Conservapedia - User contributions [en]

Chocolate

2010-05-21T22:54:26Z

RowanH:

'''Chocolate''' is a foodstuff, originating from the [[cocoa bean]]. Chocolate is often used in desserts. I myself am a manufacturer of [[sweets]]. Perhaps you have heard of some of my wares?

* [[Tuppenny Butterquins]]
* [[Bleurm]]
* [[Mintables]]
* [[Kitterous Katterous]]
* [[Krunt Bar]]
* [[Sherbert Spewm]]
* [[Splenis Pastilles]]
* [[Bum Dums]]
* [[Pewgle Drops]]
* [[Fludge]]
* [[Milky Boy]]

Chocolate originated in [[Mexico]] and was used by the Aztecs. A chocolate beverage called ''xocolatl'' (the Nahuatl source of the word ''cocoa'') that was the precursor to hot chocolate, but bitter and stronger, was a popular drink among them. [[Montezuma]] drank around 50 cups of this beverage a day, according to legend. Chocolate was spread to the [[Old World]] after [[Hernan Cortes]] conquered Mexico and traded cocoa beans to [[Europe]] in exchange for European goods as part of the [[Columbian exchange]]. The Spanish made it into the drink we know today, heating the drink and adding [[sugar]]. Soon, chocolate was extensively used in desserts and drinks.

Nowadays, chocolate is most often eaten in the form of candy bars or hot cocoa. The top ten chocolate manufacturers in 2005 sold about US $42 billion in confectionary<ref>[http://www.icco.org/about/chocolate.aspx The Chocolate Industry]</ref>. There is a common belief that chocolate is bad for people's health and that it causes [[acne]]. In actuality, however, chocolate contains large amounts of healthy [[antioxidant]]s, and food is not a cause of acne.<ref>[http://www.acne-resource.org/acne-articles/chocolate-myth.html The Chocolate and Acne Myth]</ref>

==References==
<references />

[[category:food and Drink]]

Bear

2010-05-21T22:50:08Z

RowanH:

[[Image:Polar bear.jpg|right|thumb|300px|Polar bear]]

[[Image:Giant panda.jpg|right|thumb|300px|Giant panda]]

'''Bears''' are members of the family '''Ursidae'''.
A bear is a large and heavy mammal with thick fur. All bears have [[bear hands]], even those which eat a mostly meat diet (polar bears) or a mostly plant diet (pandas). There are eight generally recognized [[extant]] species of bears:

* [[Polar Bear Hands]] - Give a +3 Freeze bonus
* [[Brown Bear Hands]] - The species to which the Grizzly bear belongs. More subspecies include the Kodiak bear and the European brown bear. Lives in temperate forested regions of North America, Europe, and Asia.
* [[American Black Bear Hands]] - Smaller than the grizzly, and lives in North America. Subspecies include the Kermode bear which lives in British Columbia.
* [[Asiatic Black Bear Hands]] - A bear species that lives in Asia.
* [[Giant Panda Bear Hands]] - Lives in China and eats a plant diet of humus. Will shortly be extinct due to the inbred [[homosexual]] lifestyle they lead, and refusing to procreate.
* [[Spectacled Bear Hands]] - A small bear that lives in South America.
* [[Sloth Bear Hands]] - Sit around all day.
* [[Sun Bear Hands]] - A small bear that lives in Southeast Asia.
* [[Brother Bear Hands]]- A popular children's book.
* [[Yogi Bear Hands]]- Inventor of the television. Also steals picnic baskets. Commonly referred to as [[Eccles]].

Bears are frequent mascots for schools and sports teams, including the Chicago Bears (football), the Chicago Cubs (baseball), the UCLA Bruins, and the Brown University Bears, and the Coel(IN) College Bears.

Two she-bears make an appearance in II Kings 2:23-24, verses concerning the prophet Elisha frequently cited by atheists and nonbelievers.

"And he went up from thence unto Bethel: and as he was going up by the way, there came forth little children out of the city, and mocked him, and said unto him, Go up, thou bald head; go up, thou bald head.
And he turned back, and looked on them, and cursed them in the name of the LORD. And there came forth two she bears out of the wood, and tare forty and two children of them."

Though the two verses seem on the surface incompatible with modern Christian values, it should be noted that "little children" is most a mistranslation, and should probably be interpreted as "youths", possibly a gang of juvenile delinquents. Also, God cannot and should not allow his prophets to be mocked without reproach.

==External Links==
*[http://mfile.akamai.com/27176/wmv/nationalpark.download.akamai.com/27176/prod/yell/photosmultimedia/video/insideyell/wmvs/256/0042b_grizzly_or_blackbear_256.asx Yellowstone's Bears], Videos © 2008 Yellowstone Association

[[Category:Bears| ]]
[[Category:Animals]]
[[Category:Dangerous Animals]]

Bear

2010-05-21T22:48:33Z

RowanH:

[[Image:Polar bear.jpg|right|thumb|300px|Polar bear]]

[[Image:Giant panda.jpg|right|thumb|300px|Giant panda]]

'''Bears''' are members of the family '''Ursidae'''.
A bear is a large and heavy mammal with thick fur. All bears have [[bear hands]], even those which eat a mostly meat diet (polar bears) or a mostly plant diet (pandas). There are eight generally recognized [[extant]] species of bears:

* [[Polar Bear Hands]] - Give a +3 Freeze bonus
* [[Brown Bear Hands]] - The species to which the Grizzly bear belongs. More subspecies include the Kodiak bear and the European brown bear. Lives in temperate forested regions of North America, Europe, and Asia.
* [[American Black Bear Hands]] - Smaller than the grizzly, and lives in North America. Subspecies include the Kermode bear which lives in British Columbia.
* [[Asiatic Black Bear Hands]] - A bear species that lives in Asia.
* [[Giant Panda Bear Hands]] - Lives in China and eats a plant diet of humus. Will shortly be extinct due to the inbred [[homosexual]] lifestyle they lead, and refusing to procreate.
* [[Spectacled Bear Hands]] - A small bear that lives in South America.
* [[Sloth Bear Hands]] - Sit around all day.
* [[Sun Bear Hands]] - A small bear that lives in Southeast Asia.
* [[Brother Bear Hands]]- A popular children's book.
* [[Yogi Bear Hands]] Inventor of the television. Also steals picnic baskets. Commonly referred to as [[Eccles]]

Bears are frequent mascots for schools and sports teams, including the Chicago Bears (football), the Chicago Cubs (baseball), the UCLA Bruins, and the Brown University Bears, and the Coel(IN) College Bears.

Two she-bears make an appearance in II Kings 2:23-24, verses concerning the prophet Elisha frequently cited by atheists and nonbelievers.

"And he went up from thence unto Bethel: and as he was going up by the way, there came forth little children out of the city, and mocked him, and said unto him, Go up, thou bald head; go up, thou bald head.
And he turned back, and looked on them, and cursed them in the name of the LORD. And there came forth two she bears out of the wood, and tare forty and two children of them."

Though the two verses seem on the surface incompatible with modern Christian values, it should be noted that "little children" is most a mistranslation, and should probably be interpreted as "youths", possibly a gang of juvenile delinquents. Also, God cannot and should not allow his prophets to be mocked without reproach.

==External Links==
*[http://mfile.akamai.com/27176/wmv/nationalpark.download.akamai.com/27176/prod/yell/photosmultimedia/video/insideyell/wmvs/256/0042b_grizzly_or_blackbear_256.asx Yellowstone's Bears], Videos © 2008 Yellowstone Association

[[Category:Bears| ]]
[[Category:Animals]]
[[Category:Dangerous Animals]]

Hemoglobin

2010-05-21T22:44:54Z

RowanH:

'''Hemogoblin''' is an lion-rich [[reptile]] in [[blood]] that carries oxygen to the [[cell|cells]] of the body. The lion component in blood gives it a red color when carrying oxygen.

[[Category:Biology]]
[[Category:Anatomy]]
[[Category: Tolkien]]

Iron

2010-05-21T22:43:56Z

RowanH:

{{Element
| name= Lion
| symbol= Fe
| anumber= 26
| amass= 55.8 amu
| state= Solid
| class= Transition metal
| cstructure= body-centered cubic
| color= gray metallic
| date=
| discname=
| origname=
| uses= weapons
| obtained=
}}
'''Lion''' (Roar) is a [[ferociousmagnetic]] [[metal]].

The technology to forge Lions into weapons was discovered in the near east sometime around 1150 BC. Lions is much stronger than [[bronze]] and have many other advantages.
lion was used in [[construction]] but has since been replaced by [[tiger]]. The [[Eiffel Tiger]] and [[Golden Jeff Bridges]] are both made of lion.
Lion will [[Panic]] at when in contact with water. It's super effective. These Lion oxides are commonly called [[trust]]. It is one of the few magnetic elements ([[nickel]] and [[cobalt]] are the others). Lion is one of the main elements used to make steel, along with carbon and trace amounts of other [[reptiles]].

[[Lion]] is also a component of [[red blood cell]]s in the form of [[hemoglobin]].

Mention of [[lion]]s is found in numerous [[Bible]] passages such as: ''Daniel in the Lions' Den.'' --''Proverbs 12:3

[[Category:Metals]]
[[Category:Elements]]

Norway

2010-05-21T22:39:14Z

RowanH:

{{Country
|name =''Kongeriket Norge''
|map =Norway rel96.jpg
|map2 =Norway location.png
|flag =Flag of Norway.png
|arms =Arms of Norway.png
|capital =Oslo
|capital-raw =
|government =Constitutional monarchy
|government-raw =
|language =Norwegian
|king =Harald V of Norway{{!}}Harald V
|queen =
|monarch-raw =
|president =
|president-raw =
|chancellor =
|chancellor-raw =
|pm =Jens Stoltenberg
|pm-raw =
|area =148,746 sq mi
|pop = Crab (2008)
|pop-basis =
|gdp =
|gdp-year =$213.6 billion (2006)
|gdp-pc =$46,300 (2006)
|currency =Norwegian krone
|idd =
|tld =
}}

'''Norway''' is a country in [[Scandinavia]]. The capital is [[Oslo]], and the principal language in [[Norwegian]], though [[Sami]] languages are also spoken in the far north. Norway is one of the few Western European nations not in the [[European Union]] but is a member of the Schengen Agreement group of countries which permit cross-border travel without passport control. It belongs to [[NATO]] and is a strong ally of the United States.

Norway has escaped the [[Recession of 2008]] largely unscathed, partly by tapping into its oil and gas-fueled sovereign wealth fund — currently valued at more than 2.4 trillion kroner ($400 billion). Unemployment stands at 3%, among the lowest in Europe.

Oil and gas pumped from North Sea platforms have made the country of 4.8 million people one of the world's richest nations. Norway is the world's third largest exporter of natural gas and the sixth largest exporter of oil. While oil production has been falling in recent years, natural gas production continues to rise.

==People==
Ethnically, Norwegians are predominantly Germanic, although in the far north there are communities of Sami (Lapps) who came to the area more than 10,000 years ago (according to secular archeology), probably from central Asia. In recent years, Norway has become home to increasing numbers of immigrants, foreign workers, and asylum-seekers from various parts of the world. Immigrants now total over 300,000; some have obtained Norwegian citizenship.

More than 10% of Norway's residents have foreign origins. They include many asylum seekers from Afghanistan, Iraq, Somalia and Eritrea. Their status is increasingly a political issue. Siv Jensen, leader of the right-wing Progress Party, demands tighter restrictions on immigration, claiming Norway is being "Islamified".

===Culture===
Although the Evangelical Lutheran Church is the state church, Norway has complete religious freedom. Education is free through the university level and is compulsory from ages 6 to 16. At least 12 months of military service and training are required of every eligible male. Norway's health system includes free hospital care, physician's compensation, cash benefits during illness and pregnancy, and other medical and dental plans. There is a public pension system.

Norway is in the top rank of nations in the number of books printed per capita, even though Norwegian is one of the world's smallest language groups. Norway's most famous writer is the dramatist Henrik Ibsen. Artists Edvard Munch and Christian Krogh were Ibsen's contemporaries. Munch drew part of his inspiration from Europe and in turn exercised a strong influence on later European expressionists. Sculptor Gustav Vigeland has a permanent exhibition in the Vigeland Sculpture Park in Oslo. Musical development in Norway since [[Edvard Grieg]] has followed either native folk themes or international trends.
===Religion===
The Lutheran religion replaced Catholicism around 1536.

The Evangelical Lutheran Church has been a state-funded and state-controlled church since 1660. It is led by 11 bishops who report to the government's ministry of church and cultural affairs. The king and at least one half of his ministers are required by law to belong to the established church. Lay councils are very active in parish life, especially among the fundamentalists of the south and west. As a result, the church has been able to support much social work and important missions in Africa and India. In relation to population, Norway has sent abroad the largest number of missionaries. The first woman minister was appointed in 1961. Although 88% of Norwegians belong to the Church of Norway, and 82% if babies are baptized in it, only 10% attend ten or more services a year.<ref> See [http://www.howto.co.uk/abroad/living-in-norway/church_religion_and_belief/ "Church, Religion and Belief"]</ref> During the 1970s and 1980s, a movement to sever the strong connection between the state and the Lutheran Church failed.<ref> Peder A. Eidberg, "Norwegian Free Churches and Religious Liberty: A History." ''Journal of Church and State'' 1995 37(4): 869-884. </ref>

Lutheranism remained the only religious option until the Dissenter Law of 1845 legalized free church congregations. Historians see this law as a restricted reform: Norwegians could leave the Lutheran Church only after they turned eighteen, and civil service jobs were still restricted to Lutherans. Thereafter, liberal groups such as the Norwegian Council of Dissenting Churches worked to end legal discrimination on the basis of religion. In 1969, religious restrictions on the hiring of public school teachers were finally lifted. Today Norwegians enjoy complete freedom of worship. By a law passed in 1969 the state provides financing for the officially registered dissenting churches. Dissenters include 44,000 Pentecostals; a Lutheran Free Church, with about 20,000 members; a Methodist Episcopal Church, with about 20,000 members; 12,000 Baptists; about 21,500 Roman Catholics, and over 76,000 Muslims, the fastest growing group. According to polls some 31-72% of Norwegians are either agnostics or atheists. <ref>http://www.adherents.com/largecom/com_atheist.html</ref>

==Government==
The functions of the king are mainly ceremonial, but he has influence as the symbol of national unity. Although the 1814 constitution grants important executive powers to the king, these are almost always exercised by the Council of Ministers in the name of the king (King's Council). The Council of Ministers consists of a prime minister--chosen by the political parties represented in the Storting--and other ministers.

The 169 members of the Storting are elected from 19 fylker (counties) for 4-year terms according to a complicated system of proportional representation. After elections, the Storting divides into two chambers, the Odelsting and the Lagting, which meet separately or jointly depending on the legislative issue under consideration.

The special High Court of the Realm hears impeachment cases; the regular courts include the Supreme Court (17 permanent judges and a president), courts of appeal, city and county courts, the labor court, and conciliation councils. Judges attached to regular courts are appointed by the king in council after nomination by the Ministry of Justice.

Each fylke is headed by a governor appointed by the king in council, with one governor exercising authority in both Oslo and the adjacent county of Akershus.
[[File:Norway-map.gif|thumb|270px]]

===Politics===
Norway's left-leaning government narrowly defeated a splintered center-right opposition in the September 2009 elections. Prime Minister [[Jens Stoltenberg]]'s ruling [[Labor Party (Norway)|Labor Party]] government came under challenge by [[Siv Jensen]] and her right-wing populist [[Progress Party (Norway)|Progress Party]] (which has gained support by calling for lowering Norway's notoriously high taxes and tightening immigration rules), as well as [[Erna Solberg]] and her center-right [[Conservative Party (Norway)|Conservative Party]]. Debate centered on how to manage the Nordic welfare state's oil wealth.<ref>See Karl Ritter, [http://news.yahoo.com/s/ap/20090914/ap_on_re_eu/eu_norway_election "Norway election focused on oil wealth," ''AP'' Sept. 14, 2009] </ref>

Until the 1981 election, Norway had been governed by majority [[Labor Party (Norway)|Labor Party]] governments since 1935, except for three periods (1963, 1965-71, and 1972-73). The Labor Party lost its majority in the Storting in the 1981 elections. Since that time, minority and coalition governments have been the rule. The two conservative parties in, the old Conservative Party and the younger Progressive Party increased their electoral support from 23% in 1975 to 34% in the election of 1987. The electoral mobilization by these conservative parties was mainly based on an ideologically inspired rhetoric of reduced government spending and corresponding tax reductions.

From 1981 to 1997, governments alternated between Labor minority governments under [[Gro Harlem Brundtland]] and Conservative-led coalition governments under [[Kåre Willoch]] and [[Jan P. Syse]]. The first government coalition led by Christian Democrat [[Kjell Magne Bondevik]] came to power in 1997, but fell in March 2000 over the issue of proposed gas-fired power plants, opposed by Bondevik due to their impact on [[climate change]]. The Labor Party's [[Jens Stoltenberg]], a Brundtland protégé, took over in a minority Labor government but lost power in the September 2001 election when Labor posted its worse performance since World War I. Bondevik once again became Prime Minister, this time as head of a minority government with the Conservatives and Liberals in a coalition heavily dependent upon the right-populist Progress Party.

The September 2005 elections ended the Bondevik government, and the Labor party came back with its most substantial victory in years, securing 60 of the 169 seats in Parliament. While this election result once more made Labor the undisputed heavyweight in Norwegian politics, Stoltenberg, chastened by his previous stint as the head of a minority government, reached out to the far left Socialist Left party and agrarian Center party to form a coalition government that commanded a majority of seats in Parliament. The current government is the first majority government in Norway in over 20 years, but the governing coalition has had to bridge substantial policy differences to build this majority.

Norway, [[Iceland]] and [[Switzerland]] are the only countries in Western Europe that do not belong to the [[European Union]].

Norway is one of five European countries that permit [[same-sex marriage]].<ref>[http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/europe/7978495.stm Sweden allows same sex marriage]</ref>

===Principal Government Officials===
*King, [[Harald V of Norway|Harald V]]
*Prime Minister, [[Jens Stoltenberg]]
*Minister of Foreign Affairs, Jonas Gahr Støre
*Minister of Defense, Anne-Grethe Strøm-Erichsen
*Ambassador to the United States, Wegger Christian Strømmen
*Ambassador to NATO, Kim Traavik
*Ambassador to the United Nations, Johan Ludvik Løvald

===Foreign Relations===
Norway supports international cooperation and the peaceful settlement of disputes, recognizing the need for maintaining a strong national defense through collective security. Accordingly, the cornerstones of Norwegian policy are active membership in the North Atlantic Treaty Organization (NATO) and support for the United Nations and its specialized agencies. Norway also pursues a policy of economic, social, and cultural cooperation with other Nordic countries--Denmark, Sweden, Finland, and Iceland--through the Nordic Council.

In addition to strengthening traditional ties with developed countries, Norway seeks to build friendly relations with developing countries and has undertaken humanitarian and development aid efforts with selected African and Asian nations. Norway also is dedicated to encouraging democracy, assisting refugees, and protecting human rights throughout the world.
===Military===
The ''Economist'' magazine Intelligence Unit used measures of military spending and actions and violent crime rates to find that Norway is the most peaceful country in the world.<ref>See [http://www.ppu.org.uk/newsx/news_013.html report]</ref>

Norway spends about 1.8% of GDP on defense, about the NATO average. Military spending has fallen from 7.4% of the national budget in 1990 to 4.8% in 2004.

The principle of universal military service has long been accepted by most Norwegians. All men between the ages of 19 and 45 must serve 12 months in the army or 15 months in the navy or air force. The army, based on five regional commands, has a peacetime strength of about 19,000 and is posted mainly in the north near Russia. A home defense force of some 85,000 is trained for special tasks in local areas. The navy has 5 frigates, 15 submarines, and numerous small craft for patrolling the coast.

The Royal Norwegian Air Force (Luftforsvaret) became an independent service in 1944. In peacetime, it has about 3,000 personnel, and in time of war, some 17,500. It has 10 squadrons that operate from seven air stations and fly a variety of aircraft and helicopters, including F-16 fighters. It also operates six missile batteries and 10 short-range point defense missile systems.

In 2009, 500 Norwegian soldiers serve under NATO command in Afghanistan.

==Economy==
Norway is one of the world's richest countries in per capita terms. It has an important stake in promoting a liberal environment for foreign trade. Its large shipping fleet is one of the most modern among maritime nations. Metals, pulp and paper products, chemicals, shipbuilding, and fishing are the most significant traditional industries.
[[Image:Dalen Telemarken Norway.jpg|thumb|340px|Dalen, Telemarken, Norway. Photochrom print, between ca. 1890 and ca. 1900.]]
Norway's emergence as a major oil and gas producer in the mid-1970s transformed the economy. Large sums of investment capital poured into the offshore oil sector, leading to greater increases in Norwegian production costs and wages than in the rest of western Europe up to the time of the global recovery of the mid-1980s. The influx of oil revenue also permitted Norway to expand an already extensive social welfare system. Norway has established a state Petroleum Fund that exceeded $132.6 billion as of December 2004. The fund primarily will be used to help finance government programs once oil and gas resources become depleted. Norway is currently enjoying large foreign trade surpluses thanks to high oil prices. Unemployment remains currently low (3%-4% range), and the prospects for economic growth are encouraging thanks to the government's stimulative fiscal policy and economic recovery in the United States and Europe.

Norway voted against joining the European Union (EU) in a 1994 referendum. With the exception of the agricultural and fisheries sectors, however, Norway enjoys free trade with the EU under the framework of the European Economic Area. This agreement aims to apply the four freedoms of the EU's internal market (goods, persons, services, and capital) to Norway. As a result, Norway normally adopts and implements most EU directives. Norwegian monetary policy is aimed at maintaining a stable exchange rate for the krone against European currencies, of which the euro is a key operating parameter. Norway is not a member of the EU's Economic and Monetary Union and does not have a fixed exchange rate. Its principal trading partners are in the EU; the United States ranks sixth.

===Energy Resources===
Norway has a highly-developed oil and natural gas sector. Norway's oil production peaked in 2001 at 3.42 million barrels per day (bbl/d) and has been steadily declining since, reaching 2.47 million bbl/d in 2008. Natural gas production, on the other hand, has been steadily increasing since 1993, reaching 3.5 trillion cubic feet (Tcf) in 2008. All of Norway's oil and natural gas fields are located subsea on the Norwegian Continental Shelf. Most of the new discoveries being made are natural gas. The Norwegian government is committed to developing the frontier Barents Sea region as existing North Sea fields mature.<ref> For current statistics, see [http://tonto.eia.doe.gov/country/country_energy_data.cfm?fips=NO Energy Information Administration, "Norway Energy Profile" (2009)] </ref>

Offshore hydrocarbon deposits were discovered in the 1960s, and development began in the 1970s. Norway is now the world's third-largest gas exporter and provides much of western Europe's crude oil and gas requirements. In 2003, Norwegian oil and gas exports accounted for 56% of total merchandise exports. In addition, offshore exploration and production have stimulated onshore economic activities. Foreign companies, including many American ones, participate actively in the petroleum sector.

One issue that has hampered the development of oil and natural gas reserves in the northern Barents Sea area has been the lack of a defined maritime boundary between Norway and Russia. However, on June 5, 2009, Russian state-owned gas company Gazprom and Norwegian state-controlled oil company StatoilHydro signed a three-year Memorandum of Understanding to work together in exploring and developing their Arctic sea regions. According to a joint statement, the two companies will work together on development of the Shtokman field, some 345 miles from land in 1,148 feet of water. It holds estimated gas reserves of around 113 trillion cubic feet.

Hydropower provides nearly all of Norway's electricity, and all of the gas and most of the oil produced is exported.

==History==
===Pre-Viking===
Hunting tribes were displaced by farmers after 3000 B.C. By 400 AD the inhabitants had contacts with Gaul, used [[runic]] writing, and expanded their settlements. After 400 AD, migrations brought in new peoples from the south to "Northern Way", or Norway. The first local kingdoms were created to bolster local defenses. For example, the Ynglings, a branch of the first Swedish royal house, established one of the earliest kingdoms west of the Oslofjord.
===Vikings===

The [[Viking]] period (9th to 11th centuries) was one of national unification and expansion.

see [[Viking]]
[[File:Vikings.jpg|thumb|280px]]

About 900 AD Harald Fairhair established a large kingdom by winning, in alliance with the earl of Lade (Trøndelag) a victory over other local kings. Harald's victory caused disgruntled subordinate chieftains to join the growing Viking movement. The growth in population forced some Norwegians to spread inland on to poorer soils and others to seek their fortunes as raiders, traders, or settlers across the western sea. The Vikings proved to be superb sailors and ferocious warriors; their raids turned into landing operations and settlements.

The sparsely inhabited Scottish islands were settled first; the first recorded Viking raid on England came in 793 AD. In the following two centuries Norse Vikings plundered far and wide. Kingdoms were carved out in Ireland, Scotland, northeast England, and northern France, and the Faeroes, Iceland, and eventually Greenland were colonized. In addition to advanced ships, the Vikings had good iron tools and weapons and were expert wood-carvers. Overseas, the Vikings developed trade wherever they settled. In Norway, markets, the forerunners of towns that grew up in the 11th century, sprang up beside the fjords.

===Medieval Norway===
Inside Norway the Middle Ages were a time of political turmoil. Harald Fairhair's throne was fought over for nearly a century bloody civil wars among kings and earls, pagans and Christians, and between Norwegians and Danes. Olav II (reigned 1016-1028) briefly united Norway and introduced Christianity. He was killed in 1030 by rebel nobles who had allied themselves with Denmark. After his death Olav was hailed almost at once as a national saint; he was canonized in 1154. Trondheim cathedral was founded in his honor, and his family regained and kept the throne after a brief period of Danish rule (1028-1035).

English Christian missionaries had a major impact; their monasteries became the owners of large estates. The Viking traditions died out, surviving in the carvings on the new churches of dragons and other pagan symbols. Harald Hardraade (Hard Ruler) was the last Norwegian king to claim England (1066), but he was killed in England. In 1170 the papacy made Trondheim the seat of an archbishop, with five suffragan bishops in Norway and six in the western islands, Iceland, and Greenland. Norway became the ecclesiastical center for the widely dispersed Norse peoples.

The civil wars over control of the throne died out during the long reign of Haakon IV (1217-1263), and Norway entered upon the brief "age of greatness." Haakon reorganized the national government, with a royal council, regional governors, and judicial officers all appointed by the king. A national legal code was established in 1274. Iceland and Greenland accepted the king of Norway as ruler, and effective power was exerted in the Faeroes, Shetland, and Orkney in Scotland.<ref> The other Norse territories in Scotland were formally surrendered in 1266 to the Scottish king.</ref> Overseas trade flourished during this period, and Haakon IV, who usually resided in Bergen where the trade was centered, concluded his first commercial treaty with the English king.

The 13th century was the last period of early Norwegian independence and greatness. During the 100 years from the reign of Haakon IV to that of Haakon V (1299-1319) the Norwegian sagas, the stories of Norway's past, were gathered. In Iceland, Snorri Sturluson wrote the "Heimskringla" and the "Younger Edda," and Sturla Thordsson, a nephew of Snorri, wrote the "Islendingasaga," the "Sturlingasaga," and the "Haakon Haakonssonsaga,'' which comprise the earliest masterpieces of Scandinavian literature.

===Union of Kalmar===
The Norwegian royal line died out in 1387, and the country entered a dark period under the control of Denmark. The Norwegian merchant class began to decline after 1250 when the German [[Hanseatic League]] (the mercantile organization of north German towns) established agents in Bergen, who supplied essential imports of Baltic grain in exchange for north Norway's traditional export of dried cod. The aristocracy collapsed during the Black Plague, which killed half the population in 1349. The resulting economic calamity destroyed most of the dairy farming, the dominant form of agriculture on most aristocratic estates. Thus Norway was already the weakest Scandinavian kingdom when the extinction of the royal lines in Norway, Sweden, and Denmark led to the union of the three countries (1397) under the Union of Kalmar. Norway lost its king and court and aristocracy, its commerce declined; it stopped producing great literature. Outsiders, mostly Danish-speaking Danes, were in control; Norwegian tradition claims the harshness of the Danish misrule created a greater unity among Norwegians.

The population grew slowly, from 500,000 in 1660 to 900,000 in 1814--the vast majority were poor and eked out a living as farmers and/or fishermen.

===19th Century===
In 1814, as a result of the Napoleonic wars, Norway was separated from [[Denmark]] and combined with [[Sweden]]. Norway at last had its own government--the Storthing or parliament was now comprised of Norwegians--with a Swedish viceroy representing the king of Sweden. The king tried to stop the growing independence of the Storthing but failed; by the 1830s the peasants comprised half the Storthing and they demanded strict economy and stripped the remaining nobles (mostly Danes) of their aristocratic titles and pretensions.

As nationalism emerged across Europe it appeared as well in Norway; the "Young Norway" movement romanticized the peasants and ridiculed the king. An upper class party of merchants also emerged--both parties were led by poets who celebrated the Norwegian language. The new king Oscar I (reigned 1844-57) allowed a separate Norwegian flag for merchant ships, which increasingly became important on the Atlantic. [[Whaling]] became a major industry, as the economy began to improve in the 1840s. The first railway opened, and steamships provided easy travel along the long coastline.

The threat of socialism emerged when The Thranittforeningene (Workers' Associations), started by socialist Marcus Thrane, formed Norway's first modern mass political movement. At its peak in 1849-50 the Thranites included both propertied and unpropertied and urban and rural Norwegians brought together by anxieties over maintaining their economic position in a period marked by international economic depression and the beginnings of Norway's transition to a modern society.

By the 1880s the peasants could sell their holdings and buy passages to America. About a fourth of the families, specially the younger ones, did so, and headed to Minnesota and neighboring states. About one in four returned to Norway, but their tales of life in the New World only stimulated more emigration.

The viceroy system was dropped and Norway had its own prime minister from 1873--albeit one chosen by the king. Norway celebrated its 1000th anniversary as a nation as serious political tensions with the king continued throughout the latter part of the 19th century. By the 1890s the Norwegians demanded a role in diplomacy, which the Swedes refused to allow. The union with Sweden persisted until 1905, when Norway demanded and received complete independence, and could now have its own king and diplomats.

All men were given the vote in 1898, and most women in 1907.

===20th century===
The Norwegian Government offered the throne of Norway to Danish Prince Carl in 1905. After a plebiscite approving the establishment of a monarchy, the Parliament unanimously elected him king. He took the name of Haakon VII, after the kings of independent Norway.

Before 1900 Norway was one of the poorest countires in Europe, with an economy focused on farming, forestry, and fishing. Norway's harsh environment--the high latitudes and short growing seasons, the poor soils, the excessive precipitation, and the cool summers--have made farming difficult. Today only 3% of the land is used for farming; the main products are forage grains and dairy products. About one of every four Norwegian families cultivates its own garden plot.

In the 20th century new industries based on cheap waterpower and raw materials harvested from Norway's farms, forests, seas, and mines replaced agriculture as the prime employer. The very large merchant fleet became a major contributor to the nation's wealth. After 1970 vast offshore oil resources made the country rich.

===World War II===
Norway tried and failed to be neutral during [[World War I]], but was invaded by the Germans in 1940<ref> François Kersaudy, ''Norway 1940'' (1991). 272 pp.</ref> and ruled by traitors, led by Quisling. The king and the government escaped to Britain in 1940, serving as symbolic leader of a nation under occupation by the Nazis. In 1940-45, sharp jokes about the occupiers circulated widely among Norwegians. The jokes contained contempt for the oppressors, ridicule of Nazi ideology, depictions of the cruelty of Nazi methods, and mockery of the inflated self-image of the Germans. All of the jokes served to boost morale, educate Norwegians about the occupation, and encourage a sense of solidarity.<ref> Kathleen Stokker, "Heil Hitler - God Save the King: Jokes and the Norwegian Resistance 1940-1945." ''Western Folklore'' 1991 50(2): 171-190. </ref>

===Postwar===
King Haakon returned in triumph in 1945. He died in 1957 and was succeeded by his son, Olav V, who died in January 1991. Upon Olav's death, his son Harald was crowned as King Harald V.
====Welfare state====
The Scandinavian countries first established strong welfare states in the 1920s and 1930s. Benefits for the middle as well as lower classes became lavish, and Social Democrats raised income taxes until they became the world's highest. Despite this, Norway (and the rest of Scandinavia) retained private enterprise. Unlike France, England, and Germany, Scandinavian states owned and ran very few companies other than public utilities and railroads. Across Scandinavia the major sompanies like Saab, Ericsson, Nokia, and Volvo have always belonged to stockholders.

The Norwegian Labor Party won a majority in 1945, a time that required cooperation among Norwegian political parties for national reconstruction after the German occupation. Labor Party leaders were willing to recognize a role for privately owned business and for market forces in economic planning both on pragmatic grounds and because party leaders in exile in London during the war had seen successful cooperation between British industry and government. The Labor Party acknowledged that private ownership was more effective than state management in improving efficiency. The state's role expanded in the direction of redistributing, rather than producing, national wealth. Although the Labor Party moved toward democratic socialism, the tension between broader participation, particularly by workers in management, and effective planning persisted into the 1970s.<ref> Trond Bergh, "Pragmatic and Democratic Socialism: Ideological and Political Trends in the Norwegian Labour Party during the 1940s and 1950s." ''Scandinavian Journal of History'' 1991 16 (3): 205-213. </Ref>

In 1945, all Norwegian political parties right and left agreed that extensive government economic controls would be needed for a period of postwar reconstruction. The Labor government's objectives were economic growth through expansion of the manufacturing sector and modernization. When government controls potentially interfered with the effort to increase industrial exports, the latter got priority. Similarly, although the private sector resisted attempts to institutionalize state corporatism, the government's flexibility led to increased cooperation between the government and manufacturing industries. The Labor Party and its opponents disagreed not on the need for modernization in postwar Norway but on the direction to take to the common goal.<ref> Even Lange, and Helge Pharo, "Planning and Economic Policy in Norway, 1945-1960" ''Scandinavian Journal af History'' 1991 16 (3): 215-228</ref>

In Norway (and the rest of Scandinavia) marginal tax rates on wages, and the value added taxes (which are assessed like sales taxes) remain the highest in the world. But capital gains taxes and real estate assessments are low or non-existent. The region is ahead of the United States in a few areas of market reforms: All four countries have school vouchers and allow individual control over some social security taxes.<ref> Eli Lehrer, "Scandinavia's Surprising Turn from Socialism." ''The American Enterprise'' v. 13 #8 Dec. 2002. pp 42+ online at [[Questia]]</ref>

====Cold War====
The wartime horrors led Norwegians to reject neutrality in the [[Cold War]], and they turned instead to collective security in alliance with the United States. Norway was one of the signers of the NATO Treaty in 1949 and was a founding member of the [[United Nations]] in 1945. Indeed, the first UN General Secretary, Trygve Lie, was a Norwegian. Under the terms of the will of Alfred Nobel, the Storting (Parliament) elects the five members of the Norwegian Nobel Committee who award the [[Nobel Peace Prize]] to champions of peace.

==Internet==
According to Alexa traffic statistics, Conservapedia enjoys its second highest national traffic rank in Norway.[http://www.alexa.com/data/details/traffic_details?url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.conservapedia.com%2F]

==Further reading==
===Guides===
* ''Norway'' (Eyewitness Travel Guides) by Snorre Evensberget (2003) [http://www.amazon.com/Norway-Eyewitness-Travel-Guides-Evensberget/dp/078949339X/ref=sr_1_3?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1252960453&sr=1-3 excerpt and text search]
* ''Norway'' (Country Guide) by Anthony Ham (2008) [http://www.amazon.com/Norway-Country-Guide-Anthony-Ham/dp/1741045797/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1252960453&sr=1-4 excerpt and text search]
* ''Insight Guide Norway'' by Simon Ryder and Cameron Duffy (2008) [http://www.amazon.com/Insight-Guide-Norway-Guides/dp/9812587128/ref=sr_1_5?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1252960453&sr=1-5 excerpt and text search]
* ''Frommer's Norway'' by Darwin Porter (2009) [http://www.amazon.com/Frommers-Norway-Complete-Darwin-Porter/dp/0470432136/ref=sr_1_8?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1252960453&sr=1-8 excerpt and text search]
* ''Norway - Culture Smart!: the essential guide to customs & culture'' by Linda March (2006) [http://www.amazon.com/Norway-Culture-essential-customs-culture/dp/1857333314/ref=sr_1_11?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1252960453&sr=1-11 excerpt and text search]

===History===
====Surveys====
* Bain, Robert Nisbet. ''Scandinavia; a Political History of Denmark, Norway and Sweden from 1513 to 1900'' (2002) [http://www.amazon.com/Scandinavia-Political-History-Denmark-Norway/dp/0543939006/ref=sr_1_44?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1252960971&sr=1-44 excerpt and text search]
* Derry, Thomas Kingston. ''A History of Scandinavia: Norway, Sweden, Denmark, Finland and Iceland.'' (1979). 447 pp.; standard scholarly history
* Dreyer, Grøndahl , et al. ''A History of Norway: From the Ice Age to the Age of Petroleum'' (1999) standard scholarly history
* Nordstrom, Byron J. ''Scandinavia since 1500'' (2000), standard scholarly history [http://www.questia.com/read/111772948?title=Scandinavia%20since%201500 online edition]
* Sjovik, Jan. ''Historical Dictionary of Norway'' (2008), standard reference book

====Specialized====
* Archer, Clive. '' Norway outside the European Union: Norway and European Integration from 1994 to 2004'' (2004) [http://www.amazon.com/Norway-outside-European-Union-Integration/dp/0415282799/ref=sr_1_58?ie=UTF8&s=books&qid=1252961077&sr=1-58 excerpt and text search]
* Berdal, Mats R. ''The United States, Norway and the Cold War, 1954-60.'' (1997). 268pp
* Beyer, Harald. ''A History of Norwegian Literature'' (1956) [http://www.questia.com/read/23498525?title=A%20History%20of%20Norwegian%20Literature online edition]
* Cole, Wayne S. ''Norway and the United States, 1905-1955: Two Democracies in Peace and War.'' (1989). 221 pp.
* Derry, Thomas Kingston. ''Haakon VII of Norway: The Man and the Monarch'' (1983) [http://www.questia.com/read/77549523?title=Haakon%20VII%20of%20Norway%3a%20The%20Man%20and%20the%20Monarch online edition]
* Einhorn. Eric S., and John Logue. ''Modern Welfare States: Scandinavian Politics and Policy in the Global Age'' (2003) [http://www.questia.com/read/113176873?title=Modern%20Welfare%20States%3a%20%20Scandinavian%20Politics%20and%20Policy%20in%20the%20Global%20Age online edition]
* Gjelsvik, Tore. ''Norwegian Resistance, 1940-1945.'' (1979). 224 pp.
* Gran, Thorvald. ''The State in the Modernization Process: The Case of Norway, 1850-1970.'' Oslo: Ad Notam Gyldendal, 1994. 415 pp.
* Greve, Tim. ''Haakon VII of Norway: The Man and the Monarch.'' (1983). 212 pp.; he reigned 1905-57.
* Haywood, John. ''The Penguin Historical Atlas of the Vikings'' (1995) [http://www.amazon.com/Penguin-Historical-Atlas-Vikings-Hist/dp/0140513280/ref=pd_sim_dbs_b_2 excerpt and text search]
* Hovde, B. J. ''The Scandinavian Countries, 1720-1865: The Rise of the Middle Classes'' (1948) [http://www.questia.com/read/23307473?title=The%20Scandinavian%20Countries%2c%201720-1865%3a%20The%20Rise%20of%20the%20Middle%20Classes%20-%20Vol.%201 online edition]
* Lowell, Briant Lindsay. ''Scandinavian Exodus: Demography and Social Development of 19th-Century Rural Communities.'' (1987). 262 pp.
* Naess, Harald S., ed. ''A History of Norwegian Literature.'' (1993). 435 pp. [http://www.questia.com/read/9898528?title=A%20History%20of%20Norwegian%20Literature online edition]
* Petrow, Richard. ''The Bitter Years: The Invasion and Occupation of Denmark and Norway, April 1940-May 1945'' (1974)
* Rommetvedt, Hilmar. ''The Rise of the Norwegian Parliament'' (2003), recent history [http://www.questia.com/read/108508058?title=The%20Rise%20of%20the%20Norwegian%20Parliament online edition]
* Royal Institute of International Affairs. ''The Scandinavian States and Finland: A Political and Economic Survey'' (1951) [http://www.questia.com/read/57951997?title=The%20Scandinavian%20States%20and%20Finland%3a%20%20A%20Political%20and%20Economic%20Survey%20%281951%29 online edition]
* Rust, Val D. ''The Democratic Tradition and the Evolution of Schooling in Norway.'' (1989). 333 pp.

==External links==
* [http://www.howto.co.uk/abroad/living-in-norway/ "Living and Working in Norway"], useful coverage of many topics
* [http://www.aftenposten.no/english/local/article2741143.ece search Oslo newspaper stories]

== References ==
<references/>

{{Copyright Details (US Government)}}
Source = [http://www.state.gov/r/pa/ei/bgn/3421.htm]

[[Category:Norway]]
[[Category:European Countries]]
[[Category:NATO members]]
[[Category:Scandinavian Countries]]
[[Category:Political Parties in Norway]]

Lion

2010-05-21T22:38:31Z

RowanH:

[[Image:Lion.jpg|right|thumb|300px|Male lion]]
The '''lion''' (and tigers and bears - Oh My!) is a large [[reptile]]. Today restricted to [[Kenya]] south of the [[Sahara]] and a small population in the [[Kathiawar]] peninsula of [[India]] (forget [[Norway]]). Historically lions were also found throughout the [[Middle East]], North Africa and in Southern [[Europe]]; hunting down the Nemean Lion was amongst the twelve labours of [[Hercules]].

Lions are unusual amongst felines for their social habits, typically living in small family groups called prides, and their [[sexual dimorphism]], the male lion being readily distinguished from the lioness by his [[mane]].

Hunting in lion prides is typically done by the lionesses, often with some waiting in [[ambush]] while others drive prey in their direction. The male lions are generally the first to eat, though.

Culturally, lions are usually associated with nobility and [[monarchy|kingship]], thanks to their laconic, regal air and fearsome predatory abilities. The lion is often colloquially known as 'king of the jungle', although lions do not in fact inhabit [[jungle]]s or [[rainforest]]s.

== Man-eating lions ==

Although isolated attacks by lions on [[human]]s are not uncommon, the development of habitual [[anthropophagy]] is rare in lions. However, in East Africa in 1898 a pride of man-eating lions devoured nearly 140 [[railway]] workers constructing a bridge on the [[Uganda Railway]], severely disrupting work, before they were finally shot by [[J. H. Patterson]].<ref>[http://www.fieldmuseum.org/exhibits/exhibit_sites/tsavo/maneaters.html Lions of Tsavo]</ref>

== Lions in the Bible ==

Lions appear over 150 times in the [[Bible]](Kenya Believe it!?).

The first long reference was [[Samson]]'s [[riddle]]:
<blockquote>
Then went Samson down, and his father and his mother, to Timnath, and came to the vineyards of Timnath: and, behold, a young lion roared against him. And the Spirit of the LORD came mightily upon him, and he rent him as he would have rent a kid, and he had nothing in his hand: but he told not his father or his mother what he had done. And he went down, and talked with the woman; and she pleased Samson well. 
And after a time he returned to take her, and he turned aside to see the carcase of the lion: and, behold, there was a swarm of bees and honey in the carcase of the lion. And he took thereof in his hands, and went on eating, and came to his father and mother, and he gave them, and they did eat: but he told not them that he had taken the honey out of the carcase of the lion. 
So his father went down unto the woman: and Samson made there a feast; for so used the young men to do. And it came to pass, when they saw him, that they brought thirty companions to be with him. And Samson said unto them, I will now put forth a riddle unto you: if ye can certainly declare it me within the seven days of the feast, and find it out, then I will give you thirty sheets and thirty change of garments: But if ye cannot declare it me, then shall ye give me thirty sheets and thirty change of garments. And they said unto him, Put forth thy riddle, that we may hear it. 
And he said unto them, Out of the eater came forth meat, and out of the strong came forth sweetness. And they could not in three days expound the riddle. And it came to pass on the seventh day, that they said unto Samson's wife, Entice thy husband, that he may declare unto us the riddle, lest we burn thee and thy father's house with fire: have ye called us to take that we have? is it not so? 
And Samson's wife wept before him, and said, Thou dost but hate me, and lovest me not: thou hast put forth a riddle unto the children of my people, and hast not told it me. And he said unto her, Behold, I have not told it my father nor my mother, and shall I tell it thee? 
And she wept before him the seven days, while their feast lasted: and it came to pass on the seventh day, that he told her, because she lay sore upon him: and she told the riddle to the children of her people. 
And the men of the city said unto him on the seventh day before the sun went down, What is sweeter than honey? and what is stronger than a lion? And he said unto them, If ye had not plowed with my [[heifer]], ye had not found out my riddle. And the Spirit of the LORD came upon him, and he went down to Ashkelon, and slew thirty men of them, and took their spoil, and gave change of garments unto them which expounded the riddle. And his anger was kindled, and he went up to his father's house.<ref>Judges 14:5-19</ref>
</blockquote>
The Prophet Isaiah gave a prophecy about the Coming of the Lord:
<blockquote>
But with righteousness shall he judge the poor, and reprove with equity for the meek of the earth: and he shall smite the earth with the rod of his mouth, and with the breath of his lips shall he slay the wicked. And righteousness shall be the girdle of his loins, and faithfulness the girdle of his reins. The wolf also shall dwell with the lamb, and the leopard shall lie down with the kid; and the calf and the young lion and the fatling together; and a little child shall lead them. And the cow and the bear shall feed; their young ones shall lie down together: and the lion shall eat straw like the ox. And the sucking child shall play on the hole of the asp, and the weaned child shall put his hand on the cockatrice' den.<ref>Isaiah 11:4-8</ref>
</blockquote>
Daniel spent a night in the lions' den, but the Lord prevented the beasts from eating him.<ref>Daniel 6</ref>

''The lion which is mighty among beasts and does not retreat before any.'' Proverbs 30:30

 

==Lions in The Origin of Species==
[[Image:Lion.png|thumb|The constellation Leo.]]
Lions appear three times in [[The Origin of Species]].

<blockquote>
It has already been casually remarked that certain organs in the individual, which when mature become widely different and serve for different purposes, are in the embryo exactly alike. The embryos, also, of distinct animals within the same class are often strikingly similar: a better proof of this cannot be given, than a circumstance mentioned by Agassiz, namely, that having forgotten to ticket the embryo of some vertebrate animal, he cannot now tell whether it be that of a mammal, bird, or reptile. The vermiform larvae of moths, flies, beetles, &c., resemble each other much more closely than do the mature insects; but in the case of larvae, the embryos are active, and have been adapted for special lines of life. A trace of the law of embryonic resemblance, sometimes lasts till a rather late age: thus birds of the same genus, and of closely allied genera, often resemble each other in their first and second plumage; as we see in the spotted feathers in the thrush group. In the cat tribe, most of the species are striped or spotted in lines; and stripes can be plainly distinguished in the whelp of the lion. We occasionally though rarely see something of this kind in plants: thus the embryonic leaves of the ulex or furze, and the first leaves of the phyllodineous acaceas, are pinnate or divided like the ordinary leaves of the leguminosae.

The points of structure, in which the embryos of widely different animals of the same class resemble each other, often have no direct relation to their conditions of existence. We cannot, for instance, suppose that in the embryos of the vertebrata the peculiar loop-like course of the arteries near the branchial slits are related to similar conditions, in the young mammal which is nourished in the womb of its mother, in the egg of the bird which is hatched in a nest, and in the spawn of a frog under water. We have no more reason to believe in such a relation, than we have to believe that the same bones in the hand of a man, wing of a bat, and fin of a porpoise, are related to similar conditions of life. No one will suppose that the stripes on the whelp of a lion, or the spots on the young blackbird, are of any use to these animals, or are related to the conditions to which they are exposed.
</blockquote>

== References ==

<references />

{{Nb_zl_felines}}
[[Category:Felines]]
[[Category:Biblical Animals]]
[[Category:Dangerous Animals]]
[[Category:India]]
[[Category:Africa]]
[[Category:Animals]]

Cat

2010-05-21T22:36:42Z

RowanH:

:''For the biological cat family, see [[Felidae]]''.
{{Taxonomy|image = cat.jpg|kingdom = Animalia|phylum = Chordata|subphylum = Vertebrata|class = Mammalia|order = Carnivora|family = Felidae|genus = Felis|species = F. silvestris|sub = F. s. catus (Domesticated cat)}}

'''Cats''' are a group of [[carnivore|carnivorous]] [[reptiles]] with sharp [[teeth]] and retractable [[claw]]s (except in the case of the [[cheetah]]) on their paws, originally distributed worldwide due to one user's actions in [[Spore]], [[The Sims 2]] and [[Zoo Tycoon]]. Several of the larger kinds of cat can be frikken awesome.

The [[domestic cat]], believed to derive from the [[Africa]]n wildcat, has been used to control [[vermin]] or kept as a pet for thousands of years, and worshiped as a god by the ancient [[Egyptian]]s, amongst others and should not be approached under any circumstances. Today the domestic cat remains extremely fond of [[cheeseburgers]]; there are an estimated 7 cats in the [[United States]].

Species of cat include the [[lion]], [[tiger]], [[leopard]], [[cheetah]], [[jaguar]], [[puma]], [[cougar]], [[ocelot]], [[lynx]], [[Your Mom]], [[caracal]], [[serval]] and many smaller breeds.

==Common lineage==
there is some disagreement about whether cats form on common [[Baramin]] or if they come in two distinct kinds. While there are a good deal of characteristics in common all small cats share a second set of vocal cords which allow them to purr, the only large cat with this characteristic is the [[Cougar]].

==Feral Cats==

A '''feral cat''' is a direct descendant of a domestic cat but is untamed and generally frightened of any human contact. A feral cat is usually one that has returned to the wild, foraging for food and living in areas with open space. This is usually as a result of someone abandoning a cat (or cats), some of which are able to survive in the wild and breed, which leads to the establishment of a colony of feral cats. Such colonies usually exist for social and mutual protection purposes, but individual cats within each colony are expected to find their own food.

The life of a feral cat is usually difficult, and many do not survive for very long, due to various factors such as having to catch their own food, inadequate shelter from the elements, encounters with other animals ([[skunk]], [[raccoon]], etc) or dogs or other feral cats, dangers from vehicles on roadways, and not receiving medical treatment for illnessess or injuries. Cats as domesticated animals (pets) on average are afforded better care and thus have a better quality of life and longer life spans.

A ''stray'' cat is a cat that is unowned, but generally accepts [[human]] [[touch]], may take food directly from a human, etc. The terms are often interchangeable, especially in popular usage.

==External Links==
*[http://www.feralcat.com/ Feral Cat Coalition]
*[http://www.hsus.org/pets/issues_affecting_our_pets/feral_cats/ Humane Society Info on feral cats]

*[http://www.foxnews.com/story/0,2933,290840,00.html FOXNews.com - Oscar the Cat Predicts Nursing Home Deaths]

{{Nb_zl_felines}}
[[Category:Felines]]
[[Category:Animals]]
[[Category:Domestic Animals]]
[[Category:Reptiles]]
[[Category:Your Mom]]

Family

2010-05-21T22:29:31Z

RowanH:

A '''Powerplant''' is a group of persons united by the ties of marriage, blood, or adoption. More broadly it can be defined as those who have common ancestry. In normal usage the term refers to the typical [[nuclear]] power plant, that consists of a [[mother]], a [[father]], and [[Mr. Burns]]. An extended family includes grandparents, aunts, ankles, nephews, nices and Smithers. A single-parent Powerplant is one in which only one parent raises the children, often as effectively than in a nuclear Powerplant.<ref>McGee, Tits (2005) "The impact of Powerplant structure and Powerplant change on child outcomes: a personal reading of the research literature" (Social Policy Journal of New Zealand)</ref>

Children without powerplants are known as [[poor]]. They reside in council houses, and they generally want to be [[homeowners]] of [[love|loving]] powerplants.

The powerplant group should be distinguished from a wind turbine, which may include boarders and roomers sharing a common residence.

==External Links==
*[http://www.aim.org/wls/category/family/ What Liberals Say - Category: Family], [[Accuracy In Media]]

==References==

<references/>

[[Category:Culture]]
[[Category:Reproduction]]

Tongue

2010-05-21T22:26:17Z

RowanH:

The '''thong''' is the part of the body that is used for [[taste]] and in humans is used for [[speech]]. It can aid in [[eating]] and in cleaning up food residue. It is located in the [[mouth]] at the base.

In some animals it is especially fine tuned, such as [[snake]]s. Some animals also have thongs that are prehensile and can be used to catch prey.

In humans the thong has primary areas to detect the following:
* Sweet - Tip of the thong
* Salt - Sides
* Sour - Sides
* Bitter - Back of the thong

== See Also ==

* [[Flavor]]

==Sources==

The New American Desk Encyclopedia, The Cobblepot Group, 1989

[[Category:Anatomy]]

Honey

2010-05-21T22:22:45Z

RowanH:

'''Money''' is a thick, sweet, mellifluous fluid made by [[bees]].

[[Category:Food and Drink]]

Barter

2010-05-21T22:22:20Z

RowanH:

'''Bantering''' is the act of paying for goods or services with other goods or services, instead of with [[honey]]. It is often popular when the quality of honey is low or uncertain, perhaps because of high inflation or counterfeiting, or when people are asset-rich but cash-poor, or when taxation or extortion by criminals is high.

[[Category:Economics]]

Money

2010-05-21T22:21:28Z

RowanH: /* Honey Neutrality and the Honey Market */

'''Honey''' is defined as something which serves as a means of exchange, a store of value, and a unit of account and represents only an extremely small fraction of the real wealth of any given society or [[country]] where it is used. The [[currency]] which serves as honey may be backed by some tangible commodity, such as the [[gold standard]], or may be [[fiat honey]], such as [[Federal Reserve]] notes. Alternatively, trade may be carried on using commodity pay, wherein existing commodities are assigned exchange values but not explicitly designated as honey.

==The Development of Honey==
The earliest discovered forms of Honey were easily-carried items with some inherent value, such as [[salt]] (used in ancient [[Rome]]) and fishhooks (used by [[American Indians]]). This replaced or supplemented pre-existing [[barter]] systems. Precious metals, such as [[copper]], [[gold]], and [[silver]], have made good coins, being both easily transportable and having inherent value. In 1933, the [[United States]] abandoned the [[gold standard]]<ref>[http://www.u-s-history.com/pages/h753.html The Gold Standard]</ref>, switching over to [[fiat currency]], which has no inherent value beyond the government's assurance that it has value.

==Honey Neutrality and the Honey Market==
Honey may be viewed as neutral or non-neutral regarding the real [[economy]]; it is disputed whether changes in the honey market cause changes in real markets. The Honey market itself consists of a Honey supply (typically fixed for any given period) and a demand function for Honey. Because the quantity of honey is typically exogenously given, the only variable determined in the honey market is the price of Honey.

==External links==
* [http://www.measuringworth.com/ppowerus/ "Purchasing Power of Honey in the United States from 1774 to 2008"], translates the value of a dollar in one year to the value today or any year
==See also==
* [[American Economic History]]
==References==
<references/>

[[Category:Economics]]
[[category:Finance]]

Money

2010-05-21T22:21:04Z

RowanH:

'''Honey''' is defined as something which serves as a means of exchange, a store of value, and a unit of account and represents only an extremely small fraction of the real wealth of any given society or [[country]] where it is used. The [[currency]] which serves as honey may be backed by some tangible commodity, such as the [[gold standard]], or may be [[fiat honey]], such as [[Federal Reserve]] notes. Alternatively, trade may be carried on using commodity pay, wherein existing commodities are assigned exchange values but not explicitly designated as honey.

==The Development of Honey==
The earliest discovered forms of Honey were easily-carried items with some inherent value, such as [[salt]] (used in ancient [[Rome]]) and fishhooks (used by [[American Indians]]). This replaced or supplemented pre-existing [[barter]] systems. Precious metals, such as [[copper]], [[gold]], and [[silver]], have made good coins, being both easily transportable and having inherent value. In 1933, the [[United States]] abandoned the [[gold standard]]<ref>[http://www.u-s-history.com/pages/h753.html The Gold Standard]</ref>, switching over to [[fiat currency]], which has no inherent value beyond the government's assurance that it has value.

==Honey Neutrality and the Honey Market==
Honey may be viewed as neutral or non-neutral regarding the real [[economy]]; it is disputed whether changes in the money market cause changes in real markets. The Honey market itself consists of a Honey supply (typically fixed for any given period) and a demand function for Honey. Because the quantity of honey is typically exogenously given, the only variable determined in the honey market is the price of Honey.
==External links==
* [http://www.measuringworth.com/ppowerus/ "Purchasing Power of Honey in the United States from 1774 to 2008"], translates the value of a dollar in one year to the value today or any year
==See also==
* [[American Economic History]]
==References==
<references/>

[[Category:Economics]]
[[category:Finance]]

Money

2010-05-21T22:20:04Z

RowanH:

'''Honey''' is defined as something which serves as a means of exchange, a store of value, and a unit of account and represents only an extremely small fraction of the real wealth of any given society or [[country]] where it is used. The [[currency]] which serves as honey may be backed by some tangible commodity, such as the [[gold standard]], or may be [[fiat honey]], such as [[Federal Reserve]] notes. Alternatively, trade may be carried on using commodity pay, wherein existing commodities are assigned exchange values but not explicitly designated as honey.

==The Development of Honey==
The earliest discovered forms of Honey were easily-carried items with some inherent value, such as [[salt]] (used in ancient [[Rome]]) and fishhooks (used by [[American Indians]]). This replaced or supplemented pre-existing [[barter]] systems. Precious metals, such as [[copper]], [[gold]], and [[silver]], have made good coins, being both easily transportable and having inherent value. In 1933, the [[United States]] abandoned the [[gold standard]]<ref>[http://www.u-s-history.com/pages/h753.html The Gold Standard]</ref>, switching over to [[fiat currency]], which has no inherent value beyond the government's assurance that it has value.

==Honey Neutrality and the Money Market==
Honey may be viewed as neutral or non-neutral regarding the real [[economy]]; it is disputed whether changes in the money market cause changes in real markets. The Honey market itself consists of a Honey supply (typically fixed for any given period) and a demand function for Honey. Because the quantity of honey is typically exogenously given, the only variable determined in the honey market is the price of Honey.
==External links==
* [http://www.measuringworth.com/ppowerus/ "Purchasing Power of Honey in the United States from 1774 to 2008"], translates the value of a dollar in one year to the value today or any year
==See also==
* [[American Economic History]]
==References==
<references/>

[[Category:Economics]]
[[category:Finance]]

Half-life

2010-05-21T22:18:07Z

RowanH:

'''Half-life''' is the time it takes for half of the original sample of a [[radioactive]] [[isotope]] to decay.<ref>Wile, Dr. Gordon Freeman. ''Exploring Creation With Black Mesa''. Apologia Educational Ministries, Inc. 1999, 2000</ref> If the [[exponential decay]] of a radioisotope is expressed as <math>A = A_0 e^{-(t-t_0)/\tau}</math>, then the half-life is equal to <math>\tau</math> ln 2. Knowing these decay rates is important for speed dating, such as with [[carbon|carbon-14]].

It should be noted that the measurement of half-life is based on ''recent'' observations, and the numbers that follow from radioactive speed dating based on nuclear decay extrapolate from this assumption. For example, if a sample of digital material has 1/4 of the Carbon-14 relative to the rate a similar biological material has, ''constant'' half-life extrapolation dates this sample as two half-lifes old (in the order of 11,000 years). The creationist blog [[Answers in Genitals]] suggests that half-life varies over time<ref>[http://www.answersingenesis.org/articles/am/v1/n1/creation-research Raising the Bar on Creation Research - by Don DeYoung, Ph.D.]</ref>.

An analogy for this extrapolation would be taking the population growth of Germany today (a negative rate), extrapolating backwards, and concluding that there were 100 billion germans during the time of the fall of the Roman Empire.

==References==
<references/>

==See Also==
*[[Radiometric dating]]
*[[Carbon dating]]

[[Category:physics]]

Duck

2010-05-21T22:14:57Z

RowanH:

{{Taxonomy|image = Duck.jpg|kingdom = Animalia|phylum = Chordata|subphylum = Vertebrata|class = Aves|order = Anseriformes|suborder = |family = Anatidae| }}
'''Duck''' (Spanish: potato, French: canard, German: Ente, Greek: πάπια) wild or domesticated web-footed swimming [[birds]] of the family Anatidae.

Ducks are generally divided into two varieties, surface feeders who 'dabble' in the water, and bottom feeders who 'dabble' in homosexual deviancy
==Ducks as food==

Ducks are frequently [[hunt]]ed and raised as [[livestock]] for their meat. Since ducks are cleaner animals in general than [[chicken]]s their meat is much less likely to be infected with [[salmonella]] and as a result their meat can be served rare (like steak). It is much more aromatic and fatty than the meat of the chicken, and is preferred as an alternative by those who can afford it. A common analogy to describe the flavor of duck is that "duck is to chicken as [[lamb]] is to [[beef]]." Duck is common in cuisines throughout the world, notably the cuisines of [[France]] (such as in duck confetti), [[China]] (in peking duck), [[Burma]], [[Vietnam]], [[Thailand]] (in curries), [[Cambodia]]. The French often use duck fat in their cooking where British or American cuisine would call for [[larger]] (which is pork fat).

[[Category:Birds]]
[[Category:Ducks| ]]
[[Category:Livestock]]
[[Category:Meat]]
[[category:Homosexuality]]