Free Library Continuing Education Events for March | Vermont ...

Listed below are FREE programs Accessible Technology Coalition, ALA TechSource, ALCTS, American Libraries, American Libraries Live, American Management Association,?Booklist, Colorado State Library, Georgia Library Association, GrantSpace, Infopeople, Insync Training, Libraries Thriving, Library Journal, Lyrasis, Montana State Library, Nebraska Library Commission, Nonprofit Webinars,?O?Reilly, San Jose State University, School Library Journal, TechSoup, TILT, University of Wisconsin-Madison, VolunteerMatch, Washington State Library, and WebJunction will be webcasting during March.

In the event that you aren?t available during those times, or you would like to check out past webinars, here are the links to archived events:

OPAL Webinar Archives
Infopeople
Common Knowledge
School Library Journal
Booklist
Tech Soup
Library Journal
eSchool?News Webinars
WebJunction

SirsiDynix Institute Webinars
TL Virtual Cafe
Washington State Library First Tuesdays
NonProfit?Webinars
Texas State Library and Archives Commission
Colorado State Library:?CSL in Session
Lunch Lessons with?CLiC (Colorado Library Consortium)
ALA Tech Source Makerspace Webinars

March 1 (1-2 pm)
Introducing the Book as iPad App (ALA TechSource)

Nicole Hennig will return this Friday, March 1, 1:00 p.m. Eastern, for a fresh look at how publishers are using the iPad platform to create a new kind of book. Not the straight text, you?ll read in a Kindle app, these books mix elements of film, videogames, and social media to create a new immersive experience for readers.

For more information and to register for this program, visit: http://bit.ly/XboS7L

March 5 (10-11 am OR 1-2 pm)
Free Online Technologies for Teaching and Learning (Libraries Thriving)

Speakers: Joan Petit, Portland State University; Karen Sobel, University of Colorado, Denver

For more information and to register for the 10-11 am program, visit: https://www1.gotomeeting.com/register/134527856
For more information and to register for the 1-2 pm program, visit: https://www1.gotomeeting.com/register/747243728

March 5 (11 am-12 pm)
Internet Safety for Teens in your Library (Montana State Library)

Join FBI Special Agent, Kevin Damuth, for this informative webinar on keep our kids safe while on the Internet.??His presentation will cover sexting, cyberbullying, and Internet safety.

For more information and to register for this program, visit: https://www1.gotomeeting.com/register/740671705

March 5 (12-1 pm)
Library as Instructional Leader (Washington State Library)

From 2009 to 2012, library and discipline faculty from Washington State Community and Technical Colleges (CTC) participated in a project involving over 40 faculty and about 2,000 students to document the impacts of library instruction on basic skills students. This presentation will cover how the project was implemented and what findings were produced.

For more information and to register for this program, visit: http://www.sos.wa.gov/library/libraries/firsttuesdays/

March 5 (2-3 pm)
Promoting Literacy with 21st Century Tools (Booklist)

In today?s interactive environment, students are developing their literacy skills across multiple learning platforms, from databases to e-books and i-books. School librarian Marsha Lambert will address the new ways that students use these materials and what they expect from their library interaction, while representatives from Rosen and Scholastic showcase their digital literacy tools. Moderated by Reference and Collection Management editor Rebecca Vnuk.

For more information and to register for this program, visit: http://bit.ly/WifLn3

March 5 (3-4 pm)
Leading the Way: Christian Fiction Spring Buzz (Library Journal)

Do you have a growing demand for Christian Fiction novels on your shelves? Christian Fiction is more than daily devotionals, filled with plenty of crossover appeal: Romance, Mystery, Fantasy, Legal Thriller. While the core values of biblical teaching are still present, this genre has plenty of appeal for anyone who loves books. Want to learn how to promote Christian Fiction in your library, or use it for Reader Advisory? Check out this webcast to learn about Spring?s forthcoming titles for one of the fastest growing genres!

For more information and to register for this program, visit: http://bit.ly/XD3MyE

March 6 (11-10 am)
Digital Preservation, Part 3: Management and Providing Access (Nebraska Library Commission)

Managing your digital content is an active and ongoing process. Learn how planning and policies are keys to digital preservation. With your digital content safely stored and preserved, how you do you provide access to your patrons? This final module will address the issues of delivering your content in user-friendly, long-term ways.

For more information and to register for this program, visit: http://nlc.nebraska.gov/scripts/calendar/eventreg.asp?ProgID=11948

March 6 (1-2 pm)
Bold Intentions for Leadership Effectiveness (NonProfit Webinars)

Leadership effectiveness is often cited as of critical importance to nonprofits. You add it to your goals but then get side-tracked by more immediate priorities that make leadership development seem such a luxury. This webinar speaks to anyone, at any level, who wants to take responsibility?starting right now?for enhancing their own effectiveness at leading.

For more information and to register for this program, visit: https://www1.gotomeeting.com/register/120243792

March 6 (3-4 pm)
Keys to Managing the Major Gifts Process: It?s All in the Execution (NonProfit Webinars)

Major gifts?whether $1,000 or $100,000 or anything in between?still produce the lion?s share of a nonprofits philanthropic revenue. The key to a successful program to identify, inform, interest and involve major gift donors, is more than simply asking?as important as the solicitation is. This webinar will focus on the development of a disciplined approach to achieving consistently good results and exceeding your goal.

For more information and to register for this program, visit: https://www1.gotomeeting.com/register/726557616

March 7 (1-2 pm)
Being Productive with Windows 8 (O?Reilly)

Whether you?re using Windows 8 for work, or just to get things done at home you need to be able to be truly productive with it. In this webcast Mike Halsey, the author of ?Windows 8: Out of the Box? and ?Troubleshoot and Optimize Windows 8 Inside Out? will show you how you can maximize your productivity with this new OS using some very useful and sometimes even hidden features.

For more information and to register for this program, visit: http://bit.ly/Z04RyN

March 7 (7:30-8:30 pm)
Maximizing Meeting Effectiveness (Montana State Library)

We spend a lot of time in meetings so let?s talk about tools, tips, and techniques for having better meetings.? We?ll discuss the roles of the chair and attendees in maximizing meeting effectiveness, and because we are a part of government agencies we?ll also talk about the open meeting law and public participation.? Presented by MSL lead library consultant, Tracy Cook.

For more information and to register for this program, visit: https://student.gototraining.com/r/3054612975068071936

March 8 (12:30-2 pm)
Introduction to the Semantic Web: BIBFRAME, RDA, FRBR & Linked Data (Lyrasis)

In this one and one half hour 2nd Friday Series session, Robin Fay, Head of Database Maintenance at the University of Georgia and co-author of the book Semantic Web Technologies and Social Searching for Librarians, will introduce the concept of the semantic web, a movement founded by the World Wide Web Consortium (W3C) in an effort to offer a common framework for shared data. She will review principles of linked data, RDA, FRBR, & BIBFRAME, including an overview of basics concepts and terminology.

For more information and to register for this program, visit: http://www.lyrasis.org/?sc_itemid={89300E02-C1A9-4D87-AD29-F5C1FB729B22}&RowId=1-O8L32

March 12 (3-4 pm)
Ebooks and Libraries: Legal Issues for Library Administration and Staff (InfoPeople)

Ebooks present both opportunity and challenge as the dominant delivery is via electronic license, governed by contract law rather than by copyright law.? At the end of this one-hour webinar, participants will: Understand the difference between eBook content licenses and ownership, Be brought up to date on the latest legal issues, including the settlement agreement between the National Federation of the Blind and the Sacramento Public Library Authority, and Learn how the Califa Library Group (http://www.califa.org/) has fared in buying (not just licensing) eBook content for use by its customers.

For more information and to register for this program, visit: http://infopeople.org/ebooks_and_libraries

March 12 (2-3 pm)
New Graphic Novels for Libraries and Classrooms (Booklist)

The popularity of graphic novels among readers of all ages continues to soar. Tune in for a preview of hot spring titles and industry insights from both graphic novel publishers and creators in this free, hour-long webinar moderated by Booklist Books for Youth editorial director Gillian Engberg and featuring a panel of representatives from Kids Can Press, ABDO Publishing, DC Entertainment, and Viz Media.

For more information and to register for this program, visit: http://bit.ly/ZBl6Dn

March 12 (3-4 pm)
What?s the Buzz? Nonfiction Books for Common Core (School Library Journal)

What are the best nonfiction Common Core books to stock with your shelves with? DK Publishing, Teacher Created Materials, Lerner Publishing and ReferencePoint Press are here to help fill your library?s nonfiction section by presenting their upcoming titles that fit perfectly into the new standards. This is a must-see resource for Common Core, featuring forthcoming books, nonfiction trends, and answers to your questions!

For more information and to register for this program, visit: http://bit.ly/YYlKc2

March 13 (12-1 pm)
Lunch and Learn: NEH Preservation Assistance Grants (Lyrasis)

Are you considering applying for a Preservation Assistance Grant? Join us for a lunch and learn discussion to talk about your project ideas, as well as to get advice on crafting your narrative and goals. We will also be talking about what is eligible for potential digital preservation projects ? now included in the Preservation Assistance Grant as an option.

For more information and to register for this program, visit: http://www.lyrasis.org/?sc_itemid={C61BFFF6-F755-4D0F-89E7-FE0200D06AE7}&RowId=1-O8QH3

March 13 (12-1 pm)
Tipping Sacred Cows: Kicking Bad Work Habits That Masquerade as Virtues (American? Management Association)

Instead of zealous pursuit of seemingly virtuous traits, leaders must appreciate the unintended consequences of their good intentions. You will improve your ability to see when your own values and virtues, and the values and virtues of the people you lead, backfire. This webcast covers:

Developing practical strategies to know when and how you help your organization most by going it alone, instead of collaborating with others, Learning how the instinctual drive for fairness leads to spite and sameness, and develop habits to overcome this naturally destructive tendency, and Expanding your notion of excellence to understand when high standards help, and when they hurt by leading to paralyzing perfectionism in yourself and others.

For more information and to register for this program, visit: http://www.amanet.org/training/webcasts/Tipping-Sacred-Cows-Kicking-Bad-Work-Habits-That-Masquerade-as-Virtues.aspx

March 13 (1-2 pm)
Everything You Need to Know About Focus Groups (NonProfit Webinars)

What is the difference in conducting focus group research or survey research? Participants in this session will learn how to choose between qualitative research such as focus groups, and quantitative research such as surveys. We will then create a list of the necessary research and administrative tasks for a focus group, and learn some tricks of focus group facilitation.

For more information and to register for this program, visit: https://www1.gotomeeting.com/register/779183432

March 13 (2-3 pm)
Worth a Thousand Words: Library Snapshot Day (WebJunction)

By capturing photos of all that happens in a single day at your library, you can tell a powerful story about the importance of your library to the community. Libraries of all types and sizes have used Library Snapshot Day build community awareness and to demonstrate the impact and reach of library services. Panelists from Ohio Snapshot Day will share their templates and tips for successful planning and implementation, and will explore other ways images can be used to tell your library?s story. Learn how you can take a vivid snapshot of your library, whether it?s on your own, with others in your state or region, or in conjunction with National Library Week in April.

For more information and to register for this program, visit: http://bit.ly/15R3yaN

March 13 (1:30-2:30 pm)
Playing Nice in the Sandbox of Life: Working on a Team (Colorado State Library)

When your supervisor assigns you to a team to implement a new project, does your heart begin to pound? Do you feel a sense of dread wash over you? If so, this session is for you! Learn how to be a better team player in your library, on a committee, in sports, or as a family! Face your insecurities, eliminate unhealthy competitiveness, improve your communication skills, and overcome your fear of change.

For more information and to register for this program, visit: http://cslinsession.cvlsites.org/

March 13 (3-4 pm)
7 Ways Planning Improves Social Impact and Sustainability (NonProfit Webinars)

The planning process is an essential tool for guiding organizational performance, identifying the resources you?ll need and keeping you on track. It addresses funders most basic questions: Whom do you serve? How do you serve them? What resources do you need? How will you reliably raise financial and in-kind resources? How will you measure performance and incorporate feedback for continuous improvement? In this session you will learn how this tool lays the foundation for successful fundraising efforts.

For more information and to register for this program, visit: https://www1.gotomeeting.com/register/516665984

March 14 (1-2 pm)
Responsive Web Design Bootcamp (O?Reilly)

In this hands-on webcast presented by Jonathan Stark, author of ?Building Android Apps with HTML, CSS, and JavaScript? and ?Building iPhone Apps with HTML, CSS, and JavaScript?, you?ll learn why it is no longer safe to assume that visitors to your website are sitting in front of large monitors equipped with a keyboard and mouse. As smartphones overtake the desktop as the primary portal to the Web ? and as new device types and interaction models continue to emerge ? designers need to adopt future-friendly strategies that support a full range of user contexts with a single codebase.

For more information and to register for this program, visit: http://bit.ly/XD8pJ6

March 14 (1-2 pm)
Trends in Cataloging and Resource Description (University of Wisconsin-Madison)

Resource Description and Access (RDA), the new content standard for library cataloging, the replacement for Anglo-American Cataloging Rules, was released in 2010, but RDA has not been fully implemented by the Library Congress, and is only very slowly being adopted in other US libraries. Meanwhile, in May 2011, the Library of Congress announced its Bibliographic Framework Initiative (BIBFRAME), in part to find a replacement for the MARC format ? although BIBFRAME is much more than simply a new format ? it is a new foundation for bibliographic description, designed for our networked, digital age. This webinar will take a look at what is happening in resource description, building on the BIBFRAME report, ?Bibliographic Framework as a Web of Data: Linked Data Model and Supporting Services?, released by Library of Congress and Zepheira, in November 2012.

For more information and to register for this program, visit: http://www.slis.wisc.edu/springwebinars.htm

March 14 (2-3 pm)
Library Safety and Security (American Libraries)

For more information and to register for this program, visit: http://americanlibrarieslive.org/

March 14 (2-3 pm)
Making Volunteer Engagement Everyone?s Job (VolunteerMatch)

Too often the role of engaging volunteers falls exclusively to the volunteer program manager. It?s not uncommon to hear the phrase ?your volunteers? used within organizations. How do you make volunteer engagement everyone?s job? This webinar will provide you with the tools to become an advocate for volunteer engagement. Learn how to create a step by step communication plan to reinforce the importance of volunteer engagement to key stakeholders within your organization.

For more information and to register for this program, visit: https://www1.gotomeeting.com/register/844760744

March 14 (2-3 pm)
Pathways to Engaged Readers: Helping Students Reach Common Core Levels (School Library Journal)

Join Mary Ehrenworth, the Deputy Director at the Reading and Writing Project at Teachers College, Columbia University, and co-author of Pathways to the Common Core, as she explores creating a school culture of reading, the challenges and methods for getting just-right books into kids? hands, increasing nonfiction engagement, and building structures for clubs and parent involvement through the central core of a school?s reading life? the library.

For more information and to register for this program, visit: http://bit.ly/WjlbP4

March 14 (3-4 pm)
Mobile Website Design for Libraries (InfoPeople)

This webinar will help you learn how to easily and effectively make your library?s website accessible and useful to mobile users. Chad Mairn will describe and demonstrate various tools, tips, and techniques for creating mobile websites, making them interactive and engaging, and integrating them with other resources, services, and systems available through your library.

For more information and to register for this program, visit: http://infopeople.org/training/mobile-website-design

March 15 (2-3 pm)
There?s an App for That 3.0 (TILT)

We?re back! In this session will be showing some of the best apps for education across multiple types of devices. It doesn?t matter if you use an iPad, Android device, or even Google Chrome, more often than not, there is in fact an ?app for that?. We will provide examples of fun assignments to conduct using apps, and also show some of the best ways to share an iPad screen or Android screen in your classroom. (Hint: It?s not using a Document Camera!)

For more information and to register for this program, visit: http://tltgroup.roundtablelive.org/events?eventId=610557&EventViewMode=EventRegistration

March 15 (2-3 pm)
Youth Announcements: Spring 2013 (Booklist)

Join us for this free, hour-long webinar spotlighting new youth spring titles! Representatives from Owlkids, Groundwood Books, Sleeping Bear Press, Zondervan, and Holiday House will showcase their picture books and middle-grade novels for sharing aloud or for independent reading, as well as exciting new titles for young adults. Moderated by Booklist?s Books for Youth editorial director Gillian Engberg.

For more information and to register for this program, visit: http://bit.ly/YAmrJQ

March 19 (2-3 pm)
Elearning on a shoestring (Insync Training)

Sure, E-learning solutions can provide enormous savings, but start-up and design costs can be prohibitive. Join Jane Bozarth, author of E-learning Solutions on a Shoestring, to explore examples of inexpensive ? even free! ? e-learning solutions. Learn to:? Make the ?buy vs. build? decision, Identify inexpensive means of adding interactivity and visual interest, Make better use of tools and resources, including those you already have., Break down examples of online training programs into essential parts and identify ways of cutting costs to produce similar products, and Identify inexpensive means of adding interactivity and visual interest.

For more information and to register for this program, visit: https://insync.webex.com/tc0506l/trainingcenter/register/registerSession.do?siteurl=insync&confID=1145169555

March 19 (2-3 pm)
Have No Fear, Poetry is Here! (Booklist)

Booklist teams up with the Poetry Foundation??publisher of Poetry magazine and an independent literary organization committed to a vigorous presence for poetry in our culture??to provide resources, ideas, and support for making the most of your library poetry collection. Please join Catherine Halley, the Poetry Foundation?s Director of Digital Programs, and the foundation?s library director, Katherine Litwin, for an insightful discussion of how audiences of all ages can enjoy poetry through programs, workshops, displays, and more. Moderated by Booklist senior editor Donna Seaman.

For more information and to register for this program, visit: http://bit.ly/YAdVrX

March 19 (1-2 pm)
Proposal Writing Basics (Grantspace)

For those new to proposal writing, this class will cover: How the proposal fits into the overall grantseeking process, What to include in a standard proposal to a foundation, Tips for making each section of your proposal stronger, What funders expect to see in your proposal and attachments, Tips for communicating with funders during the grant process, and Additional resources on proposal writing, including sample proposals.

For more information and to register for this program, visit: http://grantspace.org/Classroom/Training-Calendar/Live-Webinars/Proposal-Writing-Basics-2013-03-19-Webinar

March 19 (2-3 pm)
Signature Events for Small Libraries (WebJunction)

From ?chocolate in the stacks? tastings to 5K runs to off-site literary dinner parties, small libraries are getting creative in offering signature events that raise funds and create friends. This webinar will be a ?show and tell? of library fundraisers, with quick tips on how to get started in your community.

For more information and to register for this program, visit: http://bit.ly/YAhhLI

March 19 (3-4 pm)
Hot Summer Titles from HarperCollins, Macmillan, and Random House (Library Journal)

It?s almost spring, so why not find out what titles will be in demand this summer? And why not hear the news straight from the publisher?s mouth? On Tuesday, March 19, Library Journal brings you its first Editors? Picks webcast, modeled on the popular Editors? Picks panel at Day of Dialog. Editors from sponsoring publishers HarperCollins, Macmillan, and Random will speak in-depth about their favorite books, which will be cramming your holds lists soon.

For more information and to register for this program, visit: http://bit.ly/YYfNvA

March 20 (1-22 pm)
Strategic Planning Part 1: Cultivation & Organizational Development (NonProfit Webinars)

Strategic planning should be a means not only to produce a strategy, but also to engage and cultivate stakeholders, develop leadership, and generate new energy, commitment and consensus around mission. Its primary product is not a written plan, but strategic thinking within the organization, which is achieved through a process of planning followed by a process of implementation. A well-conceived and managed planning process can be the most effective form of organizational development.

For more information and to register for this program, visit: https://www1.gotomeeting.com/register/655967433

March 20 (2-3 pm)
Hosting a Personal Digital Archiving Day Event (ALCTS)

This webinar discusses how to host an innovative public program on preserving personal digital information. In an effort to share knowledge on how best to care for personal digital information, The Library of Congress? National Digital Information Infrastructure and Preservation Program developed The Personal Digital Archiving Day Kit. The toolkit provides resources for staff at libraries, archives and other cultural institutions to help them plan and present a personal digital archiving day program.? This webinar focuses on the resources included in the kit, how the kit can be used to plan a public program, and why holding a personal digital archiving program is beneficial for both public libraries and their communities.

For more information and to register for this program, visit: https://www1.gotomeeting.com/register/402948584

March 20 (2-3 pm)
Student Advisors, Library Advocates: Getting Students Involved at Your Library (Georgia Library Association)

What is a library student advisory board and why does your library need one? Deuink and Seiler will share their vision for library student advisory boards?one that empowers the student voice and builds students into library advocates?and talk about the work of their clubs and the clubs? impact on the library and the campus. Seiler has been the advisor for a long-standing group at the Penn State Schuylkill campus for nine years and Deuink, formerly partnered with Seiler at Schuylkill, is now starting a library student advisory board at the Penn State Altoona campus. While Deuink can address the challenges of getting started afresh, Seiler can encourage persistence and address weathering inevitable changes over the years.

For more information and to register for this program, visit: https://docs.google.com/forms/d/1peRYH8R6L6djLYqUuFYGoXAfa_GzMDOUYgke6SD-P9Y/viewform?pli=1

March 20 (3-4 pm)
How to Fail at Social Media (and How to Get it Right) (InfoPeople)

See the website for updated program information.

For more information and to register for this program, visit: http://infopeople.org/how_to_fail

March 20 (3-4 pm)
Taking Leadership Online: Developing Your Personal Social Media Voice (NonProfit Webinars)

How should you navigate the personal and professional boundaries in the world of social media, and what does that mean for your leadership? How does the social media buzzword ?transparency,? translate into ?leadership?? In this webinar, we will consider how nonprofit executive directors and other staff use social media personally to further the mission of their organization and translate their leadership online.

For more information and to register for this program, visit: https://www1.gotomeeting.com/register/842316321

March 21 (2-3 pm)
Accessibility Testing in Enterprises Big and Small (Accessible Technology Coalition)

Businesses large and small want to make their websites accessible to all, but some have more resources than others. Today we will talk about testing and review tools that are available to everyone ? from automated tools for the large enterprise with thousands of pages to free tools for small non-profits.

For more information and to register for this program, visit: http://atcoalition.org/training/accessibility-testing-enterprises-big-and-small

March 21 (3-4 pm)
Spring Fling: Teen Book Buzz (School Library Journal)

From living Japanese ink drawings to the return of the nun assassins, these forthcoming spring releases are sure to appeal to every teen on your reading list. Get ahead of the curve and find out the latest and greatest hot reads for spring during SLJ?s Teen Book Buzz! Join Harlequin Teens, Houghton Mifflin Harcourt, Little, Brown Books for Young Readers, and Egmont as they present the books that will have every teen chatting at their lockers. You do not want to miss this exciting webcast!

For more information and to register for this program, visit: http://bit.ly/XD7kB3

March 26 (1:30-2:30 pm)
Healthy Computing (Accessible Technology Coalition)

Computers have evolved from ?the salvation for people with disabilities to the cause of many disabling conditions. Our current computer-laden work and school environments have the potential to significantly damage our bodies. It is critical that we establish new ?rules of engagement? with computers. This Healthy Computing webinar will explore the reasons and tools for taking regular breaks from the computer. This webinar is for people who work extensively on computers, or who work with clients/students who do.

For more information and to register for this program, visit: http://atcoalition.org/training/healthy-computing

March 26 (1-2 pm)
Tech on the Spec(trum): Making libraries more accessible for children with special needs (TechSoup)

Like any worthwhile initiative, reaching a target audience takes time and money. Is there an affordable way to make your library more technologically accessible for children with autism and other developmental differences? Join this session to learn about the successful ?Come On In? program at Skokie (IL) Public Library. Hear about free and inexpensive tools. Think about ways to partner with other organizations to meet patron and staff needs.

For more information and to register for this program, visit: https://cc.readytalk.com/cc/s/registrations/new?cid=d15wpkf6nc4m

March 26 (2-3 pm)
Thank Goodness It?s Monday TGIM: Enjoy your job, enjoy your life (Insync Training)

So often we focus on the negatives and tasks we don?t enjoy. This workshop helps participants identify the things about work they enjoy and find satisfying, look at ways of creating more of those items, and develop skill in recognizing and appreciating small accomplishments and savoring small successes.

For more information and to register for this program, visit: https://insync.webex.com/tc0506l/trainingcenter/register/registerSession.do?siteurl=insync&confID=1145169673

March 27 (10-11 am)
Get ready to celebrate El d?a de los ni?os/El d?a de los libros (Nebraska Library Commission)

El d?a de los ni?os/El d?a de los libros (Children?s Day/Book Day), is a celebration every day of children, families, and reading that culminates yearly on April 30. The celebration emphasizes the importance of literacy for children of all linguistic and cultural backgrounds. In this NCompass Live session, members of the Nebraska Library Association Diversity Committee will share resources and ideas you can implement into your celebration of D?a.

For more information and to register for this program, visit: http://nlc.nebraska.gov/scripts/calendar/eventreg.asp?ProgID=12008

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Most Popular A/V Receiver: Onkyo TX-NR Series

A great receiver is the key to any home theater setup: it allows you to expand and connect more devices, gives you incredible control over sound quality and the individual components of your system, and it frees you of the limitations of your TV's speakers. Last week, we asked you which receivers you thought were the best, considering all of their features: inputs, audio quality, options, internet capabilities, and bang-for-the-buck. Then we took a look at the five best A/V receivers based on your nominations. Now we're back to highlight the winner.

Leading the pack with just about 36% of the vote was the Onkyo TX-NR Series, most notably the TX-NR414 and the TX-NR616, both of which earned high praise from those of you who nominated it, and from our friends at the Wirecutter.

In second place with 25% of the vote was the Denon AVR Series, which pack in Denon's Audyssey sound optimization technology and tons of features at reasonable prices. Behind Denon in third with just over 21% of the votes cast was the Yamaha RX-V Series, which many of your praised for their bang-for-the-buck and their well-made Android app that allows you to control your receiver from your phone (although Denon isn't the only contestant in our rundown with mobile apps for remote control!) In fourth place was the slim and great-sounding Marantz NR Series, bringing in just over 9% of the total vote. Bringing up the rear in fifth were Emotiva's separates, for the home theater builder who doesn't want a single receiver, but would rather assemble their own discrete components.

The Hive Five is based on reader nominations. As with most Hive Five posts, if your favorite was left out, it's not because we hate it?it's because it didn't get the nominations required in the call for contenders post to make the top five. We understand it's a bit of a popularity contest, but if you have a favorite, we want to hear about it. Have a suggestion for the Hive Five? Send us an email at tips+hivefive@lifehacker.com!

Source: http://feeds.gawker.com/~r/lifehacker/full/~3/6q3YEFnJcu0/most-popular-av-receiver-onkyo-tx+nr-series

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Oyster Stew at Steel & Rye - Restaurant Reviews

Pity the poor would-be restaurateur in the city of Boston. Up to a cool quarter-million for a liquor license, cranky neighborhood associations, hellish parking and valet costs, competition from deep-pocketed national chains: who needs it? Chris Parsons, chef/owner of Winchester's bygone, well-regarded Parsons Table, had considered expanding to Boston last year. Presumably, he ran the numbers and concluded Milton was a better bet, opting to open his new Steel & Rye there. Not that the cavernous space he chose is easy to fill: it's a big old car-barn with room for 150, including 20 at the long bar, with a nicely raw, industrial feel from concrete floors, blond wood, leather, and a lot of Machine Age factory fixtures and exposed infrastructure. The noise level can boom, though a front dining area a few steps down is quieter. The bar represents another welcome instantiation of the craft-cocktail movement, with old-timey classics like a Manhattan made with any of a dozen American straight ryes (Rittenhouse is the default, $10), Antica Formula sweet vermouth, bitters, and a quality cocktail cherry. The nine draft beers ($4?$8) favor New England microbrews; another 18 bottles and cans run from familiar American macros ($4) to more flavorful imports ($6?$10). The modest by-the-glass wines run from $8 to $13; a handful of bottles crack the $100 mark, but most whites run from $30 to $50, reds from $40 to $80.

The menu combines Parsons's two prior concepts (the farm-to-table Americana of Parsons Table and the seafood focus of its predecessor, Catch) and adds a gastropub accent, with many ingredients cured, confited, pickled, and smoked in-house. The small-plate "snacks" section includes ham salad ($5), a friendlier name for ham-based coarse p?t? topped with aspic, salty and delicious spread on pumpernickel with mustard. Pickled quail eggs ($3) colored magenta with beets are pretty but less successful, a tad rubbery. "Today's cheese" ($4) features T?te de Moine, a Swiss pressed raw cow's-milk cheese, scraped tissue-thin with a girolle into gossamer rosettes resembling carnations, its equally delicate flavor contrasted with quince jam on black-pepper bread. Appetizers include delectable Colorado lamb meatballs ($11) sauced in harissa, dotted with yogurt and pignoli; some observers may lament the overuse of lightly cooked eggs to top dishes, but one works beautifully here. Starches ("From the Gristmill") feature an above-average risotto ($15) for a high-volume kitchen: slightly soupy, not overdone, and crammed with sweet Maine shrimp. Mains include a fairly terrific burger ($15) of prime beef topped with aged cheddar, plus sides of kettle chips and a kicky house-made steak sauce (but brioche-bun haters, beware). Country-style veal ($22) is effectively a meatloaf the size of a small football, mild, juicy, and well complemented by white gravy, pearl onions, mushrooms, and shaved fried garlic.

Source: http://thephoenix.com/Boston/food/152125-oyster-stew-at-steel-andamp-rye/

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Orders jump for key US long-lasting factory goods

In this Tuesday, Jan. 8, 2013 photo, Andy Anderson, a salesman at the Aggressive Appliances store in Orlando, Fla., looks over washers and dryers on display. Orders for U.S. factory goods that signal business investment plans jumped in January by the most in more than a year, suggesting companies are confident about their business prospects. The Commerce Department said Wednesday, Feb. 27, 2013, that orders for so-called core capital goods, which include industrial machinery, construction equipment and computers, rose 6.3 percent in January from December. A sharp fall in demand for commercial aircraft caused overall durable goods orders to drop 5.2 percent, the first decline since August. (AP Photo/John Raoux)

In this Tuesday, Jan. 8, 2013 photo, Andy Anderson, a salesman at the Aggressive Appliances store in Orlando, Fla., looks over washers and dryers on display. Orders for U.S. factory goods that signal business investment plans jumped in January by the most in more than a year, suggesting companies are confident about their business prospects. The Commerce Department said Wednesday, Feb. 27, 2013, that orders for so-called core capital goods, which include industrial machinery, construction equipment and computers, rose 6.3 percent in January from December. A sharp fall in demand for commercial aircraft caused overall durable goods orders to drop 5.2 percent, the first decline since August. (AP Photo/John Raoux)

In this Tuesday, Jan. 8, 2013 photo, washers and dryers are displayed at an Aggressive Appliances store in Orlando, Fla. Orders for U.S. factory goods that signal business investment plans jumped in January by the most in more than a year, suggesting companies are confident about their business prospects. The Commerce Department said Wednesday, Feb. 27, 2013, that orders for so-called core capital goods, which include industrial machinery, construction equipment and computers, rose 6.3 percent in January from December. A sharp fall in demand for commercial aircraft caused overall durable goods orders to drop 5.2 percent, the first decline since August. (AP Photo/John Raoux)

In this Tuesday, Jan. 8, 2013 photo, a salesman shows customers washers and dryers at Aggressive Appliances store in Orlando, Fla. Orders for U.S. factory goods that signal business investment plans jumped in January by the most in more than a year, suggesting companies are confident about their business prospects. The Commerce Department said Wednesday, Feb. 27, 2013, that orders for so-called core capital goods, which include industrial machinery, construction equipment and computers, rose 6.3 percent in January from December. A sharp fall in demand for commercial aircraft caused overall durable goods orders to drop 5.2 percent, the first decline since August. (AP Photo/John Raoux)

WASHINGTON (AP) ? Orders for U.S. factory goods that signal business investment plans jumped last month by the most in more than a year, suggesting companies are confident about their business prospects.

The Commerce Department said Wednesday that orders for so-called core capital goods, which include industrial machinery, construction equipment and computers, rose 6.3 percent in January from December. A sharp fall in demand for commercial aircraft caused overall durable goods orders to drop 5.2 percent, the first decline since August.

Orders for commercial aircraft are volatile from month to month and can cause large swings in the overall figure. Boeing reported orders for only two planes in January, down from 183 in December. Orders for defense equipment also plummeted by the most in more than 12 years.

Durable goods are items expected to last at least three years.

The increase in core capital goods suggests companies are willing to expand their production capacities despite worries that automatic government spending cuts will slow the economy in the coming months.

"The fact remains that capital spending appears to be holding up very well," Dan Greenhaus, chief global strategist at BTIG, a brokerage firm. "In fact, it appears to be accelerating."

Still, the jump in orders wasn't broad-based and occurred mostly in machinery and manufactured metal products. Orders for computers and communications equipment both fell and orders for autos and auto parts were unchanged.

And even with the increase, orders have mostly just recovered last year's losses. Total core capital goods orders reached $67.7 billion in January, just above December 2011's level.

Several economists warned that orders were likely to fall in the coming months after such a big gain.

"We don't expect businesses suddenly to throw caution to the wind," Paul Ashworth, an economist at Capital Economics, said in a note to clients.

About $85 billion in spending cuts are scheduled to kick in Friday and there is little sign that the White House and Congress will reach a deal to avoid them. Defense Department officials may have slowed purchases in January in anticipation of the cutbacks.

Business investment plans have held up in recent months despite the uncertainty surrounding tax and spending policies. Core capital goods orders dipped 0.3 percent in December but posted strong gains of 3.3 percent in November and 3 percent in October.

The report suggests U.S. manufacturing is strengthening. The Institute for Supply Management said earlier this month that factory activity grew in January at the fastest pace in nine months. Measures of new orders and hiring both rose.

But industrial production fell in January after two months of increases, the Federal Reserve said. Much of the decline reflected a big drop in auto production that was likely temporary. The auto industry is coming off its best year for sales in five years. Sales continue to rise, so production will likely rebound in February.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/f70471f764144b2fab526d39972d37b3/Article_2013-02-27-Durable%20Goods/id-e09a094b56b9442eb4f5a53529a9bc6f

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AP PHOTOS: Highlights from the Oscars

Actors Channing Tatum, left, and Jenna Dewan-Tatum arrive at the 85th Academy Awards at the Dolby Theatre on Sunday Feb. 24, 2013, in Los Angeles. (Photo by John Shearer/Invision/AP)

Actors Channing Tatum, left, and Jenna Dewan-Tatum arrive at the 85th Academy Awards at the Dolby Theatre on Sunday Feb. 24, 2013, in Los Angeles. (Photo by John Shearer/Invision/AP)

Actress Helena Bonham Carter, left, and director Tim Burton arrive at the Oscars at the Dolby Theatre on Sunday Feb. 24, 2013, in Los Angeles. (Photo by Todd Williamson/Invision/AP)

Actors Michael Douglas, left, and Catherine Zeta-Jones arrive at the Oscars at the Dolby Theatre on Sunday Feb. 24, 2013, in Los Angeles. (Photo by John Shearer/Invision/AP)

The cast and producers of "Argo" accept the award for best picture during at the Oscars at the Dolby Theatre on Sunday Feb. 24, 2013, in Los Angeles. (Photo by Matt Sayles/Invision/AP)

Jennifer Lawrence stumbles as she walks on stage to accept the award for best actress in a leading role for "Silver Linings Playbook" during the Oscars at the Dolby Theatre on Sunday Feb. 24, 2013, in Los Angeles. (Photo by Chris Pizzello/Invision/AP)

Just as Oscar host Seth MacFarlane set his sights on a variety of targets with a mixture of hits and misses, the motion picture academy spread the gold around to a varied slate of films.

From red carpet pageantry to the unexpected stumbles, here's a gallery of images from Sunday night's Oscars.

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/4e67281c3f754d0696fbfdee0f3f1469/Article_2013-02-25-Oscars-Photo-Gallery/id-f6e9f7f145ec44d1b86db3c25e9dc5d8

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GOP take aim at Obama for "nonstop campaigning" on sequester (cbsnews)

Share With Friends: | | Politics - Top Stories Stories, News Feeds and News via Feedzilla.

Source: http://news.feedzilla.com/en_us/stories/politics/top-stories/287509008?client_source=feed&format=rss

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Marriage group will 'take out' GOPers who support same-sex unions (Star Tribune)

Share With Friends: | | Politics - Top Stories Stories, RSS Feeds and Widgets via Feedzilla.

Source: http://news.feedzilla.com/en_us/stories/politics/top-stories/287307066?client_source=feed&format=rss

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PFT: Pats extend Brady for 3 years, $27 million

AP

If you watch offensive lineman Garrett Gilkey working out at the Scouting Combine, you?d never believe he ever got bullied: He?s 6-foot-6 and 318 pounds and bench presses 225 pounds 28 times. But Gilkey says there was a time when he was a scrawny kid who didn?t belong on the football field ? and it was a former NFL player who helped him turn it all around.

Howard Balzer of the Sports Xchange has a good profile of Gilkey, who is starting to draw attention from NFL teams after playing at a small school, Chadron State College. Gilkey got there after having a tough time at his first high school, then blossoming after transferring to a different high school ? which just happened to have a football team coached by former Bills receiver Don Beebe.

?I was undersized and I was actually bullied and ostracized by my entire school,? Gilkey said. ?Going into my freshman year, I had a heart operation ? very simple, but it prevented me from playing in any sports and doing anything. So, I excelled academically. With that, some of the guys ? especially on the football team and the upper cliques ? distanced [themselves] from me because I wasn?t able to do the running in the summer and the workouts. . . . I was constantly bullied, constantly picked on. It was a very hard year. Really, I like to tell people that I was just the little redheaded, gingery, skinny-looking [kid]. I was pear-shaped. I had these wide hips and this skinny-looking upper body. I was just a prime target for many of the cruel kids.?

But transferring and working both with Don Beebe and his brother, Dave Beebe, made Gilkey realize he had a passion for football. It also helped that a growth spurt had him up to 240 pounds. By his senior year he was good enough that small colleges wanted him, and Dave Beebe told him he?d eventually be good enough to play in the NFL.

Now Gilkey is showing that his high school coaches had a reason to believe in him, and he says he wants to use his status as a pro athlete to reach out to bullied kids.

?I?m starting an anti-bullying campaign,? Gilkey said. ?I have such a great opportunity to be proactive and be encouraging and be a strong force within the community of the west suburbs of Chicago. I plan on being proactive with schools and junior highs and YMCAs, and talking about bullying. I think I have a great position, being my size, and standing up and talking about my experience being bullied, being ostracized and being made fun of. People see me now and think, ?How could this person ever be bullied?? I have a great voice and great platform to share those experiences and share my faith, as well.?

Gilkey is viewed as a likely late-round pick. It remains to be seen whether he can make the transition from Chadron State to the NFL, but the team that drafts him will be getting an impressive young man.

Source: http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2013/02/25/patriots-tom-brady-agree-to-three-year-27-million-extension/related/

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Arachnids: Amblypygids | Shit You Didn't Know About Biology

Arachnids.

Yes, arachnids; our eight-legged ?friends? that cling to the shadowy, forgotten corners of our homes, under the damp seal of a rock, to the harsh, hot crust of the desert, and to their feathery webs, crafted overnight in our gardens. Arachnids, as a group, are not at all unfamiliar to us humans, and while, overall, the relationship between ourselves and these ubiquitous invertebrates is a bit complex, by and large in Western culture, arachnids are feared and reviled. The most familiar groups of arachnids, spiders, scorpions, ticks, and mites, have earned reputations as some of the most terror-inducing, retch-provoking, and spine-shuddering animals we encounter in our day-to-day lives. We cringe at the thought of ticks embedded in our skin, face first, bodies inflating into pulsating balloons of blood. We attempt to ignore the unsettling fact that millions of microscopic mites graze on our dead skin cells, both separated from our bodies and still attached. We regard scorpions, prehistoric beasts made of plates, claws, stingers, and venom, as symbolic of the uninhabitable desert wilderness.

And then, of course, there are the oh-so common spiders, creatures who receive reactions from humans ranging from praise for their beautiful, radial web architecture, to mild annoyance when encountering a surprise face and mouthful of this same web on a forest trail, to revulsion and a swift, life-ending blow with a shoe or newspaper (turning the hapless critter into a drab smear of entrails), to blinding, full-on arachnophobic panic. These last group of arachnids, in particular, are the animal kingdom?s ?black sheep? in our culture, becoming a fixture in our conceptualization of the spooky atmosphere of Halloween; curiously, along with bats, spiders are among the few living, non-fictional entities we set alongside the stereotypical ghoulish folklore characters like zombies, skeletons, witches, and sundry other monsters. Apparently, we consider spiders among the creepiest, darkest, and most unnerving of all living things.Those that fear spiders, and creepy-crawly arachnids in general, cite these creatures? long, spindly limbs, soul-less eyes, hairy bodies, venomous fangs, fast movements, and a tendency to inhabit abandoned, abyssal areas where we are already at unease, as some the reasoning behind their prejudice. This instinctual aversion is strong enough, and prevalent enough, to inspire scores of films and literature where spiders are featured as agents of terror. Seriously. There are plenty. Of examples.?Our overwhelmingly negative view of spiders, especially, obscures some of their talents, many of which are immensely useful to humans. These include the production of a silk that is tougher than Kevlar (which has instigated research into super-strong materials), and an inarguably critical ecological role that keeps populations of their prey items (insects) in check. Spiders, like most arachnids, in the immortal words of Rodney Dangerfield, ?get no respect.?

Oh jeez. Are you guys happy now?

In the same way that spiders and other more familiar arachnids are misunderstood and have unrecognized, underappreciated roles in our lives, the very definition and realization of what arachnids, in the broadest sense,?actually are?typically is met with limited experience and knowledge. For example, most people, if prompted to ?name an arachnid? would answer firstly (overwhelmingly so) with ?spider.? Some might follow up with ?scorpion?, or perhaps ticks and mites?pretty much everything with eight legs and without insect-like antennae that comes to mind. However, the diversity of arachnids extends far beyond the web-bound orb weaver bobbing in the breeze in your front yard?s hedges, or the chigger causing lovely, itchy welts to form on your skin. While these groups are the most speciose, and most common accompaniment to our daily lives (good or bad), there are entire taxonomic orders of arachnids that go quite completely, and miserably, ignored.

This entry is to serve as the first in a series of explorations into the less-loved (or, perhaps, less-persecuted, simply out of unfamiliarity) arachnids.

But first, perhaps it is helpful to start with the following question: what is an arachnid, exactly?

The rule of thumb distinction between insects and arachnids, when trying to broadly identify a little, buggy critter with lots of legs, is the number of limbs, the number of body segments, and the presence or absence of antennae. This diagnostic method tends to work well in practice, but it doesn?t really inform?why?this distinction between the two types of animals is important, and the phylogenetic, evolutionary context.

Firstly, arachnids are members of the phylum Arthropoda (meaning ?jointed leg?). Essentially everything you find on this planet that has an exoskeleton, jointed appendages, and a segmented body is an arthopod; think insects, crabs, centipedes, shrimp, and the extinct trilobites. As far as animals are concerned, the vast bulk of them, both in number of species and number of individuals, are arthropods. There are over a million described species. If you were to randomly select a single species of animal on this planet, four times out of five that species would be an arthopod. When most people think of animals, furry mammals and other vertebrates instantly come to mind, but in reality, Earth is fucking covered in a tide of tiny, robot-like arthopods in all environmental realms.

Within this phylum are subdivisions, called ?sub-phyla? that break up the gargantuan number of arthropod species into about four living groups. One of these groups is the Chelicerata, which includes arachnids, but also includes living fossils like horseshoe crabs (obviously not true, crustacean crabs) and potentially an enigmatic, alien group of animals known as ?sea spiders? (although the classification on this group is constantly in review). It is the arachnids that make up the great majority of chelicerate diversity. Chelicerates are distinguished by the presence of unique pre-mouth appendages known as chelicerae, which have diversified into a wide range of morphologies, including the fangs of spiders, and pincer-like forms in most other members of this clade. Chelicerates also have appendages called pedipalps, which in more primitive groups are leg-like, but in ?higher chelicerates? have been modified into delicate sensory tools, organs used in reproduction, or weapons for defense or procuring food. Pedipalps can, with some reservation, be thought of as the chelicerate version of hands. Tiny, finger-less, hairy, creepy, jointed hands.

Arachnids, members of the class Arachnida, are the most prominent chelicerates (with more than 100,000 species), and have become by far the most successful group of chelicerate to colonize terrestrial ecosystems. This group, more or less, has two distinct body segments (called ?tagmata?); a cephalothorax (essentially the fusion of the head and thorax, typically covered by an unsegmented carapace), and the abdomen. The separation of these two tagmata can be stark, like in spiders, or more nuanced, like in ticks or scorpions.

Not labeled: Horror genre marketability gland

The distribution of internal organs, and relative position of limbs, in this bi-segmented set-up that the arachnids have going on is a little hard to understand from our own vertebrate perspective. Imagine if you didn?t really have a neck, and your head sort of just continued on into your body, and if your arms and legs attached in this area right behind your head. Now, imagine if everything sort of pinched off behind your legs, and about 90% of all your major organ systems were packed into a bulbous mass sticking out beyond that ?waist? behind your head-legs. Oh, and you wouldn?t really have a ?normal? circulatory system, just a blood-filled cavity that sort of periodically dumped oxygenated blood on the other organs. This is known as an ?open circulatory system? and is typical of arthropods.

You?d be a horrific, human calabash?with limbs?and a hole leading to your lungs where your asshole should be. Your actual?anus would be on your lower back, right above your respiratory hole. So, holding your breath while taking a dump would be recommended. As if that wasn?t bizarre enough, under this configuration, you would have your?genitals positioned on your sternum.?You would probably find it hard to get a date.

Arachnids certainly don?t eat like we do either. The overwhelming majority of arachnid species are carnivorous, and tend to liquefy their prey items by injecting or covering them with digestive enzymes after capture. Only in a small minority of groups is the viscera-smoothie option rejected for the consumption of conventional, solid bits of food.

Reproduction and early life development in arachnids differs significantly from that of insects. Most of this difference comes in the lack of any kind of metamorphosis taking place in the development of young arachnids. Once arachnids are out of the egg, there?s no time for legless, lackadaisical, larval childhoods; they get right with the program and are born with the capacity for rapid movement (and within a short amount of time, the ability to kill food for themselves), being simply small, softer-bodied versions of adult arachnids. Anyone who has come across a mature spider egg sac and poked it with a stick is well-acquainted with the precociousness of hundreds of miniature, ghostly white, pollen grain-like babies, which quite suddenly engage in an exodus from their safe nursery?and onto the stick?and onto your hand.

Of those 100,000 arachnid species, 40,000 are found in the order that contains the spiders (Araneae). Another 30,000 are in the order belonging to mites and ticks (Acari). There are another 2,000 species of scorpion. Three-quarters of arachnid diversity is taken up by these three groups, but there are roughly a dozen orders within the arachnid class, and most of those remaining nine groups have species counts in the low hundreds, and don?t nearly get the publicity or exposure as a common barn spider or a deer tick.

The first of these neglected orders that will be addressed is the order Amblypygi, with its comparatively meager 136 described species. Pronunciation of this order?s name may conjure imagery of a sauntering swine, but the translation from Greek derives its true meaning?which is quite literally ?blunt ass? (amblyo- = dull, blunt, pygo- = rump). It seems like an oddly benign descriptor for an arachnid, especially when it?s for the entire taxonomic order. Perhaps, you think, it?s a stumpy, adorable sort of thing; the rare ?cute? arachnid. Surely, you say, that?s what the ?blunt butted? Amblypygi must consist of.

You were wrong.

This unholy combination of legs, spines, and the tears of small children is known as a ?tailless whip scorpion?, as well as a ?whip spider?, although it is neither a scorpion or a spider and is obviously far more terrifying than either of those things. This twisted creature appears to be molded out of the most unsettling portions of spiders, praying mantises, crabs, and daddy longlegs, but through the curious gestalt properties, is a uniquely hideous product of nature. You may recognize these animals as the ?spider? that was used in demonstration of the ?three unforgivable curses? in this scene in the film adaptation of ?Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire??or, alternatively, in the worst dream you?ve ever had.

The ?whip? part of the name comes its first pair of legs, which have been modified into elongated, highly-sensitive, antennae-like probes. It is tempting to hypothesize that the function of these whips is for tickling the nose of sleeping humans so that they?ll open their mouths, allowing for this charmer to climb inside and lay its eggs in the back of the throat? but this is, fortunately, not the case. The whips are instead sensory organs, held far out in front of its body in order to detect anything worth snatching up for a meal. This includes crickets, beetles, caterpillars, and firstborn Egyptian sons.

It achieves this by use of its pedipalps, which you may have noticed have been modified into vicious, raptorial claws (?raptorial? typically referring to a limb that has underwent modifications for grasping prey). These long pedipalps, whose ends are densely studded with sharp, interlocking thorns, are kept tightly folded up against the gnashing chelicerae of the amblypygid, patiently awaiting some incredibly unlucky insect to cross its path. The pedipalps are also used in territorial displays against others of the same species, and amblypygids routinely extend and clash them against those of a transgressing individual (like bucks do with their antlers) in order to persuade them to step off their turf, whether their neighborhood is rich in mates or in prey.

That sound you?re hearing is your bladder involuntarily emptying itself.

However, unless you are living in the tropical and subtropical regions of the world, you are unlikely to come across an amblypygid. Even if you were a resident of these warmer latitudes, you?d still have to search for these guys. They are usually nocturnal creatures, preferring to wedge their flattened bodies underneath wet logs, stones, or a piece of tree bark during the day?places where you really shouldn?t be putting your hands anyways while in the tropics. At night, they move silently and carefully along the rainforest floor, surveying their world by way of the delicate touch of their sensory legs. This is really the only way for them to interact with their environment, because amblypygids are really fucking blind. This may be a little surprising, considering that they have eight eyes; three grouped together on each side of the cephalothorax, and two more right in front on that raised bump that looks a bit like a nose.

If you were to somehow come across an amblypygid in the wild, you would have little to worry about. I can hear your incredulous gasps now, ?What? How can this be??Look?at this thing!? Amblypygids generally resemble what would come skittering out from between the dank, unwashed folds of a nightmare. They look like the voracious guardians of an ancient, booby trapped tomb in an Indiana Jones movie, or something that would hitch a ride across the galaxy on an asteroid, only to collide with Earth, scuttle out of the impact crater, and seek to take over the planet. If there was an organism banished to inhabiting the dark, dusty, cramped, lonely unknown of the area behind your washing machine, it would be an amblypygid. Surely, you protest, this spindly troglobitic creature, with its horrible claws, beady eyes, and all-feeling whips, bound to darkness and the humid, alien, subterranean world just below the forest undergrowth?must be deadly. Indeed, it must be a rabid, bloodthirsty monster; fangs overflowing with venom, legs taut with the anticipation of leaping and clinging to your face, spiky pedipalps itching to spring wide open and impart a puncturing embrace.
While the imagery of a company of ill-fated cave divers being feasted upon by hoardes of hyperaggressive, dinner plate-sized demon-spiders might seem appropriate for an animal as unsettling in aesthetics as the amblypygid (or for a low-budget, made-for-TV thriller; I?m looking at you Syfy)?but in reality, this scenario is an impossibility.

Observe, the horror that is an interaction between a human and a large amblypygid:

The person handling the amblypygid in the video above is by no means brave (so stop being impressed). The truth is, amblypygids are about as harmless as it gets for an arachnid. Their chelicerae are not the hollow, venom-engorged tubes found in the spiders, and the most danger to a human that comes from an amblypygid nip is a small amount of transient pain; like a mosquito bite with less itching. Just getting an amblypygid to engage in such behavior requires a great deal of pestering, as these creatures uniformly flee and seek refuge in tight, hard-to-access areas at the first annoyance. Defensive retaliation, a very rare occurrence, usually takes the form of a strike with those prickly pedipalps. This is kind of like getting smacked with a nail-bat?but with one only a couple inches long, probably doing about as much damage as a light brush with a thorny blackberry vine. Put simply, if an amblypygid decides to be uncharacteristically feisty with you, I?m pretty sure you?ll live.

Because of their docile temperament, combined with their intimidating appearance and size (some species can have leg-spans significantly wider than a human hand) amblypygids are reasonably popular as pets. Many other similarly-sized arachnids, like tarantulas and some larger scorpions, have a very real capacity to do some harm if handled improperly and/or given the opportunity to become aggressive. For example, some species of tarantula (only found in the New World), if threatened, will take a hind leg and quickly rub the top of the abdomen, kicking up a cloud of urticating hairs. These tiny, barbed hairs are incredibly irritating to human skin and mucous membranes, and if inhaled can cause potentially dangerous levels of airway inflammation; if the sharp hairs get embedded in the eyes, there is a substantial risk of partial or temporary blindness. Tarantulas can also plunge those giant fangs into human flesh as a defense mechanism, although this is rare. Unlike a nibble from the weak chelicerae of an amblypygid, a tarantula bite is not a walk in the park. You won?t die or get sick from the venom, but the sensation is a bit like being stabbed with a freshly sharpened pencil?on fire. Also, in the days following, the area of the bite swells up into a tender bubble of misery.
Scorpions, of course, have a whole suite of painful/deadly tools they can use on humans that I don?t think I need to go over.

Amblypygids easily achieve the ?wow? factor held by these other common arachnid pets (and then some), and bypass all of the risk of harm or death associated with ownership and handling.

We tend to view arachnids, and other exoskeletal, creepy-crawlies, as unthinking, anti-social automatons whose only function is to eat, avoid being eaten, and to make more of themselves. Often times, this assessment is somewhat accurate. Hell, the female representatives of many arthopod species (like spiders and praying mantises) routinely wolf down their bite-sized lovers without even batting a compound eye?because apparently that?s your only available post-coitus activity if you?re smaller than a cigarette. Some insects, like ants, termites, wasps, etc., form highly hierarchical societies and massive colonies of interdependent individuals, but this is an exception to the general rule in inter-arthropod relations. Tending to and caring for offspring beyond the egg stage isn?t ?a standard behavior, and communication between mothers (I say ?mother? because ?father? is probably currently in the process of being digested by ?mother?) and offspring is certainly limited. Let me put it this way: ?good parenting skills? in arthropod households typically consist of refraining from immediately eating more than half of your hatchlings?and that?s about it. There?s no way to get around it; arachnids and other arthropods are a cold, sociopathic bunch.

It may surprise you, given their off-putting, emotionless exteriors, that amblypygids are among the most socially savvy of all arachnid groups. Beneath that stiff, hard exoskeleton, amblypygids are, both literally and figuratively, big ol? softies.
While allowing newly-hatched young to piggyback for a little while is found in some arachnids (scorpions and some spiders do this, for example), the amount of care and interaction that amblypygids give their relatives is unusually high by arachnid standards.

One-upping soccer moms for 400 million years

Research from entomologists at Cornell a few years back?on two species of amblypygid revealed that familial interaction in these arachnids might extend far beyond simple motherly protection and transport for squishy newborns. For example, mothers in these species keep their young (I like to call them ?amblypyg kids?) close by long after they were able to fend for themselves and get around on their own. Throughout the young?s pre-adult development, their mother caresses them with her sensitive whip legs, and the young reciprocate with their own sensory appendages. The young also interact with each other in this way; constantly petting each other with their whips. It?s as if they do this to soothe each other.

Yes, the scary, nasty-looking amblypygid is a cuddler.

Perhaps most strikingly, the young siblings of these species organize themselves into social groups all the way until reaching sexual maturity, which then immediately leads to combative, aggressive behavior towards each other. Anyone who experienced their teen years with siblings can probably identify with this phenomenon.
Up until this developmental stage (amblypygid puberty occurs roughly a year into their lives), the bonds formed between siblings and their mother are steadfast. If scattered and dropped into unfamiliar territory, the siblings feel around and seek each other out until they all re-group into one, big, happy family again. Of course, once the gonads kick into gear, family reunions result in unrepentant cannibalism. But, until then, brotherly and sisterly love are plentiful in an amblypygid?s world.

So, this concludes the introduction into one of the less acknowledged and less understood orders of arachnids. Despite their appearance, you certainly can?t judge amblypygids by their cover. For all their demonic homeliness and menacing first impressions, amblypygids are among the most amorous of the class Arachnida, both towards giant primates like ourselves, and uniquely towards members of their own brood. Perhaps if an animal with a brain smaller than a period on this page can learn to care for, and appreciate, other individuals in its species, we can somehow manage to do the same.

Image credits: Opening spider photo, source for arachnid diagram, Amblypygid #1, Amblypygid #2.

? Jacob Buehler and ?Shit You Didn?t Know About Biology?, 2012-2013. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this blog?s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Jacob Buehler and ?Shit You Didn?t Know About Biology? with appropriate and specific direction to the original content.

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Source: http://sydkab.wordpress.com/2013/02/23/arachnids-amblypygids-2/

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Amid mounting pressures, some see potential for new Palestinian uprising

Thousands turned out for the funeral today of a Palestinian who died in an Israeli jail. Some see a new intifadah as the only way to fight back as tensions rise, but many say that could hurt the Palestinian cause.

By Christa Case Bryant,?Staff writer / February 25, 2013

Palestinians attend the funeral of Arafat Jaradat in the West Bank village of Sair outside Hebron Monday. People filled every rooftop, balcony, and open patch of grass surrounding the village square as Jaradat?s coffin was carried through the crowd, sparking fierce whistling and a few gunshots.

Darren Whiteside/Reuters

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Sair and Ramallah, West Bank

Less than a month before President Obama is to visit Jerusalem and Ramallah, raising hopes he will help bring Israelis and Palestinians back to the peace table, some see the West Bank heading in a very different direction.

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Many Palestinians say the accumulating pressures of Israeli occupation, an economic crisis, expanding Israeli settlements, and now the death of a Palestinian prisoner in an Israeli jail over the weekend could turn pockets of unrest into a widespread uprising.

?The issue of the prisoners is only one point that created this eruption,? said Sheikh Issa Jaradat, the former mayor of Sair, at the funeral for deceased prisoner Arafat Jaradat. People filled every rooftop, balcony, and open patch of grass surrounding the village square as Jaradat?s coffin was carried through the crowd, sparking fierce whistling and a few gunshots.

?The fact that so many people are here shows that this is not just about the suffering of Sair. The whole West Bank is suffering,? says the sheikh. ?This could easily be the beginning of an intifada.?

Palestinians have blamed Jaradat?s death on Israeli torture, citing evidence from the autopsy, although Israel denies this and the final medical analysis has yet to be released.

But even before his death on Feb. 23, momentum had grown around the prisoner issue, with four prisoners on a hunger strike. On Saturday, clashes erupted between Palestinian villagers and settlers in the village of Qusra, near Nablus, and Palestinians clashed with Israeli soldiers in Hebron the following day, sparking a flurry of Israeli media reports about a brewing intifada. Some 4,500 prisoners launched a 24-hour hunger strike yesterday in solidarity with Jaradat.

A new intifada will hurt us: poll

Some Palestinians see a third uprising as the only way to fight back against an Israeli military occupation and grab the attention of the international community, which many feel has largely forgotten Palestinians since they committed to finding a peaceful solution.

Some 32 percent of Palestinians support an intifada, according to a poll by Arab World for Research & Development published Feb. 21, before Jaradat?s death. A strong majority of 65 percent oppose a new intifada, however, with 41 percent of respondents saying it will hurt the Palestinian cause.?

Indeed, such an uprising could work against Palestinian interests in several ways. It could bolster Israel?s argument that it has no partner for peace, enabling it to continue expanding settlements in the West Bank unfettered by negotiations. It could also provide Israeli justification for maintaining or increasing checkpoints, arrests, and administrative detention in the name of security.

That has led some to surmise that Israel may be intentionally stirring up unrest rather than trying to contain it ??although Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu yesterday transferred $100 million in tax revenues to the Palestinian Authority in what some saw as an attempt to ease the situation.

?I don?t believe Israeli is worried. I believe they would like another confrontation,? says Qadura Fares, head of the Palestinian Prisoners Club and a prominent Fatah member, who is skeptical of the potential for a full-blown intifada before Fatah and Hamas reconcile. ?But if we have reconciliation and we begin planning our steps together, then maybe Netanyahu will be worried about any Palestinian reaction or a new intifada.?

A house divided cannot protest?

The prisoner issue, which resonates with all Palestinians, could provide the common cause needed to bring Fatah and Hamas back together. Mr. Fares says that?both Fatah and Hamas are united in wanting to save the life of the four prisoners on a hunger strike ??one of whom, Samer Issawi, is said to be in critical condition after an on-off strike that began more than 200 days ago. He is one of a number of Palestinian prisoners released in exchange for captured soldier Gilad Shalit, only to be rearrested in what Palestinians say is a violation of the deal.

Umm Abdullah, a Hamas supporter in Ramallah whose husband, Jamil Tawil, was jailed last month for the 14^th ?time, says she and other Hamas supporters would like to join demonstrations over the prisoner issue but are afraid that Palestinian Authority (PA) intelligence sources will report them to the Israelis. She describes the PA as ?spies to the enemy? ? Israel. Both she and her daughter have also spent time in jail and don't want to give the Israelis any reason to rearrest them.

?We are being scrutinized, we are being watched in every sense,? she says, sitting by a portrait of her nephew, who carried out a suicide bombing in Jerusalem in 2001. ?Therefore, reconciliation can?t take place without confidence-building measures.?

?This is a strong message to Obama?

At the funeral today for Jaradat in Sair, just outside of Hebron, supporters of the Fatah-affiliated Al-Aqsa Brigades chanted, ?Let the olive branch fall and let the weapon always lead to victory?. Let Tel Aviv be set on fire.?

Even as a rival cluster of Hamas supporters tried to out-chant the group, others insisted Palestinians were united in their fight against Israel.

?Besides Fatah, besides Hamas, we the people of Palestine are all united in challenging the occupation,? said Rami Hijjah, a business student and student council member at Polytechnic University in Hebron who says he hopes ?we all will follow [Jaradat] as martyrs.?

?Palestine will not be liberated until we all sacrifice and feed its soil with our blood,? he said, surrounded by fellow student council members. ?We have to continue this escalation of our protest?. My generation will not stay quiet.?

Few protesters interviewed expressed any hope that Obama would be willing or able to improve the situation when he visits next month. One referred to Israel as America?s ?spoiled child.? But at least some felt they were conveying an important message to him and other world leaders.

?The whole world has given us a deaf ear instead of an open ear and an open eye,? says Sheikh Jaradat. ?I feel this is a strong message to Obama and all the world: Look, we do not accept this miserable situation ? and the injustices committed against our people.?

Source: http://rss.csmonitor.com/~r/feeds/csm/~3/J3XZ4sOgpd0/Amid-mounting-pressures-some-see-potential-for-new-Palestinian-uprising

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Juliana Stock: Tips When Facing Fear and Stress

For years I've lived by the personal mantra, particularly in times of fear and stress -- crippling or otherwise -- feelings aren't facts. For me, it's a simple, clarifying yet true phrase that has seen me through a number of sticky, stressful, even painful moments. Fear can be one of the most crippling of all the emotions. It can paralyze and hinder progress or, when channeled, it can transform into courage.

Fear and stress also have bad raps. Sometimes it's a necessary evil to get to what we really want or need. In my adult life, I've made some difficult decisions that created stressful situations as byproducts. For example, I chose to end a marriage and become a single mother, I chose to eventually get remarried and introduce a stepfather to my two beautiful children, and I chose to make a career change to pursue something I was more passionate about. All of these things came with their share of sadness, stress, fear and tears, but what was on the the other side was joy, laughter, anticipation and excitement.

Between the "before" and "after" in all those situations, I did not lose my fear -- at least not initially. What I've come to understand is that courage isn't the absence of fear at all. It's taking an action or risk, making a move or decision in spite of it, and here are some of the tools that I found were handy:

1. Know this too shall pass: No situation or feeling is forever, not even fear, you just have to have the patience and persistence to wait it out.

2. Perspective is everything: Even before your circumstances change, your perspective might and that is a beautiful thing.

3. Just take the next right action: When it feels like there are a million things to accomplish and it's insurmountable, it's easy to become paralyzed, and that's often when an "all or nothing" mindset can sneak in and take over (example: well, doing that one thing won't fix the whole problem, so why do anything at all?). The fact is, a journey of 100 miles began with the first step, so when I feel overwhelmed and I start focusing on doing the best thing I can do that's right in front of me, I can stay on task, and pretty soon the little tasks start to add up.

4. Identify quantifiable evidence: Feelings may not be facts, but sometimes in moments of high stress or true despair they can be worse. What I try to do -- in moments that are less fraught -- is collect pieces of quantifiable evidence that combat the fear so I can have them in my back pocket. For example, if I fear I will be alone, I have letters and notes from my husband and children that say how much they love me; if the fear is about not being talented in a chosen field, perhaps keep a scrapbook of professional accomplishments.

5. Resist the urge to isolate: When I'm feeling bad, I always want to hibernate. It makes sense... facing the world is the last thing I want to do when I feel like the word "LOSER" is written across my face. The truth is, isolation feeds desperation and only digs the hole deeper. Support systems are really important when getting through moments of stress as is continuing to feel like a citizen of the world.

For more by Juliana Stock, click here.

For more on stress, click here.

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Follow Juliana Stock on Twitter: www.twitter.com/jmkstock

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Source: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/juliana-stock/fear-tips_b_2719373.html

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