Two quick hits:  While Obama and McCain were duking it out in Nashville this week, a rather brilliant student I met while speaking last month at USC Upstate shared her thoughts on alternative portrayals of masculinity on TV, and its social implications, over at the Popular & American Culture Associations in the South conference taking place this week in Louisville, KY.  More here.

And speaking of, finally a guy doesn’t have to be a pussy to love a cat, reports my fellow Invisible Institute-er Abby Ellin in the NYTimes.  Most funny quote from one of the guys Abby interviewed for “Sorry Fido, It’s Just a Guy Thing”: ” A man with a cat… ‘is secure with himself.  He’s sharing his space with a predator.'”

So, cats are the new macho accessory?  Amelia (whose picture I am not posting only because Kristen has yet to give me my remedial lesson in Flickr) purrs approvingly.