From Wired:

It'll Cost Ya, Dude

If male crickets live fast they die young, according to Australian researchers. Scientists at the University of New South Wales fed one group of field crickets a protein-rich diet and another group a protein-poor diet. The best-fed male insects burned themselves out with their tireless trilling mating calls, causing them to die sooner than their malnourished, quieter counterparts. The pattern was not mirrored in females, who do not indulge in mating calls. "Only high quality males can bear the costs of an extreme sexual display," scientists said in an article published in the medical journal Nature. "Sexual advertisement is costly."

Kat-- do you know any professors? For some reason, at my Uni, the professors always seem to come up with a slide projector somehow when I cannot find one for them.

Good idea, Sophia. I'm also going to ask a friend who is a photography to see if she has any ideas. ARGH.

I am thinking of trying to hunt up my VCD of last year's Christmakkuh episode to watch... one of my favorites,because I ADORE the Summer as well as the Seth and she is so adorable n the ep.

I think I'll watch it on DVD today or tomorrow.

Lori is making me go to the mall today. For a christmas gift? no. for scuba fins.

I grew up in a town with a large reservior, and they never salted.

Our water comes from reservoir, and hello! salt.

Kat, Fox is showing last year's Chrismukkah episode tonight.

I know! I was going to Tivo it until Lori said, "We have it on DVD you know." Which is true. But there's somethign neat about it being broadcast.

MMMMm..... Summer dressed as Wonder Woman. Anna before she becomes super irritating.

How's the healing coming on the outside, juliana. Are you recognizing the woman in the mirror?

Oh yeah. She’s the same, with the addition of a little eye-scar and some swelling (and concomitant numbness/stiffness) that should hopefully go away. Someday. It’s really only noticeable to me, but it is there.

Allyson - that story is horror beyond words. I wish peace to everyone affected, except those as are, you know, GUILTY AS FUCK.

What ita said. Fucking hell. The poor family.

Does ballet really get prettier each and every time you see it, or is it just me?

It’s not just you. I sit and gape in awe and wonder every time. So pretty.

Poor flea and family!!!

Slide projectors are so 1970s and I can't find one at my school to use and I don't want to buy one. Nor do we have a scanner that can scan slides.

Kat - check with a larger theater. They tend to have them. If you seriously can't find one, well.... I could ship you ours, but I'd need to know by Tuesday.

Juliana, you are a total doll! I'll let you know by Monday iffen I can't find one, but I'm somewhat (falsely?) confident that I can. I just emailed my friend who does theater work here.

AND, FTR, it's too damn cold this morning. 48F is just wrong.

I am not working today. The shuttle comes to get me in 40 minutes and I still have to walk the dogs and go to the bank.

I woke up to find the heat blasting. Turns out it was because the wind blew my front door open during the night, and I was heating all of the East Bay. Joy.

I'll let you know by Monday iffen I can't find one

Kewl. Ours is a newer model, so it's not amazingly heavy.

AND, FTR, it's too damn cold this morning. 48F is just wrong.

HA!! Pffffft. It's on record as being -7 here, with a "feels like" of -24. I'll bet it's actually more like -14. And no snow to insulate any of it. I mock your 48F. (But with love, and much envy.)

AND, FTR, it's too damn cold this morning. 48F is just wrong.

It's like 10 here. I was all excited, thinking, "Finally, it feels like winter for once." Winters in Chicago usually feel too mild to me.