text:
The curriculum A Global Controversy: The U.S. Invasion of Iraq provides an overview of Iraqi history and draws students into the public debate on the U.S. decision to invade Iraq in 2003. Students assess the war's impact in the United States, Iraq, and beyond, and consider its implications for the public's role in future foreign policy decisions.
Videos for Readings: The videos below follow the outline of the printed curriculum unit. The headings correspond to the headings in the student readings.
Videos for Lessons accompany lessons in the teacher's guide of the printed curriculum unit.
Scholars Online: Videos for Readings
A Global Controversy: The U.S. Invasion of Iraq
Jarat Chopra
Brown University
P. Terrence Hopmann
Brown University
Senator Jack Reed
U.S. Senate
Les Roberts
Columbia University
Charles Tripp University of London
Catherine Lutz
Brown University
Thomas M. Nichols United States Naval War College
Ricardo Lagos
Former President of Chile
Madeline Campbell
Brown University
Introduction: The Largest Protest in History
Part I: A Brief History of Iraq
Who lives in Iraq and how have ethnic and religious differences shaped Iraqi history? [Charles Tripp – 2:36]
Iraq's Early History
How was Great Britain involved in the creation of Iraq? [Charles Tripp - 2:37]
What was the legacy of British imperialism in Iraq? [Charles Tripp – 1:58]
How has oil affected the history of Iraq? [Charles Tripp – 2:05]
Iraq Under Saddam Hussein
How did Saddam Hussein come to power? [Charles Tripp – 1:58]
What was life like under Saddam Hussein? [Charles Tripp – 2:45]
How did Iraqis regard Saddam Hussein? [Charles Tripp – 2:46]
What was Iraq's foreign policy like during Saddam Hussein's rule? [Charles Tripp – 3:42]
Why did many refugees leave Iraq during Saddam Hussein's rule? [Madeline Campbell - 2:14]
The First Persian Gulf War
How was the use of military force to protect civilians in northern Iraq in 1991 significant? [Jarat Chopra – 1:25]
How has U.S. involvement with Iraq shifted over time? [Charles Tripp – 3:44]
How have Iraqi attitudes toward the United States changed over time? [Charles Tripp – 3:44]
Part II: From Containment to Regime Change
How did UN inspections in the 1990s affect Iraq's weapons program? [Charles Tripp – 2:10]
Why did the UN impose sanctions on Iraq from 1990 to 2003? [Charles Tripp – 2:00]
What were the effects of sanctions on Iraq? [Charles Tripp – 2:28]
A Policy of Regime Change
A New Security Strategy
What is the difference between preemptive and preventive war? [Thomas Nichols – 1:10]
What are examples of preemptive and preventive military action? [Thomas Nichols – 1:08]
What are the pros and cons of using preventive military action? [Thomas Nichols – 1:57]
The Road to War
What motivated the Bush administration to invade Iraq? [Charles Tripp – 2:15]
What motivated the Bush administration to invade Iraq? [Senator Jack Reed – 2:39]
What was the National Intelligence Estimate on Iraq's WMD programs? [Senator Jack Reed – 2:04]
How does the United States decide if it will go to war? [Senator Jack Reed – 1:16]
What was H.J. Resolution 114 and who wrote it? [Senator Jack Reed – 0:56]
Did anyone attempt to amend the resolution? [Senator Jack Reed – 1:15]
What was the climate like in the Senate on October 11, 2002, the day of the vote? [Senator Jack Reed – 1:23]
Why did you choose to vote against the resolution to authorize force against Iraq? [Senator Jack Reed – 2:48]
Why do you think so few of your fellow senators voted against the resolution? [Senator Jack Reed – 1:15]
Did the U.S. media accurately portray the situation in Iraq leading up to the 2003 invasion? [Charles Tripp – 1:26]
Moment of Decision: Early March, 2003
What did the British public think of their government's decision to invade Iraq? [Charles Tripp – 2:06]
Do you think that British and U.S. leaders had a good understanding of Iraqi history when they decided to go to war? [Charles Tripp – 3:38]
What is your perspective on the U.S. "War on Terror"? [Ricardo Lagos – 1:13]
Part III: The War in Iraq
The Invasion
The Occupation
What have you observed during your visits to Iraq? [Senator Jack Reed – 3:59]
How has the 2003 invasion of Iraq fueled terrorism? [P. Terrence Hopmann – 1:21]
Effects of the War
To what extent has the 2003 invasion created opportunities for political change in Iraq? [Charles Tripp – 3:01]
What purpose do civilian casualty counts serve, and why are they so controversial? [Les Roberts – 1:09]
Whose responsibility is it to conduct casualty counts in Iraq? [Les Roberts – 0:59]
What was the Lancet study? [Les Roberts – 2:07]
How precise were your estimates of civilian casualties in Iraq? [Les Roberts – 2:11]
What were the findings of your studies in Iraq? [Les Roberts – 2:23]
How were your findings received? [Les Roberts – 1:27]
Why have estimates on casualties in Iraq varied so widely? [Les Roberts – 1:42]
How can casualty counts influence policy and public opinion? [Les Roberts – 2:53]
How did Iraqis' attitudes towards the U.S. occupation change after the Abu Ghraib scandal? [Michael Otterman – 1:01]
What are the arguments against the use of torture? [Michael Otterman – 2:41]
Why has the use of the term "torture" been controversial? [Michael Otterman – 1:09]
How did embedded journalism impact the coverage of the war? [Michael Otterman – 2:16]
*The United States
What are the biggest challenges that Iraq War veterans face upon returning to the United States? [Senator Jack Reed – 1:29]
How are the Iraq and Afghanistan wars different from previous U.S. wars? [Catherine Lutz - 1:53]
What did you find out about the rates of casualties amongst U.S. soldiers and contractors? [Catherine Lutz - 1:27]
What have been the largest costs of the Iraq and Afghanistan wars? [Catherine Lutz - 3:15]


text:
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Democracy on a 3-minute time limit with no discussion
Davis at the Legislature: Local control of wind energy
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GRAND ISLAND-After first round losses in the previous two years at the state tournament, Sutherland finally got over the hump on Thursday by sweeping Alma at Central Catholic High School.
Sutherland (25-6), the No. 2 seed in Class D1, will play No. 6 seed Exeter-Milligan in the semifinals on Friday night at Grand Island Senior High School
The match started out pretty evenly for the first 10 points or so. But Sutherland pulled away to a 13-7 lead with Kristen Nelson serving.
Alma (23-9) rallied back to come within 20-19. But a kill by Nelson and an ace served by Joli Hopping found the Sailors up by three again and that was all the cushion they needed to take the early advantage.
Sutherland began the second set with a run of six straight and the Sailors never really looked back.
Sutherland also started well in the third set going up 10-2. The Lady Cardinals rallied to come within 20-17. But the Lady Sailors won the next six to end it early and advance to the semis.
Flatrock Publishing, Inc.
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subset: commoncrawl


text:
What is a bridge camera?
Sometimes you don't want to lug around a DSLR and an assortment of lenses - you want one camera and one lens that does it all.
This means a feature set that cherry picks the best that a typical DSLR has to offer, including manual control and preferably the ability to shoot in raw format as well as JPEG, along with a lens that offers a very broad focal range, so it won't matter that it can't be swapped.
Enter the superzoom camera, also known as an ultra zoom or bridge camera - so called because it bridges the gap between a point and shoot compact and an full bells and whistles DSLR, in terms of handling and feature set, at least.
Superzoom build
Best DSLR: top cameras by price and brand
For this reason, superzooms tend to closely resemble DSLRs in terms of look, build and - to an extent - handling, but feature smaller image sensors and, partly because of this, afford physically smaller lenses.
While not a replacement for a DSLR then, the advantage here is that the cameras can offer a very broad focal range; one that, if you were to try and achieve similar effects with a DSLR, would make for a prohibitively expensive and awkwardly unwieldy combo.
The larger physical size of a bridge camera or superzoom when compared with a snapshot camera may deter some, but there's a lot more creative versatility here in terms of framing choices. A case in point: many models also offer tilt and swivel LCD screens as well as optical or electronic viewfinders. Again, with a bridge camera there is more choice and more options for the photo enthusiast.
So if you are after one jack-of-all-trades digital camera - either instead of a DSLR, or perhaps as a less expensive back up - and you value convenience and flexibility as much as image quality and pixel count, then a bridge or superzoom camera could be your ideal companion. So here we're shining the spotlight on the best of some recent releases.
Nikon Coolpix L820
Price: $280
Specs: 30x zoom NIKKOR glass lens, low-light CMOS sensor, 16MP , Full HD 1080p videos
The Nikon L820 is inexpensive, has a broad focal range and a sensor that's not over-burdened with pixels. Its images provide a good level of detail, unless you're shooting at maximum zoom, whereby results can be more hit and miss in terms of blur.
The plastic high gloss finish can be off-putting, as can the fact that it's powered by bog standard AA batteries. It also lacks a viewfinder, accessory shoe, integrated Wi-Fi connectivity, a touchscreen and a raw shooting option, which are features we miss.
While modest in comparison to some of the 42x and 50x zoom bridge cameras currently on the market, the Nikon L820 is priced sensibly to reflect this. And a broad 22.5-675mm focal range in 35mm terms is certainly of greater use for more creative endeavors than the fixed lens and digital zoom on your smartphone.
Fuji X-S1
Price: $630
Specs: 12MP CMOS sensor, 26x optical zoom,1080p video, 3-inch, 460k dot tilting screen
Looking for the ultimate overall bridge camera, and less bothered about just grabbing the longest lens? Separating this 26x optical zoom model from the herd - its focal range running from 24-624mm in 35mm terms - is a rock-solid build reminiscent of the semi-pro DSLR it resembles in shape and form, plus rubberized body armor that aids a firm grip.
Oddly it not only looks gorgeous, but smells great too, as the zoom coming with a rubber surround to prevent slippage in the heat of the action. Given that this is a premium product in Fuji's pro/enthusiast photography range, the cost of the Fuji X-S1 is neither cheap nor prohibitively pricey, particularly when it's now being touted for $300 less than the original asking price.
The Fuji X-S1 wins our Best superzoom camera award.
Sony HX300
Price: $470
Specs: 20.4MP, 50x optical zoom, 1080/60p Full HD video, 3.0" tiltable LCD
As you'd expect from a DSLR-styled bridge camera bearing the Sony brand, the HX300 comes across as reassuringly robust and built-to-last when gripped in the palm, particularly with the lens resting dormant within its protective housing.
Shooting at maximum ISO 12800 equivalent, images appear quite heavily processed and softened, so you'd probably want to avoid that option entirely.
However, it does actually achieve something that the majority of superzooms fail to do, and that's deliver sharp results even when shooting handheld at maximum telephoto. As a result, there will be an audience out there who feel that paying a slight premium for the Sony HX300 could be worth it.
Nikon Coolpix P510
Price: $400
Specs: 16MP CMOS sensor, 42x optical zoom, 1080p video, 3-inch, 921k dot tilting screen
Trumping its wimpy-by-comparison 36x optical zoom predecessor the Nikon P500 with its new improved 42x zoom, the Nikon P510 is an amateur paparazzi's dream, courtesy of an ultra-wide 24-1000mm equivalent focal length. For that, the asking price doesn't feel too bad. Again, the build is "DSLR lite," the zoom supported by lens-shift rather than sensor-shift image stabilization, while a 16 megapixel 1/2.3-inch CMOS sensor lies at its core. Performance is enhanced by an Expeed C2 image processor.
Slightly more exciting is, once again, a tilting LCD screen - this time of the 3-inch, respectably high 921k-dot variety, which can be angled up or down but not swung out parallel to the body. Naturally Full HD video shooting is also included, while like its Canon SX40 HS rival the ISO range tops out at a modest ISO 3200, and doing battle with the Sony HX200V, a GPS antenna sits over the lens barrel and pop-up flash. This means, unlike the Fuji X-S1, there's no space for a hotshoe. For sports fans, continuous burst shooting of up to 7fps is offered, which is better than most entry-level DSLRs at its price.
Canon Powershot SX50 HS
Price: $400
Specs: 12.1MP, 1/2.3-inch CMOS sensor, 50x optical zoom, 1080p video, 2.7-inch, 460,000-dot variangle screen
Although it has the same pixel count as the Canon SX40 HS that it replaces the Canon Powershot SX50 HS makes a huge leap forward with its focal length range as it features a 50x zoom lens. This optic has a focal length equivalent to a 24-1200mm lens on a 35mm camera, with a maximum aperture of f/3.4-65.
This lens means the camera is suitable for a huge range of photographic situations, from cramped interiors to distant wildlife, but if the telephoto range isn't quite enough it can be extended digitally to a100x zoom, giving the equivalent of a 2400mm lens.
As well as the ability to shoot in shutter priority, aperture priority and manual exposure mode the SX50 HS can record images in raw format, making it even more attractive to experienced photographers. Less experienced users are also catered for though as there is a host of automatic exposure modes as well as JPEG recording.
On the whole images from the Canon SX50 HS impress, having plenty of detail, good exposure and pleasantly vibrant colors.


text:
I recently read an interview with Bill Hilf [1] (thanks to a link from Groklaw).As I read it, I realised that it needed clarifications to anybody left wondering whether Mr. Hilf's answers are indeed objective. This article will go through the most interesting questions and answers, and will try to clarify some important points
(As a side note, having interviewed a number of people myself, I also get the feeling that a lot of them are self-asked questions. But, this is only a feeling)
The first passage I'd like to focus on says:
The software that goes into Red Hat Enterprise Linux, we may or may not compete with at a feature level, but the real value of open source from Microsoft is understanding how community developed software can happen on our platform and help grow our business as well as the open source community, which is how we started off on this whole path of launching things like Port25 and CodePlex, and which is why I submitted the licenses to the OSI.
So, Microsoft has finally discovered that good software does happen outside their controlled "cathedral" model, and want to be able to lure communities to help grow their business. I believe Microsoft has done plenty to push away free software developers; many of them frequently asked them: stop threatening them with patent law suits; stop trying to relegating free software development to unpaid, lone programmers in a loft; stop trying to shove your XML format down OSI's throat. I can only second those requests.
Then, there's InformationWeek's question:
InformationWeek: Are there any specific areas where you would see Microsoft placing things in an open source development environment as a way to further its own products or to better interoperate with things?
I definitely cannot prove that Mr. Hilf wrote this question. However, I feel undeniably suspicious about the wording ("further its own product")? I may well be wrong, obviously. Mr. Hilf however, provides an answer capable of causing a life-threatening stomach ulcer to many free software developers:
Hilf: When people buy commercial software, really what they're buying is a guarantee. You're buying a guarantee that what you have will perform, and has been tested and there's someone you can call up, and if things go really bad someone's liable if something doesn't work. You're buying this ecosystem of accountability. One of the challenges of open source and really the challenge with the open source business model is: it's hard to replicate that ecosystem of accountability and that guarantee.
I won't pick on the fact that RHEL is also a commercial product, and that what Mr. Hilf meant was probably "proprietary". It's an easy enough mistake to make. However, his statement is immensely interesting: when you buy commerc... pardon me, proprietary software, all you are buying is a "guarantee". From what he says, there are two sides to his guarantee:
- Technical guarantee. Software will perform, it has been tested, and there is "call up" support. It saddens me that some Information Week readers won't realise how misleading Mr. Hilf's words are. First of all, about performing and testing, free software can rely on hundreds of thousands of beta testers out there who report problems (that is, bugs and performance issues); free software can also count on thousands of people who, thanks to the free nature of the software, can modify the code and fix those problems. There is no way a limited number of beta testers can compete with a mammooth-sized community. About "calling up", there are plenty of companies out there ready to support GNU/Linux and answer those calls. I will name two, on top of my head: Red Hat (for servers) and Canonical (for clients).
- Legal guarantee. What I found really astounding was that Mr. Hilf then mentions accountability, an old argument I hadn't heard in a whole. Microsoft is liable if things go really bad? Does that mean that Microsoft is liable if Vista doesn't work at all? If a Microsoft file server crashes unexpectedly for no reason, and my office won't be able to work for a full day, is Microsoft accountable? Why, then, nobody has ever managed to sue Microsoft on the basis of software product faults? And more importantly, why do they write "Software is provided AS IS" in their license? Mcirosoft can write on their licenses "We are responsible for any software malfunction", and then talk about accountability.
Mr. Hilf, a few lines later, says (talking about Red Hat):
The community itself is the value of open source, not any one vendor who's participating in it.
Red Hat is their #1 competitor right now; relegating Red Hat's role to "any one vendor participating in it" sounds unfair to say the very least. Red Hat has a major role in free software, in terms of developers, software written, and so on.
I think a lot of people get lost in the software, the source code part of it. What we've been doing strategically is try to figure out how do we participate in that community as a good citizen so that we're in that sort of same value chain. We did the same thing at IBM (NYSE: IBM). There's lots of participation of IBM in open source, but there's very little shared source code between IBM's shipping products and open source software.
What is Mr. Hilf actually saying? I have to be honest, and admit that I cannot pierce the marketing speech. Is he saying that he wants to get a return from the free software community without actually giving any source code out? Is he ignoring the copious amounts of source code IBM has released? Shall I mention that IBM was crucial in the release of Apache 2.0? Shall I mention Eclipse? If I am understanding this sentence correctly, Mr. Hilf really needs to do some extra research.
Then there's the next question. I am quoting the question because I have a strong, strong suspicion that Mr. Hilf "contributed" to it. You decide:
InformationWeek: In order to participate in communities like that, how do you cut through the muddle of the Richard Stallmans of the world and overcome the popular resistance, and also cut through the resistance that you've gotten from people like Red Hat who you might want to partner with?
This question is very nearly offensive. It takes for granted that there are a bunch of "Richard Stallmans" out there who, for no reason, are opposed to Microsoft's attempts to enter (shall I say "Embrace, Extend, Extinguish") the free software market. Then, it goes on implying that Microsoft is trying to partner with Red Hat, but Red Hat just doesn't want to seem to care about playing well together. This is not correct. Microsoft wants to tie up Red Hat in an absurd "patent deal" with Linux distributors, so that they can claim a legal grip on GNU/Linux. Microsoft managed to close deals with struggling small GNU/Linux vendors (Linspire, Xandros, Turbolinux), and unfortunately a big one—Novell. The two most important ones, Canonical and Red Hat, said "no". They keep on saying "no". And they will keep on saying "no".
Page 2 talks about Samba. They are talking to Samba "in very positive ways". Apparently, Jeremy Allison would "attest to that". Now... Mr. Hilf only quickly mentions the "EU Activities". Well, these activities are simple: Microsoft has been forced to release specifications for their protocols to allow free software to play well with Windows server. Microsoft has been fined millions of euros because of this. Samba is a main player, and well, Microsoft has no choice but playing "well". I will try and follow up with Jeremy Allison about how cooperative Microsoft has been.
Page 3 is the best part of the interview. Mr. Hilf talks about having a "map" (which wasn't correct, as Information Week pointed out); he then adds:
Classically, our preferred plan is to license our technology in a very proactive and productive way versus litigate.
Which doesn't answer the questions: what, are, these, patents?
Mr. Hilf, please tell us. We all want to know. Please.
what a hoot
Hilf: When people buy commercial software, really what they're buying is a guarantee. You're buying a guarantee that what you have will perform, and has been tested and there's someone you can call up, and if things go really bad someone's liable if something doesn't work. You're buying this ecosystem of accountability. One of the challenges of open source and really the challenge with the open source business model is: it's hard to replicate that ecosystem of accountability and that guarantee.
No ulcer for me with that one - it just took me a while to stop laughing. The sad thing is that a lot of people will actually believe this kind of tosh. In fact they will adopt it and repeat it.
- Accountability: Since when is Microsoft accountable to anything or anyone except their shareholders? They certainly do not act as if they are accountable to their customers.
- Guarantee: of what? Guarantee it will work? Well only for 90 days after date of purchase (not installation mind). And even then if it fails because of a virus which attacks a hole for which say MS have yet to release a patch? Well then you get a guarantee of nothing (talking of Windows XP here)
- Liability: See guarantee - the EULA specifically mentions their *limited* liability which is limited to a refund. Not much good if you've lost thousands of dollars worth of documents because they're locked into a product you can't get to work.
- Testing: All I can say about their testers is: why would we trust people who having tested it, still left Clippy in MS Office!
And finally ...
The two most important ones, Canonical and Red Hat, said "no". They keep on saying "no". And they will keep on saying "no".
That refusal shows why they are the two most important.


text:
Oliver Twist
by Charles Dickens
Oliver Twist Chapter 17 Summary
READ THE BOOK: Chapter 17
"Oliver's Destiny Continuing Unpropitious, Brings a Great Man to London to Injure his Reputation"
- This chapter opens with another digression like the one starting Chapter Fifteen, but this time, Dickens is explaining that going back and forth from tragedy and suspense to comedy and more mundane stuff is just part of good story-telling, and that real life is like that, anyway.
- So the real action of the chapter begins a few paragraphs in, with Mr. Bumble (Remember him? The beadle who likes to smack orphans with his beadle cane?) arriving at Mrs. Mann's baby farm.
- Mrs. Mann asks him how he's doing, just to be polite, and Mr. Bumble is conceited enough to think that she actually cares, so he tells her: "A porochial [he means "parochial," or working for the parish] life […] is a life of worry, and vexation, and hardihood; but all public characters, as I may say, must suffer prosecution (um, we assume he meant to say "persecution")" (17.12).
- After more pompous speechifying, Mr. Bumble tells Mrs. Mann that he has to travel to London to deal with a "legal action" that is "coming on about a settlement," and he'll need to "depose to the matter before the quarter-sessions at Clerkinwell" (17.18). Okay, that wasn't at all clear—basically, there are a couple of paupers who want to be supported by Mr. Bumble's parish, but there's some argument as to whose parish they belong to (remember, the parish only has to look after the poor people who were born there, so if you can't prove where you were born, you're kind of screwed). So Mr. Bumble has to travel to London to prove in court that his parish won't have to take care of these two poor people.
- Mrs. Mann seems shocked that Mr. Bumble's planning on traveling by coach (which is closed to the weather, and faster) instead of an open cart, since he's traveling with the two paupers (and they don't usually spend any money on comforts for the poor people if they can help it).
- But apparently the rival parish is paying for the coach, because the two paupers are close to dying, and they've calculated that it will be cheaper to move them (i.e., to the court by coach) than to bury them.
- Mr. Bumble then pays Mrs. Mann her salary, and asks how the orphans are.
- She says they're all just fine—except the two who died last week, and little Dick (remember him?) who still isn't well.
- Mr. Bumble seems to feel insulted that Dick is sick, as though it's an insult to the whole parish.
- Dick comes into the room, and asks if someone can write down a note for him, to be given to Oliver after he dies.
- Mr. Bumble is astonished, and asks for an explanation.
- Dick says he wants to tell Oliver how much he's thought of him, and cried at the idea of poor Oliver wandering around in the cold by himself, and how he's happy to die young because then he and his dead sister will get to be children together in heaven.
- Mr. Bumble is shocked at this depressing speech from someone who has, he thinks, so much cause for gratitude, and blames it all on Oliver for "demoralizing" the other kids.
- So of course Dick gets locked in the coal cellar as punishment.
- Mr. Bumble goes on to London, and when they've stopped for the night, he notices an advertisement in the paper, asking for information about Oliver Twist and offering a reward of five guineas.
- Five guineas is a lot of money. Mr. Bumble runs away to Pentonville and knocks on Mr. Brownlow's door, eager to tell him all that he knows about Oliver.
- Mr. Grimwig immediately can tell that Mr. Bumble is a beadle—something about the cut of his coat gave it away.
- Mr. Brownlow asks him what he knows about Oliver, and Mr. Grimwig cuts in, saying, "you don't happen to know any good of him, do you?"
- Mr. Bumble takes his cue from Grimwig, and tells Oliver's story in no very flattering terms to Oliver—how he was "born of low and vicious parents […] who had terminated his brief career […] by making a sanguinary and cowardly attack on an unoffending lad," etc., etc. (17.82-3).
- Mr. Brownlow is sad about it, but is afraid it must be true. He gives Mr. Bumble the five guineas, and says he'd have happily paid three times that much if the news had been more favorable to Oliver.
- Mr. Bumble wishes he'd known that before, but it's too late now—he leaves the house.
- Mrs. Bedwin still doesn't believe it when they tell her. She says she knows children better than either of the men could.
- Mr. Brownlow says he never wants to hear Oliver's name mentioned again.
READ THE BOOK: Chapter 17


text:
Otterbein College
Information Literacy Program Goals
The mission of the information literacy program at Otterbein College is to educate information literate life long learners. Librarians in partnership with faculty teach students how to identify, locate, evaluate, and use information effectively, as integral parts of scholarship and liberal education.
The information literacy program goals include:
- Educate students, faculty and staff regarding concepts and frame works for understanding information processes.
- Develop and disseminate sequenced information literacy competencies throughout the undergraduate and graduate curriculum.
- Encourage all information seekers to become self-sufficient and technologically competent for retrieving, evaluating, managing, and using information.
- Promote the development of dynamic course-integrated information literacy experiences that support and enhance course objectives.
- Design information literacy instruction tools for self-instruction with opportunities for practice and assessment.
- Develop assessment plans to evaluate student learning of information literacy skills.
- Expand campus awareness of information literacy principles through teaching circles, workshops, and other learning opportunities.


text:
FAQ: Undergraduate Business School Rankings 2014
How do you choose which schools to rank?
We keep a list of U.S. schools offering undergraduate business degrees that have met our eligibility requirements in the past, and we add to the pool any that apply for inclusion during the year. If you want your school to be considered for our rankings in the future, please e-mail the B-Schools team at email@example.com to get your school on our radar. Include your school's name and location, the year the undergraduate business program was founded, and the head count of your most recent graduating class. Right now, we rank only U.S. undergraduate programs.
What data does Bloomberg Businessweek use to rank programs?
We draw data from three sources: a survey of students, a survey of employers, and a survey of schools. There is a full explanation of how we collect and analyze that data on our methodology page.
Did Bloomberg Businessweek change anything about the way the rankings were conducted this year?
Our 2014 rankings algorithm was nearly identical to our 2013 rankings algorithm. This year, we made a small change to how we analyze the student survey: To reflect best practices in data analysis, we discontinued a weighting practice we used in prior rankings. This practice gave more weight to survey questions that recorded a wider spread of responses. The shift caused some schools' student scores to rise and others to fall. For the vast majority of schools, the switch to unweighted scores did not seriously affect their rank.
Additionally, Cambria Consulting (our partner in collecting student and employer data) improved its system for verifying employer contact information before distributing the employer survey, which yielded a larger pool of respondents than last year. Bigger, more representative samples produce higher-quality results.
When does each survey get distributed? How long are they available for completion?
The student survey was sent in November and was live for roughly three months. The employer survey was distributed in December and was live for two months. The school survey was distributed in January, and schools had about six weeks to complete it.
How is the student survey conducted?
Students are contacted using e-mail addresses supplied by schools and directed to a secure online form. Bloomberg Businessweek sends out several reminders of the survey deadline. Schools whose privacy policies—or local laws—prevent them from giving Bloomberg Businessweek students' e-mail addresses are given a secure survey link to distribute directly to students. For details about what we ask in our student survey, see our methodology page.
Do schools have any input on the content of the surveys?
Student and employer surveys are developed by Bloomberg Businessweek. To keep our surveys current, we periodically seek input from school administrators, faculty, and students, but they do not decide which questions are asked or how we ask them. This maintains the integrity and independence of the ranking process.
Are schools allowed to communicate with their students about the student survey?
Because we require a minimum number of responses to the student survey in order for a school to be included in the rankings, schools often encourage their students to complete the surveys. However, we make it clear that they should not coach students—either directly or through media such as student newspapers—on how to answer the survey. Nor should they make any statements emphasizing the importance of a high ranking or in any other way try to keep students from answering the survey honestly. Any evidence of coaching may be grounds for eliminating a school from the rankings.
Is there a minimum response rate for the student survey? How are the response rate and minimum response rate calculated?
To make sure we have a robust and representative sample, the response rate for each school is calculated by dividing the number of replies by the total number of business students graduating in the 2013-2014 school year. The minimum response rate is determined after a review of all school response rates; this year, the average response rate on the student survey was 31.5 percent.
How do you calculate starting salaries for undergraduates?
We ask schools to supply median starting salaries—excluding signing bonuses and other compensation—for the most recent class for which data were available.
How is the employer survey conducted?
Starting with e-mail addresses supplied by schools, Bloomberg Businessweek creates a list of companies recruiting undergraduate business students and identifies a single high-level hiring contact at each company. This means that not every recruiter named by every school is asked to be a survey respondent, but someone at each named firm is contacted. Then, with the help of Cambria Consulting, Bloomberg Businessweek contacts the employers and directs them to a secure site at which they complete the survey. We send out several reminders to keep employers aware of the survey deadline. Our methodology page has more detail.
How are Academic Quality data collected?
Schools include on their profile surveys data for three of the five AQ points (SAT score, class size, and faculty/student ratio). Data for additional AQ points (internships, coursework hours) are collected directly from students in the student survey. More detail about AQ points can be found on our methodology page.
How do you prevent cheating?
We distribute a Bloomberg Businessweek code of ethics to school administrators and student leaders, warning them that coaching or unduly influencing survey respondents is strictly prohibited and will exclude their program from our rankings, if caught.
We also seek assistance from statisticians David Rindskopf and Alan Gross, professors of educational psychology at City University of New York Graduate Center. Using a series of statistical analyses, they test student responses for patterns that are unlikely to occur if students are answering the questions honestly. Responses that might be the result of coaching by school officials or other forms of cheating are discarded and may be grounds for elimination from the ranking.


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MIDDLETOWN — The Mulberry House Senior Center will sponsor several bus trips to Mohegan Sun at Pocono Downs, in Wilkes-Barre, Pa., this summer and fall.
The bus will depart from the Mulberry House Senior Center, 62-70 W Main St, Middletown, at 9 a.m. and return at about 6 p.m. June 4, Sept. 3 and Nov. 5.
The cost is $25, which includes bus transportation, $25 game play, and a $10 lunch voucher.
Mulberry House Senior Center has other day trips and several overnight trips available. For reservations, or more information, contact Olga Rojas at 346-4074.
Location, ST | website.com


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Patent Length and the Timing of Innovative Activity
Joshua S. Gans
University of Toronto - Rotman School of Management; NBER
Stephen P. King
Monash University - Department of Economics; Productivity Commission
July 2004
Melbourne Business School Working Paper No. 2004-19
The standard result in patent policy, as demonstrated by Gilbert and Shapiro (1990), is that infinitely lived but very narrow patents are optimal as deadweight losses are minimized and spread through time, but inventors can still recover their R&D expenditures. By extending their innovative environment to include timing as an important choice, we demonstrate that a finitely lived, but broader, patent is socially desirable. This is because a patent breadth is a better instrument than length to encourage socially optimal timing. Thus, patents need not be infinitely long in order to encourage a greater number of inventions.
Number of Pages in PDF File: 15
Keywords: Invention, patent length, patent breadth, timing, R&D expenditures
JEL Classification: L4, O34
Date posted: July 1, 2004
Suggested Citation
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Professor Rafael Calvo
PhD, Lic, GradCert in Eduation
School of Electrical & Information Engineering
J03 - Electrical Engineering Building
The University of Sydney
|+61 2 9351 8171
School of Electrical & Information Engineering
Software Engineering Lab
Positive Computing blog
Biographical details
Rafael A. Calvo, PhD (2000) is Professor at the University of Sydney and Co-Director of the Software Engineering Group that focuses on the design of systems that support wellbeing in areas of mental health, medicine and education. He has a PhD in Artificial Intelligence applied to automatic document classification and has also worked at Carnegie Mellon University, Universidad Nacional de Rosario, and as a consultant for projects worldwide. He is author of over 150 publications in the areas of affective computing, learning systems and web engineering, recipient of five teaching awards, and a Senior Member of IEEE. Rafael is Associate Editor of IEEE Transactions on Affective Computing and of IEEE Transactions on Learning Technologies. He is co-editing the forthcoming Handbook of Affective Computing to be published by Oxford University Press.
Teaching and supervision
ELEC5619 - Object Oriented Application Frameworks
ELEC5701 - Technology Venture Creation
ELEC3610 - E-business Analysis and Design
Current research students
|Project title
|Research student
|Social Networks in e-Learning Systems
|Daniel BURN
|EQClinic: a platform for learning communication skills in clinical consultations
|Chunfeng LIU
In the media
PhD and master's project opportunities
Selected grants
- Design of behavioural intervention technologies for psychological wellbeing; Calvo R, Pohlmeyer A; DVC Research/International Research Collaboration Award (IRCA).
- Virtual Reality in Health Systems; Calvo R; University of Sydney/Internal Scheme.
- Improving patients mental health and wellbeing through Tele-health feedback systems; Calvo R, Scott K, Dunn S, Watson J, Glozier N; DVC Research/HMR+ Implementation Fund - University.
- Men@Work: Utilising new eHealth technologies to improve the mental health of Australian male workers; Harvey S, Christensen H, Proudfoot J, Mitchell P, Cockayne N, Santamaria J, Bryant R, Glozier N, Hickie I, Buchanan J, Ryan R, Calvo R, Bohle P, Salvador-Carulla L, Fernandez Sanchez A; Beyondblue/Research Grant.
- Positive Computing: The design of technologies that support psychological wellbeing; Calvo R; Australian Research Council (ARC)/Future Fellowships (FT).
- Development & testing of a personalized goal-setting self-management app for asthma.; Smith L, Foster J, Sawyer S, Calvo R; Asthma Australia/National Research Program.
- (YAW-CRC) Professionals Clinic (incorporating the Young and Well National Survey and the Development and validation of an online clinical staging services model for use in the Online Professionals Clinic: targeting early manifestations of serious mental di; Hickie I, Davenport T, Scott E, Calvo R; Young and Well Cooperative Research Centre/Research Support.
- CyberMate: using digital social media and Internet data to support mental health interventions in young Australians; Calvo R, Hickie I, Doig H, Hosie A, Ratnaike D; Australian Research Council (ARC)/Linkage Projects (LP).
- Effect of three-dimensional tumour organisation on the sensitivity of individual melanoma cells to endoplasmic reticulum stress; Calvo R; Young and Well Cooperative Research Centre/Research Support.
- (YAW-CRC) Postdoctoral Research Fellowship - Moderator Assistant; Calvo R, Hickie I; Young and Well Cooperative Research Centre/Research Support.
- Learning Environments Across Disciplines (LEADS): Supporting Technology Rich Learning across Disciplines; Azevedo R, Calvo R, Kee K, Lajoie S, Labonte F, Shute V, Pekrun R; Social Sciences and Humanities Research Council of Canada../Research Support.
- Sciences and Technology of Learning network; Goodyear P, Calvo R, Dong A, Kay J, Maton K, Reimann P, Sharma M, Shaw T; Faculty of Education and Social Work, University of Sydney/Research Grant.
- Learning Technology and the Learning Sciences; Goodyear P, Kay J, Jacobson M, Reimann P, Freebody P, Martin J, Dong A, Calvo R, Kummerfeld R, Shaw T, Yacef K, Ellis R, Sharma M, Bobis J, Taylor C, Maton K, Markauskaite L, Chan C, Dey A, Dillenbourg P, Kapur M, Laurillard D, Linn M, Luckin R, Ohlsson S, Pea R, Williams M; DVC Research/Research Network Scheme (SyReNS).
- Measuring the impact of feedback on the writing process and learning outcomes; Calvo R; Google (US)/Research Support.
- An online writing centre (OWC) for undergraduatue engineering students: a one-stop shop (funding fr; Kelly A, Calvo R.
- Comprehensive support for collaborative writing: Visualising argument, text and process structures; Reimann P, Calvo R, Yacef K; Australian Research Council (ARC)/Discovery Projects (DP).
- Promoting interdisiplinary learning communities using interactive plasma displays; Yacef K, Koprinska I, Calvo R, Vande Moere A; University of Sydney/TIES Small Grant Scheme.
- Enriching Interaction Inside and Outside Classroom; Poon J, Calvo R; HP Technology for Teaching Grant Initiative/Research Support.
- Linkage Round 2 2004 - Application frameworks for collaborative learning; Mountford J, Homan K, Calvo R; NSW Institute of Sport/Project Support.
- Using machine learning and automated document analysis methods to support English composition training; Calvo R, Reimann P, Paltridge B; Australian Research Council (ARC)/Discovery Projects (DP).
- Incremental Learning in Text Mining Applications; Calvo R; University of Sydney/Early Career Researcher.
- AB-CRC Masters by Research Project - Embedded Platform for the Bovine Syndromic Surveillance System; Calvo R.
- Application frameworks for collaborative learning; Calvo R; Australian Research Council (ARC)/Linkage Projects (LP).
- Clustering aggregates of learning machines in classification tasks; Calvo R; DVC Research/Research and Development Scheme: Newly Appointed Staff (NAS).
- Efficient data manipulation in document classification; Calvo R; Australian Research Council (ARC)/Linkage International: ARC International Fellowships (ARCIF).
- Announcement classification for ASX QA; Calvo R, Hale R; Capital Markets CRC/Research Grants.
- Capital Markets CRC seed grant GainSpring Project; Calvo R; Capital Markets CRC/Research Grants.
- Enabling price sensitivity detection of Reuters corporate announcements; Calvo R, Aitken M; Capital Markets CRC/Research Grants.
- Key element summarisation using ASX announcements; Calvo R, Hale R; Capital Markets CRC/Research Grants.
- Classification of financial announcements- A baseline.; Aitken M, Calvo R; Capital Markets CRC/Research Grants.
Selected publications & creative works
The Oxford Handbook of Affective Computing (Oxford University Press, 2015)
Positive Computing: Technology for Wellbeing and Human Potential (MIT Press, 2014)
New Perspectives on Affect and Learning Technologies (Springer Science+Business Media, 2011)


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FEB 18, 2014 - Business Insider
A Must Read - Share
Legendary Silicon Valley investor Ron Conway is selling his San Francisco home, a 5,360-square-foot flat that takes up the entire floor of a historic co-op building, according to Trulia. Conway has hosted gatherings featuring a wide array of tech A-listers here, including Marissa Mayer and Twitter co-founder Biz Stone. He also happens to be close friends with will.i.am and MC Hammer, who together helped Conway film the remix of "2 Legit 2 Quit" that went viral in support of Mayor Ed Lee back in 2011. Clips of the video were filmed on the apartment building's rooftop deck. The
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© 2011 Comunitee, Inc.


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When I have fears that I may cease to be
by John Keats
When I have fears that I may cease to be Summary
Keats' speaker contemplates all of the things that he wants in life: namely, success, fame, and love. C'mon, is that too much to ask?
Well, as it turns out, the speaker is pretty sure that it is. See, he doesn't want just any old fame. He wants Fame. Capital letters and neon lights. (Okay – so they didn't have neon lights in the early 19th century, but you get our point.) He doesn't want just any old love, either. He wants that soul-stripping, earth-shaking, sky-tumbling once-in-a-lifetime sort of rapture. To sum it all up, he wants to be the star of pretty much every romantic movie ever.
Here's the problem: the speaker is also pretty sure that his life will end long before he'll be able to achieve any of these goals. That's why his description of his desires is so tinged with desperation – chances are, his life will be over far, far too quickly.
This poem charts both the speaker's desires and his despair (in that order). Come to think of it, the poem doesn't exactly end on a happy note. But hey, what's a good melodrama without a little tragedy?


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Lessons of Rochester Castle
Updated February 5, 2016
On an elevated knoll in the ancient City of Rochester, England stands an imposing structure known as Rochester Castle. The castle was built around 1127 A.D. to help protect England's southeast coast from invasion during the time of the Norman Conquest. The famous fortress still stands today even after centuries of embattlement. One of the reasons why the castle proved to be so formidable was its layered defenses. The castle was built of Kentish Ragstone on an elevated mound near a waterway, with walls 113 feet tall and over 12 feet thick. The castle's architecture included ditches, drawbridges, 125-feet tall turrets, Portcullis gates and walls equipped with embrasure openings. Doorways were deliberately narrow and staircases were constructed in a clockwise direction to hinder the use of hand-wielded weapons.
No one expects anyone to build their house like Rochester Castle, but homeowners can benefit from the time-tested technique of layering defenses. Make your home less desirable to would-be-burglars by layering your "castle's" defenses. First, always make your home look inhabited by keeping it neat and clean. Keep all doors, windows and gates locked when you are away. Leave an audible radio on near the front room so it appears that someone is home. Join a Neighborhood Watch program. Install an alarm system and keep your valuables in a safe or discreet area. Layering defenses is a model for success. Please visit safercerritos.com for additional crime and safety information.


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"Just as the atomic bomb brought us the citizen scientist, the computer has brought us the citizen engineer. This book is for engineers who take their societal responsibilities seriously, combining the idealism of dreamers with the pragmatism of builders."
–Danny Hillis, cofounder, Thinking Machines, Inc., and Applied Minds, Inc.
"In good economic times and bad, the forces driving companies to go green are getting stronger. Innovation will be the key to solving thorny environmental problems and creating lasting value for smart companies. Engineers are at the center of innovation. For businesses and the economy to experience the environmental and economic benefits of going green, we'll need engineers who read, understand, and act on the ideas in this book."
–Andrew Winston, author, Green to Gold
"The authors recognize the increasingly widespread impact of engineers on society in this new century and the resulting responsibilities that engineers now have. While engineering has long embraced safety in the designs of bridges and cars, not all of us consider the long-term environmental impact of our designs, or the importance of contributing to the knowledge base of engineering and honoring its intellectual property rights, as well as preserving the security and privacy of our fellow citizens who use our designs. I believe Citizen Engineer is a book that all of us teaching, studying, or practicing engineering should read, as well as those outside engineering who want to understand this force of change in the twenty-first century."
–David Patterson, professor of computer science, University of California, Berkeley
"Douglas and Papadopoulos have created an essential road map for reengineering products, services, companies, and commerce in ways that are environmentally responsible, economically profitable, and just plain
–Joel Makower, executive editor, GreenBiz.com; author, Strategies for the Green Economy
"This book is the first to provide detailed guidance about eco-responsible product design and responsible use of intellectual property–two areas that are becoming vitally important to both the development of the engineer and the advancement of the engineering profession."
–Dr. Bill Wulf, professor of engineering and applied science, University of Virginia; member, National Academy of Engineering
"With details and examples as well as principles, this book endows every engineer with a visceral connection to eco responsibility and to the new ways to create and use intellectual property."
–Robert Sproull, fellow and director, Sun Labs
"Citizen Engineer explains a critical transition of the engineering profession from technical focus to include social responsibilities and business context. This shift has changed the very nature of engineering as it is practiced today and as it must be taught in engineering degree programs."
—Professor Steven D. Eppinger, deputy dean, MIT Sloan School of Management


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Model: 4045BL Item: SAF4045BL
Compact dolly discreetly tucks away when not in use. Ideal for use in small offices—easily move copy paper, water cooler bottles or small furniture. Helpful for transferring files. Cushioned, skid-proof reinforced polyethelene deck has built-in carry handle and recessed bolts to protect cargo. Ships fully assembled. Color(s): Black; Dolly Size: 16" x 24"; Capacity (Weight): 220 lbs; Caster/Glide/Wheel Type: Swivel Casters.
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[#GSD notepad- adorable & funny at the same time, via All Things Pretty]
[Things to Do- via Michelle Lea Designs]
[Handlettered "goals" notepad via Joyful Papery]
I'm moving in less than a week, can you believe it?
The only way I've managed to stay somewhat sane is to have a to-do list for everything. The only problem is that I seem to be adding more to the list faster than I can check things off!
You know the saying "when it rains, it pours"? I've found myself saying that more than anticipated lately. When this happens I immediately take a deep breath and say "this too shall pass" and remind myself that it could be worse.
I got pounded with paperwork and other things to do yesterday afternoon, most of which had to be done rather quickly. I was trying to get through as much as I could while chatting with Bluehost support to figure out why on Earth the server for my blog has been going down so much lately.
I was stressed, but in a different way than I'm used to. When I was in school, I always felt like everything was in my control (to a certain extent). If I wanted really good grades, I had to earn them and put in the effort. I was given a syllabus at the beginning of the semester, and for the most part I always knew what was coming up next.
But we all know there is no syllabus for your path in life! When life throws you lemons (and you have those days that you feel completely out of control), it can really throw you off path.
I'm not a fan of clutter and disorganization, which are two necessary evils during the moving process (no matter how hard you try to stop them). To prevent a meltdown, I always write down what I have to do. I make lists on my phone for the grocery store or target because I know I will have it when I'm out and about. When it comes to things I need to do around the house or errands to run, I have to physically write it down on paper and cross it off. If you've ever moved you know how the little things can add up very quickly.
Normally I do this on the first post-it note I see, but lately my "to-do" lists are far too long to fit on those. I saw some of these cute notepads on Etsy and I could really use one right about now!


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In business, your reputation is everything. Thanks to social media and review sites like Yelp, you can build a great online reputation fast. There's just one problem: The Internet moves fast, and with a few missteps, you can hit rock bottom just as quickly as you rose to that coveted 5-star rating.
The same can be said for job seekers and professionals. Just as potential customers may be searching for your business on major search engines like Google, employers often search for information about job candidates. If your Web presence is questionable, it could cost you your dream job or even get you fired from your current position.
Ready to choose a reputation management service? Here's a breakdown of our complete coverage:
So what do you do when your online reputation is less than stellar? Online reputation management (ORM) services can help you stop, fix and prevent PR disasters, as well as protect and promote your brand.
"When someone wants to learn about anyone and anything, they turn to the Internet," said Patrick Ambron, CEO of reputation management company BrandYourself.com.
"Reputation management services can help both businesses and individuals build and maintain a positive online presence, so when they are looked up online, people find positive and relevant info about them," Ambron added.
These services can have a huge impact on your personal success and that of your business, an impact that goes beyond improving your search results.
"It adds value to your brand, contributes longevity and visibility to your career or organization, and helps prevent your identity from being appropriated and misused by others," said Shannon Wilkinson, CEO of ORM company Reputation Communications.
Whether you're a business or an individual, it's important to understand how reputation management services can help you, and to make sure you know what ORM companies can and can't do and what makes a service trustworthy and effective.
Editor's Note: Looking for a reputation management service for your business? If you're looking for information to help you choose the one that's right for you, use the questionnaire below to have our sister site, BuyerZone, provide you with information from vendors for free:
What do online reputation management services do?
To break it down, these are the actions reputation management companies will take to analyze, build, protect and restore your brand's online presence, and the main features you should look for when choosing an ORM service:
Search engine optimization and management: Search engine optimization (SEO) is the process of making your online content rank higher in popular search engines like Google. Reputation management firms will do this for your content so that Internet users searching for you, your business or topics that relate to your business will find you. Moreover, they will find honest, relevant information about you in the process. If there is negative information about you in your search results, your ORM provider can strategize ways to use truthful, positive content to detract from any negative content by pushing it back farther into the list of search results. This way, people who search for you or your business won't be immediately greeted by negative results.
Content development and management: This goes hand in hand with SEO, because in order to rank well in search engines and to build up a good reputation, you need to have good-quality content. This means making your website and blog organized, unique and well written. It also means creating quality press releases to spread the word about your business the right way. Most reputation management services will help you improve your existing content and create new material so that Internet users will not only find positive results about you or your business right away, they'll also see that the content you share is real, relevant and worth reading. This adds even more credibility to your brand and your reputation.
Social media management: You're likely already on several social media networks, be it for personal use or for your business. While platforms like Twitter, Facebook and Instagram can all help you grow your business or personal brand, it only takes one inappropriate picture or comment to cause a PR nightmare. Most ORM services can help you clean up your social networks to make sure they're appropriate, and ORM services can monitor how your social media profiles affect your reputation, too.
Third-party website monitoring: Even if your website and social media presence are up to speed, outsiders can still easily damage your reputation. This includes former employees and displeased customers. Not only are there a wealth of review websites, like Yelp and Glassdoor, where anyone can sign up and post a review of your business, it is also incredibly easy to create a new website or blog, where people can write whatever they please. For example, if you were to fire an employee, or one of your employees were to leave on bad terms, there's nothing stopping them from writing malicious blog posts or putting false information in reviews about you all over the Web. Reputation management services will monitor the Internet for this kind of content to see what people are saying about you.
All of these steps contribute to a successful reputation management campaign; however, choosing the right ORM provider isn't always easy.
Do you need one?
Overall, online reputation management services can help individuals and businesses accomplish several goals. Eric Schiffer, chairman of ORM company Reputation Management Consultants, said there are three main things one can do with a reputation management service:
New and young businesses can use it to gain exposure.
Businesses that don't have the time or the resources to build their brands online can turn to ORMs to create detailed and proactive brand strategies, Schiffer said.
It protects business and individuals against attacks.
Schiffer noted that it just takes the words of one customer to make or break your online reputation. ORM services can help you strategize to protect against any potential negative situations.
"One scathing review, consumer complaint or [adverse] blog article can cause irreparable damage to an individual or business's bottom line within months, or even weeks," Schiffer said. "Reputation management firms can assist with establishing a zone of authentic, positive media that can help protect and mitigate damage done by negative customer feedback."
It can restore your reputation in the event that your online presence has already been damaged.
While, ideally, you would use a reputation management company to prevent negative situations, ORM services can also help restore your good name when things go wrong. The right firm can use positive content to overhaul your reputation and drive down negative information, Schiffer said.
Are you already dealing with a crisis?
If you're already in the midst of a crisis and you're trying to do damage control for your business or personal brand, your process for choosing a reputation management company may differ from the process of choosing an ORM service to build and/or protect your brand. In this type of situation, you'll need to focus on the problem at hand while still finding a provider that is trustworthy and will come up with a tailored strategy that meets your needs.
"The reality is, if you look at a reputation or crisis management plan, you need to have it customized to meet your needs and you need to understand the depth of your problems," said Ken Wisnefski, founder and CEO of ORM provider WebiMax.
"A lot of times, people think something's a big deal when it's really not that difficult to fix, while some clients may spend thousands of dollars to fix something," he added.
To ensure that you get the best reputation management service while still acting fast, Wisnefski advised customers to have their potential providers provide them with some sort of analysis related to their current online sentiment. Then, he said, "really dig into how they plan on addressing that problem — if they've got a scripted approach, it's probably not going to be what you need."
Wisnefski also noted that it's sometimes easier to handle a crisis situation if you've already been working with a reputation management service, since it means you can monitor your online reputation and act fast when the situation arises.
How to choose the right one?
While the majority of ORM providers offer the same basic services, every company is different. It's important that you choose the best one for you and your business.
And handling a reputation management issue quickly and tactfully may be more important than you realize.
"People sometimes say they're not really concerned with what's being said about them online, that it's not something that really impacts them, but we find the reality is often that your online sentiment can really be costing you a lot of business," Wisnefski said.
Figure out your needs and goals
Before you contact any ORM companies, consider your goals in using such a service: Are you looking to monitor and improve your presence on online review websites? Do you want to clean up your social networks? What about search results? It goes without saying that your goals will vary based on whether you're using a reputation management service as an individual or a business, as well as on what kind of business you run.
"If you are a recent college graduate, you will be best served by a company experienced in removing inappropriate or outdated photographs and information on social media platforms," Wilkinson said. "Doctors, dentists and attorneys, as well as storefront businesses like restaurants, find online reviews to be their biggest challenge. They might obtain best results using a review management firm."
And "if you are a high-profile industry leader, VIP or have a rising presence in business, you face different issues and will want a firm that specializes in that sector," Wilkinson added.
Think about customer service
It's also important to be sure that the ORM company you choose is there for you.
"While the process of building and maintaining a positive online presence is time-consuming, for the most part, it is not a complicated one," Ambron said. "Don't let a reputation company confuse you or mystify the process."
Not only should your provider be clear and open about your reputation management campaigns at all times, but the company should also make you feel like it cares about your specific needs and concerns as a client. Your ORM provider should never make you feel like you're just another number.
"Every single reputation management campaign is unique and requires a customized approach to your brand strategy. So if you get the feeling that you're receiving canned responses or standardized strategies, you may not be getting the type of comprehensive and personalized platform that you need for your campaign to be effective," Schiffer said.
You should be comfortable knowing that your reputation management campaign is in good hands.
"You should feel as though your campaign receives the necessary attention to detail that your particular objectives require," Schiffer said.
Do your research
Once you've established your goals and considered customer service, it's time to look for ORM companies that cater to your needs. But don't just check to see that they avoid black hat practices and cover what you're looking for; also make sure the company has a good reputation. After all, a reputation management company that can't protect its own reputation probably won't be of much help to you. (See the last section of this story for more on black hat practices and how to avoid them.)
So how can you tell if a company is reputable?
"A credible vendor will have photographs and biographies of their founder and/or top executives on their websites, not just a phone number to call," Wilkinson said.
"Often they are recognized experts, featured in mainstream media platforms. Or they are active in their communities, chairing Internet-related organizations or helping educate the public about digital issues," she added.
Wilkinson also noted that you can find out a lot about a reputation management service by reading the content it shares on its website.
"You can gain a lot of insight into a provider's process and point of view by reading their blogs and articles. That can help you evaluate the best service for your needs," she said.
And don't be afraid to meet with representatives from the ORM companies or talk to other clients who use the companies you're considering.
"Look at their track record. Talk to their clients. Meet with the team," Schiffer said. He also suggested asking yourself these questions about a potential ORM company:
- Does it have unique technological methodologies that can prove a track record of success with the toughest cases?
- Does it have empathy?
- Does it have integrity?
- Are individuals at the ORM experts at strategic media relations?
It's also important that the company you choose have experience with many different types of cases, so that you know you're in good hands if something goes wrong.
"Look for someone with broad credentials," said Alexis Moore, author of "Cyber Self-Defense" (Lyons Press, October 2014). Having "diverse backgrounds in cybercrime, risk management, consulting and investigative [fields] is best."
Finding a trustworthy reputation management service
A good reputation management service will tell you if it uses white hat or black hat tactics, Reputation Communications' Wilkinson said. You'll want to go with a provider that uses white hat tactics, as these are the acceptable techniques that adhere to Google's best practices. White hat tactics, like those listed above, are completely transparent and rely on having quality content and using proper SEO techniques. Other white hat practices include taking the time to respond proactively to any negative situations and getting reputable websites to write about or feature you or your business. A reputation management campaign that uses white hat tactics will take a lot of time, but will play it safe and provide you with long-term results.
Black hat techniques, on the other hand, may work quickly, but they are aggressive and risky. Search engines may even ban you if they catch on to your black hat tactics. If an ORM service you're considering uses any of the following techniques, take that company out of the running and go with one that doesn't use these methods.
'Astroturfing': In this practice, a company will create fake accounts on review websites and use them to write positive reviews, or it will pay users to do so in order to boost ratings and detract from other negative reviews.
Creating fake websites or content: This tactic is exactly what it sounds like; it involves launching fake websites and blogs to create more search results to cover up any negative results people may find when searching for you or your business.
Keyword stuffing: With this tactic, you pack as many keywords as possible into your website's metadata to increase your rankings in search.
Link spamming: This is another tactic that involves creating as many links as possible to positive content so that search engines rank that positive content highly.
Invisible text: Similar to keyword stuffing, this practice involves placing extra keywords on your website. In this case, they're written on the page itself, but are hidden by making the text the same color as the page's background.
Using spam bots: Some reputation management companies will use spam bots, denial-of-service attacks and hacking methods to target negative content and make it difficult or impossible for other users to access.
Quality, honesty and transparency are the keys to a good online reputation. Reputation management campaigns often use questionable black hat practices, but they fall into an ethical gray area and can ultimately do more harm to your brand than good. Make sure that the ORM service you choose avoids these tactics and is clear about what it can and cannot do for you.
"A trustworthy ORM provider will be able to explain in clear language how their ORM process works and what a client can expect to see in three weeks, three months and more after a campaign is undertaken," Wilkinson said.
"They will also tell you if they can help you attain your goals, and decline an assignment if they can't."
Editor's Note: Looking for a reputation management service for your business? If you're looking for information to help you choose the one that's right for you, use the questionnaire below to have our sister site, BuyerZone, provide you with information from vendors for free:


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Girl Scouts hold Mother/Daughter Picnic
Photo caption: Girls particpating in the San Marcos Area Service Units Mother/Daughter Picnic were (front row, from left): Lindsey Burton and Desiree Valentin. Second Row: Sara Barlow, Isabella McFarland, Cadence Martinez, Hunter McMain, Christina Campbell, Clarissa Hohnadel and Madelyn Boren. Third Row: Samantha Booth, Natalie Veech, Dystani Weary, Samantha Escamilla, Savannah Shinn, Annabell Ferrell and Natalie Ferrell. Back Row: Laila Winzer. (Submitted photo)
The aim of Girl Scouting is to help girls grow strong, and this was truly evident at the Girl Scouts of the San Marcos Area Service Units Mother/Daughter Picnic which was held at the First United Methodist Church on Mothers Day weekend.
As each family arrived, mothers were encouraged to build up their daughters by creating a giant poster filled with the positive character traits they see in their girl scout.
The girls also made a poster and they enjoyed writing positive words to describe what they admire most in their mothers. The event also included blanket picnics, silly games, and a mother daughter look-alike contest.
To learn more about Girl Scouting in Central Texas check out www.gsctx.org.


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By Stephanie Rush, Pacific Regional Medical Command Public AffairsJuly 11, 2012
SCHOFIELD BARRACKS, Hawaii -- Ten teams comprised of Army and Marine warriors in transition took to the gym floor to battle it out for the title of the best sitting volleyball team at a tournament held July 6, here.
The tournament, sponsored by the Army's Warrior Transition Battalion stationed here, is one of four adaptive sporting tournaments held each year. This is the first time the Wounded Warrior Battalion-West, out of Marine Corps Base Hawaii-Kaneohe Bay, participated.
Adaptive sports such as archery, cycling, wheelchair basketball, shooting, swimming, track and field, and sitting volleyball, play a major role in the recovery and healing process of wounded, ill and injured service members.
At the Army's 29 Warrior Transition Units, each Soldier develops a personalized comprehensive transition plan that includes individual goals in six dimensions of life: physical, career, social, spiritual, emotional and family. In coordination with the Paralympic Military Program, physical therapists and medical providers actively look for ways to incorporate adaptive sports into Soldiers' treatment and recovery plans.
"(A WTB Soldier's profile) not only states activities that the Soldier must not perform to avoid further injury, but also clears them for activities (that) they may participate in," said Lori Lehouiller, a physical therapist with the WTB. "Given the multiple diagnoses that WTB Soldiers typically have, it becomes nearly impossible to perform regular unit physical training (or PT). However, WTB Soldiers perform adapted reconditioning, which can include adapted sports as an acceptable form of physical training."
One of the many adaptive sports WTB Soldiers in Hawaii participate in is sitting volleyball. According to the International Paralympic Committee, sitting volleyball was introduced to the world at the Arnhem 1980 Paralympic Games.
Sitting volleyball is similar to standing volleyball except players must be sitting on the floor at all times. The game requires a smaller court and lower net, and often times games are played faster than standing volleyball.
"This fast paced, yet low-impact sport is ideal for those with lower extremity injuries," Lehouiller said. "(In addition to the Paralympics, it is also) played in the Warrior Games."
Hawaii's WTB Soldiers also participate in outrigger canoe paddling, aquatics, adapted water polo, suspension training, spinning and yoga.
Adapted reconditioning, or building off of traditional exercise programs and offering alternative means of fitness, physical activity and sports, began being implemented here in December 2011. The goal is to be able to engage all of the WTB's Soldiers, not just a select few.
"Returning to adapted sports can allow an individual to see what they can do, rather than what they cannot," Lehouiller said. "In a team sport setting we see Soldiers engage, exhibit camaraderie and a (sense of) healthy competition that they may have forgotten they had. For many of our WTB Soldiers, knowing that they can continue some of these activities with their families gives them a great sense of satisfaction. They feel that they are doing something fun and worthwhile."


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Event Date: Wednesday, May 15, 2013
Location: George Mason University School of Law, Founders Hall Auditorium, 3351 Fairfax Drive, Arlington, VA 22201
Program Description: Search and social media are ubiquitous in everyday life, and increasingly , are the focus of competition policy discussions. Understanding the law and economics underlying search and social networks is necessary to facilitate sensible competition policy in this area. The Third Annual Conference on Competition Policy in Search and Social Media sought to address these issues by inviting experts in the field to present their views and engage in a vibrant discussion about competition policy in these dynamic industries.
For More Information, Contact:
Henry G. Manne Programs


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DETROIT -- Tomas Tatar had two goals and an assist to lead the Detroit Red Wings to a 5-2 win against the Nashville Predators at Joe Louis Arena on Saturday.
Gustav Nyquist had a goal and an assist and Kyle Quincey, Henrik Zetterberg scored for Detroit (25-11-9), which won its third consecutive game. Pavel Datsyuk, Niklas Kronwall and Riley Sheahan each had two assists and Petr Mrazek made 34 saves.
Mattias Ekholm and Mike Fisher scored for the Predators (30-10-4), who entered the game with the NHL's best record. Starter Carter Hutton was pulled in favor of Marek Mazanec after allowing three goals on four shots. Mazanec made 18 saves.
The loss ended Nashville's five-game winning streak.
Nyquist opened the scoring 57 seconds in with the fastest goal to open a game this season for Detroit. On a 2-on-1 rush after a quick transition, he tapped in a cross-ice saucer pass from Sheahan. It was Nyquist's 17th goal.
Quincey and Tatar scored 1:10 apart.
Quincey got his third goal with 8:38 left in the first period when, off a faceoff, when the defenseman's slap shot from the left point caromed off Nashville's Craig Smith and defenseman Victor Bartley and bounced past Hutton.
Tatar chased Hutton with a screened wrist shot from the left circle after taking a nice backhand pass out of the left corner from Nyquist.
Ekholm got the Predators on the scoreboard with 1:22 remaining in the opening period. His shot from the slot deflected in off the knob of Quincey's stick. It was Ekholm's fifth goal and second in two games.
Zetterberg and Tatar scored power-play goals in the second period.
Zetterberg made it 4-1 at 2:14 when his attempt from below the goal line bounced in off of Mazanec's helmet. It was Zetterberg's 11th goal of the season.
Tatar got his second goal of the game and 20th of the season with 39 seconds left in the second period when he tipped Sheahan's pass out of the air from in front. Tatar has four goals and an assist in his past three games.
Fisher's power-play goal 49 seconds into the third period made it 5-2 when he put in a rebound for his ninth goal. Fisher has a six-game point streak (four goals and three assists).


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Downtown Cocktail Master
$135.00 $94.50 30% off
- One ticket for Downtown Cocktail Master tour by Emmy-Award winning documentary filmmaker
What we love
- The Downtown Cocktail Master tour shakes up what you know about the Bay City's bar scene, whether you prefer vodka, tequila or daiquiris.
- Your guide knows the S.F. bar scene better than most and is also an Emmy-Award winning documentary filmmaker.
- You'll meet and mingle with the city's top mixologists and find out what it takes to make a great American cocktail.
What to know
- Redeem by: Tuesday, March 12, 2013
- This offer is subject to Terms and Conditions
- Tours run every other Saturday at 5 PM; for a list of scheduled tours, please click here
- This offer is final sale and non-refundable
- Dates are subject to availability; please book well in advanced of desired date
- Must be 21 to consume alcohol; valid government ID required
- Limit one per member; additional packages may be purchased as a gifts
- Offer can not be combined with any other discount or promotion
- Gratuity is not included; we recommend tipping on the full value of the service(s)
- Offer must be redeemed in full, no change or credit returned


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Top Definition
Noun: An indication that someone is on the verge of a breakdown due to stress or mental instability. This stems from Libyan Dictator Muammar Gaddafi's infamous video from February 21, 2011 where he delivers an anti-insurrection speech while holding an uncharacteristic white umbrella.
"Man! If I don't get a vacation soon, I'm gonna break out the "Gaddafi Umbrella."
by scottyc2 August 22, 2011
Trending Now
Can you define these popular missing words?


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Reporter: Allison Langdon
Producers: Steve Burling, Hannah Boocock
It's conclusive proof that true love and devotion can produce miracles.
Sam Goddard was a vibrant young man cut down in his prime by brain injury.
Unable to walk and talk, he would have stayed that way if not for the dedication of his fiancée, Sally Neilsen, and the chance discovery of a remarkable medical breakthrough.
After searching online, Sally decided on a desperate experiment; to give Sam a common sleeping pill called Stilnox.
What happened next was beyond her wildest expectations.
While scientists attempt to fathom what Stilnox unlocks in the human brain, around the world this accidental wonder drug is offering new hope to families who, until now, have had none.
Read the webchat transcript
Read Allison Langdon's blog on this story and have your say
Story contacts:
For more information on stilnox brain therapy, visit: www.google.com/site/zolpidemtherapy
Full transcript:
ALLISON LANGDON: On his 21st birthday, Sam Goddard had the world at his feet.
INSTRUCTOR: You alright?
SALLY: That was awesome, mate!
ALLISON LANGDON: Like most young Aussie blokes, he loved his sport and adventure. This is Sam today. Three years on, life couldn't be more different for him and his fiancée, Sally Neilsen.
SALLY: I didn't think it was possible. I thought that if it was that bad, that surely he would have died. It would have been too cruel for him to live and be in that state. I just didn't want to believe that.
ALLISON LANGDON: It was a most unlikely tragedy, just months before Sam and Sally were to be married. During a soccer game on Valentines' Day last year, Sam headed the ball, which apparently triggered a series of strokes. For the next 45 days, he lay in a coma. Doctors gave him just a 5% chance of survival.
SALLY: It was really hard because he was still in ICU when we cancelled the wedding and about two weeks after his strokes, I had to go and pick up my wedding dress and our wedding rings. So that was tough. I'm not going to lie – that was really hard.
ALLISON LANGDON: Did you ever think at any point to walk away?
SALLY: Never. That was never an option.
ALLISON LANGDON: And Sal remained by Sam's side when he finally awoke with severe brain damage. But it was impossible to tell how much Sam could understand.
SALLY: He used to moan a lot and I sort of thought the moaning was distress. There was something wrong that he wanted me to let me know about. But I didn't realise he was actually trying to communicate.
ALLISON LANGDON: Weeks became months but Sally and Sam's family never gave up hope and searched the internet for a miracle.
SALLY: As a family we got really desperate. We just started searching miracle awakenings, miracle treatment, anything we could.
ALLISON LANGDON: Their search brought them to this man, Dr Wally Nel, a family GP based in Johannesburg who's made an extraordinary breakthrough – the key to treating brain injury may lie with a common sleeping tablet called 'Stilnox'.
DR WALLY NEL: It's almost a revolution in brain injury – the injured brain cells are starting to work again.
ALLISON LANGDON: It's giving them their life back?
DR WALLY NEL: Yeah, come back to life and that sparkle in the eyes. That to me makes the whole story, really.
ALLISON LANGDON: Stilnox has a checkered history – reports of people sleepwalking or hallucinating after taking it. Australian doctors advised Sal against experimenting with it, but she was determined to give it a go.
SALLY: And we just make sure the syringe is completely empty, that Sam has all the medicine. Within 15 minutes, you can see the medication having an effect. There's a sparkle in Sam's eyes that just moments before were glassy. And suddenly, Sam is introducing himself.
SAM: Hi everyone, I'm Sam Goddard.
ALLISON LANGDON: Hi Sam, I'm Ali.
SAM. Hi Ali, nice to meet you.
ALLISON LANGDON: What are you doing now that you can't do when you're not on Stilnox?
SAM: I'm talking, I'm talking, I'm talking!
ALLISON LANGDON: You're yelling – even better! It's pretty amazing, is it?
SAM: Feels great!
ALLISON LANGDON: So tell me, that first time he started talking whose smile was bigger – yours of his?
SAM: Probably mine! I was crying a lot.
ALLISON LANGDON: Who talks the most – you or Sal?
SAM: Sal.
ALLISON LANGDON: But Sal tells me you do.
SAM: When I'm on Stilnox, yes.
ALLISON LANGDON: And what do you like to say to Sal?
SAM: She is my queen – all hail Queen Sally.
ALLISON LANGDON: Why do you love her so much?
SAM: Because she is awesome, fucking awesome
ALLISON LANGDON: It's as if a switch has been flicked. Sam says since he emerged from his coma, he's been aware of everything. Stilnox reignites something in his brain that allows him to respond.
SALLY: Our connection is stronger than ever and he's still cheeky, still laughs at all the same things and he still does things that make me laugh all the time.
ALLISON LANGDON: Who do you like better, Sal or Miranda Kerr?
SAM: Hmm…
ALLISON LANGDON: Remember who's sitting beside you.
SAM: Sal, of course. Of course.
ALLISON LANGDON: Oh, he dodged a bullet there. Dr Wally Nel says Sam's response is one of the best he's seen since he stumbled upon the powers of Stilnox in 1999.
ALLISON LANGDON: So Sam's reaction was quite extraordinary?
DR WALLY NEL: Oh, it was quite extraordinary. We were very thrilled with that.
ALLISON LANGDON: Dr Nel first saw those effects when he recommended Stilnox for Louis Viljoen, a brain-damaged patient who couldn't sleep. He was astounded when instead of being sedated, Louis spoke.
DR WALLY NEL: I'd say 75% have a reaction, even if it's a finger moving or an eye twitching. But the Louis miracle, that doesn't happen very often. That happened to Sam, it happened to about 15 other patients around the world.
ALLISON LANGDON: In severe head trauma, it's believed that sections of the brain shut down to preserve healthy cells. What Stilnox does is encourage dormant cells back to life. And this is after he took Stilnox?
DR WALLY NEL: After he took one tablet of 10 mg of Stilnox.
ALLISON LANGDON: So you must be so excited when you see that.
DR WALLY NEL: I get excited every time I see this because it's there. People go, it's there. You know what I'm trying to say.
ALLISON LANGDON: So you must think Stilnox is pretty good?
RENATE: Fantastic!
ALLISON LANGDON: Your eyes light up when you say that. Renate Oosthuizen is 29. She suffered severe brain damage after falling off a dam wall eight years ago. After the accident she couldn't talk and became physically violent.
ALLISON LANGDON: So, before Stilnox you were very angry.
RENATE: Angry.
ALLISON LANGDON: And now?
RENATE: Very bright personality.
ALLISON LANGDON: You're a happy person now.
RENATE: A joyful person also.
ALLISON LANGDON: After three years on Stilnox, Renate is slowly relearning English and has even been given back her driver's license. What's the best thing about it?
RENATE: Freedom.
ALLISON LANGDON: Do brain-injured patients have anything to lose by giving this a go?
DR WALLY NEL: Absolutely nothing. Absolutely nothing.
ALLISON LANGDON: No wonder Australian families like the Tiernys are anxious to try it.
ALLISON LANGDON: Is it hard when you see her distressed?
JENNIFER: Oh, absolutely. You hate that because you don't want her to suffer, you don't want her to have pain.
NICOLE: At 28 years of age, Nicole Tierny suffered a massive stroke due to complications following a bowel operation. For the last two years, her parents Steve and Jennifer have devoted their lives to her care. Stilnox offers a glimmer of hope.
ALLISON LANGDON: What words do you want to hear?
JENNIFER: I love you....Pretty much. I don't know, it's hard to say.
ALLISON LANGDON: Just a few words, huh?
JENNIFER: Yeah, anything. Just anything you know, would be great.
ALLISON LANGDON: What do you want to hear, Steve?
STEVE: Just her voice…I miss her.
JENNIFER: Yeah we do, we miss her so very much.
FIONA: I love Nicole and I always will and she's my priority, yeah. I'd do anything for her.
ALLISON LANGDON: Nicole's identical twin, Fiona, has twin sons of her own but still finds the time to visit every day.
FIONA: I miss my old Nicole. I miss talking to her. But to have the Stilnox, if Nicole could just say to me, "BB" I could die a happy woman, because then I would know that she loves me and she's here.
ALLISON LANGDON: After seeing Sam Goddard's incredible success with Stilnox, Steve and Jen contacted Doctor Nel and last month, Nicole took Stilnox for the first time.
JENNIFER: There we go – first dose in…woohoo.
ALLISON LANGDON: At this early stage, the dosage is miniscule.
CARER: That's excellent, really good girl.
ALLISON LANGDON: But Jen and Steve are already noticing small improvements.
STEVE: She engages with the eye contact a lot better than she did before. Just the little things like getting a smile – that was really a bonus because we haven't had one of those since she was in hospital.
JENNIFER: And she's relaxing her hands now.
ALLISON LANGDON: Nicole no longer clenches her fists and the constant moaning has stopped.
JENNIFER: That connection I'm getting with her has been beautiful – it's been a special, special time. So when she held my hand when I asked her to, that was beautiful – she didn't do that before. So those little moments I treasure.
STEVE: We've tried.
JENNIFER: We'd have given her every chance to come back to us.
ALLISON LANGDON: What if it doesn't work?
STEVE: Then we've tried everything.
JENNIFER: We've tried. You know, that's the best thing we can do for our beautiful daughter. We've given her every chance to come back to us.
ALLISON LANGDON: For Sal and Sam, a once-maligned sleeping tablet means their dream of a wedding, will one day come true. They're living the miracle.
ALLISON LANGDON: Is a full recovery possible?
SALLY: I think so. I think give him three to five years or even more, I think he'll get there. Anything's possible.
DR WALLY NEL: Sam is changing the whole concept of brain injury and Stilnox in Australia. That's one man doing it.
ALLISON LANGDON: Hey Sam, what's Sal out of 10?
SALLY: What, just 10?
SAM: 10 is the best there is – the highest you can be.
SALLY: Alright – I'll accept that.
ALLISON LANGDON: What about Miranda Kerr?
ALLISON LANGDON: Do you worry about the side effects from Stilnox?
SALLY: Not really. I try not to think about it. But I think even if there was, to have what we've had and the time that we've been given on Stilnox just overrides everything, definitely. And I think he'd say the same thing.
' +


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Ready, Set, Baby!
The Watch and Learn Guide to Your Baby's First Year
The "Ready, Set, Baby!" team is a collaboration of five leading child care experts and an award-winning author, Maureen Connolly. Together, they've created the essential guide to becoming an informed, empowered, and confident new parent. Raise a happy, healthy baby with 80 expert videos, full-color slide shows, and interactive guided tours.
Top Features
The Complete First Year
We'll guide you from birth to bath time to baby steps. You'll know exactly what to expect and when.
- Breastfeeding, Pumping, and Bottle Feeding
- Sleep Training
- Car Seat Installation and Safe Travel
- Bathing, Diapers, and Dressing
- Soothing and Swaddling
- Solid Food Safety
- Infant Development and Pediatrics
- Emergency Life-Saving Techniques
The Experts
Maureen Connolly, Author and Producer
Maureen Connolly is an award-winning writer, editor, and producer of parenting, health, nutrition, and wellness content.
Benjamin Kligler, M.D., M.P.H.
Dr. Benjamin Kligler is vice chair of the Department of Integrative Medicine at Beth Israel Medical Center and associate professor of Family and Social Medicine at Albert Einstein College of Medicine.
Alisa Baer, M.D.
Dr. Alisa Baer is a board-certified pediatrician and a nationally certified child passenger safety instructor.
Heather Kelly, IBCLC
Heather Kelly is an International Board Certified Lactation Consultant.
Brooke Nalle, Certified Gentle Sleep Coach
Brooke Nalle is a pediatric sleep consultant and certified Gentle Sleep Coach.
Laura Tichler, CCE, EMT
Laura Tichler is a certified childbirth educator through the Childbirth Education Association of Metropolitan New York, where she also served on the board of directors.
Instant and Interactive
These handy tech features are like having a lactation consultant, sleep, and car seat expert all rolled into one:
- 80 instructional videos
- Interactive slideshows and guided tours
- Audio samples of white noise and other soothing aides
- Searchable glossary with links to online resources
- Inline "pop-tips" give you easy and quick access to key terms
Never Fear the Gear
From cribs and car seats to bottles and breast pumps, our experts recommend the best products and show you how to use them. You'll be an expert in no time.
- Car Seats, Strollers, and High Chairs
- Cribs and Bassinets
- Breast Pumps and Formula
- Skin Care, Diapers, and Dressing
- Medicine Cabinet Must-Haves
- Home Baby-Proofing
- Eco-Friendly Options