I must disagree with Norm. The etiology of men's inability to register and respond to women's conversation can be blamed simply on genetics -- a defective Y chromosome resulting in:
AMDDD: "Adult Male Deaf-Dumb Disorder" - general affliction.
AMDDDD: "Adult Male Deaf-Dumb-Drooling Disorder" - as experienced when sports or babe programs are on TV.
ADDDDD: "Adult Male Deaf-Dumb-Drooling-Drunk Disorder" - flare ups usually occuring on weekends and holidays.
Sadly, there is no cure.
Treatments:
although nagging is helpful in early onset, the male becomes resistant and immune over time;
a sharp blow to the head will usually bring the male back to the present moment rather quickly. Talk quickly immediately after contact for best effect. If eyes glaze over, you've lost efficacy of communication;
Stroking of male ego in any way, shape or form can be applied for emergency situations, but is often an addicting remedy which can backfire on women when males seek overdose proportions.
SINCE THIS IS IN THE FISHING FORUM:
I caught a rainbow trout at Bass Pro Shops over the weekend out of the demonstration pool they had set up. It was crazy. Just a rod with line tied to the last eyelet that you side armed into the pool. Hooks were barbless and bait was corn. Kids wanted to give it a try, and I couldn't resist picking up one of the extra rods lying around. So desperate for fishing right now, that it was, I'm ashamed to say, almost fun.

And now I will turn this back over to icatchthefishes. My apologies for the hijacked thread.
W.