Hello From Orlando - Central Florida's Parks And Gardens Offer An Abundance Of Colours, Shapes, And Textures

Florida has a great amount of biodiversity and nature lovers will enjoy the great variety of plants found in the Sunshine State. On our recent trip to Orlando we had a chance to visit several locations with a beautiful parks and gardens, such as the Harry P. Leu Gardens and the Historical Bok Sanctuary. Even my excursion on the Scenic Boat Tour in Winter Park brought me up close to some of the fascinating flowers and plants found in the Orlando area.

Florida has a mix of subtropical and tropical climates and the area around Orlando are more subtropical. Central Florida has a hot, but often stormy climate and experiences many thunderstorms with a frequent risk of hurricanes.

Geographically, the Central Florida area encompasses Orange, Osceola, Seminole, Lake, Brevard, and Volusia counties, and some consider Polk and Sumter counties also to be part of Central Florida. This low-lying area is dominated by hundreds of lakes surrounded by marshland. Historically predominant industries include cotton, citrus and cattle-raising. The climate favours a great deal of plant and animal species.

Nature lovers will revel in Central Florida's abundant gardens and parks which give them a perfect opportunity to enjoy nature up close. Here is a collection of parks and gardens that will give you great exposure to Central Florida's natural beauty:

Archbold Biological Station P. O. Box 2057, (Old State Road 8), Lake Placid, FL 33862 phone: (941) 465-2571. "The Station fosters long-term ecological research on native plants and animals of central Florida and also provides environmental education for K-12 children."

Bok Tower Gardens 1151 Tower Boulevard, Lake Wales, FL 33853-3412; phone: (941) 676-1408. "Historic Bok Sanctuary offers visitors Florida's most abundant opportunities for aesthetic, cultural and personal enrichment. The lush landscapes of the Olmsted gardens, the majesty and music of the carillon tower and the splendor of Pinewood Estate create an experience that inspires all who visit."

Cypress Gardens 2641 South Lake Summit Road, Cypress Gardens, FL 33884; phone: (800) 282-2123. "Standing sentinel in the historic gardens is the giant Banyan tree, which was planted in 1939 from a seedling during the parks early years. Topiary Trail features a collection of colorful topiaries, including a variety of animals such as a rabbit, swan and serpent. The crowning gem in this trail of jewels is the waterfall, a sparkling cascade accented by brilliant floral blossoms. The Plantation Gardens grace the manicured landscape of Snively mansion and include the aromatic herb garden, a glorious rose garden and the butterfly garden adjoining Wings of Wonder."

Disney Wilderness Preserve 6075 Scrub Jay Trail kissimmee, FL 34759; Phone: (407) 935-0002. "Fifteen miles south of walt Disney World, in the heart of Central Florida, lies the Disney Wilderness Preserve. The site, originally the Walker Ranch, is now owned and managed by the Nature Conservancy, a private, non-profit conservation organization that is responsible for the largest network of private conservation lands in the world."

Harry P. Leu Botanical Gardens 1920 N. Forest Avenue, Orlando, FL 32803-1537; Phone: (407) 246-2620. "Miles of paved scenic walkways that take you through garden settings, including: America's largest Camellia collection outside California and the largest formal rose garden in Florida, a house museum dating from the 1880's, a palm garden and bamboo garden. New gardens include the Tropical Stream Garden and the new Kitchen Garden with herbs, vegetables and a butterfly garden!"

Highlands Hammock State Park 5931 Hammock Road, Sebring, FL 33872; Phone: (941) 386-6094. "The contrast of the dark swamp waters against the bright trunks of the bare trees is reminiscent of more northerly forests. White-tailed deer munch their way through the campsites, enjoying the scattering of acorns around the base of many oaks. Bobcat tracks are found each morning in the damp sands along the roadways, and the Barred owls call as soon as the sun goes down. Visitors are enjoying viewing alligators as they soak up the warm sun that follows the cool nighttime temperatures."

Lake kissimmee State Park 14248 Camp Mack Road, Lake Wales, FL 33853; Phone: (941) 696-1112. "Florida's cowboy heritage comes alive with living history demonstrations of the early Florida "cow hunters" in an 1876-era cow camp, open 9:30 a.m.-4:30 p.m. weekends and holidays. White-tailed deer, bald eagles, sandhill cranes, turkeys, and bobcats have been seen in the park, located on the shores of lakes kissimmee, Tiger, and Rosalie. Visitors enjoy boating, canoeing, and fishing in the picturesque lakes. Nature students can hike over 13 miles of trails to observe and study the abundant plant and animal life. Six miles of trails are open to equestrians. A large, shaded picnic area with pavilions is available. The park has full-facility campsites, as well as a primitive camping facility. The youth camping area can accommodate up to 50 people. The dark skies make stargazing a popular nighttime activity for campers."

Ocala National Forest USDA Forest Service, 17147 E. Hwy 40, Silver Springs, FL 34488 Phone: (352) 625-7470. "The Forest offers 383,573 acres of unique ecological sites, trails, natural springs. There are hundreds of camping sites throughout the forest offering everything from full-service campgrounds to more rustic sites. The National Forest also has designated trails for horseback riding. Hunting is permitted in designated areas where the enforcement of state regulations is strict. Recreation areas include Alexander Springs, Fore Lake Recreational area, Juniper Springs, Lake Eaton Loop Trail, Lake Eaton Sink Hole, Mill Dam Recreation area, Salt Springs and Salt Springs Trail. Specially marked walking/hiking trails are located throughout this wonderful resource. Lake Eaton Sinkhole and the Lake Eaton Loop are only two of the trails that allow the visitor to explore the area on easily traveled interpretive trails."

Silver River State Park 7165 N. E. 7th Street, Ocala, FL 34470; Phone: (352) 236-1827. "This park has more than 14 distinct natural communities, dozens of springs, and miles of beautiful trails. The adjoining Silver Springs attraction houses the headwaters of the Silver River, which flows through the park into the Ocklawaha River. The park is home to a pioneer cracker village and the Silver River Museum and Environmental education Center. The center is operated by the Marion County School District in cooperation with the park and is open to the public on weekends and holidays from 9:00 a.m. to 5:00. p.m. Admission to the Museum is $2.00 per person.Children 6 and under are free."

Silver Springs P. O. Box 370, (5656 E. SR-40), Silver Springs, FL 34489; Phone: (800) 234-7458. "Silver Springs is a 350 acre nature theme park surrounds the headwaters of the beautiful Silver River, the largest artesian spring formation in the world. Located 90 miles north of Orlando, just east of Ocala, Florida. Here you can view the underground springs from our famous glass-bottom boats, where youll see fish, shellfish, turtles and alligators in water thats up to 80 feet deep and 99.8% pure. Walk the beautiful grounds and experience the natural habitats of Floridas largest alligators, endangered bears and panthers, Kritter Korral petting zoo, plus an entertaining variety of wildlife shows from Birds of Prey to snakes and reptiles. There are rides and exhibits for all ages in a natural setting of stunning beauty. "

University of Central Florida Arboretum 4000 Central Florida Blvd. Orlando, FL 32816-2368 Phone: (407) 823-2141. "The Arboretum of The University of Central Florida was founded in 1983. From the original 12-acre "quick view" garden with a mix of ornamental and native plants in the pond pine community adjacent the Stockard Conservatory Greenhouse, The Arboretum has grown to nearly 80 acres. North of the 9 acre man-made lake and the Engineering E-2 parking lot, trails take visitors through a 5-7 acre cypress dome and a picturesque 2-3 acre oak hammock. North of the oak hammock the trail crosses an open area with wild rosemary and sand pine, and oak scrub, returning to the cypress dome. An unmarked trail circles the cypress dome on the north, club mosses and carnivorous sundews lining the sides, before rejoining the main trail on the southwest side of the dome. Follow the broad white sand trail west through a 'mature' [last burned in the 1950's] sand pine and wild rosemary community for a quick exit to the University Field House road, or return on Arboretum trails."

Winter Park Kraft Azalea Gardens, Winter Park, Phone 407-599-3334: Located on Alabama Drive off Palmer Avenue. Thousands of azaleas, tropical shrubs and trees grow luxuriantly along the shores of Lake Maitland where cool breezes and breathtaking sunsets can be found. Azaleas bloom January through March.

Although the Orlando area is mostly known for its big-thrill attractions and theme parks, nature lovers will find plenty of parks, gardens and wilderness areas to enjoy. For more information about the Orlando area contact the Orlando Convention and Visitors Bureau.

This entire article including photos is located at http://www.travelandtransitions.com/stories_photos/orlando_florida_plantlife.htm

Susanne Pacher is the publisher of http://www.travelandtransitions.com, a web portal for unconventional travel & cross-cultural connections. Check out our brand new http://www.travelandtransitions.com/ebooks.html FREE ebooks about travel.

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Ergonomics and Modern Workspace Design

At the end of the nineteenth century, Frederick Winslow Taylor went to work at Bethlehem Steel. Upon observing the workers shoveling coal, Taylor had an idea. He assigned each worker a shovel that was of a size and weight ideally suited to the worker's own body structure. With the new shovels, the workers became triply effective, Bethlehem Steel was able to reduce its cost by half, and get the same amount of work out of 140 employees that it once got out of 400.

Today, few businesses need concern themselves with optimizing their employees' coal-shoveling potentialities, but workers are breaking their backs at a whole new kind of grind, spending up to fourteen hours a day at a desk in front of a computer. That is why ergonomics, the study and integration of human well-being principles into systems designs, has become an integral part of the creation of modern workspaces.

There are several areas of ergonomics to consider when designing or redesigning an office space. Arguably the most important of these is the physical aspect. The average worker pushes his or her body to the limit every day simply by sitting in a chair, motionless save for fingers flashing over the keyboard, and hands and arms controlling the mouse.

It doesn't seem like a punishing physical task, but according to the Bureau of Labor Statistics, Repetitive Stress Injuries (RSIs), such as Carpel Tunnel Syndrome, are the single fastest-growing work-related illness, costing businesses as much as 30 billion dollars a year, and all due to just sitting at a desk typing.

Physical ergonomics, then, is concerned with office tools and supplies geared towards allowing people to work efficiently, productively, and painlessly. The major product issues in this category surround chairs, keyboards, and mice. There are many of these type of 'ergonomic' products on the market, but experts say that virtually none of these actually do the job right..

A huge demand for ergonomic office furniture and supplies has led to an unfortunate wave of products being advertised as 'ergonomic,' when they are anything but. At this point, there is absolutely no system in place regulating what can or cannot be marketed as such, so it's wise to shop around. Ergonomists suggest that businesses consult - surprise, surprise - ergonomists, before overhauling a work environment.

However, without resorting to a process of drastic remodeling, employers can vastly improve physical ergonomics by providing free classes in which workers can learn to use their own bodies ergonomically. After all, you can have the best office chair in the world, but if you don't know how to sit in it, you will always be uncomfortable. Classes in the Alexander Technique, Tai chi, and yoga can do huge things for physical health in the workplace, and lead to a reduction in work-related injuries, which in turn shrinks the cost to businesses of paying out for sick days and sick workers.

Another crucial area of ergonomics is engineering psychology, or cognitive ergonomics. This area is born out of the philosophy that a happy worker is a productive worker, and to be happy, a worker has to not dread going in to the office every day. Cluttered, messy, overwhelming, or generally unpleasant workstations are the cause of this ennui for more than 50% of all office employees in the US, according to a recent Logitech survey.

The word of the day in ergonomic workspace design is to say goodbye to those cubicles! In practice, open, dynamic work areas are proving to be hotbeds of employee creativity and productivity. It is true that privacy is often cited as a workplace must-have, but the benefits of a spatially unrestricted environment in which workers are able to easily collaborate, communicate, and problem-solve are far greater.

A 'war room' style workspace, or what is called 'radical collocation' is gaining in popularity amongst fast-growing IT businesses. This environment normally involves a large, open space with tables around the center for collaborative work, and more enclosed spaces around the edge of the room for solo projects and private conferences.

Ideally, these workspaces will be furnished as dynamically as possible, with lightweight, easily movable furniture that can be regularly reconfigured to meet the needs of the day. Studies show that employees who are given the opportunity to contribute to the shaping of their work environment demonstrate high levels of commitment to their jobs, which translates into increased productivity, low turnover rates, fewer sick days, and even increased neatness and conscientious behavior.

This sort of open, flexible environment also provides ample opportunity for workers to move around, which has both cognitive and physical ergonomic benefits. Staying in the same position, at the same desk, day after day, is not conducive in allowing human beings to function at their best.

Rather than assigning desks, ergonomic workspace design involves employees being able to move freely from workstation to workstation, library to hot desk to breakout room, depending on what they need to do. This strategy works best in a wireless environment, and overall leads to reduced clutter, increased creativity and job commitment, and better employee health.

For a new business, beginning ergonomically is a must. It is an investment in cutting future costs by ensuring the on-site well-being of employees. When starting from scratch, ergonomic design can actually be cheaper than creating a conventional office environment, because it eliminates many of the expensive borders and limitations - everything from walls to wiring - that so many drab, gray, airless office spaces labor under.

For an established business, coming around to ergonomics can prove to be a great expense, and with so many products and services out there pushing themselves as the ergo-solution of the day, it can be hard not to go over-budget. However, the time of the isolated, burnt-out cubicle employee is drawing to a close, and to compete with the satisfied, energized workers found in modern office spaces, traditional businesses are going to have to come around eventually.

In the end, it's just a matter of identifying the point at which the costs of dealing with unhappy, uncomfortable workers begins to be outweighed by the benefits of making the change in favor of better quality work, lower absenteeism, consistently met deadlines, and fewer errors. Yes, the transition to ergonomic workspace design can be expensive, but ultimately, it could save your business.

Article written for BizSession.com http://www.BizSession.com

QClix.com Article Team http://www.QClix.com

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Wireless Networking Basics

wireless networking is simple in theory: just install a wireless network adapter in each computer and forget about drilling holes and running cable. When you deal with equipment based on the 802.11b (or Wi-Fi) standard, unfortunately, the reality often falls short of claimed specifications. Your wireless network will have a limited range - you've probably experienced a decrease in speed at a certain distance from an access point. That's why you must adjust the location and configuration of your wireless setup to obtain the best possible performance, range, and reliability. Follow expert advice and your connection will be faster across longer distances--and you'll have fewer dropped connections.

Pick the best location: The farther your wireless networked computer is from a wireless access point--and the greater the number of solid objects that stand in the way--the slower your connection will be. To optimize your network's speed and range, position your wireless access point at least a few feet above the floor and away from metal objects, particularly large appliances like refrigerators. Though most manuals for networking products tell you to position the access point in the middle of the coverage area, it's often better to identify the locations where you expect to use a computer and put the access point where it will be in a direct line of sight (or close to it) to as many of those places as possible.

Don't waste time worrying about "dead spots" if no one is likely to use a computer there. Once your wireless network is up and running, even slight changes in your wireless network card's position (say, a shift in the orientation of your laptop as you recline on the couch) may dramatically improve throughput or even restore a dropped connection.

For larger areas--or areas with many obstructions--your only option may be to shell out the cash for multiple access points. If you go this route, you'll find that wireless setup is easy: Simply make sure that the access points have identical settings. Virtually all wireless network adapters support "roaming": In areas where access point coverage overlaps, the adapter will latch on to the strongest signal.

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