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Puffed Rice Cereal

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Puffed Rice Cereal

“Snap, Crackle, Pop” – notable slogan accompanying Kellogg’s puffed rice cereal.

  • Puffed rice cereal is a crunchy cereal made primarily of rice that has been expanded, often using a combination of steam and heating methods, including an oven, or via the use of pressure.
  • ‘Puffed rice cereal’ is also known as ‘rice pops’, ‘Rice Krispies’, ‘Rice Bubbles’, ‘pori’, and ‘muri’, depending on its use, origin and brand.
  • Although it is a popular breakfast cereal in western countries, like the United States, Australia and the United Kingdom, puffed rice cereal is commonly adapted as a snack in many Asian countries, where it has been eaten for centuries in various forms.
  • Puffed rice cereal was created and commercialised as a breakfast cereal in 1927, by either Clayton Rindlisbacker or Eugene McKay, both employees of Kellogg’s.
  • The puffed rice cereal’s thin walls become weak when milk or other liquid is added, and this makes the popular noises ‘snap’, ‘crackle’ and ‘pop’ that the cereal is noted for.

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  • Puffed rice cereal is primarily made of rice, sugar and salt ingredients, and depending on the brand and its use, some flavourings and preservatives may be added.
  • Puffed rice cereal has been released in numerous different flavours, and chocolate is particularly popular.
  • Puffed rice cereal can be adhered together using other ingredients to make snack bars or party style food.
  • In India, a version of puffed rice cereal is used traditionally as an ingredient in a snack for Hindu god offerings.
  • Puffed rice cereal has little nutritional value, so vitamins and minerals are often added back in to improve the nutrition content of the product.

 

Bibliography:
Puffed Rice, 2014, Wikipedia, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Puffed_rice
Rice Krispies, 2014, Wikipedia, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rice_Krispies

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Tianzi Mountain Nature Reserve

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Tianzi Mountain Nature Reserve

The Tianzi Mountain Nature Reserve is quite mystical.

  • Tianzi Mountain Nature Reserve is a reserve that primarily contains numerous stone pillars, and is found in Asia’s China, in the Hunan Province, in the Zhangjiajie area.
  • Tianzi Mountain Nature Reserve covers an area of 67 square kilometres (25.87 square miles).
  • ‘Tianzi Mountain Nature Reserve’, also called ‘Tianzishan’, was named after Xiang Dakun, a Chinese man who took on the name ‘Tianzi’, meaning ‘son of heaven’, after leading a successful rebellion some time between 1127 and 1279.
  • Tianzi Mountain Nature Reserve’s pillars are mostly very tall and narrow, and the highest peak reaches 1,262 metres (4,140 feet).
  • Tianzi Mountain Nature Reserve is most picturesque during April, May, September and October.

Tianzi Mountain Nature Reserve, Painting, Illustration, Mist, China, Park, Scenic, Ten Random Facts, Flickr

Illustration of Tianzi Mountain Nature Reserve
Image courtesy of Stephanie/Flickr
  • Tianzi Mountain Nature Reserve is full of valleys, waterfalls and erect rock peaks, and the area is said to have inspired some of the scenery from the popular 2009 Avatar film.
  • Tianzi Mountain Nature Reserve peaks can be seen via cable cars, which span a distance of 2.1 kilometres (1.3 miles).
  • Tianzi Mountain Nature Reserve rock pillars are made primarily of quartzite sandstone.
  • Tianzi Mountain Nature Reserve is part of the Wulingyuan Scenic and Historic Interest Area, that was designated as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1992.
  • Many pine trees grow on the top of the rock peaks of Tianzi Mountain Nature Reserve.
Bibliography:
Tianzi Mountain, 2014, Wikipedia, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Tianzi_Mountain
Tianzi Mountain Nature Reserve, 2014, China Travel, http://www.chinatravel.com/zhangjiajie-attraction/tianzi-mountain-nature-reserve/
Tianzi Mountain Nature Reserve, 2014, TravelChinaGuide.com, http://www.travelchinaguide.com/attraction/hunan/zhangjiajie/tianzi-mountain.htm

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Chinchilla

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Chinchilla

Chinchillas are cute and soft but endangered.

  • Chinchillas are a genus of two extant species of medium sized rodent mammals that move around mostly during twilight hours, and the animal lives in herds of 14 to 100.
  • Chinchillas live at elevations of up to 4,270 metres (14,000 feet) in South America’s Andes Mountains, and they belong to the family Chinchillidae, a family of squirrel-like rodents.
  • The term ‘chinchilla’ is said to have derived from ‘Chincha’, the name of the Andes Mountains indigenous people who wore garments made from their fur, however, it is also believed the term means ‘little bug’.
  • Chinchillas have become critically endangered, and one species is extinct, due to human hunting for its very soft fur.
  • Chinchillas grow to be 25 to 35 centimetres (10 to 14 inches) in length; weigh 400 to 500 grams (14 to 18 ounces); and can jump lengths of 1.8 metres (6 feet) in a single bound.
Chinchilla, Animals, pets, rodents, black, grey, white, Captive, Ten Random Facts
Chinchillas
Image courtesy of Ph!L!s/Flickr
  • Female chinchillas have litters averaging two or three, giving birth to young that have a body full of fur and open eyes, and they live on average 10 to 12 years, although they can live to age 20.
  • A chinchilla’s diet mainly consists of seeds, fruit, leaves and nuts, and they are preyed upon by birds like owls and hawks, snakes, foxes and other animals.
  • Chinchillas can be kept as pets, although the animal requires a specific diet and habitat, including a relatively cool environment.
  • The fur of chinchillas has been sold since the 1500s, while today the animal is bred commercially for their fur.
  • The fur colour of chinchillas is typically grey, although humans have bred them so that they produce different colours, including white, black, blue or beige.
Bibliography:
Chinchilla, 2013, A-Z Animals, http://a-z-animals.com/animals/chinchilla/
Chinchilla, 2014, Wikipedia, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chinchilla
The Chinchilla, 2014, Chinchilla Chronicles, http://www.chinchillachronicles.com/the_chinchilla.html

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Padlock

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Padlock

Everything is secure with a padlock.

  • Padlocks are security devices used to keep items secure, that can usually be opened via a code or key, and are portable.
  • Padlocks commonly have a cylindrical ‘U’ shaped top, called a shackle, typically attached to a rectangular base or body, and sizes vary greatly, with different sizes used on proportionate objects.
  • To use a padlock, the shackle is placed over or through a latch, and the shackle is then closed.
  • Padlocks have been used for thousand of years by Ancient Egyptians and Babylonians, and they were in use from 1000 BC in Asia’s China, and they became more widespread via travelling merchants.
  • Padlocks are typically made of steel or brass, or a combination of both, and they were originally made from wood, although silver, brass and bronze were later used.

Padlock, Three, Some, Secure, Key, Black, Rectangle, Traditional, Ten Random Facts

  • A ‘padlock’ is said to have been named so, between the 9th and 11th century, when the invention was used to secure paddocks.
  • In the 1800s, padlocks become more commercially viable, were manufactured in mass production processes, and the security of the locks were improved.
  • Padlocks typically are locked by the shackle catching on an internal mechanism in the body of the device, and they are often self-locking by a person pushing the shackle closed, but occasionally they require a key for assistance.
  • Padlocks are often unlocked by using a key or entering a number or letter combination, and they can be illegally unlocked by using a lock pick or a heavy tool, such as a hammer, chisels or bolt cutters.
  • Pictures of padlocks are used as a popular symbol for securing, and are used universally on the internet and online world.
Bibliography:
History of Padlocks – Who Invented Padlock?, n.d., History of Keys, http://www.historyofkeys.com/padlocks-history/history-of-padlocks/
Padlock, 2014, Wikipedia, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Padlock

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Yosemite Valley

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Yosemite Valley

Yosemite Valley is a very scenic place.

  • Yosemite Valley is a valley located in the United State’s California, in the mountainous region of Yosemite National Park.
  • Yosemite Valley covers a length of approximately 13 kilometres (7.5 miles) and is about 1.6 kilometres (1 mile) wide and is surrounded by up to 1.46 km (0.9 mile) high granite cliffs.
  • Yosemite Valley features numerous walking tracks and rock climbs, and is a popular tourist destination, attracting approximately 2.8 million visitors per year in 2012.
  • Yosemite Valley is populated by pine trees, and is the home to numerous creeks, waterfalls and meadows.
  • Yosemite Valley is said to have been originally filled by numerous glaciers, which in turn flattened the valley floor, causing it to be a U-shaped glacial valley.
Yosemite Valley, Part of, Scenery, Clif, Trees, America, united States, California, Ten Random Facts, Flickr
Part of Yosemite Valley
Image courtesy of CJ Travel Tips/Flickr
  • Yosemite Valley is home to much wildlife – fauna including squirrels, deer, bears, coyotes, salamanders, skinks, bobcats and rattlesnakes; and flora including wildflowers and shrubs.
  • Besides rock climbing and hiking, Yosemite Valley offers many other activities, including ice skating in winter, fishing, cycling, birdwatching, and swimming.
  • In 1864, Yosemite Valley was declared a protected landmark, via a bill by Abraham Lincoln (president of the United States at the time), that made it the first protected natural place by a federal government, and it was declared a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 1984 as part of the Yosemite National Park listing.
  • Yosemite Valley has numerous rock falls each year, some of which have fallen from significant heights, caused fatalities, registered on seismographs, flattened thousands of trees, damaged buildings and caused huge dust clouds.
  • There is a fee to enter the national park that Yosemite Valley is located in, and the valley has lodges, cabins, camping areas, shops, a museum, post office, art centre and many other facilities.
Bibliography:
Cary R, Yosemite Valley, 2006, Yosemite National Park, http://www.yosemitehikes.com/yosemite-valley/yosemite-valley-hikes.htm
Yosemite Valley, 2014, Wikipedia, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Yosemite_Valley

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Spider Monkey

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Spider Monkey

Eeek! Oh, it is just a spider monkey.

  • Spider monkeys are a group of monkeys, scientifically known as ‘Ateles’, that are native to Central and South America’s rainforests.
  • Spider monkeys have abnormally long arms, legs and tail, that somewhat resembles a spider, and they do not possess thumbs.
  • Spider monkeys’ diet mainly consists of fruit, as well as nuts, flowers, leaves, and insects.
  • Spider monkeys live high up in the tall trees, in troops of 10 to 40 monkeys, that generally split into smaller groups during daytime, and they vocalise by barking, screaming and whinnying.
  • Six of the seven species of spider monkey are endangered, some species critically, and the seventh is vulnerable, due to rainforest removal as well as hunting.
Spider Monkey, Brown, Crouch, Tree, Branches, Animal, Primate, Ten Random Facts, Flickr, Endangered, Long limbs,Spider Monkey
Image courtesy of Russel Street/Flickr
  • Spider monkeys are from the Atelidae family, the family of large New World Monkeys, and they have a life span, on average, of 22 years, and can live up to 27.
  • The fur of spider monkeys is typically coloured gold, brown, black, white or grey and the extremities are also black coloured, while the colour varies depending on the species.
  • When threatened, either by humans or other animals like eagles and jaguars, spider monkeys may bark, shake trees to provoke fear, drop branches or, rarely, attack.
  • Female spider monkeys typically have a single baby at a time, with a gap of 3 or 4 years before they reproduce again, and the young monkey travels with and relies on the mother for approximately six to ten months.
  • Spider monkeys grow to be around 35 to 66 centimetres (14 to 26 inches) in height, with a tail length that can be as long as 89 centimetres (35 inches), and they weigh approximately 6 to 11 kilograms (13.25 to 24 pounds).
Bibliography:
Spider Monkey, 2014, A-Z Animals, http://a-z-animals.com/animals/spider-monkey/
Spider Monkey, 2014, National Geographic, http://animals.nationalgeographic.com.au/animals/mammals/spider-monkey/
Spider Monkey, 2014, Wikipedia, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spider_monkey

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