The #1 source for news about monkeys and apes

[Joe Garden <joegarden AT yahoo.com>]

Thank you to all contributors to the MonkeyWire Semi-regular column
regarding the whimsical perusal of Simian Events. Please note, all
contributors have been identified by name where names could be given, but
email addresses have been stricken. While we want to foster a loving
community of primate fanciers, we do not want to encourage acts of email
creepery.

Also, since this seems to be the suitable format, we would like to remind
you of the guidelines for submitting:

1) Submit commentary-free news directly to
monkeywire AT franklin.oit.unc.edu.
2) Commentary or arts reviews should be submitted to either
carrie AT monkeywire.org or joegarden AT monkeywire.org.
3) That’s pretty much it.


INCLUDED HEREIN:

I. LINKS
II. CINEMA REVIEWS
III. BOOK REVIEWS (Samba and the Monkey Mind, Beauty and the Bests)
IV. MUSIC (The Gorillaz)
V. MONKEYWIRE ITEMS

- - - - - - - - - - -

PART THE FIRST: LINKS


From: Britt Daniel

the chimp postcards here are pretty cool
same for the monkey eightball
http://www.chimpnet.com/


From: gOnZo

video of monkey doing karate:
http://formenmedia.ign.com/media/news/image/hardcore/karatechimp.mpeg


From:   seanoc

This has been a source of joy and inspiration to me:
MONKEY VS. ROBOT
http://www.ifilm.com/ifilm/product/film_info/0,3699,716664,00.html


*Editor's Note: I believe Monkey Vs. Robot was submitted by another member
some time ago, but it was lost in the shuffle. Sincerest apologies for the
unintentional slight.*



From: Brian Boling and Elizabeth Cesarini

"The following link leads to a camera in the gorilla pavillion at Boston's
Franklin Park Zoo.  The zoo's six silverbacks (Gigi, Kiki, Little Joe,
Okpara, Kitombe, and Kira) can be viewed between the hours of 10am and 4pm
EST.  In my experience, however, they're more often hiding in the cave on
the far side of their enclosure.  Admittedly, I've only visited four times
since being hipped to it a couple of days ago, but I've seen just one
gorilla (which was partly obscured by the rocks around the cave entrance).

Perhaps you think that the gorillas are romping around outside and yet
avoiding the path of the camera.  Not so; the site offers the slightly
creepy option of controlling the direction, focus, and zoom from your
computer."

http://www.livewave.com/viewer.asp?camera=28




PART THE SECOND: MONKEY CINEMA

* Editor's Note: Below is David Runyan's list of his top five monkey
films. Of course, the most glaring omission is The Barefoot Executive, a
film that is all at once a scathing indictment of the broadcasting
industry and a loving paean to chimps. *

1) "Monkey Trouble"
The tiny capuchin monkey in this delightful comedy will keep you
transfixed with its side-splitting antics.  Featuring legendary tough guy
Harvey Keitel as a mysterious hurdy-gurdy man.

2) "Outbreak"
Hard to believe that such a little monkey (in this case a white-faced
capuchin) could cause such big problems for humanity.

3) "Dunston Checks In"
When a zany orangutan meets up with an irritable Jason Alexander in a
five-star hotel, all hell breaks(every which way but)loose.

4) "Project X"
Matthew Broderick saves a horde of chimps from Pentagon-sponsored
radiation experiments.  As compensation for his heroic efforts, he is
inducted into the group in an emotional laser-light ceremony.

5) "Monkeyshines: An Experiment In Fear"
The experiment is a success as a paralyzed man fights for his life against
a clever-minded monkey.  The film ends with an incredible dream sequence
where the monkey violently explodes out of the poor man's chest.


Apologies to the writers of the Planet of the Apes reviews. After careful
consideration, it was decided not to run them. The general consensus was
that it was nice to look at and fine for what it was, delivering apes and
action. Not logical, not great, but acceptable. Thank you all very much
for your input.


PART THE THIRD: BOOK REVIEWS

From:   Carrie McLaren

SAMBA AND THE MONKEY MIND, by Leonard Williams (W.W. Norton, 1965)
Leonard Williams is an endearing Australian who somehow ended up with
several woolly monkeys, including the titular Samba ("a little black
woolly poltergeist"). The book doesn't have much in the way of structure;
it's just observations by Williams about his woolies. For example, he
notices that monkey eating habits differ from that of his other pets. If
they're eating something but see something better, they'll stop and switch
(they'll trade carrots for grapes, for example), as opposed to just
woofing the first thing down.

Williams also writes about how female woolies make passes at the boys by
peeing on them. (Williams gets peed on a lot.) And Samba has a little
ritual of sneaking in the liquor cabinet and taking a "nip" of sherry (she
never remembers to put the bottle back, though. "Samba is, frankly, an
unrepentant rogue.") There are lots of pictures of Williams' troops,
including an awesome photo of Jimmy (the easy going and popular one) on
the back cover. Ideal summer reading. I was sad when it was over.
--Carrie McLaren



From: Chris.Lance

"Beauty and the Beasts"
by Carole Jahme
For full article, see:
http://www.salon.com/books/review/2001/08/23/primates/index.html

"Male orangutans procreate by rape and have been known to rape the women
studying them (Galdikas' cook was raped). This was almost the fate of
Julia Roberts when she made a documentary at Camp Leakey in 1996. One male
took a shine to her and grabbed her as she walked along a path. Luckily, a
film crew was present, though it took five men to free her from the ape's
grasp."



PART THE FOURTH: MUSIC

From: Joe Garden

The Gorillaz - s/t
While there are no real gorillas (or gorillaz) that perform on this album,
the animated video to "Clint Eastwood" features many apes. How is it?
Well, "Clint Eastwood" is a fun, head bobbing laconic romp of britpop hip
hop fusion, containing the unlikely pairing of Blur’s Damon Albarn and Del
tha Funky Homosapien. It was poised to be a great summer song, but it kind
of went nowhere. The rest of the album is forgettable. Miho Hatori
contributes some standard Miho Hatori vocals on a track or two, which I
enjoy, but they may not be for everyone. The Gorillaz is a nice updating
of the Josie and the Pussycats animated band concept, but it’s not really
musically challenging or gripping.


PART THE FIFTH: MONKEYWIRE ITEMS


Damien Chadwick <damian AT metropolismag.com> has provided some delightful
T-Shirt designs for those who want something a bit more visible than a
MonkeyWire secret handshake (still in development) to identify other
members with. If there is enough call for it, we can have shirts printed
up. However, I recommend some sort of DIY iron-on technique the likes of
which I do not understand but those of you who enjoy the graphic arts can
probably decipher. The designs are included as attachments. If you can't
open them, I will try again, but will generally plead ignorance.


There are still some MonkeyWire stickers and MVP temporary tattoos
available. How do you get them? It’s simple, if you know how. Just send a
self-addressed stamped envelope to Joe Garden, 19 Temple Court, Brooklyn,
NY 11218. Within days, you should receive some stickers and tattoos, just
for you! Please note, I will not send them out unless you send the SASE.
I'm tightening my belt.


=====
Joe Garden, Christian

-Baby's skin is wrinkled, translucent, and pink to red. If you could see your 
baby, you could see her bones, organs and vessels. 

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