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True Bugs Library
Crabs, lobsters, spiders, insects, centipedes, and millipedes these creatures all belong to the phylum Arthropoda, the most successful group of animals on Earth. Indeed, arthropods far outnumber all other types of animals combined, with an estimated 1 million species. Insects alone number more than 700,000 species, accounting for some 80 percent of all animals on Earth. Scientists predict that nearly as many await discovery. The arthropods, or "joint-footed" animals, also fill every imaginable environment, from the deepest ocean trenches to the highest mountain peaks, from the frozen wasteland of Antarctica to the broiling Mojave Desert in the western United States. Arthropods such as mites and lice flourish on the bodies of almost every kind of animal on Earth.
A Basic Body Plan
Despite their vast number and varied existence, all arthropods share certain characteristics. The most important may be their stiff covering, or exoskeleton. This development set the first arthropods apart from their soft-bodied ancestors, and may be what allowed some early arthropods to crawl out of the water without drying out in the open air or sagging under their own weight. Thanks to their exoskeletons, arthropods became the world's first land animals some 300 million years ago.
This all-important exoskeleton is secreted by the outer layer of the arthropod's three-layer skin. The outer coating is a waxy protein. The middle horny layer and an inner flexible one are made of chitin, a tough polysaccharide, or complex sugar. The union of these three layers creates a tough covering that protects the arthropod's soft body like a suit of armor. For added protection, the exoskeleton of ocean-dwelling arthropods (the crustaceans) is strengthened by the addition of the mineral calcium carbonate. The result is a rock-hard outer shell, familiar to anyone who has ever cracked open a lobster or crab leg.
The arthropod's exoskeleton conveys still another great advantage: its inner surface provides an anchoring place for muscles. This enables the complex movements that power the arthropod's many jointed appendages.
For all of its wonders, the arthropod's exoskeleton comes with one rather serious drawback: it does not stretch or expand. Arthropods must therefore periodically replace their shells as they grow or change shape. They do this through a process called molting. When it molts, the arthropod literally bursts its old shell at the seams and backs out of it. This reveals a new, better-fitting exoskeleton that must then thicken and harden. No doubt this process requires a lot of energy. In addition, molting leaves the arthropod temporarily soft and vulnerable, until its new covering hardens.
All species of arthropods also share a basic body plan. Their bodies are segmented, or divided into distinct parts. The exact number of these segments varies from species to species; the segments tend to be fused together in groups to create distinct body regions such as head, thorax, and abdomen.
Arthropods have a large number of segmented appendages, or limbs; a pair of each can arise from each body segment. Evolution has fashioned these appendages into a brilliant array of forms. In addition to walking legs, arthropod appendages include antennae, mandibles (mouthparts), claws, swimming paddles, wings, and reproductive structures.
A typical arthropod has a simple brain, an amazing set of sense organs, and a nervous system that connects the two. Colorless blood flows through the arthropod's body to nourish these as well as the other organ systems. In the simplest arthropod species, this fluid simply squishes to and fro. Larger crustaceans such as lobsters and crabs have a true heart and a few simple blood vessels.
Like all animals, arthropods need oxygen to survive. Some small arthropods simply absorb oxygen through their thin body coverings. Larger aquatic species breathe through feathery, fishlike gills. Insects and some other land arthropods breathe through a system of tiny body tubes called tracheae. Others, such as spiders and scorpions, breathe through "book lungs" air-filled cavities that contain thin tissues resembling the pages of a book. Both tracheae and book lungs are unique to the arthropods.
Typically, arthropods have reproductive systems that are either distinctly male or female, and therefore reproduce sexually. Exceptions include the barnacles, many of which have both male and female parts in each individual.
Groups of Arthropods
The arthropods are often classified, or divided, into four distinct groups, or subphyla. They are Chelicerata, Crustacea, Uniramia, and Trilobita. These subphyla in turn are divided into several classes. The largest of these classes are the crustaceans (within Crustacea), the insects (within Uniramia), and the arachnids (within Chelicerata). Within these classes are an almost infinite number of species. The members of Trilobita, the trilobites, are all extinct.
The Chelicerates
The chelicerates include horseshoe crabs, sea spiders, and the arachnids. The most familiar arachnids are the spiders, scorpions, and ticks. All these animals share a common body plan. The head and mid-body are fused together to form the cephalothorax. Behind it is a distinct abdomen, which has a tail-like appearance in many species.
Unlike other arthropods, cheliceratids lack antennae and jaws. Instead, the first pair of appendages is a pair of pincers, or fangs, called chelicerae. Behind these are five more pairs of appendages: a set of touching organs called pedipalps and four pairs of walking legs.
The most abundant and familiar chelicerates are the arachnids, a class of 30,000 species that includes spiders, scorpions, mites, ticks, and daddy longlegs. In spiders, the sharp chelicerae connect to a pair of poison glands used to subdue prey and ward off attackers. Spiders also bear a set of special abdominal limbs that they use to spin silk.
Horseshoe crabs are unique among the chelicerates. The last surviving members of the class Merostomata, they appear much as they did 400 million years ago. The horseshoe crab's body is divided into three parts. The prosoma, or head, bears chelicerae and five pairs of walking legs. The trunk bears breathing appendages called opisthosoma. Last comes the horseshoe crab's unique spikelike tail, or telson. There are as few as five species alive today.
Sea spiders also evolved from an ancient class. Their bodies are divided into a head, a cylinder-shaped thorax with legs, and a small abdomen. The 600 species of sea spiders that still exist today are especially common in cold, polar waters, although they occur in all seas except the Caspian. Some live an astonishing 21,500 feet (6,550 meters) beneath the surface!
The Crustaceans
Crustaceans are found primarily in water. Unlike the two-part body of the chelicerate, the crustacean body is divided into three parts: head, thorax, and a tail-like abdomen. Covering the entire body is a "crusty" exoskeleton reinforced with calcium extracted from the water. The body appendages of the crustacean are jointed and branched. This can be seen best in the large claws of lobsters and crabs. When one of these appendages is damaged or lost, the crustacean has the remarkable ability to simply grow a replacement.
Instead of pincers, or chelicerae, the crustacean's mouth is equipped with three pairs of mandibles. These jawlike appendages move side to side, like a pair of tongs, rather than up and down as do human jaws. As an adult, the crustacean also sports two pairs of antennae in front of the mouth. These antennae serve as sense organs for touching, tasting, smelling, and sometimes hearing. The crustacean's eyes are compound, which means that each one contains many small lenses.
Crustaceans make up an extremely large class. With more than 25,000 species, they rival the arachnids in abundance. Aquatic forms include lobsters, crabs, and shrimp, as well as the many tiny species that make up oceanic plankton. Terrestrial crustaceans include the land crabs as well as the pill bugs, or sow bugs, found in damp basements and gardens.
The Uniramia
The Uniramia take their name from the Latin word for "unbranched," which refers to the fact that their appendages legs, antennae, and the like are not branched and jointed as are those of other arthropods. This group includes five classes of animals: insects, centipedes, millipedes, symphylids, and pauropods; the latter four are collectively known as myriapods, or "many-legged" animals. All have well-formed heads and long, flexible bodies, typically with 30 or more legs. All live on land, usually in damp, dark places such as the underside of rocks and logs.
By far the single largest group of arthropods is class Insecta, with an estimated 700,000 to 1 million species. Adult insects have one pair of antennae, one set of mandibles, and two compound eyes. Their compound eyes are often so large as to cover most of the head. These enormous structures often are accompanied by a pair of simple eyes called ocelli.
The insect thorax has just three segments, each bearing a pair of legs. (Most other arthropods have four pairs.) In addition, most insects bear one or two pairs of wings making them the only flying arthropods. The insect's abdomen is devoid of limbs, but can bear a structure such as a stinger on the tip.
Despite this common body plan, insects are found in a bewildering array of forms, from the primitive silverfish to the sophisticated bees and butterflies. Like some crustaceans, most insects undergo metamorphosis. That is, they pass through one or more complete body changes as they mature from larva to adult. The classic example of metamorphosis is the caterpillar that changes into a butterfly or moth.
The Trilobites
We know the fascinating trilobites only by their abundant fossils. They appear to have evolved in the early Cambrian period, some 545 million years ago. During their heyday, trilobites dominated the world's oceans. Some were as long as 18 inches (45 centimeters) and may have weighed 10 pounds (4.5 kilograms). Their bodies were divided into three side-to-side lobes as well as a head, a thorax, and a tail region (pygidium). They swam and crawled with an abundance of jointed appendages. Although successful for many centuries, the trilobites had entirely vanished by the Jurassic period, some 250 million years ago. Their extinction remains one of the great mysteries of paleontology.
Arthropod Evolution
Many biologists suspect that the arthropods evolved from the annelids, a phylum of segmented worms that includes the familiar earthworm. From their ancient annelid ancestor, the early arthropods inherited the segmented body plan that all arthropods share today. Some annelids also bear pairs of appendages on each of their segments, a trait shared by adult arthropods. And like annelids, arthropods are bilaterally symmetrical. That is, their right and left halves are mirror images of each other.
Fossils of these first arthropods can be found in rock dating to the Cambrian period, which began 545 million years ago. They included trilobites, horseshoe crabs, and crustaceans. Centipedes, millipedes, and scorpions were among the first arthropods to reach dry land. They appear in the fossil record about 450 million years ago. The insects arrived later, about 350 million years ago.
If sheer numbers be the judge, arthropods are by far the most successful group of animals ever to swim, fly, or crawl across the face of Earth. The secret to their success? The arthropod's tough, waterproof exoskeleton is no doubt part of the reason. It afforded the early arthropods unprecedented protection from predators. It also enabled the first terrestrial arthropods to survive on dry land without themselves drying out in the process.
Those who study insects, the most successful arthropods of all, also point out the great advantage of each species' specialized diet. This has enabled an abundance of different insect species to evolve and survive in small areas, some no larger than one cubic foot of soil. The insect's short life span and amazing egg-laying capacity also enable it to adapt to environmental changes that would drive other species to extinction.
Whatever the reason for arthropod success, the rest of the Animal Kingdom should no doubt be thankful. Insects form the broad base of the food pyramid on which all land animals depend for nourishment. A similar story occurs in the world's seas, where swarms of tiny crustaceans provide food for larger arthropods, small fish, and gigantic whales.
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Before President Obama announced Bin Laden's death the big topic in Washington was the deficit. Pundits and politicians alike eagerly anticipated a possible "bi-partisan" budget-cutting deal forged by "selfless" Republicans and Democrats. Deficits will be the hot topic again after the excitement dies down. But Bin Laden's death is a timely reminder of what happened the last time Washington's leaders and pundits reached a "bi-partisan consensus."
Then, as now, we were told that their consensus viewpoint was clearly and objectively correct. Then, as now, dissenting voices were marginalized, mocked, or ignored. Then, as now, the media credulously took the biased statements of interested parties for the objective voice of reason. Then, as now, many politicians were either too fearful or self-serving to speak the truth. And then, as now, we were told that the consensus idea was bigger than the petty distinctions of "left" and "right."
What did we get for all of that? The war in Iraq. And then, as now, the ones being celebrated for their "courage" and "sacrifice" won't be the ones to pay the price.
Politicians must be toughening their palms with rock salt to get ready for all the high-fiving they'll do if there's a deficit deal. But before we read any more gushing stories about the Gang of Six or watch any more fountains of self-congratulation erupt from the lips of self-serving "centrists," let's remember some lessons from recent history. The President and other Democratic leaders might want to take special note of one such lesson: At least two people who are not named Barack Obama might have become President if they hadn't gone along with the crowd.
A good starting point for reflection is this weekend's editorial from New York Times Managing Editor Bill Keller. It's so chock-full of naivete and misinformation that it's hard to know where to start, but the Gang of Six is as good a place as any: "The popular culture tends to treat 'politician' as a synonym for 'craven.'" Keller writes. "But I think the Gang of Six is the kind of undertaking that should give politics a good name."
I'd quote more, but I'm afraid I'll be accused of "aggregating." Let's just say that by the time he compares the Gang of Six to Nelson Mandela (Really! he's self-aware enough to try backtracking afterwards, but really!) ,and then suggests they're engaged in "thankless, bet-your-career work," tiny shreds of credibility lie scattered at his feet like so much "Mission Accomplished" confetti. (Uh-oh. There goes my shot at replacing Bob Herbert.)
I don't know if you've been to the Senate Dining Room, but Robben Island it ain't.
This just in: These six senators represent Washington's conventional wisdom. And conventional wisdom is a kind of safe house, a place to hunker down when you're tired of fighting for what you believe in. The Self-Serving Six have clear and selfish goals: to become power brokers, snag huge chunks of air time (a politician's oxygen), open the spigot for a gushing flow of campaign money, and secure prosperous futures filled with board memberships, foundation directorships, and the leadership of many "bipartisan commissions" to come.
Think the pianist at Lounge 201 on Mass Ave knows how to play Nkosi Sikelel' iAfrika?
It was the New York Times, of course, who brought us the false "news" of Iraq's WMD , thanks to Judith Miller and her anonymous source "Curveball." And the Times editorial page accepted the false premises behind the invasion of Iraq just as unequivocally as Keller accepts the false premises behind austerity economics.
What are those false premises? That we can cut the deficit without first addressing our jobs crisis. That Social Security contributes to the deficit. That it's "braver" to shift Medicare costs to the elderly than it is to face the dragon of for-profit healthcare. That tax increases should come in the form of 'expenditure' cuts that target the middle class and protect the wealthy.
These ideas are the "WMD" of austerity economics. Alice Rivlin and the other handful of Democratic economists pushing these ideas are its Curveballs. And on any given day, half a dozen prominent journalists are its Judith Millers.
Some more parallels:
We're attacking the wrong enemy: Saddam Hussein was a horrible human being and a terrible dictator, but he wasn't our most immediate threat. For national security in 2002, the most urgent threat was (and still is) a stateless network of fundamentalist terrorists.
For the economy in 2011, our urgent problems are unemployment, wasteful war spending, extravagant tax cuts for the wealthy, and a real economy that's locked in stagnation. Note to upscale Times readers: The real economy is the one you enter when your subway train passes Fulton Street on its way north from Wall Street, or through Bowling Green station on its way to Brooklyn.
(Who am I kidding? Subways? Just tell the driver to point out Fulton Street on your way back to the Upper East Side.)
We've forgotten that our economy was shattered by reckless, under-regulated banks. Our government just took a step toward protecting us from Al Qaeda. When will it protect us from Goldman Sachs? It doesn't take smart bombs, just smart laws. And we don't need terminators, just regulators.
We're making the real problem worse: When we attacked Iraq we gave Al Qaeda a rich vein of recruiting material, and made the world's terrorism problem much worse. Worldwide incidents of terrorism rose exponentially after we invaded Iraq, from 165 in 2003 to more than 11,000 in 2005.
Economically, premature budget cuts will costs us hundreds of thousands of jobs when we should be spending to create more jobs. And those tax "increases" will probably take the form of reductions in tax "expenditures" that help people to keep their homes and their health insurance. They'll devastate the middle class, and the ripple effect will be destructive to the whole economy.
The bi-partisanship fetish ignores the people we should really listen to: non-partisans.
Most reasonable economists agree that we should have more investment in jobs and growth, and address the deficits afterwards. Similarly, nonpartisan experts like Reagan's former chief Social Security actuary say benefit cuts aren't needed and would be counterproductive.
That's the non-partisan consensus. But "bi-partisans" like the Gang of Six rule the media and policy worlds right now. They're politicians, not experts, and they rely on campaign contributions in a post-Citizens United world. They're united more by self-interest than they are divided by party. Personally, I'd rather rely on people who don't have such a huge personal stake in the outcome.
Deficit cutting, like the war in Iraq, was "a solution in search of a problem" long before the crisis came.
The invasion of Iraq came straight from the shock-doctrine playbook: Exploit a crisis, and the resulting fear and confusion, to do what you already wanted to do. Neocons in the Project for a New American Century (PNAC) had been planning the invasion of Iraq for years. 9/11 was their their chance.
The government-haters behind today's austerity economics push have also been planning their moves for a long time, too. Billionaire Pete Peterson proposed a government-downsizing scenario in the early 1990s that's virtually identical to those we'llbe seeing from the Gang of Six and other servants of the new Beltway consensus. The Peterson Foundation is the PNAC of deficit reduction.
The consensus will damage careers – including political ones.
Austerity economics won't work. When that becomes obvious there will be hell to pay. When the suffering really starts, people will look for someone to blame.
Going along with the status quo seemed like the smart career move in 2002. Just ask Phil Donohue, or General Shinseki, or Bill Maher, or anyone else who didn't and paid a price. But in the long run, many of those who followed the herd suffered a loss in credibility. The entire field of journalism took a severe hit to its credibility during those years.
The political blowback was even worse. Most people agree that John Kerry would probably have become President if he had voted against the war in Iraq. Same with Hillary Clinton. But a progressive-led House minority was able to take control of that chamber in 2006, largely based on public frustration with the war in Iraq. Will the White House and Senate Democrats remember these painful lessons?
Barack Obama probably wouldn't be President today if he had been in a position to vote for the war back then, and had done so. Who will play Obama's role in 2014, or 2016 – or 2012? Who will prosper politically because she or he didn't go along with the crowd? Political expediency may have some short-term gains, but in the end it isn't worth it. It isn't worth it for your career, it isn't worth it for your conscience, and it certainly isn't worth it for the country.
Let's hope that our leaders understand that the death of Bin Laden isn't just a historial moment. It's a teaching moment, too – if anybody's willing to learn.
This post was produced as part of the Curbing Wall Street project and the Strengthen Social Security campaign.

subset: commoncrawl


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0 Programs with Patrick Morgan Ford Starting with "V"
Patrick Morgan Ford is a criminal defense attorney in San Diego who represents convicted defendants on appeal in the state and federal courts. He is a member of the San Diego Criminal Defense Bar Association, California Appellate Defense Counsel, and is president of La Jolla Legal Publications, Inc. and has been writing and publishing the California Criminal Law Reporter since 1983. Mr. Ford received his B.A. from Georgetown University and J.D. from the University of San Diego. In addition to the publication, Mr. Ford has an active appellate practice, writes monthly articles, and occasionally lectures on criminal law related topics.
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Thanks everyone for participating! I've given you all 10 community points. And congrats to our winner Elizabeth M. Be sure to check out all the layouts and leave some love!
I thought we'd try something a little different this week. I've seen this done in other places, hopefully I'll get it right. I'm going to give you a list of ingredients which you must use, no more, no less.
- 4 unique papers
- 10 unique elements
- 1 alpha
- 1 word art
- # of photos - you choose
I just pulled these numbers off the top of my head, so hopefully they will work out for you.
The list might have some wiggle room in how you interpret it, but do your best to follow the spirit of the exercise. If things are a little unclear this time, I'm sure the kinks will work out for our next try.
Important Details
Due Date: March 14, 2013 noon (UTC/GMT +3 hours)
Tag: challenge recipe march 2013
Make sure you use this tag exactly, so we can browse easily through the gallery and see all the submissions, and so you can get your points. Please only tag one layout.
See basic challenge rules here.
Check out finished and entered layouts here.


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Contact Redhare today and let us know how we can help you!
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SilverStone goes to Heligon, brings back a 140mm heatsink fan
Subject: Cases and Cooling | September 14, 2012 - 07:39 PM | Jeremy Hellstrom
Tagged: Silverstone, Heligon, 140mm
If [H]ard|OCP's review of the SilverStone Heligon HE01 creates an urge for you to purchase it you should pull out a tape measure and examine your current enclosure. This heatsink hides a 140mm fan inside its 926g, 140mm x 119mm x 160mm metal body which many cases simply cannot accomodate. If you can however, you will have a top notch cooler as it topped out the charts when they tested it. You will have to pay a premium though, at $75 there are other coolers almost as good for much less cash up front.
"SilverStone brings us a newly design CPU cooler with wider fin spacing and an internally mounted adjustable 140mm adjustable speed fan sporting six heatpipes and Nickel-coated copper base. The Heligon HE01 is supplied with hardware that supports all recent socket configurations from both Intel and AMD."
Here are some more Cases & Cooling reviews from around the web:
- be quiet! Dark Rock Pro 2 CPU Cooler Review @Hi Tech Legion
- Silverstone Heligon HE01 @ FrostyTech
- Cooler Master X6 Elite @ X-bit Labs
- Xigmatek Dark Knight SD1283 and Loki SD963 Review @ OCC
- Cooler Master TPC 800 @ Kitguru
- Prolimatech PK2 & PK3 Nano Aluminum Thermal Compound Review @ Legit Reviews
- Thermaltake Water 2.0 Extreme AIO CPU Cooler @ Pro-Clockers
- Thermaltake WATER2.0 Extreme CPU Cooler Review @ Hardware Secrets
- Thermaltake WATER2.0 Performer & Pro CPU Coolers Review @ Techgage
- BitFenix Hydra Pro Fan Controller Review @ eTeknix
- BitFenix Recon Fan Controller Review @ Neoseeker
- BitFenix Recon Touchscreen Fan Controller @ Tweaktown
- Noctua NF-F12 PWM 120mm Cooling Fan Review @ Neoseeker
- BitFenix Recon Fan Controller Review @ eTeknix
- BitFenix Hydra Pro Fan and LED Controller @ Tweaktown
- Antec Three Hundred Two Mid-Tower @ [H]ard|OCP
- AZZA Genesis 9000 Review @ Neoseeker
- Fractal Design Define R4 Mid Tower Case Review @ Hi Tech Legion
- GameTiger T-Rex FR-16 Gaming Mid-Tower Chassis @ Tweaktown
- In Win GRone Case Review @ Hardware Secrets
- Corsair Vengeance C70 Gaming Case Review @ Madshrimps
- Fractal Design Define R4 Case Review @ Legit Reviews
- Bitfenix Prodigy: a unique mini-ITX chassis @ Hardware.info
- NZXT 810 Switch Special Edition Full-Tower PC Chassis Review @ eTeknix
- Corsair Vengeance C70 Case Review @ HardwareHeaven
- GameTiger Mars VA-2 Gaming Mid-Tower Chassis @ Tweaktown
- Cooler Master CM Storm Stryker @ Guru of 3D
- Cougar Challenger Gaming Case @ Pro-Clockers
- Lian Li PC-Z60 @ XSReviews
- CM Storm Stryker Case Review @ OCC


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With more than 4 million people visiting Yosemite National Park last year — and that number expected to increase this year — it's no wonder lodging inside the park is snatched up quickly.
"We typically sell out during the summer season," Delaware North Cos. spokeswoman Lisa Cesaro said of its Yosemite accommodations (Ahwahnee Hotel, Yosemite Lodge at the Falls, Curry Village and the housekeeping camp on the Merced River; the Wawona Hotel, and in the back country, Tuolumne Meadows Lodge, White Wolf Lodge and the High Sierra camps). "Now and then there can be a cancellation and people can get lucky," she said.
The same is true for the park's 13 campgrounds, which are operated by the National Park Service. Campgrounds can be reserved five months in advance; hotel rooms and other lodging in the park can booked up to 366 days in advance at http://www.yosemitepark.com or (801) 559-5000.
Many visitors are forced to look outside Yosemite's boundaries for accommodations, especially during the peak summer season. Although lodging outside the park can fill up quickly too, there are more options, from tents to yurts to historic hotels and charming inns.
Below are three resorts, plus some other places to stay along the state highway corridors — 140, 120 and 41 — leading into the park. When Tioga Pass is open, lodging can also be found along U.S. Highway 395 and in the tiny town of Lee Vining (http://www.leevining.com).
Yosemite Bug Rustic Mountain Resort
Location: 6979A Highway 140, Midpines, Calif., about 20 miles from the park's Arch Rock entrance.
Amenities: This hip retreat offers hotel-style rooms, canvas tent cabins and a hostel. Private rooms with baths have themes from psychedelic to Victorian. There also are private rooms with a shared bathroom. Like Curry Village in Yosemite Valley, the Bug has tent cabins that can accommodate couples and families. The dormitory-style hostel, which caters to backpackers on a budget, has a kitchen and is licensed with Hostelling International.
The Bug's cafe is housed in a funky lodge where people gather over a pint of beer or game of chess. Its menu includes buckwheat blueberry pancakes ($6) for breakfast and meat and vegetarian options for dinner (entrees from $8.50 to $18).
Guests can follow a strenuous hike up Yosemite Falls or Half Dome with a stop at the Bug's spa. Services include yoga, massages, facials and a hot rock sauna. The Bug's forested property also has a seasonal swimming hole.
Cost: Starting May 1, a private room and bath for two is $115 a night, plus tax, and an insulated tent cabin costs $65, plus tax. The hostel is $25 a person, plus tax, for non-Hostelling International members (members pay $22).
Info: (866) 826-7108, http://www.yosemitebug.com.
Nearest town: Mariposa, about 10 miles west, caters to tourists visiting the park. The town's Main Street has a variety of antique and gift shops sandwiched between clusters of hotels, ranging from chains such as the Best Western Yosemite Way Station ([209] 966-7545) to those independently owned and operated.
The River Rock Inn has seven affordable rooms, a deli garden cafe and occasional live music ([800] 627-8439, http://www.riverrockncafe.com). For other options, check out the Yosemite-Mariposa Bed and Breakfast Assn. at http://www.yosemitebnbs.com.
On Mariposa's Main Street, the Butterfly Cafe (Mariposa is Spanish for "butterfly") features a Half Dome burger with avocado, bacon and blue cheese for $10.95. The cleverly named Pony Expresso, just off Main Street on Lower 5th Street, sells fresh-roasted coffee and local ayurvedic teas.
Mariposa has a historic courthouse and two museums: the California State Mining and Mineral Museum at the Mariposa Fairgrounds and the Mariposa Museum and History Center, which focuses on the area's rich Gold Rush history.
Yosemite Lakes Camping Resort
Location: 31191 Hardin Flat Road, Groveland, Calif., off Highway 120, about five miles from the park's Big Oak Flat Entrance Station.
Amenities: Those looking for an alternative to the typical hotel room will enjoy the cozy yurts at this camping resort. There are 14 hillside yurts, six along the South Fork of the Tuolumne River and two in a meadow near the river. Each has a kitchen, bathroom, satellite television and deck with a grill. The yurts are heated and open year-round. There's a two-night minimum stay on Fridays and Saturdays. Most yurts sleep four people. Guests have access to free wireless Internet, a Laundromat, a miniature golf course and other recreational activities. Yosemite Lakes also accommodates recreational vehicle and tent camping.
Cost: From May 1 until Oct. 16, hillside yurts are $166.24 a night, plus tax; river yurts are $206.99, plus tax.
Info: (800) 533-1001, http://www.stayatyosemite.com.
Nearest town: Groveland, about a 20-minute drive west, features a community park, historic saloon, restaurants and shopping. At Mountain Sage, customers can purchase camping gear, trail maps and a latte all in one stop. On the other end of Main Street is Dori's Tea Cottage, where Yosemite-bound commuters can get lunch (sandwich, fruit and cookie) to go for $8.95. The teahouse sells about 65 teas, including popular candy bar-flavored teas. For traditional hotels, try the Groveland Hotel ([209] 962-4000, http://www.groveland.com) and Hotel Charlotte ([800] 961-7799, http://www.hotelcharlotte.com), both on Groveland's Main Street.
The Highway 120 corridor also has several B&Bs, including the Blackberry Inn in nearby Buck Meadows ([888] 867-5001, http://www.blackberry-inn.com) and Lillaskog Lodge, on a mountaintop 11 miles from Yosemite ([209] 962-1818, http://www.lillaskogyosemite.com). Yosemite Pines (www.yosemitepinesrv.com), a recreational vehicle resort just outside of town, also features more modest yurts without kitchens or bathrooms. Starting May 1, they cost $109 on Friday and Saturday nights.
Historic Sierra Sky Ranch Resort
Location: 50552 Road 632, Oakhurst, Calif.; off Highway 41, about 10 miles from the park's South Entrance.
Amenities: Established in 1875, this property was originally a working cattle ranch. It also was a tuberculosis hospital in the 1920s, a religious retreat and a recovery center for soldiers wounded in World War II.
In 1946 the ranch was converted to a hotel, with John Wayne and Marilyn Monroe among its celebrity guests. Now, the ranch can house up to 72 overnight guests in 26 rooms.
There's a veranda on which to relax, as well as a swimming pool for hot summer days. Fishing is allowed in a trout stream on the property.
A steakhouse and saloon are attached to the resort's rustic lounge. The resort is also popular for events (there are family reunions booked until 2015).
Cost: Standard rooms are $135 to $155 a night, while suites are $175-$225, plus taxes.
Info: (559) 683-8040, http://www.sierraskyranch.com
Nearest town: Oakhurst, about three miles south, has modern shopping centers, fast food restaurants and lodging. Driving north on Highway 41 will bring you to Fish Camp — a cluster of cabins with a general store and post office near Yosemite's southern entrance.
As you approach, you'll find the Narrow Gauge Inn ([888] 644-9050, http://www.narrowgaugeinn.com), which has 26 rooms, a fine-dining restaurant, flower gardens lining a seasonal creek, a swimming pool and hot tub.
Along the highway in Fish Camp is Yosemite Big Creek Inn ([559] 641-2828, http://www.yosemiteinn.com. This bed-and-breakfast has three guest rooms next to a year-round creek. Another B&B in Fish Camp worth noting is the Tin Lizzie Inn, a Victorian-style inn where guests have a chance to drive an original Model T Ford ([866] 488-6877, http://www.tinlizzieinn.com).
Across the highway from the Tin Lizzie is Tenaya Lodge ([888] 514-2167, http://www.tenayalodge.com), a massive complex with a conference center and spa. It's the only Yosemite-area property outside the park operated by DNC.


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Self Publishing, plus ISSNJuly 14, 2003
A meme I missed while I was away got started by John Gruber, and was eventually picked up by Jeffrey Zeldman and others. The rise of the personal site as a publishing powerhouse is the focus, and since I run a site approaching its first anniversary in a couple of months (I'm not alone on that — D. Keith Robinson and Gruber himself are hitting this milestone), here are a few of my thoughts on the matter.
I applied for an International Standard Serial Number for this site last month. The National Library of Canada denied my original request, but upon some explaining I eventually got my way.
I deserved an ISSN, I reasoned, because the web design community doesn't have any traditional publications of note. We are a community devoted to a certain medium, and we chose to publish on it due to the global spread of the community members as well as the inter–connectedness of the medium.
Rather than rely on stodgy monthly periodicals, we harnass the power of our individual voices to publish daily. We are fast–moving and tightly–knit because of this. Could you imagine it any other way?
Others publishing as I do have received ISSNs, so why couldn't I? The NLC concurred, and granted me 1708–0789. I congratulated them for being more forward thinking than like bodies in the U.K. and Holland (who have consistently denied ISSN applications for weblogs).
The issue was not, in this case, the technology. My official denial reason was that "Personal or organizational homepages, including weblogs and online diaries, are not assigned ISSNs." Fair enough, that's what I applied as. But after I was denied, I thought about it some more.
I publish as one voice. I speak for myself alone, but I share opinions, experiments, and ideas that I think will be relevant and useful to the larger community. I am publishing for the web, on the web, and about the web. This site, while owned and run exclusively by me, is far more than a personal home page.
The stipulation, I'd theorize, is to discourage just anyone with a LiveJournal or BlogSpot account from applying for an ISSN. The system wasn't created for the pure volume of publications that might qualify now that we have the web to contend with, and in a lot of cases the time and effort required to categorize these sites beyond the web isn't worth it for the libraries. Quality over Quantity, after all.
But in my case, as may be the same in your case, the site I publish isn't a typical "I saw my friends today' type weblog. I do not publish introspectively myopic pieces that are relevant to precisely three people on the planet. (I discuss web design news and technique in introspectively myopic ways that are relevant to at least seven people, maybe eight on a good day)
We're doing something new here. We're one of the only trades that doesn't have any official printed publications. We are a completely unorganized collective of intelligent people whose voices all have a chance to be heard, and we're all contributing to the common good. We use each others tips and advice to improve our skill, and we make money by applying principles that we all offer each other for free.
It's a give and take system, and the most important people are the ones who give the most. I'm thrilled to be a part of it.
Related: ISSN for Weblogs ISSN Home Page ISSN National Centre List ISSN Canada ISSN U.S. ISSN U.K. ISSN Australia
Reader Comments
I had always been curious about the ISSN number on your site. In Zeldman's case he's a published author so I assumed it was a way of searching for his books on Amazon.com or something. Your site makes no claim of having published a book so I was sort of scratching my head. Thanks for the explanation.
My application is in ;)
Isn't a domain name simply a new form of ISSN? Is an ISBN an old fashioned permalink?
I considered applying for an ISSN, but my blog tends to be, particularly of late, more about my home improvement faiscos, trips to wherever, rants about whatever, and relatively little to do with web design, development, or other creative pursuits.
So, until that trend changes, I'll go without, I suppose.
The policies have obviously changed for the worse…
Joe Clark first advocated getting one in December 2000, and I grabbed one shortly thereafter.
Got mine quite quickly and glad you got yours eventually, but perhaps NLC should change the definitions on its site:
"Serials include periodicals, newspapers, annuals (such as yearbooks, annual reports and directories, etc.), journals, memoirs, proceedings, transactions of societies and monographic series.
Serials can be published in any medium (e.g. print, CD-ROM, via Internet, etc.)…"
ditto… i was always curious about the ISSN on Zeldman's site (and others), but never really asked anybody what it meant in relation to a website… great post, man!
for myself, i'm with Bob… and plus, i'm just too lazy to wait around for an official US Govt. digit to slap on my site somewhere :)
Say hello to ISSN 1708-2935.
They rejected me yesterday, so I responded that Mezzoblue has one so who should I direct my complaint to?
Zeit was approved today. That's speedy!


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Amy Coffin's challenge for week 22 of 52 Weeks to Better Genealogy is:
Spend some time at Find-a-Grave. Most of you have probably heard of Find-a-Grave and probably used it in your own research as well. The challenge this week is to simply browse this web site. Just click links. Look at the different ways the information is sorted. Study the tributes of others and see if there are ways you can improve your own entries. Don't do any research of your own, simply study the efforts of others. If you have a genealogy blog, share your impressions of Find-a-Grave and any interesting entries you found at the web site.
I use Find A Grave all the time. Anytime I add someone new to my tree, I search for a photo of their tombstone on Find A Grave. One problem that I have is that I don't check back and research for my ancestors often. I should really consider taking the time to make memorial pages for my ancestors.
I love the community aspect of Find A Grave. I love being able to request photos of gravestones and receiving notification that it is available. I requested a bunch of photos of the tombstones of my COUCHIE/KAVCIC ancestors and the photos were posted the next day. I have taken photos of a local cemetery and added them to Find A Grave as well, but I should try to do it more often.
In searching Find A Grave today and clicking links, I discovered an RSS feed to new memorials. It's probably too many names to try to go through any day, but I love that they have it. There is also a new photos link, but it did not work when I tried it.
Find A Grave is a great site for finding the final resting place of your ancestors. But without all the volunteers who add names and photos, the site would not exist. Thank you to everyone who contributes!


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University of North Texas DNA lab helps solve 42-year-old mystery
The nationally known DNA lab at the University of North Texas has helped solve the mystery of what happened to two South Dakota high school girls who disappeared in late May 1971.
Cheryl Miller and Pamella Jackson, both 17, were on their way to a party at a gravel pit when they somehow drove off a country road and ended up in Brule Creek in rural Union County, about 20 miles northeast of Vermillion, where they attended school.
Their fate remained unknown until Sept. 23, 2013, when someone spotted the 1960 Studebaker they had been driving, a spokeswoman for South Dakota Attorney General Marty Jackley said Wednesday.
The car was upside down under a bridge, with the tires and undercarriage visible. Drought conditions last fall may have contributed to the discovery, spokeswoman Sara Rabern said.
South Dakota authorities sent the skeletal remains to the University of North Texas Center for Human Identification, which operates a state-of-the art DNA laboratory in Fort Worth and forensic anthropology lab in Denton and manages the National Missing and Unidentified Persons System, or NamUs.
When the center takes on a missing-person case, all three entities come into play, said B.J. Spamer, director of the NamUs training and analysis division housed at the university's Fort Worth campus.
To identify the two young women, center staffers worked with the South Dakota Division of Criminal Investigation, Spamer said.
"They met with family members and facilitated the collection of DNA from family members and shipped it to our DNA lab," Spamer said of the South Dakota investigators. "The processing was done here."
At a news conference April 15 in South Dakota, the state attorney general said DNA analysis and personal items were used to identify the girls, according to the Associated Press.
Jackley said there was no evidence they had been drinking, and mechanical tests on the car did not suggest foul play.
"It's consistent with a car accident," Jackley said. "To start with, the forensic pathology and anthropology reports indicate that there's no type of injury that would be consistent with or caused by foul play or inappropriate conduct."
Working on 40-year-old cases is nothing new for the University of North Texas center, Spamer said.
In the NamUs database, there are 700 cases of people who disappeared in the 1970s, and nearly 200 from before 1970, she said. The oldest active missing-person case reported to NamUs dates back to 1920, she said.
On any given day in the United States, Spamer said, there are between 80,000 and 90,000 people who are reported missing.
"That's why this is such an inspirational story -- that such a longterm case can be resolved," she said. "It shows criminal justice agencies that there are a lot of tools available today that weren't available when the person went missing. It's inspirational for families to know it's never too late to get answers."
The Center for Human Identification is funded by the National Institute of Justice, which means it can offer DNA analysis and NamUs database access at no cost, Spamer said.
Another "selling point" for the center's work, she said, is that it is one of fewer than a dozen labs in the nation that can do mitochondrial DNA profiles, based upon only the mother's blood line, in addition to the more standard nuclear DNA profile, which draws upon both parents.
Most state crime labs don't do mitochondrial DNA analysis because it is complicated and more susceptible to contamination than is nuclear DNA, Spamer said.
When the center does an analysis, the DNA results are entered into the Combined DNA Index System, known as CODIS, and searched against other unidentified cases, the website states.
The University of North Texas center is the nation's single largest contributor of genetic information into the CODIS missing-persons database, Spamer said.


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May 20, 2010
Irina Bokova
Director-General of UNESCO
UNESCO Headquarters
7, place de Fontenoy
75352 Paris 07 SP
CC: The Executive Board of UNESCO
Dear Director-General Bokova,
We, the undersigned freedom of expression organizations,
join with the Committee to Protect Journalists to express our grave concern
regarding the $3 million donation by
Under Obiang, the local press is almost totally controlled
by the state. The few brave local journalists working for international media outlets
have been targeted by Obiang's regime. Samuel Obiang Mbana, a correspondent for
Agence France-Presse (AFP) was
detained for hours by police last month at
If state media journalists in
In November 2009, President Obiang won "95.4 percent of the votes" thanks in part by the state radio and television's biased coverage. According to local reports, opposition candidates were barely mentioned and RTVGE openly campaigned for Obiang. Journalists have no outlet to complain about this since no union or private press organization exists in the country. Media regulation is conducted by the information ministry, whose staff all belong to the ruling party.
With Obiang's iron
grip on the media, the world will never learn how much
At a World Press
Freedom Day ceremony this year in
If UNESCO administers this prize, your words on World Press Freedom Day will ring hollow. Not only that, but the UNESCO/Guillermo Cano World Press Freedom Prize, which honors "a person, organization or institution that has made a notable contribution to the defense and/or promotion of press freedom anywhere in the world, especially if this involved risk," will be undermined if were bestowed by an organization that accepted money from a regime that oppresses the media.
You have noted that the Obiang prize was approved by UNESCO's executive board and as director-general you are bound to their decisions. However, we believe that that implementation of this prize will do grave damage to UNESCO's credibility as an organization that promotes freedom of expression. It will also do serious harm to your reputation as someone who has demonstrated a strong commitment to the principles of freedom of expression. We urge you to make this case directly the members of the executive board that it must reverse this decision; we commit to doing the same.
Committee to Protect Journalists
Adil Soz—International Foundation for Protection of Freedom of Speech
Associação Brasileira de Jornalismo Investigativo
Association of
Association of Independent Electronic Media
Canadian Journalists for Free Expression
Cartoonists Rights Network International
Center for
Centro de Reportes Informativos sobre
Centro Nacional de Comunicación Social
Ethiopian Freepress Journalists' Association
Foro de Periodismo Argentino
Foundation for Press Freedom
Freedom House
Index on Censorship
Instituto Prensa y Sociedad
Inter American Press Association
International Federation of Journalists
International Press Institute
Journaliste en danger
Media, Entertainment and Arts
Media Foundation for
Media Institute of
Reporters Without Borders
World Association of Community Radio Broadcasters
World Association of Newspapers and News Publishers