The huge numbers of deer are having a direct effect on birds such as sparrows, woodpeckers, warblers, wrens, and hummingbirds. These birds depend on the forest understory where they nest and find food such as insects and worms. A large population of deer can ruin such areas, driving birds out.

There it was, the only one of its kind in the freezer case. Here it is November, and I’m thinking seriously of trying the apple diet. But there it was. People must line up when they restock, because I’ve not seen this flavor in many months.

Am I having some for dessert tonight? Uh, no, I’m doing the apple thing.

photo by Rod Johnson

It looks as if it will break out into song, albeit a derisive one, or do some funky dancing on your table. By Michael Lambert.

He went on TV to say that graffiti ‘punks’ should be separated from their thumbs, citing the French for their historic use of anatomical severance (heads).

The mayor also approves of whippings and canings for troublesome children.

I wonder if he has kids. I’m pretty sure he has thumbs.

In some of the shots, the iPod looked as if it were being held against its will.

My kids left some interesting toys behind when they went off to college. The Tangle is based on a work called the Infinite Sculpture by Richard Zawitz.

More evidence is coming out that early man wiped out some species due to a hunger for meat. Marks of butchery on the bones of giant lemurs, elephant birds, and pygmy hippos bear this out.

Bismillahi ‘Rrahman ‘Rrahim.

The latest in a string of deaths is an Australian scientist, Tom Loy, 63, found dead in his home. A family member says that he had suffered from a blood disorder for many years.

The others:

Helmut Simon, 67, fell during a blizzard near the spot where Oetzi was found

An hour later, Dieter Warnecke, 45, head of the rescue team sent to find Simon, died of a heart attack

Konrad Spindler, 55, first archaeologist to check Oetzi, multiple sclerosis

Rainer Henn, 64, leader of forensic team inspecting Oetzi, car accident

Kurt Fritz, 52, mountaineer who led Henn to Oetzi’s body, avalanche (only fatality in his group)

Rainer Hoelzl, 47, journalist filming Oetzi’s removal from mountain, brain tumor

So. What else could it be, given that one or two of these deaths might be totally unrelated? Ancient bacteria or spores that lodge in brain tissue of those in contact with Oetzi? That might cause a slight error in judgment?

A fisherman snaps pictures of a shark, which is rarely seen this far north. Last week, eyewitnesses spotted another one.

The data is for a Texas child.

That he carved out a successful career despite his being unable to read or write is a remarkable feat. To cover up, he depended on assistants.

The story behind his illiteracy is a poignant one. An alcoholic father who beat his mother and him regularly robbed him of the ability to learn in his early years.

The various things I’ve taken for seasonal hay fever have unfortunate side effects, excessive sleepiness being one. Another changes my personality. Still another caused attacks of rage, which was really scary. Not to mention the overly dry eyes, mouth and nose.

If eating a bowl of rice will do the trick, I’m all for it, despite the carbs.

Surgeons no longer cut open the chest in valve-replacement procedures. Instead, they work their magic through a small incision in the leg. An operation that used to take six hours is finished in 90 minutes.

The patient is up and about in just a few days, as opposed to the weeks required for the old methods.

It comes out of Wenatchee, WA, known as the ‘apple capital of the world’. The plan is to eat an apple before each meal and for snacks, the idea being that apples give a feeling of fullnesss. Because they are sweet, the dieter may not experience cravings.