Tag Archives: America

Binder Clip

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Binder Clip

Binder clips are binding necessities.

  • Binder clips are small stationery items that can grip onto other objects or hold objects together, typically paper, and can be easily removed.
  • A binder clip’s body is generally a triangular prism shape made of spring steel, with attached metal wire loops that are used as handles for opening and closing the body.
  • Binder clips typically range from 0.5 to 5 centimetres (0.2 to 2 inches) in body size.
  • Binder clips are typically used for temporarily grouping many sheets of paper together, but they can also be used as bookmarks, money clips, and holding objects in place, among others.
  • It is believed that binder clips were originally invented by American Louis E Baltzley, for his father who was a writer, in USA’s Washington D.C. in 1910, and he received a patent for the invention in 1915.

binder Clip, black, large, small, assorted, Bulldog, Ten Random Facts, Stationary

  • Binder clips’ bodies are typically black in colour, but can range in colours and styles, and can include coloured patterns.
  • The original 1910 clip design is very similar to the one used today, and it is said that the first company to manufacture binder clips were the L.E.B Manufacturing Company.
  • ‘Binder clips’ are also known as ‘banker’s clips’, ‘foldback clips’, ‘foldover clips’, ‘bulldog clips’ and ‘handbag clips’.
  • Binder clip handles typically can face upwards or downwards, or they can be removed to make the clip more permanent.
  • Binder clips are often used as a paperclip alternative as they have a better grip and are rust resistant, and with one handle up, the clip can hang papers from a hook.

 

Bibliography:
Binder Clip, 2014, Wikipedia, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Binder_clip
Pash A, Our Favourite Office Objects: The Endlessly Versatile Binder Clip, 2010, Life Hacker, http://www.lifehacker.com.au/2010/09/our-favourite-office-objects-the-endlessly-versatile-binder-clip/

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Alpaca

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Alpaca

Not quite a llama…

  • Alpacas are grazing mammals native to South America, especially the Andes mountain regions, that have been domesticated and are not known of or found in the wild.
  • Alpacas have the scientific name of Vicugna pacos and come from the family Camelidae, the family of camels, and are related to llamas.
  • Alpacas are commonly kept in agricultural herds, particularly in South America, up to altitudes of 5000 metres (16000 feet), for fibre and meat.
  • Adult alpacas grow on average to be 81 to 100 centimetres (2.7 to 3.3 feet) from the shoulder in height and in total grow to be 1.2 to 2.2 metres (3.9 to 7.2 feet) and weigh 48 to 84 kilograms (106 to 185 pounds).
  • Alpacas spit the contents of their stomach and use their hooves to protect themselves against predators like coyotes, lions and bears, and they also spit at displeasing peers, as well as vocalise with hums, clicks, whines and clucks, and others.

Alpaca, Brown, Black, White, Three, Graze, Shade, Grass, Green, Ten Random Facts, Animal, Domestic, Australia

  • Alpacas live in small herds and can live to be 20 to 25 years old.
  • Alpacas have a diet that mainly consists of grass, hay and some other foliage.
  • The fibre of alpacas is soft, warm, strong and silky, as well as hypoallergenic, and it is considered a high quality fibre that is typically used in textiles, for projects such as clothing or blankets.
  • Alpacas only require an acre (0.4 hectare) of land to support between six to ten of the animals, and they generally toilet in the one area, known as a communal dung pile.
  • Alpacas have around 22 official natural fibre colours, ranging from blacks, browns, whites and greys.

 

Bibliography:
Alpaca, 2014, Wikipedia, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alpaca
Alpaca Facts, n.d, Aragon Alpacas, http://www.aragonalpacas.com/alpaca_info.html

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Computer Mouse

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Computer Mouse

Click, click, click-click, click; goes the computer mouse.

  • A computer mouse is a technology input device, generally used to move a pointer on a computer screen, although the technology is also used for some game consoles.
  • A computer mouse typically has two buttons, one on the left and one on the right, and a small wheel in the middle, known as a ‘scroll wheel’, and in some designs, it can also be pressed like a button, but it is generally used to scroll through information on a computer screen.
  • A computer mouse typically fits underneath one’s hand, with a finger on each of the left and right buttons, and was named so, because it originally resembled a mouse, with the cord as its tail.
  • The plural of computer mouse is ‘computer mice’, and ‘computer mouses’ is also an acceptable plural, often used by a person to distinguish it from the rodents.
  • Computer mice were invented by American Douglas Engelbart, an engineer, in the United States, in 1963, and were proven to be one of the most efficient cursor moving devices, although they were not commonly available for personal computer use until the early 1980s.

Computer mouse, blue, microsoft, logitech, wireless, wire, USB, Black, Silver, Ten Random Facts, Three

  • A computer mouse can perform actions via clicks of the buttons, with single and double clicks performing different actions depending on the button, and holding or moving the mouse with a button held activates different responses on the computer screen.
  • A computer mouse is typically connected to a device via cord, such as a USB, or wireless, often with a USB or serial receiver that plugs into the computer.
  • The outer layer of a computer mouse was originally made of wood, but are now typically made of plastic, and are found in all shapes, sizes and colours.
  • A computer mouse movement is measured in mickeys, as in ‘Mickey Mouse’,  which refers to the number of pixels the cursor has moved, compared to how many inches or centimetres the mouse has moved.
  • A modern computer mouse generally contains optical sensors like light-emitting diodes and photodiodes, and sometimes laser diodes, that track movement of the device.
Bibliography:
1963: Douglas Engelbart invents the Mouse, 2014, Berkley Engineering, http://coe.berkeley.edu/about/history-and-traditions/1963-douglas-engelbart.html
Mouse (computing), 2014, Wikipedia, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mouse_(computing)

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Fernando de Noronha

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Fernando de Noronha

Lots of little islands in Fernando de Noronha.

  • Fernando de Noronha is a tropical island archipelago consisting of 21 islands located near the coast of South America’s Brazil in the Atlantic Ocean.
  • ‘Fernando de Noronha’ is named after Portuguese Fernão de Loronha, a wood merchant from Lisbon, who is said to have funded and organised the expedition fleet that is believed to have discovered the islands in 1503, although there are accounts of possible earlier discoveries by other people.
  • The total area of Fernando de Noronha is 26 square kilometres (10 square miles).
  • Fernando de Noronha was listed as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2001 due to the importance of the islands’ ecosystem and their fauna and flora.
  • The largest island, also called Fernando de Noronha, is 10 kilometres (6 miles) in length and 3.5 kilometres (2.2 miles) in width.

Fernando de Noronha, Beach, Water, Island, South america, Brazil, Large, Tide out, Ten Random Facts, Blue, Clear, Ocean, Scenic, Flickr

Fernando de Noronha
Image courtesy of Rosanetur/Flickr
  • Fernando de Noronha was originally mostly forest, but it is said that is was cut down in the 1800s when prisoners were taken to the islands, and is now home to mostly schrubs and small forests.
  • Fernando de Noronha is home to the largest population of dolphins in the world; a significant population of tropical seabirds; the endangered hawksbill turtle; numerous aquatic species; important plant species; and the endemic species of two birds, a dove and two reptiles.
  • The Fernando de Noronha islands attract tourists, although visitors are limited, so as to not upset the fragile ecosystem.
  • In 2012, the population of Fernando de Noronha was just over 2,700 people and the islands are accessed by plane or boat.
  •  Fernando de Noronha is popular among tourists for its beaches, diving, marine wildlife and fort ruins.
Bibliography:
Brazilian Atlantic Islands: Fernando de Noronha and Atol das Rocas Reserves, 2014, World Heritage Convention UNESCO, http://whc.unesco.org/en/list/1000
Fernando de Noronha, 2014, Wikipedia, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fernando_de_Noronha

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Quinoa

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Quinoa

Quinoa is the superfood.

  • Quinoa is an edible grain that is native to parts of the central and northern areas of the Andes, in South America.
  • The word ‘quinoa’, pronounced ‘KEEN-wah’, in the South American Quechua language is ‘kinwa’, while the English word comes from the Spanish word ‘quinua’, and it has also been dubbed as a ‘super grain’ and a ‘super food’.
  • Quinoa is the small edible seed of an annual plant with the same name, that grows to 1 to 2 metres (3.3 to 6.6 feet) in height, of which there are different varieties that produce seeds coloured red, black or white.
  • Quinoa has the scientific plant name Chenopodium quinoa, and is a species of goosefoot, from the Amaranthaceae family, the family of amaranths.
  • Quinoa is, when raw, covered with a layer of bitter saponin, which is disliked by birds, and is the reason the grain needs washing before cooking.

Quinoa, White, Brown, Curls, Cooked, seeds, grain, uncooked, Ten Random Facts, Food, Gluten Free

  • Quinoa was the staple grain of the Ancient South and Central Americans, the Incans, Mayans and Aztecs.
  • Quinoa is typically not mechanically picked, and instead, picked by hand as the plant ripens individually, although consistent ripening varieties are being established for harvesting by machine.
  • In 2011, South America’s Peru was the greatest producer of quinoa, producing 41,200 tonnes (45,400 tons), over half of the total worldwide production, and Bolivia ranked as a close second.
  • Quinoa has a nut-like flavour and a texture similar to rice, is gluten free, and high in protein, manganese, magnesium, phosphorus, fibre, iron, copper, zinc and folate, and contains a significant source of other vitamins and minerals.
  • Quinoa can be purchased as an uncooked grain, like rice; as a ground flour; and as flakes used like rolled oats; and can be cooked to make a porridge; used instead of rice or couscous; added to salads; and in used as an ingredient in baked goods.
Bibliography:
Quinoa, 2014, The World’s Healthiest Foods, http://www.whfoods.com/genpage.php?tname=foodspice&dbid=142
Quinoa, 2014, Wikipedia, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quinoa

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New York City

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New York City

“I ♥ New York City.”

  • New York City is a city located in the New York State, in the United States of America, and it is the home of many well known places, notably Times Square; the Statue of Liberty; the World Trade Centers; New York Stock Exchange; the Unisphere; Brooklyn Bridge; and Central Park.
  • ‘New York City’ is also known as ‘New York’, ‘City of New York’, ‘NYC’, ‘NY’, ‘Big Apple’ and ‘The City’.
  • During 1785 to 1790, New York City was the capital of the United States of America, and since then, it has had the greatest city population in the US , with an estimated 8.4 million people living in the city itself in 2013 and approximately 20 million in the metropolitan area,
  • New York City was visited by an explorer from Italy, Giovanni da Verrazzano, for the French monarchy, in 1524, which was the first recorded visit by Europeans.
  • New York City itself covers a total area of approximately 1,214 square kilometres (469 square miles), and the metropolitan area extends to 34,490 square kilometres (13,318 square miles).

New York City, Skyline, sky, High, Skyscraper, Highrise, United States of America, Ten Random Facts, Flickr,

Skyline
Image courtesy of Rakkhi Samarasekera/Flickr
  • In 2011, New York City was the home to 5,937 high rises,including the new One World Trade Center, the highest building in the Western hemisphere.
  • New York City has five districts, or boroughs, and is the home to 500 galleries of art, 1,200 schools, four of the costliest sporting stadiums on earth and 113 square kilometres (43.75 square miles) of parkland.
  • It is estimated that more than 800 languages are spoken in New York City, and the city is popularly known for its bagels, pizza and cheesecake, as well as other foreign cuisine.
  • Fifty-two percent of New York City’s families do not own a car, and therefore the city has numerous taxis, the largest and one of the most used subways of rapid transit in the world,  and some of the busiest airline and ferry services.
  • New York City is visited by approximately 55 million people every year, is one of the most significant centres for commerce and business in the world, and in 2010 it had a GMP (gross metropolitan product) of US$1.28 trillion.
Bibliography:
New York City, 2014, History, http://www.history.com/topics/new-york-city
New York City, 2014, Wikipedia, http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_York_City

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