Free Courses, Elite Colleges

Steve Kolowich:

Udemy, a company that allows anyone to create and sell courses through its online platform, has announced a new area of its site, called The Faculty Project, devoted to courses by professors at a number of top institutions, such as Colgate, Duke University, Stanford University, Northwestern University, Vanderbilt University, the University of Virginia, Dartmouth College and Vassar College. While Udemy is a for-profit enterprise, the Faculty Project courses will be free.

The goal is to “elevate the brand,” according to Gagan Biyani, Udemy’s president and co-founder. The company says it has no immediate plans to monetize the Faculty Project, and would never do so without the input and permission of its faculty contributors.

The inaugural Faculty Project courses include many humanities electives normally reserved for small classrooms of undergraduates. Among them: “Elixir: A History of Water and Humans,” “Select Classics in Russian Literature” and “The Cognitive Neuroscience of Mindfulness.” Garland and the project’s other professorial recruits are developing, pro bono, mini-lecture-based versions of courses they offer on their home campuses. Udemy says it does not require the professors to relinquish ownership of the courses.

There are no caps on course enrollment. “It could be 10 people, it could be 100, it could be 1,000,” says Ben Ho, the Vassar College economics professor who is teaching the course on water and humans. But as far as interactivity, Udemy’s Faculty Project is more akin to Yale Open Courses -- where users can watch lectures and consult syllabuses for free -- than to Udacity, the venture launched this week by a team of former Stanford academics, which aspires to administer quizzes and grade its anticipated droves of students, which may number in the tens or hundreds of thousands.

http://www.insidehighered.com/news/2012/01/27/company-unveils-line-free-online-courses-elite-college-faculty

Udemy's website: http://www.udemy.com/

Lucas and Juno: Special bond of a rescue dog and dying boy

As nearly anyone who has adopted a dog or cat from a shelter can attest, there’s something special about a rescued pet; it’s as if the animal senses he’s been given a second chance at life. That’s certainly the case with Juno, a Belgian Malinois who was rescued from a shelter just days before she was to be euthanized. But since coming to live with her family in Alcoa, Tenn., Juno has taken on the role of rescuer to four-year-old Lucas Hembree.

Lucas suffers from Sanfilippo syndrome, an inherited, metabolic disease caused by the absence or malfunctioning of an enzyme needed to break down long sugar molecules. As the disease progresses, children lose the ability to speak, walk and eat. The disease also causes severe neurological damage that leads to aggressive behavior, hyperactivity and seizures.

So when the disease started to take a toll on Lucas’ joints, Chester looked into getting a service dog to keep Lucas steady when he walked. “I was told that a service dog would cost at least $15,000, and that Lucas wasn’t a good candidate because of his deteriorating abilities and his behavior,” Chester says. “I refused to accept this answer.”

A combination of prayer and persistence led Chester to Juno. “I came across a posting about her on a rescue group’s website,” he says. “I had the feeling in my gut that I had to go see this dog.”

The whole family made the two-hour trip to meet Juno, who was being held at an east Tennessee shelter. “She was emaciated, and was days away from being euthanized,” Chester says. “She had been surrendered to the shelter because her previous owners didn’t understand the Belgian Malinois.”

Juno has become a literal shoulder for Lucas to lean on when walking, and a calming influence when he’s agitated. And while Chester makes sure that Juno gets time off, he says that it’s hard to get Juno to leave Lucas’ side. “You don’t see one without the other close by,” he says. “It really feels like it was meant to be.”

http://today.msnbc.msn.com/id/46168614/ns/today-today_pets_and_animals/

South Korea sends warm socks to North Korea attached to balloons

South Korean activists sent warm socks and messages attached to balloons toward North Korea Saturday, according to the AFP news agency.

About 1,000 pairs were attached to the five large gas-filled were launched in the northern South Korean city of Paju, the AFP reported.

The Seoul-based group North Korea Peace said the messages sent with each pair of socks were "politically innocuous."

"We're not interested in sending political messages or sparking any troubles there. All we want is that people in the North wear warm socks over their frozen feet," Sunny Kim, a spokeswoman for the activists, told AFP.

http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/46172516/ns/world_news-asia_pacific/

A Medal of Honor for George Washington

John White writing in the WSJ:

Although the medal was created in 1862, others have received it posthumously—and if ever there were a soldier deserving of this award, it is George Washington.

Most Americans know Washington as the "Father of Our Country." What many don't know very well is that he was fearless in combat. Time after time he put himself in harm's way to command and rally his troops. He led from the front, and his actions in combat compare favorably with the bravest of the brave in our nation's history.

Washington was never wounded in battle, which caused many of his contemporaries, friend and foe alike, to think he had the protection of divine providence. In fact, Washington himself said as much—not in a boastful way, but with humility and gratitude for being kept safe from harm as he performed his military duty without regard to danger. At 6 feet 3 inches in height and with his distinctive general's uniform, he was easily recognizable and often a target, especially for sharpshooters. But he was unfazed.

* At the Battle of Fort Wilderness in 1755, during the French and Indian War, for example, Washington served in the Virginia militia as aide to British Gen. Edward Braddock. Near the fort, Braddock's 1,300-man unit was trapped in a deadly ambush by the French and their Indian allies. Eight hundred British and colonial soldiers were massacred. Washington rode all over the battlefield, carrying Braddock's orders to other officers.

When the two-hour engagement finally ended, Washington had four musket-ball holes in his greatcoat and had two horses shot from under him. Various survivors later reported that the hail of gunfire at him was so heavy that they expected him to be killed at any moment. He would exhibit that valor again in the War for Independence.

* At the Battle of Princeton in January 1777, American militiamen began to flee after the British overran Continental Army troops. On seeing that, Washington rode up with reinforcements and rallied the fleeing militia. Then he personally led the counterattack on the British.

Washington was only 30 yards from the British lines when he ordered his men to fire. When both sides fired, Washington disappeared in the smoke. When the smoke cleared, Washington was unharmed but the British regulars had broken. Washington then ordered a charge and headed directly toward the British troops, yelling at his own soldiers to rally behind him. The British retreated and fled.

Washington's willingness to lead his troops from the front, while shots from British sharpshooters and his own men flew across the battlefield around him, inspired the American forces to hold together throughout the war. A young officer who observed Washington in combat at the Battle of Princeton wrote, "I saw him brave all the dangers of the field . . . with a thousand deaths flying around him." The sight of his commander in chief, he said, set an example of courage such as he had never seen.



John White's article here.

Seeing 'Red' ...From Paris

What is already one of the most drawn-out court cases in high fashion history was protracted further still yesterday when Christian Louboutin appeared in court to appeal Judge Victor Marrero's ruling against his red sole trademark, which occurred last August. He was accompanied in the courtroom by Diane Von Furstenberg, who's a close personal friend of his but also, as president of the CFDA, a major advocate for stronger laws against copyright infringement.


Yesterday's hearing was presided over by three judges, who have yet to decide if Judge Marrero's verdict stands or if it will be reversed. If it is reversed, the lawyers for Yves Saint Laurent and Louboutin would have to return to court to argue their cases all over again. According to WWD's report, it seems the judges were quite skeptical of Marrero's ruling, which is good news for Louboutin. Said Judge Chester Straub of Marrero's verdict:

http://nymag.com/daily/fashion/2012/01/louboutins-red-sole-case-might-have-legs-again.html

OK, world: no more stories, puhleeeze, about any of the following

Or, hell, just a weekend break from all the unnecessary drama that these folks generate for no apparent productive reason except for themselves.

Gee, and I just getting ready to give BHO credit for putting the blame game behind him ... oh well

REAL GDP: 1.7% FOR YEAR...

Food Stamps Up 45%; Federal Handouts Up 32%...

Obama: Bush Is Food Stamp President, Not Me...



State of the Union Address: 27% Turned Away After First 5 Minutes...

At last, acceptability of introverts is on the rise...it's about time

PSYCHOLOGY

Don’t Call Introverted Children ‘Shy’

Society rewards extroverts, but quiet types have a hidden strength all their own

By SUSAN CAIN | @susancain | January 26, 2012 | 19

Read more: http://ideas.time.com/2012/01/26/dont-call-introverted-children-shy/?iid=op-main-lede&hpt=hp_bn8#ixzz1khTFDEU2

I guess the math is ... possible

Grandsons of tenth president John Tyler are STILL ALIVE... and were born 140 YEARS after their grandfather

Two of John Tyler's grandsons - Lyon Tyler Jr. and Harrison Ruffin Tyler - are alive today, though their grandfather was born in the 18th century.

Don't get caught on DUI in New Mexico

Stephen Slevin, 58, pictured before, left, and after, right, from New Mexico, was awarded one of the largest federal civil rights settlements in history involving an inmate after accusing Dona Ana County jail of essentially forgetting about him while he was in custody. As well as suffering from PTSD, he was forced to pull out his own tooth while he was in custody after he was refused dental health.

Talk about blending into the woodwork

At first glance, Cecilia Paredes' artwork just looks like pictures of particularly colourful wallpaper. But look a little closer and the bold, floral images start to take on a human form. The Peruvian artist experiments with her own body by painting designs on herself to blend into various backgrounds.

Apparently, politics was much like today even in Biblical times

The gag that was old when Moses was around: Tablet full of crude gags and riddles about beer is found - dating back to Exodus

Riddles and a hearty disregard for politicians were part of life in ancient Mesopotamia - 3,500 years ago. A newly translated tablet from Iraq shows that even in 1500BC, people liked a puzzle.

One of those rare times when a jury trial is not even needed

Jurors in Ontario have been told how Afghan-born Mohammad Shafia, 58, his wife Tooba Yahya, 42, and their son Hamed, 21, were responsible for planning and carrying out the murders. In closing statements to the court in Ontario prosecutors urged the jury to find all three guilty of killing the couple's three teenage daughters - from left Zainab, 19, Sahar, 17, and Geeti, 13 - and his 'other' wife from a polygamous relationship.

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We can get a man safely to and from the moon, but we can't get the equipment to get him there under a bridge

This was the scene today after a massive ship called the Delta Mariner tried to go under the Eggner Ferry Bridge on the Tennessee River in southwestern Kentucky and ripped it apart. No one was injured but witness Robert Parker said: 'All of a sudden I see the road's gone and I hit the brakes.' Officials say about 2,800 vehicles travel daily on the bridge

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Facebook IPO close

Facebook is poised to file papers as early as next week for an initial public offering that could be one of the biggest in history, creating hundreds if not thousands of instant millionaires, The Wall Street Journal reported Friday.

The highly anticipated IPO will value the world's largest social networking site at between $75 billion and $100 billion, the Wall Street Journal reported on its website. So far the Journal appears to be alone with the report. Facebook declined to comment.

Founded in a Harvard dorm room in 2004 by Mark Zuckerberg and his friends, Facebook has grown into the world's biggest social network with over 800 million members and revenue of $1.6 billion in the first half of 2011.

The impending IPO -- expected to raise $10 billion -- is a prized trophy for investment banks, setting up a fierce competition on Wall Street, particularly between Morgan Stanley and Goldman Sachs, which are expected to be the two lead underwriters.

The newsfeed here.

Comparing Obama's recovery to Reagan's. Reagan wins. The U.S. won.

...the Obama Recovery stinks. Even if today’s GDP report—for the fourth quarter of 2011—shows 3 percent growth or better, it would be just the fourth time that has happened since the economy began turning up in June 2009: 3.8 percent in the fourth quarter of 2009, 3.9 percent in the first quarter of 2010, and 3.8 percent in the second quarter of 2010. But no 3 percent-plus quarters since then.

The first nine quarters of the Reagan Recovery, by contrast, looked like this: 5.1 percent, 9.3 percent, 8.1 percent, 8.5 percent, 8.0 percent, 7.1 percent, 3.9 percent, 3.3 percent, 3.8, percent, 3.4 percent. In fact, the Reagan Boom went from the first quarter of 1983 until the second quarter of 1986 without notching a sub-3 percent GDP quarter.

So, while the Reagan Recovery quickly made up for lost years of growth, not so much for the Obama Recovery, as this chart in today’s Wall Street Journal makes clear:

James Pethokoukis's entire article here.

2011 GDP: 1.7%

2.8% for a quarter is tolerable. 1.7% for all of 2011 is pathetic.

From BusinessInsider.com:

Real GDP increased 1.7 percent in 2011 (that is, from the 2010 annual level to the 2011 annual level), compared with an increase of 3.0 percent in 2010.

The increase in real GDP in 2011 primarily reflected positive contributions from personal consumption expenditures (PCE), exports, and nonresidential fixed investment that were partly offset by negative contributions from state and local government spending, private inventory investment, and federal government spending. Imports, which are a subtraction in the calculation of GDP, increased.

Not exactly a barnburner.

Read about the sad numbers here.

President Obama leaves event promoting clean energy in a motorcade of 22 fossil-fueled vehicles

Soviet era troop transport prototype.

The one you see in photos here is the Lun-class Ekranoplan. The most unique aspect of the “part plane, part boat, and part hovercraft” ekranoplan was its propulsion method, which is why it was also called a Ground Effect Vehicle (GEV) or “Sea Skimmer.”

As Business Insider puts the GEV’s aerodynamic feat:


“A GEV takes advantage of an aeronautical effect that allows it to lift off with an immense amount of weight, but limits its flight to 16 feet above the waves. Its altitude can never be greater than the length of the wings. Think of a large seabird, like a pelican, cruising inches from the water and not needing to flap its wings.”

This allowed Ground Effect Vehicles like the ekranoplan to be twice as efficient as regular airplanes. The “wing in ground” effect let the Soviet war-bird swoop low over the water and even get decent fuel economy while maxing out at a weight of around 2 million pounds.



Go here for the whole story.

Good economic news

The U.S. economy grew at its fastest pace in more than a year and a half in the final three months of 2011, signaling a sturdier recovery took hold despite troubles in other parts of the world.

The nation's gross domestic product -- the value of all goods and services produced -- grew at an annual rate of 2.8% between October and December, the Commerce Department said Friday. That is up from 1.8% growth in the third quarter and 1.3% in the second quarter. It was the fastest pace since the second quarter of 2010.

Economists surveyed by Dow Jones Newswires expected 3.0% growth.

The WSJ report here.