Tips for Helping Your RSS Feed Perform! In some ways RSS is very similar to HTML, the language commonly used to create websites. Just as with HTML, webmasters using traditional search engine optimization tactics when creating an RSS feed will find that their RSS feed receives additional exposure and interest. Complete Article - Search Engine Optimization for RSS

Blog Posts that Attract Attention
Blogs are now a dime a dozen, and bloggers need to make their blog posts stand out. Developing a blog following is not as easy as it once was. Learn how to write blog posts that attract readers and retain their attention. Follow these guidelines to cultivate readers… Blog Posts that Attract Attention

How You Can Get A Free Enhanced Listing in Yahoo With Your RSS Feed
When I first discovered that you could get into Yahoo s RSS Feed directory so quickly, I started making a lot of observations about their site. The first thing I noticed is that they made some subtle changes to their search page. That same day, I noticed that certain sites have more information in their listings than others.

Andrea Williams Honored with the Davis Award
Each year, the W. Allison and Elizabeth Stubbs Davis award recognizes an individual who dedicates their life to serving fellow new yorkers. This year’s winner has shown two decades of devotion to the youth of Brooklyn and the City: Andrea Williams, Recreation Director at St. John’s Recreation Center. Andrea earned a Bachelor’s of Science at Brooklyn College in 1984. Her major was secondary physical education and her minor was special education. She worked as a teacher in both new york and Florida before joining Parks in 1985 as a Recreational Specialist at Linden Playground in Brooklyn. After six years, she was promoted to Assistant Director of Pre-School Programs at Brownsville Recreation Center and afterwards directed the Ed-U-Tots program and the Summer Camps at St. John’s.In 2004, Andrea began her current role as the Afterschool Coordinator for the Turn 2 Program at St. John’s. Turn 2 provides recreation, education, arts, crafts and field trips for children six to thirteen years old. Andrea plans and manages all activities and events, and several times a year she presents on the program to the Derek Jeter Foundation, which finances Turn 2 in partnership with Parks. Andrea is a main reason Turn 2 has become a model partnership at Parks. Andrea also works in partnership with other organizations to promote youth in recreation and especially track and field. These include the Colgate Women’s Games, the Hershey PA Track and Field Events, and the national Youth Games program. To these efforts she brings a wide variety of skills and experiences. Andrea is an NCAA certified track & field official, a NYC Marathon course marshal, an assistant coach for Brooklyn College and Thomas Jefferson High School, and the co-founder of Jeunesse Track Club. Andrea’s greatest contribution is the time, care and dedication she brings to the people she serves. Andrea consistently goes the extra mile to support and encourage youth and others. She gets donations from local businesses to provide gifts and toys during the holidays, or snacks for the kids. She serves as a resource and touchstone for parents who need assistance or are willing to volunteer. She takes the time to get to know individually the kids, teens and families who use and need our programs. Andrea resides in Crown Heights, Brooklyn. Her parents, Sandra and Carl, and three sisters all live in new york, along with a host of nephews and nieces.The Davis Award, now in its 25th year, is formally presented at the Annual Meeting of the Municipal Arts Society in June. QUOTATION FOR THE DAY”Taxation with representation ain’t so hot either.” Gerald Barzan

This Weekend In Parks
BrooklynBoardwalk Barrels of FunSaturday, April 5 Coney Island Boardwalk between West 10th and West 12th Streets10:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m. (judging begins at 1:00 p.m.)Boardwalk Barrels of Fun is an art competition and family fun day. Artists all of all ages will be painting the trash receptacles that will be used on the Boardwalk for the summer beach season. They will be adorned with seascapes, landscapes and carnival theme art in keeping with Coney Island’s colorful history. Special guest judges will evaluate the art on its originality, theme, creativity, use of color and overall pizzazz. Categories include: Family (for young children and their parents or guardians), High School Artists, College Artists and Open Competition (for adults). Winners will then be announced at the annual Beach Opening Ceremony this May. Boardwalk Barrels of Fun is sponsored by the Parks Department, Deno’s Wonder Wheel, Astroland, and the Friends of the Boardwalk. QueensFrom Slumber to SpringSaturday, April 5Alley Pond Park Adventure Center - Enter at Winchester Blvd. 10:00 a.m.As the season begins to change, many organisms start to awake from their long winter’s sleep. Be sure to set your alarm clock for this program and don’t miss out!Staten IslandFresh Kills ToursSaturday, April 5WM T. Davis Wildlife Refuge 10:00 a.m.Come witness the dramatic transformation from landfill to bird-filled: turkey, vultures, red-tailed hawks, ring-necked pheasants and other field loving birds. You won’t believe your eyes. Registration is required. Visit www.nyc.gov/parks and type “Fresh Kills sign up form” in the search field to register.ManhattanFort Tryon Park Spring FestivalSaturday, April 5Anne Loftus Playground - Broadway & Dyckman St.12:00 p.m. - 4:00 p.m.Enjoy live animals, hay rides, storytelling, games, face painting, crafts, art projects and much more as the trees and flowers bring color back to the neighborhood. This 6th annual Spring Festival is fun for the whole family to enjoy!BronxForever Wild: Hunter Island HikeSunday, April 6Pelham Bay Park - Orchard Beach Nature Center1:00 p.m.With the summer beach crowds yet to arrive, Hunter Island is a remote wildlife paradise, filled with early spring bloomers. Come out and see this natural landscape the way it should be, untouched and free for all to see. QUOTATION FOR THE DAY”He who plants a tree, plants a hope.”Lucy LarcomPlant a Tree

Frog Watch Volunteers Hear A Chorus Of Calls
On April 6, over 25 volunteers, including scouts from Troop 125, members from the Metropolitan Herpetological Society, and Student Conservation Association interns, came to High Rock Park in the Staten Island Greenbelt for a FrogWatch USA training to learn how to identify various frog and toad species. Aside from learning how to distinguish between the trill of spring peepers and the tremolo of a green frog, volunteers learned of the many threats facing amphibians and why the data they collect is important to conservation efforts.Amphibians, such as frogs, toads, and salamanders, have porous skin and permeable eggs that make them especially sensitive and vulnerable to changes in their environment. Additionally, since they spend part of their life in water and part of their life on land, amphibians are among the first species to experience the consequences of pollution, habitat loss, invasive species, increased ultraviolet radiation, and climate change. According to the Wildlife Conservation Society, at least 120 species of frogs, toads, salamanders, and other amphibians have become extinct since 1980, and up to half of the remaining 6,000 species may soon succumb to extinction.The year 2008, a leap year, has been declared the “Year of the Frog.” Conservation organizations have come together to increase public awareness of the plight of amphibians and offer trainings for citizen scientists to help monitor frog and toad habitats. FrogWatch USA, a citizen science initiative run jointly by the National Wildlife Federation and the U.S. Geological Survey, trains volunteers to monitor frog and toad habitats by listening for the calls of different species and recording the findings. Beth Nicholls, an Environmental Educator for the Staten Island Greenbelt, who is conducting frog and toad surveys of various Staten Island parks for her masters thesis, led the FrogWatch training. According to Ms. Nicholls, spring peepers dominate the new york City wetland soundscape in March and April, with a Green Tree Frog or Pickerel Frog rarely heard. In mid-May, observers start to hear the distinctive banjo string sound of the green frog, with deep “jug-o-rum” of the bull frog and the sheep-like wailing of the Fowler’s toad. Other species such as the Gray Tree Frog, Pickerel Frog and Southern Leopard Frog also inhabit Staten Island but their populations are unfortunately few and far between. On April 6, FrogWatch volunteers heard the calls of spring peepers, a distinctive sleigh bell sound. If you missed the April 6 training and would like to be a FrogWatch volunteer, you can obtain the information and register from the FrogWatch website (www.nwf.org/frogwatchusa) and there will be another training in the Staten Island Greenbelt within the next year. Aside from the Greenbelt, there are plenty of freshwater wetland sites throughout the five boroughs where you can listen for frog calls, including Alley Pond Park in Queens, Prospect Park in Brooklyn, Blue Heron and Wolfe’s Pond Parks in Staten Island, Morningside Park and Central Park in Manhattan, and along portions of the Bronx River.If you are a more casual frog enthusiast who would like to attend an informative and entertaining event to celebrate the “Year of the Frog,” take a look at the following two events: On Saturday May 3, at 2 p.m., Jessica Jones, National Wildlife Foundation’s Coordinator for FrogWatch USA will be at the Carousel Opening Day event at the Carousel for All Children, 2 Eton Place off Richmond Avenue, in Willowbrook Park, to increase public awareness of frogs and the perils they face. May 3 is Record the Ribbit, the culmination of the National Wildlife Federation’s Year of Frog activities, when volunteers throughout the nation will simultaneously listen to frog and toad calls in nearby ponds and wetlands. On Sunday June 1, the Greenbelt Conservancy will host its annual members event. This year’s event theme is “Amphibian Adventures” and will feature a presentation by Harvey Bird from the Metropolitan Herpetological Society and a short hike focusing on the habitat of local amphibians and their role in the ecology of freshwater wetland ecosystems. Please call Greenbelt Nature Center at (718) 351-3450 or visit www.sigreenbelt.org for details.Written by Jessica Kratz EMPOWERING TEENS AT LOST BATTALION HALLOn March 20, Lost Battalion Hall coordinated with Council for Unity for the first Teen Empowerment Summit (TES). Council for Unity is a community based organization that runs a prevention program against gang violence. The Summit focused on providing our youth with information and insight on how to overcome the pressures they encounter to join the world of gangs. The Summit had over sixty enthusiastic participants between the ages of 12-17, all who are members of our Queens Recreation Centers. They were eager to learn more about alternatives to violence and other options instead of joining a gang. The conference recognized the increase in gang membership and has taken positive actions to help our youth avoid becoming a gang statistic. The Summit offered workshops in three categories: History of Gangs Prevention and Intention Life as an Everyday TeenFor the closing, guest speakers shared their gang experiences and expressed to the group “Stay off the street or you will only get beat.” Delon Harrison, 15, said “I found out so much about gangs today than I ever did. This was message to tell me not to join.” Queens Parks will continue to promote an anti-gang message and will provide youth with positive recreational activities to deter any gang involvement. Written by Susan Friedman and Maria Scazzero QUOTATION FOR THE DAY”I like pigs. Dogs look up to us. Cats look down on us. Pigs treat us as equals.”Winston Churchill(1874 - 1965)

Microsoft and Google Show It’s Time for RSS Marketing
Many internet marketers are still wondering whether to start marketing with RSS or not. It seems that not even all the case studies, hard metrics and benefits available can t convince them, or everyone would be jumping on the RSS wagon by now. Microsoft and Google It Is Time for RSS

Tools for RSS
Using RSS tools, publishers and webmasters can increase productivity and efficiency. RSS monitoring can often automate many of the procedures that are time-consuming and monotonous, freeing up time. Complete Article - Tools for RSS

Composer s Work to Play Where Words Stirred Ire
After 9/11 composer Karlheinz Stockhausen stirred outrage by likening the attack on the World Trade Center to art. Now one of his pieces is being performed near the very scene of that event.

RSS: The Amazing Profit Potential
The marketing and profit potential of RSS is, simply said, quite amazing. It’s not just good for blogs, and it’s certainly much more than just another way of getting your content to your readers. And it’s just reaching the tipping point. There are still only a few RSS publishers and RSS usage is growing every day. This is your best chance to get on the wave… To get you started, here’s a quick overview of what RSS can do for your internet business… Complete Article - RSS : The Amazing Profit Potential

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