My favorite animal is the gorilla...what is yours? fun facts about the gorilla

Gorilla

The largest primate, the Gorilla, can weigh up to 600 pounds. There are two types of gorilla: Eastern and Western, both groups having lowland gorillas. Eastern lowland gorillas are also called Grauer's gorilla. Western lowland gorillas are the largest group of gorillas living. Mountain gorillas belong to the Eastern type and Cross River gorilla to the Western.
Gorilla live in groups, called a “troop,” of an average of 5 to 9 gorilla depending on the species. The head of the group is called a silverback, the adult male. Males weigh in the 300-500 pound range, with females half that size. Babies from 1 to 3 years weigh about 20-30 pounds. They learn to walk at 5 to 6 months. They share mom’s nest until they are 4 to 6 years old.
Gorillas live in Africa in the following countries: Cameroon, the Central African Republic, Equatorial Guinea, Gabon, and the Republic of Congo. They live in forests, swampland and montane regions—montane means the upper slopes of mountains below the timberline.
The arms of a gorilla are longer than its legs. This enables them to walk on the knuckles of their hands—knuckle-walk. The different species of gorilla have different length and color of hair. Plus the shape of their skull and teeth size varies.
Gorillas are shy, non-aggressive animals. They never attack humans unless provoked. They will, however, fight for possession of a female as well as fight to defend their troop.
Fun Gorilla Facts
- The Mountain gorilla is especially susceptible to human diseases.
- Eastern gorilla are predominantly leaf eaters (folivorous), while Western gorilla eat lots of fruit, too.
- Each gorilla builds its own nest or sleeping platform, however, a nest is not used for more than one night.
- Mountain gorillas are the most critically endangered, though all gorilla are endangered by loss of habitat and people hunting for their meat which is called “bushmeat.”
- Gorillas have a unique nose print!
- The Western Lowland gorilla’s big toe is farther apart from his other four toes than other gorilla species.

how much snow?

Just heard on the news that there is snow on 49 states ground today...1/12/2011...only state without it? Florida!.....that 's where my mom and dad are for the winter...

SNOW,SNOW, SNOW

Snowflakes are really ice crystals that are formed in the clouds by water vapor. When the atmosphere's temperature dips to below 32 degrees Fahrenheit, moisture changes to ice.
Snowflake formation is affected by a variety of factors including air currents, humidity and temperature.
Particles of dirt that were trapped in the water vapor affects the weight and durability of the ice crystals.
Because of these extenuating factors, no two snowflakes are exactly alike -- though there is no scientific reason that prevents it. Snowflakes may look the same but will not have the same number of water molecules or the exact amount of oxygen and hydrogen.

Little-Known Facts About Snow & Snowflakes
The largest snowflake recorded in the Guinness Book of World Records fell at Fort Keogh, Montana and was 15 inches wide and 8 inches thick.
Scientists study snowflakes by spreading a chemical compound over a glass plate and waiting until a snowflake lands there. The compound immediately covers the snowflake and hardens. When the snowflake melts, it leaves behind a plastic case that shows its exact structure!
When combined, windblown snow and black dirt make what is called snirt.
A snow storm becomes a blizzard when visibility is under 1/4 mile and the storm continues for more than 3 hours with winds of 35 mph.
Stampede Pass, Washington averages 430 inches of snow per year. No wonder it's known as the snow capital of the United S

160 Greatest Arnold Schwarzenegger Quotes ...rated PG...not for children

Here's another guy who said he would "make his body"...From President Roosevelt to Arnold Schwarzenegger.....both tough guy teddy bears!'
If you like Arnold you will love this video...
"I'll be back!"
Judi

Teddy Roosevelt random info

I received the book "Mornings on Horseback" by David McCullough from my son this past Christmas. It is the story of President Theodore Roosevelt's life from 1869 ( when "Teedie" was ten years old)  to 1886. I learned a lot about him and researched more of his life random facts....here they are....................

• he suffered for many years from severe asthma as a child...after not knowing what to do to improve his health, his dad, Theodore Roosevelt, bought him a home gym...Teedie decided to "make his body"...and he did....he became very strong and it is probably what cured him
• he probably saved the game of football...it had become very dangerous. He called a committee together to make better and safer rules.
• He won a Nobel Peace Prize in 1906 because of his crafting of the negotiations between Russia and Japan in the Russo/Japan War.
• When he was running for president, someone shot him in the chest...he didn't allow for treatment right away because he was determined to give a speech he had prepared for that moment.
• He only slept 4 or 5 hours a night
• When he was young he promised himself he would live life to the hilt..age 60...and he did....President Roosevelt died at the age of 61
• He was an accidental president...he assumed office after President McKinley was assassinated.
• He was the only person to be awarded the highest honor for military service (Medal of Honor) and the highest honor in the pursuit of peace (Nobel Peace Prize).

You all know he was critical to the construction of the Panama Canal and saved millions of acres of land from  development due to his being a  naturalist. He is almost best remembered for his saying ..."Speak softly and carry a big stick"

Twins

I don't know how many of  you know this, but my mom is a twin (while in the womb she absorbed her twin...sorta gross but true). I am a twin with a boy, Jim, he is 6 minutes older than me. I had twins, Kaia and Roy (10 minutes apart They are one month short of 21 years old). My mom's brother had identical girl twins. My sister in law is an identical twin.
A lot of people ask me if my brother and I are identical....REALLY?
I got to wondering what celebrities are twins and looked it up. I was surprised and I think you will be too...........

• Ashton Kucher...brother
• Scarlett Johannsen....brother
• Keifer Sutherland....sister
• Vin Deisel....brother
• Gisele Bundchen....sister
• Duffy....sister
• Jill Hennessey....sister
• JOhn Heder (Napoleon Dynamite) ......brother
• Alanis Morisette......brother
• John Elway....sister (passed away)
• Elvis....brother.( stillborn)

Were  you surprised? I was.

Under the Weather

Yesterday when I got off work I stopped at the drugstore to get some Nighttime Nyquil because I was feeling a bit "under the weather". I didn't feel any better when I got up this morning so I made my self get up, shower and eat a little something. I got to work on time  but  informed my fellow staffers that I was "under the weather" Happily, I did make it until 2:30pm at work( usually off work at 4:30)....but being "under the weather" got the best of me. I needed to go home and rest. As I was driving home I started to wonder about where the expression "under the weather" came from. I think all people (in America) know this to mean not feeling  well, not up to par.

In fact, I looked at the electronic dictionary definintion and it said...........

under the weather

1. Somewhat indisposed; slightly ill.

2. Slang

a. Intoxicated; drunk.

b. Suffering from a hangover.

 

Now, first of all, I was definitely not placed in the #2 category...I was feeling slightly ill.

 

I googled the expression and here is it's origins.................

 

 This comes  from a maritime source. In the old days, when a sailor was unwell, he was sent down below to help his recovery, under the deck and away from the weather.

Read more: What is the origin of the phrase "under the weather"? | Answerbag http://www.answerbag.com/q_view/587945#ixzz1ACD4iAcB

 

There you have it mates........I hope to be back on deck and in the weather tomorrow....if not, I will surface sometime soon!

Ahoy!

Judi

a random act of kindness

Yesterday I stopped at Starbucks in the late afternoon. I felt kinda guilty for spending money on a coffee drink but decided to go in anyway. Well, the guy (Ken was his name) in front of me ordered, turned to me and said "what will you have?". I, of course, had a surprised  look of "are you talking to me?" and he was....so I said I"m gonna order a Carmel Apple Spice Latte" He turned to the gal and said add that to my tab. What a nice random act of kindness! I thanked kind Ken and remembered that I had done the same thing in the drive thru of my Starbucks on Westfield Rd.this past fall. Now I know how it feels to receive a random act of kindness. Hey.....the next time you drive through Starbucks, look behind you ....could you do a random act of kindness by buying the order behind you? You won't know their appreciation, but you will experience great joy!
It is better to give than to receive....but God has a wonderful way of blessing us in return.

bullet point random facts......

• 56,000 carrier pigeons fought in WWII
• Armadillos can get leprosy
• 3 Mile Island is actually 2 1/2 miles long
• favorite day for suicide is Monday....sorry, but it is.
• The main library at Indiana University sinks over an inch every year because when it was built engineers failed to take into account the weight of all the books that would occupy the building.
• Most American car horns honk in the tone of F.

Short and sweet.......but oh so neat! talk at ya tomorrow........................
Judi

Intelligence and Ambition are not always to reason for success

A couple of months ago I attended an Economic Development Institute where one instructor recommended that we read the book "Outliers" by Malcolm Gladwell. It peeked my interest enough (to see if success can be based on something other than our control) that I spent the big bucks at an airport bookstore, in between flights, and started reading how "the blueprint for making the most of human potential" occurs. I wouldn't be surprised if some of you have already read a Malcolm Gladwell book...."The Tipping Point" or "blink"...both, also good reads.
I obviously don't want to tell you all of the interesting nuggets in the book....you will have to borrow it from me or buy it...but here is one fact that I found amazing.........................................
In the mid 80's, a Canadian psychologist named Roger Barnsley attended a hockey game with his wife Paula. She noticed something interesting about the roster and the months that the players were born in. In respect of making this blog short, I will paraphrase the results.......almost all of the players are born in either Jan. Feb. or Mar. Dr. Barnsley checked all of the rosters of hockey players up to the National level just to be sure it was occurring everywhere. It was still true. Because of cut off dates, kids are chosen and groomed based on maturity and size...and the kids born the earliest in the calendar year win.
Gladwell says..."Barnsley argues that these kinds of skewed age distributions exist whenever three things happen: selection, streaming, and differentiated experience. If you make a decision about who is good and who is not good at an early age, if you separate the "talented" from the "untalented"; and if you provide the "talented" with a superior experience, then you're going to end up giving a huge advantage to that small group of people born closest to the cutoff date.....In the United States, football and basketball don't select, stream, and differentiate quite as dramatically.....but the next time you are at a baseball game ( professional) check out how many players are born in August!
There you go....a little bit of random info....bet you will be looking at the roster at sporting events now!
There is so much more to read about in the book that highlights how different circumstances lend themselves to greater human potential.
Thanks and see you tomorrow with a new and interesting tidbit!
http://www.gladwell.com
Judi

Enjoying Random Info here

While considering  what I would enjoy blogging about, I realized that I am more interested in writing about random things that I learn, see, read about and experience than I am in sticking to one topic or subject. I hope you bear with me as I start this adventure.I will be copying what others have written that I find interesting. If possible I will link to the source or simply credit them. If you would like to comment on my random information please feel free to do so. 
For my first entry I will be sharing what my daughter Kaia told me yesterday............
She checks into a website of a make up artist that posts you tube videos about ways to apply makeup. It may be how to apply makeup to become a reptile (yes, and other interesting transformations!) or it can be as simple as how to make your lips look better. OK, so Kaia wanted to share how Petrilude (Josh) showed us how to clean our lips, keep them moist by using extra virgin olive oil and sugar. It is simplest to link his you tube video and let you watch it for yourself.

Kaia and I will be doing this for ourselves..........................