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Saturday, July 28, 2012

Can Animals Sense Earthquakes?

Maryann Mott
for National Geographic News
November 11, 2003


The belief that animals can predict earthquakes has been around for centuries.

In 373 B.C., historians recorded that animals, including rats, snakes and weasels, deserted the Greek city of Helice in droves just days before a quake devastated the place.

Accounts of similar animal anticipation of earthquakes have surfaced across the centuries since. Catfish moving violently, chickens that stop laying eggs and bees leaving their hive in a panic have been reported. Countless pet owners claimed to have witnessed their cats and dogs acting strangely before the ground shook—barking or whining for no apparent reason, or showing signs of nervousness and restlessness.

But precisely what animals sense, if they feel anything at all, is a mystery. One theory is that wild and domestic creatures feel the Earth vibrate before humans. Other ideas suggest they detect electrical changes in the air or gas released from the Earth.

Earthquakes are a sudden phenomenon. Seismologists have no way of knowing exactly when or where the next one will hit. An estimated 500,000 detectable quakes occur in the world each year. Of those, 100,000 can be felt by humans, and 100 cause damage.

One of the world's most earthquake-prone countries is Japan, where devastation has taken countless lives and caused enormous damage to property. Researchers there have long studied animals in hopes of discovering what they hear or feel before the Earth shakes in order to use that sense as a prediction tool.

American seismologists, on the other hand, are skeptical. Even though there have been documented cases of strange animal behavior prior to earthquakes, the United States Geological Survey, a government agency that provides scientific information about the Earth, says a reproducible connection between a specific behavior and the occurrence of a quake has never been made.

"What we're faced with is a lot of anecdotes," said Andy Michael, a geophysicist at USGS. "Animals react to so many things—being hungry, defending their territories, mating, predators—so it's hard to have a controlled study to get that advanced warning signal."

In the 1970s, a few studies on animal prediction were done by the USGS "but nothing concrete came out of it," said Michael. Since that time the agency has made no further investigations into the theory.

Erratic Behavior in Dogs

Researchers around the world continue to pursue the idea, however. In September 2003 a medical doctor in Japan made headlines with a study that indicated erratic behavior in dogs, such as excessive barking or biting, could be used to forecast quakes.

There have also been examples where authorities have forecast successfully a major earthquake, based in part on the observation of the strange antics of animals. For example, in 1975 Chinese officials ordered the evacuation of Haicheng, a city with one million people, just days before a 7.3-magnitude quake. Only a small portion of the population was hurt or killed. If the city had not been evacuated, it is estimated that the number of fatalities and injuries could have exceeded 150,000.


The Haicheng incident is what gave people hope that earthquakes might be predictable, says Michael, and what prompted the animal behavior studies by the USGS.

It was later discovered, though, that a rare series of small tremors, called foreshocks, occurred before the large quake hit the city.

Still, the Chinese have continued to look at animal behavior as an aid to earthquake prediction. They have had several notable successes and also a few false alarms, said Rupert Sheldrake, a biologist and author of the books, Dogs that Know When Their Owners Are Coming Home and The Sense of Being Stared At.

A reproducible connection between animal behavior and earthquakes could be made, he said, but "as the Chinese have discovered, not all earthquakes cause unusual animal behavior while others do. Only through research could we find out why there might be such differences."

Sheldrake did his own study looking at animal reactions before major tremors, including the Northridge, California, quake in 1994, and the Greek and Turkish quakes in 1999.

In all cases, he said, there were reports of peculiar behavior beforehand, including dogs howling in the night mysteriously, caged birds becoming restless, and nervous cats hiding.

Geologists, however, dismiss these kinds of reports, saying it's "the psychological focusing effect," where people remember strange behaviors only after an earthquake or other catastrophe has taken place. If nothing had happened, they contend, people would not have remembered the strange behavior.

Reporting Strange Behavior

Sheldrake disagrees. Comparable patterns of animal behavior prior to earthquakes have been reported independently by people all over the world, he said. "I cannot believe that they could all have made up such similar stories or that they all suffered from tricks of memory."

More research is needed and is long overdue, said Sheldrake, who proposes a special hotline or Web site where people could call or write in if they saw strange behavior in their animals. A computer would then analyze the incoming messages to determine where they originated. A sudden surge of calls or e-mails from a particular region might indicate that a quake was imminent.

The information would be checked to make sure the observations were not caused by other circumstances known to affect the behavior of animals, such as fireworks, or changes in weather. And to avoid issuing false warnings, Sheldrake said, the data would be used in conjunction with other monitoring devices such as seismological measurements.

"Such a project would capture the imagination of millions of people, encourage large-scale public participation and research—and would be fun," he said. "What is holding this research back is not money but dogmatism and narrow-mindedness."

Rare Animals

Friday, July 27, 2012

Be alert with snakes.

Worlds Most Dangerous Snakes


10 Dealiset snakes


most dangerous snake in the world


Top 10 Most Venomous Snakes By LD-50.


"White Snakes or Albino Serpents"

Wednesday, July 25, 2012

Benefits of Goat Milk vs. Cow Milk

by DR. THOMAS COOKE on AUGUST 20, 2010
Free range goats
Happy free range goats.
“Milk, it does a body good.” This was the marketing mantra employed by the cow industry in the 1980’s to boost interest in cow’s milk. The campaign was wildly successful and as a result, The Dairy Farmers of America have reported sales topping 11 billion dollars in 2007. But does the overwhelming popularity of cow’s milk in the United States signify that it really is the best? Should we assume that quantity equates quality when referring to a substance that is such an integral part of our food supply? Interestingly enough, when worldwide consumption of milk is taken into account, it is not cow’s milk that is most popular but goat’s milk.
In fact 65% of the milk consumption worldwide is from goat’s milk, and this popularity hasn’t come about due to high profile marketing campaigns or big-budget advertisements.
The reasons for the worldwide popularity of goat’s milk are multifaceted. First, we need to remind ourselves that “All milk is not created equal.” The differences between cow’s milk and goat’s milk may not seem apparent upon first examination. A closer look, however, reveals several key factors that play an integral part in how milk (from either cows or goats) matches up with the human body in its various stages. All humans have been created to be sustained entirely upon mothers’ milk for at least the first six months of life. There is no other food in the world better than mothers’ milk, and it truly shows both in the laboratory and the real world. But what about after these first few months are over, and one is faced with the rest of life? Why would someone choose goat’s milk products over the far more popular and accessible cow’s milk?

Here are 5 reasons goat milk is better than cow milk.

1. Goat milk is less allergenic.Goat milk has less allergens

In the United State the most common food allergy for children under three is cow’s milk. Mild side effects include vomiting, diarrhea, and skin rashes and severe effects can be as serious as anaphylactic shock! Needless to say it is a serious condition. The allergic reaction can be blamed on a protein allergen known as Alpha s1 Casein found in high levels in cow’s milk. The levels of Alpha s1 Casein in goat’s milk are about 89% less than cow’s milk providing a far less allergenic food.  In fact a recent study of infants allergic to cow’s milk found that nearly 93% could drink goat’s milk with virtually no side effects!1

2. Goat’s milk is naturally homogenized.Xanthine Oxidase

If you were to place both a glass of fresh cow’s milk as well as fresh goat’s milk in the refrigerator overnight, the next morning you would find that while the goat’s milk looks exactly the same, the cow’s milk has separated into two distinct ‘phases’ of cream on the top and skim milk on the bottom. This is a natural separation process that is caused by a compound called agglutinin and it will always cause the cow’s milk to separate. As Americans, we like everything neat and tidy and so to get the milk to the consumer in a uniform manner, the dairy industry utilizes a process called homogenization. This method works by forcing the fluid milk through a tiny hole under tremendous pressure which destroys the fat globule cell wall and allows the milk and cream to stay homogeneous or suspended and well mixed.
The problem with such homogenization is that once the cell wall of the fat globule has been broken, it releases a superoxide (free radical) known as Xanthine Oxidase. (see picture) Now free radicals cause a host of problems in the body not the least of which is DNA mutations which often lead to cancer! Thus, the benefit of natural homogenization comes into clear view. Goat’s milk has smaller fat globules and does not contain agglutinin which allows it to stay naturally homogenized thus eliminating the dangers associated with homogenization.

3. Goat’s milk is easier to digest.

Goat’s milk has smaller fat globules as well as higher levels of medium chain fatty acids. This means that during digestion, each fat globule and individual fatty acid will have a larger surface-to-volume ratio resulting in a quicker and easier digestion process. Also, when the proteins found in milk denature (clump up) in the stomach, they form a much softer bolus (curd) than cow’s milk. This allows the body to digest the protein more smoothly and completely than when digesting cow’s milk.

4. Goat’s milk rarely causes lactose intolerance.

Goat milk has less lactose

All milk contains certain levels of lactose which is also known as ‘milk sugar.’ A relatively large portion of the population suffers from a deficiency (not an absence) of an enzyme known as lactase which is used to, you guessed it, digest lactose. This deficiency results in a condition known as lactose intolerance which is a fairly common ailment. (Lactose intolerance and cow’s milk allergy (cma) are two distinct conditions. CMA is due to a protein allergen, while lactose intolerance is due to a carbohydrate sensitivity.)
Goat’s milk contains less lactose than cow’s milk and therefore is easier to digest for those suffering from lactose intolerance. Now the interesting aspect to consider is that goat’s milk isn’t much lower than cow’s milk (contains about 10% less than cow’s milk) and yet, countless lactose intolerant patients are able to thrive on goat’s milk. Although the answer for this is unclear, it has been hypothesized that since goat’s milk is digested and absorbed in a superior manner, there is no “leftover” lactose that remains undigested which causes the painful and uncomfortable effects of lactose intolerance.

5. Goat’s milk matches up to the human body better than cow’s milk.

Cute Baby Goat

This matter is both an issue of biochemistry as well as thermodynamics. Regarding the biochemistry of the issue, we know that goat’s milk has a greater amount of essential fatty acids such as linoleic and arachidonic acid than cow’s milk as well as significantly greater amounts of vitamin B-6, vitamin A, and niacin. Goat’s milk is also a far superior source of the vitally important nutrient potassium which we discussed in a previous High Road to Health issue. This extensive amount of potassium causes goat’s milk to react in an alkaline way within the body whereas cow’s milk is lacking in potassium and ends up reacting in an acidic way.
Thermodynamically speaking, goat’s milk is better for human consumption. A baby usually starts life at around 7-9 pounds, a baby goat (kid) usually starts life at around 7-9 pounds, and a baby cow (calf) usually starts life at around 100 pounds. Now speaking from a purely thermodynamic position, these two animals have very significant and different nutritional needs for both maintenance and growth requirements. Cow’s milk is designed to take a 100 pound calf and transform it into a 1200 pound cow. Goat’s milk and human milk were both designed and created for transforming a 7-9 pound baby/kid into an average adult/goat of anywhere between 100-200 pounds. This significant discrepancy, along with many others, is manifesting on a national level as obesity rates sky rocket in the U.S.
To conclude, we have seen that goat’s milk has several attributes that cause it to be a far superior choice to cow’s milk. Goat’s milk is less allergenic, naturally homogenized, easier to digest, lactose intolerant friendly, and biochemically/thermodynamically superior to cow’s milk. As if these benefits were not enough, Mt. Capra’s goat’s milk products do not contain any growth hormones or antibiotics that massive cow dairies have come to rely upon to turn a profit! So to sum up and paraphrase the cow industry catchphrase: “Goat Milk: It Does a Body Good.

Tuesday, July 24, 2012

A Dog’s Letter to His Owner

Many thing make their way around the internet these days. A few of them are worth sharing, and I believe this is one of them. Something to keep in mind as our already busy lives seem to become even busier…

I Am Your Dog

I am your dog, and I have a little something I’d like to whisper in your ear. I know that you humans lead busy lives. Some have to work, some have children to raise. It always seems like you are running here and running there, often much too fast, often never noticing the truly grand things in life. Look down at me now, while you sit there at your computer. See the way my dark brown eyes look at yours? They are slightly cloudy now. That comes with age. The gray hairs are beginning to ring my soft muzzle. You smile at me; I see love in your eyes. What do you see in mine? Do you see a spirit? A soul inside, who loves you as no other could in the world? A spirit that would forgive all trespasses of prior wrong doing for just a simple moment of your time?

That is all I ask. To slow down, if even for a few minutes, to be with me. So many times you have been saddened by the words you read on that screen, of others of my kind, passing. Sometimes we die young and oh so quickly, sometimes so suddenly it wrenches your heart out of your throat.

Sometimes, we age so slowly before your eyes that you may not even seem to know until the very end, when we look at you with grizzled muzzles and cataract clouded eyes. Still the love is always there, even when we must take that long sleep, to run free in a distant land. I may not be here tomorrow; I may not be here next week. Someday you will shed the water from your eyes, that humans have when deep grief fills their souls, and you will be angry at yourself that you did not have just “one more day” with me.

Because I love you so, your sorrow touches my spirit and grieves me. We have NOW, together. So come, sit down here next to me on the floor, and look deep into my eyes. What do you see? If you look hard and deep enough we will talk, you and I, heart to heart. Come to me not as “alpha” or as “trainer” or even “Mom or Dad”. Come to me as a living soul and stroke my fur and let us look deep into one another’s eyes and talk. I may tell you something about the fun of chasing a tennis ball, or I may tell you something profound about myself, or even life in general. You decided to have me in your life because you wanted a soul to share such things with. Someone very different from you, and here I am.

I am a dog, but I am alive. I feel emotion, I feel physical senses, and I can revel in the differences of our spirits and souls. I do not think of you as a “dog on two feet” ? I know what you are and who you are. You are human, in all your quirkiness, and I love you still.

Now, come sit with me, on the floor. Enter my world, and let time slow down if only for 15 minutes. Look deep into my eyes, and whisper into my ears. Speak with your heart, with your joy, and I will know your true self. We may not have tomorrow, but we do have today, and life is oh so very short. So please . . . come sit with me now and let us share these precious moments we have together.

Love, on behalf of canines everywhere,

Your Dog

 December 31, 2009 at 3:56 pm by Dr. Laurie S. Coger

10 Cute cat Moments.

Sunday, July 22, 2012

How to Put Your Cat on a Diet

With an alarming number of fat cats out there -- one scientific study concluded that 53 percent of cats in the U.S. are either overweight or obese -- your not-quite-svelte feline may need to quit the clean plate club. Tubby tabbies face an array of possible health problems, including arthritis, diabetes, heart and liver issues. They may also suffer illnesses, such as bladder stones or skin conditions that require special eating habits. And diabetic cats need strictly monitored care and feeding. But getting a cat to follow any diet not of his own choosing isn't as simple as cutting out treats and serving tiny portions. Knowing what to expect as you alter your cat's meal plan will help you to keep him on the right nutritional path.

When should a plump cat slim down? Most vets classify a cat with more than 20 percent body fat as overweight, but more simply, if the feline profile viewed from above has no waistline or abdominal tuck, the cat is too fat. You should be able to feel, but not see, his ribs. He shouldn't have folds of swinging fat when he walks. A cat's ideal weight depends on age, breed, lifestyle, bone structure and gender, but the average adult cat generally tips the scales at 7 to 11 pounds (3.1 to 4.9 kilograms), with females weighing less.
Two to 3 extra pounds (.9 to 1.36 kilograms) for a cat is equivalent to 40 pounds (18 kilograms) for a human! No wonder we have such an epidemic of obesity. Furthermore, cats that have been spayed or neutered use fewer calories than intact felines, so they often don't need to eat as much; they put on pounds because their owners offer too much food and not enough exercise. Never put your cat on a diet, or switch to "diet food," without first consulting your vet. Drastically changing the amount or type of food your cat eats can invite digestive problems or deplete crucial nutrients. The vet will determine if your cat has health problems in addition to being overweight. She'll then suggest the right food to attack the problems, or an eating regimen, including portion sizes, to tackle weight loss.



Wednesday, July 18, 2012

Think Positive..

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Cat Film.

Tuesday, July 17, 2012

The Story of "GOMATHA"

The Story of Gomatha


1] Many, many, years ago there lived an old man and his wife in a village. The old man used to take his cow to the nearby meadows to graze and would bring her back home in the afternoons. He would have his lunch in the afternoons and then take the cow back for grazing and return home late in the evening, long after all the other villagers returned home. He would then put the cow in a cage-like enclosure in the cowshed. Thus the old couple passed their time peacefully for many years.

2]One evening, the old lady was washing vessels in front of the cowshed and the cow was watching the old lady doing her work. Suddenly the cow said, “Tonight a demon is going to visit our house. The demon will be in a black form and when he comes into the house, he will sit before the lamp that is burning in the room.” The cow then told the old lady, “Do not be afraid, I will give you a good idea to kill the demon.”

3]The cow then told the old lady, “Dear old lady, you inform all the people in the village about this evil-spirited demon who is going to visit the village. Tell everyone to be careful. You light the firewood and place the biggest vessel you have at home, filled with water. When the demon enters your home, hit him with the broomstick and push him into the vessel in which the water is boiling. Quickly close the container with a lid. Do not open the container till the demon dies. After that open the container, put the demon in the centre of the village and burn the remains so no harm will come to anyone in this village anymore.” Thus the cow warned the old lady of the danger that awaited the old lady and the villagers, and the old lady did exactly as the cow had advised her. When the demon was dead she informed all the villagers of what had happened. The village people were very happy when they came to know how the cow had saved all of them.



4] From that day onwards they all began to worship the cow as mother Cow [Gomatha].They also started looking upon the Cow as Goddess Lakshmi. The cow not only gives milk and milk products like butter, curd, cheese, but even cow dung is very useful as manure and as a disinfectant. It is also considered very auspicious by the people of the village.

5] During the Diwali festival, villagers make a little ball of the cow dung and place a big marigold flower over it and decorate their homes with these cow dung balls. They also make garlands out of these flowers and decorate their cows whom they consider divine. They decorate the horns of the cow by painting them white or red and decorate their bodies with bells, flowers and other fineries. They make a special food with rice and lentils and, after offering it to God, feed the cows with it.

6] On Diwali day, they have a special pooja called ‘Govardhan pooja’ when the young boys observe fast for Goddess Lakshmi and then offer pooja to their cows. When these boys return home after the pooja is over, the women of the house welcome them home with the traditional ‘arthi’ and then offer them the remaining special rice to break their fast. Later, they all pray to God and then distribute sweets to one and all. This is how the villagers celebrate Diwali by giving all importance to ‘Gomatha’ whom they consider as Goddess Lakshmi.
Respect Holy Cow - Do not Kill, Lets Veg please.

Source :  Wiki - Encyclopedia.
Artistic tradition :  Gond
 Region : Central India

Monday, July 16, 2012

How this project Started....? ( Behind Story )

Viewer Description Advised

Mercy For Animals presents Farm to Fridge. Narrated by Oscar-nominee James Cromwell, this powerful film takes viewers on an eye-opening exploration behind the closed doors of the nation's largest industrial farms, hatcheries, and slaughter plants -- revealing the often-unseen journey that animals make from Farm to Fridge.



By Watching this bad video only - This Project started to caring animals with a great responsibility of love.