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HalfMooner
Dingaling
Philippines
15831 Posts |
 Posted - 08/30/2007 : 03:53:56
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Nothing to see here, folks. Please move along, if you can.
Wills Point, Texas (MMWN) -- A vast web system created by communal spiders at Lake Tawakoni State Park is nothing to be alarmed about, says Texas Governor Rick Perry (GOP).
Park rangers patrol the web for captured campers, Mexicans.
The web stretches across trees for over 200 feet.
"This God-given wonder of nature was undoubtedly divinely created to control the recent invasion of tropical Panamanian mosquitoes," said Perry. "There's no connection between this latest plague and so-called man-made global warning. Which isn't man-made, nor global, nor warming," said Perry as twenty thousand spiders carried him away.
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“Biology is just physics that has begun to smell bad.” —HalfMooner
Here's a link to Moonscape News, and one to its Archive. |
Edited by - HalfMooner on 09/01/2007 04:28:42
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Rubicon95
Skeptic Friend
USA
220 Posts |
Posted - 08/30/2007 : 05:37:51 [Permalink]
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Charlotte must have been on a bender to do that one. |
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Ricky
SFN Die Hard
USA
4907 Posts |
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Rubicon95
Skeptic Friend
USA
220 Posts |
Posted - 08/30/2007 : 09:15:52 [Permalink]
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Judas Priest Ricky! I nearly spilled my coffee on that one.
That's so twisted!! |
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Chippewa
SFN Regular
USA
1496 Posts |
Posted - 08/30/2007 : 10:00:18 [Permalink]
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Originally posted by HalfMooner
...Wills Point, Texas (MMWN) -- A vast web system created by communal spiders at Lake Tawakoni State Park is nothing to be alarmed about, says Texas Governor Rick Perry (GOP)... |
Actually, the web system was spun by one large Texas spider! Texas Governor Rick Perry tried to stop it with dynamite but that didn't work out:
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RW-rcWZEnWc
...But they were able to get California actor Clint Eastwood flying in his private air force of surplus F 80 Shooting Star Jets to destroy it with surplus napalm! Thanks Clint!
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=RehRMzedkkA
P.S. They saved Mayberry's sister city, Dingleberry.  |
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filthy
SFN Die Hard
USA
14408 Posts |
 Posted - 08/30/2007 : 16:39:10 [Permalink]
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Of the thirty five & some-odd thousand known species of spiders, social species are quite rare, but far from non-existent. Spider Solidarity Forever
Social spiders create the communes of the arachnid world
By Laura Helmuth
Most spiders have beastly social skills. They're aggressive, territorial loners that would just as soon eat a sibling as look at one.
Of the 35,000-odd spider species that have been described, however, a few dozen flout tradition. These social spiders live in groups. They cooperate while hunting and building their communal homes. They even care for their own—and sometimes each other's—young, whereas typical spiders lay their eggs and creep away.
Nineteenth-century biologists, including Charles Darwin when he voyaged to South America, discovered a few spider species that gathered in huge colonies. In the past 20 years, researchers have found more examples of gregarious spiders. Now, scientists are exploring the social webs that bind together these infamous individualists.
By looking at the social world from a spider's-eye view, biologists are gaining insights into the evolution of sociality, the costs and benefits of group living, and the ways that creatures relate to their kin.
Entomologists have long studied the social worlds of a variety of insects—ants, bees, and termites—that live in large, cooperative networks. Like the six-legged social species, many cooperating spiders hunt together and share food.
Although arachnid societies bear a superficial resemblance to these insect communities, they operate by markedly different reproductive rules. In insect groups, workers are sterile and only the queen lays eggs, whereas all spiders in a colony are able to reproduce.
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This is a very interesting article, especially for us arachnophiles and even our less-than-discerning arachnophobes can get something out of it (anybody who doesn't love spiders has no soul!).
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"What luck for rulers that men do not think." -- Adolf Hitler (1889 - 1945)
"If only we could impeach on the basis of criminal stupidity, 90% of the Rethuglicans and half of the Democrats would be thrown out of office." ~~ P.Z. Myres
"The default position of human nature is to punch the other guy in the face and take his stuff." ~~ Dude
Brother Boot Knife of Warm Humanitarianism,
and Crypto-Communist! 
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| Edited by - filthy on 08/30/2007 16:42:02 |
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HalfMooner
Dingaling
Philippines
15831 Posts |
Posted - 08/31/2007 : 15:19:01 [Permalink]
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Social spiders are truly fascinating. And also, somewhat creepy to think about, IMO.
Since this is a critical thinking site, Filthy, I must ask: By "anyone," are you referring exclusively to other spiders? Also, please define the emotion and/or physical act you are referring to or contemplating when you say "love," provide a meaningful definition of "soul," and then give us some evidence for your extraordinary claim. Are spiders as cuddly in your opinion as ... oh, I don't know .. naked mole rats?
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“Biology is just physics that has begun to smell bad.” —HalfMooner
Here's a link to Moonscape News, and one to its Archive. |
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filthy
SFN Die Hard
USA
14408 Posts |
 Posted - 08/31/2007 : 18:19:32 [Permalink]
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Originally posted by HalfMooner
Social spiders are truly fascinating. And also, somewhat creepy to think about, IMO.
Since this is a critical thinking site, Filthy, I must ask: By "anyone," are you referring exclusively to other spiders? Also, please define the emotion and/or physical act you are referring to or contemplating when you say "love," provide a meaningful definition of "soul," and then give us some evidence for your extraordinary claim. Are spiders as cuddly in your opinion as ... oh, I don't know .. naked mole rats?
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Critical thinking site it might be, but this is the Moonscape News page. In Moonscape, I can make any claim I want and just let it hang there like a sleeping pipistrelle, with no support whatsoever beyond a toe-hold. So there!
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"What luck for rulers that men do not think." -- Adolf Hitler (1889 - 1945)
"If only we could impeach on the basis of criminal stupidity, 90% of the Rethuglicans and half of the Democrats would be thrown out of office." ~~ P.Z. Myres
"The default position of human nature is to punch the other guy in the face and take his stuff." ~~ Dude
Brother Boot Knife of Warm Humanitarianism,
and Crypto-Communist!
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| Edited by - filthy on 08/31/2007 18:22:29 |
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The Rat
SFN Regular
Canada
1370 Posts |
Posted - 08/31/2007 : 20:10:39 [Permalink]
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AAAAAAAAAAAAAAARGH!!! SPIDERS!!!!!!!
I love 'em, they're neat, cool, awesome, all sorts of glowing adjectives.
And they scare the shit out of me. Horrible arachnophobia here folks. If I'm photographing them I'll stick my nose up real close, no problem. I'll watch them catch flies and do their 'stab and wrap' thing, really neat to watch. And if one gets on me I drop and roll while screaming like a little girl. Harvestman don't bother me, I'll let them crawl on me, and jumping spiders, at least the little ones we have here in Canada, are too cute to worry about, but anything else gives me the willies. Weird, eh?
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Bailey's second law; There is no relationship between the three virtues of intelligence, education, and wisdom.
You fiend! Never have I encountered such corrupt and foul-minded perversity! Have you ever considered a career in the Church? - The Bishop of Bath and Wells, Blackadder II
Baculum's page: http://www.bebo.com/Profile.jsp?MemberId=3947338590 |
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HalfMooner
Dingaling
Philippines
15831 Posts |
Posted - 08/31/2007 : 22:50:26 [Permalink]
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Originally posted by filthy
Originally posted by HalfMooner
Social spiders are truly fascinating. And also, somewhat creepy to think about, IMO.
Since this is a critical thinking site, Filthy, I must ask: By "anyone," are you referring exclusively to other spiders? Also, please define the emotion and/or physical act you are referring to or contemplating when you say "love," provide a meaningful definition of "soul," and then give us some evidence for your extraordinary claim. Are spiders as cuddly in your opinion as ... oh, I don't know .. naked mole rats?
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Critical thinking site it might be, but this is the Moonscape News page. In Moonscape, I can make any claim I want and just let it hang there like a sleeping pipistrelle, with no support whatsoever beyond a toe-hold. So there!
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Uh, you got a point there.
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“Biology is just physics that has begun to smell bad.” —HalfMooner
Here's a link to Moonscape News, and one to its Archive. |
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filthy
SFN Die Hard
USA
14408 Posts |
 Posted - 09/01/2007 : 03:16:01 [Permalink]
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So! Nobody is paying attention! Very well then, you all fail Chiroptera and have a weeks detention with Professor Snape!
In a previous post, I linked with the word "pipistrelle." The pipistrelle is a tiny bat native to Europe and England. It's a charming, little bug-sniper, it's body no larger than the end of a man's thumb, but if you'd opened the link, you'd have found yourself reading about the sub-family Desmodontinae, the three species of vampire bat. And nobody caught it.........
GOTCHA!! 
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"What luck for rulers that men do not think." -- Adolf Hitler (1889 - 1945)
"If only we could impeach on the basis of criminal stupidity, 90% of the Rethuglicans and half of the Democrats would be thrown out of office." ~~ P.Z. Myres
"The default position of human nature is to punch the other guy in the face and take his stuff." ~~ Dude
Brother Boot Knife of Warm Humanitarianism,
and Crypto-Communist!
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HalfMooner
Dingaling
Philippines
15831 Posts |
Posted - 09/01/2007 : 03:38:36 [Permalink]
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You sneaky dog, Fil. Well, I've read the article now. Neat bat, but I hope they are not communal.
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“Biology is just physics that has begun to smell bad.” —HalfMooner
Here's a link to Moonscape News, and one to its Archive. |
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filthy
SFN Die Hard
USA
14408 Posts |
Posted - 09/01/2007 : 03:55:30 [Permalink]
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Originally posted by HalfMooner
You sneaky dog, Fil. Well, I've read the article now. Neat bat, but I hope they are not communal.
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Actually, they are and have a very tight, social structure. They are physically different from all other bats in that they are quite agile on the ground and can even leap several feet straight up.
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"What luck for rulers that men do not think." -- Adolf Hitler (1889 - 1945)
"If only we could impeach on the basis of criminal stupidity, 90% of the Rethuglicans and half of the Democrats would be thrown out of office." ~~ P.Z. Myres
"The default position of human nature is to punch the other guy in the face and take his stuff." ~~ Dude
Brother Boot Knife of Warm Humanitarianism,
and Crypto-Communist!
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HalfMooner
Dingaling
Philippines
15831 Posts |
Posted - 09/01/2007 : 04:10:29 [Permalink]
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Communal vampire bats, eh? Just great. If they're moving north due to MMGW, where are they now? I may need to evacuate.
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“Biology is just physics that has begun to smell bad.” —HalfMooner
Here's a link to Moonscape News, and one to its Archive. |
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The Rat
SFN Regular
Canada
1370 Posts |
Posted - 09/01/2007 : 09:05:52 [Permalink]
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Originally posted by filthy
In a previous post, I linked with the word "pipistrelle." The pipistrelle is a tiny bat native to Europe and England. |
North America too. The Western Pipistrelle, Pipistrellus hesperus is restricted to the U.S., while the Eastern Pipistrelle, Pipistrellus subflavus, occurs in the eastern U.S. and Canada, where it is a year-round resident, hibernating during the winter (Peterson, 1966).
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Bailey's second law; There is no relationship between the three virtues of intelligence, education, and wisdom.
You fiend! Never have I encountered such corrupt and foul-minded perversity! Have you ever considered a career in the Church? - The Bishop of Bath and Wells, Blackadder II
Baculum's page: http://www.bebo.com/Profile.jsp?MemberId=3947338590 |
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Chippewa
SFN Regular
USA
1496 Posts |
Posted - 09/01/2007 : 09:17:28 [Permalink]
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Originally posted by filthy
[quote]...In Moonscape, I can make any claim I want and just let it hang there like a sleeping pipistrelle, with no support whatsoever beyond a toe-hold. So there! |
Thanks filthy. Up to now, the only Pipistrelle I knew about was an old Italian bomber.
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No MMGW connection seen in giant Texas spiderweb
