Man Up, Grasshopper

There's a lot of talk amongst women republican candidates challenging their male democratic opponents to man-up. Sharron Angle told Harry Reid to "man-up." Christine O'Donnell told her opponent Mike Castle to "get your man pants on." Sarah Palin said it in reference to Politico and the authors of a negative article written about her. Ed Schultz even said it about Juan Williams. Now all the journalists and pundits are talking about "man-up" and what it all means.

The World English Dictionary says: "to adopt a stereotypically masculine approach or course of action." This implies, of course, that the guy that is challenged is decidedly not masculine.

But what exactly does a man have to do to "man up"?

Should a guy step into pointy toed cowboy boots, jeans and a cowboy hat and walk with a bow-legged swagger and talk with a slow drawl? Well that may work for some, but not for others. Does it mean that the guy has to hook his thumbs in his belt loops and pull up his jeans until he has camel-toe...um, I don't think so. Not so attractive. Beer commercials imply that if a man drinks light beer he's a woos.

It could mean different things in different areas of the country. In the south, if you don't hunt, fish and wear camouflage, you are not a "real" man. On the west coast, it could mean taking care of yourself and being physically fit.

Maybe it means that a guy has to do many manly things to be considered a real man, like how he brushes his teeth.

From HolyKaw comes this visual primer for men who haven't quite mastered the art of manly teeth brushing, prefaced with the guidance that "the proper facial expression is especially key to effective man brushing. Go, young grasshopper, go."

Beard and hairy chest required.