Well-tarred Flask 🇮🇹🇺🇦🇨🇦
@chemprofcramer.bsky.social
UMN ChemProf Emeritus. Army vet. MOOC vet. Cancer vet. Dad of 3(human)/2(feline). Chicagoan. Armed with a keyboard and eerily immune to shame. NOT speaking for UL Research Institutes here.
January 17, 2026 at 7:36 PM
It's not that I can't sorta wedge my laptop in the space that he's left me, it's that he's also snoozing on the power cord, dammit!
#CatSky
#CatSky
January 16, 2026 at 9:59 PM
It's not that I can't sorta wedge my laptop in the space that he's left me, it's that he's also snoozing on the power cord, dammit!
#CatSky
#CatSky
Last one. This nyala (never seen one of those before!) asked me to tell folks that the living diversity of our planet is a strength, the preservation of which us humans must work hard to ensure.
Also, send oats.
Also, send oats.
January 9, 2026 at 1:44 PM
Last one. This nyala (never seen one of those before!) asked me to tell folks that the living diversity of our planet is a strength, the preservation of which us humans must work hard to ensure.
Also, send oats.
Also, send oats.
No, seriously! How DO flamingo legs even work????
January 9, 2026 at 1:39 PM
No, seriously! How DO flamingo legs even work????
"You got anything besides mango?" says this white-handed gibbon
January 9, 2026 at 1:37 PM
"You got anything besides mango?" says this white-handed gibbon
Leopards (2 different species) be like: "Dude, it's mid-day, don't even expect me to TWITCH, ok?"
January 9, 2026 at 1:35 PM
Leopards (2 different species) be like: "Dude, it's mid-day, don't even expect me to TWITCH, ok?"
The zoo had a remarkably broad and fascinating collection of primates. These guys were sharing space with the orangutans, but I don't have the name. They were doing insanely agile rope-work before pausing to afford me a shot.
January 9, 2026 at 1:32 PM
The zoo had a remarkably broad and fascinating collection of primates. These guys were sharing space with the orangutans, but I don't have the name. They were doing insanely agile rope-work before pausing to afford me a shot.
A pride of 4 lions! The big guy is looking especially satisfied, there, because moments before he'd taken his best shot at begetting on the female to the left a new cub to complement his presumed juvenile progeny (with mom) to the right. (Didn't take that shot, sorry; kept my voyeurism to myself.)
January 9, 2026 at 1:28 PM
A pride of 4 lions! The big guy is looking especially satisfied, there, because moments before he'd taken his best shot at begetting on the female to the left a new cub to complement his presumed juvenile progeny (with mom) to the right. (Didn't take that shot, sorry; kept my voyeurism to myself.)
The old man of the Sumatran forest, keeping his wisdom to himself whether perched high or on the ground
January 9, 2026 at 1:24 PM
The old man of the Sumatran forest, keeping his wisdom to himself whether perched high or on the ground
3 of our nearest cousins (part of a troupe of 15ish). Not totally obvious it was 3 in the picture on the left, but mom graciously showed off her newborn to me a few moments later.
January 9, 2026 at 1:20 PM
3 of our nearest cousins (part of a troupe of 15ish). Not totally obvious it was 3 in the picture on the left, but mom graciously showed off her newborn to me a few moments later.
I mean, I KNOW they're responsible for more human deaths than any other African mega-fauna, but this hippo just seemed so chill!
January 9, 2026 at 1:17 PM
I mean, I KNOW they're responsible for more human deaths than any other African mega-fauna, but this hippo just seemed so chill!
2 African elephants, enjoying a bit of mid-day hay, with the one in front somehow managing to look downright DAINTY with that raised front left foot.
January 9, 2026 at 1:16 PM
2 African elephants, enjoying a bit of mid-day hay, with the one in front somehow managing to look downright DAINTY with that raised front left foot.
I mean, _I_ was impressed, but the nearby peahen just yawned...
January 9, 2026 at 1:13 PM
I mean, _I_ was impressed, but the nearby peahen just yawned...
2 giraffes, eminently pleased with their intrinsic ability to surveil all and sundry
January 9, 2026 at 1:12 PM
2 giraffes, eminently pleased with their intrinsic ability to surveil all and sundry
Meerkats!!
January 9, 2026 at 1:08 PM
Meerkats!!
A Komodo dragon, enjoying the warmth of the overhead heat lamp, and suggesting that I reach out my hand so he can get JUST a little taste... (the sign noting the 50+ nasty bacteria in the dragon's saliva that tend to make their bites, um, fatal, waved me off)
January 9, 2026 at 1:07 PM
A Komodo dragon, enjoying the warmth of the overhead heat lamp, and suggesting that I reach out my hand so he can get JUST a little taste... (the sign noting the 50+ nasty bacteria in the dragon's saliva that tend to make their bites, um, fatal, waved me off)
2 Bactrian camels giving homage to the paradigmatic humps of a third, who deigned to show me only her posterior
January 9, 2026 at 1:04 PM
2 Bactrian camels giving homage to the paradigmatic humps of a third, who deigned to show me only her posterior
An Indian rhinoceros, just emerged from an inner space to see if a quick burst of sun signals an end to the long morning drizzle (that made me almost alone with the animals!)
January 9, 2026 at 1:02 PM
An Indian rhinoceros, just emerged from an inner space to see if a quick burst of sun signals an end to the long morning drizzle (that made me almost alone with the animals!)
A Siberian tiger, keeping an eye on the corners
January 9, 2026 at 12:59 PM
A Siberian tiger, keeping an eye on the corners
My TL has been unremittingly dark, lately. Guessing I'm not alone. Got to visit Lisbon's zoo, yesterday. An exemplar of good animal stewardship (lots of enrichment props/activities in large spaces for the animals) while allowing awesome viewing. So, a TL cleanse of animal pics follows, if you need.
January 9, 2026 at 12:57 PM
My TL has been unremittingly dark, lately. Guessing I'm not alone. Got to visit Lisbon's zoo, yesterday. An exemplar of good animal stewardship (lots of enrichment props/activities in large spaces for the animals) while allowing awesome viewing. So, a TL cleanse of animal pics follows, if you need.
how do flamingo legs even work???
January 8, 2026 at 3:30 PM
how do flamingo legs even work???
while most is boilerplate generic to any faculty position at the university, this part seems specific enough to me -- no?
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January 6, 2026 at 5:24 AM
while most is boilerplate generic to any faculty position at the university, this part seems specific enough to me -- no?
👇
👇
Muppets having led the way, as always...
December 23, 2025 at 5:26 PM
Muppets having led the way, as always...