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If it’s a national park in Hawaii, then it has to have something to do with beaches, waves and surfing, doesn’t it? Actually, no. On the island of Maui, a national park sweeps across the stunning landscape of Haleakala, a 10,023-foot volcano whose peak is surprisingly accessible and extremely popular.

Visitors can easily drive to the summit of Haleakala (which means “House of the Sun”), though it’s admittedly a steep trip into the clouds along an extended series of switchback curves. The 38-mile trip ascends from sea level to 10,000 feet in about two hours, during which you traverse three climate zones. There are three picturesque overlooks to enjoy – Leleiwi, Puu Ulaula, and Kalahaku – and a visitor center just below the peak.

More than one million people annually make this journey, many of them in the predawn hours as it’s a dramatic place from which to view the sunrise. The sunset views are pretty spectacular, as well. According to Hawaiian legend, it was here that the demigod Maui lassoed the sun from the summit of Haleakala in order to force it to move more slowly across the sky and thereby lengthen the day.

At the top, one can look down into a massive crater that encompasses 19 square miles and is more than 2,600-feet deep. The Haleakala Crater was formed through the ages by erosion from wind and water. A number of breathtaking hiking trails lead down into the crater’s lunar landscape. The trails are breathtaking in more ways than one, though. Remember, if you begin by hiking down, it means you have to return by hiking uphill. Not always an easy task, especially at that altitude. There are, however, escorted hiking and horseback tours available. Or, you can take a van up to the peak and then enjoy an exhilarating ride back down the twisting road on a rented mountain bike.

Haleakala is also a prime location for astronomy and there are observatories located near the summit. These are unfortunately closed to the public, although a stargazing expedition can be arranged through a local company that brings portable telescopes up the mountain.

source: http://www.examiner.com/

by Capt. Allen Fee

Finally after a long wait, the 2009 fluke season is upon us and doing well. Lots of recent confusion regarding new regulations, and chatter of a marine fishing license, has all anglers fearful of doing the wrong thing in the wrong place. The most important thing a fisherman operating a boat can learn, is where the state boundaries overlying the waters are. Some of the more recent model GPS navigators run charting software, which include these boundary lines. A lesser expensive approach would be to obtain a Captain Seagull’s Chart of Fishers Island Sound. This chart is one of the few charts that clearly define the CT, New York, and Rhode Island demarcations. Presently fluke fishing is open in CT and Rhode Island. New York closed its fluke fishing the day after CT opened theirs, and will reopen July 3rd.

Opening day in CT showed good numbers in fluke caught while the size was slightly lacking. “Not too many keepers out there.” reported Dana Pollard, Mystic, who worked hard to get his three fish limit.

Misquamicut Beach was very good over the weekend. Most drifted at depths of forty-five to sixty feet. Bare in mind that, although Rhode Island has a six fish limit, you may only possess three per person in CT. Also don’t enter New York waters with any fluke, until it reopens in July.

Striper catches are still doing well from Lord’s Passage over to Watch Hill Reef. Cheryl at Shaffer’s Bait and Tackle is selling lots of parachute jigs and trolling wire. Shaffer’s also stocks the charts mentioned earlier.

Scup or porgy catches in the Mystic River Park are still doing well using sandworms or squid. Some blues were also caught up at the bend in River Road, near the I-95 overpass. Bob Lamphere and the two Rays compete regularly for “High Hook” of the Mystic River.

For a complete listing of the marine regulations or a local tide table, visit www.shaffersmystic.com or stop by the store.

Source

Your brain clock is a cluster of brain cells in the hypothalamus that determines your sleep-wake time and is regulated by light and darkness, explains Delwyn Bartlett, a sleep psychologist with the Woolcock Institute of Medical Research in Sydney. Here’s how to keep it on track:

* Wake up at the same time every morning, even on weekends. This is more important than going to bed at the same time every night. “Waking up at the same time cues your brain to release sleep-wake hormones at the right time,” she says.

* Get the light right. Melatonin, the sleep hormone that gets your brain ready for sleep, needs diminishing levels of light to help it kick in. Bright light - or staring at your laptop - can delay its effects. Keep lights in the bedroom low before you go to sleep. Have curtains that let you wake up to morning light.

* Check your blankets. To feel sleepy, your body temperature needs to fall. An overheated bedroom or an electric blanket turned up too high can make it hard to sleep. But a warm bath an hour before bed can help your temperature fall. The warm water artificially raises your temperature, which then has to come down once you’re out of the bath.

* Think about what you drink and eat before bed. Drinks containing caffeine - coffee, tea, cocoa and cola - can keep you awake. Although caffeine’s stimulant effect is strongest in the first hour or so after taking it, it can still be in your system eight hours later. While alcohol helps you doze off quickly, drinking too much too close to bedtime can backfire. One drink might be OK but too much can fragment your sleep because of falling blood-alcohol levels that can wake you up later in the night.

* Eat earlier rather than later. Have dinner at 9pm and your body will still be digesting it when you’re in bed - and keeping you awake. As for a good bedtime snack, aim for something easy to digest that includes carbohydrates - warm milk or soy milk, wholegrain toast or a banana.

* Create a sound barrier. Earplugs can help, as can white noise, which means using sounds such as a fan to mask more disturbing noises. The fan can help cool you down if you overheat.

* Get regular exercise - being physically active can help you get a better night’s sleep. But not too close to bedtime - exercise can perk you up and make it hard to nod off.

* Have a snoring refuge. I’d never suggest couples sleep in separate rooms but having a spare room to retreat to occasionally when your sleep is broken because he’s snoring or you’re overheating - or both - can really help.

What about pills to help you nod off?

On prescription

Prescription drugs, such as benzodiazepines, have their place for the occasional sleepless night, to help you cope with jet lag or for short-term help with grief. But taking them continuously for more than two weeks can make you develop a tolerance to them so they don’t work as well.

Over the counter

Valerian is a common ingredient in herbal sleep remedies but studies of its effectiveness are mixed. An Ayurvedic herb, withania somnifera, has a traditional use as a sleep-inducer but, as with other traditional herbs, it often pays to get a therapeutic dose prescribed by a good herbalist rather than to self-prescribe. Other over-the-counter remedies are based on sedating antihistamines - prolonged use isn’t recommended as they can make you drowsy during the day.

source article: theage.com.au

Written by: JolieMitchel

The recent mass recall of pet food gave many pet owners quite a scare. One suggestion arising from of this issue was to search the Internet for information on dog foods for the purpose of reviewing the ingredients in the various brands to get a better idea as to which brand might be best for your pet.
The ingredients of some brands of dog food may contain some surprises, not all of them good. The pet food industry is self-regulating and not required to specifically identify the make-up of the product beyond providing results of a guaranteed analysis. This together with name and address of the manufacturer the weight of the food and type of pet the product is intended for is about all that is required.

Inferior pet foods often contain ingredients that are difficult for your dog to digest. These ingredients include certain chicken by-products, gluten, sugar, wheat and corn. Just because your pet seems to be going after its meals with enthusiasm doesn’t mean that the meal is necessarily healthy. In your search for a quality product you can immediately eliminate those products containing a significant amount of the aforementioned ingredients.
Some companies field test their products, especially the premium grades of their product line. If nothing more, the fact that a product has been tested may be taken as a good sign. Still, many companies offer dog food products in different grades so it’s best to read the labels before purchasing. You’ll want to find how closely the lower grades resemble the company’s premium grade.
When you are looking at a dog food label, some of the ingredients to look for are: Turkey meal, Fish meal, Human Grade Ingredients Chicken meal, Lamb meal, Rice, Potatoes, Vegetables, and Sunflower oil. Vitamins and fatty acids are also good ingredients to have in dog food. Some of these include Vitamin E and Omega 3 and 6. These fatty acids ensure a healthy skin and coat for your dog.
Besides searching the Internet for comparisons of ingredients you can also search for results of tests and analyses and consumer reviews. This information can be very helpful in assisting you in choosing the best possible product for your pet.
What about organic pet food? Organic food has been popular with humans for years and it’s popularity is steadily increasing. Now organic dog food is making an appearance and worth looking into. When next in your pet store or supermarket look for the word "Natural" on the box or bag of dog food and then of course read the label.
After the pet food recall, I began making my dog her food from scratch. The dog food recipe I use includes ingredients like strained beef, beef broth, vegetable oil, milk, eggs, unflavored gelatin, cornmeal, and flour. If this is the route you choose, make sure that you know that it is not cheap to make your own dog food and it takes a lot of time. But to me, my best friend is worth it!

source article: www.free-article-submit.com

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Link to this post: http://scrapbooking.blogbuddy.ca/2009/scrapbooking-tips/simple-and-stunning-computer-scrapbooking-technique/