Monthly Archives: August 2007

Guilty as charged

Posted on August 23, 2007 by cicada

Stephen King’s column in the 8/10/07 Entertainment Weekly charmed me. Struck by a silly YouTube video, he launches into a paean to entertainment that, without regard for artistic integrity or prestige, purely entertains: I sat there amazed and full of … Continue reading →

Posted in Artists & Art, Film, Video & Music, Science in culture & policy | 6 Comments

But my neighbor is an anteater

Posted on August 21, 2007 by cicada

This is a good idea, but in practice it isn’t terribly accurate. The idea is to tell you whether the area in which you live is walker-friendly – how many stores, restaurants, bars, etc. are close to you? Unfortunately, Google’s … Continue reading →

Posted in Department of the Drama, Destinations, Frivolity | 5 Comments

Poissons de mer

Posted on August 21, 2007 by cicada

This just made me happy today. Via Agence eureka.

Posted in Artists & Art, Biology, Ephemera | 1 Comment

You are not invited in!

Posted on August 19, 2007 by cicada

  I found this bizarre critter right outside my new DC apartment. I guess my entomological skills will have to expand, along with my tolerance for exuberant tree growth, because I have absolutely no idea what it might be. It was … Continue reading →

Posted in Biology | 3 Comments

Adelson’s checkerboard illusion

Posted on August 17, 2007 by cicada

Square A is exactly the same color as square B. No kidding. Our visual systems are old pros at tricking our consciousness. What’s going on here is a simple case of lightness constancy: our visual system is designed to feed … Continue reading →

Posted in Biology, Frivolity | 3 Comments

Our country is large, but our Wal-Marts are larger

Posted on August 16, 2007 by cicada

I just finished driving from Seattle to Washington, DC, which explains my neglect of the blog. I’ve been more concerned with straightening out last-minute snafus via cell phone, than with posting here. And sadly, I was traveling alone, so I … Continue reading →

Posted in Department of the Drama, Destinations | 9 Comments

Rosalind Franklin, Artist’s Muse?

Posted on August 12, 2007 by cicada

Photo 51 Rosalind Franklin, 1952 Rosalind Franklin: Photo 51 Denise Wyllie & Clare O Hagan, 2007 Via Lablit: Wyllie and O Hagan first became interested in Franklin when they discovered her story while doing an art residency at a laboratory … Continue reading →

Posted in Artists & Art, Biology | 2 Comments

Lovely bones

Posted on August 11, 2007 by cicada

This is a resource to bookmark immediately. . . the “Taxidermy, Cryptozoology & Animal Curiosa Ãœberpost” from Wurzeltod. I’ve previously posted on Jessica Joslin, Tia Resleure, Ron Pippin, Hajime Emoto, and Colette Calascione. Just look how much more there is … Continue reading →

Posted in Artists & Art, Wonder Cabinets | 2 Comments

Shrooms on the run?

Posted on August 11, 2007 by cicada

Made in Transit: oyster mushrooms Agata Jaworska On Saturday I went to the farmer’s market to snag some nectarines and peaches. Unfortunately, by Tuesday they’d gone bad already, which left me wondering what farmers do with all the peaches and … Continue reading →

Posted in Biology, Science | Comments Off on Shrooms on the run?

But where’s the Cephalopod counter?

Posted on August 7, 2007 by cicada

Every biologist secretly craves seafood counters labeled “Crustacea” in beautiful art deco lettering. Thank you, Harrods.

Posted in Biology, Destinations, Frivolity | 4 Comments