The Houston Chronicle’s own weather geek, Eric “SciGuy” Berger, will call in
tonight on Technology Bytes to talk about the science of the tropical storm (Humberto) that’s bearing down on us here in Houston.
Eric does the SciGuy blog, and is a finalist for an Online News Association award.
We’ll bring him on right after the regular news segment around 8:30 CST or so.
Tune in at 90.1 FM KPFT or catch the stream from the station website at kpft.org
Via the Alex Foundation
Gifted research parrot Alex found dead
WALTHAM, MA (SEPTEMBER 10, 2007)””Alex, the world renowned African Grey parrot made famous by the ground-breaking cognition and communication research conducted by Irene Pepperberg, Ph.D., died at the age of 31 on September 6, 2007. Dr. Pepperberg’s pioneering research resulted in Alex learning elements of English speech to identify 50 different objects, 7 colors, 5 shapes, quantities up to and including 6 and a zero-like concept. He used phrases such as “I want X” and “Wanna go Y”, where X and Y were appropriate object and location labels. He acquired concepts of categories, bigger and smaller, same-different, and absence. Alex combined his labels to identify, request, refuse, and categorize more than 100 different items demonstrating a level and scope of cognitive abilities never expected in an avian species. Pepperberg says that Alex showed the emotional equivalent of a 2 year-old child and intellectual equivalent of a 5 year-old. Her research with Alex shattered the generally held notion that parrots are only capable of mindless vocal mimicry.
Alex was an amazing African Gray Parrot who may have even understood the mathmatical concept of zero…
One of my co-workers was ribbing me about my first gallery show and the sale of my piece this past weekend.
He told me that all I needed to do now was cut off an ear and I would be all set.
I told him that had already been done.
After a pause I suggested maybe I could be known as the artist who cuts off other people’s ears…
Having made me a pile of shirts I was delighted when Cynthia decided to design and make for herself a jacket she could wear to the gallery opening.
Her idea required a variety of different decorative trims which we sought out and acquired at various fabric store all across town.
I think it came out quite nice…
I’ve struck up a bit of a friendship with Patrick Devlin over the years so I should not have been surprised when he started asking the audience if they would mind if Jay Lee came up and took a picture of them …
I’ve always loved shooting from the stage. It’s a unique perspective on concert photography and I was happy to oblige.
Staring into the face of a Blaggards live audience is a most interesting experience….
Of course while I was up there I took the opportunity to shoot the band
Keep in mind that the lighting in a night club is intended to illuminate the performers on stage for the audience. When you shoot from the stage you are shooting into the lights and into a dark room for the most part.
Trying out the new lens in a concert setting and it appears we have a new favorite …
Patrick Devlin is not a small guy. He’s up over 6 feet and to get that much of him in a landscape oriented shot and have it come out that bright and that clear with no flash in those lighting conditions is a testament to the capabilities of this lens.
And when you go in close it gets even better…
While out hunting fabric we found some that just had to become a shirt. The problem was that it had 4 different kinds of fish so we didn’t see it being patched together into the usual design. We wanted to accent the different styles of fish that were present in the print so I came up with a design similar to the Loteria shirt.
On the front would be two panels, one side featuring the larger fish and the other side featuring the smaller fish
Then the back would feature 3 individual fish from another part of the print
Note the machine embroidering
I have, on and off for the last several years, noticed a pair of Wrens in our backyard. They have always been very elusive, flying away before I can grab my camera or before Cynthia could make it to the window to see them for herself.
They’re hard to spot unless you know what you’re looking for. They share many of the markings and coloration of the common sparrow which are in great abundance in our yard.
Today as I was walking through the living room I noticed a bit of activity outside the window and looked out to find both Wrens engaged in a flurry of activity. I went to grab my camera and was sure they would be gone by the time I got back but they weren’t.
One was hopping all around one of the potted plants
As the other cleaned itself up after taking a bath
They didn’t seem to notice me for about 5 minutes so I was able to shoot quite a few pics finally!
