grrlscientist | December 12, 2007tags: Deroptyus accipitrinus, hawk-headed parrot, red-fan parrot, pets, birds, avian, parrots
Adult red fan (hawk-headed) parrot, Deroptyus a. accipitrinus.
(Adults of both sexes are distinguished from juveniles
by the creamy white spot on the forehead
and the orange ring around the pupil of the eye.
The skin around the eye darkens in adults if
the birds are exposed to sunlight).
Image: Dale R. Thompson.
As you probably remember, about six weeks ago, a reader got me a young, newly-weaned hawk-headed parrot, Deroptyus a. accipitrinus, for a pet. I preferred not to name this bird until…
grrlscientist | December 12, 2007tags: Ruby-Throated Hummingbird, Archilochus colubris, birds, Image of the Day
Thanks to Greg Scott, who has offered to share his gorgeous images with me and all of you here, I am running a series of his hummingbird images starting on 5 December and going daily through the 12th of December. I will likely be publishing more of his images here in the future, as well. But until then, be sure to peek in here daily for yet another hummingbird to brighten your day and also check out Greg's webpage, where he sells images -- yet another wonderful holiday gift idea!
Male Ruby-Throated Hummingbird,…
grrlscientist | December 12, 2007tags: two-fork toothpick trick, physics, streaming video
This streaming video shows a fun trick that you can use to impress your friends! But seriously, how does this trick work? [2:01]
Awesome Toothpick Fork Trick
grrlscientist | December 11, 2007tags: holidays, social relationships, gift-giving, psychology, behavioral evolution, evolution
Since the holidays are upon us once more, I thought you would be interested to read about the psychology of gift-giving. In short, even though giving someone a gift is simple enough, the psychology behind this act is much more complex than most people realize.
A large number of scientists, ranging from psychologists to economists, have studied the purpose and ramifications of gift giving in humans and have learned a surprising number of things about it. Even though many people claim they are…
grrlscientist | December 11, 2007Everyone knows that the universal language of science is English, which is not to say that scientific papers are not published in other languages, but if the author wants his or her papers to be widely read, they must publish in English. However, the citizens of the world speak many different languages and their lives are impacted by scientific research just as much as English-speaking peoples' live are .. so, ScienceBlogs is launching a German-speaking counterpart and now they are wondering .. which language should they focus on next? They have a very short poll (2 questions) for you to…
grrlscientist | December 11, 2007tags: Magnificent Hummingbird, Eugenes fulgens, birds, Image of the Day
Thanks to Greg Scott, who has offered to share his gorgeous images with me and all of you here, I am running a series of his hummingbird images starting on 5 December and going daily through the 12th of December. I will likely be publishing more of his images here in the future, as well. But until then, be sure to peek in here daily for yet another hummingbird to brighten your day and also check out Greg's webpage, where he sells images -- yet another wonderful holiday gift idea!
Male Magnificent Hummingbird, Eugenes…
grrlscientist | December 11, 2007tags: Hollywood writers' strike, cute internet animals, humor, politics, streaming video
This is hilarious. All the cute animals on the internet are going on strike (by not being cute or adorable anymore) in support of the Hollywood writers' strike. From Colbert Report writers Frank Lesser and Rob Dubbin, and Viola/violin: Niamh and Pamela. [1:18]
grrlscientist | December 10, 2007tags: carnival of family life, blog carnivals
What do you think of when you hear the word "family"? Relatives, right? Well, the 3rd edition of the Carnival of Family Life covers that aspect of family, as well as including my own peculiar definition of family life! So of course, you have to go there and do some reading.
grrlscientist | December 10, 2007tags: cats, blog carnivals
Zed Monster and his human are presenting the 194th edition of the Carnival of Cats for you to enjoy. Also available for all you cat lovers is the 22nd edition of the Bad Kitty Cat Festival. Both are are packed full of furry purry goodness! Oh, the bad kitty cat festival includes a sound track of cats "meowing" a christmas carol, so if you are in the library, as I am, beware! The bad kitties will embarrass you.
grrlscientist | December 10, 2007tags: she blog carnival, blog carnivals
The 7th edition of the She Blog Carnival is now available for you to read. This carnival has some really interesting and important essays, especially the one about the rate of poverty in elderly women.
grrlscientist | December 10, 2007tags: James Watson, racism, African ancestry, genetics, genome, deCODE Genetics
James Watson, 1962 Nobel Prize winner
for co-discovering the structure of DNA along with
Francis Crick and Maurice Wilkins.
This is one of the funnier things I've read recently. It turns out that 1962 Nobel laureate, James Watson, who recently made some disparaging comments about the intelligence of Africans, probably is of African descent himself.
Watson, whose genome was completely sequenced, is the second person whose entire genome was published on the internet. As a result, it is freely accessible to the…
grrlscientist | December 10, 2007tags: happiness carnival, blog carnivals
This is going to shock some people who know how cranky I have been recently due to my professional situation, but a contribution from me was included in the December issue of the Happiness Carnival. Yes, I know, I am the last one who you would suspect is walking around trying to conjure up reasons to be happy, but there ya go; I like to keep you all on your toes! So go there, read and be happy.
grrlscientist | December 10, 2007tags: Broad-billed Hummingbird, Cynanthus latirostris, birds, Image of the Day
Thanks to Greg Scott, who has offered to share his gorgeous images with me and all of you here, I am running a series of his hummingbird images starting on 5 December and going daily through the 12th of December. I will likely be publishing more of his images here in the future, as well. But until then, be sure to peek in here daily for yet another hummingbird to brighten your day and also check out Greg's webpage, where he sells images -- yet another wonderful holiday gift idea!
Male Broad-billed Hummingbird,…
grrlscientist | December 10, 2007tags: science, public policy, politics, federal funding, research, reality-based government, 2008 American presidential elections, ScienceDebate2008
There are plenty of debates for presidential candidates on all sorts of topics, but have you noticed that none of these debates include any discussion about science and research? Sure, the candidates all are ready to whine about how there "aren't enough scientists and engineers out there", but that is purely a bullshit sentiment based on blatant lies -- as I and thousands of other un(der)employed Americans with PhDs in various scientific,…
grrlscientist | December 10, 2007tags: Observations of Daily Life, blog carnivals
The 9 December edition of the Observations of Daily Life blog carnival is now available. There are lots of interesting stories there to be read, some with a holiday theme, so sit down with a cup of coffee or egg nog and treat yourself!
grrlscientist | December 10, 2007tags: Birds in the News, BirdNews, ornithology, birds, avian, newsletter
Winter in NYC means the return of migratory White-throated Sparrows, Zonotrichia albicollis (this bird is in its first winter plumage). There are thousands of these birds in Central Park and in the other parks here, subsisting on grass seeds along with crumbs and other foods that people give them.
Image: Kevin T. Karlson [larger view].
Birds in Science
Divers exploring a water-filled sinkhole in the Bahama Islands recently recovered one of the world's largest and most pristinely preserved collections of animal and…
grrlscientist | December 10, 2007tags: Jim Henson, Emmet Otter's Jug Band Christmas, outtakes, streaming video
This is a series of outtakes from Jim Henson's Muppets christmas special, a focus on the talent contest -- this should help you on your way to the holidays in fine shape [7:53]
grrlscientist | December 9, 2007tags: Walmart, Walmart Cake
Would you like to work for a place that does something like this?
I wonder if the conversation that led to this cake went something like this?
Walmart Employee: Hello dis Walmarts, how can I help you?
Customer: I would like to order a cake for a going away party this week.
Walmart Employee: What you want on dat cake?
Customer: "Best Wishes Suzanne" and underneath that "We will miss you"
grrlscientist | December 9, 2007tags: Black-chinned Hummingbird, Archilochus alexandri, birds, Image of the Day
Thanks to Greg Scott, who has offered to share his gorgeous images with me and all of you here, I am running a series of his hummingbird images starting on 5 December and going daily through the 12th of December. I will likely be publishing more of his images here in the future, as well. But until then, be sure to peek in here daily for yet another hummingbird to brighten your day and also check out Greg's webpage, where he sells images -- yet another wonderful holiday gift idea!
Black-chinned Hummingbird,…
grrlscientist | December 9, 2007tags: christmas stocking, online quiz
Here is an amusing online quiz for you to play with -- I don't know about you, but I sure hope that my stocking is filled with the goodies that the quiz predicted for me!
You Christmas Stocking Will Be Filled with Money
You've either been really really good this year...
Or Santa is trying to pay you off!
What Will Be In Your Christmas Stocking?