Yeah Right

The Original Singer-Songwriters

Did you ever wish there was a Shazam-like app to identify birds?  Well now there is.  (H/T Ann A).

Pop Culture Physics

My Little Pony edition

Live from the Rainforest

Here at YeahRight, we sometimes blog about monkeys, and there's obviously no shortage of talk about facial hair.  I therefore bring you this exciting discovery from the world of science.

WTF Wednesday

WTF Wednesday is really BATMAN's thing, but just take a look at the headline below and try to tell me this doesn't qualify:

Monkeys hate flying squirrels, report monkey-annoyance experts.

(H/T Deadspin)

Girl Power

Did you know that the only reason health care "reform" passed is because Nancy Pelosi is a girl?  Vince Bzdek breaks it down for you:

The overhaul happened because Nancy Pelosi wanted it to happen, deep in her DNA. . . . The tenacity with which she fought for health-care reform is directly tied to her gender. . . . When Pelosi made expanding health care one of her top priorities, friends and colleagues say it was, without question, because she is a woman and a mother. . . . Pelosi said her fellow "caregivers" had a lot invested in reform, since they are the ones who provide most of the health care for their families and are acutely aware of problems in the system. . . . Some say that consensus-building approach to leadership comes more naturally to women. . . . It's probably no coincidence that the United States, the last of the world's industrialized countries to adopt a comprehensive health-care blueprint, also ranks at the bottom among those countries in the gender equity of its political bodies.

Ah yes...social enlightenment flows from gender equity like night follows day.  Only a cave-dwelling troglodyte could look at the failed history of social experiments across the globe and conclude that, maybe, effective caregiving would be enhanced by giving people more rather than less choice over their health care. 

Vince, you have one of the coolest surnames I've seen in a while, but the lack of vowels seems to be clouding your judgment.  Nothing in the evolution of humanity ("deep in our DNA") links two X chromosomes to a preference for the individual mandate.  And since health care reform is already very unpopular, and will soon head even further south, I don't think you're doing women any favors by saying it's all their fault (H/T JJMiller at The Corner).       

Awesome Space Photo of the Day

This is pretty rad.

Hat tip: Gabe.

A difficult case.

So, was Gollum a schizophrenic or did he suffer from multiple personality disorder?

“Sméagol (Gollum) is a single, 587 year old, hobbit-like male of no fixed abode. He has presented with antisocial behaviour, increasing aggression, and preoccupation with the “one ring.”… …His forensic history consists of Deagol’s murder and the attempted murder of Samwise Gamgee. He has no history of substance misuse, although like many young hobbits he smoked “pipe weed” in adolescence. Sméagol has forgotten many memories of his childhood, and we have limited collateral history on his premorbid personality. Before obtaining the ring he was an inquisitive child with odd interests, who enjoyed causing mischief and solitary activities such as burrowing under trees to look at roots. He dislikes himself, stale raw fish, and “hobbitses.”

Click here for the rest.

(H/T Volokh.com)

Monkeys Like Metallica

Literally  (scroll down to "Music for Monkeys"), according to the latest research from a "psychology professor who ran a colony of cotton-top tamarins in Madison" (and who hasn't?).  The professor found that "monkeys don't really care much for human music...with the weird exception of Metallica and 'The Grudge,' by Tool, both of which soothed the monkeys slightly" and led to "increased foraging behavior, eating and drinking." 

This partially confirms my own field studies, based on years of observation at clubs playing a variety of musical styles.  Without exception, there is a positive correlation between Metallica's music and drinking.  The impact on eating is ambiguous and depends greatly on other conditions (e.g. can you get a seat?).  But Metallica listeners are far less interested in (er) "foraging" than fans of techno, hip hop, 80s' synth bands and other sounds that people can actually dance to.  And as for finding Metallica soothing...I'm guessing if monkeys heard human music that was supposed to be soothing, they might react like this.        

    

I Think I'll Try This at the Next "Yeah Right" Convention

Hopeful Romantic

This is an extraordinary, thought-provoking essay by mystery writer Andrew Klavan.  It provides a whole new perspective on the "Romantic" movement and why one Romantic in particular - William Wordsworth - - is relevant to our times.  Not your typical, stuffy academic article but still smart and very well-informed.  A great read, especially on the 40th anniversary of that romantic mega-event known as Woodstock (H/T The Corner).