Paul Linus, Author at News, Views and Reviews

Feb282018 by Paul LinusNo Comments

Elephant Rehabilitation in Sri Lanka

Wildlife

As of June 2008, over 60 orphaned elephants have been returned to the wild by the Elephant Transit Home which was opened in 1995 by the Department of Wildlife Conservation. Ongoing tracking of these animals has revealed that one of the elephants released in 1998 has given birth to a calf in the wild, the ultimate goal of endangered species rehabilitation. Threats to the Asian Elephant in Sri Lanka The Sri Lankan subspecies of the Asian elephant (Elephas maximus maximus) is faced with shrinking and degraded habitat. Irrigation programs for agriculture, which allow for human settlements in traditionally dry parts of the country, create problems for the Sri Lankan elephant population in several ways. The encroachment of humans into this elephant habitat has resulted in increased ...

Feb272018 by Paul Linus1 Comment

What are Functional Foods, Nutraceuticals

Health

Everybody's talking about antioxidant foods, probiotics, and other fortified foods that are supposed to be good for health. How much real benefit do these kinds of foods and nutritional supplements deliver, and what's the best way to use them? Functional Foods and Nutraceuticals According to Health Canada, there is no "universally accepted" definition for functional foods and nutraceuticals. In general, though, when doctors talk about functional foods, they are referring to foods that offer specific health benefits, or that have bioactive compounds that lower the risk of disease or improve health. Nutraceuticals are special ingredients that have been isolated from functional foods for their medicinal or health benefits, but that are no longer whole foods. These are normally so...

Feb262018 by Paul LinusNo Comments

Weekend Breaks in the East of England in July and August

Travel

The East of England counties of Cambridgeshire, Norfolk, Suffolk, Hertfordshire, Essex, and Bedfordshire have plenty to offer anyone looking for a weekend break, any time of the year. Here are some suggestions on where to go, what to see, and where to stay if planning to travel in July or August to enjoy a summer weekend break. Weekend Breaks in July Where to Go Constable Country is a natural choice for July. Not all of the artist John Constable's paintings were of the summer months, but many of his best-loved works feature the English countryside in all its green glory. What to See Constable's most famous painting of all, The Hay Wain, may show the scenery around Flatford a little later in the year, when the hay-makers are at work, but July usually means good weather an...

Feb232018 by Paul LinusNo Comments

How to Clean Foggy or Yellow Auto Lights

Automobiles

Night driving can be made more dangerous if the headlights are dirty or cloudy. Hazy or dirty headlights may have as little as one half the brightness of clear lights. This not only makes it difficult for the driver to see the road ahead, but it also makes it difficult for other drivers to see the oncoming vehicle as well. Things Needed to Clean and Restore Cloudy Headlights -A soft cloth -Window cleaner -Baking soda -Water Various Options for Cleaning Faded Auto Lights There are special cleaners that are designed for cleaning hazy and faded headlights, such as plastic headlight lens cleaners. Some persons have even used Pam cooking spray, with varying degrees of success, to clean their car’s oxidized lights. If Pam is safe enough to eat, it is safe for car lights; try s...

Feb222018 by Paul LinusNo Comments

We’re Not Married: a 1950s Comedy about Marriage

Movies

Anyone in the mood to poke some fun at marriage will enjoy this delightful comedy from the 1950s. Somewhat ahead of its time, this classic film has been called by Amazon.com reviewer Bret Fetzer as: “one of the more gleefully cynical snipes ever aimed at that fundamental institution.” Six couples are married in Gretna Green between Christmas Eve and New Year by newly-appointed Justice of the Peace Melvin Bush (Victor Moore). But two years later it is revealed that as Bush’s appointment only begun in the New Year, all six marriages are invalid. Each couple then receives a letter about the mistake, with the freedom to marry each other again…or not. And so goes the comedic premise, legal accuracies aside. Ginger Rogers & Fred Allen as Witty Couple Not just a stale portrait of...

Feb212018 by Paul LinusNo Comments

Inside Look at Emo Punk Music

Entertainment, Music

“Emo”…the very word strikes fear into the hearts of parents, passionate rebellion into the hearts of fans and a sour nostalgia into the hearts of those few who were there at the start. However ‘emo’, or emotional punk, is much more than a fleeting teenage fad – and has been so for over 20 years. The Birth of Emo Back in the mid 80s, Washington DC band Rites of Spring cropped up on the local punk scene and began thrilling their audiences with furious and energetic performances. Their hallmark sound fused melodic aspects with the well-established punk formula, creating a platform for emotional expression never before seen within alternative rock music. Emo was born, although it was hardly accepted as a credible sub-genre at the time. Emo in the 1990s Skip to the mid-to-late 9...