gambol (GAM-buhl),
intransitive verb: To dance and skip about in play; to frolic.
noun: A skipping or leaping about in frolic.

I’ve been told dolphins like to gambol in the waves in these waters, and that sighting them brings good luck. –Barbara Kingsolver, “Where the Map Stopped,”

Gambol, earlier gambolde or gambalde, comes from Medieval French gambade, “a leaping or skipping,” from Late Latin gamba, “hock (of a horse), leg,” from Greek kampe, “a joint or bend.”

heteronym (HET-uhr-uh-nim) noun

A word that has the same spelling as another word but with a different
pronunciation and meaning.

In the following poem, each end-word is heteronymic:

Listen, readers, toward me bow.
Be friendly; do not draw the bow.
Please don’t try to start a row.
Sit peacefully, all in a row.
Don’t act like a big, fat sow.
Do not the seeds of discord sow.

In a pure heteronymic pair, the two words must be etymologically unrelated, as in bass, buffet, deserts, dove, entrance, lead, moped, unionized, wind, and wound.

update.. Short version… BEAR WINS SUIT LOSES!! WHEE!

radio interview with Troy Hurtubise about the test conducted yesterday with the kodiak bear.

People with RealAudio can hear it at http://www.radio.cbc.ca/cbcradio.ram

The faint constellation Cetus, the Sea Monster, is now visible in the southern evening sky. In Greek legend, Cetus was the creature that was about to eat Andromeda when Perseus vanquished it. To early Christians, Cetus represented the whale that swallowed Jonah.

fun stuff you can find on http://www.accuweather.com/ … I swear, the meteorology sites lately are really nifty!

Phew!!

Massive workies going on… I’m glad they’ve finally chilled to a dull throb… it feels good, though, meeting the challenges, and making things work, even when the client is insane (in da membrane, even). Got all the bits and pieces to run together smoothly, and I’m really digging the result. I’m glad I could touch base with my sweetheart today, even if it was only briefly. 🙂 I’m also glad that she’ll be getting rain soon… Nothing like a nice rain to soothe the soul… water hitting glass tonight.

It’ll be nice to unwind a bit tonight… get comfy.

Google has a vaguely disturbing graphic today, for the Nobel Prize.

Well, it’s good of the dove to bring some food to hungry baby prize… But what does it mean? “Feed philanthropist explosives-experts day?”

Jihad vs McWorld – interesting reading.
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It explores the conflict between tribalism and globalism, and comes to the dangerous conclusion that both opposing principles threaten freedom and democracy. The Middle Way shines through the bones of the battlefield once again…

Semen Popsicle + Swedish Lesbians = Child Support
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A court in Sweden has ruled that a man who donated sperm for artificial insemination, enabling a lesbian couple to have three children, must pay child support after the two women separated, a Swedish newspaper reported on Sunday.

18.5 Million To Insure Every Kid Can Access Porn
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Pride over a deal to provide laptop computers to every high school student in a suburban district has turned to embarrassment after dozens of youngsters were found to have downloaded hard-core pornography. Graphic sexual images have been deleted from many of the Apple iBooks that were issued to Henrico County’s 11,800 high school students in Virginia this year. When the $18.5 million, four-year deal to lease the computers was announced last spring, Superintendent Mark A. Edwards said it would provide a “vibrant, engaged-type of learning that will enhance the learning process.”

“We have given them adult equipment — tools. We have given them to kids who are using them as toys. We’re passing it down the line to kids who aren’t quite ready to use it and they’re going ape.”

Man Addicted to Stalking QVC Personalities
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A Phoenix man convicted three years ago of stalking hosts of the QVC home shopping channel was arrested after he showed up at the New Jersey home of another of the channel’s personalities. Phillip Young, 52, was charged with criminal attempted trespass and harassment and held without bail Friday. He was also ordered to undergo a psychological evaluation.

autochthonous aw-TOCK-thuh-nuhs, adjective:
1. Aboriginal; indigenous; native.
2. Formed or originating in the place where found.

Autochthonous derives from Greek autochthon, “of or from the earth or land itself,” from auto-, “self” + chthon, “earth.” One that is autochthonous is an autochthon (pronounced aw-TOCK-thuhn).

from – http://bohletinboard.com/index.htm

At long last, here’s some piccies of Mayah! 🙂 Cathi & Dave will be wonderful parents. 🙂 2 weeks down!

Went grocery shopping this afternoon, and picked up some goodies I haven’t had in a while, one of which was a little box o’ Tic Tacs. Probably my favorite dispenser treat short of Pez, really. Minty goodness… do they make orange ones any more? It’s been a dog’s age since I’ve had an orange Tic Tac. I’m so used to Altoids that these mints seem weirdly small and ineffective… I should be popping these things four at a time, not as solo candies. Anyhow, what brings me to post this is that I’m having a tiny nugget of minty freshness, and focusing on a particularly riveting chapter in the book I’m reading… The Tic Tac drops right out of my mouth and bounces on to my desk like I’ve just lost one of my baby teeth. I can’t figure out how this could happen. Things don’t just drop out of my mouth. All I know is as soon as I stopped thinking about the Tic Tac I lost control of it. I have heard people say that, due to its minuscule size, if you stop thinking about your Tic Tac it can get away from you… but I always thought it was an old wives’ tale.

Kodiak bears are a unique subspecies of the brown or grizzly bear (Ursus arctos middendorffi). They live exclusively on the islands in the Kodiak Archipelago and have been isolated from other bears for about 12,000 years.

Kodiak bear populations are healthy. They enjoy relatively pristine habitat and well managed fish populations. In most areas the number of bears is stable, but there are some places where bear density is increasing.

Kodiak bears are the largest bears in the world. A large male can stand over 10′ tall when on his hind legs, and 5′ when on all four legs. They weigh up to 1,500 pounds. Females are about 20% smaller, and 30% lighter than males.

Though Kodiak bears are often touted as the world’s largest land carnivore (meat eaters), they are really omnivores (using a variety of foods). They actually spend more time eating grass, plants and berries than meat. Fish are an important part of their diets, but few Kodiak bears expend the time or effort necessary to chase and kill mammals.

Although generally solitary in nature, Kodiak bears often occur in large groups in concentrated feeding areas. Because of this, they have developed a complex language and social structure to express their feelings and avoid fights.

Today hunters kill about 160 Kodiak bears each year under tightly controlled regulations. About 5,000 resident hunters apply each year for a chance at the 319 bear permits that are available for them. Hunters who are not residents of Alaska must hire a professional guide, paying $10,000 – $15,000 per hunt. Over 70% of the Kodiak bears killed by hunters are males.

I hope the bear gets a few good licks in on armor boy.

Kodiak bears are a unique subspecies of the brown or grizzly bear (Ursus arctos middendorffi). They live exclusively on the islands in the Kodiak Archipelago and have been isolated from other bears for about 12,000 years.

Kodiak bear populations are healthy. They enjoy relatively pristine habitat and well managed fish populations. In most areas the number of bears is stable, but there are some places where bear density is increasing.

Kodiak bears are the largest bears in the world. A large male can stand over 10′ tall when on his hind legs, and 5′ when on all four legs. They weigh up to 1,500 pounds. Females are about 20% smaller, and 30% lighter than males.

Though Kodiak bears are often touted as the world’s largest land carnivore (meat eaters), they are really omnivores (using a variety of foods). They actually spend more time eating grass, plants and berries than meat. Fish are an important part of their diets, but few Kodiak bears expend the time or effort necessary to chase and kill mammals.

Although generally solitary in nature, Kodiak bears often occur in large groups in concentrated feeding areas. Because of this, they have developed a complex language and social structure to express their feelings and avoid fights.

Today hunters kill about 160 Kodiak bears each year under tightly controlled regulations. About 5,000 resident hunters apply each year for a chance at the 319 bear permits that are available for them. Hunters who are not residents of Alaska must hire a professional guide, paying $10,000 – $15,000 per hunt. Over 70% of the Kodiak bears killed by hunters are males.

I hope the bear gets a few good licks in on armor boy.

Just posted this to the hut, figured I’d link from here, troo.

from mum.org – menstruation / bear attack connections or not

foofaraw (FOO-fuh-raw), noun:
1. Excessive or flashy ornamentation or decoration.
2. A fuss over a matter of little importance.

Foofaraw is perhaps from Spanish fanfarrón, “a braggart.”