Thinking of Marriage? NoMarriage.com Will Help!
In America, men today are still clueless about the modern day marriage. This must change. Effectively, marriage is simply a relationship — with a legal document attached. It has nothing to do with religion — that’s all smokescreen to keep the cycle going. Men today need to understand that our society’s values today differ drastically from those 50 and 60 years ago.
Gone are the days of the “nuclear family”. Both men and women today are rarely interested in a long-term relationship — yet, thousands are married every week — and for what purpose? Marriage is a legal “safety net” — and it doesn’t benefit the man.
Any man who wishes to become engaged or married must rethink his decision. There are too many good and decent men today who are suffering at the hands of their wives. I know several of them. No human being should have to suffer or endure any pain simply because they love their mate. Love shouldn’t be about misery — but happiness. And there’s a lot of unhappy men out there, but most are trapped because of their “marriage”, commitments and children.
It is my belief that a relationship needn’t be recognized by anyone to be “official”. We must end the fairytale stories we’ve been told for eons and get back to basics: Marriage is yet another social construct and ideology. It does not make one love the other more. It does not make one more loyal, giving, etc. In fact, many people change after marriage — and almost immediately.
Overall, marriage in 2007 is just a bad idea. Web sites like NoMarriage.com and others point to the reasons why. There are too many horror stories. Too many good and decent men getting shafted by the legal system. Too many reasons to avoid it like the joke it is. Good luck.
Five Things The Media Can Learn From Erin Burnett
I am not a media baron. Nor am I a journalist. However, I’ve been featured in the Detroit News, Nashville Business Journal and on many popular web sites for my work in tech and new media. I’ve engaged billionaires such as Bill Gates and Steve Ballmer, and I interview folks I’m sure you’ve heard of. Of course, none of this stuff is really important. Who cares, right? Well, the media should.
For as long as I can remember, I’ve observed many personalities in the media on a local and national scale: Rush Limbaugh, Lou Dobbs, Bill Bonds (Detroit, WXYZ), Peter Jennings, Charles Gibson, etc. Jennings struck a chord at the center of emotion. Gibson made every morning uniquely American on television. Limbaugh cracked jokes and mocked personalities. Now, there’s a new breed of young and fresh faces delivering the news we care about. Unfortunately, I can only think of one which I’m quite fond of: Erin Burnett.
I’m not fond of her because she’s attractive. No, it’s more than that. It’s not her engaging eyes, either. Not even her hair. It’s her non-traditional approach as an anchor and personality. She isn’t bloated (of her own ego), but balanced. She avoids being too confrontational on air, while still delivering the bottom line.
Overall, her unconventional qualities are refreshing. So, here are five things the media can learn from Erin Burnett:
1. Humility goes a long way — Erin, in my opinion, is one of the most humble and grounded female anchors on television today. One thing that’s a turnoff for me are the “divas” and “darlings” of media. It’s easier to connect with Erin than her competition — hence her rising “star power”.
2. Television experience isn’t always necessary — Erin has proven her success as a reporter/anchor without a journalism background. Previously, Erin worked behind the scenes at CNN as a booker and writer.
3. It’s about engaging people — Erin makes it a point to engage her audience. It’s not about “Erin Burnett”. Is this why Squawk Box’s ratings are up 79% since last year? I think so. We need more personalities like her.
4. Confrontations are useless — “Divas” tend to be confrontational on air when interviewing subjects. It just doesn’t work, and at times, it appears “forced”. Erin pulls off the tough stuff with ease — and without being confrontational.
5. Keep it simple — No fluff, no tricks. Erin delivers the financial and breaking news throughout the day like a natural — only because she keeps it “real”. Treat her well, CNBC.
Top 10 Ways To Make America Better
It seems that everyday, I am always thinking about the state of our country, continent and planet. So, here is my “Top 10″ list of ways to make America a better country:
1. Eliminate the tax burden by abolishing the IRS and implementing a uniform and national “infrastructure tax”.
2. Abolish Affirmative Action — everything should be based on merit and capability. In cases of discrimination, asses tough fines and penalties for offenders.
3. Abolish poverty through the elimination of wasteful government spending and resources — If we can spend Billions on war, we can spend Billions at home. There is no counter argument and no excuses. We are one of the world’s most elite countries — there are no excuses for poverty.
4. Abolish welfare and implement programs which encourage citizens to be self sufficient — no more handouts or “government daycare”.
5. Rewrite the constitution to reflect today’s reality — not yesterday’s.
6. Create a smaller and more efficient government.
7. Establish educational programs to unify subpar social relations; Eradicate the concept of race from society.
8. Outlaw most contraceptions (with the exception of condoms for men and women) — It is imperative that we restore social responsibility to our overly promiscuous society.
9. Establish an ethics policy for all future Presidents to adhere to; Potential penalties include a 30 day removal from office
10. You — Great change doesn’t start with Presidents and Governors. We are responsible for the mess we’ve created, and it will take us pulling together to clean it up. Every American is responsible and we must be accountable. If we want to be “real” Americans, then we must own up to our share in all that’s wrong. Recognizing this is the first step.
Erin Burnett Interview Update
Thousands of you every week come to my site to read articles about CNBC’s Erin Burnett. First, it’s an honor to be a destination for Burnett admirers. Secondly, through the power of search, I’ve discovered Burnett’s true “star power”. Thirdly, I’m humbled by the experience of being read by all the major financial institutions (Morgan Stanley, Goldman Sachs), corporations and more (Not that I’m a stranger to such awareness. There’s also my YouTube and Google stories. Or, how I engaged a billionaire, among many other interesting nuggets that few are aware of).
Anyway, I wanted to update everyone on my conquest to secure an interview with Burnett on Interviews — an audio magazine of interviews with CEOs, celebrities and other top personalities in the world of business, entertainment, etc.
It appears that CNBC is now interested in hearing samples of interviews I’ve produced (Side note: If you know of anyone seeking a new media producer for their podcast or lifecast projects, let me know). A few months ago, I initially approached CNBC about Burnett making an appearance. The reception was good, but it took my following up with CNBC to remind me them of my request. So, this week, I plan to submit an MP3 sample of interviews I’ve conducted with Craiglist’s Craig Newmark, American Airlines’ Kent Wien and Digg.com’s Kevin Rose.
Meanwhile, I am now starting to field calls from the mainstream on my opinion of Erin Burnett. And if that isn’t enough, would it also help if I mentioned that I’ve scored exclusive interviews before the WSJ, NY Times and other major publishers? That CEOs and their companies have chosen it before the mainstream to launch their new company to the world? (Think Webaroo). Nah, I won’t bother mentioning this stuff. However, I thought it would neat to share for brownie points.
How About Breakfast At Applebee’s?
It was announced last night (via WSJ) that IHOP — operator of the IHOP brand of family restaurants — closed on a $2.2 Billion buyout of Applebee’s International of Overland Park, Kansas. Initially, it would appear ‘weird’ that a chain known for pancakes would acquire a bar and grill outfit. Yet, according to IHOP, it’s a good fit.
How about some syrup with those ribs?