Mar 2010

Google has added cycling maps to its list of map options. Look for the Bicycling option right along with the other transportation options: walking, car or public transit.

The route it comes up with from the Deli to the Bakehouse is pretty straightforward: link

Google does offer the following caveat: “Bicycling directions are in beta. Use caution and please report unmapped bike routes, streets that aren’t suited for cycling, and other problems here.”

No Comments

He hadn’t lost his IT skillz in the wilds of Australia

By Billie · In: fun

8 Mar 2010

Elph’s been hopping around with the kangaroos and koalas in Australia for almost an entire month. He flew back on Tuesday. We were waiting for him.

Wednesday, March 3rd
9 am We assembled at the Roadhouse.

9:19 am Recruited the Roadhouse staff to help us with our prank.

9:22 am Calling Elph. He doesn’t pick up.
9:56 am Text message from Elph to Brian: “In tomorrow.” Groans all around.
9:58 am Decide to have a working breakfast anyway.

Thursday, March 4th

9:00 am Are we going to try again? Sure.

9:45 am Waiting at the Roadhouse for Elph to pop on Google Chat (sure sign that he’s in)

9:50 am Jennie places the call: “Elph? Help! The basement’s flooded! And the investors are here! What do I do? I don’t want Chef to get mad! Please someone come help!!”

9:50 am Mass text message from Elph

9:59 am We settle in the comfy end booth with some coffee and OJ.

10:00 am We laugh watching Elph run across the parking lot to save the Roadhouse!

10:01 am He rushes down and encounters a dry basement. Jennie saves him and directs him to the fireplace room. Time check: 11 minutes. Not bad, not bad.

10:02 am Welcome back Elph! Hope you had a great trip.

No Comments

Ignite Ann Arbor 3

By Billie · In: Good Stuff

8 Mar 2010

The major themes were food, new technology, old school technology, passions and… My Little Pony.

“How are you putting food on the table? Our ancestors killed mastodons and all they had were rocks and sticks.” -Jim Gilligan, How to Kill a Mastodon

“No wonder free-range mastodon is so expensive.” -Ryan Burns

Goal is for 10% of our food to come from local sources. -Jeff McCabe, Food Here Now

A2B3 is an open lunch hosted by Ed Vielmetti every Thursday at Eastern Accents. Everyone’s welcome.

It’s not about subject matter knowledge…. Insane zealotry. -Brian Cook, Building the World’s Most Popular College Football Blog

Cook with your eyes, ears, taste buds… You’re missing out on a whole world of awesomeness. -David Zuidema, Bolognese: You’re Doing it Wrong!

More pics at Ignite Ann Arbor.

No Comments

Nominate Ann Arbor for Google Fiber

By Craig · In: Collaboration|News

2 Mar 2010

Google is planning on launching an experimental, ultra high-speed (over 1 gigabit per second) network, and test it in location(s) across the country. “The level of community support” will be one of the key criteria used by the Google decision makers. You can do your part by nominating Ann Arbor at A2Fiber.com

(1) Comment

Bike-Share World Map

By Craig · In: Good Stuff|Transportation

18 Feb 2010

Here’s a great mashup of data put together by MetroBike and the Bike-Sharing blog overlaid in Google Maps. It shows the locations of bike sharing programs across the globe: Check it out.

No Comments

LEGO Escher

By JoeG · In: Good Stuff

14 Feb 2010

Andrew Lipsen has made several of MC Escher’s lithographs into Lego constructions. Relativity and Ascending & Descending are my favorites. Lipsen’s process for creating the optical illusions is interesting and well documented on his site (which, btw, did you know about PartsRef? The definitive Lego catalog and dictionary). See Pilsen’s other Escher creations, Belvedere and Balcony.