One of the best movies I’ve ever seen in a long while was Children of Men starring Clive Owen. In the movie, set twenty-five years from now, Man has gone sterile and the world in turn has gone to hell and a hand basket. No one knows why, but women can’t get pregnant anymore.

I bring this up because I was recently talking to a friend from San Francisco when she stated that the rich men she and her friends have dated are different from middle class men.

How so, I asked?

She said that the rich men don’t “need” women and are happy to share this with the women they date. According to my friend, if women don’t like this, the rich guy will politely show them the door. According to my friend, rich men are upfront and honest with the fact that they’re only in it for the “fun”.

My friend pointed out that rich men don’t need their lovers to perform the traditional wifely duties. They can get someone to do their laundry, cook their food, and raise their kids. They can even get someone to have their kids!

The other interesting thing is that today’s rich men don’t go forth and spread their seed like rich men of centuries past. Until recently, rich men have always sought to procreate with as many women as possible(whether married to the women or not) in order to pass on their genetic code to the next generation. In this way, they preserved their legacy. In the middle east for example, rich men could take on as many wives as they could afford.
Yet, today’s rich men refuse to bond with today’s women in oder to pass on their genetic code through their offspring!

How could this be?

I think the answer is deceptively simple. The rich men of today can leave their legacy like no men in history have ever been able to do. Through the internet and incredible networking applications like Facebook, LinkedIn, MySpace, and many others, rich men can leave a permanent footprint on millions of people. In a sense, men can pass themselves on through their networks without having to commit to a woman.

What’s more, this is done virally. The most children a man ever had was just over 1000. For those thousand to spread out into the world and in turn spread his genetic footprint would take generations. Today, Google, Yahoo, YouTube and the like can spread an idea to millions in a matter of seconds.

I guess what I’m trying to say is that the rich men of today really aren’t different. They’ve simply found a much simpler and trouble free way to spread their legacy. A much bigger question that comes to mind is how long until middle class men start thinking the same way? Will this lead to fewer pregnancies? Will this lead to the end of love? Could this be the end of us?

Popularity: 1% [?]

A Chicago Tribune editorial caught my eye when I saw that it was about tanning of all things. Given the turmoil in the world and the Presidential race, you might think it silly or frivolous to write about something so vain.

I suppose that was the point of the editorial. The author questioned why anyone would go to such lengths to look lazy and stupid. While I don’t necessarily agree with this, I do see her point. I associate tanning with the likes of George Hamilton and Paris Hilton. Can you think of anything else when it comes to tanning?

My first memories of “tanning” were not good. I was four and my mother dressed me in a tank top. After several hours in the sun, I came back to my mother in the worst pain I had ever felt. The water blisters on my shoulder looked like they came form a different world. They wouldn’t go away until summer’s end. Needless to say, I have never been a fan of the tan since that day. Anybody who is a fan, is always somewhat suspect to me.

Hilton’s latest TV commercial was fun and entertaining but the joke was based on her reading about tanning before she thought about running for President.

Evolutionary psychologists are also puzzled as to why women like to tan given the universal preference of men for lighter skinned women. The only thing that is known is that women’s skin gets darker when they ovulate. This however is not consciously noticeable.

Popularity: 1% [?]

Janine Schaults in today’s Chicago Tribune just recommended author Elaine Szewczyk’s debut novel, “i’m with Stupid” as a great summertime read. “Profound nuggets of substance can be found in a good beach read depending on the sort of revelation you’re looking for.”

Luckily for me, my wife didn’t write this one! Then again what about Janine’s poor boyfriend?

If you happen to be in Chicago, University of Illinois graduate, Elaine will be signing copies of her book while supplies last at the Barnes & Noble in Orland Park IL at 12PM.

Popularity: 2% [?]

My wife let me pick the restaurant this time and boy am I glad. We ate at one of downtown Chicago’s newest and hottest eateries, Hub 51 at 51 West Hubbard.

We got there early and hungry. The food was tasty and well thought out. I had the salmon sushi with avocado and Phyllis had the chicken tacos. I had a glass of sparkling wine while Phyllis had a gin and tonic.

The only hiccup came at the beginning of the meal when there was a shift change and I had to seek out a server. Other than that everything went well.

The desert was awesome. We got the the strawberry ice cream bar covered in ice cold chocolate and rice crispies.

Overall, we plan on getting back before our 16th anniversary to try the rest of the menu.

Popularity: unranked [?]

I just got back from the farm where my daughter, Hannah, is learning to ride horses. She’s just turned eight and while she’s comfortable on top of the animal, she’s having a tough time getting the horse to listen.

To be fair, horses have to be touched and told how and where to go. Apparently it’s a two step process that involves more than just a verbal command. Just like you and I, the horse is dependent on far more than just your words to figure out where it’s going or what you want it to do. To get the horse to trot, my daughters instructor has the girls gently kick their horses sides, squeeze the horse’s sides and then yell “trot”.

Whenever you pull on the horses reigns it either stops or goes in the direction you pull the reigns in. If you pull the horse in the right way, it’ll take you to wherever you want it to. If only we men could be lead so easily!

As for the horse true friends, it’s flies, I have nothing but contempt!

Popularity: unranked [?]

We just got back from the beaches of southwestern Michigan. It had been two years since we had been there and it was nice to see them again.

My parents own half an acre of land that they plan to build on sometime in the near future. Whenever we’re in the neighborhood, we try to stop by and imagine how their future house might look. It’s kind of fun to look ahead at what might be. For now it’s just a lot covered in greenery with pine trees wanting to dominate. Soon enough, it’ll be a house where Alan and Hannah can spend their summers riding their bikes to the beach or going to the local farmer’s market to get strawberries freshly picked two hours before. Not a bad way to spend the day!

I’ll try to get some more pics downloaded tomorrow.

Otherwise have a great weekend!

Popularity: unranked [?]