grrlscientist | October 6, 2008The NYC millionth comment party has been scheduled! ScienceBlogs has rented out the top floor of the Delancey and will be providing pizza and a bar tab up to about $600 (drinks over that amount will not be covered) -- FREE! The Delancey will be suspending their usual cover charge, just for us.
ScienceBlogs' NYC area Millionth Comment party:
Date: Tuesday, 7 October 2008
Time: 7pm ET until ???
Location: the top floor of The Delancey Bar and Nightclub, 168 Delancey Street on Manhattan's Lower East Side [map]
SciBling hosts: ME and some of my ScienceBlogs colleagues, PhysioProf and Jake Young,…
grrlscientist | October 6, 2008tags: Ross's X Snow Goose, Chen hybrid, birds, nature, mystery bird, bird ID quiz
[Mystery bird] Ross's X Snow Goose, Chen hybrid, photographed at Coronado Lakes, Santa Fe, New Mexico. [I will identify this bird for you tomorrow]
Image: Joseph Kennedy, 20 March 2008 [larger view].
Nikon D200, Kowa 883 telescope TSN-PZ camera eyepiece 1/1250s f/8.0 at 1000.0mm iso400.
Rick Wright, Managing Director of WINGS Birding Tours Worldwide, writes:
White waterfowl are an open trap for the unwary -- in many parts of the US, at many times of the year, the most abundant such bird is Mallard, many of…
grrlscientist | October 6, 2008tags: Sarah Palin, Katie Couric, parody, humor, streaming video
If you haven't seen this yet, I know you are going to enjoy it. If you have seen it before, you'll love seeing it again -- incidentally, I worked at the "goofy evolution museum" [6:49]
grrlscientist | October 5, 2008tags: Times Square, 42nd street, L>osing My Marbles, subway art, NYC through my eye, photography, NYC
Losing my Marbles (2003).
Artist: Lisa Dinhofer.
Losing my Marbles, image 2, Detail 10. Glass mosaics on mezzanine walls of the 42nd Street (Times Square) for the A, C and E trains. This mosaic was just installed since I photographed it as the adhesive was still drying and the workmen were sweeping up their mess!
Image: GrrlScientist 9 September 2008 [larger view].
Lisa Dinhofer uses representations of toy marbles to challenge our imaginations by playing with illusions that alter…
grrlscientist | October 5, 2008tags: Wren, Troglodytes troglodytes, Wildlife of Scotland, Image of the Day
Wren, Troglodytes troglodytes, near Bridge of Orchy, Scotland.
Known in Europe as "the" wren, and in North America as the Winter Wren.
Image: Dave Rintoul, Summer 2008 [larger view].
grrlscientist | October 5, 2008tags: Birdbooker Report, bird books, animal books, natural history books, ecology books
"One cannot have too many good bird books"
--Ralph Hoffmann, Birds of the Pacific States (1927).
The Birdbooker Report is a special weekly report of wide variety of science, nature and behavior books that are or soon will be available for purchase. This report is written by one of my Seattle bird pals, Ian "Birdbooker" Paulsen, and is published here for your enjoyment. Here's this week's issue of the Birdbooker Report by which lists ecology, environment, natural history and bird books that are (or will…
grrlscientist | October 5, 2008tags: Holy Bible fiction, religion, religious fundamentalism, religious wingnuttery, religious fascism
I've often said that the bible needs a warning on the front cover, so I am pleased to see that someone has finally heard me and done this.
Image: Orphaned [larger view].
WARNING: This is a work of fiction. Do NOT take it literally.
CONTENT ADVISORY: Contains verses descriptive or advocating suicide, incest, bestiality, sadomasochism, sexjual activity in a violent context, murder, morbid violence, use of drugs or alcohol, homosexuality, voyeurism, revenge, undermining of authority figures…
grrlscientist | October 5, 2008tags: Redhead, Aytha americana, birds, nature, Image of the Day
[Mystery bird] Male Redhead, Aytha americana, photographed at Hermann Park, Houston, Texas. [I will identify this bird for you tomorrow]
Image: Joseph Kennedy, 22 January 2008 [larger view].
Nikon D200, Kowa 883 telescope TSN-PZ camera eyepiece 1/180s f/8.0 at 1000.0mm iso400.
Read an analysis for how to identify this species below the fold;
Rick Wright, Managing Director of WINGS Birding Tours Worldwide, writes:
Here's a puffy-headed Aythya with a uniformly reddish head -- a prominent feature that leads us directly to the…
grrlscientist | October 4, 2008tags: Times Square, 42nd street, L>osing My Marbles, subway art, NYC through my eye, photography, NYC
Losing my Marbles (2003).
Artist: Lisa Dinhofer.
Losing my Marbles, image 2, Detail 9. Glass mosaics on mezzanine walls of the 42nd Street (Times Square) for the A, C and E trains. This mosaic was just installed since I photographed it as the adhesive was still drying and the workmen were sweeping up their mess!
Image: GrrlScientist 9 September 2008 [larger view].
Lisa Dinhofer uses representations of toy marbles to challenge our imaginations by playing with illusions that alter…
grrlscientist | October 4, 2008tags: John Scopes, Scopes Monkey Trial, Tennessee v. John T. Scopes Trial, evolution, creationism, religious fundamentalism, education
Tennessee v. John T. Scopes Trial: John Thomas Scopes.
Image: Watson Davis (1896-1967), courtesy of the Smithsonian Institution (copyright free). [larger view].
Description: Taken the month before the Tennessee v. John T. Scopes Trial. June 1925
Creator/Photographer: Watson Davis
Medium: Black and white photographic print
Dimensions: 4.25 in x 3 in
Culture: American
Geography: USA
Date: 1925
Persistent URL
Repository: Smithsonian Institution Archives…
grrlscientist | October 4, 2008tags: John Scopes, Scopes Monkey Trial, Tennessee v. John T. Scopes Trial, evolution, creationism, religious fundamentalism, education
Tennessee v. John T. Scopes Trial: Privies outside the Rhea County (Tennessee) courthouse with "Read Your Bible" sign.
Image: Watson Davis (1896-1967), courtesy of the Smithsonian Institution (copyright free). [larger view].
For the first time ever, a series of 39 original photographs from the 1925 Scopes Monkey Trial are now available for your viewing pleasure.
Description: Taken during the Tennessee v. John T. Scopes Trial. July 1925
Creator/…
grrlscientist | October 4, 2008tags: Hebridean Black-faced Sheep, Scotland, Image of the Day
Hebridean Black-faced Sheep near Arnol (Isle of Lewis, Scotland)
Image: Dave Rintoul, Summer 2008 [larger view].
grrlscientist | October 4, 2008tags: Canvasback, Aythya valisineria, birds, nature, Image of the Day
[Mystery bird] Canvasback, Aythya valisineria, photographed in southeastern Arizona in February [I will identify this bird for you tomorrow]
Image: Rick Wright [larger view].
Rick Wright, Managing Director of WINGS Birding Tours Worldwide, writes:
Steaming straight at us, this mystery bird is going to make it hard to apply our foolproof start-at-the-rear method. The head-on pose also puts paid to any attempt to identify it by picture-matching. This is one of those cases where a bird that is easy as can be in full field-…
grrlscientist | October 3, 2008Okay, I was slightly distracted by my Seattle visit and lost track of the Parody Wars, which are being fought with an evil scientist who resides in Finland. This scientist sent an attack across the ocean this past week, thinking that he can scare me into submission with videos of William Shatner singing a variety of songs (yes, this is scary, I'll admit), or Britney Spears singing "Satisfaction" (even worse that Shatner), or a variety of other assaults included in his fuselade. However, I claim the ultimate victory with this truly terrifying video that tops everything he could possibly think…
grrlscientist | October 3, 2008tags: Times Square, 42nd street, Losing My Marbles, subway art, NYC through my eye, photography, NYC
Losing my Marbles (2003).
Artist: Lisa Dinhofer.
Losing my Marbles, image 2, Detail 8. Glass mosaics on mezzanine walls of the 42nd Street (Times Square) for the A, C and E trains. This mosaic was just installed since I photographed it as the adhesive was still drying and the workmen were sweeping up their mess!
Image: GrrlScientist 9 September 2008 [larger view].
Lisa Dinhofer uses representations of toy marbles to challenge our imaginations by playing with illusions that alter physical…
grrlscientist | October 3, 2008tags: DonorsChoose2008, education, public school education, fund raising, evolution education, nature education, bird education
Already, dear readers, you are making a difference. For example, today, a classroom in North Carolina learned that they will be able to study a variety of microscopic life using prepared slides that you purchased for them. Thank you!
Of course, I will be sharing all updates with you that they send during the upcoming school year.
Dear Grrlscientist,
"More Than Meets the Eye," funded in your honor by ANONYMOUS, is now becoming a reality for the students of Mrs. M…
grrlscientist | October 3, 2008Here's some blog carnivals that have been published recently;
Carnival of Evolution, issue #3. This new blog carnival is all about evolution!
I and the Bird, issue #85, Love and Birding, a Blog Carnival in Three Acts. This blog carnival focuses on birding and wild birds.
Carnival of the Vanities, 3 October 2008 issue. This blog carnival links to essays about any topic, since its focus is on excellent writing.
Carnival of Cinema, episode #95. This blog carnival is, as the name implies, all about cinema. It also includes lots of movie reviews.
grrlscientist | October 3, 2008tags: mammoth tooth, fossils, Hurricane Ike, Jim Westgate, Dorothy Sisk, paleontology
Paleontologist Jim Westgate, a research associate with the Vertebrate Paleontology Laboratory at the University of Texas Memorial Museum, shows off a newly discovered fossil tooth of a mammoth that he found in Caplen, Texas, in the debris from Hurricane Ike. Westgate believes the fossil discovered in the Ike-damaged debris is from a Columbian mammoth.
Image: Brian Sattler, Lamar University.
Hurricanes are very destructive, make no mistake about that. But imagine the surprise when Lamar University…
grrlscientist | October 3, 2008tags: Gray Seal, Halichoerus grypus, Wildlife of Scotland, Image of the Day
Image: Dave Rintoul, Summer 2008 [larger view].
Gray Seal, Halichoerus grypus, at the ferry dock in Uig (Isle of Skye, Scotland).
The translation of the scientific name for this species is "hook-nosed sea pig".
grrlscientist | October 3, 2008tags: politics, election, debates, Sarah Palin, the sad truth, humor
Did anyone see what was written on Sarah Palin's index card that she had with her at last night's debate? It appears that, in her excitement to hold a baby so she could score some "hockey mommy" points with the electorate, she forgot her little card on her podium where the janitor later found it. What was on that card? See below;
Image: ph33 and loathing [larger view].