Chimps!

Here are a couple of pictures of a few of the cross-fostered sign-language-speaking chimpanzees whose daily lives occupy my (paid) time at the Psychobiology of Language lab at the University of Nevada.

Baby Washoe:

The human companions would often look at magazines with the chimps to elicit signs for various items that the chimps would see in the pictures.

Moja (bigger chimp) and Tatu

The chimps' favorite games were "chase" and "tickle", but they also highly enjoyed being pulled around in the wagon. Moja (the bigger, older chimp) loved to "mother" Tatu. She (Moja) always wanted to carry Tatu around on her back (the way mother chimps in the wild carry their young).

The Final Word.

"Yes, you could take Dr. Gardner's PSY 763 as PSY 699 if Dr. Gardner had a section of PSY 699. As it stands, only Dr. Deborah Davis has a section of PSY 699, and the chair, Dr. Foilette, is not willing to open another section of 699 just so one undergraduate student can take it."

I don't even care at this point. It's OVER. I'm NOT taking Dr. Gardner's graduate seminar. The END. Capice?

On the bright (very bright, actually) side that means I don't need to read the 30+ journal articles assigned for Gardner's seminar this week. Hoo-ray. Which allows more time for me to watch "Weeds." Having almost blown through the first two seasons in three days, I need to start downloading season three otherwise there will be a (*dun dun DUN!*) GAP of time when the show will not be available to me. Also some other FX show I need to download and watch. However, with THAT show I will condition myself to do biology homework during the show so as to make it all that much less of a waste of time.

*picture is Dr. Gardner's textbook.

Graduate Specials and Undergraduates!

"You may not register for any graduate courses as an undergraduate."

"You may not register for any 700-level graduate courses as a graduate special."

"You may register for 500 and 600-level graduate courses as an undergraduate with instructor approval, but not for 700-level courses." 

"You may register for all levels of graduate courses as a graduate special, but you are too late to change your registration from undergraduate to graduate special."

I'm just glad everyone knows what they're talking about. Wait... no they don't.