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On Monday 12 October, Prime Minister Netanyahu opened the Knesset's winter session by blasting the Goldstone Report that accuses Israel of committing war crimes and vowing that he would never allow Israelis be tried for them. But that was not his main message. It was an appeal, delivered I thought with a measure of desperation, to the "Palestinian leadership", presumably the leadership of "President" Abbas and his Fatah cronies, leaders who are regarded by very many if not most Palestinians as American-and-Israeli stooges at best and traitors at worst.
Netanyahu again called on this leadership to agree to recognise Israel as a Jewish state, saying this was, and remains, the key to peace. And he went on and on and on about it.
"For 62 years the Palestinians have been saying 'No' to the Jewish state. I am once again calling upon our Palestinian neighbours – say 'Yes' to the Jewish state. Without recognition of the Israel as the state of the Jews we shall not be able to attain peace… Such recognition is a step which requires courage and the Palestinian leadership should tell its people the truth – that without this recognition there can be no peace… There is no alternative to Palestinian leaders showing courage by recognising the Jewish state. This has been and remains the true key to peace."
As Ha'aretz noted in its report, Netanyahu's demand for Palestinian acceptance of Israel as a Jewish state is for him "a way on ensuring recognition of Israel's right to exist as opposed to merely recognising Israel" (my emphasis). This, as Ha'aretz added, is the recognition which Netanyahu and many other Israelis see as the real core of the Israeli-Palestinian conflict.
In the name of pragmatism, willingness to "merely to recognise" Israel – meaning to accept and live in peace with an Israel inside its pre-June '67 borders – has long been the formal Palestinian and all-Arab position. Why does it stop short of recognising Israel's "right to exist", and why, really, does it matter so much to Zionism that Palestinians recognise this right?
The answer is in the following.
According to history as written by the winner, Zionism, Israel was given its birth certificate and thus legitimacy by the UN Partition Resolution of 29 November 1947. This is propaganda nonsense.
- In the first place the UN without the consent of the majority of the people of Palestine did not have the right to decide to partition Palestine or assign any part of its territory to a minority of alien immigrants in order for them to establish a state of their own.
- Despite that, by the narrowest of margins, and only after a rigged vote, the UN General Assembly did pass a resolution to partition Palestine and create two states, one Arab, one Jewish, with Jerusalem not part of either. But the General Assembly resolution was only a proposal – meaning that it could have no effect, would not become policy, unless approved by the Security Council.
- The truth is that the General Assembly's partition proposal never went to the Security Council for consideration. Why not? Because the U.S. knew that, if approved, it could only be implemented by force given the extent of Arab and other Muslim opposition to it; and President Truman was not prepared to use force to partition Palestine.
- So the partition plan was vitiated (became invalid) and the question of what the hell to do about Palestine – after Britain had made a mess of it and walked away, effectively surrendering to Zionist terrorism – was taken back to the General Assembly for more discussion. The option favoured and proposed by the U.S. was temporary UN Trusteeship. It was while the General Assembly was debating what do that Israel unilaterally declared itself to be in existence – actually in defiance of the will of the organised international community, including the Truman administration.
The truth of the time was that the Zionist state, which came into being mainly as a consequence of pre-planned ethnic cleansing, had no right to exist and, more to the point, could have no right to exist UNLESS … Unless it was recognised and legitimized by those who were dispossessed of their land and their rights during the creation of the Zionist state. In international law only the Palestinians could give Israel the legitimacy it craved.
And that legitimacy was the only thing the Zionists could not and cannot take from the Palestinians by force.
No wonder Prime Minister Netanyahu is more than a little concerned on this account.
Israel's leaders have always known the truth summarised above. It's time for the rest of the world to know it.
Alan Hart is a former ITN and BBC Panorama foreign correspondent who covered wars and conflicts wherever they were taking place in the world and specialized in the Middle East. Author of Zionism: The Real Enemy of the Jews: The False Messiah (Zionism, the Real Enemy of the Jews). He blogs onwww.alanhart.net |


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Connecticut Gov. Dan Malloy (D) has set six priorities for education legislation in 2012, including replacing teacher seniority and tenure with "a fair system that values skill and effectiveness."
"We should not and will not accept half-measures and repackaged versions of the status quo," Malloy said.
Malloy told state legislators he also wants better access to early childhood education, more state interventions in failing schools and districts, fewer state regulations on high-performing schools and districts, more school options such as magnets and charters, and more state money for needy districts.
The governor called for a set of January workshops for state education stakeholders to craft a plan to send the state legislature, which convenes Feb. 8.
—Staff Reports
Image by Kelly Nigro.

subset: commoncrawl


text: Ichibancha (First Harvest) Gyokuro is a Japanese Gyokuro green tea from the Gokou cultivar developed and grown in Kyoto, Japan. Gyokuro, or "Jade Dew" is a fine Japanese green tea variety that is shaded before harvesting; this will naturally boost the levels of chlorophyll in the leaf- this produces a unique, deep and sweet cup of green tea. Our Gyokuro Gokou was carefully shaded for an extended 30 days before harvesting, as opposed to the standard 20 days. It is a minimally processed and mostly unsorted gyokuro which means it includes some smaller leaf particles and could be referred to as an "Aracha Gyokuro". This type of organic farmer's style gyokuro has become popular over recent years and is very much in demand because rather than being fertilized with big doses of nitrogen, heavily processed, blended, and sorted by teashops like other gyokuro teas are, this organic gyokuro takes a more natural approach and remains true to its origin. Once steeped, the vibrant jade liquor has a balanced buttery umami taste with notes of fresh cut grass, with a light seaweed and kelp "feel". Enjoy our gorgeous Gyokuro Gokou. |


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Spring Break, 2024
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Maximizing Creativity When You Feel "Blah"
Feeling stuck in a creative rut? We've all been there! Here are some simple tips to reignite your creative spark:
Change Your Environment: Sometimes, a new perspective is all you need. Go for a walk, visit a park, or even rearrange your workspace.
Try Something New: Break the monotony by exploring a new hobby or skill. Painting, cooking, or even trying a new workout can inspire fresh ideas.
Stay Active: Exercise boosts your mood and energy levels, which are essential for creativity. A short walk or a quick workout can do wonders!
Mindfulness and Relaxation: Take a few minutes to meditate or practice deep breathing. Clearing your mind can make room for new ideas.
And remember, a healthy nervous system is crucial for maintaining your creativity. Visit Webb Chiropractic to ensure your nervous system is free-flowing and ready to support your creative endeavors!
3 Relaxation Techniques Before Your Chiropractic Visit
Getting ready for your chiropractic visit at Webb Chiropractic? Here are three simple relaxation techniques to help you feel calm and centered before your session:
Deep Breathing: Take a few minutes to focus on your breath. Inhale deeply through your nose, hold for a few seconds, and exhale slowly through your mouth. Repeat this a few times to release tension.
Stretching: Gentle stretches can help ease muscle tension and improve circulation. Try a few basic stretches like reaching for your toes, rolling your shoulders, or doing some gentle neck rotations.
Visualization: Close your eyes and imagine a peaceful place. Whether it's a serene beach, a quiet forest, or a cozy room, visualize yourself there, feeling calm and relaxed.
Relaxation is key to a successful chiropractic session. Visit us at Webb Chiropractic and let us help you maintain a healthy, stress-free lifestyle!


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Hey, Toronto brides-to-be! Do I ever have good news for you! If you've always wanted to pay a visit to the famous Kleinfeld Bridal store in New York, but could never make that trip, you are in major luck! You no longer need to cross the border to get a taste of their extensive selection, because Kleinfeld Bridal is going to open their first Canadian flagship location at our very own The Bay on Queen Street in Toronto in 2014! Exciting, right?
And while I am pretty pumped about the news, I still have one more important question – are we going to get a Canadian version of "Say Yes to the Dress"? I guess we'll have to wait and see.
Photo Credits: Kleinfeld Bridal


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Employers across the country have been increasing new hire benefits and offering increased wages or signing bonuses as they struggle to hire for more than 9 million job openings. At the same time, unemployment remains elevated and the millions of people out of work do not appear to be snapping up these available jobs.
A recent survey from Indeed.com finds many unemployed Americans do not feel an urgency to find a job right away, but plan to return to the workforce sometime in the next three months.
"Many employers want to ramp up hiring quickly, but a large portion of job seekers are hesitant to start jobs now," the online job site said.
About 40% of the participants said they were only "passively searching" for jobs right now, and another 10% said they are actively looking but not for an immediate position. About 30% of participants said they were "not open to searching" either because they have a job or for other reasons.
The ongoing infection rates of coronavirus are a major factor for those who do not feel pressured to re-enter the workforce.
Nearly 25% said concerns about COVID-19 are the reason they are "not urgently" searching for a job. That percentage is higher among participants without a college degree, who are more likely to end up in jobs that require more in-person contact like retail or food service.
The three other major reasons people gave for not urgently seeking a job include "care responsibilities," likely for school-age children, as well as being able to rely on a spouse who is employed and having a financial cushion.
Just 10% of respondents said enhanced unemployment benefits were a reason for delaying their job search.
Many of those who said they were not seeking to start a job immediately said they were waiting for either a higher vaccination rate in their region or for school to restart this fall.


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Edwards's new book is Bars, Blues, and Booze: Stories from the Drink House.
Recently I asked the author about what she was reading. Her reply:
I am a college professor at the end of a semester, so currently all I have time to read are student screenplays and term papers. However, last week I did manage to sneak in Stitches: A Memoir by David Small, a beautifully and poignantly realized graphic novel of family drama from a child's perspective.Visit the official Bars, Blues & Booze website.
--Marshal Zeringue


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Serge Noire
I'm much behind on checking out "new" scents, including this "recent" offering from the leading niche house of Monsieur Lutens... I've been skimming through new releases with very little interest in the past few years (in case you haven't noticed the waning volume of perfume reviews here). And when yet another fragrance with artificially blackened subtitle showed up, I've become not even in the least curious about it... However, aside from the (lame) name, Serge Noire was a pleasant surprise: it is the liquid version of Zu-koh, AKA Japanese body incense.
My first encounter with Serge Noire gave me the impression that it's yet another violet-cedar oriental, full of ionone and cedrol. Then, when I tested it at Sephora it smelled entirely different, and totally won my heart: Camphoreous-woody and underlined with balsamic sweetness. I was smelling a whiff of of borneol camphor at first, sprinkled with cassia and over a looming backdrop of dark woodsy notes of patchouli, cedar wood and sandalwood. The finishing touch is a base of powdery, comforting puff of amber and vanilla. And it is a dead ringer to Tokusen by Shoyeido, which I adore.
If you're unfamiliar with the experience of body incense (zu-koh), this is a special blend of powdered woods and spices that were originally intended for purification before prayer. Instead of washing one's hands before entering a temple, you'd sprinkle your hands with this powder and rub your palms with it. It can also be worn much like liquid perfume - a sprinkle on the chest or behind the ears and on the wrists and inside bend of the elbows. You'll be enveloped in a dusty cloud of spice and wood, and enjoy the benefits of incense (minus the smoke) or perfume (sans the alcohol). I'm very fond of this perfume, and it makes one feel both sensual and spiritual at the same time... It is how I'd imagined the "char black" perfume that is mentioned in Memoir of a Geisha... It is sensuous, and at the same time also inspired meditation and contemplation, bringing instantly a magical, ancient feeling of serenity and deep thought, as deep as the roots of the trees it came from.
Surprisingly, Serge Noire is the first Lutens in many years that I feel the urge to purchase. However, to my dismay, the carded sample I originally got still smells too much like the signature Lutens cedar-honey-violet accord which was originally introduced in Feminite du Bois. It's not so much about my personal preference but more about how much this style was copied over and over by "niche" brands that made it feel redundant and no longer original... Such is the nature of trends, unfortunately. I'll have to go to Sephora to try it again and make sure the bottles they carry are more like the body incense and less like artificial cedar and violets. Alternatively, I can just revisit my Tokusen zu-koh and enjoy what I have.
It also reminds me very much of a special Japanese incense that my friend Noriko brought me from a temple in the countryside.


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Learned helplessness and the hacker mentality
Off the Beat: Bruce Byfield's Blog
Like anyone with even a modest claim to computer expertise, I am often asked to help neighbors and friends. I tend to mutter about the blind leading the blind, because what small expertise I've accumulated is in GNU/Linux, not Windows nor OSX. Yet, a surprising amount of the time, I can help, generally not because of any prior knowledge, but because I have absorbed enough of the hacker mentality that I'm a systematic troubleshooter. That used to be a given among GNU/Linux users, although lately I've worried how much longer that will remain true.
The difference between me and the average Windows user is not that I have any arcane programming skills. I know no scripting or development language well, although I can often reverse engineer what others have done and adapt it for my own purpose. Nor have I systematically sat down and learned how any operating system is constructed (although I did once document the GNU/Linux boot process for a client).
However, what I do have is the expectation that, when a problem arises, I can do something. If an Internet search fails to uncover a battery of solutions, then, browsing through /etc, I can usually find a relevant configuration file with which to experiment. I know, too, either to backup the files with which I'm experimenting with, or to comment out the original fields so that I can return to them if I get really rash. Most of all, I know to work systematically, so that if I don't immediately find a solution, like Thomas Edison trying to invent the light bulb, I can at least know what does not work, and slowly start to eliminate possibilities.
These seem a modest set of skills and attitudes. They work, not with any flashes of insight, but by unglamorous plodding through possibilities, armed largely with the conviction that a solution is available. I may not find the solution immediately, but I remain convinced that it is there.
Learned helplessness is everywhere
I know, however, that these are not skills or attitudes that I had thirteen years ago when I was a Windows user. Nor are they usually possessed by those Windows or OS X users who ask my help.
Some of those who ask for help are literally scared to touch the keyboard once a problem emerges. "I have a virus!" they usually tell me -- apparently because that is the worst event they can imagine. When I sit down at their computer, they hover behind me with an anxious look in their eyes as though they expect that a wad of plastique has been secreted in their computer cases, and that anything but the most gingerly of movements will be the end of all of us.
Needless to say, they never have backups of their files -- not even old ones. That would be taking responsibility for anticipating potential problems.
Others who ask for help are less extreme, but show the same tendency to stop thinking when their computers are in crisis. I've been called in to plug a monitor into the active video card, to install firmware with instructions, to remove the case of a computer that wasn't booting -- to do, in other words, a dozen trivial tasks that the friends and neighbors should have been able to do for themselves, but never thought of doing.
Of course, I shouldn't be surprised. Computer stores regularly charge $60-80 an hour to create a set of Windows backup disks using a wizard. I also used to have a neighbor who made a good living in retirement driving around to people's homes to do backups, remove DVDs stuck in a drive, and all sorts of other things that people should be able to do for themselves, but can't.
These are all examples of learned helplessness, a deeply seated reflex or conviction that a person can do nothing to help themselves. It is a condition that you normally find associated with post-traumatic stress disorder, which arises in situations where people feel unable to control or cope with their surroundings. Yet here it is, apparently endemic in dozens of computer users, many of whom live comfortable, comparatively unchallenging lives.
This learned helplessness, I suggest, is the result of thirty years of the personal computer being dominated by Apple and Windows. Thirty years of having even the slightest complexity hidden from users, of requiring special tools for all except the most basic of modifications, of proprietary specs and codes, and the result is end users who are afraid to go beyond these restrictions. The only difference is that, while Windows users are simply helpless, Apple users have been convinced that their state somehow makes them superior.
In some ways, I feel that this is the worst thing that the computing monopolies have done. I am not surprised when mega-corporations act like mega-corporations, and find every last bit of advantage, ethical or not, against their competitors. That is what mega-corporations do. But to inflict users with a condition more common to the battlefield or abusive relationships -- that is unnecessary, and harder to forgive.
How long will FOSS be an alternative?
Free and open source software (FOSS) is an alternative to such used helplessness precisely to the extent that it makes resources available so that people can solve their own problems. Lately, though, I've been wondering how prevalent the hacker mentality is these days among GNU/Linux users.
In the rush to marketability, commercial distributions sometimes seem to be recreating the same conditions that have encouraged learned helplessness elsewhere. Some of this tendency, no doubt, is due to user expectations. Yet the point is, only a handful of projects, such as Sugar Interface, are even trying to create desktops that are both easy to use and encourage exploration.
In other cases, such as GRUB 2, which features an emphasis on scripts and the addition of configuration files, the tendency -- perhaps unconsciously -- appears to be to exclude any except experts from tinkering with their own system. Instead, users are asked to trust the software to do everything for them.
I'm not saying that FOSS should not become more usable. But I worry that, in the rush to increase its popularity, the equally important principle of user accessibility and control may be overlooked. If FOSS reaches its goal of world domination only by becoming like its rivals, then an important aspect of its past -- and, even more importantly, of human dignity -- could easily be lost.
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http://www.uggmalls.com -
Re: Don't attribute to evil what stupidity and laziness will explain
I wish it were as simple as showing people that they can't do any harm. The trouble is, it goes deeper. I've showed people that they couldn't do any harm, and even made a backup and explained how easily I can restore things to the way they were -- and my efforts have still been met with a paralyzing look of fear.
That's what seems so strange to me. A surprising number of ordinary users expect not to understand their computers, and are utterly convinced that they never can.
As for your retirement plan: If you want, you can buy into my retirement plan, and claim the franchise for my repair business in your area. -
Don't attribute to evil what stupidity and laziness will explain
Thirty years ago I taught freshmen in college Introduction to Computer Science. It was a different world then, and most of them had never touched a computer keyboard before they came to my class. I would give them a problem, and they would sit in front of the monitor, hooked to a RSTS/E PDP-11 timesharing system, and not type anything. When asked why, they would say that they were afraid of breaking the computer.
So the first lesson devolved into showing them that no matter what they typed as a beginning system, including garbage, they were not going to break the system. Sure, if they typed the "wrong thing" they might erase whatever files they had, but since they had no files, they were not going to harm anything.
The students went wild, and never looked back. Most of them graduated after two years knowing how databases, compilers and operating systems worked, and even built simple examples of those.
Fast forward to the PC era. With the lack of security and robustness of DOS and early Apple products this was not necessarily true, and with the lack of source code to allow people to "de-mystify" the system, computers got more mysterious.
People could not understand the concept of "shutting down a system", and would simply pull the electric plug. I was in a university one time and saw a sign on the wall behind three system boxes: "These are Unix systems, do not turn them off or unplug them."
Of course that same sign implied that it was O.K. to simply turn off a Windows or Apple system, and for the most part in those days, it might have been. Not so much these days.
"Familiarity breeds contempt?" Only to a certain point. I am familiar with rattlesnakes, but don't really want to handle them much.
I worked for Digital for sixteen years. We created reams and reams of documentation to tell our customers how to use their systems. We wanted them to be able to solve some of the problems themselves, because every time they called us for small things, it cost both of us money.
But people did not want to read that documentation, or even use the great indexes that we put together. They wanted to call our support line, where they would be asked if they were holding their mouse right and if their system was really plugged in.
When Altavista, one of the early search engines, came out I would use it to find information on the 'net.
People soon found out that I could come up with answers in a moment, so they came to me to get "the answer". I would take the time to show them how to use Altavista, but that was not what they wanted. They wanted "THE ANSWER".
And so it goes...but have hope! I know that while there will be the same type of people start using Linux that use Windows and Apple products today, there will also be legions of people who want to know and understand (and like that neighbor of yours, make a good living in "retirement" who will look beyond the scripts and GUIs to learn how the system really works.
Warmest regards,
P.S. Please stop giving out copies of my "retirement business plan"....I NEED those people to pay me big bucks showing them how to open their DVD drives.
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It's all going downhill,
And that's where it belongs! With the SnowScape™ plug-in you can add layers of snow to images simply by letting the snow fall down.
You decide which areas the snow should fall down on by making the rest of the image transparent, you then start the plug-in, configure how much and where the snow should fall, and SnowScape does the rest.
You can also use SnowScape to do similar effects; make the snow less sticky, and you can create hills of sand. Apply it up-side down with high stickiness, and the ooze will be dripping down from your image.
To learn more about the features of SnowScape and it's technical details, click here.
SnowScape requires a Photoshop™ plug-in compatible graphics applications on Windows™. For a complete overview of compatible applications, click here.


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ITA National Women's Team Indoor Championship Begins Friday in Charlottesville
Top-seeded UCLA looks to repeat as champions
The field of 16 is set for the 2013 Intercollegiate Tennis Association (ITA) Division I National Women's Team Indoor Championship. The University of Virginia will serve as the host institution of the 26th annual Championship at The Boar's Head Sports Club in Charlottesville, Virginia.
An impressive 14 of the 15 No. 1 seeds participating in the fifth annual ITA Kick-Off Weekend were able to advance to Charlottesville. Alabama, Baylor, Cal, Duke, Georgia, Miami (Fla.), Michigan, Nebraska, North Carolina, Northwestern, Texas, Texas A&M, UCLA and USC managed to fend off the competition; the Ole Miss Rebels were not as fortunate. Vanderbilt emerged from the Ole Miss site as the No. 3 seed to earn the right to compete for the prestigious national title.
A total of five conferences will be represented at this year's Championship, with the ACC and SEC each placing four teams in the draw. The Big Ten and Pac-12 are sending three teams a piece to Charlottesville, while the Big 12 will have two squads in the field of 16. For the complete draw, click here.
For complete coverage of the 2013 ITA Division I National Women's Team Indoor Championship, please visit the official ITA event page. Follow the ITA on Twitter, @ITAtennis, for updates and news from the weekend's events. Use the hashtag #ITAIndoors for all tweets in regards to the event, or search the term "ITAIndoors" to find others who are tweeting from across the nation about this year's Championship, Feb. 8-11.
Below is an in-depth look at the 16 teams in the hunt for the 2013 ITA Division I National Women's Team Indoor Championship crown.
Alabama: The Alabama Crimson Tide will be making its first appearance in the ITA Division I National Women's Team Indoor Championships. Alabama comes in with a ranking of No. 9 in the latest ITA National Women's Team Rankings and is seeded seventh. The Crimson Tide is 4-0 so far this season, securing three victories over ranked foes (No. 19 Clemson, No. 38 TCU, and No. 50 Memphis). Alabama has four players with a national singles ranking, led by 12th-ranked Mary Anne Macfarlane and 13th-ranked Alexa Guarachi. Freshmen Maya Jansen (59th) and Natalia Maynetto (105th) have also earned an ITA National Women's Singles ranking for their solid play so far this season. The duo of Macfarlane and Guarachi is also ranked second nationally in doubles. The Crimson Tide will be up against the Northwestern Wildcats on day one of the Championship.
Baylor: The Baylor Bears enter the Championship ranked No. 15 in the ITA Women's Team Rankings, but will be looking to shake off a tough 7-0 loss to the top-ranked Florida Gators in their last match. The Bears, with a 3-1 record overall, do own victories over No. 20 Texas Tech and No. 29 Florida State as part of 2013 ITA Kick-Off Weekend. Baylor lost its opening match of the 2012 ITA Division I National Women's Team Indoor Championship, but rebounded to win its final two matches of the event. The Bears are relying on several freshmen and newcomers this season, but sophomore Ema Burgic has been a steady competitor for the squad to this point, ranking 16th nationally in singles and 27th in doubles with Jordaan Sanford. Baylor has drawn second-seeded Duke in the first round.
Cal: The Cal Golden Bears are currently ranked No. 7 in the ITA Women's Team Rankings and are the fifth seed at this year's Championship. The Golden Bears have only played two matches so far this season, both of which were victories over ranked foes during ITA Kick-Off Weekend. Cal recorded both victories via a sweep, defeating No. 40 Saint Mary's and No. 56 Fresno State 7-0. The Golden Bears have a strong lineup once again this season, including two players in the top 10 of the ITA Women's Singles Rankings – seventh-ranked Zsofi Susanyi and ninth-ranked Anett Schutting. Cal also features 109th-ranked Lynn Chi and 110th-ranked Annie Goransson in its singles lineup. Two Golden Bear duos have played their way to a national ranking in doubles, as Schutting and Goransson check in at 32nd, while Alice Duranteau and Laura Posylkin sit at 59th. Cal will take on Michigan in its first match.
Duke: The Duke Blue Devils are the No. 3 ranked team in the ITA Women's Team Rankings this week and have earned the second seed. Duke has won all four of its matches by virtue of a sweep this spring, Those victories have come against No. 14 Northwestern, No. 53 William & Mary, No. 63 Wyoming and No. 75 Wisconsin. Despite the loss of standout sophomore Beatrice Capra, the Blue Devils still feature four players ranked inside the top 70 of the ITA Women's Singles Rankings, led by tenth-ranked Hanna Mar. The remaining nationally-ranked Duke players are Ester Goldfeld (40), Mary Clayton (53) and Marianne Jodoin (63). Goldfeld and Mar have also put together a great season so far as a doubles pair, as they are currently ranked 17th. Last season the Blue Devils reached the title match of the ITA Division I National Women's Team Indoor Championship, falling to UCLA. Duke is set to take on Baylor in the opening round.
Duke's Hanna Mar looks to lead her team to another successful run in
this year's Championship following last year's finals appearance
Georgia: The Georgia Bulldogs are currently ranked No. 6 in the ITA Women's Team Rankings and are seeded fourth in this year's Championship. Georgia has a record of 3-0 on the young season, posting wins over No. 19 Clemson, No. 62 Georgia State and No. 70 Columbia. The Bulldogs are led in singles by eighth-ranked Lauren Herring, who appears to be ready for a bounce-back season after missing much of last year with an injury. Three other Georgia players are ranked in the latest ITA Women's Singles Rankings: Maho Kowase (18), Kate Fuller (54), and Makenzie Craft (76). The Bulldogs also have two doubles tandems ranked inside the top 25 nationally, but only 22nd-ranked Lilly Kimbell and Kowase will be competing together this week. Georgia will play the Texas Longhorns on day one.
Miami (Fla.): The Miami Hurricanes come into the 2013 ITA Division I National Women's Team Indoor Championship ranked No. 10 in the ITA Women's Team Rankings and are seeded eighth. The Hurricanes have already played five matches to this point in the season, winning four of those convincingly 7-0. The other match came against No. 33 Arizona State in ITA Kick-Off Weekend, as Miami (Fla.) was pushed to the limit before claiming the 4-3 triumph to advance to Charlottesville. The Hurricanes have three players ranked inside the top 100 of the ITA Women's Singles Rankings, including 51st-ranked Kelsey Laurente, 57th-ranked Lina Lileikite, and 92nd-ranked Stephanie Wagner. Talented freshman Monique Albuquerque, slated to play at the top singles position for Miami (Fla.), will see her first collegiate action of her career this week. The Hurricanes finished the 2012 ITA Division I National Women's Team Indoor Championship with a 2-1 record. Miami (Fla.) has drawn the Nebraska Cornhuskers in the first round.
Michigan: The Michigan Wolverines are currently ranked No. 16 nationally in the ITA Women's Team Rankings. Michigan opened up the season with defeats of No. 67 Brown, No. 30 South Carolina, and No. 25 Tennessee, but dropped its last match to No. 8 North Carolina by a score of 5-2. The top player for the Wolverines, sophomore Emina Bektas, continues to fight back from injury, while teammates Ronit Yurovsky (61) and Amy Zhu (94) are presently inside the top 100 of the ITA Women's Singles Rankings. Bekats and doubles partner Brooke Bolender have continued to play well together, ranking 21st nationally. Michigan will be looking to improve on its 1-2 record in last year's Championship, starting with its opening round match against the fifth-seeded Cal Golden Bears.
Nebraska: The Nebraska Cornhuskers sit at No. 17 in the ITA Women's Team Rankings and will be competing in the ITA Division I National Women's Team Indoor Championship for the first time in program history. Nebraska will bring a 5-0 record to Charlottesville, which includes a Big Ten victory over No. 55 Ohio State. The Cornhuskers also defeated No. 18 Notre Dame 4-1 and No. 25 Tennessee 4-3 during ITA Kick-Off Weekend. Nebraska will certainly be looked at as one of the underdog squads in this year's Championship, as the Huskers do not have one singles player or doubles duo with a national ranking. Nebraska will be taking on the eighth-seeded Miami Hurricanes in the opening round of the Championship.
North Carolina: The North Carolina Tar Heels are currently ranked No. 8 in the ITA Women's Team Rankings and have earned the sixth seed for this year's Championship. North Carolina has already collected wins over three ranked opponents this season, including defeating fellow 2013 ITA Division I National Women's Team Indoor Championship participant Michigan 5-2 in Chapel Hill. The Tar Heels are loaded with talent this season, boasting a staggering seven singles players in the top 125 of the ITA Women's Singles Rankings, including Gina Suarez-Malaguti (11), Whitney Kay (21), Zoe De Bruycker (28), and Caroline Price (36) in the top 40. North Carolina also has a pair of nationally-ranked doubles duos: eighth-ranked Ashley Dai and Kay along with 51st-ranked Tessa Lyons and Lauren McHale. The Tar Heels are set to face Texas A&M in the first round of play.
North Carolina's Gina Suarez-Malaguti is one of seven Tar Heels with an
ITA national singles ranking
Northwestern: The Northwestern Wildcats enter as the No. 14 team in the ITA Women's Team Rankings. The Wildcats have played four matches this season, all of which have come against top 40 opponents. Northwestern owns wins over No. 37 Arkansas and No. 26 Purdue, but fell to No. 3 Duke and No. 21 Vanderbilt, both of which are also competing in this year's Championship. Veteran Kate Turvy once again leads the Wildcats in singles, playing at the top position with a current ranking of 67th in the nation. Northwestern also has a very talented top doubles tandem in Linda Abu Mushrefova and Nida Hamilton, who currently sit at 42nd nationally in doubles. The Wildcats are set to play seventh-seeded Alabama on the opening day.
Texas: The Texas Longhorns come into this year's ITA Division I National Women's Team Indoor Championship ranked No. 11 in the ITA Women's Team Rankings. The Longhorns haven't played since Kick-Off Weekend, where they defeated No. 64 Wichita State 5-0 and No. 35 Utah 4-1. Texas has several key players back from last year's squad that participated in this Championship, including Aeriel Ellis and 79th-ranked Noel Scott. The Longhorns will be looking for better doubles play in Charlottesville this week, as no Texas duos are currently ranked nationally. The Longhorns have drawn fourth-seeded Georgia in the first round, the same team they played on day one of the 2012 ITA Division I National Women's Team Indoor Championship.
Texas A&M: SEC newcomer Texas A&M sit at No. 13 in the latest ITA Women's Team Rankings. The Aggies have only played two matches to this point this spring, collecting a 4-1 win over No. 54 North Texas before defeating No. 28 Arizona 4-0 to advance to the 2013 ITA Division I National Women's Team Indoor Championship. Perennial top 10 player Cristina Sanchez-Quintanar is the top singles player for Texas A&M, as she is ranked third in the nation, while Cristina Stancu is currently 45th and Wen Sun is 82nd. Stancu, a transfer from Maryland, has also added to the Aggies' depth in doubles, teaming up with freshman Stefania Hristov as the seventh-ranked doubles pair in the ITA Women's Doubles Rankings. Texas A&M will play sixth-seeded North Carolina in its first match.
UCLA: The UCLA Bruins come into this year's Championship as the defending champions after defeating Duke 4-0 in the finals last season. They are currently ranked No. 2 in the ITA Women's Team Rankings and have earned the top seed overall. The Bruins are 3-0 on the season, with all three wins coming at home over ranked opponents – No. 44 Washington, No. 49 San Diego, and No. 65 UC Irvine. The Bruins bring four nationally-ranked singles players to Charlottesville, led by sixth-ranked Robin Anderson, who is undefeated on the year and has already claimed singles titles at the 2012 USTA/ITA Southwest Region Championships and the 2012 USTA/ITA National Indoor Intercollegiate Championships. Anderson is also ranked 16th in doubles with fellow sophomore Skylar Morton. UCLA could be without the services of 96th-ranked Pamela Montez in singles, as she is still recovering from a hand injury. The Bruins will face Vanderbilt in the first round.
UCLA enters as the favorite after claiming the 2012 crown and earning
the top seed in this year's Championship
USC: The USC Trojans are currently ranked No. 4 in the ITA Women's Team Rankings and have been awarded the third seed in the 2013 ITA Division I National Women's Team Indoor Championship after reaching the semifinals in the event last year. The Women of Troy are 5-0 on the season and have yet to drop a single point in a dual match, including most recently sweeping No. 33 Pepperdine 7-0 in Malibu. USC brings an impressive singles lineup into this year's Championship, with its top three players (Danielle Lao, Sabrina Santamaria, and Zoe Scandalis) all ranked inside the top 20 of the ITA Women's Singles Rankings. Santamaria and Christian lead the way for the Women of Troy in doubles, ranked first in the nation with a record of 15-0, including titles at both the 2012 ITA/Riviera Women's All-American Championships and the 2012 USTA/ITA National Indoor Intercollegiate Championships. Scandalis has also been very successful in doubles this season, ranking 13th with Gabriella DeSimone. The Women of Troy are up against host institution Virginia in the opening round of play.
Vanderbilt: A dangerous unseeded squad in the 2013 ITA Division I National Women's Team Indoor Championship draw, the Vanderbilt Commodores enter the event ranked No. 21 in the ITA Women's Team Rankings. However, the Commodores are 4-0 on the year with victories at home against No. 14 Northwestern (4-2), at No. 22 Georgia Tech (6-1), and on a neutral court against No. 24 Yale (4-1) and No. 31 Illinois (4-1). Vanderbilt has three players nationally-ranked in singles, including 91st-ranked Marie Casares, 102nd-ranked Courtney Colton, and 115th-ranked Frances Altick. The Commodores face the tough task of taking on top-seeded UCLA in their first match of the Championship.
Virginia: The Virginia Cavaliers are currently ranked No. 12 in the ITA Women's Team Rankings and will once again serve as the host school for this year's Championship being held at the Boar's Head Sports Club in Charlottesville, Va. The Cavaliers have only played one match this spring, as they got an automatic bid into the 2013 ITA Division I National Women's Team Indoor Championship as the host institution, defeating No. 47 VCU 5-2 on the road. Freshman Julia Elbaba, on the strength of reaching the singles final of the 2012 ITA/Riviera Women's All-American Championships, is ranked fourth nationally in singles, while Stephanie Nauta is 43rd and Li Xi is right behind her at 44th. Xi and Nauta are also ranked 10th as a doubles tandem after advancing to the finals of the 2012 USTA/ITA National Indoor Intercollegiate Championships. Teammates Erin Vierra and Maci Epstein are the fifth-ranked doubles pair in the nation thanks to taking home the consolation doubles crown at the USTA/ITA National Indoor Intercollegiate Championships. Virginia is set to play third-seeded USC on day one.
The 2013 ITA Division I National Women's Team Indoor Championship will be held at the sports facility of The Boar's Head, recognized as a top 50 tennis resort in the United Stated by Tennis Magazine. The Boar's Head was also named the 2008 Private Facility of the Year by Racquet Sports Industry Magazine, while also receiving recognition from TennisResorts.com as one of the top 75 tennis resorts in the world. The facility contains a total of 26 courts: 10 Har-Tru outdoor courts, four outdoor hard courts, and 12 state-of-the-art DecoTurf indoor courts.


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Welcome to Schloss Staufenberg
The high walls of the Staufenberg, a striking rocky outcrop in Durbach, have stood watch over the crests of the Black Forest, the Ortenau and Alsace for more than 1000 years. What in centuries past was meant to warn off potential invaders welcomes visitors today. The family of the Margrave of Baden and Dominic Müller (Hotel Ritter Durbach), have joined forces to make Schloss Staufenberg into a home away from home, a symbol of Baden's warmth and hospitalitydrawing visitors from both far and near.
Pleasure and Dolce Vita high above the Ortenau
As our guest at Schloss Staufenberg in Durbach, you will enjoy the finest regional delicacies served in the traditional style, either on the Schlossterrasse, in the Lindenwiese, or around a cozy wooden table in our wine bar. Choose Schloss Staufenberg the backdrop for your wedding or special anniversary and make your day truly unforgettable. Or did you have something else in mind – a special flair for your celebration or a breathtaking, one-of-a-kind setting for your conference? A delectable culinary journey awaits you with homemade Baden dishes infused not just with the soul of the Black Forest, but also nearby Alsace and Switzerland.
Experience a special piece of Baden
The collaboration between the Margrave of Baden and the renowned hotelier Müller ensures an adherence to time-honored Baden hospitality, a dedication to the region, and respect for the legacy of the House of Baden. We look forward to seeing you soon!
Your team from Schloss Staufenberg in Durbach


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Why the lawsuit planned against the Cinemark Aurora Movie Theater over the July 20th shooting could be much stronger
I think that the lawsuit by the New York law firm of Napoli, Bern, Ripka and Scholonik, the same firm that represented 9/11 first responders, is missing the mark on what they are looking to push here. I would note the issue of gun-free zones.
'The victims here are some of the worst types of injuries that I have seen in over 37 years of practice,' said Mr Bern. 'I believe that the primary responsibility at this point rests with Cinemark.'
Partnering with a local law firm, Mr Bern said they're currently investigating whether there were any past incidents at the theatre and whether they should have had more security on the night of the July 20 shooting. . . .An earlier news story had this mention:
The Colorado movie theater at which 12 people were killed and 58 wounded by a gunman this month did not have any uniformed security guards on duty the night of the July 20 shootings, even though other US theaters had additional protection that night.Guards hired by movie theater complexes generally spend their time roaming the complex, checking bags and dealing with disputes, the Associated Press reports. While it is impossible to know whether guards would have found the weapons brought into the Aurora theater by James Holmes, they would have had the authority to check his bags and possibly prevent a tragedy.The New York Daily News reported:
Holmes entered the theater with an AR-15 assault rifle, a shotgun, and two .40 caliber Glock handguns.
Cinemark normally hire off-duty police guards to work at the Aurora theater on busy Friday and Saturday nights – except on the opening night of "The Dark Knight Rises," during which the shootings occurred.
The theater complex also hired security on other nights on a case-by-case basis, depending on how much trouble was likely to occur. . . .
Some theaters, including Beaumont, had armed security guards during the first few days of the Batman showings. . . . .
THE COLORADO movie theater where the "Dark Knight" massacre took place didn't have uniformed security guards on duty that night, even though other theaters operated by the same company provided guards for the film's premiere.But in this case the killer didn't bring the guns through the front theater doors.
Cinemark provided off-duty police guards at the Aurora theater on busy Friday and Saturday nights, but the company declined to explain why there were no guards the night of the July 20 show. . . . .
A gunman clad in black SWAT gear came through an emergency door at a movie theater in Colorado early Friday, hurled two canisters of an unknown gas and opened fire on the stunned audience, killing at least 12 people and wounding 59 others who were watching the midnight premiere of a new Batman film. . . .
Mike Dorn, a security consultant in Macon, Ga., says hiring armed security officers and training employees to flag unusual behavior are likely the best answer. He cautions against using metal detectors and X-ray screeners, which could cost a theater as much as $1.5 million a year to operate including personnel. For Cinemark, which runs 298 U.S. theaters, that could cost $447 million if every theater was equipped -- not to mention annoying customers who would be subjected to airport-style screenings. If the machines aren't manned properly, there's little point. "This happened with schools," says Dorn. "They spent hundreds of millions of dollars with little or no improvement, and guns still got through." . . .The video mentions that the law firm might also go after the people providing mental health care to the killer. From the CBS affiliate in Denver:
Also in their crosshairs, the mental health professionals suspect James Holmes saw in the past.It is hard to believe that there will be enough past incidents at or near the movie theater that will create a pattern that the plaintiffs can successfully say represents negligence by the movie theater. Looking at the other movie theaters in Aurora or east Denver is it unlikely that the Cinemark theater had less security than other theaters. Possibly Mr. Bern thinks that the horror of this crime and the desire by a jury to make someone liable will be enough, but I doubt it. Instead, why not go after the fact that this was the only theater that prevented people from protecting themselves.
"Either they did warn, and if they did, who did they warn. And if they failed to warn, should they have warned?"
That has been a central question in the case, and because of doctor-patient confidentiality, it's something that may never be revealed.
Aurora police say no major incident like a shooting has ever happened before in the theater, but has happened in the nearby mall. Cinemark has yet to comment on the impending litigation. . . .


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Is it OK for AOL's Techcrunch Editors to invest in companies they write about?
Mike Arrington, editor and founder of Techcrunch, an AOL company, disclosed his investments in some high profile startups.
He said he had refrained from making investments in startups since 2009 because of distracting accusations of conflicts of interest but that he had recently changed that policy (following the sale of Techcrunch to AOL).
Over the last several months I have begun investing actively again. We've noted these investments in Shawn Fanning's new startup and in Kevin Rose's new startup.
I have also become a limited partner in two venture funds, Benchmark Capital and SoftTech VC. I am considering investments in a few other venture funds and a couple of startups as well, but have nothing further to announce yet.
He says he is OK with having financial conflicts of interests in his reporting:
There's a very good chance that I'll be a direct or indirect investor in a lot of the new startups in Silicon Valley, and that will mean that there will be financial conflicts of interests in a lot of my stories. Either because I write about those companies, or write about a competitor, or don't write about a competitor.
It's certainly a fresh approach to the issue of financial conflicts of interests: that as long as it's disclosed, it is OK.
When I was at the Financial Times we were barred from investing in any companies in our beat sectors. Even a mutual fund with investments in our industry could spell trouble.
Kara Swisher, ex-Wall Street Journal and now editor of All Things Digital, a Techcrunch competitor, has a very strict ethics code. It is based on the Dow Jones ethics code, which does not allow any reporter to invest in companies in their industry beat, and this ban extends to members of their immediate family.
Here is a recent interview with Ms Swisher at Two Bananas Marketing, "Influence, Reputation, and Ethics in the Social Arena," in which she talks about the importance of ethics in her reporting, and even the importance of disclosing that her partner works at Google.
Does the simple act of disclosure make things right? Mr Arrington believes that as long as everything is disclosed then readers can make up their own minds if he is influenced in his reporting by his financial interests.
But disclosure statements have to be found and read, they don't accompany each story a journalist writes, or make it clear the many different ways that a financial conflict of interest might be present.
It's best to have a blanket policy of no investments allowed. That way readers can read the news without having to do all the leg work to figure out if there is any bias.
Also, Mr Arrington does not explain why his no investments policy was the right one in 2009, but now it's wrong? What changed? The fact that he now has money to invest from his sale of Techcrunch?
Startups make a deliberate choice about who they will allow to invest. They want capital but that's the least of it. They want investors that can aid them, through their business acumen, or their influence.
It's understandable why a startup would want Mr Arrington as an investor. As editor of the widely read Techcrunch, he can easily make or break a startup. And that's also why a startup might be reluctant refuse his money.
First pickFrom his influential position, he can have the pick of the trendiest startups of the day, as he has already demonstrated with investments in Shawn Fanning's venture, and that of Kevin Rose, formerly from Digg.
He could potentially make a lot of money selling his shares in secondary markets, which have made billions of dollars for some private investors. Today, there's no need to wait five years until an IPO.
But wouldn't his readers prefer that he weren't using his role as Techcrunch editor to further his material interests?
I doubt that anyone would object if he were an independent investor blogging about his startups. That's worked very well for Fred Wilson, a VC based in New York, and Dave McClure in Silicon Valley, and many others.
Is ethics a competitive quality?It'll be interesting to see if there is a price to pay. Will All Things Digital, with its strict ethics policy, triumph over Techcrunch with its "like it or lump it" approach to allowing investments in companies it covers?
There are lots of ways this could backfire for Techcrunch:
- Startups might grow to distrust Techcrunch reporters and hold back on key information because it could be fed to competitors in which they have a financial interest.
- Or they might be afraid to be written about in a bad light to boost startups financially favored by the reporters. Bad press can cause serious harm to a startup, especially in the VC community. They might decide that it's too risky to approach Techcrunch.
-Techrunch reporters will become investors too. How will they deal with the conflicts of interests? Will they have the discipline, as Mr Arrington claims to have, to set aside their financial interests and write negative stories about their investments?
- Some Techcrunch reporters might think that they can please their boss and will thus skew their coverage to benefit his investments. And maybe even win a pay rise or promotion? It's a good example of how the risk from biased reporting isn't limited to the editor, but can spread throughout a newsroom.
- Readers might grow to mistrust Techcrunch and switch their allegiance. If that happens then the cost of its lax ethics policy will be a very expensive one.
These points are precisely the reason that media organizations have a strict code of ethics when it comes to reporters investing in companies. It's about protecting a trusted relationship between reader and reporter, and equally important, reporter and source.
We know that readers pay close attention to conflicts of interests. They are easily spooked and suspicious of a lot of media coverage that often fits a fantasy rather than a reality.
Media has a financial interest in good ethicsBig media organizations work hard to build trust and eliminate any reason readers might have to question the veracity of their reporting. Because it matters to their bottom line.
And that's what's puzzling about Mr Arrington's change of policy. His disclosure does nothing to help build trust in Techcrunch. Eroding reader trust is not a good thing. And it's certainly not good for all the Techcrunch reporters who will now be seen in a different light.
I wonder what AOL's ethics policy is for its media properties? I'm sure it must have one even though Google has trouble finding it.
Arianna Huffington is Mr Arrington's boss and I'd be surprised if she would allow investments by AOL editors.
Or maybe Mr Arrington is simply seeking an early exit from his job?


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The Leader as Futurist
Becoming an effective leader has always been a challenging task. Leaders are expected to initiate organizational strategies, inspire employees, and communicate well with the public. We also expect them to be energetic, at least somewhat charismatic, and capable of handling demanding situations.
Dr. Michael Zey, Ph.D., renowned author and lecturer, explains how these challenging times require leaders to assume three additional roles, that of Mentor, Driver, and Seer.
In this inspiring presentation, Dr. Zey shows your audience how everyone—managers, company heads, supervisors, and team members —can tap into their "inner leader," mastering these new roles to "drive" their organizations to higher levels of performance.
Role 1 – Leader as Mentor
In his classic book, The Mentor Connection, Dr. Zey identified mentoring as one of the most positive forces in employee development. Mentoring has usually been considered a two-person relationship between the mentor and the protégé. However, Dr. Zey says 21st century leaders should play the role of mentor—a guide, teacher, and confidence-builder—to a staff, division, and organization. He shows your audience how they can cultivate effective mentoring habits and apply them to the entire organization.
Role 2 – Leader as Driver
The successful leader must possess, and exhibit, the energy and strength to drive the organization toward its goals. The leader must use a host of skills such as influence, persuasion, and a "relationship" approach, to move the organization to higher levels of achievement. Most importantly, the Leader/Driver must be able to clearly communicate their organizational goals and vision.
Role 3 – Leader as Seer
The new leader must not wait for the future to happen--he or she must actively anticipate it. We always hear that effective leaders must have a "vision." The leader/seer must always think in terms of the big picture, focusing outside the company's sphere, and retaining constructive critics within his or her "inner circle." To develop such a vision, Dr. Zey claims, the new leader needs what he labels Future Literacy® to more accurately anticipate critical future events. Zey helps your employees develop their Future Literacy®.
In Leader, Mentor, Driver, Seer Dr. Zey will challenge your audience's preconceptions about what a leader is, and will give them the framework to develop their "inner leader" to guide and drive the organization to new performance heights!


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Teacher's Got a Brand New Bag
Whether it's iPads replacing textbooks or college courses being offered free around the world, education is moving into some uncharted territory.
Last week Steve Jobs came back to life. Or at least his aura did. At an "education event" in New York's Guggenheim Museum, Apple proclaimed that the time has come to "reinvent the textbook" and who better to do it than Apple. The mythic leader himself had put a Jobsian spin on the matter during one of his interviews with writer Walter Issacson for the best-selling biography, Steve Jobs. Textbook publishing, Jobs pronounced, was "an $8 billion industry ripe for digital destruction."
Let the sacking begin.
In a time when your cell phone can tell you the weather forecast and your car can give you directions, textbooks can feel so, well, unresponsive. They're not all that different from what they were like when people were riding horses to work, except they cost a whole lot more. They're still are a pain to keep current, still get dog-earred, still can make you feel like you're lugging around bricks.
Enter the iPad. Apple's solution, naturally, is to replace textbooks with sleek, light, nimble iPads and its big announcement last week was that it's rolling out a new version of its electronic bookstore called iBooks 2, and filling it with titles of its new partners, some of the biggest textbook publishers in the business. The e-books will cost $14.99 each, a pittance in this business, and be a breeze to update. Plus, they'll be interactive, with touchscreen diagrams, audio and video. And you'll be able to do word searches.
Apple even has research to back up its contention that the iPad blows away the conventional textbook as a teaching tool. A study done in a California middle school last year found that almost 20 percent more students (78 percent versus 59 percent) scored "Proficient" or "Advanced" in Algebra I courses when using an iPad.
So it's all good, right?
Well, there is the matter of how you ensure that every kid has an iPad. Even if Apple offers a discount below the $500 price tag, most public schools aren't exactly flush with cash these days. And not everyone has been dazzled by Apple's innovation. Sylvia Martinez, president of Generation YES, a program that helps intergrate technology into the classroom, says that for all the bells and whistles, what iBooks brings to education is more tweak than reinvention. It still treats students as consumers, whereas technology at its best, says Martinez, encourages them to be creators.
Blogger Steve McCabe, writing in "Tidbits," which covers Apple products, goes even farther. He hopes that in future iterations, Apple's textbook software will allow more personalized learning where the content will be able to interact with the student–Siri turns tutor–instead of just the other way around. For now, McCabe argues, Apple is offering students an experience not all that different from a CD-ROM in the 1990s.
Steve Jobs is rolling over.
The new college try
Even more dramatic changes in education are bubbling up at the college level. Last month MIT announced the launch this spring of a new initiative called MITx, which will allow people around the world to take MIT courses. For free.
Getting an MIT education at no charge seems like one sweet deal, although it's not quite that simple. The course selection will be fairly limited, at least initially, and a MITx student won't be able to earn a degree, but simply a "certificate of completion." It's also possible that there will be an "affordable" charge for a certificate. But unlike other online courses the university offers, the MITx platform will give students access to real online labs–not just simulations–and student-to-student discussions. It's open source software and MIT expects other universities and high schools around the country will eventually end up using it.
That will only swell the latest wave of free online learning, pioneered by websites such as Academic Earth, which began streaming videos of lectures by professors at the country's top universities almost four years ago and now has Bill Gates among its biggest fans, and Khan Academy, the brainchild of MIT graduate Salman Khan, who began making his conversational video tutorials in 2005 and now has more than 100,000 people around the world viewing his lessons every day. (See Khan's recent interview with Forbes to see where he thinks all this is headed.) There's Codeacademy, which teaches coding newbies how to build apps.
And now add a new player called Udacity, which has its own curious history. Last fall Stanford professor Sebastian Thrun, who's also been leading the development of Google's driverless car, sent out an email to a professional network saying that he would offer his "Introduction to Artificial Intelligence" course–the same one he taught at the university–online without charge. Within days 10,000 people had signed up; eventually 160,000 would, including an unusually large contingent of Lithuanians and several Afghans who skirted through war zones to get to Internet connections. When the course ended in December, 248 people had earned perfect scores; none of them was an official Stanford student.
Things apparently got a little tense when Thrun let Stanford administrators know about his plan to offer his class for free. So it's no surprise that he decided to leave the university and go out on his own. He describes using technology to make free, high-quality education available worldwide as "like a drug."
Next month Udacity will offer its first two courses, "Building a Search Engine" and "Programming a Robotic Car." Not for everyone, but available to anyone.
Video Bonus: Watch Sebastian Thrun's talk at the recent Digital Life Design conference and hear how his decision to teach free courses felt like a choice out of The Matrix.


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CONTENT TYPE: Article | TOPIC: SEO
Now that media outlets have fully transitioned to online spaces, PR and SEO have become intrinsically linked. Journalists do searches, too, and the higher a press release ranks in search results, the more likely it will be covered.
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Generative AI tools like ChatGPT are poised to affect some marketing writing roles, but their future in the world of search is slightly more complex. This article provides a breakdown of the possibilities.
CONTENT TYPE: Chart | TOPIC: SEO
Most professionals who work in roles focused on online search say artificial intelligence will be extremely or very important to delivering relevant results in the future, according to recent research from Lucidworks.
Using imagery and video should be a high priority for a well-rounded SEO strategy. This article has five tips for using images and video to improve search results.
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CONTENT TYPE: Infographic | TOPIC: SEO
What are the essential search engine optimization rules to follow? To find out, Semrush asked its social media audience.
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CONTENT TYPE: Infographic | TOPIC: Social Media Marketing
This infographic looks at the signals prioritized by the algorithms of six of the most used platforms: Google, YouTube, Instagram, TikTok, LinkedIn, and Facebook.
CONTENT TYPE: Podcast | TOPIC: Marketing Strategy
B2B SaaS marketer Lindsay Boyajian Hagan and host George B. Thomas discuss what marketing strategies to lean on during economic uncertainty, including listening to customers, optimizing old content, and aligning siloed teams.
CONTENT TYPE: Podcast | TOPIC: SEO
Semrush's Olga Andrienko and host George B. Thomas discuss what visual search is, whether it's right for your company, and how to adopt best-practices for it out of the gate.
What can you do to help your business's videos rank higher in search? This infographic explores how to boost discovery and views.
Actual conversations sound very different from written content; likewise, voice search operates slightly differently than a typed phrase in the Google search bar. Here are some tips for optimizing for voice—and B2B brands that are leading the way.
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Optimizing anchor text is as delicate as it is essential. Iffy tactics risk penalties, but playing it too safe means low rankings. Google will judge you. Follow the four steps in this article to get your anchor texts just right.
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Industry Insights
AUSTIN, Texas--(BUSINESS WIRE)--BigCommerce, the leading ecommerce platform for fast-growing and established brands, today announced it has added native support for accelerated mobile pages (AMP), making it possible for more than 55,000 BigCommerce merchants to deliver near-instant page load times for mobile shoppers. With AMP, an open-source framework launched by Google, BigCommerce merchants have the ability to easily generate a streamlined version of their website's category and product detail pages on mobile devices, resulting in significantly faster page load times, and up to 20 percent higher click-through rates.
"Until now, many ecommerce brands have been unable to adopt AMP into their stores due to excessive coding requirements and lack of costly development resources" Tweet this
"Until now, many ecommerce brands have been unable to adopt AMP into their stores due to excessive coding requirements and lack of costly development resources"
"Mobile has become the primary shopping method for many online consumers, and ecommerce brands are increasingly realizing that their mobile sites need greater prioritization," said Brian Dhatt, chief technology officer for BigCommerce. "AMP effectively removes extraneous details that distract from the shopping experience, allowing shoppers to quickly access catalog and product pages, find the information that is most relevant to their purchase decision and proceed to checkout without the typical friction often associated with mobile shopping."
In a closed beta conducted in mid-2017, BigCommerce merchants that utilized AMP on category pages saw, on average, a 20 percent improvement in click-through rate. Additional benefits include:
"Until now, many ecommerce brands have been unable to adopt AMP into their stores due to excessive coding requirements and lack of costly development resources," said Ben Moore, CEO at Pixel Union, a leading ecommerce design agency and BigCommerce partner since 2015. "Today, we are thrilled to be partnering with BigCommerce to offer AMP-enabled ecommerce themes across our entire Pixel Union catalog, giving online merchants a game-changing solution for harnessing the growth of mobile commerce and the power of world-class mobile design."
The added support for AMP follows the release of Akamai Image Manager in January 2018, which gave BigCommerce merchants the ability to automatically optimize website imagery across all device types, resulting in faster page load times and higher conversion rates. BigCommerce merchants using supported themes can enable AMP beginning today in their control panel.
For more information, visit: https://www.bigcommerce.com/sell-on-mobile/
1 Akamai, "Online Retail Performance Report." April, 2017. 2 Moz, "AMP-lify Your Digital Marketing in 2018." November, 2017.
BigCommerce® is a registered trademark of BigCommerce Pty. Ltd. Third-party trademarks and service marks are the property of their respective owners.
About BigCommerce BigCommerce is the world's largest cloud ecommerce platform for established and rapidly-growing businesses. Combining enterprise functionality, an open architecture and app ecosystem, and market-leading performance, BigCommerce enables businesses to grow online sales with 80% less cost, time and complexity than on-premise software. BigCommerce powers B2B and B2C ecommerce for more than 55,000 SMBs, 2,000+ mid-market businesses, 20 Fortune 1000 companies and industry-leading brands, including Assurant, Ben & Jerry's, Paul Mitchell, Sony and Toyota. For more information, visit www.bigcommerce.com.
Contacts BigCommerce Rachael Genson, 512-865-4517 firstname.lastname@example.com
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A company with many sales representatives needed an item for their top sales performers. Since their sales staff has both men and women, they needed an item that could be used by either gender. They chose the wheeled briefcase/overnight bag. They felt it was a great item since many of the salespeople have overnight stays with their travels. It doubles as a briefcase and overnight bag, but you only need to take one item with you. To make the gift extra special, they had each one personalized.
Source: Beacon Promotions


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Strategically focused on the photovoltaic solar energy business growth in the domestic market and using its technological background, WEG has become one of the main suppliers of products and solutions for solar power plants in Brazil.
Since 2016, when the company signed its first EPC (engineering, procurement and construction) supply contract, the company has already delivered four solar power plants in the Northeast: Coremas I, Coremas II, Angico and Malta (state of Paraíba). By the middle of 2019 the forecast is to deliver three more: Esmeralda (state of Pernambuco), Sobrado (state of Bahia) and Coremas III (state of Paraíba).
All projects together included more than 664 thousand photovoltaic modules, with power ratings ranging between 330 and 375 Wp and more than 193.0 MVA of solar inverters installed in power plants in the states of Pernambuco, Paraíba and Bahia. These plants will have the capacity to generate 479.8 GWh per year, enough energy to supply more than 200 thousand homes and avoid emissions of 780.2 thousand tons of CO2 a year into the environment.
For all contracts WEG also supplies the modules, trackers, VFD´s, transformers, cubicles, substations and all the integration engineering and application software for the plants. In addition to the EPC supply, the company also is in charge of doing the O & M (operation and maintenance) services for the plants and substations.
As stated by João Paulo Gualberto da Silva, WEG´s New Energies Director, the performance of the solar business has gained considerable importance within the generation, transmission and distribuiton area of the company and the expectation is positive for the coming years. "Among the latest auctions held for renewable energy sources, the most attractive were those related to solar energy, so we are very much optimistic about the new projects on this business area," says João Paulo.
In addition to major projects, WEG also has accumulated experience in distributed generation for small power plants, industries, commercial facilities and homes. The company has already built three small plants in Minas Gerais, with a capacity of 10.37 MWp, one in Rio de Janeiro, with 1.32 MWp, one in São Paulo, with 1.267 MWp, three in Pernambuco, with 3.5 MWp, one in Santa Catarina, with 3.0 MWp and another in Mato Grosso, with 1.1 MWp.
In small and medium-sized residential, commercial and industrial facilities, WEG has already supplied four thousand solar systems through its integrators network, only in 2018.


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Researchers have discovered one of the reasons why broccoli may be good for your health.
They found that sulforaphane, a dietary compound from broccoli that's known to help prevent prostate cancer, may work through its influence on long, non-coding RNAs. This is another step forward in a compelling new area of study on the underlying genetics of cancer development and progression.
The findings were published by researchers from Oregon State University in the Journal of Nutritional Biochemistry.
The research provides more evidence for how these lncRNAs, which were once thought to be a type of "junk DNA" of no particular value or function, may instead play a critical role in triggering cells to become malignant and spread.
Growing evidence shows that lncRNAs, which number in the thousands, have a major role in cell biology and development, often by controlling what genes are turned on, or "expressed" to carry out their genetic function. Scientists now believe that when these lncRNAs are dysregulated they can contribute to multiple disease processes, including cancer.
The lncRNAs are also of special interest, researchers say, because they are so highly cell- and tissue-specific.
Unlike many chemotherapeutic drugs that affect healthy cells as well as malignant ones and can cause undesired side effects, the control of lncRNAs may offer a new way to specifically prevent or slow the progression of malignant cells.
"This could be a turning point in our understanding of how cancer may be triggered and spreads," said Emily Ho, the endowed director of the Moore Family Center for Whole Grain Foods, Nutrition and Preventive Health at OSU, a professor in the College of Public Health and Human Sciences and principal investigator with the Linus Pauling Institute.
"It's obviously of interest that this dietary compound, found at some of its highest levels in broccoli, can affect lncRNAs. This could open the door to a whole range of new dietary strategies, foods or drugs that might play a role in cancer suppression or therapeutic control."
In particular, this research showed that one lncRNA, called LINC01116, is upregulated in a human cell line of prostate cancer, but can be decreased by treatment with sulforaphane. The data "reinforce the idea that lncRNAs are an exciting new avenue for chemoprevention research, and chemicals derived from diet can alter their expression," the scientists wrote in their study.
"We showed that treatment with sulforaphane could normalize the levels of this lncRNA," said Laura Beaver, a research associate in the Linus Pauling Institute and College of Public Health and Human Sciences, and lead author on the study. "This may relate to more than just cancer prevention. It would be of significant value if we could develop methods to greatly slow the progress of cancer, help keep it from becoming invasive."
The impact of diet on lncRNA expression has been largely unknown until now, the researchers said. In this study, they identified a four-fold decrease in the ability of prostate cancer cells to form colonies when LINC01116 was disrupted.
Among men, prostate cancer is the second most frequently diagnosed cancer globally, and the second leading cause of cancer-related deaths in the United States. Worth noting, the researchers said, is that an increased consumption of cruciferous vegetables such as broccoli, which are high in sulforaphane, appears to be associated with a lower risk of developing prostate cancer.
That same lncRNA, they noted, is also overexpressed in studies of several other types of cancer, including brain, lung and colon cancer. Some other lncRNAs have been found at higher levels in breast, stomach, lung, prostate cancer and chronic lymphocytic leukemia.
In other research, a knockout of the gene that encodes one type of lncRNA in mice conferred some resistance to obesity caused by a high-fat diet.
"Taken together, this literature and our own study begin to paint a picture of the important and previously unappreciated role of lncRNAs in the body's response to diet," the researchers wrote in the study. "These discoveries illustrate that lncRNAs can play important roles in cancer development and may be useful targets for cancer prevention, detection and treatment."


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Thursday, January 21, 2010
Bacon-Wrapped Dates
Wrap anything in bacon and I'll try it, at least once. Wrap something sweet with salty bacon and stuff it with cheese and I am probably going to get addicted. If you haven't been to AOC in Los Angeles, you should know that you can feed your addiction to the perfect combination of sweet, salty and cheesy with Suzanne Goin's bacon-wrapped dates. The first time I had them I was hooked and have ordered them on every subsequent visit (and there have been many).
It's hard to believe that such a flavorful appetizer is made up of only three ingredients, but its simplicity makes it an easy dish to recreate at home. The first time I made these I replaced the bacon with what I saw as a more sophisticated option – prosciutto. Mistake. Serious mistake. This dish is perfect as is. Don't mess with it.
When Gourmet printed this recipe in their October 2005 issue, they allotted three dates per person. I have modestly increased that number to five per person. People will not be able to stop eating these so make sure you make plenty.
Bacon-Wrapped Dates
Adapted from Suzanne Goin
Makes 30, allow 5 per person
10 slices of bacon cut crosswise into thirds
30 dates
3 - 4 oz of Parmigiano-Reggiano, broken or cut into small pieces about the size of a date pit
Preheat oven to 450*
If the dates are not already pitted, use a paring knife to make a small slit to remove the pit. Replace the pit with a piece of parmesan and reform the date around the cheese. Wrap each date with a piece of bacon. Place on a rack set over a rimmed baking sheet. Bake for 15 – 20 minutes until the bacon is browned (cooking time will vary depending on the thickness of your bacon). Remove from the oven and serve immediately while still warm.
13 comments:
- Noelle said...
I was going to put these on my blog also! You always beat me to it. I usually use blue cheese, but parmesan is a great idea. YUM.
- Thursday, January 21, 2010
- SaintTigerlily said...
Just had to speak up because these are SO great with blue cheese. I'd allocate a lot more per person too. We like to call them: Devils on Horseback.
- Thursday, January 21, 2010
- Alison said...
Oh yeah! I love me some bacon. That looks like the perfect combo of salty and sweet...I'll have to bring that to book club next time.
- Thursday, January 21, 2010
- Fresh Local and Best said...
These look like wonderful party appetizers.
- Thursday, January 21, 2010
- Hungry Dog said...
Oh my. I could throw down on these. I bet I could eat more than 5...in fact I'm sure of it. Thank you for posting, I am definitely going to try these next time I have friends over for cocktails.
- Thursday, January 21, 2010
yum! we made a version of this on NYE and it was huge hit. toasted almond and honey goat cheese-stuffed dates wrapped in bacon. oh. my.
*heather* - Thursday, January 21, 2010
- Tom said...
Oh, yeah. I remember these. They were eight different kinds of awesome.
- Thursday, January 21, 2010
- Mary Bergfeld said...
These look over-the-top delicious. I make our with blue cheese. I'll have to give your version a try.
- Friday, January 22, 2010
- Hopie said...
Ooh, nice, I often make this kind of thing as an appetizer (without the cheese though, I'll have to try that). Another combo that works really well is pieces of banana wrapped in bacon and cooked the same way. The crispy bacon around the almost-caramel-y banana is sooo yummy.
- Saturday, January 23, 2010
- pigpigscorner said...
Great idea with the cheese! Yummy!
- Saturday, January 23, 2010
Mouth watering...
- Sunday, January 24, 2010
- email@example.com said...
Those look amazing! Your kitchen gets incredible light. I just love all of your images.
- Tuesday, January 26, 2010
- Kate @ Savour Fare said...
I agree -- they're so easy and delicious! Yours managed to look not-pornographic. When I photographed them for my New Year's Eve dinner, my husband looked at all the pictures and said "They look obscene." And they totally do. But what can you do?
- Tuesday, January 26, 2010


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CNN chief international correspondent Clarissa Ward can't stop looking at the bruise on her arm. It's a reminder of her harrowing escape last week from Afghanistan.
At the end of a trip reporting on the fall of the Afghan government, Ward found the Kabul airport thronged with people desperate to leave the country. She and her crew held hands and formed a chain, but when the gate to their flight opened, the crowd closed in upon them.
"I was the last one [in line]," Ward says. "And this person on the other side just grabbed my arm and just ripped me through the door. And honestly, I think all of us were crying because it was so heartbreaking and intense and visceral."
Ward flew out of Kabul on Saturday on a U.S. Air Force flight to Doha, Qatar. There were about 300 evacuees on her flight, but she's still thinking about the people left behind: "There were little children who were howling and wailing. And you were standing there thinking: This is so wrong. Why do I get to go in? Just because I have this passport? It just feels very wrong."
Ward first spoke to the Taliban about a year and a half ago when she was granted access to a Taliban-controlled village. In her most recent trip, she covered the Afghan military in Kandahar just before it fell. Then she went to Ghazni province, where the Taliban had already taken over.
She says that reporting on the Taliban is especially challenging for female journalists.
"You're essentially invisible," she says. "They don't look at you. They don't address you. They don't talk to you. If you speak to them, they might reply to you, but they won't look in your direction."
Ward says that rural Afghans have made what she calls a "Faustian bargain" with the Taliban: "People are tired and frightened, and they just want peace."
Interview Highlights
This was a moment where there was no veneer of respectability or politeness. It was push and shove and scrape and push to get in there and get out safely.
On boarding the flight out of Kabul
The minute the gate closed and I started talking to the [British soldier] who had grabbed me, and I said, "How are you dealing with this?" And he just started bawling. He started weeping, and he said, "I've done two tours in Helmand province, and the PTSD I will have from the last week is much worse." And he was seeing people being trampled to death every day. He saw women throwing babies over the wire to try to get them out safely. And those images don't leave you.
We're so protected from those moments of just sheer survival, usually, in our Western lives. And this was a moment where there was no veneer of respectability or politeness. It was push and shove and scrape and push to get in there and get out safely.
On the Taliban presenting themselves as more moderate than they were the last time they ruled
I think in the sort of upper echelons of the Taliban leadership, it's not that they're trying to court the media, but they definitely want to show that they're cordial, they're welcoming, they're responsible and respectful. The problem you have, as is so often the case in many military and paramilitary structures, what the leaders say up at the top from their nice five-star hotels and what the rank and file say on the ground with their whips and their truncheons, desperately trying to push back these crowds — there's often a disconnect there. And so while I will say that the Taliban [have] a much more coherent chain of command than most, and there's largely very good discipline among the rank and file, there's still always the capacity in that moment for something to go very wrong.
On the Taliban capacity for change
Based on my experience with the Taliban, you can't expect them to change. They are largely illiterate. ... They have been fighting since they were old enough to carry a gun. They don't know any other way of life. And the Taliban leadership understands that it could have a problem on its hands if it starts to lose the support of the rank and file and the foot soldiers, that they could be inadvertently pushed into the arms of more extremist groups like al-Qaida or ISIS — there are a number of different extremist terrorist groups that are operating inside Afghanistan — because at the end of the day, these young men have been trained from a young age to kill and to sacrifice and to be killed. And so you can't suddenly strip that away from them and expect them to go and get a job in a bank. It's just not going to happen.
On some rural Afghans' view of the Taliban
I think the Taliban has one advantage on its side, which is that their version of Sharia law may be draconian and harsh, but they have a reputation for implementing swift justice and it's not corrupt. It may be harsh, but it's not corrupt. And so that does gain them a lot of supporters.
I would also say in rural areas, and I think it's hard for a lot of Americans to kind of get their head around this, but women's education and issues like this are really considered tangential to the primary considerations of everyday life. And so whether you're in government-held territory or whether you're in Taliban-held territory, it's just not a focus, things like girls' education. The thing that I heard again and again, both trips I've done in Ghazni and also a year and a half ago, when I was in the north, from a lot of people was, "We don't care who's in charge. We just want peace. We just want to be able to leave our homes without fear of airstrikes or gunfire." And this is interesting to me because it's exactly what the Taliban capitalized on in the late '90s when they came to power, that they were dealing with the populace that was so exhausted and worn down by incessant brutality and violence that they were willing to surrender so many of their rights if they would get security in return.
On the Taliban's treatment of women
It's got nothing to do with Islam, by the way. And this is a really important distinction to make. You look at Bangladesh and Pakistan, and women are prime ministers there, OK? This isn't an inherent Islamic thing. It is a mixture of cultural and tribal and historic dogma that has trickled down for many, many decades and created this situation whereby women are viewed as having their rights, yes, but being essentially private property.
On what rural Afghan women told Ward in a Taliban-held area
When you go into the cities or you talk to people who are more educated ... those women are on the verge potentially of losing everything, and their stories will rip your heart out in ways you can't imagine.
I obviously am separated from the rest of my male crew and sleeping in this area with women and children. These [rural] compounds have a compound within a compound, and the sort of internal compound is for the women and the children, and most of these women never really leave that compound. They never really leave their home, except maybe on rare occasions. But it's just the way life has always been for them. And so it sounds maybe unfair, but they don't have big dreams about doing interesting things with their lives or traveling or getting jobs or getting further education. ... I've had [conversations] with them where I've said, "Are you going to educate your girls?" for example, and they were like, "No, why would we do that? ... The Taliban say it's bad." ...
And you just realize there isn't a huge amount of space or time in their life, at this stage, in these rural areas to worry about much else. And they kind of are in acceptance of their sort of standing in the world.
What is heartbreaking is when you go into the cities or you talk to people who are more educated ... those women are on the verge potentially of losing everything, and their stories will rip your heart out in ways you can't imagine. ... They have worked so hard to achieve and to do great things and to contribute and to dream, and they have daughters, many of them. And now they're seeing in the blink of an eye that all of that could be lost — and it's just absolutely heartbreaking.
On how being a mother has changed her reporting
I absolutely feel rivers of empathy, particularly for women and children, and I think that has changed my reporting in some ways. And I really feel that it's important to have mothers who are out there and covering war and the effects of war. ... I can go and talk to the women and the children and be in that inner sanctum in the house and hear about their lives and their frustrations and their heartaches, and for so many years that has been missing in a lot of reporting. ... I very much hope that [becoming a mother] has a positive impact on my reporting, because I definitely feel more connected and more empathetic than I ever have before.
Amy Salit and Thea Chaloner produced and edited the audio of this interview. Bridget Bentz and Molly Seavy-Nesper adapted it for the web.
Copyright 2021 Fresh Air. To see more, visit Fresh Air.