text:
Akamai Technologies
Akamai headquarters in Cambridge, Massachusetts
|Traded as
NASDAQ-100 Component
S&P 500 Component
|Tom Leighton
Daniel M. Lewin
Preetish Nijhawan
Jonathan Seelig
Randall Kaplan[1]
|8 Cambridge Center
Cambridge, Massachusetts 02142
|Key people
|George H. Conrades
Tom Leighton
(Co-founder, Chief Scientist, CEO)[2]
|Operating income
|Net income
|Total assets
|Total equity
|4,200(January 2014)[5]
Akamai Technologies, Inc. /ˈɑːkəmaɪ/ is an Internet content delivery network headquartered in Cambridge, Massachusetts, in the United States. Akamai's network is one of the world's largest distributed-computing platforms, responsible for serving between 15 and 30 percent of all web traffic.[6]
The company operates a network of servers around the world and rents capacity on these servers to customers who want their websites to work faster by distributing content from locations close to the user. Over the years their customers have included Facebook, Bing, Twitter and healthcare.gov. When a user navigates to the URL of an Akamai customer, their browser is redirected to one of Akamai's copies of this website, almost entirely invisibly to the vast majority of its users. Earlier in Akamai's life, secure connections (designed to highlight hidden intermediaries) posed a problem and attempts to connect to a popular website over HTTPS might reveal the Akamai backend; however, a technical solution to this problem was implemented many years ago. More recently, however, enhanced security offerings such as Kona Site Defender (Web Application Firewall) have become a major selling point, and in 2013 were the leading driver of revenue growth for the company.[7]
The company was founded in 1998 by Daniel M. Lewin (then a graduate student at MIT) and MIT applied mathematics professor Tom Leighton, together with Jonathan Seelig, Preetish Nijhawan and Randall Kaplan.[1] Lewin was killed aboard American Airlines Flight 11, which crashed in the September 11 attacks of 2001. Leighton currently serves as Akamai's CEO.
Akamai is a Hawaiian word meaning "intelligent" or "witty."
Leighton has served as head of the Algorithms Group at MIT's Laboratory for Computer Science since its inception in 1996. Believing that a solution to Web congestion could be found in applied mathematics and algorithms, Leighton solicited the help of MIT graduate student Danny Lewin and others. Together they developed the mathematical algorithms necessary to handle the dynamic routing of content.
In addition to Leighton and Lewin, Jonathan Seelig and Randall Kaplan were also founders of Akamai.[1]
In late 1998 and early 1999, a group of Internet business professionals joined the founding team. Most notably, Paul Sagan, a former president of Time Inc. New Media who founded the Road Runner cable modem service and who also helped launch NY1 News, became chief operating officer and eventually president of Akamai Technologies. George Conrades, former chairman and chief executive officer of BBN Corp. and senior vice president of U.S. operations for IBM, joined as chief executive officer a few months later. The company launched commercial service in April 1999.
Effective July 1, 2001, Akamai began its journey on the Russell 3000 Index and Russell 2000, of which the membership lasted for one year.[8]
Between 2003 and 2009, Akamai's "revenue grew at a compounded annual growth rate of more than 32%, with a 26% operating margin in 2009. Akamai also broadened its worldwide customer base, with 28% of 2009 revenue coming from outside the United States, up from 23% two years earlier". Part of this growth came from Akamai's core content delivery service.[9]
In December 2013, Akamai acquired cyber security provider, Prolexic Technologies, for approximately $370 million.[10] The deal helps protect Akamai's enterprise clients from distributed denial of service (DDoS) attacks, where attackers attempt to flood a company's servers with traffic.[11]
Content delivery to a user[edit]
Akamai provides a service to companies that have content on the Internet (Akamai's customers), to deliver this content to users browsing the Web and downloading content.[6] Akamai does this by transparently mirroring content—sometimes all site content including HTML, CSS, and software downloads, and sometimes just media objects such as audio, graphics, animation, and video—from customer servers. Though the domain name (but not subdomain) remains the same, the IP address points to an Akamai server or to another user's machine[citation needed] that Akamai is using as a server rather than the customer's server. The Akamai server is automatically picked depending on the type of content and the user's network location.
Thus users can receive content from whichever Akamai server or user is close to them or has a good connection, leading to faster download-times and less vulnerability to network congestion or to outages. Furthermore, for streaming media, Akamai claims to provide better scalability by delivering the content over the last-mile from servers close to end-users, avoiding the middle-mile bottleneck of the Internet.[12]
In addition to content caching, Akamai provides services which accelerate dynamic and personalized content, J2EE-compliant applications, and streaming media to the extent that such services frame a localized perspective.
Privacy policy[edit]
The Akamai Privacy Policy[13] states that Akamai is involved in the "collection, use or disclosure of personally identifiable information", including IP addresses. The policy also states "data may be stored by Akamai for an extended period". As such, accessing a website hosted on Akamai servers results in tracking.
Primary domains[edit]
Akamai Technologies owns about 60 other domains, but the primary domains it uses include:
- akamai.com – Akamai's corporate domain
Content-delivery networks and domains[edit]
- akamai.net
- akamaiedge.net
- akamaihd.net, a content-delivery network used by companies like Twitter and Facebook to speed up their services
- edgesuite.net
- edgekey.net
- srip.net[14][15]
- akamaitechnologies.com, a content-delivery network used by companies like Adobe
- akamaitechnologies.fr
DNS servers[edit]
- akamaitech.net
- akadns.net
- akam.net
- akamaistream.net
Peer-to-peer networking[edit]
In addition to using Akamai's own servers, Akamai delivers content from other end-users' computers, in a form of peer-to-peer networking.[16][17] When users request a download of some large files served by this system, it prompts them to download and install "Akamai NetSession Interface, a download manager used to reduce download time and to increase quality."[18] However, this software operates not merely as a download manager (delivering content from the Internet to the user's computer) but also as a peer-to-peer server, delivering content cached on the user's computer to other users' computers. The user agreement describes this vaguely as:
- "You agree that the Software may send and receive commands and data related to participating publishers' digital information ("Published Content") to and from the Akamai network and other Akamai NetSession Interfaces to facilitate the downloading of Published Content."
The Akamai web site describes this system as follows:
- "All clients are always on – available to send data when your system is idle. This means there is massive redundancy of peer caches on the network and with such redundancy in resources, the network can be selective about which idle resources to pull from."[17]
The Akamai Network: Edge Platform[edit]
|This section appears to be written like an advertisement. (September 2014)
The Akamai Network is a distributed cloud computing platform that operates worldwide.[6] It is a network of over 137,000 servers equipped with proprietary software and deployed in more than 80 countries that relies on applied mathematics, computer networks and complex algorithms to help solve congestion, availability, performance and security problems on the Internet. These servers reside in more than 2000 of the world's networks monitoring the Internet in real time—gathering information about traffic, congestion, and trouble spots. Akamai uses this intelligence to optimize routes and replicate data dynamically to deliver content and applications.[19]
Akamai's approach is to:[6]
- Eliminate long routes by replicating and delivering content and applications from servers close to end users around the world instead of from centralized servers. Akamai calls this delivering from "the edges of the Internet".
- Optimize routes by mapping paths across the Internet to avoid trouble spots, compressing content, and replicating packets.
- Perform computing closer to the user to avoid long Internet latencies (called EdgeComputing).
Akamai's approach requires a comprehensive view of Internet conditions and the tools to control the movement of any type of content or application.[20]
On July 21, 1999, at Macworld Expo New York, Apple and Akamai announced a strategic partnership to build Apple's new media network, QuickTime TV (QTV), based on QuickTime Streaming Server.[21] Both companies later announced that Apple had made a $12.5 million investment in the company the previous month.[22] Apple continues to use Akamai as their primary content delivery network[23] for a wide range of applications including software downloads from Apple's Website, QuickTime movie trailers, and the iTunes Store.[24]
In September 1999, Microsoft and Akamai formed a strategic relationship to incorporate Windows Media technology in Akamai's FreeFlow service, as well as to facilitate the porting of the FreeFlow product to the Windows platform; this relationship exists to this day.[25]
Arabic news network Al-Jazeera was a customer from March 28, 2003, until April 2, 2003, when Akamai decided to end the relationship.[26] The network's English-language managing editor claimed this was due to political pressure.[27]
In June 2008, The NewsMarket teamed with Akamai to accelerate dynamic content and applications to global media ahead of the Beijing Olympics.[28]
The BBC iPlayer uses Akamai to stream its recorded and live programs, focused through an XML playlist.
The official U.S. government White House website (WhiteHouse.gov) uses Akamai Technologies for hosting video clips of President Barack Obama's Web addresses on their own in-house servers, after having posted previous addresses as embedded YouTube clips on the site.[29]
The entire China Central Television website (CCTV.com), including its streaming video, has been hosted on Akamai's edge servers since late 2009.[30][31] Hulu uses Akamai for hosting video.[32] MIT OpenCourseWare utilizes Akamai's EdgeSuite for its content delivery network.[33]
Trend Micro uses Akamai for their Housecall antivirus application.
Akamai also provided streaming services to ESPN Star (India) during the course of the ICC Cricket World Cup 2011.[34] Other customers include Facebook, Twitter, AMD, Wedubox, Hilton Worldwide, Adobe Systems, Netflix, Cineville, Miles Kimball, J. C. Penney, Yahoo!,[23] Blizzard Entertainment, Electronic Arts, QNet Virtual Office, and GitHub.
Rackspace's Cloud Files use Akamai's Content Delivery Network (CDN) for storing its customer's files.
In March 2005, Akamai signed an agreement to acquire Speedera Networks for 12 million shares of Akamai common stock, valued at $130 million at that time.[35] Both companies also agreed to halt pending lawsuits involving trade secrets and patent infringement.[36] The acquisition was completed in June 2005.[37]
In November 2006, Akamai acquired Nine Systems Corporation for roughly $164 million[38] using "approximately 2.7 million shares of their common stock, approximately $4.5 million in cash and the assumption of options to purchase approximately 400,000 shares of their common stock".[39]
On April 12, 2007, Akamai acquired Red Swoosh in exchange for 350,000 shares of Akamai common stock.[40] The acquisition of Red Swoosh was valued at approximately $15 million, net of cash acquired.
In March 2007, Akamai acquired Netli in exchange for 3.2 million shares of Akamai stock.[41] The acquisition of Netli was valued at approximately $178 million.
In late 2008, Akamai acquired Acerno, a performance-based ad network, and launched a new division, Advertising Decision Solutions.[42]
In June 2010, Akamai acquired mobile services platform company Velocitude to support its mobile devices efforts.[43]
In 2011, Akamai announced it was acquiring Israeli cloud communications competitor Cotendo for $268 million.[44]
In February 2012, Akamai announced it acquired Blaze Software, which has technology to optimize Web page rendering.[45]
In September 2012, Akamai acquired FastSoft, a Pasadena based company that developed enhanced TCP technology that could complement Akamai's already existing algorithms.[46]
In December 2012, Akamai acquired Verivue, a technology provider for building Operator CDN.
In November 2013, Akamai acquired Velocius Networks, a provider of quality of service (QoS) technology for optimizing application traffic across enterprise networks.
In February 2014, Akamai completed the Acquisition of Prolexic Technologies, a U.S.-based provider of cloud-based security solutions for protecting web sites, data centers and enterprise IP applications from Distributed Denial of Service attacks at the network, transport, and application layers.
See also[edit]
- ^ a b c January 14, 1999 - MIT Scientists Develop New Method to Distribute Content over World Wide Web. Akamai.com (January 14, 1999). Retrieved on August 14, 2013. Archived November 12, 2013 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ December 17, 2012 - Akamai Announces CEO Succession. Akamai.com. Retrieved on August 14, 2013. Archived February 22, 2014 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ a b c d e f g h "AKAMAI TECHNOLOGIES INC 2013 Annual Report Form (10-K)" (XBRL). United States Securities and Exchange Commission. March 3, 2014.
- ^ a b "AKAMAI TECHNOLOGIES INC 2014 Q1 Quarterly Report Form (10-Q)" (XBRL). United States Securities and Exchange Commission. May 12, 2014.
- ^ "2011 Form 10-K, Akamai Technologies, Inc.". U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. Archived from the original on May 7, 2013. Retrieved July 23, 2012.
- ^ a b c d Erik Nygren, Ramesh K. Sitaraman, and Jennifer Sun. "The Akamai Network: A Platform for High-Performance Internet Applications, ACM SIGOPS Operating Systems Review, Vol. 44, No.3, July 2010.". Archived from the original on January 22, 2014.
- ^ Tim Beyers (October 21, 2013). "What to Watch For in Akamai's Q3 Earnings Report". Motley Fool. Archived from the original on October 27, 2013. Retrieved November 15, 2013.
- ^ "Akamai Technologies, Inc. Added to the Russell 3000 Index and Russell 2000 Index". July 17, 2001. Archived from the original on February 4, 2014. Retrieved July 19, 2013.
- ^ Benjamin Edelman, Thomas Eisenmann, Eric Van Den Steen (June 8, 2010). "Akamai Technologies". Archived from the original on February 2, 2014. Retrieved April 20, 2011.
- ^ Sruthi Ramakrishnan (December 2, 2013). "Akamai to acquire cyber security provider Prolexic for $370 million". Reuters. Archived from the original on May 1, 2014.
- ^ Hardawar, Devindra (December 2, 2013). "Akamai eyes enterprise security by snapping up DDoS protection company Prolexic for $370M". VentureBeat. Archived from the original on May 24, 2014. Retrieved December 2, 2013.
- ^ "Inside Akamai and the scary future of streaming video, GigaOm.". August 19, 2011. Archived from the original on December 11, 2012. Retrieved March 12, 2012.
- ^ "Akamai Privacy Policy.". October 15, 2012. Archived from the original on April 9, 2014. Retrieved October 3, 2013.
- ^ Young, Jeff; Wolfe, Steven J. (October 18, 2000). "Akamai Unveils EdgeSuite, the Next Generation of Intelligent Content Services". Press release. Akamai Technologies. Archived from the original on January 22, 2014. Retrieved March 31, 2012.
- ^ Gill, Kathy E. (October 18, 2010), What Is edgesuite.net?, WordPress, archived from the original on October 29, 2013, retrieved March 31, 2012
- ^ Ben Homer (January 26, 2010). "Akamai Using P2P for Enhanced Video Delivery". Online Video Watch. Archived from the original on May 15, 2013. Retrieved September 2, 2011.
- ^ a b "Akamai NetSession Interface – Design Principles". Akamai Technologies. Archived from the original on October 29, 2013. Retrieved September 2, 2011.
- ^ "Basic No-Frills 10 MB Test Download". Akamai Technologies. Archived from the original on October 29, 2013. Retrieved September 2, 2011.
- ^ "Facts & Figures - Akamai". Archived from the original on January 14, 2007. Retrieved February 21, 2014.
- ^ Akamai EdgePlatform Archived March 10, 2012 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ July 21, 1999 – Apple and Akamai Create High Quality Network for Internet Streaming. Akamai.com. Retrieved on July 8, 2011. Archived March 31, 2014 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ August 18, 1999 – Apple and Akamai Reveal Apple Investment to Cement Strategic Agreement. Akamai.com. Retrieved on July 8, 2011. Archived October 21, 2013 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ a b Customer List. Akamai.com (September 30, 2003). Retrieved on July 8, 2011. Archived February 9, 2014 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ April 29, 2003 – Akamai and Apple Extend Commitment to Deliver Industry Leading Internet Streaming Content and Software Downloads. Akamai.com. Retrieved on July 8, 2011. Archived January 22, 2014 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ Microsoft and Akamai Form Strategic Relationship to Enhance Internet Content Delivery. Akamai.com. September 27, 1999. Retrieved on July 8, 2011. Archived February 19, 2014 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ "Akamai ends Al Jazeera server support". news.cnet.com. Retrieved April 2, 2009.
- ^ "Al Jazeera Denied Akamai Services". Tech.mit.edu. April 8, 2003. Archived from the original on November 7, 2013. Retrieved April 2, 2009.
- ^ "The NewsMarket partnered with Akamai to Accelerate Dynamic Content and Applications to Global Media Ahead of Beijing Olympics". Akamai Technologies. June 9, 2008. Archived from the original on February 19, 2014.
- ^ Kee, Tameka. (March 2, 2009) Corrected: Obama Drops YouTube For Akamai On Whitehouse.gov; White House Denies. paidContent. Retrieved on July 8, 2011.
- ^ www.cctv.com. Robtex.com. Retrieved on July 8, 2011. Archived March 21, 2014 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ This page has moved
- ^ About. Hulu (March 12, 2008). Retrieved on July 8, 2011. Archived October 5, 2012 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ "Free Online Course Materials FAQ: Technology MIT OpenCourseWare:". Archived from the original on October 29, 2013. Retrieved June 14, 2010.
- ^ espnstar.com Breaks India Online Cricket Match Streaming Record. Teck.In (April 18, 2011). Retrieved on August 14, 2013. Archived February 20, 2014 at the Wayback Machine
- ^ "Akamai to Acquire Speedera Networks". Press Release. Akamai Technologies, Inc. March 16, 2005. Archived from the original on January 22, 2014.
- ^ "Akamai Snaps up Rival Speedera". CNET News. March 16, 2005.
- ^ "Akamai Completes Acquisition of Speedera Networks". Press Release. Akamai Technologies, Inc. June 13, 2005. Archived from the original on April 19, 2014.
- ^ "Akamai to the Nines". The Motley Fool. Archived from the original on February 4, 2014. Retrieved November 30, 2009.
- ^ "Form 10-K for Akamai Technologies, Inc.". Archived from the original on February 23, 2014. Retrieved November 30, 2009.
- ^ "Form 10-Q for Akamai Technologies Inc". Archived from the original on October 13, 2007. Retrieved September 18, 2007.
- ^ "Akamai closes Netli acquisition". Archived from the original on January 16, 2013. Retrieved November 28, 2011.
- ^ "Connect your products and services to a buying audience". Akamai Technologies, Inc. April 30, 2009. Archived from the original on February 22, 2012.
- ^ "Akamai Annual Report 2010". Akamai Technologies, Inc. Archived from the original on October 7, 2013.
- ^ Gomer, Gregory (December 22, 2011). "Akamai Confirms Acquisition of Israeli Competitor Cotendo for $268 Million". BostInno. Retrieved December 22, 2011.
- ^ "Akamai Technologies Acquires Blaze Software Inc.". CDN-Advisor.com. Archived from the original on February 1, 2014. Retrieved November 5, 2012.
- ^ "Akamai buys Fastsoft". Forbes.com. Archived from the original on February 2, 2014. Retrieved September 13, 2012.
- Erik Nygren, Ramesh K. Sitaraman, and Jennifer Sun. The Akamai Network: A Platform for High-Performance Internet Applications, ACM SIGOPS Operating Systems Review, Vol. 44, No.3, July 2010.
External links[edit]
- Official website
- Traffic Cops Of The Net (BusinessWeek article)
- Akamai: In the Broadband Internet Sweet Spot (article)
- The Motley Fool's analysis of Akamai
- The Akamai Story: From Theory to Practice
- Yahoo! Finance "Akamai Technologies, Inc." Company Profile
- Washington Post profile of the company
- Akamai & The CDN Price Wars
- Globally Distributed Content Delivery
- Companies in the NASDAQ-100 Index
- Internet companies of the United States
- Companies listed on NASDAQ
- Companies established in 1998
- Companies based in Cambridge, Massachusetts
- Content delivery network
- Cloud computing providers
- Peer-to-peer computing
- Private equity portfolio companies
- 1998 establishments in Massachusetts


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Snow, Carol
Teen Fiction SNOW
Snow, Carol
Teen Fiction SNOW
What other readers are saying about this title:
kb4444 said:
This is about a girl, Claire, who, during every lightning storm, switches bodies with someone else similar to her. Typically, she wakes up herself again but this time she doesn't. Claire can't figure out how to switch back or if she even wants to...I read it in one day it's very suspenseful
posted Apr 4, 2009 at 5:31PM
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|Submission Guidelines

subset: commoncrawl


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Staff Suggestion Box
The Staff Affairs Council would like your constructive suggestions. Please complete the form below and campus mail to: "Staff Suggestion Box"
The Staff Affairs Council meets once a month during the academic year. All suggestions received after the academic year (June, July and August) will be reviewed after the Council convenes the following academic year.
Purpose: The Staff Affairs Council is committed to improving the quality of working life for employees of the University and to building a sense of community among support staff, faculty, administrators, and students. The purpose of the staff council is to act as a vehicle for effective communication between staff and the administration and to enhance awareness and to promote involvement in matters of policy and action that affect staff.
Eligibility: All current staff members at Southwestern University are eligible to submit suggestions to the Staff Suggestion Box. Anonymous suggestions will not be considered.
Guidelines: Suggestions that fall into the following areas will be taken into consideration:
- improve working conditions with regards to safety
- improve communication between staff and the administration
- improve procedures, productivity or efficiency
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- implement one of the Core Values in a significant way
Please be very specific when explaining the nature of your suggestion. Suggestions should not be made for things which are considered normal departmental responsibilities. The Council is not a forum for personal grievances.


text:
Reader Comments (Page 1 of 1)
Oh wait, that works too. Huh, have we outwitted the witless? Sounds like the only way to not complete the objective of this battleground is to run around like a headless chicken, ignoring the ball and your own teamates and just killin...oh that's what they're going to do isn't it?


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Know this: There is nothing you can do in the gym that will develop your ability to produce power and muscular size better than the hang power clean (HPC). It's an explosive jump shrug, upright row and front squat all rolled up into one fully loaded movement.
According to research, the HPC produces more than four times as much power as the squat or deadlift and more than nine times that of the bench press. That's one hell of an exercise, right? And because the move is so jam-packed, it's extremely important to make certain that you have every phase perfected in order to avoid injury. The sooner it becomes second nature to you, the sooner you'll begin reaping the benefits in power, strength and resulting muscle growth.
How To Perform Correctly
1. Grasp the bar with an overhand (pronated) grip with your hands just outside hip-width, and stand with your feet shoulder-width apart, eyes focused forward. Wrap your thumbs around the bar for safety.
2. Keeping your abs tight and back and arms straight, bend your knees and push your hips back, as if you were preparing to perform a vertical jump. Your shoulders should be slightly ahead of the bar.
3. Once the bar reaches about mid-thigh, begin a jump shrug by quickly and explosively extending your legs and rising onto your toes, then shrug and pull the bar upward, keeping it very close to your body.
4. Pull the bar explosively to your upper chest, keeping your elbows as high as possible and out to your sides.
5. Immediately pull your body under the bar by quickly rotating your hands and elbows around it, "catching" the bar with your hands and shoulders. As your elbows rotate around the bar, allow your hips to shift back and down slightly, as if you were sitting in a chair, as you absorb the weight of the bar.
6. You're now in a front squat position, squeezing your legs and pressing through the floor. Note: Once you're under the bar, your elbows should point straight ahead, with the bar resting in your hands atop your front delts and upper chest.
7. Keeping your back arched and chest up, press through your heels to extend your legs and return to a standing position.
8. Once at the top, rotate your wrists and elbows around the bar and carefully lower the bar to the start position, keeping the bar very close to your body. Reset your feet and repeat for reps.


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Keith Urban makes his debut on the American Idol judges panel Wednesday night along with his fellow newbies Nicki Minaj and Mariah Carey and Idol veteran Randy Jackson . Stories about intense disagreements on the judges panel has dominated the news coming out of this season's audition round, and Keith admits it took the new panelists awhile to warm up to each other. In fact, Keith had never met Mariah or Nicki until a dinner with all the judges the night before their first round of auditions.
He says, "The next day we showed up on the set, and we sat behind the desk, and the next thing we know, they're like, 'OK, and off we go.' And we're doing it."
It came as quite a shock to Keith to just jump right into the judging process.
"I thought, 'Well, surely we'll have some fake contestants first, you know, coming through, and then they'll bring out the real artists,' Keith explains. "Nope! That was it. We're diving into it."
Each of the judges comes from a different point of view in the music world, and those diverse backgrounds made for very different opinions on which contestants should advance through the audition round. That situation is bound to cause some fireworks on camera.
Keith says, "I mean, you've got four very passionate artists all sort of thrown onto a dance floor and they're saying, 'OK, dance together in perfect synchronized movements.' We stepped on a few toes at the beginning while we're getting our groove on."
He adds, "We're a passionate lot. No question."
American Idol 's 12th season debuts with a two-night premiere Wednesday and Thursday at 8 p.m. Eastern time each night on Fox.
Copyright 2013 ABC News Radio


text:
Paul Robinson on Meadowlark Lemon, 8C, Gateway Canyon, Red Rocks, Nevada, USA
Björn Pohl - UKC, Jan 2012
© 27Crags
Paul Robinson, now back to full strength after his mysterious sickness, which turned out to be a sinus infection that he never got antibiotics for and the flu.
The new problem adds an ~8B sit start to Meadowlark lemon stand, 8B, and is according to Robinson comparable in difficulty to his own Lucid dreaming. This would make it hard 8C bordering on 8C+.
Talking to 27Crags, Paul says:
"I considered it one of the best lines I have ever climbed on in the entire world. The boulder is super physical, yet really technical. The crux revolves around some really crazy heel hooks on the left arete."
Paul Robinson has several sponsors including La Sportiva, prAna and Black Diamond
Source: 27 crags


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Calton Hill
|Calton Hill
|Caltoun, Caldoun
A view of Calton Hill with some of its many monuments taken from the Salisbury Crags
|103 m (338 ft)
|46 m (151 ft)
|55°57′19″N 03°10′56″W / 55.95528°N 3.18222°WCoordinates: 55°57′19″N 03°10′56″W / 55.95528°N 3.18222°W
Calton Hill (archaically spelt Caltoun or Caldoun[1] and also known as "the Calton Hill"), is a hill in central Edinburgh, Scotland, just to the east of Princes Street and is included in the city's UNESCO World Heritage Site. Views of, and from, the hill are often used in photographs and paintings of the city.
Calton Hill is the headquarters of the Scottish Government, which is based at St Andrew's House,[2] on the steep southern slope of the hill; with the Scottish Parliament Building, and other notable buildings, for example Holyrood Palace,[3] lying near the foot of the hill. The hill also includes several iconic monuments and buildings: the National Monument,[3] the Nelson Monument,[3][4] the Dugald Stewart Monument,[3][4] the old Royal High School,[3][4] the Robert Burns Monument,[3] the Political Martyrs' Monument and the City Observatory.[4][5]
In 1456, James II granted land to Edinburgh by charter wherein Calton Hill is referred to as "Cragingalt" from the Gaelic for "rock or hill of the hazel". This points to "calltuinn", the Gaelic for "hazel grove or copse" as being the derivation of Calton.[6][7][8]The hill is referred to as Cragge Ingalt on the Petworth map of the Siege of Leith in 1560. Other, conjectured, derivations are "choille-dun" (forested hill) or "cauldh-dun" (black hill), both also from Gaelic. Mention is made of Caldtoun in the records of South Leith Parish Church in 1591[9] and this or similar spellings remained general until about 1800 with, for example, the Armstrongs' map of 1773 still using Caldtoun and Ainslie's maps changing from Caltoun in 1780 to Calton in 1804.
The anglicised derivation of Calton is "cold town".[10]
By his charter of 1456, James II granted the community of Edinburgh the valley and the low ground between Calton Hill and Greenside for performing tournaments, sports and other warlike deeds.[2] This was part of his policy of military preparedness that saw the Act of 1457 banning golf and football and ordering archery practise every Sunday. This natural amphitheatre was also used for open-air theatre and saw performances of the early Scots play "Ane Pleasant Satyre of the Thrie Estaitis" by Sir David Lyndsay. In May 1518 the Carmelite Friars (also known as White Friars and locally based at South Queensferry), were granted lands by charter from the city at Greenside and built a small monastery there. Monasteries were suppressed following the Scottish Reformation of 1560, and this stood empty before conversion in 1591 into a hospital for lepers, founded by John Robertson, a city merchant.[4] So severe were the regulations that escape, or even the opening of the gate of the hospital between sunset and sunrise, would incur the penalty of death carried out on the gallows erected at the gate. The monastery would appear to have been located at the north-east end of Greenside Row and its site is shown there on the 1931 Ordnance Survey maps.[11] Ten skeletons found in July 2009 during roadworks to create a new tramway in Leith Walk (since abandoned) are believed to have been connected with the hospital.[12]
The Calton area was owned by the Logan family of Restalrig but their lands were forfeited in 1609 following the posthumous sentence of treason on Robert Logan. The lands of Restalrig and Calton, otherwise known as Easter and Wester Restalrig, passed to the Elphinstone family. Sir James Elphinstone was made Lord Balmerino in 1604 and in 1673 the lands of Restalrig and Calton were erected into a single barony. In 1725, Calton was disjoined and sold to the royal burgh of Edinburgh. Calton remained a burgh of barony (although it was not administered as such) until it was formally incorporated into Edinburgh by the Municipality Extension Act of 1856.
In 1631, the then Lord Balmerino granted a charter to The Society of the Incorporated Trades of Calton forming a society or corporation. This also gave the Society the exclusive right to trade within Calton and the right to tax others who wished to do so. Normally the trades of burghs were separately incorporated, for example in the Canongate there were eight incorporations, but the Incorporated Trades of Calton allowed any tradesman to become a member providing they were healthy and their work was of an acceptable standard. This lack of restrictive practices allowed a thriving trade to develop.
The village of Calton was situated at the bottom of the ravine at the western end of Calton Hill, hence its early name of Craigend. It was on the road from Leith Wynd in Edinburgh and North Back of Canongate to Leith Walk and also to Broughton and thence the Western Road to Leith. In the village, the street was variously known as St. Ninian's Row or Low Calton. Many of the old buildings here were demolished at the time of the Waterloo Place and Regent Bridge development, which bridged the ravine, from 1816. The remaining old village houses of the Low Calton were removed in the 1970s.
Calton was in South Leith Parish and Calton people went to church in Leith. The churchyard there was inconveniently situated for burials from Calton and, in 1718, the Society bought a half acre of land at a cost of £1013 from Lord Balmerino for use as a burial ground. This became known as Old Calton Burial Ground. Permission was granted for an access road, originally known as High Calton and now the street called Calton Hill, up the steep hill from the village to the burial ground. The group of 1760s houses near the top of this street are all that remain of the old village.
Buildings and structures[edit]
The Old Calton Burial Ground was the first substantial development on Calton Hill and lies on the south-western side of the hill.[4][5]. The philosopher David Hume is buried there.[2][4] His tomb is engraved only with the year of his birth (1711) and death (1776), on the "simple Roman tomb" (a relatively large monument) which he prescribed. The Political Martyrs' Monument is also in the burial ground.[5] This is in memory of five campaigners for political reform and universal suffrage who were convicted of sedition and sent in 1793 to Botany Bay, Australia.[2][4]
On the West side of Calton Hill is the street named Calton Hill. Agnes Maclehose, better known as Robert Burns' Clarinda, lived at number 14[13] and died there in 1841. Burns, Scotland's national poet, sent Clarinda many verses over several years in unsuccessful (it is believed) attempts to seduce this beautiful married lady.[5]
Calton Hill was the location of the notorious Calton Jail,[3][4] a complex comprising a Debtors' Prison, the Bridewell (1791-96) by Robert Adam (later replaced) and a Felons' Prison of 1815-17 by Archibald Elliot. The prisons were replaced by Saughton Prison and demolished in 1930 providing a site for St. Andrew's House, home to Scotland's senior civil servants. The sole surviving building is the castellated and turreted Governors House by Elliot. The lower curtain walls of the prison are still visible on the south side of St. Andrew's House, above Calton Road.
The eastern end of the ornate Regent Bridge is built into the side of the hill, crossing a deep gorge (at the bottom of which the opening scene from Trainspotting was shot) to connect the hill with Princes Street, now Edinburgh's main shopping street. The engineer in charge of building Regent Bridge in 1815 was Robert Stevenson, grandfather of the author Robert Louis Stevenson.[5]
The renowned Scottish architect William Henry Playfair was responsible for the elegant thoroughfare that encircles the hill on three sides. Comprising Royal Terrace, Carlton Terrace and Regent Terrace,[2] the largest of the townhouses can be found on Royal Terrace. Playfair's plan is dated 1819 and the first house was built at what is now 40 Royal Terrace.[5] The gardens that cover over one half of the summit of the hill are privately administered by the local Residents Association.[5]
Most of the properties on the terraces are occupied as houses but on Royal Terrace there is a number of hotels by far the largest being the Royal Terrace Hotel[14] while on Regent Terrace is located the United States Consulate.[5] Royal Terrace with its fine views over the Firth of Forth was known affectionately in the 19th-century as Whisky Row. This is said to be a reference to the amount of Spirit merchants, who bought the new properties, and for their supposed abilities to see their ships return from trading trips.[2] Another explanation is that it was so named because of the large number of wine merchants who used to live there.[5] Louis-Antoine, Duke of Angoulême (the elder son of Charles X of France, last of the Bourbon kings) and his wife Marie-Thérèse-Charlotte, (the daughter of Louis XVI of France and Marie Antoinette), moved into what is now 22 (then 21) Regent Terrace in 1830.[5] Marie-Caroline de Bourbon-Sicile, duchess de Berry, sister in law of the Duc d'Angoulême, also lived at what is now 12 (then 11) Regent Terrace at that time.[15] Her young son, Henri, the Comte de Chambord, is said to have wept bitterly when his family left for Austria in 1932 as he had become very attached to Scotland.[5] The painter Francis Cadell one of the Scottish Colourists lived in 30 Regent Terrace from 1930-1935.[5][16] The Western end of Regent Terrace was closed in 2001 to traffic because of security concerns about the United States Consulate.[17] The City of Edinburgh Council proposed closing the Royal Terrace/Blenheim Place entrance to the Calton Hill Terraces in 2010 because of the Edinburgh Trams Project.[18][19]
Playfair was responsible for many of the monumental structures on the summit of the hill most notably the Scottish National Monument.[5] This monument was intended to be another Parthenon and to commemorate Scottish Soldiers killed in the Napoleonic wars. Construction started in 1826 but work was stopped in 1829 when the building was only partially built due to lack of money. It has never been completed.[2][4] For many years this failure to complete led to its being nicknamed "Scotland's Disgrace" but this name has waned given the time elapsed since the Napoleonic Wars and it is now accepted for what it is.
"Rock House", which overlooks Waterloo Place at the south-western entrance to the hill, was the home of Robert Adamson who in partnership with David Octavius Hill pioneered the calotype process of photography in Scotland in the 1840s. Many of their subjects were photographed in the house and its garden.
One of the oddest memorials is placed at the foot of the southern access steps: this is a memorial to three 19th century Scottish singers, John Wilson (1800-1849), John Templeton (1802-1886), and David Kennedy (1825-1886). The monument was sculpted by William Grant Stevenson.
Political symbol[edit]
For a number of years, while the Royal High School was earmarked for the site of the future Scottish Assembly, and subsequently as a potential site for the Scottish Parliament, Calton Hill was the location of a permanent vigil for Scottish devolution. However, Donald Dewar, then Secretary of State for Scotland, considered the site a "nationalist shibboleth", and the nearby St Andrew's House buildings (which at that time were the base of the Secretary of State for Scotland and the former Scottish Office) to look "Nazi" like "Dresden" (sic). It was also the venue in October 2004 for the Declaration of Calton Hill which outlined the demands for a future Scottish republic.
Calton Hill is the venue for a number of events throughout the year. The largest of these is the Beltane Fire Festival held on 30 April each year, attended by over 12,000 people.[20] The Dussehra Hindu Festival also takes place on Calton Hill near the beginning of October each year.[21]
See also[edit]
|Wikimedia Commons has media related to Calton Hill.
- ^ Grant, James. Old and new Edinburgh: its history, its people, and its places III.
- ^ a b c d e f g Youngson, A.J. (2001): "The Companion Guide to Edinburgh and the borders", Chapter 9 (Calton Hill), Polygon Books, Edinburgh, UK, ISBN 0-7486-6307-X
- ^ a b c d e f g The Calton Hill, Robert Louis Stevenson(1879), "Edinburgh: Picturesque Notes", Chapter 8, ASIN: B00158QM62. Accessed on 2009-08-06.
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j Calton Hill Grant, James "Old and New Edinburgh" Volume 3, Chapter XVI, printed as a periodical in the 1880s, Accessed 2009-08-12
- ^ a b c d e f g h i j k l m Mitchell , Anne (1993), "The People of Calton Hill", Mercat Press, James Thin, Edinburgh, ISBN 1-873644-18-3.
- ^ Dixon, Norman. "The Placenames of Midlothian" (PDF). Retrieved 2012-06-30.
- ^ Mackenzie, Donald. The Migration of Symbols and Their Relations to Beliefs and Customs. p. 172. Retrieved 2012-06-30.
- ^ "University of the Highlands - SMO". Retrieved 2012-07-28.
- ^ "South Leith Records 1". Retrieved 2012-07-26.
- ^ Spencer, Nathaniel. The Complete English Traveller. p. 613. Retrieved 2012-08-11.
- ^ "Edinburgh, Greenside Row, Carmelite friary". Retrieved 2012-06-27.
- ^ Skeletons removed from Edinburgh street
- ^ The Edinburgh Literary Journal: or, Weekly register of criticism ..., Volume 3 Contains a letter from Agnes Maclehose dated 1829-10-18 and her address of 14 Calton Hill. Accessed 2009-09-08
- ^ The Royal Terrace Hotel Accessed 2009-08-06
- ^ Mackenzie-Stuart, A.J., (1995), "A French King at Holyrood" John Donald Publishers Ltd., Edinburgh, ISBN 0-85976-413-3
- ^ Painting "30 Regent Terrace" by Frances Cadell (1934) Accessed 2009-08-06
- ^ Edinburgh City Council Traffic Regulation Order to make temporary closure since 2001 permanent Accessed 2009-08-09
- ^ Residents affected by planned banning of right hand turn from London Road to Blenheim Place/Royal Terrace Accessed 2010-04-30
- ^ Edinburgh Trams Traffic Regulation Order plans showing road alterations Accessed 2010-04-30
- ^ Beltane festival
- ^ McEwan, Allen, Festival is flaming marvellous, The Edinburgh Evening News, 2008-10-06, Accessed 2009-09-02
External links[edit]
- Bartholomew's Chronological map of Edinburgh (1919)
- National Gallery collection of Hill & Adamson portraits


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Global network to support countries tackle rising tapeworm infection
20 August 2014 | Geneva
Neurocysticercosis is a leading cause of acquired epilepsy and an emerging public-health problem in the world.
Besides control and preventive interventions, a recent meeting of experts recommends the setting up of a global network to promote practical measures such as increased awareness and wider access to human and pig treatment to tackle the problem in endemic countries.
World Health Assembly adopts resolution on all 17 neglected tropical diseases
27 May 2013 | Geneva
Member States call for more focus on the growing threat and spread of dengue
The World Health Assembly today adopted resolution WHA66.12 on all 17 neglected tropical diseases.
Many countries called on WHO to focus more on the growing threat and expansion of dengue and support the scale-up of vector control activities.
Representatives from 32 countries and six speakers from nongovernmental organizations took part in the deliberations.
New phase in fight against NTDs heralds universal access to health interventions for world's poorest
Sustained commitment key to reaching eradication and elimination targets by 2020
16 January 2013 | Geneva
The World Health Organization's second report on neglected tropical diseases published today highlights unprecedented progress during the past two years.
Renewed momentum has shifted the world closer to eliminating many of these conditions that take their greatest toll among the poor, thanks to a new global strategy, a regular supply of quality-assured, cost-effective medicines and support from global partners. | More
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6th International Coordinating Group - WHO/Gates Foundation Funded Project for Human and Dog Rabies Elimination
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WASHINGTON - FEBRUARY 11: Executives from the financial institutions who received TARP funds, (L-R) JPMorgan Chase & Co CEO and Chairman Jamie Dimon, The Bank of New York Mellon CEO Robert P. Kelly, Bank of America CEO Ken Lewis, State Street Corporation CEO and Chairman Ronald Logue and Morgan Stanley Chairman and CEO John Mack testify before the House Financial Services Committee February 11, 2009 in Washington, DC. The hearing focused on how financial institutions have spent funds received from the Troubled Asset Relief Program (TARP). (Photo by Chip Somodevilla/Getty Images)
Here's one of the best ideas I've heard lately about making the downsizing in our schools more rational. Instead of laying off teachers to cut school budgets -- a process that targets younger teachers, because of union seniority rules -- it would be both smarter and more humane to offer buyouts to older teachers who are burned out or near retirement.
Matt Miller of the Center for American Progress -- he's also known as the host of the public radio program "Left, Right & Center" -- lays out the case for such an approach in this terrific piece in the Washington Post. His argument:
"The federal government should turn calamity into opportunity by putting a... pot of money on the table that districts can tap to offer buyouts to senior teachers. This is what a business would do to refresh its workforce and begin to pay down outsized pension obligations. A 20-year veteran can cost twice as much in salary as a newer teacher -- and three or four times as much once retirement benefits and pensions are factored in. If a district can offer, say, a year's pay as an incentive for an ineffective senior teacher to retire early, it can bring in (or save) several younger ones and come out ahead fast.
"Democrats should love the idea because it ensures that children in poor classrooms end up with better teachers. Republicans should love buyouts because they mean a farewell to senior teachers who are often staunch union loyalists and reactionaries, making room for younger talent interested in professionalizing teaching, rethinking archaic protections such as tenure, and bringing a culture of achievement to the classroom."
Where would the money come from? Miller suggests that leftover money from the famous (or infamous, depending on your politics) TARP, or Troubled Assets Relief Program could be used for teacher buyouts. Just as banks used the money to take troubled assets off their books, school districts could use TARP to get depreciating teacher assets off their balance sheets.


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When it comes to electronic trading, for most individual investors, taking a long-term buy-and-hold approach is probably the best strategy. Most of us simply don't have the time or the expertise to trade for a living. But for some investors, trading can be an extremely lucrative profession.
There have always been professionals who made their living off of trading. It wasn't until recently, however, that technology enabled individuals who weren't working for a brokerage to directly access the markets. This tutorial will delve into the workings of the electronic systems that allow this direct access. We'll also talk about the differences between the New York Stock Exchange (NYSE) and the Nasdaq and learn how market trades are executed, both by market makers and by specialists.
(If you aren't familiar with stocks and trading on the stock market, read Stock Basics Tutorial.)
Next: Electronic Trading: The Nasdaq Vs. The NYSE »
Table of Contents
- Electronic Trading: Introduction
- Electronic Trading: The Nasdaq Vs. The NYSE
- Electronic Trading: The Role of a Specialist
- Electronic Trading: The Role of a Market Maker
- Electronic Trading: SuperDOT
- Electronic Trading: Electronic Communications Networks (ECNs)
- Electronic Trading: Small Order Execution System (SOES)
- Electronic Trading: Level I, II and III Access
- Electronic Trading: Conclusion
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A contemporary look in a blend made for active pursuits. This sporty cotton/modal shirt absorbs more moisture than basic cotton and irritates skin less.
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Mark Drapeau, accompanied by a couple of friends, displays his Movember mustache in a picture he posted to Facebook.
Many men have grown mustaches for "Movember," an annual charity event that benefits organizations dedicated to men's health issues, testicular and prostate cancer in particular.
Some men who want to take part but can't or prefer not to grow a mustache come up with creative solutions. Microsoft's director of innovative solutions, Mark Drapeau posted his effort on Facebook, commenting, "I may not be growing a Movember mustache in real life, but at least I can pretend to have one on Facebook."
(Drapeau tells us this picture is actually from a gala in 2011.)
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Indelible Legacy
The presidency of Ann Weaver Hart created a brighter future, for both Temple and North Philadelphia.
When Ann Weaver Hart,Temple University´s ninth president, stepped down June 30, 2012, after six years in Sullivan Hall, she left behind a gift greater than any building, endowed chair or scholarship. She left Temple with momentum.
Not the kind of momentum you get from a push on a swingset—we are talking Broad–Street–Line–express–train–hurtling–along–the–tracks momentum. The kind that builds. The kind that lasts.
The years since Hart took office in summer 2006 have been marked by campus construction; the steady ascent of Temple´s academic reputation; fundraising milestones; a faculty–hiring surge; the implementation of a new GenEd program; new global initiatives; the expansion of its research enterprise; new leadership and new affiliations at Temple University Health System; community engagement; massive private investment in the area surrounding Main Campus; the hiring of nationally respected athletics coaches; and, only months ago, an exciting deal that will move all of Temple´s intercollegiate athletic programs to the Big East Conference.
"The most remarkable and encouraging local higher–education story of the [p]ast 15 years has been the rebirth and reinvention of Temple," Patrick Kerkstra wrote in The Philadelphia Inquirer one week after Hart announced her intention to step down.
"Ann Weaver Hart has been responsible for tremendous accomplishments and progress at Temple during her time as president," says Temple Board of Trustees Chair Patrick J. O´Connor.
That progress began with careful planning and a collaborative spirit. Soon after she assumed the presidency, Hart asked the Office of the Provost to oversee a universitywide academic strategic–planning initiative. Beginning in 2007, hundreds of Temple faculty, staff and students came together over the course of 18 months to create the Academic Strategic Compass, a five–year plan for the institution´s academic future.
Using the Compass as a guide, the university focused on opportunities for student success, research excellence, global commitment, community engagement and the revitalization of Temple as a destination campus. The plan laid out clear goals in each area and provided annual measures in order to gauge success.
President Hart stands in front of the Great Wall of China during her trip to Asia in 2007. Photo credit: Ryan S. Brandenburg
20/20 Vision
The Academic Compass soon spawned an economic planning initiative and, in 2009, the Temple 20/20 framework for campus development—a guide for a state–of–the–art living and learning environment that is currently taking shape on Main Campus. A new 50,000–square–foot home for the Tyler School of Art´s Architecture Department opened in early 2012, completing a mini–arts quad in the northeast corner of Main Campus. A dramatic renovation of Pearson and McGonigle halls, a project that will revitalize the student–recreation experience and provide training spaces for Temple´s intercollegiate sports, also is nearing completion. Construction is under way at the site of a new 660,000–square–foot, 26–story residential and retail complex at North Broad Street and Cecil B. Moore Avenue that will bring more than 1,200 beds, additional dining facilities and a major open landscape area to Main Campus. Plans are being completed for a new 250,000–square–foot science, education and research facility that will include new space for the colleges of Science and Technology and Engineering, a new parking garage and more.
Temple´s growth—especially the increasing number of students who choose to live on or near campus—has sparked millions of dollars in private investment in the communities surrounding Temple, benefiting students and local residents alike. New retail stores, restaurants and service providers have opened by the dozen. During Hart´s tenure, the neighborhood adjacent to Main Campus got its first supermarket in more than a decade. Critically acclaimed eateries ranging from the high end to food trucks have opened on or near Main Campus. "Because of Temple," Kerkstra wrote, "it is no longer difficult to imagine Center City´s prosperity reaching well into North Philadelphia along the Broad Street corridor."
President Hart welcomes students back to campus in 2010. Photo credit: Joseph V. Labolito
President Hart follows the Recessional out of Liacouras Center after a Commencement ceremony. Photo credit: Ryan S. Brandenberg
More Than Mortar
That momentum has manifested itself in more than bricks and mortar. The academic qualifications of new students at Temple also have improved. The average SAT score of freshmen increased sharply from 1088 in 2006 to 1114 (97 points above the national average) in 2011. Enrollment in the Honors Program has risen, and Temple students now routinely win the nation´s most prestigious and competitive academic awards, including Truman, Udall and Marshall scholarships. In the past four years alone, 19 Owls have been Fulbright students—an unprecedented streak of success. All of that was accomplished while retaining the diversity of Temple´s student body. In fact, today´s student population includes a significantly higher percentage of students who self–identify as minorities—nearly a third—than it did 25 years ago.
Since 2006, many new, world–class interdisciplinary research centers and programs have made their debuts, including the Center for Obesity Research and Education; the Moulder Center for Drug Discovery Research; the Center for Preparedness, Research, Education and Practice; and the Public Health Law Research Program.
Under Hart, Temple has recruited more than 350 new tenured and tenure–track faculty members from the world´s leading institutions—an extraordinary achievement at a time when faculty hiring at many universities has been stagnant—including global leaders such as Magid Abou–Gharbia (drug discovery research); Jeffrey Draine, SSW ´90 (social work); Gary Foster, CLA ´95 (obesity research); Michael Klein (chemistry); Pepón Osorio (art and art education); Selwyn O. Rogers Jr. (surgery); and others. Hart concluded Access to Excellence, the university´s first comprehensive fundraising campaign, in 2009. It raised more than $380 million, exceeding both its original
goal ($300 million) and its extended goal ($350 million). During her tenure, several of Temple´s schools and colleges received the largest gifts in their histories. The Fox School of Business received $15 million from Dennis, EDU ´66, and Gisela Alter, to build Alter Hall, the school´s new home. And Madlyn and Leonard Abramson gave $10 million to the School of Dentistry. In gratitude, Temple renamed the Dental School the Kornberg School of Dentistry after Mrs. Abramson´s father, Maurice H. Kornberg, DEN ´21.
The Owl Effect
Temple´s community engagement programs—including hiring and housing initiatives, educational support, health services, arts and cultural activities, and volunteer efforts—have grown. These efforts have earned the university the Community Engagement Classification from the Carnegie Foundation for the Advancement of Teaching.
Global initiatives also have grown during Hart´s tenure. In 2010, for the first time in university history, more than 1,000 Temple students studied abroad during one academic year, capping a period of explosive growth in scholarship overseas. New international opportunities and exchange programs were launched in Europe and Asia, and articulation agreements with more than one dozen international universities were established. In addition, new related programs were created, such as the Ann and Randy Hart Passport Scholarship and the Diamond Ambassadors Program, which provides eligible students with $2,500 grants to help them fund studying at a Temple campus in Italy or Japan, or at any of Temple´s other program locations around the world.
In 2011, Hart brought leadership, stability and energy to Temple´s healthcare enterprise when she appointed Larry R. Kaiser senior executive vice president for health sciences, dean of the School of Medicine and chief executive officer of Temple University Health System. Kaiser quickly recruited high–profile physician–scholars and signed game–changing affiliation agreements, including one with the prestigious Fox Chase Cancer Center—a move that will enhance cancer research and patient care in the region for years to come.
Temple´s flagship athletics programs are experiencing a national renaissance. After a long drought, Temple football has had two consecutive winning seasons and played in its first bowl game in three decades in 2009 before winning the Gildan New Mexico Bowl in 2011. Temple men´s and women´s basketball have won conference titles and become fixtures in the NCAA tournament. All three programs are led by coaches hired under Hart (Steve Addazio, Fran Dunphy and Tonya Cardoza, respectively). The ultimate endorsement of the success of Temple Athletics came when the widely televised Big East Conference extended an invitation to Temple football for 2012 and the rest of the university´s athletics programs in 2013–2014, when all Owls teams will compete in the same conference for the first time in university history. Now, all Temple football and men´s basketball games will be nationally televised, positively affecting university revenue, athletic recruitment, admissions and more.
For alumni and long–tenured employees, it is easy to see what has changed at Temple since Hart arrived in 2006. But can current students sense a difference?
"Absolutely, yes," says former Temple Student Government President Colin Saltry, SBM ´12. "When students walk around campus, the sense of momentum is palpable.The academic reputation has grown. Temple research is on the rise. The place looks great.
"When we look back five or 10 years from now, we´re going to find a boatload of Temple grads who´ll say they were proud to be here at this time," he continues. "The future is going to be amazing."


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Pop's Rock
Enough with bats and rabies! Here is some light Friday reading. In honor of Father's Dayhere are two interviews with some whimsical, musical dads.
I remember the first time I heard "They Might Be Giants" in the 80′s. I was watching 120 Minutes on MTV (remember that show or am I really dating myself?) and there was their video for "Put Your Hand Inside the Puppet Head." I recall thinking – well, that's a wierd kid's song. For the next 20 + years they've been putting out playful music that appeals to kids and grownups. Here is an interview with one of the John's of TMBG from Parenting.com
The Barenaked Ladies, also known for their silly songs, have come out with a kids CD "Snacktime" too. Here is an interview with them.
Don't forget – there's still time to upload your favorite daddy pix – or video. The gallery is getting bigger! Check it out and thanks to those who've already shared! Father's Day gallery.


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BBB reports that new tactics are catching new victims
AUSTIN, Texas - It is a common scenario. Someone receives a mailer or email offering a free trip or other fantastic prize and all he or she has to do is sit through a half-day seminar. Once the victim is there, the company turns on the high-pressure tactics in an attempt to sell a timeshare.
Often, the offer is legitimate, if unwanted. Other times, the offer is a scam meant to bilk honest people of thousands of dollars. Such scams have prevailed for decades, and most savvy consumers are wise to them.
So, the con artists have changed their game, prompting new warnings from the Federal Bureau of Investigations, and enforcement efforts from the Federal Trade Commission.
Better Business Bureau received more than 2,600 complaints nationally about timeshare resell companies last year, and almost 200 more in January 2012. Some complain about available dates or other management issues, but many allege that companies collected money for fees or other charges and then disappeared.
Corpus Christi resident Thurman Huddleston complained to BBB after wiring more than $10,000 to a Dallas company promising to sell him a timeshare in Mexico.
"The people were good," he said. "I really beat myself up, because I should have known better. It just sounded like a viable thing."
Huddleston said when he first got the call, he researched the company online and did not find any red flags. When the company asked him for a payment to cover the closing costs, he did not hesitate. He wired the money, leaving no trace for law enforcement to follow later.
Then they came back and asked for more money to cover the annual property taxes.
"So that sounded a little fishy, but I figured they probably won't (let me buy a unit without paying taxes)," he said. "That should have been the last red flag, but once you've got that much money in it, it's hard to walk away."
Soon after, the company he was dealing with became impossible to contact. Huddleston suspects the timeshare never existed to begin with.
Now that people are more aware of scams like the one Huddleston fell for, scammers have started targeting victims that might not be as diligent: current timeshare owners.
The FTC cracked down on telemarketers claiming to have buyers lined up, then disappearing with the thousands of dollars owners paid to cover fake closing costs or as a deposit that would be later refunded.
The FBI reported a similar scam, with a con artist contacting the victim by phone or email and promising to sell the victim's timeshare in a short time, often between 60 and 90 days. The scammers asked for hundreds to thousands of dollars to cover anything from closing costs to listing fees.
Sometimes, according to the FBI's warning, the victims are then contacted a second time -- this time by someone claiming to be from a recovery company. The scammer, who may be connected with the original resale company, tells the victim that he can recover the lost money for a fee.
Once again, the scammers disappear after the victim pays.
Huddleston said that though he lost thousands to the con artists who contacted him, and he feels like a dupe for falling for the scam, he is just happy to have learned his lesson.
"I didn't get too angry over it. I hated to lose the money, but I learned a lot," he said. "The next time somebody calls, I've graduated from that class."
When buying or selling a timeshare, BBB offers the following tips:
� Beware of upfront fees. Though there may be closing costs or other fees associated with purchasing a timeshare, be wary of any company that pressures you to pay any such fees upfront or before reviewing any contracts.
� Read the fine print. Especially when selling a timeshare, make sure to read the contract carefully. Find out if the company is actually selling your timeshare or simply charging you to advertise the listing.
� Start with trust. Visit
to check out the BBB Business Review for a company before paying any money.
� Never wire cash. Credit cards offer a certain amount of fraud protection that you cannot get if you use a wire service. Walk away from any deal that requires you to pay cash or wire money, especially to locations in other countries.
� Get it in writing. Ask the salesman for all information in writing, including all fees, timing and ways the seller plans to advertise the unit.
� Check the license. Ask for licensing information for the seller's agents, and check that information with the Real Estate Commission. Only deal with licensed brokers and ask for references.
� If it sounds too good to be true, it is. Be wary of any seller who promises a big selling price or quick turnaround. High-pressure tactics are always a red flag.
� Know where to turn. Before selling your timeshare, read the FTC's advice on selling a timeshare and report any scams to BBB or the FBI's Internet Crime Complaint Center.
To check the reliability of a company and find trustworthy businesses, visit bbb.org.
About Better Business Bureau:
BBB's mission is to be the leader in advancing marketplace trust. BBB accomplishes this mission by creating a community of trustworthy businesses, setting standards for marketplace trust, encouraging and supporting best practices, celebrating marketplace role models and denouncing substandard marketplace behavior.
Businesses that earn BBB Accreditation contractually agree and adhere to the organization's high standards of ethical business behavior. BBB is the preeminent resource to turn to for objective, unbiased information on businesses and charities.
Contact BBB serving Central, Coastal, Southwest Texas and the Permian Basin at (512) 445-4748.
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text:
Reasonable Expectations for AHL Prospects (LW)
This is Liam Reddox, one of the few players you'll ever find whose draft day bio is clearly out of time with the actual player. Reddox was listed as 5-9, 175 on draft day, when in fact he was 5-11, 185.
The draft day info I gathered had to do mostly with skill set and footspeed, but Redline Report (one of two outstanding draft guides, along with ISS) had this to say in their 2004 Draft Guide:
Liam Reddox — Agitator extraordinaire. Industrial strength abrasive. Plays like a pit bull — locks on and won't let go.
Who knows if he'll make the show, but he's an interesting player to keep track of this season.
- Jean Francois Jacques (22)- I decided to list him on the AHL team and to keep Nilsson for the Oilers roster stuff I'll do later in the summer. Both might be traded by then and it's an open question as to which one will get the roster spot but Jacques could benefit from beating up on Triple A pitching for 20 games or so before getting the call. Huge winger, strong as an ox, hits like a freight train and based on the AHL summaries I've read he's too good for that league. However, he's layed an egg bigger than Vegreville's each time he's played an NHL game. Reasonable expectations: No matter how many games he plays in the show this year, he needs to be better every shift. And it wouldn't kill him to get a freaking point, either.
- Slava Trukhno (20)- Has a wide range of skills, including size, skill and grit. He's my pick to be the 'Patrick Thoresen' this fall. Reasonable expectations: He's a longshot to make the big club, but I think he'll have a better offensive season as a 20-year old in the AHL than any Oiler prospect (at the same age) in recent history.
- Brock Radunske (24)- He's scored 64 goals in 118 ECHL games, which sounds impressive but really means that he can't crack an AHL lineup. Big kid who came out of university early and has been wandering the hockey backroads since (Greenville, Grand Rapids, Stockton). Reasonable expectations: A season in the AHL.
- Liam Reddox (21)- Scored only 8 goals in 70 ECHL games this season. Reddox should get a good shot in the AHL this season based on age and skill set. Reasonable expectations: He needs to be a lot better offensively, but he's an interesting prospect who might be able to play the disturber role.
- Tim Sestito (23 in August)- 2-way winger with grit who hasn't played much in the AHL since turning pro. He once desribed himself as a player thusly: "I think mainly I'm out there to get things going with a hit or a forecheck and specifically to keep the puck out of our net. I think my defensive part of the game is getting better and if I can chip in with some points, that's always a plus." Reasonable expectations: Role player in AHL.


text:
This morning when I got into work, I found a message waiting for me. It was from the husband of a friend of mine: "Cherie passed away Tuesday from metastatic cancer..." Cherie, who I'd known nearly 20 years. Cancer?!? What cancer? I scrolled through my emails to find the last time I'd heard from her. It was June 14, when she congratulated a mutual friend on a new job: "Great news!" she'd said. "What are you looking forward to in your new job?" She was diagnosed with cancer just a week after that, June 22. It ravaged her quickly.
I never got to tell her goodbye.
This cancer was sneaky. Her husband says she'd been feeling fatigued -- what working mother doesn't feel fatigued? But it was severe enough to keep her in bed for a week. By the time she checked into a hospital and was diagnosed, the cancer had spread throughout several organs. Her husband says she had an averse reaction to the chemotherapy, which probably contributed to her rapid decline. Meanwhile he was too busy dealing with his wife's illness and their two children, plus teaching her summer college course, to alert her friends.
More from The Stir: It's Not Fair My Mom Died Before I Had My Baby
Oh yes, she leaves behind a young daughter and son. I can't stand that they will have to grow up without her.
Cherie was brilliant and funny, a Russian historian with a PhD from Yale who was writing satirical news stories long before The Onion came along. She was also wise and compassionate. She was part of a small, close group of girlfriends of mine scattered all over the globe who'd kept in touch for the past 14 or so years. Whenever someone complained about their husband or colleague, she was always the first to affirm your frustration while also helping you see things from the other person's perspective.
Her compassion was driven by curiosity -- it was her nature to wonder about someone's apparent foibles and weaknesses before judging them.
My former husband and I used to drive up the three hours to Connecticut to visit Cherie and her husband. We would cook together, argue about art. The hostas that grow in my front garden came from her garden. Over the years we had our children and these visits became infrequent. We had talked about getting together for years, but just never got around to it.
I'm furious that I let so much time pass, that I didn't try harder ... but of course I thought I had all the time in the world. You always do. Her friendship was a treasure I carelessly took for granted, like a gem you keep in a box and pull out only every so often, when you think of it.
I wish I could tell her what she meant to me over the years, how much I loved her nerdiness, how she challenged me to think more critically, to be more curious about people. How I think of her every time I ride my bike up a particular hill in the park near my home -- I think of the Russian word she used when she went running, to urge herself on. I can't remember the exact Russian word, actually, only that it sounded like "donuts," and that she found the coincidence hilariously absurd. "Donuts! Donuts!" I think, as I pedal uphill.
Anyway ... the day won't stand still just because I miss my friend. But I think it's time to pay attention. Pay attention to your health, to the little things that seem off. Moms, we're awfully busy, and it's hard to make time for ourselves and give our bodies the attention they need. But we all want to stick around, for ourselves and for our families. An early death is inevitable for some of us, though, so pay attention to that breeze brushing your cheek, the freedom of your arms swinging as you walk.
Pay attention to your loved ones, your children, your friends. Especially your oldest friends, the ones we think will be around forever just because it seems like they've always been there. No one is a permanent part of your life.
Have you ever lost a good friend suddenly?
I'm sorry for your loss. Cancer is so unpredictable. Prayers for you and her family! She sounds like she was a wonderful person!
I'm so sorry! Losing a close friend is always so hard, and the usual platitudes will not ease your sorrow! Eventually you will come to remember her with happiness in your heart, just now I know it is only pain and tears.... again, I am so sorry for your loss!
You can't say goodbye but know that love reaches across eternity. She sounds like a wonderful person.
I'm so sorry. The wife of my boss was diagnosed with skin cancer, they thought they had it all, but she had terrible abdominal pain a few months later. They opened her up to see what was causing it - cancer had wreaked havoc on her liver, kidneys, etc. She never woke up from the anesthesia, she died the next day. Cancer is a terrible, evil, heartless and unprejudiced killer. My mom is 5 years cancer free and my dad is two years cancer free. Both of them lost a parent each to cancer.
I am sorry for your loss
You might want to take the time and write a note to her children telling them just how special their mom was to you. In years to come it will make their mother more "alive" to them to have those kinds of memories
That's so heartbreaking:(


text:
Posted Nov 06, 2012By
Over the course of election day 2012, editorial cartoonist Rob Tornoe sketches out the events of the day.
Impressive clouds descend on Alameda and the Bears get an overtime win in the Bay Area News Group's Pictures
In this slideshow, our syndicated cartoonists find it rather ironic who President Barack Obama is recruiting to hel
Fifty years ago, UC Berkeley students barred from promoting civil rights and other causes on campus staged a peacef
Tree trunks on First Street in Livermore, Calif., between Maple and South L, are blanketed in trunk sweaters. All t
Walnut Creek resident David Ahlman bought his 1966 Pontiac LeMans two-door coupe in 1971. He treated it well and ha
Police fired tear gas upon pro-democracy demonstrators near the Hong Kong government headquarters on Sunday


text:
Family Chairs by Junya Ishigami for Living Divani
The Tokyo based architect and designer Junya Ishigami created these playful wire chairs for the Italian manufacturer Living Divani. He says "Chairs that live in harmony, like a family. Whilst they are all similar, each chair has a slightly different shape, and its own personality."
There is a wide chair, a tall chair, a short chair, a normal chair and a stool. It's fun to choose which chair to sit on, depending on the day's mood. It's also fun to decide which is your favorite chair. Like a family sitting around a table, so the chairs are arranged around the table."
The chairs will be available for purchase (in Japan) later this year for 79,800 yen each! (over $1000!)
Via: Daily Tonic and Spoon and Tomago
Images: as linked above
6 Comments
Those are beautiful! I wish I had $5,000 and a big empty spooky room...
Playful and adorable, I love them.
Wow. To me they all look like "seconds". I sure woul'dnt pay $1000 for one.
Love the look, but they don't appear comfortable to sit in.
It's a charming idea, but I also find them cheap-looking. Ugh, the USD/JPY exchange rate is depressing.... orz
The chairs are already available in the USA. Contact any Living Divani dealer for more information. Generally the cost is less than $1000 per chair. Follow this link to find the nearest delaer to you.


text:
Caterpillar cuts full-year outlook
A decline in mining activity worldwide and a drop in purchases by dealers prompts the big machinery maker to lower its 2012 forecast.
The company has lowered its guidance for the full-year 2012 revenues from $68-$70 billion to $66 billion and earnings per share from $9.60 to $9.00-$9.25. This downward revision in outlook was driven by declining mining activity worldwide and a decline in purchases made by Caterpillar's dealers in an attempt to reduce inventory levels.
Growth in Q3 driven by higher sales in North America and Asia Pacific region
Revenues increased 5% year over year, or $729 million, in the third quarter. This increase was driven by a combination of higher sales volume and better price realization, partially offset by the unfavorable impact of currency conversion. Geographically, sales increased 9% in North America and 8% in Asia-Pacific. Sales were marginally higher in the Middle East and Africa, while they were flat in Latin America and declined in Europe.
Segment-wise, sales were up 13% in Caterpillar's mining business, 5% in its power systems business, and about flat in its construction business.
However, going forward, the company anticipates sales in its mining business to be impacted from the declining mining activity worldwide. The sluggish global economic growth has kept prices of metals and coal suppressed for most of 2012. And prices are not expected to improve much in the fourth quarter or 2013 as Europe continues to battle recession, growth remains weak in other developed economies, and is expected to only marginally improve in emerging economies.
Lower prices of metals and coal have increased the pressure on margins of mining companies, prompting them to reduce investments. Australian iron-ore producer Fortescue Metals Group (FMG) recently cut its full-year capital expenditure by 26% to $4.6 billion. BHP Billiton, the world's largest mining company, has delayed projects worth $68 billion, and Vale (VALE) plans to cut its spending by 4% in 2013. This will impact the sales of mining equipment and machinery manufactured by Caterpillar over the coming months. The mining business constitutes nearly 42% of the total company value.
In addition, Caterpillar has indicated that the purchases made by its dealers have declined below their end-user purchase levels. This is likely an attempt by the dealers to lower inventories in view of the weak global economic environment. This will also impact Caterpillar's earnings in the fourth quarter and beyond. As a result, the company has lowered its earnings forecast for the full-year 2012.
Finally, due to the nature of Caterpillar's business that encompasses mining, construction and other basic industries, its earnings growth rate is closely linked to the global economic growth rate. And, until the growth of the latter doesn't pick up, Caterpillar will continue to post moderate growth.
We currently have a stock price estimate of $95, approximately 10% above its current market price.
Copyright © 2014 Microsoft. All rights reserved.
Fundamental company data and historical chart data provided by Morningstar Inc. Real-time index quotes and delayed quotes supplied by Morningstar Inc. Quotes delayed by up to 15 minutes, except where indicated otherwise. Fund summary, fund performance and dividend data provided by Morningstar Inc. Analyst recommendations provided by Zacks Investment Research. StockScouter data provided by Verus Analytics. IPO data provided by Hoover's Inc. Index membership data provided by Morningstar Inc.
Bill Stiritz owns more than 5% of the company, and has experienced an estimated $145 million in paper losses on his investment.
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