World Map

Use this great World Map website. You can click on a country to bring it closer to view: Geology.com

World Map

Coatimundi: Interesting Facts About the Species

The Coatimundi lives on both ground and in trees, and is active during both day and night.

They are native to Central America’s mangrove forests along the Caribbean coast, the lowland savannas, and the interior tropical forests.

Can you guess what family it belongs to?

The raccoon family.

Coatimundi live in groups. Around 30 individuals live together, and when the group is startled, they all will leap into the trees and make clicking and woofing noises.

They sleep at night in tree tops in nests of leaves and branches.

Coatimundi: Interesting Facts About the Species

The smallest monkey in the world is small enough to fit in a persons hands.

How big do you think the South American pygmy marmoset is?

(Image: Jared Hobbs)

About 15 cm tall. They weigh about four ounces.

Small enough to wrap around a humans finger.

Actually, pygmy marmosets live in social groups of around 15 animals, more than enough to overwhelm the fingers of a human.

The 15 members are a mother, a father and their offspring.

They are native to the rainforests of northern South America, and they defend an acre-sized area of territory by making calls, chasing competitors and exposing their bodies.

A short documentary about marmoset eating habits:

Marmosets: Interesting Facts About the Species

Kangaroos: Interesting Facts About the Species

Kangaroos live in one other country besides Australia. Do you know what that country is?

New Guinea, which is half of a large island north of Australia.

Kangaroos are fast hoppers. They can also walk on fours, but they travel much more slowly that way. However, there is one way a kangaroo cannot walk. What way do you think that is?

Backwards.

Kangaroos have very strong legs.

They use them to hop. And they can jump three times their own height–up to 3m (10ft).

Kangaroos also use their legs to fight. The animals are dangerous for this reason.

Do you think kangaroos can swim?

They can.

Kangaroos often rest by laying down in the shade. They usually recline on one side with their head up.

And do you know why they are called kangaroos?

The first use of the word was recorded in 1770. Lieutenant James Cook, an ocean-going explorer recorded the words “Kangooroo or Kanguru” on the banks of the Endeavour River when his ship, the HM Bark Endeavour was beached there for seven weeks to repair damage sustained on the Great Barrier Reef.

It is believed that the aboriginals of Australia told Cook that the name of the animal was gangurru.

(This last image is by fulloftravel.com)

 

Kangaroos: Interesting Facts About the Species

Asian Cheetah: Interesting Facts

The name Cheetah actually comes from an Asian word that means “speckled.”

(Image William Warby)

The word is, “Cheetah” is from Hindi, and is derived from the Sanskrit “chitraka.”

(Image Tambako The Jaguar)

Asian cheetahs used to exist across the Middle East, Central Asia, north into southern Kazakhstan and southeast into India. Now, there are only a few dozen in Iran’s central plateau desert.

(Image Tambako Ted)

The cheetah is well-known as the fastest of cats—and the fastest land animal. How does the cheetah run so fast?

(Image Michael Moss)

Slim, athletic legs.

(ImageScott Ackerman)

Not only legs. It needs to grip the earth as it runs at up to 70 mph (113km).

(Image Tambako The Jaguar)

Cheetah’s have semi-retractable claws to maintain control at high speeds.

It is also a quick starter. Cheetahs can cover 100 meters of ground in just over 7 seconds.

(Image Tambako The Jaguar)

Cheetahs differ from other big cats in their discipline, too.

(Image Ken)

They can stalk an animal from the bushes for a long time, and get very near to their prey without becoming noticed.

(Image Tambako The Jaguar)

Cheetah’s also have the skill of being able to mimic the calls of birds, which lures the birds to them.

Asian Cheetah: Interesting Facts

Build a Safe DIY Playground In Your Garden or Neighborhood

To begin with, there are 2 main issues to be dealt with when building a playground: preparing a safe playground flooring and gathering necessary equipment. The first issue is much too often overlooked, despite the fact that it is the flooring which plays a deciding role when a child is falling down. Falls are the main cause of accidents on a playground! Grass or natural soil are usually not sufficient to cushion the impact of a child’s fall.

The equipment is another factor and here the money should not be spared. Obviously, the existing playing equipment can be used if it is in a good condition and regularly maintained. When buying new equipment, one should choose a reliable manufacturer whose equipment complies with international safety standards. The manufacturer should inform you which equipment can be installed in a DIY manner, and what needs to be carried out by a professional company.

Help with plans and ideas for a playground project or 14,000 other woodworking options? CLICK HERE.

Calculating playground area

Let’s start with designating a safe playground area, which should be large enough not only to fit all the equipment, but also to comprise the impact area, which is where a child can fall. Remember that the impact area is to be free of obstacles. In order to be able to calculate this area, we need to know the critical fall height of the equipment. For example, if the maximum height from which a child can fall is 2 m, the ground has to be covered with protective playground flooring certified to attenuate the impact from 2 metres. Moreover, the flooring should reach 1.8 m behind the edge of the equipment in question. The formula to calculate the impact area is: 2/3*critical fall height + 50cm.

This means that one should always pave the playground with safety flooring reaching 1.5 to 2.5 metres behind the equipment.

Another important safety requirement is that the maximum fall height is 3 metres. So, make sure none of the equipment where a child can stand or climb is higher than 3 m. Finally, let’s not forget about common sense which should guide you in the first place when building a private playground.

Preparing the subfloor

Once you have looked at the location of the existing equipment or installed the new one (following the manufacturer’s instruction) and once you have designed the total playground area, it is time to prepare the subfloor. If you build a DIY playground it is much easier if the subfloor is bound (e.g. concrete, paving stone, asphalt, tiles). In that case, you can lay safety flooring directly on top of it, without the need to prepare the base course. If you choose rubber playground mats which are interlocking, you will not even need to glue the tiles.

If your subfloor is unbound, for example it is soil, sand or grass, you need to prepare it first to make it load-bearing and solid. The best and most economical way is to prepare a grit or gravel bedding. Level the existing area and place a layer of about 15 cm of sharp-edged gravel, which should be compacted and levelled. Now you can pave the safety playground mats directly onto the gravel bedding. Rain water will seep through the porous mats and through the gravel layer to the ground. This solution is ecological and very practical – there will be no puddles and children can use the playground in any weather!

Low-maintenance playground flooring

Rubber mats are the most practical flooring solution for a safe DIY playground. Apart from the fact that they are childishly easy to install, they require practically no maintenance. Playground mats are made from a permanently elastic material (polyurethane-bonded rubber granulate) which means they are absolutely weatherproof. They will not rot or crack, and they will last for about 15 years or more. If there is any problem, individual mats can be lifted or exchanged.

Other playground materials are either very expensive or difficult to maintain. Especially sand, grass or wood chips need constant maintenance, exchange and replenishment. The expenses related to this can be overwhelming for a community or neighbourhood. Especially that the layer of these loose fill materials has to be quite thick to provide the necessary fall protection.

With rubber playground mats it is very easy to provide the fall protection necessary on a particular playground. The manufacturer always informs you what the critical fall height for each safety mat is, and which one is suitable for installations on unbound subfloor. Rubber granulate mats are easy to cut on site and they have small formats to make DIY work a little bit easier.

So, when you look for high-quality yet affordable protective flooring to build a playground with, you need a manufacturer who will advise and guide you no matter if you need 10 m2 or 100 m2 of playground mats. Visit online shop by WARCO - www.warco-tiles.com/safety-floor-playground-tiles, a German company who happily advise private and public customers on their many blogs, websites and by phone. No matter if it is in your backyard or by the mall, children’s safety is our priority!

Build a Safe DIY Playground In Your Garden or Neighborhood

The History of Yachting

The Original Yacht

Derived from the Dutch term “jagen”, meaning to hunt or chase, the word Yacht usually refers to a small, fast craft which is excellent for small voyages and short crossings. Originally this meant a fully rigged vessel that was smaller than a pinnace but large enough to be fully decked over.

Defined as such back in 1742, what classified as a Yacht had changed from the years preceding this and would change in the centuries following it. Today, as the capabilities of Yachts increase, everything from a luxury motorized cruise liner to a private family boat is labeled as one, with all the material prestige that comes with it. But however you define this type of vessel today, it has a rich history that should be known by every person who calls themselves a sailor.

The First Yachts

The Yacht was the vessel of choice for many explorers in the 17th Century. Spacious enough to house several men as well as several months’ worth of supplies, including fresh produce to avoid the dreaded scurvy, these Yachts were fast, nimble and seaworthy – perfect for exploring unchartered waters. The Duyfken, which dropped the first western visitors on Australian shores in 1606, was a small 60 ton Yacht and, similarly, the coast of New Zealand was first sighted from the deck of such a vessel 36 years later.

Besides being an ideal exploration vessel, early Yachts also played a pivotal role in many great wars and battles. The Dutch favored the Yacht as armed tenders and the now famous Duyfken was a critical player in the infamous battle against a blockade of Portuguese ships which essentially ended the Iberian dominance of the spice trade in 1601. As warships grew bigger with improved technology, the Yacht settled into the role of courier during war time, relying on its speed to pass on vital information in a hurry.

The Beginnings of Yachting for Pleasure

Boating and yachting for pleasure is almost as old as boating itself. Egyptian Pharaohs recognised the splendor of water travel and were buried alongside elaborate barges to transport them through the afterlife in elegance and style. But it was in the late 1600’s, many thousands of years later that the joys of water recreation became more attainable and part of everyday life.

Yachting as a Dutch Invention

It was the great maritime country of the Netherlands that, centuries later, not only brought yachting to the world’s attention, but also built and essentially invented the first Yacht. The massive waterways in and around this Dutch country necessitated the use of quick waterborne transportation to move around both goods and people. As the country utilised these vessels to explore the world and trade across the oceans, so their wealth grew. This new found affluence was naturally expressed in finally being able to enjoy this wondrous natural asset of water that had served the people so well.

The pleasure-Yachts that resulted were fiercely patriotic and many even featured cannons to celebrate their country’s military prowess. Waterborne activities such as competitive races, parades and mock-battles became a staple in Dutch culture, cementing the Yacht’s place in leisure activities for the future.

The Yacht Invades Europe

The delights of yachting for pleasure spread across the channel to England, ironically thanks to the British Civil War in 1642. Sent to an island refuge to protect the royal lineage, Charles II began sailing to keep himself amused and soon fell in love with this pastime. A spell in the Netherlands during his exile only deepened his passion for yachting and when he was finally instated as King in 1660, he began an enduring royal patronage of sailing as a recreational sport that would reach into modern times.

When the 17th Century Tsar Peter the Great discovered the wreck of a Yacht gifted to Ivan the Terrible over a century before, his own interest in the pastime was piqued. With Russia’s interest from the East and Britain and the Netherlands’ love for pastime yachting slowly spreading into Europe from the West, it was not long before yachting for pleasure was a staple in the European recreational calendar.

Yachting Today

Sailing around the Mediterranean on a private Yacht with the sun setting behind you and the turquoise sea glistening below is an undeniable fantasy of many people. Owning a holiday or vacation home in one particular place is becoming unfashionable. This fixed location becomes dull after a while and is also restrictive should the climate, political situation or currency of a country falter. A much more popular alternative is to invest in a Yacht. This floating holiday home is mobile and can house entire families, allowing vacationers to see the world with their loved ones in five star luxury.

Yachts today are a far cry from the basic sturdy vessels used to transport explorers around the ancient world. Equipped with every modern convenience, businessmen can check their email, make conference calls and organize a merger, all before breakfast and a morning swim in the ocean. Motorization, differing sizes, increased safety, equipment and technology have all contributed to making yachting a viable and appealing alternative for vacationers.

The Rise of Yacht Charters

As an alternative to owning a Yacht, aspiring sailors can hire a Yacht from a Yacht Brokerage Company. These reputable companies, such as Yachting Partners International will take care of all the finer details, allowing vacationers to simply relax on the seas as their Dutch ancestors intended. Comprehensive itineraries can be planned according to each individual’s interest and all administration, catering and service related issues will be maintained by that company. A far cry from the strenuous yachting of the past, this recreational activity has endured over the centuries to have evolved into a luxury activity.

Yachting Partners International [http://www.ypi.co.uk] (YPI) offers five star Yacht Charters around some of the most spectacular scenery and waters in the world. Our vast selection of Yachts [http://www.ypi.co.uk/search.asp] is guaranteed to suit all tastes and preferences and each Charter can be tailored to suit any interests.

The History of Yachting