grrlscientist | April 23, 2009tags: The Soloist, homelessness, mental illness, movie trailer, film, true story, streaming video
Wow, now this is a movie that I must see! I heard an interview with the author of the book on which this film was based, LATimes reporter, Steve Lopez. He meets a mentally ill homeless man playing Beethoven on a violin with only two strings, and, recognizing his talent, writes a story about him. Lopez's readers send him musical instruments to give to this homeless man, who was a musical prodigy as a child. The resulting friendship transforms both men's lives in this inspirational true story [3:…
grrlscientist | April 22, 2009
Here's the current list of Scientia Pro Publica hosts. If you wish to host an edition of this carnival at your blog, please contact me or leave a comment here;
04 May -- Deep Thoughts and Silliness
18 May -- The Primate Diaries
01 June -- Pleiotropy
15 June -- Mauka to Makai
06 July -- Greg Laden's Blog
20 July -- A DC Birding Blog
03 August -- Pro-Science
17 August -- Quiche Moraine
07 September -- Southern Fried Science
21 September -- For the Love of Science
05 October -- TBA
19 October -- TBA
02 November -- TBA
16 November -- TBA
07 December -- TBA
21 December -- TBA
grrlscientist | April 22, 2009tags: House Resolution 669, HR 669, The Nonnative Wildlife Invasion Prevention Act, legislation, pets, politics
Elektra, my female Solomon Islands eclectus parrot, Eclectus roratus solomonensis.
This is the smallest and most distinctively marked of all the subspecies of eclectus parrots.
Image: GrrlScientist 4 July 2008 [larger view].
A proposed new law, House Resolution #669 (HR 669), also known as The Nonnative Wildlife Invasion Prevention Act, is inching its way through congress [free PDF]. Tomorrow morning, it will be heard by the Subcommittee on Insular Affairs, Oceans and Wildlife.…
grrlscientist | April 22, 2009tags: NYC, Upper West Side, Manhattan, flowers, nature, image of the day
Bleeding Heart, Dicentra spectabilis.
124th and Broadway (Harlem) in Manhattan.
Image: GrrlScientist, 21 April 2009 [larger view].
grrlscientist | April 22, 2009tags: Earth Day, earth-friendly resolutions, meme, environment, nature
Mike at Questionable Authority has started a new meme in honor of Earth Day, listing our Earth Day Resolutions. Even though he's being a big dork by not tagging me with this meme, I have decided to contribute anyway. (I have to live up to my "pushy New Yorker" description since I am a Seattle transplant with something to prove.) Because I live in an apartment in Manhattan and my backyard consists solely of a shaded fire escape that is four floors above a concrete sidewalk, I thought my resolutions might be interesting…
grrlscientist | April 22, 2009tags: Black and White Warbler, Mniotilta varia, birds, mystery bird, bird ID quiz
[Mystery birds] Black and White Warbler, , photographed in Quintana and Beach, Texas. [I will identify this bird for you tomorrow]
Image: Joseph Kennedy, 20 March 2009 [larger view].
Nikon D200, Kowa 883 telescope with tsn-pz camera eyepiece 1/320s f/8.0 at 1000.0mm iso400.
Please name at least one field mark that supports your identification.
Review all mystery birds to date.
grrlscientist | April 22, 2009tags: umbrella cockatoo, Cacatua alba, behavior, humor, funny, streaming video
This amusing video captures an umbrella cockatoo, Cacatua alba, taunting a pug by imitating its barking -- what do you suppose this cockatoo was saying? [1:17]
grrlscientist | April 21, 2009
What: A public presentation, "The Evolutionary Origins of Religious Belief"
Where: All Souls Unitarian Church, 1157 Lexington Ave and 80th St [map]
When: Wednesday, 22 April, 6:30 - 8:00 pm.
Cost: free and open to the public.
My fellow residents of NYC might be interested to know that the Center for Inquiry-New York City and the All Souls Unitarian Church are co-sponsoring a panel discussion on the evolutionary origins of religion. This discussion will address questions such as Why does religious belief persist? Is there a so-called "God gene?" What is the relationship between biological…
grrlscientist | April 21, 2009Here are the latest blog carnivals that have been published in the blogosphere;
Scientia Pro Publica, #2. This biweekly blog carnival, started by me to replace the now extinct Tangled Bank, celebrates the best science, nature and medical writing published in the blogosphere.
SurgExperiences, #221. This blog carnival focuses on medicine; specifically, on medicine that requires surgery.
Carnival of the Green, #176. This blog carnival is all about green living and other Earth-friendly topics.
All Things Eco, #47. This blog carnival links to writings about ecology and conservation.
Just Write…
grrlscientist | April 21, 2009tags: NYC, Upper West Side, Manhattan, flowers, nature, image of the day
Buttercup, Ranunculus sceleratus.
124th and Broadway (Harlem) in Manhattan.
Image: GrrlScientist, 21 April 2009 [larger view].
grrlscientist | April 21, 2009tags: polo horses, mysterious deaths polo ponies, florida, International Polo Club Palm Beach, Lechuza Caracas, Victor Vargas
Polo horse.
Image: orphaned, contact me for proper attribution [larger view].
By now, most of you have heard the tragic story of the twenty-one polo horses that died suddenly within a few hours of each other in Wellington, Palm Beach County, Florida. These horses, which comprised more than one-third of the 60-horse Venezuelan polo team, Lechuza Caracas, were scheduled to compete in the featured game in the 105th U.S. Open polo match on Sunday afternoon. Upon…
grrlscientist | April 21, 2009tags: Black-throated Sparrow, Amphispiza bilineata, birds, mystery bird, bird ID quiz
[Mystery bird] Black-throated Sparrow, Amphispiza bilineata, photographed in Arizona. [I will identify this bird for you tomorrow]
Image: Richard Ditch, 18 May 2005 [larger view].
Date Time Original: 2005:05:18 08:27:35
Exposure Time: 1/249
F-Number: 16.00
ISO: 400
Please name at least one field mark that supports your identification.
Review all mystery birds to date.
grrlscientist | April 21, 2009tags: Harry Potter news, Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, film trailer, movies, streaming video
If you're like me, you have practically gnawed off all your fingers in anticipation of the often-delayed next installment in the Harry Potter film series; Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, which will FINALLY be released on 15 July. Here's the official trailer to keep you satisfied for .. oh, roughly two minutes [2:26]
grrlscientist | April 20, 2009tags: Scientia Pro Publica, Science for the People, biology, evolution, medicine, earth science, behavioral ecology, chemistry, physics, astronomy, blog carnival
Image: wemidji (Jacques Marcoux).
Nam et ipsa scientia potestas est (And thus knowledge itself is power)
-- Sir Francis Bacon.
This is only the second issue of Scientia Pro Publica, but I am so pleased with its progress so far. Not only are friends and colleagues contributing their essays to this blog carnival, but there is an impressive influx of "new blood", too. Together, all of us are helping to promote the value of…
grrlscientist | April 20, 2009tags: NYC, Upper West Side, Manhattan, flowers, nature, image of the day
A friendly face in Manhattan.
West 79th Street between Amsterdam and Broadway Aves; UWS, Manhattan, NYC.
Image: GrrlScientist, 19 April 2009 [larger view].
grrlscientist | April 20, 2009tags: Birds in the News, BirdNews, ornithology, birds, avian, newsletter
Male Scarlet Tanager, Piranga olivacea, photographed in Newton Hills State Park in South Dakota.
Image: Terry Sohl, 7 June 2008 [larger view].
Photo taken with a Canon 20D, 400 5.6L.
Birds in Science and Technology
Climate change will force bone-weary birds migrating to Europe from Africa to log extra mileage, with possibly devastating consequences, according to a study released recently. The annual voyage of some species, which fly north in search of food and suitable climes, could increase by as much as 400km, the…
grrlscientist | April 20, 2009tags: Black Vulture, Coragyps atratus, birds, mystery bird, bird ID quiz
[Mystery birds] Black Vulture, Coragyps atratus, photographed in Tom Bass Park, Texas. [I will identify this bird for you tomorrow]
Image: Joseph Kennedy, 20 March 2009 [larger view].
Nikon D200, Kowa 883 telescope with tsn-pz camera eyepiece 1/400s f/8.0 at 1000.0mm iso400.
Please name at least one field mark that supports your identification.
Review all mystery birds to date.
grrlscientist | April 20, 2009tags: The Beagle Project, science, fund-raising, humor, streaming video
This amusing streaming video, featuring a self-described "fat, bearded chap with a Charles Darwin fixation" whom I know in real life, has an important message: Let's Bring the Magic Back! [1:50]
The Beagle Project aims to celebrate Charles Darwin's 200th birthday by building a sailing replica of the HMS Beagle and recreating the Voyage of the Beagle with an international crew of researchers, aspiring scientists and science communicators (perhaps, including me!). The voyage will apply the techniques of 21st century…
grrlscientist | April 19, 2009
What: A public presentation, "The Evolutionary Origins of Religious Belief"
Where: All Souls Unitarian Church, 1157 Lexington Ave and 80th St [map]
When: Wednesday, 22 April, 6:30 - 8:00 pm.
Cost: free and open to the public.
My fellow residents of NYC might be interested to know that the Center for Inquiry-New York City and the All Souls Unitarian Church are co-sponsoring a panel discussion on the evolutionary origins of religion. This discussion will address questions such as Why does religious belief persist? Is there a so-called "God gene?" What is the relationship between biological…
grrlscientist | April 19, 2009tags: 'Alala, Hawaiian Crow, Hawaiian Raven, Corvus hawaiiensis, endangered species, conservation
One of the last wild-born `Alalâ to ever be photographed in the wild.
Image: The Honolulu Advertiser.
One of the rarest forest birds in the world, the critically endangered `Alalâ, or Hawaiian Crow, Corvus hawaiiensis, was awarded $14.3 million in conservation funding over the next five years, according to the United States Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS).
This funding package will focus on expanding captive propagation, establishing new populations in managed habitat, protecting…