CHARLOTTE, North Carolina (Reuters) – Bank of America Corp (BAC.N) shareholders voted to oust embattled Chief Executive Kenneth Lewis as chairman of the board on Wednesday in what could be a precursor to his eventual replacement as CEO as well.
The bank's board "unanimously" expressed support for Lewis to stay in the CEO post despite the fact that shareholders "narrowly" approved a proposal to require an independent chairman.
Lewis, who will remain chief executive, will be replaced in the chairman post by Walter Massey, 71, a director of the bank's board since 1998 and also a director of McDonald's (MCD.N).
"We knew that it was going to be close, but this is an unambiguous vote of no confidence," said Campbell Harvey, professor of finance at Duke University.
"Whether he chooses to remain as CEO or not, the dominant influence that he had at Bank of America is now a thing of the past," he added.
Similar moves last year foreshadowed the ouster of the chief executives of two large, troubled banks -- Ken Thompson at Wachovia Corp and Kerry Killinger at Washington Mutual Inc (WAMUQ.PK). Wachovia was later bought by Wells Fargo, while Washington Mutual failed.
"It's kind of the first step toward the end for Lewis," said Ralph Cole, portfolio manager, at Ferguson Wellman Capital Management in Portland, Oregon. "It shows there's at least some constituency that's not happy with his performance. I just don't think he's going to last," he added.
Massey has also served on the boards of Delta Air Lines Inc, Motorola and BP. He is president emeritus at Morehouse College in Atlanta, where he served as president until 2007. The former director of the National Science Foundation becomes one of the few African Americans chairing a major U.S. company.
Some shareholders expressed consternation that Massey, as long-time board member, does not represent a big enough change in leadership for the board.
"We are disappointed that the board apparently did not consider looking outside the current directors for a truly independent chairman," said Jerry Finger, who in 1996 sold his Charter Bancshares Inc of Houston to a Bank of America predecessor, and his son Jonathan in an e-mailed statement. The Finger family campaigned against Lewis' re-election.
SHAREHOLDER FRUSTRATION
All 18 directors were elected to the board by "comfortable margins," the bank said in a statement, although several major shareholder groups including The California State Teachers' Retirement System and the California Public Employees' Retirement System had said they would withhold their votes for the entire board. Spokesmen for both pension funds declined comment after the vote.
About 2,000 people attended the annual meeting, more than triple the year-earlier number. The 62-year-old Lewis listened to dozens of attacks from shareholders over his leadership, and in particular the bank's controversial purchase of Merrill Lynch & Co, but also got substantial praise.
He fielded many complaints over the bank's failure to quickly disclose huge losses that Merrill was amassing, as it was paying out billions of dollars of bonuses to employees. Bank of America's shares have fallen by about three-fourths since the merger was announced in September.
"You knew what was going on with Merrill Lynch, you kept it from us. You're still keeping it from us," said Judy Koenick, who said she lost $27,000 on the bank's stock. She wore a shirt saying "Fire them all!!! Kenneth Lewis, & the board of directors, make a clean sweep."
Lewis stood patiently behind a podium on a stage for much of the meeting, often twiddling his thumbs or biting his lip as shareholders vented their frustration.
Others were more supportive. A 92-year-old man who said he owned a half million shares, said that in buying Merrill and the troubled mortgage lender Countrywide Financial Corp, Lewis "believed he was doing something good for America." The man added: "If we don't have Ken, who do we have?"
LEWIS DEFENDS MERRILL PURCHASE
In a speech, Lewis defended buying Merrill for $29.1 billion of common and preferred stock, saying that it was "good value" and that abandoning the deal would have caused "serious harm" to Bank of America and other banks. He also said he saw no need for Bank of America to make further acquisitions.
Bank of America needed a $20 billion federal bailout to absorb Merrill. Lewis has indicated that regulators pushed him to keep quiet about Merrill's losses and not to back out of the merger. He told shareholders that "as a legal matter, there was no duty" to disclose the bank's talks with the government.
"They should have disclosed it," said Ed Morais, a financial adviser and shareholder from Charlotte attending his first annual meeting. "It seems like he chose to put Merrill Lynch shareholders ahead of Bank of America shareholders." He spoke before the meeting.
The Merrill deal and bonus payments are the subject of shareholder lawsuits and investigations by members of the U.S. Congress as well as regulators including the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission and New York Attorney General Andrew Cuomo.
"Lewis may have a lot of litigation ahead of him," said Jeffrey Sonnenfeld, professor and head of Yale's Chief Executive Leadership Institute.
Bank of America has received a total of $45 billion in taxpayer funds and may need more after results of government "stress tests" are released, probably next week. The tests gauge banks' ability to weather a deep recession.
Lewis declined to discuss details of talks with regulators about the tests, including whether the bank might need to issue more common stock to bolster capital.
Shares of Bank of America rose 53 cents, or 6.5 percent to close at $8.68 on the New York Stock Exchange.
Wednesday, April 29, 2009
How Did Lady Gaga Become Lady Gaga?
I am defying all preconceptions we have of pop artists. That's how 23-year-old Lady Gaga sees herself.
But how did the Grammy-nominated singer go from brunette Stefani Joanne Angelina Germanotta to preconception defying, flashy dressing, platinum blonde superstar Lady Gaga?
Germanotta was born in Yonkers, New York, where she attended a private Catholic girls school, wrote her first piano ballad at age 13, and then won early entrance into New York's prestigious Tisch school for the performing arts.
But Germanotta needed to strike out on her own to become Lady Gaga. She ditched school and threw herself into New York's Lower East Side music scene as a naive, convent-educated teenager.
"I went against all I was brought up to be; I moved out of home, wouldn't take any help from my parents [her internet entrepreneur dad and his business partner wife], and supported myself with waitressing jobs and stripping," she said. "I discovered a real personal freedom through it."
It wasn't long before Germanotta's talent for writing hook-laden melodies came to the attention of major record labels. Just 20, she wrote hits for the Pussycat Dolls, Britney Spears and New Kids On The Block.
But it was while working with producer Rob Fusari that she got her attention-grabbing stage name. After noting that her singing voice sounded like her hero, Queen's Freddie Mercury, Fusari named her Lady Gaga for the Queen hit "Radio Ga Ga."
While her provocative burlesque pop act Lady Gaga and the Starlight Revue was a hit in Manhattan's downtown nightclubs, mainstream showbusiness was nonplussed. When she showed up for auditions with labels and musicals, the usual reaction was utter bewilderment.
"A lot of record labels thought I was too theatrical," she said. "Then, when I auditioned for stage musicals, the producers said I was too pop."
Finally, it was rapper Akon who recognised her singing ability and got her a major deal.
And the rest is Gaga history.
But how did the Grammy-nominated singer go from brunette Stefani Joanne Angelina Germanotta to preconception defying, flashy dressing, platinum blonde superstar Lady Gaga?
Germanotta was born in Yonkers, New York, where she attended a private Catholic girls school, wrote her first piano ballad at age 13, and then won early entrance into New York's prestigious Tisch school for the performing arts.
But Germanotta needed to strike out on her own to become Lady Gaga. She ditched school and threw herself into New York's Lower East Side music scene as a naive, convent-educated teenager.
"I went against all I was brought up to be; I moved out of home, wouldn't take any help from my parents [her internet entrepreneur dad and his business partner wife], and supported myself with waitressing jobs and stripping," she said. "I discovered a real personal freedom through it."
It wasn't long before Germanotta's talent for writing hook-laden melodies came to the attention of major record labels. Just 20, she wrote hits for the Pussycat Dolls, Britney Spears and New Kids On The Block.
But it was while working with producer Rob Fusari that she got her attention-grabbing stage name. After noting that her singing voice sounded like her hero, Queen's Freddie Mercury, Fusari named her Lady Gaga for the Queen hit "Radio Ga Ga."
While her provocative burlesque pop act Lady Gaga and the Starlight Revue was a hit in Manhattan's downtown nightclubs, mainstream showbusiness was nonplussed. When she showed up for auditions with labels and musicals, the usual reaction was utter bewilderment.
"A lot of record labels thought I was too theatrical," she said. "Then, when I auditioned for stage musicals, the producers said I was too pop."
Finally, it was rapper Akon who recognised her singing ability and got her a major deal.
And the rest is Gaga history.
WHO raises swine flu alert level as virus spreads
WASHINGTON – The Geneva-based World Health Organization on Wednesday raised its alert level for the fast-spreading swine flu to its next-to-highest notch, signaling a global pandemic could be imminent.
The move came after the virus spread to at least 10 U.S. states from coast to coast and swept deeper into Europe.
"It really is all of humanity that is under threat during a pandemic," said WHO Director General Margaret Chan. "We do not have all the answers right now but we will get them."
In the United States, President Barack Obama mourned the first U.S. death, a Mexican toddler who had traveled with his family to Texas. Total American cases surged to nearly 100, and Obama said wider school closings might be necessary.
In Mexico, where the flu is believed to have originated, officials said Wednesday the disease is now confirmed or suspected in 159 deaths, and nearly 2,500 illnesses.
There were no other deaths confirmed from the flu. But health officials in the United States and around the world braced for them.
Dr. Richard Besser, the acting chief of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, said in Atlanta there were 91 confirmed cases in ten states, with 51 in New York, 16 in Texas and 14 in California. Two cases have been confirmed in Kansas, Massachusetts and Michigan, while single cases have been reported in Arizona, Indiana, Nevada and Ohio.
State officials in Maine said laboratory tests had confirmed three cases in that state, although those had not yet been included in the CDC count. And the Pentagon said that a Marine in southern California had tested positive for the disease.
WHO has confirmed human cases of swine flu in Mexico, the United States, Canada, Britain, Israel, New Zealand and Spain.
Germany and Austria became the latest countries to report infections. Germany reported four cases on Wednesday, Austria one.
In Washington, Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano was questioned closely by senators about whether the U.S. should close its border with Mexico, where the outbreak apparently began and the casualties have been the greatest. She repeated the administration's position that questioning of people at borders and ports of entry was sufficient for now and said closing borders "has not been merited by the facts."
The WHO said the phase 5 alert means there is sustained human to human spread in at least two countries. It also signals that efforts to produce a vaccine will be ramped up.
Just Monday, the WHO had raised the alert level from 3 to 4. The organization is part of the United Nations.
Asked for advice for ordinary citizens, Chan, the WHO chief, said: "Continue with your business but try to pay special attention to personal hygiene."
Dr. Keiji Fukuda, WHO's top flu expert, said vigilance was all important because it was not known how severe the outbreaks would become.
The move came after the virus spread to at least 10 U.S. states from coast to coast and swept deeper into Europe.
"It really is all of humanity that is under threat during a pandemic," said WHO Director General Margaret Chan. "We do not have all the answers right now but we will get them."
In the United States, President Barack Obama mourned the first U.S. death, a Mexican toddler who had traveled with his family to Texas. Total American cases surged to nearly 100, and Obama said wider school closings might be necessary.
In Mexico, where the flu is believed to have originated, officials said Wednesday the disease is now confirmed or suspected in 159 deaths, and nearly 2,500 illnesses.
There were no other deaths confirmed from the flu. But health officials in the United States and around the world braced for them.
Dr. Richard Besser, the acting chief of the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, said in Atlanta there were 91 confirmed cases in ten states, with 51 in New York, 16 in Texas and 14 in California. Two cases have been confirmed in Kansas, Massachusetts and Michigan, while single cases have been reported in Arizona, Indiana, Nevada and Ohio.
State officials in Maine said laboratory tests had confirmed three cases in that state, although those had not yet been included in the CDC count. And the Pentagon said that a Marine in southern California had tested positive for the disease.
WHO has confirmed human cases of swine flu in Mexico, the United States, Canada, Britain, Israel, New Zealand and Spain.
Germany and Austria became the latest countries to report infections. Germany reported four cases on Wednesday, Austria one.
In Washington, Homeland Security Secretary Janet Napolitano was questioned closely by senators about whether the U.S. should close its border with Mexico, where the outbreak apparently began and the casualties have been the greatest. She repeated the administration's position that questioning of people at borders and ports of entry was sufficient for now and said closing borders "has not been merited by the facts."
The WHO said the phase 5 alert means there is sustained human to human spread in at least two countries. It also signals that efforts to produce a vaccine will be ramped up.
Just Monday, the WHO had raised the alert level from 3 to 4. The organization is part of the United Nations.
Asked for advice for ordinary citizens, Chan, the WHO chief, said: "Continue with your business but try to pay special attention to personal hygiene."
Dr. Keiji Fukuda, WHO's top flu expert, said vigilance was all important because it was not known how severe the outbreaks would become.
Obama seeks to change crack sentences
WASHINGTON – The Obama administration joined a federal judge Wednesday in urging Congress to end a racial disparity by equalizing prison sentences for dealing and using crack versus powdered cocaine.
"Jails are loaded with people who look like me," U.S. District Judge Reggie Walton, an African-American, told a Senate Judiciary subcommittee hearing.
Assistant Attorney General Lanny Breuer said the administration believes Congress' goal "should be to completely eliminate the disparity" between the two forms of cocaine. "A growing number of citizens view it as fundamentally unfair," Breuer testified.
It takes 100 times more powdered cocaine than crack cocaine to trigger the same harsh mandatory minimum sentences.
Sen. Dick Durbin, an Illinois Democrat who chairs the committee, said, "Under current law, mere possession of five grams of crack — the weight of five packets of sweetener — carries the same sentence as distribution of half a kilogram of powder or 500 packets of sweetener."
Durbin said more than 81 percent of those convicted for crack offenses in 2007 were African-American, although only about 25 percent of crack cocaine users are African Americans.
Congress enacted the disparity during an epidemic of crack cocaine in the 1980s, but the senator said lawmakers erred in assuming that violence would be greater among those using crack.
Breuer said the best way to deal with violence is to severely punish anyone who commits a violent offense, regardless of the drug involved.
"This administration believes our criminal laws should be tough, smart, fair," Breuer said, but also should "promote public trust and confidence in the criminal justice system."
Walton said, "We were mistaken" to enact the disparity. "There's no greater violence in cases before me."
He added that jurors have expressed an unwillingness to serve in crack cocaine cases because of the disparity.
President Barack Obama had called for such a change while campaigning for the White House.
Breuer said the government should focus on punishing drug trafficking networks, like the cartels wreaking havoc in Mexico, and those whose crimes include acts of violence.
The Obama administration is also seeking to increase drug treatment, as well as rehabilitation programs for felons after they're released from prison.
While politicians often support laws lengthening prison terms for various crimes, it is rarer to try to reduce sentences, in part out of concern they may appear soft on crime. But recently, some states have been moving on their own to temper long-standing "get tough" laws.
In New York last month, state leaders reached an agreement to repeal the last vestiges of the Rockefeller drug laws, once seen as the harshest in the nation. Kentucky enacted changes that would put more addicts in treatment, and fewer behind bars.
The Justice Department is working on recommendations for a new set of sentences for cocaine, and Breuer urged Congress to overhaul the current law, written in 1986 at the height of public concern about crack use.
Since then, Breuer argued, prosecutors' views of crack cocaine has evolved to a more "refined understanding" of crack and powdered cocaine usage.
He also suggested that until such changes are made, federal prosecutors may encourage judges to use their discretion to depart from the current sentencing guidelines. Such departures are rare in the federal courts.
"Jails are loaded with people who look like me," U.S. District Judge Reggie Walton, an African-American, told a Senate Judiciary subcommittee hearing.
Assistant Attorney General Lanny Breuer said the administration believes Congress' goal "should be to completely eliminate the disparity" between the two forms of cocaine. "A growing number of citizens view it as fundamentally unfair," Breuer testified.
It takes 100 times more powdered cocaine than crack cocaine to trigger the same harsh mandatory minimum sentences.
Sen. Dick Durbin, an Illinois Democrat who chairs the committee, said, "Under current law, mere possession of five grams of crack — the weight of five packets of sweetener — carries the same sentence as distribution of half a kilogram of powder or 500 packets of sweetener."
Durbin said more than 81 percent of those convicted for crack offenses in 2007 were African-American, although only about 25 percent of crack cocaine users are African Americans.
Congress enacted the disparity during an epidemic of crack cocaine in the 1980s, but the senator said lawmakers erred in assuming that violence would be greater among those using crack.
Breuer said the best way to deal with violence is to severely punish anyone who commits a violent offense, regardless of the drug involved.
"This administration believes our criminal laws should be tough, smart, fair," Breuer said, but also should "promote public trust and confidence in the criminal justice system."
Walton said, "We were mistaken" to enact the disparity. "There's no greater violence in cases before me."
He added that jurors have expressed an unwillingness to serve in crack cocaine cases because of the disparity.
President Barack Obama had called for such a change while campaigning for the White House.
Breuer said the government should focus on punishing drug trafficking networks, like the cartels wreaking havoc in Mexico, and those whose crimes include acts of violence.
The Obama administration is also seeking to increase drug treatment, as well as rehabilitation programs for felons after they're released from prison.
While politicians often support laws lengthening prison terms for various crimes, it is rarer to try to reduce sentences, in part out of concern they may appear soft on crime. But recently, some states have been moving on their own to temper long-standing "get tough" laws.
In New York last month, state leaders reached an agreement to repeal the last vestiges of the Rockefeller drug laws, once seen as the harshest in the nation. Kentucky enacted changes that would put more addicts in treatment, and fewer behind bars.
The Justice Department is working on recommendations for a new set of sentences for cocaine, and Breuer urged Congress to overhaul the current law, written in 1986 at the height of public concern about crack use.
Since then, Breuer argued, prosecutors' views of crack cocaine has evolved to a more "refined understanding" of crack and powdered cocaine usage.
He also suggested that until such changes are made, federal prosecutors may encourage judges to use their discretion to depart from the current sentencing guidelines. Such departures are rare in the federal courts.
Managing Body Image Issues
Our sex experts face off and argue, "Is zero percent body fat on a woman really what men are looking for?"
Dr. Trina’s Point: Us women will always find something wrong with our body image.
How do you men put up with this? Brian, what can I say to women about their body image that hasn’t been said a thousand times before? Women have been there, done that, worn the t-shirt.
Women resonate when Joy Davidson, author of Fearless Sex writes, "Eighty percent of women are dissatisfied with their bodies. Five to ten million adolescent girls and adult women struggle with eating disorders in the United States alone. Almost half of all American women are on a diet any day of the week."
Women nod their head with recognition when they read that their sexual function and satisfaction is affected more by their body image than by menopause—backed up by a recent Penn State study published in The Journal of Sex Research.
Women understand how the multi-billion dollar fashion industry promotes every second of every minute in how their body is inadequate. You men are probably scratching your heads wondering: If women know all of this, why are they paralyzed at the thought of letting loose in the bedroom and shaking what their mamma gave them?
Why is it so hard for women to be empowered by their body? A woman’s body is as unique as her fingerprint—the yummy bits as well as the rolls, sagginess and cellulite.
Well men, here’s the long anticipated answer: Women use a hated body part as an excuse to manifest all of their non-body related insecurities. In workshops I ask women, "If you were able to take an eraser and wipe out the body part you don’t like, and poof, like magic, it became perfect, would you feel more sexy?"
The women immediately answer, "Well, yes of course." I look them straight in the eye and reply, "Are you sure about that? I think you would merely find a new body part to start hating."
As we are now witnessing Brian, plastic surgeons must put a limit on the amount of procedures women can have. The more obsessed women become with their bodies, the more they bleed away their personal power. Obsession usually masks as indifference or control—three ubiquitous qualities that completely smother the spark in the bedroom. It’s the truest way to selfishly push your partner away.
Tell me Brian, what do men think of all this body image craziness?
Dr. Brian’s Counterpoint: Newsflash, most men don’t care about their woman’s body issues or understand why they have them.
Men can’t figure out what the big fuss is about. Contrary to popular belief, most men don’t get excited over zero percent body fat. Most men prefer women to be curvy and voluptuous.
Men and women often argue about having sex with the lights on or off. Men are turned on visually. They love to see their partner’s naked body in sensual acts. Many women, however, prefer sex with the lights off. Sure you females are not as visual as us men, but the reason you’re always turning out the lights is most often because of body image issues.
Most men don’t care what they look like in the bedroom. Hello Trina, how many men have you heard brag about how much money they’ve spent developing their beer belly? Of course, some men wish they were more Adonis and less Homer, but us men are generally more concerned about things like height and baldness.
You women are so hard on yourself when it comes to body image. While you don’t like what you see in the mirror, your male counterpart is likely to be pleased with what they see. In fact, men often over-estimate their attractiveness, while women seem to obsess about their own lack of perfection.
I’m not saying that you shouldn’t do that extra abdominal crunch. Most people desire to have a tighter butt or slimmer stomach. We all need to lead happy and healthy lives, both physically and mentally. Once we are realistic about achieving ‘our best,’ we can be happier in and out of the bedroom.
You gals feel you need to look like your ‘not so average’ fashion model to be beautiful. But, even the fashion industry is taking miniscule steps to expand their definition of beauty. Go Queen Latifa, Go!
I’ve talked to many women who hold back from trying new and exciting sexual positions for fear of looking chubby. Interestingly, men think an enthusiastic partner is a much bigger turn on than one without the extra roll. Further, the chance of having an orgasm is drastically reduced if you’re sucking in that tummy during sex.
Come on girls, we’re not taking your body so serious, so why should you? And remember, if body image is an issue for you, just have sex. You’ll be burning about 200 calories per hour while you’re doing it.
Dr. Brian Parker is a sexologist and sex educator and the creator of two sexual intimacy board games "Embrace" and "Pillow Talk". The games are available on his website, www.foreverpleasure.com which features original erotic art, high-end sensual products and adult sex education.
Dr. Trina Read has a doctorate in human sexuality. Dr. Read is also an international speaker and offers free sex tips on her website www.bestsextipsever.com.
You can also hear more from Dr. Trina Read on the Hitched Podcast.
Dr. Trina’s Point: Us women will always find something wrong with our body image.
How do you men put up with this? Brian, what can I say to women about their body image that hasn’t been said a thousand times before? Women have been there, done that, worn the t-shirt.
Women resonate when Joy Davidson, author of Fearless Sex writes, "Eighty percent of women are dissatisfied with their bodies. Five to ten million adolescent girls and adult women struggle with eating disorders in the United States alone. Almost half of all American women are on a diet any day of the week."
Women nod their head with recognition when they read that their sexual function and satisfaction is affected more by their body image than by menopause—backed up by a recent Penn State study published in The Journal of Sex Research.
Women understand how the multi-billion dollar fashion industry promotes every second of every minute in how their body is inadequate. You men are probably scratching your heads wondering: If women know all of this, why are they paralyzed at the thought of letting loose in the bedroom and shaking what their mamma gave them?
Why is it so hard for women to be empowered by their body? A woman’s body is as unique as her fingerprint—the yummy bits as well as the rolls, sagginess and cellulite.
Well men, here’s the long anticipated answer: Women use a hated body part as an excuse to manifest all of their non-body related insecurities. In workshops I ask women, "If you were able to take an eraser and wipe out the body part you don’t like, and poof, like magic, it became perfect, would you feel more sexy?"
The women immediately answer, "Well, yes of course." I look them straight in the eye and reply, "Are you sure about that? I think you would merely find a new body part to start hating."
As we are now witnessing Brian, plastic surgeons must put a limit on the amount of procedures women can have. The more obsessed women become with their bodies, the more they bleed away their personal power. Obsession usually masks as indifference or control—three ubiquitous qualities that completely smother the spark in the bedroom. It’s the truest way to selfishly push your partner away.
Tell me Brian, what do men think of all this body image craziness?
Dr. Brian’s Counterpoint: Newsflash, most men don’t care about their woman’s body issues or understand why they have them.
Men can’t figure out what the big fuss is about. Contrary to popular belief, most men don’t get excited over zero percent body fat. Most men prefer women to be curvy and voluptuous.
Men and women often argue about having sex with the lights on or off. Men are turned on visually. They love to see their partner’s naked body in sensual acts. Many women, however, prefer sex with the lights off. Sure you females are not as visual as us men, but the reason you’re always turning out the lights is most often because of body image issues.
Most men don’t care what they look like in the bedroom. Hello Trina, how many men have you heard brag about how much money they’ve spent developing their beer belly? Of course, some men wish they were more Adonis and less Homer, but us men are generally more concerned about things like height and baldness.
You women are so hard on yourself when it comes to body image. While you don’t like what you see in the mirror, your male counterpart is likely to be pleased with what they see. In fact, men often over-estimate their attractiveness, while women seem to obsess about their own lack of perfection.
I’m not saying that you shouldn’t do that extra abdominal crunch. Most people desire to have a tighter butt or slimmer stomach. We all need to lead happy and healthy lives, both physically and mentally. Once we are realistic about achieving ‘our best,’ we can be happier in and out of the bedroom.
You gals feel you need to look like your ‘not so average’ fashion model to be beautiful. But, even the fashion industry is taking miniscule steps to expand their definition of beauty. Go Queen Latifa, Go!
I’ve talked to many women who hold back from trying new and exciting sexual positions for fear of looking chubby. Interestingly, men think an enthusiastic partner is a much bigger turn on than one without the extra roll. Further, the chance of having an orgasm is drastically reduced if you’re sucking in that tummy during sex.
Come on girls, we’re not taking your body so serious, so why should you? And remember, if body image is an issue for you, just have sex. You’ll be burning about 200 calories per hour while you’re doing it.
Dr. Brian Parker is a sexologist and sex educator and the creator of two sexual intimacy board games "Embrace" and "Pillow Talk". The games are available on his website, www.foreverpleasure.com which features original erotic art, high-end sensual products and adult sex education.
Dr. Trina Read has a doctorate in human sexuality. Dr. Read is also an international speaker and offers free sex tips on her website www.bestsextipsever.com.
You can also hear more from Dr. Trina Read on the Hitched Podcast.
Dating 101: Reviving Your Relationship
Life as a couple isn't always a walk in the park. Here, dating coach Jackie Black reveals what modern intimacy should offer, common relationship obstacles, and sure-fire ways to stay in love.
We have powerful desires to belong and to connect with a special someone. We demand more intimacy and insist on supporting each other to live our best "individual" life. At the same time, we desire co-creating deeply meaningful relationships that provide:
* Safe havens to be one's most vulnerable self.
* An openness to the most sacred feelings shared with another.
* Connections defined by joy and hope of a future that will be a lasting testament of love and commitment.
Individual Needs vs. Partnership Needs
What you seek in a romantic relationship may not always manifest fully when you transition from being single to being a partner. A big challenge in committing to another person is the potential loss of personal identity and giving up personal hopes and dreams. These losses would have been a virtual certainty in an outdated model of monogamous relationships.
Not so today: Contemporary couples are ready to honor their individual needs and create partnerships that respect their deeper selves; develop skills, rituals, and practices for deepening emotional, physical, and spiritual connection with each other.
The Common Problem for Couples
If you are in the majority of contemporary committed couples, I'll bet that you spend more time each week watching TV or commuting to work than you do alone with your honey.
In your demanding world filled with multiple responsibilities and distractions, everything and everyone else seems to be more important than attending to your most intimate relationship.
I think you'd agree that to keep that spark in your relationship alive, you and your beloved must spend quality, eyeball-to-eyeball time together.
Tips to Reviving Your Relationship
Do you and your sweetheart carve out quality alone-time together every week? Do you both take responsibility for it, or does the task fall to one or the other of you? Do you allow "real" interruptions to get in the way and spoil your planned time together?
Here are a few simple suggestions to prioritize your partner:
1. Meet once a week to look at your schedules and set aside time for each other.
2. At least once a week, plan a date night. Once a month, plan a date day (that's right, a whole day from morning to evening). Once each quarter, plan a weekend get-away. Once each year, plan a week away together.
3. Mark your planned time in your calendar, just like a dentist appointment or an appointment with a client. Write it in ink! Mark yourself out for a block of time.
4. Take turns planning your dates each week.
5. Do the grocery shopping and buy a bouquet of flowers for your partner.
6. Write a love note and leave it for your partner to find.
7. Take a break from watching TV and doing laundry or other chores. Go to bed early and share massages, talk, or cuddle.
8. Turn off the TV, turn on the stereo and have a talk.
9. Kiss your mate Good Morning and Good Night every day. Just say, "I love you."
Think back to when you first started dating. What did you do? What things did you both enjoy that you no longer make time to do? Why did you fall in love?
Let your creative juices flow. Let your imagination go wild. Anything goes.
Celebrate yourself and each other. Embrace the moment, and the gift of your love.
Remember, only you can make it happen!
We have powerful desires to belong and to connect with a special someone. We demand more intimacy and insist on supporting each other to live our best "individual" life. At the same time, we desire co-creating deeply meaningful relationships that provide:
* Safe havens to be one's most vulnerable self.
* An openness to the most sacred feelings shared with another.
* Connections defined by joy and hope of a future that will be a lasting testament of love and commitment.
Individual Needs vs. Partnership Needs
What you seek in a romantic relationship may not always manifest fully when you transition from being single to being a partner. A big challenge in committing to another person is the potential loss of personal identity and giving up personal hopes and dreams. These losses would have been a virtual certainty in an outdated model of monogamous relationships.
Not so today: Contemporary couples are ready to honor their individual needs and create partnerships that respect their deeper selves; develop skills, rituals, and practices for deepening emotional, physical, and spiritual connection with each other.
The Common Problem for Couples
If you are in the majority of contemporary committed couples, I'll bet that you spend more time each week watching TV or commuting to work than you do alone with your honey.
In your demanding world filled with multiple responsibilities and distractions, everything and everyone else seems to be more important than attending to your most intimate relationship.
I think you'd agree that to keep that spark in your relationship alive, you and your beloved must spend quality, eyeball-to-eyeball time together.
Tips to Reviving Your Relationship
Do you and your sweetheart carve out quality alone-time together every week? Do you both take responsibility for it, or does the task fall to one or the other of you? Do you allow "real" interruptions to get in the way and spoil your planned time together?
Here are a few simple suggestions to prioritize your partner:
1. Meet once a week to look at your schedules and set aside time for each other.
2. At least once a week, plan a date night. Once a month, plan a date day (that's right, a whole day from morning to evening). Once each quarter, plan a weekend get-away. Once each year, plan a week away together.
3. Mark your planned time in your calendar, just like a dentist appointment or an appointment with a client. Write it in ink! Mark yourself out for a block of time.
4. Take turns planning your dates each week.
5. Do the grocery shopping and buy a bouquet of flowers for your partner.
6. Write a love note and leave it for your partner to find.
7. Take a break from watching TV and doing laundry or other chores. Go to bed early and share massages, talk, or cuddle.
8. Turn off the TV, turn on the stereo and have a talk.
9. Kiss your mate Good Morning and Good Night every day. Just say, "I love you."
Think back to when you first started dating. What did you do? What things did you both enjoy that you no longer make time to do? Why did you fall in love?
Let your creative juices flow. Let your imagination go wild. Anything goes.
Celebrate yourself and each other. Embrace the moment, and the gift of your love.
Remember, only you can make it happen!
Tuesday, April 28, 2009
Quake jars already-nervous Mexico City residents
MEXICO CITY – A strong earthquake struck central Mexico on Monday, swaying tall buildings in the capital and sending office workers into the streets. The quake rattled nerves in a city already tense from a swine flu outbreak suspected of killing as many as 149 people nationwide.
"I'm scared," said Sarai Luna Pajas, a 22-year-old social services worker standing outside her office building moments after it hit. "We Mexicans are not used to living with so much fear, but all that is happening — the economic crisis, the illnesses and now this — it feels like the Apocalypse."
Co-worker Harold Gutierrez, 21, said the country was taking comfort from its religious faith, but he too was gripped by the sensation that the world might be coming to an end.
"If it is, it is God's plan," Gutierrez said, speaking over a green mask he wore to ward off swine flu.
The Interior Ministry said there were no reports of damages anywhere in the country.
The quake had a magnitude of 5.6 and was centered near Chilpancingo, about 130 miles (210 kilometers) southwest of Mexico City or 50 miles (80 kilometers) from the resort of Acapulco, according to the U.S. Geological Survey.
USGS earthquake analyst Don Blakeman said the quake was felt strongly in Mexico City because the epicenter was relatively shallow and the ground under the capital — which is built on a former lake bed — tends to intensify shock waves.
"Distant quakes are often felt" strongly in the city, he said.
The USGS revised the quake's magnitude down from its preliminary estimate of 6.0, and said its depth was 30 miles (50 kilometers).
Tourists also streamed out of hotels in Acapulco and congregated on sidewalks and medians for several minutes. Local Civil Protection officer Silvia Rodriguez said there were no injuries.
"I'm scared," said Sarai Luna Pajas, a 22-year-old social services worker standing outside her office building moments after it hit. "We Mexicans are not used to living with so much fear, but all that is happening — the economic crisis, the illnesses and now this — it feels like the Apocalypse."
Co-worker Harold Gutierrez, 21, said the country was taking comfort from its religious faith, but he too was gripped by the sensation that the world might be coming to an end.
"If it is, it is God's plan," Gutierrez said, speaking over a green mask he wore to ward off swine flu.
The Interior Ministry said there were no reports of damages anywhere in the country.
The quake had a magnitude of 5.6 and was centered near Chilpancingo, about 130 miles (210 kilometers) southwest of Mexico City or 50 miles (80 kilometers) from the resort of Acapulco, according to the U.S. Geological Survey.
USGS earthquake analyst Don Blakeman said the quake was felt strongly in Mexico City because the epicenter was relatively shallow and the ground under the capital — which is built on a former lake bed — tends to intensify shock waves.
"Distant quakes are often felt" strongly in the city, he said.
The USGS revised the quake's magnitude down from its preliminary estimate of 6.0, and said its depth was 30 miles (50 kilometers).
Tourists also streamed out of hotels in Acapulco and congregated on sidewalks and medians for several minutes. Local Civil Protection officer Silvia Rodriguez said there were no injuries.
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)