Multi-tasking Can Be Dangerous

Mon, 03/26/2007 - 4:52pm by annevm

Recently I watched a young driver smash her van at about 30 mph into the back of a truck on South Main Street – while chatting happily on her cell phone. So I’m glad to see the New York Times article “Slow Down, Brave Multitasker, and Don’t Read This in Traffic.” The article quotes David Meyer at U-M saying: “Multitasking is going to slow you down, increasing the chances of mistakes. Disruptions and interruptions are a bad deal from the standpoint of our ability to process information.” Today I see there is a correction to the article: “A front-page article yesterday about the limits of multitasking misspelled the surname of a cognitive scientist at the University of Michigan, who said that "'Multitasking is going to slow you down, increasing the chances of mistakes.'" It is David E. Meyer, not Mayer.” I hope that when this name was misspelled, it wasn't because someone was multi-tasking.

Bring on the Bags

Mon, 03/26/2007 - 11:18am by Debbie G.

Trowels ready, rakes set, gardeners go. City of Ann Arbor weekly curbside collection of residential yard waste resumes, Monday April 2nd. Need some compost and mulch for your spring planting? The City's Municipal Compost Center is expanding hours to include Saturdays from 8 a.m. to noon during gardening season.

Cheap Shots

Tue, 03/20/2007 - 1:55pm by Mazie

Embodying a philosophy in its name, the Krappy Kamera Club is hosting an exhibit of decidedly old-fashioned but unique photography. The club members use toy cameras, pinhole cameras, disposable cameras, anything but digital cameras---you get the picture!

Come view their silver-haloid images this weekend. There will be an opening reception on March 23 from 7-10 p.m. (this coming Friday night) at Gallery 4 in the Nickels Arcade (above the Arcade Barbers).

The gallery will be open during the show Thursday and Friday from 3-7p.m., Saturday and Sunday from noon-5p.m. and by appointment. This free exhibit will run through April 6, 2007.

For more information on the exhibit and club workshops, contact the Krappy Kamera Club online.

Up-to-the-Minute Government Documents

Tue, 03/20/2007 - 9:00am by Debbie G.

In the days of yore, libraries waited months, years and sometimes forever for newsworthy documents to arrive from federal and state governments. Now, the Internet has made access almost instantaneous. Late last night, the Bush Administration released thousand of additional pages of emails regarding the firing of eight U.S. attorneys. By 9:00 a.m.today, most of those are available for public review at the U.S. House Judiciary web site. For real-time government in action, watch committee hearings and speeches live on C-Span web site.

Here We Go Round the Roundabout

Mon, 03/19/2007 - 12:51pm by Debbie G.

The City of Ann Arbor is hosting a public workshop on Thursday, March 22, from 6:30 p.m. to 9:00 p.m. to discuss improvements to the Huron Parkway/Nixon Road intersection. The workshop will be held in the Community Room at Parkway Meadows, 2575 Sandalwood Circle. The City will provide information on the proposed roundabout and take questions and comments from the public. For more information on the meeting, call 734.994.6087.

After the Ides of March, how did the Romans celebrate?

Fri, 03/16/2007 - 10:22am by emilyas

NPR has an amusing article about how the Romans would have celebrated the death of Julius Cesaer after he was murdered by a mob of angry senators on March 15, 44 B.C. Robert Krulwich asks, instead of "99 Bottles of Wine on the Wall," would the senators have sung, "XCIX Bottles of Wine on the Wall, XCIX Bottles of Wine"? Check out the article to start your day with a chuckle.

Extra! Extra! Read All About It

Thu, 03/15/2007 - 11:30am by Debbie G.

The March 2007 edition of Discovering Downtown, the City of Ann Arbor's newsletter is packed with updates from the Planning Department, the Historic Preservation folks, the DDA. If it's happening in downtown Tree Town, from paving to parking to public spaces, you'll read about it first in Discovering Downtown.

Officer Clayton Collins

Thu, 03/15/2007 - 9:34am by Debbie G.

The Ann Arbor Police Department's first African American police officer, Clayton James Collins, died February 8, 2007. Officer Collins served from 1950 - 1955 and then worked in several departments at the University of Michigan. His obituary appeared in the Ann Arbor News, March 14, 2007. To learn more about the AAPD, visit the Ann Arbor Police Department Online History Exhibit.

Mapping Michigan Roads

Wed, 03/14/2007 - 9:41am by Debbie G.

The Michigan State University libraries have mounted another stellar online history exhibit, Footpaths to Freeways: The Evolution of Michigan Roadmaps. The exhibit traces how roads have been depicted on Michigan maps from the time it was a territory to the present. In addition to maps, it includes photographs, unique short-lived route guides and artifacts. Visit the physical exhibit in the MSU Main Library, 4th Floor West Wing Exhibit Cases March - June 2007.

Casting Call for Canine Celebrities

Wed, 03/14/2007 - 9:18am by Debbie G.

The Humane Society of Huron Valley is searching for the Official Celebrity Spokesdog for the Walk & Wag fundraiser to be held on Saturday May 19, 2007 at the Washtenaw County Farm Park. Your dog is definitely a contender if he/she is spayed or neutered, friendly to fellow animals and humans, and has that certain flair for the spotlight. Follow the links above for more info or call the HSHV at 662.5585.