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Before we get going, crucial inside baseball worth your time: Weed writing, I fear, is maybe entering its annoying explainer phase, with lots of glib weed hot takes that essentially add up to "this commonly understood thing about weed is in fact bullshit." Vice Motherboard published "Weed Strains Are Mostly Bullshit" on 4/20 of this year and the Portland Mercury's recent Cannabis Guide ran a piece titled, "Please Shut Up About Indica Versus Sativa," which declared, "supposedly, indica sedates and sativa uplifts. But here's the thing: That's all bullshit." Both pieces are ultimately about the weed science vanguard: cannabinoids and terpenes. The former is the thing that gets you high, which is so much more complicated and does not end at THC, and the latter is what makes weed smell and taste a certain way and affects precisely how it gets you high, apparently.
Both pieces are important—at this point cannabis is an industry and we should not be lied to about things we're sold—though I'd also say it's generally not a good look to tell people what they are feeling and what is working for them is "bullshit," especially when it comes to matters of the mind and body. My advice: When you're reading up on the supposed specifics of weed or hearing your dispensary person's spiel about some sick hybrid, ponder the info the way you might use a horoscope, which is to say, understand that it's not so much about truth as a series of suggestions or offerings to take or leave.
If your horoscope says you'll be sweeter to strangers or whatever today, it planted that thought in your head and that may dictate how you act. Even if it's not cosmically or empirically true, it might make you be nicer to a stranger on that day—hooray. Same with weed: If someone out there somewhere thinks a certain strain helps them with depression or cleaning the house or whatever, smoke it, consider that, and see if it helps you too. If it doesn't, you're still stoned, so NBD.
If this is all reading as a touch hippy-dippy, blame it in part on Big Buddha Cheese, a strain with a truly staggering, evening-out quality that will fill you with good feelings and send you on thought tangents of the "yes and" rather than "no but" sort. Primarily an indica, Big Buddha Cheese is going to calm you (or maybe not, indica and sativa are bullshit weed, men yelling on the internet told me). And it famously took first place in the Indica Cup category at the 2006 Cannabis Cup. It's a hybrid of Cheese, a UK standard that has since been refixed here in the States, and mashed up with serious Afghani stuff from noted grower Big Buddha. It is smooth with a subtle sting on the back end of the inhale, which hits your palette slowly—a bland then suddenly sharp taste. An easygoing smoke that yields nearly no anxiety and for serious smokers may feel as though you've not even smoked at all. BBC's beloved for its easygoing, ambient type of pleasant. No bullshit.
- Strength: 7
- Nose: The cheese section of your supermarket but also cheap ChapStick
- Euphoria: 8
- Existential dread: 1
- Freaking out when a crazy person approaches you: 1
- Drink pairing: POM Pomegranate Peach Passion White Tea
- Music pairing: Warm Brew, 'Small Victories'
- Rating: 10


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subset: commoncrawl


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How a debunked COVID-19 video kept spreading after Facebook and YouTube took it down
Alt-tech platforms champion free speech, and act as reservoirs for clips removed from major social media sites
Although social media giants such as Facebook and YouTube have largely removed a debunked documentary about the COVID-19 pandemic from their platforms, copies and variations of the video are still up on alternative social media sites where hundreds of thousands of people are watching them.
And links to that content keep popping up on the mainstream platforms.
Plandemic is a 26-minute video, originally touted as a vignette meant to be part of a longer documentary, full of false and misleading claims about the coronavirus, including about how people can protect themselves.
The video flooded social media platforms in the first week of May. According to the New York Times, it was viewed more than eight million times across major platforms
The original version has been removed from Facebook, YouTube and Vimeo in their push to crack down on false or misleading information relating to the COVID-19 pandemic. Facebook said some of the documentary's claims could cause "imminent harm," and YouTube cited "medically unsubstantiated diagnostic advice."
Nonetheless, clips and modified versions of the documentary have resurfaced on the sites. Facebook has labelled them false and linked to fact checks by news organizations detailing a range of problems with the content, including its promotion of conspiracy theories and incorrect medical information.
Complicating this effort is the fact that Plandemic is easy to find on websites known as alt-tech platforms, many of which position themselves as alternatives to the popular mainstream social media platforms and as proponents of uncensored free speech.
These social media platforms often act as a reservoir for content that's been flagged and removed from major sites such as Facebook and YouTube, as was the case with Plandemic, and links to the content on alt-tech platforms often make their way back onto mainstream social media platforms.
So, despite the efforts of the mainstream sites to crack down on what they've deemed potentially harmful content, alt-tech platforms help keep it circulating.
One such alt-tech site is BitChute, a video-sharing platform registered in the U.K. that is similar to YouTube, allowing people to comment and vote on posted videos. It shows more than 1,770 search results for the term "Plandemic." The top result appears to be a re-post of the original Plandemic video, and it had more than 1.6 million views as of Wednesday.
There are about a dozen alt-tech platforms in operation, some based on blockchain technology that allows them to tout their decentralized nature.
It's not possible to verify how many users and visitors each has, but some claim to have sizable communities.
Twitter-alternative Gab, for example, which is favoured by the far right, says it had at least a million registered users last year.
BitChute recently tweeted that it had 20 million unique visitors in April.
'A censorship backfire'
Zarine Kharazian, assistant editor at the Atlantic Council's Digital Forensic Research Lab in Washington, D.C., which studies disinformation and how it affects democratic norms, says in the case of Plandemic, the filmmaker seemed to anticipate the video would be downranked or removed from major platforms — initial posts featuring the video predicted as much.
At the same time, she said, copies began to spring up on the alternative video platforms.
Then, when the video was flagged and removed from mainstream social media sites, links to the video on alt-tech platforms showed up on Twitter and Facebook.
"That's how the video is sort of staying alive even as the major platforms, with the control that they have, tried to remove and downgrade it," she said.
"I think, paradoxically, what has been happening with the Plandemic video is a sort of censorship backfire. It's called ... the Streisand Effect."
- Quebec police investigating possible link between cell tower fires and 5G coronavirus conspiracy theories
In 2003, legendary entertainer Barbra Streisand sued to have a photo of her home removed from the internet, which resulted in a far greater number of people seeing the photo because of the publicity around the lawsuit.
In the case of Plandemic, Kharazian says people who are curious about the video may be attracted by its now-taboo status and will go looking for it.
"In parallel to that, the ... hardcore believers are outraged by the fact that the video has been removed. So they increase their sort of push to get the video in front of as many people as possible," she said.
"Those two things together makes it so any one content moderation effort on any one platform does not stop the conspiracy spread once the conspiracy has gone viral."
Platforms tout freedom of expression
When asked about Plandemic remaining on the BitChute platform, the company wrote in an email, "There is already legislation that places reasonable restrictions on speech such as not allowing incitement to violence and we follow those fully.
"Google and Facebook's censorship of ideas is misguided and counter-productive. Hiding the public from ideas, even bad ones, only makes society more susceptible to dangerous errors and infringes on people's universal human right to freedom of expression."
WATCH | How Plandemic and other debunked content keeps spreading:
Administrators of DTube, another video-sharing alt-tech platform, are anonymous, but one who identifies as "heimindanger" responded to CBC questions on Discord, another platform where DTube's community hosts a forum.
"I have nothing to say about these videos, I haven't watched them but I have seen them circulating. Any type of content is allowed on DTube. If something gets deleted on [YouTube], then very often this same content is re-uploaded on alternative video solutions like ours."
The administrator went on to say that users have the ability to upvote or downvote the content. Content that is upvoted is considered popular and shown to more users.
"So anyone can do his 'public duty to limit harm'. No one controls what is free speech, or what is harming, it's all vote-based," the administrator said.
Matthew Johnson, the director of education for Media Smarts, a Canadian non-profit that promotes digital and media literacy, says in some cases, the alt-tech platforms are set up specifically to host content that gets taken down elsewhere.
"Sometimes these are created by conspiracy groups, by hate groups, by health misinformation groups as a refuge. And, sometimes, it's just that one of these platforms may have a more laissez-faire attitude toward content moderation," said Johnson.
WATCH | Debunking COVID-19 immunity scams:
Because of the pandemic, major platforms are relying more on automated content moderation rather than human moderation, says Johnson, which can have some negative effects.
"In some cases, there's an increased rate of false positives, which really does … hurt the public reputation of content moderation because you're seeing things that are getting taken down that shouldn't be taken down," he said.
In March, for example, after an outpouring of complaints that posts from legitimate news sites — and even Canadian authorities — were being blocked, Facebook blamed its anti-spam system and eventually fixed the problem.
Despite the limitations of moderation, it was important to try to remove Plandemic from the big platforms, because people are less likely to stumble across it, Johnson said.
"That's particularly important in places like YouTube, where, for instance, 70 per cent of views don't come because someone is looking for someone, they come because people are watching what was recommended to them by the YouTube algorithm," he said.
"So, already, moving it off those platforms is a victory. It's moving away from the public eye."
How platforms are removing content
The big platforms have stepped up their efforts to flag misleading or potentially dangerous COVID-19 content with varying degrees of success, according to Philip N. Howard, the director of the Oxford Internet Institute at Oxford University.
The institute did a study of how much misinformation remained on social media platforms after the initial posts were debunked by fact-checkers.
"Two-thirds of the stories that we found on Twitter were still there a week later," Howard said, whereas on Facebook, about 24 per cent of the posts remained on the platform without warning labels.
In a separate study, the group looked at what kind of information the average person gets when they search YouTube for health information on COVID-19.
"We found that the average person searching for health information on YouTube doesn't find junk. They usually find stuff prepared by professional news organizations," he said.
"You have to search pretty hard on YouTube to find the most conspiratorial content about COVID."
But, Howard said, those who are searching for that content inevitably find it elsewhere — or build their own platforms.
"It's par for the course when a social media firm tries to manage the extreme views and push them out of the platform. Those extremists will go elsewhere to try to build their own technologies and keep up their conversations."
With files from Elizabeth Thompson


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Organize a schedule of visits scheduled unannounced visits does not accept programming. 4. In the case of vehicles, schedule appointments at your home or place of wide circulation of people distrusted if you schedule appointments at the last minute or the site will change constantly. 5. Never promise to do transactions when payment by check unconfirmed or doubtful accounts, demand cashiers check and confirm with the bank, even after a confirmation expected to become effective, many people have fallen prey to bad checks.
6. Only receive cash in bank branches, the amount and check your account consignee be Fletea avoid if you have to make trips with money seek custody of the National Police. 7. In the case of established businesses do not reveal sensitive information until you verify that your potential buyer is really interested and you've verified contact details, this information may be: – Daily sales exact figure – a procedure for handling and safety Money raised – keys and safes location, location of the alarm system and panic button. – More personal life, total revenue, other personal information that may be useful for criminals. If you are a buyer. Make a complete list of product offerings to suit your budget and taste.
2. Create a schedule of visits and take note of the name of the supplier, suspicious of people who only give a mobile number as a contact and avoid their questions. 3. If you buy a used car take into account the following: – Complete the survey in a company authorized for this activity. – Check the SIJIN background. – Order state tax bill of the vehicle. – Check that the buyer does not record traffic violations. – Order the certificate of tradition. 4. If you are buying a home remember that the most important document you should require from the beginning is a certified tradition of public instruments office where the property is registered. 5. Do not give money without signing a contract of sale between the parties which clarify the circumstances of the transaction. 6. Never make cash transactions with banks outside the authorized use cashier's checks.


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Once again, old fashioned ideas and methods are the best ... line drying is by far the most energy efficient way to dry laundry. The added benefit is a bit of exercise to hang them up and ... when they are dry ... they smell wonderful ... like sunshine and fresh air.
Unfortunately, line drying laundry when living in an apartment or a small space without a yard ... or line drying clothes during inclement weather or the winter ... means that laundry takes up every corner of living space. And ... call me crazy ... but having company drop by, only to have to duck under a line of my underwear ... well ... it just doesn't seem socially acceptable to me. So I opt for using a dryer.
There is a way, however, to maximize the use of a dryer and minimize the energy used ... and planning ahead is the key. If two or more loads of laundry need to be dried, the second (and subsequent) load will use less energy if it immediately follows the first load ... even if the dryer has a cool down stage. Basically, the elements in the dryer are already warm so they don't have to spend extra energy gearing up from cold to hot. Rather than do a load of wash today and then a load of wash tomorrow ... plan ahead so that more than one load is done in succession.
This tip is, however, not without it's pit falls. In this age of multi-tasking, many of us start a load of clothes just before we head out the door to run other errands ... and, unless things are timed perfectly, being home at the exact moment that the dryer buzzes complete so that we can toss in a new load is ... well ... difficult.
But, picture this ... one day a week, or maybe one day every two weeks, you set aside a day as laundry day. Not just any, ordinary, laundry day ... but one that you look forward to. I know you're laughing and rolling your eyes ... but what would you do with a quiet day at home? Can you imagine spending the day reading, or working on art projects? Would it be nice to have some quality family time? Or maybe you'd like to watch some old movies on TV. In between all this fun you'd be having at home on "Laundry Day", you could actually do the laundry ... efficiently ... in an energy wise way. It's a thought!
As always, I would love to hear your ideas for reducing, reusing and recycling. Just click on the comments link, located at the bottom of each post, and let me know what you think and how you conserve.


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Three Stanford seniors and a second-year School of Medicine student spent their summer investigating India's complicated health-care system — and I got to go along for part of the ride.
It had been a decade since I'd been back to India. I was the South Asia bureau chief for The Associated Press from 2000 to 2005, based in New Delhi. It was among the best assignments of my life.
The posting took me from the Himalayas to the valley of Kashmir, from the deserts of Rajasthan to the lush tea plantations of Sri Lanka. I traveled across Bangladesh with the director of the CDC to document the world's last push against polio. I wrote about the medical horrors that still plagued those in Bhopal who had been poisoned by gas 20 years before.
And now I was back, this time as a journalist for Stanford Health Policy, comprised of the Center for Health Policy/Center for Primary Care and Outcomes Research and the Department of Medicine.
As I wrote in this story about the student's research among the poor communities on the outskirts of Mumbai: India is a land of extremes.
I found that little had changed, on the surface, for the rich and the poor. The wealthy still live lavishly, which the students saw for themselves as they looked up at a billion-dollar home in the heart of Mumbai. And the poor remain among the unhealthiest in the world, as witnessed by the students who spent seven weeks in Mumbai's surrounding slums.
The fellows of the Stanford India Health Policy Initiative — directed by Grant Miller, MD — talked with more than 100 patients and doctors, pharmacists and traditional health providers. They are charged with synthesizing their findings and providing a detailed analysis for their Indian partners, who are pushing for significant health policy improvements in their country.
Only 1.3 percent of India's GDP was devoted to public health in 2014, according to the World Bank, and India still accounts for 21 percent of the world's burden of disease. Most of the cost of health care falls to the patient in India, where 86 percent of the 1.2 billion must pay for health care and medications out of their own pockets, or through taxes and premiums. And then they often turn to services delivered by untrained, informal practitioners.
"I'm just trying to think about how some of this great prosperity can be applied to the health problems that are affecting some of the most disadvantaged members of Indian society," said one of the fellows, Mark Walsh, an economics major just starting his senior year.
Poverty remains status quo for more than one-fifth of the world's largest democracy, though the rate has dropped significantly, from 35 percent in 2001 to 20 percent in 2011. The middle-class continues to bounce up and down, along with the country's rollercoaster economy.
Many analysts estimate that if India continues to grow at its current pace, average household incomes will triple over the next decade, making it the world's fifth-largest consumer economy by 2025.
Some of the Indian friends I visited on a side trip to New Delhi appeared to back up those predictions. One friend has unwittingly become a millionaire as his family's property value went sky high; another no longer takes an auto-rickshaw to work, but drives a foreign car and has just bought her own condo.
Houses in the neighborhood where I once rented a ground floor flat for $1,900 a month are now selling for tens of millions of dollars.
But no matter how well my middle-class friends — mostly journalists, and tech and service professionals — were faring, they all had the same key complaints: They had lousy or no health insurance, and the medical care that they could afford in the nation's capital was lacking.
One had a sister who died from a brain tumor that had gone undetected; many were using their savings to help extended family members suffering from chronic diseases such as diabetes and hypertension. My flamboyant former yoga instructor — who once made a very good living catering to expats — had to sell his flat and move out of the city to pay for treatment of a serious illness. He has no health insurance.
"I'm now broke and alone," he choked on the phone when he called to say he was too weak to come into the city and join me for tea.
These are the issues the fellows of the India Health Policy Initiative are tackling. And it's an honor to be able to tell their story — as I like to believe their work could one day help the families of my friends.
Beth Duff-Brown is communications manager for the Center for Health Policy and Center for Primary and Outcomes Research (CHP/PCOR).
Previously: Stanford India Health Policy Initiative fellows are in Mumbai – come follow along
Video courtesy of CHP/PCOR


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by Cesar Navas
November 29, 2016
The risk from vulnerabilities can vary greatly from one organization to another. A well known vulnerability such as Heartbleed has a different impact to many organizations. The Heartbleed vulnerability is within the OpenSSL library. As organizations use technology in their own specific way, each organization had a different potential impact. An organization with Linux servers accessible from the internet may have a higher risk than an organization with Microsoft Windows servers. When organizations use Linux, Heartbleed has varying levels of risk to the organization depending on the version of OpenSSL and other factors.
Analysts are still left to assess the risk to the organization when issues like Heartbleed become known. There may be a heightened perceived impact and risk to the organization because OpenSSL was used, but the actual risk could be much smaller. If a vulnerable OpenSSL version was found in the organization, management may ask how much safer would the organization be if the OpenSSL vulnerability was patched? Knowing the answer to these kinds of questions can help guide discussions as to whether or not the organization ignores the problem, mitigates the issue, or remediates the vulnerability.
To answer the question above, analysts can use this dashboard within Tenable's Tenable.sc Continuous View (CV) to determine the risk to the organization. The dashboard relies upon data gathered from Tenable Nessus, Tenable Nessus Network Monitor (NNM), and Tenable Log Correlation Engine (LCE) to provide analysts with an accurate and comprehensive view of the risk from vulnerabilities within the organization. If issues like Heartbleed are within the organization, analysts can quickly determine the risk reduction of remediating the vulnerability.
Analysts now have the ability to accurately characterize the risk to the organization from specific vulnerabilities. The data that analysts can rely upon from this dashboard are vulnerabilities that were found across a multitude of vectors from active scanning, passive listening, and from host analysis mined from systems. The data within the dashboard provides analysts with views to vulnerabilities based on technology groups, CVSS scores, and age. Multiple views such as highly specific vulnerabilities and their risk to overall big picture views can help analysts to quickly sift through large amounts of vulnerabilities.
This dashboard is available in the Tenable.sc Feed, a comprehensive collection of dashboards, reports, Assurance Report Cards, and assets. The dashboard can be easily located in the Tenable.sc Feed under the category Threat Detection & Vulnerability Assessments. The dashboard requirements are:
- Tenable.sc 5.4
- Nessus 8.5.1
Tenable Tenable.sc Continuous View (CV) provides continuous network monitoring, vulnerability identification, and security monitoring. Tenable.sc is continuously updated with information about advanced threats and zero-day vulnerabilities, and new types of regulatory compliance configuration audit files. Tenable constantly analyzes information from our unique sensors, delivering continuous visibility and critical context, enabling decisive action that transforms your security program from reactive to proactive. Active scanning identifies vulnerabilities within systems, running processes and services, software applications, configuration settings, and additional vulnerabilities. With this information, analysts have greater insight to determine the risk from vulnerabilities across the organization. Continually scanning the network with passive sensors for servers, desktops and applications helps prioritize security efforts to mitigate threats and weaknesses. Organizations continue to operate with more mobile and transient network devices and need to have a system in place that continuously monitors traffic, devices, applications, and communications across environments. Tenable enables powerful, yet non-disruptive, continuous monitoring of the organization to ensure vulnerabilities and knowledge of their risk are available to analysts.
This dashboard contains the following components:
- Understanding Risk - Vulnerability Severity Summary: This bar chart displays totals of vulnerability severities by a Class C summary
- Understanding Risk - Details by Severity: This matrix presents details by severity on vulnerabilities found to exist in the environment
- Understanding Risk - Details by Vulnerability Grouping: This matrix presents details by vulnerability grouping on vulnerabilities found to exist in the environment
- Understanding Risk - CVSS Scores by Severity: This matrix presents Common Vulnerability Scoring System (CVSS) information by severity on vulnerabilities found to exist in the environment
- Understanding Risk - Remediation Opportunities: This table displays the top remediations for the network
- Understanding Risk - Most Severe: This table presents the most severe vulnerabilities found to exist in the environment
- Understanding Risk - Most Prevalent: This table presents the most prevalent vulnerabilities found to exist in the environment
- Understanding Risk - By Asset Group: This table presents a summary by asset grouping of vulnerabilities found to exist in the environment


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Growing up, I was witness to a bizarre phenomenon that happened annually in my hometown during the hungry ghost month. There was this street where thousands of swallows would perch nightly on the power lines above, their roisterous chirping and tweeting made quite a racket. But during this ungodly month, the street was weirdly quiet, with not a single bird in sight. Then, as soon as the month was over and the spirits believed to have returned to the nether world, the birds would reappear! This happened every single year during the month of the hungry ghosts until that part of the town was demolished for redevelopement. How do you explain that?
I have a previous post with lots of pics to share about the festival here.


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Getting to know MiríadaX, Latin America's Largest MOOC Platform
The largest MOOC provider for Spanish speakers continues growing, now fully managed by Telefónica.
In the past few years, learners around the globe have witnessed a steady increase in the number of online courses, MOOC providers, and university partners. Course topics have expanded to include local expertise aimed at region-specific challenges, such as the ones rising in post-conflict Colombia. MOOC instructors and institutions have also seen a boom of their learner base, reaching farther corners of the world, and in some cases creating tight-knit learning communities.
A MOOC platform for Ibero-American learners
MiríadaX was born in early 2013 as a digital learning initiative of Universia — the largest academic collaboration network of Ibero-America (Spain and Latin America) — and financially supported by Banco Santander and the Learning Services division of Telefónica. Starting with 58 courses and 188,802 enrollments, MiríadaX was envisioned as the first MOOC platform for Spanish speaking learners.
As evidence of the positive reception from the Ibero-American public, MiríadaX's numbers soared over the years. In 2017, there are 316 courses available from 90 university partners in Miriada X platform. These courses have received over four million enrollments. The institutions with the most courses are Universidad Politécnica de Madrid with 41 courses, and Universidad de Navarra with 20 courses.
Spain is the country with biggest presence on MiríadaX: it has 39 partners, and is followed by Colombia with 8 partners; Brazil is third on the list, with 5 partners offering courses in Portuguese. The most popular course in 2016 was "Development of HTML5, CSS and Javascript Web, Mobile Apps," with 292,000 visits, followed closely by "Introduction to Business Intelligence and Big Data," which had 286,000 visits.
Most courses and tools are offered in Spanish or Portuguese, including lectures, discussion forums, quizzes, and peer reviewed assignments. For this reason, the platform reduces the language friction between instructors, students, and community, and allows smoother interactions in the massive digital learning format.
Badges, achievements, and karma: a gamified learning experience
MiríadaX's courses combine the rigorous nature of university curriculum design along with digital learning techniques, some of which are not used on other MOOC platforms. A special mention goes to the gamified environment of the platform, where users can see progress bars and earn badges by completing course materials and engaging in discussions. Students can also earn free participation badges or paid completion certificates at the end of the course.
Moreover, MiríadaX rewards student participation by using a "karma" points system. Students can collaborate actively in the course development beyond the well known discussion forums: they can contribute as content writers in the course wikis, blogs, and FAQs. More impactful contributions mean more karma points, which mean more prestige within the community and a better position in the "expert" ranking system.
The lecture user interface aims for simplicity and ease of use, separating each content unit in a module. Lecture videos are hosted on third-party web services such as Youtube or Vimeo.
The courses are session-based, which ensures all the students follow the suggested schedule to complete assignments. It also ensures they interact with other learners along the way. After the session ends, the course material remains open to consultations.
Free badges and certificates available
In keeping with MiríadaX's philosophy, courses and resources are offered without restrictions — not even economical restrictions. Lectures, forums, quizzes, and peer-reviewed assignments are open to everyone, and a free participation certificate is offered upon completing a course. The free certificate is presented as a shareable badge and can be also downloaded as a PDF diploma — without including the university logo or instructor signatures. The paid certificate option can be purchased for around 40€ and is presented in the form of a shareable web interface or downloadable PDF diploma.
Paid certificates contain more information about student participation in the course, such as grades percentile, evidence of participation in the community, and course syllabus. Additionally, the paid option enables students to request references from professors via LinkedIn, as can be found in MiríadaX's help sections.
Telefónica Educación Digital assuming full control
MiríadaX remains one of the few MOOC providers that still offers a free certificate alternative. Quizzes, assignments, and discussion forums are also offered for free. MiríadaX has been able to continue to offer free certificates thanks to the patronage of Banco Santander and Telefónica, two of the largest companies in Spain. Starting in July 2017, Telefónica took full ownership of MiríadaX, leaving out not only Banco Santander but also the Universia network. In other words, Telefónica is now solely responsible for the development of MiríadaX. In a statement to the platform's users, MiríadaX assured users that they would not be affected in any way by this change.
Still, breaking up with the largest academic network of universities in Ibero-America can be a signal of the new direction MiríadaX might choose for the long run. The platform might follow the same path other MOOC providers have taken in recent years, increasing focus on the economic sustainability of the platform. Telefónica can also give more focus to business-oriented courses aimed to train the Ibero-American labor force, like the B2B strategies implemented by other MOOC providers.
In the short term, MiríadaX can be expected to continue growing as the main point of reference for Ibero-American learners adventuring in the MOOC world. The open nature of MiríadaX has been one of the pillars of its growth and mass adoption among Spanish and Portuguese speaking students. It is up to communities, institutions, and providers to keep the underlying open spirit of the early days of MOOCs in this shifting environment.
Orlando Trejo is an Assistant Professor at the Electronics and Circuits Department at Universidad SImón Bolívar, Venezuela. He also performs as Lead of the Spanish version of the MOOC "Learning How to Learn" at Coursera.


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Nottingham post-Britpop cult heroes Six By Seven provided the buzzing, angry soundtrack to my student years at the turn of the millennium. Smashing together art punk, shoegaze and dark electronics, their second album, The Closer You Get, is one of the few records from that time that I still keep on regular rotation at Joyzine HQ, so you can imagine my elation on hearing that the LP, along with a second disc of their John Peel sessions and an accompanying best of album are set to be released by Beggars Arkive on 17th February.
The band have also reformed for two live shows – a home town gig at The Maze on 4th March, which sold out almost immediately and a London date at The Garage on the 11th.
From the album, we've chosen 'Eat Junk Become Junk' for our video offering today, a bare and scathing attack on consumer culture with a wonderfully barbed guitar line.


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That's what my cab driver said yesterday on the way to Charles de Gaulle Airport in reference to Waze. He couldn't believe such a wonderful navigation solution was available for free use.
We only got to talking about Waze after I noticed his Coyote device on the dashboard. Coyote's dashboard-mounted devices alert drivers to mobile and fixed speed traps. The device is supported by a $20/month subscription service that this cab driver was happy to pay. "If Waze wanted to start charging me $12/month for their service, I'd pay it!" he added.
The cab driver went on to explain why Waze was so far superior to the embedded navigation that came with his Ford vehicle – equipped with MyFord Touch infotainment system. His main complaint – as he proceeded to attempt to enter an address while the car was in motion – was that the Ford user interface required him to enter each individual address element completely and was not aided by any auto-completion.
Also unavailable – or at least he hadn't tried it – was speech destination entry. But the Ford system, an admittedly older generation unit, had really lost him when he turned it on and it took seconds to start up. In contrast, Waze on his mobile phone, not surprisingly, jumped to life instantly.
Also not surprisingly, Waze remembered his previous destination and also assisted him with auto-completion and/or frequent destination recognition offering suggestions as he entered addresses. Less clear was the accuracy of traffic information and the identification of the best route. But he further demonstrated, also on his phone, that he used Google traffic to get the big picture of traffic all around Paris and Waze for the local details.
It was a powerful, unexpected and astute demonstration of traffic information service delivery from an everyday user of the technology. Having seen v-trafic data in use around Paris in the past I asked the driver and he said Waze had erased any interest he previously had in v-trafic or any other traffic information source.
I also asked the driver why he bothered with the Coyote system for speed trap identification since this is one of the most popular applications of Waze. He said Coyote did a much better job of identifying both fixed AND mobile speed trap locations - an important competitive note for Waze challengers.
This cab driver is only one of legions of everyday users of Waze who have become devoted fans to the exclusion of all other traffic and navigation service providers. But it is only the tip of the ice berg of what has become a bottom-up/top-down approach to converting traffic information users globally to the popular crowd-sourced traffic service.
Waze has made a point of reaching out to municipalities, departments of transportation, and radio and television stations around the world to offer assistance and enlist their support in building a better Waze. The strategy is paying off as TomTom, HERE and INRIX struggle to gain the attention of consumers while Waze sucks all the oxygen out of the space.
The four pillars of Waze's grass roots campaign are:
WTOP's director of traffic, Jim Battagliese, is but one example of the Waze strategy. He says Waze has actively engaged with the station to share information and gather feedback. He says he has never been approached by TomTom, HERE or INRIX unless they want to sell him something.
Does Waze have shortcomings? Sure and they include:
Those issues being acknowledged, Waze has been so successful that cities around the world have been moved to appeal to Waze to modify its routing suggestions. The most notable example is the City of San Francisco appealing to Waze to stop directing its users to Market Street during rush hour. The fact that the request was made at all is a remarkable recognition of Waze's dominant position.
The popularity of Waze creates a stark contrast between the traffic information platforms being built for embedded use and the preferences and sophistication of users. Traffic modelers are looking for greater scientific rigor in analyzing and forecasting traffic, but consumers are looking for ease of use.
The pressure is on embedded navigation suppliers to deliver ever more accurate, sophisticated and nimble navigation systems with more powerful processors and eye pleasing and useful graphics to compete with Waze. On-board navigation systems that operate with or without wireless connections and can transition to off-board use on a mobile device have become the industry standard.
The future is bright for embedded/built-in navigation systems – but Waze is giving the industry a run for its money. The challenge for automakers and their suppliers is to focus on the functional advantages of built-in systems as far as safe and accurate operation are concerned. And more liberal and intuitive map updating strategies are essential as well.
In the end, it is hard to compete with free.


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After the crew of the Enterprise find an unstoppable force of terror from within their own organization, Captain Kirk leads a manhunt to a war-zone world to capture a one-man weapon of mass destruction.
Director: J.J. Abrams
Stars: Chris Pine, Zachary Quinto, Zoe Saldana
Wannahave a poster?
The latest mission of the USS Enterprise crew takes them into deep space to rescue an endangered species from an active volcano. However, once again Captain Kirk's reckless behavior compromises the mission and nearly gets him booted from Starfleet. Turning back to his mentor Admiral Pike, Kirk is demoted to an academy cadet and has to start over.
However, when a ruthless warlord attacks Starfleet and shoots Admiral Pike in the process, Kirk takes command and takes the Enterprise deep into the neutral zone and the Klingon homeworld. Unknown to the crew, a Starfleet renegade is manipulating the Federation and the Klingons into a possible war. Kirk, Spock and the rest of the crew must stop the war before all hell breaks loose. And what awaits the crew of the USS Enterprise on their forthcoming five-year mission?


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Long Distance Baby Shower
by Monique
(smithfield rhode island)
My daughter lives in California and we live in rhode island and she is having a baby this summer. I am not sure if she will be able to come for a shower in RI so I don't know what I can do?? Any suggestions??
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I have a fear of dental work, so I was not happy to hear I needed a root canal. Dr. Harwood put me at ease, and the procedure was painless. Then he showed me an xray of the tooth, and it looked great! A week later, and I feel no pain in the tooth. Thanks, Dr. Harwood!
Nina R.
I had to have a root canal, which I'd never undergone before. I was dreading the experience, especially after a friend told me about a really bad root canal with a dental student. Dr. Harwood not only made it pain-free, but also made sure to explain everything that he was going to do and, during the procedure, what he was doing. Aside from the first pinches of anesthesia in my cheek, I didn't feel a thing during the procedure. He was also very clear in explaining what's normal once the anesthesia wears off and what merits a phone call and possible follow-up visit.
Vikki L.
I have a small mouth, which is in and of itself difficult — and procedures are generally painful & problematic. For this, my second root canal, it was quiet, fast, efficient and absolutely PAINLESS, bliss! The whole thing really didn't take long and I will refer all of my friends in theatre, music, dance. Thank you!!
Sara S.
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After nearly one year of discomfort, I am pain free because I went to Dr Harwood for a second opinion.
Last year I kept getting infections in my mouth after two root canal procedures were done by my previous endodontist. That dentist also said I should expect to have one tooth extracted and replaced with an implant because it was cracked and kept getting infected.
When I saw Dr Harwood, he removed the temporary crown,which allowed the root canal material to pop out followed by pus. Dr Harwood determined my tooth had become cracked because it was drilled on a diagonal, creating a "canal" , which was filled, while leaving the infected two root untreated. Dr Harwood treated the infected roots and saved the tooth even though it was cracked!
Dr Harwood then looked at the other tooth and determined it was not "packed " tightly. Decay had started around the crown and the crown was removed, the root canal was redone. The odd sensations and discomfort in the tooth disappeared.
Both teeth are free of infections, pain and discomfort and it has been over 9 months.
Hooray For Dr Harwood!
Virginia Wolff
Dr. Harwood is an excellent endodontist and his work ethic is amazing. A root canal is nerve-wracking, to begin with, however, when I am sitting in the chair I feel I am in the secure and professional care of an excellent Dr. Two Teeth up for Dr. Harwood! Teeth up for Dr. Harwood!
Melissa Rappaport
I have been a patient of Dr. Harwood's for over 15 years. Unfortunately, I have needed many root canals and I always turn to Dr. Harwood. He is very caring and thorough. highly recommend him if you are in need of an Endodontist.
Christine Wolff
Dr. Harwood puts his patients first. He makes sure that they receive the best care and is very professional. Highly recommend him.
Eric Tennenbaum
Dr. Harwood saw me at the last minute, and he couldn't have been nicer. He walked me through the procedure …and it was relatively pain-free. No one wants to get a root canal, but if you have to, Dr. Harwood makes it as easy as possible.
Jordan Z.
- I've had way too many root-canal procedures in my life so I know how painful they can be – but I had a completely different experience with Dr. Harwood. I felt absolutely no pain during the injections and the procedure itself. Dr. Harwood explained everything to me in detail, showed me the X-rays, described the procedure and patiently answered every question I had. His "chairside"-manners are excellent. He worked quickly and efficiently and he is not only extremely professional but also understanding, caring and very friendly. I highly recommend Dr. Harwood to anyone who needs a painless and well-done root canal.Johanna Rauch
Dr. Harwood has golden hands. Not only did he take the time to explain the procedure in detail and ease my worry, the root canal was completely pain-free. I would recommend Dr. Harwood to anyone needing an endodontist. He is professional and very talented.
Howard Z.


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Team PurePower
CBD herbal supplements & performance
PurePower CBD herbal supplements support some of the world's most inspiring athletes, adventurers, wellness advocates and entrepreneurs. We draw inspiration from their dedication and commitment to their craft, including the insights they share with the PurePower community about best practices for training and recovery, nutrition and maintaining balance amid competing demands.
Timothy Allen Olson
Timothy is an internationally renowned athlete with some stellar achievements under his belt, including back to back wins at the Western States 100 in the coldest and hottest years on record. He made a name for himself in the endurance running world from the very beginning of his career, placing sixth in his first 50k race. Then winning his first 100 mile race the very next year. While he's won races, broken records, and been named Male Runner of the Year by Endurance Live Sports, he's also done so while being a dedicated father, friend, and loving husband. Not only does he value the people in his life immensely, he also has a deep connection with nature. During runs he taps into the energy of the earth to inspire him. The trees, mountains, rivers, and wildlife fuel his runs as much as anything else. What we love most is how Timothy rejoices in nature and runs with free expression. Timothy also uses his dedicated meditation practice to bring stability and grace to the many facets of his life. Meditation gives him clarity to balance family, training, nutrition, and his overall dedication to living mindfully. He's called the Mindful Mountain Ultra Runner for a reason! Timothy's deep connection with himself, nature, family, friends and fans around the world epitomize the PurePower Life. In his own words, "PurePower is game changing for me; my recovery, energy, mood and sleep have all improved in ways that make my life and training more balanced. When I'm consistently taking the PurePower System, I feel a big difference in my training and recovery."
World-renowned ultra endurance trail runner, Avery is best known for tackling and dominating some of the most difficult races on the planet. In 2017 Ultra Running magazine ranked Avery 9th in the world after winning both the Georgia Death Race and the Grindstone 100. In early-2018, Collins dominated the field at the HURT 100 in Hawaii, finishing first nearly 3 hours ahead of the next racer. Avery has been running for 5 years and competed in every "Ultra" distance from 50k to 200 miles, including the Colorado 200, FatDog 120, Grindstone 100, Ouray 100 and Tor Des Geants to name a few. He spends the majority of his winters on his snowboard dreaming of summer running adventures through the San Juans, and then all summer running in the mountains and daydreaming of snowboarding. In his own words: "What can I say? I'm addicted to the rush of life, and PurePower Botanicals plays an instrumental role in allowing my body to recover and recharge day after day for these big days in the mountains."
A rising star in the world of elite ultra trail running, Sabrina Stanley started ultra running competitively in the summer of 2016. Since then she has sought out the most competitive races in the sport while posting impressive results at each. Sabrina's stellar results among women include 1st place at the 2018 Hardrock 100, 1st place and course record holder at the 2018 Orcas Island 50, 3rd at the 2018 HURT 100, and 3rd at the 2017 Western States. Her goals for 2019 include returning to HURT to improve on her 3rd place finish last year, as well as returning to Hardrock 100 for a repeat victory. Avery, Sabrina, and their dog Sable roam from mountain to mountain town depending on which one strikes their fancy that week. When she's not busy dominating races or bagging mountain peaks during training, she can be found coaching other runners and perpetually working on race reports she should of finished months ago. In her own words: "I started using PurePower's line of supplements when I was training for the 2018 Hardrock 100. I logged 100 – 140 miles a week for months on end. Never before had I put in that kind of mileage. Going into Hardrock 100 I was 100% injury free. I don't think that would have been possible without PurePower as a part of my daily routine."
Robert Killian
While being a proud father, husband, and veteran, Robert Killian is a force to be reckoned with in the US and international OCR worlds. He's an Ironman and Spartan World Champion and Million Dollar Mile defender. This man's genuine heart shines through in his love for his family (including his extended military family) and in his huge smile that's impossible for him to hide even while enduring obstacles on training and race days.
Robert strives to be a light for others and an example of how to remain committed to the pursuit of achievement while learning from failure. He'll be the first to say that there's no quick fix in life or in racing. Clear values, time management, focused effort, grit, and perseverance are his guiding principles. Life is full of big ups and downs, but Robert's character and actions show us how a strong mindset and positive attitude can help us navigate the ebbs and flows that can easily hold us back from realizing our highest potential.
Robert is an absolute powerhouse. He works hard, stays humble, and remains dedicated to a clear purpose and vision for his life. For all those reasons and more, he's a perfect fit for our growing PurePower family.
Rose Wetzel
Rose Wetzel operates on all cylinders. She's a full-time Elite Spartan, Ninja Warrior, professional trainer, wife and now a mother to a young daughter. Coming off a long history of athletic achievement, she and her husband Tim started a family knowing she'd have to dig deeper and work harder to accomplish even more in OCR also juggling being a mom. So she uses her role as a mother to push herself even further than before and to be a light to motivate her daughter and others to reach their highest potential.
She believes part of her life's purpose is to support and inspire others to continually improve their health, fitness, and mental and emotional well-being. Motivated to help end the stigma around mental illness, Rose uses her platform to increase awareness that mental health affects loved ones all around us…even those that may not be open about their struggles.
Rose is gratified knowing she's able to encourage and empower others to accomplish their goals, especially young women struggling with confidence in today's society. Which is why Rose is such an amazing and impactful addition to our PurePower family.


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The U.S. is exporting unemployment with 'Buy America'
Everyone should be concerned about the increasing tone of trade friction in the global economy. While Chinese Premier Wen and U.K. Prime Minister Gordon Brown are setting a positive tone in London today regarding bilateral trade agreements, the U.S. is doing its best to put off trading partners. In fact, in Canada, there seems to be a lot of rancor regarding the 'Buy America' provision now being attached to the U.S. stimulus package.
Comment: 'Buy America' policy a veiled attempt to export unemployment
Free trade afforded by goodwill in times of economic expansion is ending rapidly with the lurch of the world economies into recession.
Plans by U.S. Congress and President Barack Obama to put a fence around its US$825-billion stimulus package by implementing a "Buy America" policy is a veiled attempt to export unemployment to the rest of the world. The result could be slower growth and a higher cost of credit for the U.S. economy, two good reasons for investors to "Sell America" now.
Attaching a "Buy America" policy to the US Stimulus Package is a futile and dangerous attempt to protect American jobs. America's best export right now is unemployment. U.S imports are falling and the trade deficit is improving due to the fall in U.S demand. U.S imports fell 12% in November taking the trade deficit to its lowest level since 2003.
China's export sector is reeling from the sharp fall in U.S demand. Exports in China fell the most in a decade in December and are likely to continue falling over the next six months as demand from the U.S, Europe and Japan dries up. Manufacturing in China has contracted for the past six months and has made roughly 10-million migrant workers jobless.
President Obama should tread very softly when it comes to trade policy. Firstly, it is widely acknowledged that free trade contributed to global economic prosperity. Free trade with China brought an era of low inflation to the United States and to the rest of the developed world. Trade in general leads to higher productivity and potentially higher levels of global growth.
On the flipside, rising trade barriers that protect industries lead to the misallocation of resources, lower productivity, higher prices and lower levels of economic growth. They are especially dangerous in times of recession. They are tantamount to suicide for the U.S administration given the high level of savings that China has shipped abroad.
The U.S Treasury Department is justified in pointing the finger at China for practicing mercantilist-style trade policies: China's massive trade surplus and multi-trillion dollar store of foreign exchange reserves provides strong evidence that trade policy in China is designed to keep its currency weak. But the timing is all wrong.
Agitating for a revaluation of the Yuan and a "Buy America" policy could backfire in a big way. The U.S is like a junky with a US$2-billion a day borrowing habit, so getting on the bad side of its best dealer could be a big mistake.
China has been a major source of cheap credit to the U.S over the past few years. The People's Bank of China has parked roughly US$680-billion in U.S Treasury securities making it the single biggest source of credit to the U.S Treasury from abroad. This "savings glut" as it has been referred to allows the U.S Treasury to borrow money at very low rates of interest, and China could end that by easily converting those reserves to Euros or Yen. U.S Treasury Secretary Tim Geithner might get the revaluation of the Yuan he is looking for in the form of a dollar rout.
Access to cheap credit has never been more critical to the U.S economy at this juncture. The U.S Federal Reserve Bank has been buying mortgage securities to reduce the cost of credit to U.S homeowners, to slow the rate of foreclosures, and to support the price of mortgage securities held by U.S banks.
Moreover, the U.S Treasury will need to borrow heavily to support its multi-trillion dollar fix to the U.S economy. President Obama's attempt to keep every dollar of his stimulus package from leaving the U.S by issuing a "Buy America" policy could cause the unintended consequence of foreign capital flight.
This is an editorial comment in today's National Post, a leading newspaper in Canada. One should note how strong the language is in this editorial. While the quote concentrates on trade between China and the U.S., Canada itself is quite worried about the increase in protectionism in the United States. The National Post is angry that the United States is looking to foist its own unemployment problem off on its trade partners.
The long and short here is this: China, the EU, and Canada have now all warned the U.S. about "Buy America.' Any protectionist measures implemented by the United States WILL be met in kind by retaliatory measures.
The tone in the U.K. is very different where Gordon Brown announced in a press conference with Chinese Premier Wen that he is looking to double trade in the next eighteen months. Wen may be using the U.K. as a foil to the United States, in effect saying, "Look America, we have other options." Nevertheless, Brown and Wen are demonstrating that global trade does not have to collapse due to the economic downturn despite protests because of job losses.
When I find a video or quote from the press conference, I will post it. Also, you should note that the National Post editorial begins with a picture of Obama and Biden, linking the Obama Administration with Canada's perception of protectionism.
Comment: 'Buy America' policy a veiled attempt to export unemployment – National Post
Wen Says China to Begin European Procurement Missions – Bloomberg


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The bright line that once distinguished the dot-com from the incumbent is rapidly fading. Companies are recognizing that success in the new economy will go to those who can execute clicks-and-mortar strategies that bridge the physical and the virtual worlds.
But in forging such strategies, executives face a decision that is as difficult as it is crucial: should we integrate our Internet business with our traditional business or should we keep the two separate? Despite the obvious benefits that integration offers—cross-promotion, shared information, purchasing leverage, distribution economies, and the like—many executives now assume that Internet businesses need to be separate to thrive. Influenced by the cautionary tales of Clayton Christensen, author of The Innovator's Dilemma, they believe that the very nature of a traditional business—its protectiveness of current customers, its fear of cannibalization, its general myopia—will smother any Internet initiative.
Barnes & Noble is one company that embraced such thinking. To compete with Amazon.com, it established a completely separate division—Barnesandnoble.com—which it ultimately spun off as a stand-alone company. By breaking free of the existing organization, the on-line outfit gained many advantages. It was able to speed up its decision making, maintain a high degree of flexibility, create an entrepreneurial culture, attract quality management, and tap into the vast pool of capital available to Internet start-ups. But despite those benefits, Barnesandnoble.com has struggled. In January 2000, CEO Jonathan Bulkeley resigned after only a year on the job. In February, its stock price fell to an all-time low of 7.5, down more than 50% from its offering price of 18. By divorcing its on-line business from its established stores, Barnes & Noble may have actually sacrificed more than it gained. For example, the company forfeited tremendous marketing opportunities by not promoting Barnesandnoble.com in its stores.
In studying how incumbent companies like Barnes & Noble have moved onto the Web, we have learned a lot about clicks-and-mortar strategies and their likelihood of success. Our most important finding is a simple one: the benefits of integration are almost always too great to abandon entirely. Instead of focusing on an either-or choice—Should we develop our Internet channel in-house or launch a spin-off?—executives should be asking, What degree of integration makes sense for our company? In this article, we'll look at three established retailers that have taken very different approaches to integrating their physical and virtual operations. Their experience reveals the spectrum of choices available and illustrates some of the trade-offs involved in each choice.
Office Depot's Seamless Strategy
Office Depot has found success by tightly integrating its Web site and its physical stores to form a single, seamless retailing network. As CIO Bill Seltzer puts it, "The Internet is just another channel that gets plugged into the business architecture."
The company had two very good reasons to integrate the on-line business rather than spin it off. First, its existing catalog-sales operation provided it with much of the service infrastructure needed to support an Internet store. With a professional call center and a fleet of more than 2,000 delivery trucks, Office Depot was well equipped to process individual orders and deliver directly to the consumer. Second, years earlier it had developed a sophisticated information system containing complete product, vendor, customer, and order information as well as real-time inventory data for each of the company's 1,825 stores and 30 warehouses. That system made it easy to coordinate Office Depot's on-line store and its physical outlets.
For customers, the integrated channels make shopping simple and convenient. Let's say you're looking to buy a new printer. You can research your choices at OfficeDepot.com, clicking through rich information on features and prices. Once you find the best model for your needs, you can buy it on-line and have it delivered the next day free of charge. Or, if you need it immediately, you can check the site to ensure it's in stock at your neighborhood Office Depot superstore and go pick it up yourself.
By providing information about store locations and inventory on-line, Office Depot's Web site has actually increased the traffic at its physical outlets. At the same time, the company uses its stores to promote its site. It is, for example, expanding a pilot program that uses in-store kiosks to give customers Web site access. The customers can use the site to research the choices available to them in the physical store. And by learning about the capabilities of the site, they increase their likelihood of using it while at work or at home. Rather than cannibalize each other, the two channels promote each other, creating a virtuous circle.
By providing information about store locations and inventory on-line, Office Depot's Web site has actually increased the traffic at its physical outlets.
OfficeDepot.com does cannibalize the catalog business to some degree, but that's probably a good thing. It's cheaper to reach customers through the Web than through catalogs, which are expensive to print and mail. Products and prices can be changed continually on the Web, whereas catalogs quickly go out of date. And it's more efficient to take orders on the Web than over the phone. On average, a Web transaction costs half as much to process as a catalog order.
OfficeDepot.com further complements the existing physical stores by providing added value to the company's 50,000 contract customers—large and midsize corporations that spend a great deal of money on office products. For example, each contract customer has its own specialized view of the OfficeDepot.com site. When the customer's employees log onto the site, they are automatically assigned an authorization level that limits what they can buy and how much they can spend. A secretary, for instance, may be able to buy only basic products—pens, staplers, and paper—while the office manager can buy anything on the site. This authorization system eliminates paper purchase orders, which typically cost corporations anywhere from $75 to $200 each to generate and process. In addition, Office Depot gives many of its larger contract customers an additional discount if they place their orders on-line instead of phoning or faxing them in—saving money for Office Depot as well as for the customer.
While many customers have shifted from catalog purchases to Web buying, some still prefer catalogs. Even here, though, the integration of the Web site pays off. When customers call in, the agents they speak with use the Web interface to enter orders. The agents can provide detailed product information (which serves to minimize returns), check inventory, suggest alternatives to an out-of-stock product, and cross-sell complementary products. They can also pull up the customer's order history, accelerating the order entry process. Since the browser-based order entry system was installed, there has been a marked increase in the catalog operation's productivity and average order size, Seltzer says.
Office Depot's experience shows that in some cases the benefits of integration overwhelm the advantages of separation. If Office Depot had set up its Web operation as a stand-alone business, it may have achieved greater organizational focus and flexibility, but it would have sacrificed the customer benefits and the strategic advantages that come from integration, such as cross-selling, brand recognition, and purchasing leverage. As a separate operation, OfficeDepot.com would have been just another e-tailer struggling to attract customers while fighting endless price wars.
KB Toys' Joint Venture
Other retailing sectors are less amenable to a tight integration between bricks and clicks. Take toys, for instance. Big toy retailers don't have much experience with catalog retailing; they tend to focus exclusively on their physical stores. So launching a Web store would require creating a whole new direct-marketing infrastructure and developing a new set of management skills. Also, toy shoppers tend to be highly price sensitive—in stark contrast to business-supplies buyers, who place a high value on a retailer's flexibility and responsiveness. If your customers want flexibility, creating a new channel provides added value to them. If all they care about is getting the lowest price, a new channel merely creates more competition for your existing outlets.
Although eToys, the largest toy e-tailer, and Toys R Us, the biggest toy retailer overall, have received most of the media attention, the toy company that has developed the smartest e-business strategy may well be Consolidated Stores Corporation's KB Toys unit. Rather than create its own Web store from scratch, KB Toys joined forces with BrainPlay.com, an e-tailer of children's products, to create KBkids.com. Consolidated Stores invested $80 million in the joint venture, as well as contributing its well-established brand, and received an 80% stake in the company. BrainPlay, which now operates exclusively under the KBkids.com name, provided the e-commerce expertise and savvy that KB Toys sorely lacked. By joining with an existing e-tailer, KB Toys has been able to capitalize on the advantages of both integration and separation.
By joining an existing e-tailer, KB Toys has been able to capitalize on the advantages of both integration and separation.
Organizationally, KBkids keeps its distance from KB Toys. It is headquartered in BrainPlay's former offices in Denver—2,000 miles from the Massachusetts headquarters of KB Toys—and it is run largely by the management team and technical staff that launched BrainPlay. These people are used to moving at Internet speed and dealing with the unique challenges of e-commerce, and they have been able to maintain the fast-paced and freewheeling culture of a dot-com start-up. "All we do is the Internet," states KBkids.com CEO Srikant Srinivasan.
The Clicks-and-Mortar Spectrum
Although they appear to be completely separate, the two companies are actually tightly integrated in certain respects. Most obvious is the shared brand. The KB Toys name garners a striking 80% awareness among toy buyers, giving KBkids an advantage that pure-play dot-coms simply can't match—no matter how much they spend on Super Bowl ads. The physical stores also heavily promote the Web site through in-store advertising and displays. Only a few months after KBkids' launch, Gomez Advisors ranked the site number one in customer confidence in its Toy Scorecard Report. Such quick recognition and trust could not have been achieved without the strong KB brand. The brand advantage will only increase in importance. As the next wave of Internet shoppers comes online, many will be unfamiliar with the names of Internet-only toy retailers, but the overwhelming majority will immediately recognize the KB brand.
The company was also smart to name the site KBkids.com instead of KBtoys.com. By avoiding the word "toys" in its name, the site gains the advantages of the integrated brand while also enjoying the flexibility essential to Net success. Srinivasan sees KBkids as far more than an extension of KB Toys. "We want to become the leading retailer of many children's products," he says.
Another area of integration lies in customer service. Anything bought on-line at KBkids can be returned at any of the more than 1,300 bricks-and-mortar KB Toys stores. That provides an enormous convenience to Web shoppers—another advantage that pure-play e-tailers can't match. At the same time, it helps the physical stores by getting more customers to walk through the door.
A third integration advantage lies at the opposite end of the business—in the purchasing function, where KBkids has been able to fully leverage KB Toys' relationships with suppliers. As the second largest specialty toy retailer, KB Toys enjoys enormous market power, enabling it to negotiate advantageous prices and terms with toy manufacturers. To tap into this power, KBkids integrates its buyers with those from KB Toys. While they technically exist as two separate staffs, they work together in the Massachusetts facility, coordinating and consolidating purchases. Lacking this kind of purchasing leverage, the pure-play e-tailers are hard pressed to match KBkids' prices without falling ever further into the red. Even better, the integrated companies have the clout to negotiate exclusives with suppliers. This past holiday season, the popular Talk Together Teletubbies were available only at KBkids, while the Toy Story 2 Interactive Talking Train Set was available exclusively at KB Toys and KBkids.
The advantages of integration don't all flow to the Web operation, either. The physical stores also gain greater buying power. Srinivasan believes the successful clicks-and-mortar retailer is a supplier's dream: "[The physical stores] offer the scale; we offer the growth." A manufacturer of a hot, hard-to-find toy is far more likely to send its next shipment to a high-growth, innovative distributor like KB than to a weakening bricks-and-mortar retailer or to a pure-play that may account for just a tiny fraction of its total sales.
Finally, although the two companies' management teams are distinct, KBkids is nevertheless able to draw on KB Toys' 70 years of experience selling toys. Naturally, KB Toys' management has instincts about the industry that no start-up team can match. To ensure a healthy cross-fertilization of ideas, three members of the KBkids board of directors are executives in either KB Toys or Consolidated Stores. The companies also encourage frequent communication among managers at all levels.
What about that nasty issue of channel conflict? "We see very little cannibalization between the Web site and the stores," contends Srinivasan. "KB Toys is a mall store chain, driven by impulse purchases, not destination purchases. But when people come to our Web site, they are looking for something specific." Bricks-and-mortar toy retailers that maintain big, stand-alone destination stores, like Toys R Us, will usually have much greater channel conflicts with Web operations than KB Toys does.
Rite Aid's Virtual Partnership
The drugstore industry has seen the rise of a variety of clicks-and-mortar strategies. Walgreens.com, for example, is fully owned and operated by its bricks-and-mortar parent. Last June, CVS acquired Soma.com, which it promptly renamed CVS.com in order to "leverage the brand recognition, customer satisfaction, and reputation of CVS," according to Tom Pigott, president and CEO of CVS.com. Although CVS.com is fully owned by CVS, it maintains a separate management team in Washington—across the country from CVS's Rhode Island headquarters. Drugstore giant Rite Aid took a different approach, one centered on partnership rather than ownership.
Because Rite Aid assumed that only a small fraction of its sales would come through the Internet, its initial in-house efforts to launch an online channel were tentative. Four months after Soma.com was up and running, Rite Aid's site only let customers schedule an in-store prescription pickup; they couldn't buy a thing on-line. When it became clear that the Net would be a critical retail channel, Rite Aid needed a real Web presence—fast. So in June 1999, Rite Aid bought a 25.3% equity stake in Drugstore.com for a mere $7.6 million (plus additional noncash considerations). As former Rite Aid chairman and CEO Martin Grass explained in a press release, a strategic partnership with Drugstore.com "makes a lot more economic sense…than spending the money and time it would take away from our core businesses to develop, own, and manage our own site." Drugstore.com was an ideal partner because it brought Internet capabilities and strong investors, thus limiting Rite Aid's investment risk in e-commerce.
Like CVS, Rite Aid opted to import Internet expertise, but that's where the similarity ends. Rite Aid and Drugstore.com are separately owned and managed, and although both brands are promoted in both channels, they remain distinct. For instance, Rite Aid hasn't pushed to rename Drugstore.com "RiteAid.com." To do so would be a mistake: after all, venues like Drugstore.com cropped up because the traditional bricks-and-mortar stores weren't delivering an ideal customer experience. (Kids love running through toy stores, but hardly anyone looks forward to browsing through drugstore aisles.)
Even though the companies maintain their individual brands, they want the pharmacies to appear integrated to consumers. To that end, Drugstore.com has launched several initiatives to build its brand among Rite Aid customers. "From a branding perspective, all Rite Aid prescription bottle caps, shopping bags, and payment receipts contain the Drugstore.com logo," says Jackie Erickson, business manager at Drugstore.com. "From a merchandising perspective, we're working with Rite Aid to make in-store offers and calendar-related activities complement each other." During the holiday season, for example, Rite Aid put $15 Drugstore.com coupons in customers' bags. Keeping separate names while promoting the partnership accomplishes two things, explains Debby Fry Wilson, PR director at Drugstore.com: it protects the trust and recognition associated with the Rite Aid name and at the same time establishes a "clean brand that fits on-line expectations."
Rite Aid and Drugstore.com have also integrated many of their business functions, including fulfillment. The operational integration was crucial to Drugstore.com because it gave the company access to PCS Health Systems, Rite Aid's pharmacy benefits management (PBM) subsidiary that serves more than 50 million people. Earlier, the leading PBMs were reluctant to do business with Drugstore.com because they considered the company a threat to their own Internet strategies. Since prescription sales are an important revenue stream for Drugstore.com—and since 80% of Americans are covered by a PBM—losing that business would have been disastrous. But now, since its fulfillment operations are integrated with Rite Aid's, customers who can make a copayment at Rite Aid can also do so at Drugstore.com. Rite Aid benefits as well because its PBM gains increased business. The integrated fulfillment functions give both companies greater buying power, providing significant cost savings.
The Rite Aid—Drugstore.com partnership benefits consumers as well as the two businesses. Customers can elect to pick up their Drugstore.com prescriptions at their local Rite Aid rather than wait for them to be shipped—a huge advantage since 30% of all prescriptions are needed immediately. Because people who choose that option complete the entire transaction on-line, they still pay the Drugstore.com price. This arrangement lets Drugstore.com serve the acute-needs market for same-day prescriptions and allows the two companies to capture a larger share of the customer's wallet. Rite Aid also enjoys increased store traffic.
To get the most value out of their partnership, Rite Aid and Drugstore.com have even established an integration team. Although the two companies are managed separately, the team gives executives a forum for regularly sharing ideas about their businesses. More formally, Mary Sammons, Rite Aid's president and COO, sits on Drugstore.com's board of directors. Drugstore.com reaps the advantages of her experience and connections, but its strategic decisions are made autonomously. Ultimately, the partnership between Rite Aid and Drugstore.com lets each company take advantage of the other's expertise without sacrificing flexibility. Although Rite Aid's traditional business has had its share of problems recently, its innovative partnership with Drugstore.com remains a bright spot for the company—and a useful model for others.
The partnership between Rite Aid and Drugstore.com lets each company take advantage of the other's expertise without sacrificing flexibility.
A Spectrum of Choices
As the divergent strategies of Office Depot, KB Toys, and Rite Aid reveal, the integration-separation decision is not a binary choice. There are infinite permutations along the integration spectrum. By thinking carefully about which aspects of a business to integrate and which to keep distinct, companies can tailor their clicks-and-mortar strategy to their own particular market and competitive situation, dramatically increasing the odds of e-business success.
As a useful starting point, we recommend examining four business dimensions—brand, management, operations, and equity—and determining the degree of integration that makes sense along each. The exhibit "Clicks-and-Mortar Strategies" shows how the three companies we looked at have positioned themselves on the integration spectrum for each dimension.
Clicks-and-Mortar Strategies
The choice to integrate brands or keep them separate is largely a choice between trust and flexibility. Extending a company's current brand to the Internet gives instant credibility to a Web site (assuming, of course, that the brand is both recognized and respected). The company's current Internet-savvy customers will provide nearly immediate traffic and revenue, new consumers will know the site is legit, and fewer buyers will fear credit card fraud—a frequent inhibitor of on-line transactions. Furthermore, as we saw with Office Depot and KB Toys, brand integration can result in a virtuous circle, sending on-line customers to the stores and bricks-and-mortar customers on-line, all the while continuing to build the brand. But in integrating a brand, a company often loses flexibility. An on-line store may be forced to offer the same products and prices as its physical counterparts—or risk leaving customers confused and distrustful. With a shared brand, it also becomes more difficult to use the Internet to target a different customer segment. KBkids sidestepped this trade-off, using a slight variation on the KB Toys name to leverage the existing brand without limiting its scope to toys. A little creativity can pay huge dividends in the Internet space.
Whether a firm should integrate or separate its management teams is a subtler question whose answer hinges both on management attitudes and on the company's business model. An integrated team can better align strategic objectives, find and exploit synergies, and share knowledge. Separate teams can focus more sharply, innovate more freely, and avoid contaminating one business model with another. Even here, companies don't have to make an all-or-nothing decision—they can integrate certain functions and leave others separate. The purchasing staffs of KB Toys and KBkids.com are managed together, while the companies' senior executives operate autonomously.
Decisions about integrating operations should be based on the strength of a company's existing distribution and information systems and their transferability to the Internet. Integration can provide significant cost savings, a more compelling and informative site, and a competitive advantage over pure-play competitors—as was the case with Office Depot. Separation lets a company build state-of-the art, customized systems without the flaws of older systems and develop sophisticated Internet-specific distribution capabilities that could provide a superior customer experience.
To own or to spin off? Of all the integration decisions, that's the one that will get the most attention. Integration allows the parent to capture the entire value of its Internet business, as Office Depot is doing. Separation can help attract and retain talented managers and provide access to outside capital. By establishing its KBkids.com venture as a separate business, KB Toys garnered the management expertise of pure-play BrainPlay, saved itself the expense of starting an Internet channel from scratch, and maintained the option of an initial public offering. Separate ownership can also offer greater flexibility in partnering with other companies. Finally, by maintaining an equity stake in a separate Internet company, a bricks-and-mortar company could reap a windfall in the stock market.• • •
Clicks-and-mortar businesses are here to stay. The question is, Which models will win? The answer will, to a large extent, be determined by a company's ability to manage the trade-offs between separation and integration. (See the exhibit "A Road Map Through the Decision Process.") By avoiding an either-or choice and considering each aspect of its business on its own, a company can strike the right balance between the freedom, flexibility, and creativity that come with separation and the operating, marketing, and information economies that come with integration.
A Road Map Through the Decision Process


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The Free Tool I *INSIST* My Clients Use
One of the best reasons to hire a digital marketing consultant? It's the tools.
By spending years doing digital marketing for a variety of clients in numerous industries, consultants/freelancers collect a "toolbox" – a gathering of their essential tools they use to perform client work.
Today, I'm going to share one of my favorite tools… one every business should use.
Automatically Post Social Media Updates at Regular Intervals
While there are many tools with post scheduling functionality, none were as easy to use as my favorite tool, Buffer.
With a free-to-use basic plan, Buffer has earned its place as my top choice for social media management. In fact, I think Buffer is so useful, I insist my clients use it.
Here are just some of the benefits of Buffer:
- Saves time: schedule a month's worth of social media updates in a single session
- Delivers smart insights: Buffer now include analytics (for paid plans – I'm honestly not sure about the free plan)
- A great value: The paid plan is $10/month and lets you connect up to 12 accounts. It's a great, cheap way to improve social media marketing for small businesses
- Improves your branding: Instead of "forgetting to post on Facebook today" or "not twittering enough," small business owners can use Buffer to maintain a consistent brand presence
In my TL;DR Digital Marketing Report, I include strategies you can easily integrate with Buffer to basically do your entire month's digital marketing all at once.
Subscription info forthcoming.


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A few tunes to sing along and dance to when you're feeling lazy to pack your bags. Get excited for an adventure with these songs on our playlist! Click play and give it a listen. And don't forget to follow us on Spotify to get updated whenever we upload a new mix.
Troye Sivan's Blue Neighbourhood sustained me throughout the 12 hours (!!!) it took to pack up my entire life when I moved to a new place last week! —Dyan, Managing Editor
"Luxurious" by Gwen Stefani, "Roses" by The Chainsmokers —Ning, Associate Fashion and Beauty Editor
|"Run Away With Me" by Carly Rae Jepsen —Mara, Assistant Lifestyle and Features Editor
"Holiday" by Vampire Weekend —Macy, Web Editor in Chief
"Young Folks" by Peter, Bjorn and John :) —Ayessa, Web Assistant Section Editor
What songs get you in the mood for prepping your luggage for travel? Leave a message below or tweet us @candymagdotcom


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Madison, Wisconsin is a food-centric city whose shiny, modern-day veneer sidles up to its old-world heritage, with people earnestly making food with the same care their German and Swiss ancestors did two centuries ago. Madison is a quirky collision of old-world sensibilities comingling with the pop culture of the ubiquitous Wisconsin Cheesehead.
Madison Wisconsin-at the Pearly Gates of a culinary revolution
September 6, 2011 by


text: Reviews Good morning! These are BEAUTIFUL! We love them. Jennifer • Harley Ellis Devereaux • Chicago, IllinoisThanks Steve. Very good photos in terms of composition, detail, and post-production (particularly interiors). I also like how you staged people; that's an under-appreciated skill that varies among photographers. Peter • AECOM • Arlington, VirginiaSteve, these are excellent photos. I am very impressed. Ah-h-h. Another great job! Thanks so much for such professional work. Pamela • Blythe Group + Co. • Grand Junction, ColoradoThey look great Steve! Kelly • OZ Architecture • Denver, ColoradoSteve – These look really great! Thank you for going the extra, extra mile to capture these various shots. Beth • Honeywell Fire Systems, Americas • Northford, Connecticut We are quite impressed with how you captured the qualities of the spaces. The facility just seems to pop with student activity and color. The way you captured students using the spaces at Tech has really struck a chord here. Denise • Bora Architects • Portland, OregonHi Steve – thanks again for the super quick response! These look great! Amber • Domino's • Ann Arbor, Michigan Steve they look fabulous!!!! Thanks for getting these to us early. Shellee • Bora Architects • Portland, OregonHi Steve, Again- we love the photo. Awesome. Thank you. And we do want to move forward with the next three photos. Kate • Brynn Grey Partners • Frisco, Colorado Wow! This was a delight to see - thank you. Naseem • Bureau for Architecture and Urbanism • San Francisco, CaliforniaYou rock =) Thanks Kristin • Oakland Schools Office and Conference Center • Waterford, Michigan The team is super happy with them, and we can't wait to get them in our new proposals! Jaime • HDR • Lawrenceville, New JerseyThank you so much, the team is extremely pleased with the images. Carrie • Koroberi • Chapel Hill, North CarolinaThe photography has turned out tremendously. George • Moseley Architects • Virginia Beach, VirginiaThe photo's are spectacular. Great job. Have a nice weekend. Stacy • Coldspring USA • Cold Spring, MinnesotaSteve, I just finished downloading the photos. They turned out awesome. Thank you again for the speedy turnaround. I believe our next project to finish construction will be in late September or early October. I will let you know when I hear something. Geoff • KTGY Group, Inc. • Irvine, CaliforniaThese look awesome Steve! Thank you so much. Lisa • Moseley Architects • Richmond, Virginia Thanks! Great images by the way! Rachael • Harley Ellis Devereaux • Southfield, Michigan We love your photos! Emily • John Portman & Associates • Atlanta, GeorgiaMy marketing manager in Houston was super excited about the images we captured. Lavonia • CAMDEN Living • Henderson, Nevada These look great! Very exciting! Paul • Plante Moran Cresa • Southfield, MichiganSteve, it is always great to work with you. Diane • Shaw Construction • Denver, Colorado The photo's really look great. Seriously. Hey, I really (really) liked the photo's you took previously. Just wanted to mention. Steven • HGA Architects • Minneapolis, MinnesotaHi Steve, the photos look incredible. Fabie • Tipton Associates • Baton Rouge, Louisiana


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MARGATE, N.J. (AP) – Downbeach business owners and real estate professionals are gearing up for a summer they hope will be better than last year, when dune construction and subsequent ponding of rainwater scared away visitors.
But this year likely will not be totally free of inconveniences. The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is returning next month and plans to add five outfall pipes to correct an aging stormwater system that last summer led to water ponding behind the newly built dunes.
The work is expected to take a year to complete, but work will be suspended from June 20 to Labor Day, U.S. Army Corps of Engineers spokesman Stephen Rochette said.
That's a good sign for local businesses, who blamed problems with the dune project – and the resulting publicity – for hurting business.
"There's no question the dunes had an impact on the bottom line, mostly because the media showed the worst of what was happening, and that kept people away," Margate Business Association President Ed Berger said.
Rochette said five outfall pipes will be installed under the sand to take stormwater from the street ends to the ocean. The installation will start in the south end of Margate and proceed north. Outfalls will be located at Vendome, Nassau, Kenyon, Franklin and Douglas avenues.
The construction operation will be much more limited than the beachfill operations that took place last year, Rochette said.
Rochette, in an emailed response to questions about the project, said that "during the construction of the upland portion of the system behind the dunes, which runs along the bulkheads, it's possible two consecutive street-end areas may be closed at a time."
"People can expect to see trucks bringing in equipment through the winter and spring," he said.
The Army Corps and the New Jersey Department of Environmental Protection met with Margate city engineers recently to coordinate the construction of the outfall system with catch basins the city is installing.
Margate engineer Ed Walberg told commissioners that in some cases, the city may have to lower the catch basin to meet the level of the pipe.
Berger said in a telephone interview the association isn't planning anything specific to rebound from last year's losses, as members feel the regular summer lineup of events and activities will be enough to convince people to come back.
"We are planning no dirigibles or banner planes over Philly," he said. "We feel confident our beaches will be in good shape next summer, and that's the main reason people come here."
The annual Beachstock festival is planned for the weekend before Memorial Day, and Thrilling Thursdays will be the catalyst for visitors to extend their weekend getaways, Berger said.
Paul Van DeRijn, of Jack and Jill Ice Cream of Egg Harbor Township, had contracts last summer to sell ice cream on the beach in Margate and Longport.
He said he lost at least half of his usual revenue due to the dune project, which he said "made it less palatable for people to go to the beach."
The Margate Board of Commissioners accepted Van DeRijn's $54,000 bid to sell ice cream on the beach from May 1 through Oct. 1. Van DeRijn was the highest of two bidders, bidding $39,000 less than he paid for the contract last year.
He declined a one-year extension with a 5-percent increase on his $36,300 contract with Longport, an option that was written into his 2016 contract. The commissioners said they would discuss putting the contract out to bid for the 2018 season.
Van DeRijn said if the installation of a stormwater drainage system to fix the ponding isn't finished by summer, people will likely migrate to other shore towns, such as Ocean City, to go to the beach.
Van DeRijn does not have a contract to sell ice cream on the beach in Ocean City, but he supplies vendors there.
"The city has to be smart and can't give away their bread and butter. With a $39,000 decrease in revenue, something in the city won't get done," he said.
"When they congratulated me for winning the bid, I told them I was sorry I couldn't bid higher. It's just that the revenue is not there."
Van DeRijn said he is hopeful the economy is on the upswing and that this summer will be better.
Angela Besch, of Avalar Atlantic Properties, located in the Margate Towers beachfront condominium complex, said some potential renters shied away because of the dune project, and several buyers wrangled out of their sales contracts.
"People were unsure of their views, and some didn't want to buy last summer because of the noise generated by the project," Besch said. "They said they would rather wait until next summer."
Besch, who is 2nd vice president for the Atlantic City and County Board of Realtors, said she will be reaching out to buyers and sellers through social media and emails.
Rental records provided by Besch from the Multiple Listing Service show there were 145 rentals in Ventnor and Margate in 2017, one more than in 2016. However, not all rentals are arranged by real estate agents, and not all are recorded in the MLS data.
In Ventnor, single-family home sales were up 22 percent over 2016, and the average sale price rose about 2 percent, to $368,754. Condo sales were also up, but the average price for a condo in Ventnor last year dropped 6 percent, to $182,813.
In Margate, single-family home sales were up 6 percent, but the average price was 1 percent less than the previous year, at $710,892. Condo sales dropped 5 percent, but the average price rose 17 percent, to $331,312.
Single-family home sales dropped about 15 percent in Longport, but the average sale price rose 14 percent, to $1,720,352. Eleven condos were sold in 2016 compared with 12 in 2017, with the average sale price rising more than 60 percent, to $563,964.
The sale of beach badges dropped in Longport and Margate, while sales in Ventnor increased.
Longport Chief Financial Officer Jenna Kelly said the drop from $217,390 in 2016 to $214,292 last summer could be attributed to Longport's reciprocal agreement to accept beach tags from Margate, where tags cost less.
Ventnor CFO Toro Aboderin said tag sale proceeds were up nearly $12,000 over 2016, with a total revenue generated of $273,107.
Aboderin credited the increase with the city's new policy of checking for beach tags at beach entrances, and rotating those checkpoints.
"Most importantly, we have supervisors whose only job is focused on the checkers, and we also had more checkers on the beach making sure that everyone was in compliance," she said.
The negative publicity about the dunes could have caused a drop in beach tag revenue in Margate.
Chief Financial Officer Lisa McLaughlin said total revenue for 2017 was $325,345, down from $337,115 the year before.
Business owners expressed concern that the new drainage system being installed on the beach might ruin summer 2018 as well.