“Austrian atheist Niko Alm supports the Church of the Flying Spaghetti Monster, a joke religion conjured up by atheists who say their make-believe stories are no better or worse than any traditional church’s. In 2008, to make a point about his faith’s sanctity compared to others, Alm asked to wear a pasta strainer on his head for his driver’s license photo. Austrian citizens are only allowed to wear headgear in state IDs for religious purposes, so Alm, a Spaghetti Monster “pastafarian,” argued that a colander is his “religious headgear.” This week, after avoiding Alm for three years and even making him submit to a psychiatric examination, the Austrian government caved. Alm now has a valid Austrian drivers license, complete with colander.” Source
The Guest House — by Rumi
Darling, the body is a guest house;
every morning someone new arrives.
Don’t say, “O, another weight around
my neck!”
or your guest will fly back to nothingness.
Whatever enters your heart is a guest
from the invisible world: entertain it well.Every day and every moment a thought comes
like an honored guest into your heart.
My soul, regard each thought as a person,
for every person’s true value
is in the quality of the thought they hold.If a sorrowful thought stands in the way,
it is also preparing the way for joy.
It furiously sweeps your house clean,
in order that some new joy
may appear from the Source.
It scatters the withered leaves
from the bough of the heart,
in order that fresh green leaves might grow.
It uproots the old joy so that
a new joy may enter from Beyond.
Sorrow pulls up the rotten root
that was hidden from sight.
Whatever sorrow takes away
or causes the heart to sacrifice,
it puts something better in its place—
especially for one who is certain
that sorrow is the servant of the intuitive.Without the frown of clouds and lightning,
the vines would be burned by the smiling sun.
Both good and bad luck
become guests in your heart:
like planets traveling from sign to sign.
When something transits your sign,
adapt yourself,
and be as harmonious as its ruling sign,
so that when it rejoins the Moon,
it will speak kindly to the Lord of the Heart.Whenever sorrow comes again,
meet it with smiles and laughter,
saying, “O my Creator, save me from its harm;
and do not deprive me of its good.
Lord, remind me to be thankful,
let me feel no regret if its benefit passes away.
And if the pearl is not in sorrow’s hand,
let it go and still be pleased.
Increase your sweet practice.
Your practice will benefit you at another time;
someday your need will be suddenly fulfilled.”Translated by Kabir Helminski
MATHNAWI V, 3644-46; 3676-88;3693-96; 3700-01
Photo reblogged from Comedy Centrl with 596 notes
Jon Stewart’s Extended and Uncensored Interview with Brad Pitt
Source: comedycentral
How Does a Fish Mimic a Mimic Octopus?
Mimic octopuses (Thaumoctopus mimicus) have one-upped their well-camouflaged cousins by actively impersonating other sea creatures—such as venomous sea snakes and lionfish—by changing their body shape and movement. But they have now been one-upped by a tiny fish that mimics them (or at least takes advantage of their complex patterning and movement to better camouflage itself).
A black-marble jawfish (Stalix histrio) was spotted last July in Indonesia swimming among the arms of a mimic octopus. The encounter, which was filmed by Godehard Kopp of the University of Gottingen, was described as “opportunistic mimicry” last month in a paper in Coral Reefs.
[A jawfish (indicated by the red arrow) hides among the arms of a mimic octopus. ]
“There are some cases in which many species mimic the same model,” Luiz Rocha, of the California Academy of Sciences, explained to me via email. But as far as a mimic-inspired camouflage behavior, “this is a first,” he says.
Why do the researchers think the fish is mimicking the octopus—and not the original model, such as a lionfish or sea snake? “The jawfish matches the color of the mimic octopus, but it only gains protection when it swims beside the octopus,” Rocha says. “So, if the jawfish was just sitting over open sand it probably wouldn’t look like a lionfish.” The shy little jawfish, which spends most of its time hiding in burrows in the sand, seems to be taking advantage of the advanced disguises of the bigger, bolder octopus, darting around its stripped arms—a strategy that could easily mask it to visual predators.
Plenty of organisms have disguised themselves to look like other, less appetizing objects (take a walking stick insect or a viceroy butterfly). And other fish have been observed engaging in such opportunistic mimicry (such as the bluestriped fangblenny, which masquerades as a cleaner wrasse when they inhabit the same waters). But researchers have puzzled over how complex behavioral mimicry adaptations might have evolved. This newly described mimic-mimic might offer some clues. “My best guess is that the color came first, and the behavior of following the octopus came later,” Rocha says. “After many generations the ones that resembled more the octopus pattern probably had a better chance of survival and of leaving more offspring.”
Rocha and his colleagues still aren’t sure how often these copycat fishes follow the octopuses—whether they’re a frequent tagalong or just an occasional accessory. “Mimicry is a fascinating subject and there is not much known about it in the oceans,” Rocha says. And, he says, “we plan to study this—and other cases—in much more detail.”
A leading Republican, who was in Congress for more than 10 years, answered my question: ‘Who [out of the Republican candidates] can beat Obama?’ with a casual, ‘a mammal.’ Then he added sadly: “But they are all reptiles.’
Photo with 10 notes
Petty Officer 2nd Class Marissa Gaeta, left, kisses her girlfriend of two years, Petty Officer 3rd Class Citlalic Snell at Joint Expeditionary Base Little Creek in Virginia Beach, Va., Wednesday, Dec. 22, 2011 after Gaeta’s ship returned from 80 days at sea. It ís a time-honored tradition at Navy homecomings - one lucky sailor is chosen to be first off the ship for the long-awaited kiss with a loved one. On Wednesday, for the first time, the happily reunited couple was gay. (AP Photo/The Virginian-Pilot, Brian J. Clark) Source: 2 women share 1st kiss at U.S. Navy ship’s return
The only thing better than finding your creepy Christmas cat sweater is finding out you actually own two creepy Christmas cat sweaters.
The one on the left I got while thrifting in Columbus a few years ago. It’s the sweater that prompted Ann Hamilton to tell me I was “out there” when I worked at her studio, one of several Christmas-themed shirts I wore while there. The other one is a recent discovery from a box of things I had when I was a student at Smith College. It’s been in storage at my mom’s since 2004 or so. I have no idea if it was a gift from a relative or a thrift store purchase or what since I don’t remember even having it.
Saxophonist David Intrator plays as Occupy Wall Street activists Jonathan Lopez, 19, center, of Brooklyn, and Ivan Cabrera, 18, of Harlem, kiss during the first dance after their wedding ceremony at Zuccotti Park (AP). Source
1. The first day I was back, from the house’s front porch.
2. Light changes the mountains from minute to minute.
3. My great-aunt Maude was the first woman to ride on horseback over that tiny peak in the left-center peeking over the other mountains, Mt. Cardigan (3,155 feet).
4. A detour at Newmarket, NH. Old mill or some such thing on the left and the quintessential white steeple of Everytown, New England.
Photo reblogged from Proof with 2,012 notes
Another place I have been!
Montreal Biosphere (1967) designed by Sir R. Buckminster Fuller.
Source: mimoa.eu
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