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"MARRIAGE" In The News
(May 2007)

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"Marriage In The News" is not a representation of The Real Proposal magazine...

The news articles and features presented below are simply an indication of how topical, controversial, and all-encompassing the issues surrounding marriage are throughout our society--and the world-- today. Some of the views and opinions expressed, and their respective web sites, do NOT reflect the views or opinions of The Real Proposal magazine. Many are highlighted largely to reiterate that the alarming statistical trends on the chaotic state of "Marriage" and "Family"--outlined in "A Mere Glimpse"--will continue unabated without a fundamental grasp and purposeful dissemination of TRUTH on the issues.

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eHarmony, the matchmaking site founded by evangelical Christian Dr. Neil Clark Warren, sued for excluding gays.
  • eHarmony sued for excluding gays
    Matchmaking site founded by evangelical Christian Dr. Neil Clark Warren
      REUTERS, By Jill Serjeant, May 31, 2007

    - The popular online dating service eHarmony was sued on Thursday for refusing to offer its services to gays, lesbians and bisexuals.  A lawsuit alleging discrimination based on sexual orientation was filed in Los Angeles Superior Court on behalf of Linda Carlson, who was denied access to eHarmony because she is gay.  Lawyers bringing the action said they believed it was the first lawsuit of its kind against eHarmony, which has long rankled the gay community with its failure to offer a “men seeking men” or “women seeking women” option. They were seeking to make it a class action lawsuit on behalf of gays and lesbians denied access to the dating service. eHarmony was founded in 2000 by evangelical Christian Dr. Neil Clark Warren and had strong early ties with the influential religious conservative group Focus on the Family. It has more than 12 million registered users, and heavy television advertising has made it one of the nation’s biggest Internet dating sites. .

    RELATED ARTICLE: 
    Gay couple barred from adoption site settle lawsuit  SAN FRANCISCO CHRONICLE, By Henry K. Lee, May 22, 2007


  • Book Review: Forbidden Fruit: Sex & Religion in the Lives of American Teenagers 
    Even Evangelical Teens Do It: How religious beliefs do, and don't, influence sexual behavior
      SLATE, By Hanna Rosin, May 30, 2007

    A 19-year-old virgin walks into a bar. He's got his lucky cross in his pocket and his best jersey on. Please God, he says to himself, let this be the night. He spies a girl sitting at a table--blonde, wholesome-looking, just his type. He sidles up closer to the girl, who is chatting with some friends. Over the din, he can make out snippets of her conversation: at Bible study the other night...Pastor Ted says...saving it for marriage. Discouraged, he walks away in search of a more promising target.  Did he make the correct decision? Or did he make a hasty judgment and miss a chance for a possible love connection? The answer to such a question can be found in Forbidden Fruit: Sex & Religion in the Lives of American Teenagers by Mark Regnerus, a professor of sociology at the University of Texas at Austin. The book is a serious work of sociology based on several comprehensive surveys of young adults, coupled with in-depth interviews. But it could also double as a guide for teenage boys on the prowl (who's easier, a Catholic girl or a Jew?) or for parents of teenage girls worrying about what will happen if their daughters keep skipping church. . . . Teenagers who identify as "evangelical" or "born again" are highly likely to sound like the girl at the bar; 80 percent think sex should be saved for marriage. But thinking is not the same as doing. . . .

RELATED ARTICLE:  Hormonographics: Red states, blue states, and sex before marriage  WEEKLY STANDARD, By W. Bradford Wilcox, May 28, 2007


Alpha vs. Beta Mums: Which side are you on?
  • Parenting Issues:  Alpha mums: The backlash The Daily Mail- UK, By Lauren Booth, May 30, 2007
    Battle lines are being drawn between mums who hothouse children - and the Beta mums who don't. So whose side are you on? . . . . A new Mummy War has broken out over the "best" way to bring up children - and it's causing a deep and rancorous gulf between two tribes of women who regard each other with disdain and dislike. But this time the battle for school gate superiority has less to do with whether or not women work full-time or stay at home, and everything to do with time management versus tree climbing. Step forward the Alpha and Beta mothers. The Alpha mother has reigned supreme for more than a decade. Held up as an aspirational role model for the rest of us, she never has a hair out of place and can be spotted tapping urgently into her Blackberry on the school run. This sort of woman treats parenthood as a project to be managed down to the last second. Fiercely organised, she's likely to be highpowered and well-educated. Aren't you feeling inferior already? But there's more to an Alpha mum than that. . . . But now, at last, there is a Beta backlash from the millions of mothers who cannot and will not see their children turned into little automatons with no aim in life but to strive relentlessly for as many accolades and achievements as possible. The battle has burst into life in the U.S. with the publication of a series of books aimed at persuading mothers that less is more when it comes to organising your family's lives. . .

RELATED ARTICLE: When Stay-at-home Moms Go Back to Work: Trying to Opt Back In: After decades of debating whether mothers should go back to work, now women are asking—can they?  Newsweek- MSNBC.com, By Eve Conant, May 28, 2007 Isssue 

RELATED ARTICLE:  More New Moms Stay Home Even If It Causes Financial Pain   Wall Street Journal, By Sue Shellenbarger, December 1, 2006

RELATED ARTICLE:  Desperate Feminist Wives: Why wanting equality makes women unhappy    Slate.com- By Meghan O'Rourke, Mar 6, 2006


Irene-Kinnair_Alan-Brogan: Orphanage friends find love after 45 years apart
  • Orphanage friends find love after 45 years apart  Daily Mail- UK, By PAUL SIMS, May 30, 2007
    From their first shy glances across the orphanage, Alan Brogan and Irene Kinnair knew they would be friends.
    But forced apart by the authorities, who feared a budding romance, it has taken them almost 45 years to find each other again. This time, though, there won't be any more enforced separations. They married earlier this month. A chance meeting in a city street three years ago finally began the romance that was nipped in the bud. "I know it sounds strange, but I just knew it was her. I could never forget that smile," said Mr Brogan, 54. "And she was exactly the same. "She said she knew it was me the minute she saw me standing in the street." . . . . Both went on to brief marriages but divorced many years ago. Miss Kinnair, in fact, used to look out for Mr Brogan every time she visited Whitby. He was however, living a few streets from her in Sunderland. So perhaps it was merely a matter of time before they met up again. When she recognised him in the city centre in March 2004, she didn't hesitate to call out. "It was crazy," she said. "Staring back at me was the little boy I used to know. "He just held me in his arms and I thought he was never going to let go. He told the friend I was with: 'I've loved this lady all my life'. . . . . .

  • Don't teach that marriage is best say academics The Evening Standard- This is London, May 30, 2007
    Academics are calling for teachers to be banned from promoting marriage in the classroom. They say homosexuality must be given equal status to stop the spread of "bigoted" attitudes in schools and university campuses. Current Government guidance on sex education says children must be taught "the importance of marriage for family life". Teachers are also permitted to voice their opposition to homosexuality if it stems from personal or religious conviction. This allows faith schools to teach that same- sex relationships are at odds with their religion. But members of the University and College Union - representing 120,000 lecturers - are calling for a change in the law to stop teachers telling children that marriage is superior to gay partnerships. . . The call is certain to infuriate religious groups. The Church of England is among faiths which lobbied the Government for gay rights laws to continue to allow Anglican schools to teach that the Bible forbids homosexuality. But Stephen Desmond, from Thames Valley University, told delegates: "We must never allow freedom of religion to be hijacked and used as a pretext to discriminate against gay and lesbian teenagers in schools." . . . .
Academics are calling for teachers to be banned from promoting marriage in the classroom

RELATED ARTICLE:  UK: Religious Schools May Not Teach Christian Sexual Morals "As if They Were Objectively True"  LifeSiteNews.com, By Hilary White, March 5, 2007

RELATED ARTICLE: 
Prominent scholars release "Ten Principles on Marriage and the Public Good" The Witherspoon Institute, June 9, 2006

RELATED ARTICLE:  The Meaning of Marriage (Part 2): Interview With Princeton's Robert George    Zenit News Agency- Italy, Mar 22, 2006

RELATED ARTICLE: 
The Meaning of Marriage (Part 1): Interview with Princeton's Robert George   Zenit News Agency- Italy, Mar 20, 2006


RELATED ARTICLE:  Love, Marriage, and the Baby Carriage: Revisiting the Channelling Function of Family Law  Social Science Research Network, By Linda C. McClain, Hofstra University School of Law, CARDOZO LAW REVIEW, Vol. 28, No. 101, 2007


  • Book Review: Forbidden Fruit: Sex & Religion in the Lives of American Teenagers
    Hormonographics: Red states, blue states, and sex before marriage
      WEEKLY STANDARD, By W. Bradford Wilcox, May 28, 2007
    Discussions and debates about teenage sex in America tend to generate more heat than light. Religious conservatives protest sex education programs that do not begin to influence our young people as much as the pornification of popular culture, even as secular progressives promote a Swedish-style model of adolescent "sexual health" that does not begin to reckon with the emotional import of teen sex, particularly for girls. Rarely do advocates on both sides of the issue--not to mention observers in the media--take a sober, honest look at what is really happening on the ground to our nation's teens in this domain of life.  Thankfully, Forbidden Fruit is that rare book that casts more light than heat. Indeed, Mark D. Regnerus's commitment to telling the truth about teenage sex in all of its gritty complexity leads him to a number of intriguing and surprising conclusions. In particular, his findings about religion, region, and sex are bound to surprise partisans, experts, and journalists alike. . . . Forbidden Fruit offers a number of sobering conclusions: The vast majority of teens engage in sex before they turn 20; most teens (including evangelicals from the South) who support virginity in theory don't manage to practice it in real life; and teenage sex seems to exact a serious emotional toll on a significant number of girls. . . .

  • Health Issues:  The Survivor Monologues: Life on the other side of (Cancer) diagnosis  New York magazine, May 28, 2007 Issue 
    Elizabeth Edwards. Tony Snow. Fred Thompson. The sudden commonplaceness of cancer in the political landscape—and the extent to which it is discussed as something to live with, rather than to succumb to—illustrates the degree to which our attitudes about cancer have changed in the past few years, helped along by a vast and growing medical armamentarium. Two decades ago, cancer was a sentence, with a period at the end. Now it’s rambling—discursive, ending uncertain. What follows are stories that attempt to convey the blunt reality of “living with cancer,” a phrase already ubiquitous and in danger of losing its specificity. No two cancers are alike; neither, as the following pages show, are the experiences of the diagnosed. . . .
New York Magazine: The Survivor Monologues: Life on the other side of a cancer diagnosis

RELATED ARTICLE:  A diagnosis of cancer is trying for any marriage  Boston Globe, By Judy Foreman, August 22, 2005


Marriage tips from 1913: The do's and don't's are mostly still very relevant
  • Don't dare sneer at your wife's cooking (and other marriage tips from 1913)  Daily Mail-UK, By SIMON CABLE, May 28, 2007
    They are words of wisdom for a happy marriage from nearly a century ago. Husbands hoping for a quiet life are told not to sneer at their spouse's cooking or leave things lying around the house, while wives are warned never to utter the sanctimonious words "I told you so". The advice comes from a set of guidebooks on marriage written on the eve of the First World War which are about to be republished and are predicted to shoot to the top of the bestseller list. The somewhat old-fashioned "Don'ts for Husbands and Wives", penned by Blanche Ebbutt in 1913, were first published at a time when women stayed at home while their husbands went out to work. Times have changed since then, but the advice could be considered as relevant today as ever. . . . .The guides are being reprinted by A&C Black as part of the publisher's bicentenary celebrations. And in them, Ebbutt also offers readers a glimpse of her own marital struggles in the preface to "Don'ts for Wives". "Art is a hard mistress," she explains. "And there is no art quite so hard as that of being a wife. . . .

  • When Stay-at-home Moms Go Back to Work: Trying to Opt Back In
    After decades of debating whether mothers should go back to work, now women are asking—can they?
      Newsweek- MSNBC.com, By Eve Conant, May 28, 2007 Isssue
    - Renee Blasko, 33, is at loose ends. "I have been having an extremely difficult time finding a job after being at home with my children the past six years. My particular dilemma is that I hold a college degree and have years of managerial experience." She e-mailed her concerns to Leslie Morgan Steiner, who on her Washington Post parenting blog had asked moms to e-mail her their stories about getting back to work. "I think I am in some sort of 'job limbo'—too qualified for an entry-level position, but not able to work full time at a management-level position either," Blasko added. With two kids, ages 5 and 3, Blaskois is trying for a part-time job—and failing. Another mother, Ann Brandewiede of Cincinnati, took 12 years off. She's now divorced and hitting the pavement: "I am having the worst time finding a job that is more than answering the phone or data entry. And they don't pay well enough to live on." . . . . It has been one of the most contested questions of the feminist movement of the 1970s and '80s—should mothers work? But now, on blogs, in op-eds and a host of new books out this spring, women are arguing about the next question—can mothers get back to work if they want to? The debate has shifted from opting out to opting back in. . . .
When stay-at-home moms go back to work: Trying to opt back in

RELATED ARTICLE:  More New Moms Stay Home Even If It Causes Financial Pain   Wall Street Journal, By Sue Shellenbarger, December 1, 2006

RELATED ARTICLE:  Desperate Feminist Wives: Why wanting equality makes women unhappy    Slate.com- By Meghan O'Rourke, Mar 6, 2006


America's best high schools- Why they are the best
  • Parenting Issues: America's Best High Schools: Why They Are the Best
    How we developed our own unique method for ranking America's top schools
      Newsweek- MSNBC.com, By Jay Mathews, May 28, 2007 Issue

    - NEWSWEEK's list of America's best high schools, this year with a record 1,258 names, began as a tale of just two schools. They were Garfield High School, full of children of Hispanic immigrants in East Los Angeles, and Mamaroneck High School, a much smaller campus serving very affluent families in Westchester County, N.Y. I had written a book about Garfield, and the success of its teachers like Jaime Escalante in giving low-income students the encouragement and extra time they needed to master college-level Advanced Placement courses and tests. . I was finishing a book about Mamaroneck, and was stunned to find it was barring from AP many middle-class students who were much better prepared for those classes than the impoverished students who were welcomed into AP at Garfield. That turns out to be the rule in most U.S. schools—average students are considered not ready for, or not deserving of, AP, even though many studies show that they need the challenge and that success in AP can lead to success in college. . . .

RELATED ARTICLE:   The Top of the Class: The complete list of the 1,200 top U.S. schools  Newsweek-MSNBC.com, May 28, 2007 Issue

RELATED ARTICLE:  How to Fix No Child Left Behind  Time magazine, By Claudia Wallis, Sonja Steptoe, May 24, 2007

RELATED ARTICLE:  Young, Gifted, and Not Getting Into Harvard  New York Times, By Michael Winerip, April 29, 2007


  • Home wrecker or harmless fun?  The Daily Journal, By Antonio Young, May 26, 2007
    Jennifer will never forget the sunny Sunday afternoon in 1987 when she walked in on her husband looking at pornography. She had just finished making lunch, and walked downstairs to tell him to come up and eat. But what she walked in on made her stomach churn. She opened the door and found him with an open magazine, masturbating. "I walked out instantly. I was so angry," said Jennifer, 50. When she later confronted her husband, he turned it around on her. "He said, 'You're lucky I'm not having an affair' -- that I did everything to push him away," said Jennifer, who spoke on the condition of anonymity. Jennifer admits her marriage had been on the rocks for years, and the couple had sought counseling prior to the incident. But more trouble to her than her husband's controlling nature was his penchance for pornography. . . . Healthy or harmful?  For years, relationship experts and sex counselors have tried to determine the impact that X-rated materials have on relationships. Supporters of porn widely believe that it can add "variety and spice" to love lives. Others, like Jennifer, claim that when a partner watches erotica, it is damaging and should be viewed as cheating. So far, research mostly supports the latter opinion. . . . .
Porn: Home wrecker or harmless fun?

RELATED ARTICLE:  Austrailia: Record numbers visiting porn sites  Brisbane Times- Austrailia, By Adele Horin, May 26, 2007

RELATED ARTICLE:  How porn is wrecking relationships  Sydney Morning Herald, By Adele Horin, May 26 2007

RELATED ARTICLE:
 
The Girls Next Door are anything but reality!  Crosswalk.com, By David Burchett, May 21, 2007

RELATED ARTICLE:  Porn in the pews - Churchmen wrestle with addiction The Jamaica Gleaner, By Dale McNish, November 25, 2006

RELATED ARTICLE: 
Bottling Up Smut-- Cleaning Up the Public Square   Breakpoint.org- By Chuck Colson, June 27, 2005

RELATED ARTICLE:  The Porn Factor  TIME magazine, By Pamela Paul, January 11, 2004


  • Parenting Issues:  Pregnancy Schools  Townhall.com, By Mona Charen, May 25, 2007
    "Schools for Pregnant Girls, Relic of 1960s New York, Will Close." So announced a front-page headline in The New York Times. Well, if it's a relic, obviously it must be bad, right?  Right, says the Times. "Created in the 1960s, when pregnant girls were such pariahs that they were forced to leave school until their babies were born, the city school system's four pregnancy schools . . . have lived on . . ." Until now. They will close at the end of the school year "in recognition of their failure." The Times paints a grim picture of these schools, virtual warehouses where pregnant teens are given busy work like sewing quilts instead of studying the Pythagorean theorem or biology. "It's a separate but unequal program," says Cami Anderson, superintendent in charge of the pregnancy schools, which cost taxpayers $33,670 per pupil per year. There it is, in paragraph seven, the inevitable civil rights reference -- the most overused and misused comparison in American life. "Separate but equal" was delegitimized because it made invidious distinctions based upon nothing more than skin tone. But not every distinction is unlawful or even unfair. Schools used to separate pregnant girls from their classmates because it was deemed unseemly to have a pregnant high school student in the regular classroom. These days, we've largely removed the stigma. Which system was better? . . . .

    RELATED ARTICLE:  New York's Schools for Pregnant Girls Will Close  New York Times, By Julie Bosman, May 24, 2007

Here are two little words that need to be reintroduced to folks of every race: HOME TRAINING
  • Parenting Issues:  Here are Two Little Words That Need to Be Reintroduced to Folks of Every Race: Home Training  BlackAmericaWeb, By Gregory Kane, May 24, 2007
    It isn’t about race; it’s about “home training.”  I suspect any black person over the age of 40 is familiar with the phrase “home training.” Or, to be more specific, “no home training.” Black kids would say it all the time when I was growing up: Whenever somebody cut the fool, acted up or gave a display of inappropriate conduct, we’d look at that person, shake our heads and come to one conclusion. “No home training,” we’d say. Elizabeth Kandrac, a white teacher who taught at a predominantly black middle school in South Carolina several years ago, found out the hard way why a lot of American teachers of all races don’t want to teach in middle schools: Too many students who don’t seem to have any home training. Kandrac has been in the news lately. A federal judge ruled that school officials in the Charleston County school district created a racially hostile work environment for her by not disciplining the black students who assaulted her, cursed her and called her racial epithets. Conservative Web sites and bloggers had a field day with the news, of course. Kathleen Parker, a syndicated columnist, felt Kandrac’s saga was all about race. . .


RELATED ARTICLE:  The Black and White of 'Ho' Culture  Townhall.com, By Kathleen Parker, May 16, 2007

RELATED ARTICLE:  Parenting Issues: Reviving middle-class values  Townhall.com, By Suzanne Fields, July 28, 2005


  • Readers respond to hand in marriage question: What did you think about it?  MSNBC, By Gail Saltz, May 24, 2007
    Dr. Gail Saltz shares letters she received. . . .   My column, “Is asking for her hand in marriage outdated?” drew so many interesting letters that I would like to share some here. . . . From Jane in Illinois: I disagree that nobody believes that a future husband must ask the bride's father for her hand in marriage. Some of us still believe in tradition, and the fact that my husband asked my father without my prompting made me even more sure he was the right guy for me. You may be speaking for some when you say nobody believes in asking for a hand in marriage, but you don't speak for all!. . . From Kristin in New York: I strongly disagree with your response. There are some fathers who see this tradition as their one contribution as a father, and therefore treasure the chance to honor their daughters’ union by keeping this secret. I think you did this mother a disservice by not offering alternative viewpoints such as this one. . . .
Is asking a girl's parents for her hand in marriage outdated?

RELATED ARTICLE:  Q & A: Is asking for her hand in marriage outdated?  MSNBC, By Dr. Gail Saltz, May 3, 2007


Vice President Dick Cheney, and wife, Lynne Cheney, holding their sixth grandchild Samuel David Cheney, Wednesday, May 23, 2007 in Washington. He was born to the Cheney's daughter Mary, and her partner, Heather Poe
  • Baby Cheney, Weighed on Political Scale, Too  Washington Post, By Amy Argetsinger and Roxanne Roberts, May 24, 2007
    Mary Cheney gave birth yesterday to perhaps the most anticipated baby in contemporary U.S. politics -- her first child, Samuel David Cheney, whom she will raise with her longtime partner, Heather Poe. The 8-pound 6-ounce boy is the sixth grandchild for Dick Cheney. The vice president and his wife, Lynne, both beaming, posed for a photo with him just hours after his 9:46 a.m. birth at Washington's Sibley Hospital. And that, it seems, will be that for now in terms of public comment from the family about the baby, who launched a lively debate when Cheney, 38, first discussed her pregnancy in December. . . . At an N.Y.C. forum sponsored by Glamour magazine last winter, Mary Cheney responded to questions, saying: "This is a baby. This is a blessing from God. It is not a political statement. It is not a prop to be used in a debate by people on either side of an issue. It is my child." But she also went on to declare that "every piece of remotely responsible research" had demonstrated "no difference between children who are raised by same-sex parents and children raised by opposite-sex parents.". . . .

RELATED ARTICLE:  Mary Cheney’s pregnancy is, indeed, political  PopMatters, By Andrea Lewis-Progressive Media Project, February 11, 2007

RELATED ARTICLE:  Mary Cheney makes big news at Glamour’s event  Glamour magazine, February 2007

RELATED ARTICLE:  Mary Cheney defends same-sex parenthood: Vice president's lesbian daughter says baby not 'prop'  San Francisco Chronicle, By Katharine Q. Seelye- New York Times, February 2, 2007

RELATED ARTICLE: 
Who's Your Daddy? My Father Was an Anonymous Sperm Donor  The Washington Post, By Katrina Clark, December 17, 2006

RELATED ARTICLE: Two Mommies Is One Too Many. Mary Cheney is starting a family. Let's hope she doesn't start a trend   Time magazine, By JAMES C. DOBSON, December 10, 2006

RELATED ARTICLE:  It's a Cheney! Reality Is a Blessed Event   The Washington Post, By Ruth Marcus, December 8, 2006

RELATED ARTICLE:  The Revolution in Parenthood: The Emerging Global Clash Between Adult Rights and Children's Needs   AmericanValues.org


  • New York Assembly Considers Legalizing Gay “Marriage”  LifesiteNews, May 24, 2007
    – The New York State Assembly will soon consider a bill that would legalize same-sex “marriage” in the Empire State. The state legislature has seen such bills for 5 years now. This time, however, backed by Democratic Gov. Eliot Spitzer and a record number of 53 cosponsors in the Assembly, homosexual activists have never been closer to imposing same-sex “marriage” on the state. Daniel O'Donnell, one of three openly homosexual lawmakers in the Assembly, introduced Gov. Spitzer's same-sex “marriage” bill in the chamber Monday. The proposed law would change standing marriage laws by removing gender from the legal definition of marriage and make denying a marriage license to homosexual couples illegal. Sources say Assemblyman O’Donnell hopes for a vote on the governor’s bill in the next few weeks, although he will not push for a vote until he is confident the measure has a chance of success. Spitzer’s bill needs 76 votes to pass in the Democrat-controlled Assembly. That cuts it close for pro-marriage advocates, since 69 members indicate some support for same-sex “marriage” while 48 remain undecided and 33 are opposed, according to a legislative scorecard kept by the Empire State Pride Agenda. . . . .
New York Assembly considers legalizing gay 'marriage'

RELATED ARTICLE:  Defining marriage  Washington Times, By Cheryl Wetzstein, May 10, 2007

RELATED ARTICLE:  Gay-Wed Bid Splits NY Dems  NEW YORK POST, By Fredric U. Dicker, May 7, 2007

RELATED ARTICLE:  The Meaning of Marriage (Part 2): Interview With Princeton's Robert George    Zenit News Agency- Italy, Mar 22, 2006

RELATED ARTICLE: 
The Meaning of Marriage (Part 1): Interview with Princeton's Robert George   Zenit News Agency- Italy, Mar 20, 2006


  • Marriage showdown looms in Massachusetts  Bay Area Reporter, By Lisa Keen, May 24, 2007
    Massachusetts is just three weeks away from a critical showdown over marriage in its state legislature. On June 14, the state Senate and House will meet to take a second and final vote on whether to put on the November 2008 ballot a constitutional ban on same-sex marriage. Opponents of equal marriage rights for gay couples need just 50 votes – 25 percent of the legislature's 200 votes – to succeed. In January, following a surprise decision by the Senate president to vote on the measure, they got 62. But there's a new Senate president, a new Democratic governor, and fewer. Depending on who's talking and when, gay activists say they have changed the minds of between five and 10 of the 13 legislators they need to change their votes to vote "no" this time around. Supporters of the constitutional ban swear they have a rock solid 53 votes in favor. . . . .

Which one is too easy- Marriage, or Divorce?
  • A Helping Hand: Which One is Too Easy - Marriage or Divorce?  Blogcritics, By Diana Hartman, May 22, 2007
    The state of families in America today has me concerned about the future. Is divorce just too easy or is it that marriage is too easy?  The only people who think divorce is easy have never been divorced. The process itself can take anywhere from 24 hours to many years. Even then, it isn't the process that's particularly difficult - it's the aftermath. An 18-month waiting time for a marriage license is a good idea, and doing away with common law marriage is one step better. Studies of human biology back this up as it takes an average of 18 months from the time a (heterosexual and fertile) couple meets until they bring a child into the world. For many, it is at this point that the marriage/relationship begins to break down - not because a child has entered the picture, but because the attraction that brought them together in the first place has cooled. . . .

    RELATED ARTICLE:   The return of marriage  The Sunday Times- UK, January 14, 2007

    RELATED ARTICLE:  Mr and Mrs: the marriage report  The Sunday Times- UK, By Deirdre Fernand, January 14, 2007
     
    TO SEE RELATED SURVEY RESULTS:
    Click here


  • Depression risk higher for divorced men: Statistics Canada  CBC- Canada, May 22, 2007
    When a man's marriage breaks down, he may be at higher risk of depression than people who remain together and women who divorce or separate, Statistics Canada reported Tuesday. The study looked at the link between marriages that break down in separation or divorce and their effects on emotional health, using data from the National Population Health Survey. Overall, when a couple's marriage or common-law relationship ended, depression occurred in about 12 per cent of cases, compared with three per cent among people who remained in a relationship, two years after participants were first interviewed in 1994-1995. Men aged 20 to 64 who had divorced or separated were six times more likely to report an episode of depression than were men who remained married. The comparable depression figure for women left alone after broken marriages was 3.5 times more likely. . . . Considering that nearly 71,000 married couples divorced and thousands more separated in 2003 and the link between divorce and mental health problems, "these findings are relevant to population health," the study concluded. . . .

RELATED STUDY REPORT:  Marital breakdown and subsequent depression  Statistics Canada, By Michelle Rotermann, May 22, 2007

RELATED ARTICLE:  In Depth: Depression: An illness, not a weakness   CBC- Canada, January 12, 2007

RELATED ARTICLE:  In depth: Marriage: Marriage by the numbers  CBC- Canada, March 9, 2005

RELATED ARTICLE:  Fewer Canadian marriages end in divorce  CBC- Canada, May 4, 2004

RELATED ARTICLE: Splitting Up: Canadians Get Divorced   CBC- Canada


  • 'Bachelor' Andy Baldwin proposes to Tessa Horst, rejects Bevin Powers  RealityWorld, By Christopher Rocchio, May 22, 2007
    Tessa Horst, a 26-year-old San Francisco social worker, accepted the final rose --  and a marriage proposal -- from U.S. Navy Lieutenant Andy Baldwin during the final Rose Ceremony at the conclusion of last night's finale of ABC's The Bachelor: Officer and a Gentleman.  Baldwin's proposal to Horst and her acceptance of it marked the first time in four seasons and only the second in its last seven editions that The Bachelor ended with its bachelor proposing to his final bachelorette. . . . .

    RELATED SITE: 
    The Bachelor: An Officer and a Gentleman  ABC TV- Shows
And the final rose goes to Tessa!

RELATED ARTICLE:  The Bachelor: One Of the Bachelorettes Says She's the Winner  Buddy TV, May 12, 2007

RELATED ARTICLE: 
Navy doc goes from magazine cutie to TV’s latest ‘Bachelor'  Marine Corp Times, By Mike Hughes, March 29, 2007


  • ABC to premiere new 'Ex-Wives Club' reality series on May 28  RealityWorld, By Christopher Rocchio, May 21, 2007
    ABC has announced that it will premiere Ex-Wives Club, a new reality series that will help recent divorcees rid themselves of everything reminiscent of their former significant other in an effort to move forward with their lives, on Monday, May 28 at 9PM ET/PT. Each one-hour episode of Ex-Wives Club will feature one man and one woman, with the only commonality being that each recently went through a difficult divorce, although not from one another. . . . .The five-episode series is hosted by three women who, according to ABC, "know all about breaking up" --   Angie Everhart, Shar Jackson and Marla Maples. Everhart, a model and actress, is no stranger reality TV.  In addition to participating in the second season of TBS' The Real Gilligan's Island reality show, Everhart, the former wife of Ashley Hamilton, also served as the secret saboteur of ABC's Celebrity Mole Yucatan.  Jackson, an actress who is also working on her debut solo album, is the former Mrs. Kevin Federline.  Maples is the former wife of The Apprentice star Donald Trump. . . .

    RELATED ARTICLE: 
    The nightmare of marrying a man with a bitter ex wife: Join The Second Wives Club  The Daily Mail- UK, By DIANA APPLEYARD, May 11, 2007

'The Girls Next Door' are anything but reality!  Pictured from left: Hugh Hefner, Kendra, Holly, and Bridget
  • The Girls Next Door are anything but reality!  Crosswalk.com, By David Burchett, May 21, 2007
    . . .  I rarely open the regret lock-box these days. But a recent news story about a reality TV show on the E! Network sent me there. The show is called the Girls Next Door and the premise is to look inside life at the Playboy mansion. Another sign of the apocalypse is that this is the third season of this show. I was blissfully unaware of the show until just recently. Here is why I opened the regret box. I am unlocking a personal regret to plead with any young man who might read this to not get hooked by the “playboy” lure. I did. I regret that. I used to read (?) the magazine on a regular basis when I was single. It is easy to rationalize that Playboy is “classier” than other men’s magazines. . . . Playboy may not be as graphic as other magazines. But it is just as insidious in creating an unrealistic expectation for men. Reality is not perfect bodies and insatiable sexual appetites. I wrote an article defending Baylor University for not allowing students to pose in the magazine. Here is a snippet of that post.

    I have “read” the magazine. I do know why men read the magazine. Incredibly, it is not for the articles! Any many who tries to rationalize that is disingenous at best and a liar at worst. . . .

RELATED ARTICLE:  Not-so-naked truth: Indonesian Playboy's lingerie-clad freedom fighters strike a blow for T&A over Muslim hard-liners  Chicago Sun Times, BY ANDREW HERRMANN AND RUMMANA HUSSAIN, April 6, 2007

RELATED ARTICLE: 
Husbands and Wife   CBS4.com,  By  Ileana Varela  November 15, 2006

RELATED ARTICLE:  Polyamory: A Twist On Polygamy  KUTV.com- Salt Lake City, Mark Koelbel reporting, April 30, 2006

RELATED ARTICLE:  Pandora and Polygamy  The Washington Post- By Charles Krauthammer, March 17, 2006

RELATED ARTICLE:  Fanatical Swedish Feminists   National Review Online, By Stanley Kurtz, February 22, 2006

RELATED ARTICLE:  The New Monogamy: Until death do us part—except every other Friday  New York magazine, By Em & Lo, 2005


  • USA's new 'Starter Wife' pokes fun at Hollywood divorce  Jackson Clarion Ledger, MS, By Mike Hughes, May 19, 2007
    It's time now for Hollywood to do what it's good at - making fun of itself. That's The Starter Wife, a six-hour cable miniseries. Alongside the beauty and glamour are layers of satire. Deborah Messing, who stars, says that's what drew her to the script about a woman who marries a Hollywood insider, only to be dumped and suddenly find herself on the outside looking in. "The comedy was subversive, a little perverse, a little mocking of the Hollywood culture." That can be expected when adapting a Gigi Levangie Grazer novel. . . . Co-starring is Joe Mantegna, a Chicago guy who says he stays distant from the Hollywood life. "Starter and 'trophy' (wife) were never (words) I used," Mantegna says "I've been on my starter wife for 32 years." . . . .
'The Starter Wife' pokes fun at Hollywood divorce- It debuts on the USA Network May 31, 2007 9/8 C

RELATED ARTICLE:  USA shows love for 'Wife'    Variety magazine, By John Dempsey, May 7, 2007

RELATED ARTICLE:  Questions Couples Should Ask (Or Wish They Had) Before Marrying  The New York Times (Free Online Subscription), December 17, 2006

RELATED ARTICLE:  Marriage Is Not Built on Surprises  The New York Times (Free Online Subscription), By Eric V. Copage, December 17, 2006

RELATED ARTICLE:  Postnuptial depression: from white to blue  The Independent- UK, By Maxine Frith, August 29, 2006

RELATED ARTICLE:  For 'better' marriage, deal with its 'worse' Arizona Republic- AZ, By Lauri Githens, Aug 10, 2005


Signs he'll be good in bed, wow your folks and more
  • Signs He'll Be Good in Bed, Wow Your Folks and More!  ivillage, By Sherry Amatenstein
    . . . . You don't need to read tea leaves or see a psychic to gauge whether Mr. Looks Promising is a dream come true. According to author Howard Schiffer (HeartfulLoving.com), first impressions offer ample information. "If you're watching for the signs, you'll find out a lot right away. Will he be a good kisser or should you give him the kiss-off? All you need to do is pay attention." Your gut always knows which way to go -- it's ignoring the truth you feel deep down that can get you into trouble. . . . Body Language Leads: He may say one thing, but if his eyes or actions say another, don't disregard that disconnect. Laurie Bernstein, a 28-year-old physical therapist from New York City offers a cautionary tale. . . . Want more eye-opening truths to help you discern whether a new guy is worth your while? Caroline Presno, psychotherapist and author of Profiling Your Date: A Smart Woman's Guide to Evaluating a Man, says, "When he talks about his history, can he meet your eyes? If not, he might be lying. And be wary if he smiles with his lips and not with his eyes," . . . .

RELATED ARTICLE:  Body Language: 10 Celeb Couples Decoded  ivillage, By Tracey Cox


RELATED ARTICLE:  Why Guys Lose Interest: What's behind "Now you see him, now you don't"?    ivillage.com By  Daylle Deanna Schwartz

RELATED ARTICLE:  The 3 most common female sex problems...And fast fixes for them all   ivillage.com, By Tracey Cox

RELATED ARTICLE: SEXUAL HEALING: Scots experts say sex is good for stress but that's not all folks...  Glasgow Daily Record, UK - By Brian McIver, Jan 27, 2006

RELATED ARTICLE:  Spicing it up   TIME magazine, By Joel Stein, January 12, 2004


  • Do men cheat for the thrill? Or the sex?
    If your partner has an affair, that doesn’t mean the end of your relationship
     
    MSNBC.com, Dr. Gail Saltz, May 15, 2007

    When men have affairs, they tend to be motivated by sex — new sex, more sex, different sex. Women cheat for many reasons: companionship, romance, more security, and, of course, sex. But are men’s motivations really that simple? No. Even for men, cheating is far more complex. Studies show most men who cheat want to experiment sexually and experience the rush associated with “new sex.” This is their way of prolonging indefinitely the early and intoxicating phase of infatuation in a relationship. But men also have affairs to either avoid intimacy, recover their lost youth, or escape an unhappy marriage. . . Adultery need not be the end of a marriage, though it certainly is one heck of a wake up call. If you are contemplating an affair, then there is no question you will be SORRY! Affairs hurt everyone, including you. You cannot keep both women, so you will be distressed at some point. Don’t leave yourself in susceptible situations, such as when alcohol is involved. How to save your marriage: . . . . For the cheater:  . . . For the betrayed: . . . . Women can be cheaters too. Men have not cornered the market when it comes to philandering. Women tend to be motivated to cheat by more emotional factors than men. . .
Do men cheat for the thrill? Or sex?


  • Dr. Phil Was Once My Guilty Pleasure, But He's Lost Me and His Moral Ground   AlterNet, By Elaine Corden, The Tyee, May 15, 2007.
    If there is any guilty pleasure more delightfully mundane than the double-dip of playing hooky from work and taking in an afternoon episode of Dr. Phil, I have yet to discover it. Truly, the man is all things too all people -- broad shouldered and overtly manly, charmingly southern yet somehow affably patrician, shockingly blunt yet delightfully helpful. Yes, the "tell-it-like-it-is," "get real" Doc is my favourite talking head, dropped in our living rooms by the golden talons of Oprah herself, his ring of receding hair a crown signifying both wisdom and omnipotence. . . . It would seem this doctor who earned a nation's trust with honesty and pragmatism has waded hip-deep into the mire of exploitation, and has become, in some ways, a symbol of the entire authoritative structure of Dubya-era America -- laying claim to righteousness without any demonstrated authority to do so. . . . . 

If This Were an Anti-War Rally, You’d Know About it: 1.5 Million Italians Rally against Homosexual 'Civil Unions'
  • 1.5 Million Italians Turn Out in Massive Rome Protest Against Homosexual Civil Unions- Organizers Were Expecting Only 100,000  Lifesite News, By Gudrun Schultz, LifeSiteNews.com, May 14, 2007
     - Italians from across the country poured into Rome May 12 to join in a demonstration against a law that would give legal recognition to homosexual couples--reports showed up to 1.7 million people overflowed the St. John Lateran piazza. Organizers initially expected to draw about 100,000. The proposed legislation would give homosexual couples--and unmarried heterosexual couples--similar rights to those of married couples, stopping just short of legalizing homosexual marriage. . . . . "The importance of this event is not merely that when left to their own devices the Italian people will support traditional values in great numbers, giving the lie to the script presented by the intellectuals in the press. It also means in concrete terms that the traditional values laity can organize and achieve results.""The success of "Family Day" also highlights a now deeply entrenched trend not only in Italy, but in the West: the marginalization of the Church from the public square," Fr. Zuhlsdorf said. "Nearly everywhere the Church's is being denied its right to speak freely. Committed Catholic and other religious politicians and public figures and are pressured never to make reference to their religious convictions. The constant mantra is that religion should be a purely private matter than has no influence on public policy. Be religious, fine. But you may never act outwardly on your interior opinions.". .

Twisted: Joey Buttafuoco with his ex-wife Mary Jo, before she was shot in the face, and (inset) Amy Fisher are back together.
  • GRRR! Joey Buttafuoco and Amy Fisher's Reality Show  FOX NEWS, By Mike Straka, May 14, 2007
    It's like deja vu all over again.  The world's first reality TV couple, "Long Island Lolita" Amy Fisher and the seriously questionable object of her desire, Joey Buttafuoco, captivated America with their sordid tale of statutory rape and attempted murder in the early 1990s.  It was "Blind Date" (teenage Amy meets middle-age Joey) meets "The Bachelor" (Joey promises to love her forever) meets "Survivor" (Joey's wife Mary Jo lives after being shot in the face by Amy).  Talk about a match made in hell. . . . .  I can't even believe I'm writing a column about these two losers. No, Amy Fisher and Joey Buttafuoco will not have their own reality show. Britney Spears and Kevin Federline's didn't survive a full season; I can't imagine this one would go beyond the pilot episode. Besides, what with so many shock-and-awe type shows already come and gone, like "Jackass," "Fear Factor" and countless others, even shooting each other in the face on their third date won't do anything to boost the ratings on this dud. There's nothing left to shock us. . . .


RELATED ARTICLE:  GRRR! Buttafuoco-Fisher Producer Another Hollywood Role Model  FOX NEWS,  By Mike Straka, May 21, 2007

RELATED ARTICLE:  Fisher and Buttafuoco dating  The Daily Telegraph, May 21, 2007

RELATED ARTICLE & PHOTOS:  Joey and Amy Get Mushy. Talk of Marriage & Giggle: 'WE'RE FUN!'  NY Post, By Cathy Burke, May 20, 2007

RELATED ARTICLE & PHOTOS:  KI$$ OFF, JOEY. LECHER LOOKING TO CASH IN: MARY JO  NY Post, By Chuck Bennett, May 18, 2007

RELATED ARTICLE: 
Amy & Joey Set Date For Love: Will Wine & Dine in Tryst Overlooking Central Park  NY Post, By James Fanelli and David K. Li, May 13, 2007

RELATED ARTICLE:  I'd Do Anything for You, or to You:They Clicked, Then She Snapped  Washington Post, By Jennifer Frey, February 13, 2007

RELATED ARTICLE:  Marriage problem? Yes, but it's not same-sex unions  The Hook, By John W. Whitehead (Rutherford Institute), June 22, 2006

RELATED ARTICLE:  Face it: Marriage is in trouble  Townhall.com- By Mike Gallagher, June 2, 2006

RELATED ARTICLE:  Mary Kay's crime pays   Townhall.com, By Brent Bozell, May  27, 2006


  • Unwed births for cohabiting couples on the rise Washington Times, By Cheryl Wetzstein, May 14, 2007
    The number of children born to parents who are unmarried but cohabiting is at a record level, says a study released today by a nonprofit research group. About one-third of all U.S. births in 2001 were out of wedlock, Child Trends researchers said in their new paper. Upon closer examination of National Center for Education Statistics data on more than 10,000 children and their parents, researchers found that more than half the children who were born outside marriage had both parents in the home. This marks a significant change in childbearing patterns: In the early 1980s, only about 30 percent of unwed births were to cohabiting couples. In the early 1990s, this jumped to about 40 percent, and in 2001, it reached 52 percent. .  . . ."The good news," said Jennifer Manlove, one of the authors of the Child Trends paper, is that more than half of children born to unwed parents are starting their lives with both of their biological parents. This also means that, in general, these children are better off economically than children born into single-mother households, she noted.  "The bad news," she said, is that these children still face greater risks for poverty, poor health and problems in school than children in married-couple households. "Also, cohabiting relationships have high rates of dissolution, and if that happens, the children can be hurt, both emotionally and financially." . . . .
Unwed births for cohabiting couples on the rise


  • MARRIAGE PROPOSALS: All For The Child  NY Post, By Eve Tushnet, May 13, 2007
    . . . . QUESTION: But when people get married, they don't say, "I want to bridge the male-female divide." They talk about falling in love, which isn't unique to heterosexual couples. ANSWER.: Sure, the individual, subjective view is different from "why do we have this institution in the first place, and why do laws take notice of it?" To some degree, also, our society has already accepted the definition of marriage that the proponents of gay marriage would have us accept. In 1943, Dietrich Bonhoeffer wrote to an engaged couple: "From this day on, it won't be your love that keeps your marriage alive. It will be the marriage that keeps your love alive." The vow shapes the couple, the vow creates the couple; the couple doesn't create the vow. Today, we have so drifted away from this understanding that younger people have no idea what that even means. And this has all been done by heterosexuals. So gay people say, "Look, the heterosexual supermajority has already redefined marriage; we just want to play by the same rules." But I don't accept that marriage is dead and all we can do is allow equal access to the rubble. . . .  . Q: How should we approach use of third parties in procreation - surrogates and donors?. . . .  Q: What are people doing to shore up marriage? . . . . Q: What is the most troubling development? . . . .

    RELATED ARTICLE:
      Defining marriage  Washington Times, By Cheryl Wetzstein, May 10, 2007

  • While We Women Rail Against Disrespect, Let’s Not Forgot the Many Good Men Out There  BlackAmericaWeb.com, By Deborah Mathis, May 13, 2007
    At a time when we are focused on the degrading, abusive language waged against black girls and women -- hopefully with a renewed commitment to scuttle the stuff -- this may be a good time to remember the many men who have treated our women with unfailing respect. My father was one.  My son is another.  My daughters’ boyfriends and my own love are examples too. But my former father-in-law was in a league of his own. Six decades ago, he wrapped himself around a young girl named Alma who was left afraid and lonely when her mother died and he promised to never let go. . . . .When Alma got sick a few years ago, Bill Sr. became her nursemaid even though his own health was declining.  It got so bad that Alma could only leave the house for dialysis treatments and, on rare occasion, a light dinner out.  Most of her days were spent either in bed or a big overstuffed chair, listening to classical music -- cherished by a minimally educated woman who proved that, for some, class is natural, not acquired. “I told her if she never got out of that chair, she was still my queen,” Bill Sr. told me the other day. .
While we women rail against disrespect, let's not forget the many good men out there

Andy Baldwin_ ABC's 'Bachelor: An Officer and a Gentleman'
  • The Bachelor: One Of the Bachelorettes Says She's the Winner  Buddy TV, May 12, 2007
    Now that The Bachelor: An Officer and a Gentleman is down to just three bachelorettes, Bevin Powers, Tessa Horst, and Danielle Imwalle, tabloid newspapers and spoiler websites are reporting that one of the remaining women has let slip that she’s the winner of the show and received not only the final rose but a marriage proposal from Andy Baldwin. Want to know who it was? Read on! According to the rather dubious sources, it’s Tessa. A New York Post “Page Six” article claims that bachelorette Tessa Horst “had a few drinks the other night and spilled the beans to a Page Six spy,” saying that she received the final rose on this season of The Bachelor. The Post article also claims that Andy proposed in the final episode (as Andy and reps from the show have been saying for some time) but that she turned down his marriage proposal, although they were “still very much together.”. . . .
Bevin Powers
Tessa Horst

  • Robert Downey Jr: My marriage saved my life
    New love put a stop to drug-fuelled antics
      Now magazine- UK, May 12, 2007
    Troubled actor Robert Downey Jr reckons that second wife Susan is responsible for turning his life around.
    'I was lucky, I found someone who was much smarter than me,' he tells Live magazine. 'I like the way marriage has changed me. It's helped me grow up. 'Doesn't mean I've checked my nuts in at the door, but it's made me more formidable.' Robert, 42, married film producer Susan Levin, in 2005 and turned his back on an extremely 'crazy' and colourful past. In 1996 he was arrested for driving his Porsche down LA's Sunset Strip completely naked while throwing 'imaginary rats' out the window. . . .

    RELATED ARTICLE:  Downey Jr marries film producer  BBC News, UK, August 30, 2005

    RELATED ARTICLE: Robert Downey Jr. Marries Girlfriend  People Magazine, By Katy Hall, AUGUST 27, 2005
Robert Downey Jr. : My marriage to Susan Levine saved my life

Socialite Paris Hilton arrives for her probation-violation hearing at the Metropolitan courthouse in Los Angeles on Friday, May 4, 2007 with her parents Kathy Hilton, left and Rick Hilton, right.
  • Parenting Issues:  Celebrity Media, Heal Thyself  Townhall.com, By Brent Bozell III, May 11, 2007
    Anyone whose remote control wandered past an ABC, CBS or NBC morning "news" show on May 5 probably found the "news" hounds barking enthusiastically over this supposed "news" scoop: Paris Hilton was sentenced to Los Angeles County jail for 45 days. She violated parole after repeated episodes of reckless driving. This was news of national concern. The morning anchors interviewed legal experts and professional Hollywood celebrity-stalkers to lament this heiress being brought low, complete with bad jokes about the jail being a "one-star Hilton." But they all wondered out loud: Who is to blame for this human train wreck? Paris, being the thoughtless egotist that she is, blamed her publicist for telling her she could drive to work. That's baloney. You don't assign the "help" to read your legal documents for you. Some blame the mother for botching the upbringing. No one's denying that Mama Hilton is a disgraceful figure in her own right, but that's still baloney. Paris is 26 years old and perfectly capable of messing up her own life. . . . The media won't stop, and neither will Paris Hilton. Just watch. She'll want to play this sordid game until she's the next Anna Nicole Smith. . . .

RELATED ARTICLE:  Jail bad? It’s just another way to get publicity.  It will boost Paris’ cred; there are a few more stars who could benefit  MSNBC.com, By Michael Ventre, June 4, 2007

RELATED ARTICLE: 
If My Parents had Raised Paris Hilton  National Ledger, By Alan Burkhart, May 11, 2007

RELATED ARTICLE: 
Prosecutors’ Motion To Revoke Paris Hilton’s Probation: People of the State of Calif. v. Paris Whitney Hilton   FindLaw.com, April 30, 2007 

RELATED ARTICLE:  I (don't) want to be a Hilton   Townhall.com, By Kathleen Parker, June 1, 2005


  • The nightmare of marrying a man with a bitter ex wife: Join The Second Wives Club  The Daily Mail- UK, By DIANA APPLEYARD, May 11, 2007
    Blackmail and poison pen letters. As a new book reveals the nightmare of marrying a man with a bitter ex-wife, three women describe the hell of joining The Second Wives Club. . . . Sandra James had every reason to feel happy and contented when an envelope arrived through the post. Blessed with an adored baby girl from her marriage to second husband Tom, and enjoying every moment of her maternity leave, life seemed sweet indeed. She recalls smiling as she opened the envelope and started to read the letter inside - but the memory of what came next still leaves her shaking with emotion. There, in scrawled handwriting, screamed the word "Slut". . . . . "I could understand it if we'd had a year-long affair and I was the reason for the break-up, but that's not the case. She doesn't want him back, but she doesn't want him to be happy with anyone else. "Poor Tom is mentally exhausted by it all - he longs to see his children and that separation is like a physical pain. The past three years have been absolute hell and I think that second families are like a black sheep to the Government - there's no protection for us in law, and no set rules in place to protect me or my family. . . .

     

    RELATED ARTICLE:  How Do You Manage? Second marriage, trickier merger  International Herald Tribune, By Michael J. Martinez, Sept 2, 2005


    RELATED ARTICLE:  Sex the Second Time Around: For remarried couples, intimacy has a whole new set of expectations and issues  ChristianityToday.com, By Ginger Kolbaba, Summer 2006 Edition


    RELATED ARTICLE:
      Make marriage No. 2 -- and the finances -- work    MSN Money- Moneycentral.com, By Janine Latus Musick, Aug 11, 2005


  • Angelina Jolie: Why I Decided to Have a Baby  People magazine, By Stephen Silverman, May 10, 2007
    Angelina Jolie has always said she wanted to adopt children from all over the world – but she opened up to the idea of having a biological child after she met Brad Pitt, she says in a revealing new interview. Jolie already had two kids, son Maddox, now 5, adopted from Cambodia, and daughter Zahara, 2, from Ethiopia, when she became pregnant with daughter Shiloh, who turns 1 on May 27. Asked in the June issue of Reader's Digest if the pregnancy was intentional, Jolie, 31, says: "It was. "Before I met Brad, I always said I was happy never to have a child biologically. He told me he hadn't given up that thought. Then, a few months after Z came home, I saw Brad with her and Mad, and I realized how much he loved him, that a biological child would not in any way be a threat. So I said, 'I want to try.' " . . . .

    RELATED INTERVIEW: 
    Face to Face With Angelina Jolie: The actress opens up about her four adorable kids, and a family going global.  Reader's Digest, By Sara Davidson, May 11, 2007

    RELATED AUDIO: 
    Listen to Angelina Jolie interview  Reader's Digest
Angelina Jolie Cover Interview for Reader's Digest, June 2007

RELATED ARTICLE:  When we devalue marriage  Capitol Hill Blue, By Betsy Hart, December 16, 2006

Enter Our Blog Spot!RELATED BLOG:  Brangelina Triangle Tragedy: Marriage Vows Don't Count  The Real Proposal™ magazine BlogSpot, December 22, 2006

RELATED ARTICLE:  More from Camille Paglia: White Middle-Class Women Identify with Aniston's Humiliation  Us magazine, December 13, 2006

RELATED ARTICLE:  Angelina Jolie Says Cheating Is "One Of Worst Things"  All Headline News, By Maira Oliveira, December 20, 2006

RELATED ARTICLE: 
ANGELINA: I Tried Not to Steal Jen's 'Best Friend'   NY POST.com, By David K. Li, December 12, 2006


Sting and wife Trudie are rocked as chef wins firing case
  • Sting and Trudie are rocked as chef wins sacking case The Daily Mail-UK, By GORDON RAYNER, May 10, 2007
    Even though they have many millions in the bank, this is one setback that is sure to sting. For the celebrity couple formally known as Mr and Mrs Sumner face having to pay record damages to their former chef for unfair dismissal after a tribunal found them guilty of "shameful conduct". The husband and wife in question - better known as Sting and Trudie Styler - broke employment law by sacking Jane Martin, 41, after she became pregnant, the panel has ruled. In a devastating judgment obtained by the Daily Mail - due to made public today - Miss Styler is accused of using "subterfuge" to get rid of Miss Martin, and of using "minions" to do her "dirty work". . . . .

  • TRAVOLTA FAMILY TRAVESTY: Wild Hogs Star Gives own Autistic Son the Silent Treatment   Hollywood Interrupted, By Mark Ebner, May 10, 2007
    Hollywood's latest global warming expert John Travolta recently sent a chill through the Florida neighborhood where he parks his beloved private jets. Tim and Patricia Kenny, proud parents of a 4 year-old autistic girl, believe that it might be time for Child Protective Services to look into John Travolta and wife Kelly's negligence in acknowledging their son Jett's reported autism. "I don't think it's a stretch to call their treatment of Jett child abuse," Ocala, Florida restaurant manager Tim Kenny tells Hollywood, Interrupted. Kenny claims he met Travolta at his restaurant in February, and, after "comping" the movie star and his daughter a meal per restaurant policy for celebrities, he asked him, "as one autistic child's father to another," if he "was doing anything special in terms of therapy" for Jett. Aghast, Travolta responded, "Well, we involve him in the arts." Then, he offered to send Kenny a book, and high-tailed it out of the restaurant. "If I ever received a Scientology book from him [Travolta], I'd find him, and throw it back at him," says Kenny. "Scientology is keeping him from acknowledging his son's autism. They see it as a weakness. That's what the space aliens are telling him I guess.". . . . .

    RELATED ARTICLE:  Travolta Pressed On Teen Son  NY Post- Page Six, June 1, 2007

    RELATED ARTICLE: 
    Travolta son's diagnosis: Science vs. Scientology?   Free Republic- NY Daily News, By Rush and Malloy, April 12, 2006

    RELATED ARTICLE: 
    A PLEA FROM HOLLYWOOD: JOHN TRAVOLTA - OPEN YOUR HEART! Hollywood Interrupted,  By Mark Ebner, April 10, 2006

    RELATED ARTICLE:  With five private jets, Travolta still lectures on global warming  This is London, March 30, 2007
     

  • When she has a past  Atlanta Journal Constitution (Free Subscription) blog- Misadventures in Atlanta, By Wise Diva, May 10, 2007
    Last year, I discovered that someone I know was in the adult entertainment industry. I had no idea she was involved in that sort of thing, so I was really shocked when I found out. When I asked her about it, she assured me she was happy with her choices. I couldn’t help but wonder how she would feel about this in a couple of years. Will she be able to deal with this when she is dating someone new? How does she bring this part of her past up? What about when she was ready to marry and have a family?  So guys, let me give you a scenario: You meet a great girl and you like everything about her. Soon after, you discover she has a few “skeletons” in the closet, a checkered past. How would you react if she a) was a former stripper or worked in the adult entertainment industry b) had many partners - both genders. Would you be willing to deal with it? Would it make a difference if she was forthcoming about everything? What if you found out from somebody else and had to confront her about it?. . . . .
When she has a past

In UK, divorcees may have assets taken to fund an ex-spouse's debts
  • Divorcees may have assets taken to fund an ex-spouse’s debts  TimesOnline-UK, By Frances Gibb, May 10, 2007
    Thousands of divorcees risk seeing their assets plundered to meet their former spouses’ debts after a landmark ruling that they are no longer protected from his or her creditors when they split. A High Court ruling released yesterday has closed the loophole protection that spouses enjoy over their share of assets ordered on divorce. In future if a husband — or wife — goes bankrupt, their spouse will be exposed to creditors over assets won in a contested divorce. Bankruptcy trustees will be able to pursue the nonbankrupt spouse for up to five years. The ruling also applies retrospectively to divorce orders within the past five years. . . . . In 2003 the wife petitioned for divorce and in a court settlement her husband was ordered to transfer the house to her. She was not granted a lump sum because of the risk, the judge said, that the husband might become bankrupt in the near future. In March 2005 the husband petitioned to be declared bankrupt with total liabilities estimated at £132,000. The bankruptcy trustees sought to set aside the divorce order at Birmingham County Court but their challenge failed. Yesterday’s decision was their appeal against that ruling. . . . .

RELATED ARTICLE:  Divorcees 'forced to settle ex-partners' debts'  The Telegraph- UK, By Laura Clout, May 10, 2007


  • What Bruce, Demi and her toyboy can teach us all about divorce  The Daily Mail- UK, By HELENA FIRTH POWELL, May 10, 2007
    There was uproar among my divorced friends last week when Demi Moore was seen canoodling with her new husband Ashton Kutcher in front of her old husband Bruce Willis on a boat. Most older (and balder) former husbands would have thrown the young whippersnapper off the boat, along with the ex-wife, or, at least, chosen to do a spot of deep-sea fishing with someone they weren't related to by divorce. "It's outrageous," said a friend who would no sooner go fishing with her former husband than jump in the Thames (actually, I think she'd probably prefer the latter). "What on earth are they thinking about? They're divorced, why are they hanging out together? They may as well have stayed married." When I saw the picture, my first thought was: if they're kissing and Bruce is fishing, who's driving the boat?  But after that I thought: good on them. As a child, I watched my mother get divorced acrimoniously three times and, frankly, it's not much fun. . . .
What Bruce, Demi, and Ashton can teach us all about divorce

RELATED ARTICLE:  How Bruce Willis Conquered Jealousy of Ashton  People magazine, By Emily Fromm, June 6, 2007

RELATED ARTICLE: 
Bruce Buddies Up with Demi and Ashton  Entertainment Tonight, May 1, 2007

RELATED ARTICLE:
 
Bruce Willis: I Still Love Demi Moore  People magazine, By Stephen Silverman, April 30, 2007


  • Defining marriage  Washington Times, By Cheryl Wetzstein, May 10, 2007
    "How long must the tail wag the dog?"  With these words, Institute for American Values President David Blankenhorn issues a plea for cultural literacy and intellectual honesty in the debate over marriage -- an institution, he says, that will be irreparably harmed if homosexual couples are allowed to "wed."  Marriage is more than just a legal commitment between two persons in love, Mr. Blankenhorn writes in his new book, "The Future of Marriage." It is an ancient, universal social institution, rooted in biology and supported by religion, which guides men and women to bridge their differences, form exclusive unions, create families and kinship networks, and live in a way that best benefits themselves, their children and those around them. Marriage is also the institution that bestows public approval on a man and a woman's sexual intercourse and urges couples to work out their problems so they will stay together and give their children the two things they want and need most: their own father and mother who love each other and who love them, says Mr. Blankenhorn. However, the same-sex "marriage" debate tends to ignore these powerful "institutional" aspects of marriage and fixates on the "personal commitment" part of marriage, he says in his book, where he calls such a focus "the tail wagging the dog." This is why the press keeps repeating the rhetorical question of how does the marriage of a loving homosexual couple threaten the heterosexual couple down the street -- it's as if this were the paramount question and its answer settles the matter. . . .

  • US divorce rate falls to lowest level since 1970, but why?  Boston Globe, May 10, 2007
    Despite the common notion that America remains plagued by a divorce epidemic, the national per capita divorce rate has declined steadily since its peak in 1981 and is now at its lowest level since 1970. Yet Americans aren't necessarily making better choices about their long-term relationships. Even those who study marriage and work to make it more successful can't decide whether the trend is grounds for celebration or cynicism. . . . America's divorce rate began climbing in the late 1960s and skyrocketed during the '70s and early '80s, as virtually every state adopted no-fault divorce laws. The rate peaked at 5.3 divorces per 1,000 people in 1981.  But since then it's dropped by one-third, to 3.6. That's the lowest rate since 1970.  What's fueling that decline? . . . . .

Racy divorce billboard in Chicago gets yanked
  • 'Life's Short. Get A Divorce' Billboard Yanked
    Lawyers Complain There Wasn't Due Process
      NBC San Diego, May 9, 2007
    City workers have stripped the sign from its perch after a week of complaints from neighbors and from other attorneys who said it reflected poorly on their profession. A city alderman Burton Natarus, who lives near the sign, said he called the building inspector, and that the law firm's ad was taken down because the firm didn't have a permit, and not because of what it said -- or because of the scantily clad man and woman on it. The two lawyers who had the sign put up said they're upset that it was removed. They also said the calls to their law firm have gone up dramatically since the billboard went up last week. . . .

  • I donated eggs to friends... now I've been left infertile  The Daily Mail- UK, By CHRIS BROOKE, May 9, 2007
    A woman who gave her eggs to help two childless friends fears she has been left infertile by her act of kindness. Donna Stickels, 26, revealed her personal ordeal to warn other women about the potential dangers of egg donation. Her story began seven years ago when she offered to help a married friend who was desperate to start a family after years of failed fertility treatment. Donna's generosity resulted in the delighted woman giving birth to twin boys and she later became their godmother. A second donation of eggs to another friend failed to result in a pregnancy, but the woman later conceived naturally. Although both childless women realised their dream of becoming mothers, the fertility treatment appears to have had tragic implications for Donna. . . .
Donating eggs have potential risks for infertility

RELATED ARTICLE:  Grappling with the Moral Dimensions of Advances in Assisted Reproduction  University of British Columbia, By Prof. Judith Daniluk (Dept. of Education and Counselling Psychology and Special Education, Faculty of Education), January 4, 2007

RELATED ARTICLE:  The Parent Hood: How technology and social progress are turning procreation into self-actualization.  The Daily Standard, By Claudia Anderson, December 4, 2006


The proof food additives ARE as bad as we thought
  • Parenting & Health Issues:  The proof food additives ARE as bad as we feared The Daily Mail-UK, By SEAN POULTER, May 9, 2007
    Parents have been warned to avoid artificial additives used in drinks, sweets and processed foods amid a link to behaviour problems in children. A study funded by the government's Food Standards Agency(FSA) is understood to have drawn a link with temper tantrums and poor concentration. There are also concerns about allergic reactions such as asthma and rashes. The findings are potentially explosive for the entire food industry, which faces the need to reformulate a vast array of children's products. . . . . The research, carried out by a team from Southampton University, appears to confirm earlier studies suggesting additives can cause reactions, either individually or as a cocktail. The colours, tested on groups of three-year-olds and eight-to-nine year olds, were tartrazine (E102), ponceau 4R (E124), sunset yellow (E110), carmoisine (E122), quinoline yellow (E104) and allura red AC (E129). The team also looked at the effect of the preservative sodium benzoate (E211), which is commonly used in soft drinks. .

  • Parenting & Health Issues:  How a pint of milk a day can give you acne  The Daily Mail, By FIONA MacRAE, May 9, 2007
    Many a spotty teenager has been told to lay off the chips and chocolate if they want clear skin. But research suggests they would do much better to cut down on drinking milk. Teenagers who drink a pint or more of milk a day are almost 50 per cent more likely to develop spots and pimples than those who rarely or never drink milk. Whole and semi-skimmed milk also raise the risk of acne - but to a lesser extent, the research carried out at the respected Harvard School of Public Health, showed. It is thought that hormones that occur naturally in milk and other dairy products nourish spots by making skin greasy and blocking pores. Processing milk to make low-fat versions may raise levels of the hormones, making the situation worse. . . .

  • Judges 6:36-40   Townhall.com, By Mike S. Adams May 9, 2007
    Some years ago, I knew a young man who drove some 700 miles to give a speech at his alma mater. When he arrived he saw a few old friends including an old girlfriend he dated in school. She was going through a divorce and she had recently been unfaithful to her husband. They talked for hours that weekend and after all was said and done he got back in his car to drive home. He had a lot to think about on the twelve hour drive. Mostly, he thought about how miserable the lives of so many of the girls he had dated turned out to be. When he finally went to bed that tired Sunday evening he said a little prayer. He told God he was tired of his life and wanted to settle down. "Dear Lord," he said, "I'm ready for you to send me a wife. I've waited 36 years so could you please hurry up? I need her in 36 hours." He often joked that way with God. . . . It would be a few weeks before he would realize that he first saw her eyes just 36 hours after he uttered his tired prayer. By then they were dating. . . . .
Dating: Do we need a sign to be sure?

  • Sour facial expressions lead to divorce: Cutting out criticism and contempt  SunValleyonline, By Alison Poulsen, May 9, 2007
    John Gottman, who wrote Why Marriages Succeed or Fail after studying 2000 married couples over two decades, found that contempt, criticism, and defensiveness ultimately lead to divorce. Yet, we shouldn’t go through relationships ignoring problems and complaints. The key is to make specific requests with a neutral tone of voice, instead of making broad negative judgments, such as “you’re always complaining.” You can state specific needs or feelings without exaggerating the facts.
    Specific Requests versus negative judgment:
    Here are a few examples of how to change a negative judgment into a constructive request. Note that the most important part of the message is tone of voice.
    E.g., Negative criticism: “You never help me with the dishes.”
    Specific request: “It would be great if you’d help me do the dishes tonight.”. . . . .

  • Dating Service Helps Millionaires Meet Match
    Exclusive Dating Club Opens Office In Palm Beach
      ABC- Local10.com, FL - May 8, 2007

    -- A national matchmaking service is opening a new office to help South Florida singles find loving millionaires. Reality shows such as "The Bachelor" are just one example of the lengths people will go to find love these days. But Local 10's Jen Herrera reported that for men who want to make a connection with this service, dating is worth a million bucks, literally. Nearly 25,000 women were recruited to date the men of The Millionaire's Club, and more will be coming out of Palm Beach, said CEO Julia Julia Erikson. Erickson said the men's requirements to join the exclusive club are simple. "First of all they must be successful. We are the Millionaire's Club so they must have a net worth of a $1 million and they must be serious looking for a real relationship," said Erikson. If that sounds superficial, Erikson said don't be fooled, there are no gold diggers allowed. . . .

    RELATED VIDEO:
      Millionaires Club Opens Local Matchmaking Service

    RELATED SITE:  Millionaire's Club

  • Brides of Color Magazine Fills Gap and Goes Beyond the Wedding   Black PR.com, May 7, 2007
    - Bliss The Magazine, one of the first-ever complimentary bridal magazines for women of color has launched in Houston, Texas. Bliss fills the gap and addresses a unique and viable niche. It features current, fresh, informative content relative to diverse backgrounds, creating a vital connection to an underserved market.  "In the face of the prevailing presence, purchasing power and rare beauty reflected in tones from ebony to ivory--women of color, specifically African-American, are consistently underrepresented in mainstream bridal publications," said K. Broussard, Founder and Editor-in-Chief. As one of the first-ever complimentary bridal magazines for women of color, Bliss is considered a cross between Modern Bride and Essence. Fusing the before and after of a wedding, the Houston-based magazine presents an exquisite preview of wedding possibilities for the diverse bride and guides her into the journey of marriage. "Bliss is tapping into a market, which has not been actively addressed nor included in the Houston area, much less nationwide, on a consistent basis. . . . . Bliss, which debuted last month, is published quarterly by SaJhan Publishing, LLC. Complimentary copies are available at various locales in Houston. . . . .
Bliss- The Magazine

RELATED ARTICLE:  Study finds African-American women not equally represented in bridal magazines  Target Market News, December 8, 2006

RELATED ARTICLE:  The shocking state of Black marriage: experts say many will never get married  Ebony magazine, By Joy Bennett  Kinnon, Nov 2003

RELATED ARTICLE:
  Black Marriage Day  Washington Post, By Jabari Asim, March 21, 2005

RELATED WEB SITE:    Black Marriage Day
 


Racy divorce billboard causes uproar in Chicago
  • Divorce attorney defends racy billboard   ABC 7, By Theresa Gutierrez, May 7, 2007
     - A large billboard in Chicago is getting all the attention it was hoping to attract, but some say it's in bad taste.The ad shows the well-toned torsos of a man and a woman with the caption: 'Life is short. Get a divorce.'  A divorce attorney paid for the ad. The sign on Rush Street is three times the size of a regular billboard, and features a scantily clad woman and man. It's causing a great deal of attention on the busy restaurant street.. . . . On the surface, it's saying, 'Hey, let's all break the Seventh Commandment. And, if you do break the Seventh Commandment and get caught, then come see me'," said Jim Schmidt, advertising creative director for Downtown Partners. "I don't think it's promoting anything wholesome at all." . . . . Fetman says her billboard is already paying off because of all the publicity she is receiving. She says she's planning to put up an ad that's even more racy next month. . . . .

RELATED ARTICLE:  Till Death (Or I Find Someone Else) Do Us Part  The Chicagoist, May 8, 2007


  • Sifting Through the Ruins of Infidelity  New York Times,  By MIREYA NAVARRO, May 6, 2007
    THE client said all he got was a massage, the kind that comes from an escort service and costs about $300. The owner of the escort service maintains all she offered was sexual fantasy, the kind that prompts a federal prosecution for running a prostitution ring.  In the latest sex scandal from the nation’s capital, the efforts to gloss over a sexual encounter failed to spare one of the first exposed: Randall L. Tobias, 65, who is married. Mr. Tobias, a top foreign aid adviser in the State Department, was listed on the phone records of Deborah Jeane Palfrey’s “high-end erotic fantasy service.” He denied he had sex with prostitutes, and then he quit his job, which entailed requiring foreign recipients of AIDS funds to condemn prostitution. As more names in Ms. Palfrey’s circle begin to trickle out (she says she needs her powerful clients to prove she did nothing illegal), she may cause more shame and may ruin more careers. But outside the public glare, what about all the wives and girlfriends of those receiving massages? In that case, is an erotic massage, or sex with a prostitute, as much of a threat to a marriage or relationship?. . . . .
Randall L. Tobias, 65, is married and a top foreign aid adviser in the State Department. He was listed on the phone records of 'DC Madam' Deborah Jeane Palfrey's 'high-end erotic fantasy service.'

  • VERY CLOSE MARRIAGES: Keeping it in the family  The Japan Times, By MARK SCHREIBER, May 5, 2007
    "My wife and I are not related. But my parents were cousins." So says 84-year-old Shigeyoshi Saito (a pseudonym), resident of an isolated fishing village in southern Hokkaido. "In the old days, those sort of marriages were pretty common around here." This, according to Article 734, Item 1 of Japan's Civil Code ("Marriage cannot take place between lineal relatives by blood, or between collateral relatives by blood within three degrees of relationship"), happens to be illegal. Yet it appears this practice still persists. In the latest installment of its ongoing series on taboos in Japan, Jitsuwa Knuckles delves into the topic of incestuous family relationships. Actually, says the magazine, the practice has existed since ancient times, and was particularly widespread among members of aristocracy and samurai. But with the imposition of codes promulgated following the Meiji Restoration of 1868, marriages between blood relations rapidly declined, the one main exception apparently being isolated parts of Hokkaido. . . . Inbreeding is generally believed to carry a greater risk of birth defects due to genetic damage. A study conducted in the United States found that 1.69 percent of the offspring of marriages between cousins showed genetic-related disorders, compared to a rate of 1.02 percent for offspring of ordinary marriages. . . .

    RELATED ARTICLE: 
    Lawful incest may be on its way   BOSTON GLOBE, By Jeff Jacoby, May 2, 2007

    RELATED ARTICLE:  Excerpt from Santorum interview  USA Today -AP, April 23, 2003


    RELATED ARTICLE:  Should Incest Be Legal?  Time magazine, By MICHAEL LINDENBERGER, April 5, 2007

The New Modern Woman a la Grey's Anatomy? Ambitious and Feeble
  • Television Review | 'Grey’s Anatomy'
    The New Modern Woman, Ambitious and Feeble
       New York Times, By ALESSANDRA STANLEY, May 5, 2007

    It’s time to play the blame game. Everything wrong with “Grey’s Anatomy” and its soon-to-be spun spinoff is the fault of “Ally McBeal.” Mary Tyler Moore and Marlo Thomas were early prototypes of the quirky but lovable career girl. David E. Kelley’s hit series about a deeply neurotic lawyer named Ally McBeal marked a turning point in the devolution of women’s roles in television comedy — the moment when competent-but-flaky hardened into basket case. . . . . . Shonda Rhimes, who created “Grey’s Anatomy,” also came up with the spinoff. Somehow, even in the hands of a woman, a show about female doctors finds humor and solace in their distress. Self-deprecation has been replaced with self-denigration. People complain that hip-hop stars use obscene lyrics and lewd music videos to demean women. Sometimes, so do even the most bourgeois women’s television shows. . . .

  • New Video Features Actor David Hasselhoff, Drunk  Voice of America, By Ray McDonald, May 4, 2007
    David Hasselhoff's two daughters videotaped the actor after a bout of drinking. The video, which aired May 3 on TV tabloid programs, shows the actor appearing inebriated. Clad only in blue jeans, he clumsily eats a hamburger while daughter Taylor-Ann, 16, reproves him for drinking. In a May 3 statement, the 54-year-old Hasselhoff says "I am a recovering alcoholic. Despite that I have been going through a painful divorce and I have recently been separated from my children due to my work, I have been successfully dealing with my issue. Unfortunately, one evening I did have a brief relapse, but part of recovery is relapse. Because of my honest and positive relationship with my daughters, who were concerned for my well-being, there was a tape made that night to show me what I was like. I have seen the tape. I have learned from it and am back on my game." . . . . .


    RELATED ARTICLE & VIDEO INTERVIEW  
    Pamela Bach: Drinking Made Hasselhoff 'Jekyll & Hyde'  Access Hollywood, May 3, 2007

    RELATED ARTICLE: HASSELHOFF: 'An amicable divorce is c**p'   PR inside- World Entertainment News Network, Nov 1, 2006
New video features actor, David Hasselhoff, drunk

RELATED ARTICLE:  Lurid Details Revealed in Hasselhoff Divorce  People magazine, October 25, 2006

RELATED ARTICLE:  Hasselhoff 'tricked' wife into signing pre-nup  The Daily Mail-UK, By CAROLINE GRAHAM, August 26, 2006
 


  • Q & A: Is asking for her hand in marriage outdated?  MSNBC, By Dr. Gail Saltz, May 3, 2007
    Dear Dr. Gail: My future son-in-law, with what I assume were only good intentions, approached my husband about plans to become engaged to my daughter. He made the traditional advance of asking my husband for his daughter’s hand in marriage. I knew nothing of the plans and feel very left out. My daughter and I are very close, and I have learned that her fiancé felt I might slip and tell her of the engagement. I would have never ruined the surprise for her in any way. She did pick out a ring, however, so she was well aware of the plan — just not the timing. . . . . Needless to say, I feel insulted, left out, and betrayed by my husband. It is causing me to view both him and this young man in a negative light. My daughter and her father are not emotionally close, and I feel my husband should have advised the boyfriend to include me in their private meeting. I am so hurt over this. How can I put this behind me so I can be as excited as I should be? — Betrayed and dismayed. . . . .

    Dear Betrayed: It is understandable that you are upset. It is 2007, and nobody believes that a future husband must ask his bride’s father for her hand in marriage. It sounds that both your husband and your son-in-law went along with this chauvinistic stance. . . . .

Evangelical leaders promote 'orphan care'
  • Evangelical leaders promote 'orphan care'
    Idea is to take positive steps beyond opposing abortion, same-sex adoption
       MSNBC- AP, May 3, 2007

    - Prominent evangelical Christians are urging churchgoers to strongly consider adoption or foster care, not just out of kindness or biblical calling but also to answer criticism that their movement, while condemning abortion and same-sex adoption, doesn't do enough for children without parents. With backing from Focus on the Family and best-selling author Rick Warren, the effort to promote "orphan care" among the nation's estimated 65 million evangelicals could drastically reduce foster care rolls if successful. Yet sensitive issues lie ahead: about evangelizing, religious attitudes on corporal punishment, gay and lesbian foster children, racially mixed families, and resolving long-standing tensions between religious groups and the government. . . ."In some people's minds, the church has been very pro-life up until the point of birth," said Michael Monroe, who co-founded an adoption and foster care ministry at Irving Bible Church outside Dallas. "I don't know if that's a completely fair observation. But a lot of people are saying it's not enough to be pro-life, we need to be pro-children, as well.". . . .

  • R. Kelly's Wife Speaks: 'I Will Love That Man To The Day I Die'  MTV.com, By Jennifer Vineyard, May 3, 2007
    In the nearly five years since R. Kelly was charged with several criminal counts of child pornography, his wife, Andrea Lee Kelly, has remained silent. She has been so far removed from family members, in fact, that they've resorted to asking the police to check in with her to make sure she's all right. "We know her not calling us is sending a signal that something is wrong," her mother, Gerri Cruze, told the Chicago Sun-Times. Even after Andrea Lee Kelly asked for an emergency protective order to keep the singer away from her — amid claims of physical abuse — and after she separated from her husband and moved out of their home in fall 2005, she didn't reach out publicly. Until now. . . . .


    RELATED ARTICLE:  Notes on a Scandal   Essence.com, By Natalie Y. Moore, May 2007 Issue
Andrea Kelly_Photo Credit David Anthony, Essence magazine.jpg

RELATED ARTICLE:  15 Will Get You 20 – or Will It? Maybe We Should Ask R. Kelly – and Ourselves as Well  BlackAmericaWeb.com, By Jasmyne A. Cannick, December 18, 2007

RELATED ARTICLE: 
What is it With These Sappy Sisters Who Feel Responsible When Their Men Fail Them?  Black America Web, By Gregory Kane, August 9, 2007


  • Is your marriage adrift?  Baptist Press, By Ray E. Sanders, May 3, 2007
    What's going on? I recently came to the realization that I have nearly as many close friends and family who have been divorced as I do those who are still married to their original spouse. Surely these wonderful people didn't just wake up one day and decide to call it quits. I don't believe their marriages broke up. I believe they slowly went adrift. Marriages that end in divorce often do so quietly, one subtle conflict at a time. Emotional and physical needs go unmet. Hearts begin to harden as they turn brittle and break. With love and intimacy unfulfilled at home, yearnings to be cherished and admired cause many to seek companionship from a lonely soul outside the bounds of marriage. With clouded judgment and compromised convictions, the love lost between once happy newlyweds ends in an ugly, public legal battle over kids, cars and collateral. . . .
     

    RELATED ARTICLE: 
    Marriage- The Secret Of Good Communication  American Chronicle, By C.D. Mohatta, May 3, 2007

Melanie Brown: Eddie's a poor role model for Black fathers
  • Melanie Brown: 'Eddie Is A Poor Role Model For Black Fathers'. Femailfirst-UK, May 3, 2007
    Melanie Brown: 'Eddie Is A Poor Role Model For Black Fathers'.... Singer Melanie Brown has again hit out at her ex-boyfriend Eddie Murphy for refusing to take a Dna test to prove if he's the father of her baby daughter - calling the actor a poor role model as a black dad. The former Spice Girl was stunned when Murphy publicly ended their romance on a Dutch TV show in December (06) - when she was five months pregnant - and claimed he didn't know if he was the dad of her then-unborn baby. Brown's daughter Angel Iris Murphy Brown was born last month (Apr07). The British star now wants Murphy to face up to his responsibilities. . .

RELATED ARTICLE:  Mel B To Disgust World With Eddie Murphy Sex Talk  The Bosh, NY - May 1, 2007

RELATED ARTICLE:  Eddie Murphy's Bro Poses Vasectomy Theory: Eurweb.com, CA - May 1, 2007

Enter Our Blog Spot!RELATED BLOG:  Hollywood Unhooked (Un-Glued more precise)   The Real Proposal™ magazine BlogSpot, December 11, 2007


  • Lawful incest may be on its way   BOSTON GLOBE, By Jeff Jacoby, May 2, 2007
    WHEN THE BBC invited me onto one of its talk shows recently to talk about the day's hot topic -- legalizing adult incest -- I thought of Rick Santorum. Back in 2003, as the Supreme Court was preparing to rule in Lawrence v. Texas, a case challenging the constitutionality of laws criminalizing homosexual sodomy, then-Senator Santorum caught holy hell for warning out that if the law were struck down, there would be no avoiding the slippery slope. "If the Supreme Court says you have the right to consensual sex within your home," he told a reporter, "then you have the right to bigamy, you have the right to polygamy, you have the right to incest, you have the right to adultery. You have the right to anything." It was a common-sensical observation, though you wouldn't have known it from the nail-spitting it triggered in some quarters.  When the justices, voting 6-3, did in fact declare it unconstitutional for any state to punish consensual gay sex, the dissenters echoed Santorum's point. "State laws against bigamy, same-sex marriage, adult incest, prostitution, masturbation, adultery, fornication, bestiality, and obscenity are . . . called into question by today's decision," Justice Antonin Scalia wrote for the minority. Now, Time magazine acknowledges: "It turns out the critics were right.". . .

    RELATED ARTICLE:  Excerpt from Santorum interview  USA Today -AP, April 23, 2003


    RELATED ARTICLE:  Should Incest Be Legal?  Time magazine, By MICHAEL LINDENBERGER, April 5, 2007

  • MIXED MARRIAGES: INTER-FACIAL COUPLES  By Jaclyn Levin, May 2, 2007
    You may have seen the story this morning on "inter-facial" mixed marriages -- couples who aren’t on the same level of attractiveness -- as defined by Belinda Luscombe the Arts Editor at Time Magazine. She's written a humorous essay  about being married to a much more attractive man (see their wedding photo to the right). In our phone conversation she compared him to Brad Pitt, while rating herself a 6 ½. Personally, I think she's short-changing herself. For the taped story we interviewed Belinda and talked to an expert on relationships, Dr. Drew Pinsky who confessed that he, too, married up on the attractiveness scale when he married a model 15 years ago.   (Judge for yourself by the photo right.). . . . .

    RELATED ARTICLE: 
    When Your Spouse is Hotter than You  Time magazine, By BELINDA LUSCOMBE, April 26, 2007
And now, the Inter-facial Marriage: Is your spouse hotter than you? Pictured: Dr. Drew Pinsky & wife

  • Bruce Buddies Up with Demi and Ashton  Entertainment Tonight, May 1, 2007
    Movie star Bruce Willis gets up close and personal in the latest issue of Vanity Fair, on stands this week. The mag shows exclusive photos of Bruce on holiday ... with Demi Moore and Ashton Kutcher!  The photos, taken just off the shores of Bruce's Caribbean home, reveal the chummy relationship between the trio, despite the fact that Demi is Bruce's ex-wife, and Ashton is her hubby! In the interview with the mag, Bruce explains their unique family set-up: "It's hard for people to understand, but we go on holidays together. We still raise our kids together. We still have that bond.". . . .

    RELATED ARTICLE:
     
    Bruce Willis: I Still Love Demi Moore  People magazine, By Stephen Silverman, April 30, 2007

Illegal alien Jose Arias-Maravilla and fiance Heather Buck granted license to marry after ACLU files lawsuit
  • Federal Judge Rules Against Policy of Denying Marriage License on Basis of Immigration Status  ACLU.org Press Release, May 1, 2007
    SCRANTON, PA - A federal judge today ruled that a county official cannot deny a marriage license to a couple simply because an applicant does not have a current visa or green card. The American Civil Liberties Union and the ACLU of Pennsylvania brought the case against Dorothy Stankovic, the Register of Wills for Luzerne County, on behalf of Pennsylvania native and U.S. citizen Heather Buck, and Jose Arias-Maravilla, a citizen of Mexico. “This is great news,” said Mary Catherine Roper, staff attorney with the ACLU and counsel to Ms. Buck and Mr. Arias.  “Our clients are committed to making a family, and this marriage is an important step toward that goal.” . . . . .

RELATED ARTICLE:  Immigrant, fiancée get license
After winning initial court battle, couple plan to marry before heading to Mexico.
TimesLeader, By TERRIE MORGAN-BESECKER, May 3, 2007

RELATED ARTICLE:  ACLU sues official over license denial
Register of wills won’t give license for illegal immigrant to marry area woman.
  TimesLeader.com, By TERRIE MORGAN-BESECKER, April 19, 2007

RELATED ARTICLE:  Illegal alien denied marriage license (no duh)…SURPRISE!…ACLU sues  Stop the ACLU, PA, By Glib Fortuna, April 18, 2007


  • 'Survivor' Producer Weds 'Angel' Downey
    Reality TV Producer Mark Burnett Marries 'Touched By An Angel' Actress Roma Downey
       7Online.com, NY - May 1, 2007
    - "Survivor" producer Mark Burnett and "Angel" Roma Downey have tied the knot. The couple were married Saturday in a private ceremony at their home. The ceremony was officiated by Downey's "Touched by an Angel" co-star Della Reese, an ordained minister, the couple's publicist, Jim Dowd, confirmed Monday. "It was wonderful to have shared our big day with our family, Roma, myself, our children and our parents," Burnett, 46, told People magazine in an interview. "It was so meaningful and so intimate." A small plane hired by Downey, 47, towed a banner that read: "...and they lived happily ever after.".
'Survivor' Producer Mark Burnett & 'Touched by an Angel's' Roma Downey have married

Transgendered Steve Stanton becomes emotional while sharing details about his first journal entry as Susan during an interview at his home (3/5/2007) in Largo
  • Two Brothers Share How They Coped With Their Dad's Decision To Become A Woman  ST. PETERSBURG TIMES, By Lane DeGregory, May 1, 2007
    You're 13 years old, and you love your dad. You love fishing with him, scuba diving with him, riding in his Jeep. Sure, sometimes your dad gets annoying, and distant. So do you. You're 13. Almost a man. Like your dad. One day after school, he drags you away from your computer game and says he has something to tell you. He looks you in the eye and says: "I want to be a woman." Largo City Manager Steve Stanton told the whole world about those plans in February and ended up losing his job. During the hearings about his fate at City Hall, many people expressed concern for his son, Travis. What would this be like for Travis, especially at the tricky age of 13?  Travis' parents have kept him out of the spotlight, so nobody knows what he is going through. Except maybe two young men who went through a similar situation when they were about the same age. . . Jonathan's story: . . . . David's story:  . . .



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