The Columbus Zoo and Aquarium (Part 1)

In 2009 it was named by the USA Travel Guide as the number one zoo in America. The Columbus Zoo is home to over 5,000 animals representing over 700 species and sees over 1.8 million visitors annually. Exhibits at the zoo are divided into regions of the world. The zoo also owns an 18-hole golf course, known as Safari Golf Club, a water park called Zoombezi Bay and a dry park called Jungle Jack’s Landing. The zoo operates its own conservation program, donating money to outside programs as well as participating in their own conservation efforts. It has a close working relationship with the Wilds, a 10,000 acre animal conservation center located in southeast Ohio.

The original Columbus Zoo was located in the north Riverview neighborhood of Beechwold in Clintonville. It opened in May of 1905 but for unknown reasons already closed five months later in October of 1905. The former monkey house can still be seen on the property at 150 Beechwold Road where it is used as a barn. The present Columbus Zoo opened in 1927 as the Columbus Zoological Gardens. Since 1970 the zoo has been a non-profit organization owned by the Zoological Park Association, Inc.

On December 22, 1956 Colo, a Western lowland gorilla became the world’s first captive-born gorilla at the Columbus Zoo. She is the oldest gorilla in captivity and in 2006 celebrated her 50th birthday. Colo’s family is very extended with 1 child, 10 grandchildren, 4 great grandchildren and 2 great great grandchildren still living in zoos throughout the country. At present the Columbus Zoo houses 15 gorillas, 6 of which are related to Colo. The zoo has become a leader in breeding gorillas with 30 gorillas born at the zoo since 1956.

In 1978 Jack Hanna became the director of the Columbus Zoo and remained as director until 1993. Hanna turned the zoo into a model facility and had cage enclosures removed and replace with more natural looking habitats. His enthusiasm, along with his national television recognition, helped attract more visitors to the zoo, with over 1.4 million visitors annually by 1992. Hanna was named director emeritus of the zoo in 1993 and continues to be the public face for the zoo in its marketing campaigns.

In the spring of 2000 the zoo added its restored 1914 Mangles-Illions carousel. The carousel has 52 hand carved horses, 2 chariots and Wurlitzer 153 band organ. This rare "grand carousel" in the Coney Island style is one of a few manufactured by the William E. Mangals Company as a Mangels-Illions carousel. It was ridden 42,000 times in its first month of operation at the zoo and celebrated its one millionth rider on July 28, 2004.

The largest and oldest region of the Columbus Zoo is the North America region. At present it is located on the far east side of the zoo. North America contains 13 large exhibits featuring wetlands and a 10,000 sq. ft. migratory songbird aviary containing over 40 species. The region has a train ride which circles it and travels past the open plains exhibits.

The featured animals are:
Black-Tailed Prairie Dog (Cynomys ludovicianus), a rodent found in the Great Plains of North America from about the USA-Canada border to the USA-Mexico border.
Timber Wolf (Canis lupus), though once abundant over much of Eurasia and North America, the gray wolf inhabits a reduced portion of its former range due to widespread destruction of its territory, and human encroachment.
Mexican Wolf (Canis lupus baileyi) the smallest gray wolf about the size of a German Shepherd.
American Black Bear (Ursus americanus) the smallest and most common species of bear.
Grizzly Bear (Ursus arctos horribilis) generally lives in the uplands of western North America.
Wolverine (Gulo gulo) it is also referred to as glutton, carcajou, skunk bear, quickhatch or gulon.
North American River Otter (Lontra canadensis) is a semi-aquatic mammal endemic to the North American continent, found in and along its waterways and coasts.
Bobcat (Lynx rufus) it ranges from southern Canada to northern Mexico, including most of the continental US.
Cougar (Puma concolor) alos known as puma, mountain lion, mountain cat, catamount or panther it is a mammal of the family Felidae, native to the Americas.
Moose (Alces alces) is the largest extant species in the deer family.
Pronghorn (Antilocapra americana) is a species of artiodactyl mammal endemic to interior western and central North America.
American Bison (Bison bison) also commonly known as the American buffalo.
Trumpeter Swan (Cygnus buccinator) is the largest native North American bird and is (on average) the largest living waterfowl species on earth.
Bald Eagle (Haliaeetus leucocephalus) is a bird of prey. It is the national bird and symbol of the USA.

An extension of the North America region the Polar Frontier opened in May of 2010 and features animals native to colder climates. The polar bears habitat includes a 167,000 gallon pool and an underwater viewing area. The center of the exhibit includes a Conservation/Education Building and a new play area.

The featured animals are:
Arctic Fox (Alopex lagopus) also known as the White Fox, Polar Fox or Snow Fox. It is a small fox native to the Arctic regions of the Northern Hemisphere.
Brown Bear (Ursus arctos) is a large bear distributed across much of northern Eurasia and North America.
Polar Bear (Ursus maritimus) is a bear native largely within the Arctic Circle encompassing the Arctic Ocean, its surrounding seas and surrounding land masses.

The pachyderm region is home to Asian Elephants and Black Rhinoceroses. It is located just west of the North American region. It features both a large outdoor habitat and an indoor facility. The indoor facility is the largest indoor exhibit of its kind in North America and the second in the world, with the capacity to house 10-12 elephants and 3-4 rhinos.

The featured animals are:
Asian Elephant (Elephas maximus) it is the largest living land animal in Asia. Found primarily in Bangladesh, India, Sri Lanka, Indochina and parts of Nepal and Indonesia, Vietnam, Thailand, Cambodia, Laos, Burma, China, Bhutan and Sumatra.
Black Rhino (Diceros bicornis) native to the eastern and central areas of Africa including Kenya, Tanzania, Cameroon, South Africa, Namibia, Zimbabwe and Angola.

Obama tells Rev. Terry Jones to call off 'International Burn-a-Koran Day'

GAINESVILLE, Fla. – The government turned up the pressure Tuesday on the head of a small Florida church who plans to burn copies of the Quran on Sept. 11, warning him that doing so could endanger U.S. troops and Americans everywhere.
But the Rev. Terry Jones insisted he would go ahead with his plans, despite criticism from the top U.S. general in Afghanistan, the White House and the State Department, as well as a host of religious leaders.
Jones, who is known for posting signs proclaiming that Islam is the devil's religion, says the Constitution gives him the right to publicly set fire to the book that Muslims consider the word of God.
Gen. David Petraeus warned Tuesday in an e-mail to The Associated Press that "images of the burning of a Quran would undoubtedly be used by extremists in Afghanistan — and around the world — to inflame public opinion and incite violence." It was a rare example of a military commander taking a position on a domestic political matter.
Jones responded that he is also concerned but is "wondering, 'When do we stop?'" He refused to cancel the protest set for Saturday at his Dove World Outreach Center, a church that espouses an anti-Islam philosophy.
"How much do we back down? How many times do we back down?" Jones told the AP. "Instead of us backing down, maybe it's to time to stand up. Maybe it's time to send a message to radical Islam that we will not tolerate their behavior."

Still, Jones said he will pray about his decision.
State Department spokesman P.J. Crowley said the administration hoped Americans would stand up and condemn the church's plan.
"We think that these are provocative acts," Crowley said. "We would like to see more Americans stand up and say that this is inconsistent with our American values; in fact, these actions themselves are un-American."
Meeting Tuesday with religious leaders to discuss recent attacks on Muslims and mosques around the U.S., Attorney General Eric Holder called the planned burning both idiotic and dangerous, according to a Justice Department official. The official requested anonymity because the meeting was private.
Crowley said Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton may address the controversy at a dinner Tuesday evening in observance of Iftar, the breaking of the daily fast during the Muslim holy month of Ramadan.
At the White House, spokesman Robert Gibbs echoed the concerns raised by Petraeus. "Any type of activity like that that puts our troops in harm's way would be a concern to this administration," Gibbs told reporters.
Jones said he has received more than 100 death threats and has started wearing a .40-caliber pistol strapped to his hip.
The 58-year-old minister said the death threats started not long after he proclaimed in July that he would stage "International Burn-a-Quran Day." Supporters have been mailing copies of the Islamic holy text to his church to be incinerated in a bonfire.
Jones, who has about 50 followers, gained some local notoriety last year when he posted signs in front of his small church declaring "Islam is of the Devil." But his Quran-burning scheme attracted wider attention. It drew rebukes from Muslim nations and an avalanche of media interview requests just as an emotional debate was taking shape over the proposed Islamic center near the ground zero site of the 2001 terrorist attacks in New York.
The Quran, according to Jones, is "evil" because it espouses something other than biblical truth and incites radical, violent behavior among Muslims.
"It's hard for people to believe, but we actually feel this is a message that we have been called to bring forth," he said last week. "And because of that, we do not feel like we can back down."
Muslims consider the Quran to be the word of God and insist it be treated with the utmost respect, along with any printed material containing its verses or the name of Allah or the Prophet Muhammad. Any intentional damage or show of disrespect to the Quran is deeply offensive.
Jones' Dove Outreach Center is independent of any denomination. The church follows the Pentecostal tradition, which teaches that the Holy Spirit can manifest itself in the modern day. Pentecostals often view themselves as engaged in spiritual warfare against satanic forces.
At first glance, the church looks like a warehouse rather than a place of worship. A stone facade and a large lighted cross adorn the front of the beige steel building, which stands on 20 acres in Gainesville's leafy northern suburbs. Jones and his wife, Sylvia, live on the property and also use part of it to store furniture that they sell on eBay.
A broad coalition of religious leaders from evangelical, Roman Catholic, Jewish and Muslim organizations met in Washington on Tuesday and condemned the plan to burn the Quran as a violation of American values.
"This is not the America that we all have grown to love and care about," said Rabbi Steve Gutow of the Jewish Council for Public Affairs. "We have to stand up for our Muslim brothers and sisters and say, "This is not OK.'"
FBI agents have visited with Jones to discuss concern for his safety. Multiple Facebook pages with thousands of members have popped up hailing him as a hero or blasting him as a dangerous pariah.
The world's leading Sunni Muslim institution of learning, Al-Azhar University in Egypt, accused the church of stirring up hate and discrimination, and called on other American churches speak out against it.
Last month, Indonesian Muslims demonstrated outside the U.S. Embassy in Jakarta, threatening violence if Jones goes through with it.
In this progressive Florida city of 125,000 anchored by the sprawling University of Florida campus, the lanky preacher with the bushy white mustache is mostly seen as a fringe character who doesn't deserve special attention.
At least two dozen Christian churches, Jewish temples and Muslim organizations in Gainesville have mobilized to plan inclusive events — some will read from the Quran at their own weekend services — to counter what Jones is doing. A student group is organizing a protest across the street from the church on Sept. 11.
Gainesville's new mayor, Craig Lowe, who during his campaign became the target of a Jones-led protest because he is openly gay, has declared Sept. 11 Interfaith Solidarity Day in the city.
Jones dismisses the response of the other churches as "cowardly." He said even if they think burning Qurans is extreme, Christian ministers should be standing with him in denouncing the principles of Islam.
All the attention has caused other problems for Jones, too. He believes it's the reason his mortgage lender has demanded full payment of the $140,000 still owed on the church property. He's seeking donations to cover it, but recently listed the property for sale with plans to eventually move the church away from Gainesville.
The fire department has denied Jones a required burn permit for Sept. 11, but he said lawyers have told him his right to burn Qurans is protected by the First Amendment, with or without the city's permission.
The same would hold true, he said, if Muslims wanted to burn Bibles in the front yard of a mosque.
"Of course, I would not like it," Jones said. But "I definitely would not threaten to kill them, as we have been threatened."

SHOCKING WAVES OF THE NIGERIA MUSIC INDUSTRY...

the P Square Duo finally complete their N100m mansion!!!

P-Square Complete N100 Million Mansion!

 The P-Square Mansion is finally ready...

Fresh off  an extended tour of the United States, the Okoye brothers recently took delivery of some brand new wheels courtesy of Coscharis Motors. As the family moved into their newly completed Omole mansion, all four brand new auto mobiles moved in with them, relegating their previous fleet (which included Hummer jeeps ) to the background. So the equation is finally complete; brand new home, brand new cars, it’s a brand new P. Square! According to their spokesperson, the Kora Award winners have just taken delivery of two Range Rover Sports, one X6 BMW and a Jaguar, all 2010 models which set them back a cool N50 million. This calculation is apparently without their eye-popping N100 million home located at Lola Holloway Street, Omole Estate Phase 1 where they’ve finally moved to after months of living in a hotel. The Okoye’s accommodation problem unravelled in the most public when the twins  were evicted from their rented duplex in the same estate; the owner of the duplex alleged that the Okoyes messed his house up. Thankfully, all that’s in the past now, Paul and Peter Okoye were reportedly attacked with love and accolades in the United States by their Nigerian and American fans, while on their 45-day musical tour which ended July 24.

‘I don’t actually know how to explain how successful the tour was because aside the fact that all the shows were sold-out, the passion shown by the fans, particularly the white ones, was incredible. I never knew the Americans love us that much. Surprisingly, they know the lyrics of our songs and were singing along’, Peter enthused.

Work In Progress: While the Mansion was under construction

Psquare Moves Out Of Controversial Omole Home

To Let

Peter and Paul Okoye have finally vacated their controversial eight-room Omole Duplex for an unknown hotel in Lagos following a protracted disagreement with their former land lord, Charles Nwangwa. Sources at their former home in Omole-Lagos say the house, which is now going through heavy renovation, has been contracted to Mark Imperial Development Company Ltd for rent. Psquare moved into the Omole property in 2007, telling reporters they owned the house, but were yet to finish paying up. But their landlord showed up two years later, debunking reports he sold the house to them, and alleging, amongst many other things, that they abused his property and harrassed him. All through 2009, the landlord was a thorn in the brothers’ flesh; calling press conferences and showing up- embarassingly- at their home. He eventually issued them a quit notice. It wasn’t long before Psquare acquired a property within the same neighbourhood, with plans to erect their own house without delay. The Okoye brothers are expected to move into their new home in a matter of weeks. We took time out to see work in progress on their new property, a 12 room duplex (on 177B Lola Hollow Street, Block VI, Omole Residential Scheme 1, Lagos). A worker at the site told NET that painting has started inside the building. The whole project was contracted to Volia Nigeria Ltd,  (an engineering and construction company) shortly after they acquired the land early last year. Sources in the know told NET the property (with approved plan number DIM/3247/98) was allegedly gotten through the state ministry of Lands and survey shortly after the faceoff between the popstars and Nwangwa. QUICK FACTS ON PSQUARE’S NEW HOME

• The house sits on two plots of land.
• Located at: 177B Lola Hollow Street, Block VI Omole Residential Scheme 1, Lagos.
• Main contractor is Volia Nigeria Ltd Engineering construction.
• Architect: Jayson Konsult
• Approved plan number DIM/3247/98
• 12 room  duplex
• The house is divided into two with six rooms each. And two separate underground studio for each duplex.
• The house is expected to be completed and commissioned later this year.
• The house was allegedly sold to them through Lagos state ministry of Lands and survey.

Their former house undergoing renovation

Work's in progress at Psquare's new home

The duo and the enitre P Square crew have been terribly blessed by God simply because they've come to acknowledged the the without him, they are nothing.

Enjoy.

MOUNT EVEREST....GOEGRAPHIC LOCATION

How tall is Mt. Everest?
The official altitude of the world's highest peak is 29,029 feet (8,848m). However, the National Geographic Society has determined the height to be 6 feet taller, 29,035 feet, but the Nepali government has not yet been made this new altitude official.
Shifting tectonic plates continue to push Everest upward, along with the whole Himalaya mountain range, at 1.6 to 3.9 inches (4 to 10 centimeters) per year.
Where is Mt. Everest?
Everest is part of the Himalaya mountain range along the border of Nepal and Tibet. It is located 27° 59' North latitude, 86° 55' East longitude.
Why is it called Everest?
In 1841, Sir George Everest, Surveyor General of India from 1830 to 1843, first recorded the location of Everest. It was subsequently named "Peak XV". In 1865, it was renamed Mt. Everest to honor Sir George.
Everest is also called Chomolungma in Tibet and Sagarmatha in Nepal.
Is it windy at the top of Everest?
Yes. Blowing with the strength of a hurricane at 118+ miles/hour, the Jet Stream blasts the rocky, icy summit of Everest nearly all year long. The Jet Stream is a constant wind force at 4 - 6 miles above the earth. Observers can tell when the Jet Stream is blowing on the summit of Everest from the long while stream of ice crystals extending out from the tip of the mountain. Those wishing to actually stand on the summit have to choose their moment carefully: the mountain is most inviting in early May, when the Jet Stream is pushed northward over Tibet by the arrival of the monsoon. There is also a window of opportunity in the Fall when the Jet Stream is again pushed northward.
Is the air very thin on Everest?
As the altitude increases, the oxygen content of the air decreases dramatically. At 9,800 feet, for example, there's about 2/3 of the oxygen in the air than at sea level. At 20,000 ft, there is roughly half the oxygen content in the air. At 29,035ft, the summit of Everest, there is only a third of the oxygen in the air.
How does your body get used to the altitude?
Mountaineers climbing Everest establish a camp at the base of the mountain, and four higher camps before reaching the summit. For the next 30 days or so, they will move up, then down again, allowing their bodies to get used to the reduced oxygen content of the air. This process is called acclimatization.
Acclimatizing properly is essential to safely ascend to high altitudes. Climbers acclimatize by ascending slowly, resting one day for every 1,000 feet they climb in one day. They drink plenty of liquids and eat healthy food. They also practice a rule of thumb: climb high, sleep low. Climbing high, then descending to lower altitudes allows the body to build up and gain strength with fresh oxygen, digest food better, get sounder sleep and any wounds can heal and they'll feel much stronger by descending. It was also allow them to build up their bodies, worn from the low O2 content, with fresh oxygen.
Some climbers don't like to go down, but the significant benefits on the body from staying at lower altitudes make it worth it. It's important that the climbers don't stay down too long because it's possible to lose some acclimatization in the process.
How high are the camps?
The approximate elevations of each of the camps are:
Base Camp - 17,500ft (5,400m)
Camp 1 - 20,000ft (6,100m)
Camp 2 - 21,300ft (6,500m)
Camp 3 - 24,000ft (7,400m)
Camp 4 - 26,000ft (8,000m)
Summit - 29,035ft (8,850)
What is the temperature high on Everest?
At the summit, the temperature can be 100°F below zero. But on a good summit day, a climber can expect around -15°F
What is the hardest part about climbing Everest?
Each climber has a different opinion about what is the most difficult part of climbing Everest. Most would agree, though, that the altitude is tough to deal with. And most will also have stories about crossing the infamous Khumbu Icefall going from Base Camp to Camp One. Mountaineers climb through this moving sea of ice using ordinary aluminum garden ladders.
When was Everest first climbed?
On May 29, 1953, Tenzing Norgay Sherpa of Nepal & Edmund Percival Hillary of New Zealand climbed to the summit of Everest via the Southeast Ridge Route
What are some other important "firsts"?
The first woman to climb Everest was Junko Tabei of Japan. She climbed via the Southeast Ridge on 16 May, 1975.
Appa Sherpa has made the most successful ascents of Everest. He has reached the top 11 times.
On May 8, 1978, Peter Habeler of Austria and Reinhold Messner of Italy climbed made the first ascent without bottled oxygen via the Southeast Ridge.
Ang Rita Sherpa has reached the summit 10 times, all without oxygen.
Reinhold Messner climbed for 3 days completely alone from his base camp at 6,500m without the use of artificial O2. Messner climbed via the North Col to the North Face and the Great Couloir.
Babu Chiri Sherpa set the speed record from the Nepal side.
Davo Karnicar made the first true ski descent.
At age 16 Temba Tsheri Sherpa become the youngest person to Summit Everest in 2001.
American Sherman Bull, at age 64, is the oldest person to summit Mount Everest, also in 2001.
Anna Czerwinska was born on 7/10/49 and climbed Everest from Nepal side, making her the oldest woman to reach the summit.

On 24 May, 1996, Hans Kammerlander of Italy Hans made the fastest ascent of Everest via the standard North Col-North Ridge-North Face. He left base camp at 6,400m on 23 May at 5pm and was on the summit 16 hours, 45 minutes later at 9:45 am the next day. He descended most of the route on skis.
Andrej & Marija Stremfelj of Slovenia were the first married couple to summit together on 7 October, 1990.
Peter Hillary of New Zealand was the first son of a summiteer to reach the summit on 10 May, 1990.
First Ascent by an American was made by James Whittaker via the Southeast Ridge Route on May 1, 1963. Whittaker summitted with Sherpa Nawang Gombu.
Stacey Allison made the first Ascent by an American Woman via the Southeast Ridge Route on 29 September, 1988.
Mexican climber Ricardo Torres was the first Latin American.

PARIS: The Wonderland...

yep! nice view right?. that's what i said when i saw it too. this is paris. every dream girl's honeymoon site.

i'd really love to take my girl friend there sometimes.

(a word of advice: if you're a guy viewing this, get you girl out there now! if you are a girl viewing this, hold you guy till he's ready to take you out there. when i say hold, i mean persuade him, bat your eye lids for him, use body launguage and so on, you know girl stuffs. (wink, wink till he could wink no more).