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Friday, June 30, 2017
Total Solar Eclipse in US in August Watch
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How to Calm a Crying Baby Everytime Watch this
Thursday, June 29, 2017
Axolotls are Masters of Regeneration and FACTS watch
credit/source: youtube.com and Animalogic
COMMON NAME: Axolotl
SCIENTIFIC NAME: Ambystoma mexicanum
TYPE: Amphibians
DIET: Carnivores
GROUP NAME:
AVERAGE LIFE SPAN IN THE WILD: 10 to 15 years
SIZE: Up to 12 in
WEIGHT: 2.11 to 8 oz
SIZE RELATIVE TO A TEACUP:
IUCN RED LIST STATUS: ?
Critically Endangered
LC
NT
VU
EN
CR
EW
EX
LEAST CONCERNEXTINCT
CURRENT POPULATION TREND: Decreasing
ABOUT THE AXOLOTL
The axolotl (pronounced ACK-suh-LAH-tuhl) salamander has the rare trait of retaining its larval features throughout its adult life. This condition, called neoteny, means it keeps its tadpole-like dorsal fin, which runs almost the length of its body, and its feathery external gills, which protrude from the back of its wide head.
Differences From Other Salamanders
Found exclusively in the lake complex of Xochimilco (pronounced SO-chee-MILL-koh) near Mexico City, axolotls differ from most other salamanders in that they live permanently in water. In extremely rare cases, an axolotl will progress to maturity and emerge from the water, but by and large, they are content to stay on the bottom of Xochimilco’s lakes and canals.
Close relatives of the tiger salamander, axolotls can be quite large, reaching up to a foot in length, although the average size is closer to half that. They are typically black or mottled brown, but albino and white varieties are somewhat common, particularly among captive specimens.
Population Decline
Axolotls are long-lived, surviving up to 15 years on a diet of mollusks, worms, insect larvae, crustaceans, and some fish. Accustomed to being a top predator in its habitat, this species has begun to suffer from the introduction of large fish into its lake habitat. Natural threats include predatory birds such as herons.
Populations are in decline as the demands of nearby Mexico City have led to the draining and contamination of much of the waters of the Xochimilco Lake complex. They are also popular in the aquarium trade, and roasted axolotl is considered a delicacy in Mexico, further shrinking their numbers. They are considered a critically endangered species.
credit/ source:http://www.nationalgeographic.com/animals/amphibians/a/axolotl/
Additional Related Article: Axolotls
With big branch-like gills, lizard-like limbs, and a cute perma-smile, it’s hard not to fall in love with the axolotl.
1. Don’t worry, we’ll help you pronounce it.
Phonetically, it’s “Ax-oh-lot-ul.” Atl means "water" and xolotl means "dog," after the Xolotl, the canine Aztec deity.
2. Wild axolotls are rarely white.
While you might see plenty of white ones in captivity, the animal is normally greenish brown or black. White ones are known as “leucistic” and descend from a mutant male that was shipped to Paris in 1863. They were then specially bred to be white with black eyes (different from albinos, which generally have red eyes).
3. Their feathery headdress is not just for show.
The impossibly silly branches that grow from the axolotl’s head might not seem practical, but they’re actually the salamander’s gills. The filaments attached to the long gills increase surface area for gas exchange.
4. Wild ones can only be found in one place.
While you can find axolotls in aquariums and laboratories all over the world, it’s much harder to find them in the wild. The animals can only be found in the lakes and canals of Xochimilco, Mexico. The axolotl eats small fish, worms, and anything it can find that will fit in its mouth.
5. They’re critically endangered.
As a result of habitat loss, pollution, and the introduction of invasive species like tilapia and carp, these salamanders are being pushed closer and closer to extinction.
In an attempt to revive the species, researchers have built “shelters” made from reeds and rocks to filter the water and create a more desirable living space. Unfortunately, the numbers continue to decline. There were about 6000 wild axolotls documented in a 1998 survey, but today, researchers are lucky to find any. For a brief amount of time in 2014, biologists failed to find a single water dog, and feared the salamanders had gone extinct in the wild. Luckily, some have since been found roaming the water. And although it's not ideal, even if the elusive animal disappears from the wild entirely, the species continues to thrive in captivity.
6. You can eat them.
Before the axolotl was an endangered species, Xochimilco natives would chow down on the salamanders. Axolotl tamales were a favorite, served whole with cornmeal. In 1787, Francesco Clavigero wrote that, "the axolotl is wholesome to eat, and is of much the same taste with an eel. It is thought to be particularly useful in cases of consumption.”
Today, you can still taste one of these creatures—but you might have to travel to Japan to do it. A restaurant in Osaka serves whole axolotls, deep-fried. They apparently taste like white fish meat, but with a crunch.
7. They have a mythological background.
Xolotl was a dog-headed god from Aztec mythology. God of all things grim, the deity would lead the souls of the dead to the underworld. As with all mythology, there a lot of mixed accounts about what happened next, but some believe that Xolotl was fearful of being killed and transformed into an axolotl to hide. The salamander is trapped in the water of Xochimilco, unable to transform and walk on land.
8. Axolotls exhibit Neoteny.
Neoteny means that a creature can reach maturity without going through metamorphosis. In less extreme cases, it’s simply exhibiting juvenile traits after reaching adulthood. Axolotls are a great example of neoteny because as they grow bigger, they never mature. Unlike tadpoles or similar animals, axolotls hold on to their gills and stay in the water, despite actually growing lungs.
“The one thing that neotenic species have as an advantage is that if you don’t undergo this metamorphosis, you’re more likely to reproduce sooner. You’re already one step ahead,” biologist Randal Voss told WIRED.
9. But sometimes they can grow up with a little push.
Sometimes as a result of a mutation, or a shot of iodine from a scientist, axolotls can be forced out of their safe watery home. The shot gives the animal a rush of hormones that leads to a sudden maturation (in humans, this known as “getting kicked out of your parent’s basement"). The axolotls become strikingly similar to their close relative, the tiger salamander, but they continue to only breed with their own kind.
Transforming your aquatic friend into a land-dweller might seem cool, but leave it to the professionals; Axolotl.org strongly urges owners to never interfere with their pets’ biology, because it will likely be fatal.
10. Regeneration is no problem for them.
It’s not unusual for amphibians to be able to regenerate, but axolotls take it to the next level. On top of being able to regenerate limbs, the animal can also rebuild their jaws, spines, and even brains without any scarring. Professor Stephane Roy of University of Montreal explained to Scientific American:
You can cut the spinal cord, crush it, remove a segment, and it will regenerate. You can cut the limbs at any level—the wrist, the elbow, the upper arm—and it will regenerate, and it’s perfect. There is nothing missing, there’s no scarring on the skin at the site of amputation, every tissue is replaced. They can regenerate the same limb 50, 60, 100 times. And every time: perfect.
Scientists have also transplanted organs from one axolotl to another successfully.
11. Scientists are looking to harness that ability.
The Salk Institute for Biological Studies is studying how regeneration works in animals like axolotls, and released two studies in 2012 with their findings. The hope is that if we can fully understand regeneration, we can recreate the phenomenon in human beings.
Unfortunately, results so far have shown that the process might be even more complicated than expected. The scientists worry that humans might not even have the necessary genes to successfully regenerate. But there's a silver lining: While regrowing limbs might not be on the table, future studies can shed some light on smaller healing techniques.
“It is important to understand how regeneration works at a molecular level in a vertebrate that can regenerate as a first step," said the studies' senior author, Tony Hunter. "What we learn may eventually lead to new methods for treating human conditions, such as wound healing and regeneration of simple tissues."
credit/source: http://mentalfloss.com/article/63130/11-awesome-axolotl-facts
All rights reserved to the images and video to the original writers and their references.
credit/source: http://mentalfloss.com/article/63130/11-awesome-axolotl-facts
All rights reserved to the images and video to the original writers and their references.
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Wednesday, June 28, 2017
How to lose Weight while earning Income? Watch
Tuesday, June 27, 2017
How to Apply for Solo Parent ID and Qualifications in the Philippines
A solo parent, as defined by RA 8972 is:
- A woman who gives birth as a result of rape and other crimes against chastity even without a final conviction of the offender, provided that mother keeps and raises the child.
- Parent left solo or alone with the responsibility of parenthood due to the following circumstances:
a. Due to death of spouse.
b. Spouse is detained or is serving sentence for a criminal conviction for at least one (1) year.
c. Physical and/or mental incapacity of spouse as certified by a public medical practitioner.
d. Legal separation or de facto separation from spouse for at least one (1) year, as long as he/she is entrusted with the custody of the children.
e. Declaration of nullity or annulment of marriage as decreed by a court or by a church as long as he/she is entrusted with the custody of the children.
- Unmarried mother/father who has preferred to keep and rear her/his child/children instead of having others care for them or give them up to a welfare institution.
- Any other person who solely provides parental care and support to a child or children.
- Any family member who assumes the responsibility of head of family as a result of the death, abandonment, disappearance or prolonged absence of the parents or solo parent.
CRITERIA FOR SUPPORT
Any solo parent whose income falls below the poverty threshold as set by the National Economic and Development Authority (NEDA) and subject to the assessment of the DSWD worker in the area shall be eligible for assistance. A solo parent can directly inquire from the following agencies to avail of their services:
- Health Services (DOH)
- Educational Services (CHED, TESDA)
- Housing (NHA)
- Parental Leave (Employer, DOLE, CSC) Note: A solo parent whose income is above the poverty threshold shall enjoy only such limited benefits as flexible work schedule, parental leave and others to be determined by the DSWD.
credit/source: http://www.officialgazette.gov.ph/services/solo-parent/
SUMMARY
By virtue of Republic Act No. 8972, the state is duty-bound to provide comprehensive program of services, benefits, and privileges for solo parents and their children. On this page you will find how one may apply for a Solo Parent ID and the benefits available to him or her.
Republic Act No. 8972
Click the link for complete information of the law :
credit/source: http://www.officialgazette.gov.ph/2000/11/07/republic-act-no-8972/
Sunday, June 25, 2017
How to Hang Picture Frames Beautifully watch
My Note: You can also lay all picture frames down on the floor. Arrange to your visual satisfaction or on a large table. I had read some draw each frame on a Manila paper, bond papers them cutting out then arrange it. However you may like it just give it a try so you will not regret making a hole unnecessarily in your wall by using a hammer or drill bit then will change your mind.
Saturday, June 24, 2017
A Brief History of Picture Frames
framedestination.com |
Nowadays, picture frames are used merely to “frame” beautiful pieces of art, photography, archival documents and treasured mementos. However, when they were first developed, frames were included in the art and even considered a piece of art themselves. In fact, according to “A Survey of Frame History” in Picture Framing Magazine, historically “more attention was paid to making frames fit into an architectural setting” rather than the frames being created to “complement the paintings they surrounded.”
Quite a big difference exists between the use of frames in the past and the way we use frames today. Here’s a quick look at the history of picture frames, including when they were first made, what they were made out of and where they were first developed.
When Frames Were First Created
Picture frames as a concept have been around since the times of the ancient Egyptians and the Greeks, where “framing borders” were used in paintings on pottery and walls to create sections of scenes. One of the earliest physical frames dates back to AD 50-70; the wooden frame and the portrait within was found in an Egyptian tomb and was almost perfectly preserved.
The twelfth and thirteenth centuries brought about the hand-carved, wooden frames that we recognize today. These frames were used as part of a church’s decor, and provided borders to separate the different paintings and sections within the sanctuary—much like the concept of framing borders introduced centuries earlier.
Frames used within homes were only introduced after the “mobile frame” movement, according to “A Survey of Frame History.” Originally, artwork was made frame first—in other words, the area in which the artwork was to be painted was demarcated by the carved frame, and the artwork was later added; these pieces were largely immobile, as they were generally part of a church’s structure.
When people began to realize that there were more individuals interested in art outside of the church, these "moveable, independent painted units” became more common and new framing methods were developed.
Where Frames Were First Developed
It’s hard to pinpoint exactly where frames were first created, though the oldest discovered frame seems to have come from Egypt, as stated above. The development of free-standing mobile pieces—similar to frames as we know them today—began in Europe; these pieces were mainly used in churches, until displaying artwork in private homes became fashionable.
What Were the Original Frames Made Out of?
The frame found in Egypt was made out of wood, and the practice of using wood has continued up to l today. In the 16th century, frames were made out of oak, until pine became popular in the 17th century because it was lighter and easier to work with. It was fairly time consuming to carve the intricate details and patterns that were expected in frames then, so the frame makers had to devise another way. This is why papier-mâché was first used in the 17th century, which allowed for a more decorative look by simply pressing patterns onto the frame.
Larger framed pieces that would be included on a church altar were made out of heavier wood. The frame was not only used for decoration, but as structural supports, because these frames were “made from several pieces of wood glued together,” according to “A Survey of Frame History.” During the Renaissance, particular care was taken in regards to wood choice, such as poplar, walnut, linden, chestnut, or elm, for frames, especially regarding their purposes—structural or decorative.
Additionally, when framing portraits of monarchs and other noble individuals, the types of frames and the materials used in the Renaissance were directly related to their wealth and power. In other words, the more bling and detail you had on your framed portrait, the more powerful and respected you were. These noble frames were typically made with walnut, ebony, tortoiseshell, ivory inlay, and other expensive materials.
credit/source: https://www.framedestination.com/blog/picture-frames/a-brief-history-of-picture-frames
Related Article: http://lifestyle.iloveindia.com/lounge/history-of-photo-frame-7957.html
Related Article: http://lifestyle.iloveindia.com/lounge/history-of-photo-frame-7957.html
Friday, June 23, 2017
Little Girl dances flamenco gracefully Watch
Please correct me if I am wrong this talented little girl dances flamenco gracefully using her mother's flamenco shoes.,
Thursday, June 22, 2017
Photos: The history of the digital camera
From theoretical beginnings as a space-travel navigation aid, the digital camera developed from tapeless analogue cameras through sky-charting behemoths to consumer concepts and beyond. To explore that long history, we've charted the milestones, the groundbreakers -- and the downright strange. Take a look to see where your camera came from, as we visit Grandad Kodak, Uncle Apple and a whole family tree of camera cousins.
The beginnings
The history of the digital camera began with Eugene F. Lally of the Jet Propulsion Laboratory. When he wasn't coming up with ways to create artificial gravity he was thinking about how to use a mosaic photosensor to capture digital images. His 1961 idea was to take pictures of the planets and stars while travelling through space, in order to help establish the astronauts' position. Unfortunately, as with Texas Instrument employee Willis Adcock's filmless camera (US patent 4,057,830) in 1972, the technology had yet to catch up with the concept.
The camera generally recognised as the first digital still snapper was a prototype (US patent 4,131,919) developed by Eastman Kodak engineer Steven Sasson in 1975. He cobbled together some Motorola parts with a Kodak movie-camera lens and some newly invented Fairchild CCD electronic sensors.
The resulting camera, pictured above on its first trip to Europe recently, was the size of a large toaster and weighed nearly 4kg. Black-and-white images were captured on a digital cassette tape, and viewing them required Sasson and his colleagues to also develop a special screen.
The resolution was a revolutionary .01 megapixels and it took 23 seconds to record the first digital photograph. Talk about shutter lag.
Some believe that Kodak missed a trick by not developing this technological breakthrough, with film remaining their bread and butter. The next step in the process would come from elsewhere.
The end of film?
The first commercial CCD camera was developed by Fairchild in 1976. The MV-101 was used to inspect Procter & Gamble products. The following year Konica introduced the C35-AF, the world's first compact point-and-shoot autofocus camera. But the filmless age was kickstarted on 25 August 1981, when Sony demonstrated the first camera to bear the name Mavica (Magnetic Video Camera).
Not strictly a digital camera, the Mavica was actually an analogue television camera. It stored pictures on two-inch floppy disks called Mavipaks, that could hold up to fifty colour photos for playback on a television or monitor. CCD size was 570x490 pixels on a 10x12mm chip. The light sensitivity of the sensor was ISO 200 and the shutter speed was fixed at 1/60 second. It ran off AA batteries.
The analogue age
Analogue cameras may have been the start of the digital age, in that they recorded images on to electronic media, but they never really took off due to poor image quality and prohibitive cost. They were mainly used by newspapers to cover events such as the 1984 Olympics, the Tiananmen Square protests of 1989 and the Gulf War in 1991. Canon launched the first analogue camera to go on sale, the RC-701, in 1986, and followed it with the RC-250 Xapshot, the first consumer analogue camera, in 1988.
The Xapshot was called the Ion in Europe, and the Q-PIC in Japan. It cost $499 in the US, but consumers had to splash out a further $999 on a battery, computer interface card with software, and floppy disks. Think about that the next time you get annoyed when you have to pay extra for memory cards.
The coming of true digital
The first true digital camera that actually worked was built in 1981. The University of Calgary Canada ASI Science Team built the Fairchild All-Sky camera to photograph auroras, an example of which is shown on the right of our picture.
The All-Sky Camera utilised more of those 100x100-pixel Fairchild CCDs, which had been around since 1973. What made the All-Sky Camera truly digital was that it recorded digital data rather than analogue. In October 1981 the digital revolution rolled on with the release of the world's first consumer compact disk player, the Sony CDP-101.
Colani's concepts: the future of cameras?
In 1983, Canon commisioned outspoken designer Luigi Colani to envision the future of camera design. The chap who believed that "an egg represents the highest form of packaging since the dawn of time" drew on his "no straight lines in the universe" philosophy to create the 5 Systems. These designs included (top left to right) the Hy-Pro, an SLR design with an LCD viewfinder, a novice camera named (rather politically incorrectly) the Lady, the Super C. Bio with power zoom and built-in flash, and the underwater Frog.
Our main picture shows the HOMIC (Horizontal Memorychip Integral storobo Camera). This was a Gerry Anderson-esque concept for a still video camera recording to solid-state memory. Unusually, the lens and viewfinder were on the same axis, while the flash fired through the objective lens.
The HOMIC was exhibited at the 1984 Photokina, but was never marketed.
Digital hits the shops
The first true digital handheld camera was the Fuji DS-1P, developed in 1988 but never sold. It recorded images as computerised files. These were saved on a 16MB SRAM internal memory card, which was jointly developed withToshiba. That same year, Digital Darkroom became the first image-manipulation program for the Macintosh computer.
Also in 1988, the first JPEG and MPEG standards were set.
The first digital camera to actually go on sale was the 1990 Dycam Model 1 (pictured). A grey version was marketed as the Logitech Fotoman. It used a CCD image sensor, stored pictures digitally, and connected directly to a PC for download.
Digital comes to SLR
Digital backs were attached to film cameras in some SLR systems. An example of this is the Hasselblad DB 4000 with a Leaf back (pictured), which arrived in 1991. It packed a 2,048x2,048-pixel CCD and 8-bit storage.
Adobe PhotoShop 1.0 hit the shops in 1990.
Digital goes online!
Mosaic, the first web browser that let users view photographs over the Web, was released by the National Center for Supercomputing Applications in 1992.
That year also saw the the Kodak DCS 200 (pictured) debut with a built-in hard drive. It was based on the Nikon N8008s and came in five combinations of black and white or colour, with and without hard drive. Resolution was 1.54 million pixels, roughly four times the resolution of still-video cameras.
Apple gets in on the action: the QuickTake
You'd have to live under a rock to not know that Apple makes phones these days, but did you know it also had a crack at the digital camera market? The Apple QuickTake 100 (pictured top), launched in 1994, was actually manufactured by Kodak, and was the the first colour digital camera for under $1,000. It packed a 640x480-pixel CCD and could stash up to eight 640x480 images in the internal memory.
The QuickTake 200 (pictured below) followed later, and was built by Fujifilm.
Connected cameras and CompactFlash
The first 'photo quality' desktop inkjet printer arrived in 1994. The Epson MJ-700V2C (pictured left) managed 720x720 dots per inch.
Later that year, the Olympus Deltis VC-1100 (pictured left) became the world's first digital camera with built-in transmission capabilities. With a modem connected, photos could be transmitted over phone lines -- even mobiles -- although it took about six minutes to transmit high-quality images. Image resolution was 768x576 pixels, the shutter speed could be set between 1/8 and 1/1000 second, and it included a colour LCD viewfinder.
SmartMedia card and CompactFlash cards also arrived that year. The first camera to use CompactFlash was the Kodak DC-25 (pictured right) in 1996.
The shape of things to come
The shape of today's compact digital cameras began to emerge in Casio QV-10 in 1995, which was the first with an LCD screen on the back. The screen measured 46mm (1.8 inches) from corner to corner.
It was also the first consumer digital camera with a pivoting lens. Photos were captured by a 1/5-inch 460x280-pixel CCD and stored to a semiconductor memory, which held up to 96 colour still images. Other now-familiar features included macro positioning, automatic exposure, auto-playback of images and a self timer. It cost $1,000.
Wired for sound
In 1995, the first digital camera to shoot both still photos and movie footage with sound appeared. The Ricoh RDC-1 included a removable 64mm (2.5-inch) colour LCD screen. The CCD packed a 768x480-pixel resolution, while the zoom clocked in at 3x and f/2.8. More than a decade later and those are still the baseline specs for compacts (apart from the resolution, of course).
The RDC-1 would have set you back a hefty $1,500.
Webcams and compacts
In 1995, Logitech debuted the VideoMan, its first webcam, and the first colour digital video camera for the personal computer.
The now-familiar compact shape continued to emerge with the Canon PowerShot 600 (pictured) in 1996. It had a 1/3-inch, 832x608-pixel CCD, built-in flash, auto white balance and an optical viewfinder as well as an LCD display. It was the first consumer digital camera able to write images to a hard disk drive, and could store up to 176MB. It cost $949.
The digital age!
And there we have it. Although compacts were appearing in strange shapes, such as the Pentax EI-C90, which split into two sections, the basic form factor was laid down for today's multi-megapixel monsters -- roughly the same size as the tape cassette Steve Sasson used to record one grainy image (pictured).
Camera phones and CMOS sensors appeared in 1997, while megapixel counts are constantly climbing. The forthcoming Hasselblad H3D II will boast a gobsmacking 39 megapixels. How far we've come.
credit/source; https://www.cnet.com/news/photos-the-history-of-the-digital-camera/
All rights reserved to the original writer's references including the images featured in this article.
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