Conservapedia - User contributions [en]

Opossum

2010-05-16T02:35:07Z

BrendanCook: /* The Opossum in Popular Culture */

The '''opossum''' is a small [[marsupial]] from the family ''Opossumus maximus arborealis'' that is known for its ability to hang from trees by its tail. It is native to the [[deciduous]] forests of [[North America]], where it feeds on slugs, red berries, [[thistle]] seed, and sticks. It ranges in length from 13-18 centimeters, has gray fur, large front teeth, and beady little eyes. It also has large ears, which help it hear better than other animal in the world. A common misconception about the opossum is that it is the same animal as the possum, which is actually a completely different animal from the family ''Possumus grandus ignoramus'' and is not at all able to hang from its tail.

==The Opossum in Popular Culture==
The opossum has appeared in various venues of popular culture including:

*Pogo Possum, the titular character from the comic strip of the same name created by [[Walt Kelly]].

*Ozzie and Heather, the father and daughter team of opossums in the popular full length animated feature "[[Over The Hedge]]." They were voiced by [[William Shatner]] and [[Avril Lavigne]].

*Possible Possum, an animated character of the 1950s.

*On an episode of [[Bizzare Foods]], host [[Andrew Zimmern]] ate some opossum cooked with [[sweet potato]]es.

*'Possum Kingdom' is a single from the album 'Rubberneck' by the band 'The Toadies'.

*Possum Kingdom Lake is found in the [[American]] state of [[Texas]].

[[Category:Marsupials]]

Ti kuan yin

2010-05-16T02:34:30Z

BrendanCook: Created page with 'Ti kuan yin (also spelled tikuanyin) is a popular variety of oolong tea. Ti kuan yin may be lightly or moderately oxidized, depending on the variety. Most ti kuan yin is ro…'

Ti kuan yin (also spelled tikuanyin) is a popular variety of [[oolong tea]]. Ti kuan yin may be lightly or moderately oxidized, depending on the variety. Most ti kuan yin is roasted, imparting a rich, earthy flavor.

Opossum

2010-05-16T02:31:26Z

BrendanCook: /* The Opossum in Popular Culture */

The '''opossum''' is a small [[marsupial]] from the family ''Opossumus maximus arborealis'' that is known for its ability to hang from trees by its tail. It is native to the [[deciduous]] forests of [[North America]], where it feeds on slugs, red berries, [[thistle]] seed, and sticks. It ranges in length from 13-18 centimeters, has gray fur, large front teeth, and beady little eyes. It also has large ears, which help it hear better than other animal in the world. A common misconception about the opossum is that it is the same animal as the possum, which is actually a completely different animal from the family ''Possumus grandus ignoramus'' and is not at all able to hang from its tail.

==The Opossum in Popular Culture==
The opossum has appeared in various venues of popular culture including:

*Pogo Possum, the titular character from the comic strip of the same name created by [[Walt Kelly]].

*Ozzie and Heather, the father and daughter team of opossums in the popular full length animated feature "[[Over The Hedge]]." They were voiced by [[William Shatner]] and [[Avril Lavigne]].

*Possible Possum, an animated character of the 1950s.

*On an episode of [[Bizzare Foods]], host [[Andrew Zimmern]] ate some opossum cooked with [[sweet potato]]es.

*Possum Kingdom is a single from the album 'Rubberneck' by the band 'The Toadies'.

*Possum Kingdom Lake is found in the [[American]] state of [[Texas]].

[[Category:Marsupials]]

Yak

2010-05-16T02:23:16Z

BrendanCook:

{{Taxonomy|image = Yak.jpg|kingdom = Animalia|phylum = Chordata|subphylum = Vertebrata|class = Mammalia|order = Artiodactyla|suborder = Ruminantia |family = Bovidae|subfamily = Bovinae|genus = Bos|species = B. grunniens grunniens<br>B. grunniens mutus}}
A '''yak''' is a hardy shaggy [[bovine]] [[ruminant]] mammal commonly domesticated in [[Tibet]] and neighboring areas of central [[Asia]].

Yaks are extremely useful animals:

*They work as beasts of burden, carrying substantial burdens at high altitudes where horses cannot survive. Yaks are extremely sure-footed.

*They give good yields of milk which is made into [[cheese]] and [[butter]], the latter of which is an essential additive in the [[tea]] enjoyed in Tibet.

* Their meat, which is prized for its fatty texture, is eaten and rendered into oil as a source of illumination.

*Their hide, hair and horns are used for making clothing, constructing [[yurt]]s, and many other purposes.

*When dried, their dung is used as a source of fuel for heating and cooking.

Domestic yaks commonly wear bells round their necks, to facilitate locating them, keeping herds together, and to distinguish them from wild yaks.

A hybrid between the yak and the domestic [[cow]], the dzho (or zo), is also common in the same regions.

[[Category:Ruminants]]
[[Category:Livestock]]
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| row 1, cell 1
| row 1, cell 2
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Punjab

2010-05-16T02:19:13Z

BrendanCook:

'''Punjab''' is a state of [[India]] in the north western part of the country, near the border with [[Pakistan]]. [[Sikhism]] was founded in the Punjab , and the majority of Punjabis are Sikhs. Punjab is a primarily agricultural region in which [[sugarcane]] and [[corn]] are both extensively cultivated. [[Cattle]] and [[yaks]] are among the main agricultural animals. Unlike many states in India, Punjab is still relatively untouched by industrial and urban development, and a substantial wild [[tiger]] population is still known to exist.

==Religious Affiliation in Punjab==

*Sikhs 63%
*Hindus 34.5%
*Muslims 1.2%
*Christians 1.1%
*Others <0.5%

<ref>http://www.censusindia.gov.in</ref>

==References==
{{Reflist}}

[[Category:Indian States]]
[[Category:Sikhism]]

Green tea

2010-05-16T02:08:40Z

BrendanCook: Created page with 'Traditionally popular in China and Japan, green tea is less processed than black tea or oolong tea. Green tea is steamed, fried, or baked shortly after harvest to arrest…'

Traditionally popular in China and Japan, green tea is less processed than [[black tea]] or [[oolong tea]]. Green tea is steamed, fried, or baked shortly after harvest to arrest the process of oxidization. This is gives it a vegetal or grassy flavor. Green tea is becoming increasingly popular in [[North America]].

Oolong tea

2010-05-16T02:05:31Z

BrendanCook: Created page with 'The term 'oolong tea' refers to a number of teas of intermediate oxidation. Unlike green tea, oolong tea is partially oxidized before steaming, baking, or frying. Unlike [[…'

The term 'oolong tea' refers to a number of teas of intermediate oxidation. Unlike [[green tea]], oolong tea is partially oxidized before steaming, baking, or frying. Unlike [[black tea]], [[oolong tea]] is not fully oxidized -- it remains at least partially 'green'. The less-oxidized oolongs are very similar in taste to [[green tea]], while the highly oxidized oolongs of India's [[Darjeeling]] region are often mistaken for [[black tea]].

Tea

2010-05-16T02:01:09Z

BrendanCook: /* "Famous" tea varieties */

[[Image:Tea usda1.jpg|thumb|right|300px]]
'''Tea''' is a beverage made by steeping leaves and buds, most often from the plant ''Camellia sinensis''.

Tea originated in [[China]], although it is now grown throughout the world, and rivals the olive as the key cash crop of the Holy Land.

The drinking of tea is common throughout Asia, the British Isles, where it is often drunk with milk, and the former Soviet Union (especially [[Abkhazia]], South Ossetia, and Transnistria, where it is increasingly replacing melon juice as the national drink).

== Varieties of tea ==

While [[tisanes]], also known as herbal teas, are made from various herbs, flowers, spices, or fruits, all tea, properly speaking, is made from the leaves of a single plant species. All true tea is produced from one of several varieties, naturally occurring or domesticated, of ''camellia sinensis''. Tea is generally classified in terms of how the leaves have been processed. White, green, black and oolong are the generally recognized Western designations, although there is considerable variety within these categories, especially the last one. Although it is little known in the West, pu-erh tea, made over years or even decades, is also a popular variety in China. Pu-erh tea improves with age and some can valued at tens of thousands of US dollars.

== "Famous" tea varieties ==

Notable Chinese teas include keemun, a sweet, spicy [[black tea]], lung-ching, a bitter, nutty green tea, and bai mu dan, one of the more affordable varieties of white tea. The finest grade of Japanese tea is probabably gyokuro, a green tea whose leaves are kept shaded to preserve a delicate flavor. In [[India]], tea is grown in the [[Nilgiri]], [[Sikkim]], [[Dooars]] and [[Putharjhora]] regions, but most Indian tea is grown in [[Assam]]. The Indian tea most prized by connoisseurs comes from the mountainous region of [[Darjeeling]]. This is much imitated and grown in the nearby mountains of [[Nepal]]. Since the later part of the nineteenth century, [[Sri Lanka]] has been an important region for tea cultivation, producing brisk, flavorful black tea still known as "Ceylon tea" after the island's earlier name. The most famous [[oolong tea]] is probably [[ti kuan yin]], a tea very close to a green tea in oxidation. Like many oolongs, ti kuan yin is made from tightly rolled leaves which unfold as the tea steeps. The Wu Yi mountain region is also home to a variety of teas of the same name. The island of [[Taiwan]] is famous for its oolong teas, either dark and rich or mild and fragrant. These are known as [[Formosa oolong]] after the [[Portuguese]] name for the island.

== Preparing Tea ==

The amount of time necessary to prepare tea varies greatly depending upon the variety of tea and the desired flavor. Sweet China black teas can be brewed for six or seven minutes before straining the leaves from the water. Extremely bitter teas, including some Darjeelings, should be steeped for under two minutes. The quality of the leaves also matters here, and broken leaves or leaf dust only need to be steeped for about a minute to release their flavor. Good, whole-leaf tea can be brewed more than once and tightly rolled oolongs can be steeped several times.

Black tea is made with boiling water, but with other teas, cooler water is often necessary. The more delicate green and white teas can require water no warmer than 165 degrees. The usual temperature for green, white and the lighter oolong teas is 180 degrees. It is important, in serving tea, to warm the pot in which the tea is prepared and warm the cups in which it is served. Oolong teas can be infused multiple times. The first infusion is sometimes discarded as it is used moisten the leaves.

[[Iced tea]] can be made in two different ways. The first process, the only effective process with black tea, involves brewing exceptionally strong tea and rapidly cooling it over ice. White, green, and oolong teas can also be brewed as iced tea through cold steeping. This involves soaking the leaves in cold water for approximately twelve hours. For health reasons, it is essential that tea prepared this way be kept cool.

== Additives ==

Tea is often drunk unadulterated, especially in China and Japan. But in other parts of the world, tea is enjoyed with added ingredients. Milk, sugar, and lemon are the most common additives in the [[United States]] and [[Europe]]: the first dilutes the taste of strong teas, the second sweetens sour teas, and that third of these removes the edge from bitter teas. In India it is common to enjoy tea with various spices, such as cardamom and star anise, as well as milk and sugar. In [[Tibet]], tea is drunk with fermented [[yak]] butter.

[[Category:Beverages]]

Darjeeling

2010-05-16T01:59:59Z

BrendanCook: corrected "oolong tea" with "black tea"

'''Darjeeling''' is a region in [[West Bengal]] in the Northeast of [[India]]. Its geography is largely mountainous, especially along the border with [[Nepal]]. The high altitude of much of Darjeeling is ideally suited for [[tea]] cultivation, and some of the finest [[black tea]] in the world is grown there. Notable fauna include some of the world's few remaining [[tigers]] and and a growing population of [[yaks]].

[[Category:India]]

Black tea

2010-05-16T01:58:26Z

BrendanCook:

[[Image:Blacktea.jpg|thumb|right|300px|Black tea being poured]]
'''Black tea''' describes the most popular variety of [[tea]] in the [[United States]]. It is made by deliberately exposing the leaves of ''Camellia sinensis'' to oxygen before preserving them by roasting, baking, or frying. This sustained oxidation produces leaves that are dark brown to black in color, and a liquor that is red to golden. Black tea preserves its flavor longer than other teas and for this reason it has been the favorite tea of regions, such as [[Europe]] and [[North America]], which are far removed from the countries, such as [[India]] and [[China]], in which tea is cultivated. Unlike most tea varieties, black tea is always prepared with boiling water. The finest black tea is produced in the [[Chinese]] province of [[Yunnan]], in [[Sri Lanka]], and in the [[Darjeeling]], [[Assam]], and [[Putharjhora]] regions of [[India]].

[[Category:Beverages]]

Black tea

2010-05-16T01:58:06Z

BrendanCook:

Tiger

2010-05-16T01:49:30Z

BrendanCook: /* Famous tigers in literature and popular culture */

{{Taxonomy
|name=Tiger
|image=Tiger.jpg
|caption=
|superkingdom=
|kingdom= Animalia
|subkingdom=
|superphylum=
|phylum=Chordata
|subphylum=
|infraphylum=
|microphylum=
|superdivision=
|division=
|subdivision=
|superclass=
|class=Mammalia
|subclass=
|infraclass=
|superorder=
|order=Carnivora
|suborder=
|infraorder=
|superfamily=
|family=Felidae
|subfamily=
|supertribe=
|tribe=
|subtribe=
|genera=
|genus=Panthera
|subgenus=
|species=P. tigris
|binomialname=
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}}
The '''Tiger''' is a large, striped [[feline]], a member of the Panthera [[Genus]], and largest of the Big Cats found in the wild. Formerly found across much of [[Asia]], much of its habitat is restricted in its range. Several species of tiger are endangered including the Siberian and South China tigers. The Javan, Balinese and Caspian varieties of tiger are now [[extinction|extinct]]. The biggest habitat is [[Malaysia]], where plenty of wild tigers still roam.

== Habits ==

Tigers are solitary [[predator]]s, capable of easily killing prey as large as a [[buffalo]] or a [[yak]], or as small as a [[rabbit]] or [[lemur]]. They can sometimes kill domestic livestock, including [[cattle]]. These predatory acts are a common justification for the hunting of tigers to near extinction.

Tigers are almost unique among the great cats in that they are fond of swimming. Though not as arboreal as the [[leopard]], they can climb trees. They can jump almost their entire body length and some can run as fast as 40 miles per hour.

== Man-eating tigers ==

There have been numerous historical cases of man-eating tigers; sometimes claiming hundreds of victims. However, the animals involved were often found to have been injured, frequently by [[porcupine]]s or [[gun]]shot wounds, and healthy tigers do not generally eat people.

== Famous tigers in literature and popular culture ==

*Tigger - in [[A.A. Milne]]'s [[Winnie the Pooh]].

*Sher Khan - in [[Kipling]]'s ''The Jungle Book''.

*Hobbes - in the comic [[Calvin and Hobbes]].

*Tony the Tiger - a corporate icon associated with [[breakfast cereal]].

*The Esso Tiger - in [[Canada]] the official symbol for [[Imperial Oil]].

*The [[Detroit Tigers]] of Major League Baseball.

*The year of the tiger is one of the twelve years of [[Chinese]] [[astrology]].

*The longest running version of Mac OS X, version 10.4, was known as 'Tiger'.

*The [[Cincinnati Bengals]] of the [[National Football League]].

*Tassie Tigers cricket team.

*The Tiger Moth, a biplane designed in the 1930s for use in the airforce of Great Britain and other commonwealth countries.

*[[Tiger Woods]], the greatest golfer of his generation.

*Canada's 'Giant Tiger' [[discount store]].

*Tiger Jackson, a character from the [[video game]] Tekken 3.

*Tiger-Tiger [[ice cream]], a delicious blend of licorice and orange ice cream.

*Tiger Beer, the most successful brand of [[beer]] in South Asia.

* And the most literary of all - [[William Blake]]'s:

:''Tyger! Tyger! burning bright''
:''In the forests of the night,''
:''What immortal hand or eye''
:''Can frame thy fearful symmetry?''

{{Nb_zl_felines}}
[[Category:Animals]]
[[Category:Dangerous Animals]]
[[Category:Asia]]