DISCOVERY NEWS: 8 Unique Dog Breeds You May Never Come Across

You will see many dog breeds in your life, but there are some unique breeds you may never see. While some of these breeds have similar traits to dogs we are familiar with, others look more exotic. Regardless of their sizes and shapes, these unique dog breeds are so cute. Enjoy reading about and looking at these pups and don’t hide your smile!

1. Swedish Vallhund

In 1942, the Swedish Vallhund almost became extinct in Sweden, but a breeding program started to save them. These dogs can capture small predators like rodents, herd cattle, and guard the house. Due to their perfect temper and love of their owners they are capable of being good pets. They are extremely energetic and they need lots of exercise.

2. Bedlington Terrier

The first time I saw this dog breed, I thought it was a lamb, but it wasn’t! Bedlington Terrierpuppies have dark coats that fade with age. This unique dog breed is good with kids and is easy to take care of. As long as Bedlington Terrier has his fur trimmed and gets enough exercise, he will keep his tail wagging. If you are thinking of having one, be ready for a stubborn attitude and loud barking.

3. Tibetan Mastiff

Don’t think that this dog is a mastiff. The word ‘mastiff’ means ‘large dog,’ that’s why it is included in its name. Tibetan Mastiff is known as guardian and has been used to protect places, people, and herds. Since these dogs are very protective, they are not happy when their owners invite guests into their house. Again, these dogs require some training.

4. Catalburun

Photo: ilan.yabantv.com

Oh God! I’ve never seen anything so cute, and you? Look, this dog has a split nose! While it looks unique, it also works excellent and gives the Catalburun a very strong sense of smell. That’s why they’re great hunters and they’re able to track well. This unique dog breed is mostly seen in Turkey and is not known in other countries.

5. Mudi

This pup is really cute! This is a herding breed that comes from Hungary. Mudi is very energetic. They are expected to live from 13 to 14 years and weigh 18 and 29 pounds. Mudi comes in a variety of different colors, which are all equally adorable!

6. Catahoula Cur

This dog can be very noisy and might chew up your furniture, especially if they don’t get enough attention from you. Catahoula Cur was originally used for herding and once lived in swamps to round up cattle and pigs. This dog needs a truly dominant owner that can teach it the difference between wrong and right.

7. Schipperke

These dogs are from Belgium, and they are expected to live from 13 to 15 years. Although they are so adorable, they are known to cause some troubles. Sometimes called ‘the little black devil, these doggies like to disobey their owners and chase other animals. They can be very aggressive and must be kept away from other animals. They are not good for the weak-willed and they require a lot of training.

8. Azawakh

The Azawakh is a sight hound dog breed that is rare outside of its native West Africa. Azawakh is found in a great variety of colors such as grizzle, red, blue fawn, and, rarely, black and blue. Renowned for its agile and cat-like gait, these dogs are timid by nature, but friendly and very affectionate. The breed is used to hunt gazelle and other fleet animals.

Benjamin Ekpenyong

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GREAT DISCOVERY: 7 Of The Most Frighteningly Bizarre Ocean Creatures

Source: Seavenger

Bizarre Ocean Creatures: The Hatchetfish

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Bizarre Ocean Creatures: The Blobfish

Source: No Cooki

More gelatinous than your grandma’s pudding, the blobfish’s strikingly jiggly appearance has captivated the attention of millions over the past several years. So unmistakable is the finned jello mold that it was deemed the world’s ugliest animal in 2013. Why such a flabby appearance? As the blowfish calls the high water-pressured bottom of the ocean home, its skin has become about as dense as water over time.

You might think that the blobfish’s lack of muscle tissue would prove disadvantageous, but you’d be wrong. Imagine a world in which all you had to do to enjoy a fantastic meal was open your mouth and let gravity do its trick. For the blobfish, such a sweet dream is a daily reality. When it comes time to feast, the blobfish’s lack of density means that it doesn’t have to expend any energy in order to eat. Instead, it simply opens its mouth and floats about, noshing on any sea critters that enter its path. Nice life.

Blobfish Being Held

Source: Blogspot

Blobfish Bizarre Ocean Creatures

Source: Flickr

The Fangtooth

Consider the fangtooth fish the underwater equivalent of a supposedly menacing pitbull with a heart of gold. Despite its threatening appearance, the fangtooth is incredibly benign–especially as its poor eyesight means that if the fangtooth wants to make like a predator and hunt, it quite literally has to bump into its prey in order to find it.

The fangtooth’s chompers certainly paint a different portrait, though. An orthodontist’s worst nightmare, the fangtooth has the largest teeth of any fish in the ocean relative to its actual size. Good luck catching a glimpse of the sharp-mouthed animal with your own eyes: the fangtooth resides as far as 16,400 feet beneath the sea. For comparison’s sake, that’s about the length of 55 consecutive American football fields.

The Sea Cucumber

Source: National Geographic

The continued existence of these icky echinoderms is somewhat mind boggling. Lacking a true brain and any semblance of sensory organs, the sea cucumber is endowed with the same mental capacity as the food for which it is named. Nevertheless, the colorful cuke constitutes a vital part of the oceanic ecosystem, as it breaks down detritus and recycles any and all nutrients that come its way.

Unlike the cucumbers we like to put over our eyes and into our salads, the sea cucumber is incredibly flexible due to its collagen levels. For instance, if the sea cucumber needs to wedge itself into a tiny crevice, its collagen will loosen and the sea cucumber will effectively liquify itself to seep into its desired locale. When situations get truly dire, sea cucumbers can also engage in self mutilation by violently contracting their muscles and expelling some of their internal organs out through their anus to ward off predators. Don’t try this at home the next time you have an unwanted guest, though; unlike sea cucumbers, your internal organs won’t grow back.

Deemed by some scientists as a “living fossil” and tragically overshadowed in pop culture by its flashier shark counterparts, the goblin shark leads a relatively mysterious existence deep below the ocean blue. The only extant survivor of a 125 million-year old family of sharks, the goblin is truly unique…and ugly. But apart from its most salient features (re: its long, flattened snout, protruding jaws and claw-like teeth), the goblin is relatively unremarkable.

Most scientists speculate that in the underwater world, the goblin shark plays the role of elderly next-door neighbor. Why? Just like your elderly neighbor, the goblin shark’s general flabbiness conveys the fact that it’s not exactly moving around that much, and further, that it doesn’t even need to in order to survive. Unlike your elderly next-door neighbor, it’s highly unlikely that you’ll ever see a goblin shark in your lifetime. While they were discovered in the 19th century, goblin sharks are incredibly rare and prefer to confine themselves to the ocean’s lower depths–not the public eye. In fact, when one was brought to an aquarium in Japan a few years ago, it died soon after.

The Angler Fish

The angler fish is perhaps one of the most fascinating and bizarre sea creatures known to man. Not only known for its wily predation techniques (re: possessing a spine that grows its own glowing fleshy mass, which the fish wiggles about to lure in other predatory sea creatures that it will ultimately devour), the angler fish’s mating habits are rather unique.

When scientists first discovered the angler, for instance, they noticed that almost all of those observed were female…and that these specimens had what appeared to be some sort of parasitic growth attached to their lower parts.

Turns out that those “parasites” were actually just greatly reduced male angler fish, whose puny size means that the male angler fish’s sole objective in life is to find and mate with a female. Once they do find a female partner, male anglers quickly bite into the female’s skin and thus fuse them together–so much so that all that is discernible of the male angler fish are two globular growths on the female’s skin: its gonads. From this point on, the male’s life literally depends on its female host, as they share a circulatory system. And, well, just about everything else. When the female is ready to mate, the male pays his dues by providing her with sperm on the spot so that she might impregnate herself.

Read more at http://all-that-is-interesting.com/bizarre-ocean-creatures/7/#cCjMaG5x5Gyzu91c.99

7 Of The Most Frighteningly Bizarre Ocean Creatures

September 27, 2013

Source: Seavenger

Bizarre Ocean Creatures: The Hatchetfish

Source: Flip Side

Given the extreme depths to which scientists must go to find these frightful–and tiny–fish, little is known about the hatchetfish. A prime source of worldwide model envy, the morose-looking creatures derive their name from how razor-thin they are, no extreme dieting required.

Anatomically speaking, the hatchetfish’s silver-colored thorax resembles a hatchet’s blade. Its name is somewhat deceiving, though; measuring a mere one to five inches in length, the hatchetfish is hardly imposing, let alone deadly. It’s just, well, pretty terrifying to look at.

The marine hatchetfish is endowed with bioluminescent properties, which allow it to evade predators lurking in the depths below. If you absolutely must see one for yourself, you’ll need to slip on your scuba gear and head to the Pacific, Indian or Atlantic Oceans and swim at least 50 meters below the oceans’ surface, as that’s where the hatchetfish calls home.

Benjamin Ekpenyong

Source: Digital Fish Library

Source: Blogspot

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Read more at http://all-that-is-interesting.com/bizarre-ocean-creatures#TOS737dcukkdC7G7.99

7 Of The Most Frighteningly Bizarre Ocean Creatures
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DISCOVERY: Giant Leatherback sea turtle

Benjamin Ekpenyong

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DISCOVERY: 6 The World’s Most Amazing Works Of Body Art (UPDATED)

Source: The Daily Mail

Look closely; these images are not what they seem! Turning the human body into a dynamic canvas, the art of body painting has grown rapidly over the past 20 years, gaining popularity and acceptance along the way. Contrary to their title, body painters don’t use actual paint in their work, but high grade makeup. Like any other medium, themes run the gambit.

Some artists turn their subjects into chameleons, while others transform them into free standing sculptures. Competitions and festivals take place worldwide that cater to body painters of all levels of ability. The World Body Painting Festival is held annually in Pörtschach, Austria and features some of the most talented body artists from across the globe.

Source: The Mirror

Tree Frog, by Johannes Stoetter, consists of five made-up bodies. Stoetter was crowned the 2012 World Body Painting champion, and is internationally known for his artistic skills with skin.

Source: The Huffington Post

Even though body painters have switched their artistic medium from stiff canvas to more elastic skin, that does little to change the artist’s need for a stable, sturdy surface. With that in mind, artist Trina Merry aptly selects athletic models for her human sculpture/painting works. It’s not just for aesthetics; all models must be able to hold an often awkward and uncomfortable position for hours on end.

Source: Prafulla

Japanese Artist Hikaru Cho (aka Chooo-San) has a keen eye for embedding a certain mechanistic realism into her body art. Blending the rigidity of zippers, screws and stitching with the flesh, Choo-San’s works are sometimes a bit unsettling.

Benjamin Ekpenyong

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GREAT DISCOVERY: Unique Dog Breeds You May Never Come Across

Thai Ridgeback

An ancient dog breed, the Thai Ridgeback is also renowned as Mah Thai Lang Ahn. I love this breed and I think it's the most unique and beautiful dog breed. The Thai Ridgeback has a line of hair running along the back in the opposite direction to the rest of the coat. These beautiful, strong-willed and powerful dogs are usually used as livestock guardians. Thai Ridgeback is a very intelligent breed. This dog is best kept by a consistent owner who has a good understanding of dog behavior.

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CEO: BEN Latest News

Benjamin Ekpenyong

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SHOPPING: The Rage About Engagement Rings

An engagement ring is a lifetime investment, so you want to be sure you are making the best possible purchase. The top two questions a man has in his mind when searching for the perfect engagement ring for his lady is how much should he spend and what style of ring should he buy?

It seems that there is a general rule regarding the amount that should be spent on an engagement ring according to BBC News. Some say it should be one month’s salary, some say up to three month’s salary. But who determined this? Where was this derived?

Prior to the 1930s, a woman did not receive a diamond engagement ring. It wasn’t until De Beers developed an advertising campaign linking diamonds with the act of engagement, according to BBC News. It was during this campaign that De Beers suggested one month’s salary be spent for a diamond engagement ring, and a major slogan in 1947 that simply stated, “A Diamond is Forever,” linking the diamond to the act of engagement.

It wasn’t until the 1980s that it went up to two month’s salary. BBC News reports that the advertising slogan during that time was, “How can you make two month’s salary last forever?” Yet again, emphasizing that the purchase of the diamond engagement ring is an investment.

However, in today’s economy, spending one, two, or even three month’s salary on an engagement ring is most likely not possible. But there are many trends today that allow flexibility without losing beauty and meaning in the engagement ring itself.

According to The Knot, there are a few trends this year that people are finding very appealing in their search for the perfect engagement ring. One suggestion is the East-West engagement ring in which the oval, marquis, or emerald cut stone is set horizontally making it appear larger than it is. Very clever.

The halo setting also gives tons of sparkle reveals The Knot. It is two tears of small diamonds surrounding the center stone in the engagement ring. It is extremely appealing to the eye.

Twisted Band engagement rings add flare as the band twists and turns around the solitaire center stone, for a little less conventional appearance.

One brilliant idea for engagement rings is to use different stones other than diamonds.OffbeatBride.com offers ideas for a vast array of gemstones and styles including amethysts, rubies, sapphires, citrine, tanzanite, and many other colorful stones. If you don’t necessarily want to spend a small fortune on a diamond engagement ring, there are many alternatives that can be purchased for less than $500, but still have the great quality and beauty as the diamond engagement rings.

Engagement rings are a symbol of love. Contrary to what jewelry stores want you to think, you should find your bride a ring that is sentimental, beautiful, and one that won’t put you in a mountain of debt. True love is what lasts forever, not the engagement ring.

[Image York Image / photopin cc]

Benjamin Ekpenyong

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NEW TECHNOLOGY: Harley-Davidson goes electric with the LiveWire concept motorcycle

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Harley-Davidson Project Livewire

By now, we're all well aware that fueling cars and bikes with electricity is the way of the future, but if there's one brand that you'd imagine would vehemently oppose this change, it's America's own Harley-Davidson. Its customers are synonymously free-spirited "easy riders" – a far cry from Google Glass-wearing tech geeks — called to duty by the thunder from the V-twin engines. And yet here's Project LiveWire, the first ever all-electric Harley-Davidson motorcycle – proof that even the most traditional of brands cannot ignore the revolution.

Harley knows that it takes more than just a legendary name to sustain a company, and like many, it seeks a younger demographic to fill its voids. That's not to say the electric LiveWire turns its back on the company's loyal customers, rather it offers something entirely different: "We see this as a bike for more urban areas," Jeff Richlen, Chief Engineer of Harley-Davidson new products told Yahoo Autos. "It's something that's appealing to people that perhaps haven't considered a Harley before, but it still retains our core DNA."

LiveWire is powered by a 55-kW electric motor that produces 75 hp. Mix that with its 52 lb.-ft. of instant torque and it'll hit 60 mph in under four seconds. Regen braking on the rear captures electricity to recharge the battery during deceleration, with total range topping out at around 53 miles.

But as Richlen reiterates, those numbers will change because LiveWire isn't a production bike just yet – it's a test mule. A few dozen bikes will embark on a tour around the United States, and eventually Europe. The objective will be to see how buyers respond to the bike, and what might need changing if and when it goes on sale: "So far, riders have been stoked," Richlen says. "The response has been phenomenal, but the tech is still maturing. It's not there yet, and we don't know what kind of range will be expected – is 50 OK, or will we need 100, 200 or even 300 miles to make it work?"

Harley understands the demands of educating a customer base steeped in V-twin tradition, but thinks that the new bike's distinct feel will ensure current owners are excited by what the brand is doing: "It weighs just 460 lbs.," Richlen says. "People that have ridden it are amazed at how light and nimble it feels. Some people may get on it thinking, 'golf cart,' but they get off thinking, 'rocket ship.'"

While a lack of gears to shift through may be off-putting to some riders, Richlen thinks it perhaps opens the door for inexperienced bikers to hit the roads, offering a less intimidating twist-and-go riding style. He also says the whooshing of the wind noise makes for a truly visceral and new sensation; Harley claims to have created a new sonic signature for the LiveWire, which it describes as "fighter jet on an aircraft carrier."

Educating the public on these attributes, however, may not be an easy task, as Harley's own Facebook page already features a number of annoyed commenters:

"No No No Harley is not a Harley without a v-twin and the thunder!!!"

posted Mathew Law.

"Boooooooooooooooooooooooooooooo!!!! We don't want electric bikes,"

said Mike Tingle.

The news did not meet all Harley fans with anger, though:

"This is America and if you don't like then don't buy. I applaud Harley and think for a commuter it's spot on!"

For Harley-Davidson, testing the waters with the LiveWire while making it clear that this is not a production bike, tends to point towards the concern of alienating its core buyers. It will be a slow and methodical process in education, but as Tesla has proved in the car world, it's something that can be overcome with patience and a good product.

And when the LiveWire does eventually go on sale (and I think we all know it will in some form and at some point) the commenters will have had time to acclimate to the idea — and the thought of lightning to go with their rolling thunder.

Benjamin Ekpenyong

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Help me out Real or Fake?

Have been trying all possible best to know if this picture is real or not, i couldn't get it so i decided to share it with you what can you say bout this picture to easy my mind?

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History Bones of 5,000-year-old Stone Age child and adult found in Irish cave

Stone age bones previously found in the Sahara Desert. Exciting discovery provides evidence of the County Sligo’s Neolithic links. Photo by: WikiCommon

Archaeologists have found the 5,500 year old bones of a Stone Age child and adult in a cave situated on Knocknarea mountain not far from the town of Sligo.

Researchers at IT Sligo discovered 13 small bones and bone fragments in the cave last November.

The find provides new evidence of Knocknarea’s Neolithic links and the prehistoric practice known as “excoriation,” according to the Irish Mirror.
Three of the bones belonged to the child, aged 4 to 6 years, and ten belonged to an adult of unknown gender, aged 30 to 39 years. The discovery included foot bones and fragments of a skull.

“It’s an enormously exciting discovery,” said Dr Marion Dowd of IT Sligo, Ireland’s only specialist in the archaeology of Irish caves.

“This might seem like a small quantity but it has yielded fantastic results."

IT Sligo archaeology graduate Thorsten Kahlert discovered the bones by chance while he was investigating several little-known caves on the slopes of the mountain.

“I was surveying one small cave when something on the cave floor caught my eye,” said Kahlert.

“I took a closer look and realized it was a human foot bone.” He discovered more bones strewn on the cave floor after further examination.

The remains were taken to Dr Catriona McKenzie of Queen’s University Belfast, an archaeologist specializing in the analysis of human bones.

Dr Down contacted the National Monuments Service, which funded a rescue excavation by the two IT Sligo researchers. The researchers had to endure rough weather and conditions to retrieve the bones.

“You have to squeeze through, head first, lying on your stomach, and after a while you get into a larger passage,” said Thorsten.

"It is an entirely natural cave but you have to crouch down.

"For the most part it is not possible to stand upright”.

Dr Down said the small number of bones and their size suggest the cave was used as an excoriation site. A corpse is laid in the cave and after decomposition, the bones are transferred elsewhere. Fragments could be accidentally left behind.

"Significantly, too, it seems the adult had been placed there about 300 years before the child, who died about 5,200 years ago,” said Dowd.

“When people died in prehistory, their corpses were sometimes laid out in caves. After one or two years, when the flesh and soft tissue had decomposed, the dry bones were collected and removed to another location,” she said.

“We can imagine, therefore, that Stone Age people in Sligo between 5,000 and 5,500 years ago carried the corpses of their dead up the mountain. After an arduous climb, they then squeezed through the narrow cave entrance, and laid the dead person on the cave floor.

“Sometime later, maybe after one or two years, people returned to the cave and collected the bones and took them to another location. Where they took them, we don’t know. But the monuments on the summit of Knocknarea are one likely possibility. All that was left behind in the cave were some small bones that had been overlooked”.

She said that Sligo-Leitrim is one of the country’s most important cave regions but has not been extensively investigated archaeologically.

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Strange Woman Grows Horn in

China (PICTURED)

You don’t have to necessarily believe it but this poor Chinese woman has a horn that resembles that of a goat on the left side of her head. 100 year old Zhang Ruifnag is from Henan Province in China. It is reported that the horn started growing as lump and that it causes her no pain.

The condition is known as a cutaneous horn, which is an uncommon deformity. Composed of keratin, these horns usually develop in elderly adults, particularly those who have had a history of sun exposure.

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