Kevin Drum on the same alleged “dearth” of female political bloggers he brings up like clockwork every 90 days:

My guess is that it’s a bit of both, and the proximate reason is that men are more comfortable with the food fight nature of opinion writing ? both writing it and reading it. Since I don’t wish to suffer the fate of Larry Summers I’ll refrain from speculating on deep causes ? it might be social, cultural, genetic, or Martian mind rays for all I know ? but I imagine that the fundamental viciousness and self aggrandizement inherent in opinion writing turns off a lot of women.

News item:

ANCHORAGE, ALASKA — An Alaska woman is in jail, accused of cutting off her boyfriend?s penis and flushing it down a toilet.
Police say Kim Tran did it after her boyfriend tried to break up with her.

At some point during their argument the couple decided to have sex. The man apparently agreed to have his arms tied to their bed. Police say Tran used the opportunity to cut off the body part.

After the attack, police say Tran untied her boyfriend and drove him to the hospital. Then she went back home, where police found her cleaning up the bathroom.

Tran was arrested and police went to work trying to find the severed penis. They succeeded after pulling out the toilet. The penis was put on ice and taken to the hospital, where doctors reattached it.

Tran is charged with first-degree assault, domestic violence and tampering with evidence.

Well, you know, Kevin, sometimes we might surprise you.