Rei's Random List of Cool Organisms

(the above picture has nothing to do with anything)

Randomly cool things:

• Selaginella Lepidophylla (sp?). A plant that curls up and dries out, then comes back to life when watered.
• All sorts of shrimp. Brine shrimp (Sea Monkeys). Also, "Triops." Dried out eggs can hatch in water years later.
• Easter Egg Plant. Fruits look like colored eggs.
• Sensitive Plant. Leaves fold up when touched.
• Ferns and jellyfish, for having weird 2 cycle lives including a sexual phase and an asexual phase.
• Caulerpa. A contributor notes that this seaweed, which looks like any other seaweed, is actually made up of one cell.

Really Smart Dogs:

• Shetland Sheepdogs (top of the scale); they look like mini collies.
• Small poodles (off the top of the scale); not as cute as the above.

Really Smart Birds:

• Cockatoos. In particular, Bare-Eyed Cockatoos. They can change the color of your TV set (at least the old type of TV set).
• Macaws. They will turn on the faucet to get a drink.
• African Greys. They can count; they can name colors; they can tell you how a blue key differs from a blue ball. Yow!
• Amazons. They can teach you to run in fear of their beaks.
• Not!! (Little cockatiels and lovebirds. They're not stupid, but they're not tremendously bright, either. But they are *cute* (and loud)!)

Really Smart Animals:

• Dolphins. Of course.
• Chimps. Of course.
• Parrots (see above).
• Elephants.
• Pigs, wolves, dogs, raccoons, etc.
• Octopi. Well, OK, they're brilliant for mollusks (about rat IQ).
• People. People? Hmmm. Nahhhhh.

House Plants That Can Survive Shitty Conditions:

• Aglaonema, also known as Chinese Evergreens.
• Sansevieria; Snake Plants, also known as Mother-In-Law's-Tongue.
• Dracaenea.
• Cacti (but they need good light).
• Crassulas. Jade Plants (but they need light).
• Chlorophytum. Spider Plants.
• Aloe Vera. (Give 'em light).
• Pothos (Scindapsus). Devil's Ivy. (Watch it take over a room).
• NOT! (Venus Flytraps (which are getting rare; do not buy them!). Moth Orchids. Miniature Roses. Etc.)

Garden Plants That Can Survive Shitty Conditions:

• Purple Coneflowers
• Coreopsis
• Delphiniums
• Mints! Mints! Mints!
• Yarrow

Cool Carnivorous Plants:

Many of these are becoming rare, thanks to uncaring people who take lots of plants from the wild to sell to uninformed consumers. Do NOT buy carnivorous plants, unless you are absolutely *SURE* they are grown by someone who is propagating the plants him/herself (and not all labels that claim this are telling the truth).

• Venus Flytraps
• Sundews
• Bogworts
• Butterworts
• Pitcher Plants, all sorts