Thursday, January 8, 2009

Forest



A forest is an area with a high density of trees. There are many definitions of a forest, based on various criteria.[1] These plant communities cover approximately 9.4% of the Earth's surface (or 30% of total land area) and function as habitats for organisms, hydrologic flow modulators, and soil conservers, constituting one of the most important aspects of the Earth's biosphere. Historically, "forest" meant an uncultivated area legally set aside for hunting by feudal nobility, and these hunting forests were not necessarily wooded much if at all (see Royal Forest). However, as hunting forests did often include considerable areas of woodland, the word forest eventually came to mean wooded land more generally. A woodland is ecologically distinct from a forest.
The latitudes 10 degrees north and south of the Equator are mostly covered in tropical rainforest and the latitudes between 53N and 67N with boreal forest.

Wednesday, January 7, 2009

Trekking in Everest Region


For many their journey to Nepal would not be complete without a glimpse of the highest mountain on Earth. For some it will be enough to view Everest from the Kathmandu valley rim on a clear day, it is also possible to sit in the comfort of a plane seat for the experience. Others however settle only for a more intimate meeting with the last earthly rung on the stairway to the heavens. Everest area is the most popular trekking region in Nepal.The Everest Region is within Sagamartha National Park established in 1976 it lies some 120 kms North East of Kathmandu and covers an area of 1,148 sq. kms of the Himalayan ecological zone U.N.E.S.C.O. listed the Park as a World Heritage Site in 1979. The park includes the upper catchments areas of the Dudh Kosi and Bhote Kosi Rivers. The park is largely composed of rugged terrain and deep gorges within an elevation of 2845m at Monju to the top of the world, Sagarmatha (Mt. Everest) at 8,848m above sea level. Other peaks above 6,000m are Lhotse, Cho-Oyu, Thamserku, Nuptse, Amadablam, and Pumori.
The vegetation at lower levels is dominated by silver fir, birch, rhododendron and juniper trees, at around 4500m the forest gives way to Juniper and rhododendron scrub. The park contains a variety of mammals, Himalayan thar, musk deer, the Himalayan red panda and the Himalayan black bear are all native to the

Thursday, January 1, 2009

Israel Air Force

Israel broadened the scope of its air offensive against the Hamas infrastructure in Gaza on Thursday, destroying important symbols of the government and, for the first time in its six-day-old campaign, killing a senior leader of the militant Islamic group.
With Israeli troops and tanks massing along the border with Gaza in preparation for a possible ground invasion, Israel also pursued diplomatic avenues to explain its positions.
The Israeli foreign minister, Tzipi Livni, flew to Paris to meet with French leaders who are seeking ways to promote a cease-fire. Before she left, Livni suggested that Israel was seeking more time for its military operation, which officials say is intended to bring an end to the rocket fire from Gaza that has plagued southern Israel for years.
The Israeli Air Force on Thursday afternoon bombed the house of Nizar Rayyan, a senior Hamas leader, killing him along with his four wives and nine of his children, four of them under the age of 18, Palestinian hospital officials said. An Israeli military spokeswoman, Major Avital Leibovich, described Rayyan as one of the "most extreme" figures of Hamas, which controls Gaza. The military said he had helped plan a deadly suicide bombing in Israel in 2004, had sent his own son on a suicide mission against Jewish settlers in Gaza in 2001 and was advocating renewed suicide missions against Israel in retaliation for the current offensive.
Rayyan was known in Gaza as a highly influential figure with strong links to the military wing of Hamas, particularly in northern Gaza, where he lived, and as a popular Hamas preacher who openly extolled and championed the idea of martyrdom.
posting by
Uddhab nepali
kathmandu nepal

Car insurence UK facts

Third party car insurence UK is the lowest level of cover that you can get and is the minimum required by law.
You are bound by the terms and conditions of your car insurence UK policy to keep your vehicle in a roadworthy condition.
If you do not then you may not be liable to make a claim.
If you use your car as transport to and from work then you need to make sure that you get car insurence UK cover that will protect you for commuting.
For a small additional fee you can protect you no claims discount. This means that you will be allowed a small number of claims without your NCB being affected.
You must be truthful on your car insurence UK application otherwise you could risk invalidating your policy, meaning that any claims that you make will not be met.
If you are involved in any accident or incident, you must report it to your insurer regardless of whether or not you intend to make a claim.
If you are going to be driving abroad then you might want to think about arranging extended car insurence UK for the length of your stay. All UK policies will protect you for the minimum required level of cover in EU countries, but this might not be comprehensive enough for your needs.

Saturday, December 27, 2008

Fast facts peacock


Type: Bird
Diet: Omnivore
Average lifespan in the wild: 20 years
Size: Body, 35 to 50 in (90 to 130 cm); Tail, 5 ft (1.5 m)
Weight: 8.75 to 13 lbs (4 to 6 kg)
Group name: Party
Did you know? A male peafowl is one of the largest flying birds when the combined length of its train and its large wingspan are considered.
Size relative to a 6-ft (2-m) man:

Toucan

The Toco toucan is at home in South America's tropical forests but recognized everywhere. The toucan's oversized, colorful bill has made it one of the world's most popular birds.The 7.5-inch-long (19-centimeter-long) bill may be seen as a desirable mating trait, but if so, it is one that both male and female toucans possess. In fact, both sexes use their bills to catch tasty morsels and pitch them to one another during a mating ritual fruit toss.As a weapon, the bill is a bit more show than substance. It is a honeycomb of bone that actually contains a lot of air. While its size may deter predators, it is of little use in combating them.But the toucan's bill is useful as a feeding tool. The birds use them to reach fruit on branches that are too small to support their weight, and also to skin their pickings. In addition to fruit, Toco toucans eat insects and, sometimes, young birds, eggs, or lizards.Toco toucans live in small flocks of about six birds. Their bright colors actually provide good camouflage in the dappled light of the rain forest canopy. However, the birds commonly keep up a racket of vocalization, which suggests that they are not trying to remain hidden.Toucans nest in tree holes. They usually have two to four eggs each year, which both parents care for. Young toucans do not have a large bill at birth—it grows as they develop and does not become full size for several months.These iconic birds are very popular pets, and many are captured to supply demand for this trade. They are also familiar commercial mascots known for hawking stout, cereal, and other products. Indigenous peoples regard the bird with a more sacred eye; they are traditionally seen as conduits between the worlds of the living and the spirits.

The toco toucon is at home in south america


ain The Toco toucan is at home in South America's tropical forests but recognized everywhere. The toucan's oversized, colorful bill has made it one of the world's most popular birds.The 7.5-inch-long (19-centimeter-long) bill may be seen as a desirable mating trait, but if so, it is one that both male and female toucans possess. In fact, both sexes use their bills to catch tasty morsels and pitch them to one another during a mating ritual fruit toss.As a weapon, the bill is a bit more show than substance. It is a honeycomb of bone that actually contains a lot of air. While its size may deter predators, it is of little use in combating them.But the toucan's bill is useful as a feeding tool. The birds use them to reach fruit on branches that are too small to support their weight, and also to skin their pickings. In addition to fruit, Toco toucans eat insects and, sometimes, young birds, eggs, or lizards.Toco toucans live in small flocks of about six birds. Their bright colors actually provide good camouflage in the dappled light of the rforest canopy. However, the birds commonly keep up a racket of vocalization, which suggests that they are not trying to remain hidden.Toucans nest in tree holes. They usually have two to four eggs each year, which both parents care for. Young toucans do not have a large bill at birth—it grows as they develop and does not become full size for several months.These iconic birds are very popular pets, and many are captured to supply demand for this trade. They are also familiar commercial mascots known for hawking stout, cereal, and other products. Indigenous peoples regard the bird with a more sacred eye; they are traditionally seen as conduits between the worlds of the living and the spirits.