Editor, Earth News
Wave the dolphin, tail-walkingWild dolphins in Australia are naturally learning to "walk" on water.
Six dolphins have now been seen mastering the technique - furiously paddling their tail fluke, forcing their body out and across the water.
The dolphins seem to walk on water for fun, as it has no other obvious benefit, say scientists working for the Whale and Dolphin Conservation Society.
That makes the behaviour a rare example of animals "culturally transmitting" a playful rather than foraging behaviour.
Only a few species are known to create their own culture - defined as the sharing or transmitting of specific novel behaviours or traditions between a community of animals.
Rare trick
The discovery was made by Whale and Dolphin Conservation Society (WDCS) scientist Dr Mike Bossley, who has spent 24 years studying dolphins living in the Port River in Adelaide, Australia.
In past years, Dr Bossley has witnessed two wild adult female dolphins, named Billie and Wave for research purposes, attempting to walk on water.
Now four other dolphins, including young infants, have been recorded trying to learn the trick from the two adults, and have been seen practising, less successfully, in the river.
The behaviour, when a dolphin beats its tail fluke repeatedly, so it lifts its body vertically out of the water and then along the surface, is more commonly seen among captive dolphins trained to perform tricks.
A composite image showing Bianca the dolphin attempting to tail-walk on 10 Oct, 2010
In the wild it is extremely rare.
According to the WDCS, apart from Billie and Wave, only one other adult dolphin had previously been seen tail-walking in the Port River during thousands of hours of scientific observations, and then only once.
Billie is thought to have learned the trick during a brief period when she was held captive in a dolphinarium, before being released back into the wild.
She passed the behaviour onto Wave, and now Billie and Wave appear to be passing on their knowledge of how to tail-walk to their wider community.
WDCS dolphin photographers Marianna Boorman and Barbara Saberton have recently documented Wave's calf, named Tallula, also attempting to tail-walk.
Other dolphin called Bianca, and her calf Hope, and another calf called Bubbles are also attempting the trick.
These dolphins are now being seen trying to tail-walk many times each day.
A number of animals are known to culturally transmit novel behaviours to others of their species.
Bianca the dolphin photographed tail-walking on 18 October, 2010Chimps learn to fish for termites with sticks, and orcas learn various techniques to hunt seals, for instance.
But few examples have been documented of animals culturally passing on behaviours that are unrelated to obtaining food.
Tail-walking appears to have no function other than play, says Dr Bossley.
"As far as we are aware, tail-walking has no practical function and is performed just for fun, akin to human dancing or gymnastics," he says.
"Culture in the wider sense of the term, defined as 'learned behaviour characteristic of a community' is now frequently on show in the Port River."
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Friday, October 22, 2010
BBC - Earth News - Dolphins learn to 'walk on water'
Monday, October 11, 2010
Sunday, October 10, 2010
Tuesday, October 5, 2010
Lazy Autumn Sunrise Sphinx Cat
Happy Autumn to everyone!
Thursday, September 30, 2010
TOSSLaSal: Home: Zazzle.com Store
'Kiss Of The Rainy Day' is actually a painting of a family member!
How she became immortalized on T-shirts and key chains is through Zazzle.com, which was introduced to me by good Twitter friend @JimGoodrich a few years ago. It's a very cool site that allows you to customize your own products using your very own images, and let others customize things for themselves, using your images. Awesome site IMHO.
Monday, September 27, 2010
Sunday, September 26, 2010
6 new scientific findings about Facebook users - The Week
The List6 new scientific findings about Facebook users
Why Friday mornings are the best time for posting updates, and five other recent conclusions from the emerging field of "Facebook studies"
posted on September 22, 2010, at 3:35 PM
More important than using the bathroom? Photo: CC BY: Richard Hopkins SEE ALL 34 PHOTOS
With Facebook now claiming 500 million members, it's no surprise that the world's largest social-networking site has become a hot new field for research in the social sciences, says Helen A.S. Popkin at MSNBC. What have we learned? Here's a look at six notable findings:
1. Heavy user? You might be narcissistic
A study from York University in Canada found that the people who frequently update their Facebook pages most frequently tend to be narcissistic — or struggling with low self-esteem. The "more posts = more narcissism" conclusion reinforces a 2008 study from the University of Georgia. Both studies found that narcissists use Facebook for self-promotion; the York one notes that conceited females focus on glamorous, posed photos while males tend to brag in the "About Me" section. Just what we need, says MSNBC's Popkin: Another study showing "Facebook users are jerks."2. If you want to make a splash, post photos on Friday morning
Among the hordes of "friends" everyone has on Facebook, getting noticed can be hit-or-miss. For more hit and less miss, says social media marketing firm Virtrue, post a photo (not video) before noon on Friday. The specifics: Photos get clicked on 22 percent more than video posts, and 54 more than text-only posts; anything posted before noon gets 65 percent more clicks than afternoon updates; and Fridays are the best, and weekends the worst, for getting attention. However, "if you don’t like this data," notes Peter Kafka at All Things D, "you can always find another set of numbers that may suit you a bit better."3. Facebookers love to project
Cornell researchers found that users have a tendency to assume that all their online acquiantances share their views. In the study, Facebookers gave their views on a series of hot-button political issues, then guessed what their friends think; their friends did the same. "Result?" says David Berreby at Big Think. "People way overestimate the extent to which their friends agree with them."4. Lots of logging in = Lower grades
Dutch psychologist Paul Kirschner discovered that college students who check Facebook while studying do substantially worse in school. Looking at 219 U.S. college students, Kirschner found that the Facebook checkers had an average GPA of 3.06, while non-checkers had a 3.82 GPA. Older studies reported strikingly similar drops. It's hardly a shock, says Nikki Gloudeman in Mother Jones. "Stalking ex-boyfriends online totally cuts into study time."5. Status updates are more urgent than going to the bathroom
A study from Oxygen Media and Lightspeed Research looked at the social media habits of women age 18 to 34, and the results were a little disturbing: 34 percent said they check Facebook first thing upon waking up, before coffee, before going to the bathroom; 39 percent self-identify as full-on Facebook "addicts"; 49 percent think it's fine to hack a boyfriend's account to check on him; and 89 percent say you shouldn't post anything you wouldn't want your parents to see. Um, doesn't that last one seem kind of "contradictory to the 42 percent that think it’s fine to post pictures of themselves drunk?" says Ben Parr at Mashable.6. In spite of it all, Facebook may be making you happier
The British Computer Society apparently shattered one myth — that too much time spent social networking makes people feel isolated and out of touch with the real world. Instead, BCS found, using Facebook has a "statistically significant, positive impact on life satisfaction." The jump in happiness was greatest among low-income people, women, and less-educated users. So much for the online "'loner' stereotype," says researcher Paul Flatters.Get more from The Week! Click here to get 4 FREE issues!
A 'little disturbing'?
Wednesday, September 22, 2010
Super Harvest Full Moon And Jupiter
Sept. 22, 2010: For the first time in almost 20 years, northern autumn is beginning on the night of a full Moon. The coincidence sets the stage for a "Super Harvest Moon" and a must-see sky show to mark the change of seasons.
The action begins at sunset on Sept 22nd, the last day of northern summer. As the sun sinks in the west, bringing the season to a close, the full Harvest Moon will rise in the east, heralding the start of fall. The two sources of light will mix together to create a kind of 360-degree, summer-autumn twilight glow that is only seen on rare occasions.
Keep an eye on the Moon as it creeps above the eastern skyline. The golden orb may appear strangely inflated. This is the Moon illusion at work. For reasons not fully understood by astronomers or psychologists, a low-hanging Moon appears much wider than it really is. A Harvest Moon inflated by the moon illusion is simply gorgeous. The view improves as the night wears on.
Northern summer changes to fall on Sept. 22nd at 11:09 pm EDT. At that precise moment, called the autumnal equinox, the Harvest Moon can be found soaring high overhead with the planet Jupiter right beside it. The two brightest objects in the night sky will be in spectacular conjunction to mark the change in seasons.
Usually, the Harvest Moon arrives a few days to weeks before or after the beginning of fall. It's close, but not a perfect match. The Harvest Moon of 2010, however, reaches maximum illumination a mere six hours after the equinox. This has led some astronomers to call it the "Harvestest Moon" or a "Super Harvest Moon." There hasn't been a comparable coincidence since Sept 23, 1991, when the difference was about 10 hours, and it won't happen again until the year 2029.
A Super Harvest Moon, a rare twilight glow, a midnight conjunction—rarely does autumn begin with such celestial fanfare.
Enjoy the show!
Photo's by me.
Info via Nasa @ http://science.nasa.gov/science-news/science-at-nasa/2010/22sep_harvestmoon/
EVP's: How often does a ghost tell you his/her name?
This was originally posted on my blog on 7/18/10. I decided to use Posterous to share it again, even though it will re-post to the blog site, because it's such an unbelievable EVP capture.
Monday, September 20, 2010
Animal camera lets you fly with the fastest birds on the planet:!
Via @joerogan on Twitter... this video is mind blowing. The human brain can't process fast enough to see what's happening clearly, let alone control it and make these split mili-second decisions! Awesome viewing!!! Thanks for sharing, Joe!
Wednesday, September 15, 2010
Monday, September 13, 2010
Mr. BD
He likes flying circles around his cage and perch area... I think he's practicing his take off and landing skills.
And he comes running across the cage to eat from my hand held seed now... he's getting closer and closer every day!
Thursday, September 9, 2010
The Newest Member Of The Family
He's not ready to hop on a finger yet, but I'm working with him and got him eating out of my hand.... literally. His name was originally Blue Dude, but we've fancied it up a bit and call him Mr. BD. How cute is he???
Monday, August 30, 2010
Food Network - The Great Food Truck Race America's Favorite Giveaway
Some people near and dear to my heart, family even, have their own food truck called Salvioli's Kitchen. They do awesomely delicious Italian food, in a small bistro style setting in a small town called Ashland, Oregon. They are in the running to be on the Food Channel's TV show "The Great Food Truck Race", and this is a chance for YOU to be a part of getting them there!!!
It's super fast and easy, just go to this link http://foodtrucks.teamdigital.com/?vty=foodtrucks#page_top and scroll down to the map, click on Oregon, and you'll see their food truck link. Click on it and vote!!! I
If you like texting, you can vote for them by texting FT109 to 66789.
Let's help them out, guys, because they live in a small town and don't stand a chance against the big city food truckers without all our support.
Reasons to vote:
You like food.
You like Italian food.
You like eating great food on the go!
You like helping people reach their goals!
You haven't been asked to vote for anyone BUT SALVIOLI'S KITCHEN, right?
Just because.
And once they get onto the show, you can watch them every Sunday night!
Thanks for all your help!!!!
Peace, love and light,
LaSal
Friday, August 27, 2010
Dragonfly Photos
These photos were taken in various places around the yard one day. The fun thing was how the dragonflies seemed to posing for the pictures. 
Short Neurological Test
Yes
See if you need to see your neurologist immediately or not.
Short Neurological Test
Please do not use any cursor help.1- Find the C below..
OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO OOOOOOO
OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO OOOOOOO
OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO OOOOOOO
OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO OOOOOOO
OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO OOOOOOO
OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO OOOOOOO
OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO COOOOOOOOOOOOOOO OOOOOOO
OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO OOOOOOO
OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO OOOOOOO
OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO OOOOOOO
OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO OOOOOOO2- If you already found the C, now find the 6 below.
9999999999999999999 9999999999999999 9999999999999999 99
9999999999999999999 9999999999999999 9999999999999999 99
9999999999999999999 9999999999999999 9999999999999999 99
6999999999999999999 9999999999999999 9999999999999999 99
9999999999999999999 9999999999999999 9999999999999999 99
9999999999999999999 9999999999999999 9999999999999999 993 - Now find the N below. It's a little more difficult.
MMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM MMMMMMMMMNMMMMMM MMM
MMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM MMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM MMM
MMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM MMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM MMM
MMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM MMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM MMM
MMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM MMMMMMMMMMMMMMMM MMMThis is NOT a joke. If you were able to pass these 3 tests, you can cancel your annual visit to your neurologist. Your brain is great and you're far from having a close
relationship with Alzheimer.
Congratulations!____________ _________ _________ _________ _________ _________ _________ _________ ____
part 2
eonvrye that can raed this rsaie your hnad.To my 'selected' strange-minded friends:
If you can read the following paragraph, forward it on to your friends and the person that sent it to you with 'yes' in the subject line.
Only great minds can read this
This is weird, but interesting!
If you can raed this, you have a sgtrane mnid tooCan you raed this? Olny 55 plepoe out of 100 can.
I cdnuolt blveiee that I cluod aulaclty uesdnatnrd what I was rdanieg. The phaonmneal pweor of the hmuan mnid, aoccdrnig to a rscheearch at Cmabrigde Uinervtisy, it dseno't mtaetr in what oerdr the ltteres in a word are, the olny iproamtnt tihng is that the frsit and last ltteer be in the rghit pclae. The rset can be a taotl mses and you can still raed it whotuit a pboerlm. This is bcuseae the huamn mnid deos not raed ervey lteter by istlef, but the word as a wlohe. Azanmig huh? Yaeh and I awlyas tghuhot slpeling was ipmorantt! If you can raed this forwrad it
This is NOT a joke. If you were able to pass these 3 tests, you can cancel your annual visit to your neurologist. Your brain is great and you're far from having a close relationship with Alzheimer.
Dog dancing merengue
Glad #posterous let's me share this stuff so easily. TY @1capplegate ! Funny stuff!!!
Recently....
Sunday, July 18, 2010
EVP's
A: For me, it's occasionally... but never where someone else could hear it, too. Nor where it was recorded. Until Episode 15 of The Other Side Speaks!
So, here's a clip of the EVP from the show. You'll hear it as it was recorded during the reading, then you'll hear it again, alone, where I isolated at the end of the recording.
Let me know what you think!
Peace, love and light,
LaSal
Saturday, June 19, 2010
Dressing Room Fiasco
Age and menopause will sometimes do that to a woman's voice. But he really was a she after all. Just goes to show, never judge a book by it's voice.
Tuesday, April 20, 2010
I Forgot To Mention The Footsteps!
"Hey, if you noise makers can see this, and need to talk, then talk. How can I help?"
And as I'm writing this, there is the sound of footsteps right outside my porch door.
"Hellooo...?"
Aaaaannnd nothing.
I'll keep you posted.
Peace, love and noisy light...
LaSal
Monday, April 19, 2010
The Noisy Dead
Tuesday, March 2, 2010
Vajazzling? Really?
But, once you go beyond this new fad, could there a more serious concern lurking in the future of women-kind?
Think of the last 100 years or so, how the landscape of a woman's body has changed. We started out bra-less and unshaven. Looking back now, how saggy and hairy were we? Of course we started shaving off the unwanted hair. It was no longer acceptable to be encased in a forest of fur from belly button down. And braiding the armpits was a no-no. Fine, we took off most of the hair. So we shave, scrape, wax, rip, chemically dissolve...whatever works.
Then came the bra. First it just squeezed our boobs into rocket points. Then it lifted them up. Then it lifted them up higher. Then it added some extra fake boobage in the form of padding, and then water, then gels. The fake boobs should feel as real as possible as your real boobs are lifted as high as modern engineering will allow to have two round mounds jutting out and up against your chin. Eventually they'll join forces with the skin sagging from your jowls and neck, possibly adding yet another cup size. Always attractive.
Then, while the hair left on your head had to be as big as possible, you now had to trim the patch left at the other end. Trim, trim, shape, trim, snip, shape... remember the Mohawk? But even that wasn't enough. We had to wax.... slather the most delicate area with hot wax, let it harden and then RIP it all out. Supposedly it's only the hair getting ripped off.
So, from head to toe, we are coiffed, hoisted, and polished smooth. And now that's not enough. We need to add some sparkles to the newly waxed areas. Why? Is something missing? Makes you wonder if cave-women wove tiny beads and little bone ornaments to their furry, unshorn parts.
What's next? Pittazzling? Shouldn't we bedazzle those bare armpits for summer when everyone can see them? What else? Dare I say it? Assazzling?
I'm actually a little scared.....
Peace, love and sparkling light,
LaSal
Sunday, February 21, 2010
It's A Cycle
Birth = Sleep between feedings all day and all night.
Childhood = Sleep at night, awake most of the day.
Teens - 20's = Awake all night, awake most of the day, sleep occasionally.
30's - 40's= Back to sleep at night, awake most of the day.
40's - 50's = Sleep at night, but start waking effortlessly at the crack of dawn.
50's - 60's = Start falling asleep while it's still light out, and waking while it's still dark out.
60's -70's = Back to awake at night, sleep at any other opportune moment.
70's -80's = Sleep from after lunch straight though to dusk, awake all night.
80's + = Back to the beginning, sleep between feedings all day and all night.
Like any cycle, there are bound to be exceptions.... but there does seem to be a pattern.
Peace, love and healthy sleep,
LaSalzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzz
Saturday, February 20, 2010
Open Invoice To Tiger Woods
I heard about your televised apology to everyone, although luckily I was able to miss the live broadcast. Sadly, your oral apology has done nothing for me. However, apologizing by sending me large amounts of cash will go a long way in assuaging my tattered feelings over your horrifying indiscretions.
If you do not intend to do right by literally paying for what you've done, then get off my TV!
Sincerely
LaSal
Invoice to Tiger:
Well, I checked, and you're still clogging up my viewing pleasure. Therefore, having received no financial apology from you, I am submitting this invoice in the amount of $1,000,000 (a pittance considering how terribly I've been wronged) because of the torture to which I have been subjected in the form of ENDLESS reports of your unbeneficial oral apology splashing your tiresome face on my personal TV screen causing me further, severe emotional and mental damage.
Thank you for your prompt attention to this matter.
LaSal
Tuesday, February 16, 2010
TV Time
Most importantly, of course, Burn Notice is back. Thank goodness! Just eat your blueberry yogurt and feel the BURN! It's so great to have a show that gets better with each passing season.
Survivor is back for season 20 with a new gimmick. Villains VS. Heroes. Dang... who to root for, who to root for. I liked Sugar, but she got voted out first! How mean! I guess I'll have to root for Rupert. How can anyone not root for that hairy smile... lol!
And then American Idol has started again. Tonight will be the individual singers singing for their place in the top 24. There are some amazing talents this year again, and it's fun to see them grow with the show.
Oh, and then there's a new show. Human Target. Somewhere it was described as '007 on steroids'. Very apt! Love, love, loving this one! Mark Valley and crew solve problems that are pretty much unsolvable. Sounds a bit like BN, right? In a way, perhaps... but it's completely different, too. Refreshingly different and fun to watch. Tomorrow night, right before AI. Have fun!!!
Peace, love, and flickering TV lights,
LaSal
Monday, February 1, 2010
Thoughts On The Grammys
For instance, since when is dressing in things, not clothing, called 'art'? It's not an 'art' show...it's a music awards show. Wear something musical, not something indescribable. Case in point, as always, Lady GaGa. And did Armani really design that for her? With a huge rise in the 'hem' line in front that forces people to literally 'look up her dress'? At least pretend to be embarrassed that people are looking up your hoohah.
JLo: I didn't see the whole outfit, but the part I did see looked like she was stuffed into a sausage casing with a sparkly ribbon stuck to the front. Let the dress caress you, not boa constrict you!
Pink: Loved, loved, LOVED her dress; my fav of the night. And her act was stunning! Though if I was her mother I might not have survived watching her do that without a safety harness.
Nicole Kidman: Is she just freakishly tall, or does she simply fall for hobbit sized men? And why dress up like the little man's nanny? Sorry... she just seemed to come off that way. Maybe lose the heels?
Beyonce: The dress in which she arrived was gorgeous. Then she did an act with a dress that looked to made from floor tile samples. Chalk it up to the fact she was performing, but still, floor tile samples?
Rhianna: Why wear a dress that deliberately makes your hips look bigger? Keep it on the curtain rod.
Fergie: Was that dress from the set of 'Sex Trek Does The Grammys'? A little out there, but still fun.
Ryan Seacrest tweeted : britney just ran by with an entourage of 100...#grammys
Apparently she needs to be kept from interacting with humans. Understandable since she showed up in her grandmothers swimsuit and a see-through cover up. Sadly, it didn't cover up. Britney, fire whoever told you you looked good.
The tribute to MJ: Not bad. Not great. Should have been better.
The Jacksons have started a new reality show in the wake of MJ's death. Why now? Because they're already in the news so the timings perfect? And now that he's not here to keep his kids out of the public eye, it almost seems as though his family is pimping them out. And the public is obviously going to eat it up, judging by the gripping, tension ridden, hush that fell over the boisterous crowd as the kids spoke. MJ might be rolling over on the other side.
Peace, love and Grammy Lights!
LaSal
