Man oh Man

James Woods to the Extreme

When celebrities begin discussing the state of the American male today, people will listen. Getting people to think and talk about it is never a bad thing. In this month's issue of Maxim, James Woods tosses in his two cents. In some instances, I think he's right on the mark. On others, it seems like he might be residing on one of the extreme fringes. And,unfortunately, the extremes tend to be disregarded by most of us in the middle. The whole interview is only available to subscribers but here are his musings on men in America today:

Are today's men pussies?
Men in America are ridiculously pathetic now. I was watching Russell Crowe in L.A. Confidential and he's dangerous. But have you noticed anytime they want that quintessential sort of brute, primal male, they cast an Australian? That worries me. When I was at M.I.T., I took a class in sociology, and one of the theories about the rise of Nazism in Germany was that after losing World War I the men were so degraded that they fell prey to the easy platitudes of th Nazis.

Men aren't that bad, are we?
Look at how men are portrayed in commercials. They're complete bozos. They'll be talking to, like, an insurance salesman or something, and the woman is always rolling her eyes because her husband can't understand anything.

Is There a Need for This Product?

Hitachi is planning to roll out a new rotary electric razor. That seems normal enough. But the new razor has a head and a handle that both look more like those you'd find on a traditional blade razor. Apparently, the folks at Hitachi think the only thing keeping us blade users from switching to electric is the way our current razor feels in our hand. Count me in as someone who'll pass. I use a blade because I like the feel of the shave better. I like the feel of my face after a shave better (and so do my wife and daughter) and, I guess, I enjoy the traditional ritual of it.

When time allows I even prefer a nice soap stone and a badger-haired shaving brush. To me the old-fashioned way is still the best way.

Thanks to both newlaunches.com and gizmodo.com for information.

This post has been written as part of the Carnival of Modern Man.

Man's Unalienable Rights

Men have certain unalienable rights. Life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness were outlined in our Constitution so they're easy to remember. The fourth, man's right to pee standing up, is probably one you haven't thought much about. In fact, you probably have just taken it for granted like the rest of us. It's part of our evolutionary process. Well, wake up and smell the urinal cakes, because life as we know it is already starting to change.

We talk about the imasculation of men in the media and in advertising but now it's happening in schools. Alright, a Norwegian school. But, Norwegians are just as manly as those of us in America. In fact, they kick our ass in the biathalon and cross-country skiing at every Olympic games. But, I digress.

Recently, a Norwegian school district has announced that all boys must now sit when peeing.

"When boys are not allowed to pee in the natural way, the way boys have done for generations, it is meddling with God's work," Kleppe, whose group is a splinter group of former Progress Party hardliners, said in the newspaper.

"It is a human right not to have to sit down like a girl," he said.

On Kleppe's contentious "stand" on making political waves, no comment was the response from school principal Lise Gjul.

But she did tell Norwegian Broadcasting NRK that the restrooms are used by both boys and girls, and the young boys are not "good enough at aiming" in order to have "a pleasant toilet.

Listen, there are guys who aim poorly. And many never grow out of it. But there's plenty of horrendous drivers on the road and they can still drive. It's just the way it is. Plus, it's not as if we aren't willing to share that right with our female friends. In fact, there's a new product on the market that is attempting to expand this unalienable right to the women among us.

The P-Mate is a revolutionary way for women to pee discreetly without having to pull down their pants and squat.

The P-Mate allows women to pee standing up.

The P-Mate gives women the freedom to pee like men.

I can just see the day where our roles in restrooms will switch. And I for one do not plan to take this news sitting down. Alright. You get the gist.

This post was written as part of the Carnival of Modern Man.

Men and Yoga

Those two words have never really fit together for me. Maybe it's the spandex that I see most guys in yoga class wearing. I'm not really sure. I know it's not because they look whimpy. If you don't believe me, go find a guy that takes yoga and give him a quick once-over. Guaranteed he's going to look buff. That's right, I said it. And I'm secure enough in my own masculinity to be able to withstand anything anyone might say about me. In most cases, I wish I could look like that guy.

But, I tend to shy away from classes that are filled primarily with women. Some of it is because I feel like I should be pumping iron with the rest of the men, but the other part is that I don't want to look like a lech. You know that's what other people are thinking. When you see a guy in fitness class with a bunch of women, you fully expect that he's there to just check out the scenery. And, I'll be honest, I DON'T want to be that guy.

But Andrew, a guy I work with, forwarded me this link for a new book on the market titled "Yoga for Regular Guys - The Best Damn Workout on the Planet." Now I'm intrigued. And not just because it's written by past WCW Heavyweight Champion Diamond Dallas Page. Although that is part of it. I'm a closet professional wresting fan, you know.

But because somehow I feel like I could learn something that would keep me from looking like a complete amateur when I took a class. Just enough so that the women in class would know that I'm actually serious about it and am giving it a real effort. Or maybe it's because I'm basically willing to try anything that might make me look a little better next summer around the pool. We all have our reasons.

If I don't buy the book, though, it won't be because I don't think yoga can be manly. Because I'm sure it can be. But, if you don't think yoga can be manly enough for YOU, DDP's publisher has but one thing to say:

Diamond Dallas Page practices yoga daily, and he can kick your ass.

'Nuff said.

This post was written as part of the Carnival of Modern Man.

Too Much Testosterone Kills Brain Cells

Well, great. Now we've got that going for us. Found the article on cnn.com. Even better is the researcher's quote in the article. I'm sure she's a very smart person - maybe just not very media savvy. But, c'mon.

"Too little testosterone is bad, too much is bad but the right amount is perfect," said Barbara Ehrlich of Yale University in Connecticut, who led the study.

Maybe it's just me, but I'd put this in the common sense category. But, then again, I was educated at a state university.

Does Pink Soothe the Savage Beast?

Hayden Fry, the legendary football coach at the University of Iowa, used to paint the visitors lockerroom pink. I don't know if it made the visiting teams less aggressive or just made them so damn mad that their minds were on things other than football. Either way, the Hawkeyes enjoyed an incredible home won-loss record at Kinnick Stadium.

I don't think they do that any longer because a professor (among others) objected. But, back to the topic at hand...

The Wall Street Journal, in an article titled "The Politics of Pink Shirts", discusses Tony Snow's sense of style and how he might be using it to set the "tone" with the media (Tony Snow is currently serving as White House press secretary).

Mr. Snow mixes things up, with colors that often seem to reflect the administration's mood. Discussing Syria, recently, he wore a serious white shirt and maroon tie. When the president gave an upbeat press conference in the Rose Garden after a surprise visit to Iraq, Mr. Snow wore a cheery pink shirt and a light blue tie.

Based on President Bush's recent coverage in the media and his dismal approval rating, I'd be hard-pressed to suggest that the tactic is working. But, the next time you have a client meeting or presentation that has the potential to get a little tense, try pink. Unless, of course, you're meeting to discuss national security or world peace.

singlemalt.tv

Beginning on September 29, single malt drinkers will have the ability to subscribe to their own online TV channel - singlemalt.tv. As you might have guessed, this new channel will be devoted entirely to whiskey. As reported in The Wall Street Journal:

Subscribers who pay $24.95 (through December) will be able to access programs like "The Whiskey Chef," a show about food and whiskey. The founding editor of Whisky Magazine, Charles MacLean, will serve as the network's "anchorman".

It's reported that you can catch programming streaming constantly on the site or choose videos to view on demand.

I'm not a huge whisky drinker but do enjoy one with a splash of water and a cigar on occaision. As curious as I am about the topic, though, I'm not sure I'm willing to pay for it to have to watch it on my computer. According to their site, however, many Scotch enthusiasts are already raring to go:

We have viewers from 79 Countries, including the little Island of Niue. Viewers from around the globe have kept our temporary site hopping 24hrs a day.

Due to the overwhelming global response to singlemalt.tv we have had to close subscription until launch of the full site on Friday. At that time the full registration service will be available. The temporary hold on subscription is necessary whilst we make the changeover to the new online viewer.

If you are a subscriber, let me know how it is. I'm very interested not only because of the subject matter but because I like the idea of being able to access very specific programming tailored to feed your passion. Now, if I wasn't so hooked on my DVR.

Frank Vincent's Take on Being a Man

Who is Frank Vincent? Maybe if I'd have referred to him as Phil Leotardo (his character on the Soprano's) it might have rung a bell a little quicker. Askmen.com posted an interview with him this morning to get his take on what the definition of a man is today and to, presumably, help him promote his new book, A Guy's Guide to Being a Man's Man. A couple of notable comments from the interview "13 Questions with Frank Vicent."

Q-4:With the book now in stores, you have become an authoritative source on masculinity. How do the men of today compare to the generation that you grew up with?

I think they’ve lost some tradition. The youth of today are so computerized and individualized that a lot of the stuff men used to know is lost on them. That’s what we’re talking about: loyalty, respect, manners, and honor. You have got to have a good sense of humor, you have got to be tough and you have got to know how to dress. A lot of the youth today don’t even know how to comb their hair.

Q-5:What are your thoughts on metrosexuality?

We define a metrosexual as someone who really takes care of themselves in terms of grooming and style. There is nothing wrong with that. But I think you need to have some other values. It’s cool to incorporate some traditional values into metrosexuality. Then it becomes a good lifestyle.

This post has been written as part of the Carnival of Modern Man.

Parenting - Keeping it Real

There's a well-known account planner (a person whose job it is to understand how consumers think and feel) by the name of Russell Davies who produces a blog I check nearly every day. Today, I found something he posted that was particularly relevant to me - and could be to you as well. His post was titled "Husbandly Pride" but it featured a letter to the editor written by his wife (I believe) as an apology to their son. They had endured a tough morning and she was feeling particularly guilty for letting her temper get the better of her.

I myself had a similar dust-up with my near five-year-old daughter last night. And, while I knew that part of me was right for trying to correct the behavior, the other part of me felt horrible for "turning on her." I thought I'd provide the link to this post to all of you who might also be parents (click on the article to bring it up in a window that makes it easier to read).

Then go home and give your kids a hug and a kiss. Both of you are doing the best you can and you need each other to make it all work.

Sex-What Men Want

This article was written by a woman for other women. I'm not sure that I should even attempt to comment on the validity. It's probably best that you decide for yourself. So, get the handy scorecard ready and see how well she does.

Sex-What Men Want

This post has been written as part of the Carnival of Modern Man.