by yoursl | Apr 21, 2016 | Dating/Relationships |
It’s common knowledge among my family and friends that I met my partner Dutch online, using the free dating site okcupid. Several friends recently asked me about matchmaking services, which lead me down the research path. I have not personally used a matchmaker so I looked at matchmaking services like I would look any product I am thinking of purchasing: through internet searches and reviews. Matchmaking services vary from region to region across the United States and tend to focus on clients looking for long-term relationships. Most of these services are fee-based, ranging from $5,000 to $50,000 per year for a set number of introductions or matches. Based on this data alone, it would appear that matchmaking is an industry that focuses on those with high disposable incomes and that these services may be out of reach financially for some people. Consumer Affairs compiled a list of the top 10 best rated matchmaking services using a five-star rating system. Three of the services scored four to five stars with two services rating three stars and one service rating two-and-a-half stars. The remainder of the services scored less than two stars, which seems counter-intuitive to the “Top 10” notion and reminds us all to pay attention to details. Successful Singles, which is based in New England, scored five stars on both the Consumer Affairs list and with the Better Business Bureau (BBB). Its BBB rating is an A+ and there are just two complaints filed about this matchmaker. According to Successful Singles’ website, the company started in Massachusetts in 1984, has been under the same ownership for 30 years and...
by yoursl | Apr 7, 2016 | Dating/Relationships, Men's Sexual Health, Sex and Culture, Sex and History, Sex and Literature, Sex and Science, Sexual Discussion, Sexual Exploration, Women's Sexual Health |
Historically, America has held a somewhat negative societal view of masturbation that can be traced back to several centuries ago. In America in the 18th and 19th centuries, the perfect storm collided to help condemn masturbation as being a degenerate act. Decades of the Judeo-Christian tradition of condemning masturbation as being a misuse of one’s sexuality combined with the general prudishness of the Victorian era, which lasted from 1837 to 1901, and with the Great Awakening religious revivals of the early 18th century to the late 19th century to land masturbation into the banned acts arena. Literary works during the Victorian era helped move masturbation from being just a socially wicked act to being one of a physical and mental health nature that required medical treatments and even cures to eradicate. One of the biggest opponents of masturbation during this time was American physician Dr. John Harvey Kellogg (1852-1943), who thought sex was detrimental to our physical, emotional and spiritual well-being. He had evener stricter views on masturbation. In addition to sharing his anti-masturbation and anti-sex beliefs with others, Dr. Kellogg physically lived his beliefs and values. It is believed that Dr. Kellogg was celibate, that he and his wife never consummated their marriage, that they kept separate bedrooms during their entire marriage and that all eight of their children were adopted. Dr. Kellogg was raised as a devote Seventh-day Adventist and kept to his faith all throughout his life. He went to medical school before returning to his home state of Michigan where he would eventually practice as a physician at an Adventist-operated sanitarium. In his written work...
