Forget the flyswatter. Get the blowtorch.

I went to see the Mississippi Museum of Natural Science's exhibit "The World of Giant Insects" today. Wow. Think huge, animatronic insects, and you have it about right. From the museum website:

Five hugely magnified robotic insects will allow visitors to more clearly observe some of the behaviors and adaptations that have enabled these creatures to thrive. Each insect has between five and 20 moving parts, with movement achieved by hydraulics or electric motors. A 19-foot-long praying mantis shows threatening behavior, causing its prey to freeze, to avoid being eaten. A 13-foot-long locust spreads its wings. Two 11-foot-long rhinoceros beetles fight, each the size of a Volkswagen... um... beetle. A giant walking stick, over 21 feet long, displays its protective camouflage. And at 15 feet, a swallowtail butterfly caterpillar is the biggest wiggler you'll ever see. Also on display are three giant insect heads with mouthpieces the visitor can operate by pushing a button. See how a dragonfly magnified 80 times chews, and how a bee, 200 times life size, sucks nectar. Marvel at how a mosquito, 600 times its real size, draws its meals through its piercing mouthpieces.

Yikes! The exhibit wraps on September 10, so hurry over to the museum if you haven't seen it yet!

Also, I did finish watching When the Levees Broke: a Requiem in Four Acts. It was powerful, haunting, and meaningful. I urge you to see it as soon as possible.