Month: November 2005

MICHIGAN TECH ONLINE LODE — Nov 16 — “Quick and easy” seems to be the catch phrase of the century. The information superhighway and dating has made a trend that seems to be changing the face of romance.  The Internet allows a person to break out of the physical limits and meet someone who could be there match.  On PsychologyToday.com, Hara Estroff Marano writes about problems with online
dating in her article, “Online dating not just a trend.”  One main problem is that interactions are in private, she explains. “It’s just you alone with your own psyche, its dreams and its hungers,” says Marano.  “Many of the usual brakes on human behavior are absent.”  She calls the back and forth rhythm of online dating like “slow dancing at the cyber café” and a truly seductive trend. Online matchmaking’s advantages extend into finding that special person, but when it comes to actually romancing the stranger, use the more traditional tactics. That will help you find the idiosyncrasies of that person that you may have to deal with for the rest of your life. Both sides deserve a fair chance to know who the other is—beyond what his or her online profile says. FULL ARTICLE @  MICHIGAN TECH ONLINE

Mark Brooks: Chemistry is still a face to face phenomenon.  I like the concept of webcam dating, allowing users to go on their first date online, essentially.

THE DAILY VIDETTE — Nov 16 — According to Gary Creasey, a psychology professor, the rules of dating have changed over time.  "Students are now dating earlier than our parents did. They are more comfortable and experienced with the opposite sex today." People are getting married at a later age than their parents might have. Dating in college today may be more casual than it was in the past. Creasey explained that a lot of college students today are looking for more support and companionship, rather than looking at whether someone is "marriage material."  Tools such as the Internet and cell phones may also have made a profound impact on dating. People with significant others at different schools can keep in touch often by the stroke of a key.  "If you were dating someone at a different university, communication used to be limited to a 10-minute phone call once a week. Now with cell phones and instant messaging, long-distance couples can have more communication and feel more comfortable," Creasey said. "People used to meet through work, but now it’s more through extracurricular activities or friends," Creasey said.  "Younger people tend to look more for physical attractiveness. As they get older, they look beyond that and look for people with similar interests and values."  FULL ARTICLE @ THE DAILY VIDETTE

SCOOP — Nov 16 — The United Nations refugee agency today issued a strong warning about Internet fraud resettlement schemes in which bogus organizations claiming UN affiliation use chat groups and dating or fake websites promising settlement and employment opportunities in Europe and North America for up to $1,000.  "UNHCR never charges refugees for resettlement or any other services. Resettlement to a third country is used by UNHCR usually for particularly vulnerable refugee cases. Any websites claiming to be associated with UNHCR and charging for resettlement services are fraudulent."  FULL ARTICLE @ SCOOP

Mark Brooks: Anyone come across this scam?

ST. LOUIS POST-DISPATCH — Nov 13 — Washington University and the University of Missouri at St. Louis have joined with United Way, the Regional Arts Commission and other local groups to form a service to pair local nonprofits with men and women interested in serving on their boards.