Category: Administrative • College
I just finished the last exam of the semester, but rather than being relieved I am seriously pissed off. I'm not going to divulge the details of the situation just yet, but for now I'll just say that once again I'm going head-to-head with the administration over my academic future. The full story will show up here eventually, but presently I've got to see some people who I hope will be able to help me out of what I feel is an unjust situation. As if I had any remaining doubt, coming back to Rutgers to try and finish my degree was a huge mistake.
Posted by Brian Switek at 12:55 PM • 8 Comments • 0 TrackBacks
Category: Mammals • Photography
A Plains zebra (Equus quagga), photographed last year at the Philadelphia Zoo.
Posted by Brian Switek at 12:50 PM • 0 Comments • 0 TrackBacks
Category: Dinosaurs • History of Science • Paleontology
Our understanding of dinosaurs today is a far cry from the massive, crocodile-like beasts envisioned by Richard Owen and William Buckland, but the way in which ideas about dinosaurs held by earlier paleontologists are presented has been troubling me lately. In many documentaries it is fashionable to say that dinosaurs were traditionally viewed as big lizards, making them slow, dumb, and cold-blooded animals, but the more I have read about the early days of paleontology the more I've come to doubt that such generalizations can really be maintained.
Read on »
Posted by Brian Switek at 11:32 AM • 4 Comments • 0 TrackBacks
Category: Administrative • Photography
As some of you may recall, about two months ago my apartment was robbed, my digital slr camera being one of the items that was stolen. Since then it has not been found by the police and I'm still struggling with my renter's insurance provider, but yesterday I got news of when my economic stimulus check was coming and this allowed me to purchase a brand new camera!
After looking over some reviews (and keeping in mind what I could actually afford), I decided to go with the Nikon D60, going all-out for a kit that included a 18-55mm lens, a 55-200mm lens, and some other good stuff. I really want to try and learn how to use all the features on this one (I primarily played with the contrast on my old Olympus and little else), and I know I'll get plenty of practice as I've got a long list of places to visit to re-stage some of the photos I lost.
Hopefully my new kit will arrive soon as this weekend I'm going to be headed off to Delaware in an attempt to see some horseshoe crabs during their annual spawning, although I might be a little too early. Even if I am, though, I've got some other plans that will hopefully provide some interesting subject material, and you all should be seeing some brand new "Photo(s) of the Day" up here soon.
Posted by Brian Switek at 7:57 AM • 3 Comments • 0 TrackBacks
Category: Cats • Mammals • Photography
An Amur leopard (Panthera pardus orientalis), photographed last year at the Philadelphia Zoo.
Posted by Brian Switek at 7:54 AM • 1 Comments • 0 TrackBacks
Category: History of Science • Paleontology
Standing in front of a small tank of mudskippers in the special "Water" exhibition at the American Museum of Natural History, I heard a gentleman next to me comment to his friend "You know, if evolution is true, it's really amazing how many different kinds of animal there are." I have to admit that the first thought to pop into my mind was "If?" but after my twinge of arrogance passed I had to agree; it really is fantastic that evolution has produced such diverse forms of life.
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Posted by Brian Switek at 11:54 AM • 12 Comments • 0 TrackBacks
Category: Cats • Mammals • Photography
Zeff, a female Amur tiger (Panthera tigris altaica), photographed last year at the Bronx Zoo.
Posted by Brian Switek at 8:08 AM • 0 Comments • 0 TrackBacks
Category: Mammals • Photography
A female African elephant (Loxodonta africana), photographed last year at the Philadelphia Zoo.
Posted by Brian Switek at 9:35 AM • 0 Comments • 0 TrackBacks
