] Take a quick look at the pair of toads 4-year-old Casey
] Dicken found in her grandparents' pool yesterday, and
] they look relatively normal.
] They may even look like they're doing something a
] 4-year-old shouldn't see and probably wouldn't
] understand.
] But look closer, and there's something different about
] the two toads.
] They are one. They're connected. The two amphibians are
] conjoined, un-identical twins.

Girl finds two-headed toad in Hopkinton

] "The moon has an estimated diameter of 2.2 miles (3.5 km)
] and a 748-day orbit around Jupiter, according to a recent
] announcement from the International Astronomical Union,
] the world authority on celestial object discoveries in
] the solar system."

A recent issue of "Sky and Telescope" magazine brought up the question of "what really counts as a moon?". I think we'll never find out exactly how many moons Jupiter or Saturn or Uranus have because these giant planets probably just pull in anything that floats by close enough. I think there needs to be some sort of guideline for what's actually a moon and what's just a rock that got pulled in. But I'm no astronomer. Or philosopher, for that matter.

40th moon of Jupiter spotted

] "Asked whether his group is simply pulling a great
] publicity stunt, Rael, speaking from Canada via
] satellite, said his earpiece was having technical
] difficulties.
]
] "I am so sorry but the sound is so bad. I cannot hear
] anything," he said."

Old news by now, I guess. But I just got back so everything's new to me.

Clone firm: Second birth by Sunday

] "(CNN) -- Saturn makes its closest approach to the Earth
] in 30 years this week, promising exceptional views
] whether seen with the naked eye or via a telescope."

if anyone needs to get a hold of me tonight, i will be in my backyard with my telescope. woohoo!!!!!!!!!!!!

Real Lord of the Rings shines

] "Though the monkeys had no concept of a "boy" toy and a
] "girl" toy, they still showed the same gender preferences
] in playing with the toys, Alexander says."

This is an interesting nature vs. nurture observation.

Alexander believes her findings suggests that there are certain aspects of objects that appeal to the specific sexes and that these aspects may relate to traditional male and female functions dating back to the dawn of the species.

She says the toys preferred by boys – the ball and the car – are described as objects with the ability to be used actively and be propelled through space. Though the specific reasons behind the monkeys' preferences have yet to be determined, she says, the preferences for these objects might exist because they afford greater opportunities for rough and active play – something characteristic of male play. Also, the motion capabilities of the object could be related to the navigating abilities that are useful for hunting, locating food or finding a mate.

Monkeys share human gender based toy preferences

I love the Discovery Channel.

Bismarck Expedition -- Discovery Channel

] "BARNEVELD, Wisconsin, (Reuters) -- In a gravel clearing
] beside the Eagle Mart Stop-N-Go gas station, about 20 men
] and a few women, some in flannel shirts and yellow
] rubberized coveralls, spent a recent weekend sawing the
] heads off hundreds of Wisconsin deer shot by hunters."

This is sad but the first paragraph just paints such a lovely picture...

Wisconsin hunts 'mad cow' deer

Believe it or not, we went camping in Maryland at this time last year (it was REALLY warm!)and we woke up at about 3am to watch this meteor shower, and it was absolutely unreal. So if you get a chance, see it this year too, it's an amazing experience. Go somewhere dark. It was really incredible last year, and it should be pretty good this year too.

Leonids 2002: the Last Hurrah