Month: October 2004

METROACTIVE–SuicideGirls reads like a hybrid of punk pinup, Friendster and Vice magazine. “The members like to hook up with each other in person, whether it’s going to a show or to parties or just hanging out at a coffee shop. We have had quite a few couples meet on the site who are now dating very seriously.” …It has found press in the pages of Spin, Playboy and The New Yorker. Suicide Girls have shown up in music videos and appeared on MTV with Courtney Love. …Suicide Girls parties in Portland and New York have attracted frenzied crowds. SILICON VALLEY METRO

OMAHA WORLD-HERALD–As online dating rapidly infuses the singles scene, many personal ads have gone from ho-hum and cliche-filled to catchy and witty. Says David Evans of ProfileDoctor.com,"If you sound like every other profile, and don't make an effort to stand out, people are much more likely to pass right over you. …For those really brave and open souls, there's always Esquire's Brutally Honest Personals.

The full article was originally published at Omaha.com, but is no longer available.

LONDON FREE PRESS–Despite the 50% divorce rate in North America, Campbell believes marriage will remain popular. "The fact is the majority of people who get married, stay married for a long time. And some stay married forever." Marriage is directly linked to health and happiness. Preliminary research shows people who are married tend, overall, to be happier in life and have better health outcomes than those who have never wed. However, people who have never been married tend to be happier than those who have married and divorced. Campbell sees speed-dating, in particular, as an attractive alternative for those who have felt the sting of rejection. LONDON FREE PRESS

SEATTLE TIMES–…There are two strategies now in play. The first: Some startups have decided social networking will never make any money, but they’ll try to make money off other services instead, such as job or apartment listings. Mountain View, Calif.’s LinkedIn is one.
The second — used by dozens of companies, including Friendster, MySpace and Multiply — is to draw so many users that advertisers will pay to be on the Web site. SEATTLE TIMES

TORONTO, Oct. 19 /CNW/ – Mobilehookup’s patent pending ‘Talk Now’ combines text messaging’s fun and convenience with speed-dating’s functionality. ‘Talk Now,’ allows Mobilehookup members to talk live for five minutes on the telephone while protecting user privacy and anonymity.

BOSTON – Online retailer Buy.com is inviting itself into the expanding social networking scene, acquiring a Web site that rewards members with checks or gift certificates if they persuade others to buy their favorite products. Metails.com