Hedwig Pöllöläinen
grrlscientist
Posts by this author
October 9, 2007
tags: researchblogging.org, conservation, birds, ornithology, ecology, environment, endangered species
Image: Robert Linder.
I suppose this seems obvious to you city dwellers, but recently published research demonstrates that urban birds are better overall survivors than their country-dwelling…
October 8, 2007
tags: books, blog carnival
The 7 October 2007 Books Carnival is now available. I am pleased to say that they included two submissions from me, so be sure to go there and let them know how much you appreciate their hard work of putting this together for all of us to enjoy by reading the links they'…
October 8, 2007
tags: mystery insects, bugs, Image of the Day
The photographer writes: I was wondering if you might wish to post an unknown bug that showed here in Charlottesville.
Context: My Mom's also down here in C-ville. Outside her house, she has a hydrangea (sp?) bush. This bush was invaded by shoots…
October 8, 2007
tags: Birds in the News, BirdNews, ornithology, birds, avian, newsletter
Can anyone out there identify these mysterious birds? I have no information about the birds, such as location, but several experts are already proposing their guesses (one thinks it's a Chough, another one disagrees).…
October 8, 2007
tags: A Computer Love Story, streaming video
Here's a silly video about electronic love that you will probably enjoy. Includes some cute music by Burt Bacharach and Randy Newman. [4:12]
October 7, 2007
tags: mystery insects, bugs, Image of the Day
Leafcutter Bee on Helianthus annuus, White Oak Bayou along E. T.C. Jester Blvd., Houston.
The photographer writes: Here is a picture of what I believe is a leafcutter bee, and a hirsute one at that, gathering pollen on the flower of a wild sunflower.…
October 7, 2007
tags: reading quiz, online quiz
What Kind of Reader Are You?
Your Result: Dedicated Reader
Â
You are always trying to find the time to get back to your book. You are convinced that the world would be a much better place if only everyone read more.
Obsessive-Compulsive Bookworm
 …
October 6, 2007
1842 THE BIRTHDAY OF BEER! Lager Beer is perfected in the city of Pilsen, you know, as in Pilsner Beer. Beer was made by the Egyptians and Sumerians and traced back to the Ice Age, but our concept of beer requiring an advancement in refrigeration is Pilsner or Lager.
1905 The initial description of…
October 5, 2007
tags: butterflies, pupa, insects, Central Park, Image of the Day
Can you identify the species?
Image: Bob Levy, author of Club George. [Wallpaper size]
The photographer writes; I found this Pupa practitioner of the Yoga arts working out at Turtle Pond in Central Park. Definitely do not try this…
October 5, 2007
The pathology tests are finally back regarding the sudden death of Alex the Congo African Grey parrot.
Alex died quickly. He had a sudden, unexpected catastrophic event associated with arterosclerosis ("hardening of the arteries"). It was either a fatal arrhythmia, heart attack or stroke, which…
October 5, 2007
tags: birds, birding, blog carnival
The 59th edition of I and the Bird blog carnival is now available for your reading pleasure. Be sure to go there and give them some support by reading the stories they have linked!
October 5, 2007
tags: worry, online quiz
Your Worry Factor is 67%
The amount you worry is definitely borderline unhealthy.
Even when things are going well, you find yourself fixating on the negatives.
Try to remember the times you've been able to let your worries go.
If you can do that again, you'll be much…
October 5, 2007
tags: fighting giraffes, streaming video
Below the fold is some astonishing footage of wild giraffes fighting. It gets quite vicious at times. Filmed on safari in Tanzania.
October 4, 2007
tags: finances, blog carnival
The 4 October 2007 edition of the Carnival of Financial Planning has just been published. This carnival takes a long-term view of personal financial planning for individuals and families. They focus on efficient and sustainable personal financial planning practices…
October 4, 2007
Does anyone out there have access to the PDF version of Scientific American's "The Mind"?
If so, I'd like the most recent issue .. not sure of it's the September or October issue, so maybe you can just send both to me and I'll figure it out?
October 4, 2007
tags: researchblogging.org, Brown paper wasp, Polistes fuscatus, hymenoptera, evolution, eusociality, social behavior
Brown paper wasp , Polistes fuscatus.
Fairport, New York, USA. 2003.
Many thanks to Alex Wild for sharing his amazing images here.
Thanks to Elizabeth Tibbetts for the species…
October 4, 2007
tags: Red-breasted nuthatch, Sitta canadensis, birds, Image of the Day
Yesterday's mystery bird is revealed: Red-breasted nuthatch, Sitta canadensis.
Image: David Lee. [Wallpaper size]
October 4, 2007
tags: economics, social policy, blog carnival
The XXXV edition of the Economics and Social Policy blog carnival is now available. This is a new blog carnival for me to contribute to, so be sure to go there for a look around at what they have to offer.
October 4, 2007
tags: birds, birding, word play, humor
When I was working on my dissertation, my colleagues and I referred to any large or mixed flock of birds as "a shitload of birds" for obvious reasons. I hadn't thought about this for awhile until recently, when I noticed that one of the email lists I am on is…
October 4, 2007
tags: blog carnivals, Carnival of the Spineless, invertebrates
It has come to my attention that the latest edition of the Carnival of the Spineless is now available for you to enjoy. Remember that the majority of life on earth consists of living creatures that lack a spine, so there is a great deal…
October 4, 2007
tags: dance monkey dance, streaming video
An interesting streaming video with words to "Dance Monkeys Dance" by Ernest Cline. [3:53]
October 3, 2007
A friend, Jerry, sent me the results of the Washington Post's Mensa Invitational. This is a competition where WaPo readers are asked to take any word from the dictionary, alter it by adding, subtracting, or changing one letter, and supply a new definition. Below the fold are this year's winners.…
October 3, 2007
tags: Red-breasted nuthatch, Sitta canadensis, birds, Image of the Day
The photographer writes: I took some pictures this weekend at my bird feeder (in Eagle River, AK). [More of these images will follow, so be sure to check in here]
Image: David Lee. [Wallpaper size]
mystery bird, revealed.
October 3, 2007
tags: researchblogging.org, treatment-emergent suicidal ideation, suicide, citalopram, celexa, SSRI, black box warning
Despite what the news might have you believe, it is quite rare for a depressed person to exhibit increased suicidal thinking after they have begun treatment with an SSRI, such as…
October 3, 2007
tags: researchblogging.org, H-index, impact numbers, scientific journals
A friend, Ian, emailed an opinion paper that lamented the state of scientific research and the effect this has had on science itself. In this paper, by Peter A. Lawrence, a Professor of Zoology at University of Cambridge, the…
October 2, 2007
tags: blog carnivals, The Boneyard, paleontology
The sixth edition of the Boneyard is now available for you to read. This blog carnival focuses on paleontology and fossils, so there's plenty there for you dinosaur fans to enjoy.
October 1, 2007
tags: blog carnivals, carnival of eating disorders, eating disorders
The latest edition of the Carnival of Eating Disorders is now available for you to enjoy. As you might know, eating disorders affect many people, either directly or indirectly. This blog carnival included an essay that I wrote, so…
October 1, 2007
tags: blog carnivals, Writers block, writing
The latest edition of the Writer's Block carnival is now available for your reading pleasure. Even though there's plenty there to read, I think I've cornered their market for book reviews .. go check it out to see what they've got to read!
October 1, 2007
tags: blog carnivals, Friday Ark, animal photography
The 158th edition of Friday Ark is now available for you to enjoy. This blog carnival, inspired by friday cat blogging, focuses on animal photography. So be sure to go there to see their latest collection of images, some of which are accompanied…
October 1, 2007
tags: blog carnivals, brain
The latest edition of the Brain Blogging carnival is now available, and they were fkind enough to include something that I wrote. Yeah, me! Be sure to go there and give them support by reading a few of their links.