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June 12th, 2002:

Sex talk

Charles Murtaugh answers the question that InstantMan asks and Den Beste fumbles, namely why is it that so many sex-advice columnists are female. Murtaugh groks the real reasons:

The reason women succeed as sex columnists is because lustful guys like myself (and I would lay long odds that the Rachael Kleins of the world — we had one of her back when I was in school — have more male readers than female)

(a) are curious to know what an attractive woman thinks about sex

(b) really, really want to believe that such attractive women think about sex just as much as we do

(c) secretly hope for mentions of “experimentation,” if you know what I mean, and every guy does

and (d) already know all there is to know about the straight male perspective on sex — because we are straight males!

Yep. There’s another side to this coin as well. The Playboy Advisor (note to Glenn, Steven, and Avram – there’s one you missed) has written that a large percentage of his questions come from women. It’s no stretch to imagine that they’re looking for the straight male’s perspective, just as Rachel Klein’s male readers want the straight female’s viewpoint. Knowing what the other side thinks, that’s what it’s all about. You’d think a military expert like Den Beste would understand that.

Thom Marshall admits he’s an idiot

The Chron‘s least useful columnist cops to laziness in a correction in today’s paper regarding his uncritical belief in the Valentine Foundation, which Houston Press readers knew is run by convicted grifter Whitney Broach. Thanks to Kevin for helping to put pressure on Houston’s Leading Information Source and for spotting the mea culpa.

One EggMcSpam to go, please

Mac points to this article about McDonald’s in Hawaii testing a breakfast meal that contains Spam. I sent this link to the RoundTable mailing list, and was promptly informed that this sort of regional adaptaion is quite common for McDonald’s. A friend who did a stint in the Peace Corps in the Phillippines confirms the McSpaghetti item, and adds the rather gross comment that it contains a fair bit of sugar, since Filipinos apparently like sweet foods.

I’ve been to Japan, and I’ve eaten at a Japanese McDonald’s (let me tell you, as much as I love sushi, after a week of it I was really really really craving a burger), but I don’t recall seeing Teriyaki McBurger or Chicken Tatsuta Burger. On the other hand, I was so blinded by my need for comfort food that I don’t think I actually looked at the menu – I just pointed to the picture of the Big Mac and fries and sat down to await the greasy goodness that was headed my way. Mmm, Special Sauce…

Machiavellian Whores Online?

Avedon has a good conspiracy theory going today, in which the mysterious founder of Media Whores Online is in reality Jennifer Liberto. The hatchet job was done to throw everyone off the scent. Works for me!

National Bloggerhood Week

Meryl gets in a musical mood over the NYT blogger rivalry article. Hmmm, maybe I can help here…

National Bloggerhood Week, with sincere apologies to Tom Lehrer

Oh, the war blogs hate the tech blogs
And the tech blogs hate the war blogs
To hate all but
Those just like your blogs
Is every blogger’s goal

But during National Bloggerhood Week
National Bloggerhood Week
Dave Winer and Glenn Reynolds are dancing cheek to cheek
It’s fun to eulogize
The bloggers you despise
As long as you don’t put ’em on your blog-roll

Oh, Ted Frank hates Cameron Barrett
And Jason Kottke hates Eric Olsen
Hating those blogs
Is really wholesome
It’s as American as apple pie

But during National Bloggerhood Week
National Bloggerhood Week
Scripters love the pundits cause it’s really chic
Step up and give a link
To those who really stink
You can tolerate them if you try

Oh, the old school hates the new kids
And the new kids hate the old school
And the techies hate the newbies
And everybody hates Ted Rall

But during National Bloggerhood Week
National Bloggerhood Week
It’s National-We’re-All-Just-Web-Loggers Week
Be nice to bloggers who
Are inferior to you
It’s only for a week so have no fear
Be grateful that it doesn’t last all year!