Thursday, February 28, 2013

Online gaming in NJ is credit-positive for Borgata, Caesars

Feb 27 (Reuters) - Former world number one Caroline Wozniacki suffered one of her worst career defeats when she bowed out of the Malaysia Open to 186th-ranked Chinese qualifier Qiang Wang on Wednesday. The Dane, top seed at the event in Kuala Lumpur, cruised through the opening set of her first round clash and had a match point in the second before going down 2-6 7-6 6-1. Qualifier Wang, 21, allowed Wozniacki only one point in the second set tiebreak as she levelled the match and rolled through the decider to claim her biggest careeer win. ...

Source: http://news.yahoo.com/online-gaming-nj-credit-positive-borgata-caesars-192341578--finance.html

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Senate Clears Hagel Vote (WSJ)

Share With Friends: Share on FacebookTweet ThisPost to Google-BuzzSend on GmailPost to Linked-InSubscribe to This Feed | Rss To Twitter | Politics - Top Stories News, RSS Feeds and Widgets via Feedzilla.

Source: http://news.feedzilla.com/en_us/stories/politics/top-stories/287563652?client_source=feed&format=rss

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Q&A with Ashley Bell | People's Critic: Film Reviews - seattlepi.com

Actress Ashley Bell took time out to talk about reprising her role as Nell in The Last Exorcism Part 2. We talk about the joy and challenges of playing Nell, working with Eli Roth, and she explains why horror films are great date movies.

Was there any apprehension playing the role of Nell in the Last Exorcism movies?

Ashley Bell: Oh no. It?s such a dream roll for an actress. I come from a theater background. I studied acting at NYU and also the Groundlings in LA. Jumping into a role that was so physically and emotionally demanding was just awesome.

Were there any subtle changes you wanted to make to Nell?s character in The Last Exorcism Part II?

AB: Very much so. With Nell?s character, when I read the script, you think about where she comes from. She?s been broken by the events that have happened in Part 1 and we see this person that?s shattered. She?s putting her life back together and picking up these pieces and there are a lot of pieces missing. There?s a lot of doubt and a lot of questions. In these questions is where the temptation comes in.

You see this arc in the first film of Nell not knowing what?s going on and then all these events start happening. I thought you played that very well. I know that?s tough to give a character layers without much dialogue.

AB: I really appreciate that. Growing up I was a huge fan of horror movies. There?s nothing more fun than going into a movie with a smile because you know you?re going to be scared to death [laughs]. There?s something thrilling about sitting there waiting for a scare to happen. When I saw Part 2 for the first time, people were jumping into each other arms. The film packs a lot of really fun scares. There?s also a real surprise ending. It?s really something only Eli Roth can pull off.

With your families acting background, was acting something you always wanted to do?

AB: Growing up I always wanted to always be something new. I thought if I was an actress, I would have a chance at doing it all. What?s incredible about this profession is every role you play; you learn a different skill set. That really appealed to me.

What was it like working with Eli Roth?

AB: Eli is such a master of the horror genre. He knows it so well, so he can break all the rules. He knows what hasn?t been seen, and how to make a twist to turn a film on its head and surprise audiences. I saw him work in the editing room and he?s like a magician. He knows how to turn a scene that?s scary into something truly horrifying.

I remember that when he did Cabin Fever and Hostile. He really pushed the envelope.

AB: What I loved about the Hostile movies was the revenge element. The characters get revenge and the 13 year old boy in me loves that. Audiences will be surprised when they see The Last Exorcism Part 2, Nell gets revenge.

In Part 2 what was your favorite scene to shoot?

AB: It?s really important to do all of my own physicality. I was important in Part 2 to one up the backbend. There?s a levitating backbend and that?s a really challenging stunt to do. It was one of the most exhilarating days on set. There was a stunt crew and they ok?d me to do it six times and we ended up doing the scene twenty times. Every take was more and more intense. We kept on adding things to it and the crew was involved. It was great. At the end of the day if somebody asked what I did today I could say, ?Well, I flew.? Who gets to say that?

As great as it is to be part of horror films, I?m jumping into a few other genres. I?m coming out in a romantic comedy called The Bounceback that?s premiering at SXSW. I?m also doing an action film called The Marine. It?s straight up action. I?m jumping through windows, cars are exploding, and I run around on an abandoned ship. I?m also stepping behind the camera. This year, I visited Cambodia to do a documentary on elephants called Love and Bananas. You can find out more information at loveandbananas.com.

Anything fans could look forward to in Part 2.

AB: I always say horror films are great date movies. In the first twenty minutes you?re going to end up in each other?s arms. [laughs]

[laughs] That?s a great tip

The Last Exorcism Part 2 opens in theaters on 3/1

Source: http://blog.seattlepi.com/peoplescritic/2013/02/26/qa-with-ashley-bell/

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Free Library Continuing Education Events for March

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

Source: http://www.vermontlibraries.org/free-library-continuing-education-events-for-march

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Wednesday, February 27, 2013

APNewsBreak: Taliban attacks not down after all

FILE - In this Jan. 26, 2012 file photo, an Afghan solider, left, stands guard at the scene of a suicide attack in Lashkar Gah, Helmand province south of Kabul, Afghanistan. The U.S.-led military coalition in Afghanistan incorrectly reported a decline in Taliban attacks last year, and officials said Tuesday that there was actually no change in the number of attacks on international troops from 2011 to 2012. (AP Photo/Abdul Khaleq, File)

FILE - In this Jan. 26, 2012 file photo, an Afghan solider, left, stands guard at the scene of a suicide attack in Lashkar Gah, Helmand province south of Kabul, Afghanistan. The U.S.-led military coalition in Afghanistan incorrectly reported a decline in Taliban attacks last year, and officials said Tuesday that there was actually no change in the number of attacks on international troops from 2011 to 2012. (AP Photo/Abdul Khaleq, File)

FILE - In this Feb. 13, 2013 file photo, outgoing Defense Secretary Leon Panetta speaks during his last news conference as defense secretary. at the Pentagon. The U.S.-led military coalition in Afghanistan incorrectly reported a decline in Taliban attacks last year, and officials said Tuesday that there was actually no change in the number of attacks on international troops from 2011 to 2012. In mid-December, Panetta said "violence is down," in 2012, and that Afghan forces "have gotten much better at providing security" in areas where they have taken the lead role. He said the Taliban can be expected to continue to attack, "but overall they are losing." (AP Photo/Susan Walsh, File)

WASHINGTON (AP) ? The American-led military coalition in Afghanistan backed off Tuesday from its claim that Taliban attacks dropped off in 2012, tacitly acknowledging a hole in its widely repeated argument that violence is easing and that the insurgency is in steep decline.

In response to Associated Press inquiries about its latest series of statistics on security in Afghanistan, the coalition command in Kabul said it had erred in reporting a 7 percent decline in attacks. In fact there was no decline at all, officials said.

Defense Secretary Leon Panetta, who is among the senior officials who had publicly repeated the assertion of an encouraging drop-off in Taliban attacks last year, was disturbed to learn of the error, said his spokesman, George Little.

"This particular set of metrics doesn't tell the full story of progress against the Taliban, of course, but it's unhelpful to have inaccurate information in our systems," Little said.

A coalition spokesman, Jamie Graybeal, attributed the miscounting to clerical errors and said the problem does not change officials' basic assessment of the war, which they say is on a positive track as American and allied forces withdraw.

The 7 percent figure had been included in a report posted on the website of the coalition, the International Security Assistance Force, on Jan. 22 as part of its monthly update on trends in security and violence. It was removed from the website recently without explanation. After the AP asked last week about the missing report, coalition officials said they were correcting the data and would re-publish the report. As of Tuesday afternoon it had not reappeared.

It was not clear whether or how the Pentagon might correct a separate report ? its semi-annual report to Congress on security progress in Afghanistan, which used some of the same Taliban-attack statistics. The report was sent to Congress in December.

"We'll look at any adjustments that need to be made" to that report, Little said.

U.S. and allied officials have often cited declining violence as a sign that the Taliban have been degraded and that Afghan forces are in position to take the lead security role across the country when the last U.S. combat troops leave Dec. 31, 2014.

In mid-December, Panetta said "violence is down" for 2012 and Afghan forces "have gotten much better at providing security" in areas where they have taken the lead. He said the Taliban could be expected to continue to attack, "but overall they are losing."

Little said Panetta was briefed only "very recently" on the erroneous data.

U.S. and alliance officials try to measure progress against the Taliban from a variety of angles. Those include, for example, indications that the Taliban have lost much of their influence in population centers.

"The fact that 80 percent of the violence has been taking place in areas where less than 20 percent of the Afghan population lives remains unchanged," Little said.

The Taliban have lost a good deal of territory since a 2010 surge of U.S. forces in the southern provinces of Helmand and Kandahar, and they failed to recover it during the past two fighting seasons. Even so, they are resilient, and they are expected to severely test Afghan forces as the U.S. and its coalition partners step further into the background this year and complete their combat mission next year.

Many people, including coalition officials, have cautioned against the heavy reliance on statistics in assessing war progress. Yet the figures often are highlighted when they fit the narrative being promoted by leaders in Washington and other allied capitals.

"It is disturbing that, after 10 years of war, no reliable count of trends in violence exist even in terms of deaths, the most visible form of violence and one that is only a small portion of the actual causes and patterns of violence in the war," Anthony Cordesman of the Center for Strategic and International Studies wrote in February 2012.

Graybeal did not fully explain erroneous reporting of 2012 Taliban attacks by the International Security Assistance Force. It was not clear, for example, at what point the data errors began or who discovered them.

"During a quality control check, ISAF recently became aware that some data was incorrectly entered into the database that is used for tracking security-related incidents across Afghanistan," Graybeal said earlier.

He said an audit determined that portions of the data from unilateral Afghan military operations were "not properly reflected" in the trends ISAF had reported in its monthly updates.

"After including this unilateral ANSF (Afghan National Security Force) data into our database, we have determined that there was no change in the total number of EIAs (enemy initiated attacks) from 2011 to 2012," Graybeal said.

"This was a record-keeping error that we recognized and have now corrected," he added.

While ISAF routinely reports trends in Taliban attacks, it does not reveal exact numbers of attacks. Judging from its illustrative charts, however, it appears that there were more than 28,000 Taliban "enemy initiated" attacks in 2011.

The coalition defines enemy initiated attacks as those by small arms, mortars, rockets and improvised explosive devices, or IEDs. But it does not include IEDs that are found and cleared before they explode.

Trends in Taliban attacks are one yardstick used by ISAF to measure war progress. Others include the state of security in populated areas, the number of coalition and Afghan casualties, the level of economic activity, the degree to which civilians can move about freely and the performance of Afghan security forces.

Graybeal said that even though the number of 2012 Taliban attacks was unchanged from 2011, "our assessment of the fundamentals of campaign progress has not changed. The enemy is increasingly separated from the population, and the ANSF are currently in the lead for the vast majority of partnered operations."

___

Follow Robert Burns on Twitter at http://www.twitter.com/robertburnsAP

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/cae69a7523db45408eeb2b3a98c0c9c5/Article_2013-02-26-Insurgent-Attacks-Error/id-d6c6f59a54c34b0abb87d7d7d8ccfe49

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Shapes Of Things

House of CardsSure, there's a second screen these days. But it's not the one you might think. The second screen is the TV, where the decaying rules remain in force as network comedies atrophy and the fall season is rife with cancellation. The first screen is the mini, managing the push notification appointment calendar and relationships of the binge viewers as they kibitz, joke, and narrate the stream economy.

Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/Techcrunch/~3/BNbTpkGatvs/

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Barnes & Noble chair wants to buy retail business

Barnes & Noble founder and Chairman Leonard Riggio has told the book seller he is going to try to buy the company's retail business.

The news sent shares up nearly 9 percent in midday trading.

Riggio disclosed in a regulatory filing Monday that he wants to acquire the company's stores and website, but not the business that makes the Nook e-reader or the company's college bookstores. No price was disclosed.

It's the latest attempt by a company founder to take back control of all or part of a company he founded. Best Buy's co-founder Richard Schulze is mulling a bid for the electronics retailer, and Michael Dell earlier this month announced a $24.4 billion deal to take the namesake computer company he founded private. The deals are a way executives can have more control over companies without the need to run everything by shareholders.

"When you've got control outside public eye or public market, you can invest and translate your strategy at your own pace," said Morningstar analyst Peter Wahlstrom.

Riggio, who founded Barnes & Noble in the 1970s and helped it expand its "big box" presence, is Barnes & Noble's largest shareholder, with nearly 30 percent of the company's shares. (While Riggio didn't found the original Barnes & Noble store in New York, which opened in 1917, he bought the store and brand name in the 1970s to create the current-day company.)

Barnes & Noble said the offer will be considered by a committee of three independent directors. But there is no set timetable for the process.

The New York-based bookseller has been struggling to find its place in the retail landscape as more readers have shifted to electronic books and competition has grown from discount stores and online competitors.

It has invested heavily in its Nook e-book readers and digital library and struck a deal with Microsoft last April to create a Nook subsidiary.

But the Nook faces tough competition from other devices like Apple's iPad Mini, Amazon's Kindle and Google's Nexus tablet.

Earlier this month, the company said it expects Nook media revenue of less than $3 billion. It also anticipates a loss for the unit before interest, taxes, depreciation and amortization to exceed the $262 million loss recorded in its 2012 fiscal year.

This follows a report from the retailer in January that its Nook unit revenue fell 12.6 percent to $311 million during the critical holiday period. Overall sales during the holiday period fell 10.9 percent at bookstores and online compared with a year ago. Barnes & Noble is scheduled to report third-quarter results Thursday.

The filing with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission said Riggio will seek to negotiate a price with Barnes & Noble's board and pay for the deal with cash and debt.

Riggio is making the offer in order to facilitate the company's review of its strategic options for separating its Nook business, according to the filing.

Morningstar's Wahlstrom said the deal makes sense considering the retail side of the business has been overshadowed by investments needed for the Nook business.

"The retail business for Barnes & Noble is mature-slash-declining, but it's profitable," he said. "The company has done a good job executing amid a pretty challenging environment."

Wahlstrom added that the move by Riggio was not unexpected and has been a possibility for years. His large stake in the company and history would likely make finding any extra needed financing not much of a problem, he said.

"Riggio feels like he can run it better than just about anyone else, and with four decades of operating history there's not much reason to believe that he can't," he said.

Barnes & Noble operates 689 bookstores in 50 states and 674 college bookstores.

Shares rose $1.18, or 8.8 percent, to $14.69. Its shares have traded in a 52-week range of $10.45 in mid-April to $26 later that same month.

Copyright 2013 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Source: http://phys.org/news/2013-02-barnes-noble-chair-retail-business.html

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Omar tries to dispel fears over police bill (Lead)

Srinagar, Feb 26

Jammu and Kashmir Chief Minister Omar Abdullah Tuesday sought to dispel fears expressed by civil society representatives that the proposed state police bill would give sweeping powers to the constabulary.

Abdullah clarified that the very intention of placing the draft of the proposed police bill in the public domain was to receive the public feedback which could then be incorporated in the draft bill before it is put to vote in the state legislature.

"Why this manufactured outrage regarding the draft police bill? It hasn't passed public scrutiny let alone been seen by me and the cabinet," he wrote on his micro-blogging site Twitter.

"Public feedback will be incorporated; Law Deptt will vet, I will clear it, cabinet will approve it, both legislative houses will vote on it. It will THEN go to Governor for his signature & FINALLY it is implemented so there is NO chance of bad legislation passing scrutiny," Abdullah said.

"This is why I ordered the Home Deptt to put this in public domain in the Ist instance so that feedback would lead to better legislation."

There has been a controversy in the civil society, especially in Kashmir, during the last few days with many arguing that instead of implementing its promise of having the controversial Armed Forces Special Powers Act (AFSPA) revoked, the government was trying to bring in a legislation that would give sweeping powers to police.

But Principal Secretary, Home, Suresh Kumar said the draft Jammu and Kashmir Police Bill had to go through rigorous process of scrutiny like discussions and debate before it becomes a law.

"This is merely a draft bill, which could undergo changes after considerations of suggestions from public and other quarters," he said at a press conference in Jammu.

On the limited time given to public for suggestions, he said the time has been extended till March 1.

Mirwaiz Umer Farooq, chairman of the moderate Hurriyat group, has called the proposed bill "a potential martial law" while opposition People's Democratic Party president Mehbooba Mufti has labelled it as another "draconian law".

The 76-page Jammu and Kashmir Police Bill, 2013, posted on the state home department's website Feb 15, allows the state to declare any area disturbed, proposing setting up "Special Security Zones (SSZs) where administrative and development measures are integrated with police response for problems of public order and security".

The bill proposes that police will be able to set up and arm village defence committees and recruit special police officers (SPOs).

Under the draft legislation, a police officer would be considered "always on duty" and the government as well as the complaints authority deputed to hear cases against him/her would have legal immunity regarding decisions taken by them "in good faith or intended to be done in pursuance of the provisions".

In comparison, immunity under the AFSPA is available only to the army and the central paramilitary forces in areas where the act is extended and not to the local police.

Source: http://www.prokerala.com/news/articles/a362638.html

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Pope to be called 'emeritus pope,' will wear white

Two nuns walk past a photo of Pope Benedict XVI as they leave a souvenir shop just outside the Vatican, Tuesday, Feb. 26, 2013. Pope Benedict XVI will be known as "emeritus pope" in his retirement and will continue to wear a white cassock, the Vatican announced Tuesday, again fueling concerns about potential conflicts arising from having both a reigning and a retired pope. The pope's title and what he would wear have been a major source of speculation ever since Benedict stunned the world and announced he would resign on Thursday, the first pontiff to do so in 600 years. (AP Photo/Andrew Medichini)

Two nuns walk past a photo of Pope Benedict XVI as they leave a souvenir shop just outside the Vatican, Tuesday, Feb. 26, 2013. Pope Benedict XVI will be known as "emeritus pope" in his retirement and will continue to wear a white cassock, the Vatican announced Tuesday, again fueling concerns about potential conflicts arising from having both a reigning and a retired pope. The pope's title and what he would wear have been a major source of speculation ever since Benedict stunned the world and announced he would resign on Thursday, the first pontiff to do so in 600 years. (AP Photo/Andrew Medichini)

Workers sets up a stage for the media next to St Peter's Square ahead of Pope Benedict XVI's last public audience Wednesday, at the Vatican, Tuesday, Feb. 26, 2013. Pope Benedict XVI has changed the rules of the conclave that will elect his successor, allowing cardinals to move up the start date if all of them arrive in Rome before the usual 15-day transition between pontificates. Benedict signed a legal document, issued Monday, with some line-by-line changes to the 1996 Vatican law governing the election of a new pope. It is one of his last acts as pope before resigning Thursday. (AP Photo/Oded Balilty)

Posters of Pope Benedict XVI are pictured at a gift shop near the St. Peter's Basilica, at the Vatican, Tuesday, Feb. 26, 2013. Slogan between the pictures reads 'Thanks' in Italian. The Vatican on Tuesday answered some of the outstanding questions about Pope Benedict XVI's future once he's retired, saying he'll be known as "emeritus pope" and continue to wear a white cassock. (AP Photo/Michael Sohn)

A woman takes photos next to portraits of Pope Benedict XVI, outside a bookshop near the Vatican, Tuesday, Feb. 26, 2013. Pope Benedict XVI will be known as "emeritus pope" in his retirement and will continue to wear a white cassock, the Vatican announced Tuesday, again fueling concerns about potential conflicts arising from having both a reigning and a retired pope. The pope's title and what he would wear have been a major source of speculation ever since Benedict stunned the world and announced he would resign on Thursday, the first pontiff to do so in 600 years. (AP Photo/Dmitry Lovetsky)

(AP) ? Pope Benedict XVI will be known as "emeritus pope" in his retirement and will continue to wear a white cassock, the Vatican announced Tuesday, again fueling concerns about potential conflicts arising from having both a reigning and a retired pope.

The pope's title and what he would wear have been a major source of speculation ever since Benedict stunned the world and announced he would resign on Thursday, the first pontiff to do so in 600 years.

The Vatican spokesman, the Rev. Federico Lombardi, said Benedict himself had made the decision in consultation with others, settling on "Your Holiness Benedict XVI" and either emeritus pope or emeritus Roman pontiff.

Lombardi said he didn't know why Benedict had decided to drop his other main title: bishop of Rome.

In the two weeks since Benedict's resignation announcement, Vatican officials had suggested that Benedict would likely resume wearing the traditional black garb of a cleric and would use the title "emeritus bishop of Rome" so as to not create confusion with the future pope.

Benedict's decision to call himself emeritus pope and to keep wearing white is sure to fan concern voiced privately by some cardinals about the awkward reality of having two popes, both living within the Vatican walls.

Adding to the concern is that Benedict's trusted secretary, Monsignor Georg Gaenswein, will be serving both pontiffs ? living with Benedict at the monastery inside the Vatican and keeping his day job as prefect of the new pope's household.

Asked about the potential conflicts, Lombardi was defensive, saying the decisions had been clearly reasoned and were likely chosen for the sake of simplicity.

"I believe it was well thought out," he said.

Benedict himself has made clear he is retiring to a lifetime of prayer and meditation "hidden from the world." However, he still will be very present in the tiny Vatican city-state, where his new home is right next door to the Vatican Radio and has a lovely view of the dome of St. Peter's Basilica.

While he will no longer wear his trademark red shoes, Benedict has taken a liking to a pair of hand-crafted brown loafers made for him by artisans in Leon, Mexico, and given to him during his 2012 visit. He will wear those in retirement, Lombardi said.

Lombardi also elaborated on the College of Cardinals meetings that will take place after the papacy becomes vacant ? crucial gatherings in which cardinals will discuss the problems facing the church and set a date for the start of the conclave to elect Benedict's successor.

The first meeting isn't now expected until Monday, Lombardi said, since the official convocation to cardinals to come to Rome will only go out on Friday ? the first day of what's known as the "sede vacante," or the vacancy between papacies.

In all, 115 cardinals under the age of 80 are expected in Rome for the conclave to vote on who should become the next pope; two other eligible cardinals have already said they are not coming, one from Britain and another from Indonesia. Cardinals who are 80 and older can join the College meetings but won't participate in the conclave or vote.

Benedict on Monday gave the cardinals the go-ahead to move up the start date of the conclave ? tossing out the traditional 15-day waiting period. But the cardinals won't actually set a date for the conclave until they begin meeting officially Monday.

Lombardi also further described Benedict's final 48 hours as pope: On Tuesday, he was packing, arranging for documents to be sent to the various archives at the Vatican and separating out the personal papers he will take with him into retirement.

On Wednesday, Benedict will hold his final public general audience in St. Peter's Square ? an event that has already seen 50,000 ticket requests. He won't greet visiting prelates or VIPs as he normally does at the end but will greet some visiting leaders ? from Slovakia, San Marino, Andorra and his native Bavaria ? privately afterwards.

On Thursday, the pope meets with his cardinals in the morning and then flies by helicopter at 5 p.m. to Castel Gandolfo, the papal residence south of Rome. He will greet parishioners there from the palazzo's loggia (balcony) ? his final public act as pope.

And at 8 p.m., the exact time at which his retirement becomes official, the Swiss Guards standing outside the doors of the palazzo at Castel Gandolfo will go off duty, their service protecting the head of the Catholic Church now finished.

Benedict's personal security will be assured by Vatican police, Lombardi said.

___

Follow Nicole Winfield at www.twitter.com/nwinfield

Associated Press

Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/cae69a7523db45408eeb2b3a98c0c9c5/Article_2013-02-26-EU-Vatican-Pope/id-ccee7af13f434b54a149b59d32e9f87c

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Tuesday, February 26, 2013

Titanic undertaking: Classic ocean liners coming back

Just over a century after the Titanic sank to the bottom of the North Atlantic, an Australian billionaire has officially floated plans to build a successor.

On Tuesday, Clive Palmer, chairman of Brisbane-based Blue Star Line, revealed blueprints for Titanic II, a ?full-scale re-creation? of the illustrious, if ill-fated, ship at a press conference on the Intrepid Air, Sea & Space Museum in New York.

Set to sail in 2016, the ship is one of several ? the QE2 and SS United States are among the others ? that seek, in one or way or another, to recapture the glory days of the great ocean liners and ensure that their legends live on.

First up: Titanic, or more precisely, Titanic II, a modern-day version of the ship that sank on its maiden voyage in April 1912. During today?s press conference, Palmer referred to the original as a ?ship of dreams? and its successor as a ship ?where dreams come true.?

As envisioned, that dream entails building an 883-foot-long, 55,800-ton vessel with space for 2,435 passengers. That?s small by today?s standards ? the Queen Mary 2 measures 151,000 tons; the Oasis of the Seas, 220,000 tons ? but big enough to offer a casino, gymnasium and other features reminiscent of the original.

In other nods to the past, passengers will wear period clothing from 1912 and be able to book passage in first, second or third class.

"It will be 98% the same," Palmer told the BBC last year. Presumably, the other 2% will apply to the welded (not riveted) hull, the modern propulsion system and the addition of enough lifeboats to preclude problems with things that go bump in the night at sea.

While Palmer declined to discuss the cost of the ship, other ocean liner aficionados have expressed doubts about the viability of the project ever since the idea was first floated last year.

?It?s like a Disneyland representation of the Titanic,? said maritime historian Peter Knego. ?You can?t build with wood anymore, you can?t rivet, you can?t do all the things that made the Titanic what she was.?

Nor, says Knego, can you ignore the fact that the vast majority of today?s cruisers prefer ships with waterparks, climbing walls and other resort-style amenities. By comparison, interest in transatlantic crossings, like the ones Titanic II is expected to begin making in 2016, went into sharp decline the moment Pan Am and BOAC began flying jets across the pond in 1958.

?There?s probably a couple thousand people in the world who?d be fascinated by a transatlantic crossing on a replica of the Titanic,? Knego told NBC News. ?It would also have to compete against the Queen Mary 2 and there are times that the QM2 isn?t even full.?

Original ships, alternative uses
While Titanic II seeks to turn back the clock to the glory days of the ocean-liner era, proof that time doesn?t stand still sits, rusting and peeling, at a dock in Philadelphia. Originally launched in 1952, the SS United States was as famous in its day as the Titanic was 40 years earlier but without the morbid associations.

?It?s the most famous ship that didn?t sink,? said Susan Gibbs, executive director of the SS United States Conservancy, which seeks to preserve the vessel. ?It?s still with us and is by many accounts one of the most storied U.S. liners ever built.?

That story, much condensed, goes like this: Entering transatlantic service in 1952, the ship immediately became the unofficial flagship of the U.S. fleet, recognizable for its knife-like bow and red, white and blue funnels. She broke the transatlantic speed record on her maiden voyage and holds the westbound record for fastest passenger service to this day.

?When she was built, she represented the country,? said Knego. ?People were aware of her like they?re aware of the space shuttle now.?

Alas, the subsequent rise of transatlantic jet service essentially killed the market for transatlantic sailings and the ship was taken out of service in 1969. Since then, it?s had several owners, been stripped of its fittings and avoided several dates with the scrapyard.

Since 1996, the ship has sat at the dock in Philadelphia, its hull streaked with rust and its red, white and blue funnels faded to shades of pink and gray. The good news is that the ship is structurally sound and asbestos-free; the bad news is that carrying costs (maintenance, insurance, etc.) average $75,000 per month.

?That?s a heavy lift and one that can?t be borne indefinitely,? said Gibbs, who, it turns out, is the granddaughter of the ship?s designer, William Francis Gibbs. Scrapping the ship remains a threat, ?but everyone involved will work their hearts out to avoid that fate,? she told NBC News.

Those efforts include a grassroots campaign called SaveTheUnitedStates.org and and plans to turn the ship into a waterfront attraction with hotels, retail outlets and a museum dedicated to the ship, 20th century design and the American ingenuity that underscored it.

According to Gibbs, discussions have been undertaken with several municipalities that might host the ship with New York being the most likely venue: ?It was the ship?s homeport during its service career; it attracts a lot of tourists, and it?s a bustling city with high hotel occupancy rates.?

The effort would not come cheap but it?s also not without precedent. The first Queen Mary has been a dockside hotel/tourist attraction in Long Beach, Calif., since the early 1970s, although, it, too, has faced a series of financial setbacks.

More recently, the Queen Elizabeth 2, or QE2, which has been sitting idle in Dubai since 2008, was sold to Oceanic Group, a Singaporean company that plans to turn it into a hotel/attraction in an as-yet-unnamed Asian city.

Given the above, it?s clear that these grand old ships have incredible appeal just as there?s no denying that their futures are marked by ocean-liner-sized question marks. For Clive Palmer, it?s about recapturing the essence of one iconic vessel; for Susan Gibbs, it?s about ensuring that the essence of another isn?t lost forever.

For his part, Peter Knego has his own wish: ?For people who appreciate classic skyscrapers and old movie theaters, scrapping the United States would be like demolishing the Empire State Building,? he told NBC News. ? If only (Palmer) would invest in the ship instead of recreating one that never completed its maiden voyage ...?

Rob Lovitt is a longtime travel writer who still believes the journey is as important as the destination. Follow him at Twitter.

Source: http://www.nbcnews.com/travel/itineraries/titanic-undertakings-can-classic-ocean-liners-make-comeback-1C8543842

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Nexus One launched into space on CubeSat, becomes first PhoneSat in orbit (video)

Nexus One launched into space on CubeSat, becomes first PhoneSat in orbit (video)

Google's Nexus One has dreamt of space travel for a while now, but on Monday it was finally launched into orbit aboard a CubeSat dubbed STRaND-1, which was developed by Surrey Satellite Technology and the University of Surrey's Surrey Space Centre. STRaND-1 now holds the honor of being the first PhoneSat and UK CubeSat that has made it into orbit. Alongside the HTC-made handset are an altitude and orbit control system, two propulsion setups and a Linux-based computer with a "high-speed" processor. After the Tux-friendly rig conducts a battery of tests, it'll relinquish control of much of the satellite's functions to the smartphone, which still runs Android.

Not only will the mission test how commercial, off-the-shelf tech can survive in the vacuum and conduct experiments, but it'll squeeze in some fun courtesy of apps developed by winners of a competition held last year. An app called 360 will let folks back on terra firma request their own snapshots of earth taken with the phone's shooter and pin them to a map. Ridley Scott might like to say no one can hear you scream in space, but another application loaded onto the device will put that to the test by playing user-submitted shrieks and recording them with the handset's microphone as they playback. Hit the break for more details and a brief video overview of the satellite, or jab the more coverage links to partake in the app shenanigans.

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Via: CNET

Source: Surrey Satellite Technology LTD

Source: http://www.engadget.com/2013/02/26/google-nexus-one-launched-into-space-cubesat-phonesat-strand-1/

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    Group: Syrian missiles kill at least 141 in Aleppo

    A Syrian villager, Abu Ibrahim, 73, writes the name of his granddaughter on her grave who was killed from an airstrike by Syrian government forces, at Jabal al-Zaweya village of Sarja, in Idlib, Syria, Sunday, Feb. 24, 2013. Syrian rebels used captured tanks to launch a fresh offensive on a government complex housing a police academy near Aleppo and clashed with government troops protecting the strategic installation on Sunday. (AP Photo/Hussein Malla)

    A Syrian villager, Abu Ibrahim, 73, writes the name of his granddaughter on her grave who was killed from an airstrike by Syrian government forces, at Jabal al-Zaweya village of Sarja, in Idlib, Syria, Sunday, Feb. 24, 2013. Syrian rebels used captured tanks to launch a fresh offensive on a government complex housing a police academy near Aleppo and clashed with government troops protecting the strategic installation on Sunday. (AP Photo/Hussein Malla)

    (AP) ? At least 141 people, half of them children, were killed when the Syrian military fired at least four missiles into the northern province of Aleppo last week, Human Rights Watch said Tuesday.

    The international rights group said the strikes hit residential areas and called them an "escalation of unlawful attacks against Syria's civilian population." The statement from the New York-based group followed a visit to the area by a HRW researcher.

    Aleppo, Syria's largest city, has been the scene of some of the heaviest fighting of the civil war pitting President Bashar Assad's regime against rebels fighting to oust him.

    Rebels quickly seized several neighborhoods in an offensive on the city in July, but the government still controls some districts and the battle has developed into a bloody stalemate, with heavy street fighting that has ruined neighborhoods and forced thousands to flee.

    A Human Rights Watch researcher who visited Aleppo last week to inspect the targeted sites, said up to 20 buildings were destroyed in each area hit by a missile. There were no signs of any military targets in the residential districts, located in rebel-held parts of Aleppo and its northern countryside, said Ole Solvang, the HRW's researcher.

    "Just when you think things can't get any worse, the Syrian government finds ways to escalate its killing tactics," Solvang said.

    Human rights watch said 71 children were among the 141 people killed in the four missile strikes on three opposition-controlled neighborhoods in eastern Aleppo. It listed the names of the targeted neighborhoods as Jabal Badro, Tariq al-Bab and Ard al-Hamra. The fourth strike documented by the group was in Tel Rifat, north of Aleppo.

    "The extent of the damage from a single strike, the lack of (military) aircraft in the area at the time, and reports of ballistic missiles being launched from a military base near Damascus overwhelmingly suggest that government forces struck these areas with ballistic missiles," the report said.

    Syrian anti-regime activists first reported the attacks last week, saying they involved ground-to-ground missiles, and killed dozens of people. The reports could not be independently confirmed because Syrian authorities severely restrict access to media.

    Human Rights Watch said it compiled a list of those killed in the missile strikes from cemetery burial records, interviews with relatives and neighbors, and information from the Aleppo Media Center and the Violations Documentation Center, a network of local activists.

    The rebels control large swaths of land in northeastern Syria. In recent weeks, Assad's regime has lost control of several sites with key infrastructure in that part of the country, including a hydroelectric dam, a major oil field and two army bases along the road linking Aleppo with the airport to its east.

    A key focus for the rebels in the Aleppo area is to capture the city's international airport, which the opposition fighters have been attacking for weeks.

    Opposition forces have also been hitting the heart of Damascus with occasional mortars shells or bombings, posing a stiff challenge to the regime in its seat of power.

    U.S. and NATO officials have previously said that Syria has a significant ballistic missile capability and is believed to have a few hundred missiles with a range of some 700 kilometers (440 miles) that could hit targets deep inside Turkey, a NATO member and one of the harshest critics of the Assad regime.

    NATO has in recent weeks deployed Patriot missile systems along Turkey's border with Syria.

    The missile attacks have outraged the leaders of the exiled opposition who have accused their Western backers of indifference to the suffering of the Syrian people.

    Associated Press

    Source: http://hosted2.ap.org/APDEFAULT/3d281c11a96b4ad082fe88aa0db04305/Article_2013-02-26-Syria-Missiles/id-cf912ba74d76461fa127bf4930689f3c

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