Justin Verlander of the Detroit Tigers has been named the 2011 American League Cy Young Award winner by the Baseball Writers Association of America. The 28 year old right handed pitcher who finished the 2011 season with a 25-4 record and 250 strike outs won the award by unanimous vote. In addition, Tiger's manager Jim Leyland was the runner up for American League Manager of the Year. Other recipients of 2011 MLB awards include former Detroit Tiger Kirk Gibson who was named the 2011 National League Manager of the year and former Tiger centerfielder Curtis Granderson who was named Outstanding Player in the American League. MVP awards for the American League will be announced on November 21st with both Justin Verlander and Tiger's first baseman Miguel Cabrera in the running. Looking to satisfy your baseball fix till Spring Training 2012? Be sure to check out the many Detroit Tiger books and videos we have to offer!

On Wednesday, November 9th at approximately 2:00 PM, FEMA and the FCC will test the Emergency Alert System (EAS) using the Presidential message code, Emergency Activation Notification (EAN). The EAN code has never been tested before. The test, which is meant only to be a system live test, will be very different from the ones citizens are used to hearing. The test will come from FEMA and it will be approximately 30 seconds in length. All radio, television, cable and satellite operators will air the test at exactly the same time. Click here for additional information from FEMA.

Thinking of buying an eReader but aren't sure which model is right for you? Do you have an iPad on your holiday gift list but aren't sure if it is something you would really use? Join us Tuesday October 11, 2011 from 7:00-8:00 PM in the Purple Room and we haul out some of today's hottest gadgets for you to test and try before you buy. Come play with our eReaders, iPad, digital cameras and even video games.

The Obama Administration has launched a new website called We the People where ordinary citizens can petition the White House to take up any issue of importance to them. Participants must be 13 years or older and have an account on Whitehouse.gov. Once a petition is submitted, the creator must work to gather support. If a petition meets the 5,000 signature threshold in 30 days or less, the issue will be reviewed by the White House.

By now, you have probably noticed these funny looking boxes on everything from cereal to restaurant menus. You have also probably wondered what the heck they are and if they matter to you. Well, these black and white squares are actually called QR codes, a type of 2D barcode meant to be read by smartphones. Originally created by a Toyota subsidiary in Japan to track automotive parts, these black and white boxes are now being used to pass along text, web addresses and all sorts of information to smartphones. Companies are using these codes to direct customers to everything from sweepstakes entry forms to job applications. Get scanning today with one of the many smartphone apps that enable you to scan and read QR codes — like NeoReader & BeeTagg Reader (just to name a few).

Ford Motor Company TechShop, a membership based workshop that provides members affordable access to industrial tools & equipment, have announced a collaborative effort in the city of Detroit called TechShop Detroit. The Detroit studio will feature over $1 million in high-tech equipment and include everything from top-quality prototyping tools and industrial-grade sewing and textile equipment to laser cutting, welding and machine shop-type gear. As part of the arrangment Ford will incorporate a first-of-its-kind "Innovation Exchange" with the nonprofit organization AutoHarvest.