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Tuesday, November 30, 2010

EU launches antitrust probe into alleged Google abuses

Google's European headquarters  

The probe does not imply any wrongdoing by Google

The European Commission has launched an investigation into Google after other search engines complained that the firm had abused its dominant position.

The EC will examine whether the world's largest search engine penalised competing services in its results.
The probe follows complaints by firms including price comparison site Foundem and legal search engine ejustice.fr.

Google denies the allegations but said it would work with the Commission to "address any concerns".
Earlier this year the attorney general of Texas launched a similar investigation following complaints from firms including Foundem.

The objections in both cases are from competitors which allege that Google manipulates its search results.
"The European Commission has decided to open an antitrust investigation into allegations that Google has abused a dominant position in online search," the body said in a statement.

It said the action followed "complaints by search service providers about unfavourable treatment of their services in Google's unpaid and sponsored search results coupled with an alleged preferential placement of Google's own services."


The Commission's investigation does not imply any wrongdoing by Google.

"Since we started, Google we have worked hard to do the right thing by our users and our industry," said the firm in a statement.

"But there's always going to be room for improvement, and so we'll be working with the Commission to address any concerns."

Core business


Google offers two types of search result - unpaid results produced by the firm's algorithms that are displayed in the main body of the page and "ads", previously called sponsored links.

The investigation will try to determine whether the firm's method of generating unpaid results adversely affects the ranking of other firms, specifically those providing so-called vertical search services.

These are specialist search providers, and can include sites that offer price comparison, for example.

Foundem alleges that Google's algorithms "remove legitimate sites from [its] natural search results, irrespective of relevance". It also says that the firm promotes its own services over those offered by competitors.

"Google is exploiting its dominance of search in ways that stifle innovation, suppress competition, and erode consumer choice," Foundem said in its complaint filed in February 2010.

But Google argues that there are "compelling reasons" why these sites are "ranked poorly".

For example, it said, Foundem "duplicates 79% of its website content from other sites."

"We have consistently informed webmasters that our algorithms disadvantage duplicate sites," the firm said.
The Commission will also look into allegations that Google manipulated elements of its system that determine the price paid for ads from these sites.

Finally, the investigation will also probe how the company deals with advertising partners.

Advertising is the core of Google's business.

Google is alleged to impose "exclusivity obligations on advertising partners, preventing them from placing certain types of competing ads on their web sites, as well as on computer and software vendors," according to an EC statement.

In addition, the EC said it would also look into "suspected restrictions on the portability of online advertising campaign data to competing online advertising platforms."

Google says it already allows customers "to take their data with them when they switch services" and that its contracts "have never been exclusive".

(Source:BBC)

World Leaders, Officials Watch WikiLeaks with Curiosity, Concern

Kate Woodsome 29 November 2010

A news stand displaying newspapers, some carrying the story on WikiLeaks' release of classified U.S. State Department documents, at a newsagent in central London, Nov. 29, 2010.
Photo: AP
A news stand displaying newspapers, some carrying the story on WikiLeaks' release of classified U.S. State Department documents, at a newsagent in central London, Nov. 29, 2010.
    Senior officials from Washington to Australia to Pakistan are responding with alarm to the latest release of thousands of classified U.S. documents by the online whistleblowing group WikiLeaks. But some officials are looking at the uncensored view of America's diplomatic corps as a window into how the U.S. State Department sees the world.

    Pakistani newspapers splashed the news across its front pages Monday, a day after the leaks revealed damning characterizations of Pakistan and its president, Asif Ali Zardari. Saudi King Abdullah is quoted in one cable calling Mr. Zardari the greatest obstacle to Pakistan's progress. In the document, the king says, "When the head is rotten, it affects the whole body."

    Mr. Zardari's spokesman accused WikiLeaks of damaging Pakistan's relations with Saudi Arabia, and said President Zardari considers King Abdullah as his elder brother.

    The cables also cast Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan in a negative light, suggesting he is sympathetic to Islamists and knows little of the world outside Ankara. Mr. Erdogan said that he would wait to find out more information before announcing his reaction.

    "Let's first see exactly what WikiLeaks is hiding under its skirt. Then we will see if the claims are serious or not," the Turkish leader told reporters in Ankara Monday. "The credibility of WikiLeaks is under suspicion, so for now we are waiting to see what they have and then we will make the appropriate announcement."

    For Israel, Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the diplomatic leak was positive. He said Monday that Israel has not been damaged by the leak and, if anything, its concerns about Iran have been validated.  The documents underscore the concern of Arab countries about Iran. In one, Saudi Arabia urges the U.S. to carry out military strikes to prevent Iran from getting a nuclear bomb, a stance also advocated by Israel.

    The contents of the leaked cables also drew some praise from some U.S. allies. Jonathan Powell, former British Prime Minister Tony Blair's chief of staff, said that as a diplomat it was fascinating to read the private correspondence of his counterparts. Powell said that overall, the documents show that American envoys are well-connected and well-informed about political issues abroad.

    The British government has formally condemned the leak. And France quickly pledged support for the Obama administration as it moved into damage-control mode after the inner thoughts of its diplomatic corps spilled into an open discussion about America's friends and foes.

    Australian Attorney-General Robert McClelland announced Monday that his government is investigating whether the leak broke any of the country's laws.

    "The release of this information could prejudice the safety of people referred to in the documentation and indeed could be damaging to the national security interests of the United States and its allies including Australia," McClelland told reporters. So, obviously, Australia will support any law enforcement action that may be taken."

    One of the cables, from the U.S. embassy in Zimbabwe, described Australia as a "rock solid" ally, but said it did not have enough influence to affect events in that country.

    McClelland said he has set up a task force to determine, and deal with, the impact of the leaks. Of the quarter-million documents released, about 1,400 mention Australia, with 1,000 cables originating from the U.S. embassy in Canberra.

    "I've asked the Australian Federal Police to look at the issue as to whether any Australian laws have been breached as a specific issue as well," McClelland said.

    The founder of Wikileaks, Julian Assange, is an Australian citizen. McClelland said federal police are looking into whether Assange broke any criminal laws.  However, he said he had no knowledge of reports that the United States has asked Australia to revoke Assange's passport.

    Comments (46)

    29-11-2010 Don Vito (America) I could care less hahahahaha
    29-11-2010 Steve Thompson This is what passes for intelligence at the State Department? http://viableopposition.blogspot.com/2010/11/wikileaks-muammar-al-qadhafi-and-his-so_28.html Has no one at the State Department heard of Wikipedia or Google? From this cable, Colonel Qadhafi’s proclivities look no worse than those of many celebrities and aging rock stars.
    29-11-2010 RKK (India) Commedy of ERRORS!:(:)
    29-11-2010 An loyal American (America) Wiki you are so irresponsible. You think by publishing all of this you are exercising your constitutional rights. What you are doing is being irresponsible toward the American people. How many will die now because of this. How many people within the United States will die because of this. How many mothers, fathers, brothers, and sisters around the world and maybe here at home will lose a loved one because of this. I think that you should be looked at as terriorist, and tried for espionage.
    29-11-2010 Tmax (Canada) How long before Julian Assange meets with an unfortunate accident? I think he could have gotten away with the first leak but this one if over the top and is bound to bring him unwanted attention and unfortunatley harm. This is how the world works people whether we like to admit it or not.....
    29-11-2010 I love Erdogan's comments in response to the accusation that he is " is sympathetic to Islamists and knows little of the world outside Ankara" -- He is going to wait and find out more information-- does that mean he is going to learn about the world outside Ankara? And then he questions the credibility of the documents, even though responses around the world have made it clear that these documents are not faked.
    29-11-2010 It is treason and it should be punished as such. Dedicated people in the defense of our country may die because of the leaks and our defense will be weakened also.
    29-11-2010 redirect (Canada) Who's surprised by how arrogant and ignorant Americans are?
    29-11-2010 spak (canada) If they are so worried that the world sees how they conduct business then perhaps they should conduct business in a more responsible and conscientious manner. Or maybe they are concerned that the world will see who the true 'axis of evil' is.
    29-11-2010 DFF Leonardo WikiLeaks is unfair and anti-American. Releasing info about absurdities that at times show more personal viewpoints than official view is unfair to the USA. It would be fair if it help solve a problem. However, simply releasing confidential or secret information about the USA by a foreigner has not merit. It would be creditable if the same would be done to Russia and China; but, the bad guys are not mentioned. Does WikiLeaks only have spies in the US?
    29-11-2010 Michael Denery (America) If it is favorable to Israel then Wikileaks probably has been compromised by Israel.
    29-11-2010 Rod (U.S.) What else is new? What I read here does not seem to be of great concern, just candid assessments by those who wrote them. In the other hand, I watched Hillary Clinton admit on TV that she personally would not submit to be body scanned or groped. If the Secretary of State would not do it, what makes government officials think that 75% of the rest of the country likes being subjected Gestapo style?
    29-11-2010 lorax (USA) Who's lives does this leak put in danger? Would the number exceed the 5,000 Americans already killed in Iraq? Would it come even close to the hundreds of thousands of dead Iraqis who had nothing to do with 9/11? If the Pentagon Papers had anything to do with stopping the senseless war in Vietnam, perhaps Wikileaks might expose the idiocy of American policies that start wars under false pretenses. Perhaps future leaks will expose the real reasons behind these wars. (Oil leases? Pipelines?)
    29-11-2010 A (Earth) That the world is managed by criminals and thieves is no suprise; that they want to hide their crimes, also no suprise.
    29-11-2010 Amit Sarkar (USA) As of now, there is no real "intelligence" in these secret intelligence (cables). Is this what we taxpayers pay these bumbling idiots in Pentagon and State Dept billions of dollars for?
    29-11-2010 Rob (USA) These leaks show the all too human nature of the US State Dept. and nothing more. Big deal. US Ambassadors are trash talking their international counterparts. That is business as usual. International counterparts are trash talking the USA. Big deal. Embarrassing yes. Damaging...no. Next. Now let's move on to more important issues and problems. Besides all this, Assange is a narcissist who is doing this out of an inflated sense of his own importance...to strengthen his ego.
    29-11-2010 Mike (USA) It only takes one bad-apple to leak important information so we should not blame the entire State Department for the leak. But controls should be in-place to track who accesses data and flags should be raised when unusual volumes of data are copied. Perhaps State should chat off-line and not commit its thoughts to electronic means. When you put something in a computer either at State or FaceBook or Twitter you no longer have control over it no matter what someone tells you.
    29-11-2010 fitz (usa) As far as the released documents, in large part they will turn out to be much ado about nothing. Showing that internal classified diplomatic documents do not always reflect the official media-released policy is really no surprise whatsoever. The fact that after sifting through a quarter of a million documents, a small percentage can be viewed as "damaging" is to be %100 expected. Jonathan Powell's view will turn out to be the general consensus.
    29-11-2010 Chockolate (Australian in Italy) This is fantastically healthy to see all our leaders squirm! Watch them try and convince us it's bad for our well being!
    29-11-2010 uche (uk) every politician is a charlatan!
    29-11-2010 i proude of you, keep showing real face of whol world to common person, thanks alot to give us a huge information,
    29-11-2010 Subair P. (United Arab Emirates) Nobody can hide the truth for a long time, will come out when time comes.
    29-11-2010 marklar (OOOOOH - S - A) Don Vito is right...
    29-11-2010 jairaj (INDIA.) THANKS WIKI. A GREAT JOB. LET WORLD SEE THE REAL US. CONGRATS. WELL DONE.
    29-11-2010 peterb37 (USA) People who are enen slightly informed know that Arab countries desire to attack Iran isn't any indication of the danger posed by that country. Sunnis view Shiites as heretics and in Saudi Arabia; Shiites are powerless and retain absolutely no rights. This creates a problem. Other Arab countries with Sunni majorities have followed suit. Iran is a country with a Shiite majority and Shiite leadership. If the date were 1700 the attitudes would be the same as present.
    29-11-2010 Alex (Uganda) This was the misuse of being super power, wait for China or India to come up, Now any American can be seen as Intelligence personal. Let the USA see mirror this time.....
    29-11-2010 this is just reams of 'diplomatic' gossip - don't see anything 'sensational' as yet
    29-11-2010 David McGOW (ENGLAND) NOW CAN WE TELL THE US WHAT TO DO WITH THEMSELVES. WHY DO WE BRITS PERSIST WITH THIS SILLY NOTION OF A SPECIAL RELATIONSHIP WITH THE USA. OUR POLITICIANS EMBARASS US WITH THEIR BROWN NOSING TO THE US. ITS PATHETIC. WE CONSISTENTLY SUPPORT THEIR WARS, AND ALL THEY DO IS BELITTLE AND UNDERMINE THEIR ONLY TRUE ALLY. THEY SUCK
    29-11-2010 My Name Do not despair; in all of this chaos, there is good news. The administration has taken quick and decisive action by condemning Wikileaks, an authoritative wag of the finger if you will...
    29-11-2010 (u.s.a.) real freedom , walk rigth.
    29-11-2010 Mojojojo (USA) Treason? think.If America is the freedom loving country it claims to be, transparency is a necessity.People have every right to know what they're elected officials are doing.The problem is that not enough people are going to follow up on this and it will all blow over in a week.American education is in steep decline.Far too many people ignore the realities of the world, embrace (American)extremism and become complacent with deceitful and manipulative gov't and media outlets.
    29-11-2010 Whatever as if there is not enough to worry about.
    29-11-2010 wikileakr (USA) This is not treason because WikiLeaks is not a US based organization. This is also not unAmerican when you consider how much we pride ourselve son freedom and being free means speking the truth. What is unAmerican are individuals against the freedom of the press and freedom of speech. I think we should nominate Julian Assange as president of the USA and he will release all of the truth!!!
    30-11-2010 tafadzwa (zimbabwe) at least president mugabe is plain and simple, he dont have nothing to hide, he told the americans to go hang!!!! the americans are true and real hypocrites, they do not stand for wat they advocate.... and to call cde mugabe "devil" was their luck streached too far... thank you wikileaks for showing us the true face of the USA.... hypocrites of note...
    30-11-2010 BellaVista (USA) This earth shaking incident already surfaced and it seems too late to do a fixing while it exposes to the sunlight and all goods and bads and uglies related to this incident are all nakedly exposed to show off their butts!
    30-11-2010 Vladimir (USA) Dear friends: Media are doing a great job. WikiLeak is show another-back side of smiling official faces, the value of oficial information, the real double standards/opinions of oficial words about the same situation. Please continue to publish secrets in etical way. Sincerely, Vladimir
    30-11-2010 Useyourdependsforahat (Canada) Pfft..a bit of gossip, some rehashing of old alliances and overall, a view of the USA that shows it is pretty balanced in how it holds back from attacking Iran even though the regional powers want it. What has been the policy of the US towards Iran?, Attempts at engagement, but showing that it has limits. What to make of Prince Andrew leading and cheering on British business types to be their best at a function? Sounds like a bit of old Ronald Reagan motivating the country in days of yore.
    30-11-2010 Me (Bots) Why are you all judging Mr. Assange? Non of you know what could have happened if it was not of his leaks. So, please give these time to prove the real trueth. God will solve the problem for all of you. How come there are things you all want to know about and those you dont? Whats the difference. These is just information that could work well. Just give it time to build a new generation.
    30-11-2010 Fooled All you chumps are very gullable...I cant believe that you half wits actually believe a website can publish private and confidential information and the America the great cant shut it down, the US can drop atom bombs, kill millions of people, displace another billion people and cant shut down a website....another fact you might find interesting is that why wasnt anything leaked about Israel, the number one problem in the middile east and nothing was said about it????
    30-11-2010 wikisupporter (Australia) The US is the bully of the world and all the brown nosing Australian MP's should move there! America is the cause of all the trouble in the world.
    30-11-2010 Dr. Surendra pathak (INDIA) Diplomacy is now a days is the Betrayal to entire humanity. It is crime of the so called civil society.
    30-11-2010 Andreas (Cyprus) Read Noam Chomsky if you want to be better inform
    30-11-2010 Anh Nguyen (VN) It is not information, but the terrorization. Because, only terrorism is not afraid to put people's life and destiny of the country in peril
    30-11-2010 No name (VN) Freedom displays its negative face
    30-11-2010 Wilson Asiimwe (Uganda) No wander that's what the US government is doing to the rest of the countries.

    Thursday, November 25, 2010

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    From the site: S hanghai Jiao Tong University (SJTU), directly subordinate to the Ministry of Education, is a key university in China, jointly run by the Ministry and Shanghai Municipality. >>> SJTU Today video S hanghai Jiao Tong University formerly the Nang Yang Public School was founded in 1896 by Mr. ... It is one of the oldest universities in China.

    Chartered by the Commonwealth of Pennsylvania in 1855. The only land-grant University in the state. Currently, home to over 80,000 students in more than 160 baccalaureate programs at 24 locations. Also, home to the Penn State Nittany Lions.
    From the site: Anyone interested in an informal visit to Saint Vincent Archabbey, please call the office (865-4281) and ask for Father Matthew ( mtl10@psu.edu ). He is always willing to take interested parties to the Abbey. There are also plenty of formal vocation weekends scheduled throughout the year at St. Vincent by Father Fred Byrne, our Vocation Director. Information about these weekends can be had by calling the office or checking the Saint Vincent link below.

    Offers information and news for prospective and current students, faculty, and staff. Highlights academic departments and athletics, serves as directory for multiple branches.
    From the site: On August 10, 2004, the then newly arrived, University of Washington President Mark A. Emmert ushered in a new era when he confirmed his and the University's commitment to environmental stewardship as a fundamental University of Washington value by announcing to the President's Cabinet and the Board of Deans that he had supported and adopted the University's "Policy on Environmental Stewardship" and its related permanent Environmental Stewardship Advisory Committee.

    A free quote database built collaboratively using Wiki software, a sister project to Wikipedia. (GNU Free Documentation License)

    Blackboard is a free service that allows instructors to add an online component to their classes or even teach their entire course online.
    From the site: Welcome to the Blackboard patent information page. Below is a collection of resources we hope the community will find useful in better understanding the recently announced Blackboard Patent Pledge. We will continue to add new relevant resources here as they become available. ... Blackboard FAQ on '138 Patent (Posted on August 30, 2006) Basic Information About the Blackboard Patent (Posted on July 26, 2006) ... For Media Inquiries, please contact Melissa Chotiner at mchotiner@blackboard.com.

    Official web site.
    From the site: Penn Video Productions is the video production and distribution unit of the Penn Video Network. We offer a full complement of professional video-related services, including: video production ; video distribution, via traditional tape and disk, as well as state-of-the-art video streaming ; videoconferencing (IP and ISDN), including a full-service videoconference room at 3401 Walnut.

    Supports simultaneous lookup in translation and Vietnamese-only dictionaries, the FOLDOC computing dictionary, and the Wordnet English dictionary.
    From the site: You can add VDict tools to iGoogle to search VDict right from your Google homepage:

    Founded in 1754 as King's College by royal charter, it is the oldest institution of higher learning in the State of New York. Located in New York City and a member of the Ivy League.
    From the site: Equally important is the aim to provide a comparable experience to international exchange students coming to Columbia. The Office of Global Programs aims to: Provide students with a global perspective through immersion into another culture, thereby increasing their linguistic and social understanding of the world’s peoples and their interconnectedness.

    Provides complete text of Encyclopaedia Britannica with search capabilities, related links, and multimedia enhancements. Full text for subscribers only; free trial available.
    From the site: Encyclopædia Britannica - the Online Encyclopedia ... Enable free complete viewings of Britannica premium articles when linked from your website or blog-post. Now readers of your website, blog-post, or any other web content can enjoy full access to this article on U-boat , or any Britannica premium article for free, even those readers without a premium membership. Just copy the HTML code fragment provided below to create the link and then paste it within your web content.

    59.Knol
    Peer-reviewed encyclopedia from Google. Articles are written by named contributors.

    Official web site.
    From the site: Click on the picture for a list of Writer Center instructors and staff.

    Founded in 1865, Cornell is a leading private institution of higher learning located in Ithaca, New York. As the land grant university of New York, it includes four statutory units affiliated with the State University of New York.
    From the site: Unless otherwise noted, the photographic images contained on these pages were created by Cornell University Photography. If you would like permission to use these images or would like to order prints, you can request information via E-mail at photo@cornell.edu or via telephone at 607 255-7675.

    Portal site to the entire college system. Colleges and programs, news, events, libraries, admissions, financial aid, administration, faculty and staff, and employment opportunities and links to regional job sites.
    From the site: On this site you will find summary information about selected prestigious scholarships with links to their websites, a calendar of application deadlines, biographies of CUNY Prestigious scholarship winners, a list of campus scholarship advisors with contact information, and a Frequently Asked Questions section. We want to make this site useful as possible and welcome your comments and suggestions.

    UC campus in the Westwood neighborhood of Los Angeles.
    From the site: UCLA's Impact on California and the world ... UCLA Library ranks among top 10 in U.S., has 8.2 million volumes.

    Information on the campuses and all areas of the printing press.
    From the site: Cambridge Learning combines products and services from three of our main areas of expertise: English Language Teaching, Education, and electronic products developed by Cambridge-Hitachi. This enables us to provide a range of high-quality blended learning and teaching materials which we can customise to suit your individual needs. ... Cambridge Learning for schools and colleges High quality, curriculum-based material for school pupils aged 4–18.

    A networking tool to find connections to recommended job candidates, industry experts and business partners. Allows registered users to maintain a list of contact details of people they know and trust in business.
    From the site: LinkedIn is an online network of more than 25 million experienced professionals from around the world, representing 150 industries. When you join, you create a profile that summarizes your professional accomplishments. Your profile helps you find and be found by former colleagues, clients, and partners. You can add more connections by inviting trusted contacts to join LinkedIn and connect to you.

    Seslisozluk is a multilanguage dictionary, primarily English to Turkish and Turkish to English. German, Italian, French, Spanish translations also are provided at the seslisozluk.com online dictionary. Contribution system lets users add new translations into dictionary. Online dictionary also can be used in PDAs, SmartPhones, any phone supporting a web browser.
    From the site: Seslisozluk.com sesli sözlük - about sözlük çevirisi, definition of about seslisozluk Ýngilizce-Türkçe-Almanca sözlük Lütfen bir kelime girip 'Enter' a yada Ara tuþuna basýnýz. ... Seslisozluk.com : "Bilgilerini paylaþan kullanýcýlarýn kurduðu online sözlük" Seslisozluk.com un hedefi kullanýcýlarýn dil bigilerini paylaþacaðý bir ortam saðlamaktýr. Sözlüðe katkýda bulunarak bilginizi tüm dünya ile paylaþabilirsiniz.

    67.Mappy
    Your online road and travel guide to the UK and Europe.

    Founded in 1831 to enlarge the scope of higher education: includes thirteen schools, colleges, and divisions at five major centers in Manhattan.
    From the site: NYU Journalism in London, centrally located in London's famous Bloomsbury section, immerses students in the richness and vitality of the city. For budding reporters, London is our laboratory—and our inspiration. The very first lesson we offer students is: Tap into it, with our help. Samuel Johnson once said that a person who is tired of London "is tired of life; for there is in London all that life can afford."

    An annual international website competition for students 9-19 years old.

    Online maps showing countries of the world and continents. Too wide for smaller monitors.
    From the site: Since its inception in 2003, Mapsofworld.com has grown phenomenally – in terms of information as well reach. We are globally renowned for mapping solutions and authentic information on a plethora of relevant topics. This user-friendly portal offers a comprehensive range of information about the world in the form of easily understandable map images.

    The University of Virginia in Charlottesville, VA was founded in 1819 by Thomas Jefferson. The cornerstone of the University's first building was laid in 1817, with Thomas Jefferson, James Madison and James Monroe in attendance.
    From the site: The University of Virginia has six recreation facilities near you! Intramural-Recreational Sports offers exciting programs for you and your family. Follow the Facilities and Programs links above to explore the recreation and fitness opportunities available to you. You can't beat the value of an Intramural-Recreational Sports membership. Please use the menu above to learn about membership eligibility, how to join and rates.

    Comprehensive index of on-line dictionaries in more than 200 different languages. Includes an index of on-line grammars, word of the day by email, and several pages of linguistic fun.
    From the site: YourDictionary.com is a language products and services company that maintains the most comprehensive and authoritative language portal on the web with more than 2500 dictionaries and grammars in over 300 languages, games that build language skills, and a forum (The Agora) for discussing language issues with the logophile community.

    Official web site.

    Online Yellow pages offering residential, business, toll-free, and government phone number directory service.

    Global mapping service including street maps of Europe, North America and Australia.
    From the site: Multimap is one of the world’s leading providers of online mapping and location-based services. Our company delivers more online maps, point-to-point driving directions and geo-spatial ("where's my nearest?") searches to more businesses and consumers than any other supplier in Europe. The business has two parts: the consumer web site and business services.

    Free database of continued education classes and learning opportunities.
    From the site: ClassesUSA.com is part of Experian InteractiveSM and is a leading online higher-education portal. Each month, more than 2 million adults visit the site, which boasts more than 300 accredited college and university partners.

    USPS home page providing access to services, products, employment opportunities, and general agency information.

    A leading private, independent research institution. Founded in 1701 in New Haven, Connecticut.
    From the site: In 1981, $100,000 was raised from various Yale alumni, including Jim Rogers (co-founder of the Quantum hedge fund with George Soros) and Barton Biggs (former chairman of Morgan Stanley Investment Management). The money was donated to the Yale Endowment and designated to be advised by a group of undergraduates. The Group used to have an official advisor from the Yale Endowment, but is now independent. Still, the holdings of the Group are considered to belong to the Endowment.

    New questions are no longer accepted though the answer archive can still be browsed and searched.

    Research affiliations: Association of Research Libraries, Research Library Group.
    From the site: About this site Comments about this site to nlswebmaster@loc.gov

    A national resource for molecular biology information for the better understanding of molecular processes affecting human health and disease.

    Official website, providing news and information about the institution, academic and other links, e-mail and phone directories, and access to the library catalogue.
    From the site: Established in 1999, and housed in the Munk Centre for International Studies at the University of Toronto, the Centre for the Study of the United States is a broad-based consortium which brings together scholars and students of the United States in the Humanities, Social Sciences, and Law.  

    Created by the union of Carnegie Tech and the Mellon Institute of Science in 1965. Currently, home to over 5,000 students in more than 80 baccalaureate programs and 40 graduate programs at 2 locations, Pittsburgh and Moffett Field, California, and a New York professional programs office and a Washington DC outreach office. Also, home to the Carnegie Mellon Tartans Athletics teams.

    Sorted by subject: inspirational, thought-provoking, humorous, and literary

    85.GMT
    Complete guide to times in every time zone in the world.

    Official site with sub-portals to the library system, employment, statewide campuses and research centers, admissions and financial aid, courses and degree programs, and alumni affairs and contributions.
    From the site: Training Administrator Phone: (765) 496-7753 shasta@purdue.edu

    Official site of the four-year public research university located in Tucson, AZ. Second campus located in Sierra Vista, AZ.

    On-Line dictionary, Internet encyclopedia, and almanac reference.
    From the site: The Dollar and the U.S. ... In most of the world, people accept pieces of paper imprinted with pictures of national heroes or local wonders of nature as money. But in each nation, they accept different pieces of paper. This means that if someone in the United States wants to buy something from someone in, say, Mexico, she must first exchange her local currency—dollars—for the currency accepted in Mexico—pesos. This currency conversion occurs at an exchange rate.

    Official site of the University of Southern California.
    From the site: Cutietta, the USC Thornton School of Music brings together a stellar faculty chosen from a broad spectrum of the music profession and musically gifted students from around the globe. Founded in 1884, and today the oldest continually operating cultural institution in Los Angeles, the Thornton School consistently ranks among the top one percent of the nation's music schools and conservatories.

    Nationwide source for local yellow and white pages information, searchable by business, people, reverse lookup and distance.
    From the site: Add to My Yellow Book Directory

    Catalogs yours books online. Free for up to 200 titles.

    92.Yedda
    Ask questions and share, explore and discover knowledge.
    From the site: At Yedda we strive to merge the convenience and efficiency of search with the unlimited value of individual knowledge to get you the best answers to your questions. We believe that every person is multi-faceted. A unique combination of professional history, personal experience, acquired hobbies and pursued interests nurture the uniqueness in every one of us. That unique individuality is an invaluable resource when shared. It's simple and fun to explore and discover.

    Assessment development and research organization. Directory of tests for a variety of age groups and subjects. Information for applicants with disabilities, research reports, conferences, careers, educational news.
    From the site: ETS is a nonprofit, non-stock corporation organized under the education laws of the State of New York. Our work is supported through revenue from our products and services, as well as contracts and grants with government agencies, private foundations, universities and corporations. Our mission is to help advance quality and equity in education by providing fair and valid assessments, research and related services. ... The ETS logo is a registered trademark of Educational Testing Service.

    Electronically submit the Free Application for Federal Student Aid (FAFSA). All students interested in financial aid for college will need to complete this form.

    One of the nation's most respected universities. Located in Princeton NJ.
    From the site: Located in Elizabeth for one year and then in Newark for nine, the College of New Jersey moved to Princeton in 1756. It was housed in Nassau Hall, which was newly built on land donated by Nathaniel FitzRandolph. Nassau Hall contained the entire College for nearly half a century. In 1896, when expanded program offerings brought the College university status, the College of New Jersey was officially renamed Princeton University in honor of its host community of Princeton.

    Enterprise Software for Relationship Selling. Spoke improves sales productivity by harnessing the power of relationships

    Learn about clichés, euphemisms, quotes from famous people, and how to use quotations in written text. From About.com.

    Official site of the university.
    From the site: The Jersey Roots, Global Reach pride profiles were featured in the Winter 2008 Rutgers Magazine . Rutgers is proud to be The State University of New Jersey and to share the ways our faculty, staff, students, and alumni make many valuable contributions to New Jersey and the world. The Jersey Roots, Global Reach tagline is our way of communicating our distinct strengths in the Garden State and across the globe.

    Searchable database of United States business listings.

    A social bookmark and publication sharing system that supports BibTeX.
    From the site: You can learn about BibSonomy's services by visiting our help repository. Locate the service you need below and click the picture for help. basics tutorials ... BibSonomy is offered by the Knowledge and Data Engineering Group of the University of Kassel, Germany.