Susan notes: I couldn't help but feel disappointed that, yet again, less than 30 per cent of the speakers at the annual TED conference are women. I love TED (as I have said countless times before), but its performance on gender parity just isn't good enough. On the other hand, the women who have been invited to speak, like millions of other women around the world, are breathtakingly awesome. Here's what's in store from the amazing women speakers who will take the stage at TED 2011 (click here to see 250+ more TED talks by amazing TED women):

1) Amina Az-Zubair (Advisor to the President of Nigeria on MDGs)

Mrs. Amina Az Zubair is the senior special assistant to the President of Nigeria on the Millennium Development Goals (MDGs). She is charged with the coordination of the achievement of the MDGs in Nigeria through the establishment and implementation of a Virtual Poverty Fund.

Her position requires her to advice on pertinent issues regarding poverty, macro economic issues and sustainable development. Mrs. Az Zubair’s current position builds on her former role as national coordinator for Education for All (EFA) at the Federal Ministry of Education in Nigeria.

In this capacity she coordinated the development of a National Action Plan that included such cross-cutting areas as HIV/AIDS and macroeconomic strategies for poverty reduction as proposed in the World Bank Poverty Reduction Strategy Paper.

Over the next six to eight weeks, Amazing Women Rock will migrate to a new site with a new look and feel.

But don't worry, you will still be able to find all the same wonderful articles and inspiration to which you have become accustomed over the last two and a half years.

I hope the migration will be relatively smooth, without too many glitches. However, my experience of technology thus far leads me to believe there may be a few bumps in the road ahead – but challenges haven't stopped me before, and they won't stop me now!

As part of the migration, I wanted to give Amazing Women Rock a makeover, and infuse the website with a revitalised energy. The first step in the transformation and migration was to redesign the logo symbol and logotype.

Today I unveil the new Eve, symbolically named after the first woman common to three of the world's major religions, and more important, a short form of EVErywoman.

I love her energy and exuberance. I hope you do too!

Susan notes: over the past several days, as governments across the Middle East react violently to populist protests, I've also been shocked and appalled by some of the recent news related to the continuing escalation of violence against women around the world. Sometimes I despair. Then I realise there is no time for desperation, and I strengthen my resolve to continue fighting for a stop to violence. My weapons are peaceful actions and powerful words that clearly demonstrate that violence of any kind is simply not acceptable, and that violence against women in particular must stop.

1) Gates, Rumsfeld Sued Over U.S. Military's Rape Epidemic

“There are three types of women in the Army,” says Rebecca Havrilla, a former sergeant and explosive-ordnance-disposal technician. “Bitch, dyke, and whore.” During the four years that Havrilla was on active duty, she was called all three—by fellow soldiers, team leaders, even unit commanders.

Once, during a sexual-assault prevention training, the 28-year-old South Carolina native claims, she watched a fellow soldier—male—strip naked and dance on top of a table as the rest of the team laughed. While deployed in Afghanistan, Havrilla spent four months working under a man she alleges bit her neck, pulled her into his bed, and grabbed her butt and waist—on a daily basis.

When, on the last day of her deployment, she alleges she was raped by a soldier she considered a friend, it was, she says, “the icing on the cake.” More here.
 

Susan notes: this guest blog post is by Carol Denker who knows that new beginnings are thrilling—and possible. At 55, she became a journalist; at 65, she published her first book, Autumn Romance: Stories and Portraits of Love After 50. She now runs “Reinvent Your Life Later in Life” workshops and is working on a book about people who reinvented their life.  You can see her artwork at www.aportraitbycarol.com.

What is love? How do you get love? Is it ever too late for love?

Around Valentine’s Day, these questions occur. I don’t have all the answers but I do have some good — actually amazing — news.

Like a lot of other women, I spent too many years looking for love in all the wrong places. My parents were emotionally abusive; I was the scapegoat of my seemingly-normal family. The only way I knew about unconditional love was from books. They were my lifeline. Someday, I thought, I will write a book.

Susan notes: The post below is a reproduction of Mark Makhoul's original post on Kuwaiti blog 2:48AM talking about what he thought of newly opened Kuwaiti restaurant Benihana. Dubai blogger and social media guru Alexander Mcnabb gives this background on his blog Fake Plastic Souks (where he also has more incisive commentary):

The franchise holder of the restaurant then proceeded to issue a lawsuit against Mark, presumably with the intention of scaring him into taking down his post or perhaps agreeing to post something altogether more fawning. The company then faced a wave of public anger at its actions, choosing to ignore this, deleting negative comments from its Facebook page and blocking those who commented. Both Benihana Kuwait and the franchisor, Benihana of Tokyo, have consistently refused comment on this shameful little episode.

A few days back I posted about Benihana opening up at the Avenues and yesterday night I decided to pass by with Nat and try it out.

The service wasn’t too bad for a restaurant that’s just been open for a few days and the staff were really friendly.

The restaurant itself is made up of islands and bars with a grill in the middle of each one. You sit around the grill and the chef will come to your table and prepare the food right in front of you which makes things entertaining.

It’s actually why I prefer sitting at the bar in Japanese restaurants in general, since you can talk to the chef and watch them put your dish together. The problem with my experience last night though was with the food, it was disappointing to say the least.