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February 10, 2012
Lisa M. Krieger: Man with defibrillator demands access to his own heart's information
David G. Savage: Why activists may not be in a hurry to have High Court rule on alternative marriage
February 9, 2012
Laura McMullen: 10 Least Expensive Public Schools for Out-of-State Students
Kimberly Palmer: How to actually enjoy -- relaxing, financially -- your vacation
February 8, 2012
Warren Richey: Why momentous Prop. 8 ruling might not satisfy gay-rights groups
Menachem Wecker: Though Controversial, LL.M.'s Can Lead to Specialized Legal Jobs
The Kosher Gourmet byDana Velden: Going to the bother of making soup? You know it better be good. This CREAM OF TOMATO SOUP certainly is! And it's a cinch to make, too (Includes techinques and serving secrets)
February 7, 2012
Frank J. Gaffney, Jr.: Caught off-guard? President's Super Bowl interview with Matt Lauer gives those who need a reason not to vote for him, a darn good one
Suzanne Bohan: Leaping lizards! Tiny reptiles advancing robot design
February 6, 2012
Jonathan Tobin: Iran Threatens Israel With Destruction, But the New York Times Doesn't Hear It
Jeffrey Fleishman: In newly democratic Egypt, tens of democracy activists jailed, to stand trial; their groups are 'threatening the stability of the homeland'
Julie Deardorff : Researchers say antioxidants may not be that effective and could do more harm than good
Mark Clayton: How did Anonymous hackers eavesdrop on FBI and Scotland Yard?
February 3, 2012
Edmund Sanders : Israeli official says Iran is creating missile that could reach East Coast of US
Victoria Kim: Immigrant-smuggling ring used black drivers to avoid racial profiling
February 2, 2012
Jim Carney: Wrong number call may have saved her life
Reza Kahlili : Ex-CIA spy in Iran's Revolutionary Guard: What Obama doesn't grasp about striking deals with Tehran
Tina Susman: For woodchuck rescuer, every day is Groundhog Day
February 1, 2012
Brian Bennett: US officials see increasing threat of domestic attack from Iran
Emily Brandon: How to Take Advantage of New 401(k) Fee Disclosures
January 31, 2012
January 30, 2012
Paul Richter and Ramin Mostaghim: Misreading Teheran's limits -- deadly and economically devastating as they may be -- is a risk administration, Europe seem willing to take
Suzanne Bohan: Warning: Nap-deprived tots missing more than sleep, study finds
Meg Handley: Banks Revamping Rewards Programs to Woo Customers
January 27, 2012
Caroline B. Glick: Obama: Of course I intend to prevent a nuclear holocaust . . . in a few months
Yochonon Donn: In liberal New York City, fervently-Orthodox Jews may soon be getting a district to call their own
Jeannine Stein: An inflated ego and thinking you're 'all that' doesn't just make others sick of you, it can make you ill
Katy Hopkins: New budget rules may affect how much money you get for college
January 26, 2012
Ed Koch: To the New York Times, calling for the murder of Jews by those capable of having their incitement taken seriously isn't news
Jeannine Stein: Mental illness struck one in five U.S. adults in 2010: Report
January 25, 2012
Richard Simon: House passes two bills endorsing the use of religious symbols at military memorials
Fred Weir: Putin: Multiethnic Russia cannot survive as a US-style 'melting pot'; must find its own way
Susan Johnston: 5 Sneaky Coupon Strategies Consumers Should Watch Out For
January 24, 2012
Carol Clark: The price of your soul: How your brain decides whether to 'sell out'
Caroline B. Glick: America lost most in 'Arab Spring'. Sadly, many voters still don't grasp the extent
Warren Richey: Drug criminal scores win in GPS ruling from conservative-leaning high court
Erika Bolstad: Black conservatives gather to talk about gaining strength
January 23, 2012
Melissa Dribben: Jewish voters to play a key role in Florida's Republican primary
Jordan Rau: In quest to grow, Catholic hospital system will announce this morning its break from church
Ali Safi: U.S. envoy gives Taliban terms for peace talks
January 19, 2012
January 18, 2012
January 17, 2012
Frank J. Gaffney Jr.: No-kidding red lines: U.S. response to an Iranian nuke may be bluster, but Israel's won't be
David G. Savage: They sued their principals after slandering them online --- now the cases are headed to the Supreme Court
David Francis: Where to Invest in 2012: With stocks expected to rebound, opportunity abounds for investors
January 13, 2012
Ben Lynfield: Israeli lawmakers move to annex Jewish Judea, one museum at a time
Alexia Elejalde-Ruiz: Thriving through touch: Gentle massage helps older people with low mobility improve in mind and body
January 12, 2012
Warren Richey: Landmark Supreme Court ruling a 'resounding win' for religious groups
Warren Richey: Supreme Court says no to new rule on eyewitness testimony
John Fauber : Statins found to raise diabetes risk in postmenopausal women
Katy Hopkins : Consider This Before You Pay for an Online Degree
The Kosher Gourmet by Joseph Erdos: This mushroom and barley soup has an intense -- almost nutty -- flavor that mixes robust with Middle East. It has creaminess without cream
January 11, 2012
Shari Roan: Millions of atrial fibrillation sufferers at risk for devastating, but preventable, stroke
Tom Hussain: Pakistan -- recipient of more than $21 billion in civilian and military aid -- speeds pursuit of Iranian pipeline, defying US
David G. Savage: High court signals it won't be loosening TV's 'indecency' rules
Stephen Ceasar: Oklahoma's Islamic law amendment can't go into effect, court rules
January 10, 2012
Reza Kahlili: From an ex-CIA spy: US must exploit new split in Iran's Revolutionary Guard
Karen Kaplan: Study: Nicotine replacement products ineffective when used in real-life situations
January 9, 2012
Michael Doyle: Put through legal hell over dream home, couple fought back hard --- all the way to Supreme Court
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Jewish World Review
July 23, 2010
12 Menachem-Av, 5770
When Burly Becomes Surly
By
Suzanne Fields
http://www.JewishWorldReview.com |
Ah, men. That's no benediction. These are tough times to be a man. It's too Freudian to say they're suffering from an identity crisis, but since macho has been put in mothballs, many men are searching for a new scent. Over-the-hill celebrities remind us of the many roads that leading men have taken past Gender Gap and wound up in No Man's Land. (Men have always had trouble asking for directions.)
Everyman today comes in as many flavors as Baskin Robbins. Grumpy Ralph Nader (remember that presidential candidate?) just awarded a smiling Phil Donahue, the talk show host who once wore a skirt as a new fashion for men, a lifetime achievement award on behalf of the consumer group Public Citizen. Uncle Phil is the guy Oprah sent packing. Audiences wanted a different feminine sensibility.
Hugh Hefner at 84 still makes public appearances in silk pajamas, but they make him look like he wandered away from his nursing home, not a hot tub packed with Playmates. Hef is trying to regain control of his diminished empire, buying back the shares he sold. In his Never Neverland, the centerfolds — along with the Playmates he wears on each arm — never grow old but only make Hef look ancient.
Mel Gibson, the superstar of "Lethal Weapon," is a vicious caricature of manhood run amok. The wife he left for the younger woman now rides to his rescue, taking him back to Australia, where he was once an innocent boy with a budding talent. Celebrity status in Tinseltown is fragile indeed, with no tough movie moguls to keep the boys in line. ("Shane! Shane! Come back, Shane.")
"Mad Men," the sitcom set on the Madison Avenue of more than a half-century ago, is back for another season by popular demand. Mad men aren't admirable, but they're recognizable scoundrels who still trump girly men. But the venality of these 1950s villains can't compare with modern Wall Street scoundrels.
Nobody — nobody who dares speak of it — is eager to return to the bad old days, certainly not in politics. Think Jerry Brown as the mellow marshmallow in his first turn as governor of California. But in his new incarnation, wild and desperate, he compares his opponent to Joseph Goebbels.
It used to be women who had the problem of image. When Geraldine Ferraro ran for vice president in 1984, she was reduced to defending her recipe for blueberry muffins, and it wasn't so long ago that Hillary Clinton thought "first lady" was an elected official with the responsibility to write health care legislation. Who would have thought that was a qualification for secretary of state?
Barack Obama never projected a male image to emulate, even when he was still loved by the hypnotized masses. He was cool, smooth and thought to be post-racial, but passion was always missing. He hasn't found it yet. When a reporter asked if he felt rage over the BP oil spill, he replied that he was looking for someone's "ass to kick," sounding more like a little boy playing grown-up than a president. Can anyone imagine Harry Truman, LBJ or even Bill Clinton finding it difficult to express anger? They were men doin' what comes naturally.
No wonder Democrats worry about the independent male voters — 'indie men," in the formulation of David Axelrod, men who voted for Barack Obama in 2008. Most independent voters are white men, and they're action-oriented rather than ideologues. They want results, which means jobs. They worry about what's in the health care reform, and the early returns tell them that they'll be paying more for less.
Young healthy men of a skeptical bent aren't keen to sign up, either. They, too, smell more taxes coming. Indie men are tired of hearing the president blaming his problems on George W. Indie men aren't affiliated with a party — they prefer a president, Republican or Democrat, to "show me."
The famous soccer moms who once were thought to determine winners and losers on Election Day have given way now to white men, who the pollsters say will make the difference this year. Ten percent more men than women, according to the Pew Research Center, want to cut swollen government, and feel their rights and freedoms threatened. Most of the lost blue-collar jobs were jobs held by white men, but if we want to be politically correct we're not supposed to say so. "Burly" men are out of fashion and out of jobs. That may mean Democrats will be out of luck in November. Ah, men.
Every weekday JewishWorldReview.com publishes what many in the media and Washington consider "must-reading". Sign up for the daily JWR update. It's free. Just click here.
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Suzanne Fields Archives
© 2006, Creators Syndicate, Suzanne Fields
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