Reptiles Leopard Geckos

It's started already.

It just hasn't been that long since you jumped on the Vista bandwagon, eager to experience that cool new graphic interface, when lo and behold, something bad happened. Maybe it was a blue screen of death, perhaps it was a more civil error message, but whatever the specifics, you've come to realize that this move to Vista was going to be just more of the same.

The Windows Vista registry closely resembles earlier versions on Windows in that it is still a place to store all the OS and individual programs' settings and options. It has gone a little further than its predecessors by using the registry to replace .ini files, and by serving as a repository for Group Policy settings (previously unknown in earlier non-networking Windows operating systems).

You can still go into the system and edit the registry (accessing it via "regedit" in the command line), but as Vista is more complicated than XP, so the registry is more complex as well. The Windows Vista registry is a storehouse for information about computer and application configurations. Like a reptile, the registry simply keeps growing for as long as you use Windows. During this unfortunate growth (some call it "bloat"), it attracts obsolete and unnecessary information, and over enough time, becomes cluttered and fragmented. This bloat can be the cause of a large number of software difficulties.

Once you encounter one of these software problems (like any number of .dll errors, or even an explorer.exe error), you may be tempted to run to the registry and start deleting the keys of whichever file is named in the error message. This of course is an amazingly bad idea as the files you could be deleting may be of vital importance to the operating system.

So instead of indulging in DIY (do-it-yourself) Windows Vista registry repair, you might be better off looking for a software solution to fix your registry difficulties.

Use some caution when shopping because many software products out there are designed for earlier versions of Windows and designers might not be completely forthcoming about this, shrugging off concerns because the program should "mostly work" on Vista. Hunt around for established companies that have designed registry repair software before and then see if they are offering new software that works specifically with Vista. One such tool is Paretologic's RegCure.

Remember that the Vista OS is markedly different from the older versions in its control of Group Policy settings and .ini files. A registry repair tool may operate on Windows Vista, but if it was designed for XP, its scans are going to be at least somewhat (if not very) inaccurate. Looking for a legitimate Windows Vista registry repair tool (like RegCure) when you need to fix those registry errors is well worth the time and expense.

Mike Lath is a self-professed geek who actually enjoys fixing his family member's computers! His site, http://InstantFixPC.Com, is geared at helping the novice computer fix their computer problems in no time at all...

Family: Aquifoliaceae

Genus: Ilex

Species: paraguariensis

Common names: Yerba mat, mat, erva mate, congonha, erveira, Paraguay cayi, Paraguay tea, South American holly, St. Bartholomew's tea, Jesuit's tea

General Description: Yerba mate is in the holly family, and bears holly-like leaves that are quite stiff and leathery. It is a medium-sized evergreen tree that can grow to 20 m high in the wild. Commonly, when cultivated, it is pruned into a shrubby, 4-8 m tall tree to make harvesting easier. In the wild, it grows near streams, and thrives at 1,500-2,000 feet above sea level. It has graceful, full-leafed branches, and white flowers that produce small red, black, or yellow berries. It is yerba mate's tough, leathery leaves that are used medicinally and as a natural, refreshing tea beverage throughout South America.

Location: Yerba mate is indigenous to Paraguay, Brazil, Argentina, and Uruguay; however, it is now cultivated in many tropical countries to supply the demand for its leaves.

Uses: The word mate is Spanish for "gourd," and refers to the small gourd cup in which the tea beverage traditionally is served throughout South America. It is also served with a metal drinking straw or tube, called a bombilla, which has a filter attached to the lower end to strain out leaf fragments. The bottom third of the gourd is filled with fire-burned or toasted leaves, and hot water is added. Burnt sugar, lemon juice, and/or milk often is used to flavor the refreshing tea, which occupies a position rivaling that of coffee in the United States. Mate bars are as prevalent in South America as coffee bars are in North America and Europe; mate drinking has deep cultural roots.

In addition to it's use as a tea, it has also been used medicinally for fatigue, obesity (as an appetite suppressant), skin ulcers, hemorrhoids, allergies, and constipation. The biologically active chemical in yerba mate is comprised of xanthine alkaloids (caffeine, theobromine, and theophylline) and chlorogenic acid. Saponins have also been found in the leaves and are known, through recent research, to stimulate the immune system. The leaves also contain 15 amino acids and are a rich source of vitamins and minerals.

Disclaimer: The statements contained herein have not been evaluated by the Food and Drug Administration.
Any reference to medicinal use is not intended to treat, cure, mitigate or prevent any disease.

Tony Mandarich

It has become easy to predict when Easter is coming even without looking at a calendar. Each year we get to hear about some new astounding discovery and the authors of the sensational find get their moment of fame and occasionally also some extra money.

This time last year the Discovery Channel announced "the archaeological discovery of the century". The find turned out to be a commercial for the documentary The Lost Tomb of Jesus. Filmmakers James Cameron and Simca Jacobovici bypassed the peer review process and took their evidence (two empty ossuaries or bone boxes) straight to the media. At the end, almost all serious scholars dismissed the discovery as mere hype with little if any substance behind it. There was no hard evidence that the boxes had ever contained the earthly remains of Jesus and Mary Magdalene.

In 2006 it was the Jesus Walked on Ice hypothesis that was actually published in a scientific journal. The idea of anyone walking on an ice floe on a lake that obviously never freezes is rather bizarre.

For a change, this year's hype is about the Old Testament. Benny Shannon, a professor of cognitive psychology at the Hebrew University of Jerusalem published a 24-page paper in Time and Mind: The Journal of Archaeology, Consciousness and Culture in which he suggested that Moses' experience at Mount Sinai was caused by drugs. The paper, Biblical Entheogens: A Speculative Hypothesis is an updated and more detailed version of his 2002 paper Entheogens: Reflections on 'Psychoactive Sacramentials', which was mostly about shamanism and the use of psychoactive plants in various non-Christian religions, such as the use of hallucination-inducing plants by some native American tribes, but it also included a discussion on Moses and his Sinai experience. The present paper focuses more on Judaism and the exodus.

Nothing in the biblical text about the giving of the Law on Mount Sinai even hints of any kind of hallucination. Shannon acknowledges this. However, he says that two plants, Peganum Harmala and Mimosa hostilis, which now grow in the Sinai Peninsula can potentially cause hallucinations. Shannon tries to see parallels between some of the details (such as fire) in the Exodus text with for instance the Tibetan Book of the Dead and the use of LSD but it seems that he is jumping to unwarranted conclusions.

Professor Shannon is honest enough to disclose that his "finding" is based on his presuppositions. He reveals that he does not think that the Mount Sinai event (i.e. when Moses received the Law) could be historically reliable or that it could be a myth so for him the only remaining alternative is that it was the result of a hallucination caused by a plant growing in the Sinai Peninsula.

While it is true that some religions do use drugs that produce hallucinations, Shannon's hypothesis seems to have nothing to do with real science and everything with his own past.

Shannon acknowledged that in 1991 he tried ayahuasca, a tropical plant that causes strong hallucinations, during a religious ceremony in Brazil. This seems to be the only real reason for supposing that Moses might have experimented with something similar.

It might be good to keep in mind that the novelist Aldous Huxley(1894-1963),whom Shannon mentions in his new paper and who is remembered for his Brave New World (1932), admitted experimenting with mescalin and LSD. But this does not necessarily mean that Huxley produced all his literary works under the influence of drugs. The case for Moses' use of drugs is even weaker.

There is an expression known as March Madness. In this case, it seems to have more to do with professor Shannon, his past and his bizarre hypothesis than with Moses. His Brave New Theory turns out to be extremely bad science.

Joel Kontinen is a translator and novelist currently living in Finland. His background includes an MA in translation studies and a BA in Bible and Theology. He likes to keep up-to-date on science news and often comments on creation/evolution and origins issues.

Blog: http://joelkontinen.blogspot.com/

Californian kingsnakes are the most commonly seen and bred of the kingsnake family in captivity. They are now available in a number of colour and pattern mutations, and have even been hybridized with many other species. They are a reptile eating species and are voracious feeders, but commonly take rodents in captivity. They are very hardy and can be expected to live for approximately 15 20 years, making them an excellent choice for a pet snake.

Housing

When keeping any snake as a pet, you generally want to be able to view the snake from the outside of its enclosure, in the most natural surroundings you can offer. This will be more aesthetically pleasing and also aid in the general condition of the snake. If the snake likes its surroundings, it will have a better feeding response and generally grow quicker. A larger vivarium also offers more interest to the snakes life, and by adding branches and other natural products you will enhance the quality of life the snake has, and stop it from becoming lethargic and overweight. Also, being stronger it should have more of a resistance to any viral infections or any other problems that it may encounter later in life.

For an adult kingsnake a vivarium 120cm Length x 45cm Width x 45cm Height is ample. Contrary to popular belief, and propaganda spread by various campaigners, you can actually have too large of an enclosure for many snakes. The reason for this, is that snakes are very prone to stress, and being in an excessively large enclosure can scare them. Imagine in the wild they are constantly hiding from predators, then, when they feel its safe in the dark of night, they will venture out to hunt for food. Once they find their food, they will return to the safety of their secure hiding place until the next time around. Many species will not even hunt for food; rather, they will sit and wait for their prey to come along. They may also leave their den for sloughing their skin or finding a mate at certain times of the year. Many individual snakes feel very comfortable in captivity, although this generally comes with age and lots of handling. Snakes like these will often thrive in a larger than usual enclosure.

Snake enclosures can be made from a number of materials. Most commonly used is a melamine coated wood which covers all sides except the front, which has glass sliding doors. Aquariums can also be used, although a specialist lid should be bought or made rather than the original aquarium lid. It is essential when thinking about what type of enclosure you use, you think about these 6 SSSHHH factors:

1) Safety Can the snake or owner injure itself from the enclosure or any appliances held within?
2) Secure Can the snake escape through any small hole or cavity?
3) Size Will the enclosure be appropriately sized?
4) Heating Is the enclosure able to regulate the temperature properly?
5) Humidity Will the enclosure last well in humid conditions? Is there enough ventilation for the moisture to escape?
6) Hygienic Will the enclosure build up a lot of bacteria in small cavities? Is it easy to clean?

By following the steps above, you can have a suitable enclosure made from a variety of materials.

Dcor

Dcor in your tank serves two purposes. First being extra cover for your snake and second, allowing for a more natural and pleasing appearance. When choosing dcor, think about the safety of the snake. Make sure that whatever you decide to use, it is securely fixed and that no rocks, wood or anything heavy can fall and possibly injure, or even kill the snake. You must also make sure that everything used is parasite free. If anything has been picked up from outside, or has originally come from outside, such as cork bark, you should either boil it, or place the item in the oven at 200 degrees Fahrenheit for approximately 30 minutes. Freezing works for some parasites, however others have been known to survive months in freezing conditions. Some parasites found in English conditions last winters in minus temperatures, so it is not entirely effective.

Once all your dcor is parasite free, it is then safe to place inside your enclosure. As a general rule, if you can put pressure on an item to knock it down, an adult king snake is also capable of doing this. When positioning rocks or heavy objects, make sure they are completely secure. If it is still uneasy, screw them or use superglue to fix them securely. If it is not possible, the rule is simple: Do not place the item in the vivarium!

If you decide to go for a large enclosure, you must provide plenty of cover and hiding areas. A hiding place can be anything from an ice cream tub with a hole cut out to a naturalistic piece of cork bark. There are many brands of fake plants and dcor you can use which is both safe for the animal and pleasing to the eye. Cork bark is available from almost any reptile pet shop in the UK, and can be ordered in if they do not have it in stock. This is excellent cover for any reptile and is 100% natural. One thing you must consider when thinking about the size of the vivarium, is the bigger you go, the more hiding areas you must provide. I recommend at least one hiding place per foot in length of the enclosure.

NOTE: Never use sticky tape in an enclosure; this is an accident waiting to happen. Believe me; removing sticky tape from any snake is no easy task!

Heating

Kingsnakes require a thermal gradient, meaning they must be allowed to move around the enclosure to find their required temperature. The hot end of the enclosure should be 86-90F while the cool end should be approximately 78-80F. During the night, the temperature should drop to a more constant overall temperature of 74-78

In my opinion, the ideal way of heating a kingsnake enclosure is to use a power plate. This is a small thin square plate, about 25mm thick which is screwed into the top of the vivarium. It does not need to be protected, as there is no way a snake can grip onto it. It is almost invisible to the eye as it simply sits on the ceiling of the vivarium. The only brand available in the UK is HabiStat Reptile Radiator; it is 75 Watts and is sufficient for any vivarium up to 4ft long and possibly larger. It produces no light and therefore in a vivarium you will need a form of lighting as well. A power plate should be used in conjunction with a HabiStat Pulse Proportional Thermostat, which will stop the power reaching the power plate as soon as the temperature goes above the setting, and turn back on as soon as it is too cool. This is one of the most accurate thermostats on the market today.

Ceramic heaters, spot bulbs and heat mats are also ways of heating a vivarium. These all have their advantages and disadvantages, but in my opinion, none quite weigh out to be as good as a power plate.

Lighting

Kingsnakes are primarily nocturnal, meaning they venture out in the dark of night. This is when their main predators are sleeping, and their prey is awake. This is not to say though, that they never see the sun, or any form of lighting for that matter. They will often bask in the sun during the day in the wild, so lighting should be offered.

Having artificial light in a vivarium is aesthetically pleasing to the owner, and is a good addition to a snakes enclosure. They will use this as a photo-period, and their regular time clock will generally adjust to the settings on which you have your light set to.

They do not require any form of special lighting, such as a D3 Ultra-Violet light commonly used for diurnal species. An Arcadia Natural Sunlight Fluorescent Lamp is a good form of lighting. This comes in lengths of 12 up to 48 and I suggest you use the largest size able to fit inside your vivarium.

Humidity

Californian Kingsnakes are generally not exposed to a high humidity range in the wild, and in captivity you should not worry about controlling this. A fairly dry environment should be provided, although raising the humidity when the snake is coming up to a slough may aid in shedding its skin properly.

Feeding

Hatchlings should be offered pinky mice, and as they grow the mice should become larger. An adult kingsnake should be fed on large size mice or small weaner rats. Hatchlings should be fed on a regular basis, every 4-5 days is ideal. Their metabolic rate is very high and as they are growing, they need a lot more food to keep them going. Adult kingsnakes need feeding once every 2 weeks on 2 large mice. The only exception when they should be fed more is bringing them out of hibernation, getting them into condition for breeding and then, fattening up females for egg production. An egg-laying female should be fed more often than normal, once a week on 2 large mice.

By Chris Jones
Director of Pet Club UK Ltd.
http://www.petclubuk.com

Day 1: Nairobi- L.Naivasha

The tour starts at 9.30am from Nairobi heading to Naivasha with a brief stop at the viewpoint of the Great Rift Valley. On arrival, settle at a hotel or camp. After lunch, visit Lake Naivasha (fresh water lake in the Rift valley) for birds, hippos and plain game.

Boat ride to the Crescent Island is magnificent combined with a walk to see the game. Dinner and night at your hotel.

Day 2: L.Naivasha- L.Nakuru

After breakfast visit the Hells gate National Park, one of the unique reserves where one can walk or ride a bicycle amid wildlife. The landscape is beautiful with a Geothermal Power Station. Have lunch before heading further west to L. Nakuru. Settle at your hotel and have a relaxed evening. Dinner and overnight at your hotel

Day 3: L.Nakuru- Kericho

An early breakfast is followed by a thorough game drive to see the black and white rhinos, Rothschild giraffes, waterbuck and millions of flamingos from which the lake derives its name the pink lake. This is a bird watchers paradise. After lunch, drive to Kericho for dinner and night.

Day 4: Kericho- Kisumu

An early breakfast leaves us with time to walk in the tea estates and especially the renowned tea hotel to see tea leaves being picked (it's in the center of estates surrounded by manicured lawns). After lunch, proceed to Kisumu, a town on the shores of L. Victoria (the biggest fresh water lake in Africa- second the world over). Dinner and night at a hotel.

Day 5: Kisumu

Early morning, visit the impala game park for the antelopes, ostriches and a few caged mammals. Great chances of seeing Hippos in their natural habit at close range. Dunga beach is well known for fishing and possibility to see the rare swamp antelopes, sitatunga. After lunch, take a city tour including the museum, one of the oldest markets in Kenya and slum dwelling. Dinner and night in your hotel.

Day 6: Kisumu- Kakamega

Leave Kisumu after breakfast to Kakamega forest, a remnant of the tropical rain forest once extending from east to west Africa. It is home to plants of medicinal values among others, animals and many species of birds, insects and reptiles. Lunch, dinner and night in this unique place.

Day 7: Kakamega- Kitale

After breakfast, the tour takes us to Kitale via a breath-taking topography and sceneries. After lunch, take a walk in this small town and have a relaxed evening with early sleep after dinner in readiness for the next expectation.

Day 8: Mt. Elgon Caves

Early breakfast is ensued with a drive to Endebes and further to Mt. Elgon national Park Gate. From the gate, a ranger or two will accompany the group for a 9km walk through the lush forest cover enjoying the undisturbed nature: animals, birds e.t.c. abound. There is a grand possibility of meeting elephants, buffalo's e.t.c. at or from the Kitum cave for lick. Lunch is picnic and we return to Kitale for dinner and night.

Day 9: Kitale- Saiwa Swamp- Kapenguria

Early morning after breakfast, head north to saiwa swamp one of the parks to stroll and see the beauty of nature at raised observation points, meant for protection of Sitatunga, the rare swamp antelope. After lunch continue the walk and head out for Kapenguria for dinner and overnight.

Day 10: Kapenguria- Cherangani Hills

After breakfast, our trip leads to Cherengani Hills. Explore this area and the locals will give a good account on their culture, traditions and practices relative to the hills. There is a panoramic view of the surrounding area. Lunch is picnic, dinner and night in Eldoret.

Day 11: Eldoret- Nairobi

After breakfast leave Eldoret for Nairobi, lunch enroute and stop sporadically to see or buy souvenirs on the way. The tour ends in Nairobi at around 4.30 pm.

For more information concerning this trip, don't hesitate to contact for help,I know you will .All the Best!

Nickson Ogilo,
African Home Adventure ltd
Nairobi International Youth Hostel
Tel:+254 20 2726011
Hotlines:+254 722 760 661/+254 725881 811
E-mail: info@africahomeadventure.com
Web: http://www.africahomeadventure.com
Fax:+254 20 2726011