CrunchBase is an international free database that lists technology companies like Facebook, CrunchFund, LinkedIn, Twitter, Paypal, Tjoos, and Apple, among others. It not only lists these companies, but also gives their statistics about what is hot and trending and funding activities.
According to CrunchBase.com, CrunchBase is a website that also lists those technology companies that are in the news and those with popular pages. The CrunchBase statistics include: the number of companies – 100,481; people – 133,598; financial organizations – 8, 282; service providers – 4, 721; funding rounds – 30, 897; and acquisitions – 7, 137.
This CrunchBase.com database is located in Europe, France and Japan as TechCrunch, according to information on its website. In the United States, CrunchBase has startup offices in San Francisco, New York, Seattle,and Los Angeles. Internationally, in Mountain View, Palo Alto, San Mateo, and London.
The significance of this data is that CrunchBase.com is an active, growing, trending and relevant website for people looking for various types of data about technology companies.
The following infographics represents the cities where one can find CrunchBase.com startups in the United States.
View CrunchBase Startup Cities in a larger map
–Map by Michelle Dryden
The map shows the four cities in the U.S. where one can find CrunchBase startups.
WEST WINDSOR, N.J. — A concerned resident appealed to Mercer County Board of Chosen Freeholders at their formal meeting last Thursday, to act on their behalf to re-open route 1 jug handles.
David C. Parris, curator of natural history for the State for New Jersey is a resident of Penns Neck Village near Route 1 in West Windsor, where there have been traffic troubles because DOT has closed jug handles to traffic. Photo by Michelle Dryden
David C. Parris, curator of natural history at the State of New Jersey, and resident of the troubled area, complained to the board that the citizens in the village of Penns Neck, a section of West Windsor Township, need relief from the chaotic traffic burden that the closing of the route 1 jugs handles has been causing them.
Parris said, “Our businesses are suffering.” He talked about “a community where we won’t have any businesses left soon.”
Parris is annoyed that the State Department of Transportation (DOT) closed two jug handles off the route 1 highway as a test or pilot to see if it would reduce traffic flow along the corridor.
Parris described his Penns Neck community as a rural, good, old-fashioned, right-angled street community with inner-circle businesses. He said it is good if people are going to retire and continue to live there and walk to everything. But even then, there could be accidents for pedestrians, he warned.
He said that the AT&T business has been suffering, because of the bad driving habits of drivers through the community, who use their driveways. He said there have been like two accidents in a day.
He along with other residents and businesses, have been affected by these closures. Instead of the community, which is in the Princeton/West Windsor area, having less traffic, there is a build up and a lot of illegal turnings.
Parris complained that drivers “think they can drive through the intersection turn into their drive way and drive turn out the other driveway immediately be headed into Princeton as long as there is no traffic backup.”
Both the State and West Windsor Township have to invest in police presence in the area to curb the illegal driving activities.
Mercer County Board of Chosen Freeholders holds their formal meeting on Sept. 27, 2012. Photo by Michelle Dryden
The residents of the affected areas do not believe that their voicing their concerns individually is effective. Therefore, they have organized a group they hope to get DOT’s attention.
“Forming a citizens group called Smart Traffic Solutions, the residents are rallying against a DOT test program that has shut down the Route 1 jug handles at Washington Road and Harrison Street temporarily,” writes Bridget Clerkin at The Times of Trenton.
Adekemi Bankole holds up her children’s book, “The Rain Beat Dance,” that was published in 2011. Photo by Michelle Dryden
TRENTON, N.J. – When Adekemi Bankole, Ph.D., set out to write a children’s book in 2010, she was just thinking about having fun with it.
Bankole completed her 31-page children’s book, entitled, “The Rain Beat Dance,” and published and copyrighted it by February 2011.
“The book was written based on my own childhood experiences, dancing in the rain, enjoying the rain and all the fun that comes with playing outside. Just like over here children play in the snow. Back in Africa, in Nigeria, children enjoy playing in the rain,” said Bankole.
Since the book is written from Bankole’s childhood experiences, she considers it a unique book. However, her book is not just unique because it is about children playing in the rain. It has a deeper message. It is the message of unity in diversity, said Bankole.
She believes in the idea that children from diverse backgrounds and different ethnic groups can enjoy nature by playing in the rain, just like she did as a child in Nigeria.
“So when I thought about writing the book, I thought it would bring a different perspective to children enjoying nature, “ said Bankole.
Bankole said she has seen books about the rain but they are not about children dancing in the rain, nor are they about unity and diversity of children from different parts of the world coming together to enjoy dancing in the rain.
During the interview, Bankole suggested that although her book has copyrights, she still wants people to get the main message of unity and diversity out however they choose to do so. In fact, she suggested fair use.
Photo by Michelle Dryden The copyright page from “The Rain Beat Dance.”
Bankole said, “to be honest, I wrote the book out of fun and also to get the message out. And as much as I don’t want anyone to write the exact book that I wrote, at the same time, I want that message of unity and diversity to be out. So, however people want to get that message out, the better for me.”
Therefore, fair use basically allows others to use limited parts of copyrighted materials by giving attribution. However, there can be legal and ethical issues about how much do you use even if you give attribution.
Photo by Michelle Dryden Front cover of “The Rain Beat Dance,” children’s book by Adekemi Bankole.
“It addresses the issues that haunt educators about what is legal, ethical and reasonable when it comes to students using someone else’s materials in their projects,” writes Jason Ohler in Digital Storytelling in the Classroom.
Bankole said her book is very popular in the Trenton public school system. It is geared toward preschoolers, but even the middle school students are reading it, she said. It has been “Book of the Month,” in one elementary school. And, teachers find that it is good for students with disabilities, because of the repetitive words and rhyming, she said. She also said there is a music CD that goes along with the book. “The Rain Beat Dance” is also available as an e-book at Amazon.com and other sites.
Photo by Michelle Dryden Dr. Jo Ann Craig sits at a desk holding up her recently published book in the Beverly A. Richardson Learning Center at the James Kerney Campus of Mercer County Community College, Monday, August 27, 2012.
TRENTON, N.J. — Dr. Jo Anne Craig chronicles her story in her first book, “When Is It My Time to Cry.” Often depicted as a strong, black woman, Dr. Craig uses the main character, Victoria, of her novel, to tell a story of overcoming.
A strong, black woman who has overcome childhood trauma, loss of loved ones, self-doubt, distrust in others, Dr. Craig is busy nowadays enjoying the victory of her successes.
“When you read the story the main character never got an opportunity to cry. She is portrayed as a strong black woman. Strong black women don’t cry. You shed a tear and you get over it and move on,” said Dr. Craig in a recent interview.
Dr. Craig, now an accomplished author, was born and raised in Trenton. She has her Ed.D. in Early Childhood and Adult Education from Nova Southeastern University in Ft. Lauderdale, Fla. She received her Master of Arts from Rider University, Lawrenceville, N.J., and her bachelor’s degree from Temple University, Philadelphia.
Craig presently works as an Asst. Prof. of English at Mercer County Community College in Trenton.
Victoria story tells of her childhood when she was raped, exposed to the indignity of incest, “suffered through a session at the Youth House and County Jail with the door locked behind her, a bleak outlook for the future, and a baby on the way,” says Dr. Craig.
Her book was published in June of 2011 and was available to the public in October. Since then Dr. Craig has been busy at book-signing events and has been invited to guest speak at various venues.
“I was at the Philadelphia Osteopathic Medical building last night at the Delaware Black Psychologists Association where actually I did some networking and I have been invited to be a guest lecturer in reference to the book because it deals with issues that communities are faced with even today in society,” said Dr. Craig during our interview.
Dr. Craig notes that her book is relevant to everyone, because everybody has experienced, in some way, some of the issues she mentions in her book.
“These issues are relevant to society and our cultural society today. Rape, incest, giving up hope, loss of loved ones, dealing with one’s inner self, losing faith in God, losing faith in yourself and trying to let go of the past and move on in life. So these issues are what we are faced with today. How do we get beyond something that’s happened to us 15, 20, maybe 40 years ago?” She asked.
She emphasized that her book has a specific target audience: Those who have endured the same issues that her main character, Victoria, has.
“When we carry the past into our present lifestyle or our present life, it begins to hinder us from moving forward in all aspects of life: In relationships, it hinders us from being able to love, it hinders one from believing in self; our self-esteem is so low, when we are victims of such heinous crimes,” she laments.
She thinks the main character in her book exemplifies how one should overcome such issues. She depicts a strong woman whom others can relate to, she said. If other people who are in the same situations adapt to her way of addressing such circumstances, then they will be able to overcome their problems, said Dr. Craig.
“Some people don’t know how to let go and move on,’’ said Dr. Craig. “They wear the past like a belt around their waist that cuts off their breath, and they don’t know how to unbuckle it to release the breath and move on in life.”
However, her book is not meant to directly give solutions to the problems she mentions.
“They are not solutions. They are just what the main character felt that was workable for her, and if other people who are in a similar situation adapt them, they are able to let go and not be shackled by the past,” said Dr. Craig.
Dr. Craig recently was a guest on Yolanda Robinson’s Reel Talk Show, WiFi 1460 AM, and will be appearing on her show again Aug. 31, 2012, 8 to 10 a.m.
TRENTON, N.J. — While reporters can build credibility with their sources by agreeing to protect their identities, there is a backlash that not printing names of sources can create distrust and access problems.
For readers, they prefer sourced-information. They trust a publication more if the names of sources are mentioned.
“…Readers – about one in five – said media outlets should never report information if a source isn’t willing to be named,” writes Ryan Pitts of Poynter.
However, when it comes to being practical, reporters are still reporting information even if they have to use anonymous sources. Most of these reporters make sure their sources are well informed and are totally trustworthy and reliable.
“First and foremost, I have to secure whether or not my source is reliable and informed, “ said Sherrina Navani, reporter at The Trentonian newspaper.
Interview with Sherrina Navani, reporter atThe Trentonian.
There are several reasons why a reporter might have to use a confidential source. Sometimes, this is the only source that has the information that they are looking for, but this source’s life or job could be in jeopardy if others know they leaked the information.
Navani said she would also include in her story why the confidential source wishes to be anonymous.
She said, “I refer to the source under anonymity and say why the source wishes to remain anonymous: ‘A source who chose not to be identified for fear of losing her job.’”
When readers, researchers, the courts or investigators try to access information that has missing names, this can also pose a problem. If the source is too private, then there will be gaps in accessing detailed information.
“‘If people are willing to give information, they should be willing to give their name. It is far too easy to hide behind the cloak of anonymity,”’ writes Ryan.
But, sometimes when reporters ask for information, they are denied for several reasons. One reason is that sources do not want to be identified. So if the reporter has no other alternative, she is willing to get the necessary information without mentioning that source’s name.
Navani said that sometimes when she submits Open Public Records Act (OPRA) or Freedom of Information Act (FOIA) request forms, she has been delayed or denied.
“We submit OPRA requests quite frequently… I’ve had requests postponed, delayed or even denied. I usually try to get around denied requests by asking other sources,” said Navani.
However, if Navani has to use an anonymous source she tries to build trust.
“I tell my editor who my source is because he is also protected by the Shield Law and it creates a sense of trust between me and my editor,” said Navani.
Navani said she has never been subpoenaed or had to legally share who her sources are.
EWING, N.J. — As with the higher courts, Ewing Municipal Courts, grant access to public records, and at this level, on nearly all issues, except domestic violence.
“All of our information is public information, but if it is domestic violence matters, this is confidential,” said Maryann Convenio, Ewing Municipal Court administrator. Before one can ask to view a record or request a file, he or she has complete a request form.
Photo by Michelle Dryden Ewing Municipal building that is home to Ewing courts and Police Department, among other facilities, is located at 2 Jake Garzio Drive in Ewing, N.J.
This form consist of two pages. The first page has incomplete information to be filled in. The second page has instructions on how to obtain New Jersey Judiciary records.
In most cases there is a fee to request court records. However, reporters are usually exempt from these fees.
The Ewing Municipal Court handles petty and disorderly offenses such as shoplifting, harassment, assault, under-age drinking, traffic tickets and fines, bounced checks, and also issues such as individuals violating restraining orders.
Considering the municipal court does not enact legislations, serious offenses are usually referred to the Superior Court. However, the Municipal Court does retain the right to arraign a person. If the charge is indictable, it goes to trial court.
“There are certain matters that we send to mediation before they go to court,” said Convenio.
Since, the Ewing Municipal Courts do not fall under the Open Public Records Act (OPRA), they have their own rule regarding public access to records. They release most information that will not interupt current investigation or court proceedings.
They indict individuals on four degree levels. There are the first, second, third and fourth degrees, with the first being the most severe. Domestic violence is usually a very severe offense.
Access to Judiciary records is not always granted. Even records that are public, are sometimes not accessible because they are not stored on-site. Sometimes a record has to be requested from another location and it could take up to three business days.
According to the release form, “You may be denied immediate access to court records if your request will substantially disrupt court operations.”
They only other basic denial has to do with trying to access domestic violence records. As long as the individual requesting a record has a right to it, the request will be granted, permitting the individual follows the correct procedures.
The adage is still true: Time heals. As passionate as I used to be about a close male friend, who is and nearly two years older than me, time seems to change everyone as well as everything.
From time to time, I still think and even dream about my old, now estranged friend. And especially when we approach each anniversary of the World Trade Center Twin Towers tragedy, I remember him. I still remember visiting New York on my 27th birthday in July, 2001, with this male friend.
Prof. Michelle Dryden is an experienced newspaper journalist who has a master’s degree in New Media Journalism from Full Sail University, and a bachelor’s in traditional journalism from Rider University.
This was the last time I saw the Twin Towers still standing.
By the way, it was my friend who pointed to them as we stood across the Hudson River banks in New Jersey. Yes, as an American-born citizen, he was proud of them. And, as an immigrant to this country, he knew I would marvel at their stature.
I was certainly amazed and proud to see those tall buildings, that I always associated with the island of Manhattan in New York City. I was excited when I told him that my family who lived in NYC when we first arrived here, took my siblings to see these buildings up close. I did not mention that I was told they took an elevator ride up one of these towers.
As different as we were, I felt really closely connected to this friend at the time; and as if we were twins, these towers represented us I said to him. I remember saying to him that one is you and the other one is me.
I could not wait to take the train across the river to NYC where we would get closer to these buildings. Who knew that would be the last time that I saw them? Just like the towers are now a sad part of my memory, likewise is my friend. As closely connected as we were, I am still appalled that our friendship has abruptly ended. Really, who knew we could be apart for so long? I sometimes wondered if he died. How could he not call or reach out to me if he is still alive?
Luckily, I saw his now teenage son late 2010 and so I used the opportunity to ask him about his dad’s whereabouts. I was happy to know that he is alive. My healing began.
As we approach the 11th anniversary of the Twin Towers devastation, many families are still remembering and mourning their lost loved ones. The psychological, economical, social and even cultural impact that this tragedy still has on NYC, America and the world at large, remains overwhelmingly tremendous.
America and its allies will have to continue their mission of zero-tolerance for terroristic attempts and activities. No doubt, all those closely affected by the heinous activities of September 11, 2001, will have to find a way to heal. As we approach that upcoming anniversary day, anti-terrorism individuals and groups will have to still be vigilant, as we plan, propose and prepare to have a better and safer future here in America.
As for me and my forever friend, I still feel a sense of connection each September 11 since then. I have faith we will see each other again. And, going forward, I will pray that my Christian beliefs and his Islam upbringing, have not been factors keeping us apart as friends. We can be an example to this nation and others that when we unite as one people, nothing should separate us.
Photo by Michelle Dryden Stephen Miller is chief compliance officer at Capital Health System Regional Medical Center in Trenton.
TRENTON, N.J. — Nowadays, invasion of one’s privacy is more accessible given the growth of social media and electronic devices everywhere; and this means greater protection for personal information.
Hackers and identity thieves are inquisitive about the sources to personal information that they can find. Employees working at healthcare facilities are also held accountable for protecting the privacy of patients they care for. Patients’ privacy is protected by the Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act, (HIPAA), that was “born out of a statute in 1996,” said Stephen Miller, chief compliance officer at Capital Health System Regional Medical Center.
Miller said this Act covers several regulations, but only one part of it covers privacy information about patients. Congress directed The Department of Health and Human Services to create the HIPAA laws. It was a broad piece of legislature that covered various regulations. One part of it had to do with disclosure and privacy, said Miller.
The HIPAA has a set of rules about privacy that, “tell healthcare providers how they can use information about their patients and with whom and under what circumstances they can share information about patients,” he said.
Miller explained that this law created at “floor”. “It created a floor–single set of rules that no matter where you go in the county you know if you see a healthcare provider: if go to a doctor, you go to a hospital, if you go to a nursing facility or a physical therapist, and give them information about yourself, you know there are certain things they are allowed to do with that information. There are certain things they are not allowed to do with that information. And there are certain ways they have to protect that information,” he said.
The reason we call that a floor because the law says you must at least follow these rules. States can pass their own laws and they can make them more protective of patients, but you have to at the minimum follow those rules nationally, Miller continued. “It created best-practice in a way for protecting information about patient,” he said.
Often times, when the HIPAA rules are broken, it has to do with identity theft, said Miller. He told of an incident, where employees were hacking into computers and stealing the identity of their cancer patients who were terminally ill. They wanted to get credit cards in their names.
However, breaching HIPAA privacy laws was not a prison term violation until recently. Huping Zhou, “former University of California at Los Angeles [UCLA], Healthcare System research assistant, was sentenced to four months in prison after admitting he illegally read private electronic medical records of celebrities and others,” writes Howard Anderson of The Security Scrutinizer.
As Miller points out, it is easier for hackers; HIPAA violators and other identity thieves to leave a building with laptop under their jacket or a thumb drive in their pockets. Some individuals are even using cell phones to invade the privacy of others, by taking photos or recording conversations. Therefore, we need greater protections for information on these electronic devices.
While people are concerned with the future of News and are embracing digital media, traditional journalists will still have to be gatekeepers and leaders of this new era.
The journalism business now encourages user-generated content with much audience interactivity in the local and editorial news as well as on blogs. Several questions emerge about how this is changing the industry.
According to Francine Hardaway, “Today the media-driven by blogs-is assailed on all sides, by the crushing economics of their business, dishonest sources, inhuman deadlines, page view quotas, inaccurate information, greedy publishers, poor training, the demands of the audience, and so much more.”
However, it is those of us who care about the possible decline of good journalism that will help to fix what is becoming “indistinguishable” between real and fake journalism. When bloggers deliberately publish inaccuracies, they later correct them, just to produce even more page views, writes Hardaway.
Hardaway writes about the digital writers who lure readers in for clicks. And “how blogs-even the most trusted ones-invent stories or publish rumors, just to get a post up and some page views, and then wait to see if anyone comments.”
But she also writes that the future of news is promising because there are journalism schools like ASU’s Cronkite School of Journalism that is doing a good job at preparing students for the future.
“So Cronkite is inadvertently turning out students who are trained in ethics, quality and accuracy into a quagmire of media manipulation…,” writes Hardaway. She promises to be a part of the faculty that will help to train these students.
Meanwhile, we have learned that this evolution in the news will be ongoing. The digital era will not be the last stage of the news cycle. Therefore, some are wondering how far will the interactive nature of news go.
Writers, Penny O’Donnell, senior lecturer in International Media and Journalism at University of Sydney, and David C. McKnight, associate professor of Journalism and Media Research at the Centre at University of New South Wales, ask “whether editorial priorities had changed in response to this greater interactivity with readers…” They report that 46 per cent said that they did not, while 41 per cent “accepted” that they had.
We have seen where even traditional journalists have accepted the blurring of traditional boundaries between audience and journalists. Some of us consider the interactivity very democratic. But we are reminded that traditional journalists need to be the leaders of this evolution.
O’Donnell and McKnight write that, “there are persistent doubts as to what journalism will look like when journalist put down their old mantle of ‘gatekeeper’ and instead take up a new role as ‘facilitator’ or ‘curator’ of multi-participant news conversations.”
According to the writers, “professional journalist must maintain strict control over editing and the output.”
Susan Currie Sivek writes about the message Richard Gingras, head of news products at Google, conveyed to the Association for Education in Journalism and Mass Communication, (AEJMC) in Chicago.
She notes that he encouraged educators to take the lead in shaping the changes that are happening in the media through their curricula. “Educators will also have to take risks in their teaching and advising to help students achieve the skill set and perspective Gingras recommends – and perhaps, to bring about a ‘renaissance’ in the field.”
Michelle Dryden is an experienced newspaper journalist with a master’s degree in New Media Journalism from Full Sail University, and a bachelor’s degree in traditional journalism from Rider University.
TRENTON, N.J. – Tuesday was the 29-year-old, annual National Night Out, which is an anti-crime, anti-drugs event that started in the City of Trenton 15 years ago as a community-wide event, that partners with law enforcers.
“There are actually 53 unique events throughout the city,” said Paul Harris, Coordinator of Trenton’s National Night Out. “It’s a community-oriented event,” said Harris.
He explained that the purpose of the event is to deter criminal activities, to show appreciation to our law enforcement officials, and to encourage people to come out of their homes and interact with each other. Harris went on to say that with the police and fire departments involved, it directly discourages criminals.
“It is saying to the criminals, this is our city, our neighborhood, “ he said.
The National Night Out parties usually starts at 5 p.m. and continues until 10 p.m. However, the times vary from community to community.
In the Mill Hill District community of Trenton, about 150 community members including elected officials, the police and fire departments came out to mingle and show support.
The Kick-Off was at a one-spot location, at City Hall, in the City of Trenton. Many of the elected officials, law enforcement agencies, people from various neighborhoods throughout the city, and supporters of anti-crime programs, all attended.
The National Night Out effort is meant to foster years-long crime prevention programs throughout the city.
“We try to do a neighborhood watch walk,” said Kari Brookhouse, a Mill Hill resident of Trenton, who was at the block party. “We try to get people to do it like daily, but I don’t know that they do,” she said.
Brookhouse continued that, “We try to get cameras so that individuals have surveillance in their homes.”
She also said they try to give everyone in the neighborhood the police department phone numbers.
Angela Capio, one of those attending the block party, said that crime has happened in Mill Hill, but it is not prevalent. She added, “I think there is safety issues in any city.”
Capio said that the night’s event was to celebrate the community and the people who protect us such as police officers and firefighters. She said the mailman was invited to the event as well.
