Online Dating

On January 29, 2009 Date.com become free for the estimated 15 million online dating users in India. This means any local Hindu single may use the service just like a paid member, allowing them to save their Rupee's for an actual date.

Date.com has been planning to expand into non-English speaking markets for a while now. It looks like they want to get a foot in the door in India by offering a free service, were online matrimonial sites are very popular. Date.com is currently available in 4 languages but by 2010 they plan on adding 15 more (see Story).

Read more about this free service for Indian singles at Date.com by reading this press release, or check out our Date.com review for more information on this popular online dating site.

Since last Fridays story called Chemistry.com's Chief Scientific Advisor is on ABC's 20/20 Tonight we have learned that Dr. Helen Fisher and Chemistry.com will be featured on other popular network TV shows like USA Today, ABC’s The View, CNN and GMA Weekend. if you missed the 20/20 special then you can check it out online at ABC News. Dr. Fisher was on Good Morning America as well last Monday, discussing her book which examines true love.

As Valentine's Day approaches you will see Dr. Fisher and Chemistry.com more and more in both print and video. This include Feb. 11 in USA Today, Feb. 12 on The View and on her busiest day, Friday February the 13th, where she has 30 interviews scheduled on morning shows across the country.

Perfectmatch.com relationship expert, Dr. Pepper Schwartz, has been quoted several times in this month's Real Simple magazine which has an article called The Experts' Guide to a Strong Relationship. Real Simple gathered together a panel of experts to assess 13 rules of love. The panel consist of 9 experts who's occupations included authors, sex therapist, psychologists, and a dating site owner. Dr Schwartz addressed the following relationship wisdoms:

• Your Spouse shouldn't be your best friend.
• Absence makes the heart grow fonder.
• Having kids will bring you closer.
• There is such thing as love at first sight.
• Always keep them guessing
• Everyone experiences the seven-year itch.

Each rule of love or relationship wisdom is discussed briefly by 2 to 4 of the experts, with some of them disagreeing with each other. For the full story and the complete list of love rules check your news stand for the February, 2009 issue of Real Simple.

I heard on the radio today that in Canada, the television network CTV is not airing The Ashley Madison Agency commercial during the Super Bowl. The commercial has been approved by The Canadian Radio-television and Telecommunications Commission (CRTC) to contain no false advertising and meets with the standards set for a commercial airing in that time of day.

Known worldwide, Ashley Madison is a dating site which allows married people to find each other and hook-up. According to the web site they have over 3 million members. AshleyMadison.com is based in Canada and has run several late night TV and radio commercials on such US networks as FOX. The owner also has appeared on CNN several times for interviews.

Here is the banned Super Bowl commercial with the tag line "When Divorce isn't an Option"

Note: Unfortunately the source to the video and/or image which once was displayed here has since been removed by the authors for an unknown reason.

There is nothing wrong with the commercial except for the fact of how the husband and wife are treating each other. Of course, there is also the message that it is ok to cheat on your husband or wife if they are treating you badly. The problem is, I don't see this commercial being much different than daytime soaps or TV shows like Desperate Housewives which one of their main reoccurring themes is people cheating on their spouses.

I just notice that Chemistry is going to offer a 48 hour Chemistry Flirt-a-thon. Starting Wednesday, January 28 to Thursday, January 29 all members will be able to flirt, communicate and connect for FREE. This means tomorrow, as a free member, you will have almost all the features a paid member has. I can't think of a better time to try out see if this popular matchmaking service would be a good fit for you.

This is the first time, as far as we know that Chemistry has run this type of promotion for all of North America. Chemistry's main competitor, eHarmony, has run similar free promotions but there's usually fall on the weekends or holidays. The one difference between the two promotions is Chemistry's is open to all users and not just new members like with eHarmony.

Read our Chemistry.com review for more information on this popular dating site.

India’s largest online matrimonial services, Shaadi.com announced a partnership with Star Plus (an Indian entertainment television channel) to create a new entertainment and reality TV show that helps singles from India to find a partner for marriage. The show will document the participants from the initial meeting, until the wedding, and everything in between.

The show is open to all eligible single male and female Indian residents, who can speak fluent Hindi and are aged between 22 to 25 (for females) and 22 to 30 (for males) ... To register for the show, eligible participants can log onto Shaadi.com and fill in a simple form online. Registrations will be open from 15th to 30th January 2009.

I'm not sure why Shaadi.com released the press release today since the registration time is almost up (3 more days).

For more information on one of India's most popular online dating and matrimonial sites, read our Shaadi.com review.