Tag Archives: California
BV-worthy new exhibit
The California Academy of Sciences has long been beloved by the author of BV, figuring in her elementary school field trips, and, more recently, looming large in her consciousness as an example of stunning sustainable architecture. And a friend is … Continue reading
Filed under academia, endangered species, extinct species, human behavior
Dissertation Owls Asleep on the Job
Folkes, while the dissertation elves, tiny little owls that creep into grad students’ bedrooms to madly type pages whilst the tortured souls sleep, are on furlough, I have been working furiously on my thesis. The result? A certain lack of Beastliness. And vocabularity. This … Continue reading
Filed under academia, folklore, Uncategorized
You’d be Prickly, too
A rare Prickly shark ( Echinorhinus cookei) was recently “found” and displayed at the Monterey Bay Aquarium, quite the coup for the eager grad student type who “found” the shark. The shark was ”collected” in an area where the Monterey Bay Aquarium Supported research, by the unnamed … Continue reading
Filed under human behavior, marine life, the strange and the beautiful, Uncategorized
Petaluma Bird Sanctuary Threatened
There is a new asphalt plant planned for a site along the Petaluma River. GOOD NEWS, right!? Industry, new jobs in a ravaged marketplace… But, in this case, the costs may be too high. Because in this case, the proposed … Continue reading
Filed under backyard fauna, endangered species, human behavior, Uncategorized
Happy Birthday to an Angry Old Canard!
Donald Duck is 75 today! The angry old canard’s full name Donald Fauntleroy Duck, and his official birthady is recognized today to commemorate the release of his debut film, The Wise Little Hen… for which, true to the bad luck for which he is famous, … Continue reading
Filed under exceedingly cute, human behavior
Breaking News: Carnivorous Cushions Consume Cat
Apparently, dear readers, someone at the Huffington Post thinks that animal hijinks constitue breaking news… or at least, a worthwhile diversion from the ills of the breaking news… The “Cute/ridiculous animal thing of the day” section is, of you enjoy … Continue reading
Banana Slug: “hard” life.
Beloved by alumni of UC Santa Cruz, banana slugs seem to have a pretty good thing going. Sure, they’re slow and eat detritus on the forest floor. But they’re beloved. …Just, you know, not by each other. In fact, … Continue reading
The Pop-Culture Guide to Swine flu
The purpose of BV has always been to inform, and now the author feels called upon to clear up some misconceptions floating around about the swine flu epidemic. We’ll start with a brief “scene from a paparazzi”: ****************************************************************************************************************************** [exterior, … Continue reading
Cat of a thousand faces: mad genius (and a quiz!!!)
Yes, folkes, its another “cute” and/or “crazy” cat video posts. In this installment, in order to spice up a potentially stale theme, prizes will be distributed to the first reaedr who can correctly identify both the song playing and each … Continue reading
AMAZING Dolphin behavior
It is rare that the author of BV allows something to go (almost) entirely without commentary. This video, however, needs no snark; it is amazing, and stands easily on its own. A big thanks goes out to AVB for bringing … Continue reading
Filed under marine life, the strange and the beautiful, Uncategorized
Homo sapiens sapiens; a brief shining moment of joy
Today’s post is about the human animal. In light of recent events, notably the shootings in Oakland, Pittsburgh (CA) and Binghamton (NY), which has precipitated in the author a sudden need for something like faith, B.V would like to submit the following, in the … Continue reading
Lobster
I’d like to take a break from my organized, logical pursuit of truth in the animal kingdom to talk about something decidedly disorganized and illogical: Marriage. There can be no more appropriate object for today’s topic than Lobsters, which comprise … Continue reading
Filed under marine life, the strange and the beautiful, Uncategorized
Purse Dogs
The purse dog is not a species unto itself; rather, it represents a human intervention in animal behavior. Purse dogs have rapidly adapted to their owners’ whims: many have developed hermit crab-like behaviors, and emerge from their shells only when they … Continue reading
Gym Rats
Gym rats (rattus gymasium), are a new species in the zoological world; some scientists have quibbled with the designation of gym rats as a new species, arguing that they do not in fact demonstrate the fundamental, inherent physiognomic differences neccesary to … Continue reading
Sea turtles (superfamily Chelonioidea)
Unfortunately, all species of sea turtles are considered either endangered or threatened. Leatherback, hawksbill, and kemp’s ridley turtles are critically endangered, and only the loggerhead is given the least severe designation of ”threatened species.” Sea turtles (and their eggs) are hunted for food and for trophies, … Continue reading
Filed under marine life, Uncategorized
