The Amazing Octopuses That Make Their Own Mobile Homes

Tuesday, 15 December 2009 | 9:00 PM

KOMPAS.com - These incredible pictures show octopuses making their own mobile homes from discarded coconut shells - in what scientists believe is the first 'intelligent' use of tools by an invertebrate.

Researchers studied more than 20 of the eight-legged creatures in Indonesia, watching how they recycled the shell halves thrown into the sea by humans.

The animals did much more than simply crawl under a convenient shell. They collected coconut halves of the right size, stacked two together, and transported them under their bodies over distances of up to 20 metres.

The shell 'bowls' were then unloaded and placed with their open ends together to form a closeable lair.

To carry the shells, the octopuses developed a comical form of locomotion, dubbed 'stilt walking' by the researchers.

The soft-bodied creature would first spread itself over a consignment of coconut shells, making its eight tentacles rigid. It would then raise the whole assembly to amble on eight 'stilts' across the sea floor.

This made what the octopuses were doing very different from the actions of hermit crabs, which house themselves in empty mollusc shells, the scientists pointed out.

'There is a fundamental difference between picking up a nearby object and putting it over your head as protection versus collecting, arranging, transporting (awkwardly), and assembling portable armour as required,' said Dr Mark Norman, from the Museum Victoria in Melbourne, Australia.

Colleague Julia Finn, who also took part in the research, added: 'While I have observed and videoed octopuses hiding in shells many times, I never expected to find an octopus that stacks multiple coconut shells and jogs across the sea floor carrying them.

'I could tell that the octopus, busy manipulating coconut shells, was up to something, but I never expected it would pick up the stacked shells and run away. It was an extremely comical sight - I have never laughed so hard underwater.'

The research is reported in the journal Current Biology.

'Ultimately, the collection and use of objects by animals is likely to form a continuum stretching from insects to primates, with the definition of tools providing a perpetual opportunity for debate,' the scientists wrote.

'However, the discovery of this octopus tiptoeing across the sea floor with its prized coconut shells suggests that even marine invertebrates engage in behaviours that we once thought the preserve of humans.'

Cosmic Firework Lights up The Sky above Mojave Desert

Saturday, 19 December 2009 | 3:39 AM

KOMPAS.com - This incredible picture shows a huge meteor hurtling to Earth during the annual Geminid meteor shower. Astro-photogrpaher Wally Pacholk captured this amazing shot in the Mojave Desert area near Victorville under a dark and almost clear sky.

A huge meteor hurtles to Earth during the annual Geminid meteor shower. The picture was taken from the Mojave Desert area near Victorville

The annual cosmic fireworks have been growing in intensity in recent decades with up to 160 meteors visible per hour under optimal conditions. They travel across the sky at about 22miles per second and are fairly easy to spot.

The Geminids are caused by the Earth crossing the debris-strewn path of the extinct comet 3200 Phaethon. The first recorded sightings were in 1862 in England and the U.S. In these early days only 14 meteors were recorded per hour.

Viewing conditions were particularly good this year because it peaked on Monday morning two days before a new Moon. They are best viewed from the Northern Hemisphere although you can see up to 20 meteors per hour near the horizon in the Southern Hemisphere.

Mr Pacholka is an accountant by day and an award-winning astro-photographer at night. His shots have been used both by Nasa and National Geographic.

'I just love the night sky,' he said.

'Even as a teenager, I'd be out all hours of the night searching. My friends and family would ask me, "Why?"

'So I started taking pictures of the night sky to show them what they were missing.'

Bandhavgarh National Park of Tiger

Located in the state of Madhya Pradesh and established in 1982, Bandhavgarh is a tiger reserve. Until recently it was a hunting preserve for the royal family of Rewa. This is where the famous Rewa white tigers were discovered.

Spread over 437sq. km with semi evergreen sal forests, grassland, bamboo stretches and mixed forests at higher altitudes, this national park is the habitat for tigers, leopards, Indian wild dogs, jungle cats, mountain gazelle, hyena, porcupine, langur and many species of local and migrating birds.

The chances of seeing a tiger are very bright in this park. Tours on elephant backs are available in the park. The best time to visit the park is from November through June. The park will be closed during monsoon and most of the animals seek refuge in the dense forest from heavy rain.

The nearest railway station is in Umaira about 30km from the park. Accommodation could be arranged at the forest rest house or at Bandhavgarh Jungle Camp.

Garden strawberry

Strawberry cultivars vary remarkably in size, color, flavor, shape, degree of fertility, season of ripening, liability to disease and constitution of plant.^[7] Some vary in foliage, and some vary materially in the relative development of their sexual organs. In most cases the flowers appear hermaphroditic in structure, but function as either male or female.^[8]

For purposes of commercial production, plants are propagated from runners and generally distributed as either bare root plants or plugs. Cultivation follows one of two general models, annual plasticulture^[9] or a perennial system of matted rows or mounds.^[10] A small amount of strawberries are also produced in greenhouses during the off season.^[11]

The bulk of modern commercial production uses the plasticulture system. In this method, raised beds are formed each year, fumigated, and covered with plastic, which prevents weed growth and erosion, under which is run irrigation tubing. Plants, usually obtained from northern nurseries, are planted through holes punched in this covering. Runners are removed from the plants as they appear, to encourage the plants to put most of their energy into fruit development. At the end of the harvest season, the plastic is removed and the plants are plowed into the ground.^[12][9] Because strawberry plants more than a year or two old begin to decline in productivity and fruit quality, this system of replacing the plants each year allows for improved yields and denser plantings.^[12][9] However, because it requires a longer growing season to allow for establishment of the plants each year, and because of the increased costs in terms of forming and covering the mounds and purchasing plants each year, it is not always practical in all areas.^[12]

The other major method, which uses the same plants from year to year growing in rows or on mounds, is most common in colder climates.^[9][10] It has lower investment costs, and lower overall maintenance requirements.^[10] Yields are typically lower than in plasticulture.^[10]

Strawberries are often grouped according to their flowering habit.^[7][13] Traditionally, this has consisted of a division between "June-bearing" strawberries, which bear their fruit in the early summer and "ever-bearing" strawberries, which often bear several crops of fruit throughout the season.^[13] More recently, research has shown that strawberries actually occur in three basic flowering habits: short day, long day, and day neutral. These refer to the day length sensitivity of the plant and the type of photoperiod which induces flower formation. Day neutral cultivars produce flowers regardless of the photoperiod.^[14]

Strawberries may also be propagated by seed, though this is primarily a hobby activity, and is not widely practiced commercially. A few seed-propagated cultivars have been developed for home use, and research into growing from seed commercially is ongoing.^[15] Seeds (achenes) are acquired either via commercial seed suppliers, or by collecting and saving them from the fruit.

[edit] Manuring and harvesting

Most strawberry plants are now fed with artificial fertilizers, both before and after harvesting, and often before planting in plasticulture.^[16]

The harvesting and cleaning process has not changed substantially over time. The delicate strawberries are still harvested by hand.^[17] Grading and packing often occurs in the field, rather than in a processing facility.^[17] In large operations, strawberries are cleaned by means of water streams and shaking conveyor belts.^[18]

[edit] Pests

Around 200 species of pests are known to attack strawberries both directly and indirectly.^[19] These pests include slugs, moths, fruit flies, chafers, strawberry root weevils, strawberry thrips, strawberry sap beetles, strawberry crown moth, mites, aphids, and others.^[19][20]

A number of species of Lepidoptera feed on strawberry plants; for details see this list.

[edit] Diseases

See also: List of strawberry diseases

Strawberry plants can fall victim to a number of diseases.^[21] The leaves may be attacked by powdery mildew, leaf spot (caused by the fungus Sphaerella fragariae), leaf blight (caused by the fungus Phomopsis obscurans), and by a variety of slime molds.^[21] The crown and roots may fall victim to red stele, verticillium wilt, black root rot, and nematodes.^[21] The fruits are subject to damage from gray mold, rhizopus rot, and leather rot.^[21] The plants can also develop disease from temperature extremes during winter.^[21]

Missing Maritime Issue from Copenhagen Treaty Draft

Wednesday, 16 December 2009 | 1:17 PM

COPENHAGEN, KOMPAS.com - The maritime issue which was previously mentioned in over ten paragraphs in the conference discussion draft, along the process, has disappeared from the shared vision draft.

The new draft of suggestions, which is the reference for all negotiators, has omitted the acknowledgement of the sea and coastal ecosystems' vulnerability on the shared vision part.

The discussion draft instead brings up acknowledgement for mountain areas as vulnerable to climate change. This addition is to adopt the interest of countries with mountains and melting glaciers, such as Nepal and Tibet.

"We will keep trying to get recognition of the maritime aspect in the treaty draft. It's critical for Indonesia," stated Minister for Fisheries and Marine Affairs Fadel Muhammad in a press conference at the Bella Center, Monday afternoon Copenhagen time (around Monday midnight WIB).

Indonesia continues endeavor

The text omittance in the draft is still being claimed by the Indonesian delegates to be reacknowledged. Indonesia considers adopting maritime issue to be crucial for the treaty. Besides the fact that two thirds of Indonesia is the sea, millions of people live on the coasts.

Indonesia, that had successfully held the World Ocean Conference in Manado, North Sulawesi, last May, feels responsible for that acknowledgement. The conference, which was attended by delegates from 87 countries, came up with the Manado Declaration, one of which is the commitment to push marime issue to be adopted in the climate negotiation.

In Copenhage, the Global Environment Fund declared a funding commitment of 63 million USD for the coral triangle initiative, which includes Indonesia and five other countries.

The coral triangle area supplies much of the sea products for hundreds of millions of people. Now the sea is threatened by the increasing sea acid.

Increasing sea acid in-line with increasing carbondioxyde concentration in the atmosphere contributes to the fatal damage of the sea's ecosystem. The carbondioxyde absorbed by the sea kills massive coral reefs, which will directly affect the productivity of sea organisms.

According to Hendra Yusran Siry, the Indonesian negotiator for maritime issue, this issue has been acknowledged in the mitigation, adaptation, technology transfer, and capacity development. "We're concerned that the achievements of mitigation and other efforts [on maritime issue] would be discounted since they're not mentioned [in the treaty]." Indonesian delegates have re-submitted the maritime issue in the new suggested draft through the effort with the ad hoc working group on long-term cooperative action.

The missing maritime and coastal issue from the shared vision is against the agreement in 1992, that has been firmly adopted in the framework of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). The framework admits the importance of sea and coastal ecosystems as absorbers of the carbon load, and they in turn could release emission into the atmosphere.

It's a matter of priority

Indonesia, together with 12 other countries, agreed to push for the adopting of maritime issue in the treaty. This group of countries was formed during the climate meeting in Bonn, Germany, 2009.

However, the unity of the group hasn't been solid enough in the Copenhagen negotation. "Not that the group doesn't exist anymore, but perhaps it's a matter of priority differences from each country," said Hendra.

This doesn't weaken Indonesia's struggle to push the issue forward into the treaty. The data from the Convention on Biological Diversity, released in Copenhagen, estimates that the sea acid will increase by 150 percent by 2050, or 100 times faster than the last 20 million years. It seems that the survival of sea organisms will be disrupted as it threatens the human food supply balance. (GSA/C17-09)

Tomatoes are an important horticultural commodities

Tomatoes are an important horticultural commodities, but good production quantity and quality is still low. This is due among other things the hard ground, poor micro nutrients and hormones, are not balanced fertilization, pest and diseases, the influence of weather and climate, and farmers' cultivation technical

Carrots are subtropical plants

Carrots are subtropical plants that require cold temperatures (22-24 ° C), moist, and enough sun. In Indonesia, such conditions usually found in areas berketinggian between 1200-1500 m above sea level. Now carrots are planted in the area can berketinggian 600 m above sea level. It is advisable to plant carrots in a fertile soil, humus-rich soil with a pH between 5,5-6,5. Less fertile land planted with carrots can still be done as long as intensive fertilization. Most of the plateau land in Indonesia has a low pH. If so, have whitewashed the ground, because the acidic soil inhibits root growth.

the beautiful orange carrots

In the taxonomy of plants, carrots are classified as follows:
Kingdom: Plantae (plants)
Division: Spermatophyta (seed plants)
Sub-Division: Angiospermae
Class: Dicotyledonae
Order: Umbelliferales
Family: Umbelliferae (Apiaceae)
Genus: Daucus
Species: Daucus carrota L.

hickey contest, funny and cute

Hickey ornamental, these commodities could say there is no death. In fact, these days ornamental hickey contest was held to bloom again in the big cities, like Jakarta, Bandung, and Surabaya.

The number of contest participants increased from year to year. No wonder if this beautiful finned fish known homeland communities.

Hickey beauty lies in the form of fins charm combined with the impressive color. In addition, treatment of ornamental hickey somewhat easy and simple.

FISH hickey (Cucu & Pang-Pang)

FISH CULTIVATION hickey

hickey fish cultivation as an alternative or additional income on the side. Because of capital needed in the cultivation of fish is not big hickey, you just issued capital of Rp. 5000 .- s / d Rp. 10.000, - for a pair of fish hickey, as indukan.

As a container where the fish or aquariumnya, your ex-bida use bottled water bottles that you certainly can get easily around your home environment. Hickey fish to feed fish does not require expensive, just find a dead mosquito, mosquito larva, or reserving a few fibers from the side dishes of meat that we eat everyday.

Container Cultivation

In general, container maintenance is like cement or aquarium that size is not large enough to have 1 x 2 m or aquarium 100 x 40 x 50 cm, was smaller containers marriage enlargement of the container, which can be used, among others: the basin, a small aquarium or bucket can be used for fish memijahkan.

Special features

Characteristics possessed by the male ornamental fish hickey is a wonderful addition to color, fins were long and resembles a comb serit, so often called serit hickey. Meanwhile, female fish are not attractive color (dull) and the form of fins shorter than the male fish.
Features of male fish to dipijahkan:

Age ± 4 months
Shape of the body and long fins and good color.
His movements were aggressive and agile.
Healthy body condition (not disease).

The characteristics of female fish:

Age has reached + - 4 months
Rounded shape of the body indicates ready to mate.
His movements slow.
Fin short and unattractive color.
healthy body condition.

Fish spawning and nursing

After the parent is prepared hickey decorative containers as well as the next step is to conduct breeding:

French tourist: the rose garden / "Roseraie Du Val De Marne"

Rose Garden

The Word of God: "So the woman who shalihah is obedient to God again take care of herself when her husband was not there, because God has kept them ..

Women grappler ASIAH & MASYITOH Tauhid

Women grappler ASIAH & MASYITOH Tauhid


field_in_the_sun_1280x800-667556Alkisah in Egypt, there lived two women in a magnificent palace of Pharaoh. The first one is a queen, the wife of Pharaoh who named Asiah, and the second is a woman whose daily work was combing Pharaoh's daughter's hair, so he was named Masyitoh (in Indonesian it means that women comber).

Both of them are women who believe in Allah and deny the Pharaoh who claimed to be god.

(The story is told in the hadith narrated by Ahmad, Abu Dawud, and Ibn Kathir tafsir menghasankannya in the book and the Book of Al Bidayah Wa Nihayah).

On one day, when Masyitoh was combing Pharaoh's daughter's hair, comb accidentally fell to the floor. Masyitoh spontaneously say "Bismillah" (In the name of God), picking up her hairbrush. So long as this faith which he eventually covered lid accidentally came out as well as the ever spoken dhikr remembrance of Allah.

When Masyitoh say bismillah, the daughter of Pharaoh was surprised and he asked, "What do you mean God is my father?" Apparently he only knew that it was Pharaoh's god claiming to be god reply. So Masyitoh replied, "No, but God is rabbku (Lord) rabb rabb you and your father," daughter of Pharaoh amazed because no god but him. Then he threatened Masyitoh, "I will convey this to my father." Thus without trepidation Masyitoh said, "Please."

When facing Masyitoh pharaohs, the first question put to him was: "Is it true that you have to say insulting words to me, as my narrative. And who do you worship God for this? "" That's right, His Majesty the King of the unjust. Rabbku and Rabbmu is God. And there is no god but Allah, the true master of all nature and contents. "Masyitoh replied boldly.

Masyitoh hear, Pharaoh became very angry, so ordered the guards to heat large sekuali oil. And when the oil is boiling, the royal bodyguard called the crowds to witness the punishment that has been imposed on Masyitoh. Once again Masyitoh called and invited to choose: if you want to survive with her children, Masyitoh must deny God. Masyitoh must admit that the Pharaoh is God worthy of worship. If Masyitoh still will not admit Pharaoh as his Lord, Masyitoh be included in the pot, along with her children.

Masyitoh remain at its founding to believe in Allah SWT. Masyitoh then bring her children into the cauldron is.

Children first, second, third and so have been throwing into the pot, with a strong Masyitoh watched it all, until it was her turn to be thrown a baby, coping with this Masyitoh hesitated. But because the will of God, then the young kids that can say, "O thou patient's mother was on the truth, actually it was a little sick and briefly. Hereafter punishment is more harsh and violent. "So in order to maintain his faith in God and his son Masyitoh enter into a boiling cauldron.

In a hadith, the Prophet salallahu alaihi wa salam said, "When I lifted up into the sky and then my reply through fragrant smell, and then I asked:" What's that smell that smell? "Then Gabriel menjwab" This is the woman in the palace comber Fir ' Aun and his children "

Then the Pharaoh congkaknya Asiah told his wife, a woman who salihah, what he had done to Masyitoh and children. Heard about it and Assia shouting and said to him, "Alas how you Pharaoh lancangnya thee to God," then declared bersyahadat Asiah keimananya to God in the face of Pharaoh, and Pharaoh summoned his army and ordered his wife was tortured then Asiah tortured and flogged.

As more and more painful torture, blood rushing, Asiah staring at the sky and said, as mentioned by Allah in the verses of the Qur'an: "O my Lord, build me a house on your side in heaven and save me from Pharaoh and his deeds and save me from people who do wrong. "(Surah At-Tahrim [66]: 11)

Then take soaring prayer and through the gates of heaven by God heard tabaroka wa ta'ala. Ibn Kathir says in his commentary the book "And God reveals the heavens and God showed his home in heaven," Until when the punishment harder and more painful the punishment was smiling so Assia Pharaoh became marah.Mengapa he smiling? Because he saw his house in heaven, after it wrote berhembuslah Asiah last breath.

Thus the story and Masyitoh Asiah. Hopefully all Muslim women can take lessons and follow them, died in a firm grasp "Tawheed."

Roses | Rose Garden | Rose Types Classification

Beautiful rose garden dreams of many people, either just to visit or to have. As a fanatical lover of roses, I was armed with knowledge about roses, I have gained through the collection of books about roses, rose garden visiting, browsing the Internet or from personal experience of planting more than 60 kinds of roses. I also demen collection of photographs of garden roses and species roses. Knowledge and experience that I want to share in a series of writings. The first one that I will discuss the classification of types of roses.
Types Types of Roses

Types Types of Roses

Classification of types of roses is not a standard. More than 10 books and a dictionary of roses I have, there is not the same in mengkelompokkan roses. Roses currently there are millions and hybrid cultivars, very diverse kinds. In reply Wikipediapun we read, the classification of roses from one language into another language is different. I conclude, based aja rose classifications that I have read. The most important, how to know which types of roses, we can select and grow roses and form a beautiful rose garden.

Based on the origin, species of rose is divided into 5 groups: Species roses from Europe, the species of American origin, species from the Middle East, rose species come from China and species from Japan.

Climbing Rose Sutter GoldMawar park, divided into 3 major groups:

* Wild Rose / Wild roses (Eng) / Rosier sauvages (Fr): a simple interest Petal cuman few, but very quick to breed, and are pest and disease resistant, not easy to die. Wild Ros is usually used as rootstock for roses called grafting.

* Ancient Rose / Old garden roses (Eng), Rosier anciens (Fr). In french Ros entering this ancient ros is the kind of roses that existed before the time of hybrid tea roses were introduced in 1867. Rose Petal is more compact, generally fragrant. One disadvantage of the old roses are the flower only once a season, even when the flowers come out very, very many flowers and can last up to 2 months, but after that he will break the flowering, or flowering but rarely, and will bloom again in the next year.

* Rose Modern / modern garden roses (Eng) / Rosiers modernes (Fr).

The period begins when the modern rose cultivars dimunculkannya rose "La France" in 1867. La France roses are the results of the work of Jean-Baptiste Guillot, a rosieriste (expert roses and rose breeders) from Lyon, France. La France is a cross between Madame Victor Verdier Rose and Rose Rose Madame Madame Bravy or Falcot.

The characteristics of modern roses: flowers double / compact, the number reached 60 Petal Petal lot more even, continuous flowering, there was a smell there that does.
Roses Pierre de Ronsard climbing