Wildfires

Charles Self asked:


Glacier National Park received its designation in 1910. George Bird Grinnell, an early Montana explorer, was instrumental in prodding the United States government to protect this land. Today, about 2 million people visit the 1500 square miles of the park annually.

Fortunately, Glacier National Park is well served by Amtrak’s Empire Builder year-round. The Great Northern Railway (GN), which operated on the tracks Amtrak uses today, provided the initial lodging in the area along its stops. Here are lodging alternatives close to the four Glacier stops (going from east to west):

East Glacier Park: In 1913, GN opened its first Glacier lodge, the Glacier Park Hotel in East Glacier Park. Now known as the Glacier Park Lodge and Resort, the hotel retains the rugged looks of a century ago with modern amenities. The resort is open from late-May to late-September. Located across the street from the Amtrak train station, the 161-room lodge has accommodations that range from rustic “value lodge” rooms to a “Glacier Golf house” situated about ½ mile from the main lodge. The resort also has three restaurants and a “Cowboy Cookout” on Tuesday and Wednesdays. There are two retail stores on the property. Finally, there are over 20 other hotels and campgrounds nearby.

Essex: In a small sliver of land between Glacier National Park and the Bob Marshall Wilderness, lie Essex and the Izaak Walton Inn. Built in 1939 by GN to house winter snow removal crews, this hotel operates year-around. The Izaak Walton is located adjacent to the Amtrak stop at Essex. You have a choice of one of 33 rooms in the inn, four restored railroad cabooses, and six modern family cabins. The restaurant is opened for three meals a day. Reproductions of historic Great Northern dinnerware are the featured items in the hotel’s James J. Hill Gift Shop.

West Glacier: There are dozens of hotels and campground close to West Glacier. Three properties are on the shore of Lake McDonald in Glacier National Park. On the south end, in the Village of Apgar, there is the Village Inn at Apgar (the last Glacier-area lodge built by GN) and the Apgar Village Lodge. Apgar has a visitor center, restaurant and gift stores. On Lake McDonald’s north end, are the magnificent Lake McDonald Lodge, Cottages and Inn. The main lodge was built by GN in 1914 in a Swiss Chalet motif. The resort has three restaurants, a gift shop, and a campstore.

Whitefish: Columbia Falls, Kalispell and Whitefish have numerous lodging options including traditional hotels, condos, bed and breakfasts, ranches and campgrounds. Within an hour’s drive from Glacier National Park, this alternative is attractive to those who want to experience more than just the park. For instance, Whitefish Mountain Resort provides winter sports and summer hiking activities. Also, Flathead Lake, the largest freshwater lake west of the Mississippi River, is known for its fishing and boating activities. There are many good restaurants and shops in this area.



TYLER

DEEPA AZAD asked:


As we moved a little in dense forest canopy, there was  silhouette of a primate on a tree top, I was full of joy as it was lion-tailed macaque, an endangered mammal. The joy was not a short-lived one as the silent valley was teeming with wildlife. In less than two hours, we came across a herd of elephants, a giant squirrel, great Indian hornbill, nilgiri tahr, numerous insects- amazing wildlife if we compare with other national parks of the country.

Silent valley was discovered by British explores in 1847 & so named by them. The valley is very unique & isolated as cliffs of Nilgiri mountains surrounded it on all sides cutting it off the rest of world. This valley was made national part in 1984 & became part of Nilgiri Biosphere reserve in 1986. It is a small national part covering just 89.52KM but it biodiversity value can be understood from the fact that more than 200 spices of birds, 15 of these are endemic, primates like rare Nilgiri langur, lion-tailed macaque, gaurs, barking deer, Nilgiri Tahr, tiger, 110 special of butterflies & 25 species of replies inhabit this tiny biodiversity hotspot. Its isolated status has led to unique species.

In 1970s, its existence came under threat when a dam was proposed on kunthi river which was later abandoned due to protests by environmentalists .It is rightly said by someone that salient valley  is“richest expression of life on earth”.The best time to visit the part is September to March. November is best time to see wildlife. A must visit place for true wildlife lovers.

How to reach:-

By Air – Delhi – coimbatore. Hire a taxi to reach Mukkali.

By Rail – Delhi-Bangalore- Palakkad- take road route to Mukkali.

By Road – Delhi-Chennai , Chennai- Mukkali

CONTACT: - WILDLIFE WARDEN :-

PALAKKAD – 04924-222056.

wildlife,indian wildlife,Silent Valley national park,rainforests of India



ARNULFO

Anthony Fontanelle asked:


Japanese automaker Subaru is known for its mass produced four-wheel drive automobiles. The company is also known for its success in the World Rally Championship. The company’s foray in the sport may be known for the stint of the legendary Colin McRae in the team. But recently, Subaru opened eyes in the auto industry after a Subaru Forester saved a driver’s life.

Matthew Scott, 28, of Anchorage Alaska was involved in an accident on his Subaru Forester and he credited the vehicle for saving his life. Scott said that he does not remember much about the potentially fatal accident. He is now recovering from his injuries to the head and torso. Doctors though are confident that Scott will make a full recovery.

The victim said that he bought his 2003 Subaru Forester compact crossover SUV for its safety features. He said that he feels that his choice of a vehicle paid off. With safety features in place, the Subaru Forester protected Scott adequately.

The crossover owned by Scott looks as if it was what Robert Kubica was driving at the Canadian Grand Prix. The crossover is totaled after it was hit on the side by a car driven by a man trying to elude the authorities. By looking at the crushed Subaru Forester, it is hard to fathom how Scott was able to survive the crash. The crossover is a complete wreck with its Subaru engine parts scattered around the area of the accident.

Scott though did not walk away unscathed from the accident as his spleen was removed due to extensive injuries. His stomach and his back also received punishment as the impact totaled his crossover. Although he may have suffered such injuries, Scott and Lt. Steven Hebbe of the Anchorage Police Department both think that Scott is still lucky.

“Could have been much worse,” said Hebbe which Scott would no doubt agree with. “It looks like he hit the front of the Subaru on the driver’s wheel, and to the front of the vehicle. If he’d hit square into the driver door, you know, I think we could have seen a fatality of that driver as well,” added the lieutenant.

According to Scott, he bought the car for its safety features, most especially for its side curtain airbags. Although a side curtain airbag is not enough to protect a vehicle’s occupant from serious injuries, it appears that it was enough to save Scott’s life during the accident.

Subaru Sales Consultant David Donahue said that Scott’s thinking when he bought the Forester is few and far between among auto buyers. “It’s still something that’s really being used more as a sales pitch,” confided Donahue. “You don’t get very many customers coming in saying, ‘Hey, I want to ensure that the vehicle I’m purchasing has side curtain air bags.”

Side airbags have been available on mass produced cars for over ten years now. Sadly though, it was only a few years back when automakers made them standard or optional equipments for their vehicles. According to the Insurance Institute for Highway Safety, 45 percent of vehicles for the 2007 model year are equipped with head and chest side impact airbags as standard equipments. Ten percent of the 2007 model year vehicles offer these safety features as optional features meaning consumers would have to shell out more for the extra protection. Sadly, 21 percent of 2007 model year vehicles are still not equipped with any form of side impact airbags.



ROSCOE

Cindy Papp asked:


m a fat belly to a flat belly can be easier when you use tricks that help increase your metabolism. You don’t have to be born with a fast metabolism to take advantage, either. Here are some fat burning tips to help you achieve your flat belly goals.

Tip Number One - Avoid junk food like the plague. Nothing packs the fat on faster than eating junk foods and fast foods. If you want a hamburger, make it yourself. This will help you control the portion, skip the bun or make it whole grain, and add plenty of veggies. At the same time you won’t be tempted by the smell of fat fries.

Tip Number Two - Eat plenty of fresh, raw fruits and veggies. These fat burning foods will help raise your metabolism. Start by eating fruits in the morning before other foods. This is when your liver is best at burning fat and fresh fruits help your liver do this even better.

Start your later meals with a green, raw salad. This gets your digestion revved up to digest the rest of the food. A stronger digestion means a faster metabolism, and a faster metabolism burns more fat.

Tip Number Three - Eat more protein. Many times we don’t eat enough protein to lose fat. On the other hand, many people eat too much at once, which can pack on the pounds. Avoid this problem by eating smaller portions 5-6 times, spread throughout the day. To find the right portion for your body, keep the size of the serving about the same size as your palm.

Don’t miss out on the fat burning ability of this technique. Your whole body is made of protein, including muscle which also helps burn fat. Protein also helps your liver detoxify, which frees it up and enhances its fat burning ability!

Lean proteins to choose from include turkey, chicken, lean beef, tempeh, fish, almonds, garbanzo beans and eggs. Healthy fish can include salmon, halibut, tuna and tilapia.

Tip Number Four - Flush away your belly fat by drinking 6-8 glasses of cold water. Cold water flushes fatty toxins while naturally raising metabolism at the same time. Be sure to spread these throughout your day.

Tip Number Five - Take your EFA’s. These are essential fatty acids, known as the Omega-3’s and Omega-6’s, that your body needs to survive. These kinds of nutrients are essential for you heart, your hair, your brain, your skin, your joints, and may help keep your mood elevated even during times of stress. You can satisfy cravings for unhealthy fat foods by eating foods with healthy fats, or EFA’s. Most importantly, these healthy fats help your body carry out unhealthy, toxic fat that can accumulate around your mid-section.

Foods that will supply these important nutrients include walnuts, salmon, halibut, tilapia, tuna, hemp seeds, flax seeds, olive oil, avocadoes, and coconut oil. For an extra boost, an Essential Fatty Acid supplement can be found at your local health food store.

Tip Number Six - Exercise first thing in the morning, before you eat. If you eat first, your body might burn the calories from the food you just ate. If you eat on an empty stomach, your body is forced to burn the stored fat, which is what it is there for. Be sure to drink your water first!

Tip Number Seven - Here’s another exercise tip… jump on a rebounder or mini trampoline. Rebounding exercise is done on a mini trampoline designed to safely use every day. This type of exercise will help increase circulation of your blood and lymph, both which can help carry out fat trapping toxins.

To make this exercise work even better, jump for two minutes at a time, anywhere from 5-10 times each day. Studies show that the entire lymphatic system can start moving toxins, including toxic fat, out of the entire body in just two minutes.

Use some or all of these fat burning tips to reach your goals - but of course the more you do the sooner you lose fat. All of these fat burning techniques can help you lose weight, rid your body of unhealthy and even dangerous fat, and get your belly from fat to flat in just weeks.



GREGORY