marriage

Facebook status change reveals new husband has old wife

Not all marriages end in paradise.

Sometimes, they dissolve into purgatory or even worse.

Sometimes, though, you can choose a partner who very quickly becomes someone entirely different. A glutton, for example. Or a bigamist.

A woman in Australia recently married the love of her life and became Mrs. Keyet. Excited that she was now Mrs. Keyet, she changed her relationship status to "married."

She might have wished she'd changed it to "harried."

For no sooner did she ask her most important friends to share in her joy than she received a Facebook message: "… Read more

What men really want: the choice of six engagement rings

I am told that buying an engagement ring is even more stressful than mustering the gumption to propose.

Choosing the right ring is an expression of who you are and what you feel. It can leave you a wreck, feeling like you should check into a halfway house for spiritual guidance.

An enterprising online jewelry brand called Ocappi would like to give you a chance of survival, an opportunity to finally impress your lover beyond standing next to her at a party and grinning like a stuffed fish.

Ocappi will send six rings of your choice to your home, so … Read more

The 404 1,240: Where we celebrate Aunt Jill's annivorcery (podcast)

Leaked from today's 404 episode:

- Goldman CEO Blankfein: Equality is good business.

- Subscribe to Jill's podcast on iTunes and send your questions to askjill@jillonmoney.com.

- Follow Jill Schlesinger on Twitter.… Read more

Propose and cons: 'Will you marry me' meets social media

It used to be a new business pitch. Now, it's a Hollywood movie.

It used to be an intimate affair. Now, you're having to keep an eye and an ear on the fact that it'll be a visual and aural feeding of 5,000 supposed friends.

Now, it seems, if you're committed to going down on one knee, you have to be down with who is going to script the event and who is going to direct it. You might even need a few co-stars to make the production big enough.

Indeed, as the San Francisco Chronicle proposes it, … Read more

Jedi in Scotland may soon perform marriages

If Scotland passes proposed legislation, it's possible that a Jedi officiant, complete with brown robe and lightsaber, could stand before two lovers and say, "Dearly beloved: We have come together in the presence of the Force to witness and bless the joining together of these two people in Jedi-blessed matrimony."

The Marriage and Civil Partnership Bill (PDF) backs several other updates to marriage law, including same-sex marriage. But the BBC reports that the allowance of a Jedi-managed wedding has incensed some religious conservatives in the region. The Free Church of Scotland spoke out against the bill, which opens the door for leaders of Jedism and other movements to officiate at weddings.… Read more

Meg Whitman changes stance, now supports same-sex marriage

Hewlett-Packard CEO Meg Whitman said today that her views against same-sex marriage had changed "after careful review and reflection" and that "the time has come" for marriage equality.

Whitman, who formerly supported California's Proposition 8 during her unsuccessful gubernatorial campaign in 2010, was one of dozens of prominent Republicans who have signed an amicus brief in support of a lawsuit seeking to overturn the controversial proposition. The voter-approved amendment to the state's constitution, which bans gay marriage, is expected to be reviewed by the U.S. Supreme Court next month.

She explained in a … Read more

Tech companies: Gay marriage ban is bad for business

Some big-name tech companies are adding their support for same-sex marriage and making the case that banning these unions deters employee recruitment efforts.

Dozens of companies, including Apple, Facebook, eBay, and Intel, will file an amicus brief -- a court document field by an interested group that is not actually a party to the case -- on Thursday to declare their support, Fortune reported today.

Facebook publicly announced its support through a message on its "LGBTQ@Facebook" page.

"This week, Facebook is proudly joining many other businesses in submitting briefs to the U.S. Supreme Court supporting … Read more

Physicist proposes to physicist in a physics paper

I fancy some physicists can be overly rational about love.

They analyze before, during, and after every act. They ask for feedback during and after every act.

While a French photographer might be having a post-coital cigarette and looking airily toward a window, a physicist might turn to his lover and offer: "So when your left hand touches my right shoulder, there's a 15 percent greater reaction in my nervous system than when your bottom lip touches my clavicle."

So just imagine what happens when two physicists meet, are together for seven years, and then one asks … Read more

Square Enix considers same-sex marriage for Final Fantasy XIV

One new feature in Final Fantasy XIV: A Realm Reborn lets avatars get married. When it launches sometimes next year, only opposite-sex avatars will be able to get hitched, but that may change.

Square Enix discussed the matter of same-sex marriage, among other topics, in a nearly two-hour video posted to YouTube. A representative from the company said Square Enix has been carefully considering allowing same-sex marriage, though no final decisions have been made.

Read more of "Square Enix considering same-sex marriage for Final Fantasy XIV" at GameSpot.

R2-D2 engagement ring charms geeky girl's heart

When New Jersey tattoo artist Joe Pagani decided to propose to his girlfriend, Emily, the fellow hit hyperspace past the jewelry store and instead chose to design an engagement ring inspired by R2-D2 from "Star Wars."

Pagani tapped CustomMade -- a Web site that matches dreamers with people who can turn those ideas into real, tangible things -- to find the artist who could create the sci-fi stunner.… Read more