Hedwig Pöllöläinen
grrlscientist
Posts by this author
November 7, 2006
Last night, I found this small word with many big meanings in Richard Dawkins' new book, The God Delusion.
sop (sop) [Italian, from sopra, above, from Latin supra.]
n.
a piece of solid food, as bread, for dipping in liquid food.
anything thoroughly soaked.
something given to pacify or…
November 6, 2006
Queen Butterfly, Danaus gilippus.
from the Butterfly Room at the Phipps Conservatory (Pittsburgh).
Image: Rehana Rodrigues.
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 6, 2006
I just started reading Richard Dawkins' new book, The God Delusion, and already discovered an interesting new word.
Bowdlerize (bohd-luh-rahyz, boud-) [Origin: 1830-40; after Thomas Bowdler (1754-1825), the English editor who published an expurgated edition of Shakespeare in 1818.]
tr.v.
To…
November 6, 2006
It appears that the writers of The Simpsons are writing more astute political analysis than has the main stream media. To see more about what I am talking about, you can watch a streaming clip from last night's episode of The Simpsons below the fold.
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tags: The Simpsons, streaming video,…
November 5, 2006
Ambush Bug, Genus Phymata.
Found on a raspberry bush,
Upper Arlington, Franklin County, Ohio.
Summer, 2006.
Image: Dave Schreiber.
I have been receving some gorgeous images from you, dear readers, images that I can hardly wait to share with you! If you have a high-resolution digitized nature…
November 5, 2006
Speaking of unacceptable losses, this cited story (below the fold) describes how Bush and his squadron of flying monkeys blatantly betrayed our nation and our military by not sending enough troops to Iraq to do the job properly. Further, this cited story continues on to reveal that there was little…
November 5, 2006
I found this fine word in the interesting and well-written book Not in Our Classrooms, edited by Eugenie C. Scott and Glenn Branch.
Atavistic (at-UH-vis-tik) [French atavisme, from Latin atavus, ancestor: atta, father + avus, grandfather]
adj.
Of, pertaining to, or characterized by atavism;…
November 5, 2006
Our neighbor Bob Gildner.
Image: Gazette/Amy Allan.
Bob Gildner from northern Delaware county has been protesting the war in Iraq for years. In an effort to give people a mental image of how many soldiers have been killed in this war, Bob has painted a blood red star on his property for every…
November 4, 2006
I am truly amazed by this administration. Here's the latest practical joke that curious george and his squadron of flying monkeys are perpetrating on the American public;
First: Torture someone until you are satisfied that he or she has coughed up the desired information.
Second: Tell the torturee…
November 4, 2006
Even though Haggard is a flaming hypocrite, the Overseer Board at his church apparently is not.
The Rev. Ted Haggard agreed to resign as leader of the New Life Church after its independent investigative board recommended removal, saying he was guilty "of sexually immoral conduct."
"We, the…
November 4, 2006
The results of a recent poll show that the British think that Bush is the second most dangerous man in the world, just behind bin Laden. But I think the Brits are wrong; Bush is more dangerous than bin Laden because bin Laden is sitting in a dank cave somewhere in the Middle East, surrounded by a…
November 4, 2006
Thornbush Dasher, Micrathyria hagenii.
Valley Nature Center, Weslaco, Texas, October 2003.
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 4, 2006
I found this fine word in the interesting and well-written book Not in Our Classrooms, edited by Eugenie C. Scott and Glenn Branch. You might notice that this is first verb that I've used for word of the day so far.
Vitiate (vish-ee-eyt) [Latin vitiÄre; to spoil.]
v.
to impair the quality of;…
November 3, 2006
tags: global warming, Permian-Triassic boundary, mass extinction, weather
Computer simulation of the Earth's annual average surface temperatures in degrees Celsius 251 million years ago, at the Permo-Triassic (PT) boundary. Approximately 96% of marine species and 70% of terrestrial vertebrate…
November 3, 2006
Red-bordered Pixie, Melanis cephise,
23 October 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 like it to be credited.
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tags:…
November 3, 2006
I found this fine word this morning in the New York Times story about William Styron entitled Styron Visible: Naming the Evils that Humans Do, by Michiko Kitutani.
Oeuvre (Å-vruh) [French uvre from Old French uevre, work, from Latin opera, plural of opus, work]
n.
A work of art.
the works of…
November 3, 2006
Well, I'm shocked -- simply shocked, I tell you!
After Pastor Ted Haggard publically denied allegations of a homosexual affair, senior church officials admitted that Pastor Ted Haggard has confessed to some of the claims made by a former male escort.
Thursday morning, Mike Jones, a former male…
November 3, 2006
I loved this one .. perhaps this also is how I was introduced to jazz and blues, which are passions of mine?
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tags: schoolhouse rock, education, teaching, streaming video
November 2, 2006
29% of all fish stocks have collapsed.
32% of all amphibians globally are threatened with extinction, and 43% of all amphibian species are in decline.
14% of all bird species are predicted to be extinct by 2100 (as opposed to 1.3% for the 500 years previous), and total number of birds globally…
November 2, 2006
White Peacock, Anartia jatrophae,
Valley Nature Center, Weslaco, Texas,
23 October 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 2, 2006
Okay, this is the last word from Virginia Woolf's Mrs. Dalloway.
Immaterial (im-uh-TEER-EE-uhl) [Latin im- without, not mÄteriÄlis; of, belonging to matter.]
adj.
of no essential consequence; unimportant.
not pertinent; irrelevant.
not material; incorporeal; spiritual; having no material…
November 2, 2006
I have some terribly sad news. William Styron, one of my favorite writers, died yesterday from pneumonia in Martha's Vineyard, Massachusetts. Styron is best known for his lyrical and tragic novel about a holocaust survivor, Sophie's Choice, a bestseller that was made into a movie with the same…
November 2, 2006
Rethuglican Senator George Allen showed his true colors yesterday by refusing to denounce his supporters' attack upon a liberal blogger. The blog writer, W. Michael Stark, was attacked after he asked the senator detailed questions about the circumstances surrounding his contentious divorce. Stark,…
November 1, 2006
Thanks everyone for visiting my humble blog -- more than 300,000 people have visited this blog since 12 January! This is the best gift I could have, especially since my hospital discharge date, which was supposed to be tomorrow, was pushed back to the 15th of November. I appreciate your patience…
November 1, 2006
An Ann Coulter mug shot would make a fine holiday gift, don't you think?
Conservative columnist Ann Coulter has refused to cooperate in an investigation into whether she voted in the wrong precinct, so the case will probably be turned over to prosecutors, Palm Beach County's elections chief…
November 1, 2006
Blue Metalmark, Rivina humilis,
Laguna Atascosa NWR, Texas. Oct. 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 like it to be…
November 1, 2006
If you don't know where to go to cast your ballot on Election Day, or...
If you're not sure whether you are registered to vote in your home state...
There is help on the way!
Can I Vote?
November 1, 2006
I found this wonderful word (below) in a book by the amazing and incomparable Virginia Woolf, entitled Mrs. Dalloway.
Taciturnity (tas-i-TUR-ni-tee) [Latin taciturnitÄs; from tacitus, silent.]
n.
the state or quality of being reserved or reticent in conversation.
Scots Law. the relinquishing…
November 1, 2006
A friend emailed this image to me so I could share it with you.
Image: source.
Yesterday, Kerry made a truly dumbass remark -- a weak attempt at sarcasm -- that is being taken out of context for political spin purposes. I understood Kerry's comment to be a verbal jab at the current…
October 31, 2006
Mystery Caterpillar on Gaura,
Nelson Farms Preserve, Katy Prairie Conservancy, Texas.
NABA Butterfly Count, 4 September 2006.
Image: Biosparite.
I thought this image was appropriate for the day, given this caterpillar's sporty Hallowe'en stripes.
If you have a high-resolution digitized nature…