Researcher: Hormone to blame for ‘irritable male syndrome’: “A sex expert reckons a condition in sheep known as irritable male syndrome may also occur in humans.

He says men who see their testosterone levels drop change their behaviour, becoming more grumpy and depressed.

It was first found in male Soay sheep whose behaviour changes when their male hormone level drops each winter.

Gerald Lincoln, of the Medical Research Council’s Human Reproductive Sciences Unit in Edinburgh, says the symptoms most resemble the so-called male menopause.” Ananova

The Random Insanity of Letters of Recommendation: “If tables of random numbers became fashionable for deciding on hires, tenurings, promotions, I suppose you, as a serious scholar, would object. And at least a table of random numbers is what it says: random. Why haven’t you objected to the system of letters, which has notably less integrity than a table of random numbers?” The Chronicle of Higher Education

David Gelernter: Paradoxes of painting: “The perceived possibilities of photography and postmodern art have killed painting. Still, it’s a great time to be a painter…” Prospect

Maureen Dowd: 60 Feet Under:

‘In a banner headline on Friday, The Washington Post blared: “Shadow Government Is at Work in Secret.” The article said President Bush had assembled a cadre of officials to operate under the radar, out of the sunlight.

This is news?

The president did that on Jan. 20, 2001.

But it turns out that after Sept. 11, wanting to make sure that everything wouldn’t collapse if there was a nuclear attack on Washington, he did it again. He formed a secret government within a secret government. A shadow of a shadow.

It suits this administration to a T- ball, reflecting its twin obsessions with secrecy and self-perpetuation.

‘ NY Times

“A brief history of Amherst, Massachusetts as selected from the police beat of the Amherst Bulletin”

Poetry Daily

“A brief history of Amherst, Massachusetts as selected from the police beat of the Amherst Bulletin”

Poetry Daily