On Oct. 30, an enjoyable discussion of human rights as applied to embryos was attached to this thread:

http://slashdot.org/comments.pl?sid=166783&threshold=1&commentsort=0&tid=191&mode=nested&cid=13907932

Unfortunately, the discussion was archived right as I posted the last comment. JavaRob, if you're out there and want to continue (or have the last word), the floor is yours!

Eventually, four butterflies made it from the caterpillar stage to release. I took pics and everything, but I don't have any webpage to post them on :-)

Sorry, not the ruling kind. The Monarch (Danaus plexippus) is the well-known butterfly.

A lovely Monarch female came and laid a few eggs on some milkweed in my garden. Now I have an egg and two caterpillars that I'm watching. More details to come, and maybe some pics if I can find a way to do it.

Never bothered to update the journal record, but this might actually help someone. Turns out that a source of EM waves near the DSL modem can progressively cripple the modem (until it's turned off and reset). Solution: modem on floor, monitor on desk. Problem solved. Only one of three Verizon employees was able to come up with a diagnosis and solution, though ...

BTW, flat-screen monitors put out just as much EM interference as regular CRTs.

Trying to get Verizon DSL to work at our house. Connection is flaky; filters haven't helped. Verizon support staff is pretty good, though. It's taking forever to find the problem. Bleah. So what do I do when bored at the terminal? Try to figure out the journal features on /. *sigh*