Why?

Today our neighbor was visiting and she happened to look on the counter where she was sitting and noticed Zippy Bling Bling (my Avic. versicolor).

Her first question was "What [pause] is THAT?" After we told her the next question was "WHY?!"

That is a good question. Why? Why do I keep nearly a dozen Tarantulas in my house? It has been said on the Tarantula forums I frequent that keeping Tarantulas is an addiction. It's like collecting stamps, but these stamps are alive and you can hold them, feed them and they do interesting things. They are certainly not snuggly, nor are they affectionate. But they represent something wild and potentially dangerous. Something that sits in the back of our minds (I think everybody, even hobbyists, have that instinct or have been taught to be wary of spiders, snakes and other potentially harmful animals) makes it "exciting" to care for and handle these giants of the arachnid family.

Beyond that I cannot explain. Here are the things I like about them:

• They are fascinating to watch.
  
• Their anatomy is alien and interesting.
  
• They produce silk with ease, just part of their daily life.
  
• They are fierce predators.
  
• They can walk on walls and ceilings.
  
• They are very colorful.
  
• They are fuzzy.
  
• They do odd things in captivity (trying to figure out the why's is fun).
  
• They are still not very well understood.
  
• You CAN handle them and it feels cool.

I guess that is about it. They also DO have personalities. They have generic, species personalities (at least a consensus among hobbyists of how certain spiders behave) and they have individual personalities that sometimes go against the grain for their species. There are even funny acronyms and nicknames for different Tarantulas that have become infamous, such as the OBT (Orange Bitey Thing). This refers to a Tarantula from Africa.

In fact, let me steal this list of Tarantula Slang words from the tarantulas.us forums:

T = Tarantula

AGE, SIZE
L'eggs = "Eggs with legs", the 2nd molt after the egg stage for a pre-sling
S'ling = Spiderling
Juv = Juvenile, between sling and adult
Instar = The number of the molt the T is on, after hatching into a sling. 1st instar, 2nd instar, etc.
Post-ultimate = When a male T has molted for the last time before his death
LS = Legspan

SPECIES
NW = New World Species - Urticating hairs!
OW = Old World Species
GBB = Greenbottle Blue (Chromatopelma cyanopubescens)
Blondi = Goliath Birdeater (Theraphosa blondi)
Genic = Brazilian Whitebanded (Acanthoscurria geniculata)
OBTs/Orange Bitey Things/PTerrors = Pterinochilus murinus RCF. Known for their BAD attitude!
RCF = Red Color Phase
PZB = Pink Zebra Beauty (Eupalaestrus campestratus)
Pokie/Poke/Poec = Poecilotheria species
Rosie = Chilean Rosehair (Grammostola rosea)
Versi = Antilles Pinktoe (Avicularia versicolor)
Curly = Curlyhair (Brachypelma albopilosum)

PARTS
Palps = Pedipalps
Boxing gloves = Enlarged, bulbous pedipalps of a mature male
Exuvia = The skin that's left after the T molts
Opisthoma = abdomen

CONDITIONS, BEHAVIOR
UADS = Up And Die Syndrome or death of unknown cause
Dessicated = Dried up, dehydrated
Gravid = Pregnant
Death curl = Pose a T assumes when it's dying, upright with legs curled underneath
On it's back = Molting
Pre-molt = The period before molting when the signs are readily apparent, i.e. going off food, darkened abdomen, sluggish behavior, etc.
Post-molt = The period just after molting while the exoskeleton and fangs are hardening up.
Flick = The act of using the rear legs to spread the itchy (urticating) hairs towards a threat
Threat = When your T stands up on hind legs, with front leg spread wide and straight up in the air, often with fangs bared.

HOUSING, FOOD
Substrate = What is on the bottom of the habitat, i.e. potting soil, peat moss, vermiculite
Verm = Vermiculite
Hidey hole = Burrow
Pinkie = Newborn mouse
Crix = Crickets

OTHER STUFF
Hammock method = A method of "cradling" an eggsack after it's removed from it's mother
Sperm web = A tent shaped web the male uses to deposit his sperm and collect it in the bulbs on his palps

Personality Plus

As with all animals, Tarantulas have "personalities" that differ from species to species and often from individual to individual.

In my collection of Tarantulas I have 3 classes:  Sweet, questionable and mean.  The sweet Tarantulas, as one might expect, are docile and can be handled without fear (although I must caution anyone reading this that ANY wild animal should be treated as such, with caution).  I have several "sweet" Tarantulas that I don't fear handling, although I admit they do make my heart race a bit whenever I take them out.

The "questionable" Tarantulas are those that are not mean spirited, or super defensive, but that are naturally a bit quick to bite first and ask questions later.  Not in a defensive manner, but in a more "hungry" manner, if you catch my drift.  These are spiders that you worry that they might mistake you for fodder, not for a foe.  I have a couple of these and I am sorely tempted to handle them but I have not yet done so.

Finally there are the "mean" Tarantulas.  These are Tarantulas that always seem to be on the defensive or, in the case of at least one of my two most aggressive Tarantulas, on the "offensive."  These are spiders that when you intrude on their space, turn right at you and lunge.  They might give you a warning, but one is all you get.  My Sun Tiger is pretty defensive.  She will lay back, stick her forearms waayyyyy up and act like she will eat you alive... but that is usually the extent of it.  My Grand Canyon Black on the other hand has no stops.  Just today as I was mucking in her cage she came OVER to the tool I was using, raised her forearms, her abdomen, then without much more warning than that struck it, fangs out.  Made a nice clacking sound on the wood.  I had to remove the tool because she was going to attack again and I really did not want to stress her out or even cause her injury (a broken fang is a serious wound).  This is a spider that I would never even consider handling.

People might wonder "why?"  "Why spiders, and why BIG HAIRY spiders that can and will bite you?"  Honestly, most Tarantulas are sweet as pie.  These are arch predators on THEIR level (not in the food chain of course, but in their category, they are the big guns).  They have LONG life spans.  Even the males can live 10 years.  Females are known to live up to 30 years, possibly longer.  That's old.  My poor faithful dogs cannot expect to live that long.  These are venerable creatures.  Predators.  Yet they can be handled, allowed to walk about on you, as long as you treat them with respect.  They are alien as well, they are nothing like us.  The way they move, the way they process food and waste, the way they breath, etc.  And, believe it or not, they come in some pretty incredible color variations.  I have not yet seen a Tarantula that could be called "ugly."  They are each a little work of art in patterns and coloration.

I would like to see more people warm up to keeping these giant spiders.

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On the importance of Fonts

I am a programmer so I stare at an editor much of the day.

I have recently discovered what I consider to be the perfect programming font:  Inconsolata.  It is a font reminiscent of the massive old line printers from the 70's and 80's that were hooked up to your mainframe.  The beauty of the font is that it looks the same on paper as it does on your screen.  It is also quite easy on the eye.

Check it out here: http://www.levien.com/type/myfonts/inconsolata.html

That let me to think how important a font can be in any presentation.  Fonts in conjunction with the proper use of white space are very important as the proper fonts can reduce eye strain.  Fonts are also important in conveying worth, luxury, importance, etc.

More links:

http://www.avidwebdesign.com/andrew/font.shtml
http://www.atalasoft.com/cs/blogs/stevehawley/archive/2007/02/14/the-importance-of-fonts.aspx
http://www.coolhomepages.com/cda/kerning/

Next time you are designing a site or document take a little time to fool with your font choice, and font parameters to see what you can do to make your creation easier on the eye.

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Cheesy Horror Movies

I started grabbing a bunch of cheesy horror movies off Netflix created for the "Masters of Horror" program on Showtime.

These two movies are pretty clever.  The first is of a woman driving in the country, gets in an accident and encounters a twisted serial killer who lives out in the middle of nowhere.  She has flashbacks of her boyfriend teaching her how to survive, he was apparently a militia man.  She ends up dealing the murderer some damage but is finally captured.  During this time she continues to have flashbacks of how her relationship with her fiance was going bad.  Finally she gets free, kills the serial killer, goes back to her car and opens the trunk to reveal:  her ex-fiance dead in the trunk  - and she has the final flashback showing how she killed him.

The second movie was about a woman who leaves a broken down bus and hikes it to a motel some 12 miles away.  In the meantime not one, but TWO serial killers come down on the people in the bus (at separate times, one takes some of the people, the other takes the rest).  The two serial killers end up taking the adjacent rooms to the girl in the motel.  She decides they are both creepy so she packs up and starts down the road.  Both killers start after her, the truck driver-killer tricks her into his truck, picks up the other serial killer, they end up fighting and crashing the truck.  An ambulance picks them all up and it turns out the two ambulance drivers are also serial killers who kill the other two serial killers leaving the poor girl screaming as the the movie ends.

Both not your typical horror movies.  Not bad, short, only an hour each.  Not sure what is coming next but I am sure it will have some entertainment value.

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Flock

Flock is a relatively new browser on the scene, fully derived from Firefox.

So what makes Flock different? It is a social networking dream come true. By using a unique set of plug-ins the browser is able to communicate with almost every social network site, making it easy for the user to monitor and update said sites.

Flock version 1.1.1 is out but I am using the nightly builds called "Sulfur." I chose to use the nightly builds because they use the latest Gecko rendering engine which eliminates many rendering glitches that drove me nuts with the current, released version.

The drawbacks are that Flock takes up literally twice the amount of hard ram than OmniWeb or Safari does. At least 50% more than Camino. It also seems a little slower with all the plug-ins constantly at work for you to keep you up-to-date. Finally, the bookmarking implementation, while powerful, takes getting used to.

Still, it is aesthetically pleasing, very functional and generally well thought out. If you are a social network addict, Flock is definitely the browser for you!

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On the "Religious Right"

A good friend and I had an argument the other day about the "Religious Right."

It started with a post in a forum we both frequent.  Someone said they know no group of people more dangerous in the United States than the "Religious Right."

I posted a ridiculous troll of a post stating "except for the extremely liberal left."  My friend called me on it (as he should) and our war of words began (and lasted, I might add, for at least 1/2 hour on the phone).  In the end it came down to this:  I simply don't like the choice of words used to label the group of people who represent the "Religious Right."  Why?  Because a) I am religious and b) I am conservative.  Ergo, I am a part of this "Religious Right" simply by the connotation based on the meaning of the words that comprise this label.

If you are a person who does not keep up with the times and does not know the meaning of this label, you too would be offended.  I suspect many people are and this actually helps to sustain the current left-right conflict in this country.

In the end we both agreed that, as usual, I got worked up over nothing but also he conceded that the label is not the best.  I believe Chris Hedges calls these people "Dominionists," which I much prefer.

Apple Wireless Keyboard

My Apple Wireless Keyboard has arrived.

After being forced to relinquish my $150 Tactile Pro 2.0 keyboard because my rapid-fire key clicking was keeping my wife up at night, I settled on one of the new aluminum USB keyboards (the one that came with my 24" iMac). The keyboard itself was not bad, but it was too long for my tiny workspace.

My workspace consists of a small area carved out of our walk-in closet. I have had it wired (and recently re-wired on its own circuit due to a power hungry laser printer) and build a small surface for junk, and added a keyboard drawer underneath that. The total width of the space is 30 inches, the width of the keyboard drawer/surface is 26 inches. With a mousepad and a keyboard next to each other the mouse pad actually had to hang over the edge, and the keyboard was shifted over to once side (although the major keys were more or less directly in front of me). This lack of space prompted me to think smaller.

I ordered my new keyboard about a week ago with some trepidation. I was already having a hard time adjusting to the new USB aluminum keyboard, and this one would be smaller and missing many keys. My keyboard arrived in short order and I marveled at how small it was as I unpacked it. I held it up next to my wife's macbook, it was the same exact layout.

I did the usual, simple bluetooth configuration and was using my new keyboard in no time at all.

So far I am pleased. The keys, while not as firm and feedback full as my Tactile Pro keys, are sufficiently substantial to be pleasing to use. The angle of the wireless keyboard is ever-so-slightly higher than the USB model and it feels better to me - especially since my keyboard sits higher than it should.

I have found that I do not miss all the extra keys. I guess I rarely used the keypad and the home/end/page up/page down keys and can compensate with the mouse. I am now completely wireless, running an Apple wireless mouse alongside the keyboard. It is nice to have fewer cables winding about.

The keyboard is responsive and Apple claims 6 months of use on a set of (3) batteries under typical usage. I do not turn my mouse or keyboard off, so it will be interesting to see how long it really lasts.

I would have to say that Apple has once again hit the nail on the head with this keyboard.

Odd Pets

Tarantulas are a funny thing.  I mean, how many people would want large, hairy spiders in their house?  Most people would be sick with the thought of it.  But honestly, they are incredible animals.

Our Tarantulas really have become pets.  Some are more loved than others, but that is mostly because they were our first and they are kept in a prominent place where everyone can see and (sort of) interact with them.  Charlotte and Zippy Bling Bling are the two most watched and they are interesting and beautiful.

Charlotte was a surprise because she is loaded with personality.  She is not a "pet rock" as many of her particular species are referred to.  She is not a Tarantula you want to handle, but she is active, unwaveringly brave in the face of my maintenance tools and very very colorful.

Zippy is cute, fuzzy and metallic blue/green and she is finally (as she ages) beginning to show her pink hues as well.  Zippy we DO handle on occasion.  She is not aggressive at all and we are comfortable with her crawling all over us.

Sounds odd letting a spider, especially a large metallic blue, green and pink spider, crawl all over you.  It feels neat though.  Most people probably think "ugh, bug creepy crawlies!"  Tarantulas are both surprisingly substantial, yet feathery light at the same time.  It is difficult to explain.  They also have sticky feet.  Yeah, as they walk on your skin you can feel each foot stick then lift off...  it is a cool and strange sensation at the same time.  The only other issue with letting a spider crawl around on you is you are bound to find some webbing on you.  That is only natural since spiders frequently drop "drag lines."

There are many interesting anatomical points of interest with Tarantulas (and spiders in general).  Tarantulas are not considered "true" spiders because of several features.  Their mouth parts (chelicerae) parallel to one another, while true spiders chelicerae move against one another.  Tarantulas also have 2 pairs of book lungs and NO trachea.  Trachea allow "true" spiders to mechanically breath, whereas book lungs are passive and simply absorb oxygen as it hits them.

Locomotion is another interesting facet of their anatomy.  Tarantulas only have muscles in their lets that can pull their legs inward toward their body, and forward and backward.  They have NO muscles to extend their legs.  So how do they do it?  Hydraulics.  Spiders maintain fluid pressures in their legs that are quite impressive and they extend their legs by increasing or decreasing their blood pressure.

What else... molting!  Watching a Tarantula (probably any spider, but Tarantulas are large and easier to watch) molt is impressive and a wonder in itself.  Prior to molting another, soft, exoskeleton forms inside the current one.  As the exoskeleton grows the spider exudes enzymes that eat away the connective tissues between the old and new exoskeletons.  Once that process is complete, the Tarantula flips over onto its back (usually) and begins the arduous and dangerous process of molting.

It is a very difficult process.  The spider literally has to split its old covering open, then squirm its way out (think about how you would get out of a wet suit if you could not use your hands).  The animal often has to rest and once the molt is complete will definitely rest for awhile on its back before flipping back over.

Molting can be dangerous too.  Limbs can get stuck, or if the enzyme phase did not complete correctly or wholly, parts of the old exoskeleton might stick to the new.  This is always tragic, and the tarantula often suffers severe injuries as it tries to escape its old skeleton.  It can prove fatal.

Another interesting fact:  when a Tarantula molts, it also sheds its esophagus and pumping stomach!  Thing about that!  Your esophagus and stomach pulled out through your mouth when you molt.  For this reason Tarantulas do not eat for several days after molting (they need to wait for all their parts to harden up).

After the molting process is complete, the spider grows quickly.  All the extra fluids stored in their abdomen is used to expand their now-soft exoskeleton.  Because of this recent molts often appear to have shrunken abdomens.

I could go on and on but I should probably stop here for now.  Hope you enjoyed my little post about my Tarantulas and if you are ever in the hunt for an easy to care for, mostly non-allergenic and clean pet, consider a Tarantula.  I don't think you would be disappointed.

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Weeding, reading and feeding...

Busy day today! 

Weeding.  I got a second letter from our HOA regarding weeds.  After the first letter we DID weed.  This letter was more specific and mentioned the "Desert Broom."  This particular plant was there from the day we took possession of the house.  We even maintained it, trimmed it, took great care of it.  Turns out it is an unapproved, desert weed.  Been in the yard for 3 years now.  I find that amusing.  So I have our HOA representative coming over on Monday, just to make sure we understand one another.

Reading. On Thursdays I volunteer at my son's school.  Not to worry, not really teaching.  I go in and listen to kids learning to read, and help them when they get stuck.  It is actually very fulfilling, especially hearing the change from the beginning of the year to the end of the year.

Feeding.  My beloved wife picked up some crickets today while she was at Petco.  My tarantulas have been molting like crazy, with more on the way (getting ready to molt that is).  She picked up more than I had wanted but none were wasted.  5 Tarantulas were ready and willing to eat, and G (my osphronemus) gobbled down the leftovers.

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