Hedwig Pöllöläinen
grrlscientist
Posts by this author
November 17, 2006
Snow plant, Sarcodes sanguinea.
This is a saprophytic (lacking in chlorophyll) plant related to the better-known Indian Pipe.It is myco-heterotrophic, which means it is symbiotic with a fungus. It grows in California forests above 4000 feet. Its name comes from the fact that it is one of the…
November 17, 2006
Image: source.
Embers
by Henri Cole
Poor summer, it doesn't know it's dying.
A few days are all it has. Still, the lake
is with me, its strokes of blue-violet
and the fiery sun replacing loneliness.
I feel like an animal that has found a place.
This is my burrow, my nest, my attempt
to say, I…
November 17, 2006
The vote count is in: Steny Hoyer defeated Jack Murtha 149 to 86 for the majority leader post in the House.
In my opinion, Hoyer was the better choice anyway because he is widely regarded as a champion for Federal employees, and is well known as a leader on education issues and is a respected voice…
November 16, 2006
Composite Crab.
The Crab Nebula is cataloged as M1, the first object on Charles Messier's famous list of things which are not comets. In fact, the Crab is now known to be a supernova remnant, expanding debris from the death explosion of a massive star. This intriguing false-color image combines…
November 15, 2006
Male American goldfich, Carduelis tristis.
Ãmage: Justawriter.
Photo taken at Sullys Hill National Wildlife Preserve, North Dakota.
This image was sent to me by a long-time reader to cheer me up after the loss of my discharge date. Thanks!
If you have a high-resolution digitized nature image…
November 14, 2006
I know that there are three or four of you, dear readers, who have been eagerly awaiting my release from the hospital -- although none more eagerly than me! My release day was supposed to be tomorrow, but alas, it has been postponed once again, but this time, it was postponed indefinitely. When I…
November 14, 2006
Shasta blue, Plebejus saepiolus,
around 60 miles south of Bend, Oregon,
July 20, 2006.
Image: Biosparite.
If you have a high-resolution digitized nature image that you'd like to share with your fellow readers, feel free to email it to me, along with information about the image and how you'd…
November 14, 2006
It takes a woman to clean house properly.
.
tags: politics, Nancy Pelosi, house
November 13, 2006
Shaggy ink caps Coprinus comatus.
Image: David Warman.
David writes; I like this picture, even though of a common mushroom variety, because it shows all main stages of the fruiting body simultaneously. I was fortunate in my timing. This picture was taken with my old digital camera. I now have a…
November 13, 2006
This is another fine word that I found in Richard Dawkins' new book, The God Delusion. I am still nearly finished with this book and will be reading a new one tomorrow.
Abrogation (ab-RUH-gey-shun) [from Latin abrogÄtus repealed]
noun.
to abolish by formal or official means; annul by an…
November 13, 2006
Does this sound like the handiwork of a right-wing nutjob to you?
A California man suspected of mailing threatening letters containing a suspicious white powder to celebrities and U.S. politicians has been arrested and could face federal charges on Monday, the FBI said.
Chad Castagana, 39, of…
November 12, 2006
Red Admiral, Vanessa atalanta rubria,
Kanapaha Botanical Gardens, Gainesville, Florida.
Image: Biosparite.
If you have a high-resolution digitized nature image that you'd like to share with your fellow readers, feel free to email it to me, along with information about the image and how you'd…
November 12, 2006
This is another fine word that I found in Richard Dawkins' new book, The God Delusion. I am still reading this book, but because it inspires so many flights of fancy on my part, I have not yet finished it, as I expected.
Aggrandizing (a-grndz) [French agrandir, agrandiss-, from Old French: a- to (…
November 12, 2006
Things aren't looking so good for the repuglicans .. George Bush saw his own approval ratings slip another 4 percent even while his repuglican comrades lost control of the house in the recent elections.
"These election results just confirm my belief that Americans have finally awakened to the…
November 12, 2006
Two months ago, Kenneth Adelman, the former director of the U.S. Arms Control and Disarmament Agency, received a call from the Pentagon: Donald Rumsfeld would like to see him as soon as possible. Adelman said he knew then that this meeting might be their last.
"I suggested that we were losing the…
November 11, 2006
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Female blue dasher dragonfly, Pachydiplax longipennis.
Houston, Texas, 21 May 2004.
Image: Biosparite.
If you have a high-resolution digitized nature image that you'd like to share with your fellow readers, feel free to email it to me, along with information about the image and how you'd…
November 11, 2006
This phrase was found in EO Wilson's new book, The Creation. This is the most important word or phrase that I've taught you so far. If you have not read this book yet, I think you should. I also plan to review it after I get out of the hospital, when my computer access is not divided up between 25…
November 10, 2006
Alaska Sunrise.
Taken from a cruise ship traveling along the Alaskan coast, 2000.
Image: CS Davis, a reader's father.
If you have a high-resolution digitized nature image that you'd like to share with your fellow readers, feel free to email it to me, along with information about the image and…
November 9, 2006
Mushroom, unknown species.
East Tennessee.
Image: CS Davis, a reader's father.
Can any of the readers identify the species?
If you have a high-resolution digitized nature image that you'd like to share with your fellow readers, feel free to email it to me, along with information about the…
November 9, 2006
I have run across this particular word in every book I've read these past few weeks, so I decided to share it with you here, finally. The book where I found this word today is E. O. Wilson's The Creation. I assume that many of you will find it surprising to find this specialized word in so many non…
November 8, 2006
Does anyone remember that Senator McCain promised to kill himself if the democrats regained control of the Senate in this election? It's looking like the Senate will go to the democrats , so that leads me to ask .. Senator McCain, what's it going to be; action or an apology? Or are you truly the…
November 8, 2006
Male peafowl, Pavo cristatus, courtship display.
This is a feral peafowl that lives a backyard in Eastern Tennessee.
His name is Big Bird.
Image: by Molly, a reader's sister.
If you have a high-resolution digitized nature image that you'd like to share with your fellow readers, feel free to…
November 8, 2006
This is another word that I found in Richard Dawkins' new book, The God Delusion. I am nearly finished with this book, so I will probably have a new word from a new book for you tomorrow.
fillip (FIL-uhp) [Origin: 1425-75; late ME philippe to make a signal or sound with thumb and right forefinger…
November 8, 2006
I can see clearly now, the rain is gone,
I can see all Rethuglicans in my way
Gone are the dark clouds that had me blind
It's gonna be a bright (bright), bright (bright)
Sun-Shiny day.
I think I can make it now, the 'thugs are gone
All of the bad feelings have disappeared
Here is the rainbow I've…
November 7, 2006
Someone please tell me that that political hemorrhoid, Santorum has finally been raptured!
I just heard on CNN that Santorum will likely be encouraged to run for the presidency if he loses. Can you believe that?? Please, dear readers, tell me that this is a cruel joke, that there is NO WAY IN THIS…
November 7, 2006
According to the latest election poll returns, the pedophile Mark Foley is in the lead to retain his house seat. In view of all the recent shenanigans, including child rape, this is one election race that shouldn't even be close!
C'mon, what the hell is wrong with you people!? How can you expect…
November 7, 2006
After living with a bloody undeclared war in Iraq, tax money meant for the war effort instead lining the already bulging pockets of Halliburton CEOs, tax policies that permit the rich to become even richer, a dumbass president who is out-of-touch along with his crooked group of advisors who have…
November 7, 2006
How can people not be ashamed to be associated with a political party that stoops to importing homeless people to distribute erroneous flyers about the political candidates?? Do we really want people like this running our government, making decisions that affect our lives and -- especially --…
November 7, 2006
Sea star species,
2005, Caladesi Island, Florida.
Image: Craig Carlyle Clarke.
This photo was taken by Craig while walking on the beach a few hours after hurricane Rita passed. The storm surge had tossed a lot of things onto the beach, including that sea star, and some other animals that he…
November 7, 2006
As many of you know, I am in the hospital and have been for more than 90 days so far. Considering that I am unemployable and uninsured (and probably uninsurable after this experience), and that I lack any sort of financial support system, you might be wondering how I will pay all these bills, which…