S facts

A lion at the movie

As late as 1993, high-tech paraphernalia like computers, printers and video games had a negligible effect on power usage. Today, it's estimated to account for more than 13 percent of a typical household energy budget. By 2020, it could be as much as 25 percent

Reference: http://www.powerhousetv.com/

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What is the amount of electricity generated from various sources?

In 2002, the following amount of electricity, in gigawatt-hours, was generated from the following sources of fuel:

Coal: 1,925,792 GWh
Nuclear: 779,461 GWh
Gas: 695,226 GWh
Hydro: 255,077 GWh
Fuel oil: 91,629 GWh
Biomass: 71,534 GWh
Other (geothermal, non-wood waste, wind and solar): 22,737 GWh

Reference:

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Most consumed energy resource in the U.S

Currently, OIL provides the largest share of U.S. energy consumption -- about 41 percent of the entire market. Natural gas provides about 24 percent, coal 23 percent, hydropower 4 percent and nuclear power 8 percent.

In the United States, natural gas is used for:

Industrial processes = 46%
Residential use = 22%
Generating electricity = 15%
Commercial buildings = 15%

Reference: http://www.livescience.com

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Ancient crystal skulls

It is claimed that 13 ancient crystal skulls have been found with mysterious properties.

The Mitchell-Hedges family loaned the skull to Hewlett-Packard Laboratories for extensive study in 1970. Art restorer Frank Dorland oversaw the testing at the Santa Clara, California, computer equipment manufacturer, a leading facility for crystal research. The HP examinations yielded some startling results.

Researchers found that the skull had been carved against the natural axis of the crystal. Modern crystal sculptors always take into account the axis, or orientation of the crystal's molecular symmetry, because if they carve "against the grain," the piece is bound to shatter -- even with the use of lasers and other high-tech cutting methods.
To compound the strangeness, HP could find no microscopic scratches on the crystal which would indicate it had been carved with metal instruments. Dorland's best hypothesis for the skull's construction is that it was roughly hewn out with diamonds, and then the detail work was meticulously done with a gentle solution of silicon sand and water. The exhausting job -- assuming it could possibly be done in this way -- would have required man-hours adding up to 300 years to complete.

Note: 5/08, crystal skulls find themselves in the lates Indiana Jones movie!

Reference: http://www.world-mysteries.com/sar_6_1.htm

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Amazing fact about soldier ants

In the ant kingdom some ants are soldiers, or army ants. These soldier ants are so genetically designed to fight, pinch, clamp and sting that their giant pinchers prevent them from feeding themselves. They must rely on other ants to feed them.

Reference: http://www.some-guy.com/

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How much territory do siamese fighting fish need?

Siamese fighting fish must be kept isolated because they will fight, immediately, often to the death. In an experiment, 2 fish were dropped in a lake. Would this be enough space? Were these tiny fish interested in exploring? No, they immediately started fighting.

Reference: Animal Planet

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Military sonar technology causes beachings

Submarines have been using low and mid-frequency active sonar technology, a deafening soundwave that is dangerous even 300 miles from it's source. Some mid-frequency sonar systems can put out over 235 decibals, which is about as loud as a rocket launch.
Animals for hundreds of miles literally jump out of the ocean to try to avoid the sound. The damaging effects vary, bet are akin to decompression sickness causing internal bleeding and bursting organs including lungs and eardrums. When beached dolphins are reported this sonar technology is rarely mentioned in the news, although the link has been demonstrated.

What can you do? learn more here

Reference:

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Nearsightedness farsightedness and how glasses work

Simply put, the eyeglass lens is a tool you use to focus light appropriately on your retina. For example, a lens that is concave, or curves inward, is used to correct nearsightedness, while a lens that is convex, or curves outward, is used to correct farsightedness.

Nearsightedness causes nearby objects to appear clear, while objects farther away look blurry. Farsightedness is where far away objects appear clear and objects up close appear blurry.

To correct astigmatism, which is caused by distortions in the shape of the cornea, a cylinder shaped lens is frequently used.

Reference: http://my.webmd.com/content/article/63/71988.htm?z=4051_00000_7000_to_07

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How to eat like a horse

A 1,200-pound horse eats about seven times it's own weight each year.

Reference: http://www.davesdaily.com/interesting/did-you-know.htm

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Chameleons can move their eyes in two different directions at the same time.

Reference: http://www.indianchild.com/what_do_animals_see.htm

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An interesting fact about chameleon tongues

A chameleon's tongue is twice the length of its body.

Reference: http://www.sciencenewsforkids.org/articles/20061213/Note3.asp

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One difference between chimpanzees and monkeys

A chimpanzee can learn to recognize itself in a mirror, but monkeys can't.

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Animal sonar, echolocation, and noise pollution

Whales and dolphins have a tool called echolocation, a sonar which allows them to "see" their prey, even it's internal workings! Noise pollution in the water has a significant effect on whales ability to navigate, hunt, locate their pods, and reproduce.

Echolocating animals have two ears positioned slightly apart. The echoes returning to the two ears arrive at different times and at different loudness levels, depending on the position of the object generating the echoes. The time and loudness differences are used by the animals to perceive direction. With echolocation the bat or other animal can see not only where it's going but can also see how big another animal is, what kind of animal it is, and other features as well.

- wikipedia

Many modern submarines use their own sonar a low and mid-frequency sonar is so deafening the pressure waves affect animals on the cellular level, causing the equivalent of "the bends" or decompression sickness. For animals with echolocation this causes sonar function to fail and leaves these animals blind, if they're lucky. What often results is massive beachings (update: court blocks sonar 7/6/06)

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Why are whales bad for you?

Beluga whales are at the top of the food chain. A nice distinction, but it also means they acquire the sum total of toxins acquired by organisms all the way down the chain because these toxins such as PCB and heavy metal poisoning don't break down. Belugas, in fact, are so full of contaminants, when they are found beached they qualify as a toxic biohazard.

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beluga whales are toxic biohazards

Beluga whales are at the top of the food chain. A nice distinction, however, it also means they acquire the sum total of toxins in the organisms in that chain. Since PCBs and heavy metals don't break down in any organism they accumulate instead.

So when a Beluga eats a salmon that ate a crustacean that grubbed on some plant, all the PCBs and heavy metals that these organisms absorbed end up in the beluga.

Belugas, in fact, are so full of contaminants, when they are found beached they qualify as a toxic biohazard.

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The rule of 72

The rule of 72 is used to find the number of years it takes to double your money at a given interest rate.

(72/[interest rate]) = years until a principle doubles

So, how long will it take to double your money at eight percent interest? Divide 8 into 72 and you get 9 years.

If you collect 7% on your savings in a little over 10 years the amount will be double what it is today.

The rule of 72 also means that you can determine the time it takes for a population to double if it is growing at a steady rate by solving this function:

"Even someone who doesn't know much about horses can learn a lot about equine health just by watching the post parade from the stable to the gates during the May 6 Kentucky Derby, says an equine veterinarian at Purdue University." A healthy horse has a resting heart rate, of 40-45 beats per minute. The respiratory rate of an adult horse at rest is 8-16 breaths per minute. A horse's body temperature is between 98 and 101 degrees.

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What is an entrepreneur

The entrepreneurial mind thrives in the environment uncertainty, diversity of culture, talent, and opportunity

action oriented
achievement motivated
need to achieve
self-starter
persuasive
promoter
resourceful
tenacious
resilient
tolerant of ambiguity

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What's the official rock song of Ohio?

Hang On Sloopy is the official rock song of Ohio.

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Why do firehouses have circular stairways?

The reason firehouses have circular stairways is from the days of yore when the engines were pulled by horses. The horses were stabled on the ground floor and figured out how to walk up straight staircases.

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What is the world flagpole-sitting record you ask?

In 1992, Frank Perkins of Los Angeles made an attempt on the world flagpole-sitting record. Suffering from the flu he came down eight hours short of the 400 day record, his sponsor had gone bust, his girlfriend had left him and his phone and electricity had been cut off.

Reference: Bizzare News

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Reference: http://www.tooter4kids.com/Japan/interesting_facts.htm,

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According to Jeffrey Strain of TheStreet.com, here are 10 traits that will make you rich.

Patience
Satisfaction
Organization
Discipline
Reflectiveness
Creativity
Creativity
Curiosity
Risk-Taking
Goal-Oriented
Hard & Smart Working

Reference: http://www.cockeyed.com/science/gallon/liquid.html

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