Monthly Archives: October 2011

Wallpaper Monday

Posted on 31 October 2011 by

Cassini, the Little Space Probe That Could, has been returning yet more drop dead gorgeous images of the Saturn system. The latest that made a bunch of blogs and news pages was one of four moons all in the same … Continue reading →

Posted in wallpaper | 3 Comments

London time warp

Posted on 29 October 2011 by

One of the things I love about living in the Old World is that it’s so easy to step into the past. Especially in rural villages or walled towns, where it often feels as if time has stood still. It’s … Continue reading →

Posted in travel | Leave a comment

The ultimate anti-predation weapon

Posted on 28 October 2011 by

Back when I worked at a public aquarium, one of my favorite fish for the sheer cool factor was the Pacific hagfish, Eptatretus stoutii. So ugly that only a mother (or an aquarist) could love them, hagfish have the added … Continue reading →

Posted in science, video | 2 Comments

Snails are slow at EVERYTHING

Posted on 27 October 2011 by

Do you know what else snails are slow at? Sex. There’s a pair on my veranda, tucked beneath the sheltering foliage of a Felicia, and they’ve been copulating all day. I mean that literally — all day, and into the … Continue reading →

Posted in life | 2 Comments

A Democratic Apostle and a Convert

Posted on 26 October 2011 by

My mother has been going through old newspaper records, and occasionally sends me little tidbits such as this one. Published on 14 March 1860 (a year before the Civil War began), it appeared on page 1, column 8 of the … Continue reading →

Posted in life, USA | Leave a comment

“…the dangers of contraception”

Posted on 25 October 2011 by

Last March I posted photos of a condom dispenser on the outside wall of a pharmacy in my town and commented that you would never see that in the US. Then I added that according to United Nations data, the … Continue reading →

Posted in politics, USA | 3 Comments

Wallpaper Monday

Posted on 24 October 2011 by

Which do you prefer, orange or blue? In East Java, Indonesia, an unusual lake has formed in the crater of a volcano named Kawah Ijen. Unlike most crater lakes, this one is sulfuric acid. When the liquid sulfur at the … Continue reading →

Posted in life, wallpaper | 2 Comments

Saturday picture show

Posted on 22 October 2011 by

The BBC and David Attenborough have done it again. Four years in the making, Frozen Planet looks absolutely stunning. Check out this trailer: Whew! Just to whet our appetites, the Beeb has been releasing snippets of the footage. This video … Continue reading →

Posted in life, science, video | 19 Comments

Is smart security an oxymoron?

Posted on 20 October 2011 by

The highlight of our trip home from London was when my stepson’s bag was pulled from the lineup for a special screening at the airport. The security guard snapped on his gloves, felt around, and pulled out…. (prepare yourself) …a … Continue reading →

Posted in humor, travel | 6 Comments

The commercials that stick

Posted on 19 October 2011 by

Today I was showing my wife one of the classic commercials from my childhood (and yes, I am dating myself here): the 1975 ad for the Chrysler Cordoba, starring the wonderful Ricardo Montalban and his rolling Spanish accent. His reference … Continue reading →

Posted in culture, video | 9 Comments