Great Smoky Mountains National Park

June 1st, 2010 by Justin No comments »

Great Smoky Mountains national park established in June 1934 so the National Park (GSMNP) successfully completed 75th years of his born this year. National Park situated in the Appalachian mountains of North Carolina and Tennessee. The park is one of the largest in eastern United States and Park covers 521,086 acres of area. This natural wonder entertains almost 10 million hikers, birders and drivers last year.

When you visit in Great Smoky Mountains National Park it’s very difficult to believe that how much natural diversity can be found in one place. Looking to waterfalls in Great Smoky Mountains National Park is not difficult because Waterfalls can be found on nearly every stream and river in the park. There are many lovely and famous waterfalls available like Abrams Falls, Mingo Falls, Grotto Falls, Mouse Creek Falls, Hen Wallow Falls, Rainbow Falls, Indian Creek Falls, Ramsey Cascades, Juney Whank Falls, Tom Branch Falls, and Laurel Falls. Smoky is heaven for the bird watcher. Park counts 200 species of birds, 66 species of mammals, 50 species of fish, 39 species of reptiles, and 43 species of amphibians. Great Smoky Mountains national park are one of the most attractive holiday destinations in the eastern US. With all the scenic mountain landscapes, rivers, streams, forests and rich diversity of plant and animal life found in the area, the Great Smoky Mountains is a paradise for hiker and nature lover.

The Great Smoky Mountains are the oldest mountains in the world. An unbroken, miles and miles chain of ridges over 5,000 feet in elevation runs the length of the Great Smoky Mountains National Park. Forest is the main attraction of the park. 1000 species of plants and wildflowers are available there. The cove hardwood forest contains thousands of species of shrubs and vines. Dominant species in the Smokies include the redbud, dogwood, rhododendron, mountain laurel, and hydrangea. The northern hardwood forests are dominated by yellow birch and beech. White basswood, mountain and striped maple, and buckeye are also present. The spruce-fir forest— also called the “boreal” or “Canadian” forest— is a relic of the Ice Ages, when mean annual temperatures in the Smokies were too cold to support a hardwood forest.

Activities: There are many activities within the park include scenic drives, hiking, camping, cycling, horse riding, bird-watching, fishing, wildlife viewing, mountain biking Wildflower watching etc. Hiking is the best way to explore Park natural beauty. Choose from over 800 miles of trails ranging from quiet walkways to multi-day backpacking treks through the backcountry.

Facts about the Park

• Weather: Summer temperature is normally in between 80s to 50s and. Winter temperature is very low in night normally in between 50s to 10s but it can be low as -20s (F).

• Operational Timings: Great Smoky Mountains National Park is open 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. Some roads and other facilities close in winter.

• Entrance Fee: Entrance to Great Smoky Mountains National Park is free.

• Activity Fees: Fees are charged for activities such as overnight camping ($14-23 per night)

Save Water – Save Life

May 26th, 2010 by David No comments »

The biggest crisis that’s gonna hit us in near future is depleting Freshwater bodies. As a result there would be severe scarcity of Fresh water around us. In such a scenario sustaining life would become difficult as water forms a very important component of our life. The fact is that out of all water available on our planet only 3% is fresh and that’s too is under severe pressure. It’s time we must stand up and save this vital resource.

To save water we must take some important steps and they start right at our homes. We must take steps ourselves instead of waiting for somebody to come up and do it for us.

So the question arises how we could save water around us ? Well, it depends upon us, we could save water at every level like:

  • running taps at low pressure
  • using shower for shorter duration
  • fixing leaks right away
  • replacing toilets with newer water efficient ones
  • running laundry and dishwasher at full load
  • using drip-irrigation mechanism for watering plants
  • never wash car at home instead get it washed at car wash that would recycle the water used
  • switch to tap-water instead of the bottled one

Sex Toys use Can be Harmful for Health

May 25th, 2010 by Jenny 1 comment »

Every one talking about sex toys is safe for health. It’s not just what a sex toy is made of that may harm your health–it’s more important how you use it because there is very little scientific data on the safety of sex toys. Simply we can say there is no data that can confirm that “most sex toys have cancer-causing ingredients and other serious diseases.

We do know that many soft rubber toys are made using phthalates because Phthalates soften the rubbers and make sex toys have a soft cushy feel to them. They are used in a wide range of sex toys. Phthalates have been linked to several environmental and individual health issues, in a variety of other consumer products. The most common sex toys that are made with phthalates are called jelly rubber but many other kinds of soft rubber toys also contain phthalates.

Phthalates — propounded “thal-ates” — are a family of chemicals used to soften hard plastics to make them more flexible. Derived from phthalic acid and often called a plasticizer for its plastic-softening properties, phthalates has been produced since the 1920s and has been used in everything from perfumes to pesticides and medical.
Sex toy materials
Silicone: Wonderful, flexible, sexy toys are being made with medical grade silicone. These are body safe.
Glass: Many dildos are made with glass, a beautiful and sleek alternative to plastics.
Hard plastic: Just because something is plastic does not make it toxic. It is only the softer plastics that you have to worry about.
How to use Sex toy
It is very important that you clean and sterilize your sex toys thoroughly after every use.
If you use body safe toys made from elastomer, hard plastic or silicone, you can easily clean them with warm water and sex toy cleaner or soap as they are non-porous.
Always use silicone toys for anal sex. Many people use silicone lubricants with anal toys as they last for long and are quite slick. If you use anal toys made from silicone, you need to make sure that you don’t use silicone lubricants with them.
If you share your anal toys and sex toys with someone, make sure you use a condom always.
Also use a condom if you use your sex toys anally and vaginally interchangeably.
If you already have a lot of jelly rubber toys, as silicone toys are relatively newer, use a condom over them to reduce the risks of infection.
Use a condom: Have a favorite toy that seems to have phthalates, but you don’t know for sure and don’t want to take the chance? Use a condom over it.
Sex Toy Injuries What little research we have suggests that injuries sustained while using sex toys are rare and most are minor, hardly dangerous. Don’t try funny like glass bottle and other mettle.
Sex Toys Causing Yeast Infections and allergy if you’ve developed a rash after using a sex toy, it’s entirely possible that you are having a bad reaction to your sex toy. Here are just a few things that could be happening:
• You may be having an allergic skin reaction to the sex toy.
• Using the sex toy or lubricant may have contributed to or encouraged a yeast or bacterial infection.
• Your vibrator may have made an existing problem worse by irritating or inflaming the area.
• There are lots of other possibilities (especially if you shared the toy). So, the only way to know for sure is to
stop using the sex toy and seek medical advice.
Sex Toys Are a Danger to Sexual Sensitivity Sex toys, vibrators in particular, can cause temporary numbness, particularly when they are powerful and used for a long period of time. But the numbness goes away and there is no evidence that sex toys cause any permanent or even temporary but significant damage to sexual sensitivity.

Sexually Transmitted Diseases (STDs) and Protection

May 12th, 2010 by Jenny 4 comments »

Today, it is very important that we protect ourselves against any disease possible, especially the ones that can be prevented.Practicing safe sex is one of the best preventative health measures a person can take, and the best form of safe sex, outside of abstinence, is the condom. Not only do condoms safeguard against unwanted pregnancies, they also protect against infection from various sexually transmitted diseases (STDs), such as HIV, gonorrhea, Chlamydia and trichomoniasis; discharge diseases that are transmitted through infected semen or vaginal fluids. However, researchers say condoms provide a lesser degree of protection against the spread of another STD—genital herpes—because it can be transmitted through contact with infected skin that isn’t covered or protected by the condom, but the exact protective effect has remained unclear.

STDs-Sexually transmitted diseases (also known as STDs — or STIs for “sexually transmitted infections”) are infectious diseases that spread from person to person through intimate contact by means of human sexual behavior, including vaginal intercourse, oral sex, and anal sex.

Some STDs can also be transferred by nonsexual contact with infected tissues or fluids, such as infected blood. For example, sharing needles when using IV (in the vein) drugs is a major cause of HIV and hepatitis B transmission. An STD can also be transmitted through contaminated blood transfusions and blood products, through the placenta from the mother to the fetus, and sometimes through breast-feeding.

The following factors increase your risk of getting a sexually transmitted disease (STD):

  • Not knowing whether a partner has an STD or not
  • Having sex without a male or female condom
  • Using drugs or alcohol in a situation where sex might occur
  • If your partner is an IV drug user
  • Having anal intercourse

Unfortunately, STDs have become common among teens. Because teens are more at risk for getting some STDs, it’s important to learn what you can do to protect yourself.

  • Use condoms to avoid contact with semen, vaginal fluids, or blood. Both male and female condoms dramatically reduce the chance you will get or spread an STD. However, condoms must be used properly
  • Condom is not fully protected but it can reduce the risk.
  • Use of lubricants may help reduce the chance a condom will break
  • The condom should be in place from the beginning to end of sexual activity and should be used every time you have sex.

Facts about STDs

  • 65 million of people living in the US with STDs.
  • 15 million of new STD cases each year.
  • 2/3 of all STD’s occurs in people 25 yrs of age or younger.
  • one in four Americans have genital herpes, 80% of those with herpes are unaware they have it
  • at least one in four Americans will contract an STD at some point in their lives

Faroe Islands, Denmark

March 18th, 2010 by Justin 1 comment »

Faroes

The Faroe Islands are group of islands located 800 miles north of Copenhagen (Denmark) in the North Atlantic between Iceland and Norway. The 18 green islands rise from the sea in the middle of the North Atlantic. These isolated islands are flush in natural beauty with rugged green mountains range, fjords and countless waterfalls. They are dotted with medieval churches, fishing villages and old farmhouses. The Faroe Islands are breathtakingly beautiful, utterly unspoilt, and are teeming with animal and plant life. They offer a truly different holiday destination.

Vestmanna is a town in the Faroe Islands that used to be a major ferry port, until an undersea tunnel was built from Vagar to Kvivik to Stykkio. It is surrounded by major mountain ranges such as the Haegstafjuall, Okslin, Loysingafjall and Moskurfjall. These mountains draw tourists for their majestic beauty and wildlife exploration and photography opportunities.

leirvik_nature

Attraction

The Faroes have close traditional ties to Iceland and Greenland, but they are a part of the Danish delegation. Hiking and sailing are very popular adventures to do in the summer time, while enjoying the beautiful landscape.

 Dolphin HuntingWhale and Dolphin hunting has been the tradition for the people of Faroe Islands (located in Denmark) since the 10th century. Approximately there are 17 villages in the Island that have these kind of scenario every year which are authorized to conduct such massacre.

Fishery, fish farming and fish processing are the main industry of the Faroe Islands accounting for more than 97% of Faroese exports. As a fishery nation and one of the world´s largest salmon farming countries, estimated 300,000 whales and dolphins are caught and killed each year).