Tehachapi Wind Farm

The numerous turbines crowding the hills of the Tehachapi-Mojave area make it one of the world’s greatest creators of wind powered electricity. Operated by private companies, the Tehachapi Wind Farm produces 800 million kilowatt hours of electricity, enough to power the residential needs of 350,000 people every year.

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The Tehachapi region of California is considered to be the birthplace of wind power in North America. The open spaces, along with winds averaging 14 to 20 miles per hour, made it ideal for a renewable and clean energy center. While the first turbines installed in the 1980s stood at between 45 and 60 feet high, they now stretch up to between 400 and 500 feet high and can produce from 1 to 2.4 megawatts of power.

There are over 15,000 turbines in California, generating 1% of the state’s energy.


Killer Whales Are Actually Dolphins

“Killer Whales”, or Orcas, are actually dolphins. In fact, they are the largest member of the dolphin family, Delphinidae.

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Now strictly speaking, whales are marine animals of the order of Cetacea and occasionally Cetacea is used to refer to not just whales, but also porpoises and dolphins. However, it generally excludes these latter mariner animals, which belong to the sub-order Odontoceti.

So depending on who you talk to dolphins, including the Orca, may be considered whales and dolphins or may be considered a separate marine animal from other whales. But in either case, Orcas are one of the 35 species in the oceanic dolphin family, with its closest relative being the Irrawaddy dolphin.


Smallest Playable Drumset

At the Kansas City Mini Maker Faire, Taylor Jessee introduced me to his one of his latest creations, the Mini Drumset. Dissatisfied with plastic miniatures that look authentic but lack the full sound of real drums, he decided to design his own. He spent lots of time perfecting the snare sound with multiple layers of wrap, wire, and sugar, and finding the appropriate materials to produce a good symbol crash- in this case, a sawed-off candlestick holder.

Worlds Fastest Electric Car Hits 307mph

A team from Ohio State University may have just set a new record for the fastest electric car on the planet. The Buckeye Bullet was clocked on Utah’s Bonneville Salt Flats at speeds averaging 307 mph. And it might have gone faster on a later run if they hadn’t had a technical hitch, they say on their blog.

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“Our last attempt yesterday was all set to be the best run yet, everything was looking great, but midway through the first mile, we busted our clutch. Too much torque from our motor ripped apart the half inch steel teeth that keep the motor connected to the gearbox. After a late night of trying to disassemble the motor and reinstall another type of clutch, we decided to call it: our last record will stay the best.”


The Football Carpet

At 31 inches by 62 inches, the Football carpet isn’t fit for staging any actual matches, but think of all the happy feelings you’ll get when walking through the door, if you’re a Soccer fan, that is. Designer Karin MannerstÃ¥l has created an approximation of a footie field with 100 percent, hand-tufted wool.


Admittedly, we’re not familiar with the benefits of hand-tufting, but hopefully stepping on this carpet feels something like running around on fresh grass, fielding a header into the net and filling out your sails with the delighted screams of fans. It’s available in one color — green, of course — and sells for $190.43. Angry hooligans on the sidelines not included


10 Bizarre Facts about your Toothpaste

Even after giving careful consideration before buying your favourite toothpaste, you often end up purchasing a product that ultimately forces you to look for another failing you to achieve satisfactorily whiter teeth. It’s a very common story in almost all houses of the globe.

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Majority of us find it very difficult choosing an ideal paste that can give us cavity-free fresh whiter teeth. Such inability of ours is linked to three major issues: misleading advertisements, shear lack of general awareness about functioning of toothpastes, and availability of unlimited number of brands each claiming superior to others.

Reaching to near-ideal toothpaste is not only essential for ensuring improved oral hygiene, it also requires for protecting your teeth from early decay. In order to help you out finding useful toothpaste and keeping up oral hygiene, here I have listed 10 bizarre facts about toothpastes, knowledge of which will empower you protecting your teeth wisely.

1. Fluoride that matters
Quantity and quality of fluoride that all matter in making a toothpaste highly effective. Whatever improvised ingredients might the manufacturers say offering in their toothpastes, you need to check the existence of fluoride. You are free to check whether your paste contains ingredients for breath freshening, tartar control, and teeth whitening, but Academy of General Dentistry says one must brush her/his teeth twice daily using fluoride toothpaste in order to help stop tooth decay by at least 40 percent. “Even in areas where there is water fluoridation, the added fluoride in toothpaste has been shown to be very beneficial,” adds Caryn Loftis-Solie, RDH, president of the American Dental Hygiene Association (ADHA).

2. Whitening toothpastes work better
Up to certain extent, whitening toothpastes work better. However, they can’t be compared with the professional whitening treatments to brighten your smile, as these products do not contain bleach in general. “Whitening toothpastes—like all toothpastes—contain mild abrasives to help remove surface stains on your teeth,” says Dr. Clifford Whall, PhD, director of the American Dental Association (ADA) Seal of Acceptance Program. “The shape of the particles used in whitening products, though, is modified to clean those stains away better, so you’ll see a noticeable difference in how your teeth look.”

3. Brushing technique is more important than the toothpaste brand
How you brush your teeth that really matter than what you use. Even if you have best quality paste and brush at your disposal, you can’t achieve noticeable improvement at your dental front, until you follow permitted ways of brushing. “To do it properly, you need to position the brush at a 45 degree angle so that you get some of the bristles in between the tooth and the gums,” says Dr. Whall. “Move the brush in small circles in those areas, and then continue on to the rest of the teeth. This process should take about one to two minutes to complete.”

4. American Dental Association gives approval after suitably examining effectiveness
Check if your about-to-buy product contains requisite seal of approval from the ADA. Cheap local products generally do not receive such approval owing to non-compliance of safety-standard norms. These non-approved products may jeopardise your dental health. “You should always look for the ADA Seal when choosing a toothpaste,” adds Dr. Whall. “Only those products have the scientific data to back up their claims and have been proven to meet our criteria for safety and effectiveness.”

5. All toothpastes contain common thickening, foaming, and adhesive elements
You will be surprised to know that all toothpastes contain very common thickening, foaming, and adhesive elements in spite of claiming to be entirely different from each other. Ingredients like detergent and seaweed are very common in all most all categories of fluoride toothpastes. Seaweed colloids, mineral colloids together with natural gums constitute common thickening agents of the toothpastes, advocates ADA. Sodium lauryl sulfate is in widespread use in toothpastes to create foaming action. ADA certifies these elements as absolutely safe and effective.

6. Pea-size amount of toothpaste is ideal
Opposing to what you believe, you actually require a very small amount of paste to clean your teeth effectively. A brush full of toothpaste merely helps you making your teeth pearl white. E. Jane Crocker, RHD, president of the Massachusetts Dental Hygienists’ Association, says, “All you need is a pea-size amount of toothpaste—yes, I mean the little green vegetable!” It has been proved that a small amount of paste can only work effectively in removing one’s plaque and food debris.

7. Pastes and gels both work alike
You need not to bother about pastes or gels. They both work alike. Only thing, you can choose them as per your personal choice. There’s really no tricks work behind formulating paste or gel toothpastes. “Other than flavor, texture and how it makes a person feel, there aren’t any major differences among the various forms,” contends Crocker. “I think it comes down to personal preference, which might come through trial and error. I encourage my patients to use whichever product encourages them to brush.”

8. Organic toothpastes function even better
Most people consider organic toothpastes as inferior to the regular ones. The conception is not correct. Experts say, organic toothpastes with fluoride even work better. “Natural and organic toothpastes that include fluoride in their ingredients are as effective as regular toothpastes with fluoride,” says Crocker. These products also help you avoid artificial preservatives, dyes, and sweeteners.

9. Change brands of toothpaste and brush regularly
Staying within the purview of the above stated facts, you are advised not to continue with the same brands of toothpaste together with toothbrush for a prolonged period of time. Rotating paste and brush at regular interval helps avoiding perilous effects of any particular brand. It also gives you opportunity to get exposed to any improved model that come to market from time to time.

10. Use special toothpastes suiting special needs
Special needs such as brushing kids’, smokers’, and dentures teeth require special kind of toothpastes. Children often fail to spit out fluoride pastes while washing; they, hence, should be encouraged to use non-fluoride pastes. Fluoride pastes if not washed adequately may develop permanent stains. Smokers require toothpaste that can remove the stains of nicotine. Similarly, you may require special kind of toothpastes to suit your varied requirements.

The above tips are not complete as far as teeth protection is concerned. To check what paste suits you better accommodating your geographic location and personnel, you may consider consulting your dentist to guide you keeping your teeth odour free white.


Red-eyed tree frogs, Small but splendid

Red-eyed tree frogs, as their name states, have bold red eyes with vertically narrowed noses, a vibrant green body with yellow and blue striped sides, and orange toes. There is a great deal of regional variation in flank and thigh coloration Although it has been suggested that bright colors function as sexual signals, this has not been confirmed.

Males range from 2 to 2½ inches while females can get to 3 inches on average. Young frogs are typically brown in color and turn greener as they mature, although adult frogs can change their color slightly depending on mood and environment. Red-eyed tree frogs have soft, fragile skin on their belly, and the skin on their back is thicker and rougher.

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The long limbs on these frogs are better suited for climbing than swimming. Another feature is the sucker pads on the end of each digit. These pads allow the frogs to stick to various objects and provides better traction on wet leaves and branches. Most of the frogs that are in the Hylidade family have a third eye lid called a nictitating membrane. The purpose of this membrane is to shield the frog’s sensitive eyes from various dangers. The lid is often brightly colored and does not completely restrict vision.

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Phyllomedusid tree frogs are arboreal animals, meaning they spend a majority of their life in trees, which also makes them great jumpers. Red-eyed tree frogs are not poisonous and rely on camouflage for protection. During the day, they remain motionless, cover their blue sides with their back legs, tuck their bright feet under their belly, and shut their red eyes. Thus, they appear almost completely green, and well hidden among the foliage.

Red-eyed tree frogs are carnivorous and eat crickets, moths, flies, and other insects, and have been known to eat other small frogs. For froglets, fruit flies and pinhead crickets are the meals of choice. These beautiful beasts are in danger of being wiped out if too much forest is removed, so conservationists are working hard to prevent that. Nature really can come up with truly beautiful examples of wildlife, and they deserve to be preserved for future generations.


Creative and amazing Light bulb aquarium

If your goldfish likes to act pricey and cannot get enough of the spotlight, it might be a good idea for you to get him this stunning light bulb aquarium. The unusual space will make your marine pal feel posh without you having to blow a good portion of your retirement fund to please high fishiness.

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Since you’ll probably be using old used light bulbs to create this thing, you’ll get those extra brownie points with the environmentalists for reusing your electrical waste. And, what’s even better is that if you don’t want your little goldfish giving you the ol’ stink eye over his new living quarters, you can always put the bulb back in the floor lamp and cover it with an oversized shade!

Light bulb aquarium with its amazing look lets your fishes flaunt about their new and unique house. The unusual space will make your marine pal feel posh without you having to blow a good portion of your retirement fund to please high fishiness. Making use of the old bulbs not only helps to utilize the old bulbs but also gives a new designed house to your fishes.


Spongebob in dragon ball World




Dare 9 years old Somali pirates

What does one expect a typical child of 9 years to do with his life? Mostly, your expectations would involve play, learn, study, interact with his peers, develop, etc. The sad truth of the matter is that many in many parts of the world kids simply don’t have this opportunity.

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And, the casue is not poverty, it is far worse than that. Somali kids, starting from the age of 9 are trained to be fighting soldiers. Instead of learning the techniques of soccer and baseball, they are trained in operating and cleaning automatic rifles.

Look at the heart chilling photographs of 12 and 15 year boys with loaded Kalashnikov rifles in their hands. What happened to their childhood? We have always heard that we should learn to see the world through a child’s eyes, but what the eyes of these children see, one hopes never too see.


Futuristic Atomium at Brussels Belgium

Atomium is a stunning monument designed by the engineer Andre Waterkeyn for the International Exhibition of Brussels, that took place here in 1958. The Atomium, which is a structure that is half way between sculpture and architecture, symbolising a crystallised molecule of iron by the scale of its atoms, magnified 150 thousand million times.

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Tubes which connect the spheres along the 12 edges of the cube and all eight vertices to the centre enclose escalators connecting the spheres which contain exhibit halls and other public spaces. The top sphere provides a panoramic view of Brussels.

Each sphere is 18 metres in diameter. Three spheres are currently (2008) closed to visitors, others are easily reachable with escalator. The vertical vertex contains a lift which was considered very fast and advanced at the time of building.



Mass Effect 2 Assault Rifle Replica

With the incredible variety of FPS games around, there’s no shortage of inspiration for DIY replica gun projects. The best part of this precise replica of the M8 Avenger Assault Rifle from the Mass Effect series is that it’s cheap to build.

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You will need to know how to use rotary tools for cutting and beveling because the gun is fashioned from a sheet of medium density fiber (MDF) board. Most of the other parts came from recycled bits (like the spare LEDs for the muzzle flash)


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