The Chevrolet Vega of 1975 came equipped with an electronic control unit underneath the hood. Through a network of sensors this unit monitored the vehicle’s essential systems: throttle position, idle speed, coolant temperature and most importantly, the fuel injection system — a first for an American car. The device synthesized the data and adjusted these systems to achieve maximum efficiency. It functioned inconspicuously—no dashboard touch screen or “driver interface” — and it was purely self-contained. Neither the control unit nor the Vega communicated with the outside ... Read More
Detroit’s Tech Town: An Incubator of Creativity
November 25, 2011 • By • Leave a Comment
According to the latest census figures, Detroit’s population continues to plummet while its public school system remains largely dysfunctional and FBI statistics report an increase in violent crime after several years of decline. But Detroit, the buckle of the “Rust Belt,” is also a city of paradoxes. In the city’s midtown, an innovative project, Tech Town, stands out as living up to its motto, “Reigniting Detroit’s Entrepreneurial Culture.” The city has been counted out before — “Decline in Detroit” was Time magazine’s headline in 1961 – so talk of a comeback has ... Read More
Energy Conservation Through the Lens of Faith
May 30, 2011 • By • Leave a Comment
Advocates of green living are often eager to support their cause by referencing benefits of an eco-friendly life style. The rewards for conserving energy in the home or driving a hybrid car include lower energy bills, fewer trips to the gas pumps and knowing that the air is a bit less toxic. In recent years, however, voices within progressive religion have elevated the cause to a higher plateau. Within the three monotheistic traditions of Judaism, Christianity and Islam, an effort grounded in a shared theology has spawned Interfaith Power and Light, a national organization that preaches ... Read More
Detroit Reading Corps Battles Poor Test Scores
December 6, 2010 • By • Leave a Comment
"These scores confirm that we have a reading emergency." So last December said Robert Bobb, appointed by Michigan Gov. Jennifer Granholm in March 2009 to deal with Detroit Public Schools' persistent financial problems and has more recently exerted authority over academic matters. Longtime observers of the school district and its 138,000 students spread out over more than 100 campuses are intimately aware of a persistent decline in student achievement, a trend now several decades long. This was underscored in late 2009 with a report released by the National Assessment of Educational ... Read More
