Naturehunt

DOGS AND VODKA DRINK...

2012-01-16T12:43:00.000-08:00

Attention dog owners: Next time you're drinking vodka and Coke, don't leave your glass on the floor. Matthew Cox, 26, did just that, went outside to have a cigarette, and returned to find that his 6-month-old Labrador puppy, Max, had finished his drink for him. The Brit was too drunk to help the swaying puppy, and ended up leaving him with his roommate when he went out to DJ, the BBC reports. Now Cox has been banned from having a dog for three years, and Max has found a new home.

Police were alerted to the situation by two girls who saw Max, staggering and falling, outside stores near Cox's home. Officers later found Max at Cox's home, the Daily Mail reports. They brought him to a vet for emergency treatment, where he was put on an IV drip for nearly a full day to recover. Cox pleaded guilty to failure to ensure an animal's welfare, and the judge who handed down the three-year ban called his actions "just downright stupid."

SOCIALIZING YOUR PETS.

2011-08-04T09:29:00.000-07:00

Socialising Your Pet petshopnigeria 11 July 2011 Hits: 30

All pets benefit from ongoing socialisation to ensure they remain friendly and successful companions. Pets that are well socialised from birth are less likely to develop behaviour problems such as aggression towards people and other animals.
What is Socialisation?

Socialisation is the process whereby an individual learns to adjust to a group and behave in a manner accepted by the group. Socialisation influences the behaviour and actions of young and adult individuals. Socialising your pet involves exposing them to all those things they will regularly encounter as adults, such as people and other animals, in a fun and positive way to ensure they don’t fear these things. Socialising pets also means teaching them to interact acceptably with people and, in some cases, to interact nicely with other members of their own, or different, species.

Why is Socialisation Important?

Socialisation is important because it shapes the personality, temperament and behaviour your pet will develop as an adult. Puppy classes and kitten kinder are a relatively new concept and are designed for puppies and kittens aged 8 to 12 weeks. These classes take advantage of the developmental period is known as the Critical Period for Socialisation which occurs between the ages of 3 and 12 weeks. It is during this time that puppies and kittens benefit most from exploring new places, having new experiences and accepting new situations.

Socialisation is Only Important for Young Pets, Right?

Wrong! There is a common misconception that socialisation is only important for young pets and, while it is true that socialisation for young pets is very important, it is critical that socialisation continues throughout your pet’s life. Many pet owners stop socialising their pet when the pet becomes an adult and this is a mistake. Without continued exposure to other people, animals, places and different situations, some pets may become antisocial. This often leads to behaviour problems including aggression towards people and other animals.

How Often Should I Socialise My Pet?

You should socialise your pet as often as possible. Taking your pet out and about is a great way to socialise them if they enjoy outings. Having guests give your pet treats when they are visiting helps pets to enjoy meeting new people. Remember that socialising your pet is an ongoing process and begins at birth. Providing ongoing and positive socialisation throughout your pet’s life not only helps to reduce the occurrence of behaviour problems but enriches your pet’s life too.

CARING FOR SMALL ANIMALS THROUGH WINTER.

2011-06-01T09:52:00.000-07:00

It is vital to consider how to keep small pets safe and comfortable throughout the different seasons. In this issue we will look at caring for small animals, such as guinea pigs and rabbits that are kept outside throughout the cold weather.

Tips on winter care

There are several things to consider during the cold weather, but in particular that outdoor caged pets need daily attention morning and evening. Whilst it is good for children to learn to take responsibility for the daily care of their pets, parents or carers do need to ensure that this is done properly. Remember, small pets can suffer in cold weather or even freeze to death.

Location of outdoor hutch

You may be able to move the hutch to a place that is well sheltered from the wind and rain. Ideally it would be near to the house, so that you can easily keep an eye on the occupants and attend to them without getting wet and cold yourself!

The wired part of the hutch needs to be covered with a weatherproof drape each night, and removed each morning to allow them to see out.

Never move the living quarters into a garage or outbuilding that houses vehicles as the fumes could kill small animals.

Bedding

Even through the winter months it is important to keep hutches and cages scrupulously clean, with plenty of warm, dry bedding. It is best to use dust-extracted hay and bagged bedding to reduce problems from dust and parasites.

A fresh layer of bedding should be put in the hutch each day, together with a really generous amount of hay for them to chew and to burrow into.

Daily care

It is vital to attend to small pets each and every day to:

Check for signs of ill health.

Give fresh food and a new supply of their dried food, and a generous supply of hay, plus fresh water.

Remove and replace any soiled bedding.

Offer companionship, especially to animals that live alone.

Indoor cage

If you want to bring your animals indoors during the cold weather, here are a few things to consider:

Ensure that the small animals remain safe from other pets or the unwanted attention of small children.

Rabbits and guinea pigs have sensitive hearing so they need to be kept somewhere quiet.

As with outdoor hutches, they will need a private place in their cage, somewhere to hide in, such as a pet-safe play-tube or wooden tunnel.

Your pets will still need daily exercise, which can be supervised ‘floor time’, but you must protect them from other pets and small children, and ensure that there are no gaps to get into such as behind a fridge or cooker, and no exposed wires to chew – as they are likely to do both!

HAPPY EASTER

2011-04-23T13:07:00.000-07:00

Easter is all about honoring the past, but the celebration is getting a 21st Century spin .this year thanks to my cutie.

ALL YOU NEED TO KNOW ABOUT TSUNAMI'S...

2011-03-29T11:18:00.000-07:00

What are tsunamis?

Tsunamis are large ocean waves generated by major earthquakes beneath the ocean floor or major landslides into the ocean. Tsunamis caused by nearby earthquakes may reach the coast within minutes. When the waves enter shallow water, they may rise to several feet or, in rare cases, tens of feet, striking the coast with devastating force. People on the beach or in low coastal areas need to be aware that a tsunami could arrive within minutes after a severe earthquake.

The tsunami danger period can continue for many hours after a major earthquake. Tsunamis also may be generated by very large earthquakes far away in other areas of the ocean. Waves caused by these earthquakes travel at hundreds of miles per hour, reaching the coast several hours after the earthquake. The International Tsunami Warning System monitors ocean waves after any Pacific earthquake with a magnitude greater than 6.5. If waves are detected, warnings are issued to local authorities who can order the evacuation of low-lying areas if necessary.

Why prepare for tsunamis?

All tsunamis are potentially, if rarely, dangerous. Twenty-four tsunamis have caused damage in the United States and its territories in the past 200 years. Since 1946, six tsunamis have killed more than 350 people and caused significant property damage in Hawaii, Alaska, and along the West Coast. Tsunamis have also occurred in Puerto Rico and the Virgin Islands.

When a tsunami comes ashore, it can cause great loss of life and property damage. Tsunamis can travel upstream in coastal estuaries and rivers, with damaging waves extending farther inland than the immediate coast. A tsunami can occur during any season of the year and at any time, day or night.

How can I protect myself from a tsunami?

If you are in a coastal community and feel the shaking of a strong earthquake, you may have only minutes until a tsunami arrives. Do not wait for an official warning. Instead, let the strong shaking be your warning, and, after protecting yourself from falling objects, quickly move away from the water and to higher ground. If the surrounding area is flat, move inland. Once away from the water, listen to a local radio or television station or NOAA Weather Radio for information from the Tsunami Warning Centers about further action you should take.

Even if you do not feel shaking, if you learn that an area has experienced a large earthquake that could send a tsunami in your direction, listen to a local radio or television station or NOAA Weather Radio for information from the Tsunami Warning Centers about action you should take. Depending on the location of the earthquake, you may have a number of hours in which to take appropriate action.

What is the best source of information in a tsunami situation?

As part of an international cooperative effort to save lives and protect property, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s National Weather Service operates two tsunami warning centers: the West Coast/Alaska Tsunami Warning Center (WC/ATWC) in Palmer, Alaska, and the Pacific Tsunami Warning Center (PTWC) in Ewa Beach, Hawaii. The WC/ATWC serves as the regional Tsunami Warning Center for Alaska, British Columbia, Washington, Oregon, and California. The PTWC serves as the regional Tsunami Warning Center for Hawaii and as a national/international warning center for tsunamis that pose a Pacific-wide threat.

Some areas, such as Hawaii, have Civil Defense Sirens. Turn on your radio or television to any station when the siren is sounded and listen for emergency information and instructions. Maps of tsunami-inundation areas and evacuation routes can be found in the front of local telephone books in the Disaster Preparedness Info section.

Tsunami warnings are broadcast on local radio and television stations and on NOAA Weather Radio. NOAA Weather Radio is the prime alerting and critical information delivery system of the National Weather Service (NWS). NOAA Weather Radio broadcasts warnings, watches, forecasts, and other hazard information 24 hours a day on more than 650 stations in the 50 states, adjacent coastal waters, Puerto Rico, the U.S. Virgin Islands, and the U.S. Pacific territories.

The NWS encourages people to buy a weather radio equipped with the Specific Area Message Encoder (SAME) feature. This feature automatically alerts you when important information is issued about tsunamis or weather-related hazards for your area. Information on NOAA Weather Radio is available from your local NWS office or online.

Carry the radio with you when you go to the beach and keep fresh batteries in it.

LOGGERHEAD SEA TURTLE

2011-03-11T01:31:00.000-08:00

Physical Appearance

The amazing Atlantic loggerhead sea turtle (Caretta caretta) can have a shell as long as 2.7 m (9 ft) and weigh 454 kg (1,000 lbs.)!! However, on average the loggerhead turtle is 90 cm (3 ft) long and 136 kg (300lbs) in weight.Loggerheads have large heads because they have large jaw closing muscles, allowing them to have an extremely powerful and crushing bite. They are reddish-brown in colour with olive and yellow colour tinges on their body and shell.

Feeding Habits

These sea turtles are mainly carnivores and eat sponges, jellyfish, mussels, clams, oysters, shrimp, and horseshoe crabs. It is the powerful jaws of loggerheads that allow them to easily crush the hard shells of their prey. Loggerheads can actually come in contact with the deadly tentacles of the Portuguese-man-of-war and remain unharmed!

Current Status and Threats

Atlantic loggerhead turtles are considered threatened in the United States. The largest population, of about 15,0000 loggerhead turtles, is in the Greater Antilles and the eastern United States. However, the Carolinas record a three percent decrease in the occurrence of C. caretta each year. Here are some reasons for their declining populations:

Habitat Loss due to human coastal development is one of the main reasons for their declining numbers. In fact, the nesting habitat of all species of sea turtles is disturbed or destroyed by humans.

Pollution from human garbage and effluents can have devastating effects on sea turtles. Garbage, such as plastics bags, can be mistaken by a sea turtle for a jellyfish and eating plastic is deadly because it can suffocate the turtles or the plastic can get stuck in their digestive tract.

Accidental Capture in Shrimp Trawls and Fishing Lines

Nest Robbing by humans and predators, such as raccoons, make the life of a sea turtle difficult before they are even born.

Artificial Light on coasts from cities cause disorientation of nesting females and hatchlings trying to find their way to the sea.

6 RARE FROGS DISCOVERED IN HAITI'S MOUNTAINS

2011-02-02T07:52:00.000-08:00

In October 2010, a team of scientists set out for the remote mountains of southern Haiti in search of lost frogs. The expedition—led by Dr Robin Moore of Conservation International and Dr. Blair Hedges of Pennsylvania State University—was part of a worldwide Conservation International project aimed at finding amphibian species that have not been sighted in over a decade and which are feared to be extinct.

Haiti's amphibians are gravely threatened by the near total clear-cutting of the country's tropical forests. Less than two percent of Haiti's original forests remain intact and as a result, 92 percent of the country's 49 known native amphibian species are threatened.

Dr. Moore and Dr. Hedges explored two mountain forest regions of Haiti, the Massif de la Hotte in the southewst and the Massif de la Sell in the southeast. They had hoped to find just one of Haiti's elusive frog species. Instead, they found six critically endangered frogs, none of which had been seen in nearly twenty years.

For a country that has faced devistation and pain since the 2010 earthquake that struck just outside the capital city of Port-au-Prince, the rediscovery of these rare endemic frogs provides a rare beacon of pride and hope amidst otherwise incomprehensible pain and struggle.

Ventriloqual Frog, Eleutherodactylus dolomedes"The devastation that the people of Haiti are still coping with is almost unimaginable. I have never seen anything like it," said Dr. Moore. "Clearly, the health of Haiti's frogs is not anyone's primary concern here. However, the ecosystems these frogs inhabit, and their ability to support life, is critically important to the long-term well-being of Haiti's people, who depend on healthy forests for their livelihoods, food security and fresh water. Amphibians are what we call barometer species of our planet's health. They're like the canaries in the coal mine. As they disappear, so too do the natural resources people depend upon to survive."

The six species of frogs rediscovered by Dr. Moore and Dr. Hedges included five species last seen in 1991—the Hispaniolan ventriloquial frog, Mozart's frog, La Hotte glanded frog, Macaya breast-spot frog, Hispaniolan crowned frog—and one species last seen in 1996—the Macaya burrowing frog.

Haiti has suffered many environmental and human disasters in addition to the January 2010 earthquake. More recently, the country has been battling a cholera outbreak. In the midst of these human struggles, the natural environment of Haiti is also suffering. Without the immediate action by international conservation organizations and government agencies, Haiti will surely experience widening habitat destruction and mass extinctions. The rediscovery of six frog species previously feared to be extinct offers renewed hope for conservationists and evidence of the resiliency of the region's rare wildlife.

A Strategy for Tripling Tiger Numbers

2011-02-02T07:46:00.001-08:00

The number of wild tigers protected in the nature reserves of Asia could be increased threefold simply by connecting existing reserves with corridors of habitat. Such corridors would allow tigers to move between isolated reserves and would encourage the mixing of individuals within the various sub populations and enable the influx of tigers into areas that suffer declines. This new strategy of tiger management was suggested in a paper published recently in the journal Conservation Letters.

There are currently about 3,200 wild tigers in Asia. This number represents a small fraction of the tiger population that was present in the region a century ago. In the early 1900s, wild tiger numbers were close to 100,000. But since that time, the species has suffered drastic declines due to poaching, habitat destruction and loss of prey populations. To complicate the population decline, today's remaining tigers are isolated in small populations scattered across 13 countries.

GRIZZLY BEAR...THINGS I LOVE.

2011-01-27T23:10:00.000-08:00

Out in the mountain wilderness from Alaska to Mexico, the grizzly bear lives alone. It mostly feeds on carrion and recently killed animals. Grizzly bears often steal other animals kills to eat. Grizzlies have an interesting diet. They eat anything from insects to moose. They eat about 20,000 moths a day.
                                                  Interesting facts
Did you know that a grizzly bear can match a horse's speed for 330 feet? The arms of a grizzly are so strong they can hug a person to death. The grizzly was once seen to kill a black bear with one blow knocking it in to a tree. The grizzly can kill anything equal or less than its size. The Indians attributed supernatural powers to the grizzly.

                                                Why it's threatened
The grizzly bear is a threatened species. Which means it is not endangered. The grizzlies are threatened because of logging and mineral development. Another threat is man killing their favorite kind of fish, cutthroat trout Due to overfishing most of the cutthroat trout are dead. In the 1970's there were only 300 grizzlies left in the lower states. The grizzly bear has been hunted since the stone age. The grizzly has a little protection Yellowstone National Park in Montana.

                                                          Good facts
The grizzly bear is a huge animal. It's pretty heavy. It weighs 300-over 800 pounds. Its shoulders are 41 inches but its tail is only 3-5 inches long. Most grizzlies grow to be twice the size of a tiger. Grizzlies have 2-4 cubs every 2-4 years. Females breed at the age of 5 . If a female is protecting her cubs she'll fight to the death.

CELEBRATE CHRISTMAS WITH YOUR DOG...

2010-12-13T08:09:00.000-08:00

You better watch out
You better not cry
Better not pout
I'm telling you why
Santa Claus is coming to town
He's making a list
And checking it twice.,
Gonna find out who’s naughty and nice

Arf! Arf! Santa Claus is coming to town…Kids would surely love to see a doggy like me wearing a dog Santa costume with a matching dog Santa hat on. Like Santa Claus, I would be the center of attention. This would be the best holiday costume for me, great for a group picture taking with the kids and my dear master.
owners like my master love to have cute pictures of me. Why? She uses our picture together to make Christmas cards and send them to families and friends. The cards are deeply appreciated because it’s made personally by my master with all her heart.

That is actually the spirit of Christmas expressing and sharing love for each other in every way. Christmas is not about gifts. It’s about LOVE…giving gifts is just one way of showing how people show appreciate and love each other.
Christmas is not about the party either…It is about spending quality time together with family, friends and pets too! People are busy all the time and they consider Christmas as the most important holiday of the year. Why? People plan for it, and they make sure that they spend time with their family, keep in touch, and show their LOVE on this occasion.

CHRISTMAS GIFTS FOR DOGS...

2010-12-08T05:28:00.000-08:00

Are you planning on buying a Christmas gift for your dog? Here are some wonderful gift ideas that can help you decide what to buy.

Christmas is coming, and it is time to start buying gifts for your loved ones. For some individuals, the family dog is one of those loved ones that should have a present under the tree. You may be planning on buying a gift for your dog, or another dog that has made an impact on your life. These wonderful gift ideas can help you decide what to get for your special canine friend.
Treats

Every dog likes to eat treats. They make good rewards if your dog does a trick, or if he is just being good. If you choose treats as a gift, you may not want to put them under your tree until Christmas. If you do, your dog may smell the treats, and make a mess of all your presents. Some wonderful treat ideas are:
    * Dog muffins
    * Dog cookies
    * Jerky treats
    * Bacon strips
    * Dog biscuits
    * Dental treats
    * Chewy treats
    * Pepperoni strips
    * Chicken strips
    * Kong treats

Lasting Treats

    * Rawhide sticks and bones
    * Ham bones
    * Pig ears
    * Rib bones
    * Stuffed bones

Dog Accessories

Your dog may need some new accessories. If some of your dogs belongings are worn or chewed, you may want to think about replacing them. Some great accessory ideas are:

    * Collar
    * Leash
    * Tags
    * Clothes
    * Hat
    * Scarf
    * Bandana
    * Boots

Toys

Toys keep your dog occupied and help him get exercise. There are many different varieties of dog toys on the market today, so finding the right one shouldn't be an issue. Some good dog toy ideas are:
    * Kong
    * Tennis balls
    * Balls that are hard to chew
    * Ball launcher
    * Rope bone
    * Flying disc
    * Squeaky toy
    * Tug and toss toy
    * Stuffed animal
    * Rubber bone
    * Laser light
    * Christmas themed toy

Bedtime Gifts

If you set up a sleeping area for your dog it might prevent him from snuggling up to you. Some items for you to consider for your dogs sleep area are:

    * Bed
    * Blanket
    * Pillow

Grooming Supplies

No one likes a smelly dog, and when his nails are long, it can be painful to you and your company. Some gifts you can but to help your dog look and smell better are:

    * Shampoo
    * Nail Clippers
    * Brush
    * Towel
    * Drying mitts
    * Hair clipping kit
    * Bathing brush
    * Flea comb
    * Tooth brush
    * Toothpaste

Choosing the right gift for your canine friend isn't very hard. When it comes to treats and toys, most dogs aren't very picky. If you need to replace items your dog already has, this is a good time to do it. Most of these items can be purchased at your local department and pet store. Your special canine friend will enjoy the gift you have chosen.

HOW TO KEEP ANIMALS SAFE DURING FLOOD..

2010-10-22T06:32:00.000-07:00

When it comes to weather disasters, it often seems that animals have better instincts than humans. Domesticated pets and farm animals, however, seem to have lost many of the instinctual urges they were born with. As an animal owner it is up to you to protect pets during flash flooding.

Instructions
Things You'll Need:
    * Emergency evacuation plan
    * Cages and carriers
    * High ground

     Fence a pasture area on high ground for outdoor farm animals. Cows and horses are just a few of the farm animals that can be caught off guard by flash floods. Building a safe pasture for them before water rises will give you peace of mind for their survival.
Buy a crate or cage for every small animal or cat and dog in the home. Keep them all in an easy to access area of the home for any quick evacuation needs.

      Prepare an emergency food supply for all animals. Pack at least three days worth of dry food for all of the animals in your care. For pasture animals, place hay bundles and feed holders on higher ground near the safe pasture.
Find an evacuation center that allows pets, or a flood safe boarding facility to keep the pets for several days if necessary.
      Putting a Flash Flood Plan to Use
     At the first issue of a flash flood warning or signs of quickly rising water, herd all farm animals to the chosen safe pasture and lock all gates.

Cage or crate all small animals and indoor pets, and make arrangements to board for possibly several days.   Take the small animals to a safe boarding facility on high ground, or to a friend or relatives if no other shelter is available. Deliver the pets as soon as the flash flood warning is issued, waiting may cut off roads and limit the escape route.

Leave all animals on high ground or boarding until water has completely receded and threat of flooding has passed. Wait a few days longer if possible to eliminate the possibility of infections due to exposure to dirty water. This will also allow the ground to dry out more to sustain the weight of cattle or horses.

Read more: How to Keep Animals Safe During Flash Flooding http://www.ehow.com

RECESSION RIPS US MARRIAGES AND WIDENS INCOME GAP...

2010-09-29T03:42:00.000-07:00

I know this is a very long article. Just be patient and go through it.

WASHINGTON – The recession seems to be socking Americans in the heart as well as the wallet: Marriages have hit an all-time low while pleas for food stamps have reached a record high and the gap between rich and poor has grown to its widest ever.

The long recession technically ended in mid-2009, economists say, but U.S. Census data released Tuesday show the painful, lingering effects. The annual survey covers all of last year, when unemployment skyrocketed to 10 percent, and the jobless rate is still a stubbornly high 9.6 percent.

The figures also show that Americans on average have been spending about 36 fewer minutes in the office per week and are stuck in traffic a bit less than they had been. But that is hardly good news, either. The reason is largely that people have lost jobs or are scraping by with part-time work.

"Millions of people are stuck at home because they can't find a job. Poverty increased in a majority of states, and children have been hit especially hard," said Mark Mather, associate vice president of the Population Reference Bureau.

The economic "indicators say we're in recovery, but the impact on families and children will linger on for years," he said.

Take marriage.

In America, marriages fell to a record low in 2009, with just 52 percent of adults 18 and over saying they were joined in wedlock, compared to 57 percent in 2000.

The never-married included 46.3 percent of young adults 25-34, with sharp increases in single people in cities in the Midwest and Southwest, including Cleveland, Phoenix, Los Angeles and Albuquerque, N.M. It was the first time the share of unmarried young adults exceeded those who were married.

Marriages have been declining for years due to rising divorce, more unmarried couples living together and increased job prospects for women. But sociologists say younger people are also now increasingly choosing to delay marriage as they struggle to find work and resist making long-term commitments.

In dollar terms, the rich are still getting richer, and the poor are falling further behind them.

The income gap between the richest and poorest Americans grew last year to its largest margin ever, a stark divide as Democrats and Republicans spar over whether to extend Bush-era tax cuts for the wealthy.

The top-earning 20 percent of Americans — those making more than $100,000 each year — received 49.4 percent of all income generated in the U.S., compared with the 3.4 percent made by the bottom 20 percent of earners, those who fell below the poverty line, according to the new figures. That ratio of 14.5-to-1 was an increase from 13.6 in 2008 and nearly double a low of 7.69 in 1968.

At the top, the wealthiest 5 percent of Americans, who earn more than $180,000, added slightly to their annual incomes last year, the data show. Families at the $50,000 median level slipped lower.

Three states — New York, Connecticut and Texas — and the District of Columbia had the largest gaps between rich and poor. Big gaps were also evident in large cities such as New York, Miami, Los Angeles, Boston and Atlanta, home to both highly paid financial and high-tech jobs as well as clusters of poorer immigrant and minority residents.

Alaska, Utah, Wyoming, Idaho and Hawaii had the smallest income gaps.

"Income inequality is rising, and if we took into account tax data, it would be even more," said Timothy Smeeding, a University of Wisconsin-Madison professor who specializes in poverty. "More than other countries, we have a very unequal income distribution where compensation goes to the top in a winner-takes-all economy."

Lower-skilled adults ages 18 to 34 had the largest jumps in poverty last year as employers kept or hired older workers for the dwindling jobs available. The declining economic fortunes have caused many unemployed young Americans to double-up in housing with parents, friends and loved ones, with potential problems for the labor market if they don't get needed training for future jobs, he said.

Homeownership declined for the third year in a row, to 65.9 percent, after hitting a peak of 67.3 percent in 2006. Residents in crowded housing held steady at 1 percent, the highest since 2004, a sign that people continued to "double up" to save money.

Average commute times edged lower to 25.1 minutes, the lowest since 2006, as fewer people headed to the office in the morning. The share of people who carpooled also declined, from 10.7 percent to 10 percent, while commuters who took public transportation were unchanged at 5 percent.

The number of U.S. households receiving food stamps surged by 2 million last year to 11.7 million, the highest level on record, meaning that 1 in 10 families was receiving the government aid. In all, 46 states and the District of Columbia had increases in food stamps, with the largest jumps in Nevada, Arizona, Florida and Wisconsin.

Other findings:

_The foreign-born population edged higher to 38.5 million, or 12.5 percent, following a dip in the previous year, due mostly to increases in naturalized citizens. The share of U.S. residents speaking a language other than English at home also rose, from 19.7 percent to 20 percent, mostly in California, New Mexico and Texas.

_The poorest poor hit record highs. Twenty-eight states had increases in the share of people below $10,977 in income, half the poverty line for a family of four. The highest shares were in the District of Columbia, Mississippi, Kentucky, Arkansas and South Carolina. Nationally, the poorest poor rose to 6.3 percent.

_Women's average pay still lags men's, but the gap is narrowing. Women with full-time jobs made 78.2 percent of men's pay, up from 77.7 percent in 2008 and about 64 percent in 2000, as men took bigger hits in the recession. www.yahoo.com

_More older people are working. About 27.1 percent of Americans 60 and over were in the work force. That's up from 26.7 percent in 2008.

The census figures come weeks before the pivotal Nov. 2 congressional elections, when voters anxious about rising deficits and the slow pace of the economic recovery will decide whether to keep Democrats in control of Congress.

The 2009 tabulations, which are based on pretax income and exclude capital gains, are adjusted for household size where data are available. Prior analyses of after-tax income made by the wealthiest 1 percent compared to middle- and low-income Americans have also pointed to a widening inequality gap, but only reflect U.S. data as of 2007.

4 WATER-SAVING TIPS FOR YOU AND YOUR GARDEN...

2010-09-13T19:16:00.000-07:00

Did you know that during summer months, Americans use twice as much water as they do during other times of the year? And by some estimates, outdoor watering accounts for 50 to 70 percent of average household use! It might seem like the only way to get a beautiful yard during the warmer months is frequent watering. But, there are many steps you can take towards creating an eye-catching and healthy garden while also being water-conscious. By combining conservation practices with efficient landscape design, you can lower your water bill, lessen the amount of required maintenance and create a healthy, vibrant habitat. And we’ve got a few helpful tips to bring your yard to life while saving you natural resources, time and money!

1.Garden design: Group plants with similar moisture requirements close together, matching them with appropriate yard conditions—sunny, shady, damp, dry. This allows you to target watering only on the vegetation that needs it.

2.Plant selection: Focus on plants that are native to your area. They survive with natural rainfall, are resistant to local plant diseases and pests, and provide the best overall food sources for birds and other animals.

3.Efficient irrigation: Water infrequently, deeply and thoroughly. This prevents runoff and encourages deeper root growth. Plants with deep roots develop greater resistance to dry spells.

4.Maintenance: Apply mulch, such as bark or leaves, to planting beds. This helps soil retain moisture, discourages weeds and provides plants with essential nutrients.

MONSTROUS FISH INVADE TREASURED LAKE

2010-09-13T19:07:00.000-07:00

There are ravenous monsters at the gates of the Great Lakes.

They’re called Asian carp — an invasive species that can grow up to four feet long, weigh up to 100 pounds and eat up to 40% of their body weight every single day. Their massive size, rapid reproduction rates and greedy appetites make it easy for them to deplete the food supply of native fish. This makes them a deadly threat to much of the Great Lakes ecosystem.

Right now, Asian carp are making their way through the Chicago waterway system, looking for a way to infiltrate the lakes. Even the electrical barriers erected to keep them out can’t contain these beasts!

Without immediate action, Asian carp will find a way into the Great Lakes. The ecological and economic impacts would be devastating. Native fish like lake trout, walleye, smallmouth bass and other species won’t stand a chance competing for food. And the region’s $23 billion fishing and recreational boating industries will severely suffer if this happens.

RAISING FAMILIES AND PETS TOGETHER...

2010-08-17T14:01:00.000-07:00

Do kids and pets mix? Most people take this question to mean whether or not kids are old enough to care for pets responsibly and handle them safely, or whether the pets can be trusted not to bite or scratch the children. Others, however, have noticed that the question nuzzles an age-old principle that could groom benefits for both families and the pets who live with them: Animals and people seem to be made for each other — and removing pets from the family mix may in fact be snipping children's normally empathetic heartstrings.

Historical ties between animals and humans living together as a unit are clear. "The fact that wolves stopped stalking us and we took them into our caves proved to be a miraculous leap of faith that changed our world forever," writes Meg Daley Olmert in her new book, Made for Each Other. Olmert draws on behavioral psychology, neuroscience and anthropology to examine how the human-animal bond developed in the first place, and then questions what might happen when those ties are unnaturally severed. The results look something like what psychiatrist Aaron Katcher calls "the fallout from this sudden interspecies divorce every day in children who are too wild to participate in polite society."

THE EARTH’S OLDEST ROCKS

2010-08-09T09:31:00.000-07:00

All the major continents contain a core of very old rocks fringed by younger rocks. These cores, called Precambrian shields, are all that remain of the Earth’s oldest crust. The rocks in these shields are mostly metamorphic, meaning they have been changed from other rocks into their present form by great heat and pressure beneath the surface; most have been through more than one metamorphism and have had very complex histories. A metamorphic event may change the apparent radiometric age of a rock. Most commonly, the event causes partial or total loss of the radiogenic daughter isotope, resulting in a reduced age. Not all metamorphisms completely erase the radiometric record of a rock’s age, although many do. Thus, the radiometric ages obtained from these oldest rocks are not necessarily the age of the first event in the history of the rock. Moreover, many of the oldest dated rocks intrude still older but undatable rocks. In all cases, the measured ages provide only a minimum age for the Earth.

So far, rocks older than 3.0 billion years have been found in North America, India, Russia, Greenland, Australia, and Africa. The oldest rocks in North America, found in Minnesota, give a U-Pb discordia age of 3.56 billion years. The oldest rocks yet found on the Earth are in Greenland, South Africa, and India. The Greenland samples have been especially well studied. The Amitsoq Gneisses in western Greenland, for example, have been dated by five different methods within the analytical uncertainties, the ages are the same and indicate that these rocks are about 3.7 billion years old.

PERFECT PET FOR CHILDREN...

2010-08-02T12:23:00.000-07:00

Dogs are Great Pets for Children - Cia de FotoFinding a first pet for a child takes more than a visit to a pet store or animal shelter. Parents need to think about the age and maturity of a child before helping them select a first pet. Is the child ready to handle animal care chores like feeding a pet, cleaning up after it or providing exercise? Some small pets, like guinea pigs, birds and fish only need a nice corner of the house for their cage and some loving care, while dog and cats need more upkeep and attention.

Pet Dogs are a Good Choice for Children
Dogs, forever known as man’s best friend, are active companions and willing playmates for children, but require almost as much care as another child! Before bringing a dog into family, parents should consider the family’s schedule, yard space, and whether they are ready to pick up the slack should a child lose interest—or become too busy—to handle primary pet care duties. Some aspects of puppy care simply can’t be handled by a small child, such as house training and obedience class. Parents should be ready to train the dog, then teach the child how to handle the dog.

BEDTIME FEARS...

2010-07-29T10:58:00.000-07:00

For kids, feeling scared or worried at bedtime is one of the main reasons for having trouble falling asleep. A kid might be afraid of the dark or might not like being alone. If a kid has a good imagination, he or she might hear noises at night and fear the worst — when it's just the family cat walking down the hall.

As you get older, these fears usually fade. Until they do, make sure your room makes you feel relaxed and peaceful. Look around your room from your bed. Are there things you can see from bed that make you feel good? If not, add some. Display some family photos or other pictures that make you happy. You might even create a mobile to hang over your bed.

A TRUE DOG STORY...

2010-07-27T13:19:00.001-07:00

I would like to let it be known quite a few facts about my wonderful canines. I own 7 of them, and though it may seem like too many, for me it is not. I own a wonderful Feist (Rat Terrier or Teddy Roosevelt Terrier), all of which is 12 inches high, 15 pounds. She was christened Coca Cola for the color of her coat. Her back is dark brown, almost black, while her head and the tops of her legs is a 'fizzy' color. Her neck is splashed with white as are her belly and legs. Her long tail has a white tip. She is already 6 years old and is starting to get a few gray hairs.

Being a terrier, she loves to hunt animals including cats and chickens-much to the dismay of my grandparents. C.C., as we call her, is agile and quick, making her an excellent ratter. She also is a great squirrel dog. Every now and then, she tries to run up the tree and actually gets halfway up. She has also been seen catching rabbits and moles which plagued our garden until she arrived. She even chases the small herd of deer that live on our farm.
Now for the other adult dog. Jodee is an Australian Shepherd/Border Collie/Red Heeler mix. She may sound like a Heinz 57 but she is actually very pretty and unusual. Her coat is red merle. It is like a very red brown with black specks and spots. Even her eyes have a red tint to them, not like C.C.'s dark brown ones. She is 22 inches tall and around 45-50 pounds. She is a mere 3 years old compared to the veteran, C.C. Compared to C.C., the outgoing, sometimes aggressive Feist, Jodee is quiet, shy, and conservative. When I first acquired her, she was about 8 or 9 months old. She was extremely frightened but I pulled her out of some of her shyness.

When she was younger, she had a lot of her herding instinct. Quite often I would catch her chasing the horses, trying her best to make them go where she wanted them. I did not have any smaller animals that she could be trained to control easier so she has not been trained to herd. C.C. decided that she would interfere with Jodee's herding abilities and my efforts by teaching her all about being a hunting dog. She taught her how to chase chickens, how to tree squirrels, how to chase deer, and how to dig up armadillos. Now, Jodee thinks that she is an overgrown Feist.
Though she still occasionally chases the horses, it is only because her instincts still have a strong spark in them. I did have another Feist, a male named Snoopy. He was C.C.'s mate and he also contributed to Jodee's training, except he helped me train her to work agility.
Jodee had 13 beautiful puppies, C.C. four. Jodee's puppies looked like hounds in their body style but they had the blue and red merle coloring of Jodee. We have given away all of them except four. C.C. had two tan puppies, a black one, and a brindle one. We gave each of them away too except for one. That is why I own 7 dogs

DON'T LET THE NEXT OIL SPILLAGE BE A POLAR BEAR KILLER...

2010-07-12T06:13:00.000-07:00

Oil is still flowing into the Gulf of Mexico -- and wildlife is still dying.

And now Big Oil wants to drill in the Arctic, in prime polar bear habitat: across nearly 30 million acres of Alaska’s Chukchi Sea!

This dirty deal was cut in the final days of the Bush Administration: $2.6 BILLION in oil leases that could lead to an unstoppable oil spill in a fragile environment that is home to HALF of America’s remaining polar bears.

The Obama Administration has put oil company plans on hold for only six months. But polar bears need more time -- and more protection!

That’s why NRDC is fighting in federal court to get the oil leases canceled and prevent a potential catastrophe. But this fight could take years! That’s why your steady support as an NRDC Monthly Pledge Partner is so urgently needed right now -- so we can defend our environment in the most effective way possible.

10 THINGS YOU SHOULD NEVER BUY TWICE...

2010-07-03T05:19:00.000-07:00

Follow some of these tips, and you could cut your shopping bills by as much as 50%!

1) Designer clothes

Why pay rip-off prices for a new piece of designer clothing? Instead, simply head to a ‘swishing’ party and swap any designer clothes you currently own with like-minded fashionistas. Check out swishing.org for details of swishing events near you, or swap them online via Posh Swaps and BigWardrobe. Alternatively, invite some friends round to yours and host your own clothes swapping party!

2) Electrical goods

You may worry that if you buy electrical goods secondhand, they won’t work. But did you know several well-known high street retailers sell their reconditioned electrical goods online, complete with limited warranties? For example:

the Comet Clearance auction website specialises in refurbished kitchen appliances
the Tesco Outlet on eBay sells everything from refurbished digital cameras to televisions
Argos Clearance Bargains sells a wide range of refurbished electrical goods including laptops and DIY tools
whilst MPB Photographic sells high-end used digital camera equipment.

Just remember to research such websites first using search engines, to pick up any bad reviews.

3) Self-assembly furniture

Why bother buying furniture from Ikea and Homebase when community freebie sites such as Freegle and SnaffleUp often offer the items you want, pre-assembled, for free? You can even post ‘wanted’ notices asking for specific items. Alternatively, find out where regular house clearance auctions are held in your local area, and bag some bargains that way.

4) Cars

Everyone knows the price of a brand new car depreciates the moment you drive it out of the showroom. As long as you know how to buy a good value used car, it shouldn’t depreciate too much and your car insurance should be reduced as a result. Follow these tips to pick up a bargain at a car auction and read up on what to check before you buy.

5) Books

As long as you can read the words on the page, a book is exactly the same whether you buy it new or secondhand. So stop buying books! Either head down to your local library, or if you hate the hassle of returning your books, swap them instead for free. Read Where to get free books for more information.

6) Software Instead of buying software, get it for free online. Here are some alternatives to the big brands:

7) Property

If you buy a newly-built property, you’re likely to pay what’s known as a ‘new-build’ premium. In other words, it’s worth more because it’s all shiny and new – but the moment you move in, it falls in value. Plus, developers often give discounts to buyers if they can’t sell the entire block – which means an identical property to the one you buy may be sold soon after yours at a lower price. Also, if you buy in an area with lots of space for other new build developments, you may be surrounded by a building site before too long, and local buyers may prefer newer properties to yours. Read The true value of new build property to find out more.

8) Sports equipment

The world is full of people who try, and fail, to take up a new sport, despite their best intentions. That’s a fact. Many of them end up selling the equipment they bought at knockdown prices on gumtree, vivastreet, eBay or even for free on Freegle and Snaffleup. Most have hardly been used at all.

9) Blu-ray DVDs

Everyone knows it’s much cheaper to buy a CD, DVD or computer game secondhand – the big concern is whether the disc is scratched. However, bear in mind there are lots of ways to fix a scratched CD and blu-ray DVDs are particularly hard to scratch. Swap them via xhangemy.co.uk or swapshop.co.uk, or buy them from musicmagpie.com.

10) Pedigree pets

Why pay hundreds – if not thousands – of pounds for a pedigree pet when you can rescue one for a fraction of the cost? If you’re set on a pedigree cat, for example, there are loads of pedigree cat rescue centres around the country for specific breeds, while the Kennel Club allows you to search for a pedigree rescue dog by breed

Blogger Buzz: Blogger integrates with Amazon Associates

2010-07-02T06:24:00.000-07:00

Blogger Buzz: Blogger integrates with Amazon Associates

SOLAR STORM AND YOU...

2010-07-02T05:56:00.000-07:00

Biggest Flare ever known.

November 4th 2003 saw the most powerful Solar flare eruption (see animation below) on record. This measured a colossal X 28 on the Solar Richter scale. For those unaquainted with the magnitude of Solar Flares it may be difficult to comprehend the extreme force of such an explosion which is the largest ever recorded in the Solar System.

Like earthquake of 25 on the Richter scale.

Although the two scales cannot be satisfactorily compared this explosion if transferred to the earthquake scale would be something like an earthquake of around 15 on the Richter scale. In other words an out of category event the like of which has never been seen or experienced.

Not entirely Earth directed.

Fortunately for our planet most of the debris from the explosion was not entirely Earth directed but a glancing blow from the flare did bring displays of the Northern Lights several days later. However this is nothing to what would have happened if the flare had been targeted directly towards Earth. What is certain is that this particular Solar explosion broke all records and is an event without precedence in living memory

October cluster.

This spate of extreme Solar activity began towards the end of October 2003 with a series of massive Solar eruptions. The largest of these measured X 18 on the Solar flare scale ( see pic below) A cluster of other X flare explosions within a matter of days made this one of the greatest periods of Solar activity on record. However this was nothing compared to the November explosion which is the biggest and most violent event the Solar System has produced within recorded memory.

Effects.

The precise effects of this solar bombardment are hard to determine. The short term aftermath usually involves disruption of all forms of electronic communication with a severe threat to all space satellites and telecommunications. Long term the effects are not easy to categorise but we believe these include highly disturbed weather patterns with a greatly increased risk of earthquakes and volcanic eruption in vulnerable locations.

Physical emotional and social consequences.

Eruptions of this nature are also sure to have intense medical and emotional consequences. Some time ago, a Russian study confirmed that Solar eruptions do result in a greatly increased incidence of strokes and heart attacks. Emotionally the effects are of widely fluctuating feelings that at worst can result in broken relationships, despair and depression. On a larger scale our research clearly shows that Solar activity has the potential to trigger general social unrest even to the point of inciting wars, riots, revolutions, and a deteriorating state of International harmony.

Major risk.

But could a Solar flare actually destroy all life on the Earth. Unfortunately the answer is yes. Although the Sun is remarkably stable it does go through phases of increased activity. We are currently exiting one such phase where Solar activity was again at the peak of its 11 year cycle. What is remarkable about the October 2003 activity is that it sprung from a period when the Sun was expected to be relatively calm. This shows how little we know about the Sun and experts warn that a lethal flare explosion could conceivably erupt at any moment. The fact that one has not done so for many thousands of years is reassuring, but offers no comfort for long term security. Perhaps the most sobering realisation of all is that there is absolutely nothing we could do to stop such a flare.

The causes.

But just what causes Solar flares? Here we still have a lot to learn, but from our very own research we at NASCA believe major Solar flares are directly linked to other celestial phenomenon such as planetary alignments. For instance this current spate of Solar activity has occurred at a time when the Sun is ringed with aligned planets. To us this is not a coincidence, and it is our belief that once these aligning planets disperse to less influential positions then Solar activity will once again return to normal levels. The risk remains however that perhaps one day an alignment will arise capable of triggering a Solar Armaggeddon against which we shall have no defence at all.

WHAT IS SOLAR STORM...

2010-06-30T03:52:00.000-07:00

A solar storm is an event in which activity on the Sun interferes with the Earth's magnetic field. Because the Sun is so far away, many people believe that solar storms are not capable of causing very much damage, but they can in fact be quite devastating. Research in the early 2000s created a number of potential worst case scenarios which illustrated the destructive power of solar storms, including scenarios showing that powerful nations in the developed world could be brought to their knees for a decade or more by a storm of large magnitude.

Solar storms occur as a result of events such as solar flares and coronal mass ejections. These events generate a so-called “solar wind,” a gust of charged particles which can slam into the Earth's magnetic field in hours if the solar wind happens to be traveling in the direction of Earth. The collision can generate quite a light show as a geomagnetic storm erupts, and the storm can last for several days under the right conditions.

A solar storm can also involve the introduction of tremendous amounts of radiation, which is dangerous for many living organisms. The disruption of the Earth's magnetic field can also be damaging for some organisms. Some animals, for example, appear to be sensitive to magnetic fields and they could become disoriented in a solar storm.

WHO OWNS WATER?

2010-05-21T00:14:00.000-07:00

Countless sources point out that water is headed towards a crisis. Little do we know, we are in the midst of a worldwide water crisis.

Is water a human right?
Many believe that water is a renewable resource, that once it is used, more can be manufactured, created, manufactured and so on. This is not true. Corporations believe that water is a commodity. In a study by the Environmental Business Journal, the United States alone generated over 100 billion dollars in revenue from water in 2003. The study also states that the industry is growing by 10 percent every year.
However, is water a commodity? In an article by Kathleen O’Hara of the Toronto Star entitled World Views Collide Over Water, she points to dedicated individuals like the Council of Canadians chair, Maude Barlow (she also wrote the book Blue Covenant: the Global Water Crisis and the Coming Battle for the Right of Water). O’Hara points out that “on one side, large corporations with, as Barlow points out, the assistance of most First World governments, the World Bank, the International Monetary Fund, the World Trade Organization and even the United Nations, are trying to promote the concept of water as a commodity, like oil, to be owned, sold and traded.” O’Hara also goes on to quote Barlow that these corporations and organizations “have established an elaborate infrastructure to promote the private control of water, and they work in close tandem with one another.”
On the other side of the fence, there are people that Barlow believes that water is “the common heritage of all humans and other species, as well as a public trust that must not be appropriated for personal profit or denied to anyone because of an inability to pay.”
Which side of the fence would you choose? Is water a human right or a commodity to be bought, sold, packaged, marketed, traded and bartered with? With the dwindling fresh water reserves around the world, do you want someone to control that water in order to make a profit or do you believe that it is something that must be guarded, protected and shared. It’s a simple choice, but a relevant one considering the global water crisis that is underway. We all have one thing in common, from the villager in the smallest African communities to the inhabitant of sprawling metropolitan centres; we need water to live. Do we deserve to own water?

10 THINGS TO DO TO OVERCOME DEPRESSING MOOD SWING.

2010-05-07T00:22:00.000-07:00

Now, here is my list of 10 good and easy things to do to get yourself out of the lack of motivation, in overcoming depression or what they call "funk":

1. Go for a walk - I'm not talking about going and joining a marathon here. If it is possible for you to walk around the block, or go for a round in a nearby garden to your place, you better go for it. Assure that you take in certain deep and meaningful breaths while you are outside. Inhaling deeply and exhaling slowly helps a lot in clearing your lungs and mind, thereby ultimately helping you in overcoming depression.

2. Hug a Tree – I have mentioned this in one of my posts too. Nature heals a lot and being with the nature, trees and birds, is my favorite and most efficient way to de-stress myself. How wonderful it feels to just get away from all the worries and anxieties and get lost for a few hours near a babbling brook. If you can not find time to get away from your place for long trips or trekking, just try to walk bare foot on a lawn. It will help a lot.

3. Clean out clutter - One of the fastest and most effective ways to create new and fresh energy within you would be to clear away dull and lifeless energies. This can be done by putting away all the useless things around you. It is a great way to tell your subconscious that it is high time, you should get rid of all the unnecessary garbage and trash within yourself, thereby entirely energizing your mind, body and soul, once you get the hang of it.

4. Change the bed sheets – I love to do it, whenever I am feeling low. The feeling of lying down on soft, crisp, newly washed and color bed sheet, is one of a kind and extremely comfortable. The best would be, if you can go out and buy some nice set of colorful bed linens to make your room brighter. This even calls for the “retail therapy” to bring up your low moods. When was the last time you changed your bed sheets? Try to make it a routine to weekly change bed sheets and keep a track of it. It can be a great way to work as your mood meter. For instance, whenever you feel you are off this routine of regularly changing your bed sheets, you would know that you are slowly slipping into the” funk” territory.

5. See some funny videos – Forget about the tear-jerkers, action, dramas and romance which could be the most happening things around you at theatres, auditoriums and televisions. You need a good hearty laugh to get out of that funk. The best way is to watch you favorite comedy movie to beat the mood. If you are not very fond of long movies, you can still any time watch funny videos. Since, you are able to read this post, I believe you have some decent access to the internet. Go to www.youtube.com. On the search textbox, type “funny videos” or “funny commercials”. You will get a plethora of such videos. Some may not be funny. But, still there are certain videos which are really good and can work extremely well in helping you breaking that “funk”.

6. Experiment with a new recipe – It is usually quite boring and sometimes depressing too, to just keep on preparing and eating the same kind of meals and foods again and again, every day. Try to be a bit adventurous here and experiment with your cooking. Get some new flavors, try a new recipe. It helps a great deal in changing your mood and bringing up some spice in your life.

7. Spend quality time with your pet - Take your dog or cat, and if you don’t have any, you can still go for your neighbor's pet, out on a to some nearby park, and play throw-catch there. Animals love to be playful and help you also enjoy a lot, thereby de-stressing you.

8. Pamper yourself – Just list down the things that bring you the most joy. It could be anything right from getting into a bubble bath, reading a novel by your favorite writer, or going out for swimming/cycling/shopping, etc. And, for your sake, try to put off that negative voice which may threaten you saying that you don't deserve it. BECAUSE YES YOU DO!

9. Volunteer at a charity service – You can try putting yourself in a position to provide service to those who are less fortunate than you are. It will give an immense sense of peace and satisfaction when you help them. You will find your own worries, less troubling when you see the firsthand the plight of others.

10. Make a day special for someone – Try to let go off your feelings, and simply stop feeling sorry for yourself. The best way to divert your mind from you is to focus on giving something good to some one else and make his/her day special. I guarantee, later, you will both feel better.

GRIEF AS THOUSANDS ATTEND BURIAL

2010-05-06T23:18:00.000-07:00

The body of the late Nigerian president, Umaru Yar’Adua was buried on Thursday evening at the Danmarna public cemetery, Katsina under the weepy gaze of thousands of relatives and associates of the late politician. The ceremony was carried out amidst evocative readings from the Holy Koran and praises for the departed leader of Nigeria who died on Wednesday. Most offices, businesses and shops in the city were also closed as a mark of honour for the deceased and most roads in the city were overwhelmed with traffic.

The burial, which took place according to Islamic rites, was witnessed by tens of thousands of sympathisers, including top government officials. Mr Yar’Adua’s body was lowered into the grave by a number of Nigerian governors, including the governor of Katsina, Ibrahim Shema, as well as his in laws - the governors of Bauchi and Kebbi states, Isa Yuguda and Aliyu Dakingari - his relations, and other dignitaries for internment. Mr Yar’Adua started his final return to Katsina - where he was governor for eight years until he became president in 2007 - when his remains were moved out of the State House, Abuja at 11.02 a.m for transportation to the airport. It was wrapped in green-white-green cloth, representing Nigeria’s flag and was conveyed by a State House Ambulance Registration Number 572. A military aircraft which carried the body left Nnamdi Azikwe International Airport, Abuja at about 12:30p.m. for Katsina. The aircraft was welcomed by hundreds of relatives, associates and townsmen of the late president. Late Yar’Adua’s wife, Turai and her children accompanied the remains. Also on the trip were Speaker of the House of Representatives, Dimeji Bankole, who is leading the federal government delegation, and the governors of Kwara, Bukola Saraki; Benue, Gabriel Suswam and Bauchi, Isa Yuguda. Ahead the arrival of the team, hundreds of armed soldiers and policemen patrolled the city of Katsina on Thursday and a police detachment was deployed to cordon off the road leading to the Yar’Adua family home.

At the house itself, scores of women wept loudly to express their grief at the death of the accomplished scion of the Yar’Adua family. Funeral prayers were held at the cemetery by the Chief Imam of Katsina, Liman Lawal, at 4.43 p.m.

Shortly after the prayers, Mr Yar`Adua’s remains was buried in the family grave at 5.20 pm. Due to the large crowd, sympathisers had to walk a little more than a kilometre to the graveyard. Among the dignitaries present were former Vice-President, Atiku Abubakar; state governors; the immediate past National Security Adviser, Sarki Muktar; former national security chief, Umaru Shinkafi; the Prime Minister of Niger Republic, Mohammad Tander; serving and former ministers. The others were members of the National Assembly, as well as state legislators and traditional rulers. The body was received by the Federal Government delegation, led by Mr Bankole; Mr Shema, as well as the Emir of Katsina, Abdulmumini Kabir; ministers and state governors. Mr Yar’Adua’s widow, his children and grandchildren had arrived at the airport in an air force aircraft, NAF 510 FGN, which landed at 1.35 p.m. followed by the federal delegation, which arrived in two aircraft. Shortly after the arrival, the body of the former president was driven in a motorcade which moved at snail speed to the family house with people on both sides of the road paying their condolences.

It took more than an hour before the body arrived at the family house because of the crowd.

Katsina quiet

Katsina town itself was quiet and in a sombre mood while the burial ceremony took place. Since Wednesday night, when the news of the death reached the town, the place has been quiet, and this continued into Thursday. The state government had declared a one-week period to mourn the death of Mr Yar’Adua.

A statement from the state government said that the work-free period was to allow the people of the state to pray for Allah’s forgiveness for the late president. The one-week period of mourning, which started on Thursday, would also enable the state civil servants to condole the family of the late President, the statement added. The late president was the second Yar’Adua to die in national limelight.

FACTS ABOUT DOGS...

2010-05-06T23:02:00.000-07:00

Dogs can register sounds of 35,000 vibrations a second where as a human can only hear 20,000 vibrations.

A German shepherd has smell sensory cells of 220,000,000 where as a human has only 5,000,000 cells

Theobromine in chocolates, a substance similar to caffeine, can kill the dogs, or at the very least make them seriously ill.

The tallest dogs are the Great Dane and the Irish wolfhound. The smallest dogs are the Chihuahua, Yorkshire terrier and Toy Poodle.

The oldest age recorded for a dog is 29 years and 5 months.

The world’s heaviest and longest dog is an English Mastiff named Zorba which weighed 3423 pounds and eight feet three inches long from nose to tail.

Laika was the world’s first ever space astronaut dog which was sent into space in 1957 by the Russian government.

Greyhounds can reach speeds of up to 45 miles per hour in short bursts.

In Second World War, Russians trained dogs to run suicide missions between the tracks of German tanks with mines strapped on their backs.

In the Middle Ages, Mastiffs used to be dressed in light armor to which was strapped a pot of flaming sulphur and were then made to run into battle against mounted knights.

HAVE A GREAT LAUGH

2010-03-23T00:58:00.000-07:00

A pair of chickens walk into a public library, find the librarian and say, 'Buk Buk BUK.' The librarian decides that the chickens want three books, and promptly gives them some. Without further ado, the chickens walk out.

Around midday, the two chickens are back and looking quite annoyed. One leans over to the librarian and says,' Buk Buk BuKKOOK!' The librarian decides that the chickens want another three books and promptly gives them some more. The chickens leave as before.

About an hour later the two birds march back in, approach the librarian, looking very angry now and nearly shouting, 'Buk Buk Buk Buk Bukkooook!'

The librarian is now starting to get worried about where all her stock is going. She decides to give them more books but also to follow them and find out what's happening.

She followed them out of the library, out of town, and into to a park. At this point, she hid behind a tree, not wanting to be seen.

She saw the two chickens throwing the books at a frog in a pond, to which the frog was kept repeating, "Rrredit Rrredit Rrredit..."
what should we titil this joke?

ACID RAIN AND IT"S EFFECTS...

2010-03-22T12:26:00.000-07:00

Acidity is measured using a pH scale, with the number 7 being neutral.

Consequently, a substance with a pH value of less than 7 is acidic,

while one of a value greater than 7 is basic. It is also worthwhile to note that the pH scale is logarithmic; that is, a substance of pH of 6 is

10 times more acidic than another with a pH of 7. Generally, the pH of 5.6 has been used as the Acidity is measured using a pH scale, with the number 7 being neutral.

WHAT CAUSES ACID RAIN?

One of the main causes of acid rain is sulphur dioxide. Natural sources which emit this gas are volcanoes, sea spray , rotting vegetation

and plankton. However, the burning of fossil fuels, such as coal and oil, are largely to be blamed for approximately half of the emissions

of this gas in the world. When sulphur dioxide reaches the atmosphere, it oxidizes to first form a sulphate ion. It then becomes sulphuric

acid as it joins with hydrogen atoms in the air and falls back down to earth. Oxidation occurs the most in clouds and especially in heavily

polluted air where other compounds such as ammonia and ozone help to catalyze the reaction, converting more sulphur dioxide to

sulphuric acid. However, not all of the sulphur dioxide is converted to sulphuric acid. In fact, a substantial amount can float up into the

atmosphere, move over to another area and return to earth unconverted. The following are the stoichiometric equations for the formation

of sulphuric acid:

S (in coal) + O2 yields SO2

2 SO2 + O2 yields 2 SO3

SO3 + H2O yields H2SO4

Nitric oxide and nitric dioxide are also components of acid rain. Its sources are mainly from power stations and exhaust fumes. Like

sulphur dioxide, these nitrogen oxides rise into the atmosphere and are oxidized in clouds to form nitric acid. These reactions are also

catalysed in heavily polluted clouds where iron, manganese, ammonia and hydrogen peroxide are present.*

The following is a chart which summarizes the effect of the pH level of the lake on its lifeforms.

pH LEVEL EFFECTS

<6 *Basic forms of food die off. Eg. Mayflies and stoneflies are important food sources for fish. They can't survive at this pH level.

<5.5 *Fish cannot reproduce.

*Young have difficulty staying alive.

*More deformed adult fish due to lack of nutrients.

*Fish die of suffocation.

<5.0 *Fish population die off.

<4.0 *Very different lifeforms, if any, from before.

The "safe" level of mercury in food has been set at about 0.05 parts per million. Indians and Eskimos in parts of Canada and the United States eat fish and seal meat with mercury levels as high as 15.7 and even 32.7 parts per million.

Fish, being one of the primary members of the food chain, is food for many other lifefoms, including hunans. Because toxic materials such as mercury are deposited in the fish due to acid rain, it is dangerous for humans to consume the fish. Like the domino effect, fewer fish can be sold as food, fishermen lose their hobby and people selling fishing supplies are affected. Amphibians are also affected; like the fish, they cannot reproduce in an acidic environment.

Hence,the effects of acid rain on lakes and its aquatic ecosystem are numerous and overwhelmingly magnified as we move down the food web.

EFFECT ON TREES AND SOILS

One of the most serious impacts of acid precipitation is on forests and soils. Great damage is done when sulphuric acid falls onto the earth as rain. Nutrients present in the soils are washed away. Aluminium also present in the soil is freed and this toxic element can be absorbed by the roots of trees. Thus, the trees are starved to death as they are deprived of their vital nutrients such as calcium and magnesium. Not all of the sulphur dioxide is converted to sulphuric acid. In fact, a substantial amount can float into the atmosphere, move over to another area and return to the soils unconverted. As this gas returns back to earth, it clogs up the stomata in the leaves, thus hindering photosynthesis. Research has been made where red spruce seedlings were sprayed with different combinations of sulphuric and nitric acid of pH ranging from 2.5 to 4.5. The needles of these seedlings were observed to develop brown lesions. Eventually, the needles fall off. It was also found that new needles grew more slowly at higher concentrations of acid used. Because the rate at which the needles were falling was greater than the rate at which they were replenished, photosynthesis was greatly affected, The actual way in which these needles were killed is still not yet known. However, studies have shown that calcium and magnesium nutrients are washed away from their binding sites when sulphuric acid enters the system. They are replaced by useless hydrogen atoms and this inhibits photosynthesis.

EFFECT ON MATERIALS

Acid rain also damages materials such as fabrics. For example, flags that are put up are being "eaten away" by the acidic chemicals in the precipitation. Books and age-old art that are centuries old are also being affected; the ventilation systems of the libraries and musuems that hold them do not prevent the acidic particles from entering the builings and so, they get in and circulate within the building, affecting and deteriorating the materials.

EFFECT ON HUMANS

Among one of the serious side effects of acid pollution on humans is respiratory problems. The SO2 and NO2 emmisions give rise to respiratory problems such as asthma, dry coughs, headaches, eye, nose and throat irritations. An indirect effect of acid precipitation on humans is that the toxic metals dissolved in the water are absorbed in fruits, vegetables and in the tissues of animals. Although these toxic metals do not directly affect the animals, they have serious effects on humans when they are being consumed. For example, mercury that accumulate in the organs and tissues of the animals has been linked with brain damage in children as well as nerve disorders, brain damage and death. Similarly, another metal, Aluminium, present in the organs of the animals, has been associated with kidney problems and recently, was suspected to be related to Alzheimer's disease.

EFFECT ON THE ATMOSPHERE

Some of the constituents of acid pollution are sulphates, nitrates, hydrocarbons and ozone. These exists as dry particles in the air and contribute to haze, affecting visibility. This makes navigation especially hard for air pilots. Acid haze also interferes with the flow of sunlight from the sun to the earth and back. In the Arctic, this affects the growth of lichens which in turn, affect the caribou and reindeer which feed on it.

LAGOS TODAY! HOW TO COPE WITH HARSH AND DUSTY WEATHER...

2010-03-04T20:19:00.000-08:00

For residents of Zamfara State and in fact the North West geo-political zone of the country, the past few weeks have brought about some of the most difficult weather conditions seen in recent years. The dry season, known in this part of the world as Harmattan, has been in its worst form in living memory, bringing socio-economic activities to a halt. Imam Imam writes

Harmattan is a dry and dusty West African trade wind that blows south from Sahara into the Gulf of Guinea between the end of November and the middle of March, a period of winter in other parts of the world. On its passage over the desert, it picks up dust particles (between 0.5 and 10 micrometres).

Now, Lagos residents are facing this harsh weather in recent times. The sun is usually too hot and it comes with dry wind which leaves you with an itchy and burning effect.

For all Lagosian, never leave your home without taking along enough water for your consumption to avoid dehydration. Dress well. Always put on light colours which would diverge the sun rays as it's directed to you and keep the heat from penetrating. Again, put on clothes dark would cover your skin properly so as to prevent your skin from burning.

Please, shield your eyes from dusty particles flying in the air with sunglassses and your hair too. Oil your hair to avoid breakage and together we'll scale through this dusty and harsh season.

WELCOME TO GLOBAL WARMING SEASON...

2010-03-01T11:31:00.000-08:00

Wow! the weather was terribly hot today as i embark on my journey back home. All i could do was consume alot of water. At that point, the only thing I could think of was, the effect of global warming. it's really going to be very painful if nothing is being done to stop our ozone layer from depleting. Thinkg about it! this is Nigeria.... south, how about the northern part of this country? desert? we really need to act fast.

CLIMATE CHANGE INFORMATION ON NIGERIA...

2010-02-26T07:32:00.000-08:00

There are many ways that climate change could affect human settlements and health. Some of the impacts will be direct, others will be indirect. Urban populations are growing and contributing to environmental degradation, loss of biodiversity, environmental decay, and water/air/environmental pollution

Human settlements in Nigeria will be affected by climate change in a variety of ways. Urban and rural population concentrations will be disrupted, particularly along the coastline due to sea-level rise and related phenomena. Some settlements are known to have already relocated farther inland from their original sites in response to sea incursion over some decades. Population displacement and migration from, and to, various human settlements will arise from either or both of drought incidence in the Northern states of the country and accelerated sea level rise in the coastal regions. Rises in sea-level will also threaten urban and rural infrastructure facilities in low lying coastal regions

Extreme climate conditions such as high wind, heavy rainfall, heat and cold can result in wide-ranging scenarios such as tropical storms, floods, landslides, droughts and sea-level rise. Climatic catastrophes induce populations to be displaced (or decimated by death), which in turn can lead to conflict and civil unrest. As well, the public health infrastructure would be eroded if resources are diverted from its maintenance to disaster recovery. Communities and government would be burdened with having to make reparations to individuals for property damage and loss, unemployment, clean-up, and reduced socioeconomic viability of the communities affected.

Pests and diseases are implicated in climate change. Significant climatic conditions such as temperature, precipitation, sunshine and wind can affect and accelerate their dispersion and their increase. Food crops are affected by their presence (creating economic problems because of low agricultural yields and food shortages, as well as human population problems such as malnutrition). Pests and diseases can adversely affect animal husbandry; it also cause human suffering (for example, malaria, cholera, typhoid and dengue fever) which in turn affects the effectiveness and productivity of Nigeria's labour force.

A number of indirect impacts of climate change on human health were identified. As Nigeria's inhabitants already suffer from nutritional imbalances (poor nutrition and malnutrition), climate change will only have a deleterious effect on food security. A shift could occur in the location of some vector-borne diseases, such as malaria (mosquitoes), sleeping sickness (tsetse fly) etc. In response to shifts in the patterns of rainfall and temperature; mosquitoes currently thrive in locations where water logging and poor drainage typify the landscape. High flood frequency and water-logging due to climate change in ecozones hitherto unassociated with malaria will enhance the breeding of mosquitoes and thus the spread of malaria. Malaria will also increase due to the preponderance of stagnant pools of water resulting from sea-level rise related flooding. New evidences with respect to micro-climate change due to land-use changes such as swamp reclamation and deforestation suggest an increase spread of malaria to new areas (Munga et al, 2006; IPCC, 2007).

Direct impacts include health problems induced by increasing incidences of heat waves. These could lead to more cases of cerebro-spinal meningitis (CSM), which today is found to correlate positively with the highest maximum temperature of the northern winter season, and inversely with absolute humidity to a lesser, although still significant, extent. Currently, this health condition is a feature of Nigeria's dry belt represented by the Sudan Sahelian region of the country, and occurs in the peak of the dry season. The occurrence of skin cancer from direct ultra-violet radiation could become more common, as could increase incidences of cardiovascular respiration disorders.

On the whole, a 2005 evaluation of Nigeria, along side other 23 countries in the Sub-Saharan Africa projected that meeting of the Millennium Development Goals (MDG), particularly with respect to child and maternal health, will elude the country because of climate change and other multiple stresses (UNDP, 2005; IPCC, 2007).

There are gender considerations in assessing vulnerability. Women do most of the farming in some parts of the country (rural Anambra, Benue, Cross River; urban Lagos; urban and rural: Kwara, Ogun, Imo, Ondo, Oyo and Rivers), as well as fishing. Recent studies (Folorunsho, 1992 and Ojo and Folorunsho, 1993) found that 90% of women involved in fish processing in urban areas use firewood or wood products in their activities. Fuel wood is also used extensively in food processing, and in domestic activities that are dominated by women. Collection of firewood under conditions of heat stress could impact more on the health of women and children who are more involved in this activity than men.

2010 HAITI EARTHQUAKE....

2010-02-23T11:49:00.000-08:00

The 2010 Haiti earthquake was a catastrophic magnitude 7.0 Mw earthquake. Its epicentre was near the town of Léogâne, approximately 25 km (16 miles) west of Port-au-Prince, Haiti's capital. The earthquake occurred at 16:53 local time (21:53 UTC) on Tuesday, 12 January 2010.[3][4] By 24 January, at least 52 aftershocks measuring 4.5 or greater had been recorded.[5] As of Feb. 12, an estimated three million people were affected by the quake;[6] the Haitian Government reports that between 217,000 and 230,000 people had been identified as dead, an estimated 300,000 injured, and an estimated 1,000,000 homeless. The death toll is expected to rise.[7][8] They also estimated that 250,000 residences and 30,000 commercial buildings had collapsed or were severely damaged.[9]

The earthquake caused major damage to Port-au-Prince, Jacmel and other settlements in the region. Many notable landmark buildings were significantly damaged or destroyed, including the Presidential Palace, the National Assembly building, the Port-au-Prince Cathedral, and the main jail. Among those killed were Archbishop of Port-au-Prince Joseph Serge Miot,[10] and opposition leader Micha Gaillard.[11][12] The headquarters of the United Nations Stabilization Mission in Haiti (MINUSTAH), located in the capital, collapsed, killing many, including the Mission's Chief, Hédi Annabi.[13][14]

Many countries responded to appeals for humanitarian aid, pledging funds and dispatching rescue and medical teams, engineers and support personnel. Communication systems, air, land, and sea transport facilities, hospitals, and electrical networks had been damaged by the earthquake, which hampered rescue and aid efforts; confusion over who was in charge, air traffic congestion, and problems with prioritisation of flights further complicated early relief work. Port-au-Prince's morgues were quickly overwhelmed; tens of thousands of bodies were buried in mass graves.[15] As rescues tailed off, supplies, medical care and sanitation became priorities. Delays in aid distribution led to angry appeals from aid workers and survivors, and some looting and sporadic violence were observed.

On 22 January the United Nations noted that the emergency phase of the relief operation was drawing to a close, and on the following day the Haitian government officially called off the search for survivors.

wikipedia.com

How Traditional Chinese Medicine Reads the Body to Detect Disease

2010-02-22T23:05:00.000-08:00

I found this soooooooo interesting and i thought to share it with you all.

Most people don't realize that their face provides information about what's going on beneath the surface. Your body speaks a unique language to communicate the imbalances within it.

Chinese medicine has mastered the art and science of reading the body's language over its five thousand year practice. Each part of your face reflects a different element from the Chinese 5-Element network (fire, earth, water, metal, and wood), which in turn, corresponds to a particular organ grouping. Your reflection offers visual cues to what may be happening within your internal systems--such as your heart, stomach, hormones and even your mind and spirit.

In some situations visual cues will immediately alert you of an issue, and you can take measures immediately. But the real value of self-inspection is in detecting subtle imbalances and dealing with them preventively through diet, herbal supplementation, and lifestyle practices. By reading your body, you can take care of small problems before they become big health issues

6 PERSONALITY TRAITS TO ADMIRE AND ACQUIRE...

2010-02-10T22:44:00.001-08:00

As humans, we often focus on those who are negative or toxic leaving it difficult to appreciate those who are positive and healthy. Seeking out individuals with healthy, positive traits, however, may do a lot of good. The more we can surround ourselves with those who are positive and healthy, the more we may model those positive behaviors. Below, I've listed some of the traits I admire most in people. Although I could probably list a dozen characteristics, I thought I’d list those that seem to be the rarest or most difficult to find.

Selflessness: In a world where many people don’t have the time or the interest in others, selflessness is a quality that seems to be less and less common. People can be selfless in the time they give, the ability to listen, their level of patience and the love that they give. Those who are giving and generous in nature have the power to make others feel loved, appreciated and special. While those who are self-absorbed tend to do the exact opposite.

Tolerance: Those people who are tolerant make us feel comfortable with who we are and special as individuals. All of us are different, and many of us have quirks and idiosyncrasies. After all, these differences make the world go round. Having the ability to accept people for who they are and not expect them to be who we want them to be is important in life, happiness and in the health of our relationships.

Genuineness: Having the ability to be real, authentic and honest is unique in a world where we put so much emphasis on the superficial. Feeling comfortable in one’s skin and being true to one’s self is one of the most beautiful traits one can possess. To have a REAL relationship with someone requires honesty…it requires hearing and giving input or feedback that may not always be popular…it means having the strength to tell it like it is and to not be afraid to face the consequences for doing so…it means loving people for who they really are…deep down…and not for what they appear to be.

Sensitivity: So often we are focused on what is important to ourselves that we can forget about those around us. Those who are sensitive are often thoughtful, appreciative and loving, in a way that makes you feel understood, valued and respected. Often, sensitive people are also self-aware, making them mindful of how they impact others with what they do and say.

Integrity: Call me cynical, but I think this characteristic is especially difficult to find. In a time when people will do things that are underhanded to make an extra buck (Bernie Madoff…can you hear me?), expose their personal lives to the public so they can be famous (balloon boy’s dad and any other reality TV mongers) and do what feels good in the moment without necessarily thinking of the consequences (Tiger Woods), integrity is a characteristic that is especially unique today.

Humility: Whether someone is super-smart, extremely talented or drop-dead gorgeous, there is something extra special about them if they don’t come across as though they know it all the time. Humility in those that possess extraordinary traits make others feel special too.

Oh boy the list could go on! What characteristics do you admire in others? Are there any that you want to cultivate?

Originally published on Sheer Balance

5 TIPS ON HOW TO PREPARE FOR EARTHQUAKE

2010-02-09T05:28:00.000-08:00

Earthquakes are natural disasters that we should learn to live with, not in fear of. Learning how to prepare for an earthquake not only makes you a bit safer, it ensures that those around you are a bit safer as well.

Earthquake Preparing Tips

1. Practice earthquake drills with your family.

2. Check if your insurance covers earthquake damage.

3. Take classes in First Aid and CPR.

4. Have two designated places your family can meet after the earthquake.

5. Make an earthquake kit with basic food, shelter and water.

TALKING ABOUT EARTHQUAKES...

2010-02-06T13:14:00.001-08:00

It seemed like Mother Nature was avenging herself on us who have used all her endowments to the fullest extent without caring to rejuvenate them. Here we would try to find out the causes of earthquakes so that we can all contribute to the prevention of such things in our own small ways. Individual awareness would definitely lead to mass awareness.

Causes of earthquakes

If seen broadly we can say that earthquakes are caused due to two major reasons. The first reason is the eruption of volcanoes, which are sudden, and as is known volcanoes are seat of inner disturbance and can effect the plates which is the second cause of earthquakes. Earthquakes are caused due to disturbance in the movement of plates, which again can be caused due to various reasons like under crust waves or cracks in the plates.

Plate Tectonic Theory

The outer layer of the earth is divided into many sections known as plates, which are floating on the molten magma beneath the earth’s crust. Now the movement of these plates is determined by the convection current in the molten magma. The heat makes these plates rise and vice versa. Therefore after intervals there are plates that get submerged in the molten magma and there plates that rise upwards and at times even new crust is formed from the molten magma which in turn forms a new plate until it connects itself with the already existing ones. At times these plates and can be pushed up to form mountains and hills and the movement is so slow that it is really hard to comprehend that there is any movement at all. The movement and the results come out to be visible suddenly. Now these plates are the bases on which the continents stand and when these plates move the continents also move. Most of the earthquakes occur on the edges of the plates where a plate is under one or across. This movement disrupts the balance and position of all plates, which leads to tremors, which are called earthquakes.

Volcanic Eruptions

When volcanoes erupt it is because the molten magma under the crust of the earth is under enormous pressure and to release that pressure it looks for an opening and exerts pressure on the earth’s crust and the plate in turn. A place, which is the seat of an active volcano, is often prone to earthquakes as well because the pressure that is exerted by the magma exceeds the limit these plates move and that causes earthquakes. Earthquakes are also caused after a volcanic eruption since the eruption also leads to a disturbance in the position of plates, which either move further or resettle and can result into severe or light tremors.

The excessive exploitation of earth’s resources for our own benefits like building dams to store large volumes of water and blasting rocks and mountains to build bridges and roads is also the reason behind such natural disruptions.

FOOD FOR THOUGHT...

2010-02-05T07:43:00.000-08:00

Unlike cats, dogs are pack animals and they need social interactions. It is easy and fun to think about the types of food, the brand of dog bed or the colour of the leash before bringing a puppy home. However, domestic dogs have their decision-making ability taken away from them by domestication. They and their owners do not share a common communication system. Dog owners need to consider the needs of their dogs and how the needs can be met before bringing one home.

THINGS I LIKE TO DO THIS MONTH

2010-02-05T07:36:00.000-08:00

It's really time for me to concentrate on building my blogsites. i'm just tired of saying one thing over and over again. I'ts a new year and i must upgrade.
Firstly, i need a dog.

HOW ANIMAL IS DIFFERENT FROM HUMANS...

2010-01-02T05:24:00.000-08:00

How are humans different from animals? What does it mean to be human?

- superior language

- many different languages

- specialized use of thumb and fingers

- we like to change our appearances (make-up, plays)

- ability to lie

- we look for ways to change reality (alcohol, drugs, virtual reality)

- upright walkers (consistently)

- ability to know we are being cruel

- complex emotional conditioning

- we find ways to exploit nature (drinking animals’ milk)

- seem to have superior level of intelligence.

- We can think abstractly.

- We create religion.

- We create culture

- We control the number of offspring we have (pill, abortion)

- Superior organizational skills

- Technology and ability to advance in culture

- We keep a record of our past.

- We write, drive.

- Superior ability to foresee consequences and understand the differences between right and wrong, then act accordingly.

- Brain structure: our cortex is different in size and density from other animals.

THINK ABOUT IT.

HOW HUMAN AND DOG'S NEW YEAR'S RESOLUTIONS ARE THESAME

2010-01-01T05:17:00.000-08:00

Basically, it is just like looking at your own New Year's resolutions when making resolutions for your dog only they depend on you to stick with it. You want to stay healthy and in order to do that you need to eat healthy and exercise more. The same goes for your dog. They need to be exercised and they need the right food, otherwise they can end up unfit and extremely unhealthy. If you really care about your dog, it is really important to take good care of him.

Sure, your dog may love nothing more than a cookie every now and again, but depending on the ingredients, it simply may not be healthy and it could potentially harm your dog.

You need to stick to a healthy eating plan for your dog as his health really does start from the inside. When you have a healthy dog, you will notice that they are happier and a lot more active. So, if you have not yet started to look at your dog's diet and exercise routine, now would be the perfect time at the start of a brand New Year.

NEW YEAR RESOLUTION FOR ANIMALS...

2010-01-01T05:07:00.000-08:00

• Give your animal companions regular checkups—at least once a year—including dental care, and keep current with vaccinations.

• Feed your animal friends good-quality pet food (not human food), keep regular mealtimes, and go easy on the treats. Treats should be used only occasionally; you’re not doing your pet any favors by indulging him or her too frequently.

• Don’t neglect at-home health care; if your pet requires medication or other special care, give it as directed by your veterinarian. Brush your pet’s teeth, and keep him or her clean and well-groomed with regular nail trimming and coat brushing.

• Spay and neuter your pets, and keep them indoors or, when outside, on a leash or in a securely fenced-in yard. Never leave an animal chained or tied up outside by him- or herself. Keeping cats indoors will also protect the birds and other small outdoor creatures upon which cats prey.

• Keep bird and reptile cages and tanks clean and well outfitted with accessories to engage your animal’s interest.

• Give your pets plenty of attention. Animals left at home alone become bored and lonely; they can become destructive, and, as members of the family, they deserve better treatment. Provide regular play sessions, walks for dogs, and petting and or other appropriate interaction for all animals.

• Be prepared for disasters—fires, floods, storms, earthquakes, and the like. Have an escape or evacuation plan that includes your animal companions.

WHAT YOUR DOG NEEDS FOR FOOD

2009-12-30T05:58:00.000-08:00

Dogs, like us, need healthy and good quality food to grow and support their bodily functions. Now well, an excess of food will only lead to obesity, a very frequent health problem. In order to avoid it, one must know the nutritional composition of the chosen food as well as its caloric content.

The serving of the dog should be mixed, meaning, you should add proteins, fats, carbohydrates, vitamins, minerals and fiber at the same time. The liquid is essential for the nutrients to get distributed in an efficient way and for disposed materials to be expelled properly.

The daily intake of food depends on the weight, the lifestyle and age of each dog AND the daily serving can be calculated based the weight and the age of the animal. But there are special cases in which the charts don't work as a guide, as in the case of dog with a very fast metabolism (the ones that always seem to be hungry and too thin when they take the recommended dose), the puppies (they should eat food specially formulated for them), pregnant female dogs (their daily intake must be multiplied by 1.5) and female dogs that are breeding (they should take between 3 and 4 times more food than usual).

We will specify the caloric needs and the ideal weight for some breeds in the following chart. It is convenient to compare the chart with the label on the food package to make sure that your dog is eating correctly.

Ideal Dog Weight Based on Breed

WEIGHT (KG) DAILY CALORIES BREEDS

230 Papillion, Chihuahua.

450 Toy Poodle.

750 Corgi, Small Terriers.

1010 Beagle, Staffordshire Bull Terrier.

1250 Basset Hound.

1470 Collie, Samoyed.

1675 Labrador, Airdale Terrier, Boxer.

1875 Bobtail.

2070 Lebrels, Irish Hound.

CHOOSING A DOG BREED THIS NEW YEAR.

2009-12-30T05:46:00.000-08:00

Choosing a dog is by no means a simple thing. There are dogs of many sizes and styles and it is convenient to choose the most appropriate breed for each person. Obviously, it would be a crazy thing to buy a breed of giant dogs like the Great Danes or the Mastiff if you live in a little apartment or a Shepherd dog like the Border collie if you don't have much time to train it or take it out for exercising. When a dog is so excitable for example, it would really get on the dog's nerve if it has to live with little and mischievous children.

However, there are less evident considerations that are also important. For example the molt: there are dogs that loose hair almost the whole year long, while others as the Poodle and the Chow loose very little hair or even no hair at all and therefore are more suitable for allergic people or people who dislike having dog's hair all around the house. Some dogs like the Doberman need very little grooming, something really interesting when the owners think of time as a very precious thing. So, take your time as the year runs out make the right choice for you and your family this coming year.

HOW TO DISCIPLINE YOUR DOG...

2009-12-30T05:38:00.000-08:00

Dogs are very skilled at interpreting our gestures, learning keywords and preventing our reactions, but they are usually incapable to understand our scale of values and our conduct.

The effect of physical punishment…

The physical punishment is almost always negative. Sometimes it is necessary to physically stop a dog from doing a determined thing, but you should never use only toughness or violence. The smacks and the hits can bring bad consequences of many types: a dog can associate this punishment with the person who is performing it and deny obeying his calls in the future or won't let him touch it.

AVOIDING VIOLENCE

It is not strange for mistreated dogs to show themselves as aggressive and the violent dogs attack their masters a lot more than people they have never seen in their life; their aggressive conduct almost always comes from mistreatments performed by their masters.

Dogs simply don't understand our language. Instead of that they get the idea mainly from our voice pitch. Many dogs interpret the shouting as an invitation to bark. It is also possible for some dogs to behave in an unacceptable way precisely because they want to get their masters really mad; hitting these dogs is a lot worst as a punishment than just ignoring them.

NIGERIA TECHNOLOGY GUIDE: KIA SORENTO 2009 SUV CARS REVIEWS

2009-12-02T22:21:00.000-08:00

NIGERIA TECHNOLOGY GUIDE: KIA SORENTO 2009 SUV CARS REVIEWS

THE COMMUNITY OF RATS.

2009-12-02T00:04:00.000-08:00

LAUGH OUT LOUD!!!

Once upon a time there was a community of rats in a certain African village. In one particular house a big and mean cat terrorized the rats. They decided to work together and build a small but strong hole that they could easily enter, but the bigger cat couldn't. After finishing and testing the hole the rats were very pleased by their teamwork and cooperation together. But then at a community meeting one rat said: "The cat himself can't go into the hole but he can still catch us as we enter and leave the hole. Who is going to tie a bell around the cat's neck to warn us when he is approaching?" Everyone was silent. All were afraid. While they succeeded in building the hole together, no one was ready to sacrifice himself or herself to tie the bell. (Folktale told by different storytellers in Eastern Africa)

MORE THINGS YOU SHOULD KNOW...

2009-11-27T03:56:00.000-08:00

8. There are more dogs than people in Paris City.
9. Cow is the only mammal that pees backwards.
10. Lizards can communicate by doing push-ups.
11. Birds never sleep in their nests.
12. An octopus will eat its own arms if it gets really hungry.
13. Rabbit can die if they are too afraid of something.
14. Snails can sleep up to four years.
15. If you hold kangaroo’s tail, it can’t jump because kangaroo uses tail as balance.
16. If you make a camel angry, it will spit at you.

I HOPE THIS INFORMATION IS USEFUL.

7 THINGS YOU TO KNOW...

2009-11-27T03:54:00.000-08:00

1. Black bears are afraid of cats for unknown reason.
2. Shark is the only animal immune to all known diseases, including cancer.
3. If pursued by a crocodile, you should run in a zigzag motion, so you’ll be safe.
4. Chocolate and avocado is poisonous and deadly to parrots.
5. Beavers do not eat fish, they are vegetarian.
6. Hippo’s skin is so thick that most bullets can’t go through it.
7. The original English name of butterfly was flutterfly.

HOW TO TREAT BITES FROM ANIMALS

2009-11-25T04:47:00.000-08:00

Animal bites happen far more often that you might realize. Generally they occur between humans and pets, although not necessarily the pet of the individual who has been bitten. Wild animal bites are a bit more uncommon but they also happen from time to time. Be prepared by learning how to treat animal bites.

things to do

Determine the exact type of animal bite that needs to be treated.
Identify the bite area
Cleanse and disinfect the bite area. Rinse it out with water and hydrogen peroxide or rubbing alcohol and then apply an antibiotic cream or ointment. Cover with a clean gauze pad or cloth.
Contact a physician with the information you have gathered about the patient , the animal that did the biting, and the symptoms of the bite itself. If the bite is from an animal that cannot be identified or located, from a stray animal acting unusually, or an unknown snake, go directly to the nearest clinic or hospital. Poisonous venom may be involved whenever snakes are involved and time may be of the essence.

A BEAR'S SENSE OF SMELL

2009-11-24T15:50:00.000-08:00

If someone were to ask you, "how does a bear smell," you could answer in two ways. Bears smell real bad – or so I’m told. Bears are thought to have the best sense of smell of any animal on earth. For example, the average dog’s sense of smell is 100 times better than a human. A blood hound is 300 times better. A bear’s sense of smell is 7 times better than a blood hound’s or 2,100 times better than a human.

Bears acute sense of smell evolved in order to help them find food, mates, keep track of their cubs and avoid danger, particularly between competing individuals. Except for mother bears, bears are territorial animals that need to range widely to find enough food to sustain themselves.
Bears have an incredible sense of smell because the area of their brain that manages the sense of smell, called the olfactory bulb, is at least 5 times larger than the same area in human brains even though a bear’s brain is one third the size.

Bears also have highly developed noses that contain hundred of tiny muscles and let them manipulate them with the same dexterity as people’s fingers. The surface area inside their 9 inch noses also has hundreds of times more surface area and receptors than a human’s.
So the next time you make camp in bear country, make sure you hang a bear bag or store your food in a bear-resistant bag or canister at least 100 yards away from your shelter.

KEEP YOUR DOGS FROM OBESITY!

2009-11-23T14:05:00.000-08:00

Obesity is thought to have numerous causes with physical, emotional, environmental, endocrine and/or neurological components. The sedentary lifestyle of the domestic dog, combined with high rates of surgical contraception, may play a dramatic role in the environmental and endocrine mechanisms, respectively. Other factors such as musculo-skeletal problems and/or developmental abnormalities greatly influence the ability to exercise and ultimately contribute to weight gain. The indiscriminate feeding habits including table scraps, poor diet, constant access to food, and other poor eating rituals is a significant contributing factor. Also, competitive eating in multiple dog households may be a factor not apparent to the owner.

ANIMALS CELEBRATE CHRISTMAS

2009-11-18T22:39:00.000-08:00

Christmas is a time we all look forward to in our lives. How about animals?
Wild animals and creatures celebrates Christmas whenever Santa arrives bearing gifts and treats to the Zoo. Like eager kids on Xmas morning, the Sydney zoo’s pride of lions, giraffes, chimpanzees and Kodiak bears who would usually dive in to tear their presents apart in mere seconds in an animated display.

The giraffes can have a Christmas tree hang in their enclosure made of pine tree branches. It will be decorated with toys and sticky bottles containing molasses which the giraffes can gobble up with their long, blue tongues.Please make your animals comfortable this christmas period. They deserve the best this love and gift sharing season.

SWEET LITTLE THINGS

2009-11-18T22:19:00.000-08:00

Mom! what are you starring at?....................mmm... I have no idea!

I don’t have a big head, I just have a lot of fluffy hair… stop by when I am all wet!

Do you really think this scarf complements my eye color..?

HI FIVE!!! love you

Check out my cute eyes. Don't you think i'm sweet?

HOW TO CARE FOR YOUR DOG THIS FESTIVE SEASON.

2009-11-18T07:26:00.000-08:00

Christmas is an exciting time of the year.
Gifts to buy, decorating to organize, crafts to make, cards to write and send, parties to hold, secrets to keep, and so much more.
The festive season will see us rushing around with barely a moment to spare. That means something will be forgotten, and many times it's our innocent pets.

HOW DO WE CARE FOR OUR NEGLECTED PETS DURING CHRISTMAS?

First, take the dog to a veterinarian. If the dog is reasonably healthy, have the vet give a Rabies vaccine. Never allow your vet to give a vaccine to a sick animal or give several vaccines at once. You will also find out if it is safe to handle the dog.

Remove any parasites. brush or comb the dog to remove any parasites, preferably outdoors. If the vet administered a spot-on treatment like Frontline, don't bathe the dog for at least 48 hours. To remove ticks, collect the following: rubbing alcohol, tweezers, and paper towels. Settle the pup down and rub the alcohol on the ticks, then start plucking those nasty ticks off of him. Be sure to dig the entire head of the tick out as well, because the tick may still survive. If the bites start to bleed, apply pressure on them with a paper towel.

The bleeding will stop shortly. The dog may whine or wiggle if you hurt it, so soothe the animal by speaking softly and petting it.

Groom the dog. Shave matted hair at your discretion, it is usually less painful than picking but can leave the dog somewhat irritated at the sudden loss of fur, rest assured it will grow back quickly enough. Alternatively, carefully use scissors to cut down the center of mats and use a comb to gently pick the mat apart. Feed it. A neglected dog is almost always a hungry dog. When you take the animal to the vet, ask what kind of feeding schedule you should set up. Why? If the dog has a distended belly, and you overfeed it, you could twist its intestines and kill the poor animal. Be sure to provide the animal with clean, cold water as well. Let it rest.Give it some love. It has just been neglected, it searches for a loving and responsible pack. Make it feel loved and let it know that you will care for his future needs because it is CHRISTMAS

HOW SAFE IS YOUR PLANT TREE AND YOUR PROPERTY DURING STORM

2009-10-28T09:26:00.000-07:00

A tree is never in greater danger than during a storm. That can mean a threat from pounding rain and hail, from the fury of the wind, from the scorch of lightning or the weight of ice on branches and leaves. You may also have to remove a tree that endangers life and property during or after a storm. The key to a tree's survival is the care you give before the storm, keeping it healthy with proper space to grow.
Every tree will face at least one storm during its lifetime.

Here are seven tips designed to help minimize the impact of storms on trees and property in your yard or in your forest:
Tip 1 - Think about young trees growing up when planting. Trees will mature and grow tall so avoid planting near wires, too close to a building, or in shallow soils or on steep banks.
Tip 2 - Brittle species should not be planted on sites where breakage is a problem. Brittle species include elm, willow, box elder, poplar and silver maple.
Tip 3 - Where early ice storms are common, avoid planting species that hold their leaves late into fall.
Tip 4 - During excavation around trees, avoid damaging or cutting roots.
Tip 5 - Begin an annual pruning program when trees are young. Prune dead or weakened limbs and excessive branches from crowns.
Tip 6 - For particularly valuable trees, hire a professional arborist to strengthen a tree by installing cabling or bracing on weak limbs and split crotches.
Tip 7 - Keep the tree healthy by watering, fertilizing, and protecting the soil from compaction.

TIPS ON FASCINATING FACTS ABOUT BATS

2009-10-26T07:29:00.000-07:00

Did you know that bats help control pests? In fact, some species feast on as many as 1,000 mosquitoes an hour while others dine on thousands of pest beetles and moths a night.

Here are some other fascinating facts about bats:

1.There are more than 1,000 species of bats in the world. All of these bats make up about a quarter of all mammals in existence.
2.Bats help many plants: Hundreds of plant species rely on the pollinating and seed dispersal services of bats including bananas, avocados and mangos.
3.Bats are the most diverse group of mammals: The smallest weighs less than a penny and the largest has a wingspan of up to six feet!
4.Bats are the only mammal that can truly fly.

NONI JUICE FOR YOUR PETS’ HEALTH

2009-10-22T22:49:00.000-07:00

This not a myth, it is a reality. Adding Noni juice to the food of dogs, cats and other animals has been shown to help strengthen animals' immune systems, helping to fight viral and bacterial infections in the chest, skin, mouth and throat. Animals do not experience placebo effects so the benefits of using Noni can be easily seen.

Veterinarians, pet owners, farmers, and racehorse owners have been using Noni juice products with great success. Animals with diverse health conditions such as arthritis, injuries, West Nile virus, food allergies, heart problems, cancer, bowel disorders, muscular-skeletal disorders and other conditions have benefited from these potent Noni products. Noni juice has also been used in combination with alternative medicines for maximum effect and appears to reduce the amount of allopathic medication needed for most animal health conditions.

TO PLACE YOUR ORDER? CALL AND REMEMBER TO USE THIS ID NUMBER: 2394865 WHEN YOU VISIT ANY NONI STORE.

HOW TO MAINTAIN A COLOURFUL GARDEN FOR ALL SEASONS

2009-10-22T22:38:00.000-07:00

Sometimes it is difficult to achieve colors for all seasons. There is no speck of doubt that everyone would love to see a garden full of blooms throughout a year.

Lets us see all the ways which will help us to keep our gardens in color all season:

Deadheading
Removing dry blossoms is the easiest and simplest way to keep your plants blooming. Annuals particularly will profit from an occasional deadheading. Flowers actually produce seeds. Once seeds are formed the plants have no reason to bear flowers any more.
Shearing
Deadheading cannot be applied to flowers that have multiple buds on their flower stalks. In this case they can be sheared unto 1/3 of the plant. This you can do till all the buds fade. This rejuvenates the plant.
Pruning
A cunning way to sustain the perennial blooms is to clip the plants in steps. Try to divide the plant into three sections like the front, center and back. As soon as the plants grow about 6-8" tall, you can cut the front and center by about 1/3 to 1 / 2..This type of trimming will ensue plants turning into 3 levels and so it can bloom in sequence. The rear part blooms first and as it fades the center portion blooms. Finally the front part will bloom. The front section actually grows very tall and this helps in hiding all the withering plants behind it.
Re-Seeding
To extend the bloom of annuals you can re-seed quick growing annuals. This will be about 4 weeks soon after the initial seeding.
Feeding
Plants spend a lot of vigor in flowering. The more they blossom, the more food they demand. So take care and keep on adding good soil, water them properly and add fertilizer.
Produce colorful foliage
Flowers come and go but the foliage remains. Sprinkle the beds in your garden with a few shrubs and include sprinting annuals. You will have colors through the season.

STAYING SAFE AROUND WILD ANIMALS

2009-10-22T06:13:00.000-07:00

Animals can be great fun, but it's important to know how to be safe when you're with them. Both indoor animals and outdoor animals need to be treated kindly all the time. This means different things depending on the animal and the situation. With a wild animal, being kind may mean staying far away so the animal doesn't feel threatened.
The Great Outdoors
Stepping outside can mean a world full of great animals to see — from squirrels in trees to birds in flight. In some parts of the world, kids may see snakes, black bats, or even cool coyotes. And don't forget raccoons, skunks, and other critters that come out in some places at night.

The rule in the great outdoors is simple:

Don't touch or go near an animal. Although some of these animals may look cool or even cute, leave them alone. These animals aren't like regular pets. They're not used to being around people and may bite or attack if you come near them.
Don't ever try to feed a wild animal. Bird feeders are OK, but other animals, even if they look hungry, shouldn't ever be fed. When it comes to these animals, it's better for everyone if you stay away and check them out at the zoo and on the Internet.

HOW DEFORESTATION INCREASES GLOBAL WARMING.

2009-10-16T06:57:00.000-07:00

When trees are burned or cut down the CO2they had stored escapes back into the air which means the less forests, the fewer plants to convert CO2 into oxygen. Trees cut down for building do not contribute this CO2 and the process continues if those trees cut down are replanted. This, in this case it helps the issue of global warming.

Global warming is caused by an elevation in the green house gases that halo our planet. Atmospheric gases such as water vapor, CO2, methane, and ozone are responsible for impeding the loss of heat away from the Earth. The concentration of these particular gases, directly dictate the universal temperature found on Earth. Thus the effect of global warming is further exacerbated by deforestation because the removal of densely forested areas decreases the number of the CO2 consuming vegetation.

Photosynthetic organisms, such as plants, undergo a "carbon fixing" cycle which utilizes atmospheric carbon dioxide and synthesizes it into metabolic intermediates (such as carbohydrates). Indirectly, deforestation disrupts the delicate balance between the carbon dioxide produced and consumed. An increase in the concentration of carbon dioxide, along with other green house gases, leads to an increase in the global temperature.

Two interesting things to point out on this issue:

Man produces a small portion of CO2 (about 6% of the total and 0.28% of all green house gas). The number, density and overall acres of forest have increased for the past century in North America by thousands of acres. We even define a forest more densely today than we did in historical times. We have doubled the board feet in a given acre to be called a forest.

Destroying forests reduces the earth's ability to absorb airborne carbon. Trees as well as water, ice etc absorb carbon that is in the air. The fewer trees there are, the less there are to absorb carbon. This would lead to more carbon in the air from man-made and natural sources. More and more is released all the time and less is reabsorbed into "contained" sources such as trees and water. If we stop deforestation by 50%, it will stop 500 billion tons of CO2 going to the atmosphere!!!

STOPING GLOBAL WARMING STARTS WITH INCREASED EFFICIENCY

2009-10-15T00:22:00.000-07:00

Increasing the efficiency of cars and minivans, power plants and even light bulbs will not only help curb global warming, it will help cut air pollution, protect our wilderness and coasts from drilling and stimulate economic growth.

Burning fossil fuels not only emits carbon dioxide, the primary global warming culprit, but also soot, smog and carbon monoxide. Reducing our dependence on fossil fuels cuts pollution and reduces the demand to drill in sensitive wilderness areas like the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge. It reduces the amount of oil we transport, lessening the chances of spills. Consumers benefit because efficiency costs less than the energy it saves. Finally, it helps our economy by cutting oil imports, which account for one-third of our national trade deficit.

One of the easiest ways for individual consumers and small businesses to save energy and money is to use compact fluorescent lights. Replacing a 60-watt incandescent bulb with a 15-watt compact fluorescent bulb that emits as much light saves over 400 pounds of coal. The compact fluorescent bulb costs about $15, but lasts 10,000 hours and pays for itself in two to six years, depending on how often the bulb is used.

Unfortunately, the energy market isn't working. Businesses often make decisions based on short-term paybacks, ignoring the long-term savings from energy efficiency investments. Buildings are seldom built by the people who will pay the energy bills, so construction cost takes precedence over long-term operating costs. Similarly, consumers aren't looking at pollution reduction and long-term savings when they buy a car. They tend to be more concerned about styling and comfort than fuel efficiency.

That's why energy activists must work to influence public policy and to educate consumers. Consumers can't buy energy-efficient appliances if stores don't stock them, but stores won't stock them if they think people will balk at higher upfront costs for greater efficiency. It's up to the federal government to intervene and require a minimum level of efficiency for all consumer products from appliances to cars. In cleaning our air we are reducing threats to our wilderness and shores.

THE EFFECT OF GLOBAL WARMING ON WILDLIFE

2009-10-14T05:04:00.000-07:00

Today, everyone is talking about Global Warming, what exactly is Global Warming?
Global Warming is defined as the increase of the average temperature on Earth. As the Earth is getting hotter, disasters like hurricanes, droughts and floods are getting more frequent. Here is some of its effect on wildlife

Polar Bears
Polar bears, like their privileged springtime prey the ringed seal, depend heavily on sea ice for their survival. Polar bears move from ice flow to ice flow in search of the young seals. With rising temperatures, the thinning ice leaves

fewer places for both the polar bears to hunt and the seals to raise their young.

Arctic Foxes
The arctic fox is a phenomenon. Its paws are covered with thick fur to protect its feet in winter, and it is an excellent burrower which allows it to dig dens and warm itself against the arctic chill. In recent years, warmer temperatures have driven the arctic fox farther and farther north in search of more suitable, cooler habitat.

Adelie Penguins
When we think of Antarctica, it is with visions of waddling, tuxedoed penguins. Today, however, these iconic creatures may be in peril as a result of changes to their climate. Rising temperatures are causing the amount of sea ice to diminish, which in turn causes the amount of algae in the water to decrease. Many tiny organisms, including the krill shrimp which forms the foundation of the Adelie penguin’s diet, cannot survive without this important food source.
So what can we do to reverse this situation? Is this precious wildlife going on extinction too?

THE ENDANGERED SPECIE: WALRUS

2009-10-09T16:33:00.000-07:00

In fact, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service recently reported that 131 walruses, mostly calves and yearlings, were trampled to death in Alaska by other walruses. This is a clear and urgent signal that the sea ice is nowhere to be found.

The walrus typically spends much of its time resting on sea ice. But, as global warming melts its icy habitat, it has no place else to go but to land. It’s not uncommon for walruses to gather on shore in the fall months, but they are currently gathering in alarmingly large numbers and arriving much earlier than in previous years.

On land, the situation continues to be deadly, particularly for young pups that could easily be crushed. The more than 3,500 animals crowded together in one area in Alaska could lead to additional stampedes and deaths. What’s more, these walruses face nutritional and physical stress since they have to work twice as hard to obtain food. Instead of diving off the ice down to the sea floor where they feed, they now have to swim long distances from the shore to and from their feeding grounds.

HOT WHETHER SAFETY TIPS FOR DOGS KEEPERS

2009-10-07T16:39:00.000-07:00

1.Outdoor pets often suffer from extreme hot weather, especially when they do not have adequate fresh, cool water or ample shade/shelter from the blazing sun. Bring animals inside during hot weathe.
2.Avoid chaining or tethering a dog in the yard. He/she may get twisted and become unable to reach shade or water, or may knock over his/her water dish.

3.Hydration is critical to help your pet regulate his/her body temperature. Be sure that pets have access to plenty of fresh, cool water at all times - indoors and out.
4.In homes without air conditioning, use fans to keep air circulating or keep the animal in a cooler area of the house, such as the basement, during the heat of the day.

5.Pets should avoid exercise or vigorous activity during the heat of the day. Instead, take walks in the early morning or cooler evening hours. Avoid hot concrete or asphalt surfaces as they may cause damage or discomfort to the animal’s paw pads.
6.Small dogs, and those with short noses such as pugs and bulldogs, are especially susceptible to heatstroke. However, it is a concern for all pets during hot weather.

7.Do not leave animals in parked cars. Even on a relatively mild 85-degree day in the shade, with the windows cracked, the temperature inside the car will reach 120 degrees in minutes. A dog or cat’s body temperature is approximately 101 - 102 degrees. He/she can only withstand the heat a short time before it becomes a life or death situation.

HOW TO CARE FOR YOUR DOG'S TEETH

2009-10-05T01:42:00.000-07:00

Bad breath in pets, particularly dogs, is often joked about, but it is not a laughing matter. Dental disease affects up to 80% of pets over the age of three, and just like humans, there can be serious consequences of poor dental health.

How many teeth do dogs and cats have, anyway?

Dogs start out with 28 deciduous (baby) teeth, cats start out with 26 deciduous teeth. By six months of age, these baby teeth fall out and are replaced by permanent teeth, 42 in the dog and 30 in the cat.

Will I find the deciduous teeth, and what happens when they don't fall out on their own?

You may or may not find the teeth as they fall out. As dogs play and chew on toys, you might see a tooth. Likewise, as a cat grooms, you may find a tooth in the fur. If the deciduous teeth don't fall out and the permanent teeth erupt under them, this can lead to problems, such as increased tartar formation, malocclusion problems, and gingival (gum) irritation.

When should dental care start with my pet?

The earlier the better. With the help of your Veterinarian, be on the lookout for retained deciduous teeth and malocclusion (bad bite) problems. Your Veterinarian can teach you how to care for your pet's teeth and gums early on.

WHY VENOMOUS SNAKES MAKE HORRIBLE AND TERRIBLE PET

2009-09-23T04:10:00.000-07:00

Every single year, emergency rooms have venomous snake owners showing up with a venomous snake bite. Even though the act of owning a venomous snake for a pet is illegal in most areas, the venomous snake is a popular pet in today’s society. Perhaps it is the danger of owning one, or the taboo nature of having one captive, but more and more people are attempting to keep them as pets.

If the thought has ever crossed your mind, I would like you to consider the man that was in the news this past winter. He was bitten in the face by a venomous gaboon viper. A gaboon viper is a large, heavy bodied snake that is actually rather docile by nature. They are not known as overly aggressive snakes, but they are still extremely deadly. Add to this the fact that they have the longest fangs of any venomous snake in the world at over two inches, and you have a recipe for disaster.

This gaboon viper struck the man in the face, and yet he survived. It is said that a gaboon viper bite is one of the most painful snake bites on the planet. One can only imagine how bad it would hurt to be bitten in the face. Since the gaboon viper is native to Africa, the other problem is finding the anti venom to save the man’s life. He was saved, but I bet he was second guessing that decision to keep a venomous snake for a pet.

The gaboon viper story is far from exclusive in the way of venomous bites. People have been bitten by cobras, rattlesnakes, cottonmouths, copperheads, coral snakes, and even black mambas while trying to keep them captive.

Even snake handlers that do this for a living get bitten on occasion, and they know what they are doing. Snake milkers, that extract the venom from venomous snakes for the anti venom are bitten on occasion and they handle venomous snakes on a daily basis. If you are thinking of keeping a venomous snake, then what do you think that your chances of avoiding a venomous snake bite may be?

There is a very good reason that venomous snakes are illegal to keep as pets. You are not qualified to care for them safely, and they are deadly. These two reasons are enough for most people, and the rest are risking grave danger. If you are not a herpetologist, and have great experience with handling dangerous snakes, then please just find a harmless snake to keep for a pet.

Some outstanding choices for harmless snakes as pets include corn snakes, ball pythons, king snakes, garter snakes, and even rat snakes if they are tamed……Or you could always just get a dog.

SHOULD YOU HAVE A SNAKE AS A PET?

2009-09-23T04:04:00.000-07:00

So you are thinking about getting a snake for a pet? Snakes make wonderful pets if you are careful and you know what type of snake to get. Some snakes are not a good fit for you and your family, while others are wonderful for most any family. This article will explore the things you need to consider before taking on a snake as a pet, along with what types of snakes make good pets.

One of the first things you must consider when you are getting a snake for a pet is the care of the reptile. A snake is not an animal you can just stick in a cage. Snakes have special needs in captivity, and it goes a bit further than just dietary concerns. For example, did you know that you have to provide a heat source for your snake? Also, you have to provide water, and various other things to allow your snake to feel at home like they do in the wild.

Different species have different needs, so you can not treat all snakes the same. Before you own any snake for a pet, you should research the species and learn about any of these special health needs.
Another concern that many people do not realize is that you often have to feed the snake live prey. Some snakes will eat already dead food, but the vast majority like to eat live prey. That means mice, rats, rabbits (for larger snakes), or other similar mammals. This can be a very troubling experience for some people.

Snakes are very good pets if you get the right kind and you know how to care for them. Where many people mess up with snakes as pets is when they try to keep a venomous snake or larger species of snake. These snakes are very dangerous, and should never be kept as pets unless you are a herpetologist or similar reptile expert. Some of the more dangerous snakes in North America are the coral snake, rattlesnakes, copperheads, and cottonmouths. These snakes are capable of killing a human being, and should never be kept as a pet.

Other snakes are available that are very good pets for most snake owners. Some good examples of types of snakes that are good pets include corn snakes, garter snakes, king snakes, and some of the smaller boas and pythons such as the ball python. Even these smaller pythons and boas can still get fairly large so you should consider this when thinking of owning one as a pet.

Snakes overall make excellent pets. Just be sure that you think it through, and learn your species. Stay away from the larger snakes, as well as the venomous snakes as pets. If you stick to these general principles, you should have a very nice experience owning your new pet snake.

THE FIVE RISKY PETS TO KEEP

2009-09-23T03:52:00.000-07:00

Dangerous pets have become a popular past time over the last decade or so. More and more people are keeping animals that have the potential to seriously harm or kill them. Nobody seems to think that is is a good idea, but every single day we hear of people being hurt by their own pets. One thing that has contributed to this problem is the keeping of exotic pets. These are wild animals that are not meant to be pets at all. When you mix a dangerous pet with an owner that has no knowledge or respect for them, you are sure to have a problem sooner or later. Here are the five most dangerous types of pets to keep, and why they are so dangerous.

Big Cats - This category includes everything from a small bobcat to a full grown lion. People all over the world have tried to contain the raw power of these animals. Many have died trying to do so. Even the smaller bobcat, which is about the size of a large house cat, can be deadly if the situation is wrong. The dangers of a lion, tiger, jaguar, and the other larger cats are clear. They will eat you.

Constrictor Snakes - These large snakes are dangerous for a number of reasons. One, is because they are very powerful. Reticulated pythons, African rock pythons, and anacondas for example, are capable of killing a full grown man simply by constricting. What could these snakes do to a child? The other reason they are so dangerous is because they are notoriously capable escape artists. Can you imagine sleeping well with that knowledge? Even the smaller constrictors such as ball pythons can be dangerous to small children or pets.

Venomous Snakes - These are easily the most common dangerous pets to keep. People constantly underestimate the power, speed, and danger of these reptiles. Any venomous snake is a deadly pet in the making, and you should stay far away from keeping them as a pet. In spite of being experts in their field, snake handlers even get bitten. If they get bitten and are experts, then what chance do you really have?

Scorpions - This is yet another dangerous pet that is often underestimated. The venom in some of these scorpions are just as dangerous and powerful as some of the venomous snakes mentioned above. If you are keeping a scorpion as a pet, you are asking for a painful sting. If the scorpion is deadly, then you are playing with your life.

Dogs - Though the dog is not your typical deadly animal, they do kill. Because of the sheer volume of dogs that are kept as pets, they are the ones that attack humans most often. Though this does not mean you should not keep one as a pet, it might make you think twice about the breeds that you keep. You should make certain that you know how to take care of any breed before taking them on as a pet. Even still, exercise caution around these animals, particularly with children around. The family dog can in some situations be the most dangerous pet of all.

STAYING SHARK FREE WHILE IN WATER

2009-09-23T03:44:00.000-07:00

Shark attacks are a fact of life. They are incredibly rare, but they do happen. For this reason, it is foolhardy to ignore them as a danger. Shark attacks usually happen when we as humans do something that goes against shark safety rules. There are exceptions, to be sure, but we can certainly mitigate the factors that cause shark attacks. When we go body surfing, it is certainly a time that we should consider shark safety. Here are some keys to shark safety when we go body surfing in the great outdoors:

One of the most important factors of shark safety when body surfing is simply being in the water at safe times. Sharks are predators, and they are most active at night and during the early morning hours. Dusk, dawn, and the dead of night are the most dangerous times to try to body surf. Stay out of the water during these hunting times, and you are mitigating your chances of shark attack considerably.

Another important shark safety consideration is what you see around you. Obviously, if you see a shark in the water, you should get out. That said, there are other signs that could mean shark activity in the water when body surfing. First of all, you should not swim in areas where active or past fishing activity is going on. Sharks will go where the food is, and fishermen are notorious for leaving behind bait and the like. Also, fish that are caught with hooks bleed. Blood draws sharks. Finally, if you see schools of fish jumping in the water, there is a good chance that sharks are in the area. Sharks chase these food sources.

Sharks are notorious to be attracted to shiny or bright things. Like most fish, these shiny objects are similar to the scales of a fish that is swimming in the water. For this reason you should leave jewelry behind when you go body surfing. Likewise, you should also avoid brightly colored swimsuits and the neon colored bodysuits. Dark colors are ideal when body surfing.

A shark can detect even the most minute drop of blood in the water at extreme distances. Blood draws sharks in like nothing else. If you have any cuts, are on your period, or are otherwise bleeding in any way, you should avoid body surfing.

Another truth of the ocean is that sharks go where the food is. Unfortunately, that is right around the drop off shelf of the ocean. That point where many body surfers like to catch the best waves is also where many species of fish hang out looking for food. Of course, this includes the shark. Consider swimming and body surfing on the clearest water days. Swimming in brackish or unclear water is a serious shark problem, because you have no chance of spotting them before they attack.

THE DEADLIEST ANIMAL ON EARTH

2009-09-23T03:38:00.000-07:00

The tussle between humans and animals is not as one-sided as you may think. We count down the top ten deadliest animals.

Since the dawn of man, humans have held sway over the animal kingdom, hunting animals for purposes of food, tools, survival and sport. But animals still do a fair bit of damage to humans, claiming the lives of a more than two million people each year.

So which animals are the worst offenders? It’s not the usual suspects. Sharks, whose attacks receive the most publicity, only kill three to four humans a year. The most poisonous animal on earth, the poison-arrow frog, lives deep within the tropical rainforests of Central and South America and rarely makes contact with humans.

HEAT STRESS AS IT AFFECETS WILDLIFE

2009-09-14T04:30:00.001-07:00

Itook a trip to Dubai on my way from Uganda tororo in east Africa and i could only imagine how hot this places are but at night, tororo has certain cooling effect so i wondered how wildlife would survive in places like this. Do you know that east africa has alot of these wildlife? well,It is well documented that the stress of hot environments lowers productive and reproductive efficiency in farm animals. Likewise, research information is available to aid in the management of livestock in such adverse conditions. However, practical methods to achieve the desired levels of productive and reproductive performance are lacking. Summer forages that will support a high level of productivity in subtropic and tropic regions are needed for ruminants. More critical information is needed on the total dietary needs of all farm animals in hot environments. Dietary emphasis should be to increase intake or to alter levels of proteins, amino acids or other nutrients to improve the conversion of feed units into production units. Increasing nutrient intake to support a higher level of production will render animals more sensitive, in terms of productive efficiency, to environmental modifications that improve comfort. This should be especially pertinent in the humid Southeast and other regions where production responses to environmental modifications have been variable. There is limited information on the effect of the night cooling cycle on productive efficiency and on the effect of severe heat stress on reproductive phenomena not related to conception.

HOW DESERT ANIMALS SURVIVE

2009-09-10T10:36:00.000-07:00

Desert animals, like desert plants, have adapted in very special ways to live in this hot, dry environment. When finding water is a problem, many animals develop ways of living to help them use less water.

One way to save water is to stay as cool as possible. When people get too hot their bodies start to sweat. This water, coming from small pores in the skin, helps to cool the skin and keeps the body temperature from getting too high. Although most desert animals don't sweat, the same type of cooling happens when an animal pants. The body can lose a lot of water under the desert sun.

People are lucky because they can carry water with them in canteens and waterbottles. Animals must rely on the water that they can find. Most of the time little water is available, so animals have to be masters at keeping cool and saving water.

Almost all desert animals are smart enough to stay out of the sun during the hottest part of the day. They stay deep underground in burrows. There the sand is much cooler, and burrowing animals, like the kangaroo rat, the badger, the gopher, the coyote and the kit fox, sleep while you are playing on the dunes. At night, after the sun goes down and the sand cools off, the animals come out to hunt for food. When an animal is active at night and rests during the day, it is called nocturnal.

THE DOG'S PRAYER

2009-08-24T07:31:00.000-07:00

Treat me kindly, my beloved master, for no heart in all the world is more grateful for kindness than the loving heart of me.

Do not break my spirit with a stick, for though I should lick your hand between the blows, your patience and understanding will more quickly teach me the things you would have me do.

Speak to me often, for your voice is the world’s sweetest music, as you must know by the fierce wagging of my tail when your footsteps falls upon my waiting ear.

When it is cold and wet, please take me inside, for I am now a domesticated animal, no longer used to bitter elements. And I ask no greater glory than the privilege of sitting at your feet beside the hearth. Though had you no home, I would rather follow you through ice and snow than rest upon the softest pillow in the warmest home in all the land, for you are my god and I am your devoted worshiper.

Keep my pan filled with fresh water, for although I should not reproach you were it dry, I cannot tell you when I suffer thirst. Feed me clean food, that I may stay well, to romp and play and do your bidding, to walk by your side, and stand ready, willing and able to protect you with my life should your life be in danger.

And, beloved master, should the great Master see fit to deprive me of my health or sight, do not turn me away from you. Rather hold me gently in your arms as skilled hands grant me the merciful boon of eternal rest - and I will leave you knowing with the last breath I drew, my fate was ever safest in your hands.

WHY 3 SPECIES GO EXTINCT EVERY HOUR

2009-08-19T04:04:00.000-07:00

This is not somthing new but simply a reiteration or reminder that something needs to be done about climate change. This ultimately means one thing, that the Earth's biodiversity is getting smaller and smaller. Three species, be it animal or plant, go extinct EVERY HOUR! This situation is not okay. There are many things that each of us can do and spreading information on what to do can help. Ultimately, however, it is up to individuals to change some aspect of their daily lives in consideration for the environment.

Quote:
"We are indeed experiencing the greatest wave of extinctions since the disappearance of the dinosaurs," said Ahmed Djoghlaf, head of the UN Convention on Biological Diversity.

The main human cause being the burning of fossil fuels has mainly contributed to habitat loss and the amount of species that existed in those habitats. Ultimately the threat of climate change may dry out forests, the ice caps melting, or desertification (a process of land degradation that China and other countries are experiencing now).

"Extinction rates are rising by a factor of up to 1,000 above natural rates. Every hour, three species disappear. Every day, up to 150 species are lost. Every year, between 18,000 and 55,000 species become extinct," he said. "The cause: human activities."
We cant let these polar bears or any other species become another statistic. Lets try and change by being more eco-minded.

INTERPRETING BARKS

2009-08-17T04:36:00.000-07:00

Noisy barks, Dr. Feddersen-Petersen explains, relate to "defensive and offensive threats, social insecurity, physical distress." Harmonic barks, however, are used as a signal for social play, in active and passive submission to another dog or person and when making social contact.

Dr. Feddersen-Petersen made recordings for her work while the dogs were engaged in normal behavior, so she was able over repeated sessions to observe how dogs were barking in specific situations. After a while, she says, she began to be able to tell what a dog was doing by its bark.

Dr. Feddersen-Petersen also recorded mixed play barking among German shepherds, poodles and Weimaraners that had noisy and harmonic components, and a "noisy play bark" among American Staffordshire terriers and bull terriers that indicated a turn on the part of the dogs from play to more aggressive behavior.
Like many canid vocalizations, these barks are often associated with physical cues, like a wrinkling of the brow, staring, raised hackles, pinned-back ears, an upright or lowered tail and other submissive or threatening postures, Dr. Feddersen-Petersen says. But, she notes, in a wide range of breeds physical expression is limited because of the lack of a tail, floppy ears and other physical characteristics.

A few breeds, like the poodle and the American Staffordshire terrier, appear limited in their vocal repertory, she added, although none as severely as the barkless Basenji. In fact, Dr. Feddersen-Petersen recorded as many as a dozen variations of some types of barking among several of the breeds she tested, including the German shepherd and Alaskan Malamute. She says the often-subtle variations corresponded to "dialects" and were used by dogs in identical situations at different times, for reasons not yet clear.

WHY DOG BARK

2009-08-17T04:33:00.000-07:00

The popular understanding of dog barking is almost like a silly riddle: Why do dogs bark? Because they can.
But a small band of researchers around the world, trying to separate fact from speculation, are finding that dogs almost always bark for a reason, even if that reason isn't apparent to humans.
The barks has evolved into a complicated means of communication between dogs and, potentially, between dogs and people, say a group of animal behaviorists, or ethnologists, that includes Dorit Feddersen-Petersen at Christian-Albrechts-University in Kiel, Germany.
Most wild canids including wolves, dogs' nearest relatives bark as a form of close-range communication, researchers say. The wolf's bark one of a number of basic vocal sounds, including hauntingly harmonic howls is short, low-pitched and gruff, often described as "noisy" because it lacks harmonic or tonal qualities identified with more musical vocalizations. The bark is usually associated with defense of den or pups, a warning to back off, a protest, threat or an actual attack, Dr. Feddersen-Petersen said in an e-mail interview.
By comparison, dogs are virtuoso barkers, capable of flights of sonic fancy. Dog barks can be noisy, harmonic or a combination of the two, depending on their context and purpose, says Dr. Feddersen-Petersen. Last year in The Archives of Animal Breeding, an international journal, she published the results of a study comparing vocalizations in 11 European wolves and 84 dogs from nine breeds, including poodles, Weimaraners, American Staffordshire terriers, German shepherds, Alaskan malamutes, bull terriers and Kleiner Muensterlaenders.
The results, she reported, graphically portray how different barks express different emotions, including loneliness, fear, distress, stress and pleasure, as well as a need for care among puppies and serve to alert other dogs, people or animals to changing external circumstances.
"This work on barking is extremely careful and extremely important because it calls attention to the complex social life of dogs that we have barely begun to comprehend," says Marc Bekoff, an ethologist at the University of Colorado who studies canids and cognition in animals.

A PUZZLING FAILURE TO BREED

2009-08-17T04:12:00.000-07:00

HOW BEARS COMMUNICATES

2009-08-15T09:00:00.000-07:00

Yesterday after work, i picked up a movie which has to do with polar bears and it was so fascinating how they communicated all through the movie and i really wanted to know if they could really communicate or it is one of those hollywood trick again. Well, it worked!

Bears communicate by seeing, touching, vocalizing and smelling. Their communication help keep cubs and mothers together, find mate and relieve social tensions. Bears speak a language of dominance or submission, of aggression or solicitation. They react to people in thesame way. they would react to another bear. Paying attention to their reaction is a good way of staying out their trouble.

Bears threaten one another. Though bears are large and very powerful capable of causing injury to one another and people, they prefer the use of threats displays as an alternative to actual fighting. These also applies to their reaction to humans.

COMMUNICATION AMONG ANIMALS

2009-08-14T09:15:00.000-07:00

Communication is the transfer of information. Animals often communicate among their own species. Sometimes they even try to communicate with other species. Most communication is done through body language. Sounds and odors are also means to communicate. Humans can learn from how animals communicate among each other, since the same methods apply in a subtle manner among humans.

Questions you may have include:
How do animals use body language?
How do animals communicate with sounds and odors?
What can humans learn from animals ?

Body language
The most obvious body language you see between animals are threatening postures. Dogs will show their teeth and cats will arch their back to make themselves appear bigger. Each species has postures that warn others in their species that the animal is ready to fight. Other species also recognize these signs.
A pack of wolves will communicate among each other about the tactics they are using when surrounding a prey. Some scientists claim they are only using their instincts, but to a careful observer, it is obvious that there communication and teamwork going on.
When young animals play, they use various postures and body language to let the other youngsters know it is play.
Sounds and odors
Animals also communicate through sounds and odors.
Sounds
Elephants trumpet in a very low tone that humans cannot hear but can feel. They are letting their presence known to other elephants up to 5 miles or 7.5 kilometers away. They might let others know of a nearby watering spot.
Spider monkeys have certain calls to indicate a predator is in the area. Sometimes a young monkey will make such a call, to the discernment of the elders.
A beaver will loudly slap its tail when danger approaches, warning the other beavers to seek safety.
Odors
Animals often mark their territories with smelly urine. Odors also indicate when a female is sexually receptive.
Humans can learn
Although humans do most of their communication through the use of words and obvious gestures, much can be learned from observing the subtle communications of animals.
Body language, the tone of a person's voice and body odors can provide considerable amount of information about the person's intentions, mood and even health. Often people react to these subtle forms of communication without realizing that there has been some transfer of information.

HOW TO TALK WITH YOUR CAT

2009-08-11T12:13:00.000-07:00

Hi! I find this topic so fascinating and important that is why I still want to talk more. It's a continuation of the last article i had written.

Step 4
Use key words. Your cat may not be able to understand every single word that you say, but they are very intelligent and will learn key words fast. Repeat words and show them objects constantly. "Food" will likely be their first fully understood word. After awhile they will recognize more and be very understanding of what you have to say.
Step 5
Constantly be vocal with your cat! This is very important. You may notice after awhile that the silent kitty you once had has become quite vocal themselves. This is communication paying off! You can talk to your cat about anything whether it be your day or just how much you love them. Cats love the attention and will start to talk back in their own way!
Step 6
Involve them in everything in your life. The more you are around your cat, the more they will express themselves to you.
Step 7
Always listen to your cat. If they want something, let them know that you understand what it is they need, or at least attempt to. If a cat sees you trying to understand them, they may be more willing to understand you. This is sweet!!! don't you think so?

TIPS ON HOW TO TALK WITH YOUR CAT

2009-08-11T12:01:00.000-07:00

People don't realize this, that cats can develop a greater understanding of expressions than dogs. Cats have the ability to also vocalize themselves more than most animals. Communication is a huge part of being a pet owner and can be very rewarding to both parties involved. Here you will find a few tips that will help you better communicate and talk to your pet cat.
1. First you will have to take note of how your cat interacts with you. Ask yourself a couple of questions first. Does your cat seem to listen to you in a content way when you talk to it? Does it simply ignore you? Or does your cat only seem to be aware of your presence when food is involved? The key here is to get your cat to communicate with you without involving food.
2. Step 2
Talk to your cat in a friendly tone at first. Cats enjoy higher pitched, friendly tones. Praise them with nice brushing or petting while telling them how beautiful they are. After awhile your cat will comprehend that you are talking to them in a good way.
3. Step 3
Move on to other tones. After awhile your cat will know the different tones that you use mean different things. If you are angry at your cat for doing something they shouldn't be doing, they will learn that your tone will change to a harsher, louder sound.

SAFETY TIPS TO PREVENT DOGS FROM ATTACKING NEWLY BORN BABIES

2009-08-07T09:29:00.001-07:00

There is a modus operandi for dealing with dogs and newborn babies. It starts with never allowing any dog to be unattended around your baby. Not even for 5 seconds. In addition the dog is never allowed in the baby’s room. Not ever! If you don't own a dog crate it's time to buy one. Your goal is to teach the dog that the baby is your baby and has nothing to do with the dog. The baby should not to be smelled or touched. The dog needs to learn that the baby is a higher ranking member of the family pack and that you (as the pack leader) enforce the babies rank. This is no different than a mother wolf who does not allow other pack members near her newborn pups. The way to set this training up is to take items that have the babies smell on them; baby cloths, baby sheets, dirty diapers etc. Lay them in your living area where the dog is allowed to be. The dog is never to be allowed to go near these items. They can't play with them, or even go over and smell them, they can't go near them. The dog needs to learn that there is a bubble around the smell of a baby that they are not allowed to enter. If they do go to smell them they are corrected. Don't kid yourself that the dog can't smell these items from a across the room and that's as close as they are allowed. When you set up this training the dog should already be on a long line - one of our 20 foot cotton line's that is cut down will work or you can make one. We also sell very nice leather drag lines that are meant for this work. They are 5 feet long. If the dog walks over to smell the diaper he gets a verbal no. If he does not turn and immediately (instantly) leave he gets a serious level 5 correction. If he ignores that correction you immediately correct to level 8 or 9. The goal is to teach the dog that the smell of the baby if Out Of Bounds!!

DOGS AND BABIES....

2009-08-07T09:06:00.000-07:00

There is about 100 times more chance of a child being killed by a parent or relative rather than a dog. The unfortunate fact is that the news media sensationalizes the death of a child as a result of a pet attack. These same people call for additional laws on breed bans and additional laws controlling our pets. Well, I like to tell people that dog training is not missile science. Training a dog is pretty much common sense.
Here are few things to think about when bringing a new baby home:
1 - Make sure the dog is fully obedience trained. If you have questions on this you should refer to my training video titled Basic Dog Obedience. The dog should be trained well enough that you can tell it to go lay down on his rug, or in his crate. This means that the dog will go and stay there.
I believe that this kind of training should be done motivationally. In other words, teach the dog to do it for a food or a toy reward. But once the dog understands the command it needs to be reinforced with a prong collar correction if the dog does not mind. I call prong collars “power steering on dogs.” They allow small people to control good-sized dogs.
2 - Get a dog crate and crate train the dog. The crate should NEVER be in the bedroom. If the dog becomes overly excited when the baby cries it can be put in the crate. Give it a bone or a rubber Kong with a little cream cheese or peanut butter in middle to keep him interested and busy.
3 - Never allow the dog in the baby’s bedroom - not even when you are present. The bedrooms (including your own) should always be off limits. This is especially true of the baby’s room.
4 - The dog should NEVER be allowed to be near the baby when it is not being supervised - not even for one minute.
5- Once the baby is born they will bring a blanket with the baby scent home (or a dirty baby diaper) to wrap a doll in. When this is laid on the floor the dog is corrected for going near it. It cannot even go and smell it.
6- When you bring the baby home make it a quiet introduction. Mom should first meet the dog without the baby.
7- Homecoming should not be a loud party. When the baby is brought in, the dog should be placed in a “down-stay” several feet from where mom and baby are sitting. The dog IS NOT ALLOWED to smell the baby. Dogs have an excellent sense of smell. There is no reason to allow the dog to come up and smell the baby as soon as it gets home from the hospital. The dog can smell the baby from across the room without any problem.
If there is any concern about the obedience and control of the dog at any time the baby is present, it should either be on leash or in a dog crate.
6 - Get the dog a selection of new dog toys before the baby comes home. Some people will keep the toys available in a basket in the living room. Others prefer to allow the dog to know that there are new toys but they control when the dog gets access to them. They don't get bored with the toys.

DOG AND PREVENTING DOG BITES.

2009-08-05T05:10:00.000-07:00

Like many kinds of pets, no matter how small or cute they are, dogs need to be respected as animals that, under certain conditions, could hurt you. You can respect a dog by giving it space and following certain rules. These rules not only keep the dog happier, they can protect you from getting bitten.
Millions of dog bites happen every year in the United States and Nigeria off course. Of those, close to a million require medical treatment, like a trip to the doctor. No one wants a dog bite, but how do you prevent one?

Use Your Dog Manners
When we say to use your "dog manners," we don't mean you should eat off the floor or pee in the yard! We mean you should follow certain rules when you meet or spend time with dogs — especially ones you don't know.
If you meet someone new, maybe your mom or dad showed you how to shake hands and say, "Nice to meet you." Well, you can also have some equally good dog manners. That means taking certain steps every time you meet a dog or spend time with one. Dogs will love that you're so polite and, best of all, they will be less likely to bite you!

How to Offer Bland Food to a Vomiting Dog

2009-08-05T04:58:00.000-07:00

I saw this article while surfing the net nd i thought it would be very useful for dog lovers.

When offering food, Dr. Levine recommends a gentle, bland food that will be easy on the stomach, like boiled skinless chicken or boiled hamburger (with the fat strained away) served with plain white rice or cottage cheese.
“When you first offer food, you need to offer just a little – only a bite or two. Once four hours has passed with no vomiting, a little bit more can be offered. Repeat this process until the dog is eating one-third of his usual meal size, served three times a day for three full days. Then, gradually phase in the dog’s normal food over the course of three or four days, as a sudden food switch may trigger a relapse,” Dr. Levine recommends.
Over-the-counter medications like Pepto Bismol can also be helpful in some instances. Always check with your vet before giving over-the-counter medications to your pet, as certain drugs cannot be given to certain patients, particularly if a dog is already on another medication.
For dogs that experience chronic stomach upset and vomiting, prescription bland foods, like Hill’s Prescription I/D Food, may be recommended.
In many cases, vomiting can be successfully treated at home with some simple measures, but it’s also key for dog owners to know when it’s time to visit the vet. Warning signs that indicate a serious problem include vomiting blood, projectile vomiting, a distended, tender abdomen, pale gums, an inability to hold down fluids or repeated vomiting with no improvement within 18-24 hours.

HOW TO TREAT NAUSEA IN YOUR DOG

2009-08-05T03:55:00.000-07:00

Nausea is something that each and every dog owner will have to deal with at some point or another. Understanding how to treat this common ailment at home with unique feeding procedures and supportive care can often mean the difference between a quick recovery for a vomiting dog or an extended stretch of illness that leads to the vet’s office.
“Dogs are notorious for eating what they’re not supposed to, whether it’s an unfamiliar food, your shoes, a rock, or your child’s dinner, so vomiting is among the most common ailments you’ll see as a vet,” explained Dr. Michael Levine, DVM.
Gastritis or inflammation of the stomach lining is a leading cause of vomiting in dogs. Gastritis can be triggered by an unfamiliar food item, a non-food item or by a virus.
“The first step to treating a vomiting dog involves allowing the stomach to rest – food and large amounts of fluid are only going to worsen the inflammation that’s causing the upset,” explained Dr. Levine.
In the case of a dog with a more minor stomach upset, food should be withheld for twelve hours. If the dog's vomiting continues, an additional twelve hours of fasting is often necessary to allow the stomach to recover

10 Reasons Why It's Great to be a Dog

2009-07-31T04:23:00.000-07:00

1. If it itches, you can reach it. And no matter where it itches, no one will be offended if you scratch it in public.
2. No one notices if you have hair growing in weird places as you get older.
3. Personal hygiene is a blast: No one expects you to take a bath every day, and you don't even have to comb your own hair.
4. Having a wet nose is considered a sign of good health.
5. No one thinks less of you for passing gas. Some people might actually think you're cute.
6. Who needs a big home entertainment system? A bone or an old shoe can entertain you for hours.
7. You can spend hours just smelling stuff.
8. No one ever expects you to pay for lunch or dinner. You never have to worry about table manners, and if you gain weight, it's someone else's fault.
9. It doesn't take much to make you happy. You're always excited to see the same old people. All they have to do is leave the room for five minutes and come back.
10. Every garbage can looks like a cold buffet to you.

IT'S ONLY A JOKE!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

2009-07-31T04:13:00.000-07:00

So there's this man with a parrot. And his parrot swears like a sailor, I mean he's a pistol. He can swear for five minutes straight without repeating himself.The trouble is that the guy who owns the parrot is a quiet, conservative type, and this bird's foul mouth is driving him crazy.One day, it gets to be too much, so the guy grabs the bird by the throat, shakes him really hard, and yells, "QUIT IT!" But this just makes the bird mad and he swears more than ever.Then the guy gets mad and says, "That's it. I'll get you." and locks the bird in a kitchen cabinet.This really aggravates the bird and he claws and scratches, and when the guy finally lets him out, the bird cuts loose with a stream of invective that would make a veteran sailor blush.At that point, the guy is so mad that he throws the bird into the freezer.For the first few seconds, there is a terrible din. The bird kicks and claws and thrashes. Then it suddenly goes very quiet.At first the guy just waits, but then he starts to think that the bird may be hurt. After a couple of minutes of silence, he's so worried that he opens up the freezer door.The bird calmly climbs onto the man's outstretched arm and says, "Awfully sorry about the trouble I gave you. I'll do my best to improve my vocabulary from now on."The man is astounded. He can't understand the transformation that has come over the parrot.Then the parrot says, "By the way, what did the chicken do?"

THE CAT: ENJOY, IT'S A JOKE

2009-07-31T04:08:00.000-07:00

One day, a cat dies of natural causes and goes to heaven, where he meets the Lord Himself.The Lord says to the cat, "You lived a good life, and if there is any way I can make your stay in heaven more comfortable, please let me know."The cat thinks for a moment and says, "Lord, all my life I have lived with a poor family and had to sleep on a hard wooden floor."The Lord stops the cat and says, "Say no more," and a wonderful, fluffy pillow appears.A few days later, six mice are killed in a tragic farming accident, and all of them go to heaven. Again, the Lord is there to greet them with the same offer.The mice answer, "All our lives we have been chased. We have had to run from cats, dogs, and even women with brooms. Running, running, running; we're tired of running. Do you think we could have roller skates so that we don't have to run anymore?"The Lord says, "Say no more" and fits each mouse with beautiful new roller skates.Week later, the Lord stops by to see the cat and finds him snoozing on the pillow.The Lord gently wakes the cat and asks him, "How are things since you got here?"The cat stretches and yawns, then replies, "It is wonderful here.Better than I could have ever expected. And those 'Meals On Wheels' you've been sending by are the best!"

DOG LOSS

2009-07-25T06:23:00.000-07:00

this is a true story. it's sammy's story.

Sammy weighed one pound, one ounce when he was 8 weeks old. He fit in the palm of your hand. He was as small as a kitten. And he had a heart murmur. At least that’s whatthe veterinarian said. (That would later turn out to be false) He wouldn’t issue him a health certificate so we could put him up for sale. My husband and I owned a pet shop at that time. Okay, so what do I do with this puppy?
Can’t sell him and we don’t want him. We had tried the “dog thing” already. Our 4 – year old son had already proven he wasn’t ready for a pet dog. Neither was I. We had plenty at the shop to take care of. But he was really cute. I kind of felt sorry for the little guy. We didn’t have the heart to leave him crated at the store that weekend while we figured out what to do with him. We were going out of town for the weekend to visit family. We decided to take him with us to my sister and brother –in laws. How much trouble could one tiny puppy be?
Well, he wasn’t, and the rest, as they say, is history. Sammy stole everyone’s heart that weekend, including ours. It was useless to resist falling in love with this tiny helpless puppy whose little legs were so short he couldn’t make the step up from the garage into the house.
Like most everyone’s pets, Sammy became our beloved family member, companion, friend and giver of unconditional love. We shared eleven great years together until a cancerous tumor was discovered in his head and chest. In April 2006 we said our last goodbyes.
There will always be a special place in my heart where Sammy lives. Yes, I continue to grieve for him but I wouldn’t trade one second of sorrow for the privilege of having been his human mother.Can you say this about your pets?

How Did Fish Survive the Flood?

2009-07-25T06:05:00.001-07:00

Have you ever for a second thought of how fish survived during the flood in Noah's day? i do like to share this thought hope you find it interesting!!!!!!!!!

If the whole earth were covered by water in the flood, then there would have been a mixing of fresh and salt waters. Many of today's fish species are specialized and do not survive in water of radically different saltiness to their usual habitat. So how did they survive the flood?
Note that the Bible tells us that only land-dwelling, air-breathing animals and birds were taken on the ark (Genesis 7:14-15, 21-23).
We do not know how salty the sea was before the flood. The flood was initiated by the breaking up of the “fountains of the great deep” (Genesis 7:11). Whatever the “fountains of the great deep” were (see Noah's Flood—What did all the water come from?), the flood must have been associated with massive earth movements, because of the weight of the water alone, which would have resulted in great volcanic activity.
Volcanoes emit huge amounts of steam, and underwater lava creates hot water/steam, which dissolves minerals, adding salt to the water. Furthermore, erosion accompanying the movement of water off the continents after the flood would have added salt to the oceans. In other words, we would expect the pre-flood ocean waters to be less salty than they were after the flood.
The problem for fish coping with saltiness is this: fish in fresh water tend to absorb water, because the saltiness of their body fluids draws in water (by osmosis). Fish in saltwater tend to lose water from their bodies because the surrounding water is saltier than their body fluids.

TIPS FOR YOUR BEAUTIFUL CAT.

2009-07-22T02:04:00.000-07:00

Hey! Most cats prefer to spend winter indoors, but be cautious if your cat likes being outside. Don't let him out in bitterly cold weather, and be sure he has a warm place to go if he spends a lot of time outdoors. Cats left outdoors have a particular hazard; they often crawl into a warm car engine to get warm. When that engine is next started up, the cat can be seriously injured or killed by the fan blade or belt. It's much safer to keep your cat indoors in winter. I’m sure you don’t want your cat killed in this cold weather? So, be cautious For more pet information, visit Petcare.

WEATHER TIPS FOR OUTDOOR PETS.

2009-07-22T01:59:00.000-07:00

does your pet spend a lot of time outdoors? If yes, here are few could weather tips to help you keep it warm. Let him get acclimated gradually to dropping temperatures. Once a pet is acclimated to either warm or cold, a long dose of the other extreme is hard to take. Outdoor pets need a sheltered place that is well bedded with DRY straw, shavings, blanket strips or other insulating material that traps warm air. Also, remember that animals drag a lot of moisture into their bedding areas from snow, rain and mud. Check it often and change it whenever it is wet, or your pets can't keep themselves warm. Northern dog breeds such as Huskies and Malamutes who actually work in the winter pulling sleds need more calories.

Cold Weather Tips for Your Pets

2009-07-22T01:51:00.000-07:00

Antifreeze is attractive to pets and is deadly, even in very small amounts. In cold weather, keep your pets away from antifreeze solution, and promptly clean up any antifreeze that spills. Most urban pets spend the majority of their time indoors, and don't have tolerance for extremely cold weather. Do not leave your pets outdoors unattended when the temperature gets below freezing! Pets must build up a thicker coat and get their footpads toughened for snow and ice. Pets that get too chilled could develop hypothermia or even frostbite. Ear tips are especially susceptible to frostbite.
Dogs with very short coats have the least tolerance for cold. Extremely short-coated breeds include Greyhounds, Dobermans, Boxers, Boston Terriers and Chihuahuas. These breeds shouldn't go outside without a sweater or a coat. Small dogs with short coats (such as Chihuahuas, miniature Pinschers, and miniature Dachshunds) are especially vulnerable to cold. They may not tolerate any outdoor exercise in extremely cold weather. Please help your pets in this cold weather.

KNOW A LITTLE BIT MORE ABOUT YOUR DELICIOUS CATFISH

2009-07-20T11:16:00.000-07:00

ANamed for their prominent "barbels", which give the image of cat-like whiskers, they are found in primarily freshwater environments of all kinds, with species on every continent except Antarctica.
Some species from the families Ariidae and Plotosidae are also found in marine environments. They feature some of the smallest known vertebrates, including the candiru, the only vertebrate parasite to attack humans, as well as Pangasius gigas, the largest reported freshwater fish.
Catfish have no scales. All catfish, except members of Malapteruridae (electric catfish), possess a strong, hollow, bonified leading ray on their dorsal and pectoral fins, through which a stinging protein can be delivered if the fish is irritated. Equipped with special respiratory organs, some species can survive without water temporarily as a result of drought, for example, and will travel for short distances over land in search of another suitable habitat.
Some species will gulp air and use the intestine as a storage vehicle for oxygen, which is absorbed into the bloodstream via thin-walled capillaries lining the intestinal wall. Others, such as Pangasius sutchi, use the swim bladder as an accessory organ for storing air. And still others, are equipped with elaborate air chamber systems that support oxygen transfer along with the lungs.
In the United States, June 25 is National Catfish Day.

CATFISH: DANGERS TO HUMANS.

2009-07-16T11:07:00.000-07:00

A handful of species are known to present some risk. Perhaps the most notorious of these is the Candiru, due to the way it is reputed to parasitize the urethra, though there is only one well-documented case of a candiru attack on a human. Since 2007, the Goonch catfish has also gained attention following a series of fatal underwater attacks which have been alleged by biologist Jeremy Wade to have been from unusually large goonch. The Wels catfish has also been reputed to kill humans especially young children, and while there are no documented cases of fatalities, larger specimens are known to cause serious injuries in rare instances from defensive reactions rather than attempted predation. In addition, other species are reputed to be dangerous to humans as well, but with less definitive evidence.

CATFISH.

2009-07-16T10:51:00.000-07:00

Today while watching my big sister killing a catfish, the inherent strength the catfish demostrated drew my attention to it. it just refused death. So, lets take a journey to the world of catfish.
Catfish have been widely caught and farmed for food for hundreds of years in Africa, Asia, Europe, and North America. Judgments as to the quality and flavor vary, with some food critics considering catfish as being excellent food, others dismiss them as watery and lacking in flavour. In Central Europe, catfish were often viewed as a delicacy to be enjoyed on feast days and holidays. Migrants from Europe and Africa to the United States brought along this tradition, and in the southern United States. catfish is an extremely popular food.