"MARRIAGE" In The News
 (August 2008)

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.

• John McCain & Sarah Palin on Shattering the Glass Ceiling  People magazine, By Sandra Sobieraj Westfall, August 29, 2008
  Even the kids were in the dark. Meghan McCain, 23, didn't find out until a few hours before the rest of the nation. Track Palin, 19, an Army private on base in Fairbanks, Alaska, got the news in a text message an hour before his mother, Alaska Gov. Sarah Palin took the stage in Dayton, Ohio, as John McCain's pick to be his running mate. "I said, 'Track! Turn the TV on in an hour,'" Sarah Palin told PEOPLE. "He says, 'What does this mean? Am I going to have to crawl in a hole?' And I said, No! Because he had no idea; he doesn't even know where we are." Where they were was the Nutter Center college sports arena in Dayton, Ohio. And PEOPLE was there for an exclusive backstage interview with the McCain and Palin families suddenly joined in the campaign for the White House. Sarah Palin, in ruby red peep-toe platform heels that showed off a pink French-style pedicure, first ducked into a holding room to change the diaper of her just-up-from-a-nap 4 1/2-month-old son, Trig. The two families were all smiles. . . . . [PEOPLE:] As a new mom, how are you going to juggle all this?
  SARAH: I am thankful to be married to a man who loves being a dad as much as I love being a mom so he is my strength. And practically speaking, we have a great network of help with lots of grandparents and aunties and uncles all around us. We have a lot of help. . . 

RELATED ARTICLE:  Five Things You Didn't Know About Sarah Palin  People magazine, By Lorenzo Benet, August 29, 2008
There's a lot to know about Sarah Palin, who is John McCain's surprise pick for his vice president. She's been governor of Alaska for 20 months and served two terms as mayor of her hometown of Wasilla, Alaska, all while raising five children. PEOPLE sat down with Palin, 44, recently to discuss her life, career and family. Here are five things you may not know about her:

• Her youngest son has Down syndrome. When Palin announced to friends after 4-month-old Trig's birth in April that he had been diagnosed with Down syndrome, she wrote them a private e-mail she shares with PEOPLE: . . .

RELATED INFO:  Down Syndrome   March of Dimes.com
What is Down syndrome?
Down syndrome is a chromosomal disorder that includes a combination of birth defects. Affected individuals have some degree of mental retardation, characteristic facial features and, often, heart defects and other health problems. The severity of these problems varies greatly among affected individuals. . . . . Women over age 35 have been traditionally considered most likely to have a baby with Down syndrome. However, about 80 percent of babies with Down syndrome are born to women who are under age 35, as younger women have far more babies (2).

RELATED ARTICLE:  Sarah Palin: conservatives find the girl of their dreams: The Alaskan governor’s family life and political views press the right’s buttons   The Times Online- UK, By Sarah Baxter, August 31, 2008
When Sarah Palin stepped into the spotlight as John McCain’s running mate in Dayton, Ohio, and promised that women could “shatter that glass ceiling once and for all”, it was an electrifying moment in a presidential election that had already produced its share of upsets and surprises. History was on the march again the morning after Barack Obama became the first African-American to accept his party’s White House nomination. After the fireworks, the 80,000-strong crowd who had cheered Obama to the skies at the Mile High stadium in Denver woke up with a hangover. “We may be seeing the first woman president. As a Democrat, I am reeling,” said Camille Paglia, the cultural critic. “That was the best political speech I have ever seen delivered by an American woman politician. Palin is as tough as nails.”


RELATED ARTICLE & COMMENTS:  Sarah Palin: A Sleight of Gender?  Vanity Fair.com, By Dee Dee Myers August 29, 2008
McCain made the decision to double down on his credentials as a take-no-prisoners reformer. But he did so at the expense of the more important qualifications for a running mate. It’s not political to say that John McCain turns 72 today. That he’s a cancer survivor. That he spent six years being tortured and abused in a Vietnamese prison camp. Those are the physical realities of his life, and pure and simple, they demanded that he chose a running mate who is ready, really ready. That he put country first. Today, he failed that test. Worse, when Sarah Palin falls short—and I hope I’m wrong but I think in important ways, such as her debate with Joe Biden, she will—some people will conclude that women can’t cut it. That’s unfair to Sarah Palin—and it’s certainly unfair to the rest of us.

• Coping when a partner has a terminal illness
  Confronting a fatal illness in a partner can put intolerable strain on a couple. But society expects saint-like behaviour   The Times Online- UK, By Joan McFadden, August 28, 2008
  No one really believes those annoying couples who claim never to fall out with their partner. Surely everyone has a moment when they wonder why marriage was a good idea: a flash of irritation at that infuriating habit or a fleeting murderous thought over some marital discord? It's all part of the “for better, for worse” element of most marriages; the moment passes and life jogs along as usual. But sometimes it's not that simple. While caring for and supporting each other seems realistic and natural in normal circumstances, everything changes when one of the couple becomes seriously ill, especially if that illness could be terminal. When this happens, the sufferer is expected to move into sainthood mode, while their partner becomes a ministering angel. The notion that couples find themselves under intolerable strain - the effects of medication, financial concerns, anxiety about the future and “petty” worries such as resentment at a disappearing sex life - is taboo. It seems so unnecessary in the face of the bravery and stoicism expected in these circumstances, especially since the public face of this kind of tragedy is now inspirational figures such as Jane Tomlinson, the amateur athlete who raised £1.5million for charity despite suffering from terminal cancer. Jon Nicholson's life was thrown into unexpected chaos when, in 2003, osteosarcoma, a rare form of bone cancer, was diagnosed in his 35-year-old wife Emma. Fourteen months later she was dead, leaving him with three young children and haunting memories of how her illness had torn apart a relationship they both treasured. “You never think about something like this when you're actually getting married,”. . .

RELATED ARTICLE: A diagnosis of cancer is trying for any marriage   Boston Globe, By Judy Foreman, August 22, 2005
Cancer can be very tough on a marriage -- just ask Sandro Segalini, 64, of Falmouth. His first wife died of breast cancer 14 years ago. His second wife, Marcia Woltjer, 59, left him earlier this year, three years after her own diagnosis with breast cancer.

• Orthodox Join Fight Against Gay Nuptials    Forward- The Jewish Daily, By Rebecca Spence, August 28, 2008
  Los Angeles — The most powerful Orthodox Jewish umbrella group has thrown its support behind a ballot initiative that aims to overturn California’s historic decision to legalize same-sex marriage. In late August, the Union of Orthodox Jewish Congregations of America joined a coalition of faith-based groups supporting Proposition 8, which, if passed come November, would nullify the California State Supreme Court’s May 15 ruling that gay men and lesbians can wed. Since mid-June, when the ruling took effect, hundreds of gay couples here — many of them Jewish — have tied the knot. The question of gay marriage has long been a subject of fierce debate in the Jewish community. On the one hand, liberal Jewish groups — as well as individuals, including leading civil rights lawyer Gloria Allred, who helped win the California case — have fought assiduously to win the right of gay couples to marry. At the same time, more conservative corners of the Jewish community have fought against same-sex marriage laws that have cropped up in recent years. The O.U., a New York-based group that represents some 1,000 Orthodox synagogues across the country, and other supporters of Proposition 8 — which would amend the California constitution to define marriage as being between a man and a woman — contend that the rulings in favor of same-sex marriage pose a growing threat to their religious liberties. . .

RELATED ARTICLE:  California gay marriage opponents seek religious coalition  Pink News, By Staff Writer, August 28, 2008
Mormons, Jews, Sikhs and Hindu's are being asked to join forces to support an amendment to the state Constitution of California banning same-sex marriages. An interfaith alliance hopes to place one million signs in front gardens across the state late next month in support of Proposition 8. It would amend the state Constitution to provide that "only marriage between a man and a woman is valid or recognised in California," thus constitutionally eliminating the right to same-sex marriage.


RELATED ARTICLE:  Most oppose bid to ban gay marriage in California, poll finds  Los Angeles Times, By Jessica Garrison, August 27, 2008
Fifty-four percent of likely voters are against Prop. 8, with 40% supporting the measure. But when asked if same-sex couples should be allowed to wed, respondents were evenly split.

• Gay Activists Target Businesses
  Companies Tied To Initiative Backers Are Pulled Into Fray  Wall Street Journal, By Tamara Audi, August 27, 2008
  When William Bolthouse, a California philanthropist, donated $100,000 in March to support a proposition to ban gay marriage in California, calls and emails poured in -- not to Mr. Bolthouse, but to the corporate offices of a company that bears his name -- even though he sold it three years earlier. . . Bolthouse Farms is the latest target in what has become an increasingly bitter political fight in California. As gay-rights activists attempt to defeat the upcoming ballot initiative, called Proposition 8, they are going after not just individuals, but also companies to which they are connected, however tenuously. . . . Next week, Californians Against Hate is planning to push its tactic further by publishing a "Dishonor Roll," a list of individual and corporate donors who give $5,000 or more to groups campaigning on behalf of Proposition 8. The list will include the donor's name, employer and the corporate logo of that employer -- even if the company itself didn't donate to the Proposition 8 fight. Mr. Karger said the tactic isn't intended to keep individuals or companies from donating, but is meant to educate the public so consumers can make informed choices. He said including corporate logos of businesses whose employees donate is fair game, since that information is publicly available on government Web sites that track donors. "Our larger message is to other business people," Mr. Karger says. "It's a free country, you can give as much money to this campaign, but we are going to publicize that and people can make a decision on whether or not they want to support those businesses.". . . . Some large corporations have waded into the fray. San Francisco-based Pacific Gas & Electric, the state's largest utility by revenue, donated $250,000 to defeat Proposition 8. A spokeswoman said the company received some complaints from its 20,000 employees and six million customers, and it was able to handle the protests internally. Other companies haven't had it so easy. San Diego's Manchester Grand Hyatt is now the target of a boycott that was kicked off after its owner, Doug Manchester, donated $125,000 to the campaign to support Proposition 8. . .

RELATED TOOLS:  The gay-marriage battle: Follow the money  Los Angeles Times
 

PROPOSITION 8: Tracking the money  Los Angeles Times
Find out who has given money to support or defeat the passage of Proposition 8. . . Search by city, state or zip code.

RELATED ARTICLE:  Manchester Grand Hyatt loses two more conferences: Manchester CFO voices concerns regarding boycott  Gay & Lesbian Times, By Margie M. Palmer, August 28, 2008
The San Diego County pension board and the American Association of Law Schools (AALS) last week cancelled plans to host conferences at the Manchester Grand Hyatt, while a popular local radio station hosted a thank-you party for listeners at the hotel. . . . “The Manchester Grand Hyatt is being boycotted and that boycott should be honored,” Andras said. “Star 94.1 is owned by Clear Channel, which has stations in a number of markets which are specifically targeted to the gay community. I’m having a hard time understanding how they can be OK making revenue from the gay community, but at the same time, turn around and then give money to someone who owns a hotel and donated a large amount of money to defeat equal rights for gay people.”. . .


RELATED ARTICLE:  Developer is foe of same-sex marriage: Manchester, others help fund initiative  San Diego Union Tribune, By Bill Ainsworth, March 15, 2008
Manchester said his hotels and restaurants welcome gays and lesbians as employees and as customers. “I don't want to offend anybody,” he said. But Manchester said he decided to donate because he has heard that schools that teach that marriage is between a man and a woman could be sued for discriminating against gays and lesbians. “When they say that we cannot say that a marriage is between a man and a woman, that's where I draw the line,” Manchester said.

RELATED ARTICLE:  Companies confused over gay rights CNN International, July 13, 2005
-- Art Weidner describes himself as an easy-going guy. An engineer based in Seattle, Art enjoys spending time outdoors. He usually avoids public confrontation. But a recent e-mail from his boss explaining why his company was supporting gay pride month prompted Art to speak out. "I felt that this was something beyond the realm of what a CEO should be doing," Weidner told CNN. "I felt he was pushing a political, social and personal agenda on company time." Art sent a reply to his boss and copied it to several Christian groups whose members, he felt, would share his belief that corporate endorsement of gay pride and gay rights equaled a tacit approval of gay marriage. . .

RELATED ARTICLE: The road to gay marriage   Jewish World Review, By Marianne M. Jennings, August 8, 2003
Infiltration of policy-maker ranks. . . . Infiltration of corporations. . . . Alignment with minority groups. . . . The gay gene myth. . . . Use of AIDS. . . . Demonizing opponents. . . . Economic pressure. . . . Suppressing free speech. . . . Infiltration of schools. . . . The anti-anti-gay movement. . . . Incremental legal inroads. . . . Silence. . . .This piece will bring condemnation, hate mail, and the usual threats to my employer. But years from now, as we assess the degradation same-sex marriage will bring to society, I shall be able to say, "I tried."

RELATED ARTICLE:  Political bullying works  Jewish World Review, April 5, 2001
The etymological evolution of the word sodomy to homosexuality to the simple term "gay'' has brought with it the very intolerance and bigotry that gay people deride when it's directed at them. Gay rights groups seek to intimidate anyone who voices opposition to their beliefs and agenda.

• Lesbian rights pioneer Del Martin dies  San Francisco Chronicle, By Rachel Gordon, August 27, 2008
  -- Lesbian activist Del Martin, at the forefront of the battle for same-sex marriage in California, died Wednesday in San Francisco. She was 87. Martin's partner of 55 years, Phyllis Lyon, was by her side at the UCSF hospice, the National Center for Lesbian Rights said. Martin and Lyon, 84, tied the knot June 16 in a ceremony officiated by San Francisco Mayor Gavin Newsom. . . . Martin fought to have the American Psychological Society declare that homosexuality is not a mental illnesses and advocated on behalf of battered women. In 1955, the couple founded the nation's first lesbian organization, the Daughters of Bilitis, and launched the first lesbian publication, The Ladder. In the 1960s, they tried to get California lawmakers to introduce anti-discrimination bills and persuaded some police officers to stop harassing gays and lesbians at bars as part of a group Martin co-founded called the Council on Religion and the Homosexual. Martin was also a founding member of several other organizations, including the Lesbian Mother's Union, the San Francisco Women's Centers and the Bay Area Women's Coalition. She and Lyon were co-founders of the first gay political group in the United States, the Alice B. Toklas Democratic Club, named for author Gertrude Stein's long-time partner. . .

RELATED VIDEO:  Gays tie the knot in California  NBC News Channel, June 16, 2008

RELATED ARTICLE:  Gospel Music Responds to Same-Sex Marriage  The Real Proposal magazine, June 7, 2008
The Real Proposal magazine impenitently adheres to the belief in an absolute moral truth grounded in Judeo-Christian principles. We have established a platform from which we intend to approach the issues in an intelligent and instructive manner, without compromising our message grounded in this truth for the sake of political correctness. Elizabeth Cady Stanton captures our philosophy when she wrote, “Reformers who are always compromising have not yet grasped the idea that truth is the only safe ground to stand upon.” Yet, in our efforts to expose and discredit the lies that are being packaged, perfumed, gift wrapped, and sold by the gay rights movement to heterosexuals and homosexuals alike, we have determined not to lose sight of the collateral damage that ensues from this “culture war” within our nation. As [Joe] Dallas declares, “I must remember, when I am tempted towards real hostility towards lesbians and gays, who…say how hateful and bigoted we are, when I am tempted to pull out all the stops to steamroll them the way they are trying to steamroll us, I am reminded Jesus said Himself, ‘My Kingdom is not of this world.’ There are more important things than temporal victories. The eternal souls of the people we oppose are certainly more important that any sociological victories that we can attain.”

RELATED ARTICLE:  Responding to Homosexuality & Gay Marriage: “Love the Sinner. Hate the Sin”  The Real Proposal magazine, March 21, 2008


 

• Brides Look Forward to Marrying Under Tribal Same-Sex Marriage Law
  Tribal Leaders Say Coquille Indian Tribe May Be the First to Legalize Same-Sex Marriage  ABC News, By Sarah Netter, August 27, 2008
  A request from a bride-to-be has led an Oregon Indian tribe to legalize same-sex marriage, a move leaders say may be the first of its kind in the United States. The Coquille Indian Tribe now not only recognizes legal same-sex unions from state and federal governments, but it will soon be handing out its own marriage licenses not only to heterosexual couples, but to homosexual couples as well. Kitzen Branting is like a lot of other brides who have come before her: She has already found her wedding dress, set a date for the ceremony and proudly wears her engagement ring. But her journey to the altar has been a bit different than most, since she requested new tribal legislation sanctioning same-sex marriage. Branting, 25, and her fiancee, Jeni Branting, plan to be married in May under the tribe's new law. . . . Like most other American Indian tribes, the Coquilles have their own laws and customs. "Native Americans, more than anyone, know about discrimination," Coquille Indian Tribe Chief Ken Tanner told ABCNews.com. "Our directive is to provide recognition and respect to all members of our tribe.". . . Tanner, 68, said the tribe's law was not intended to make a statement about gay marriage or advocate for similar legislation from any other tribe or governing body. . . . 

RELATED ARTICLE:  Marriage of Cherokee same-sex couple stands   The Advocate, January 5, 2006
The marriage of a lesbian Cherokee couple cannot be invalidated by a tribal council, the judicial appeals tribunal of the Cherokee Nation has ruled. In a decision issued on December 22 and made public on Wednesday, the highest Cherokee court rejected an attempt by several tribal council members to invalidate the marriage of Cherokee citizens Kathy Reynolds and Dawn McKinley. . . . . In briefs filed with the court, the council members argued that marriages between same-sex couples are inconsistent with Cherokee Nation culture, heritage, and tradition. But according to an affidavit submitted to the court by Brian Gilley, an assistant professor of anthropology at the University of Vermont who is of Cherokee ancestry, “There is overwhelming evidence for the historic and cultural presence of multiple gender roles and same-sex relations among most if not all Native North Americans, including the Cherokee, and that they historically shared in the institution of marriage.”


RELATED ARTICLE:  Battle Over Gay Marriage Plays Out in Indian Country  Washington Post, By Lois Romano, August 1, 2005
Tribal sovereignty statutes mandate that Native American marriages be recognized by states, and a couple -- any couple -- could conceivably circumvent state laws to establish a legal union not approved by the state.


RELATED ARTICLE:  Judaism's Sexual Revolution: Why Judaism (and then Christianity) Rejected Homosexuality  OrthodoxyToday.org, By Dennis Prager
When Judaism demanded that all sexual activity be channeled into marriage, it changed the world. The Torah's prohibition of non-marital sex quite simply made the creation of Western civilization possible. Societies that did not place boundaries around sexuality were stymied in their development. The subsequent dominance of the Western world can largely be attributed to the sexual revolution initiated by Judaism and later carried forward by Christianity. . .

• Parenting Issues: Let’s Face It, This Isn’t a Job for Supernanny  New York Times, By Eric Konigsberg, August 27, 2008
  The Upper East Side mother’s approach was unorthodox, to put it mildly. “My kids are a pain,” read the opening line of her Craigslist solicitation for a live-in nanny, and she specified what part of her body it was that her kids — all four of them — pained her most, each in his or her particular 12- , 9- or 6-year-old twin way. “Please help me,” she added. The listing, posted last week, was by turns self-effacing, self-justifying and extremely revelatory. It read as a participant’s critique of a particular strain of moneyed-class hyper-parenting that dominates in certain reaches of New York, as well as a desperate request for a certain kind of masochist. “I am not looking for Supernanny,” it read. “I don’t want someone who has a lot of theories on the right way to raise kids.” And: “If you are fundamentally unhappy with your life, you will be more unhappy if you take this job.” More: “If you suspect all wealthy women are frivolous, we are not for you. I do not want to hide my occasional Bergdorf shopping bag.” The post struck a chord with a number of mothers who saw in the tone and details a glimpse of themselves, or somebody they know. Within two minutes, it was making the rounds of parenthood blogs and chain e-mail messages among Bonpoint shoppers all over town. . .

RELATED ARTICLE:  Put Your Marriage Before Your Kids   Christian Science Monitor, By David A. Code, August 26, 2008
American parents shoot ourselves in the foot by making our children the center of our universe. And we certainly don't help our kids, either. Child-centered families create anxious, exhausted parents and demanding, entitled kids who act out. Schools are overwhelmed by children's special needs and a spirit of community is draining from our neighborhoods. As these self-absorbed kids enter the workplace, America's global leadership and ability to compete will be seriously compromised. But we can create healthy families and raise tomorrow's leaders -- if we focus on our marriages instead of our children.


RELATED ARTICLE: The power of parenting   Townhall.com, By Rebecca Hagelin, May 19, 2006
Today, more than ever, it takes a real commitment to decide to be the mamma or the daddy - to determine that you will take control and be the one that permeates your home with tangible, unconditional love and sets uncompromising standards for yourself and your kids. Far too many parents today have morphed into a fourth type of parent, the one who thinks that they have to be their child's friend. Oh, there's plenty of love and understanding and loads of fun and games. But when it comes to rules, to setting down the law, to standing up for standards and expected behaviors from your child, many parents today are sorely lacking.

RELATED ARTICLE:  Dishing out some Hart-felt wisdom  Townhall.com, By Rebecca Hagelin, September 20, 2005
Have you ever met a perfect parent? Me neither. Yet book after book, magazine after magazine, could easily lead you to believe otherwise. Oh, they don’t literally promise perfection. But the relentless series of easy, multi-step formulas -- designed to stop tantrums, break your kids of junk food, get little ones to sleep through the night and avoid screaming matches -- certainly leave you with the impression that perfection is (more or less) attainable.


RELATED ARTICLE:  Fighting for our children isn't easy  Townhall.com, By Rebecca Hagelin, August 9, 2005
As I travel the country speaking about my book, Home Invasion: Protecting Your Family in a Culture that’s Gone Stark Raving Mad, I’m met with nearly universal desperation from parents who are sick and tired of the battle for their kids’ hearts, minds and very souls. As the mother of three teens, I admit that I sometimes “fall back” in my own war with the culture. It’s often tough, tiresome and even tedious. But raising children who will tower above the culture makes the battle well worth my unwavering commitment. So where to start? Here are five basics:

RELATED ARTICLE:  Poor Parenting at the Root of Problem Teens  Atchison Daily Globe - KS, By Jeff Schmucker, May 19, 2005


RELATED ARTICLE:  We can win  Townhall.com, By Rebecca Hagelin, May 13, 2005


RELATED ARTICLE:  New 'mommy wars': a fight against pop culture's excess  The Christian Science Monitor, By Linda Feldmann-Staff writer, May 6, 2008
Forget about the "mommy wars," in which stay-at-home mothers were supposedly locking horns with their working sisters, at least in popular perception. What's really happening with American mothers of all stripes - from full-time homemakers to full-fledged workaholics, all income levels, all racial backgrounds - is worry about popular culture, and what feels like a tsunami of forces threatening parents' ability to impart positive values to their children, according to a new survey of more than 2,000 mothers. Moms report a cultural onslaught that goes far beyond Hollywood movies and TV, and into the world of the Internet, electronic games, and advertising.

• The end of the affair: Modern technology means it's never been easier to expose a partner's lies   The Daily Mail- UK, By Nick Harding, August 27, 2008
  What could be more family-friendly than a Nintendo Wii, a games console replete with motion-sensing technology and gleaming white purity? Just look at the marketing: families bounding around the living room, gurning with unbridled joy as they compete with each other at video tennis and baseball. The message is clear: a Wii is the new social hub, it stands for wholesome, healthy family values. It's even got brain training and fitness applications. So the recent stories about the man in the United States who reportedly filed for divorce, citing his Wii as a catalyst for his wife's infidelity, would have had Nintendo's marketing Svengalis frothing at the mouth. Returning from a deployment in Iraq, the unnamed soldier is said to have plugged in his console  -  no doubt for some light relief  -  and uncovered evidence that while he was fighting the insurgency, his wife had been conducting her own secret manoeuvres. You see, a Wii has a gizmo that allows a player to store his or her personal profile, called a Mii.The soldier discovered that his wife's Mii had spent long evenings virtual bowling with another Mii. When he confronted her, she admitted that the mystery Mii was her lover. As more and more philanderers are discovering, modern technology has an increasingly unpleasant ability to trip us up, even the whiter-than white Wii. Today, to function as an effective member of 21st century society, we have to engage with a bewildering array of electronic gadgets, few of which we fully understand. We stomp digital footprints all over the place, and the unforeseen result of engaging in the information age is that it is becoming harder to have secrets  -  and, as a result, harder to cheat on each other. . .

RELATED ARTICLE:  Text snooping is the latest addiction for couples!  Sify.com, August 27, 2008
Melbourne: Couples Down Under have developed a disturbing new habit – text snooping. That’s the conclusion of a new survey conducted by Virgin Mobile, which has found that one in three Aussies can't help themselves and check their partner's mobile phone when they're in the shower or on the toilet. But that curiosity has blown up in their faces with 73 per cent finding things they later wished they hadn't.


RELATED ARTICLE:  How to keep your computer activities out of divorce court   USA Today-CyberSpeak, By Kim Komando, August 15, 2005
Employing a private investigator isn't the only way to gather evidence in divorce or child custody proceedings. Clandestine keylogging and tracking programs installed on home computers can provide digital proof. You should know the downsides before you install this type of software. (Related item: Ask Kim). Take the case of Beverly and James O'Brien. Beverly installed snoopware on her husband's computer. She attempted to admit the information she obtained as evidence in divorce proceedings. In March, a Florida judge ruled that the information couldn't be admitted because it violated a state law involving "intercepted" communications. Don't let Beverly's experience lull you into a false sense of security. The use of computer evidence in divorce proceedings is a legal quagmire. In other situations, it has been successfully admitted in court. To protect yourself, it's best to err on the side of caution. . .

• Renewing Vows to Save a Marriage
  Madonna, Guy Ritchie Pull Out Stops to Save Tumultuous Union  ABC News, By Dan Childs, August 26, 2008
  In an era when celebrity weddings have an almost unrivaled potential to catch the public eye, another kind of nuptial ceremony -- the renewal of vows -- seems just as noteworthy. Most recently, the celebrity power couple of Madonna and Guy Ritchie reportedly opted to tie the double knot at a private Kabbalah ceremony in Los Angeles, using the occasion to announce their pledge to try and rebuild their shaky seven-year marriage. It's a strategy that just might work. Relationship experts say that pledging to recommit to a spouse is, for many couples, an essential part in healing a broken marriage. Dawn O. Braithwaite, professor of communication studies at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, has researched couples who opt to renew their vows. And she says that while there are a number of reasons why couples might renew their vows -- from indulging in a fantasy wedding they could never afford, to satisfying a desire to have their families involved in their recommitment -- some of those who seek a renewal do it to salvage a faltering marriage. . . .

RELATED BOOK REVIEW:  Marriage: It gets better, or so they say   Economist.com (From The Economist print edition), August 28, 2008
Should unhappily married people split up? Ms Scarf addresses this question in a chapter called “Does Divorce Make People Happy?” The short answer seems to be, rarely. She quotes a study of people in unhappy marriages which followed up the couples five years later. Its conclusion: unhappily married adults who divorced or separated were no happier, on average, than unhappily married adults who stayed married to the same partner. Only one in five of them was happily remarried. More surprisingly, a majority of those who remained married pronounced themselves happy at the end of the five-year period.


RELATED ARTICLE:  Marriage as learned behavior: Can divorce be foretold?  Seattle Times, By Kyung M. Song, July 27, 2005
It may sound like a conservative's marriage manifesto: Pick a partner with a similar background, don't shack up without an engagement ring and stick with even a lifeless marriage for your kids' sake. But following that creed could avert divorce, which, statistics show, can be perilous to your health. Researchers have persuasively linked certain demographic and socioeconomic factors — many of which you can't control — with higher odds of marital breakup.


RELATED ARTICLE:  Would you Adam and Eve it?  The Telegraph-UK, By Chloe Rhodes, July 12, 2005
The physical differences between men and women have long been understood, and can be traced directly to our primeval roles as hunters and child-bearers. But until recently, the many behavioural differences between have perplexed us. So what is it that makes women want to chat about the events of their day while men would rather reflect on theirs in silence? Why do men generally gravitate to computer and sports magazines while women prefer gossip and relationship glossies? And why do men and women often seem to want such different things from their relationships with each other?


RELATED ARTICLE:  Harried marrieds   Christian Science Monitor,  By Marilyn Gardener, July 1, 2005
Today's long work hours and hectic schedules can interfere with relationships - unless couples take charge. . . . Like ships passing in the night. That's the way Mira Kirshenbaum describes the increasingly distant relationship she and her husband developed after years of balancing child-rearing and demanding careers. "We were so busy we couldn't connect," she says. "We just didn't have the feelings of love we used to." It's a familiar lament in a time-short culture. . .

• Vin Diesel: I Want To Be A Good Dad  Parade magazine, August 25, 2008
  Vin Diesel rose to stardom playing tough guys in action flicks like The Fast and the Furious and XXX. And he’s in for some spills and thrills in Babylon A.D., playing a veteran turned mercenary. But what’s one more big screen appearance when you’ve just become a father? Vin, whose 24-year-old model girlfriend Paloma Jimenez gave birth to their daughter in April, can’t wait to spill about how much his life has changed.
  Q: Some people seem surprised that you have a baby daughter.
   
  A: Yes. I guess it’s because of all the tough guys I’ve put on the screen. People go, 'You’re a dad? You’re changing diapers? What’s up with the world?' But someone once told me that, when you have a child, it opens up parts of your heart that you never knew existed. And it is so true. It’s like you have a child and you think, 'Everything that I’ve done up until this point is insignificant in comparison to being a father.' It’s a beautiful, beautiful thing. . .

RELATED ARTICLE:  Turning Fool’s Gold Into the Real Thing   Townhall.com, By Robert Knight, February 12, 2008
Cad: 1) ungentlemanly man— a man whose conduct, especially toward women, is considered unscrupulous or dishonorable. (Encarta Dictionary)


RELATED ARTICLE:  Should Getting Married Be the Price a Man’s Willing to Pay for a Woman’s Passion? Absolutely   BlackAmericaWeb.com, By Joseph C. Phillips, December 04, 2007


RELATED ARTICLE:  Declining Marriage Rates Aren’t Just a Black Family Thing – They're an American Thing  BlackAmericaWeb.com, By Joseph C. Phillips, July 17, 2006

RELATED ARTICLE:  Will Baby Strengthen or Strain Your Marriage?  WebMD, By Sherry Rauh— Reviewed by Michael Smith MD, August 2, 2005
Whether a new baby brings spouses closer together or drives them apart has a lot to do with the pre-baby relationship, says Jerrold Lee Shapiro, PhD, a clinical psychologist and chairman of the department of counseling psychology at Santa Clara University in California. "Having a child intensifies everything in a relationship," he tells WebMD.


RELATED ARTICLE:  The Perils of Playing House  Psychology Today, By Nancy Wartik
Living together before marriage seems like a smart way to road test the relationship. But cohabitation may lead you to wed for all the wrong reasons -- or turn into a one-way trip to splitsville.

• Obama Loses Gay-Media King  NY Post- Page Six, August 25, 2008
  Paul Colichman, the William Randolph Hearst of the gay media, is not supporting Barack Obama for president. But that doesn't mean he's backing John McCain. "I'm a die-hard Democrat," he tells Page Six. But Colichman was also a die-hard Hillary Clinton supporter. He and Harry Thomason produced a documentary, "The Hunting of the President: The 10-Year Campaign to Destroy Bill and Hillary Clinton." Colichman, 46, who owns The Advocate and Out magazines, GayWired.com, and Here, the premium cable network for gays, said he finally dealt with his disappointment over Clinton's defeat last week and came around to Obama. "I thought, 'Get over yourself!' I had literally written out a check to the Obama campaign. And then I saw him in front of an evangelical group in Anaheim," he said. Before Rick Warren at the Saddleback Civil Forum, both Obama and McCain defined marriage as a union between a man and a woman. "I thought, 'Wow! He just threw the gay community under the bus,' " Colichman said. "My partner looked over at me, and we tore up the check.". . .

RELATED ARTICLE:  Anti-Obama Stand Riles Gays   NY Post- Page Six, August 26, 2008
Gay media czar Paul Colichman's vow in yesterday's Page Six not to support Barack Obama over the candidate's opposition to same-sex marriage has other gay media bigs aflame. "By tearing up his check for Obama, he basically wrote one to McCain," Genre editor Neal Boulton told us. "I openly - no, flamingly - endorse Obama, whether he says he's for gay marriage or not. . . . I know under Obama, it will only be a matter of time until the country sees the legalization of gay marriage." James Hipps, project manager for gay-marketing firm Vibe Media, wants gays to cancel their subscriptions to The Advocate. "I am appalled," he said. "For our gay-lesbian- bisxexual-transgender rights to continue to grow and not further diminish, then we need to stand behind [Obama]. Good luck with your life, Mr. Colichman. I hope you get to sleep well at night after McCain becomes elected. Shame on you."


RELATED ARTICLE:  Where Obama and McCain Stand on Social Policy Issues  US News & World Report, August 24, 2008

• Michelle Obama: Politics Hasn't Changed My Husband  People magazine, By Sandra Sobieraj Westfall, August 25, 2008
  Michelle Obama gave the kind of intimate, emotional endorsement only a wife could give in her headlining speech kicking off the Democratic National Convention on Monday night. She recalled her husband, Barack Obama, as a nervous new dad, before the hype and hoopla of his life on the national stage, and said he has not been changed by politics. "He's the same man who drove me and our new baby daughter home from the hospital 10 years ago this summer," said Michelle, "inching along at a snail's pace, peering anxiously at us in the rearview mirror, feeling the whole weight of her future in his hands ... [He was] determined to give her what he never had, the affirming embrace of a father's love." Her voice caught with emotion and she sniffed several times. At the start of a four-day gathering that will culminate in her husband receiving the Democratic nomination for president, Michelle, 44, remembered the long, hard-fought primary season. "After all that's happened these past 19 months, see, the Barack Obama I know today is the same man I fell in love with 19 years ago.". . .
  
  
  RELATED VIDEO:  Michelle Obama at the 2008 DNC  YouTube.com- BarackObamadotcom

RELATED ARTICLE: Mrs O: The truth about Michelle Obama's 'working class' credentials  The Daily Mail- UK, By Sharon Churcher, February 23, 2008
When The Mail on Sunday went back to the gritty district of Chicago where Michelle LaVaughn Robinson was raised, we found a rather different picture from the one so single-mindedly promoted by Camp Obama. Instead of the one-room tenement that now appears in most accounts of her upbringing, we found a well-kept neighbourhood of red-brick Arts and Craft-style houses which have long been home to respectable black families.


RELATED ARTICLE:  Michelle Obama thesis was on racial divide  Politico.com, By Jeffrey Ressner, February 22, 2008
Michelle Obama's senior year thesis at Princeton University, obtained from the campaign by Politico, shows a document written by a young woman grappling with a society in which a black Princeton alumnus might only be allowed to remain "on the periphery." Read the full thesis here. . .


RELATED RESOURCE: Candidate Match Game  USA Today


RELATED RESOURCE:  On the Issues- Every Political on Every Issue: Barack Obama


RELATED RESOURCE:  On the Issues- Every Political on Every Issue: John McCain

• Critics Slam Elizabeth Edwards for Silence on Husband's Affair  FOX News- AP, August 26, 2008
  Two weeks after a devastating revelation sent her husband into political exile, Elizabeth Edwards isn't getting the steady sympathy usually afforded to a woman scorned. Instead, she's faced criticism from dedicated Democrats who think she was too willing to keep the affair a secret to help John Edwards' political ambitions, as well as her own.
  
  
  RELATED ARTICLE:  How to own up to an affair  The Times Online- UK, By Dr. Pam Spurr, August 28, 2008
  If there's one theme that I regularly hear from those who've been unfaithful to their partners it's that, at the time, their affair seemed so right, but with hindsight it ended up feeling so wrong. It's staggering how powerful illicit passion can be in convincing a person that their behaviour is acceptable. A guilty conscience usually tries to justify what it's doing as a salve: it's a type of defence mechanism to deny that your actions could be bad. Owning up to that harsh reality could take the zing out of the fling, which defeats the underhand purpose.
  
  
  RELATED ARTICLE:  Couples' counseling  Chicago Tribune, By Dianne Kinzer, August 25, 2008
  Here's a novel idea for politicians and the rest of us: Let's keep sex in marriage, especially for spouses in crisis situations (such as those fighting cancer or enduring three years of waiting for a husband to return from prison camp). Difficult? Yes, sometimes. But surely such a course is better than dealing with the fallout of betrayal.
  
  
  

• Referendum on 1913 marriage law passes first test  Boston Globe, By Globe Staff, August 25, 2008
  The state attorney general today approved paperwork filed by opponents of same-sex marriages who are pushing a statewide referendum that would reinstate a 1913 statute that prevented gay and lesbian couples from marrying in Massachusetts if their union wouldn't be legal in their home state. The paperwork, which included the signatures of 10 registered voters, was filed Aug. 13 by the group Mass Resistance. They now need to gather signatures from 33,297 registered voters by Oct. 29 to get the referendum on the ballot in November 2010. “After a thorough review by our office, we have concluded that this referendum petition has met the technical requirements that govern such petitions.” Attorney General Martha Coakley said today in a statement. “Our decision that this referendum meets the Constitutional requirements as to subject matter does not mean that it has our support, but simply that the constitutional requirements are met for the proponents of the referendum to obtain further signatures.”. . .

RELATED ARTICLE:  Gay marriage opponents seek to reverse new law  Boston Herald.com- Associated Press, August 15, 2008
The gay marriage fight in Massachusetts may not be over after all. Opponents of same-sex marriages have filed paperwork for a ballot question that would repeal a new law that nullified a 1913 statute that prevented gay and lesbian couples from getting married here if their union wouldn’t be legal in their home state. Brian Camenker of the group Mass Resistance says lawmakers and Gov. Deval Patrick bowed to the will of the "gay lobby" by approving the repeal of the 1913 law last month. . . .Mass Resistance filed paperwork with the secretary of state’s office on Wednesday. It is unlikely any question would go on the ballot before 2010. . .

• McCain and Obama Largely Avoid Abortion, Gay Marriage
  Social issues are largely out of the spotlight in the presidential election  US News & World Report, August 24, 2008
  Since Barack Obama and John McCain became the presumptive presidential nominees, they have been attacking each other on the slowing economy, the high price of gas, and the war in Iraq. But one thing this already bruising election has yet to feature is another round of the culture war. While the two candidates have been more than eager to share their views on, say, nuclear energy, when it comes to same-sex marriage and abortion, two hot-button issues that have loomed large in the past few presidential races, both Obama and McCain have been relatively quiet. The two senators spoke candidly about their faiths, and their views, recently with the Rev. Rick Warren, the evangelical minister of Saddleback Church, but on the campaign trail, they have largely evaded the hard details of social policy, cloaking their language instead in vague references to judicial appointments. "There's an understandable reluctance to address these issues in public forums," says John Green, a senior fellow at the Pew Forum on Religion and Public Life. "For everyone you please, there's someone you irritate." Still, the candidates' avoidance of these issues has puzzled some activists at both ends of the political spectrum. . . . . . So, a few carefully worded equivocations aside, why all the tip-toeing around? There is at least one easy answer. "Both Obama and McCain have said they want to reach out to the middle," says Brian Schaffner, a professor of political science at the University of Massachusetts-Amherst. "Abortion's not something you talk about when you're trying to win the center." There's no question the country remains deeply divided on these matters. . .
  
  
  RELATED ARTICLE:  Where Obama and McCain Stand on Social Policy Issues  US News & World Report, August 24, 2008
  
  
  RELATED ARTICLE:  Democrats Strive to Show They Got Religion Too   The Christian Post, By Michelle A. Vu, August 25, 2008
  The Democratic National Convention looks different this year as Christian and other religious leaders take center stage this week as part of the Democrats’ effort to show a more faith-friendly image to American voters. . . This year, religion is playing such a prominent role at the Democratic Convention largely in part because of Obama’s own emphasis on reaching faith voters. From Gospel concerts to meetings with some of the nation’s top Christian leaders, the Obama campaign has made connecting with faith voters one of its top priorities.

RELATED ARTICLE:  Saddleback: The Inner Game of Politics  Wall Street Journal, By Daniel Henninger, August 21, 2008
First question from Pastor Rick Warren to Barack Obama and John McCain: "Who are the three wisest people you know in your life?" Come again? Can I get back to you on that? No you can't, not if you plan to run for the presidency of the United States. In 21st century America, a candidate better be ready to output an opinion about everything. Everything. What would be the greatest moral failure in your life? What does it mean to you to trust in Christ? What's the toughest decision you ever had to make? At what point does a baby get human rights? Does evil exist? What about stem cells? Define marriage. This was just the tip of a submerged iceberg. At one point in the Saddleback Presidential Forum, Rick Warren said he had "about 200,000 questions." How has it come to pass that presidential candidates must talk about such things?

RELATED ARTICLE:  Why Christians Leave Out God in the Marriage Debate   The Christian Post, By Rhonda Tse, December 10, 2005
Christians suggest why so often one hears, ''one man and one woman,'' as the correct model, but leave out God. – As the marriage debate rages across the country, some are wondering why they so often hear, “one man and one woman,” as the correct model, but leave out God. A national marriage expert, the president of a regional marriage protection ministry, and a publicist and lay leader – all Christians – suggest a few reasons, but all agreed that Christians should not leave God out because He is integral to every successful marriage. Christian publicist and a regular churchgoer Mike Paul has worked with Christian groups both large and small, and to his dismay found that when up on a podium, leaders “from Billy Graham’s daughter to Chuck Colson” failed to mention God when addressing crowds about the correct model for marriage. “It is not one man and one woman, but it’s a triangle with God at the top,” said Paul.

• Obama: Bill unnecessarily burdened doctors with … babies  HotAir.com, By Ed Morrissey, August 21, 2008
  Yesterday, a YouTubed audio snippet of Barack Obama’s defense of his vote against the Illinois state legislation that required medical providers to give normal life-supporting medical care to infants born alive during an abortion appeared on several blogs. Neither Allahpundit nor I could determine the legitimacy of the clip at the time.  After all, AP had just inveighed against Think Progress for Dowdifying John McCain on the draft, and it hardly seemed fair to propagate a potentially similar edit job on Obama.  Guy Benson did some research on the quote and discovered that not only did the audio come from the Chicago Tribune, Obama had made similar remarks in the Illinois legislature. Here’s the audio alone, without the musical overlay:  "I suspect that doctors feel that they would be under that obligation, that they would already be making these determinations, and that essentially adding an additional doctor, who then has to be called in an emergency situation to come in and make these assessments, is really designed simply to burden the original decision of the woman and the physician to induce labor and perform an abortion". . . .

RELATED AUDIO: Barack Obama’s defense of his vote  Chicago Tribune

RELATED ARTICLE:  John McCain or Barack Obama? For us, there’s only one option   The Real Proposal magazine, August 18, 2008
The sad reality is that both presumptive candidates for the presidency of the United States — chosen, ultimately, from a decidedly tainted pack from both sides of the Democratic-Republican divide — constitute a less-than-stellar reflection of our spiritual and moral condition as a nation, and it is delusional to believe that there isn't a leadership crisis in America. An old proverb reminds us, "The lot is cast into the lap, but its every decision is from the LORD," which, if applied to the upcoming presidential elections, would imply that whichever candidate prevails has been ordained for this juncture of our history. That said, however, we ought not be fooled into believing that the outcome will necessarily be "good."

RELATED ARTICLE:  Obama's Infanticide Disgrace  Townhall.com, By Guy Benson, August 18, 2008
Average Americans, many of whom hold complicated views on the issue of abortion, may wonder why such a bill would even be necessary in the first place. Once a child is born, she becomes an independent human being who's entitled to the same rights and legal protections afforded to all citizens, right? Wrong, said State Senator Obama. Earlier this decade, the Born Alive Infant Protection Act was introduced in the Illinois state legislature after a Chicago area nurse named Jill Stanek blew the whistle on a practice she personally witnessed at her hospital. Babies who managed to survive late term abortions were being abandoned in soiled linen closets and left to die.


RELATED ARTICLE:  Above my Pay Grade?  Townhall.com, By Kevin McCullough, August 17, 2008
When asked most forthrightly by Warren as to when a child should have its God given rights protected, Obama balked and claimed "knowing when something" that is obviously living, "begins to live" was, "above his pay grade." Even as a father he knew it was a lie. . . .And yet this flail speaks to his fundamental misunderstanding of morality and whether or not his moral judgement could be trusted as the most powerful man on earth. Obama has added even further doubt by outright lying about why he supported the exact same "Born Alive Infant Protection Act" that was even too radical and immoral for Barbara Boxer, Hillary Clinton, and Dianne Feinstein to support. Put differently Obama is the only elected official on record to ever vote in favor of denying life-saving medical care to children who had been born but that were struggling for life. Is that a decision too confusing so as to be "above the pay grade" as well? It isn't for most Americans.


RELATED RESOURCE:  Index of Documents regarding Obama Cover-up on Born-Alive Abortion Survivors Bill  National Right to Life (NRL).org


RELATED SITE:  National Right to Life
The Obama Born-Alive Infants Debate: On August 16 Obama Said NRLC Was "Lying" -- But What Does He Say Now?

• Now on the Hallmark aisle: Gay marriage cards  Associated Press, By Sarah Skidmore, August 21, 2008
  The nation's largest greeting card company is rolling out same-sex wedding cards — featuring two tuxedos, overlapping hearts or intertwined flowers, with best wishes inside. "Two hearts. One promise," one says. Hallmark added the cards after California joined Massachusetts as the only U.S. states with legal gay marriage. A handful of other states have recognized same-sex civil unions. The language inside the cards is neutral, with no mention of wedding or marriage, making them also suitable for a commitment ceremony. Hallmark says the move is a response to consumer demand, not any political pressure. "It's our goal to be as relevant as possible to as many people as we can," Hallmark spokeswoman Sarah Gronberg Kolell said. Hallmark's largest competitor, American Greetings Corp., has no plans to enter the market, saying its current offerings are general enough to speak to a lot of different relationships. Hallmark started offering "coming out" cards last year, and the four designs of same-sex marriage cards are being gradually released this summer and will be widely available by next year. No sales figures were available yet. . . . The gay-friendly business can be challenging, companies said. Hamm said although she has found many vendors willing to work with her company, some have asked to be removed from the Web site because of hate mail or some other backlash. Hallmark says all of its stores can choose whether they want to add the latest offerings. . . .

RELATED ARTICLE:  Some Shops Reject Same-Sex Wedding Cards: Owners Of Several Idaho Hallmark Stores Won't Sell New Line Catering To Same-Sex Partners