grrlscientist | February 20, 2008tags: politics, democracy, superdelegates, Roy Zimmerman, streaming video
For this morning's video, I thought I'd share this little song with you, mostly because I have been asked to interview a local superdelegate for a story that the Huffington Post (where I volunteer) is writing. This time, I will try to write a story for you on my blog about this interview. At least, I am hoping I can (is interview material proprietary?). Anyway, regardless of whether I am allowed to write my story for you, I can share this clever little song by political commentator, Roy Zimmerman, which is billed as "…
grrlscientist | February 19, 2008tags: columbus circle, manhattan, photography, NYC, NYCLife
Columbus Circle/CNN, NYC, at night.
Image: GrrlScientist 2008. [wallpaper size].
If you look closely at the previous picture and compare it to this one, you will find that the tall building on the right in this picture is actually on the left side of the previous image. I am also wondering if you notice how the buildings in the image curve in from both sides, sort of like the city closing in around you? I think this must be an artifact of the camera itself, am I right? Is there any way to fix that, or should I instead plan on…
grrlscientist | February 19, 2008tags: columbus circle, manhattan, photography, NYC, NYCLife
Columbus Circle, NYC, at night.
Image: GrrlScientist 2008. [This is interesting in wallpaper size, in a sort of "Where's Waldo" sort of way].
grrlscientist | February 19, 2008tags: subway car, manhattan, photography, NYC, NYCLife
A subway car being moved on surface streets in Manhattan.
It's amazing to realize how BIG these things are when compared to other, more familiar, vehicles.
Image: GrrlScientist 2008. [Do you really want this in wallpaper size?].
I had finally rooted myself out of my apartment and was sitting at my local coffee shop, when I looked up and saw .. a SUBWAY CAR sitting in the middle of the street! I was so surprised that I didn't react fast enough, so I was sitting there, grumpy that I'd missed this weird photographic opportunity, when…
grrlscientist | February 19, 2008tags: snake, reptiles, photography, subway art, AMNH, NYC, NYCLife
Unknown (to me) species of snake
as portrayed in tiles on the walls of the NYC uptown subway stop (A-B-C)
at 81st and Central Park West. (ISO, no zoom, no flash).
Image: GrrlScientist 2008. [wallpaper size].
Does anyone have any idea as to what is that weird appendage is that is hanging off the snake's tail?
Read more about the AMNH tile artworks and see the AMNH tile artworks photographic archives -- with all the animals identified.
grrlscientist | February 19, 2008Hey everyone, I am once again asking you to send me submissions for my issue of the I and the Bird blog carnival. The carnival will be published here on 21 February at noon EST (unless the blog platform's scheduling feature is still screwy, which it might be, grrrr). I am seeking submissions about wild birds, your trip reports, photographs, essays, stories, song files .. whatever! According to this blog carnival's rules, I can accept only one submission per blog, and that submission can only be about wild birds, so those of you who own and write about domestic birds and parrots (like me!)…
grrlscientist | February 19, 2008
Today's view out the windows of my new neighborhood coffee shop.
It's cold outside today, and snow is predicted overnight, with snow and
sleet tomorrow morning.
GrrlScientist 2008 [larger view].
I am not sure if you've noticed or not, but I've been having a rough time leaving my apartment these past few weeks, which has affected my writing. Even though I've tried to keep my mind focused on books and DVDs and my own book ideas, and I've tried to write about them, I've been so unable to concentrate and I am so uncomfortable with being away from my apartment that I've just been rather ..…
grrlscientist | February 19, 2008tags: nature, poppies, Image of the Day
I have been digging through my image archives in my gmail account and found some real treasures that my readers sent to me. Unfortunately, I overlooked quite a few images that were sent when I was in the hospital and had poor computer access. So let me fix this oversight during the next few weeks;
Blooming poppies.
Orphaned image [larger view].
grrlscientist | February 19, 2008tags: satire, parody, humor, Iraq, suicide vests, streaming video
Panelists discuss whether stringent new suicide vest laws would ensure that only responsible people blow themselves up. "It's not fair to treat people like criminals if they use a suicide vest in a responsible and proper manner" [2:24]
grrlscientist | February 18, 2008tags: birds, brown kiwi, Apteryx mantelli, photography, subway art, AMNH, NYC, NYCLife
Brown Kiwi, Apteryx mantelli,
as portrayed in tiles on the walls of the NYC uptown subway stop (A-B-C)
at 81st and Central Park West. (ISO, no zoom, no flash).
Image: GrrlScientist 2008. [wallpaper size].
Read more about the AMNH tile artworks and see the AMNH tile artworks photographic archives -- with all the animals identified.
grrlscientist | February 18, 2008tags: blog carnivals, All Women Blogging
The 30th edition of the All Women Blogging Carnival is now available for you to read and enjoy. This blog carnival focuses exclusively on blog entries that were written by women. And they included one that I wrote, too!
grrlscientist | February 18, 2008tags: nature, mountain, Image of the Day
I have been digging through my image archives in my gmail account and found some real treasures that my readers sent to me. Unfortunately, I overlooked quite a few images that were sent when I was in the hospital and had poor computer access. So let me fix this oversight during the next few weeks;
This looks like Mt. Rainier to me, but maybe one of you has a better idea of this mountain's identity (and also, what is the name of the lake in the forground?)
Orphaned image [larger view].
grrlscientist | February 18, 2008tags: Birds in the News, BirdNews, ornithology, birds, avian, newsletter
New wintering sites for critically endangered Spoon-billed Sandpipers, Eurynorhynchus pygmeus, have been discovered in Myanmar.
Image: Peter Ericsson.
Birds in Science
There is a lot of controversy among scientists regarding when modern birds first appeared. The current fossil record suggests that modern birds appeared approximately 60-65 million years ago when the other lineages of dinosaurs (along with at least half of all terrestrial animals) were extinguished by a bolide impact. However, it is possible that…
grrlscientist | February 18, 2008tags: alka seltzer, microgravity, space science, NASA, streaming video
Alka-Seltzer is added to spherical water drop in microgravity onboard the International Space Station on March 22, 2003. Expedition Six NASA ISS Science Officer Don Pettit performs a series of microgravity experiments with water spheres and effervescent antacid tablets. Pettit inserts a tablet into a 50-millimeter sphere and observes the fizzy results. [4:43]
grrlscientist | February 17, 2008tags: reptile, snake, photography, subway art, AMNH, NYC, NYCLife
Is this a rainbow snake, Farancia erytrogramma?
Snake, as portrayed in tiles on the walls of the NYC uptown subway stop (A-B-C)
at 81st and Central Park West. (ISO, no zoom, no flash).
Image: GrrlScientist 2008. [wallpaper size].
Read more about the AMNH tile artworks and see the AMNH tile artworks photographic archives -- with all the animals identified.
grrlscientist | February 17, 2008
Peering out of the windows of my new hang-out, a coffee shop that
just opened in my neighborhood. Guess who is going to get ALL of
my disposable income from now on?
GrrlScientist 2008 [larger view].
I think I mentioned to you a few months ago (in November to be precise) that three banks opened in my neighborhood within one week of each other -- the first banks I've seen within 10 blocks of my apartment. This was really good, since one of those bank branches is mine (not that I have any money to speak of, except for the minimum necessary to allow me to cash checks written by my pet care…
grrlscientist | February 17, 2008tags: Birdbooker Report, bird books, natural history books
"One cannot have too many good bird books"
--Ralph Hoffmann, Birds of the Pacific States (1927).
A friend of mine, Ian Paulsen, loves books as much as I do, and possibly (gasp!) moreso! I know this is difficult to believe, but he has collected books about birds and natural history themes for as long as I've known him, which has been a fairly long period of my life. As far as I know, Ian reads all of his collected books, too, unlike most book collectors. Further, Ian knows just about every publisher out there who has ever published a…
grrlscientist | February 17, 2008tags: birds, kea, Nestor notabilis, ornithology, Image of the Day
I have been digging through my image archives in my gmail account and found some real treasures that my readers sent to me. Unfortunately, I overlooked quite a few images that were sent when I was in the hospital and had poor computer access. So let me fix this oversight during the next few weeks;
Kea, Nestor notabilis.
Image: Daniel Collins [larger view].
The photographer writes; This particular shot was taken around Arthurs Pass, in the middle of the South Island, NZ. This is standard Kea habitat, but I suspect you'd…
grrlscientist | February 16, 2008tags: blog carnivals, Oekologie
The 14th edition of the Oekologie is now available for you to read and enjoy. This blog carnival mainly focuses on the science of ecology.
grrlscientist | February 16, 2008tags: blog carnivals, Friday Ark
The 178th edition of the Friday Ark is now available for you to read and enjoy. This blog carnival presents pictures of animals for you to enjoy, so get on over there!