Two Day Magazine

Are you in search of Mr. or Mrs. Right and have 200,000 yen? (That’s $2,217). Then, I have a school for you!

Dozens of Japanese are in Tokyo are turning to Infini School to help them land a mate. The school offers lots of different classes for singles looking to mingle, or those who are finding it difficult to meet their match.

The school is open to men and women, and teaches several different life skills, including how to walk, talk, and appear elegant in an attempt to make themselves more appealing to prospective life partners and their parents, which are often a major impediment to a happy union.

Infini opened only a month ago and already has enrolled 30 female students. About the same number of males have signed up as well, but not nearly as many show up to class as their female counterparts.

Women in Japan are commanding more and more economic clout, and because of this, the attitude towards marriage had begun to wane over the past decade or so. Japanese women in their 20s and 30s are single now more than ever in the country’s history.

www.reuters.com reports that nearly two-thirds of women under the age of 34 in Japan are unmarried, in spite of over 3,800 Japanese matchmaking services being offered.

“Before, people would find it easy to get married because families and society would connect them in some way, sometimes pushing them to get married. But, nowadays, people have too many choices and cannot seem to make up their minds.” said Etsuko Satake, principal of the Infini marriage school.

So, what actually takes place at the school? The teachers (how do you get to be a teacher of marriage?) give constructive criticism about the way students are dressed, the way they stand, and even how they get out of a car or cross their legs. They discuss how to impress future in-laws, as well, including how to properly set a table. Men are taught different skills, such as how to be more emotive with their partner.

“I had never even thought that my boyfriend’s mother could play such a big role in my relationship, but now I’ve realized I need to start thinking seriously about how to impress my future in-laws, explains Kozue Sugawara, 29, who decided to attend Infini after her marriage plans fell through.

The students get graded on “simulated dates” where they interact with other students and they get performance points, as well as critiques on what they could have done better.

Many experts in Japan believe this return to marriage has a lot to do with the fact that Japan’s economy has tanked and fallen into a deep recession (we know a thing or two about that on this side of the world) and so many people, especially the ladies, are looking to marriage once again as a way to bring some economic stability back into their lives.

One woman, named Mei Oda, 32,  who is an office contract worker, has made it very clear what she hopes to gain from Infini. “I’m looking for a man who makes more than 10 million yen a year ($110,000), doesn’t ask me to live with his parents, and takes good care of me.”

Honey, isn’t that what we all want? Ha!

But seriously, I think this marriage school is a good idea. Americans could definitely benefit from some relationship training, themselves, as well! As the number of divorces continue to climb in this country, I wonder how long it will be until the U.S starts taking its cues from the far East. I mean, we import everything else from them, why not the marriage school, too? Learning life skills, learning how to communicate with your partner, learning how to please in-laws...aren’t these all things that everyone in a relationship could stand to know a little more about?

What do you think? Is a marriage school really the answer to create a better union amongst people? Wouldn’t it be funny if someday, when you meet a partner, you have to show them your “Infini Certificate of Completion” that states that you won’t suck as a life partner? What if your potential mate looks at it, and goes, “Oh, you only got a C in table setting? I don’t think this is going to work...” It could happen, right?

...Lawmakers put the brakes on first-cousin wedlock!

I know the question you are thinking. “Isn’t this already illegal?” But, no, for we live in a complex country with many types of people. Some forward thinking...some married to their first cousins, apparently.

According to the Associated Press, a Maryland state legislator believes it is time to pull the plug on first-cousin marriages and stop engaging in what he calls “genetic roulette” with their offspring. The bill would, of course, make exceptions for lovers over 65 and for those who are infertile.

Henry Heller, a Democratic delegate, wants to bring Maryland “into the enlightened world of other states such as West Virginia and Arkansas” (is that sarcasm I detect?) that have already outlawed unions of first cousins.

Heller, who is a retired special education administrator states that kissing cousins are at a much higher risk of having a child with birth defects. Maryland follows 24 other states that prohibit marriage between first-cousins. (Only 24?) However, Heller says he has “no problem” with couples who just want the companionship and aren’t looking to procreate.

Personally, I don’t have an issue with any two consenting adults who want to be together or married. However, for the good of the whole population, we now know that first-cousin marriages often times end with children who have birth defects or mental disabilities and then it is the state that ends up taking care of these people, creating a burden on us all.

Yet, some would argue, why stop there with just first cousin marriage being outlawed? If we are worried about genetic disorders being passed on, maybe everyone should be tested for defects and the government can decide who can procreate and who can’t. Obviously, that would never happen, and maybe we are just grossed out by kissing cousins in our society, even though it is very prevalent in other cultures.

After all, Queen Victoria married her first cousin. The Bible encourages marriages between first cousins. The practice is still quite popular in much of the Muslim world, including Pakistan and Saudi Arabia. Genetics researcher Alan Bittles estimates that 20% of marriages worldwide are between first cousins. Even here, in the United States, many genetic counselors agree that there are no exact figures, but experience suggests that 1 in a 1000 marriages in our country is between first cousins.

So, when it comes to marriage, when it comes to love...who are we to judge? Although I do feel sort of slimy when I think about it. Either I’m backwards in my thinking or really ahead of my time. Not sure yet.

And, for your viewing pleasure, enjoy the clip above of Ricki Lake interviewing cousins in love and the evil sister who wants it to stop! It sounds like a twisted Dickens novel of some sort! Enjoy!

Breaking sports news video. MLB, NFL, NBA, NHL highlights and more.

Yesterday, in Milledgeville, Ga, Pittsburgh Steelers QB, Ben Roethlisberger, 28, found himself at the center of yet another sexual assault case. This time, (that’s right, he has been accused of hurting a woman before) a 20 year old girl, who had been out barhopping with friends, claims that Ben followed her into the women's bathroom at a Georgia nightclub around 2:30 in the morning and assaulted her. She went to the police early Friday morning and stated that Ben had sexually assaulted her. She was taken to the hospital after that, and was released later that morning. The young woman has dropped out of college for this semester, after some found out who she was, and began harassing her.

A high profile defense attorney has been hired by Ben on Monday to dispute this second claim of sexual assault. This same attorney also defended rapper T.I. on a federal weapons charge, as well as represented Baltimore Ravens linebacker Ray Lewis in a murder case. Lewis’ more serious charges were dropped and he pleaded guilty to a lesser charge of obstruction of justice.

Although Ben hasn’t been named as a suspect just yet, and all the facts have not been collected, and the investigation has really just begun, Ben’s attorney, Ed Garland, has already released a very strong statement of innocence, claiming: “The facts show that there was no criminal activity. No sexual assault occurred. Ben is completely innocent of any crime.”

Authorities also stated that Ben has yet to give them a DNA sample, but they will be obtaining one in the coming days. The young woman has hired her own attorney, and the police are interviewing eight people as well as reviewing video footage but would not elaborate further.

Ben, who owns a home about 30 miles from Milledgeville on Lake Oconee, is also being sued by a woman who claimed he raped her at a hotel-casino in Lake Tahoe back in 2008. Ben denies this allegation.

So what do the Steelers think of this situation? President Art Rooney II said Monday that the team is closely monitoring the situation. “All of us in the Steelers family are concerned about the recent incident involving Ben Roethlisberger in Georgia. We cannot comment on any of the specifics until law enforcement’s investigation is concluded.”

So, the question begging to be asked...is Ben Roethelisberger capable of sexual assault? He claims that he would never force himself on a woman, but the stories coming forward seem to counter that claim. Whether or not you are a Steelers fan has nothing to do with the fact that we, as a society, need to stand up and say that sexual assault will NOT be tolerated. I don’t care if she was drunk, I don’t care if she was dumb and left with him, I don’t care if he was drunk. Sexual assault is NEVER ok. It is NEVER “asked for” and it should NEVER be excused. If he has committed this crime, I hope the pig goes to jail for a looooooong time.

As for this woman being a gold digger (can you tell I have read other comments on other websites?) I ask, why would she be? This is the worst way to go about getting money out of someone, especially when they are so high profile. She went to the hospital. She filed a report with the police. She had to drop out of school because she is being vilified. To me, this sounds like a scared young woman who was assaulted and followed all of the proper channels to deal with the incident and is now being played out in the media as a “whore who just wants money.” This labeling of women and athletes has to stop! Athletes are not gods, and women who are assaulted by athletes are not gold diggers. We have taken our worship of sport figures to a dangerous level in this country and we see time and time again, that if you have enough money, you can get away with basically anything.

As for this particular case, this is the SECOND time Ben has been accused. How many more times will he get off the hook without having to even so much as explain himself to the public that so blindly worships him? And, if he didn’t commit this crime, someone needs to coach him off the field on how to act in restaurants and bars so that he won’t keep getting into such predicaments. It’s just so embarrassing

At the University of Kentucky, Dr. Richard Crosby, and Dr. Bill Yarber of the Kinsey Institute for Research in Sex, Gender and Reproduction in Indiana wrote:

“Men and their female sex partners may benefit from public health efforts designed to promote the improved fit of condoms.”  

Condoms that do not fit correctly often times break, slip off, or cause a reduction in sexual pleasure for both partners. Is the ill-fitting condom the real reason men don’t want to wear them? Are there just too many “big boys” out there (Hey, a girl can dream, can’t she?) or is this just an excuse men use to avoid using protection when having intercourse?

This study, which was released Monday, focuses on encouraging people to use condoms to reduce the possibility of contracting HIV, other STIs and of course, unwanted pregnancy; which was reported in the journal Sexually Transmitted Infections.

The survey included 436 men which ranged in ages 18-67. Nearly HALF (45%) reported that they had used a ill-fitting condom in the last 3 months. The men surveyed also complained that the condom was irritating to wear (duh, if you don’t put lubrication on it first) and they often broke or slipped off. (Um, if it is slipping off, it definitely isn’t too small, that would mean the condom is too big.)

These same guys who wore ill fitting condoms were TWICE as likely to say that using condoms reduced the overall sexual pleasure for both them and their partner. Newsflash, if  a woman is worrying about the condom breaking, slipping off, or chafing her, they probably won’t want to have sex at that point. No one wants to panic in the middle of sex, thinking, “Oh, shit, what just happened?”  Kind of a mood killer.

The researchers also wrote that: “Moreover, the increased likelihood that men using ill-fitting condoms will remove condoms before sex ends constitutes another form of condom failure. Fortunately, it seems likely that these problems could be rectified through education programs.”

What’s even more entertaining is the fact that since condoms are labeled “Small”, “Medium”, “Large”, etc..., these same men that were surveyed said they refused to buy (or felt embarrassed to buy) condoms that were “Small” or “Medium”.

I, for one, propose that they stop labeling condoms as “Small” and start using letters like they do on ladies’ pantyhose. If you are a “Small” you buy size “A”. “Medium” is size “B”, and so forth. A discreet letter at the corner of the condom package may make men more likely to buy the size that they actually need, and not the size that they are projecting to the outward world, including the Walgreens counter girl who is bored enough to judge you.

Is this really about size, though? Or do men really not want to wear condoms? I understand that it feels better without them, but, is it really that big of a deal? Isn’t it better to have safe sex and not worry, than to make your partner nervous? Let’s be real, I know guys don’t worry as much as girls do, because they can’t get preggers. For us, there is always that extra fear in the back of the mind (which is why it is so important for women to take care of themselves, sexually, and get on birth control if they aren’t in the market for a baby.)

I also believe that our lack of real sex education in high schools is at the root of this issue, as well. How many men were actually shown how to use a condom properly? Probably not that many. What’s the point of having contraceptives if you don’t know what to do with them? Although, I guess they can make great water balloons.

Enjoy the video. Whenever someone speaks with a British accent, I feel like they know what they are talking about!

Point being, don’t be a fool, wrap your tool!

Most little girls in the 3rd grade are learning how to add and subtract fractions, not adding and subtracting husbands. Nujood is a little girl from Yemen, a place where child brides and pedophilia, as well as terrorism and extreme religious dogma prevail.

Nujood’s dark journey started when she was the ripe old age of 10. Her family sat her down and informed her that she would be marrying a delivery man who was in his 30s. In her new autobiography recently published in the United States: http://www.randomhouse.com/catalog/display.pperl?isbn=9780307589675 , Nujood writes: “In our country, it’s the men who give the orders, and the women who follow them. I Am Nujood, Age 10 and Divorced.”

At her wedding, while most women would be mingling with guests, eating cake, dancing with their friends and kissing their new husband, Nujood sat in the corner, the tears swelling her eyes shut with pain and fear. Her new husband made her drop out of school (at the time she was in 2nd grade) because married women shouldn’t be students. This rule is ridiculous, obviously, and made even more ridiculous because Nujood is certainly not a woman yet!

Because her father was such a saint, he asked her new slave-owner (whoops, I mean, husband) to wait until she had her first menstrual cycle before copulating with her. Considering she was 10, this could have meant celibacy for a few more years. Obviously, this didn’t happen, and Nujood was raped immediately upon being married. On top of being sexually and mentally abused by this pig, Nujood was subject to routine beatings, which her mother-in-law supported, saying: “Hit her even harder.” Women that have been subjected to violence themselves are going to perpetuate that violence on to the next generation, unfortunately.

One day, however, a ray of hope came into Nujood’s life when she overheard the concept of “divorce” and how a judge could grant one. This spirited, unbelievably courageous girl snuck away one day, which was very dangerous to do, hopped in a taxi and asked to be taken to the courthouse.

Can you imagine this scenario? Being 9 or 10 and going through the pain and torture of being a child bride, of being snatched from your home, forced from your school into the arms of someone who wants to treats you like property, and still having the strength and confidence to flee? This child is nothing short of a hero to people everywhere.

Once she arrived at the courthouse, Nujood pleaded to speak with a judge. “I want to talk to the judge,” says Nujood in her book.

“Which judge are you looking for?”

“I just want to speak to a judge, that’s all.”

“But, there are lots of judges in this courthouse.”

“Take me to a judge---it doesn’t matter which one!”

After encountering a judge, Nujood spoke firmly. “I want a divorce!”

Once the local media in Yemen caught wind of this story, Nujood became a local sensation, a sign of hope to other young women enslaved in the institution of child brides. The story has a happy ending. She was eventually given her divorce, and her struggle and victory has led others to do the same, including an 8 year old Saudi girl married to a man in his 50s: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/middle_east/8026545.stm

Nujood has visited the United States and Hillary Clinton has spoken of Nujood, declaring her as “one of the greatest women I have ever seen.” Nujood’s memoir has been published in 18 languages, including her native Arabic, and spent 5 weeks as the No. 1 best-seller in France. The royalties from her book support her and her family, and I am happy to say that this bright, brave, strong little girl is back in school, where she belongs.

I hope that when others read this blog, they will think hard on what it is to be loved, what it is to be a child, and what it is to be married. As long as there are women (or little girls) in the world like Nujood, standing up for themselves against all odds, our civilization has a chance to survive and thrive. It takes more than women standing up, however. It takes men, too, supporting these women as they strive for a better life, a better future, a more independent existence.

We are all children of the universe, and the sooner we begin to acknowledge ourselves as such, we can create those collective bonds across state lines, across country lines, across oceans to the other end of the world. We can take a stand against this kind of violence and enslavement by treating the people around us with respect and love.

PS: Ignore the first few seconds of the video with all the bubbles on it. It will go away and then the video is fine.

This is huge! The nation’s capital has pushed legislation through allowing any consenting couple to become legally married! Washington is now the 6th place in the nation where any couple is allowed to be married, following Connecticut, Massachusetts, New Hampshire, Vermont and Iowa.

Couples in DC have been waiting for hours in line today to apply for marriage licenses on this historic day. When the first couple signed in at the city’s marriage bureau at the Moultrie courthouse, cheering and applauding thunderously broke out from the excited and relieved crowd.

As of now, 100-plus couples are at the bureau, and over 50 have filed for their license. Since there is a mandatory waiting period of three (business) days, these couples will be married on Tuesday. A city councilman was handing out cupcakes who had sponsored the law. How festive! One couple told http://www.msnbc.com that they felt as if it was Christmas morning. A dream come true, in fact!

The fact that now same-sex marriage is being recognized in the nation’s capital speaks volumes. It is sort of the first domino that is going to knock down the others, in a way. Now that the capital has declared this as “un-scary” to nervous heteros (why they are nervous and so upset at homosexuals being able to marry escapes me, other than their personal religious beliefs...it’s a good thing we have a separation of church and state in this country...) I am hoping that other states will follow suit at a rapid pace, and once a majority of states decide to legalize it, who knows? Maybe a national bill will be put forward! (Hey, a girl can dream, can’t she?)

I am so happy twoday for all of my gay and lesbian friends who are able to get married to their lover, to their partner, to their friend. We all deserve the opportunity to stand before the state and declare our love and adoration for one another and make it legal. This makes it real. Defining moment for Washington DC. A defining moment for the people of this country. Whether you love it or hate it, these people live here, too, and they deserve the same rights and privileges that we all do! Now, where’s my cupcake?

More Charlie Sheen Gossip!

As if Charlie doesn’t have enough problems! After getting into trouble over the holidays, it seemed as if things were finally starting to simmer down for the Two and A Half Men star. Unfortunately, things have just gotten more chaotic. On top of his estranged wife, Brooke, holed up in their LA home undergoing rehabilitative drug therapy while he is also in rehab at another facility, we have just discovered that the California Department of Children and Families has visited the Sheen home, as well as Sheen facing domestic charges stemming from that ill-fated day in Colorado on Christmas. The chaos doesn’t stop there.

A very reliable source has confirmed with RadarOnline.com that a woman who has slept with Brooke and Charlie (in a three-way) is going to be going public with all the juicy details. Apparently, the source would not reveal if the woman who is going to be spilling the details of their sordid affair will discuss if their were drugs involved or when she is going to be going forward with her story. What is confirmed, however, is that Brooke is bisexual and that this isn’t the first time a woman has joined them in bed. Other sources (whether reliable or not) claim that Brooke was under the influence of drugs and alcohol when she was with these women in bed.

Let’s not forget that Sheen is facing prison time if he is found guilty of a felony and two misdemeanor charges in Colorado. He will be in even MORE hot water if the district attorney in Colorado is able to prove that illegal drugs were being used by Sheen, as well. On top of all of that, it is rumored that Brooke Mueller is planning divorcing the TV star after she is done with her rehab therapy.

The question begging to be asked, is why do we care? Is it any surprise that Sheen is behaving badly? How many slaps on the wrist has this man gotten over the past few decades? I am not shocked nor that interested in his private love affairs, whether they involved drugs or not. I think our voyeurism has taken a dark turn in the celebrity world. They have a really messed up marriage. I don’t think a marriage could get any worse. They have two little boys that are helpless in this situation, he has two little girls from a previous marriage that will be deeply affected by this, his current wife clearly has addiction issues that he indulged, and he, himself, has never had to take responsibility for his actions and therefore is a total and utter train wreck. So what gives? Why do we (as a culture) delight in the dissolution of their marriage? Why is it that we are fascinated by other’s misfortune? Is it because they are rich and famous? Is it because he comes from Hollywood royalty and it’s fun to see the mighty crash and burn? I don’t know. I sometimes wonder that by even commenting on their messed up relationship, I am simply continuing the streaming thought of it.

But, I think it is important to question why we are so consumed with celeb culture and celeb relationships. Is it more than just entertainment for us? Is it somehow a looking glass into our own spirits? I wouldn’t want Sheen’s life. I wouldn’t want his problems. By looking to others that are making mistakes, does it make us feel empowered in our own lives and our own relationships? And, more importantly, should the fall of others make us feel better? We are addicted to celebrities and their lives. Maybe we are the ones who need rehab most of all.

This is seriously the best anti-smoking ad I have ever seen. Somehow, the french have managed to turn smoking into some S&M storyline, in which the smoker (portrayed by two effeminate looking boys and one ethereal looking girl) plays the submissive,  on their knees, no less, in front of “The Man”, who is holding their head while they smoke a cigarette. This is pure genius. The french tagline to this ad reads: “Smoking means being a slave to tobacco.”

Can you imagine this ad being aired in the US? We would have countless parent advocacy and religious groups pounding down their doors, calling for these advertisements to be pulled immediately, before the soccer moms start shooting. In France, even, there are family friendly groups that are disgusted and appalled, calling the ads “stupid.”

But, how stupid are they? I mean, you do become addicted to nicotine, enslaved to it, if you will. Albeit, the ad is shocking, and I love the way they made it look almost vintage, but will it appeal to young people? Has our youth become so jaded, so bored with conventional ways that we have resorted to putting up mildly erotic ads to help prevent smoking in teens? And, is there anything really wrong with this, anyway? Sex does sell. We all know it. No matter what you say about sex, it incorporates itself into our lives on a daily basis. Walk by a newsstand. You can’t help but notice pictures of scantily clad women and men posed in enticing positions. Turn on the television and you are likely to see two (or more...) people jumping into bed together, or trying to seduce one another into bed. Listen to the radio (especially mainstream radio) and you will hear songs discussing those intimate between-the-sheets moments for all to hear.  I don’t even need to mention how convenient it is to find sex on the internet...

The question remains, will the ad work? If it does work, and less teens and young adults start smoking, or give up the cigarettes, what will this mean? How will the people against this ad fight it if it is successful at reducing those smoking in France? Only time will tell, I suppose. In the meantime, I think I need a smoke. That ad really got me going.

An Open Letter to Apple:

Last night you did something very interesting and disturbing. You have decided to censor yourself for “the good of the children”. You have removed apps that show any “skin”. By doing so, you have moved yourself into very scary territory. Apple has decided it knows what is best for the buyers of ipods and iphones and wants to ensure that we are not looking at anything deemed (by Apple, of course) inappropriate. Because, sometimes those rating systems just aren’t enough. You were swift with this move, quickly eliminating most “offensive” apps, basically anything attached to the words “boobs” or “sexy” was removed. Thank goodness you did this. I have no children, but what if some random child picked up my iphone (well, my imaginary iphone, because I don’t have one of those morally upright devices, either) and saw a picture of a scantily clad woman or man...or worse...Dr. Drew app talking about S-E-X. (Am I allowed to still print that word knowing that I am on Mac computer?) By making this bold move, you have now opened a can of worms. The question is, are you a company selling products, or are you a corporate police force, deeming what is morally right and wrong?

Here are the new rules that CNN was able to gather:

1. No images of women in bikinis (Ice skating tights are not OK either)
No images of men in bikinis.
3.  No skin.  
4. No silhouettes that indicate that Wobble can be used for wobbling boobs.
5. No sexual connotations or innuendo: boobs, babes, booty, sex – all banned
Nothing that can be sexually arousing!!  (Which will be hard to establish...have you ever looked at the internet? All sorts of things can turn people on!)
No apps will be approved that in any way imply sexual content.

Many people will say, “Well if you don’t like what Apple is doing, don’t buy the product.” And, it’s true. I won’t be buying your iPhone. But, it extends much deeper than that. What is happening is a shift towards censorship, a shift towards what corporations want, they get, including citizen-like status (ahem, I’m talking to you, Supreme Court). What’s even more interesting is that none of your “violent” apps, like shooting games or other games that “could be” considered inappropriate have been removed from the store. So, what you are saying is that it is ok for a child to play or view a violent game on the iPhone but they are protected from breasts. What’s even more hypocritical and disturbing is that not ALL “sexy” apps have been removed. Sports Illustrated is still available for purchase as well as Playboy. The reasoning for this was because, Phil Schiller (Apple executive and chief of the moral iPolice) justified the Sports Illustrated app to the Times by saying, "The difference is this is a well-known company with previously published material available broadly in a well-accepted format," he said.  We have entered a very strange time, America. Make no mistake about it.

Apple is criminalizing the HUMAN body (and tights, apparently), Apple is selling only other large corporate crap at its store at the expense of indie companies, Apple is allowing the youth to tap into as much violence as they like, but sexuality is off limits. Does anyone else see where this could lead? The fear of government that started in the 80s has now made us blind to the fact that corporations are the ones ruling our lives.  And, what’s worse, is that Apple was selling itself as a “cool, hip, young” brand, but has now decided to bow to the religious right and soccer moms, apparently. It won’t end here. This is the beginning of the end.  Apple, stick to what you do best. Make electronics and let parents handle their children, and let adults deem what is appropriate for themselves to view. The rest is just a bunch of corporate fascism.

PS: The video contains wobbling boobs. No, not Phil Schiller and his corporate cronies, ha!

Have been thinking a lot on the subject of marriage in our society lately. We have hit a crossroads in this institution. We (as a society) won’t allow gay people to get married, but we treat marriage amongst heteros as something you “give a try” but can easily get out of with the swish of a pen.

How did we get to this place that disenfranchises so many people over something that we clearly don’t care very much about, ourselves? How many people do you know that are divorced? How many people do you know that have been married more than once? Twice? Hell, even three times? Why is it that some people in our society are trying so hard to get into a club that we have clearly deemed irrelevant, and yet we still don’t allow them in? Does this strike anyone else as bizarre? Are we missing something?

Notice how celeb culture infiltrates our lives, permeates it in ways which we don’t even consciously realize. The more that we look at other people and how they conduct themselves, the more we adjust our lives to match those around us. Humans are social creatures. We like the “pack mentality” even if it isn’t good for us. Looking at Hollywood really has helped me understand how we have restructured the moral fibers of our country. They put on a show, we applaud, and then, we mimic. Hollywood is full of second and third marriages. It’s full of “we have known each other for only a few months, what the hell, let’s get engaged! It’s like ‘serious dating’!” I often wonder, if we saw these same philanderers in monogamous, long term relationships, would we look to our own relationships differently? Would we hold marriage as a sacred institution? Would we maybe feel empathy for those who couldn’t get married and change the law so that they could live their lives with their partners in the same light, with the same respect and dignity as the rest of us?

Would the younger generations and their relationships be better if they had seen true commitment from their parents? Do the words ‘ ‘til death do us part ’ really mean something at this point? I understand if a partner is abusive, or unfaithful, or neglectful why someone wouldn’t be able to stay. But, we use that phrase ‘irreconcilable differences’ so frequently that it has become meaningless. When someone promises forever, and then sticks around for three or four years, why even bother? Vows should mean something. Giving your word should mean something. We treat each other with such little respect, with such little care, that it has all become such a sham. And the, we get on our moral high horse and tell others who perhaps have a better understanding of the words “for better or worse” because they are living in the worse due to people that have it better than they realize.

Below is a funny video of the vast variety of weddings!

Dear Tiger:

Why did you even bother apologizing? It was awkward, insincere, and bizarre. It was bizarre that you apologized to a room full of random people…who WERE those 34 people in the room? The room, itself, was hideous. Those cheap blue curtains looked like they belonged in a bad hotel. The only person I recognized in that sea of uncomfortable-ness was your pissed off mother in the front row with her arms crossed, a look of disgust on her face….do you blame her?

Your attitude was agitated throughout the conference. You looked angry when you spoke of domestic violence (claiming Elin never attacked you during the Turkey Day incident) and you looked angry when addressing the way the media has handled the incident since November. How did you expect the media to act? Did you really think you were entitled to everything (or everyone in your case) that you wanted? Did the mystique of too much money and too much fame ruin you, rotting your character from the inside out like a disease? The fact that your wife wasn't there speaks volumes. She doesn't buy this arrogant "faux-pology" anymore than the public does.

You sent mixed messages to the public and to your family. Are you standing here apologizing? Are you standing here as a humbled man who needs to work on himself? Although you addressed that you were irresponsible, that you were wrong for what you did, would you really be standing there apologizing if you hadn't got caught? Were you so arrogant to assume that you wouldn't get caught? How many women did it take to bring down the Tiger?

Now, while I believe that the media should leave children alone (under the age of 18), you did bring this attention to them. You brought this situation on yourself. You can't have it both ways. You can't bask in the glory of the public, making millions off of the sport in the public eye, and the get mad when the media is interested in your family because of the light you have brought to them. I also found it hilarious that you apologized to sponsors and business associates before you apologized to your wife and kids. Money before love, is that how it works? That is a great message to send to your children. It also resolidified my gut feeling that this apology is more for Nike than it is for Elin and the babies. Which really made my stomach turn. (Doesn't surprise me, though.) Actually, nothing you would do would surprise me at this point. Maybe if you had read a few articles from twodaymag and learned something about how valuable love and respect are to any healthy relationship, you wouldn't be going through your personal hell. Oh well, some things must be born of fire. Consider this a rebirth.

I don't just blame you, Tiger. I blame our whole culture of celebrity. We love when this shit happens to people like you. We create kings just to destroy them. We wanted you to succeed. We wanted you to amass a great fortune, marry the ultimate trophy wife, win at your celebrated sport, have those beautiful babies. We wanted you to have it all, so that when your inner monster was created and let loose, we could hunt you down and destroy you. This is the game the people play with their celebrities. Don't be fooled, Tiger. You are merely a pawn in this game and right now, it looks like the public's response to your pathetic apology is, "Checkmate."

(Tiger's Video Apology Coming Shortly....having technical issues...Sorry! See, now Tiger isn't the only one apologizing twoday!)

...Like a Woman with Nail Glue?

Picture this ultimate male fantasy. First, your secret lover takes you to a hotel. Then, she teases you by blindfolding you and tying you to a chair for some sexy time...what happens next?

The woman begins to berate you (which, albeit, some guys may find erotic...) and starts to slap you in the face. But, this isn't foreplay.

Three other women enter the room, two of them your other lovers, and the third is your very angry wife. These lovely ladies are here together because you were cheating on your wife, she found out, contacted the other women who didn't know about eachother and they decide to hatch a plot to bring you to your knees...(figuratively, of course, you are tied to a chair).

The hilarity doesn't end there, though! The lover decides that verbal abuse isn't enough to satisfy her insatiable need for revenge. She cuts off your underwear, reaches into her purse for her nail glue, and proceeds to glue your little soldier to your stomach! The other three women continued to berate and belittle, all while you sit there in a very sticky situation. Eventually, you are able to free yourself, of course, and the women flee the room!

What I loved about this sordid tale, was that his lover that glued him to (ahem) himself, Therese A. Ziemann, 48, of Menasha Wisconsin (and mother of 6) and her three amigas, were only sentenced to one year probation, by a judge who apparently was more than generous towards these women scorned. The judge felt that the victim and his "bad behavoir started the ball rolling, philandering with others besides his wife, who was putting bread on the table and taking care of his children."

Since the man was not permanently injured by the incident, the judge felt the punishment fit the crime.

After the hearing, he got into an SUV with wifey and told the Associated Press that he felt bad for all four of the women. He realized his action created the situation and he had no ill feeling towards any of them.

Alls fair in love and glue, apparently.

This is why I shouldn't blog late at night, because I end up finding these weird videos on YouTube from people that live on a different planet than I apparently do. New Hampshire recently acknowledged that gays are people too, and now they have the right to marry in that state. Well, not everyone in New Hampshire is happy about this, including a newly elected representative by the name of Nancy Elliott. I think the video below will fully explain her apparent position on how she feels about gay people having the right to marry (but, I don't think she fully grasps the concept that there are gay women out there in the great state of New Hampshire, as well.) I digress! Just watch the video and we shall discuss at the end...be careful she doesn't blow your mind with her very descriptive explanation!

QUEERTY.COM nancy elliot new hampshire from Queerty on Vimeo.

Is your mind blown? I find this video to be really funny, actually! Clearly this woman believes that the only people in the world having anal sex are gay men. Newsflash, Nancy Drew. Lots of straight couples have anal sex, as well. So, in theory, we should outlaw anyone in New Hampshire from having any form of sex other than missionary position between one man and one woman because why stop at anal sex? Do you really want some penis being wiggled around in your mouth? Let's outlaw oral sex, too! Although I don't think a lot of politiicians would go for that...

Let's totally repress sexuality completely and maybe it will just go away!!! If there is one thing this woman desperately needs, is to have the giant stick removed from her ass. And, the discussion about 5th graders really confused me. What did that have to do with two consenting legal adults being able to legally marry? The issue at hand had nothing to do about age appropriate sex education. Do we even know if that is true, that ten year olds are being shown pictures of naked men copulating or is that just something that the very worldly Nancy Drew heard on the street? My other favorite part of this delightful film was watching the two people on either side of her look so uncomfortable as she spoke. You can tell they are thinking "I just did that, and I don't want her to know because the moral police might come and arrest me for having a little fun on a Tuesday night". If Nancy Drew is so upset by what is happening with New Hampshire, she could move somewhere that she may feel more at home. Like Saudi Arabia. I heart YouTube. I would have never met this lovely creature, otherwise.

…And They Say Romance is Dead!
 
Listen up, ladies of Hollywood! If John Mayer wants to take you into his bed, run like hell in the other direction! Why? He has a case of verbal diarrhea when it comes to his romantic conquests. He clearly cannot be trusted to have fun in the sack, because the minute it’s all over, he is blabbing it all over the proverbial playground like a little schoolgirl! Just today, he thought it would be a smart idea to discuss his old flame, Jessica Simpson, and compare her to ‘sexual napalm’. He tells Playboy magazine:
 
“This girl for me, is a drug…Yeah, that girl is like crack cocaine to me.” He eloquently goes on to say, “Sexually, it was crazy…It was like napalm. Sexual napalm.” Although their apparently fiery relationship fizzled out in 2007, the experience clearly left a mark in his otherwise vapid heart. “There are people out there who have the power to change our values. Have you ever been with a girl who made you want to quit the rest of your life? Did you ever just say, ‘I want to quit my life and just…snort you? If you charged me $10,000 to (sleep with) you, I would start selling all my (stuff).’”
 
Where do I even begin? How can this guy write such beautiful songs, like "Daughters" or "Your Body is a Wonderland", and yet be such a royal pig in real life? Maybe he puts too much of his romantic self into his music and has nothing leftover for his actual tangible relationships. I wish I could stop blogging about his insanity, but the interview with Playboy took an even weirder and downright offensive turn when he began talking about dating African American women. Here is what he told Playboy:
 
“I don't think I open myself to it. My dick is sort of like a white supremacist. I've got a Benetton heart and a fuckin' David Duke cock. I'm going to start dating separately from my dick."
 
But, the madness didn’t stop there! When asked what African American women in Hollywood he found attractive, he spewed this gem:
 
"I always thought Holly Robinson Peete was gorgeous. Every white dude loved Hilary from The Fresh Prince of Bel-Air. And KerryWashington. She's super hot, and she's also white-girl crazy. Kerry Washington would break your heart like a white girl. Just all of a sudden she'd be like, 'Yeah, I sucked his dick. Whatever.' And you'd be like, 'What? We weren't talking about that. That’s what "Heartbreak Warfare" is all about, when a girl uses jealousy as a tactic.' "
 
What the hell is he even saying? ‘Kerry Washington would break your heart like a white girl?’ What does that even mean? What is the difference that he is speaking of? Do African American women have some special way of breaking up that white women don’t? He really sounds like he has gone off the deep end with all sense of decency and dignity lost.
 
I think we can all learn a valuable lesson from this bizarre interview. Boys with guitars are white supremacists who flaunt their sexual conquests in order to gain notoriety and fame. Wait….that doesn’t seem very fair…ok, nix that lesson. The important lesson to learn here is that John Mayer is a racist bastard who needs to shut his mouth. Yep, that fits. Below is a video of Mayer attempting to apologize about this situation. I’m sure his publicist is on suicide watch.

Well, it has finally come to this. Terri Carlson, the lovely lady pictured to the left, 45 year old divorced mom who lives in California, has put herself out there in a very interesting way. She suffers from a very rare condition called C4 Complement Deficiency in which the body's immune system attacks itself, thinking it has an infection. She doesn't have health insurance, and her COBRA insurance is going to run out at the end of this year. So, what is a girl to do? She has launched a website, http://www.willmarryforhealthinsurance.com/ , and is asking for someone to marry  her so that she can get proper medical treatment. Here is a little of what she had to say:

"I don't care what you look like. But what I do care about is how good your health insurance is. So, you want me to respond to you? Attach your health-care benefit information." Wow! Let's just pause for a moment and let this sink in. We have entered the Victorian era once more. Here is a woman who is so desperate for medical care, that she is willing to put herself in a marriage where the only requirement is that he has great health insurance. Let's read some of the responses from potential suitors:

Suitor One:"I sent you a message an hour ago on a different video, but let me add, with military insurance, as long as we use a military doctor, it's free and it's for life. I offer this to you. Contact me!" 
(Nah, too desperate)

Suitor Two:  "Give Canada a shot."
(Interesting idea...and given the direction of the healthcare debate raging in Washington, her best chance to get covered may lie in leaving the good ol' U.S. of A.)

Suitor Three:  "I am not a drinker, and I don't smoke or ever hit a woman. I don't argue, I am 55, decent-looking and financially responsible."
(Good on paper guy! Terri, hit this one back!)

Things have gotten so bad for Terri, that she even considered robbing a bank to secure health insurance. Because, in this country, we insure all the prisoners, just not any civilians! Terri says: "At one point, I seriously thought about robbing a bank. Because, then I could go to jail, and I could get three meals a day, work out, and get health care."

Damn! Is this the best we can do? Come on, America! We have got to wake up and realize that the private health insurance sector is NOT our friend! They don't want anyone that could be sick, or potentially sick, or is already sick stealing their profits from the backs of those suffering the most. This is not a right or left issue. This is a right or WRONG issue. And, when a woman takes to the internet to find a husband specifically so that she can get the healthcare that she so desperately needs, shouldn't we be scratching our heads and saying, WOW, this is a big fucking problem!

In the words of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.: "Of all the forms of inequality, injustice in healthcare is the most shocking and inhumane." Well said. Could someone please remind our Congress and Senate of that?