“Sarcasm Seen as Evolutionary Survival Skill”

Yeah, right. I’m sooooooooooooooooooo sure it is.

Neurophysiologist Katherine Rankin at the University of California, San Francisco, has also recently discovered that sarcasm, which is both positively funny and negatively nasty, plays an important part in human social interaction.

Little known fact: Apes Lemurs are very sarcastic. Even lesser known fact: They’d trade it in a minute for opposable thumbs.

How do you resolve sarcasm being an evolutionary skill with creationists? Oh, you mean they weren’t joking?

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After taking over Biz Schools, simians set to conquer Hollywood

Three stars on the Hollywood Walk of Fame have gone to the dogs, so why can’t Cheeta the chimp get some love? The animal actor, whose credits include the 1967 comedy “Dr. Doolittle” and the “Tarzan” movies, is trying for the seventh time to get a sidewalk star and become the first monkey to get the honor. His handlers have launched an online petition to get supporters to urge the Hollywood Chamber of Commerce to give him a star in 2009.

I, for one, welcome our new ape overlords.

Petition can be found here.

Friday’s Etc.

•  As constant readers know David "The Book Thief of Lenovo" has a blog. Yesterday he wrote about his lust for a brand new computer he has seen/used. Now you have to understand why I call him the book thief of Lenovo, if you don't already, to understand why this strikes me as so odd. When we worked together back at IDG, I loaned him my copy of "Lives of The Popes" which has to be some of the best bathroom reading ever. Shortly thereafter, he departed to become global web marketing swami or somesuch at Lenovo. (He forgot to return the book, hence the nickname. Our mutual friend Laurence Allen has offered to retrieve said book but I declined because then what would I have to tease Churbuck about? But I digress.) Whatever his title there is no doubt that Churbuck is at least a muck and probably a full blown muckety muck or demi-poobah at Lenovo. So the computer he lust's after? Lenovo 3000 notebook computers – V100 DUDE? If you can't get one then who the hell can?
• Headline of the day: Some apes, birds can think ahead, studies show Ladies & gentlemen, you're next FEMA director.
• The AP falls for the Monopoly myth: "The original version created by inventor Charles B. Darrow, who sketched out the game on his tablecloth more than 70 years ago, will still be sold." As anyone who has read Philip Orbanes fine and extremely readable book The Game Makers: The Story of Parker Brothers, from Tiddledy Winks to Trivial Pursuit knows: HAH! Darrow swiped the game. The AP is not alone in this mistake, lord knows. Hasbro, which certainly knows better, perpetuates the story.
• It's raining again here in Boston. Time to go sacrifice another politician. Ahhh, that's better. Now I almost don't care if it stops raining.