GLITR Monday, June 29, 2009

Your report for Monday, June 29, 2009

Green living in the spotlight at Michigan Energy Fair
Whether you just want to save a few bucks or you want to drop off the grid completely, the Michigan Energy Fair had something for you. The Great Lakes Renewable Energy Association's fourth annual fair took place over the weekend at the Manistee County Fairgrounds in Onekama along the shores of Portage Lake and Lake Michigan, drawing a crowd of thousands. More than 100 exhibitors showed off everything from wind generators to solar photovoltaic systems to pellet stoves to high-efficiency construction techniques. More.

State, industry officials pump up renewable future at Energy Fair
The weekend's Michigan Energy Fair featured lots more than informational exhibits from renewable energy vendors. Industry experts and state officials also made presentations on the future of the industry. Tom Stanton of the Michigan Public Service Commission reviewed the state's new renewable energy rules and regulations before a packed tent. And Azure Dynamics CEO Scott Harrison delivered a keynote. More.

'Women of Wind Energy' Michigan chapter forming
A new wind energy trade group was born late Saturday afternoon at the Great Lakes Renewable Energy Association's Michigan Energy Fair. The Michigan chapter of Women of Wind Energy will likely begin holding monthly meetings later this year based on the interest of about 20 women who showed up for a 4 p.m. organizational meeting at the Manistee County Fairgrounds in Onekama. More.

Feds seize Caraco products in ongoing quality probe
Detroit-based Caraco Pharmaceutical Laboratories Ltd. announced late Thursday that United States Marshals seized drug products manufactured in its Michigan plants, as well as ingredients stored there. The company said the marshals arrived at the request of the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. More.

GE gives details on Van Buren Township research center
Fairfield, Conn.-based General Electric Co. Friday announced that it will open an advanced manufacturing technology and software center in Michigan. The center is expected to grow to more than 1,100 GE employees over the next few years. Its scientists, engineers and technologists will focus on information technology, energy and aviation R&D; drive progress in manufacturing capability. More.

The Week Ahead: Summer beckons as event doldrums strike

Summers in Michigan are as heartbreakingly beautiful as they are heartbreakingly brief.

At the same time, let's face it, just about everybody in Michigan has spent the past year at a dead sprint just trying to stay even. Longer sales cycles, tighter budgets, sharper pencils. More and more hours with less and less staff, and the economic numbers still seem pointed south.

But we're coming off a pretty darned good week. General Electric bringing over 1,000 high tech jobs, many in renewable energy, to Van Buren Township. Three Kalamazoo companies getting loans to build life science jobs. A Michigan Energy Fair with more serious economic buying interest than ever. A $23.5 million biorefinery in Alpena.

So I have direct orders for you from Tech Central: Take a couple of days off. Seriously. We live in a place that's practically paradise in the summer, and guess what, summer just started. So go find some white sand and a stand of pines, someplace where the air smells so good it doesn't seem real, unroll a blanket and maybe an umbrella and let out a big *rrrraaaAARRRrrrgghhh* stretch and let that tension just fall away. Close your eyes. Nap, for pete's sake. The siesta is a fine tradition we could do worse than to emulate.

There now. Feel better? Trust me, do this, and you'll be in a lot better shape to work your butt off again when the tech schedule gets crowded again in a couple weeks.

There are a few good things this week -- consider a Merit Network security seminar Monday and Tuesday or an Automation Alley seminar on thriving in tough times Tuesday.

See you out there! (At the beach, too.)

Note: For information on how you can sponsor content in the Blue Box, contact Jeff Lasser at (248) 455-7319 or jeff.lasser@cbsradio.com

Chevy Volt testing accelerates
General Motors Corp. began testing pre-production versions of its Chevrolet Volt last week, which the company says is about two weeks ahead of schedule, AutoTech Daily reported Friday. GM plans to introduce the much-anticipated Volt in November 2010. By accelerating the testing schedule, the company says it will have extra time to refine the complex drivetrain, which will use a lithium-ion battery and electric motors to drive the wheels. A small gasoline engine will serve as a generator and partially recharge the battery pack but won’t be directly connected to the wheels. More.

SmartAuction remarketing on record pace
Troy-based SmartAuction, the auto industry's leading remarketing Web site, announced that it's on a record sales pace this year -- with nearly 210,000 online transactions through May, an annualized pace of 500,000 vehicle transactions per year. SmartAuction, with more than 7,700 active users, continues to see growth among its diversified dealer population. While SmartAuction's history extends back to General Motors Corp., SmartAuction today has more than 2,100 non-GM dealers using the Web site for their remarketing needs. More.

Economics Dept.: Michigan Index remains stalled in May
Comerica Bank's Michigan Business Activity Index declined two points on a preliminary basis in May, to a level of 72. Compared to a year earlier, the Index is down 19 points, making May the eighth month for double-digit year-on-year declines. This ties the Index record for such declines, with the only other eight-month string of double-digit declines occurring during the severe 1958 recession. Year-to-date the Index has averaged 73, down 14 points from the 2008 average. More.

THE WORLD IN TECH

Regulators extend review of Oracle's Sun merger
The Department of Justice wants more information about Oracle Corp.'s planned takeover of computer server maker Sun Microsystems Inc., extending the agency's review of the $7.4 billion deal. Software maker Oracle said in a statement Friday that the Justice Department has extended its initial 30-day review period to seek additional information. The government's questions focus on the licensing of Java, the programming language developed by Sun that runs on more than 1 billion devices around the world. Those close to the companies say approval is still a sure thing. More.

Facebook, Twitter and peers for sale -- privately
Scott Painter makes his living betting on startup companies, having played a role in launching 29 of them over the years. But with the bad economy choking initial public offerings and acquisitions, Painter is now backing an idea that makes it easier for insiders like him to sell shares in their companies even before they go public. SharesPost, which was founded by Painter's business partner, Greg Brogger, launched publicly in June. Through SharesPost's Web site, Painter is trying to sell shares in several companies he helped found, including car pricing startup TrueCar.com. He also wants to buy shares in companies that are far from an IPO, like short-messaging site Twitter and business-networking site LinkedIn. SharesPost is one of a few private stock exchanges that are emerging to fight what venture capitalists call a liquidity crisis. These exchanges give stakeholders an alternative way to trade their shares in hot startups like Facebook for cold, hard cash -- without having to wait years for an IPO. More.

'Hacktivists' take up Iran fight as streets quiet
A sharp clampdown by Iranian authorities may have quelled street protests, but the fight goes on in cyberspace. Groups of "hacktivists" -- Web hackers demanding Internet freedom -- say they are targeting Web pages of Iran's leadership in response to the regime's muzzling of blogs, news outlets and other sites. It's unclear how much the wired warriors have disrupted official Iranian sites. Attempts by The Associated Press to access sites for state news organizations, including the Islamic Republic News Agency and Fars, were unsuccessful -- with a message saying the links were "broken." More.

Global business groups appeal to China to drop Web filter plan
Global business groups have made an unusual direct appeal to Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao to scrap an order for PC makers to supply controversial Internet filtering software, citing security and privacy concerns. Just days before the deadline to comply with China's order, the letter from 22 chambers of commerce and trade groups representing the world's major technology suppliers adds to pressure on Beijing to halt the plan following an official protest by Washington. The order requires manufacturers to pre-install or supply "Green Dam Youth Escort" software with PCs made for sale in China beginning Wednesday. More.

Stocks: Shares end mixed as savings rate jumps
Consumers are saving more than they're spending, and that has investors worried. Stocks capped a choppy week of trading with a mixed finish Friday after the Commerce Department reported that personal spending, incomes and savings all rose in May. What troubled investors was that the savings rate soared to 6.9 percent, a 15-year high, while spending rose by a modest 0.3 percent. The trend suggests consumers are being very careful with their money. That's good for the individual, but not great in the short term for the overall economy, which relies heavily on consumer spending for growth. More. The Nasdaq Composite Index (COMP) rose 8.68 points or 0.5 percent to 1,838.22. The Dow Jones Industrial Average ($INDU) fell 34.01 points or 0.4 percent, to 8,438.89. The Philadelphia Semiconductor Index ($SOX) fell 0.21 points or 0.1 percent to 263.05. The Morgan Stanley High Tech 35 Index (MSH) rose 1.27 points or 0.3 percent to 451.81. The NYSE Arca Pharmaceutical Index (DRG) fell 1.18 points or 0.5 percent to 261.36. The NYSE Arca Biotech Index (BTK) rose 5.44 points or 0.8 percent to 701.2. Finally, the Standard & Poor's 500 (SPX) fell 1.36 points or 0.2 percent to 918.9.

All contents copyright 2009 CBS Radio Inc. and its relevant subsidiaries. CBS Radio & Eye logo trademarked and copyright 2009 CBS Broadcasting Inc. Used under license. All Rights Reserved. Written and edited by Matt Roush, Technology Editor, WWJ Newsradio 950, Detroit. GLITR may contain material from the Associated Press, CNET, News.com, MarketWatch.com or Reuters, used by permission. For coverage comments or news tips, e-mail Matt Roush at mnroush@cbs.com or call (248) 455-7380. For marketing and advertising queries, or with general questions or concerns, contact Pete Kowalski, WWJ's station manager, at prkowalski@cbs.com. To subscribe, e-mail Matt Roush or Georgeann Herbert at gherbert@cbs.com.

LEGAL NOTICE: This email may be considered an advertising or promotional message. If you no longer wish to receive commercial email from this station, please reply to this email by sending a reply email by clicking on the "reply" button at the top of this page or by sending an e-mail to Matt Roush or Georgeann Herbert. Or you can change your subscriber profile: «Reserved.Unsubscribe»

You must use this method to notify GLITR and WWJ of your opt-out request, as we cannot guarantee that other methods of notification will be effective. Please be aware that we may continue to contact you via email for administrative or informational purposes, including follow-up messages regarding contests you have entered or other transactions you have undertaken. By law, such messages are not considered to be commercial e-mail.

Note: The Great Lakes IT Report is sent in HTML format only. Please make sure you have given us permission to send you an HTML message. If you have any questions, drop an e-mail to Georgeann Herbert or Matt Roush.