Manly Things
Busy day around the Joyner household, so likely not much posting unless Michael Jackson comes back to life, President Obama hosts a mojito summit, or similar earth shattering news breaks.
In the meantime, enjoy some of these fine posts over at MANzine.
- Do Cheaters Make Better Leaders? (Jon Stonger) – Sex scandals have been a part of American democracy since the founding of the republic. Given that, could it be that unfaithful politicians make for better leaders?
- Summertime Drinking (James Joyner) – It’s summertime and time to put away those heavy cabernets, stouts, and whiskey drinks.
- Real Men: Joshua Chamberlain (Jon Stonger) – How one man really can change history . . . provided he’s standing on top of a critical hill with a regiment of troops under his command
- A Trio of Fine Scotches (Alex Knapp) – Like a lot of guys, I am a fan of many different kinds of alcohols—fine ales, a good vodka, a well-aged rum—but when you just get right down to it, there’s really nothing that beats a good single malt scotch.
- Being a Sports Dad (Steve Verdon) – It is not easy being the father of a child that participates in a sport. One aspect of being a man is that we like to compare ourselves to other men. Who has the better car, house, newest toy, etc.
- Women’s Sports: Who Cares? (James Joyner) Women’s professional sports are in big trouble. The LPGA and WNBA are falling apart and WUSA is long gone. So what?
- My What a Fine Mojito! (Matt Mehaffey) Use this remarkably simple mojito recipe to impress your friends at your next party.
- Is It Really a Sport? (Jon Stonger) Basketball is, without question, a sport. Poker and figure skating are not. Here’s why.
- 5 Remakes Better Than The Original (James Joyner) – Usually, remakes are a pale imitation of the original. After all, nobody remakes bad concepts. These are the exceptions.
- Perfect in Every Way (Rick Moran) – White Sox pitcher Mark Buehrle added to the rich history and tradition of the game by pitching the 18th perfect game in baseball history.
- Real Men: American Scientists (Alex Knapp) – When people talk about what it means to be a “real man,” they often have in mind warriors or sports heroes. Isn’t it time we started considering scientists?
Joshua Lawrence Chamberlain, probably the most interesting officer in the Union army. I particularly like the story of his entering the army. He was teaching at Bowdoin, and he went to the administration (or what passed for it in those days) and asked if he could take a leave of absence to join up. No, he was told, he was too important to the school. Well, ok, but then could he take a sabbatical? Of course. Whereupon, on the “sabbbatical,” he enlisted as a private in the Union army. Being enlisted didn’t last long. It was Chamberlain who took to the formal surrender of the remnants of the Army of Northern Virgina at Appomattox. As the weary and downcrest Confederates marched up in formation to surrender their arms, Chamberlin ordered his men to render a formal salute as the Confederates came by. The officer in charge of the Confederates (it was not Lee at the surrender of arms) wrote later that he and his men were deeply moved by this show of respect.
In Ken Burns’s documentary, The Civil War, David McCullough in the narration of Gettysburg says that a straight line goes through Little Round Top from Talledaga, Alabama to Presque Isle, Maine, and that Little Round Top is almost dead center on that line. Something stirs in me when I think about that.
I am surprised the first article did not quote Mel Brooks’s line to the effect of “Those Presidents who don’t do it with other women, do it to the country.”
Or what Obama and Biden did after drinking the rest of the beer……
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rrzmbSX1pmo