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Top 9 Greatest Food Combinations!

# 9 – Eggs And Bacon:

Nothing starts the day off better than a couple of eggs and fatty bacon. The protein of the eggs and the grease of the bacon form a great mixture that powers you through the day. It should also be mentioned that bacon generally is great combined with all kinds of other foods as well – even sweet things such as Bacon and Maple Cookies.

# 8 – Butter And Popcorn:

Popcorn was originally discovered by the Native Americans. Popcorn became increasingly popular during the Great Depression because it was relatively cheap, it’s use was especially popular in movie theaters. Now when you go to the movies the spell of popcorn almost seems irresistible, despite its now horrendously expensive price. Butter and popcorn was bound to be a match made in heaven, after all, what is better than fresh corn smeared with butter?

# 7 – Salt And Pepper:

The combination of salt and pepper dates back to seventeenth century French cuisine, as it was thought that pepper was the only spice which did not overpower the natural taste of the food. All foods can be better with a little bit of salt and pepper. On their own both pepper and salt can be used in savory and sweet cooking – and in combination they can convert something bland into something wonderful. Every chef worth his weight will use these two together on almost everything he cooks.

# 6 – Burgers And Fries:

Although french fries may date back to the 1600s-1700s, their popularity sky-rocketed when they began to be sold worldwide through fast food chains, especially McDonald’s. Most fast food chains quickly paired the fries with burgers, creating one delicious meal. Did you know that it was American Soldiers who coined the term “French Fries”, when they tasted them for the first time in Belgium during World War I? In most other English speaking parts of the world they are referred to simply as “chips” and French Fries is considered an Americanism.

# 5 – Spaghetti And Meatballs:

Some claim the combination began in the early 20th century, where Italian immigrants were making them in New York City. However, others claim that the pairing dates back to Old World Italy. Regardless of the origin, the two compliment each other and make for a great, filling meal – and an especially good one for the poor college student.

# 4 – Cheese And Crackers:

The classic combination of cheese and crackers became increasingly popular with the development of the Ritz cracker in 1934, by Nobisco. The combo serves as a great snack, especially for small get togethers. Unlike most of the other entries on this list, this is a food combination loved by both rich and poor – whether you put cheap old cheese on store-bought crackers or the finest truffle laced mature brie on handmade crackers – the combination is simple, tasty, and unbeatable for parties.

# 3 – Tortilla Chips And Salsa:

Although the combination of chips and salsa is typically considered to be Mexican food, the combo really boomed when tortilla chips began being mass produced in Los Angeles. Now the combination serves as one of the most popular appetizers and snacks. This is also a combination that can be as unique as it’s maker – as long as your salsa contains tomatoes, you can add virtually anything else and it will still taste great with tortilla chips.

# 2 – Mashed Potatoes And Gravy:

One of the ultimate combinations, the gravy moistens the potatoes and adds the little extra flavor to create the perfect combination. Letting the gravy poor all over the potatoes, seemingly completes the mashed potatoes. This is obviously such a popular combination that it is a signature dish of Kentucky Fried Chicken.

# 1 – Oreo Cookies And Milk:

The Oreo was created in February 1912 by Nabisco in New York City. Oreos immediate popularity resulted in it being the best selling cookie of the 20th century. It has since been dubbed “Milk’s Favorite Cookie”. The milk seems to be the perfect match to the chocolate of the oreo, making the duo one of the best. But, despite the popularity of the oreo and milk combination, milk and any type of cookie is great – maybe you should try it with the maple bacon cookies listed above.

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Top 10 Often Misclassified Animated Characters!

# 10 – Rufus (Naked Mole Rat):

In the popular animated series Kim Possible, Kim’s sidekick Ron Stoppable has a small, super-smart, super-cute hairless pink rodent named Rufus as a pet. It was the only pet he could have as his father was allergic to anything furry (and he probably didn’t like reptiles either). At least in this case, the show did mention to which species Rufus belonged. He is a Naked Mole Rat (Heterocephalus glaber). These rodents are found in Africa, live in underground colonies ruled by a queen (just like termites!) and are nowhere near as cute as their animated counterpart.

Many fans become disappointed when they see the actual animal that inspired adorable Rufus; it has actually made it into many lists of ugly animals, even though it is a fascinating creature. Just to mention one of its remarkable traits: it has teeth that grow through the lips so it doesn’t need to open its mouth to use them (very useful if you live underground where dirt would go into your mouth all the time if you spent the day digging tunnels with your teeth). They are also cold blooded, like reptiles, and seem to be invulnerable to pain caused by acid and burning. And they have been known to dig their tunnels in concrete when put in zoo enclosures! Zoos keeping Naked Mole Rats keep them in special, reinforced enclosures. But not even these awesome traits will be enough for disappointed fans who wanted to have a cute, talking and singing Rufus of their own. In reality, Naked Mole Rats can’t survive out of their colony, which is why they are not available as pets.

# 9 – Timon (Meerkat):

Being possibly the most successful animated movie of all time, characters from The Lion King are known to almost everyone. Nowadays, most people knows what kind of animal Timon was, since he (and his warthog mate Pumbaa) got to appear in the two sequels to the movie and got a TV series of their own. His species has been mentioned many times since. But when the movie came out for the first time, most people was left wondering what kind of animal Timon was. Some said it was a weasel, a ferret, and when I first saw the movie, I was convinced it was a Banded Mongoose. Turns out I was close; Timon is a meerkat (Suricata suricatta), a small mongoose species found in the Kalahari Desert of Africa.

Meerkats feed on insects and larvae (just like Timon), and even on scorpions and lizards sometimes. They live in groups where there is always a sentry watching for predators while the others feed; if the sentry gives an alarm call, the other meerkats run into their burrows immediately. This behavior was portrayed in The Lion King 1/2, the second sequel to The Lion King. It must be noted that, even though Timon seems to walk on two legs most of the time, meerkats are quadrupedal and only adopt a standing posture to watch their surroundings.

# 8 – Tai Lung (Snow Leopard):

The immensely powerful villain in Kung Fu Panda has been called “a tiger”, “a jaguar”, and even “white cheetah” by both misinformed fans and the press. In reality, he was a Snow Leopard. Snow Leopards are among the least known large predators in the world; they may look like leopards due to their spotted fur, but they are actually the closest living relatives to Tigers, according to recent genetic studies.

They live in the snowy mountains of Central Asia, and are seldom seen in the wild. Unlike other big cats, they don’t seem prone to attacking people, although they are still feared in their native lands. Being one of the few natural predators of the Giant Panda (they have been known to hunt panda cubs, especially when they wander away from their mother), it was only natural that this beautiful cat ended up being the antagonist in this successful film.

# 7 – Kaa (Indian Python):

Kaa the snake is one of the most famous characters from both Rudyard Kipling’s novel, The Jungle Book, and the numerous film adaptations that have followed. Probably, most people remember him best after his 1967 appearance in Disney’s animated version of the story. Kaa was depicted in this movie as a villain, instead of a friend as in Kipling’s novel, and was given the ability to hypnotize prey by simply making eye contact with them. (It didn’t seem to work on tigers, though). But even though the character may be well known, many people still refer to Kaa as a “boa constrictor” or “anaconda”. The fact that Kaa was portrayed by an actual anaconda in one of the live action film versions didn’t help either.

In reality, Kaa is an Indian Python (Python molurus), also known as an Asian Rock Python or Burmese Python. Kipling stated that Kaa was around 9 meters long, which makes him an exceptionally large specimen, since most Indian Pythons usually don’t grow over 6 meters long. Often seen in zoos, private collections and in the movies (since they are large and spectacular but relatively docile compared to other large pythons), Indian pythons are sadly becoming rare in their native territories due to hunting, excessive collecting for the pet market, and habitat destruction.

# 6 – Rafiki (Baboon-Mandrill Hybrid?):

Yet another Lion King character, Rafiki (whose name means “friend” in Swahilli) does not actually belong to any real species. He is officially referred to as a baboon, and at some point of the movie he implies that himself. However, he seems to be a mix between a baboon and a mandrill (having the long tail and large mane of a baboon, but the colorful nose, cheeks and buttocks of a mandrill). In reality, Mandrills are not found in open plains and are native to the jungles of western Africa, far away from the Lion King’s “Pridelands” which are supposed to be located in the Serengeti.

Interestingly, in a later Disney movie, Tarzan, a huge troop of Rafiki-like monkeys, with mandrill-like faces but baboon-like manes and tails, are among the dangerous fauna faced by the film’s hero. Why Disney animators end up using these baboon-mandrill hybrids as replacements for actual baboons and mandrills, is anyone’s guess, but we have to recognize that the result looks kinda cool.

# 5 – Shifu (Red Panda):

The wise and strict martial arts trainer to the Furious Five, in Kung Fu Panda, has been misidentified by fans as a fox, a raccoon, and even a mouse! In reality, he is a Red Panda. Red Pandas (Ailurus fulgens) are raccoon-like animals with bright orange-red fur, found in the mountains of China, India, Nepal and some other Asian countries. They feed on bamboo, just like the more famous Giant Panda. There was a time in which both animals were thought to be closely related; today, thanks to genetic studies, we know that the Red Panda is more related to raccoons, while Giant Pandas were actual bears (and not a bear-like, gigantic raccoon relative as was believed).

# 4 – Arthur Read (Aardvark):

Arthur from the famous children’s show Arthur, has been ranked as one of the most popular animated characters of all times… and still, there are lots of people who don’t know what animal is he supposed to be. Some believe he is a bear, or a capybara (a giant South American rodent). In reality, he is supposed to be an Aardvark. In the Arthur books upon which the TV show is based, he actually does look like one; he has huge ears and a long, trunk-like snout. But the show creators decided to mess with the animal’s anatomy to make it “cuter”; they reduced his ears and made them rounder, and they got rid of his snout completely. The result looks like a weird, spectacle-wearing bear thing. It is kind of sad, since the Aardvark is a very interesting animal that doesn’t get much attention in animation these days. Aardvarks are found in Africa and feed mostly on termites; they are the last living members of a once abundant group of prehistoric mammals.

# 3 – Mort (Mouse Lemur):

It is quite obvious that Mort, the small, fluffy, huge-eyed character in the Madagascar films, was designed to make the audiences go “Aaaaaw!” even though King Julien, the ring-tailed lemur, thought he was utterly annoying. But even though audiences did go “Aaaaaw!”, they were also left wondering what kind of animal Mort was. Most people thought it was a squirrel, while others referred to him as a mouse or a tarsier. In reality, Mort is meant to be a Mouse Lemur, specifically a Pygmy Mouse Lemur (Microcebus myoxinus), one of the smallest primates in the world. These nocturnal animals use their huge eyes to find prey (insects and small vertebrates, although they also eat fruit and tree sap) at night. They are only found in Madagascar and are probably endangered due to habitat destruction.

# 2 – Pete (Cat):

The Mickey Mouse Universe is really weird and disturbing if you think about it. It is populated mainly by dog-human hybrids; Goofy is obviously based on a dog, and his pal Mickey Mouse is freakishly big for a rodent and keeps an actual dog as a pet. Therefore, it shouldn’t be that surprising that Mickey’s arch-nemesis is not a bulldog, or a hippopotamus, or a bear, or whatever people usually (and understandably) think he is. He is actually a cat.

It was only natural for Disney to have a cat as a foe to Mickey Mouse. In some early cartoons, such as Steamboat Willie (1928) you can even see his pointy ears and long feline tail (the cartoon also depicts a normal cat which is tormented by Mickey!). Eventually, however, Pete became bigger and rounder, lost almost all of his feline traits (except for his pointy ears), and now many people has no idea of what animal is (although most seem to think of him as a dog). But since he actually acts like a human, as do Mickey and all his friends, it would probably be just the same if he really was a bulldog or a hippopotamus…

# 1 – Scrat (“Saber Toothed Squirrel” – Fictional):

Although officially described as a “Saber toothed squirrel”, this incredibly popular creature from the Ice Age movies doesn’t belong to any known species, living or prehistoric. His obsessive love for acorns has helped define him as “some sort of squirrel” to most people, but look a little closer and you will realize he is obviously no squirrel.

According to some, Scrat was invented by a cartoon designer, inspired by a rat-squirrel hybrid she saw in New York’s Central Park (hence the original name Sqrat). However, some have suggested that he may have been inspired by a prehistoric animal named Leptictidium, which was bipedal, like Scrat, and had a long snout (but no saberteeth). Some have also stated that his physical appearance is suspiciously reminiscent of Wile E. Coyote, another obsessive cartoon mammal with a long record of painful accidents. Whatever his origins were, one thing is for sure; Scrat may very well be the most successful silent comedian of the last decades. Does it really matter what species he belongs to?

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Top 10 Unusual Uses For Coca-Cola!

# 10 – Rust Buster:

Coca Cola is an excellent rust buster. If you have a bunch of small objects that need de-rusting, soak them in coke overnight and give them a good scrub in the morning. The properties of coke help to break down the rust particles, making cleaning much easier. You can also apply coke to a chrome finish which is rust spotted – pour some on a rough textured cloth and rub it in a circular motion. Be sure to throw out the used coke when you are done with it or you might be taking a trip to the doctor.

# 9 – Clean A Window:

Like the previous item, the citric acid in Coke makes for an excellent window cleaner. This is especially useful for car windows which can get tough buildups of gunk. Pour over the can of coke and rub the window – then wipe it off with a damp cloth (to ensure the removal of any sticky residue from the sugars in the drink). Think of this like a cheap alternative to the many citrus fruit based cleaners that are sold on TV.

# 8 – Eat It:

Coke can be used for a variety of cooking techniques. You can mix it half and half with BBQ sauce for an excellent marinade, and you can even casserole an entire chicken in it. The sugars give a deep glossy coating and caramelized flavor, while the citric acid (found in lemons) gives a nice tang. Coke also makes a great glaze for baked ham.

# 7 – De-Skunk:

For those of you who live in areas where skunk smells can be an issue from time to time, one can of coke added to a bucket of water with detergent really helps to break the odor down. If you have been sprayed, stand in the shower and cover yourself from head to toe with coke – wait for a few minutes, then rinse off. The added bonus is that coke is an excellent hair treatment so you get two tips for the price of one with this item!

# 6 – Pain Killer:

The chemicals in coca cola can be very effective to help neutralize the pain of jellyfish stings. The best thing about this is that while most people at the beach are unlikely to be carrying anti-sting lotions, they are likely to be carrying a bottle of coke. Just pour the coke over the area in which you have been stung and feel the relief.

# 5 – De-Blacken Pots:

Pots can sometimes get a black film on the bottom which is almost impossible to remove; this is caused by over-cooking or just natural discoloration due to highly acidic foods. To remove the black and restore your pot to new, pour in a can of coke (or as much as you need to cover the blackened area by an inch) and put it on the stove on a low heat. After an hour or so, wash the pot as normal.

# 4 – Clean Clothes:

Grease stains are famously difficult to remove from clothing and stain removers can be very expensive. Here is a cheap solution: empty a can of coke into your wash along with the usual detergent and run it through a normal cycle. This is also quite effective for removing blood and it helps to deodorize smelly clothes.

# 3 – Kill Bugs:

Pour some cola into a shallow dish and place it in the garden near the problem area. Slugs, snails, and other bugs will go in for a drink and never come out again! This is a very good first line of attack in your garden and it can obviously save you an enormous amount of money by reducing the need for pesticides. You can pour the left over coke (minus the bugs) onto plants that like acidic soil like azaleas and gardenias.

# 2 – Heal Yourself:

Coca cola is useful for a variety of ailments. The most common is for soothing upset stomachs. Just slowly sip a glass of flat coke and it should help to alleviate nausea. It is also good for people suffering from diarrhea or a sore throat. I would say that it can also cure hiccups but, frankly, a glass of water should do the same thing, as the chemicals in coke don’t offer any special “anti-hiccup” magic.

# 1 – Make An Explosion:

[pro-player] http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hKoB0MHVBvM [/pro-player]

Most people who have been around on the Internet for at least a few years will be familiar with the diet-coke-Mentos volcano. The idea is that you drop a Mentos into a bottle of coke and the chemical reaction causes the coke to spurt for miles (not literally of course). The video clip above shows a great example of this fun use for coke. Why not buy a bunch of bottles this weekend and see if you can do better than the efforts shown above?

Source:

- http://listverse.com/2010/05/21/top-10-greatest-food-combinations

- http://listverse.com/2010/06/09/10-often-misclassified-animated-characters

- http://listverse.com/2010/07/03/top-10-unusual-uses-for-coca-cola

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The Tweens News | English

15 Truly Bizarre Creatures!

#1: Barreleye Fish

Although this fish’s existence has been known for quite some time, it was only this year that scientists fully understood how bizarre it is. These fish have a mostly black body with a transparent head (which was unheard of until recently, since it always shattered while the fish was being brought up to the surface). Although it has two indentions in the front of its head, those are NOT its eyes: its eyes are the green spheres in its transparent head. These eyes can be used to look above for food or look forward when it is stalking its prey.

#2: Hairy Frog

This African frog gets its name from the hair-like structure found on the sides of males. These hairs are used to increase the rate that the frog absorbs oxygen, since the males spend long periods of time guarding their eggs. Another impressive fact about these frogs is that they have retractable claws made of bone (as opposed to keratin). However, to get these claws out, the frog must break a bone nodule first. Ouch!

#3: Coconut Crab

The largest living arthropod to dwell on land (weighing up to 4.1 kilograms (9 pounds)), this hermit crab is known to climb trees and eat coconuts. Unlike other hermit crabs, only the juveniles wear shells. The older youngsters often wear coconut shells. They come in a variety of colors, such as orange and blue. They are rumored to steal shiny objects.

#4: Andean Cock-Of-The-Rock

The females of this species of bird are normal enough, but the males have an odd crest that looks like a large, red/orange bulge. Its feathers consist of reds/oranges in the front,black near the bottom, and a bit of grey. They are national bird of Peru.

#5: Cnemidophorus Uniparens

These lizards might look normal on the outside, but on closer investigation, a surprising fact is revealed: some species, such as the New Mexico Whiptail, consist entirely of females.

#6: Dwarf Whale

The Whale is a mighty creature. It is the largest of the tooth whales, dives to incredible depths, and is known to eat massive squids. However, this species is the smallest known whale. It is not much bigger than a human adult in length. This creature can also expel a reddish substance to ward off predators (which can also be done by a similar species, the Pygmy Whale).

#7: Giraffe Weevil

As you might expect, these weevils have a long, slender neck (only the males have this long neck, though). These long necks help the weevils in building nests. They are also quite colorful, being mostlyblack with a red body.

#8: Megalopyge Opercularis

These moths are very furry, especially as a caterpillar. Known by several names, such as the southern flannel moth, and the asp caterpillar, this moth is said to look like a Persian cat as a caterpillar. They may look “pettable” as a caterpillar, but do NOT touch it! Like many caterpillars, these insects have a defense mechanism: those hairs are actually venomous spines. Touching one will not kill you, but it will HURT and cause a rash! First-aid is recommended if you accidentally make contact with one of these caterpillars. It uses its fur as its cocoon.

#9: Vampire Moth

Not all butterflies and moths drink nectar! The vampire moth literally drinks blood! It uses its proboscis to pierce the skin of its target and drink the creature’s blood. And yes, they occasionally bite humans! Fortunately, they do not cause any known diseases. Only the males bite.

#10: Water Bears

These tiny, caterpillar-like creatures are some of the most amazing creatures in existence. They can live practically anywhere, from hot springs to arctic regions. More amazingly, these things can enter a cryonic state that makes them almost impervious to environmental hazards. They can briefly survive temperatures of over 150 degrees Celsius as well as near-absolute zero temperatures. They can withstand massive pressures, radiation, and even the deadly vacuum of space. Their metabolism also grinds to a near halt. They are most frequently found on mosses, lichens, and other damp places.

#11: Upside-down Catfish

As their name states, these African fish are often found swimming upside-down. It is thought they do this so they can reach food on the water’s surface, such as insect eggs. Their coloration is also reversed: unlike most fish, their belly is darker than their top. This is to give them camouflage from predators from above. They are popular aquarium fish and might be available at your local pet shop.

#12: Whip Scorpions

These frightening Arachnids have large pedipalps (pincers) and a “whip” at the end of their abdomen. More notably, these creatures can spray various chemicals from their abdomen, including formic acid (CH2O2), chlorine, and a mixture of acetic acid (C2H4O2) and octanoic acid (C8H16O2), depending on the species. The last spray has a vinegar-like smell, hence their alternate name, “Vinegarroons”. Similar creatures include Whip Spiders (also known as Tailess Whip Scorpions) and Micro Whip Scorpions.

#13: Sea Spiders

These spider-like creatures live in various depths of marine bodies. Their most notable characteristic, other than their habitat, is their huge legs (at least compared to their bodies). They have no respiratory system: instead, they use diffusion to survive. The largest of these belong to the Colossendeis colossea species.

#14: Japanese Spider Crab

The largest living Arthropod, this huge crab has legs that can reach up to 4 meters (13 feet) in length and 20 kilograms (44 pounds) in weight! They are also said to live up to a hundred years.

#15: King Vulture

Vultures are usually seen as dull black birds. The King Vulture, however, is a colorful creature. Its body is white on the top and black on the bottom, while its head is covered with colors ranging from red, orange and yellow to blue and purple. It also has a wattle on its head. They do not have a voice box, but they still can make low noises. According to Mayan mythology, these birds were the messengers of the gods.

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Top 10 Unusual Cat Breed!

#1: Sphynx

The Sphynx, or Canadian Hairless, is a breed of cat that is born without fur. Dating back to 1966, the cat was incredibly rare due to the delay in breeding it. The first cat, Prune passed away without throwing a litter. In 1967, a mother Sphynx and her kittens were saved. After a second litter, two kittens were transported to London, and from there, the Sphynx breed was truly born. Sphynx, contrary to popular belief, aren’t actually hairless. They are covered in an incredibly short, soft fur that has the feel of peach fuzz. It is also possible for Sphynx cats to grow whiskers and eyebrows.

Sphynx cats need regular bathing, about one bath a week, as the natural oils from their skin can’t be absorbed by their fur, and can build up on the skin and become quite fragrant. Despite not having fur, the breed is NOT hypoallergenic. They still produce the protein in their skin oil and saliva that triggers allergic reactions in those susceptible.

#2: Minskin

Minskins are one of a set of breeds known as “dwarf breeds”. They are created by breeding a Munchkin (#4) with other cat breeds. Minskins are the result of a Devon Rex Munchkin being bred with a Sphynx cat. They appear simply to be incredibly small Sphynx cats, and require the same grooming. The Minskin is an incredibly new breed, and has only been around since 1998. The first standard Minskin was born in 2000, and by 2005, there were fifty of them in existence. Minskins are not to be confused with the “Bambino”, which is a Sphynx cat bred with any Munchkin breed. Minskins need to have a Munchkin parent with the fur of a Devon Rex.

#3: Pixie-Bob

Pixie-Bobs are a breed of cat that are relatively large. They are fully domestic, but appear to look exactly like a small bobcat. The Pixie-Bob was bred from exotic-looking stray and wildcats, rather than actual bobcat hybrids, as the original breeder previously claimed. There is no distinct personality for the breed, but what is interesting is that the cats meow rarely, or never meow at all. Instead, they communicate by chirping. They will also follow their owners around the house. Pixie-Bobs are incredibly intelligent, and enjoy being walked on leashes and playing fetch. They are even capable of understanding some human words and commands.

#4: Munchkin

Munchkin cats don’t have a specific coloration. Rather, they have a genetic mutation that causes their legs to grow incredibly short, or “achondroplasia”. The condition does not affect their running or jumping abilities. The main problem with Munchkincats lies in the genetics. Kittens who end up with two copies of the Munchkin gene will not survive. Because of this, the Munchkin breed is not recognized by cat fancying societies, as the trait is a “genetic disease”. Because of the genetics, Munchkins are predisposed to have sunken chests and spinal deformities. Munchkins are considered a breed, but can have the characteristics of another breed of cat, such as a Devon Rex or a Burmese. They essentially will look like the main breed, but with the characteristic short legs and larger heads.

#5: Teacup Persians

Teacup Persians are a breed that has become quite popular recently. Many people have moved into smaller houses and apartments, and because of the space restrictions, the demand for teacup Persians has exploded. Teacups are not a strange genetic mutation, but rather the result of selective breeding of smaller-sized Persians. These cats are unique, as they look exactly like normal Persian cats , with long fur and their distinctive flat faces, but will never grow more than 6lbs for females and 7lbs for males. Full grown, they are about 8 inches tall while sitting. Standard Persians range from 10lbs to 13lbs in weight. Despite their small size, Teacup Persians are still Persians, and are susceptible to the myriad health problems that normal-sized Persians are, such as urinary tract disorders, lupus, eyelid cysts, and various cancers.

#6: Savannah

[pro-player] http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5m81IU3A18k [/pro-player]

Savannahs are incredibly interesting cats. They are the result of breeding a standard domestic cat with the serval, an African wild cat. The first Savannah had a Siamese mother, but Savannahs simply need to have a serval ancestor to be considered for the breed. Savannahs have wild-looking spots, stripes, and markings, but the patterns will differ, depending on the domestic cat breed used. Generations are marked by “filial numbers”, showing how far removed from the serval ancestor they are. An “F1″ Savannah had a domestic cat parent and a serval parent. An “F2″ Savannah had a serval grandparent, and so on. Savannahs who had a serval father and a domestic cat mother are 50% serval. Those cats can be bred back to servals to the point where resulting kittens are 75% serval… sometimes even up to 87.5%! Savannahs are generally incredibly large cats. F1 cats can get up to 30lbs. in weight, but later litters of smaller filial numbers will be smaller.

They are often compared to dogs in their loyalty, and will follow owners around the house, play fetch, and can be trained to walk on a leash. Savannahs greet people by head-butting them, though some may pounce. Savannahs tend to love water as well, and will even jump into the shower and join their owners. Water bowls around a Savannah will prove messy, as they like to bat the water out of the bowl until empty. They are also known for their jumping ability. From a sitting position, Savannahs can jump 8 feet straight into the air. Savannahs are also interesting vocalists, and will chirp, meow, and hiss. Their hiss is a throwback to their serval ancestor, and sounds more like an angry snake than a cat.

#7: Khao Manee

I actually own a Khao Manee, which is what prompted me to write this list. Siamese cats, with blue eyes and point coloration, are what everyone in the States considers a Siamese. In Thailand and the surrounding areas, however, the Khao Manee is the one and only Siamese cat. The Khao Manee (or “White Jewel”) was the royal cat breed of Old Siam. It is said that the penalty for a commoner stealing a Khao Manee was death. Khao Manee are pure snow white, with the “silver and gold” eyes stated in #8, though the “gold” eye is most often actually an amber-green color, rather than straight amber-gold.

This breed is unique in that many Indonesian cultures find the Khao Manee to be extremely lucky. No true Khao Manee were found outside of Thailand until 1999, when breeder Colleen Freymuth received two Khao Manee, and became the first person outside of Thailand to breed them. The earliest mention of the Khao Manee was in the Tamra Maew, or “Cat Book of Poems” in 1350. This means that, until 1999, Khao Manee had been bred only in Thailand for nearly 650 years! Because of the luck associated with them, Khao Manee are very expensive. In the UK alone, kittens go for eight to ten thousand dollars.

#8: Japanese Bobtail

Japanese bobtails are born with a rabbit-like puff tail, and some will even hop like rabbits, rather than running! In the year 1602, the Japanese government demanded that all cats be set free, to help protect the valuable silkworm fields from rodents. Buying and selling cats was illegal at the time, so Japanese bobtails were street cats. Bobtails come in many colors, but the most popular is the calico, or “mike” in Japanese. Most people have seen at least a version of the bobtail. The famous “Maneki Neko” or “beckoning cat” is a good-luck charm, consisting of a Japanese bobtail sitting on its haunches with one fore paw raised. Tying into the next breed on the list, odd-eyed bobtails are now quite popular in Japan. Having “silver and gold” eyes (actually blue and amber-yellow), the heterochromatic kittens are much more expensive, but don’t have the same legends surrounding them as the Khao Manee.

#9: Scottish Fold

The Scottish Fold (or Coupari in Canada), has a dominant genetic mutation that causes the cartilage in their ears to have a fold, sometimes even up to two or three folds! This makes their ears flop forward, giving them their distinctive appearance. The more foldsthe cat ’s ears have, the closer to the head the ears will lie. The Fold’s ears look straight and normal at birth, but will begin to fold after about 21 days. Scottish Folds are generally friendly, cuddly cats , and don’t mind other pets. They also like to sleep in the “Buddha position”: sitting with their legs straight out and their back straight up from the hip, like a human.

#10: Devon Rex

The Devon Rex breed of cat has only been around since the 1960’s. They have been genetically proven not to be related to the Cornish or German Rex breeds. The strange thing about the Devon Rex is the fact that they have very little “guard hair”, the stiff, coarse, waterproof hairs present on most furred mammals. They have mostly “down hair”, or soft, fine undercoat fur. The Devon Rex is especially unique in that their down hair is curly. They also have rather large eyes, and large, low-set ears. Devon Rex cats are active, playful, and friendly, and enjoy being perched on people’s shoulders, like parrots. They are also very intelligent, and can be taught tricks, such as fetching and walking on a leash.

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Cutest Cat In The World!

This video is of one of the cutest kitten (and funniest) we have ever seen and it makes us remember why we love animals so much.

Maybe you have already seen it, but if not, today you will see the sweetest kitten around. He is a little kitten laying on his back and he gets surprised when his owner opens her palms in front of him.

Darling! The kitten really doesn’t do much but just watching its little face and the way it moves its paws in the air…. (=^_^=)

[pro-player] http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=0Bmhjf0rKe8 [/pro-player]

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Cutest Baby Animals!

Today we bring you the second part in our series on the cutest animals around. This time we are concentrating on dogs, cats and bears.

Without a doubt kittens have always been some of the cutest animals around. Adorable, affectionate and hilarious when they are small, who wouldn’t love a kitten? Which photo do you think is the cutest of the kitten shots below?

Puppies are a close second when it come to which animal is the cutest of all. Take a look at the pups in the photos, they are just a few days old, so adorable.

The fifth photo is not a puppy at all, but a baby fox with huge Dumbo ears!

And then in the last photo you have the bear cubs. We are sure that these sweet cubs were what Teddy Bears were made to resemble.

Source:

- http://listverse.com/2009/11/30/15-truly-bizarre-creatures

- http://listverse.com/2009/11/26/top-10-unusual-cat-breeds

- http://www.wambie.com/tuttifrutti_us/videos/CUTEST_CAT_IN_THE_WORLD-videos_en-720.html

- http://www.wambie.com/tuttifrutti_us/photos/CUTEST_BABY_ANIMALS_II-photo_en-807.html

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The Tweens News | English

While some people know about these little tricks, the majority do not. These are small tips to help you improve the foods we commonly eat – most are recommended by top chefs and others by very experienced home cooks.

#10 – Carrots & Sugar:

While it may seem strange to add sugar to vegetables, it is a very common method of preparing carrots in France. The technical term for this dish is Vichy Carrots, in which you combine Carrots, Salt, Pepper, sugar, and Vichy water (a sparkling water from the Vichy region) and cook them down until the carrots are glazed. The sugar heightens the flavor

of the carrots and the end result is a stunning dish of brilliantly orange vegetables.

#9 – Coffee & Salt:

Add a touch of salt to coffee to heighten the flavor – this is a very common use of salt as it is used in virtually all dishes (including sweet dishes served for pudding). Just a pinch is enough to make a brilliant espresso.

#8 – Tomatoes & Sugar:

Use sugar, not salt. Tomatoes are already acidic and the addition of salt just increases that acidic flavor. SugarTomatoes are fruits after all.

sweetens and increases the tomato flavor.

#7 – Chocolate & Coffee:

When baking with chocolate, add a little coffee – it strengthens the chocolate flavor without adding a strong coffee flavor.

#6 – Meat & Aniseed:

When stewing meat, throw in a star anise – you can’t taste the aniseed but the flavor adds a deep richness to the meat. This is a trick used in all meat dishes by Heston Blumenthal the owner of the Fat Duck (3 Michelin stars) – voted the world’s best restaurant for three years in a row.

#5 – Cooking Tomatoes & Foliage:

Throw in a tomato branch – the branch contains all of the flavor that we love in tomatoes – pick a leaf and smell it and you will see what I mean. Simply throw in a small stick of the tomato plant and it will give your cooked tomatoes a much stronger tomato flavor.

#4 – Potatoes & Nutmeg:

Add nutmeg – just a little – it adds a depth to the potatoes that people won’t recognize, but will definitely like. This is true of virtually every potato dish.

#3 – Chili & Chocolate:

Add chocolate to chili. It deepens the meaty flavor of the chili while giving a strong base note to the peppers. This is a trick well known in the South where Chili bake-offs are common.

#2 – Apples & Vanilla:

Apples are very acidic and normally require some sugar in their cooking. Most people add nutmeg or cinnamon to their apple dishes, but vanilla extract adds a deep layer of flavor that most people won’t recognize but will certainly appreciate.

#1 – Strawberries & Pepper:

Strawberries (fresh) are usually served with a sprinkling of confectioners sugar, but the addition of very finely ground pepper (from fresh corns) heightens the flavor.

Source: http://listverse.com/2008/01/26/top-10-unusual-food-combinations

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The Tweens News | English

A man in Hyderabad, India, has ‘mastered’ the unusual technique of nose painting.

[pro-player] http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9MRWq4hu-RM [/pro-player]

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