Man Teaches Wolf to Howl
July 30, 2009 by admin · View Comments
Be prepared for the cutest video you will see today!
This man specializes in training abandoned or rescued wolves so they can re-enter the wild. In this short video, he teaches a pup how to howl. Not only is it so adorable, it’s ridiculous…but what’s really impressive is how much this man sounds like an actual wolf. Spot on! (He kind of looks a little wolf-like as well. We all have our “animals within.”)
Shaun Ellis has immersed himself with wolves, learning elements that will undoubtedly help scientists and wildlife. Let’s all take our hats off to man with such a deep and undying commitment.
Ladies and gentlemen, Wolfman Shaun Ellis teaching a very young wolf pup to howl:
Cutest Video Ever - Man teaches Wolf to Howl
Beth
Small Ways to Make a Big Difference
July 29, 2009 by admin · View Comments
Sometimes going green can seem overwhelming. There are so many ways in which we affect our planet on a daily basis. There are some many toxins to avoid and so much help needed to make our world healthier. Where to begin?
CNN published a list of small things you can do to make a difference. Try to integrate a few of these pointers every day. You won’t know what hit you!
Workshop
1. Unplug your power tools. Figure out which cordless tools (like drill/drivers) get the most use, then unplug the chargers on all the rest. Most cordless tools have nickel cadmium (NiCad) batteries, which will hold some charge for up to a year. They lose 15 to 20 percent of their juice each month, but only take a couple of hours to power up again. Newer tools with lithium ion batteries lose just 2 to 5 percent of their charge each month, so they’ll be ready to go even if you haven’t charged them in ages.
2. Spread sawdust on your floor. Take the superfine shavings captured by your dust collection system, wet them down, then push them around with a stiff broom to sweep your concrete garage or workshop floor. The mix is as good as a power-guzzling shop vac at picking up dust but doesn’t swirl it into the air.
3. Up the wattage on lights. Where you still use incandescent bulbs (with dimmers or three-ways) on multiple fixtures in a room, try consolidating. One 100-watt incandescent emits more light than two 60-watt bulbs combined but requires 17 percent less power. The 100-watter also uses the same energy as four 25-watt bulbs, but pumps out twice as much light. Just be sure your bulbs don’t exceed the maximum wattage recommendation for each fixture. This Old House: Energy-saving bulbs
4. Eat your leftover take-out. Then save the plastic containers it came in–which can’t be recycled in most municipal waste systems–and use them to organize your nails, screws, and leftover paints. Not only does their tight seal help preserve solvents, but the see-through containers stack neatly and display contents clearly. For added strength, double up the thin ones.
5. Save used paint thinner. After cleaning oil-based finishes from brushes and tools, allow the dirty solvent to sit overnight. The sludge will settle to the bottom of the jar, leaving a layer of clear thinner on top. Carefully decant the clear thinner into a clean jar, and reseal it for future use. Be sure to dispose of the leftover sludge at a hazardous-waste-disposal site–never down a sink drain or into a street gutter.
6. Mix it up in the garage. Combine all those cans of leftover white paint that inevitably collect after you decorate the house and use them to paint the garage or workshop. (Make sure only to mix latex with latex and oils with oils.) You’ll keep the stuff out of the trash, and by adding the semi-glosses to the flats and eggshells, you’ll end up with a sheen that’s easy to clean.
7. Turn things on their heads. Store paint cans upside down so the solvents–which separate and rise to the top–get trapped under the bottom of the can. Not only will paint last longer, but solvents won’t be able to slowly seep out through the lid this way.
8. Take charge of your charges. Invest in an inexpensive battery tester, then set up a “battery center” where you can store new cells, check used ones for power, and set aside those that have burned out and have to be recycled. A designated collection spot will deter you from throwing bad batteries in the garbage. Once or twice a year, you just take the pile to your town’s recycling center.
Kitchen
9. Take your fridge’s temperature. Stick an appliance thermometer in a glass of water in the center of your refrigerator, or between frozen goods in the freezer, overnight. Your fridge temp should be between 37 and 40 degrees F (no more, to keep bacteria at bay); your freezer between zero and 5 degrees. If either compartment is too cold, adjust the setting, since keeping them just 10 degrees colder than necessary can boost your energy consumption by up to 25 percent.
10. Freeze your assets. Slip a dollar bill between the rubber gasket on your freezer and fridge doors and the frame, then close the door and tug on the buck. Notice any resistance? If not, the seal’s not tight enough and cold air is probably leaking out, making your fridge work harder to stay cool. Try this on all four sides of the door.
If necessary, call the manufacturer’s service department to find out how to replace the gasket.
11. Throw a dinner party. And clear out that second fridge or freezer in the garage or basement. Then banish the appliance to the recycling center. Getting rid of either one can save you more than $200 a year, especially if it’s an old, inefficient model. This Old House: House-part recycling centers
12. Invite your biggest buddy over. Ask him to help you move your fridge out of direct sunlight or away from the range. The heat from either will force a refrigerator compressor to gobble up more energy than necessary. A fridge uses up to 2.5 percent more power for each degree the surrounding temperature is above 70 degrees. So moving it out of a 90-degree spot can save you as much as $70 a year. If you can’t move it, at least block any sunny window with curtains and put as big a buffer as you can between it and the range.
13. Use the dishwasher. Doing a full load in your machine is far more efficient than washing the same number of dishes by hand. This is especially true if you have an Energy Star dishwasher, which requires an average of 4 gallons of water per load, compared with the 24 gallons it takes to do them in the sink. Using one will save you 5,000 gallons of water, $40 in utility costs, and 230 hours of your time each year.
Bathroom
14. Turn your toilet tank blue. Or green or red. Pour food coloring into the water in the tank, wait two hours, then check to see if any color has seeped into the bowl. If it has, your tank’s flapper is leaking, either from mineral buildup or worn parts. After you flush the dye away so it doesn’t stain, head to the hardware store for a replacement flapper assembly (then go to thisoldhouse.com for instructions on how to install it). Toilet leaks waste up to a gallon of water per minute. That’s more than 43,000 gallons a month.
15. Run the shower. Place a 1-gallon bucket under the running water, then see how long it takes for it to fill up. If it’s less than 20 seconds, replace the showerhead with one that sprays 1.5 gallons per minute. That could save as much as 14,600 gallons of water a year–especially if you limit your showers to 10 minutes. It will also save you $22 on your annual water bill, and $150 per year on water heating.
16. Go from scalding to just hot. Turn your water heater’s temperature setting down from the standard 140 degrees F to 120 degrees. Not only will this save you some bucks, it’ll also slow down mineral buildup and corrosion, prolonging the life of your tank. Since a new water heater costs about $900 installed, each additional year of use saves you money as well.
17. End the water torture. One drip per second from a leaky faucet or pipe can waste up to 5 gallons of water a day–and 1,800 gallons a year. While you won’t notice much of an increase on your water bill (around $3 annually), if an overlooked leak soaks through your kitchen floor, you could wind up with a $1,000 repair job–money that could have been saved by simply replacing a 50-cent washer.
Entries
18. Wipe your feet. Equip your exterior doors with a series of mats–or one long “walk-off” mat–so everyone enters with clean shoes. As long as there’s room for five steps on the mats, you’ll drastically reduce the amount of grime tracked in. That means fewer pathogens that cause disease and less chemical cleanup. It will also mean improved indoor air quality, since dirt embedded in a carpet can become airborne when it’s tromped on or agitated by a vacuum.
Basement/laundry
19. Reach behind your clothes washer. Turn down the hot water tap for the washing machine so less goes into the warm-water cycle. Perspiration and most other dirt dislodge best at body temperature, so you don’t need water that’s warmer than 100 degrees. Since most washers simply open both the hot and cold taps to make “warm” water, it may take longer to fill the machine. But you’ll save about $40 annually on your water-heating bill.
20. Spend more time in the basement. Make sure furnace filters in forced-air systems are clean. Dirty furnace filters restrict airflow and increase energy use. Cleaning them, or swapping them out each month during the winter, can save you up to 5 percent on your heating costs. Also schedule an annual checkup before the heat comes on to see that the furnace is properly calibrated.
Living areas
21. Listen to your mother. And put on a sweater. That way you can turn down your thermostat this winter. Adjust it by just one degree for eight hours a day, and you could save 1 percent on your monthly heating bills. Do it for 24 hours and save 3 percent. Try setting the temp at 70 degrees during the day and 62 at night during winter (and 78 or higher come summer). Heating and air-conditioning account for nearly half the energy used in our homes, so every little bit less you use makes a dent.
22. Worship the sun. Or at least use it to your advantage. Open blinds or drapes to let in natural solar heat on cold days, then close them once the sun sets, and you can reduce your heating bills by 10 percent. You can also cut your cooling costs by up to 33 percent in the summer by blocking out sunlight with exterior blinds, shutters, or awnings. To keep rooms bright, paint or paper with light or reflective colors.
Source: CNN
Beth
10 Adorable Baby Animals
July 28, 2009 by admin · View Comments
They say beauty is in the eye of the beholder, but some baby animals aren’t conventionally cute. At any Hallmark gift shop there are hundreds of cards with images of cute puppies, but not many with wrinkly aardvarks. All baby creatures have a certain charm though. Some, like the hippo perhaps, lose a little of it as they grow to full-size, but others, like the panda, can look forward to a whole lifetime of cuteness. Of course this is all just in the eyes of us humans, who tend to anthropomorphize all baby animals and think of them in terms of human babies. But its hard to resist.These guys are just so darn cute!
Baby Aardvarks
(image via: zooborns)
Well he may not be conventionally handsome but this wrinkly baby aardvark is seriously sweet. The aardvark’s name derives from the Afrikaans word “earth pig.” In Africa magicians make a charm from the heart, skin, forehead, and nails of the aardvark, which they then pound together with the root of a certain tree. Wrapped in a piece of skin and worn on the chest the charm is said to give the owner the ability to pass through walls or roofs at night. It is used by burglars and those seeking to visit young girls without their parents’ permission. Very handy unless you happen to be an aardvark.
Baby Francois Langur
(image via: boston)
Look at those lovely big eyes. That’s a characteristic we seem to like in baby animals, perhaps because it reminds us of human babies. This little fellow is quite rare and one of the lutung species of monkey from China and Vietnam. There are believed to be less than 500 left in Vietnam and 1,400-1,650 in China, with only about 60 langurs in captivity in North American zoos. This particular 5 day old charmer is called Elke, from Taronga Zoo’s Wildlife Hospital in Sydney, where her keepers have decided to hand-raise the monkey after she was rejected by her mother.
Baby Gorillas
(image via: boston)
One of the things humans warm to in animals is evidence of the mother-child bond and this can be seen very strongly with gorillas. Not surprising since their DNS is 98-99% identical to humans and they are our next closest relative after two chimpanzee species. They are the largest of the living primates and, despite their fearsome appearance, predominantly herbivorous . They live in the forests of Central Africa. The baby gorilla in the picture is Kiburi from Duisburg zoo in Germany and, like all adorable babies, she needs lots of sleep.
Baby Hedgehogs
(image via: darkroastedblend)
The little guy looks like an upside-down hairbrush and he will only get more prickly as he grows older. Hedgehogs are native to Europe, Asia and Africa but not North America or Australia. The species hasn’t changed much for the last 15 million years but the name ‘hedgehog’ came into use more recently , around 1450. It was derived from the English ‘hegge’ (hedge) and ‘hogge’ (pig) because I suppose of their pig-like snout and the fact they were often found in hedgerows. Makes sense. Hedgehogs feature in many children’s stories and perhaps for that reason are generally regarded with affection as benign creatures.
Baby Pandas
(image via: zooborns)
Pandas are born cute and stay cute all their lives. They’re the clowns of the animal world, delighting people in zoos with their antics and appearing like great big funny stuffed toys. This just shows that looks can be deceptive. It was recently reported that a zoo-goer who decided to give one of these cuddly creatures a hug had their arm ripped off in the process. Pandas are very definitely wild animals, however sweet they may look. They are extremely valuable wild animals too, since they are an endangered species and are highly prized by the worlds zoos.
Domestic Cats
(image via: thundafunda)
Although they’re not rare or exotic, kittens are common favorites amongst the ‘adorable baby animals’ . The huge eyes, oversized pointy ears and playful nature all combine to put them near the top of every child’s wish list when it comes to pets. People have had a love affair going on with cats for at least the last 9,500 years. They were revered as gods in ancient Egypt and a study in 2007 found that the lines of descent of all house cats probably run back to as few as five self-domesticating African wildcats around 8,000BC. So it looks like cats originally just decided to move in with us because they felt like it and they’ve been our house-guests ever since. Typical of cats.
Baby Hippopotamus
(image via: photographyfineart)
I suppose a hippo isn’t the first thing you think of in connection with ‘adorable babies’ but they are irresistibly cute. They look so precious trotting along beside their huge mothers and when you see them in the water, where buoyancy counteracts their weight, they’re like chubby little ballet dancers. Baby hippos grow up into the third-largest land mammal by weight (1.5–3.5 tons), behind the white rhino and the elephant, but despite their bulk and short legs they can easily outrun a human. Hippos have been clocked at 18 mph (29 km/h) over short distances, which is pretty impressive. They have a combination of speed and bulk that seems not unlike sumo-wrestlers. They are also one of the most aggressive creatures in the world, often regarded as the most ferocious animal in Africa so if you’re ever tempted to pet a baby hippo, watch out for mom.
Baby Meerkats
(image via: zooborns)
A meerkat is a small mammal, a bit like a mongoose, from the Kalahari desert of South Africa. They live in groups called a ‘mob’ or a ‘clan’ with about 20 members. Meerkats forage in these groups with one “sentry” on guard watching for predators while the others search for food. Sentry duty is usually about an hour long. Baby meerkats do not start foraging for food until they are about 1 month old, and do so by following an older member of the group who acts as the pup’s tutor. If you watch video of meercats one of their most striking characteristics is their habit of standing up on their hind legs so they can see further over the desert.
Baby Rhinoceros
(image via: zooborns)
Cute as baby rhinos undoubtedly are, you wouldn’t want to take one home because when they grow up they weigh well over a ton. They look like creatures from the prehistoric past, with their thick hides and huge horns, but generally they are peaceful herbivores. Unfortunately they are often killed for their horn which some mistakenly think is an aphrodisiac. The collective name for a group of rhinos is a ‘crash’ which, given their lumbering bulk and generally poor eye-sight, seems particularly apt.
Human Babies
(image via: theonion)
Its not really possible to leave the subject of ‘adorable baby animals’ without including a mention of human babies. People jokingly say that nature makes them appealing so their parents don’t murder them when the sleepless nights and smelly diapers become too much. Certainly babies have the facial proportions that studies say we humans find attractive and its probably not an accident from an evolutionary perspective because even after a lengthy nine months of pregnancy, and unlike many species who can look after themselves fairly quickly, human offspring require care and attention for a long time. Ask the mother of any teenager and she’ll tell you it can be a very long time indeed. However there’s no denying, babies are adorable. Its just as well.
Gerri L Elder
10 Magnificent Maelstroms
July 27, 2009 by admin · View Comments
Water can grant life but it can also be a dangerous force depending upon its intensity and form. Very small whirlpools can be seen spinning when a sink drains, but the powerful whirlpools in nature are magnificent and destructive. A whirlpool of extraordinary size or violence is a maelstrom. The swirling vortex is deadly. Here are 10 exquisite yet lethal maelstroms.
Mightiest Maelstrom in the World
(image via:Visit Norway)
Whirlpools are caused by a turbulent flow of water. When moving river water is forced to twist around an object or to stream into a narrower riverbed, the water flows faster and is more likely to create an energetic swirling turbulence. In the ocean, depending upon the geology of the sea bed, driving currents can collide and create conflicting tidal flows. Water spins counterclockwise north of the equator and clockwise south of the equator. The destructive interaction forms a whirlpool, a powerful circular current of water. A maelstrom, the vortex of a violent turbulence, is the most deadly of all.
As we believe a black hole in the depths of uncharted space would suck us in if we venture too close, so did ancient seafaring folk believe a giant whirlpool, a spinning vortex, would suck down ships and sailors to their watery demise. When they sailed the largely unexplored seas, tales were exaggerated of maelstroms and the certain doom of impenetrable ocean depths. Even now though, small boats could be pulled down and sailors are warned to avoid these treacherous waters when the tide is running. Currents speeds increase when the tides change, so even a large boat may find steering impossible until the maelstrom subsides.
Maelstrom of Saltstraumen
(images via:Flickr,Wikipedia,Flickr)
The Maelstrom of Saltstraumen is located next to Norway. Positioned near the Arctic Circle, the mightiest maelstrom in the world creates the strongest tidal currents on the globe. Every six hours, vigorous ocean currents can run up to 25 miles per hour as more than 105,668 gallons of water surge through the narrow strait that connects Skjerstadfjord and Saltenfjord. When the tidal currents turn, there is a “time window” when larger ships can sail through the sound. In fact, currents appear essentially calm during that time. Nevertheless locals and tourists are advised to use great caution when down by the sea or in a boat since the underwater currents are constantly churning, the water twisting, making the Maelstrom of Saltstraumen the most dangerous maelstrom on the planet.
Moskstraumen Maelstrom
(image via:Wikipedia)
While the Saltstraumen is the strongest maelstrom, the Moskstraumen is the most famous. Perhaps infamous thanks to Edgar Allan Poe and Jules Verne. Poe penned a story called A Descent into the Maelstrom and then Verne referred to it at the culmination of the book 20,000 Leagues Under the Sea. Herman Melville wrote about it through his character Captain Ahab in Moby-Dick. Moskstraumen is thought to be the first mentioned maelstrom in history.
Referred to as simply Maelstrom, it has the dubious honor of 1500 years worth of descriptions about seafarer’s who met sea monsters and their doom in the treacherous whirlpool. Located off the Lofoten islands, Moskstraumen is the second strongest whirlpool in the world. However there are many people who would dispute the powerful circular currents of water that reach speeds of 17.27 mph as the most destructive maelstrom. Its forceful tidal currents, about five miles wide, flow along a deep marine channel between the Norwegian coast and the open sea.
Corryvreckan Whirlpool
(image via:Flickr,Craignish Cruises)
The third largest maelstrom in the world is located in the relatively narrow Strait of Corryvreckan. Extreme tidal currents surge into whirlpools swirling round and round due in part to its location between two islands off the west coast of Scotland and the pyramidal rock on the sea floor. 30 foot waves swell from a depth of 100 fathoms and the reverberation of nature’s fury is heard from as far as ten miles away. Bewitching and bizarre legends were told by Celtic people about the ominous vortex of churning water that at times appears more green than blue. Corryvreckan was once classified as unsafe for voyage, then “very violent and dangerous,” but writer George Orwell journeyed across the water just the same. Orwell was shipwrecked for a short time.
Some Scottish producers tossed a mannequin with a life jacket into the Corryvreckan or “Brecan’s Cauldron” during a documentary called “Lethal Seas.” The life-size dummy disappeared into the dangerous vortex. When the mannequin was later found far away, there was evidence of it being scraped along the bottom and 262 feet showed on the depth meter. The Discovery Channel picked up the film and aired it as “Sea Twister.”
Old Sow
(image via:Eastern Maine,Bay of Fundy)
The largest whirlpool on the Western Hemisphere is called Old Sow. This maelstrom is situated between the shores of Deer Island and Moose Island in-between New Brunswick and Maine. Old Sow derives its name from the “pig-like”sucking sounds that occur when the whirling streams and vortex seethes. Considered one of the five most meaningful maelstroms in the world, this intensely violent whirlpool creates a mighty roaring when the tides back up against a strong wind. Old Sow maelstroms that form between the bays of Fundy and Passamaquoddy have a diameter of about 250 feet, swell up to 20 feet high, and reach speeds of 17.15 mph.
Small to medium whirlpools on every side of Old Sow are called “piglets.” Dreadful and deafening disturbances aside, only smaller sailboats and other boats with keels are considered in danger to steer Old Sow while the tide is running. Most motorized boats are able to successfully navigate these waters. Other rare natural occurrences around Old Sow involve upwellings, standing waves, and non-vortexing depressions in the water.
Naruto
(image via:Flickr)
The strait separating Naruto and Awaji is less than one mile wide. Naruto strait in located within a very narrow channel near Hyōgo, Japan where tides and water levels constantly fluctuate and throw strong tides into a vortex. The water speeds at over 8 mph through the Naruto channel four different times a day, twice flowing in and twice flowing out. The tidal currents twist like an underwater cyclone, swirling at a velocity of over 20 mph, making Naruto maelstroms the fourth fastest in the world. During the spring and autumn tides, the whirlpools have a diameter of over 65 feet. Tourists as well as locals watch the ebb and flow of giant whirlpools from ships or from above on the Naruto Bridge.
Kauai Maelstrom
(image via:Flickr,Flickr)
Sunrise kisses a marvelously mysterious phenomenon in Kaunai, Hawaii. The sea air whistles before a bellow of water pressure erupts through the lava tubes like a geyser. Before another blast of the blowhole, white foamy ocean sucks water in to swirl dangerous currents, a maelstrom of deadly dragging suction pulling down to the ocean twenty feet below the lava-ledge. This maelstrom of water is as enticing as it is lethal, a destructive downdraft of unrelenting natural violence.
Garofalo – Strait of Messina Whirlpool
(image via:Flickr,Flickr)
Homer told tales of Odysseus on a hazardous mystical sea voyage where he encountered two immortal creatures called Scylla and Charybdis. Although not a sea monster, Charybdis lives on in the Strait of Messina and is now called Garofalo. It is here that the sea floor drops considerably and winds flow against the direction of powerful tidal currents to form another oceanographic phenomenon. The Strait of Messina is 1.9 miles wide at its narrowest point with a depth of 830 feet. The maelstrom of Garofalo occurs in the narrow body of water between the southern tip of Calabria and the eastern tip of Sicily, Italy. Dangerous choppy seas and rotating whirlpools can still overturn small sea vessels and the rough broken swells can create substantial navigational hazards for larger ones.
Niagara Falls Whirlpool
(image via:SmugMug,Flickr)
When the Niagara River is at full flow, the waters traverse over the rapids and enter a pool to create another “reversal phenomenon.” The body of water travels counterclockwise around the pool where it tries to cut across the natural outlet. Pressure builds up and forces the water under the incoming stream which causes the swirling Niagara Falls Whirlpool. The basin is 1,700 feet long by 1,200 feet wide with depths up to 125 feet.
Like most whirlpools, tourists are drawn to see the swirling natural forces in action. The oldest attraction at Niagara Falls is the Maid of the Mist boat cruise that sails passengers into the whirlpools beneath the Falls. The Rainbow Bridge, located downriver from the Falls, connects Niagara Falls, New York, and Ontario, Canada. It also allows great views of the whirlpools. The Whirlpool Aero Car is a cable car ride that “flies” passengers over the whirlpool on the Canadian side.
Ligurian Maelstrom
(image via:Flickr)
The Ligurian Sea, an arm of the Mediterranean Sea, is fed by the Arno River. Both the make of the sea bed and the conflicting tidal currents cause maelstroms to form. Tales and legends are thought to have been told about the whirlpools in this area south of Italy. The word maelstrom can also indicate chaos and inescapable destructive forces. The water in Ligurian Maelstrom writhes and foams, luring the unwise closer to have a better look at the crushing forces of nature.
Maelstrom Doctor’s Cove
(image via:Flickr)
In the Canadian province of Nova Scotia, an area long heralded by maritime enthusiasts, a maelstrom forms in Doctor’s Cove. The combination of a blowhole and strong tidal currents create a forceful downdraft, a free vortex. Nowadays these maelstroms are well documented and charted out for boats to avoid. Although powerful whirlpools have killed many, there is little actual evidence of large ships being sucked beneath the ocean. However the question remains, back in ancient times, who would have survived such a violent destruction to write about it? Myths and legends generally begin with a grain of truth. Is the same true for maelstroms?
Relaxing Whirlpool or Turbulent Tempest
(image via:Google Images,Flickr)
Some whirlpools, like the one in the bottom picture, are enticing and soothing. The picture on top depicts a maelstrom, a spinning underwater tornado that lures the adventurous and the curious nearer for a closer look into the natural phenomenon. Only you can decide if the relaxing whirlpool or the turbulent tempest calls to your soul.
Angie
18 Natural Formations that Look Man-Made
July 23, 2009 by admin · View Comments
Whether you enjoy outdoor adventures or surf the great beyond from your computer chair, it’s easy for the human brain to see complexity and touches of man-made civilization in the impressive natural formations of our world. Our brains are wired to mistake culture when nature mimics man-made structures. From geometrical faces carved by the forces of nature to sleeping giants in the sea, here are the 18 strangest yet most amazing tricks of nature creatively mocking man’s design.
Rainbow and Cracked Fairy Chimney
(image via:Curious Expeditions)
Vastly extreme landscapes exist in central Turkey. Magical fairies are said to have created extraordinary scenes. A thick layer of volcanic rock and ash helps to protect these beautiful stone formations. Over eons of time, the basalt cracks and the much softer inner stone begins to erode and wash away. This “Fairy Chimney” appears to have a window overlooking an enchanted land. Nature added a rainbow in this magnificent view.
Dead Man – Sleeping Giant
(image via:Flickr)
Off the coast of Ireland, near the Blasket Islands, this rock formation is known as the Dead Man or The Sleeping Giant. With foreboding dark clouds hanging low over the small island, this natural rock structure looks like a man who laid down to sleep on the water. Minard’s Head, the stunning mountainous countryside where The Sleeping Giant waits, has been forgotten by most guides and therefore by most tourists. The Dead Man is surrounded by peace and tranquility with only the low crashing sound of the waves on the rocky shore, as forgotten as the ruins of the castle nearby.
Indian Head, Witch’s Face, Building Blocks, Australian Heart
(images via:National Wildlife Federation,Flickr,National Geographic,Flickr)
Nature has been making the most gorgeous art for countless centuries without any help from man’s technology. In the Colorado Rockies, this great red stone face of an Indian chief keeps a watchful eye as man tears up the Earth. His distinct triangular face, large brow, long nose, and mouth stand out in contrast to the mountain. (upper left)
Decorating Laguna Beach, this natural rock formation appears to the human eye as a silhouette of a witch’s face. If viewed from the proper angle, this series of jutting granite ledges gives man another illusion of itself. Face-like stone formations are common around the world. The craggy nose, pointy hair, and elongated chin are easily visible on the witch’s face. (upper right)
In Peru, these stone formations were once thought to be ruins from an ancient “Lost City.” Archaeologists and geological analysis proved these rectangular rocks are a natural design. Each architectural piece is made of sandstone that showed no signs of intervention by the hands of man. Instead of ruins from the Inca people, nature once again created rock formations that look like they were made by man. (bottom left)
Found at Ayers Rock, Australia, this indentation in the rock looks like a red heart. Uluru is a huge sandstone rock formation that is sacred to the Aboriginal people. Uluru National Park is considered an Australian icon. Standing 1140 feet high, most of the red rock is burrowed beneath the ground. The aboriginals believed a turtle-spirit changed into Ayers Rock. The area has many caves and springs where the Aboriginal people survived. It is as if nature carved this heart in an area well-loved by the Australians. (bottom right)
Ancient Walls and Building Blocks
(image via:Flickr)
In Scotland, near the eastern coastline of the Caithness district, these magnificent rocks look like ancient building blocks and man-made walls. Instead, ravaging winds and the turbulent sea have carved out the rocks over many centuries. A human’s visual perception mistakes natural forces for complex right-angled blocks and walls. Nature, not technology, molded and carved these millions of colored stone layers.
Giant’s Causeway, The Old Man of the Mountain, Footprint, Stone Forest
(images via:National Geographic,Flickr,Panoramio,Flickr)
In Northern Ireland, the Giant’s Causeway stepping stones lead into the sea. Extremely active volcanoes spewed molten lava which solidified into a substantial plateau. Formed at least 50 million years ago, the molten magma cracked and fractured as it quickly cooled into igneous rock. These geometric stepping stones made by nature’s hand have mesmerized humans for an eternity. (top left & bottom right)
This Great Stone Face can be found in the White Mountains of New Hampshire. Formed by glaciers millions of years ago, The Old Man in the Mountain resides 1200 feet up with stone shelves that are 25 feet wide and 40 feet tall. A face, a jagged and craggy profile, is visible when seen at the correct angle. The Old Man of the Mountain is made up of a series of five granite cliff ledges. What Mother Nature created, the human eye sees as a face-like stone formation. (top right)
Near Gujarat India, in a breathtaking land of cave temples, this rock formation was found. Gujarat civilization is thought to date back from 3000 to 1500 BC. This ancient natural rock formation has rested, untouched, for untold thousands of years. Brightly colored and carefully sculpted by nature over time, the textures and patterns in this rock appear as if it were a human footprint. (middle left)
Spotted via satellite in Varna, Bulgaria, this unique geological formation looks like a Stone Forest. The Bulgarian name for these rocks is “Pobitite Kamani” which means stones beaten into the ground. These white rock formations, a fabulous natural phenomena, may date back some 270 million years. The stones are clustered together in some places and spread apart in others as if the forest were seeded eons ago. Tall rocks look like trees made of stone, broken and fallen with age. Once again, to the eyes of man it appears as if man-made, but nature created an illusion of a forest made of stone. (bottom left)
Moeraki Boulders
(image via:Wikipedia)
Along the coast of New Zealand, overly large and spherical boulders lie scattered on Koekohe Beach. Exhumed by coastal erosion, these boulders were created by the cementation of Paleocene. Nature formed these huge round rocks similar to how an oyster makes a pearl. Instead of a grain of sand, these beautiful boulders began as a fossil shell or perhaps small pieces of wood. Lime and minerals from the sea accumulated over time and grew up to perfect spherical shapes, some up to 9 feet in diameter. Local legend spins a tale of how these massive gray rocks came to rest on the shore, another example of man attempting to explain away how nature could form something so spectacular.
Troll
(image via:Flickr)
Nature chiseled this ancient rock near Nas, located on the Greek Island of Icaria. Alongside the spectacular beaches, ruins of an ancient temple dedicated to the Goddess Artemis remain. People have lived in Icaria since at least 7000 BC. Nas was a sacred spot and the Temple of Artemis was considered a last stop before sailing the treacherous seas. Sailors made sacrifices to the Goddess Artemis, the patron of sea-farers. Like a fierce stone creature, this natural formation looks like a hideous troll perched on the rocky outcropping over the exquisite aquamarine sea.
Fairy Chimneys
(image via:Flickr)
In Cappadocia, Turkey, eons of time have eroded jutting volcanic rock formations to create mystical Fairy Chimneys for as far as the human eye can see. The outer hard layer of stone is less easily-eroded than the inner soft sedimentary rock. Primitive people carved out homes, chapels, and tombs in the stone. This territory in Turkey is epically strange yet enchanting. This mystical and peculiar landscape continues below ground where the rocks have been tunneled out to create underground and otherworldly cities.
The Sleeping Ute
(image via:Flickr)
The Sleeping Ute Mountain is on the “Ute Mountain Ute Reservation” in northern New Mexico and southwestern Colorado. The cluster of angular crests is the profile of “The Sleeping Ute.” Alone in an otherwise flat land, the mountain peaks soar from 5 to 12 miles high. The Sleeping Ute is supposed to resemble a Ute Chief lying down with his arms folded across his chest for all eternity. The legend associated with this land is that a Great Warrior God helped to fight against the evil ones. During the mighty battle, his feet formed into the mountains and valleys. The Great Warrior God was wounded and fell into a deep sleep as he rested to recover. His wounds bled, becoming the living water. Rain clouds form out of his pockets. He continues to care for his people. The changing of this blankets bring the seasons: dark green, yellow and red, and white. A 3-day Sun Dance is held every year over Sleeping Ute’s heart. His head is to the right while his folded arms, hips, knees, and toes stretch to the left.
Underwater Arena
(image via:Lauralee)
When diving in Japan, this ancient underwater treasure awaits to tickle or to trick the visual senses. Yonajuni Monument has long been debated as either made by nature or made by man. This popular diving location boasts stone terraces, stone circles, and perhaps even a stone arena that are buried deep underwater off the coast of Japan. Have these massive natural structures been chiseled by strong currents or by an ancient alien civilization long gone from the land? Mankind sees underwater ruins, angles and walls. It may be nature simply looking like it is man-made. The arguments rage on of whether Yonajuni Monument was artificially or naturally formed.
Strange Natural Formations
(image via:Flickr)
Although this mossy rock appears to have man-made rectangular patterns on top, this phenomena is actually nature fooling the eyes of man yet again. Patterns like a fishing net weave across the rock, making the stone appear to be man-made. Nature coated the angular lines with layers of green and yellow moss. The squared shapes embedded in the rock came about during the formation of a huge boulder. These patterns formed naturally over hundreds of years, not a trick to confound, but a gift from Mother Nature.
Natural Sphinx
(image via:Flickr)
Located In Pakistan, Hingol National Park is both extensive and exquisite. It ranges from a natural habitat for wildlife where a river runs through it to a dry and desolate desert. Hingol National Park contains four ecosystems: desert, Arabian Sea, open plains, and rugged mountains. Numerous birds, crocodiles, turtles, gazelles and marine life flourish in the diverse environment. It is a land where nature rules. This rock formation resembles the Great Sphinx of Giza. This Sphinx, however, is a natural one that was sculpted by coastal semi-desert winds for millions of years.
Angie
Green in the City: Rooftop Gardens
July 20, 2009 by admin · View Comments
The demand for rooftop gardens is growing, and these lovely cultivated patches in the sky are becoming more common. Any roof can become a rooftop garden, as long as the structure can support the weight. Rooftop gardens give city dwellers the opportunity to take in nature, improve air quality and reduce CO2 emissions, provide roof insulation, delay storm water runoff and increase natural habitat spaces for birds.
230 Fifth Avenue
(images via: J&GMcLean, shutter-happy, jo.jp.pa, NYTimes)
In New York City, atop the former Victoria Hotel, sits a 22,000 square foot rooftop garden that is part of a bar and penthouse lounge. The owner, Steven Greenberg, has filled the lounge area with pieces of his own furniture, which create a 1940s modernist mood. The garden is full of palm trees and fountains and offers a stunning view of the Empire State Building, especially at night.
San Francisco Museum of Modern Art
(images via: ChimayBleu, Life Without Buildings)
The rooftop garden at the San Francisco Museum of Modern Art is described by architect Mark Jensen as “a gallery without a ceiling.” The rooftop garden is open to guests of the museum year-round and features sculptural works from the museum’s collection and dramatic views of the San Francisco skyline.
Ghibli Museum
(images via: eyesofrc, davegolden, jackson.chu, ameotoko)
Ghibli Museum is a sprawling and maze-like commercial museum located in Inokashira Park in Mitaka, a western suburb of Tokyo, Japan. The museum features several levels of rooftop gardens for guests to explore. One one level of the gardens, a giant robot soldier sculpture is the main attraction.
St. Luke’s International Hospital
(images via: metropolis, imuttoo)
The rooftop garden at St. Luke’s International Hospital in Tokyo is an example of perfection in garden planning, execution and maintenance. While some gardens are allowed to sprawl and little is done to contain their exuberance, this rooftop garden takes the opposite approach. It is nature harnessed and mastered, without so much as a leaf out of place.
Kensington Rooftop Gardens
(images via: slideshowbob, eric, TerribleT, agsweep, ddtmmm)
London’s secret treasure, Kensington Gardens, is a protected historic preservation site. These rooftop gardens were created on top of what was a department store in 1932 to give shoppers a scenic resting spot. There are three gardens at Kensington: the Spanish Garden, Tudor Garden and classic English style Woodland Garden. Today guests of the Babylon restaurant enjoy the gardens and invite-only guests come for the nightlife on the rooftop.
Chicago City Hall Roof Garden
(images via: luxhominem, francesdre, francesdre, worldbusinesschicago)
The rooftop gardens at Chicago City Hall are open to the public by appointment. The gardens were built as part of an EPA study and initiative to combat the urban heat island effect and to improve urban air quality. Construction began in April 2000 and the 38,000 square foot rooftop garden space was completed at the end of 2001. This city block sized rooftop garden cost $2.5 million to build and was funded by a settlement with ComEd.
Cambridge Center Rooftop Garden
(images via: ggpht, yelp)
The Cambridge Center rooftop garden has been described as an oasis in the middle of the city. Guests can relax and enjoy lunch in the garden, walk along garden paths or sit in the grass in this park located six stories above the ground.
Gerri L Elder
From Homeless to Harvard
July 18, 2009 by admin · View Comments
We often hold the keys to very complicated life issues in our very hands. But most of us are painfully unaware that our smarts, our skills, our creative abilities, our love, our personality, are more transformative than some external event we keep waiting to happen.
Take Khadijah Williams. Even while moving from shelter to shelter with her mother, she knew she could rely on her brains to break the vicious cycle she and her family were stuck in:
Because the family moved around so frequently, Williams never had the chance to stay at one school for long. Over the course of 12 years, she attended 12 different schools, often leaving in the middle of a term when a homeless shelter shut down or refused to accommodate the family. But as early as third grade, when Williams placed in the top percentile on a state exam, she realized that she had a gift. Her brain would be her ticket out of the slums, and she didn’t want to squander the opportunity.
As a high school student, Williams began to reach out to local educational groups that could provide her with resources like a quiet study space, free summer classes, and networking opportunities. They helped her learn about the college application process, so that by the time Williams started her junior year at Jefferson High School in Orange County, she was determined to stay there and make the most of her academic career.
So, for the last two years of high school, Williams woke up at 4 AM every morning to take a bus to school, and took part in the Academic Decathlon, the debate team, and the track and field team after a long day of classes, finally returning to her shelter at 11 PM at night. After her mother and sister left town, she was invited to move in with a family who volunteered for South Central Scholars, a local nonprofit group. Despite the stresses of her lifestyle, she managed to graduate fourth in her class.
Now, with a full scholarship to Harvard, Williams hopes to become an education attorney and use her life experiences to help other underprivileged students.
You go, girl!
Source: LA Times
Beth
Leaving Universal, hurray! Read this poem to learn more : )
July 17, 2009 by admin · View Comments
Dear friends,
We really had a terrible experience signing with a major label and eventually decided the only thing to do was leave.
If you’d like to know more please read the following poem…
We signed the deal in sunny New York
Believing a gift the present had brought
Our manager versed of all to come
“The support of a powerful team you’ve won”
Early whispers raised some doubt
For all who knew spoke ill about
A lady in power with two who followed
Never to question the orders they swallowed
Success had never surrounded the three
Fear was bred for all to see
To act at all attracted eyes
So scared they were of quick demise
“Everything’s cool” our manager twisted
As skeletons rose of the man we’d enlisted
“They love your band, you have a hit”
The fire that’s ready will soon be lit
At 18 months, excuses flow
Our useless manager had to go
Passionate hands were welcomed near
For label lies they wouldn’t adhere
The biggest producers and writers flowed through
Hungry to join the refreshing and new
Willing to work for the belief that they had
The queen and two snakes turned good to bad
Confusion filled our every thought
For all we met gave great support
Money was spent on failing groups
The team were committed in worrying boots
They kept us near to slow our road
Surely a fate no artist is owed
For months we knew it’s time to part
Our love for music lost a heart
For a city of angels they’re hard to find
Our faith in the business quickly declined
Who would have thought our happiest day
Would come when we’d thrown our deal away
‘Hear Me Now’ single and video released August 1st!
July 16, 2009 by admin · View Comments
Our first single ‘Hear Me Now’ will be released on August 1st! The music video will be free for everyone to download and share and 50% of our iTunes sales will go to a new micro-lending project in India, run by Whole Planet Foundation.
More details to follow, Milla & Tom : )
Negative words are often best kept, but positive ones are to share and accept
July 15, 2009 by admin · View Comments
Often we become trapped in a pattern of negativity. We are so used to complaining that conveying a positive viewpoint often feels foreign or forced or fake.
Misery loves company. We know this to be true. And that’s not all bad, believe it or not. When we share our burden with others, we share ourselves, our fears, our concerns. And others can relate. Sharing our pain reminds us that we’re not alone!
But if that’s all your conveying, you can often trap yourself in negative, self-cyclical pattern.
If you’re the type who often feels the need to share only the negative side of you, today try something different. Share with someone a story of hope, of positivity, of promise.
Every day, every moment, something positive happens. Tell someone about it. Maybe you had a great cup of coffee or watched the sunrise. Maybe you just love the way a co-worker did her hair today or really appreciate the way a friend checks in with you so frequently. Write a bright, expressive poem. Sing an upbeat song loudly. Be thankful. Speak gratitude.
By making these small adjustments, you make big changes. Positive energy is powerful. It’s concentrated! A little goes a long, long way. Start today.
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Speak positively!
Beth
