Attention single friends

Two interesting links about dating. First @gnat blogged a link to the OkCupid OkTrends post about what not to say when you send contact someone on a dating site: “ur”, “u”, “r”, “ya”, “cant”, and “hit”, “sexy”, “beautiful”, “hot”, and “cutie”. “band”, “vegetarian”, and “zombie” are all good though :).

Second there's an amusing article in the home-of-quality-journalism Daily Mail in the UK about the ego epidemic in which we are given the disturbing news that women are now (hushed voice) as egotistical and narcissistic as men: yes, it's apparently now precisely 67% more popular than two decades ago.

“In the past few years, I've noticed a real sense of entitlement among this small group of women. The idea that a guy might not find them as amazing as they find themselves doesn't enter their head… These women, however, are unable to get their heads around the fact that the rest of the world might not share the distorted, inflated view they have of themselves.” (So, you know, like guys are supposed to always have.)

The cited psychology researchers “blame the internet (where ‘fame’ is a click away), reality television (where the lure of fame without talent is most prevalent), easy credit (which enables people to buy far beyond their ability to pay), celebrity worship, our highly consumerist, competitive and individualistic society, and a generation of indulgent parents who have raised their children to think they're special, amazing and perfect.”