Dick Watching: Lonley Hunters Club

Hey there, dick watchers. Are you guys psyched to go dick watching this afternoon? I know I am. But first, let’s get really cozy because this week’s DW is sort of kind of all about loneliness. So give the dick watcher sitting next to you a big huge and all aboard!

Winter is difficult for everyone. Everybody feels lonely and forlorn most of the time. But you should be thankful that you’re not Alice, the loneliest whale in the ocean who sings too high to be heard by any other whales in the sea. Therefore, she can’t attract a mate, and moves through the deep almost completely undetected by her kin. Alice has apparently baffled scientists, who have no idea why she sings so high or what kind of whale she actually is.

As if we needed more reasons to fear killer whales, here’s one: They hunt in absolute silence.

Speaking of sneaky, quiet whales, an article in the Times explains the song of pilot whales, which greatly diminishes as they dive deep into the sea. This makes sense, because whales actually collapse their lungs when they take deep dives. But it’s ok, because unlike Alice, these guys tend to find each other again once they come back to the surface. Poor Alice.

Perhaps Alice should become friends with a shrimp, which apparently have the loudest songs in the sea.

Laurie Anderson loves our main man Melville, too! http://nymag.com/daily/intel/2011/03/laurie_anderson_gives_mcdonald.html