I would imagine that whether you are a user of the Internet or not the chances are you have heard about a social networking site called Twitter. In fact, if you do use the Internet there is every chance you are already a part of the Twitter network. The social network scene is proving very popular with a wide range of the population. From top politicians who use Twitter to let people know about political developments, election news and so on, to celebrities, right on to affiliates who use Twitter to promote their products.
Take, for example, Barack Obama, the 44th President of the United States. Even before he was voted in as President he kept his `followers` up to date with his electioneering campaign. He now has an amazing 2,581,282 followers, and this figure increases almost by the second. Stephen Fry describes himself on his bio as a `British Actor, Writer, Lord of Dance, Prince of Swimwear & Blogger` who has recently given up on Twitter due to his being criticized by one of his followers as being `boring.` Fry took exception to this, but has since gone back on what he wrote in one of his tweets, and is staying with Twitter. Fry`s more than 950,000 followers are no doubt pleased by his change of heart.
But of course it is not just private individuals who have a presence on Twitter. Companies both great and small keep their customers involved by regular updates. One of these larger companies is Amazon. They have several pages, one of these being the official twitter of Amazon’s affiliate program, which was launched in 1996. Great news for Amazon`s Associates who get to find out updates very quickly, rather than having to wait for slower email announcements.
Now in fact they have gone even further, they have announced the launch of a new feature called Share on Twitter. Associates can access Share on Twitter from the Site Stripe and post to their Twitter account from Amazon detail pages in just two clicks. By clicking on the Share on Twitter button in the Site Stripe, a new window will open and an Amazon-generated message is pre populated in the ‘What are you doing?’ text area of an Associates Twitter account which already includes that Associate`s ID. If a Twitter user clicks on the link in that post and makes a qualifying sale, referral fees are then earned by the Associate.
Amazon, as with other affiliate programs, has seen a huge opportunity to cash in on the size and popularity of Twitter. The danger though is that eventually social networking sites like Twitter could get too spammy.
Posted in Internet And Businesses Online tagged Followers, Lord Of Dance, Political Developments by Stephen with No comments
The Swordtail or Xiphophorus helleri is a member of the family Poecilidae in the order Cyrinodontiformes. The sword fish is endemic to both North and South America. Their natural habitat stretches from Vera Cruz, Mexico to Honduras.
The name swordtail is literal. These fish are named for the extended pointed region at the bottom of the caudal fin. This species is sexually dimorphic. The extended tail is found only among the males of the species. The different sexes do share the same color palette. The female is often slightly larger than the male.
Swordtails are related to another popular fish among freshwater aquarium owners, the plati commonly referred to as the southern platyfish. They are so closely related that they can crossbreed with one another and do so regularly in the wild.
Just like their cousin, the southern platyfish, the swordtail’s prolific breeding has wreaked havoc on previously uninhabited ecosystems. Feral populations can be found in both Africa and Australia. This ecological nuisance has caused damage in both its new spawning grounds.
Like many of the fish you see in fish stores today, the swordtail has been selectively bred to increase its appeal for the aquarium owner. Swordtails come in an assortment of colors including orange, red, black, green, yellow and multi-colored varieties.
Swordtails have a good natured temperament. They are the perfect fit for community tanks. They prefer the swift moving water and heavy vegetation of tropical rivers and streams but can make themselves right at home in creeks and canals. Accordingly they can adapt to a multitude of aquarium conditions.
Swordtails thrive in slightly alkaline waters ranging from pH 7.0-7.3 with water temperatures between 72-79 ?F. They can grow as long as 5 inches and have an average life expectancy of up to 5 years.
Swordtails are omnivorous. They are not picky eaters. They can subsist on a diet of nothing but tropical fish flakes but regular protein supplements will help maintain their virility and coloration.
Breeding Swordtails
The Swordtail is a live bearing fish. They share similar traits with other live bearers. The males have a modified anal fin known as a gonopodium that is used to inseminate the female during spawning. They also have a tendency to harass the females of their species. A mix of 2-3 females per male is recommended to curb incidences of domestic violence. Providing plants for the females to hide is also beneficial.
Swordtails commonly breed in community tanks. The urge to reproduce is so strong in this species that the females are hermaphroditic. In populations consisting entirely of females one will frequently transform into a male to insure the propagation of the species. The female will develop a dark gravid spot on her abdomen after she becomes pregnant.
Fry have a four to six week gestation period. They will emerge from the female fully developed. Like most live bearing fish, adult swordtails will eat their fry. This can be easily avoided by the use of a breeding trap.
Fry can be fed newly hatched shrimp brine, powdered or liquid fry food formulated for live bearing fish. An economical and readily available substitute is powdered eggs.
Posted in Pets tagged Caudal Fin, Same Color Palette, Vera Cruz Mexico by Stephen with No comments
