Some folks at the University of Florida have digitized a bunch of insect sounds for your listening pleasure. Maybe your ears can be your spider-senses if you're looking to eat some male Anastrepha suspensa (Caribbean fruit fly) in the midst of his mate calling song.

I learned a new word today. Stridulous. (via Stridulation), and I plan on using the term the next time I meet someone who fits the bill.

Also, they changed the "Bosley" guy on She-Spies. The New fellow is more of a drill-sgt type, and doesn't deliver a straight line like the last one.

RSVP is a fun little matching game.

Monkeys! Monkeys! Monkeys! Aye-ayes, apes, baboons, bonobos, chimpanzees, galagos tarsiers, gibbons, gorillas, great apes, indris, lemurs, lorises, macaque, marmosets, monkeys, orang-utans, pottos, siamang, sifakas and tamarins, oh my!

Ukuleles can help make you smarter!

Chemistry class with an element of surprise: songs to jog memories

COLORADO SPRINGS - Laughter erupts when Clark Maxon hands out a study sheet to the seniors in his advanced-placement chemistry class at Rampart High School.

"Now, this is serious business," he said. "That's why I brought the ukulele." He strums a few warm-up chords, and then the class begins singing the material on the handout to the tune of Oh! Susanna:

"Oh, the compounds that are soluble/ They dissolve in water/ In H-2-0 they're soluble/ Larn em like ya otter."

The point is, when it comes to teaching chemistry, Maxon and fellow Rampart teacher Bob Jones don't miss a beat.

They rewrite the lyrics of common tunes to teach students the basics of chemistry. It's silly science, but it's also a learning tool.

Jones said some students don't know what to make of singing the subject matter at first.

"Initially, it's like, 'What are we doing? This is really weird.' "

Students learn the exothermic process to the tune of Yankee Doodle. Frosty the Snowman is jingle about how an excited atom emits a quantum of a certain frequency.

"I sing them in the shower," said student Jennifer Westbrook.

The method is foolproof, says Taylor Mabry.

"I found myself singing during the final exam last year because it helped me to remember," he said.

Singing during exams is fair game - as long as students don't belt out the tunes.

"You can see them sometimes during tests moving their lips," Jones said.

Heck, I've known music can help me remember history and math since Schoolhouse rock! I *still* sing the preamble to the constitution if I have to recall it.



Testing a more rapid refresh live-cam software at - http://65.80.9.224:8090/remote6/ right now, going to see if it's better than good ol' chillcam. Something to leave up and running all day, streaming while I'm at work. Feel free to leave a comment if something seems weird... there's not much going on there right now, just me and the Newtster playing, reading, or writing my brother a letter.

my chat / IM info is on my info page, if you'd like to gab, and I'm around. :)

Well, I've beaten my goal, and it's not even October yet! What I'd like to do now is organize a nice, big crew of us to go on a sweep!

You are sire to 102 other vampires, including: LdySaphyre (7355 pints), MissV (2908 pints), Liliana (2705 pints), gilbella (1356 pints), mixedresults (1246 pints), Morgoth (902 pints), Nathanael (689 pints), night_flyer (614 pints), wchmum (527 pints), phenrill (362 pints)

Care to play?

Ok, coolness. I've found a way to pipe trackercam through chillcam, so I can still-cap streaming and apply the chill-filters to them. Although, it looks like the new chillcam does that on its own. (but my way is free.)

Hooray for Nick2! It plays Angry Beavers and Rocko's Modern Life.

For the topic-chest-

Dervishes: A sect of Mohammedan priests. In some cases they exercise a semi-esoteric doctrine. Their various "paths" or systems are of great antiquity, and probably are derived from ancient rites of Persia and Egypt, bearing also a strong resemblance to Magism. Taking the Bektash as typical of all, we find that in the fifteenth century Bektash of Bokhara received his mantle from Ahmed Yesvee, who claimed descent from the father-in-law of Mohammed. He established a "path," consisting nominally of seven degrees, only four of which, however, are essential. These aim at the establishment of an affinity between the aspirant and the Sheik, from whom he is led through the spirit of the founder, and that of the Prophet to Allah. The initiatory ceremony provides a severe test. The aspirant is tried for a year with false secrets, and his time of probation having expired, a lamb is slain, from the carcass of which a cord is made for his neck and a girdle of initiation for his loins. Two armed attendants then lead him into a square chamber, where he is presented to the Sheik as "a slave who desires to know truth." He is then placed before a stone altar, on which are twelve escallops. The Sheik, who is attended by eleven others, grips the hand of the aspirant in a peculiar way, and administers the oath of the Order, in which the neophyte promises to be poor, chaste and obedient. He is then informed that the penalty of betraying the Order is death. He then says: "Mohammed is my guide, Ali is my director," and is asked by the Sheik, "Do you accept me as your guide?" The reply being made in the affirmative, the Sheik says: "Then I accept you as my son." He is then invested with a girdle on which are three knots, and receives an alabaster stone as a token. The sign of recognition is the same as that in the first degree of masonry. Amongst their important symbols are the double triangles, and two triangles joined at the apex. One of their maxims is that "the man must die that a saint must be born." As a jewel they make use of a small marble cube with red spots, to typify the blood of the martyred Ali. These dervish sects are by no means popular with the orthodox Mussulmans, as they devote themselves entirely to the well-being of their order rather than to Mohammedanism.

A notable exercise indulged in by several Dervish sects is that of gyration in circles for extended periods of time, or prolonged dancing. The object of this is obscure, some authorities contending that it is engaged in to bring about a condition of ecstasy, whilst others see in it a planetary or astronomic significance.

Via Encyclopedia of Occultism, 1920


Points: 41.5 Adj: 0 Act: 3.8 Rem: -3.7
Bank: 8.1 Adj: 0
Bank Max: 35 Point: 0 Act: 0
Bank Method: Start on Monday
Vitamins: Yes

Breakfast: 0.9 points
0.3: Egg; whole; hard-boiled
0.0: Earl Grey Tea
0.3: Egg; whole; hard-boiled
0.3: Egg; whole; hard-boiled

Lunch: 8.3 points
2.3: Veggie egg roll
2.3: Veggie egg roll
2.3: Veggie egg roll
1.4: Peas sweet; 1 can; solids & liquids
0.0: Soda; Low calorie; other than cola or pepper; w/aspartame

Dinner: 21.7 points
3.1: Chik patties - morningstar
3.1: Chik patties - morningstar
3.1: Chik patties - morningstar
3.1: Chik patties - morningstar
0.1: Beans; snap; green; canned; no salt added; drained solids
0.1: Beans; snap; green; canned; no salt added; drained solids
0.0: Earl Grey Tea
0.5: Ketchup
4.3: Toaster Pastries; POP TARTS; Frosted chocolate fudge
4.3: Toaster Pastries; POP TARTS; Frosted chocolate fudge

Snack: 10.6 points
5.1: ice cream ; low fat chocolate caramel - 1 cup
3.5: Goldfish
1.0: Dove dark chocolate promise
1.0: Dove dark chocolate promise

Activity Log: (Min:Int:Points Desc)
20:L:1.6 Morning- stretches
20:M:2.2 Evening- stretches