Dating websites agree on predator screening measures.

Leading online dating companies eHarmony, Match.com and the operator of sites ChristianMingle and JDate have agreed to check subscribers against national sex offender registries to screen out predators, the California attorney general said.

The set of business principles for the industry, which are also meant to screen out fraudsters, additionally includes providing customers with means to rapidly report abuse.

The companies said they have already taken similar steps to protect their customers, even before the public announcement was made on Tuesday.

California Attorney General Kamala Harris reached the agreement with the companies after establishing an eCrime Unit last year to prosecute identity theft, data intrusion and crimes involving the use of technology.

“The safety of our members and integrity of our sites is of fundamental importance to us, and we have always taken a multi-faceted approach to creating and maintaining safe online communities like JDate and ChristianMingle,” Greg Liberman, president and CEO of Spark Networks, said in a statement.

Jeremy Verba, the CEO of eHarmony, said in a statement that his company has made the types of practices laid out in the agreement a part of its business “for many years.”

But Verba, and the heads of the other two companies, said they were eager to set an example for the rest of the industry.

Taking It Offline: Why I Quit Online Dating

After a bout with bad karma, a close encounter that was just too close for comfort and numerous first dates that never progressed to second dates, I decided to officially retire from the world of online dating.

I had a pretty good run on web cam site. I chose the right profile pictures and I didn’t commit any “first message faux pas.” Still, in the end, I found online dating was just not my style.

Even if two people “make sense” together on paper, there is no guaranteed initial spark, especially when people lie about their height and sexual preferences on their profiles. In my experience, if there is no initial spark, there won’t be a second date.

Relationships move fast nowadays, and online dating encourages a quick pace by promoting the idea of an “Insta-Relationship.” Mathematical algorithms provide a list of people promising some degree of compatibility. All you need to do is browse the list and prioritize your picks. I hate that.  Relationships are not instant pudding – you can’t whisk with cold milk, let sit for three minutes and expect immediate chocolaty deliciousness. There are many more steps and many more minutes to wait.

First, you have to have a spark. Then, that spark has to grow. You have to enjoy each other’s company. There needs to be some anticipation. You have to want. You have to want to see each other again and again. You have to build a foundation of trust – and that takes time. Relationships are an investment. They grow – naturally, organically and in their own time. And so far, no online matchmaking algorithm has been proven to predict whether or not a relationship will grow.

Now, I understand the appeal of online dating, especially for singletons who work fulltime and need new outlets for meeting people. Still, almost all of the guys I interviewed said that they would only turn to an online dating website as a last resort; only if they were really desperate.

I saw a lot of that desperation during my experiences online dating. I heard horror stories about online dating causing an increase in sexually transmitted diseases, but it was the process that ultimately turned me off.

Many people who use online dating are trying to find “the one.” They are busy and important and don’t have time to waste with anyone who isn’t the one. Online matchmaking sites provide an outlet for quick and easy searching from the comfort of your own home. It allows you to flirt, mingle and meet eligible bachelors while lounging in a ratty pair of sweats with no makeup on.

You browse profiles. You search keywords. You set ranges for age, distance, income, and height. You compare profiles side-by-side. It is remarkably similar to online shopping.

Then, when you do decide to meet up, you don’t go out on a first date, you go on an interview. You make sure that each other’s profile pictures are accurate and current. Since you already know where they are from, what they do and if they like dogs, cats or neither, you can skip ahead to important issues like what addictions they are recovering from and how many times they’ve been engaged. You are expected to dump your whole bag of crazy on the table – there is no time to waste here, building trust and all that mess, you need to know if they are the one or just another waste of your precious time.

Personally, I’m sick of interviewing. I’d rather be wooed.

Now, I’m not expecting a knight in shining armor who has heard legends of my beauty and virtue to bang on my door and beg to fly my colors as he goes forth to do battle. Neither do I expect Sweet Romeo to follow me home from Big Y, toss pebbles up to my window, and recite a sonnet. That would probably scare me to death and Romeo would end up getting pepper sprayed.

What do I expect?

Typical modern dude wooing: I want a guy to offer to carry something really heavy for me, dedicate an epic karaoke ballad to me, hold a door for me, or just smile and offer to buy me a drink.

From the dawn of time, men have been lifting heavy rocks and fending off saber-toothed-whatevers to impress women. They vanquished foes, composed poetry, and sang love songs. Conversely, women have painted their faces and pulled their hair out by the roots, worn horribly uncomfortable shoes and pretended not to fart.

For thousands of years, it’s worked that way. But, we’re so technologically advanced now that we’ve cut out the best part of being single: wooing and being wooed. The time when we go out and interact with people and show off for each other and build anticipation. Why rush that? It’s fun!

Why are we so focused on finding Mr. Right that we can’t take the time to enjoy a few dinners and movies with Mr. Right Now?

Maybe we’re afraid of growing old and dying alone. Maybe we fall victim to our biological clock. Maybe we’re so focused on the quickest route to happily ever after, we forget to stop and enjoy the journey.Whatever it is, I’m stepping back and slowing down. I’m deleting my profile.Now what?I guess I’ll be looking for a new way of meeting people.

Dating mistakes: Caught snooping?

US online dating agencies battle sex predators, scammers.

Three major US online dating agencies have pledged action to protect users from sexual predators and financial scammers, California’s attorney-general said Tuesday.

Dating services eHarmony, Match.com and Spark Networks – which operates websites including JDate and ChristianMingle – said they notably look for fake profiles and check subscribers against sex offender registries.

The three have issued a joint statement of “business principles that online dating providers should follow to help protect members from identity theft, financial scams and sexual predators”.

“Consumers should be able to use websites without the fear of being scammed or targeted,” said the western US state’s attorney general Kamala D Harris in a statement.

“It is a priority for this office to ensure consumers are protected online, and companies who are creating in the internet space have a continued opportunity to innovate and thrive,” she added.

In 2011, 40 million Americans used an online dating service and spent more than $1 billion on online dating website memberships, according to the Californian official.

Of couples married in the last three years, one in six met through an online dating service and one in five have dated someone they met through an online dating site, she added.

The dating agencies stressed that they already have measures to protect their users in place, but trumpeted the joint pledge.

eHarmony CEO Jeremy Verba said: “eHarmony has the greatest concern for the safety and security of our members. These types of practices have been part of our commitment to member safety and education for many years.

“We are proud to join Attorney General Harris, Match.com and Spark Networks in setting an example for the rest of the online dating industry.”

Harris added: “In the interest of protecting and educating users, I strongly encourage all online dating companies to adopt the same principles as these industry leaders.”

It adds: “It proves to be the safest place for extramarital affairs as thousands of new married members join the site every day.”

Cupid, based in Edinburgh’s Manor Place, has turned online dating into a boom business.

Dobbie this month netted a staggering £11million after selling six million shares in the company he founded in 2005 with Ukrainian business partner Max Polyakov, who cashed in the same amount.

Cupid have revealed that during last year they doubled their cash intake to £53.6million and saw pre-tax profits rise 67 per cent to £7million.

The firm’s website boasts: “Cupid have built a base of over 54million members in 58 countries.”

But we can reveal Cupid are also linked to site throughsite ,a web marketing company who create and maintain “adult and casual dating sites”.

Official company records also reveal father-of-four Dobbie – who lives in a £1.5million house in Edinburgh’s New Town – is the sole director of Alcuda Ltd.

Alcuda was renamed IDE2011 Ltd in September and isbased at Cupid’s Edinburgh HQ.

Dobbie was skiing in France last week and would not comment on his links to the dating sites. But one source said his role in building and maintaining the websites could have made him £5million.

The source said: “It is hard to imagine how big or how lucrative this business is.”

Previously Dobbie said: “We have always wanted to be an internationally recognised dating business and we’re definitely on our way.

“We continue the transition from being a UK-centric dating company into a true international player.”

Dating tycoon makes £5million from websites for love cheats.

Scotland top internet dating tycoon is quietly making a fortune from websites for love cheats looking for a fling.

A Sunday Mail investigation today reveals how Bill Dobbie, the man behind Edinburgh-based dating giant Cupid, also rakes in millions from sex sites offering extra-marital affairs.

Cupid was named Scotland’s fastest-growing technology firm by accountants Deloitte in October last year – and the 19th fastest-growing in Britain.

It has grown by 1317 per cent over the past five years, drivenby an aggressive international expansion strategy.

The firm – headed by founder and chief executive Dobbie, 53 – say they are world leaders in singles dating, where users pay premium rates to access possible love matches online.

But we can reveal that leading entrepreneur Dobbie also owns a firm who build and run seedier sites including www.BeDiscreet.com, who ­encourage its hundreds of thousands of married users to have affairs.

The site – registered in the British Virgin Islands – says it was created for “horny married men and unfaithful women seeking sex on the side”.

Justin Bieber shows “mature” side with “Boyfriend”.

Justin Bieber is no longer singing about his “Baby.” Now, the 18-year-old heartthrob wants to be your “Boyfriend.”

In his new single, “Boyfriend,” released today, Bieber sings: “If I was your boyfriend, I’d never let you go, I can take you places you’ve never been before.”

Pictures: Justin Bieber

Co-written and co-produced by “Cooler Than Me” singer Mike Posner, the track will appear on Bieber’s upcoming album, “Believe,” due out later this year.

“I’m maturing, and my music’s maturing, so I wanted to do something different,” the Canadian singer told USA Today about the new song. “I’ve got a lot of great collaborators working with me, and we’re thinking outside the box.”

The song, with its R&B vibe and sing-songy rap, is already getting comparisons to Justin Timberlake’s solo work.

What do you think of “Boyfriend”?

Sinead O’Connor announces tour, returns to online dating scene.

Sinead O’Connor has two things on the brain: music and men.

The Irish singer-songwriter announced a North American set to kick off May 12 in Milwaukee, Wis. behind her new album, “How About I Be Me (And You Be You).”

Pictures: Sinead O’Connor

Meanwhile, O’Connor hasn’t forgotten about her quest to find love. After splitting from her short-term husband, Barry Herridge, earlier this year, O’Connor has returned to online dating.

In a recent blog post, the 45-year-old singer wrote: “This is to let you all know before anyone else does that I have now officially joined the dating site known as PlentyOfFish.com (or pof) under the username of VeryCareful1 and invite anyone interested to view my profile. Although I am living in Dublin I am of course also very much indeed interested in meeting nice gentlemen from other countries.”

Her “About Me” section explains what kind of man she hopes to meet: “Safe, kind, sweet, nice and VERY snuggly fellas required to snuggle safe, kind, sweet, nice and VERY snuggly woman who has repeatedly proven incapable of wife or girlfriend-dom, nevertheless wants to be held now and then as all women do … No one under 38 please. No freaks. No sex-hunters. No fans. No songwriters wanting me to do their songs. No musicians looking for jobs. Am not here for the beer.”

O’Connor was in the U.S. in February to perform a few gigs. After losing her voice, she was forced to cancel a couple of national TV appearances. In March, doctors advised the singer to rest, as she has been suffering “severe exhaustion.”

Can young men’s athletic coaches help stem dating violence?

Dating Factory Adds Richard Buss to USA Division Team.

Dating Factory, the premiere white label dating platform, has bolstered its newly launched USA division by hiring former Playboy affiliate manager Richard Buss to assist American affiliates and entrepreneurs. His role as US Partners Manager with Dating Factory USA will center on attracting new users to the company’s technology platform and assisting existing users with their day to day needs.

“I’ve worked with Richard for a while now, so I know what he’s capable of,” explains Moreno Aguiari, head of Dating Factory’s new US operations. “He has a solid and undeniable history of helping affiliates and webmasters succeed. Richard is one of those rare individuals who is comfortable with technology and also knows how to communicate effectively with customers.”

According to Buss, he was sold on Dating Factory’s platform and couldn’t pass up the opportunity to work with the Dating Factory team.

“The technology that powers Dating Factory is impressive, no doubt about it,” says Buss. “As someone who runs his own websites too, I understood right away how much potential there is for Dating Factory in the US market. I’m looking forward to working with webmasters who already know me and want to run their own dating sites — and I’m excited to have this opportunity to get to know a whole new group of webmasters and affiliates.”

The Dating Factory white label platform allows webmasters and online entrepreneurs to create their own dating sites, complete with real profiles that can be filtered by niche. Webmasters use their own domain names, meaning they maintain control over their brand and their marketing efforts.

Plus, webmasters who run sites powered by Dating Factory technology have more than one way to make money.

“You’ll make up to 65 percent of initial and recurring sales, plus you can make even more money from banner ads run on your sites,” explains Aguiari. “Given that dating is a proven moneymaker that isn’t affected by piracy concerns, this is a great opportunity for US webmasters to build a whole new and stable revenue stream in 2012.”

The hotness gap: Are you dating out of your league?

Jamie Cullum has – and, contrary to anyone who suggests you can’t date out of your cuteness range, it’s worked out for him.

The British singer is reportedly about 5 foot 4, and arguably several points lower on the physical attractiveness scale than his leggy, 5-foot-11, bombshell wife, model Sophie Dahl.

Apparently, the hotness gap doesn’t escape Mr. Cullum’s notice.

According to a report on MSN’s celebrity news site, he fully admits he thought Ms. Dahl, granddaughter of children’s author Roald Dahl, was out of his league when he first met her.

Even though the two initially bonded over their shared love of books, Mr. Cullum reportedly told Britain’s Radio 4: “I didn’t entertain for one second that she would be interested in me. I assumed that everyone who met her would fall in love with her, so I didn’t necessarily think it would be my place, so I played it pretty cool.”

He added: “She was living in New York and she had a boyfriend. Six to eight months later she moved back to England and obviously it became more after that.”

The two married in 2010, and have a daughter.

Nevertheless, as superficial as it may be, the gap in their physical appearance is perhaps the first thing other people notice.

As journalist Belinda Luscombe once wrote in a humorous Time magazine essay, marrying outside one’s religion and race may no longer be taboo, but discrimination against “interfacial marriage” remains widespread.

Take actor Hugh Jackman and his partner, for instance, she said. (Or, for that matter, short-lived couples such as Julia Roberts and Lyle Lovett or Scarlett Johansson and Sean Penn.) “Deborra-Lee Furness is a charming, spirited, good-looking woman who happens to be married to Hugh Jackman, a freak of nature,” Ms. Luscombe wrote. “Hence rumours circulate that Jackman is gay.”

Have you ever been in an “interfacial” relationship? Have you turned down suitors because you felt they weren’t hot enough to be with you?

The Merits of Online Dating.

People represent themselves accurately on the internet, right? No. No, they don’t. But that doesn’t stop people from dating, or at least from looking for a hookup, online. Your options here are many: you can look for one-night stand with a bot on Craigslist Casual Encounters, an affair on Ashley Madison, or a good, wholesome partner on sites like ChristianMingle. If you try to find a mate on one of these sites, just remember to adjust his or her stats according to the following formula (derived from the infographic below):

• For Males: + 2 lbs, – 1/2 inch, + 6 months
• For Females: + 8.5 lbs, + 1.5 years

Despite the mistruths out there, people are flocking to the internet to find a match (just like they’re flocking here to do everything else). But are online dating services really a good place to meet people? I won’t tell you what to think. You can read and look at pictures and analyze information (that’s what we do on the internet — to varying degrees). This here infographic goes pretty in-depth on the relative merits and pitfalls on online dating.

The things that caught my eye: people online seem to be in a hurry to tie the not. According to the graphic, people who meet online date an average of 18.5 months before getting hitched. That’s nearly two years less than people who met “in the real world.” Another compelling feature of this graph is its analysis of dating sites’ compatibility algorithms. The long and short of it: those algorithms don’t often calculate for the longevity and evolution of relationships. And I can see why they don’t. It’s hard to do.

Mother of slain Florida teenager seeks trademarks.

The mother of the Florida teenager shot and killed by a neighborhood watch volunteer, in a case with racial overtones that has resonated across the United States, is seeking trademark rights to slogans based on his name.

Sybrina Fulton, the mother of 17-year-old Trayvon Martin, filed the trademark requests on March 21, according to the online database of the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office.

In the filings, which were confirmed by Fulton’s attorney Kimra Major-Morris, she seeks legal rights to the slogans”Justice for Trayvon” and “I Am Trayvon.”

The request to the Patent and Trademark Office said the slogans, and the corresponding trademarks, could be used in matters involving such things as DVDs and CDs “featuring and promoting Trayvon Martin.”

“They were filed to preserve intellectual property rights for projects that will assist families who experience similar tragedies,” Major-Morris told Reuters in an email.

She did not elaborate but the Feb. 26 killing of Martin, who was black, by George Zimmerman, a white Hispanic, has triggered widespread charges of racial profiling and injustice.

Exactly what happened when the 28-year-old Zimmerman shot Martin, who was unarmed, is still open to dispute. But his attorney has said he acted in self-defense.

Zimmerman has not been arrested. Florida’s “Stand Your Ground” law, which broadened the legal definition of self-defense when it was passed in 2005, provides people with immunity from detention or arrest if they use deadly force in their own defense without clear evidence of malice.

‘Sole-mate’ plan hits big time.

A Malaysian shoe brand and a dating agency made international headlines when their “shoe dating service” was highlighted by a celebrity gossip blog.

“Buy A Pair Of Shoes In Malaysia, Get A Man For Free!?!?” screamed the site headline.

Celebrity blogger Perez Hilton picked up the story from the March 11 Clove pullout of The Star about a quirky project by Shoes, Shoes, Shoes and a dating agency, Lunch Actually.

Perez, notorious for being mean towards celebrities, blogged: “What do U think about this shoe dating service? Would U try it???”

The story also made it to the online counterpart of New York Magazine, Glamour magazine, the International Business Times, Yahoo!

Lunch Actually CEO and co-founder Violet Lim was pleasantly surprised with the new-found popularity.

“Who knows? Maybe this concept will go worldwide, and if that happens, we are glad to have played a part in helping singles take that first step into their dating journey,” she said.

Shoes, Shoes, Shoes owner Ung Yiu Lin was flattered that the shoe dating project had gotten so much attention.

“It’s quite a unique approach to your typical retail marketing concepts, and also a very different angle to dating. It’s simple, honest and fun,” said Ung.

At Shoes, Shoes, Shoes women can look out for a “Date Included” tag on a special range of footwear that have been chosen by eligible bachelors from Lunch Actually. These men would have pledged a minimum 10 per cent discount on the shoes of their choice.

When a woman makes a purchase, she will be offered the opportunity to date the man who has chosen the pair.

slowca117 commented: “You never know; they could find their solemate” and Jock4uni wrote: “I’m quite surprised that American companies didn’t come up with such a profitable sales idea. It came from a conservative south-east Asian country of Malaysia!”

Are RiRi and Ashton dating?

Pop superstar Rihanna has been reportedly enjoying a eight-week fling with Hollywood star Ashton Kutcher.

The Daily Mail reported that she was photographed leaving his US$10 million (S$13 million) home in the middle of the night, entertainment website TMZ reported quoting a photographer.

The report said that they hit it off after meeting at a friend’s party last December.

She is apparently so besotted with the 34-year-old actor that she’s asked about joining his Kabbalah (a controversial mystical school of Judaism) group.

Rihanna, 24, was spotted by the photographer as she drove up to Kutcher’s home with her security team recently at around midnight and did not leave until about 4am the next day.

A source told The Sun: “The flirting began as soon as Rihanna and Ashton met and swapped numbers. That moved onto texts and arranging to meet.

“They snuck off to a Santa Monica hotel a few weeks ago. They are two single people having a fling, so they thought it would be best to meet in secret.

“Rihanna has told friends he’s funny and cute. Both of them love a good time and think they’re too busy for anything serious just yet.

Kutcher was married to actress Demi Moore.

They broke up after it was alleged that he cheated on her.

Musings on physics, religion and online dating.

I know there are folks — psychics — who see into the future. Or claim to have second sight. Or even try to duck this “gift from God.”

As a society, we’ve canonized, martyred, vilified, ignored, laughed off and treasured the writings of these people.

Then we get bent out of shape, like my friend Nancy who insists we have to pay attention to a combination of the Bible, popular culture and her arthritis pains, which foretell damp weather.

Anyway, Nancy points out the Mayan calendar ends Dec. 21, 2012 — DOOMSDAY! Well, I said, if that’s true about all we can do except pray, of course, and make sure the refrigerator is cleaned out and the bills are paid.

Nancy doesn’t think I’m funny. She keeps telling me I’m going to be “left behind,” although, if nothing’s left of the material world I’m not sure where that puts me.

Obviously, without a leg to stand on.

No, this column is not picking or pecking at organized religion — anyone’s organized religion. Just “fear” that so many groups, of all persuasions, insisting on foisting upon us.

As if living day to day isn’t scary enough.

It’s common sense, says another friend, Melinda. Jesus is coming back, she says. The world will fracture and disappear. We will be separated into believers and non-believers and the non-believers go to the bad place — commonly called “Hell.”

Although no one knows what “hell” is like, Melinda expects it to be hot, uncomfortable and “not a place where we would be playing cards.” Rather like Palm Springs without air conditioning.

Then there’s my other buddy, Marge, who sees where we all are now as a “heaven” or “hell,” so make the most of it. Which brings me to Internet dating. How’s that for a turn-around?

“I think Internet dating is terrific!” says Christine Baumgartner. “That’s how I met my husband.”

Baumgartner is a dating coach, of course, (theperfectcatch.com) and the first to say Internet dating is how she learned about her own foibles.

The men she kept meeting, she says, were great guys but not security-minded, as she is. They weren’t interested in savings accounts or pensions or stuff like that.

“They made a lot of money, but they really didn’t have a dime to their name,” she says.

She thought a lot about that, realized the major men in her life — her father and her ex-husband — had similar qualities. She went to therapy.

“Why therapy? Well, what can I learn about me? Sometimes it’s easy and sometimes not. The point is, when you realize there is a difference, jump in the river and learn something about yourself. Learn who you are.”

Which brings us back to the original point: Do some people really read or know the future? Have any of us had experiences that way?

I have. You share yours and I’ll share mine.

Meanwhile, Baumgartner says, “I really appreciate and value there is a God, bigger than me. I don’t have to do everything myself. Another being has my back.”

And while you’ll never find the absolute “Perfect catch” on earth, you can learn how to be (almost) one — and how to attract (almost) one.

‘DWTS’ William Levy and Cheryl Burke dodge dating rumors.

Latin sensation William Levy, often referred to as “The Latin Brad Pitt,” is turning heads and making hearts pound. And now rumors are circulating that Levy and dance partner Cheryl Burke may be working on their chemistry off the dance floor.

Access Hollywood via Fox News Latino is reporting that the “Dancing with the Stars” duo is doing more than practicing the cha-cha off camera.

And Levy added fuel to that fire earlier when he said of Burke, “She’s a great girl – anyone would like to go out with her.” He quickly added, “We’re just dancing right now.”

Last week, when US Weekly asked Levy if he is single, he had another interesting response. He put his arm around Burke, and said, “This is my partner right here!”

But when asked about Levy, Burke insists their relationship is strictly professional. “It’s very emotional on the dance floor, then you leave and that’s it,” said Burke. “Leave it here.”

However, Burke does have a bit of a reputation for hooking up with former dance partners including Chad Ochocinco and Jersey Shore’s Mike “The Situation” Sorrentino, reports Latino Fox.

Last week, Burke and Levy danced a cha cha routine to the song “International Love” by Pitbull. After the dance, the crowd went crazy, particularly the dozens of screaming women surrounding the dance floor. US Weekly reports that Levy and Burke nabbed the second highest score of the evening. (Jaleel White and Katherine Jenkins edged him out for the top spot.)

Levy got his start in telenovelas, which according to The Miami Herald, dominate late night programming in South Florida. It was on the set of Protagonista de Novela 2 where Levy met Elizabeth Gutierrez. The couple have two children but split last year.

And according to the Herald, Levy faced a July 2010 scandal when he was sued for allegedly assaulting a minor, Karla Alvarez in a Glendale, Ca. hotel room. Alvarez later dropped the charges.

With the controversy behind him, Levy was ready to take his image to primetime and a national audience. And that is just what he has done by becoming a 2012 cast member of “Dancing with the Stars.”

Mad Men Season 5 Premiere: Twitter Reactions From Women.

The first episode of a show’s new season succeeds best when it offers more questions than answers, and last night’s “Mad Men” Season 5 premiere fulfilled that criteria. In fact, Megan’s “bit of a burlesque” raised so many questions that it threatened to obscure other important issues raised, like why the Lane-returning-a-wallet mini plot line needed to happen.

In case you missed it, here’s a brief rundown of what happened or was revealed:

• Joan resists the Off Ramp before anyone calls it the Off Ramp
• “Zou Bisou Bisou”
• Megan and Don’s sexual relationship consists of her fetishizing his age (“You’re a dirty old man”) and him letting her — except when she throws surprise parties.
• Lane proves to be the actual dirty old man
• The folks as Sterling Cooper Draper Price can’t really ignore the Civil Rights Movement any longer

while the following remained totally unaddressed:

• Don and Megan’s wedding — it happened, but where? When? Who attended? What did she wear? (We’re guessing a white knee-length shift dress.)
• The paternity of Joan’s baby (though we all know, right?)
• Betty?

All of which prompted some predictably excellent commentary from our favorite women on Twitter. Below is a roundup of their standout tweets from the evening. Have tweet of your own to add? Tweet it @HuffPostWomen using the hashtag #MadMen, and we’ll pull it into the slideshow below.

A mother is lecturing her 23-year-old daughter about her love life, flailing a kitchen knife above her head for emphasis.

Mom’s point: She’d like her immigrant daughter, from the former Soviet republic of Moldova, to marry a man with similar roots, keeping the family’s East European Jewish tradition.Alas, the daughter informs mom that she’s already dating a Hispanic man.But she soon dumps him, on-camera, during a restaurant date.The scene is captured in a new TV reality show called “Russian Dolls,” which premiered on the Lifetime cable network in August and airs Thursdays at 11:30 p.m. EST.It’s been called the Russian “Jersey Shore” or “Real Housewives,” featuring six women and two men, plus colorful extras like Russian Dolls Anna Kosov, the mother. They’re all from the former Soviet Union and either live or have lived in Brooklyn’s Brighton Beach neighborhood. But only two actually hail from Russia.

The show has drawn the wrath of neighbors and community leaders who say it creates a caricature of their immigrant world, turning cast members into “Russians in tacky clothes who do little more than eat, drink and party,” says John Lisyanskiy, founder of the new nonprofit Russian-Speaking American Leadership Caucus and a budget analyst for the New York City Council.

The show’s characters do represent “a small portion of our community,” acknowledges Russian Dolls Yelena Makhnin, executive director of the Brighton Beach Business Improvement District. But she says her neighborhood by the Brooklyn boardwalk is mostly “a very intelligent, very well educated, hardworking community.”

Kosov, a hairdresser, had to mend relations with her Mexican-born boss over remarks she’d made on the show about her daughter, Diana Kosov, dating the Hispanic man.”I told her, ‘I’m not racist,’” she says. “I love any kind of people.”As for the scene with the knife, “I am not killer!” says Anna Kosov, smiling with amusement.Still, she’s serious about correcting any misunderstanding. She took time on a sunny summer afternoon to join the cast for interviews at the Rasputin nightclub and set things straight.”At that moment, I make borscht!” she explains. “Who is make borscht without knife? I cut vegetables.”The truth is, there’s reality TV — and then there’s reality.”Is that what it says?” asks Albert Binman, roaring with laughter as he reads a promo describing him as a spiffy 26-year-old, a “wheeler-dealer” who “parties every night” and “wants to marry a nice Russian girl.”"I do not party every night,” he says. “And I want to marry a nice Jewish girl, not necessarily Russian. Or else, why did my parents send me to yeshiva?” A yeshiva is an Orthodox Jewish school.Albert goes to work every day, doing medical billing. He lives in the New York borough of Queens.”I love to hang out with my younger brother; he’s 17 and he’s the love of my life,” he says.Real life may be more boring than TV, but not always.A fight between two women in the cast erupted during interviews with The Associated Press at Rasputin.”Get the (expletive) out!” screamed Marina Levitis, 35, who runs the glitzy cabaret with her lawyer husband.The remark is aimed at Sveta Rakhman, a 47-year-old banker Levitis didn’t know before the series. The women developed a distaste for one another, displayed in a tense upcoming episode set in Rasputin.The latest faceoff was over who would be interviewed first, with Rakhman ending up last “because she came last,” Levitis says angrily.In the series debut, she, her husband and two young children walk out in the middle of an amateur belly-dancing performance by her 56-year-old mother-in-law, Eva Levitis. She “is just my husband’s mother. She’s nobody to me,” Levitis says in the episode.In fact, “we’re a very close-knit family; everybody gets along just fine,” Russian Dolls Marina Levitis later tells the AP. But “on TV, you have to shock people, otherwise they’re not going to watch it.”

Her mother-in-law brushes off the “she’s nobody” comment with a burst of laughter, explaining that the seeming hostility between them “does not exist, actually.”When auditioning for the show and signing contracts, no one bargained for the negative reactions.”Left the Volga, Kept the Vulgar,” read one newspaper headline.Anna Khazanova, a 22-year-old commercial model, is wearing an ultra-short dress that gives her few options for sitting politely in front of an AP television camera. But she says there’s much more to her than meets the lens, including mentoring teenage girls who attend the modeling school she started and runs.”Family means the world to me,” says Khazanova, who shared a bedroom with her older sister until the sibling went off to medical school recently. “I’ve been working since I’m 15, and helped support my family.”Rakhman, the banker, welcomes any punches and hits right back.She calls Rasputin’s owners “these people. I can eat them for breakfast, and spit them for lunch.”And if viewers see “some overblown stuff,” she says, “it’s good TV, it was fun.”Makhnin, of the business improvement district, agrees, saying she’s “not offended” by the show. “It’s not a documentary; it’s a commercial TV project, with stereotyping,” she says.”Unfortunately,” she adds, “this is what the public buys.”Others are less forgiving, including Lisyanskiy, who is friends with Marina Levitis and husband Michael.”This is not who we are,” says the advocate for Russian-speaking Americans. “Even if it’s of entertainment value, when people are watching this kind of material, it sticks with them, they start to believe it.”But when all is said and shot-for-TV, says Michael Levitis (who doesn’t appear in the show), “if you take this reality show seriously, the joke is on you.”

The Moscow State Circus brings its latest and most spectacular show to date to the UK with a sensational performance in Weybridge.

Get ready to be wowed by the beautiful queen of Russian circus, Yana Alievia on a revolving aerial chandelier; the breathtaking Stalkions (three men and two girls who walk, back flip and perform unbelievable pyramids 30 feet in the air on the legendary high wire); the Whirlwind Rubsovsm troupe who acrobatically catapult themselves across and high into the big top at breakneck speed; jugglers and more.

The new show promises to take the audience on an ‘incredible journey in the company of the greatest non animal circus performers on earth’.

Trinity Mirror Southern has teamed up with the Moscow State Circus to give away 30 family passes to the show at Brooklands in Weybridge between Wednesday September 28 and Sunday October 2. Each family ticket will admit four.

For your chance to win answer the following simple question:

The Moscow State Circus comes from which country? A) Russia B) USA or C) China

Email your answer by midnight on Wednesday September 21 and don’t forget to include your name, address and phone number in case you win!

Usual TMS terms and conditions apply. Good luck!

External manifestation of intelligence Russian woman is about. Asynesia usually affects the poverty of vocabulary, the wrong pronunciation, use of trite expressions and saying truths. Poverty of thought gives rise to primitive speech. Foolish thoughts come to mind to everyone, but only a fool voiced them. Everyone knows that “a Russian woman likes ears,” and that it can attract or the opposite – push it away. Nothing is so developed it as learning, reading, chatting with smart people and work on myself. The man who reads a lot, has not only literate, rich speech, but also interesting in conversation. A Russian woman, especially when meeting, it is a man listens, trying to figure out what he like is, is it worth spending time on it. And as you know, the first impression is critical and affect all subsequent ones. Women on average literate men, as learning is usually more careful. More educated people feel a psychological advantage, so it’s best not to show ignorance. Manifests itself not only in letter but also in speech, especially – when the declination of the numerals.

Erotic – it is something gentle on free dating, sensual and at the same time passionate. Love flirting and magic flavor on free dating – perhaps the most important means of seduction. We all know the effect of odors, but actually use them too often. But skillfully composed recipe seduction support a love game and will signal its readiness to romanticism and sentimentality. Bed linen To flavor the bed of love is enough just one essential oil. If you just started your relationship with your beloved, use rosemary oil. Dilute 2-3 drops of oil in a little water and sprinkle it on her bed. Rosemary is not for nothing called the grass of the heart, because the smell of this wonderful plant inflames passions and increases the duration of the love of pleasure. If you have been married for several years already, try the essential oils of cypress. It will be sufficient only 2 drops, but they do wonder – will prolong sensual pleasure and awaken long-forgotten sensations. Neutralization of odors on dating.When the tired husband takes off socks, there can be no romance. Want to quickly send him into the shower and wash all this grandeur, while the desire to be lost. Output is: give your favorite self-made talc. Buy at the pharmacy regular baby powder or talcum powder is not scented. Pour the powder into a glass, measure out a half and then put it in a resealable bottle with 10 drops of eucalyptus oil. Now it is enough to sprinkle the problem areas before putting on socks and the smell of sweat is not as clear. Fragrant bath for two Make an aromatic foaming bath. Fill the tub with hot water and a foam bath is add a drop of Ylang Ylang, 2 drops of marjoram and 4 drops of sandalwood and neroli. Each of these oils perform its function of love. Thus, increasing male potency sandalwood, ylang-ylang enhances orgasm, and marjoram adjusts to love fashion. After a bath, you certainly do not get to bed without lovemaking. What a man can stand before such a set of flavors strasti.I not have to think how to diversify sex on free dating. Erotic shower Making love in the shower even more exciting than furry bath. On a typical shower gel, add 5-7 drops of oil of myrrh and rub the gel each other’s bodies. Extend the enjoyment of nice touches and enjoy each other’s bodies. Unforgettable experience guaranteed. Drunk Kiss Wine with bergamot and honey will help you relax and turn a head during lovemaking. A bottle of wine you need to take 2 teaspoons of honey and 3 drops of bergamot oil. Kiss to dizziness – this is so cool. Erotic Massage Make your man massage with specially prepared oil – 10 grams of olive need to take 3 drops of ginger. If he wants to have a massage you make a woman’s oil: 10 grams of olive oil – 4 drops of jasmine.

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