grrlscientist | June 25, 2007tags: Birds in the News, BirdNews, ornithology, birds, avian, newsletter
Lark Bunting, Calamospiza melanocorys -- the official state bird of Colorado.
Image: Dave Rintoul, KSU. [larger]
People Hurting Birds
The number of birds of prey poisoned illegally in Scotland rose to a record high last year after an eight-year campaign by Labour and LibDem ministers to crack down on wildlife crime. A report to be published this week will reveal there were 39 confirmed cases of pesticide abuse in 2006 involving eagles, red kites, hawks, falcons, owls, buzzards and ravens. That is double the number in…
grrlscientist | June 25, 2007tags: microwave science, humor, streaming video
This week's science experiment while drunk asks what happens when you light a match, place a glass over it, and then microwave it? [1:03]
grrlscientist | June 22, 2007Some days, we learn too much about everything that we prostitute so we can have a wee bit of belonging and meaning in our lives. Today has been one of those days for me;
Fast Car
by Tracy Chapman
You got a fast car
I want a ticket to anywhere
Maybe we make a deal
Maybe together we can get somewhere
Anyplace is better
Starting from zero got nothing to lose
Maybe we'll make something
But me myself I got nothing to prove
You got a fast car
And I got a plan to get us out of here
I been working at the convenience store
Managed to save just a little bit of money
We won't have to drive too far…
grrlscientist | June 22, 2007tags: online quiz
How about you?
You Should Learn French
C'est super! You appreciate the finer things in life... wine, art, cheese, love affairs.
You are definitely a Parisian at heart. You just need your tongue to catch up...
What Language Should You Learn?
grrlscientist | June 22, 2007tags: employment, science, math, engineering, streaming video
Why would any sane and intelligent American even consider getting a college education in science or math when it can mean months or years of unemployment or underemployment? I mean seriously, large corporations are hiring H1-Bs instead of American workers, and academe can only absorb so many graduates -- in fact, far fewer than the number that graduate every year. So in short, there is no shortage of math and science graduates in this country as I have often said, despite the fact that Bush and his cronies repeatedly claim there is…
grrlscientist | June 21, 2007tags: We, two-headed snake, reptile, World Aquarium
Leonard Sonnenschein, president of the World Aquarium in St. Louis, holds We, a two-headed albino rat snake. The snake came to the aquarium's attention when its previous owner distributed a circular offering it for sale days after its birth. The aquarium paid $15,000, knowing full well that most two-headed snakes don't live more than a few months.
[larger]
A rare two-headed albino rat snake, appropriately named "We," died this past weekend. The 8-year-old rat snake, the main attraction at the World Aquarium located inside the downtown…
grrlscientist | June 21, 2007tags: cancer, liposarcoma, trabectedin, Ecteinascidia turbinata, sea squirt
A toxin derived from a humble sea squirt, Ecteinascidia turbinata (pictured, right), shows great promise as an anti-cancer drug. This toxin, known as trabectedin (ecteinascidinin-743), shrinks and even completely removes cancerous tumors in more than half of the patients treated with it, according to a new study. The patients treated with this drug suffered from a specific type of liposarcoma cancer, which is associated with chromosomal mutations. Liposarcomas are a rare but malignant tumor that grow in the fat cells…
grrlscientist | June 21, 2007tags: cat, cat chat, streaming video
This sweet kitty, named Tiggy, is quite talkative. In this streaming video, she is looking for her people, using auditory cues. Awww ...
grrlscientist | June 21, 2007tags: Hillary Clinton, Bill Clinton, humor, streaming video
No matter what you haters say, I think that Hillary does have a sense of humor. Not bad, considering that she's the front-runner in that most deadly-serious of American hobbies; running for president of the United States [1:35]
grrlscientist | June 20, 2007Okay, I have a proposition for all of you, dear readers. In an attempt to increase my sicko rating while simultaneously adding some spice to my otherwise boring science blog, I have written an ad for a rare job opportunity, especially for all you struggling female scientists out there (below the fold);
Are you a female PhD in either the sciences or maths, between the ages of twenty-five and thirty? Are you tired of lying around in bed all day, depressed and unemployable, with nothing meaningful to do with your life?
Well, you never need get up again, because in six short weeks I can train…
grrlscientist | June 20, 2007tags: blog carnival, biology, nature, medicine, science
Hey, good news, science geeks! The 82nd edition of the Tangled Bank blog carnival is now available for your reading pleasure. It is packed full of science-y goodness to satisfy even the most eclectic tastes.
grrlscientist | June 20, 2007tags: researchblogging.org, superb starling, Spreo superbus, Lamprotornis superbus, birds, behavior, infidelity
Superb starling, Lamprotornis (Spreo) superbus.
These small birds are commonly found in open woodlands and savannahs throughout Northeast Africa.
Image: Hogle Zoo, Utah.
While it is widely known that males of many species seek out extra-pair copulations in order to produce as many offspring as possible, the reasons for female "infidelity" are much more complex. For example, a study was recently published that showed how a bird species uses sexual politics to ensure maximal…
grrlscientist | June 20, 2007tags: George Carlin, humor, streaming video
This is a streaming video of George Carlin throughout the years, starting when he was funny. The language is somewhat colorful (as typical with George Carlin), but he is an excellent social observer and critic who has a lot of good points to make, and his comments about God are especially spot-on. [10:37]
grrlscientist | June 20, 2007tags: Donald Rumsfeld, creationism museum, religion, science, streaming video
Three students attended the grand opening of the controversial creationism museum and interview people who agree with it as well as those who do not. This video did not take any side. Their intentions were to simply get people's opinions. [6:07]
grrlscientist | June 19, 2007This is something that should make you oh, so proud, to be American. NOT.
According to the lawyer on this video, "Our goal is to NOT find a qualified or interested American worker so we can get the foreigner a green card".
This streaming video shows one big reason why qualified Americans can be unemployed for years, until they give up trying to find a job at all, in fact. In the meanwhile, these employers are hiring H-1B foreigners and paying them, on average, 20% less than a similarly qualified US worker. According to my sources, Lou Dobbs investigated this streaming video and presented a…
grrlscientist | June 19, 2007Okay, this is for those of you who are easily entertained. I know I fall into this category, so I hope you do, too. I was recently challenged by Matthew to participate in a "sicko" Google search terms contest to list the sickest search terms used find my blog. Here are a few search terms for you, starting with the top search term (drum roll, please);
Harry Potter
Hey, who would'a guessed that?? Seriously, if I had to guess what my top search term was, I would guess "Birds in the News" or birds or something like that.
Anyway, as expected, most of my search terms are bird, dinosaur or fossil…
grrlscientist | June 19, 2007tags: sea turtle, Olive-Ridley hatchling, Image of the Day
An Olive Ridley hatchling struggles out of its egg on a French Guianan beach. Egg collection and snaring in fishing nets have brought the turtle's population down by 95% in 40 years. Turtle protection has been under discussion at the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species meeting.
Image: Roger Leguen, WWF [larger]
grrlscientist | June 19, 2007Today, I made the very disturbing discovery that the sound card in my laptop has ceased to function. It was working fine last night, but today .. nothing! Of course, I find this to be very upsetting for several reasons; my computer is my entertainment system because I don't have a TV or stereo, so now I have nothing to keep me entertained outside of reading books. Also, I am not sure how to pay for the replacement of this sound card, and the thought of being parted from my laptop -- even for a few days for the replacement to occur -- is unbearable to me. My laptop is my only connection with…
grrlscientist | June 19, 2007tags: Donald Rumsfeld, politics, humor, satire, streaming video
In an extended view, Craig shows us that you never know what those zany Defense Secretaries might do next. [2:10]