Earth Day friendly dating ideas

April 22nd 2010 is Earth Day so do something different and plan an eco friendly date. Being ‘green’ or environmentally friendly is becoming more important to people as we are more aware of how our simple actions affect the environment.

You might think that an eco friendly date means a cheap one that you won't enjoy, but that isn't the case at all? Yes, some of our tips require less or no money involved but who says it won't be a fun date in the end? With a little bit of know how and effort you can go green on a date while having the time of your life.

Plan your own Earth hour
If you prefer staying in then get those candles out and turn everything off like you've done during Earth Hour. If it gets hot, especially without air conditioning, use some ice cubes to cool each other down, or brave that cold shower together. There's more than one way to keep cool at home and exploring some of these options are half the fun. Plus, you'll get the ultimate intimate session with nothing much around to distract you.

Getting ready
Instead of wasting energy by using the water heater, step into the shower and have a cold one instead. Make that shower and extra fun one by sharing it with your partner. Not only will you be getting wet and wild time, you'll be saving a lot of water at the same time. But if the moment gets too heated up, remember to turn off the shower before you proceed to the bedroom.
Another thing you can do is to resist that urge of blow drying your hair. Let it dry off naturally if you have a lot of time before heading out or, you can unwind the windows of your car on your way to that date. Nothing beats a natural and cost efficient way of hair styling.

Eco friendly undies
Yup, you read that right! Organic cotton, hemp silk, bamboo, and other renewable fibres make ultra-sexy lingerie and underwear. We suggest shelling out the extra bucks for something classy, sexy, and sustainable that can be donned when the mood is right for years to come rather than one off novelty panties that tatters in less than a year.

Ditch the car
Pack a couple of backpacks with an organic gourmet lunch for two, take those rusty bicycles out of the store room and head to the nearest park. When you reach your destination, find the best spot to sit on and whip out the picnic. Feed each other grapes, organic cheese and organic wine. Enjoy the peace and tranquility of nature and each other's company.

Green gifts
If you’re planning on giving that special someone a gift then try organic massage oils, fair trade chocolate or a bottle of biodynamic red wine. These items are available at organic shops which aren't a rarity in Malaysia.

Be crafty at home
Get crafty and use recycled paper and natural plant dyes to make one of a kind, green works of art. Use a scrapbook to put your first date pictures in or re-write those romantic emails on recycled paper. You can also find your inner child and play board games rather than watching TV. Don't stop there, dig out that old Twister board and make it a little more interesting. You never know what position you may find yourselves in!

Put on a green summer party!
Introduce your special someone to your friends and family, and show them what you stand for by being green. BBQ with 100% natural, additive-free charcoal or use gas or electric for a more environmentally friendly option. Choose organic, free range meats or go vegetarian. Portobello mushrooms are a great burger substitute. Use regular dishes, glass cups and cloth napkins. Go to a thrift store and buy an extra set of cheap dishes and napkins just for BBQ's and casual parties. Promote being responsible and eco-friendly, while having fun in your new relationship.

Eco friendly holidays
Eco resorts are a great way to minimize your carbon footprint. If you don't mind spending a bit more money, go on a holiday to these destinations.
Borneo Highlands Resort is a unique eco-friendly resort in Kuching and is also known as the home of The Hornbill Golf and Jungle Club, which has a world class championship golf course. If you are both golf fans, beginner or want to learn this resort offers the perfect eco-friendly date and after a day out on the fairway you can both take advantage of the jungle Spa.
If golf isn’t your thing then what about Bukit Merah? It is three hours outside of KL and boasts the only conservational orang-utan island in Peninsular Malaysia, a unique eco-park with educational walk-in enclosures and a lakeside camping ground for the more adventurous.

Why go for one-night stand?

What is the purpose of the one-night stand? Does it accomplish anything? I don't condone one-night stands; for me they've led to awkwardness, and self-loathing (of course I'm filled with self loathing without sex in my life, so what's the difference?).
I'm reluctant to accept "I was drunk" as the sole reason for a one night stand. Alcohol contributes to risky behavior or clouds judgment. As a depressant, it also enhances negative emotions. In light of this, there are temporary mindsets we should not mix with alcohol--mindsets that make us more vulnerable and prone to a one night stand.
Here they are:
Lonely Mentality
Sex can seem like a quick fix for loneliness. It's not that we feel validated when we have sex, but it is nice to know that we are attractive. That physical and mental intimacy, while fleeting, is nice in the moment. Unfortunately, though, when that person leaves your life, your loneliness intensifies.
Vengeful Mentality
It's pretty twisted, but sex can be used for revenge. Sleeping with that jerky ex's best friend, or some other "strategic" person to hurt someone else is the M.O. However, using people to hurt other people will only lead to a bad outcome.
Risk-taking Mentality
You know those periods in your life you're more inclined to take risks? Sex is sometimes risky behavior, along with drugs, alcohol, etc. It's unhealthy to take risks that impact the body and mind, but it's also thrilling.
Desiring Mentality
It's not always mental. Sometimes you just want to get laid. Unfortunately, for me, when I want to get laid, I don't. When I don't feel like getting laid, suddenly opportunities abound.
Liberated Mentality
You think you're over your ex, so you run out and exercise your rights to freedom. But if you're going to an extreme, such as having a one night stand, to prove you're over someone, then you are probably not really over them.
Closing the Loop Mentality
There are some people in your life with sexual tension. Things should have happened, but circumstances didn't permit at the time. All of a sudden, you've got an opportunity and you both know you have to do it. It's all about getting it out of your system.
I've had three one night stands in my life. They can all be traced back to a mentality above:
College - Freedom Mentality/Revenge Mentality - I had just broken up with my first serious girlfriend and I met a random girl at a party and slept with her, partially because I was free to do so, and partially because I wanted to (pun intended) stick it to my ex.
Italy - Risk-taking Mentality - Living abroad in Italy for two months, "what happened in Italy stayed in Italy". This was the most random encounter I ever had with a girl from Xavier University. That's the only thing I knew about her, that she attended Xavier.
High School Friend - Closing the Loop - I ended up having a one night stand with a girl I had dated in high school years later. We flirted for years and finally got the whole thing out of our systems.
The mindsets outlined above are about vulnerability. When we go away from home, feeling lonely, or just got dumped, the vulnerability feeds the one-night stand mentalities. The alarming thing is that there are guys out there who know how to sense this mindset in a woman. They intentionally look for vulnerable women with sex in mind, but no intention of dating or communicating afterward.
The other ingredient, of course, is animal attraction. But this attraction lives in us every day. We only act upon it when our mentality dictates it. So, I contend that a one night stand is 90% mental, even though it's a physical act.
I have outgrown one night stands. Sex without connection, laughter, love, compatibility, and mutual experience is empty. This explains why it's awkward the next day when everyone comes back down to earth.
Do you agree that one night stands are mostly mental? What mentalities would you add to the list, and what kinds of experiences have you or your friends had with one night stands? Did you ever have any that turned out well, or didn't lead to negative self-perception?

10 Simple Things Women Want In A Relationship

Besides the meaning of life and the ingredients of hot dogs, many a man has questioned "what exactly do women want?" We're not playing coy here, we know we're complex creatures. And, true, we operate on a different wavelength than men. The best example of our gender difference comes from an article we read last year about why men cheat. The most compelling testimony was from a transgender man who'd undergone hormone therapy during his transition. Thanks to testosterone, the man noticed less of an emotional attachment to sex and more of a physical urge to engage, regardless of consequences. Fascinating.
So, we're different. But, women aren't exactly the great mystery that men often make us out to be. The proof? We polled the YourTango staff and compiled a list of 10 simple things women want. Note: you won't find diamond rings or other fancy things anywhere on this list. While many women really do want luxury goods from men, when you break it down they are just physical representations of some of the points on this list. We promise.
Respect. Show us through your actions that you respect our opinions, careers, interests, friends, bodies and minds. You don't have to agree with all that we say or do, but try to honor our opinions as valuable contributions. Follow the golden rule and treat us as you would like to be treated: Be honest, fair, kind, and considerate.
Sex. Yes, we love sex. But, remember that there are four bases to cover in the bedroom, not just one. Try stopping at each base instead of being so focused on the home run—believe us, we'll thank you for it! Likewise, remember small physical touches like massages. One can never, ever, have too many shoulder rubs. And scratching our heads is pretty great, too.Romance. It's another night on the couch with take-out and TiVo? Just because we're staying in doesn't mean the evening can't be romantic. Light a few candles and see where the night leads. Treat us like your girlfriend, even after we become your wife. Date nights, making out in the car, kissing like when we first started dating—all of the things that made us fall in love with you don't have to stop just because now there are bills to pay, a house to be cleaned, and kids that need to get bathed. Bring home flowers for no reason. We're not talking $100 bouquets of roses here. Even the $10 bouquets from the supermarket are enough to make us smile.
Time. We understand relationships can't be all wine and roses; simply making the time to be with us and treating us like your top priority says "love" more than all the fancy gifts and lovely letters ever could. This includes helping around the house. The realities of a 21st-century relationship are that both partners probably work. If you happen to get home before we do, why not take vacuum the living room or throw in a load of laundry? If you take the garbage out without being asked, chances are you'll be getting a big ole smooch when you come back. Read: 5 "Man Chores" That Will Get Him To Do Housework
Dinner. Of the homemade variety. You may not be good at cooking and you may not know how to boil water. But greeting us at the door after a long day with fish sticks (or whatever you can wrastle up) makes us swoon, because it shows that you've been thinking about us and our hectic day. Read: Cooking For TwoCommunication. Women are vocal creatures. We know you love us, but it's nice to hear you say it, too. We can also be insecure. We wish we weren't, but the reality is that we often notice our wobbly thighs and forget about our gorgeous eyes. So let us know when you think we're hot. Tell us we're beautiful. It helps us feel good. Plus, when we feel sexy we're more likely to act sexy. Words of appreciation aren't half-bad either. Tell us you love the lasagna we made. Thank us for driving the kids to school. Notice that we cleaned the bathtub. It doesn't have to be over the top, just let us know that you see the effort we put in, and you're grateful. Read: Which Love Language Do You Speak?
Consistency. This doesn't mean be boring and predictable. It means that we know you will (usually, no one is perfect!) give us the love and support we need. Knowing that you're coming at this with the same desires and energy as we are goes a long way to making us feel secure.
Engagement. Of the mental kind, not the "I'm getting married in the morning" kind. You don't have to like everything we like (we might be a little concerned if you do), but showing interest in our passions, be it career-related, a sport or a hobby, goes a long way. Listen when we talk to you. We're not speaking just so we can hear our own voice; we want to connect with you and this is one valuable way we do this. This also means paying attention to the little things. Whether it's the name of your best friend's husband or the fact that you hate Nicolas Cage movies, it's the little things you remember about us that's so endearing.Humor and Humility. These two tend to go hand in hand. This doesn't mean that you have to crack jokes or entertain us, but just being able to laugh at yourself is enough. Guys who take themselves too seriously bring everyone down. Read: Self-Deprecating Humor WorksChallenge. Not the kind that makes a relationship constant work, but the good kind that surprises and motivates us to do, be or achieve what we desire. Studies show that partners who prod each other to meet goals—in other words, don't support lazy or bad habits—are ultimately happier than those who don't hold each other accountable.
What have we left off the list? Let us know in the comments below.
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Andy Roddick vs Roger Federer - Wimbledon 2009

Federer holds an 18-2 career advantage over Roddick and comfortably beat the 26-year-old from Omaha, Nebraska in the 2004 and 2005 finals, with Swiss artistry generally trumping American grit each time they have met.
The 2009 edition of Roddick, though, is no longer a big-serving, one-trick pony.

A year ago, the affable American was stuck in an airport lounge and caught on television the scintillating denouement of the final between Federer and Rafael Nadal. That demoralising sight and a soul-searching conversation with wife Brooklyn Decker convinced him things had to change.
Frustrated at the sight of Federer and Nadal hogging the majors, Roddick set to work on his fitness and linked up with new coach Larry Stefanki. That and the weight of years of experience have brought him a new, formidable armoury.
He brutally stifled the menace of Andy Murray in the semi-final, using his massive serve, punching accuracy with his groundstrokes and shrewd advances to the net to dismantle the Scot's game before a devastated nation.
"Brook and I had a lot of talks on if I still thought I could play and at least be towards the top of the game. I definitely openly questioned it at that point," Roddick said. "So this off season, we said, you know what, if you're not gonna be up there, let's at least not wonder. Let's prepare yourself and give yourself every opportunity.
"I did work real hard and was committed, and have been committed from everything to diet to sleep to everything. So I certainly gave myself every opportunity to succeed."
Unfortunately for Roddick, success is second nature to Federer.
These days he claims more records with each passing match, and stands on the cusp of arguably his finest achievement.
Victory on Sunday will see him rewrite the history books by taking his15th grand slam title - passing Pete Sampras on 14 - to provide the most significant piece of evidence yet in the perennial debate about the game's greatest player.
Advocates of Rod Laver, Jimmy Connors, John McEnroe, Bjorn Borg and Sampras will have little answer once that particular statistic can be waved in their face.
Federer, 27, has enormous respect for his opponent and a review of the Murray semi-final will show him that getting the mighty Roddick serve back is no longer the only concern.
"I've played him 20 times, so I've had plenty of time to study his game, to understand his game," the Swiss said. "He's always played me also quite differently every single time I've played him. I've had many different looks against Roddick.
"I enjoy how he leaves everything out on the court. I can only marvel at how incredible his serve is. I like playing against him, not only just because of the record."

Women are flocking to the labor force in record numbers. Nearly 60% sought or occupied employment in 2008, the latest year for which statistics are available, representing 46.5% of the total U.S. labor force. More than one-third of these women worked in management, professional and related occupations, accounting for 51% of all workers in this top-paying sector.
Though a pay gap persists -- women's earnings remain stalled at around 80% of men's -- women are finding the jobs that pay them the most, and some may surprise you. Based on a U.S. Department of Labor Women's Bureau 2008 analysis, we ranked women's median weekly earnings as full-time wage and salary workers to uncover the highest-paying jobs for women.

An unlikely No. 1 emerged. Much to our surprise, pharmacy topped the list, where women pharmacists earn a median wage of $1,647 per week or about $86,000 a year. Women currently account for slightly less than half of all pharmacists in the U.S. and earn about 85% as much as their male colleagues. It's a much smaller pay gap than that of medical doctors, however, where women make 59% as much as men. And pharmacy requires less education.
Women physicians and surgeons came in far behind pharmacists at No. 6 on the list, earning a median of $1,230 per week. Dr. Drucilla Barker, economist and director of women's and gender studies at the University of South Carolina, explains this by the wide distribution of salaries in the medical profession. Women often go into family practice or other lower-paying specialties, she says, rather than work the 80-hour-plus weeks of surgeons. In jobs like pharmacy and speech pathology there is a clear and narrow salary range, and women are more likely to have manageable schedules, Barker says.
Women computer scientists and systems analysts came in at No. 10, earning a median wage of $1,082 per week or about $56,000 a year. In recent years, telecommuting has become increasingly common in the industry, making computer science even more appealing to women seeking high-paying work and flexibility.

And just above, at No. 9, were speech-language pathologists, the only occupation on our list in which women earn exactly equal to men and represent 50% of the field's total workers.
While women are inching higher and higher in status positions and earnings -- the pay gap has narrowed by 10 percentage points since 1990 -- there remains a large divide. About 3.5 million women earn within the highest pay bracket, making a minimum of $1,500 per week, compared with almost 10 million men. This may be explained by the most common female-held positions: administrative assistants, nurses and grade school teachers. (As a comparison, there are 36 times as many women administrative assistants as there are women pharmacists.)
Yet women outnumber men in some unexpected high-earning jobs like financial managers, accountants and auditors, and budget analysts. Women human resource managers, the No. 8 position on our list with a median of $1,137 per week, outnumber men in the field 2 to 1.
Top-Paying Jobs for Women
Though a pay gap persists--women's earnings remain stalled at around 80% of men's--women are finding the jobs that pay them the most, and some may surprise you. Based on a U.S. Department of Labor Women's Bureau 2008 analysis, we ranked women's median weekly earnings as full-time wage and salary workers to uncover the highest paying jobs for women.
No. 1: Pharmacists
Women's median weekly earnings: $1,647 Women's median yearly earnings: $85,644 Percentage of men's earnings: 84.9% Education required: PCAT; Pharm.D. degree; six to seven years of collegiate study What they do: Distribute pharmaceutical drugs
No. 2: Chief Executives Women's median weekly earnings: $1,603 Women's median yearly earnings: $83,356 Percentage of men's earnings: 80.1% Education required: Varies; many hold a bachelor's or graduate degree in business administration or more specialized discipline What they do: Hold overall responsibility for the operation of an organization, including corporate and small businesses
No. 3: Lawyers Women's median weekly earnings: $1,509 Women's median yearly earnings: $78,468 Percentage of men's earnings: 77.5% Education required: LSAT; J.D. degree; about seven years of collegiate study What they do: Advocate in criminal and civil courts and provide legal counsel to clients on business and personal matters
No. 4: Computer Software Engineers Women's median weekly earnings: $1,351 Women's median yearly earnings: $70,252 Percentage of men's earnings: 87.3% Education required: Bachelor of computer science or software engineering What they do: Design, develop, test and evaluate computer systems and software
No. 5: Computer and Information Systems Managers Women's median weekly earnings: $1,260 Women's median yearly earnings: $65,520 Percentage of men's earnings: 85.4% Education required: Bachelor's degree; often a technology-specific MBA What they do: Implement technology into an organization, often overseeing network security and IT operations

Would you play LEGO Star Wars with Megan Fox? Her "Transformers" co-star Shia LaBeouf apparently won't -- at least, not on the Nintendo Wii. Even though the pair have been romantically linked in recent press reports, LaBeouf told gaming blog Big Download in an interview that he'd rather "eat glass" than play the Wii version of this two-player blockbuster.

That's not all Shia had to say: although he's keen to talk up Activision's game based on "Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen", he saves his praise for the PlayStation 3 and Xbox 360 versions. Asked about the Wii version, he sidesteps: "I haven't been able to play the Wii game because my hand is broken...I would imagine that the Wii experience will be like...I don't mess with the Wii, to be honest with you. It's kind of an amateur console. I'm not into the Wii thing."
So how about the LEGO Indiana Jones game? (Shia fans will note, of course, that LeBeouf played Indy's son in the most recent Indy movie.) "The LEGO Indiana Jones I'm not going to speak on, but my feelings aren't very different."
Wonder if Activision has picked a spokesperson for the next Transformers game? If not, we'd suggest someone who's a little less likely to slam your own products in public.

'Transformers' does $200.1M in 5 days

"Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen" finished its first weekend with a whopping $108 million domestic haul and did $200.1 million for its first five days.
Final numbers Monday were down slightly from estimates reported a day earlier by distributor Paramount. But the sequel remained the second-best five-day gross ever, coming in $3.7 million behind the total for "The Dark Knight" last summer.
The top 20 movies at U.S. and Canadian theaters Friday through Sunday, followed by distribution studio, gross, number of theater locations, average receipts per location, total gross and number of weeks in release, as compiled Monday by Hollywood.com:
1. "Transformers: Revenge of the Fallen," Paramount, $108,966,307, 4,234 locations, $25,736 average, $200,077,255, one week.
2. "The Proposal," Disney, $18,578,541, 3,058 locations, $6,075 average, $69,162,471, two weeks.
3. "The Hangover," Warner Bros., $17,022,166, 3,525 locations, $4,829 average, $183,054,267, four weeks.
4. "Up," Disney, $13,061,737, 3,487 locations, $3,746 average, $250,234,554, five weeks.
5. "My Sister's Keeper," Warner Bros., $12,442,212, 2,606 locations, $4,774 average, $12,442,212, one week.
6. "Year One," Sony, $6,022,444, 3,024 locations, $1,992 average, $32,529,560, two weeks.
7. "The Taking of Pelham 1 2 3," Sony, $5,451,107, 2,995 locations, $1,820 average, $53,456,827, three weeks.
8. "Star Trek," Paramount, $3,711,968, 1,823 locations, $2,036 average, $246,331,182, eight weeks.
9. "Night at the Museum: Battle of the Smithsonian," Fox, $3,643,522, 2,250 locations, $1,619 average, $163,391,192, six weeks.
10. "Away We Go," Focus, $1,709,313, 495 locations, $3,453 average, $4,088,390, four weeks.
11. "Land of the Lost," Universal, $1,143,040, 1,504 locations, $760 average, $46,763,020, four weeks.
12. "Angels & Demons," Sony, $1,091,953, 906 locations, $1,205 average, $130,277,166, seven weeks.
13. "Terminator Salvation," Warner Bros., $1,088,392, 1,102 locations, $988 average, $121,925,747, six weeks.
14. "Imagine That," Paramount, $942,273, 1,135 locations, $830 average, $14,067,015, three weeks.
15. "New York," Yash Raj Films, $467,693, 60 locations, $7,795 average, $467,693, one week.
16. "Cheri," Miramax, $405,701, 76 locations, $5,338 average, $405,701, one week.
17. "Monsters vs. Aliens," Paramount, $365,080, 311 locations, $1,174 average, $195,984,055, 14 weeks.
18. "Whatever Works," Sony Pictures Classics, $359,805, 35 locations, $10,280 average, $738,969, two weeks.
19. "X-Men Origins: Wolverine," Fox, $310,167, 360 locations, $862 average, $177,836,819, nine weeks.
20. "Food, Inc.," Magnolia, $291,444, 75 locations, $3,886 average, $834,848, three weeks.