We wish you a merry linkspam
Hadley Freeman, bless, on the awfulness that is Christmas Gift Guides:
It's the traditional "gifts for him and her" lists that spark the most ire. But I feel a thrilling frisson at such blatant shows of hate for both genders, like spotting some embarrassing racial stereotype in an earnest TV drama. This Morning - ye olde bastion of gender stereotypes - had a particularly good one this week with that voice of masculinity Paul Ross announcing that any man would be delighted to get a belt that doubles up as a bottle opener. Ah Paul - now there's a man I'd like to share imported lager with, but I'm afraid I'm too busy smelling my scented soaps.
James Gillray cartoons discovered in Ministry of Justice clearout • Rare volume by caricaturist found inside bin liner • Art seized as pornography now donated to V&A. An Archivist, asked to comment, was not surprised, and made some comments about inadequate records management procedures. Also, now wonders if someone was stashing it to smuggle off and sell on eBay. (Not sure why the V&A, rather than the BL and its famous 'Cupboard' collection.)
Blood on the streets in the world of New York publishing as traditional firms realise the increasing importance of ebooks. Let's say this is interesting given those jeremiads of Woez woez no-one REDE anymore.
Lady Stern is my new heroine: Drunk men who demand sex from partner should be 'treated as rapists': Head of government's review of rape laws says alcohol should be regarded as aggravating factor when case comes to court.
This sounds creepy: Could Gamma Knife, a non-invasive brain surgery using radiation, help OCD sufferers who can't be helped by more established treatments?. I can't help feeling that the placebo effect of such an operation must be considerable.
And finally: MAI HIGHER CODSWALLOP, LET ME SHOW U IT - is this guy for real? Why do people dance? And what makes some more confident than others? Dr Dance has the answers and they appear to be chockful of evpsych claptrap. On reading this:
From then until 35, however, women's DC levels increase steadily. "They are likely to be moving through the mate-selection and reproduction cycle, so they will be more confident in the behaviours which form part of this process, like recreational dancing," says Lovatt. But that pattern reverses after 55. "From then on, DC drops steadily and significantly. That's not surprising if perceptions of dance ability are related to fertility-based courtship displays, because this is a post-menopausal life stage."
It's a different story for boys, however. They did not show the pre-16 peak seen in the female data, instead increasing DC every year until middle age, then flattening before rising sharply at 65.
would like to introduce to my slappy dance with a musical cod that does Joyce Grenfell singing Stately as a Galleon. And if you can stand it, read his remarks on 'Beautiful women of high genetic quality' compared to 'Women of a lower genetic quality'. Ummmm, sez who?
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