The new 1950's man

I read over an article by Jason Whitlock entitled: "This is why athletes should never marry" (thanks to the reader who emailed this):

McNair, 36, was shot by his 20-year-old mistress, Sahel Kazemi, a waitress at Dave & Buster's. Gatti, 37, was allegedly strangled by his 23-year-old wife, Amanda Rodrigues, a former dancer at Scores.

I'm not dismissing the smaller, more obvious lessons: 1.McNair needed to keep his butt at home with his wife and kids; 2. Middle-aged, millionaire men shouldn't romance 20-year-old children who are looking for their lottery ticket.

And I'm not blaming the victims. McNair and Gatti did not in any way get what they deserved. No one deserves to be murdered.

What I'm saying is the institution of lying/marriage is a horrible idea for athletes.

Okay, fair enough, the author talks about why athletes should not get married but what caught my eye was this comment:

If McNair could keep his dick in his pants, he'd be alive today, and that's a fact.

As Mr. Whitlock noted, no one deserves to be murdered in the way that these men were--and that is really what the debate is about. Women are murderers too and the men are being blamed for it. A society that believes that McNair and other men had what was coming to them because of their male sex is one that is neither just nor fair. It is just that now, the genders are reversed. Men are the new 1950's women --but at some point, this will change, as men get wise and quit taking it. Women need to be held responsible for these murders in order to reduce them.

Instapundit: Matchmaker

Glenn and I just had a really nice lunch with Ann Althouse and her fiancee, Meade, who were passing through Knoxville while traveling. Ann and Meade met though her blog where he was a commenter and they are now engaged. If you haven't read their story, do so, it's quite lovely.

When I hear about the "horrors" of the internet, such as it being an addiction or dangerous, I have to laugh, because, there are so many wonderful things about it, one is that it can help a person find love. Meade actually found Ann's blog through Instapundit. There have been other bloggers who met through Instapundit and I hope there are more. Did you get a date or meet someone through a blog? If so, leave a comment and tell us how it went.

Update: Ann Althouse has more.

The Diageo/Hotline Poll: "Compared to June, the decrease in Obama’s job approval ratings is being driven primarily by decreases among male voters (-15 points), Independent voters (-15 points), and Rural voters (-15 points)."

Maxims of Manhood?

I had some time today and picked up a new book entitled, The Maxims of Manhood: 100 Rules Every Real Man Must Live By that was floating around the house (sent by a publisher to Glenn). As one can gather from the title, the book is full of little maxims about "how to be a man." Though there were some decent maxims to sift through, I must say I wasn't terribly impressed.

I guess if you are a man who likes being told what to do or needs tips like "keep the one-night-stands classy," then this little gem is for you. Me, (granted, I am not a man) I would rather go my own way without a set of rules that sound more like the writer is afraid to trust himself and resorts to cliches about what men should be rather than be who he is (but he does admit in the end of the book after all the maxims that one should use his own judgment).

My biggest complaint is that his "modern code of masculinity" reads more like a cross between objectifying women on the one hand and being a bit too PC for my taste (others may disagree) on the other. For example, Maxim #86--"First date is always drinks" sounds harmless enough until you read the reasoning. The author points out that if the date is gorgeous and laughs at your jokes, there is no need to buy her dinner, if ugly, she has wasted your time and your money and finally, if she is just horny, you could just "take her to Home Depot and you'd still be in good shape." Real nice treatment of women there.

On the other hand, he spends some time with PC nonsense--pretty much acting as if most men are either pigs (Maxim #90--"You Don't Cheat") or just plain goofballs. In Maxim #67--he states "Don't be That Guy." "He's the scourge of nightlife, the butt of all jokes, the dregs of our gender...." If you're acting like just about any of Carrie's dates in "Sex and the City," you've turned into That Guy." What has "That Guy" done to deserve this title?

He paid for a beer with a hundred-dollar bill... "as if women will come flocking because he's made 20 percent of what a hooker makes in an hour." He clipped a Blackberry to his belt, tipped too little, or talked/ bragged loudly on his phone about his stock portfolio, and dances too close to women. Annoying? Sure. But to be called the "dregs of our gender," seems a bit extreme. I can think of things a lot worse. Of course, some radical feminists can't.

Don't get me wrong. I don't think this book is totally without merit. But I must say that it was not for me--but then, I am not his target audience.

If you have other books with advice for men that you have enjoyed, or not, drop in a comment with the title and why you like/disliked it.

Swearing isn't all bad

It turns out that a study shows swearing mitigates pain (via Instapundit). I have always sworn like a sailor when I stub my toe or hurt myself in some way, maybe I was just ahead of my time. At least, it always made me feel better.

Amy Alkon: "Why I've Started Having A Baby...Every Night."

"Can you, doctor, be our 'yes man?'"

The decision to opt out of Medicare is often a difficult one for doctors, but for this primary care physician, the decision was worth it (via Instapundit):

This decision meant I might lose my shirt and put my home and small life savings at risk, something thousands of Americans in other professions do everyday. If they could take the risk, then my risk is nothing less than a trivial American story.

The United States was built on this: a country of immigrants fleeing an “old establishment” to build something new. It’s a group of people declaring: “You can’t tax us without representation!” It’s a government that permits us to challenge established norms, challenge power without being jailed or shot. The question today in health care for all of us as patients is will we stampede towards the utopian ideal of “free care” while ignoring the predictable consequences that nothing is free.

The question put to primary care doctors by Medicare is clear at the moment: Will you let us at Medicare regulate care, dictate “best” treatments and control individual health and choices since we know what’s best. Can you, doctor, be our “yes man?”

Eight years ago I cast my vote and opted out of Medicare. Predictably my journey has not been easy but I have never regretted the decision.

Me neither, about a year or so ago, I opted out of Medicare (no easy feat!) due to the paperwork, lack of control, frustration at having trouble getting paid, the regulations and a myriad of other reasons. It was a good decision that I do not regret. If Obamacare comes in, then doctors will have to decide to be "yes men," or "Go Galt" as many health providers are doing.

Victor Davis Hanson on The War Against the Producers: "Do not discount again the psychological element."