Hedwig Pöllöläinen
grrlscientist
Posts by this author
July 23, 2007
tags: Harry Potter spoilers, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, books
I have been getting differing viewpoints regarding the epilogue to the last Harry Potter book, so of course, I am asking you all what you thought of it?
Did you want the ending to be less syrupy-sweet? Did you want less to…
July 23, 2007
tags: leafcutter bees, Image of the Day
Leafcutter bees in W. 11th St. Park Nesting Boxes. Look for the diagnostic hair on the ventral surface of the abdomen, which the bee rubs over composite flowers to trap pollen.
Image: Biosparite [larger]
July 23, 2007
tags: Birds in the News, BirdNews, ornithology, birds, avian, newsletter
Female Snowy Owl, Bubo scandiacus.
Image: Bill Ferensen, Seattle.
Even though my blog pseudonym is "GrrlScientist", some of you originally knew me elsewhere on the internet as "Hedwig the Owl" -- a pseudonym that I have…
July 23, 2007
tags: Evolution of Internet, streaming video
The history of the internet in five minutes presented by Ethan Zuckerman. Basically, it is the story of how, when hundreds and hundreds of monkeys are placed in the same room, it turns out that they will write encyclopedias -- now known as Wikis. I was…
July 22, 2007
tags: cadaver calculator, online quiz
Thanks to my drinking pal (and blog pal) Orac, I now know that, as corpses go, I am worth a fair amount, it would appear, according to the cadaver calculator. In fact, I'd guess that I am worth more dead than alive! How about you?
$5150.00The Cadaver Calculator…
July 22, 2007
tags: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, books
A reader sent a link to this cartoon that you might enjoy.
Image: source [larger].
Anyway, I know that the < sarcasm alert > entire blogosphere has been deeply deeply concerned whether I finally located a copy of the last Harry Potter book…
July 22, 2007
tags: Roseate Skimmer Dragonfly, Image of the Day
I am thinking this is an old and very worn Roseate Skimmer pink-form male (actually redundant since the females are never pink). This one posed nicely for a telephoto shot this evening under less-than-ideal light conditions. Dragonflies are…
July 21, 2007
tags: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, books,online poll results
I asked you all a few days ago who you thought would die in the last Harry Potter book, and I have posted the results below the fold, as promised. Due to a mix-up at Amazon, I did not receive my copy of the Harry potter book, so…
July 21, 2007
tags: Boneyard, paleontology,blog carnival
Hey everyone, there's a new blog carnival being published out there -- it was a surprise to me, too -- but you have to check it out because it focuses on one of my most favorite topics; paleontology! The first edition of The Boneyard is now available for…
July 21, 2007
tags: Caturday, online quiz
My drinking pal and fellow SciBling, John, whom I still would like to see in a speedo, is being a bad boy by posting a silly and nonscientific Caturday survey that you might enjoy (my results are below the fold);
July 21, 2007
tags: Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, books
I woke up bright and early this morning, full of joy and anticipation (for the first time in years), took care of my parrots and got ready to leave my apartment to pick up my copy of the Harry Potter book from my post office box. How exciting! I…
July 21, 2007
tags: American Lady Butterfly, Image of the Day
American Lady, Vanessa virginiensis, nectaring on buttonbush, Anahuac NWR Butterfly Garden, 7-8-07.
Image: Biosparite [larger]
July 21, 2007
tags: Harry Potter book disguises, satire
Okay, so you didn't get to the bookstore at midnight for your copy of the Harry Potter book as you should have done. Instead, you are waiting anxiously for the postman or UPS driver to deliver your copy of the book to you today, right? Well, below the fold…
July 21, 2007
tags: pet, online quiz
I actually could be either of two pet types (the second pet type is below the fold);
You Would Be a Pet Bird
You're intelligent and witty, yet surprisingly low maintenance.
You charm people easily, and they usually love you a lot more than you love them.
You resent…
July 20, 2007
tags: Friday Ark, photography, animals, blog carnival
For those of you who enjoy looking at pictures of animals, domestic or wild, this is the blog carnival for you; Friday Ark. They published their 148th edition today and included a few submissions from me, too!
July 20, 2007
tags: albino dolphin, mammals, zoology
Image: Captain Erik Rue.
Captain Erik Rue of Calcasieu Charter Service, located south of Lake Charles, Louisiana, has discovered himself to be a sudden celebrity because he took photographs of a pink dolphin recently. Rue and a boatload of guests saw the…
July 20, 2007
tags: Hoverfly, Image of the Day
This beautiful Texas native passionflower serves as a host plant for the Gulf Fritillary and Variegated Fritillary butterflies. I took this in the Refuge Butterfly Garden while tending the Visitor Information Station last Sunday. Passiflora incarnata, Anahuac NWR…
July 20, 2007
tags: Harry Potter book disguises, satire
Below the fold is the fourth in this short series of my favorite Harry Potter book disguises. Today's cover is my favorite of all of them, just in time for you to print it out for the midnight release of the book -- only 12 hours from now;
Cover by Peatar…
July 20, 2007
tags: Dove Evolution, streaming video
In this interesting streaming video, time-lapse photography is used to show how an ordinary looking woman is transformed into a beauty for Dove beauty products [1:14]
July 19, 2007
tags: Harry Potter, leaker identity
As you all know by now, the last Harry Potter book, Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows, was leaked recently to the internet. The leaker meticulously photographed every page in the book and posted those images to the internet where most of them are clearly…
July 19, 2007
tags: recurve-billed bushbird, Clytoctantes alixii, ornithology, birds, avian, endangered species
Female Recurve-billed Bushbird, Clytoctantes alixii. More images below the fold.
Image: Chris Sharpe 2004 [larger].
[listen to this species' song]
Chris Sharpe emailed me this following statement…
July 19, 2007
tags: Rattlesnake Master, Image of the Day
Rattlesnake Master, along TX 124 near Intracoastal Canal, 7-8-07
Rattlesnake Master, Eryngium yuccifolium, is a wildflower that is widespread across the midcontinent.
Image: Biosparite [larger]
July 19, 2007
tags: Harry Potter, Jews, Israel, god
When the sixth Harry Potter book was released, it was a Saturday morning, which if you are Jewish, is the Sabbath. The Sabbath runs from sunset on Friday to sunset on Saturday, and it is a time during which pious Jews shun business dealings. At that time, I was…
July 19, 2007
tags: Harry Potter book disguises, satire
Below the fold is the second in this short series of my favorite Harry Potter book disguises. Today's cover is a manly-man cover for you guys out there;
Cover by Shamus.
Print Size
Image: Pointless Waste of Time.
July 19, 2007
tags: Antihelium, science, humor, streaming video
In this streaming video, Jay Leno and Josh Duhamel sniff some gas .. some sulphur hexaflouride to be exact, and make an interesting discovery. Josh's laugh is funny [1:59]
July 18, 2007
First of all, I would like to thank my readers for participating in my little polls. I am collecting poll results from you because I am writing a book proposal right now, and would like to have a clearer idea of the demographics of my readers so I can include these data in my book proposal. Since…
July 18, 2007
tags: online poll, Harry Potter
Here is a poll for you to answer regarding Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows. According to JK Rowling, the author, two main characters will die in this book, so I have decided to ask you who you think will die in this book? Why do you think those people will die?…
July 18, 2007
tags: researchblogging.org, flight speed, birds, ornithology, aerodynamics, evolution
Not Bad, But Not Perfect
A peregrine falcon keeps a close eye as she circles her nest in St. Louis.
A new survey of 138 species of birds finds that closely-related birds fly at roughly the same speeds and that…
July 18, 2007
tags: Black Swallowtail Butterfly, Image of the Day
Black Swallowtail nectaring on buttonbush, Anahuac NWR 7-8-07.
Image: Biosparite [larger]
July 18, 2007
tags: blog carnival, science, medicine, Tangled Bank
For all you science and medicine fans, the 84th edition of Tangled Bank is now available for your reading pleasure. They even included one submission from me! Yippee!! Okay, go there are indulge yourself, cuz it's a good one (as always).