Ann Arbor Archives – Page 542 of 599

U-M comes out winner in Google Book Search settlement

By Newsroom

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November 5, 2008

One of the big winners in the proposed settlement for the Google Book Search lawsuit isn’t even named in it – the University of Michigan. U-M, along with University of California and Stanford University, has played an integral part in Google's effort to digitize the world's books. Tome after tome from U-M's graduate library has been scanned into Google databases for the last few years under a bit of secrecy and scrutiny. "It will now be possible, even easy, for anyone to access these great collections from anywhere in the United States," said University of Michigan's Paul Courant, university librarian and Harold T. Shapiro Collegiate Professor of Public Policy. "This is an extraordinary accomplishment." That's one of the main tenants of the argument to digitize these books. The Authors Guild claims it infringes on the rights of authors and publishers, similar to the what file sharing has done to music. If approved proposed settlement will expand access to books in the Google Book Search project. It will also help cement U-M's place as a pioneer in this landmark initiative. Source: University of Michigan Writer: Jon Zemke

Solidica takes in more VC, set to create 12 new jobs

By Newsroom

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Community Development

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November 5, 2008

More money is coming to Ann Arbor's Solidica, which will bring more jobs to the local start-up as well. The firm has hired five new people since May and plans to hire another dozen more after a $1.9 million investment. Of that money, $900,000 came from Michigan's 21st Century Jobs Fund and another $1 million came from private investors. North Coast Technology Investors originally backed the company, helping make it is what is today.The company started in 1999 but really started to take off in the last couple of years, hiring nearly 20 of its 35 people. The firm creates supplies for both wireless and wired systems. Quite often they include built-in wireless sensors, which allow for immediate feedback. For instance, if a military vehicle crashes, a central command post will know almost immediately because of Solidica's technology. With that in mind, the company plans to pursue military contracts with its latest products.Source: Michigan Economic Development CorporationWriter: Jon Zemke

Johnson & Johnson was lead suitor of HealthMedia for months

By Newsroom

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Economic Development

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November 5, 2008

The newest owner of HealthMedia, Johnson & Johnson, has been trying to make a play for the Ann Arbor start-up for a while now. Excerpt: Johnson & Johnson was among the companies pursuing HealthMedia Inc. even before the Ann Arbor business quietly put itself on the market in January, president Ted Dacko said Tuesday. HealthMedia got as many as two calls a week last year from investors and potential buyers interested in the online health coaching firm - including Johnson & Johnson, Dacko said. But he, founder Victor Strecher and HealthMedia's board of directors weren't interested in selling then. But the calls became so persistent that they hired an investment banking company to explore a possible sale earlier this year. By July, Johnson & Johnson - a customer since 2003 - was HealthMedia's lead suitor. And interest from Johnson & Johnson appears tied to the company's desire to create a new health wellness and prevention business. Read the rest of the story here.

LimeWire talks to Ghostly International

By Newsroom

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Arts & Culture

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November 5, 2008

LimeWire interviews Jeff Owens, the label manager for Ann Arbors favorite electronic music label Ghostly International.Excerpt:It's the season of scary, and we recently had the pleasure of interviewing Jeff Owens, the label manager for Ghostly International and Spectral Sound. Founded by Sam Valenti IV in 1999 in Ann Arbor, Michigan, Ghostly is one of America's most innovative and influential independent record labels. Continue reading to find out why...Read the entire article here.

Downtown Gets Fit

By Leia Menlove

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Community Development

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November 5, 2008

Smaller spaces, fewer people, more personalized attention and a soft-core urban setting. Downtown Ann Arbor is nurturing a growing number of small, specialized wellness studios that help define the city's developing core.

Tamara Real: Our creative economy is an important regional asset

By Newsroom

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General

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November 5, 2008

Creatives are key to the future of Washtenaw County, and Michigan. The finer points of which are argued here.Excerpt:Earlier this year, the Arts Alliance launched a census to count the artists living and working in Washtenaw County. It was a bit of a quixotic effort - artists are a notoriously difficult population to pin down. But the project has finally been completed, and it's produced more and better results than could have been anticipated. And, like all good research, it's posed many new questions that beg for more study.The good news is that at last a number has been established that can be used as a baseline in future counts of Washtenaw County's arts population. Some 2,530 individuals responded to the Arts Alliance's census (which ran from April 1 through May 17, 2008) and have been designated as Washtenaw County artists. These individuals provided valuable information about the media in which they work, the amount of time they devote to their craft, and their sources of income, among other topics. Read the rest of the story here.

Chicks With Sticks

By Amy Whitesall

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Community Development

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October 29, 2008

At hockey rinks around Ann Arbor, "You shoot like my mom," is not necessarily an insult. Scores of local women are tossing their figure skates aside, shredding ice and aiming to put their own 'bisquit in the basket.' Alaska's got nothing on Washtenaw County when it comes to hockey moms.

Housing may go off Y site: Another location sought for 40 of the 100 low-inc

By Newsroom

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Community Development

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October 29, 2008

The future of the former YMCA site in downtown Ann Arbor appears to be up in the air.Excerpt:Ann Arbor's history with housing at the old YMCA on Fifth Avenue and William Street is long and complicated.Two decades ago, city officials promoted an expansion of the Y's dormitory-style residence to 100 units - a move that led to financial failure.More recently, the city bought the property when the Y relocated to new quarters. The goal was to ensure that the 100 single-room-occupancy units were preserved and ultimately replaced.But four years after the $3.5 million purchase, there's a parking lot on the corner instead of housing. And city officials are still looking for other locations for at least some of that very low-income housing."We're still interested in having that kind of affordable housing at the former Y site," said City Council Member Chris Easthope, who was among the advocates for city ownership of the property.But for now, city officials are also interested in putting as many as 40 new units of low-cost housing elsewhere in or near the downtown area.Read the rest of the story here and how the latest volley in the debate over building heights in downtown here.

Video Cemetery Tales

By Tom Hendrickson

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Health

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October 29, 2008

'Tis the season to be spooky. Join local historian Wystan Stevens as he leads one of his tours through Forest Hill Cemetery, weaving fascinating tidbits about Ann Arbor history with creepy tales of death and demise.

University of Michigan fundraising campaign tops $3 billion

By Newsroom

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Education

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October 29, 2008

The University of Michigan is setting its sights high with its fundraising goals, $3 billion high. Ranked second among public institutions, U-M's endowment reached $7.6 billion.Excerpt:The University of Michigan's massive fundraising campaign has topped $3 billion, U-M President Mary Sue Coleman announced Monday.Coleman touted the milestone in the Michigan Difference campaign, which ends in December, during her annual address to the university's faculty."And we will be the first public university in the country to realize this accomplishment," Coleman said.Read the rest of the story here.