serving placitas, bernalillo, rio rancho, santa ana pueblo ...rosa’s housecleaningrosa’s...
TRANSCRIPT
Page 42 • MARCH 2010 • The Sandoval Signpost • Serving the community since 1988
FOR SALE: HOMES/LAND
—“For Sale: Homes/Land,” continued next column
ANIMALS / ANIMAL SERVICES
ANNOUNCEMENTS
TWO BIT FARM AND TACK REPAIR. Horse boarding, training, and sales.
Manure delivery available. www.twobitfarm.com or 867-9139
~ THE ANIMAL HOTLINE ~~ THE ANIMAL HOTLINE ~A NONPROFIT COMMUNITY SERVICE FOR LOST & FOUND PETS.
Listings are free and published in the Signpost.Call Dave—867-6135
WILDLIFE REHABILITATOR. Injured or orphaned birds,mammals, or snakes. Call Linda Perini at 867-8317 for as-sistance.
PIANO LESSONS AND MUSIC THEORY. Elementaryto intermediate level. BA Music UNM, Member MTNA.Call Clara Young at 867-3794.
ALL CREATURES PETSITTING. Loving, fun care. Vaca-tion, business, emergencies. Placitas/Bernalillo. Call Karenat 977-0426.
C L A S S E S
C H I L D C A R E
BUILDING MATERIALS FOR SALE: HOMES/LAND
—CONTINUED—ROMERO LUMBER
• Big savings on #2-9’ landscaping RR Ties.Also 1’-9’ in Grades 1 & 2
• Santa Fe Brown and Sedona Red gravel • Flagstone in stunning colors • Designs available on
flagstone. East Mountain cement—cart-away
Delivery Available VISA / MASTERCARD836-4107 (Albq.) or 832-4604 (Edgewood)
CASH! SOLD REAL ESTATE? CARRIED FINANCING?I will buy your mortgage/contract. Call for quote. Pat O’Brien (505) 823-2877.
Join a Grass-Roots Movement to bring
PUBLIC TRANSPORTATION TO PLACITAS.
Call 867-8399.
DOG WALKING, PET SITTING. Relax … your pets are!Animal People LLC keeps them happy while you are away.Established in 1997, Insured, Pet First Aid Certified.Serving: Bernalillo, Corrales, Placitas, and Rio Rancho.www.animalpeople.us, [email protected] -call Janice: 867-4228.
DRAFTING SERVICESAccurate and impartial measuring and computer-
generated drafting done to scale by professional staff.
Drawings include floor plan, room dimensions, overall square footage. Services start at 50 cents/sq.ft.
3D plans and quick turnaround available.
Call Max Vasher at REX Drafters • 505-615-0696
ARCHITECT OFFERING 1.2 ACRES in high mesa area ofPlacitas. Large building site with underground utilities.Breathtaking panoramic view potential. Gorgeous unob-structed views of Sandia mountains with numerous Ju-niper trees on lot. Custom plans available. $130,000. Call707-935-7585 or email [email protected]
Serving Placitas, Bernalillo, Rio Rancho, Santa Ana Pueblo and Sandia Pueblo, New Mexico
SIGNPOSTSIGNPOSTT H E S A N D O V A L
To PLACE A CLASSIFIED adin this section, email or faxyour ad inquiry to:
[email protected] or (fax) 505-867-3870.
Visit : www.sandovalsignpost.comto view ad rates or call the Signpost office at505-867-3810 for details.
(Includes free monthly posting onthe Signpost Web site.)
(Stock up and Save )
A-1 FIREWOODSPRING RATES!
•SPLIT PIÑON, CEDAR, JUNIPERU PICK UP $175 A CORD
1 CORD $185 DELIVERED2 CORDS $180 EA. DELIVERED
3 OR MORE $175 EA. DELIVERED
•CEDAR/PIÑON/OAK MIX (1/3 EA.) $275 DELIVERED
(505) 242-8181 • 3134 BRIDGE SW., ALBUQUERQUE
GEORGIA’S CHILDCARE. Infants - 12 yrs. Full-time andpart-time. Drop-ins available. 20 years experience. Monday- Saturday 6 a.m. - 6 p.m. 867-3250.
Responsible young lady
will care for your pets and horses.
Call Meredith 463-3362 or [email protected]
WEEKLY YANG-STYLE TAI CHI CLASSES in Bernalilloand Albuquerque. Sundays 9-10 a.m. at the BernalilloRecreation Center. Tuesdays 7-8 p.m. at the Harwood ArtCenter. $10 per class or $30 per month. New students wel-come at any time. [505] 792.4519 turtlemountaintaichi.com
Annie GrossPh: 505.867.1991
Cell: [email protected]
Pet WalkingPet Sitting
Doggie LimoHorse Care
Insured and Bonded
Certified in Pet First Aid
Serving: Algodones, Bernalillo, Corrales,
Placitas, Rio Rancho
Lending the extra paw
Pet WalkingPet Sitting
Horses & All Farm Animals too
PROFESSIONAL PET AND HORSE CARE
PAWS N’ CLAWS PET SERVICEIN-HOME PET CARE
Serving Placitas, Rio Rancho & Far NorthEast Albuquerque
PET SITTINGPET WASTE REMOVAL
{505} 440-0875Insured/Bonded
Defensive driving specialist—UPSUPS trainedAlbuquerque High
Mar. 22 - April 8 and May 3 - May 20
7:00 P.M. - 9:00 P.M.
Bernalillo
April 12 - April 29
7:00 P.M. - 9:00 P.M.
See website for details — www.coachalsdrivingschool.com
Coach Al’SDRIVING SCHOOL
Al W. Guadagnoli(505) 771-8334 Cell (505) 573-1824
ARE HOME VALUES STABILIZING in the Placitas area? Go towww.PlacitasHomeValues.com and see what is on the mar-ket and what has sold. www.PlacitasHomeValues.com
DIAMOND TAIL LOT - DISTRESS SALE $95,000 101 S.Wild Primrose in Diamond Tail Gated Community. 2.75acres underground utilities, shared well, paved roads, se-curity gate, wild life trails. Lots of views. Call Nancy 505-440-9586 for more information Heartland New Mexico, llc505-867-4077.
COMMERCIAL LOTS IN PLACITAS $100,000-$125,000Two lots available on Highway 165. Rural CommercialZoning. Buy both (1.6 acres total) for $180,000. Dave 263-2266, Placitas Realty 867-8000
PLACITAS-3 ACRES WITH OLD HOME THAT NEEDSTO BE TORN DOWN. $195,000 Hilltop site. All utilitiesand 360 degree views! Dave 263-2266 Placitas Realty 867-8000
6 ACRES $139,000. Developed lot in Placitas with water,elec & phone and dramatic Sandia views! Owner financ-ing too. Dave Harper 263-2266 Placitas Realty 867-8000
$45,000 FOR 2 ACRES. Placitas. Sandia & sunset views!Owner financing. County road. Placitas Realty 867-8000Dave 263-2266
OVER 26 ACRES-$300,000. Easy access and wonderfulSandia views from this 26.8 acre tract on Highway 165 inPlacitas! Ideal for small land division. Placitas Realty 867-8000 Dave 263-2266
PLACITAS-CUSTOM HOME ON 2 ACRES. $415,000Beams in every room! Views of Cabezon, sunset and San-dias! Newer 2225 sf custom with adobe accents! PlacitasRealty 867-8000 Dave 263-2266
ACRE LOTS FROM $69,000. 39 lots available; small sub-division next to Public Land! Level lots. Bring your hors-es! Underground utilties. Water included. 360 degreeviews. $69,000-$99,000. Owner/Broker, Dave 263-2266Placitas Realty 867-8000
Gutierrez Custom Metal
Call Joe Gutierrez at 363-2005
❖ Add a custom look to your ...Home • Existing wrought ironHeadache rack, Gates, Etc.
❖ Endless Designs❖ Wrought Iron Service Available
HEALTH / SPIRIT
—CONTINUED—
FOR SALE: MISCELLANEOUS
HEALTH / SPIRIT
—“Housecleaning,” continued next page—“Health/Spirit,” continued next column
I OFFER PROFESSIONAL COUNSELING SERVICES topeople who want to create a life of greater health, happi-ness, peace, prosperity, and awareness of the Spirit within.My approach is practical and supports you in being au-thentic, learning from your experiences, and living lifewith more meaning, purpose, and joy. For an appoint-ment, call Shara Moscinska, MA, LPCC, at 505-385-1932.Conveniently located next to The Merc, I accept most in-surance (Presbyterian, Lovelace, SCI, BCBSNM, Medicaid,and others) and offer a complementary 45-minute consul-tation.
AT THE VILLA...Yoga Yoga Yoga. 1st Saturday of themonth 8:30-9:45. Call Mary Alice, 867-0104.Circle of Light Healing Group - Wednesday morning. CallBarbara - 867-0029. Control your pain without drugs.Schedule a complimentary treatment on the WellnessProfrequency modulator. Call June - 867-6842.
MASSAGE IN PLACITAS BY APPOINTMENT: Cate A.Clark, LMT 4607, NCBTMB, ABMP. Deep Relaxation-Restorative Hot Stone Massage; Deep Tissue; Cran-ioSacral; Lymph Drainage Therapy; and Reflexology. RiverStone 867-3778. www.riverstonecate.com.
CLASSIFIED ADS—CONTINUED—
The Sandoval Signpost • Serving the community since 1988 • MARCH 2010 • Page 43
Theodore L. Varoz, DPMAdvanced Foot & Ankle Specialists LLCBoard CertifiedAmerican Board of Multiple Specialities in Podiatry
Phone: (505) 345-85291204-C Candelaria Rd NWAlbuquerque, NM 87107
Podiatric Medicine & SurgeryDiabetic Foot & Wound Care
Cryo-Star Surgeon
878 s camino del pueblobernalillo, new mexico 87004www.atmabodhyoga.com
505.867.9222
YOGA CLASSES TAUGHT IN THE IYENGAR TRADITION
~ HEALING WINDS OF PLACITAS ~Massage Treatments for Healing, Relaxation,
and General Well Being • Lic. #1226
Christina Wright Swank • In Placitas since 1979505-867-9541 • 505-280-3739
•Sliding Scale Available•
Stress.
Regain your balance,your self-esteem,
and your peace of mind.
Holistic Psychotherapy &Homeopathic Consultationwith Adults & Adolescents.
Judith Acosta, LCSW, CHT
505-771-2282www.wordsaremedicine.com
FOR SALE. Folding hard lid TONNEAU for Ford F150wide, short bed (5’ 6”). Easily installed (no drilling re-quired), easily removed, locks for security. Like new. 505-400-1298.
ACUPUNCTUREChinese HHerbal MMedicine
DDRR.. JJAAYY LLAASSKKOOL.Ac.(CA), Doctor of Oriental Medicine25 Years Experience - Trained in the U.S. & ChinaAllergy Treatment, Gentle & Effective Pain Relief
www.jaylaskoacupuncture.com438 SS. CCamino ddel PPueblo, BBernalillo 867-5911
Thank you for your
support of
Signpost
advertisers!
•••
They work
hard to provide
you with
quality services,
close to home.
www.sandovalsignpost.com
COUNSELING - support, encouragement and profession-al expertise. Gain insight into ways to enhance your wellbeing and create a more satisfying life. I am a licensed pro-fessional counselor with many years of experience assist-ing individuals with a compassionate, holistic approach.Free 30 minute initial consultation. Sliding fee scale. Officein Bernalilllo. Fehrunissa Willett, LPCC, Nourish WellnessServices, 507-7481, www.nourishwellbeing.com
GROUP THERAPY is Powerful and Affordable.www.sageencounters.org announces a Couples Workshopat Ghost Ranch, April 23rd – 25th. This residential week-end will help your relationship evolve and deepen yourconnection. Led by John Wymore, MA and Lorian Kos-tranchuk, MD. Info: 505.980.8432.
YOGA FOR WOMEN - gentle, friendly class. Experiencedteacher. Mondays, Wednesdays 9-10 a.m. Lovely studio inBernalillo. Nourish Wellness Services 507-7481. [email protected]
HELP WANTED
GENERAL LEGAL COUNSEL SERVICESEastern Sandoval County Arroyo Flood Control Authori-
ty [ESCAFCA] requests proposals for General Legal Counsel Services.
Copies of the proposal package can be downloaded at www.escafca.com, or by calling Kristi Winters at 505-348-4070.
Proposals are due NLT Thursday March 18, 2010.
Questions? Call Larry Blair at 505-249-1035.
HOUSECLEANING
ROSA’S HOUSECLEANINGROSA’S HOUSECLEANING~ Family Business in Bernalillo ~
Licensed • Free EstimatesReferences Provided
771-0735 379-8652
To Meet Your Home’s Needs
The Home SolutionFULL-SERVICE HOUSEKEEPING
Serving the Placitas area for 17 years.Licensed, Bonded, & Insured
Call Michelle 363-0132 or Tempi at 363-6246
“KATIE, THE CLEANING LADY”—How long have youbeen looking for a “good” housecleaner? I take pride inmy housecleaning! General housecleaning including: fanblades, floor boards, blinds. Very detailed in my work and“will not disappoint you!” Experienced and reliable. Freequotes. Weekly, bi-weekly, monthly. 505-604-6195.
RECYCLING
SERVICES
LANDSCAPING—CONTINUED—
HOUSECLEANING—CONTINUED—
Tom MankowskyLAWN SPRINKLERS
Repairs / Installation • 892-7215 or 250-0301
Lic.#29769
Page 44 • MARCH 2010 • The Sandoval Signpost • Serving the community since 1988
CLASSIFIED ADS—CONTINUED—
REMINDERPlacitas Recycling CenterOpen: Saturdays, 8–11 a.m.
The Placitas Recycling Center is located on the north side of Highway 165,
one-half mile east of I-25.The Center accepts: corrugated cardboard,
brown paper bags, newspaper, mixed paper, polystyrene peanuts (double bagged),
white office paper, aluminum, no. 1 & 2 plastic
Sign-up at the Center to volunteer.Visit: www.placitasrecycling.com
RENT/LEASE
OFFICE/WAREHOUSE SPACE AVAILABLE INBERNALILLO. Four separate office spaces ranging in sizefrom 120-418 sf. Individual phone line & data ports avail-able. Utilities included. Utilities included. For appoint-ment and pricing call David 505-771-1003.
PRIVATE VACATION CASITA for rent in Placitas Village.Furnished. Sleeps 4. Available for out-of-town guests, holi-days, getaway, etc. Daily/weekly/special event rates. Call440-7358 for details.
L A N D S C A P I N G
Dependable CleaningWeekly, Biweekly or Monthly Cleaning for
House & Office. Experienced, Honest, Good References.867-6626 • Free Estimates
For RentPlacitas Office Space Starting at $250 a month
03 Homesteads RoadCall Jon @ 507-5145
HOME FOR LEASE 3 bedroom house, built in appliances,totally remodeled, secluded area. 1 year lease. $1,200per/month. First and last month’s rent. Damage deposit.Available February 1. Call 505-363-6246.
RRJ Heating & Air Conditioning, LLC
Genaro MartinezHVAC CertifiedState of New Mexico Journeyman Refrigeration LicensedCommercial Refrigeration Certified Degreed Engineer
(505) 259-0244Serving Placitas, Bernalillo and Surrounding [email protected]
PLACITAS HANDYMANARE YOU TIRED OF:
No shows?Looking for someone for small jobs?
Price gouging just because you live in Placitas?
Al Wood
771-1102Swamp Coolers • Paint • Plumbing and More
Log on to theSignpost Web Site
www.sandovalsignpost
.comRead news,
commentary, letters from readers.
Submit your commentsand ideas for possible
publication. Read the Classified Ads
online.
❊ High and Dry Landscapes ❊We plant for privacy, wildlife, and color. Drainage and erosion
issues are solved with lush, water-conservative habitat gardens. We offer site-specific solutions for rain-water harvesting
using self-seeding native plants and beautiful rock berms.
20 years serving Sandoval County.
Call Sally at 695-0243 for a free consultation.
Historic Dome Valley Cozy, bright, two-bedroom casita. Energy efficient.Adjacent to national forrest. Separate dome prayer
space. $875/month. Call 867-4838 or 250-9293.
MODERN BERNALILLO OFFICE SPACE, 2000 sqft, 4bthrm, central, alarm, dataport, prkng, can be four officesor one, avail 4/1/10. Ed 440-3208.
BERNALILLO RENTALS: A 2 bedroom 1 bath 1680 sq fthome on three quarter acre horse property @ $800 MO, andRetail Storefront or office space on Camino del Pueblo @$800 MO. Heartland New Mexico Property Management867-4077 or Wayne 440-0989.
LOVELY, FULLY FURNISHED OFFICE for rent part time.Quiet location in Bernalillo. Very reasonable rent includesuse of office, conference room, kitchen, bath and receptionarea. Non-smoker. Ideal for therapist, bodyworker, writer,artist or anyone needing a serene place to work. 771-2203
FOR RENT. Great Bernalillo location. Extreme all newmake over! 1 BDRM, 1 BA unit, W&D hookup, yard. Nopets or smoking please. $585/mo. Rio Sierra Realty, Own-er/Broker. 867-2011.
Placitas Heating & Air Conditioning, LLC
Call David Dapolito at 771-2213 or 270-2891
Servicing All Residential and Commercial Systems.
Contractors License #353137
Exclusively Serving the Placitas Community.
S E R V I C E S —CONTINUED
The Sandoval Signpost • Serving the community since 1988 • MARCH 2010 • Page 45
—“Services,” continued next page
InteriorExterior
Reasonable Rates
Jean Eichberger • 867-2646
TumbleweedPainting
Commercial & Residential Repair
KAST CONSTRUCTIONdrywall • tile • paint & more
480-4069licensed & bonded GB98
Specializing in:•Residential•Commercial•Additions•Remodels
Brook Cleff ph. 505-259-0559
“An experienced builder conducting businesswith integrity, courtesy and respect for the
home owner and the community.”
401-0802Schedule Today!
Insured & Bonded • NM Lic. #86516
Constancia Contracting& Stone Work
Complete Landscaping
Walls—Adobe, Block, Rock
Fences—Coyote or Cedar
Gravel & Tractor Work Available
B & E HOME REPAIR, INC.NM Contractorʼs Lic.#81608 Bonded & Insured No Job Too Small
Specializing in Water & Fire Damage Repair Insurance Repairs & Handicap Modifications
Bernie & Elaine Office (505) 771-8204
Cleff Custom Homes
General Contractor
Tim Trujillo Roofs and Roof Repair
~ 350-3313 ~
Whelchel Landscaping and Construction Co.A Landscaping expert, specializing in all aspects
of Landscaping and Outdoor Living.
I will work with you from the design phase through the completion of the project
If you can Imagine it, We can create it….
Call Bill at 221-8052Free Estimates *References and Pictures upon Request
Licensed, Bonded, and Insured • Lic. # 60178
Sprinkler and Drip Systems • Concrete, Flagstone, and Brick Work
Block Walls, and Stucco Work • Kiva Fireplaces, Banco Seating,
Outdoor Kitchens • Portals, Patio Covers, and Decks
Additions and Remodels • Retaining Walls, and Terracing
Sod, Gravel, and Planting
DESERT FLOWER CLEANINGCarpet - Furniture - Specialists
Wool - Silk - Area Rugs Tile - Grout - Stone
867-4493 • www.desertflowercarpetcleaning.com
FREE WATER ANALYSISComprehensive well water test package analysis and EPA recommended treatment. No charge to Placitas/Bernalillo
residents. Call Hydra Tech Well Monitoring for sample pick up.898-4343. www.hydratechnm.org
Thank you for your
support of
Signpost
advertisers!
•••
They work
hard to provide
you with
quality services,
close to home.
www.sandovalsignpost.com
RING BRICK & STONEInstallation of: Floors
(including refinishing, sealing & repair) Patios • Garden Walkways
Custom Stone Accent WallsFireplace Facade
Doug Ring—891-0943Insured • Lic. #30536www.ringbrick.com
PlacitasPool & Spa Service
CompleteService • Repair • Maintenance
867-6993Clip This Ad and Place on Refrigerator for Future Reference
✃
S E R V I C E S — C O N T I N U E D
Page 46 • MARCH 2010 • The Sandoval Signpost • Serving the community since 1988
WANTED
PC, LAPTOP, MAC, X-BOX REPAIRS: forsoftware/hardware installations, network/wireless se-tups, upgrades, repairs, back-up services and viruscleanups. On-site services, reasonable rates. Referencesavailable. Call Harris Associates, 792-3934.
• Backhoe Work• Bobcat Work & Hauling• Light Demolition• Driveways & Dirt Work• Sand & Gravel• Grading
WILLSONBUILDERS
867-2161
Lic. #055967
LOADER • DEMO • GRADINGPAD PREPARATION • BOBCAT
All Types of Excavation & Utility InstallationLicensed and Bonded • Lic. #86550 • GF09 • GS08
Water Systems Operations I #005931, #005932
505-867-3017 •Jacob Maes: 505-315-9640 / Johnny Maes: 505-604-2963
PO Box 361Placitas, NM
87043
Member: PlacitasChamber of Commerce WANTED: "OLD" VOLVOS ONLY in any condition, dead
or alive.$$$ Call Jeff at 505-440-7734.
M.A Dump / Trash Hauling&
MowingFree Estimate • 867-6626
DALE’S TREE SERVICE—Pruning, removals, stumps,hauling and mowing. 28 years experience. Dale Roberts,505-473-4129 or 505-977-1981.
INTERIOR DETAILING“For those little jobs you don’t have time to do!”
35+ years experience • Local references
VERY DEPENDABLE Grout•Caulk•Seal
HOME REPAIRSWAYNE ROHAR 867-5162
Q: From a Hiram, Ohio reader: "Are there any de-velopmentally disabled nonhuman primates? Forexample, a gorilla with Down syndrome?"
A: Many such examples exist in the scientific liter-ature, says Frans de Waal of the Yerkes Primate Cen-ter of Emory University and author of The Age ofEmpathy. "I know cases of trisomy (three copies of achromosome, instead of the normal two) of chromo-some 22 in one chimpanzee and one orangutan; inboth, the condition was associated with mental re-tardation superficially resembling Down syndrome,which afflicts humans with trisomy 21."
Also a chimpanzee named Knuckles, still alive inFlorida, has cerebral palsy, and Azalea, a young rhe-sus monkey that de Waal knew personally, had tri-somy of chromosome 18. She was clumsy in herlocomotion and acted in a socially inept manner; shesometimes threatened dominant individuals, whichin the strict hierarchy of rhesus society is a big "no-no." Interestingly, whereas other monkeys would getpunished for such transgressions, Azalea was ex-tremely well-tolerated, as if the others knew therewas something wrong with her and cut her someslack. The same consideration has been claimed forKnuckles, "a tolerance I attribute to the capacity forempathy in primates."
Q: In the popular new winter Olympic sport ofcurling—think shuffleboard on ice, with four mem-bers on a team—a forty-two-pound banded stone issent sliding over an ice rink toward a target region.The stone starts out going straight but curves gradu-ally to one side, increasing near the end. What's thepoint of this "curl," and how is it done?
A: Skilled curlers use it to finesse their stonearound other stones that might shield the target,says Jearl Walker in The Flying Circus of Physics.This sideways deflection comes from the friction be-tween the stone's narrow circular band and a thinlayer of liquid water melted from the ice. Due to thestone's spin, the speed of the band varies from pointto point, causing variable friction and deflecting thestone. This uneven friction also accounts for thestone's behavior at the end of its glide, spinningaround one side as if pinned there.
Curling is often played on pebbled ice (with smallupward protrusions), possibly to exaggerate the de-
flection. Vigorous sweeping of the ice just in front ofthe stone (a colorful feature for spectators) is thoughtby many players to add length to the path and to in-crease the curl. "While the sweeping is sometimesunfairly scoffed at, it certainly removes grit andloose ice that would hinder the stone, but it may al-so lubricate the stone's motion by partially meltingthe ice."
Q: About seven billion of us humans are alive to-day, twice as many as in 1965, with roughly seventy-five million added every year. By U.N. predictions,there could be another two to four billion by 2050.But growth hasn't occurred every day. Can you citea few of those extremely rare days when world pop-ulation actually shrank?
A: The most recent was December 26, 2004, whenthe Indian Ocean tsunami killed nearly 250,000 peo-ple, says Alison George in New Scientist magazine.Another 160,000 died of other causes, and the day's370,000 births couldn't compensate, reports environ-mentalist Robert Engelman in his book More. Othersuch days include the Tangshan earthquake in Chi-na on July 28, 1976 and the devastating cyclone thathit Bangladesh on November 12, 1970, each killing250,000; and also the seventy thousand deathscaused by the atomic bomb on Hiroshima, Japan, onAugust 6, 1945.
Historically, the flu pandemic of 1918 to 1920 atabout fifty million deaths almost certainly stalled theworld's upward population trend. The biggest "hit"was the Black Death of the fourteenth century at per-haps seventy-five million, reducing Europe's popu-lation by thirty percent. "Things will be verydifferent in the future," says George. "There will stillbe disasters and wars, of course, but sometime after2050, the world will enter a new era when the popu-lation will shrink on many days. We will simply behaving fewer children."
Q: What surprising barnyard animal passes the"mirror test," demonstrating both intelligence andself-awareness?
A: Elephants, dolphins, magpies, gray parrots andsome primates were already known to make sense oftheir mirror images and to show some degree of self-
recognition, says Constance Holden in Science mag-azine. Recently, zoologist Donald Broom and col-leagues at the University of Cambridge, U.K.,wondered if socially sophisticated pigs might alsobelong to the elite mirror group. So they set up a testleaving eight pigs with a mirror for five hours. "Thepigs initially interpreted their image as another pig,"the error most species make, says Broom. But thenthe pigs began to recognize the reflections of theirown movements.
Proof of true mirror-smarts came in the next test,where the researchers hid a bowl of food behind abarrier so that it could be seen only in the mirror. Anoverhead fan circulated the food's scent so the pigscould not simply use their nose. "In less than twen-ty-five seconds, seven of the eight pigs correctly in-terpreted the image, turned away from the mirrorand ran to the bowl. The eighth pig flunked the test,looking behind the mirror for the food."
Q: What's the funniest thing about laughter?A: Most striking and most intriguing is how conta-
gious it is, answers Frans de Waal in The Age of Em-pathy. It's almost impossible not to join in wheneverybody else is laughing, the reason there havebeen laughter epidemics where no one could stopand some even died in a prolonged fit. This is whyTV comedy shows have prompting laugh tracks andwhy theaters sprinkle paid "laugh plants" through-out audiences. There are even laughing churchesand laugh therapy based on its healing powers. Amust-have toy of a few years ago was the Tickle MeElmo doll that would laugh hysterically whensqueezed three times.
Amazingly, laughter's infectiousness even worksacross species. "At my office window at the YerkesPrimate Center, I often hear my chimps laugh duringrough-and-tumble games, and I cannot suppress achuckle myself. It's such a happy sound." Such tick-ling and wrestling are the typical laugh triggers forapes and probably the original ones for humans aswell. The fact that it is notoriously difficult to tickleoneself attests to the social significance of laughter."Instead of being Robinson Crusoes sitting on sepa-rate islands, we are all interconnected, both bodilyand emotionally."
Strange, but true—BILL SONES AND RICH SONES, PH.D.
EXPERT ROOFING REPAIRMany years experience. Fast, reliable, reasonable prices.
Tree Work, Landscaping & Yard Maintenance.Free Estimates
Lark E. Roan, Jr. 867-2853, 238-1842 (mobile)
RETIRED CONTRACTOR SERVING PLACITAS SINCE 1986 Offering cost effective detailing for home sale
or just refreshing your place in paradise. Call Mark Fenimore 228-0556 [email protected]