Facts About All: April 2010

22 interestig facts about Amy Adams

Amy Adams was born on August 20, 1974 in Vicenza, Italy. She is a talented actress. Amy Adams used to work as a greeter at a GAP store.
She spent her childhood in Castle Rock, Colorado and attended the Douglas County High School there.
Amy Adams was nominated for an Oscar for "Best Actress in a Supporting Role" for Doubt, at the 2009 Academy Awards.
Amy Adams used to work at a Hooters restaurant. She quit when she turned 18, when her manager forced her to wear the notorious Hooters uniform.
A movie producer discovered her when she was working at Chanhassen Dinner Theater in Minnesota.
Before landing her Oscar-nominated role in Junebug, she was planning on quitting acting.
In 2009, Amy Adams was ranked #7 in AIM's "50 Hottest Redheads."

Opal Doublet Slide

The name opal comes from the Latin «opalus», which in turn is coming from the Greek «opallios», itself coming from the Sanskrit « upala » meaning precious stone.
Opal ranges from clear through white, gray, red, orange, yellow, green, blue, magenta, rose, pink, slate, olive, brown, and black. Of these hues, the reds against black are the most rare, whereas white and greens are the most common.
Archaeologist Louis Leakey found six-thousand year old opal adornments in a cave in Kenya.
Opals can express every color in the visible spectrum.
In late 2008, NASA announced that it had discovered opal deposits on Mars.
The ancient Greeks believed opal could give to the wearer the power of foresight.
Precious opal consists of spheres of silica of fairly regular size, packed into close-packed planes which are stacked together with characteristic dimensions of several hundred nm.

Alexis Ann Thorpe is an American actress known for her role as Cassie Brady on the American television daytime drama Days of our Lives, which she played on contract from July 2002 through November 2003.
Alexis Thorpe was born on April 19, 1980 in Newport Beach, California.
Alexis Thorpe is the oldest of four children.
When Alexis isn't working, Alexis Thorpe enjoys rock climbing, golf, shopping and exploring her new passion, gardening.
In 2003, Alexis made an appearance as Jennifer in American Wedding.
Alexis Thorpe resides in Los Angeles with her 2 dogs (a Boxer named Toby and a Maltese named Samson) and her Himalayan cat named Chloe.

Bret Michaels is an American singer, best known as the lead vocalist of the glam metal band Poison.
Michaels was born Bret Michael Sychak, to Wally and Marjorie Sychak, in Butler, Pennsylvania.
Michaels has two sisters, Michelle and Nicole.
Bret's favorite movie is Rambo. And in his free time he likes to read. His favorite book is The Outsiders.
Bret Michaels was diagnosed with Type 1 diabetes at the age of six (as Michaels later attested in the Behind the Music special, backstage photos of the singer injecting insulin led many to think that he was a heroin addict).
Bret's earliest musical influences were Kiss, AC/DC, Sweet, and Aerosmith.
Michaels has starred in the VH1 reality show Rock of Love with Bret Michaels and its sequels, and as a judge on the talent show Nashville Star. He is a contestant on NBC's reality show Celebrity Apprentice 3.
Bret Michaels is the only musician in history to successfully write, direct, executive produce, camera operate, perform his own stunts, score, star in, and record a soundtrack for A Letter From Death Row.
Bret's favorite show is The Simpsons. Bret's band Poison, has been mentioned several times in the show.
Michaels wrote the song Something to Believe In for roadie and friend Kimo after his untimely passing. As a way to remember him, Bret got a tattoo on his left forearm the reads, Something to Believe In. Also, in the tattoo is a cross with a rose and a vine wrapping around it.
Bret Michaels is 5 ft, 9 in.
Bret Michaels middle name was originally going to be Maverick .
On April 12, 2010, Michaels was rushed to hospital after suffering intense stomach pains resulting in an emergency appendectomy.
On April 22, 2010, Michaels was rushed again to hospital with an "excruciating" headache, where doctors discovered that he had suffered a massive subarachnoid hemorrhage. He was in critical condition, and while some reports suggested that his condition had stabilized, others later stated that this was premature.

12 interesting Onyx facts

Onyx is a cryptocrystalline form of quartz.
The only proper use for the term onyx is to describe the opaque chalcedony composed of straight, parallels bands of black and white.
The colors of its bands range from white to almost every color (save some shades, such as purple or blue).
Onyx with reddish brown and white bands is known as sardonyx.
Pure black onyx is common, and perhaps the most famous variety, but not as common as onyx with banded colors.
Sardonyx was highly valued in Rome, especially for seals, because it was said to never stick to the wax.

The wild water buffalo, wild Asian buffalo or wild Asiatic buffalo (Bubalis bubalis arnee or Bubalis arnee) is a large ungulate, a member of the bovine subfamily and the ancestor of the domestic water buffalo.
Water buffalo is the largest member of the Bovine tribe that includes yak, bison, African buffalo, some species of wild cattle and others.
The IUCN Red List of threatened species classifies the wild water buffalo as an endangered species.
The buffalo has been distributed across Bangladesh, Burma, Cambodia, India (Assam and Orissa), Nepal, North Thailand, Vietnam and Laos.
Around 95% of the world’s total water buffalo population is found in Asia, with India being the home of half of them.
The domestic water buffalo, although derived from the wild water buffalo, is the product of thousands of years of selective breeding carried out either in South Asia or Southeast Asia.

Weasels are mammals forming the genus Mustela of the Mustelidae family.
Although weasels are predators, certain varieties of badgers, foxes and birds of prey are regarded as their sworn enemies.
Weasels vary in length from 12 to 45 centimetres (5 to 18 in), and usually have a red or brown upper coat and a white belly; some populations of some species moult to a wholly white coat in winter.
A great defense mechanism found in weasels is that they can change their coat color, particularly with a change in season. As soon as winter approaches, their brownish summer coat often turns into a fade-white shade.
Their tails may be from 22 to 33 centimetres (9 to 13 in) long. As is typical of small carnivores, weasels have a reputation for cleverness and guile.
Ferrets and minks are close relatives of weasels.

Alicia Witt was born on August 21, 1975 in Worcester, Massachusetts.
Her full name is Alicia Roanne Witt.
Alicia Witt is an American film, stage, television actress and singer.
She has a brother, Ian.
Her parents' names are Robert and Diane.
Alicia Witt had studied at home and when she was fourteen years old received her high school diploma.
David Lynch was the one who discovered her in 1980 at the television show "That's Incredible!".
He cast her in the movie Dune (1984), where she played Paul Atreides' young sister Alia.

Amy Smart was born on March 26, 1976 in Topanga Canyon, California.
Her full name is Amy Lysle Smart.
John and Judy are the names of her parents.
When Amy Smart was sixteen years old she started attending acting classes.
Amy Smart had taken ballet classes for ten years.
Her first role was in 1997 in "Starship Troopers", but it was a minor one.
In 1999, Smart played the girlfriend of a popular football player (played by James Van Der Beek) in the film Varsity Blues.
Amy Smart has two cats, Yogi and Nala.

Kendra Leigh Baskett, better known by her birth name of Kendra Wilkinson, is an American television personality and glamour model.
Kendra Wilkinson was born in San Diego, California, and is of English and Irish descent.
Kendra is well known for her role on the E! reality-television show The Girls Next Door, on which her life as one of Hugh Hefner's three girlfriends was documented.
Following her split from Hugh Hefner, Kendra Wilkinson revealed she had cheated on him a number of times while living in the Playboy Mansion.
Kendra was born in June 12, 1985.
Kendra Wilkinson played softball for six years for the Clairemont Bobby Sox's.
Her own reality series, Kendra, debuted in June 2009.

William Clark Gable was an American film actor, nicknamed "The King of Hollywood" in his heyday.
Both of Clark's parents were of German ancestry.
Clark Gable was widely considered for the role of Tarzan in the 1932 Tarzan, the Ape Man, but was deemed to unknown and the role went to Johnny Weissmuller.
In 1999, the American Film Institute named Gable seventh among the greatest male stars of all time.
According to military records released in 2005, Clark's weekly wage was listed as $7,500 for his movie work.
While growing up, Clark Gable wanted to become a doctor.
Gable's most famous role was Rhett Butler in the 1939 Civil War epic film Gone with the Wind, in which he starred with Vivien Leigh.

Alexz Johnson was born on November 4, 1986 in New Westminster, British Columbia, Canada.
Alexz Johnson is a Canadian singer, songwriter and actress.
Her full name is Alexzandra Spencer Johnson.
She is best known for her roles as Jude Harrison in the CTV series Instant Star ,as Annie Thelan in the Disney Channel series So Weird, and as Erin Ulmer in the 2005 horror film Final Destination 3.
Her parents have ten children and she is the sixth of them.
When Alexz was three years old she started singing and from the moment her family heard her they knew she is talented.
By the age of six Alexz Johnson began to have singing lessons and her dreams become serious.

Ashley Hartman was born on August 31, 1985 in Orange County, CA.
Ashley Hartman is an actress and fashion model.
Parents: Michele Knutsen and Kip Hartman.
When Ashley Hartman was four years old their parents divorced and she lived with her mother and two sisters.
Ashley Hartman attended classes of Mater Dei High School in Santa Ana, CA and there was a cheerleader, a cross-country participant, and President of her class.
Ashley Hartman height is 170 cm.
Ashley Hartman tried her luck and went to Hollywood to participate in American Idol and got into the second season's top 32 finalists.

Oklahoma is a state located in the South Central region of the United States of America.
Capital: Oklahoma City
With an estimated 3,687,050 residents in 2009 and a land area of 68,667 square miles (177,847 km²), Oklahoma is the 28th most populous and 20th-largest state.
Attendance at school is compulsory for children ages 5 to 18 in Oklahoma, the longest education commitment of any state in the nation.
Oklahoma was the 46th state to enter the union. Its residents are known as Oklahomans, and its capital and largest city is Oklahoma City.
Oklahoma was among the states hardest hit by the Great Depression and the drought that created the Dust Bowl in the 1930s.
Oklahoma nickname is The Sooner State.

Peru, officially the Republic of Peru, is a country in western South America. It is bordered on the north by Ecuador and Colombia, on the east by Brazil, on the southeast by Bolivia, on the south by Chile, and on the west by the Pacific Ocean.
Lima is the capital of Peru.
Peruvian territory was home to the Norte Chico civilization, one of the oldest in the world, and to the Inca Empire, the largest state in Pre-Columbian America.
Peru is roughly the size of Alaska.
Peru is home of the Nazca Lines, football field sized drawings built for unknown purposes. Most of the drawing weren’t even discovered until viewed from the air.
Peru has roughly 1,500 miles of coastline on the Pacific Ocean.
Peru is a representative democratic republic divided into 25 regions.
Spain ruled Peru for nearly three hundred years starting in the early 16th century.

Amber Tamblyn was born on May 14, 1983 in Santa Monica, California, USA.
Her full name is Amber Rose Tamblyn.
Amber Tamblyn is a american actress.
Russ Tamblyn and Bonnie Murray are her parents.
Her father is an actor too.
Her mother is a writer and artist.
Her father's agent, Sharon Debord, was attending as a family friend and ended up convincing her father to allow Tamblyn to go on auditions.
Amber Tamblyn received the role of Emily Bowen in "General Hospital".

Andie MacDowell is an American model and actress.
Andie MacDowell was born on April 21, 1958 in Gaffney, South Carolina, USA.
Her full name is Rosalie Anderson MacDowell.
She is of part Scottish descent.
Andie MacDowell attended the Winthrop College but renounced in order to be a model.
In the early 1980s, MacDowell modeled for Vogue magazine and appeared in ad campaigns for Yves Saint Laurent, Vassarette, Armani perfume, Sabeth-Row, Mink International, Anne Klein and Bill Blass.
In 1981 Andie MacDowell lost her mother, Paula, who died of chronic alcoholism.
After three years Andie MacDowell received a role in "Greystoke: The Legend of Tarzan, Lord of the Apes" and her acting career was just getting started. She was also seen in "Green Card", "The Object of Beauty", "Groundhog Day and Four Weddings and a Funeral" and "Short Cuts".

Renewable energy is energy which comes from natural resources such as sunlight, wind, rain, tides, and geothermal heat, which are renewable (naturally replenished).
Modern interest in renewable energy development is linked to concerns about exhaustion and greenhouse gases of fossil fuels and environmental, social and political risks of extensive use of fossil fuels and nuclear power.
In 2006, about 18% of global final energy consumption came from renewables, with 13% coming from traditional biomass, which is mainly used for heating, and 3% from hydroelectricity.
Renewable energy sources are used from ancient history: In 200 B.C., people in China and the Middle East used windmills to pump water and grind grain. Also, old Romans were among the first to use geothermal energy to heat houses.
New renewables (small hydro, modern biomass, wind, solar, geothermal, and biofuels) accounted for 2.4% of renewable energy.
Renewable energy supplies will never run out. While the supplies of coal, oil, and natural gas are limited, sunshine, wind, biomass, and water power are considered almost limitless resources.
Wind power is growing at the rate of 30% annually, with a worldwide installed capacity of 157,900 megawatts (MW) in 2009, and is widely used in Europe, Asia, and the United States.
Renewable energy is not subject to sharp price changes because it comes from sources such as sunshine, flowing water, wind, and biological waste, all of which are free. By comparison, fossil fuels are limited in their supply, and their price will increase as they become scarcer.
he world's largest geothermal power installation is The Geysers in California, with a rated capacity of 750 MW.
In 2008, consumption of renewable sources in the United States totaled 7.3 quadrillion Btu or about 7% of all energy used nationally.
Brazil has one of the largest renewable energy programs in the world, involving production of ethanol fuel from sugar cane, and ethanol now provides 18% of the country's automotive fuel.
In 2006, about 18% of global final energy consumption came from renewables, with 13% coming from traditional biomass, such as wood-burning.
While most renewable energy projects and production is large-scale, renewable technologies are also suited to small off-grid applications, sometimes in rural and remote areas, where energy is often crucial in human development.
Biomass is currently the largest U.S. renewable energy source with more than 200 existing biopower plants now providing electricity for 1.5 million American homes. Manure-to-energy biogas projects are expanding and could power up to 3% of North America’s electricity needs.
Kenya has the world's highest household solar ownership rate with roughly 30,000 small (20–100 watt) solar power systems sold per year.
The new EU Directive on renewable energy sets ambitious targets for all Member States, such that the EU will reach a 20% share of energy from renewable sources by 2020 and a 10% share of renewable energy specifically in the transport sector.
Some renewable energy technologies are criticized for being intermittent or unsightly, yet the renewable energy market continues to grow.
Every hour on the Earth's surface falls enough solar energy to meet world energy needs for an entire year. Our energy problems would be solved if we find a way to harvest that energy.
Climate change concerns, coupled with high oil prices, peak oil, and increasing government support, are driving increasing renewable energy legislation, incentives and commercialization.
Renewable energy flows involve natural phenomena such as sunlight, wind, tides and geothermal heat, as the International Energy Agency explains:

Renewable energy is derived from natural processes that are replenished constantly. In its various forms, it derives directly from the sun, or from heat generated deep within the earth. Included in the definition is electricity and heat generated from solar, wind, ocean, hydropower, biomass, geothermal resources, and biofuels and hydrogen derived from renewable resources.

20 interesting facts about Fossil fuels

Fossil fuels are formed by the anaerobic decomposition of remains of organisms including phytoplankton and zooplankton that settled to the sea (or lake) bottom in large quantities under anoxic conditions, millions of years ago.
Fossil fuels are fuels formed by natural resources such as anaerobic decomposition of buried dead organisms.
The age of the organisms and their resulting fossil fuels is typically millions of years, and sometimes exceeds 650 million years.
Crude oil is a smelly, yellow-to-black liquid and is usually found in underground areas called reservoirs. Scientists and engineers explore a chosen area by studying rock samples from the earth. Measurements are taken, and, if the site seems promising, drilling begins.
Fossil fuels range from volatile materials with low carbon:hydrogen ratios like methane, to liquid petroleum to nonvolatile materials composed of almost pure carbon, like anthracite coal.
Fossil fuels are oil, coal and natural gas. In 2006 primary sources of energy consisted of petroleum 36.8%, coal 26.6%, and natural gas 22.9%, amounting to an 86% share for fossil fuels in primary energy production in the world.
It was estimated by the Energy Information Administration that in 2007 primary sources of energy consisted of petroleum 36.0%, coal 27.4%, natural gas 23.0%, amounting to an 86.4% share for fossil fuels in primary energy consumption in the world.
Natural gas is a gas consisting primarily of methane. It is found associated with fossil fuels, in coal beds, as methane clathrates, and is created by methanogenic organisms in marshes, bogs, and landfills.
Non-fossil sources in 2006 included hydroelectric 6.3%, nuclear 8.5%, and (geothermal, solar, tide, wind, wood, waste) amounting 0.9 percent.
Coal is a readily combustible black or brownish-black sedimentary rock normally occurring in rock strata in layers or veins called coal beds.
Fossil fuels are non-renewable resources because they take millions of years to form, and reserves are being depleted much faster than new ones are being formed.
All fossil fuels are made of hydrocarbons. Hydrocarbons store energy in the form of the atomic bonds. Energy stored in hydrocarbons can be released very easy - we just have to burn them.
The burning of fossil fuels produces around 21.3 billion tonnes (21.3 gigatonnes) of carbon dioxide per year, but it is estimated that natural processes can only absorb about half of that amount, so there is a net increase of 10.65 billion tonnes of atmospheric carbon dioxide per year (one tonne of atmospheric carbon is equivalent to 44/12 or 3.7 tonnes of carbon dioxide).
Fossil fuels are non-renewable resources because they take millions of years to form, and reserves are being depleted much faster than new ones are being formed.
Carbon dioxide is one of the greenhouse gases that enhances radiative forcing and contributes to global warming, causing the average surface temperature of the Earth to rise in response, which climate scientists agree will cause major adverse effects.
One of the biggest benefits of fossil fuels is their cost. Coal, oil and natural gas are abundant right now and relatively inexpensive to drill or mine for.
To run a 100-watt light bulb 24 hours a day for a year we need to use about 714 pounds (325 kg) of coal in coal powered power plant (thermal efficiency of such power plant is typically abut 40%).
At current usage, the coal supply will last 1500 years. However at a 5% growth rate the coal supply will last only 86 years. We can expect even greater usage as other fossil fuels become scarce.
One liter of regular gasoline is the time-rendered result of about 23.5 tonnes of ancient organic material deposited on the ocean floor.
The total fossil fuel used in the year 1997 is the result of 422 years of all plant matter that grew on the entire surface and in all the oceans of the ancient earth.

20 interesting Yak facts

The yak, is a long-haired bovine found throughout the Himalayan region of south Central Asia, the Tibetan Plateau and as far north as Mongolia.
A yak can climb an altitude as high as 20,000 feet, the highest elevation of any mammal’s habitat.
The English word "yak" derives from the Tibetan gyag – in Tibetan this refers only to the male of the species, the female being called a dri or nak.
In English, as in most other languages which have borrowed the word, "yak" is usually used for both sexes.
The respiratory rate of a yak increases with heat and at low altitudes, while at higher, cooler climates, the rate decreases. This helps the animal adjust to the varying climates.
Yaks belong to the genus Bos, and are therefore closely related to cattle (Bos primigenius)
The large lung capacity of a yak enables it to inhale lots of oxygen.

Amy Jo Johnson was born on October 6, 1970 in Cape Cod, Massachusetts, USA.
Amy Jo Johnson is a singer, songwriter and actress.
At first Amy Jo Johnson was a gymnast and a professional one.
In 1993 Amy Jo Johnson received a role in "Mighty Morphin Power Rangers".
Amy was the only person out of the original five Power Rangers who didn't leave the show on bad terms.
After this she was seen in movies like "Saved by the Bell: The New Class", "Killing Mr. Griffin", "Perfect Body", "Turbo: A Power Rangers Movie", "Sweetwater: A True Rock Story", "Interstate 60",
"Pursuit of Happiness" and "Hard Ground".

Oregon is a state in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States.
Capital: Salem
Total Area: 10th among States, 251,571 sq km (97,132 sq mi).
Oregon is located on the Pacific coast, with Washington to the north, California to the south, Nevada on the southeast and Idaho to the east.
In 1905, the largest log cabin in the world was built in honor of the Lewis and Clark expedition.
Oregon became the 33rd state on February 14, 1859.
In 1971 Oregon became the first state to ban the use of non-returnable bottles and cans.

The Commonwealth of Pennsylvania is a state located in the Northeastern and Middle Atlantic regions of the United States.
Philadelphia is the largest city in Pennsylvania and the sixth-most-populous city in the United States.
Pennsylvania capital is Harrisburg.
Total Area: 33rd among states, 119,290 sq km (46,058 sq mi).
In 2008, the population of Philadelphia was estimated to be over 1.54 million, while the Greater Philadelphia metropolitan area's population of 5.8 million made it the country's fifth-largest.
The nation's first circulating library, the Library Company of Philadelphia, was founded in 1731 by Benjamin Franklin and others.
The state borders Delaware and Maryland to the south, West Virginia to the southwest, Ohio to the west, New York and Ontario, Canada to the north, and New Jersey to the east.

The State of Rhode Island and Providence Plantations, more commonly referred to as Rhode Island, is a state in the New England region of the United States.
The capital of South Carolina is Providence.
Total Area: 50th among states, 3,188 sq km (1,231 sq mi).
Rhode Island is the smallest U.S. state by area.
The Touro Synagogue in Newport was completed in 1763 and is the oldest synagogue in the United States.
Despite its small geographic size, Rhode Island has an extensive shoreline and mild summer climate, which contribute to its renown as a vacation state.
Rhode Island borders Connecticut to the west, Massachusetts to the north and east, and shares a water boundary with New York's Fishers Island to the southwest.

South Carolina is bordered to the north by North Carolina; to the south and west by Georgia, located across the Savannah River; and to the east by the Atlantic Ocean.
South Carolina contains 46 counties and its capital is Columbia.
Total Area: 40th among states, 80,779 sq km (31,189 sq mi).
Originally part of the Province of Carolina, the Province of South Carolina was one of the 13 colonies that declared independence from the British Crown during the American Revolution.
The first engagement of the American Civil War occurred at Fort Sumter in 1861.
The colony was originally named in honor of King Charles I, as Carolus is Latin for Charles.
The Saint Cecilia Society, organized in 1767, sponsored America's first symphony orchestra.

Allison Mack is a Saturn Award nominated German-born American actress.
Allison Mack was born on July 29, 1982 in Preetz, Germany.
Her parents' names are Mindy and Jonathan Mack and they are Americans.
By the age of four she was already doing commercials for the "German Chocolate".
She started her career as a model but ended being an actress.
Allison Mack is best known for her role of Chloe Sullivan on the Superman-inspired television series Smallville.
In the summer of 2006, Mack's voice was heard as the sister of the main character in the Warner Bros. CGI movie The Ant Bully. That year she also provided the voice of a museum curator named Clea in an episode of The Batman.
Allison Mack started receiving roles and one of the most important at the beginning of her career was in "7th Heaven".

Alison Marion Lohman was born on September 18, 1979 in Palm Springs, California.
Alison Lohman was born and raised in Palm Springs, California, the daughter of Diane (née Dunham), a patisserie owner, and Gary Lohman, an architect.
Alison Lohman began studying acting, ballet and dance and finally the results came.
When Alison Lohman was 17 years old she had already appeared in 12 movies.
In 1997 Alison Lohman finished high school and moved to Los Angeles.
Lohman starred in White Oleander, an adaptation of Janet Fitch’s novel, alongside Michelle Pfeiffer, Robin Wright-Penn and Renée Zellweger.
Alison Lohman appeared in "7th Heaven", "The Million Dollar Kid", "Planet Patrol", "Safe Harbor" and "White Oleander".
Alison Lohman is a vegetarian.
Lohman, who is frequently cast as a teenager, has said that she believes she "looks younger and acts younger" than her age.
Alison Lohman height is 157 cm.
Alison Lohman has Irish origins.

20 interesting facts about Adrien Brody

Adrien Brody was born on April 14, 1973 in Woodhaven, Queens, New York.
Brody was born in Woodhaven, Queens, New York, the son of Sylvia Plachy, a photojournalist, and Elliot Brody, a retired history professor and painter.
His parents tried to create distance between he and his dangerous friends so they took him to acting classes.
In 1992, Brody was seriously hurt in a motorcycle accident in which he flew over a car and crashed head-first into a crosswalk. He spent months recuperating.
Adrien Brody has broken his nose three times doing stunts. His nose was broken once again during the filming of Summer of Sam.
When Adrien Brody was 13 years old he did an off-Broadway play and a PBS-TV-movie.
In 2002 Adrien Brody received the main role in the movie "The Pianist".

South Dakota is a state located in the Midwestern region of the United States of America.
Centrally located Pierre is the state capital and Sioux Falls is the state's largest city.
Total Area: 17th among states, 199,742 sq km (77,121 sq mi).
It is named after the Lakota and Dakota Sioux American Indian tribes.
A gigantic sculpture of Crazy Horse, the famous Sioux chief, is being carved in the Black Hills. The project, begun in 1947, remains uncompleted.
As of 2009, South Dakota had an estimated population of 812,383.
More than 90 percent of South Dakota's land area was classified as farmland in the mid-1990s.

Tennessee is a state located in the Southeastern United States.
Tennessee's capital and second largest city is Nashville, which has a population of 626,144.
Total Area: 36th among states, 109,158 sq km (42,146 sq mi).
Tennessee has a population of 6,214,888, making it the nation's 17th-largest state by population.
On a clear day seven states are visible from Lookout Mountain near Chattanooga.
Memphis is the state's largest city, with a population of 670,902.
The National Civil Rights Museum in Memphis marks the site where Martin Luther King, Jr., was assassinated in 1968.

Utah is a western state of the United States. It was the 45th state admitted to the Union, on January 4, 1896.
Capital: Salt Lake City.
Total Area: 13th among states 219,900 sq km (84,904 sq mi).
Approximately 80% of Utah's 2,736,424 people live along the Wasatch Front, centering on Salt Lake City.
The Sundance Film Festival is an internationally recognized celebration of independent motion pictures, held annually at the Sundance Ski Resort and nearby cities.
The name "Utah" is derived from the name of the Ute tribe and means "people of the mountains."
The world's first transcontinental railroad was completed at Promontory where the Central Pacific and Union Pacific Railroads met on May 10, 1869. The location is now known as Golden Spike National Historic Site.

Autumn Alicia Reeser was born on September 21, 1980 in La Jolla, California.
Autumn Reeser is a beautiful American actress.
Autumn Reeser started her acting career at the Musical Theatre in 1987.
Her father, Tom Reeser is the executive director of the television channel KOCT; her mother's name is Kim Handel.
Amongst her first roles were in "The O.C" and "The World According to Barnes's".
In addition to The O.C., Reeser appeared in recurring roles on the WB's Maybe It's Me, ABC's Complete Savages, Grounded for Life, My Life DisOriented, FX Network's It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia, and is a spokesperson for Clean & Clear.
She enjoys scrapbooking, painting, and playing with her Papillon named Gatsby after the book The Great Gatsby by F. Scott Fitzgerald.
Autumn Reeser appeared in "Maybe It's Me", "Complete Savages", "Grounded for Life", "My Life Disoriented", "It's Always Sunny in Philadelphia" and "Undressed".

Amy Lee Grant was born on November 25, 1960 in Augusta, Georgia.
Amy Grant is a singer, songwriter and actress.
Amy Grant attended Harpeth Hall, an all girls private school and was elected Lady Of The Hall.
She is known as the "Queen of Christian Pop".
At the age of fifteen years old Amy Grant signed a contract with Myrrh Records and began her music career.
As of 2009, Amy Grant remains the best-selling Contemporary Christian music singer ever, having sold over 30 million units worldwide.
Amy Grant has won six Grammy Awards, 25 Gospel Music Association Dove Awards, and had the first Christian album ever to go Platinum.

Actress Alexis Gabbriel Dziena was born on July 8, 1984 in New York City.
Alexis spent many of her summers growing up in the small South Jersey shore town of Sea Isle City.
Alexis Dziena's height is 5' 2".
Alexis Dziena grew up in New York City and went to high school alongside her Bringing Rain (2003) costar, Paz de la Huerta.
Alexis made her acting debut in TNT's Witchblade.
Dziena was born in New York City of Irish, Italian, and Polish descent.
Alexis Dziena played the role of Heather - a sexually frustrated young woman in a loving relationship who takes part in a couple swap as part of therapy in the film Sex and Breakfast.

The State of Vermont is a state in the New England region of the northeastern United States of America.
The state capital is Montpelier, and the largest city and metropolitan area is Burlington.
Montpelier, with 8247 residents, has the smallest population of any state capital.
In 1690, a group of Dutch-British settlers from Albany established a settlement and trading post at Chimney Point 8 miles (13 km) west of present-day Addison.
The state ranks 43rd by land area, 9,250 square miles (24,000 km2), and 45th by total area
The first permanent British settlement was established in 1724, with the construction of Fort Dummer protecting the nearby settlements of Dummerston and Brattleboro.
In 1775 Ethan Allen and his Green Mountain Boys won one of the first important American victories of the Revolutionary War by capturing Fort Ticonderoga and Crown Point.

The Commonwealth of Virginia is a U.S. state on the Atlantic Coast of the Southern United States.
Total Area: 35th among states, 109,624 sq km (42,326 sq mi).
Virginia is nicknamed the "Old Dominion" and sometimes the "Mother of Presidents" because it is the birthplace of eight U.S. presidents.
Because of Virginia's prestige, the Confederate capital was moved on May 21, 1861, from Montgomery, Alabama, to Richmond.
The geography and climate of the state are shaped by the Blue Ridge Mountains and the Chesapeake Bay, which are home to much of its flora and fauna.
The Atlantic Flyway, a route for birds migrating along the Atlantic coast, crosses Virginia, and the state provides important resting and feeding grounds.
The capital of the Commonwealth is Richmond; Virginia Beach is the most populous city and Fairfax County the most populous political subdivision.
Virginia was the site of the surrenders ending the American Revolution (Yorktown) and the Civil War (Appomattox).

Washington was named after George Washington, the first President of the United States, and is the only U.S. state named after a president.
Washington is a state in the Pacific Northwest region of the United States.
According to the 1990 census, more than half the residents of metropolitan Seattle were born outside Washington.
It was admitted to the Union as the forty-second state in 1889.
On May 18, 1980, Mount Saint Helens erupted in Washington, resulting in 57 deaths and billions of dollars in damage.
The United States Census Bureau estimated the state's population was 6,664,195 in 2009.
Capital: Olympia.

Ashley Michelle Tisdale was born on July 2, 1985, in Monmouth, New Jersey.
Parents: Mike and Lisa Tisdale.
Ashley Tisdale Height: 5'3"/160 cm.
Ashley Tisdale's career began at the age of three, when she was discovered by her manager Bill Perlman, at a local mall.
On Ashley's 12th birthday Misha Barton gave her a cute address book.
Ashley Tisdale has appeared in more than 100 national commercials, after she landed a job on her first audition.
Her favorite music groups are Billy Joel, Elton John, The Used, All American Rejects, and Nick Lachey.
Ashley Tisdale's career also included singing at the White House, when she was just twelve years old. She also has done films in her career as well.
Ashley Tisdale likes her character, Mandy, in Picture This because she reminds her a lot of herself in high school.
After high school, Ashley opted to take a year off.
Out of the whole High School Musical cast, Ashley Tisdale is second behind Zac Efron on who makes the most money at 5.5 million dollars.
Most recently, Ashley Tisdale starred in the Disney Channel Original Movie High School Musical.
Celine Dion had thanked her for being a positive role model for her son.
Has naturally dark brown hair. She dyed it blonde upon landing the part of Maddie Fitzpatrick.
After her nose job, she was rumored to have Jennifer Grey Syndrome. Who was an actress that had her career die after an infamous nose job.
Ashley Tisdale is ranked #15 in AIM's "100 Celebs Under 25".
In an interview with People magazine, Ashley Tisdale stated that her favorite snack is chocolate gummy bears, and she'll bring them in her make-up bag.
Ashley Tisdale began acting in the late 1990s, and appeared in episodes of several television series, including Smart Guy, 7th Heaven, Grounded for Life, Boston Public, Strong Medicine, Charmed and Beverly Hills, 90210.
Was a Ford Model along with Lindsay Lohan and Mischa Barton.
Ashley Tisdale has pointed out that she enjoyed playing the villainous character (Sharpay) in the film because she was nothing like herself.
Her most prized possession is her new Louis Vuitton bag.
Ashley Tisdale is set to star in the three-quel to the smash-hit Disney Channel Original Movie, High School Musical, High School Musical 3. She will once again reprise her role as Sharpay Evans for the movie.

20 interesting facts about Angie Everhart

Angie Everhart was born on September 7, 1969 in Akron, Ohio.
The fifth child of six siblings, having four older brothers and a younger sister, she began modeling when she was 15.
Angie Everhart featured in the Sports Illustrated swimsuit edition in 1992, 1994, 1995 and 1996.
Her father was an engineer and her mother a homemaker.
In 1987, she graduated from Firestone High School in Akron where she was a cheerleader and school mascot.
Angie Everhart has had parts in four films: "Jade", "Bordello of Blood" and "Jade and Love in Paris".
Angie Everhart started to be a fashion model when she was 17 and signed a contract with Karin Model Agency in Paris.

Aria Giovanni was born on November 3, 1977 in Long Beach, California.
Aria Giovanni is a nude model who was Penthouse Pet for the month of September 2000.
Aria Giovanni was born in Long Beach and by high school she was living in nearby Orange County.
Growing up Aria Giovanni recounts that she was quite shy, with only one friend in high school.
Her father is of Italian-Yugoslavian heritage and her mother has French, German, Irish, and Native American heritage.
Aria Giovanni started answering newspaper ads in October, 1999, and soon began appearing on various amateur pornography websites such as Amateur Pink, Busty Amateurs, and Seductive Amateurs.

Alyson Renae Michalka was born on March 25, 1989 in Torrance, California.
Carrie and Mark Michalka are her parents.
Alyson Michalka is a singer and an actress.
Her mother, Carrie, is a musician and performed with JC Band, a Christian band.
Alyson Michalka spent her childhood in Seattle, Washington and when she was five years old started appearing in church productions and improver her acting qualities.
Alyson started acting when she was five years old, mostly in church play productions.
In the past her mother was a cheerleader for the NFL's Oakland Raiders.
She is also known as one-half of the musical duo 78violet (formerly Aly & AJ) with her sister Amanda Michalka.
Alyson Michalka was raised as a Christian and continues to practice the faith. She does not accept evolution.

Amanda Tapping was born on August 28, 1965 in Rochford, Essex in England.
Amanda Tapping is an English-born Canadian actress.
Amanda Tapping Height : 5' 9"/175 cm.
At the age of three her parents moved to Toronto where she spent most of her youth.
Amanda Tapping has three brothers, two older than her, and one twin brother.
When Amanda Tapping went to high school she became interested in arts and she won the Dramatic Arts Award and Environmental Science Award.
Amanda Tapping vowed never to do television. But after a few months she got herself an agent and also her first commercial, several more commercials followed.
Amanda Tapping has appeared in TV shows like The X-Files, Millenium, Due South, Stargate SG-1, etc.

Aaliyah Dana Haughton was born on January 16, 1979, better known simply as her stage name Aaliyah.
Aaliyah was born in Brooklyn, New York to Michael and Diane Haughton.
Aaliyah was an American R&B singer, dancer, fashion model and actress.
At age 12, Aaliyah signed with Jive Records and Blackground Records by her uncle, Barry Hankerson.
In 1995 at age 15, Aaliyah performed the "National Anthem" live at Orlando Magic game.
Aaliyah had a vocal range of a soprano.
Aaliyah is notable for recording several hit records, including five number one R&B hits, one number one pop hit, and seven top 10 singles on the Billboard Hot 100, Aaliyah sold over 24 million records worldwide during her career.

Wind power is the conversion of wind energy into a useful form of energy, such as using wind turbines to make electricity, wind mills for mechanical power, wind pumps for pumping water or drainage, or sails to propel ships.
Wind energy is very abundant energy source in many parts of the USA.
Wind energy unlike some thought very economically competitive.
At the end of 2009, worldwide nameplate capacity of wind-powered generators was 159.2 gigawatts (GW).[
Wind energy is mostly used to generate electricity.
Energy production was 340 TWh, which is about 2% of worldwide electricity usage; and is growing rapidly, having doubled in the past three years.
Wind energy is very exploited in Germany where Germany leads the way with 8750 MW of electrical energy produced from wind energy.

The Aardvark is a medium-sized, burrowing, nocturnal mammal native to Africa.
The name ‘aardvark’ means ‘earth pig’, though the species is not even remotely related with pigs. The animal has a bulky body, with a humped back, which is similar to that of a rodent, with much less hair.
It is sometimes called "antbear", "anteater", "Cape anteater" (after the Cape of Good Hope), "earth hog" or "earth pig".
In the dry season, an aardvark mainly feeds on termites, while it survives on ants and other soft-bodied insects in the rainy season. The animal travels long distances to forage in night. Once it finds a termite nest, it keeps on feeding on the same, for many nights.
The word "aardvark" is famous for being one of the first entries to appear in many encyclopaedias and even abridged dictionaries.
Aardvark’s head is long and narrow, shaping a tubular snout in the end. It has very long ears, which can move independently of each other. Its mouth has 20 teeth, located near the back of the jaws. An aardvark’s teeth grow continuously, without any roots and enamel.
The closest living relatives of the aardvark are the elephant shrews, along with the sirenians, hyraxes, tenrecs, and elephants.

The argali, or the mountain sheep is a wild sheep, which roams the highlands of Central Asia (Himalaya, Tibet, Altay).
The name ‘Argali’ has come from the Mongolian word for ‘ram’.
The argali is also the biggest wild sheep, standing as high as 120 cm (47 in) and weighing as much as 180 kg (400 lb).
The males can be distinguished from the females, with the former having white scruff on the neck and a dorsal crest.
The Pamir argali (also called Marco Polo sheep, for they were first described by that traveller) may attain more than 6 ft (1.8 m) in length.
Both the male and female argali have horns; however, the males have more impressive horns than the females. Moreover, the horns of females are smaller than those of the males.
Argalis are considered an endangered or threatened species throughout their entire range, due to habitat loss from overgrazing of domestic sheep and hunting.

Solar energy, radiant light and heat from the sun, has been harnessed by humans since ancient times using a range of ever-evolving technologies.
Not all of the Sun's energy comes to Earth. The Sun's energy is emitted in all directions, with only a small fraction being in the direction of the Earth.
Solar radiation, along with secondary solar-powered resources such as wind and wave power, hydroelectricity and biomass, account for most of the available renewable energy on earth.
The Sun's energy comes from thermonuclear reactions (converting hydrogen to helium) in the core, where temperatures range from 15 to 25 million degrees.
Solar powered electrical generation relies on heat engines and photovoltaics. Solar energy's uses are limited only by human ingenuity.
34% of the Sun's energy is reflected back into space by snow and clouds. This reflective quality of a planet is called its albedo.
Solar technologies are broadly characterized as either passive solar or active solar depending on the way they capture, convert and distribute solar energy.
Active solar techniques include the use of photovoltaic panels and solar thermal collectors to harness the energy.
Passive solar techniques include orienting a building to the Sun, selecting materials with favorable thermal mass or light dispersing properties.
Sun energy is clean, inexhaustible and can be transformed into other forms of energy: thermal, electric, chemical, mechanical, etc. The solar energy that energizes the plants goes on to become the fuel that allows animals to live and grow.
The average energy of the Sun of the whole earth's surface is 2 calories (cal)/ square centimeter (cm2) / minute (min). It is also called the solar constant.
Only the half -billionth part of the Sun energy reaches the Earth. Only about 5 percent of all available sun energy is conserved as chemical energy in the biomass of plants. A theoretically optimal 80 percent of this energy can be used by the organisms of the next higher trophic level.
Biomass energy is the sun's energy stored in organic materials such as wood, grains and peat. Wood and peat are both burned to provide heat. Grains can be fermented into ethanol and used as a liquid fuel.
Sunlight can be converted to electricity using photovoltaic (solar electric) panels. This electricity can be used to operate a multitude of electrical appliances.
The source of the sun's energy has challenged scientists for centuries. In the 19th century it was assumed that the sun's energy resulted from its gravitational collapse.
Most of the sun's energy is emitted in a spectrum from 0.15 µm to 4 µm. 41% of it is visible, 9% is uv, 50 % infra-red. The trick to using it as an energy source is being able to convert it from visible light into heat, electricity or other usable form.
The most common forms of renewable energy are solar, wind, water or hydro, biomass and geothermal energy. Renewable energy sources are maintained or replaced by nature after use.
Most of the energy on the earth’s surface comes from the Sun. In nature, the sun’s energy affects both living and non-living things. Coal is one way in which the sun's energy is stored temporarily, albeit for millions of years.
The Sun's energy is highly organized and carried by photons. Our Biosphere absorbs this energy and then releases it back to the Universe.
Solar thermal power stations use fields of mirrors to capture the sun's energy as heat to boil water and drive steam turbines.
During photosynthesis the sun's energy is used to split water molecules, starting a flow of electrons. The energy from this flow of electrons is harnessed and used to make the bonds in organic molecules.
Thermal conversion is a process whereby the sun's energy is concentrated to heat water and produce steam, which is used to produce electricity. Solar thermal power systems use solar heat energy concentrated using mirrors to drive steam turbines that generate electricity.
Most of the sun's energy is produced during nuclear fusion, in which the union of atomic nuclei from two lighter atoms (hydrogen) unite to form a new heavier atom with smaller mass (helium). The "extra" mass is converted into energy.
The Sun's energy is spread around the planet, but is focused on or near the equator. That centerline of the planet is where you will find long sunny days, very little seasonal change, and the warmest ocean waters.
The Sun's energy is the principal driver of all of Earth's atmospheric events, from weather patterns in the lower layers, through auroras in the upper layers, to the space weather environment of energetic particles at the altitudes of orbiting satellites.

facts about West Virginia

West Virginia is a state in the Appalachian and Mid-Atlantic regions of the United States, bordered by Virginia to the southeast, Kentucky to the southwest, Ohio to the northwest, and Pennsylvania and Maryland to the northeast.
Total Area: 41st among states, 62,758 sq km (24,231 sq mi).
The capital and largest city is Charleston.
The longest block in the world is the 1500 block of Virginia Street.
West Virginia became a state following the Wheeling Conventions, breaking away from Virginia during the American Civil War.
On July 1, 1921, West Virginia was the first state to have a sales tax.
West Virginia was the only state to form by seceding from a Confederate state, and was one of only two states formed during the American Civil War (the other one being Nevada, which separated from Utah Territory).

Wisconsin's capital is Madison, and its largest city is Milwaukee.
Total Area: 22nd among states, 169,642 sq km (65,499 sq mi).
Located in the north-central United States, Wisconsin is considered part of the Midwest. It is bordered by Minnesota to the west, Iowa to the southwest, Illinois to the south, Lake Michigan to the east, Upper Michigan to the northeast, and Lake Superior to the north.
One of the most popular places to visit in the state is Wisconsin Dells, where the Wisconsin River passes through a winding gorge about 13 km (about 8 mi) long.
The word Wisconsin has its origins in the name given to the Wisconsin River by one of the Algonquian speaking American Indian groups living in the region at the time of European contact.
Wisconsin is among the nation's leaders in production of dairy products and is sometimes called America's Dairyland.
As of 2008 the state has an estimated 5.6 million residents.
Wisconsin ranks number one in # of milk cows (1,500,000) and produces over 15% of the entire country's milk.
Lambeau Field, located in Green Bay, Wisconsin is home to the National Football League's Green Bay Packers.
Wisconsin has over 14,000 lakes, with Lake Winnebago the largest. It also has 7,446 streams and rivers, which if you stuck them end to end they'd stretch nearly 27,000 miles--enough to circle the whole planet.
The Milwaukee Brewers, the state's only major league baseball team, play in Miller Park in Milwaukee, the successor to Milwaukee County Stadium since 2001.
Milwaukee's Summerfest is the nation's largest music festival, with over 2,500 performers.
The Milwaukee Bucks of the National Basketball Association play home games at the Bradley Center. The Bucks won the NBA Championship in 1971.
The House on the Rock was designed and built in the early 1940s. It is considered an architectural marvel and is perched on a 60-foot chimney of rock. The 14-room house is now a complex of rooms, streets, buildings, and gardens covering over 200 acres. The Infinity Room contains 3,264 windows.
Milwaukee is home of Harley Davidson Motorcycles.
The first Ringling Brothers Circus was staged in Baraboo in 1884.

20 interesting facts about natural gas

Natural gas is the cleanest of all the fossil fuels.
Natural gas is a gas consisting primarily of methane and can include ethane, propane, butane and pentane as well.
It is found associated with other fossil fuels, in coal beds, as methane clathrates, and is created by methanogenic organisms in marshes, bogs, and landfills.
Natural gas is lighter than air.
It is an important fuel source, a major feedstock for fertilizers, and a potent greenhouse gas.
Natural gas storage and transportation is its biggest difficulty because of the low density.
Before natural gas can be used as a fuel, it must undergo extensive processing to remove almost all materials other than methane.

Geothermal power (from the Greek roots geo, meaning earth, and thermos, meaning heat) is power extracted from heat stored in the earth.
Geothermal energy is often referred to as geothermal power.
This geothermal energy originates from the original formation of the planet, from radioactive decay of minerals, and from solar energy absorbed at the surface.
Geothermal energy is sustainable because hot water can be re-injected into the ground.
It has been used for bathing since Paleolithic times and for space heating since ancient Roman times, but is now better known for generating electricity.
Worldwide, geothermal plants have the capacity to generate about 10 gigawatts of electricity as of 2007, and in practice supply 0.3% of global electricity demand.
Geothermal energy supplies less than 10 % of the world's energy.
Geothermal wells release greenhouse gases trapped deep within the earth, but these emissions are much lower per energy unit than those of fossil fuels.
Geothermal energy is energy generated by heat stored beneath the Earth's surface.
The Earth's geothermal resources are theoretically more than adequate to supply humanity's energy needs, but only a very small fraction of it may be profitably exploited.
Geothermal energy is very important energy source in volcanically active places such as new Zealand and Iceland.
Geothermal energy is main energy source in Iceland.
Geothermal energy has three main uses: Heating, Electricity generation and Geothermal heat pumps.
Geothermal energy can be found in the form of volcanoes, hot springs and geysers.
Geothermal energy's amount of electricity is less than 1 percent of total electricity produced in the USA.
Geothermal energy is giving 18 % of Iceland's total electricity.
Geothermal energy could produce 10 percent of US electricity by the year 2050.
Geothermal energy widely exploited in Iceland, New Zealand, Japan, Italy, Philippines and in USA mostly in California and Nevada.
Geothermal energy could supply US with more than 30,000 MW of power by 2025.
Geothermal energy can be easily found and exploited along the "Ring of Fire" region.

16 interesting solar energy facts

Solar energy, radiant light and heat from the sun, has been harnessed by humans since ancient times using a range of ever-evolving technologies.
Solar energy can be converted directly or indirectly into other forms of energy.
Solar energy is also referred to as solar power.
Solar radiation, along with secondary solar-powered resources such as wind and wave power, hydroelectricity and biomass, account for most of the available renewable energy on earth.
Solar energy does not produce waste or pollution and is ecologically acceptable.
Only a minuscule fraction of the available solar energy is used.
Solar energy drives climate and weather and supports all life on Earth.
A partial list of solar applications includes space heating and cooling through solar architecture, potable water via distillation and disinfection, daylighting, solar hot water, solar cooking, and high temperature process heat for industrial purposes.To harvest the solar energy, the most common way is to use solar panels.
Solar energy is used in many applications like: Electricity, Evaporation, Biomass, Heating water and buildings and even for transport (solar cars).
Solar energy once installed has almost no variable costs.
Solar energy is not exposed to market price movements so there's no forward exchange rate risk.
Solar energy could generate 2.5 percent of the world's electricity by 2025.
Solar energy has tremendous potential because for instance the energy we get from all of the world's reserves of coal, oil and natural gas can be matched by just 20 days' supply of sunshine.
Solar energy should be used not only to decrease the use of fossil fuels but also to decrease the price of fossil fuels.
Active solar techniques include the use of photovoltaic panels and solar thermal collectors to harness the energy.
Passive solar techniques include orienting a building to the Sun, selecting materials with favorable thermal mass or light dispersing properties, and designing spaces that naturally circulate air.

18 interesting facts about Wyoming

While the tenth largest U.S. state by area, Wyoming is the least populous, with a U.S. Census estimated population of 544,270 in 2009, a 5.9% increase since 2000.
Total Area: 9th among states, 253,347 sq km (97,818 sq mi).
The capital and the most populous city of Wyoming is Cheyenne.
In 1925 Nellie Tayloe Ross was elected governor of Wyoming, becoming the nation's first woman governor.
Wyoming is one of only three states (along with Colorado and Utah) to have only latitudinal and longitudinal, rather than naturally defined, boundaries.
The flag of Wyoming is a bison (or buffalo) with a seal on it. If you look closely at the seal, you will see that it represents the custom of branding.
Wyoming is bordered on the north by Montana, on the east by South Dakota and Nebraska, on the south by Colorado, on the southwest by Utah, and on the west by Idaho.

Alabama is a state located in the southeastern region of the United States of America. It is bordered by Tennessee to the north, Georgia to the east, Florida and the Gulf of Mexico to the south, and Mississippi to the west.
Beginning in the 1950s, the United States space flight program at Redstone Arsenal and George C. Marshall Space Flight Center made Huntsville a leading aerospace center.
The capital of Alabama is Montgomery, and the largest city by population is Birmingham. The largest city by total land area is Huntsville. The oldest city is Mobile.
Alabama ranks 30th in total land area and ranks second in the size of its inland waterways. The state ranks 23rd in population with almost 4.6 million residents in 2006.
In 1955 a black woman named Rosa Parks refused to give up her seat on a Montgomery bus to a white passenger. Martin Luther King, Jr. led a successful boycott of the city's public transportation and brought the technique of passive resistance to national prominence.
From the American Civil War until World War II, Alabama, like many Southern states, suffered economic hardship, in part because of continued dependence on agriculture.
Total Area: 30th among states, 135,775 sq km (50,744 sq mi).

The kinkajou, also known as the honey bear (a name it shares with the sun bear), is a rainforest mammal of the family Procyonidae related to the olingo, ringtail, cacomistle, raccoon, and coati.
The kinkajou's woolly fur consists of an outer coat of gold (or brownish-gray) overlapping a gray undercoat. It has large eyes and small ears. It also has short legs with five toes on each foot and sharp claws.
Kinkajou has a 7-inch long tongue, which it uses to get deep into tropical flowers and consume the nectar.
An average adult kinkajou weighs 2–3 kg (4–7 lb). Average adult body length is 40–60 cm (16–24 in); in addition to body length, average tail length is 40–55 cm (16–22 in).
The mammal lives mainly in the canopy in the wild and hardly touches the ground.
Kinkajou serves as a pollinator of certain trees and flowers in the rain forest, by depositing the pollen that sticks to its fur, in other places.
Since it is a nocturnal animal, it hates being kept awake during the day, dislikes noises and sudden movements.
Kinkajou is also known as honey bear, as it invades the nest of honeybee and uses its long tongues to eat honey from the hive. It also removes insects like termites from their hives.
The mammal can turn its feet backward, so it can easily run along branches in either direction or even up and down tree trunks.
Kinkajou is a solitary animal that prefers traveling alone and would only come out of the den at night.
The vocalizations of the mammal involve chirping or whistling, soft huffing, barking noise (like that of a yelping dog), and loud piercing scream (a feeding call in captivity).
The mother kinkajou is very protective of its baby and carries the young one on her belly.

12 facts about Arnold Schwarzenegger

Arnold Schwarzenegger was born on July 30, 1947 in Thal, Styria, Austria.
Arnold is a famous Austrian-American bodybuilder, actor and American politician.
Arnold Schwarzenegger was known first for his European and International contest of bodybuilding as a winner.
After graduating the University of Wisconsin Arnold got his degree in economy and business.
Being impressed by the physical structure of his body, the producers changed his name into Arnold Strong, making him a star in his first film "Hercules in New York" (1970).
After his debut, Arnold Schwarzenegger knew the real success in his following career as an actor in films like: "The Terminator" (1984), "Commando" (1988), "Predator" (1987), "Total Recall" (1990), "Terminator 2: Judgement Day" (1991), "Eraser" (1996), "Batman & Robin" (1997), "End of Days" (1999), "The 6th Day" (2000) and "Collateral Damage"(2002).
In 1986 Arnold got married to Maria Shriver.
Some of Maria's relatives are: the ex-president John F. Kennedy, the ex-senator Robert F. Kennedy and the ex-senator Ted Kennedy.
In 2003, Arnold Schwarzenegger became the Governor of California.
His fellow bodybuilder and actor, Sven-Ole Thorsen, has collaborated with him in 15 movies so far.
Arnold Schwarzenegger saved a drowning man's life in 2004 while on vacation in Hawaii by swimming out and bringing him back to shore.
Arnold Schwarzenegger appeared alongside his fellow actor from Around the World in 80 Days, Jackie Chan, in a government advert to combat piracy.

Quote: "Milk is for babies. When you grow up you have to drink beer."

14 interesting facts about Al Pacino

Al Pacino was born on April 25, 1940, in South Bronx, New York.
Alfredo James "Al" Pacino is an American film and stage actor and director. He is best known for his roles as Michael Corleone in The Godfather trilogy, Sonny Wortzik in Dog Day Afternoon, Tony Montana in Scarface, Carlito Brigante in the 1993 film Carlito's Way, Frank Serpico in Serpico, Lieutenant Colonel Frank Slade in Scent of a Woman, Lt. Vincent Hanna in Heat, and Roy Cohn in Angels in America.
His parents, Salvatore and Rose got divorced when Al was little and he moved out into his grandparents house.
His debut on the stage was the play "The Indian Wants the Bronx", when Al Pacino won an Obie price.
In 1969 Al Pacino gets a part in the film "Me, Natalie", followed by "Panic in Needle Park" in 1971.
The part of Michael Corleone in "The Godfather"(1972) was one of the most impressive in the history of movie.
Francis Ford Coppola had been greatly inspired when choosing Al Pacino instead of Robert Redford, Warren Beatty, Jack Nicholson, Ryan O'Neal or Robert De Niro.

Amanda Righetti is an American actress and film producer. She is best known for her roles in The Mentalist, Friday the 13th and The O.C.
Amanda Righetti was born in St. George, Utah and raised in Overton, Nevada, some 60 miles from Las Vegas. She moved to Los Angeles to seek further acting opportunities. She married film director Jordan Alan on April 29, 2006.
Her parents have eight children and she is the youngest of all seven sisters and one brother.
Amanda Righetti decided to move to Los Angeles because she wanted to be an actress and knew that there her chanced would be bigger to succeed.
In "The O.C" Amanda Righetti had the role of a regular guest character Hailey Nichol.
Other movies and television series in which Amanda Righetti was seen are "CSI: Crime Scene Investigation", "Angel Blade", "North Shore", "Reunion" and "Marlowe".
In November 2005 Amanda Righetti posed for the FHM magazine and appeared on its cover.
On April 29, 2006 Amanda Righetti married Jordan Alan after they were engaged.
Height: 174 cm.
Amanda Righetti was among the women in FHM's "100 Sexiest Women in the World 2005" and FHM magazine's "100 Sexiest Women in the World 2006".

12 facts about Anna Paquin

Anna Helene Paquin was born on July 24, 1982 and she is an Academy Award-winning actress.
Anna Paquin was born in Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada, and the child of two teachers, she moved to New Zealand when she was four.
At eleven, Anna Paquin was the second-youngest person to win an Oscar (the youngest is Tatum O'Neal).
Anna Paquin gave a very memorable acceptance speech noted for her overwhelmed reaction and breathlessness.
After having started her secondary education in Wellington, New Zealand, Anna Paquin completed her secondary education in Los Angeles.
Anna Paquin studied at Columbia University for one year, but has been on a leave of absence in order to continue her acting career.
Anna Paquin returned to worldwide prominence with her role as Rogue in the blockbuster X-Men movie in 2000.
Anna Paquin lives in Venice, Los Angeles, California. Her hobbies include surfing and cycling.
1994 - Academy Award (Oscar) - Best Actress in a Supporting Role for The Piano.
1993 - LAFCA Award - Best Supporting Actress for The Piano.
On August 5, 2009, it was announced that Anna Paquin had become engaged to her True Blood co-star Stephen Moyer, whom she had been dating since filming the series' pilot in 2007.
On April 1, 2010, Anna Paquin came out as bisexual in a public service announcement for the True Colors Fund, an advocacy group dedicated to LGBT equality.

What is a depressant?

statscounter

Facts about birthstones

Pages