The cuckoo famously lays its eggs in other birds' nests.

See:

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cuckoo

Call this a case of outsourcing in the animal kingdom.

Seems that some human males are also cuckoos.

See:

BAD GUYS REALLY DO GET THE MOST GIRLS

New Scientist 18 June 2008

http://www.newscientist.com/article/mg19826614.100?DCMP=ILC-hmts&nsref=top1_head_Bad%20guys%20really%20do%20get%20the%20most%20girls

Quote:

"...bad boys get the most girls. The finding may help explain why a nasty suite of antisocial personality traits known as the "dark triad" persists in the human population, despite their potentially grave cultural costs.

"The traits are the self-obsession of narcissism; the impulsive, thrill-seeking and callous behaviour of psychopaths; and the deceitful and exploitative nature of Machiavellianism..."

"But being just slightly evil could have an upside: a prolific sex life, says Peter Jonason at New Mexico State University in Las Cruces. "We have some evidence that the three traits are really the same thing and may represent a successful evolutionary strategy."

Bear in mind this behaviour evolved at a time when there was:

--No birth control – have sex and conception often followed

--No DNA testing – "Fathers" had no way of knowing whether they were nurturing their own children or someone else's. Seems they were often played for suckers.

--High infant mortality – women may have had 10 or more children with only 2 or 3 surviving on average.

Truth is women have probably been playing men for suckers for millennia. Studies among monogamous animal species show that women choose one kind of male (the sucker?) as a permanent partner while searching out suitable studs for breeding purposes.

The selfish gene in action!

The male response to this state of affairs is well known. Keep the women under lock and key, or under a hijab. Invent religions which say this is what God intended.

Now the balance of power has shifted back to women. Women are able to fend for themselves and can choose a breeding partner – preferably from a sperm bank.

Us men will soon be reduced to the status of toy boys needed for the occasional bit of rumpy pumpy.

And who will women choose?

The slightly evil!

Dear Steven,

This is one for the birds - right? (tongue-in cheek).

Steven I can't of course speak for other females, however 'Cuckoo men,' aren't in the slightest bit attractive - to me. Never were.
They're usually too interested in themselves - to make much of an impact.

"Cuckoo men" have a
'use-by' date on them. Usually a very short one. Most females that I know - look for more than these guys can offer - even in short-term
relationships. Females today are looking for quality not just quantity - and 'cuckoo men' quite frankly, don't have what it takes.

Foxy,

You shall have to decide for yourself whether this is tongue in cheek.

Dear Steven,

I already have :) :) :) :) :) :) ...

After reading Foxy I am totally convinced that "Cuckoo men" enjoy limited success rates.

“"Cuckoo men" have a 'use-by' date on them. Usually a very short one. Most females that I know - look for more than these guys can offer - even in short-term relationships.”

There you go. All settled then. No need to test the hypothesis. Next.

“Us men will soon be reduced to the status of toy boys needed for the occasional bit of rumpy pumpy.”

Yes, life is tough being used as a sex object, it is what most blokes dream about.

Actually I have observed, with the passing of the years,

In our 20’s a female has all the “power”, the male being driven by unreasonable and uncompromising hormones.

This tends to equalize as we move through the 30s, sharing a young family etc.

Come 40, the shift is in full swing, ladies looking at impending menopause, competition is hot for any available man who does not drawl or have a comb-over.

50, man rules and ladies crave the attention which they remember and see now being bestowed on their younger sisters, the “power” is his.

60, well I will have to guess that and come back with my simple observations when I know more.

So the long term persective read like these

female - at their peak at 20 and it is down hill from there on

male - next year is always better than the present and even better since the invention of viagra.

Read an interesting article related to this only a month or so ago.

Apparently researchers in US believe a womans voice is more sexier during her ovulation. Prof Rob Brooks, an evolutionary biologist at Uni of NSW, agrees and said that women hide their 'heat'portion of their cycle. According to the Prof, Women only need a males sperm on a few occasions during their life but need his material resourses and parental support for the offsping for many years. Therefore women conceal their ovulation so they have more control over their mate to keep him interested long term.

I have always maintained that the human female has a 'heat' time during her cycle when she is more willing to accept the male. Just like other mammals. However over time this has become suppressed because it was not socially acceptable for 'nice' ladies to display their desires. Over time males have lost the ability to detect the signs of this 'mini heat', to a large extent.

Interesting thread

Hello Seeker,

Much as I appeciate the generousity of your support for my comments on this thread,
I would have preferred your telling us what you
really think. :)

Although, I suppose I must have struck a cord with which you obviously identified.

Still, we must be fair:

"Cuckoo men are sexy,
So many say that's true.
And, blessed with the scourge,
Of a compulsive urge,
What else can a 'cuckoo' do?"

>>>Come 40, the shift is in full swing, ladies looking at impending menopause, competition is hot for any available man who does not drawl or have a comb-over.

Crap, looks downhill for me then...er I mean this friend of mine...who has both.

And if the bad guys get the girl, how come an insufferably nice bloke like that B@$t@rd Orlando Bloom can get Miranda Kerr?

More proof that women play men for suckers.

See this article from Psychology Today:

IF YOU WANT TO KNOW WHAT WOMEN HAVE BEEN UP TO, LOOK AT MEN'S GENITALS II: THE PENIS

http://blogs.psychologytoday.com/blog/the-scientific-fundamentalist/200803/if-you-want-know-what-women-have-been-look-mens-genitals-i

Quote:

"…In other words, according to Gallup, the human penis is a “semen displacement device.” It is designed and used to remove other men’s semen from the cervix before the man ejaculates."

Now wonder men invented burqas. All that thrusting is enough to tire anyone out.

Mmmm, I don't Col.

Re menopause, there is nothing more liberating and sexy than removing the risk of pregnancy from sex. ;)

Not that I am quite there yet but can't wait...bring it on.

I've just come across two rather interesting websites.

http://www.hps-online.com/tsy4.htm

which says that:

"It is women, not men, whose sexual potency is 'inexhaustible.'

And -

"By the age of 30, a man begins to lose vitality and should stop squandering his semen recklessly."

And -

"By the age of 40, a man has reached the critical turning point ...
if he wishes to prevent the rapid downhill slide into the grave which
undisciplined sexual relations cause at this stage in life ...he must start practicing ejaculation control as a habit."

The second website :

http://www.thenutritionreporter.com/be_a_better_man.html

Tells us:

"Virtually every man would like to remain sexually potent and active throughout his life. But a recent study left more than egos flagging...researchers found that some degree of impotence - the inability to achieve an erection affects ...men ages 40 to 70. Furthermore, the prevalence of complete impotence, or erectile dysfunction, triples between middle and old age."

It looks like the term, 'Cuckoo men,' can only be applied
very selectively to a rare few.

Whoops. I meant to say "I don't know Col.." rather than "I don't Col". Two quite different meanings otherwise I wouldn't have bothered posting a correction.

Women's libido peaks around the 35 -40 mark. Menopause for many women is something to be celebrated. Freedom from the risk of pregnancy and like the women in my family, many are asymptomatic during menopause.

By this stage in life, poor old cuckoo man could be all tuckered out.

How then does egotistical cuckoo man cope with male menopause?:

According to "Men's Issues:"

"The male menopause or andropause is a condition that all men will go through once they reach a certain age.

"If you think men are spared from menopause, you should think again. The andropause condition or the male menopause condition will eventually affect all men once they reach a certain age. This particular condition is associated with the decline of male hormone levels that occurs at certain age, usually when men reach late 40’s or early 50’s.

"The main symptoms of andropause are erectile dysfunction or failure to achieve erection, mood changes, night sweats, constant fatigue or tiredness, and also irritability and depression. Some even said that when men are suffering from andropause, they become more motherly than fatherly. They tend to be focused more on family and friends rather than the natural focus of men on money, career, and power in the early life before the andropausal stage.

"There will also be physical changes associated with andropause, such as loss of hair in the armpits and axilla, shrinking of the testicles, lessening of muscle mass, and also decreased muscle strength.

"This change is due to the loss of androgens in a man’s body. Androgen’s is known to be the basic ingredient that makes up masculinity and because of the loss of this ingredient, physical change occurs."

Oh well there's always Viagra which reminds me of a friend who assured me his Viagra worked so well that he was forced to don an overcoat during a heat wave to visit his doctor's surgery!

Dear Dickie,

You said, "...there's always Viagra..."

You may just want to check out the following website (and other related links):

http://health.howstuffworks.com/viagra5.htm

It tells us that, "Very few drugs work perfectly, and Viagra is no exception..."

Apparently Viagra can cause dependency, vision abnormalities, headaches, heart attacks. They also mention that men may become unable to maintain an erection without taking Viagra. The erections can be very painful.

All things you of which you need to be aware.

*Seems that some human males are also cuckoos.*

Not just men, but in most species that pairbond, the
patterns are pretty similar. Humans are no exception.

Evolutionary psychology goes into the details, so do
amazing documentaries, such as
Attenborough's "Life of Birds"

At the end of the day, pairbonding evolved in species
where alot of resources are required to feed the offspring.
Females need a male who can bring home the food for the kids,
but instinct kicks in and a quicky on the side has its benefits,
in terms of genetic investment and spreading the risk.

So it happens in humans, birds and other pairbonding species.

According to Dickie, most of those old guys must be buggered,
but we constantly see old business tycoons with young, cute
wives or mistresses!

Clearly nature still matters and deep instincts still play
a role in human behaviour. There are still plenty of females
exchanging sex for resources and still plenty of males around,
spreading their genes as far and wide as they can, until they
fall off the old proverbial perch.

Dear Yabby,

You're probably right - look at Hugh Hefner...

However, I must admit I recently saw a documentary on Hefner - and he
seemed unable to get out of his pyjamas - as he was wearing them in the middle of the day. Which made me wonder about his actual sexual prowness? In his case it may well and truly be a case of, "Money buys loads..." So the old guys you see with young females doesn't necessarily mean there 's much happening there. Still, it's good for his image, and her security. I guess.

As the old saying goes, "Money doesn't buy happiness, but you can be miserable in comfort!"

cont'd

ooops - sorry for the typo. I meant to say 'sexual prowess."
(Not 'prowness.') :0

Dear Foxy,

Well I guess old Hugh tries to keep up the image, due the magazine
etc, but you have old Rupert Murdoch, still popping out kids.
Then a heap with mistresses. They say that old Kerry had one right
to the end. Perhaps they just held hands :)

Paul McCarthy's last ex, was around 30 years younger. Even one
of the Stones, hitched up with a 20 something when he was 50 something. The list goes on an on.

The thing is, when you ask women what is the most important thing
in their life, the majority will say its their kids. When you
ask them why they married the guy that they are with, because
he's a good provider, is a pretty common answer.

Fair enough, that is nature for you. Its not all like in
Hollywood :)

I see that in Sydney, Gordon Ramsay the chef is being overwhelmed
by women. I guess he'd make a great cuckoo.

Dear Foxy

That Viagra stuff sounds very risky eh? I must suggest to my friend with the overcoat that he'll live longer if he takes up croquet.

Yabby says: "According to Dickie, most of those old guys must be buggered, but we constantly see old business tycoons with young, cute wives or mistresses!"

Oh gawd I'm again reminded of another friend - a female in this case who married an old codger, not for his sexual prowess but the prestige.

This comes with a price when you attempt to copulate with a geriatic who's a born optimist, when the lovely young trophy emerges from the marital bed, subsequent to the futile marathon, bleary eyed, bandy and with a battered undercroft!

Dear Yabby,

You're absolutely right.

Gordon Ramsay would make a great cuckoo.

But, I should tell you,
he actually prefers older women!

Dear Dickie,

I'm reminded of a joke ...

An old codger married a very young female.
When his old friends asked him,
"Aren't you worried about the age difference, and what about your stamina?"
The old codger replied,
"Ah, well, if she dies, she dies!"