Giant Cave Roach (Blaberus giganteus)

The cockroach Blaberus giganteus (L.) is the largest species in its genus and one of the largest cockroaches known. Individuals can measure over three inches (88 mm) in length and one and one-half inches (38 mm) in width. In spite of their extended dimensions, Blaberus giganteus are lightly-built, sprightly roaches, with bodies that are much broader than deep. This flattened body allows them to squeeze between cracks to hide from predators. Blaberus giganteus is found in parts of the West Indies, in Panama, and southward into northern South America.

This species is now appearing on the pet market because captive-reared specimens are readily available from research labs in entomology. The giant roach has been a common experimental animal in entomology labs since the early 1950's.

Blaberus giganteus have a number of features that make them good lab animals, and consequently good pets. First, of course is their great size. Second, they are very easy to rear; a number of adults and developing young can be kept together in the same container. Third, they have a relatively long adult life. Fourth, they are much too large and temperature dependent to ever survive a winter outdoors in the continental United States. The only exception to this last statement might be in south Florida, and for a number of reasons it is very unlikely they could survive even there.

Full Grown Size 2.5 to 4 inches.
Growth Medium speed.
Temperature 70 to 80° F.
Humidity 75 to 80%.
Temperament Docile and nervous.
Housing Babies can live in a clear plastic container with air holes. Adults can live in a 2.5 to 29-gallon tank, depending on the number of cockroaches. Cockroaches can live communally. Height is more important than floor space.
Substrate 2 to 3 inches of peat moss, potting soil, or pine chips.
Decor Branches, driftwood, cork bark, etc. make good hiding places and climbing accessories.
Other Names Trinidad Cave Cockroach, Trinidad Giant Cockroach, Cuban Giant Cockroach, Cuban Black-Spot Cockroach, Glass-Wing Cockroach, Giant Black-Spot Cockroach, and Giant Cockroach.

Giant roaches do wonderfully well on a steady diet of cereal, meat loaf, and apples. Use a whole-grain oat cereal like "Cheerios" (made by General Mills). The roaches particularly seem to relish the sugar-coated versions. The meat loaf provides protein, an absolute must if the roaches are to grow. It would not be a stretch to say giant roaches were partially carnivorous. Thirty to forty adults and large nymphs can finish off a cup of cooked hamburger in less than an hour. If you do not give them protein they will get it on their own, by attacking and eating their molting or aged cage mates. Chewed or brown wing tips are an early warning that protein is lacking.

Samsung 32-inch 720p 60Hz LED HDTV

32" LED panel
With 1366 x 768 resolution
True 16:9 aspect ratio
View your movies as the director intended
Built-in digital tuner
Watch digital broadcasts, including HDTV programs where available on your Samsung 32" HDTV
HDMI Inputs: 2
Enjoy a superior HD experience with HDMI, the one-cable audio/video solution
31.5" screen of the Samsung LED HDTV is measured diagonally from corner to corner
ConnectShare Movie
View movies and pictures from a USB device right on your TV

With LED technology, the energy-efficient, Samsung Series 4 TV produces a brilliant, clear picture. The Dolby Digital Plus/Dolby Pulse is an advanced surround sound feature that optimizes the TV’s audio from connected devices. The Wide Color Enhancer Plus features lets you see picture with vibrant, natural-looking images.Wide Color Enhancer Plus allows you to witness the entire RGB spectrum brought to life on your screen to bring you exceptionally vibrant, yet natural-looking images faithful to the director’s original intent.

ConnectShare Movie lets you watch videos, play music, or view photos from a USB connection without needing to use a PC or special equipment. Simply plug your USB device or drive directly into your Samsung TV’s USB port and watch on the big screen with friends and family.

The picture quality is very good, and the sound quality is great also, you won't have to buy separate speakers. Sets up easy and has all the latest inputs. I had a little trouble getting my settings right for each device connected, but finally got it right and the picture looks great! I really like how the picture settings save to each input source you change them on, (tv, component, hdmi...)

Dragon Ball

Bulma is a girl in search of the mystical dragonballs that when brought together grant any wish. In her search she bumps into the owner of one of these balls, a strange boy named Goku. The two then set off together, Bulma in search of the dragonballs and Goku on a quest to become stronger,
leading to confrontations with the desert bandit Yamcha, who later becomes an ally, Chi-Chi, whom Goku unknowingly agrees to marry, and Pilaf, who is also collecting them. Goku then undergoes rigorous training regimes under the martial artist Kame-Sen'nin in order to fight in a martial arts tournament that attracts the most powerful fighters in the world. A monk named Kuririn becomes his training partner and rival, but they soon become best friends. After the tournament, Goku sets out on his own to recover the Dragon Ball his Grandfather left him and encounters the Red Ribbon Army, whose leader wants to collect the Dragon Balls for himself. He almost single-handedly defeats the army, including their hired assassin Taopaipai, whom he originally lost to, but after training under Karin, now easily beats. Goku reunites with his friends to defeat the fortuneteller Baba Uranai's fighters and have her locate the last Dragon Ball in order to revive a friend killed by Taopaipai.

They all reunite at the martial arts tournament three years later and meet Kame-Sen'nin's rival and Taopaipai's brother, Tsuru-Sen'nin, and his students Tenshinhan and Chaozu, who vow to exact revenge. Kuririn is killed after the tournament and Goku chases after the killer, leading him to Piccolo Daimao, who easily defeats him. The samurai Yajirobe takes Goku to Karin, where he receives healing and a power boost. Meanwhile Piccolo fights Kame-Sen'nin and Chaozu, leading to both their deaths, and uses the Dragon Balls to regain his youth and then destroys the dragon. Goku then begins his battle with Piccolo Daimao, who just before dying, spawns his son/reincarnation Piccolo. Karin informs Goku that Kami (God), the original creator of the Dragon Balls, might be able to restore the dragon so that he can wish his friends back to life, which he does. He also stays and trains under Kami for the next three years, once again reuniting with his friends at the martial arts tournament. Piccolo Jr. also enters the tournament, leading to the final fight between him and Goku. Goku just narrowly wins and then quickly rides off with Chi-Chi, who surprised him by also competing and maintaining he keeps the promise he made to her as children.

Five years later, now a young adult and father to son Gohan, Goku meets his older brother Raditz, who reveals to him that they are members of a nearly extinct extraterrestrial race called the Saiyans. The Saiyans had sent Goku (originally named "Kakarrot") to Earth as an infant to conquer the planet for them, but he suffered a severe head injury soon after his arrival and lost all memory of his mission, as well as his blood-thirsty Saiyan nature. Goku refuses to help Raditz continue the mission and has to team up with Piccolo, and sacrifice his life, in order to defeat him. However, Goku is revived a year later by the Dragon Balls, after training in the afterlife with North Kaiō, in order to save the Earth from the Saiyan prince Vegeta. However, in the battle Yamcha, Chaozu, Tenshinhan and Piccolo are killed. Due to Piccolo being one with Kami, the Dragon Balls no longer exist, resulting in a group traveling to their home planet, Namek, in order to use the balls there to revive their friends. However, the galactic tyrant Freeza is already there doing the same, leading to several battles with his minions and Vegeta, the latter of which teams up with the heroes to fight the Ginyu Force. After Goku arrives, the final long battle with Freeza himself comes to a close after Goku transforms into a legendary Super Saiyan and avenges the lives of billions across the galaxy.

A group of androids from the former Red Ribbon Army appear three years later, seeking revenge against Goku. During this time, an evil life form called Cell emerges and, after absorbing two of the androids to achieve his "perfect form," holds his own fighting tournament to decide the fate of the Earth. However, after Goku sacrifices his own life, Gohan avenges his father by defeating Cell. Seven years later, Goku, briefly revived for one day, and his allies are drawn into yet another fight for the universe against a magical being named Majin Boo. After numerous battles and many deaths, Goku destroys Boo having borrowed energy from everyone on Earth. Ten years later, at another martial arts tournament, Goku meets Boo's human reincarnation, Oob. Leaving the match between the two of them unfinished, Goku takes Oob away on a journey to train him.

Nvidia graphics card EVGA GeForce GTX

EVGA GeForce GTX 660. It takes NVIDIA Kepler-powered graphics cards to new levels of affordability while retaining class-leading performance and power efficiency, making it a must-have upgrade for today's hottest games. The EVGA GeForce GTX 660 graphics card represents the Kepler "sweet spot" for gamers - the ultimate combination of performance, power efficiency, and affordability.

I love this card. Easy manual install; however, they do not have the drivers for windows 8, at least the x64, on the disc that comes with the card. It took awhile to figure out where to get the driver from and had to download it since it is not recognized by the windows plug and play feature. If you are installing it go to EVGA to get the driver, that will save you some time. But all in all its a great device. plus uses less power than my old gtx260 that I replaced with this one. All in all pretty good.

California poppy (Eschscholzia californica)

An upright, compact annual or tender perennial native to California and the southwestern United States. Extremely drought tolerant, ideal for arid environments. The brilliant orange, cup-shaped flowers, are 2-4 inches in diameter, borne individually on long stalks. Prefers full sun in light to sandy soils. Remarkably uniform and neat in appearnce. A popular variety to press. Not hardy below 20F.
Average planting success with this species: 70%
Height: 12-18 inches
Germination: 15-30 days
Optimum soil temperature for germination: 60-70F
Sowing depth: 1/16"
Blooming period: April-August
Average seeds per pound: 293,000
Seeding rate: 8 lbs. per acre
Suggested use: Borders, rock gardens, meadows, mixes.
Miscellaneous: An excellent color accent to any wildflower planting. The state flower of California. Blooms close each night at sunset or on dull days. The finely divided foliage is bluish-green in color making identification easy prior to flowering.

California poppy (Eschscholzia californica) is a member of the poppy family of flowering plants found throughout the western U.S. It is particularly prolific in California, where the plant was designated the state flower in 1903 and subsequently celebrated each April 6th on California Poppy Day. The plant is also known as flame flower and copa de oro, which means “cup of gold.” Unlike many other state flowers, it is not illegal to harvest the plant, unless you were to pluck it from private property. In fact, the species is quite invasive and resistant to disease, although it has been displaced in certain areas by wild grasses.

Another misconception about California poppy is that the plant contains opium when it does not. The morphine-like drug is obtained from a completely different genus and species of plant called the opium poppy. However, California poppy does contain certain alkaloids that lend the plant mild sedative qualities.

Brazos River, Texas

The Brazos River forms at the confluence off its Double Mountain Fork, beginning in Lubbock County, and Salt Fork, beginning in Crosby County, then merging in eastern Stonewall County near the Haskell County Line. Navigable flows begin below the Clear Fork confluence in Young County just southwest of Graham. The river is a long, slow flatwater stream that flows south by southeast to the Gulf of Mexico in Brazoria County, near Houston.

The Brazos River, called the Rio de los Brazos de Dios by early Spanish explorers (translated as "The River of the Arms of God"), is the longest river in Texas and the 11th longest river in the United States at 2,060 km (1,280 mi)

Fishing in most parts of the Brazos is good to excellent, so if you like to wet a hook and drown some worms, then bring your Texas fishing license, fishing tackle and bait and get ready to enjoy the river.

2013 Chevrolet Malibu Hybrid

With sophistication and refined ingenuity, expect nothing less than standing out. Inspired by the athletic stance of Camaro, the bold new design improves aerodynamics while turning heads. The smooth ride goes hand-in-hand to deliver confident handling. Exceptional attention to detail throughout the vehicle’s design helps offer up to an EPA-estimated 34 MPG on the highway. The precision continues on the inside with attractive styling, advanced technology, and entertainment options topped off with a level of comfort that you’ll have to experience yourself to fully appreciate.

The Malibu’s upscale cabin remains upscale, awash in contrasting colors and classy stitching, as well as so-called basketball graining, which sounds awful but contributes to dimension and depth. So, too, do new decorative lateral dashboard “vanes” that glow with ice-blue ambient lighting. The radio’s touch screen cleverly flips up to reveal a six-inch-deep bin that’s big enough to swallow a cell phone and abag of Fritos. The front seat cushions are firm and nicely scalloped. For two folks, back-seat comfort is excellent, with the Malibu’s wider front and rear tracks resulting in a 3.2-inch gain in shoulder room. The redesigned 2013 Chevy Malibu is a solid choice for a family sedan, but we suggest considering the late-introduction 2.5-liter or turbo models instead of snapping up the Eco model that debuted first.

2013 Toyota Avalon

With new features and a new look for 2013, the Toyota Avalon should earn new respect as a top choice for a full-size sedan. Dynamic new look; luxury-like cabin quality; roomy seating front and rear; large trunk; generous interior storage.

Avalon’s standard leather-trimmed seats, soft-touch materials and French stitching add up to an environment that feels as if it were made just for you. Subtle design touches make sure that the interior of Avalon stands out.The engine is smooth and powerful and will provide plenty of acceleration to please most drivers. Although Avalon buyers in love with the previous car's indifferent dynamics might be a little disappointed with the new car, overall we think this sedan offers a nice blend of comfort and useful performance.

The Simpsons: Tapped Out

The Simpsons: Tapped Out is a freemium video game for iOS and Android, based on American animated series The Simpsons. The game was developed and published by EA Mobile and launched in the UK on 29 February 2012 and in US on March 1, 2012 for iOS and February 6, 2013 for Android. The game was released for Kindle Fire devices in several markets on June 24, 2013. EA is reported to have made $50 million net revenue since the game's release.

This is one majorly addictive and enjoyable time waster. Simple game featuring all of your favorite characters in a Springfield of your own design, that draws you in with many small tasks and rewards. It is a great example of behavioral conditioning. Just enough reward to keep you coming back.

Batman: The Dark Knight Rises

This movie relishes in the emotional journey presented, in conjunction with the various characters whom you just want to see more and more and develop whatever connection with them as possible. I personally want to possess the awesomeness that is Bane. The soundtrack definitely adds a very special...edge, you could say, to the total film experience. The "Bane chant" is definitely one that will always pump you up after watching this movie.

I could go on and on about how great this movie is, but I have limited space, and so will finish with this: This movie is absolutely fantastic. You will not be disappointed should you see this film. I had extremely high expectations and it delivered. While my optimistic approach to judging this movie may stem from it being brand new and fresh after what feels like a long 4 years since The Dark Knight, there is no denying that this movie will be one to remember for years to come. People worrying about it being overshadowed by the Dark Knight need not worry. This film delivers just as well.

It has been eight years since Batman vanished into the night, turning, in that instant, from hero to fugitive. Assuming the blame for the death of D.A. Harvey Dent, the Dark Knight sacrificed everything for what he and Commissioner Gordon both hoped was the greater good. For a time the lie worked, as criminal activity in Gotham City was crushed under the weight of the anti-crime Dent Act. But everything will change with the arrival of a cunning cat burglar with a mysterious agenda. Far more dangerous, however, is the emergence of Bane, a masked terrorist whose ruthless plans for Gotham drive Bruce out of his self-imposed exile. But even if he dons the cape and cowl again, Batman may be no match for Bane.

2013 Ford Fiesta S

EPA Fuel Economy: City: 29 Highway: 39 – 40
Available Engines: 120-hp, 1.6-liter I-4 (regular gas)
Available Transmissions: 6-speed auto-shift manual w/OD
5-speed manual w/OD
Sedan and four-door hatch
Manual or automatic transmission
Optional Sync system can run some smartphone apps
Seven airbags standard

                                           
From its grille, headlamps, available fog lamps and trim to its sleek new hood with distinctive character lines, the Fiesta features a new, more sculpted look. Adding to its appeal are all the choices the Fiesta offers. For starters, do you crave a sedan or hatch? Which color do you want it in? You have 10 eye-catching colors to choose from. How about an exterior body kit graphics package? Available leather-trimmed front seats? For those looking for sporty performance, there’s the Fiesta ST. It features ST-unique wheels and trim and a unique sporty interior, including race-inspired available ST-emblazoned RECARO® seats.

The Fiesta comes with seven standard airbags. In fact, Fiesta was the first in its class to offer a driver’s knee airbag. This airbag inflates between the driver’s knees and the instrument panel to help provide protection in a crash. The second-row seats have side-curtain airbag protection. They feature roll-fold technology, which is designed to inflate between the window glass and passenger’s head. This helps keep the curtain against the glass and offers head protection in side impacts for all outboard seating positions. In fact, when combined with the front-seat side airbags, the side-curtain airbags help provide protection for both head and chest in certain side-impact collisions. Side- curtain airbags will not interfere with a properly installed child-safety seat or booster seat.

HTC One

With a sleek aluminum body, a live home screen that streams all of your favorite content, a photo gallery that comes to life, and dual frontal stereo speakers, the new HTC One is ready to reshape your smartphone experience.

HTC is leading the way in creating innovative mobile technology that revolves around how you and your employees live and work. HTC, a global leader in mobile innovation and design, the global leader in mobile phone innovation and design, has won international recognition again for the new HTC One smartphone. Following the GSMA (Global System for Mobile Communications Association) award for Best New Mobile Device or Tablet, the flagship smartphone has been given the Gold Medal in Design and Innovation award from Computex Taipei 2013. Organized by the Taiwan External Trade Development Council (TAITRA) in conjunction with iF (International Forum Design), the award is the highest honor in the Computex d & i awards, and was personally given HTC by Taiwan President Ma Ying-Jeou.

This year, out of a total of 254 product entries submitted for consideration, he jury of experts agreed that "extremely sophisticated detailing makes the new HTC One smartphone stand out from the myriad of smartphones available in this very competitive product category. The new HTC One is as much as joy to hold and touch, as to use and is certainly the best of this year’s entries."

Stephen Hawking

Stephen Hawking was born on 8 January 1942 to Frank and Isobel Hawking. Despite family financial constraints, both parents had attended Oxford University, where Frank had studied medicine and Isobel Philosophy, Politics and Economics. The two met shortly after the beginning of the Second World War at a medical research institute where Isobel was working as a secretary and Frank as a medical researcher. Hawking's parents lived in Highgate but as London was under attack during the Second World War, his mother went to Oxford to give birth in greater safety. He has two younger sisters, Philippa and Mary, and an adopted brother, Edward. Hawking began his schooling at the Byron House School; he later blamed its "progressive methods" for his failure to learn to read while at the school.

In 1950, when his father became head of the division of parasitology at the National Institute for Medical Research, Hawking and his family moved to St Albans, Hertfordshire. The eight-year-old Hawking attended St Albans High School for Girls for a few months; at that time, younger boys could attend one of the houses. In St Albans, the family were considered highly intelligent and somewhat eccentric; meals were often spent with each person silently reading a book. They lived a frugal existence in a large, cluttered, and poorly maintained house, and travelled in a converted London taxicab. During one of Hawking's father's frequent absences working in Africa, the rest of the family spent four months in Majorca visiting his mother's friend Beryl and her husband, the poet Robert Graves.

On their return to England, Hawking attended Radlett School for a year and from September 1952, St Albans School. The family placed a high value on education. Hawking's father wanted his son to attend the well-regarded Westminster School, but the 13-year-old Hawking was ill on the day of the scholarship examination. His family could not afford the school fees without the financial aid of a scholarship, so Hawking remained at St Albans. A positive consequence was that Hawking remained with a close group of friends with whom he enjoyed board games, the manufacture of fireworks, model aeroplanes and boats, and long discussions about Christianity and extrasensory perception. From 1958, and with the help of the mathematics teacher Dikran Tahta, they built a computer from clock parts, an old telephone switchboard and other recycled components.

Although at school he was known as "Einstein", Hawking was not initially successful academically. With time, he began to show considerable aptitude for scientific subjects, and inspired by Tahta, decided to study mathematics at university. Hawking's father advised him to study medicine, concerned that there were few jobs for mathematics graduates. He wanted Hawking to attend University College, Oxford, his own alma mater. As it was not possible to read mathematics there at the time, Hawking decided to study physics and chemistry. Despite his headmaster's advice to wait till the next year, Hawking was awarded a scholarship after taking the examinations in March 1959.

The Grand Design,in this groundbreaking new work, Professor Hawking and renowned science writer Leonard Mlodinow have drawn on forty years of Hawking's own research and a recent series of extraordinary astronomical observations and theoretical breakthroughs to reveal an original and controversial theory.

They convincingly argue that scientific obsession with formulating a single new model may be misplaced, and that by synthesising existing theories we may discover the key to finally understanding the universe's deepest mysteries.

Justin Bieber

Justin Drew Bieber was born on March 1, 1994, in London, Ontario, at St Joseph's Hospital, and was raised in Stratford, Ontario. He is the son of Jeremy Jack Bieber and Patricia "Pattie" Mallette. Bieber's mother was 17 years old when she became pregnant. His parents were never married, but maintain a close friendship and common goals regarding their son's personal and professional life. Mallette raised her son with the help of her mother, Diane, and stepfather, Bruce. In September 2012, Mallette's memoirs, titled Nowhere but Up, were published. The book tells of her early life and her work with her son to pursue a career in the music industry. In her book, as well as in an interview with the Today show, Mallette talked about how everyone around her tried to push her toward abortion, and how she refused to abort her baby. Mallette worked a series of low-paying office jobs, raising Bieber as a single mother in low-income housing. Bieber has maintained contact with his father, who married another woman and had two children. Bieber's paternal great-grandfather was German. Bieber's mother's ancestry is French Canadian. He has stated that he believes that he has some undetermined Aboriginal Canadian ancestry. He attended a French-language immersion elementary school in Stratford, the Jeanne Sauvé Catholic School.

In early 2007, when he was 12, Justin Bieber sang Ne-Yo’s “So Sick” for a local singing competition in Stratford and placed second. Mallette posted a video of the performance on YouTube for their family and friends to see. She continued to upload videos of Bieber singing covers of various R&B songs, and Justin Bieber’s popularity on Youtube grew.

In 2008, Justin Bieber was discovered by Scooter Braun, who happened to come across Bieber’s videos on YouTube and later became his manager. Braun arranged for him to meet with Usher in Atlanta, Georgia, and Bieber was soon signed to Raymond Braun Media Group (RBMG), a joint venture between Braun and Usher, and then to a recording contract with Island Records offered by L.A. Reid.

His debut single, “One Time”, released worldwide in 2009, charted in the top 30 in over ten countries. His debut release, My World, followed on November 17, 2009, and was eventually certified platinum in the United States. Justin Bieber became the first artist to have seven songs from a debut album chart on the Billboard Hot 100.

His “My World 2.0″ was released on March 23, 2010 and has since received similar success; it debuted at number one and within the top ten of several countries and was certified platinum in the United States.

Justin was recently caught making out with tv show host joel mchale, the pair have come out to say they are BFF's forever.

J. K. Rowling

Born in Yate, England, on July 31, 1965, J.K. Rowling came from humble economic means before writing Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone, a children's fantasy novel. The work was an international hit and Rowling wrote six more books in the series, which sold into the hundreds of millions and was adapted into a blockbuster film franchise. In 2012, Rowling released the non-Potter novel The Casual Vacancy.

Rowling has led a "rags to riches" life story, in which she progressed from living on state benefits to multi-millionaire status within five years. She is the United Kingdom's best-selling author since records began, with sales in excess of £238m. The 2008 Sunday Times Rich List estimated Rowling's fortune at £560 million ($798 million), ranking her as the twelfth richest woman in the United Kingdom. Forbes ranked Rowling as the forty-eighth most powerful celebrity of 2007, and TIME magazine named her as a runner-up for its 2007 Person of the Year, noting the social, moral, and political inspiration she has given her fans. In October 2010, Rowling was named the "Most Influential Woman in Britain" by leading magazine editors. She has become a notable philanthropist, supporting such charities as Comic Relief, One Parent Families, Multiple Sclerosis Society of Great Britain and Lumos

By the summer of 2000, the first three Harry Potter books, Harry Potter and the Sorcerer's Stone, Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets and Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban earned approximately $480 million in three years, with over 35 million copies in print in 35 languages. In July 2000, Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire saw a first printing of 5.3 million copies and advance orders of over 1.8 million. After a postponed release date, the fifth installment, Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, hit bookstores in June 2003. The sixth installment, Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, sold 6.9 million copies in the United States in its first 24 hours, the biggest opening in publishing history. Prior to its July 2007 release, the seventh and final installment in the Harry Potter series, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, was the largest ever pre-ordered book at chain stores Barnes & Noble and Borders, and at Amazon.com.

Malaysian Serama Bantam Chickens

The Serama (Malay Ayam Serama), also called the Malaysian Serama is a bantam breed of chicken originating in Malaysia within the last 50 years.

Malaysian Seramas are different from any other poultry breed in the USA or anywhere for that matter in that they are a vertical bird verses a horizontal bird as seen in dorkings, cubulayas, leghorns, cornish, jungle fowl, silkies, brahmas or moderns for example. Those breeds and all other breeds of poultry with the exception of seramas have a level or horizontal body type, but a true serama has an up and down, vertical body type. They are in the shape of a "V" when you look at them from the side.

Typically, a cock bird will have more of a v-shape than a hen will. Hens historically to this point in the development of Serama outside of Malaysia are behind in the extreme showiness one will see in a cock bird. Part of this is because a cock is naturally more of a showman, his testosterone having influence on how he presents himself to the world. Some Serama hens are quite exceptional in their type as well, but usually do not show this extreme showiness readily unless asked to pose or presented with a challenger. To have a very typey Malaysian Serama hen is an important aspect of furthering the breed. And I use the term "breed" loosely here because it is a landrace yet, a breed that is still in development.

Malaysian Seramas come in a wide array of colors, their genotype is huge and as thus, produces sometimes many different phenotypes being seen in just one bird. There are it is said 2500 different colors in Seramas. Can a Serama be color bred to a known variety? Yes, they can and are being color bred to several different varieties here in the USA and abroad. Does a Malaysian Serama only come in the smooth feathered variety? No, there are silkieds (the hookless feathered gene that occurs naturally and was not created by crossing a Serama with a Silkie chicken), featherlegged (varying degrees can be seen in some Seramas and again, this is naturally occurring and is found in their gene pool) and frizzleds.

Saipan Jungle Fowl

The Saipan Jungle Fowl is a breed of domestic chicken. The Saipan male can stand 2-3 feet tall, with tight feathering, shorter tail than most birds and as a 2-3 year old becomes very muscular and upright stature. Hens can weigh as much as 8-9lbs and roosters as much as 9-13 lbs.

The "Saipan" bird is tall and upright, resembling the Malay, the Shamo, the Asil, or other oriental gamefowl, that are Asian in origin. The Saipan is either pea combed or flat combed and is absent of wattles, having a simple dewlap instead. The rooster is most often Black Breasted Red and the hen Wheaten in color, but there are variations such as white and other color combinations. The hens make excellent mothers, with a strong tendency towards broodiness. Often hens that were raised by the same mother will communally hatch and raise chicks together. Though quite tame, intelligent and non-flighty, they are very alert and survive very well in situations where animal predation is a significant barrier to raising chickens. They lay a limited number of cream colored eggs yearly, though Saipan jungle fowl are relatively long lived and fecund. Saipan jungle fowl are known to have been used as fighting cocks in cockfighting and are often bred into strains of gamefowl to enhance size and ability for naked-heel (fighting without artificial spurs) cock fighting competitions. Both the cocks and hens tend to be aggressive with other poultry, as well as towards two and four legged intruders that they do not recognize.

Unicorn mantis

Unicorn mantis is the common name for several species of praying mantis across different genera with horn-like protrusions on their heads including:
Phthersigena unicornis (Timor unicorn mantis)

 Phyllovates chlorophaea (Texas unicorn mantis, Mexican unicorn mantis)
The Texas Unicorn Mantis (Phyllovates chlorophaea) is a large mantid of Texas and several other southern states. This species has gray-brown legs, neck, and head with green, very leaf-like wings, making it very hard to detect among vegetation.

Pseudovates arizonae (Arizona unicorn mantis
)The Arizona Unicorn Mantis is dark brown with black and light brown stripes. The legs are striped in light and dark brown. The adults have green wings on a dark brown body, as if there are fresh leaves growing on a branch. On their heads they have a little horn (actually two cones close together). Their front legs are rather thin and slightly curved. The section between the forelegs and the rest of the legs and body is long, smooth and thin as a twig. Their camouflage as a stick is amazing.
Pseudovates arizonae will grow until about 6.5 to 7 cm long, with little difference in size between the sexes. The males are thinner with wings that are slightly longer than the abdomen. The females have a wider prothorax than the males and their wings extend to the end of the abdomen. Adult males have much longer antennae than the females.

Zoolea sp. (Paraguay unicorn mantis, etc.)

black soldier fly-Hermetia illucens

The black soldier fly, or Hermetia illucens is a common and widespread fly of the family Stratiomyidae, whose larvae are common detritivores in compost heaps. Larvae are also sometimes found in association with carrion, and have significant potential for use in forensic entomology.

Black soldier fly larvae (BSFL) may be used in manure management, for house fly control and reduction in manure volume. Mature larvae and prepupae raised in manure management operations may also be used to supplement animal feeds.

Larvae are sold as feeders for owners of herptiles and tropical fish, or as composting grubs. They store high levels of calcium for future pupation which is beneficial to herptiles.

Benefits:
Larvae are beneficial in the following ways:
Prevent houseflies and blowflies from laying eggs in the material inhabited by black soldier fly larvae.
Usually not a pest.
Not attracted to human habitation or foods. As a detritivore and coprovore, the egg-bearing females are attracted to rotting food or manure.
Black soldier flies don't fly around as much as houseflies. They are very easy to catch and relocate when they get inside a house, as they do not avoid being picked up, they are sanitary, and they do not bite or sting. Hermetia illucens only defense seems to be hiding. When using a wet grub bin that will collect or kill all the pupae, the black soldier fly population is easy to reduce by killing the pupae/pre-pupae in the collection container, before they become flies. They may be killed by freezing, drying, manually feeding to domestic animals, putting the collection container in a chicken coop for automatic feeding, or feeding to wild birds with a mouse/pest-proof feeder.
Significant reductions of E. coli 0157:H7 and Salmonella enterica were measured in hen manure.
Quickly reclaim would-be pollutants: Nine stinky organic chemicals were greatly reduced or eliminated from manure in 24 hours.
Quickly reduce the volume and weight of would-be waste: The larvae colony breaks apart its food, churns it, and creates heat, increasing compost evaporation. Significant amounts are also converted to carbon dioxide respired by the grubs and symbiotic/mutualistic microorganisms.
Sustainability:If we want future generations to inherit a healthy planet then there is no alternative but to embrace sustainable technologies. Black soldier flies have the potential to transform the way we process organic wastes. These beneficial insects represent an elegant solution to a nasty problem.