Rainforest Animals - Mekong Giant Catfish
Name:
Mekong Giant Catfish
Scientific Name:
Pangasianodon gigas
Status:
Critically Endangered
Scientific Classification:
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Actinopterygii
Order: Siluriformes
Family: Pangasiidae
Genus: Pangasianodon
Species: P. gigas
General Information:
The Mekong giant catfish is the largest freshwater fish in the world, and is endemic to the Mekong basin of Southeast Asia. A behemoth that can reach near-mythical proportions, this aquatic giant is migratory and requires extensive stretches of river for its seasonal migration. It also needs particular environmental conditions for breeding and spawning. Heavy fishing and other forms of human encroachment have pushed this catfish to the brink of extinction. It is currently classified as "Critically Endangered". In the past century, its population has been diminished by some 95 percent, and some experts believe there are only a few hundred adults left.
Physical Description:
The most marked feature of this fish is its remarkable size. The largest specimen ever caught was 9 feet in length and weight 646 lbs. It was the largest freshwater fish ever recorded. The Mekong giant catfish has low-set eyes, are silvery to dark gray in color on top and white underneath, and are toothless. Juveniles also possess the characteristic catfish whiskers known as barbels. As they grow older the barbels shrink in size.
Diet:
The Mekong giant catfish is an herbivore, and feeds on the plants and algae of the river.
Habitat:
It lives in the lower half of the Mekong River system in Southeast Asia, occurring in Cambodia, Laos, Thailand, and Vietnam.
Reproduction:
The Mekong giant catfish grows extremely quickly, and can reach 330 - 440 lbs in only six years time. This large fish, however, has also been noted for its slow reproduction rate, which, coupled with human encroachment pressures, has led to the precarious state of its survival. It migrates to spawn, but the damming of Mekong tributaries has led to the destruction of many of its breeding and spawning grounds. Siltation has also taken a large toll.
Article Source: www.paradiseearth.com
My Favorite Hotels
When we travel around, there are a couple of Hotels that we absolutely love, and would not change it for the world. You see after traveling when we were younger and experiencing horrible beds, stinky rooms, dirty tubs (other people's hair left in them after cleaning,) old and outdated lobbies, and much more, we decided to take a step up after trying to pinch pennies at the expense of our comfort.
Well, my first choice is in Houston, Texas at the Hilton Hotel next to the Toyota center in downtown Houston. Let me give you a descriptive view of this place...
1. You drive up and there are a number of people waiting to assist you.
a. The Valet Parker. This is your only option. You can not park your own car (cool isn't it)
b. The Bellhop. He is there to take your clothes out of the card and wait on you while you check in. Actually, everytime you leave and come back, you don't even have to carry your own shopping bags if you do not want to.
c. Greeter. He greets the family, gets your name, and asks you is there anything like information that you may need while staying in Houston. They will get reservations for you, directions, suggest shopping places, Realtors, anything that they are familiar with, they can find out for you.
2. Now, the inside. Once you walk in through the motion activated turning entrance, you are welcomed by every worker that lays their eyes on you. There is beautiful detail on the ceilings, the restaurant, the registration desk, even the columns and floors are immaculate in detail. Just imagine even the elevators are gold.
3. Now, the room. They are always immaculate. I have never ever complained about anything that was undone in the rooms.
4. Room Service. They will bring you food throughout the night. They are always polite, the call you by your name and will return with just a call from you to pick up their trays. Also, their food is really good. It tastes like someone from Louisiana cooks the food.
5. Checkout. Best of all. There is no check out. The last morning of your stay, you can check out on the television, or simply look at the bill that they will slide under your door first thing in the morning. If you do not have any disputes, simply leave.
By far, I have been to many FINE hotels, and others cost more, with much more expensive decor, but as far as service as a whole, I absolute suggest this hotel if you are in the Houston Area.
by La Shawn Duruisseau
If you enjoyed this article, please look for more from me. I will be discussing the Mandalay Bay in Las Vegas, Disney World's Animal Kingdom Hotel, and the Swan, The Embassy in Los Angeles, the Horseshoe in Shreveport, LA, and the Biltmore Hotel in Los Angeles, CA (Presidents have stayed here)
How To Smudge Your Home
Spring is a great time to "smudge" your home or office. "Smudging" or "cleansing the space of all negative energies" can be done any time of the year. However, the Spring offers a certain kind of "forward energy" that can enhance any kind of intention or endeavor.
According to Eastern medicine, the energy of the Spring is "anger, a pushing through, sometimes even violent." This energy is required for new life to burst up through the ground - pushing the earth away, thus clearing the space for new life to grow. Maybe you have noticed in your own life Spring is a time rebirth and renewal? Maybe even new opportunities appear regularly during this season for you?
Smudging your home or office at this time helps to create more opportunities in your life today as well as setting an intention for the months ahead. First, clean your home. If you really want to maximize the positive effects of smudging, go through your closets and drawers too - giving away anything you have not worn or used in the past year.
Some people like to sell their old clothes/stuff - fine and beneficial, however, I invite you to donate the items if you can afford too (it is a tax write-off too!) This act creates more positive energy for you because it activates a generous spirit and a feeling of plenty within.
What to smudge your home with? I like to use Holy Wood just because I like the scent best - "brings the woods indoors." Some like Sage and others use rosewater, it really doesn't matter. It is the intention that is most important, not the scent. Pick something that you have an immediate positive reaction to - that is the best indicator.
Stand at your front door and begin saying something like..."I clear this room of all negative energies - to go back into the light from which it was born...This room now attracts love, joy, wealth, abundance, good health..." As you speak these words, light your smudge stick and walk along the walls of the room. The idea is to remove all negative energy from the room first and then replace these empty spaces with new positive energy of love and happiness.
When I "clear" homes and offices, this is when I "see" images that are stuck or blocking positive energies. If this happens for you, just send these thoughts and images into the light to be cleared as well. You may even notice "solutions" to problem areas in your home as you smudge the rooms.
Don't worry about your exact words you speak as much as the idea of clearing first each room and then setting the intention of what you want the room (your life) to attract.
Once you have smudged all areas of your home, you can also smudge the yard if you so feel compelled. Otherwise go back into your house. Play some great music. Have something yummy to drink & eat and dream...Dream about the life you desire to unfold in your home. See the love, hope, possibilities - all these for you, waiting for you to step into...And most of all - have fun.
Kelly Ballard is a workshop leader, Intuitive Guide and Healer. Through workshops, private sessions and guided meditations Kelly specializes in helping others discover positive solutions for immediate change/growth in their lives thus drawing their most abundant life into reality. Find out more information about her services and meditation CDs at http://www.kellyballard.com Contact her directly at 720-984-4232 or email kelly@kellyballard.com She lives in Boulder, CO.
Rainforest Animals - Sloth Bear
Name:
Sloth Bear
Scientific Name:
Melursus ursinus
Status:
Vulnerable
Scientific Classification:
Kingdom: Animalia
Phylum: Chordata
Class: Mammalia
Order: Carnivora
Family: Ursidae
Genus: Melursus
Species: M. ursinus
General Information:
The sloth bear is the only species in the genus Melursus. It is a nocturnal creature of South Asia. Contrary to the implication of its name, the sloth bear is actually quite fast and can outrun a human being. There are a variety of theories as to where it gets its name, including the idea that early explorers spotted the bears lying upside down in trees, similar to the general appearance of sloths. In the 1700s, it was even classified as being a member of the sloth family, and accordingly named as "bear sloth". It wasn't until the 1800s, when the first live sloth bear arrived in Europe from India, that scientists were able to properly categorize it. Although it can be quite ferocious, leopards, tigers, and wolves are known to predate upon it or its young. Habitat destruction and poaching constitute the primary threat to this species' survival.
Physical Description:
The sloth bear is a relatively small but stocky bear, draped in long, shaggy black fur. The particularly long hair around its neck gives off the image that it has a mane. There is a large white or yellow Y-shaped patch on its chest. Adult sloth bears generally weigh about 176 - 308 lbs for males and 121 - 187 lbs for females. It is generally 4 ft 7 in to 6 ft 3 in in length.
Diet:
Sloth bears are omnivorous, feeding on a variety of foods that include plants, insects, and animals. It has been known to scavenge from tiger kills and even eat cultivated crops. When eating insects, they prefer termites, using their long claws to expose the insects' nests. And, because of their dietary fondness of honey, they have also been called honey bears.
Habitat:
Sloth bears inhabit a diverse array of forests, from dry thorn forests in the north of its range to the wet tropical forests in the south. They are also found in grassland areas. Their range includes areas of Sri Lanka, India, Nepal, Bangladesh, and Bhutan.
Reproduction:
Based on the limited available information, sloth bears appear to mate year-round. The gestation period is about 7 months, after which time the female gives birth to 1 - 3 cubs, with 2 generally being the case.
Article Source: www.paradiseearth.com
Construction of Hot Tubs
The modern hot tubs are mainly constructed of fiberglass or various kinds of plastics. Some manufacturers make a self supporting shell entirely of one material, while others use wood and metal as secondary supports. If wood and metal are used, they are normally put as supports under the seats or in high-stress areas. Sometimes a perimeter frame of wood or metal is used in order to support the rim.
Since there are water jets in the hot tubs, the plumbing is very important. This consists mainly of three types of plumbing systems, which are the pressure system, the suction system and the filtration system. Some models have blowers as well and sometimes there is an ozone system as well.
The pressure system delivers waters to the jets and the suction system returns the water to the pumps. The filtrations system helps to clean the water in the hot tub. If there is a small constant filter pump in the hot tub, the water is filtered all the time. If this is not considered necessary, there can be programmed settings of the main pumps and they operate accordingly. If there is an air blower, there are a separate set of jets for a special massage effect and this would require a separate plumbing system. Ozonation helps in water maintenance and needs its own set of hoses and fittings.
There is a skirting around the hot tub, which is both an enclosure for the plumbing and looks like a decorative wrap. Earlier, this skirting was always made of wood, especially of redwood or cedar. Unfortunately wood cabinets require regular maintenance and cannot stand strong weather conditions. Hence by popular choice, synthetic materials are being used because they need relatively less maintenance.
Energy efficiency in the tub is greatly dependent on effective insulation. Again, there are various methods of hot tub insulation. The manufacturers use different styles and it is very difficult to judge the insulation of the tub, till one has used it. The power consumption is dependent on the hot tub pump and the heater, and the power consumption naturally depends on the size of the hot tub and how frequently it is used.
Metal stock tanks are sometimes used as hot tubs, but insulation in metal tanks makes heating difficult. Also many hot tubs use a coat of vinyl to improve insulation. This holds well in water, but it is not long lasting.
Korean Style Grilled Chicken
Mmmmmm. I love this stuff. One day my mom discovered this recipe when she was taking a Korean cooking class from a REAL Korean cook. She brought home a sample of it after her class and I immediately fell in love with it. I almost finished the whole plate before my dad could even get one bite!
Warm juicy grilled chicken with a spicy peppery garliky crust. It will make your mouth crave for more!
Here's the recipe!
Ingredients
1 lb chicken (you can also use boneless chicken breast if you don't want to go through the deboning process!) 1 scallion 1/4 oz shredded red pepper 1 tsp sesame seeds 3 Tbsp soy sauce 2 Tbsp ginger juice 1 Tbsp sesame oil 1 Tbsp sugar 1 tsp black pepper 1 Tbsp hot pepper paste (this is a Korean brand - so check your local Asian food market or try the international foods aisle of your local grocery store) 1 Tbsp chopped garlic (if this is too much garlick, then you can cut back on it as much as you want!) 2 Tbsp cooking wine
First de-bone the chicken and cut it into 2 or 3 inch pieces. Strike the chicken meat flat. Next marinate chicken meat in ginger juice, garlic juice, and cooking wine for 2 minutes. Mix all soy sauce, hot pepper paste, sugar, chopped garlic, sesame oil, sesames seeds, and black pepper to make a sauce. Combine chicken meat with the sauce and grill them in a grill pan. Finally garnish with cut scallion, shredded red pepper, and a sprinkle of sesame seeds.
And ENJOY!
Daniel N. is the author of his blog, I Heart Asian Food, at http://iheartasianfood.blogspot.com He enjoys playing tennis and has a website for that too: http://soyouwanttoplaytennis.googlepages.com
How to Charge an iPod using electrolytes and an onion
In this episode we show you how to charge your iPod (or other mp3 player) for up to 20 minutes using electrolytes derived from Gatorade or Powerade which are then stored within the cells of an onion.
You will need:
1. 1 White onion
2. 2 cups of Gatorade
3. Screwdriver
4. iPod and USB cable
Disclaimer: This and other videos produced by HouseholdHacker are controlled experiments performed by professionals and unless you are an expert should NOT be attempted at home if you don't know what you are doing!
Horse tack refers to the accessories worn by domesticated horses. Tacking a horse is the act of fitting a horse with a wide range of equipment before the horse is taken for a ride. Tacking up a horse requires expertise, since any discomfort for the horse causes a lot of strain for both the horse and the rider. The tack also has to be of the exact size and fit to make the horse comfortable.
Horse tack is basically of two kinds: English and western. Horse tack consists of a halter, saddle, saddle pad, stirrup, bridle, Girth (English) / Cinches (Western), lead ropes, martingale, harnesses, and breastplates. The bridle consists of the headstall, chin strap, bits and reins. There are three kinds of bridles: single, double and hackamore. The girths are of four kinds: webbing, leather, string and nylon. Saddles are of many kinds: jumping saddles, dressage saddles, polo saddles, park saddles, racing saddles, show saddles, all-purpose saddles, roping saddles, barrel racing saddles, endurance saddles, trail saddles, pleasure saddles, English side saddles and western side saddles, and military saddles. Similarly, there are different kinds of other equipment as well, based on the rider.
Horse tack has to be cleaned regularly to increase the life of the equipment. Wipe the tack with a wet sponge and then with a horse tack cleaner that is available on the market. Today, tack is made of synthetic materials instead of leather. This tack is lighter, less expensive and easier to maintain, as it can even be washed in the washing machine. Leather tack, on the other hand, is expensive and needs a lot of care. Tack can be stored in exclusive tack boxes which have built-in compartments for holding all the equipment.
Horse tack can be very expensive, depending on the quality and the material used. Leather tack is very costly. A headstall can cost as much as $170, while a martingale may be priced at around $90. A cinch can cost around $40, a rope halter $26, a pulling collar $105, an aluminum barrel stirrup $80, aluminum stirrup $50, noseband $135, and harness leather loping hackamore $225. However, there is also discount horse tack available at some stores. For instance, a whole nylon tack set is priced at $125. Some companies also offer custom-made horse tack। Rod’s, Farnam, Pro Choice, Tom Balding, Big D and Reinsman are some of the top brands ofantique horse tack
Article Source: http://www.i-horsetack.com/
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