Friday, April 1, 2011

What's the difference between turtle, tortoise and terrapin? WWF maximum cards/ maxicards/ dorincards about Venezuela: The Red-footed tortoise (Geochelone carbonaria), and The Arrau turtle, also known as the Arrau River Turtle (Podocnemis expansa)


UL [upper-left] and LL: "The Red-footed tortoise (Geochelone carbonaria) is a tortoise native to South America. 
It has also been introduced to many islands in the Caribbean. 
It draws its name from the red or orange scales visible on its limbs, as well as its head and tail. 
It is popular as a pet, though it is protected under Appendix II of the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species (CITES), which means that this species may not be exported from its home country without a permit.[1] 
The Red-foot has a larger cousin, the Yellow-footed Tortoise (Geochelone denticulata), also known as the Brazilian Giant Tortoise. 
Note: Many newer references will use the Genus name Chelonoidis in place of the older term Geochelone for all four South American tortoises. [2]
It is locally known as the Savanna Tortoise, in Brazil as Jabuti, and in Venezuela as Morrocoy[2], among other names.[2]"

  UR and LR: "The Arrau turtle, also known as the Arrau River Turtle, is Podocnemis expansa, the largest of the side-neck turtles (Pleurodira). 
It is found in the Amazon rainforest."

What's the difference between turtle, tortoise and terrapin?

"Turtle, tortoise, or terrapin

Although the word turtle is widely used to describe all members of the order Testudines, it is also common to see certain members described as terrapins, tortoises or sea turtles, as well. Precisely how these alternative names are used, if at all, depends on the type of English being used.
  • British English normally describes these reptiles as turtles if they live in the sea; terrapins if they live in fresh or brackish water; or tortoises if they live on land. However, there are exceptions to this where American or Australian common names are in wide use, as with the Fly River turtle.
  • American English tends to use the word turtle as a general term for all species. "Tortoise" is used for most land-dwelling species, including the family Testudinidae and box tortoises. Oceanic species are usually referred to as sea turtles. The name "terrapin" is typically reserved only for the brackish water diamondback terrapinMalaclemys terrapin; the word terrapin being derived from theAlgonquian word for this animal.[17]
  • Australian English uses turtle for both the marine and freshwater species, but tortoise for the terrestrial species.
To avoid confusion, the word "chelonian" [pronounced KELONIAN] is popular among veterinarians, scientists, and conservationists working with these animals as a catch-all name for any member of the superorder Chelonia, which includes all turtles, tortoises and terrapins living and extinct, as well as their immediate ancestors. It is based on the Ancient Greek word χελώνη, chelōnēModern Greek χελώνα, chelōna; meaning turtle/tortoise."

"Venezuela (pronounced /ˌvɛnɨˈzweɪlə/ ( listen)Spanish: [beneˈswela]), officially called the Bolivarian Republic of Venezuela (SpanishRepública Bolivariana de Venezuela), is a tropical country on the northern coast of South America."
Legitimate question for "whoever invented the Spanish language" [ :D :D] :
since you already have the letter B to describe the sound B, then...
...would you also need the letter V, for the sound B?
Also, since you have S, why would you use Z instead?
If you want everybody [who has a modicum of foreign language skills, I might specify] to pronounce 
then write: Benesuela, not Venezuela.
How hard is that?
:)
Don't worry, no language is perfect, not even Esperanto, Interlingua or Lingua Franca.
However, a phonetic language, "what you see is what you pronounce" would make more sense, now wouldn't it?
:)

" [Christopher Columbus's] certainty of having attained Paradise made him name this region Land of Grace, a phrase which has become the country's nickname.
Nevertheless, the following year of 1499, an expedition led by Alonso de Ojeda visited the Venezuelan coast. The stilt houses in the area ofLake Maracaibo reminded the navigator Amerigo Vespucci of the city of Venice, (ItalianVenezia), so he named the region "Venezuela,"[10]meaning "little Venice" in Italian. The word has the same meaning in Spanish, where the suffix -uela is used as a diminutive term (e.g., plaza / plazuelacazo / cazuela); thus, the term's original sense would have been that of a "little Venice".[11]
Nonetheless, although the Vespucci story remains the most popular and accepted version of the origin of the country's name, a different reason for the name comes up in the account of Martín Fernández de Enciso, a member of the Vespucci and Ojeda crew. In his work Summa de Geografía, he states that they found an indigenous population who called themselves the "Veneciuela," which suggests that the name "Venezuela" may have evolved from the native word.[12]"

So, Columbus was certain that this was Paradise.
Venezuela, a land of beauty. Something that oil money can't buy.
"Venezuela is well-known for its successes in beauty pageants. 
Miss Venezuela is a big event in the country, and Venezuela has received 5 Miss World, 6 Miss Universe, 6 Miss International and 1 Miss Earth titles."
I suspect that Miss Earth was the most "down-to-earth" of them all.
When you want to see...stellar images, you can look at the...Milky Way.
How about the...Milka Way?


==============
Happy PFF (Postcard Friendship Friday)!

Please visit: http://thebestheartsarecrunchy.blogspot.com/ (wait until Beth posts the today's Linky tool for the meme, then make your entry, if you want to join).



Thursday, March 31, 2011

WWF maximum cards/ maxicards/ dorincards about São Tomé e Príncipe. Not a fish, but they call it Blackfish; a true killer, but not a true whale: The Killer Whale (Orcinus orca). Another species on these MCs: not even a true "killer whale" (not closely related): The False Killer Whale (Pseudorca crassidens)


UL (upper-left) and LL: "The False Killer Whale (Pseudorca crassidens) is a cetacean, and the third largest member of the oceanic dolphin family (Delphinidae). 
It lives in temperate and tropical waters throughout the world. 
As its name implies, the False Killer Whale shares characteristics such as appearance with the more widely known Orca (killer whale). 
Like the orca, the False Killer Whale attacks and kills other cetaceans. 
However, the two dolphin species are not closely related. 
The False Killer Whale is black with a grey throat and neck. 
It has a slender body with an elongated tapered head and 44 teeth. 
The dorsal fin is sickle-shaped and its flippers are narrow, short and pointed. 
It can grow up to 20 feet." 

 UR and LR: "The killer whale (Orcinus orca), commonly referred to as the orca, and less commonly as the blackfish, is a toothed whale belonging to the oceanic dolphin family." 
"The term whale sometimes refers to all cetaceans, but more often it excludes dolphins and porpoises[2], which belong to suborder Odontoceti (toothed whales)." 

"Killer whales are found in all oceans, from the frigid Arctic and Antarctic regions to tropical seas. 
Killer whales as a species have a diverse diet, although individual populations often specialize in particular types of prey. 
Some feed exclusively on fish, while others hunt marine mammals such as sea lions, seals, walruses and even large whales. 
Killer whales are regarded as apex predators, lacking natural predators and preying even [on] large sharks."

Trainer-killing orca Tilikum back in SeaWorld show


I think that's a BAD idea, both for the safety of future trainers of Tilikum and others, and for the whole idea of confining big dolphins in small swimming pools.
They deserve large spaces to live properly.

===========

"São Tomé and Príncipe, officially the Democratic Republic of São Tomé and Príncipe, is a Portuguese-speaking island nation in the Gulf of Guinea, off the western equatorial coast of Central Africa
It consists of two islands: São Tomé and Príncipe, located about 140 kilometres (87 mi) apart and about 250 and 225 kilometres (155 and 140 mi), respectively, off the northwestern coast of Gabon
Both islands are part of an extinct volcanic mountain range. São Tomé, the sizable southern island, is situated just north of the equator
It was named in honour of Saint Thomas by Portuguese explorers who happened to arrive at the island on his feast day.

São Tomé and Príncipe is the second-smallest African country in terms of population (the Seychelles being the smallest). 
It is the smallest country in the world that is not a former British overseas territory, a former United States trusteeship, or one of the European microstates
It is also the smallest Portuguese-speaking country."

===========

Time for a stretch.
Today, let's make a stretch and pretend that we see a heart shape in the UL maximum card, behind the False Killer Whale.
Let's say that we see a heart formed by the water, with a little tsunami overwhelming half of that heart, if you see what I mean.

Metaphorically-speaking, today the heart of Japan is overwhelmed; half by the tsunami, half by the earthquake.
On top of that, radiation is spreading.
They'll have to build a deep-concrete sarcophagus, like in Chernobyl.

"Screwed" by the slipping of a screwdriver.
A fatal, supercritical mistake with The Demon Core:


Enjoy while you can, whatever you enjoy! Vita brevis...

===================

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A place to share YOUR hearts!

Wednesday, March 30, 2011

"Notre DAMA". ERROR: Not n'dama, as inscribed on the stamps (that's a cattle type), but: The Dama Gazelle (Nanger dama; formerly Gazella dama). WWF maximaphily items (maximum cards / maxicards / dorincards) from Senegal.

Nobody's perfect - not even a great organization like WWF:

Here's a stamp designing mistake that somebody made, and it went uncorrected, despite the best efforts of several editors, presumably. :)
But we know better, don't we?
Who the hell is WE?
We, The People. :)

ERROR: Not n'dama, as inscribed on the stamps (that's a cattle type), but: The Dama Gazelle (Nanger dama; formerly Gazella dama)


It "is a species of gazelle. 
It lives in Africa in the Sahara desert and migrates south in search of food during the dry season. 
Their habitat includes open steppes, bushy, grassy steppes, semi-desert, and deserts, while their diet includes grasses, leaves, shoots, fruit, and especially Acacia leaves. 
After the rains return and the desert plants turn green, the gazelles move north back to the Sahara. 
Poaching and destruction of their habitat have greatly diminished their numbers, and they no longer live in large herds." http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nanger_dama


"Senegal is located on the west of the African continent. It lies between latitudes 12° and 17°N, and longitudes 11° and 18°W.
The Senegalese landscape consists mainly of the rolling sandy plains of the western Sahel which rise to foothills in the southeast. 
Here is also found Senegal's highest point, an otherwise unnamed feature [they DIDN'T name this] near Nepen Diakha at 584 m (1,916 ft). 
The northern border is formed by the Senegal River, other rivers include the Gambia and Casamance Rivers
The capital Dakar lies on the Cap-Vert peninsula, the westernmost point of continental Africa.
The Cape Verde islands lie some 560 kilometres (350 mi) off the Senegalese coast, but Cap Vert ("Cape Green") is a maritime placemark, set at the foot of "Les Mammelles" , a 105-metre (344 ft) cliff [at least they DID name this]
resting at one end of the Cap Vert peninsula onto which is settled Senegal's capital Dakar, and 1 kilometre (0.6 mi) south of the "Pointe des Almadies", the western-most point in Africa."
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Senegal, except the comments in red, of course.
==============
Does the Dama Gazelle suffer from fear of failure 

(= Atychiphobia)

...to find food every day, to find water, to escape predators?
God knows - let's ask him.
Well...he's unavailable for comment.

Atychiphobia...


in other words:  Kakorrhaphiophobia


Atychiphobia


"Atychiphobes generally gather a defeatist attitude out of fear of failing, making them avoid trying to achieve anything due to potentially failing at it. 
They may also subconsiously undermine or sabotage their own efforts to prevent having to continue to try, and therefore preventing any potential failure. 
This strategy is known as avoidance behavior
Atychiphobes may also suffer from an inordinate sense of perfectionism, and may only try something that is guaranteed perfect and successful, or may try but will encounter excessive anxiety in the process due to unrealistically perfectionistic standards."

I'm telling you, man (and woman, too): perfectionism is a trap.
Don't fall into it!
:)


=================

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Today, K is for Kakorrahaphiophobia, or 

Atychiphobia.


Please visit Wordless Wednesday meme!



Simply look at the "Notre DAMA" images, if you want no comments.
Or, read some of the above comments, too.
:)

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Top 30 Stamp Collecting Blogs, by guidetoartschools.com

#2:
"Dorincard: Blogger Dorin C is a stamp and postcard fanatic, and luckily he's more than pleased to write prolifically and charmingly about his obsession. He has a particular bent for stamps with wild mammals on them, but his blog demonstrates an affinity for stamps of all forms and backgrounds, as long as they offer a special narrative that's worth sharing with his readers.


  • Source: http://www.guidetoartschools.com/library/best-stamp-collecting-blogs#ixzz1KirbuA4p
    "

    Some feedback received about me and my blog here

    [DORIN'S NOTE: There are over 100 million websites.]

    From alexa.com traffic rank site

    "There are 1,699,250 sites with a better three-month global Alexa traffic rank than Dorincard.blogspot.com.
    About 43% of visitors to the site come from France, where it has attained a traffic rank of 152,077.
    About 80% of visits to the site consist of only one pageview (i.e., are bounces).
    Dorincard.blogspot.com's visitors view an average of 1.5 unique pages per day.
    Visitors to the site spend roughly two minutes on each pageview and a total of three minutes on the site during each visit."



    inkling (Enthusiast)

    The best use of this site is Other.

    Likes
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    Comments:
    Postcards and stamps, mainly featuring mammals and birds but Dorincard also has other creations
    and interests he likes to share.
    His enthusiasm for Maximum cards (a postcard and a similar themed stamps sent through the
    postal system) shines through.
    He shows how he gets the right card, stamp and postmark together.
    Visiting his site you will also learn things about the natural world told with a dry sense of humour,
    possibly with a play on words, and a unique style of headings.
    Topical and informative both for the enthusiast and casual visitor.
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