WILD WEST BODIE GHOST TOWN

Bodie was named after Waterman S. Body, who discovered gold here in 1859. It is an original mining town from the late 1800's. Bodie had the reputation of being one of the most furious, vehement, violent and lawless towns. It once had a population of 10,000 people and some $75million in gold was taken from Bodie Butte.
 

Amazing Red Crab Migration

Most famous crab of the island is Christmas Island red crab Gecarcoidea natalis – dominating animal species in forest, endemic species met only on this island. In total on island live 50 – 100 million of these crabs what represents unprecedented density of land crabs in the world. As early settlers have not reported about unusual numbers of these crabs, it is possible that their number increased after extinction of it’s natural enemy – Maclear’s rat (Rattus macleari). In 19th century these rats were everywhere on the island but went extinct in early 20th century after invasion of black rat and epidemics.

One of the impressive sights not only for Christmas Island but for whole world is yearly migration of red crabs. It seems that migration takes place in the time when there is least difference between low and high tides – then it is safer to lay eggs. Migration starts on plateau, lasts up to 18 days. Crabs gather in broad columns and repeat the same route each year. They prefer to go in early morning or late afternoon – to avoid direct sunlight. The biggest danger to them is direct sunlight and heat but the rains and moist overcast conditions make their journey long and difficult too.

Firefly Squids in Toyama Bay, Japan

The Firefly Squid is a bioluminescent squid growing to a length of only three inches. The squid is equipped with special light-producing organs called photophores that emit a deep blue light. Large photophores can be found on the tips of the tentacles as well as around the eyes. Thousands of tiny photophores can be found throughout the squid's body, giving it the ability to emit light along its entire form. In the Toyama Bay, in the central Japan Sea, the squid are found in fantastic abundance. Normally living at 1200 feet underwater, waves in the Toyama bay pushes the squid to the surface in massive numbers where they are fished by tons from March to June.

The spawning season of the firefly squid also runs during the same period. Millions of squid come together to fertilize and to drop their eggs in the Toyama Bay. The big reunion of these squids is one big light show that you can admire and it attracts thousands of tourists. This event is very important for other sea creatures and sea birds who enjoy eating the dead bodies of the firefly squid. Firefly squids is also considered a delicacy in Japan.

 

Spectacular Lava Landscape at Hawaii Volcanoes National Park

Remember that game “Hot Lava” that you used to play as a child? It would be real fun and challenging to play the game at Hawaii Volcanoes National Park, because here you don’t have to pretend the floor is lava. The ground actually is lava.

At the Hawaii Volcanoes National Park on the "Big Island" of Hawaii, you can watch the landscape change before your very eyes, thanks to Kilauea volcano, one of the most active volcanoes on earth. The park is also home to Mauna Loa, the world's most massive volcano. The park offers dramatic volcanic landscapes, flowing rivers of hot, molten lava as well as glimpses of rare flora and fauna. The chance to witness the primal process of creation and destruction make this park one of the most popular visitor attraction in Hawaii and a sacred place for Native Hawaiians.

Founded in 1916, the Park encompasses 333,000 acres from the summit of Maunaloa to the sea. Over half of the park is designated the Hawaii Volcanoes Wilderness area and provides unusual hiking and camping opportunities. Here you'll find 150 miles of hiking trails through volcanic craters, scalded deserts and rainforests as well as a museum, petroglyphs, a walk-in lava tube and two active volcanoes: Maunaloa, which last erupted in 1984 and Kilauea which has been erupting since January 3rd, 1983.

Top 10 Animal Workaholics

This may surprise you, but ants have more of a purpose than putting a damper on your picnic. These industrious animals have workloads that may put your own to shame. In fact, many creatures work long days and nights just to survive in the wild, and if you think your 9-to-5 job is rough, a lot of these animals perform tasks that are very similar to jobs people do — though they may have completely different reasons for doing them and unique tools for getting the jobs done. Why do some birds, for example, work as interior decorators? And how do beavers construct giant lodges by chewing on tree bark? Find out what a regular workday is like in the animal kingdom for 10 of the most dedicated workers around.

10. Factory Workers: Ants

If you’ve ever had an ant farm, then you know an ant colony runs like a factory with well-defined roles and responsibilities. The queen ant’s only role is to reproduce, making her the sole producer of all ants born in a colony. A male ant’s only job is to mate with the queen, and unlike the queen, who lives for 15 to 20 years, males die shortly after mating. All of the other ants in the colony have specific jobs to keep it running smoothly. Worker ants are responsible for feeding and caring for the larvae produced by the queen, as well as keeping the colony clean, digging new tunnels and a variety of other tasks. Foraging ants are responsible for finding food and bringing their finds back to the colony. In addition to these roles, some ants act as security guards, scouting locations for the foragers and guarding the colony. While ants might appear to be nature’s nuisance, these tiny bugs eat dead insects and their underground tunnels help aerate soil, making them a vital part of any ecosystem.

Honey Hunters of Nepal

Honey hunting is one of the many activities that form part of the ancient culture of numerous civilizations. Scientists have estimated through rock painting documentation that honey hunting was practiced as far back as 13 000 BC. In Nepal, honey hunting has been practiced for thousands of years and is a vital part of the Nepali culture.

Some villagers in Nepal depend on honey hunting for their livelihood, and the country is home to the Apis laboriosa, which is the biggest honeybee on the planet. These bees construct their hives on the cliffs of the country’s foothills, and watching the honey hunters at work is a sight to be seen. Due to the location of the bee hives, honey hunters make use of rope ladders and baskets to get to the combs after the bees have been flushed out with smoke by lighting a fire underneath the hives.

Honey harvesting usually takes place twice a year, when honey hunters get together and head into the Himalayas to take on this massive task. To harvest one colony takes the honey hunters two to three hours depending on the location of the hive and its size.

Top 10 Evil Actions By Usually Nice Countries

Some countries like Germany, Zimbabwe, Iraq, Iran just have a bad reputation.  There are, of course, others I won’t get into (I’m looking at you North Korea).  But other countries like Holland, Canada and most of Scandinavia are looked at as the good side of our small, orbiting pile of rock.  Yet these nations aren’t all squeaky-clean and polite.  No, some have some deep, dark, totally evil things they’ve done or are doing right now.

10.  Bhutan

Bhutan is an isolated Buddhist country between China and India that forgoes measuring its progress by GDP in favor of GNH or “Gross National Happiness”.  Until 1999 they didn’t even allow Internet or TV, due to their supposed corrupting influences.  It’s all hippie love and Buddha statues…until you look at their policies towards minority ethnic groups.

In the 1990s the Bhutanese leaders decided that the GNH didn’t apply to one of its large minority groups, the Lhotshampas.  The Lhotshampas are ethnically Nepalese people who have been in Bhutan for generations, and were promptly ethnically cleansed from Bhutan territory.  At the point of a gun, over a hundred thousand people were forced from their homes that they had lived in for hundreds of years into refugee camps and poverty in Nepal and India.

Source

10 More Lesser-Known Friday the 13th Events

Happy Friday the 13th for tomorrow, the second one of 2012. The year 2012 is one of the rare years in which there are three Friday the 13ths – January, April, and July. That combination of a year where Friday the 13th happens three times in January, April, and July only happens on leap years. In January we celebrated this event with a list of ten lesser-known Friday the 13th events and here is another list in time for our second unlucky Friday of the year. As with the January list, this list will focus on ten of the lesser-known events that occurred on Friday the 13th.

10

Black Sabbath Releases First Album

1970

On Friday February 13, 1970, Black Sabbath released their first album in the United Kingdom. Given only two days of studio time to record it, the band played all of the songs live, saving the second day to mix what they had recorded. The album “Black Sabbath” went on to reach #8 on the UK album charts and when released in the USA, it reached #23 on the Billboard charts. The album remained in the Billboard charts for over a year and was a commercial (though not a critical) success. The album went on to earn platinum selling status in both the US and the UK. The band wasted no time capitalizing on the success of their first album and were back in the studio in June 1970 to record their second album “Paranoid” which had the hit single of the same name.

SALESMANSHIP

A farmer went to town to buy a pickup truck that he saw advertised in the
paper for a certain price. After telling the salesman which truck he wanted,
they sat down to do the paperwork. The salesman handed the farmer the bill,
and the farmer declared, "This isn't the price I saw!" The salesman went on
to tell the wise old farmer how he was getting extras such as power brakes,
power windows, special tires etc. And that was what took the price up. The
farmer needed the truck badly, paid the price and went home.

A few months later, the salesman called up the farmer and said, "My son is
in 4-H and he needs a cow for a project. Do you have any for sale?" The
farmer said, "Yes, I have a few cows, and I would sell for $500.00 apiece.
Come look at them and take your pick." The salesman said he and his son
would be right out. After spending a few hours in the field checking out all
the farmer's cows, the two decided on one and the salesman proceeded to
write out a check for $500.00.

The farmer said--------"Now, wait a minute, that's not the final price of
the cow. You're getting extras with it and you have to pay for that too."
"What extras?" asked the salesman.

Below is the list the farmer gave the salesman for the final price of the cow.

 

BASIC COW..................................$500.00
Two tone exterior..........................$45.00
Extra stomach...............................$75.00
Product storing equipment.............$60.00
Straw compartment.......................$120.00
4 Spigots @$10 ea........................$40.00
Leather upholstery........................$125.00
Dual horns....................................$45.00
Automatic fly swatter.....................$38.00
Fertilizer attachment......................$185.00
GRAND TOTAL...............................$1,233.00

5 Most Stunning Roman Catholic Basilicas

5. Basilica of Our Lady of Dolours

Thrissur, India

The stunningly white Basilica of Our Lady of Delours is located in southern India and is the biggest in tallest church in Asia. The church began construction in 1929 and was consecrated in 1940, yet the tallest of the towers was not completed until 2007 and was dubbed the Bible Tower. The basilica was built in an Indo-Gothic style with three large towers, the tallest of which is 260 feet high. The red cross atop the Bible Tower is lit at night and can be seen from miles away. The church is dedicated to Our Lady of the Dolours in reference to the Blessed Virgin Mary and the seven sorrows of her life.

5 Fascinating Angels and Demons

5. Babalon

Referred to as The Guardian of the Abyss, The Scarlet Woman, Mother of Abominations, her place in St. John’s Book of Apocalypse (Revelation) and Enochian magic inspired occultists to elevate her to the position of the liberated woman within the Mystical system of Thelema. This culminated in a series of magical rituals known as the Babalon Working. These took place between January 4 and March 4, 1946 by Jack Parsons (the co-founder of the Jet Propulsion Laboratory JPL) and his partner and scribe Frater H. The point of these rituals was to invoke and manifest Babalon, then to conceive a child who would bring forward the aeon of Horus and the death of all religion. The success of the rituals has been debated ever since, in esoteric and occult legend. Jack Parsons died in 1952 aged 38 in an explosion at his home, and rumors have persisted of a magical working gone wrong. A crater on the far side of the moon is named after him. After the Babalon working, the scribe, Frater H, eloped with Parson’s wife and his money (a skill he became very good at). The identity of Frater H? None other than L Ron Hubbard the founder of scientology!