That many songbirds sing their songs over and over again in an effort to master them before performing in front of potential mates is well known. What has remained less clear is whether they also practise the visual displays that they often use alongside their songs. Research published this week in Royal Society Open Science reveals that they do. The team studied male Java sparrows that dance with bounces and make wiping motions with their bills in an effort to convince females to mate with them. The researchers watched the males in captivity and found that they repeatedly practised dancing early in life in front of their mothers and fathers long before they were ready to breed. While their moves were not particularly good at the start, all males dramatically improved over time, suggesting that the parents may well be providing valuable feedback, and that awkward adolescent dancing may extend beyond Homo sapiens.
A little magazine called the Blind Man, co-edited by Duchamp, ignited a debate still running today. “Whether Mr Mutt with his own hands made the fountain or not has no importance. He chose it. He took an ordinary article of life, placed it so that its useful significance disappeared under the new title and point of view – and created a new thought for the object.” ❧
Before one even starts learning how to manage an internet domain of their own, they face the step of choosing a name for what will be their street address on the internet. What should be on the left some of “something” dot “something” as one’s own internet address?
Some people stick with something close to or based on their name, so it clearly identifies”all their web sites?
Others have chosen a name that is more thematic, a play on words, a reference to interests or just a playful attitude.
There is no “correct” answer (but plenty of search result suggestions)- it’s a matter of what fits better for your personality, and as long as you are creating and sharing at that address.
What was the thinking behind your domain name?
This Activity was created by Alan Levine (@cogdog)
Difficulty: 1 (rated by author; 1=easy <--> 5=difficult)
Module: Domain Camp
Category: Domain Camp Week 1
My current domain name (boffosocko.com) came from a crazy brainstorm several years ago when I was registering a handful of domain names related to ideas in the entertainment industry. I was surprised that there were a handful of well-known and commonly used industry phrases that were freely available, so I scooped them all up. While I was doing that I noticed that the Variety-speak words related to boffo and socko were also available. In particular, I thought boffosocko.com was pretty cool and one day I’d come up with a use for it.
After a few years I decided that since I hadn’t been able to register my own name as a URL (there was a web designer who had beat me to it), I would co-opt boffosocko.com into use, and really, what could be a better name for a personal website?
“Boffo” and “socko” are neologisms in the family of Variety-speak after the well known business trade journal covering Tinseltown (often better known as Hollywood aka the Coast, aka H’w’d.)
boff (also boffo, boffola) — outstanding (usually refers to box office performance); ” ‘My Best Friend’s Wedding’ has been boffo at the B.O.” (See also, socko, whammo)
sock (also socko) — very good (usually refers to box office performance); ” ‘My Best Friend’s Wedding’ has done socko B.O.” (See also, boff, whammo)
Incidentally, one of the first movies I saw on cable via HBO when our family first got it when I was a youth (and easily saw over 100 times that summer) was THE MUPPETS TAKE MANHATTAN. Within it, there’s a great scene where Kermit schmoozes a big Broadway producer (played by John Landis) that I’m sure must have had a profound effect on me.
Directed by Paul Lieberstein. With Jeff Daniels, Emily Mortimer, John Gallagher Jr., Alison Pill. Shocking information regarding the source comes to light in the fight for Will's freedom.
This season sure did wind itself up pretty quickly. As I’m watching it, I realize that I had seen the third season, but somehow I apparently haven’t remembered it well.
Alan Levine (Extend Activity Bank)