Vacuum - Edward Vielmetti in Ann Arbor, Michigan 48104

Detroit suburban SMART bus transit routing in Google Transit

The Detroit area SMART bus system now has routing and schedule information in Google Transit. It gives bus numbers and times for rides across the metro Detroit area, and plans the next available trips for you.

With all of this data it now looks almost possible to schedule and plan transportation from Ann Arbor to large parts of metro Detroit on public transportation. Mind you it's a little roundabout, but you have two choices:

- take Amtrak Ann Arbor - Detroit - Royal Oak - Pontiac, 3 trips/day
- take the Michigan Flyer bus to Metro Airport, switch to a SMART bus, and connect to routes from there - allow plenty of time for transfers and to find your stops.

I haven't timed the last of these, but I'm sure it's at least three hours, maybe four if you get a bad transfer time. (ouch) But it does, indeed, look possible, perhaps even interesting in an adventure travel sort of way.

Technorati Tags: maps, google-transit, bus, annarbor, neogeography

Where to vote in Ann Arbor, Ypsilanti, Saline, Dexter, Chelsea Michigan: Washtenaw County polling places

the complete original list is at ewashtenaw.org ; it's included here for your reference, but you should check the original JUST TO BE SURE because voting is important.

This looks like a page just ready to be geocoded; I'll update with a map inset if someone has one.

More information and a street lookup at Washtenaw Votes.

Lawrence Kestenbaum is Washtenaw County Clerk/Register of Deeds and maintainer of the Political Graveyard, a web site about U.S. political history and cemeteries. It is the Internet's most comprehensive source for American political biography, listing 138,150 politicians, living and dead.

CITY OF ANN ARBOR
First Ward
Precinct

1. - Michigan Union, 530 S. State St.
2. - Michigan Union, 530 S. State St.
3. - Community High School, 401 N. Division St.
4. - Community Center, 625 N. Main St.
5. - Northside School, 912 Barton Drive
6. - Northside School, 912 Barton Drive
7. - Bursley Hall, 1931 Duffield St.
8. - Mack School, 920 Miller Ave.
9. - Clague Middle School, 2616 Nixon Rd.
10. - Arrowwood Hills Community Center, 2566 Arrowwood Tr.

Second Ward
Precinct

1. - Family Housing Comm. Center, 1000 McIntyre Dr.
2. - Mary Markley Hall, 1503 Washington Heights
3. - Angell School, 1608 S. University Ave.
4. - Angell School, 1608 S. University Ave.
5. - Ann Arbor Assembly of God, 2455 Washtenaw Ave.
6. - Clague Middle School, 2616 Nixon Rd.
7. - King School, 3800 Waldenwood Lane
8. - St. Paul's Lutheran School, 495 Earhart Rd.
9. - Thurston School, 2300 Prairie St.

Third Ward
Precinct

1. - East Quad, 701 E. University Ave.
2. - East Quad, 701 E. University Ave.
3. - Tappen Middle School, 2551 E. Stadium Blvd.
4. - Allen School, 2560 Towner Blvd.
5. - University Townhouses Ctr., 3200 Braeburn Cir.
6. - Scarlett Middle School, 3300 Lorraine St.
7. - Allen School, 2560 Towner Blvd.
8. - Pittsfield School, 2543 Pittsfield Blvd.
9. - Scarlett Middle School, 3300 Lorraine St.

Fourth Ward
Precinct

1. - South Quad, 600 E. Madison St.
2. - Mary St. Polling Place, 926 Mary St.
3. - U of M Coliseum, at Fifth Ave. & Hill St.
4. - Pioneer High School, 601 W. Stadium Blvd.
5. - St. Clare/Temple Beth Emeth, 2309 Packard Rd.
6. - Cobblestone Farm, 2781 Packard
7. - Dicken School, 2135 Runnymede Blvd.
8. - Pioneer High School, 601 W. Stadium Blvd.
9. - Lawton School, 2550 S. Seventh St.

Fifth Ward
Precinct

1. - Ann Arbor District Library, 343 S. Fifth Ave.
2. - Bach School, 600 W. Jefferson St.
3. - Second Baptist Church, 850 Red Oak Rd.
4. - Slauson Middle School, 1019 W. Washington St.
5. - Slauson Middle School, 1019 W. Washington St.
6. - Eberwhite School, 800 Soule Blvd.
7. - Dicken School, 2135 Runnymede Blvd.
8. - Lakewood Elementary School, 344 Gralake Ave.
9. - Haisley School, 825 Duncan St.
10. - Abbot School, 2670 Sequoia Parkway
11. - Forsythe Middle School, 1655 Newport Rd.

CITY OF CHELSEA
Precinct

1. - Community Education Center, 500 Washington
2. - Community Education Center, 500 Washington

CITY OF MILAN
Precinct

1. - City Hall, 147 Wabash

CITY OF SALINE
Precinct

1. - Liberty School, 7265 Saline - Ann Arbor Rd.
2. - Liberty School, 7265 Saline - Ann Arbor Rd.
3. - United Methodist Church, 1200 N. Ann Arbor St.

CITY OF YPSILANTI
First Ward
Precinct

1. - Perry Child Development, 550 Perry St.
2. - Senior Center Rec. Ctr., 1015 Congress
3. - East Middle School, 510 Emerick

Second Ward
Precinct

1. - Estabrook School, 1555 W. Cross
2. - Fletcher School, 1055 Cornell
3. - Estabrook School, 1555 W. Cross
4. - Fletcher School, 1055 Cornell

Third Ward
Precinct

1. - Emmanuel Lutheran Church, 201 N. River
2. - Adams School, 503 Oak St.
3. - Emmanuel Lutheran Church, 201 N. River

ANN ARBOR TOWNSHIP
Precinct

1. - Township Hall, 3792 Pontiac Trail
2. - Fire Station #2, 4319 Goss Rd.

AUGUSTA TOWNSHIP
Precinct

1. - Brick Elementary Senior Citzens Center, corner of Whittaker Rd. and Willis Rd.
2. - Brick Elementary Senior Citzens Center, corner of Whittaker Rd. and Willis Rd.
3. - Augusta Township Hall, 8021 Talladay Rd.

BRIDGEWATER TOWNSHIP
Precinct

1. - Township Hall, Corner of Braun & Clinton Rds.

DEXTER TOWNSHIP
Precinct

1. - Township Hall, 6880 Dexter-Pinckney Rd., Dexter
2. - Multi-Lakes Sewer Authority Office, 12088 N. Territorial Rd., Dexter
3. - Township Hall, 6880 Dexter-Pinckney Rd., Dexter

FREEDOM TOWNSHIP
Precinct

1. - Twp. Hall, 11508 Pleasant Lake, (Cor. Pleasant Lake & Lima Center Rds.)

LIMA TOWNSHIP
Precinct

1. - Township Hall, 11452 Jackson Rd. at Lima Center

LODI TOWNSHIP
Precinct

1. - Farm Council Grounds, Bldg. A, 5055 Ann Arbor - Saline Rd.
2. - Farm Council Grounds, Bldg. A, 5055 Ann Arbor - Saline Rd.

LYNDON TOWNSHIP
Precinct

1. - Township Hall, 17751 N. Territorial Rd.,

MANCHESTER TOWNSHIP
Precinct

1. - Manchester Township Hall, 275 S. Macomb St.
2. - Manchester Township Hall, 275 S. Macomb St.

NORTHFIELD TOWNSHIP
Precinct

1. - Public Safety Building, 8350 Main St., 2nd Floor, Whitmore Lake
2. - Fire Hall, 2727 E. N. Territorial, Whitmore Lake
3. - Public Safety Building, 8350 Main St., Rear, Whitmore Lake

PITTSFIELD TOWNSHIP
Precinct

1. – Township Administration Bldg., 6201 W. Michigan Ave.
2. – Carpenter School, 4250 Central Blvd.
3. – Chinmaya Mission, 4760 Packard Rd.
4. – Arbor Pointe Clubhouse, 2020 Arbor Circle East.
5. – Ann Arbor Airport, 801 Airport Dr.,
6. – Roberto Clemente Center, 4377 Textile Rd.
7. – Pittsfield Twp. Community Center, 701 W. Ellsworth
8. – Pittsfield Twp. Administration Bldg., 6201 W. Michigan Ave.
9. – Harvest Elementary School, 1155 Campus Pkwy.
10. – Hunt Club Clubhouse, 4685 Hunt Club Dr.
11. – Chinmaya Mission, 4760 Packard Rd.

SALEM TOWNSHIP
Precinct

1. - Township Hall, Village of Salem, 9600 Six Mile Rd.
2. - Salem/South Lyon Library, 9800 Pontiac Trail
3. - Salem Bible Church, 9481 Six Mile Rd.

SALINE TOWNSHIP
Precinct

1. - Township Hall, 5731 Braun Road

SCIO TOWNSHIP
Precinct

1. - Dexter Senior Center, 7720 Ann Arbor St.
2. - Scio Township Hall, 827 N. Zeeb Rd.
3. - Scio Township Hall, 827 N. Zeeb Rd.
4. - Scio Community Church, 1292 N. Zeeb Rd.
5. - Scio Farms MPH Clubhouse, 6655 Jackson Rd.
6. - Scio Fire Hall, 1055 N. Zeeb Rd.
7. - Washtenaw Intermediate School, 1819 S. Wagner
8. - Scio Fire Hall, 1055 N. Zeeb Rd.
9. - Main Clubhouse, 5200 Polo Fields Dr.

SHARON TOWNSHIP
Precinct

1. - Township Hall, Cor. Sylvan & Pleasant Lake Rds.

SUPERIOR TOWNSHIP
Precinct

1. - Township Hall, 3040 N. Prospect
2. - Cheney School, 1500 Stamford
3. - Christian Love Fellowship Hall, 1601 Stamford Rd.
4. - Cheney School, 1500 Stamford Rd.
5. - Township Hall, 3040 N. Prospect

SYLVAN TOWNSHIP
Precinct

1. - Township Hall, 18027 Old US Highway 12.

WEBSTER TOWNSHIP
Precinct

1. - Township Hall, 5665 Webster Church Rd.
2. - Township Hall, 5665 Webster Church Rd.
3. - Township Hall, 5665 Webster Church Rd.

YORK TOWNSHIP
Precinct

1. - Township Hall, 11560 Stony Creek Rd.
2. - York Baptist Church Activity Center, 11220 Stony Creek Rd.
3. - York Baptist Church Activity Center, 11220 Stony Creek Rd.

YPSILANTI TOWNSHIP
Precinct

1. – Free Methodist Church, 1800 Packard Rd.
2. – Ardis School, 2100 Ellsworth Rd.
3. – Ardis School, 2100 Ellsworth Rd.
4. – Victorious Life Church 1405 Sweet Rd.
5. – Ypsilanti Twp. Community Center, 2025 E. Clark Rd.
6. – Ypsilanti Twp. Community Center, 2025 E. Clark Rd.
7. – Ypsilanti Twp. Fire Station 1, 222 S. Ford Rd.
8. – Calvary Baptist, 1007 Ecorse Rd.
9. – Erickson School, 1427 Levona
10. – Kettering School, 1633 Knowles
11. – Rawsonville School, 3110 Grove Rd.
12. – Rawsonville School, 3110 Grove Rd.
13. – National Guard Armory, 7400 S. Huron River Dr.
14. – Ypsilanti Township Civic Center, 7200 S. Huron River Dr.
15. – Bethesda Bible Church, 1800 S. Huron St
16. – Bethesda Bible Church, 1800 S. Huron St
17. – Southside Bap. Tabernacle Church, 6710 Textile Rd.
18. – Southside Bap. Tabernacle Church, 6710 Textile Rd.
19. – Ypsilanti District Library, 5577 Whittaker Rd.
20. – Community Free Will Baptist Church 6945 McKean Rd.

Barton Hills Village

-Barton Hills Village Hall, 195 Barton Shore Dr.

Manchester Village

- Lower level "Village Room" of 912 City Road

Technorati Tags: elections, neogeography, vote, washtenaw

Event promotion with Twitter and Google Calendar "Quick Add"

Here's a recipe for promoting your event using a combination of Twitter and Google Calendar.

1. Make some friends on twitter. BE MY TWITTERFREND PLEEZ
2. The recipe for events is to enter "what", "who", "where" and "when".
3. You are writing for both a Twitter audience and for data entry.
4. Please test by cut and paste into Google Calendar "quick add".

What:
5. Put the URL if any in the what part of the event; that becomes event title.

6. Include a #hashtag or @reference in the text to refer to something.

Who:
7. Use both a Twitter @name and a real name in the who part for maximum visibility.

Where:
8. The where clause is preceded by the word "at".
9. If Google Calendar can't geolocate the phrase, it turns this clause into a search. Be creative.
10. You are indexing into Google Map's Community Maps and you can put more information there.

When:
10. Be careful with relative days (today, next week) to avoid confusion when these are seen later.

To be done:
11: build a bot that reads a twitter stream and autopopulates a Google Calendar with events.

UPDATE: a2events calendar via a search at Terraminds. @bkerr is threatening a public google calendar (the #11 TBD).

Technorati Tags: annarbor, arbcamp, calendar, googlecalendar, library, parser, quick-add, twitter

How to produce a map from a spreadsheet

I've been putting together a spreadsheet of Michigan Football parking prices. Here's how to turn it into a map.

First thing you need to do is to geocode the addresses. The search here is for
excel geocoder
and on page one I get this lovely narrative from Jon Udell: Excel Geocoding Adventures. That's as far as I got before needing to stop, but it looks like I'm heading in the right direciton.

(to be continued)

Placeshout - http://www.placeshout.com - Twitter meets Yelp with a dash of Digg

Placeshout is a simple application for taking short (100 character) notes on locations. You look up a place and add it to the map with a brief annotation; you can vote up/down other people's notes a la Digg and the results are ranked for display.

The ultra-short reviews are reminiscent of Twitter and get away from the prolix spew of Yelpers who go on for page after page about their favorite or unfavorite burrito when a simple "michimex" designation would do.

The Ann Arbor nova mob descended with its characteristic nova fury, and at the moment Ann Arbor is the #1 mapped city, three Michigan cities are in the top 5 and four Washtenaw County residents are in the top 10 users. The voting system exposed deep-seated bifurcations in the perspective on the Old Town ("the world's saddest michimex burrito" vs. "neighborhood bar with live music") and universal admiration for Frank's ("Like the Acropolis, Frank's is the fortified high point of Ann Arbor.")

More from Brian Kerr: Placeshout: a brand new colony

Late last week, Catherine twitterinvited folks to bulk up Ann Arbor on Placeshout. Three days later, Ann Arbor and Ypsilanti are the first and third most “shouted” cities, with San Francisco coming in second. This reminds me of the early, happy days of upcoming.org, when Ann Arbor was one of the locations with the most user and event churn.

Technorati Tags: annarbor, burrito, maps, neogeography, novamob, placeshout

using embedded Google Maps to automatically geocode blog postings

An idea (for someone else to implement).

Now that you can embed Google Maps into blog entries, it should be possible for whoever is doing blog search tools to parse those embedded links for geography and then auto-code those blog entries geographically. E.g. if you post a map with a piece of downtown Ann Arbor in it, it should be automatically geo-tagged (either by the blog authoring software or by the blog search engine or by a feed management tool as belonging to that geographical area.

This idea affects sites like outside.in , topix.net , and Feedburner , and would likely be implemented on the feed side as a GeoRSS based extension.

Technorati Tags: 48104, feedburner, for:ajturner, for:rklau, gmaps, google, kennecott, maps, outside.in, todo:add-category-maps, todo:add-category-neogeography, topix.net