The Mittlings are blogging. Mittenfuhrer's spawn have their own blog.

[Ian David]

The Romney Boys Blog

If you don't know who Ben, Craig, Josh, Matt, and Tagg are, well, you just haven't been paying enough attention to your former governor's family portraits. They are, of course, the offspring of Mitt and Ann Romney.

They are also now bloggers from the campaign trail, with the cleverly titled "Five Brothers" blog on Dad's campaign web site. It just launched yesterday, with introductions from all five. (My handy tip sheet: Ben is the blonde one, Craig is the young-looking one, Matt is the tall one, Tagg is the politically active one, and Josh is the one you mistake for Tagg.)

Today's press release from the campaign calls the blog "a major new feature of MittRomney.com," so there's a lot of pressure on the boys. So if you see Ben around town -- he's studying at Tufts Medical -- wish him good luck!

More:
http://www.thephoenix.com/TalkingPolitics/PermaLink.aspx?guid=2c95a6c8-427b-4adb-9d86-e5586c7d29a2

[moose65]

1. Question:

Which one is the gay one?? :-)

[Ian David]

4. See: Possible Explanation of Male Homosexuality as a Result of Birth Order

Possible Explanation of Male Homosexuality as a Result of Birth Order

"Proportion of homosexual men who owe their sexual orientation to fraternal
birth order" American Journal of Human Biology 2004; 16: 151-157, Ray Blanchard
and Anthony Bogaert, abstract below.

A Possible Explanation of this Report.

Copyright James Michael Howard, Fayetteville, Arkansas, U.S.A.


It is my hypothesis (1985) that male homosexuality results from low
dehydroepiandrosterone (DHEA) in utero. Specifically, I refer to low maternal
DHEA since the mother provides DHEA for herself and her fetus. (This is derived
from my principal hypothesis that DHEA was selected by evolution because it may
optimize replication and transcription of DNA. Therefore, growth and
development of all tissues, especially the brain, is affected by DHEA levels.)
I suggest low DHEA, during a critical time, reduces growth and development of
the part of the brain involved in sexual orientation. That is, low DHEA results
in a less robust development. This effect may be influenced by birth order
involving males.

It is also my hypothesis that testosterone evolved to direct the use of DHEA.
That is, testosterone increases growth and development of tissues by directing
more of available DHEA for use by "testosterone-target-tissues." I think
estradiol acts identically but testosterone exerts a stronger effect.
Therefore, this differential use of DHEA by estradiol or testosterone may
determine sexual expression of multi-potent tissues, as well as their size, by
inducing differential gene expression. I suggest the same effect controls
growth and development of the brain. In this case I have to assume that sexual
determination occurs before sexual orientation. My point is that testosterone
may be involved in use of DHEA for this process and levels of available DHEA may
affect growth and development of the brain involved in sexual orientation.

DHEA levels decline in women following a first birth and remain low for some
time. "A cross-sectional study (measuring serum DHAS and DHA only) was then
carried out in a series of parous and nulliparous women. The serum DHAS sulfate] and DHA levels were markedly and significantly lower in parous
than in nulliparous women, as expected. There was no significant relationship
between serum DHAS or DHA levels and months elapsed (up to 150) since last
delivery, indicating that the changes last at least for this period of time.
There was no significant relationship between serum DHAS or DHA levels and
parity (one to three previous pregnancies), indicating that the changes occur
only after a first pregnancy." (J Clin Endocrinol Metab. 1987 Jan;64(1):111-8).
I suggest this may be the source of this subset of homosexual men. That is,
this reduction of maternal DHEA may be a gradual decline which is then
periodically affected by male fetal testosterone production. As subsequent
males are conceived, they develop in a reduced DHEA environment which is further
reduced by the use of this low DHEA by fetal testosterone-target-tissues.
(Evidently, since this effect has not been identified in the case of foregoing
sisters, estradiol may be not sufficient to induce this effect. However, with
increases in data base size, this may be ultimately be identified.) I suggest
the findings of Blanchard and Bogaert may be explained by this mechanism. That
is, each consequtive male is exposed to less maternal DHEA, which is then
further reduced by fetal testosterone, and growth and development of specific
parts of the brain is less robust, resulting in homosexual orientation.

More:
http://www.bio.net/bionet/mm/neur-sci/2004-April/057991.html

[Clark2008]

2. Mitt and Tagg?

Those sound more like names for little spoiled chihuahuas (sorry Skinner - I like little spoiled chihuauahs), not humans.

[moose65]

3. one more thing

Now that I've followed the link and seen their pictures, I must say that the Romney's are pretty! :-) They must have good genes from dear ole Dad. Should we start another poll? Which one is the cutest? I think I like Tagg the best (I'm a sucker for the oldest one)!