Author Archives: cicada

Comparative shmoonatomy

Posted on August 28, 2007 by cicada

Shmoo Michael Paulus Wait – I don’t believe that a Shmoo even HAS a skeleton. Isn’t it entirely cytoplasmic? Or am I thinking of yeast? I do like the little vestigial arms – kind of like the rudimentary, internal “hindlimbs” … Continue reading →

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

Praying Mantis of Death!

Posted on August 28, 2007 by cicada

Praying mantises are cool. If you don’t have them around already, consider buying an egg case – hundreds of ghostly miniature mantises hatch out and, if not dispersed soon enough, voraciously eat each other. The surviving siblings grow to remarkable … Continue reading →

Posted in Biology | 12 Comments

Poem of the Week: Grace, in passing

Posted on August 25, 2007 by cicada

Once, years ago, I tore a photo of Grace Paley out of a magazine. The photo was something like this one, from the cover of her Collected Poems. I had no idea who she was at the time, but something … Continue reading →

Posted in Poetry | Comments Off

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