Hedwig Pöllöläinen
grrlscientist
Posts by this author
December 17, 2009
tags: Pigeon: Impossible, entertainment, comedy, funny, fucking hilarious, animation, Lucas Martell, streaming video
This hilarious video animation tells the story of a rookie secret agent who is faced with a problem seldom covered in basic training: what to do when a curious pigeon gets trapped…
December 16, 2009
tags: English for Aliens, Part 2, entertainment, comedy, satire, funny, fucking hilarious, BBC Worldwide, Harry Enfield, streaming video
The aliens are out on the streets, learning about objects they encounter there. One thing that I noticed is that they have no problem understanding both uses for…
December 16, 2009
tags: Frankfurter Schneesturm, Frankfurt am Main, Germany, Expat Life, Frankfurt through my eye, photography, image of the day
Frankfurter Schneesturm (Frankfurt snowstorm).
Frankfurt am Main, Germany.
Image: GrrlScientist, 16 December 2009 [larger view].
When I awoke today, it was snowing. By…
December 16, 2009
tags: conservation, endangered species, Shark Finning, Sea Shepherd, human behavior, television, streaming video
This is a television commercial by the Sea Shepherd. It is an appeal to stop finning sharks. Shark finning refers to the cruel practice of capturing sharks and slicing off their fins.…
December 16, 2009
tags: Holidays, companion pets, parrots, humor, funny, gift wrapping
Orpheus.
Male Hawk-headed (red fan) parrot, Deroptyus a. accipitrinus, April 2008.
Image: GrrlScientist 2008 [larger view].
I thought you might find this little essay amusing about wrapping gifts when there is a parrot in the…
December 16, 2009
tags: Golden-crowned Sparrow, Zonotrichia atricapilla, birds, mystery bird, bird ID quiz
[Mystery bird] Immature Golden-crowned Sparrow, Zonotrichia atricapilla, photographed at Vancouver Lake, Clark County, Washington. [I will identify this bird for you in 48 hours]
Image: Lyn Topinka, 13…
December 16, 2009
tags: Snowball, dancing cockatoo, behavior, streaming video
This streaming video is a clip from a longer DVD, Snowball's Snowy Christmas DVD, which is now available for Christmas gift giving. Children love Snowball and this DVD features the sulfur-crested cockatoo, Snowball, dancing to Christmas…
December 15, 2009
tags: English for Aliens, Part 1, entertainment, comedy, satire, funny, fucking hilarious, BBC Worldwide, Harry Enfield, streaming video
Despite my best efforts, I haven't started my German language training yet, but I already am receiving an education. My experience feels remarkably like what this…
December 15, 2009
tags: Frankfurt Sonnenstrahlen, Frankfurt am Main, Germany, Expat Life, Frankfurt through my eye, photography, image of the day
Frankfurt Sonnenstrahlen (Frankfurt sunbeams).
Frankfurt am Main, Germany.
Image: GrrlScientist, 15 December 2009 [larger view].
Whilst coming home from IKEA, where…
December 15, 2009
tags: peer-reviewed paper, psychology, gift wrapping, wrapping paper, behavior, holidays, holidaze
Besides bright lights, my favorite thing about the holidays is wrapping gifts. I love covering a boxed gift with colored papers (or even with plain brown paper bags), I get tremendous satisfaction…
December 15, 2009
tags: European Herring Gull, Larus argentatus, birds, mystery bird, bird ID quiz
[Mystery bird] Leucistic/albino European Herring Gull, Larus argentatus, photographed at Station Orthinologique de l'Ile Grande, just outside of Pleumeur-Bodou/Landrellec, Bretagne, France. [I will identify this bird…
December 15, 2009
tags: Christmas Gift Ideas, entertainment, comedy, satire, funny, fucking hilarious, BBC Worldwide, Harry Enfield, streaming video
It's only ten days away! You're starting to panic, what can you get for those on your shopping list? Here's some good suggestions to make everyone happy.
December 15, 2009
tags: Hungry Beast, television, prank, hoax, media watch, ABC, streaming video
The Hungry Beast team takes on the Australian media to see if the journalists can discern fantasy from reality. They fail miserably.
December 14, 2009
tags: Christmas Cake recipe, fruitcake, holidays
I just had to share this amazing Christmas Cake recipe that I am going to try this year -- just in time to celebrate my first Christmas!
 Ingredients:
2 cups flour
1 stick butter
1 cup of water
1 tsp baking  soda
1 cup of  sugar
1 tsp Â…
December 14, 2009
tags: Western Meadowlark, Sturnella neglecta, birds, mystery bird, bird ID quiz
[Mystery bird] Western Meadowlark, Sturnella neglecta, photographed at Carpinteria Salt Marsh in Carpinteria, California. [I will identify this bird for you in 48 hours]
Image: John Callender, 5 December 2009 [larger…
December 14, 2009
tags: Mute Monks Sing the Hallelujah Chorus, entertainment, comedy, funny, fucking hilarious, streaming video
Can mute monks sing? Yes they can, as you will discover in this amusing video of mute monks singing the Halleluiah Chorus.
Hat-tip to my good friend and former SB colleague, John Wilkins…
December 13, 2009
tags: The Conjugal Rights Guide, entertainment, comedy, satire, funny, fucking hilarious, BBC Worldwide, Harry Enfield, streaming video
Now that the weekend is over, let's go back to my social education -- some of my social training includes *gasp* conjugal unpleasantness.
December 13, 2009
tags: sitemeter, blog traffic, graphics
According to this graphic, can you tell which days were the lead-up to my departure from NYC? When did I arrive in Frankfurt? When did I first get my own wireless connection in Frankfurt?
December 13, 2009
tags: Birdbooker Report, bird books, animal books, natural history books, ecology books
"How does one distinguish a truly civilized nation from an aggregation of
barbarians? That is easy. A civilized country produces much good bird
literature."
--Edgar Kincaid
The Birdbooker Report is a special…
December 13, 2009
tags: safety tips, holidays, christmas, hanukkah, kwanzaa, new year's day, pets, birds, parrots
Elektra.
My pet Female Solomon Islands Eclectus parrot,
Eclectus roratus solomonensis, April 2008.
Image: GrrlScientist 2008 [larger view].
This message was emailed to me, and I am posting it here as…
December 13, 2009
tags: Double-crested Cormorant, Phalacrocorax auritus, birds, mystery bird, bird ID quiz
[Mystery bird] Double-crested Cormorant, Phalacrocorax auritus, photographed at Whittier Narrows, California. [I will identify this bird for you in 48 hours]
Image: Steve Duncan, 8 December 2009 [larger view…
December 13, 2009
tags: religion, christianity, fundamentalism, wingnuttery, comedy, humor, satire, fucking hilarious, streaming video
The Bible states clearly in Genesis 3:16 that the man rules over the woman.
Did anyone follow this guy's "logic"? If so, please do explain to the rest of us who are still mortally…
December 12, 2009
tags: The History of the Church of England, entertainment, comedy, funny, fucking hilarious, religion, Eddie Izzard, streaming video
"The gospel according to Saint Bastard"? That particular book was never allowed in the original New Testament for obvious reasons.
December 12, 2009
tags: Western Kingbird, Tyrannus verticalis, birds, mystery bird, bird ID quiz
[Mystery bird] Western Kingbird, Tyrannus verticalis, photographed at Smith Point, Chambers County, Texas. [I will identify this bird for you in 48 hours]
Image: Joseph Kennedy, 1 November 2009 [larger view].
Nikon…
December 12, 2009
tags: Woodpecker vs Snake, behavior, birds, Giant Bird Snake, Pseustes sulphureus, Crimson-crested Woodpecker, Campephilus melanoleucos, streaming video
Here is some remarkable footage from somewhere in the Amazon (Peru?) of a Crimson-crested Woodpecker, Campephilus melanoleucos, taking on a "Giant…
December 11, 2009
tags: El Baile del Perrito, Un Perro Bailando Merengue, stupid pet tricks, animal training, humor, funny, streaming video
This video documents a Merengue-dancing dog. Despite its cheesiness, it's really an interesting study in excellent animal training as well as a demonstration of how well an…
December 11, 2009
tags: Nebeliges Frankfurt, Frankfurt am Main, Germany, Expat Life, Frankfurt through my eye, photography, image of the day
Neblig Frankfurt Nebeliges Frankfurt, 2 (Foggy Frankfurt).
Frankfurt am Main, Germany.
Image: GrrlScientist, 7 December 2009 [larger view].
I like the gold color of the…
December 11, 2009
tags: Hickory, North Carolina, street map, city planning, comedy, humor, fucking hilarious
Image: Google Maps [larger view].
This is the Google street map for Hickory, North Carolina. Take a close look at this map and then tell me that the city planner wasn't high on some seriously mind-…
December 11, 2009
tags: Blue-gray Gnatcatcher, Polioptila caerulea, birds, mystery bird, bird ID quiz
[Mystery bird] Blue-gray Gnatcatcher, Polioptila caerulea, photographed at Smith Point, Chambers County, Texas. [I will identify this bird for you in 48 hours]
Image: Joseph Kennedy, 3 November 2009 [larger view…
December 11, 2009
tags: Hamburger Make Up Artistry, food porn, Buy Me That, streaming video
This video is a segment from the popular series "Buy Me That." Featured is a "makeup artist for food," who provides us with this behind-the-scenes look at how burgers (and fries) are made to look their best for television.…