This one’s for my Dad: “Lessons from the Wolf”, a fascinating article about the reintroduction of wolves to Yellowstone and the amazing econological changes that are taking place there. I would have never guessed that introducing a predator would result in so much growth among seemingly unrelated species like trees and birds. It makes me wonder if the deer overpopulation problems we often have in Indiana would be better managed with a natural solution than periodic culls.

The Sydney Morning Herald has decided to clear up an issue currently perplexing Australians: Why was Ronald Reagan called “The Gipper”? I’m a little annoyed that they didn’t mention ND though. I wonder if they’re having any special memorial service on campus…

We Antipodeans are getting a rare astronomical treat tomorrow… a transit of Venus. The last one occurred in 1882. The CSIRO is going to have a live webcast of the event. Sounds pretty neat! I wish we had a bit of welding glass to actually look at it.

The Field Guide to Spotting Annoying Parents. Very funny. See, this is why we don’t reproduce. Hmmm, maybe I could write a version about cat owners…

Broken Windows: Why Windows users are besieged by security exploits but Mac users are not. Excellent essay with lots of good information for my next interoffice OS flame war.

Feel like testing your smarts? How many petals are around the rose? Apparently this is one of those brainteasers where smart people have more trouble figuring it out. I, on the other hand, grasped it by my third attempt. (Link via the ‘Filter, but don’t go there til you try it because you’ll get spoiled!)

If any of you Sydneysiders want a laugh today, head down to Tapestry Craft on York Street. They’re having their big “80% Off” Annual Sale and yours truly is going to be working there all day. Yes, working. I figure that this trial-by-fire will be a good indicator of whether I’m fit to work in craft retail. The old ladies in there get vicious.

Oh, and Dr. Amy Jones’s no-vomit streak ended this morning. Poor thing.

Super Secret Kitty Hiding Place
You know, we’ve spent well over a hundred bucks on various cat beds and scratching posts and the little stinker turns up her nose at all of them. Instead, Dr. Amy Jones has chosen a dining room chair for her special lounging place. You should see the cushion. It’s absolutely white with cat hair. I tried attacking it with a lint brush but I fear it’s a lost cause. We just accept that it’s her chair now.

I was all excited to read this girl’s dating tips for gamer boys until I realized it was stupid. Incredibly stupid. I lost my ability to stomach the metaphor after about paragraph three.

This interesting article on the ubiquitous neon “OPEN” signs made me think of my sister, who’s been obsessed with neon for a couple years. She created a legendary piece of artwork in college involving, if I recall correctly, a custom-made “EAT ME” neon sign surrounded by pig’s feet and resin-molded pig heads. That was my favorite piece of militant-vegetarianism-inspired art ever.