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Erika Anderson sat across from Jeffrey Neu at an Indian restaurant in Manhattan’s Flatiron district on a chilly March evening, toying nervously with the scarf around her neck, a sparkly white one on loan from a roommate.

They had exchanged emails for a month. she knew his birthday and where he had gone to law school. they had talked about their careers and their lives in the tri-state area. she, then 25, had even re-read their online exchanges, a miniature study session to brush up on the particulars of Jeff, then 32.

Over dinner, they discussed their food — her first time tasting lamb — and noticed they both had jeans on.

But this night, their first date, was also their first time seeing each others’ faces, deciphering their expressions.

“I looked across (at Jeff) and was like, who is he? Who is this person?” she said later of the evening. “I did know a lot of random facts about him, but I didn’t really know him.” Their fledgling online relationship, though extensive, had not erased her first-date butterflies.

Eight months later, Erika and Jeff were married.

Online dating is a modern paradox. Once widely considered a tactic only for the socially inept or the hopelessly creepy, exploring romantic possibilities online has slowly but surely made its way into mainstream American culture.

But while dating online definitely has its advantages, a new sociological study reveals that many dating sites’ claims — that their services will improve the likelihood of long-term relationship success — are insupportable. in fact, entering the world of online dating presents some very specific challenges that make romantic progress in the 21st century as difficult as ever. and some of the best advantages of online dating are exactly what make it perilous.

A history of online dating

In 1995, when the internet was still in its infancy, social dating consultant Trish McDermott joined a team launching a brand new company: match.com, a service to help single people meet and communicate for romance through the internet.

The idea did not take off right away. “There was a sense that anybody who had to use technology to find love was in some way a loser,” said McDermott. Who would email a potential love interest instead of simply approaching them at a bar or a social event? the answer could only be the geeky, the unsightly or the awkward.

SACRAMENTO (CBS / AP) — A 41-year-old high school teacher exchanges a flood of text messages with his student, then leaves his wife and three children to date her. the couple then goes on national TV, saying their relationship didn’t become physical until she turned 18.

In California, there’s nothing illegal about what they did.

Now, a lawmaker is hoping to change that with a bill rolled out Tuesday that would make such relationships a felony, even if the student is 18, and strip school employees of their pensions and retiree health care if they are convicted.

To prevent teachers from “grooming” students for relationships when they become adults, the bill would also criminalize seductive communication, including sexual text messages.

“Our hope is that that will be a pretty strong and painful deterrent and will cause someone to think twice before starting an inappropriate, unethical relationship with a student,” said Republican Assemblywoman Kristin Olsen, the bill’s sponsor.

Teachers would get back whatever contributions they had made to the public pension system.

If the bill is successful, California would join 23 other states in banning student-teacher affairs regardless of age, according to Olsen. These include Texas, North Carolina, Ohio, Connecticut and Kansas. In some states, such affairs are a felony.

Olsen is from Modesto, where teacher James Hooker and student Jordan Powers struck up their relationship at Enochs High School. Powers has dropped out, but Hooker’s 17-year-old daughter still attends.

The announcement of their relationship made national headlines. In interviews for the “Dr. Phil” show and ABC’s “Good Morning America,” the couple can be seen holding hands and exchanging smiles.

Powers’ mother, Tammie, confronted the couple on “Dr. Phil” and accused Hooker of brainwashing her daughter. Web commenters have also poured on criticism.

The couple maintains that, while they met when Jordan was 14, their relationship did not become physical until she was of age, meaning that it is permissible under current laws. California’s age of consent is 18.

Hooker and Powers could not be reached for comment Tuesday. Powers moved out of her house, and Hooker’s phone is disconnected.

The elder Powers has been touring national talk shows raising the alarm about such relationships.

At news conference with Olsen to announce the bill, Powers said she welcomes the media attention that has surrounded her daughter’s case and vowed to get similar legislation passed in every state.

“I had no legal recourse whatsoever with an 18 year old, and I believe that the teacher pursued her,” she said. “So this will be a preventative measure.”

Law enforcement officials are investigating the case.

Affairs between teachers and of-age students are frowned upon in California but not illegal. the issue is left to policies set by individual school districts.

In the state’s largest district, Los Angeles Unified, the code of conduct for teachers prohibits any communication between teachers and students that is not school-related, according to district spokeswoman Gayle Pollard-Terry.

If the relationship did not turn physical until recently, Stanislaus County Sheriff Adam Christianson said, there is little they can do.

Christianson said his time in the high-tech crimes unit showed him the importance of cracking down on inappropriate communication between children and adults.

“We know for a fact that pedophiles are predators, and they groom their victims long before they victimize them,” he said.

There’s no way to know how often these teacher-student relationships develop.

Since her daughter’s story broke, Powers said she received more than 5,000 emails from all over the country, many from parents worried that their own children may be in a similar situation.

Olsen’s bill is one of several measures Republicans are proposing to make it easier for school districts to fire and punish educators who engage in inappropriate behavior.

One of the measures would strip convicted felons of their state pensions, a bill inspired by the recent case of a former Los Angeles teacher charged with 23 counts of lewd acts against children.

Olsen, who has three children of her own, said teachers need to face harsher punishments when they violate the community’s trust by seducing their students.

“We think that when we send our kids to school, these are safe and secure positive learning environments,” she said.

(Copyright 2012 by CBS San Francisco. All Rights Reserved. this material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed.)

Parenting magazine announced that ML Nichols of Duxbury has been selected to represent Massachusetts at the third annual Mom Congress on Education and Learning conference in Washington, D.C., April 29 through may 1. Nichols was chosen for her outstanding contributions and dedication to improving local schools.

A total of 51 delegates, representing each state and the District of Columbia, have been selected by Parenting from a record setting number of applications submitted through Parenting.com. Each will receive an all-expenses-paid trip to D.C. for the event, where they’ll have the opportunity to connect with national leaders in education, Parenting editors and past Mom Congress delegates to exchange ideas on how to improve our nation’s schools.

“I’m honored and excited,” Nichols said on her selection to the 2012 Congress on Education and Learning. “The opportunity to meet our nation’s education leaders and the 50 other delegates in D.C. is thrilling. I live in a great school district with amazing volunteers, many of whom I’ve worked closely with over the past decade. I’ll bring their energy and commitment with me to Mom Congress and look forward to sharing and learning new ideas.”

The theme of the 2012 Mom Congress conference, “Teach Me Something new,” is dedicated to fostering the crucially important relationship between parents and their children’s teachers. For the third consecutive year, U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan headlines the roster of education and advocacy leaders scheduled to address the delegates at the conference. others scheduled to appear include NBC News’ “Education Nation,” first Lady Michelle Obama’s Let’s Move!, Save the Children, National PTA, National Education Association, Teach for America and more.

In her work as an education advocate, Nichols has served in many leadership roles, from cofounder and director of The Parent Connection, a nonprofit group that brings parenting and education speakers to the South Shore of Boston to PTA president and School Committee co-chairman. she initiated many programs to bring together kids, teachers, parents and the community, including a district-wide communication committee, a family-school directory and the annual “Are You Smarter Than a Duxbury 5th Grader?” fundraiser. Her passion for productive family-school relationships and candid communication led her to launch The Parent Backpack , a consulting group and website/blog that helps parents connect to their kids’ education in effective ways. Nichols conducts workshops and is writing a companion book, The Parent Backpack: How to Navigate Kindergarten Through Grade 5 So your Kids Thrive and You Survive.

Parenting magazine announced that ML Nichols of Duxbury has been selected to represent Massachusetts at the third annual Mom Congress on Education and Learning conference in Washington, D.C., April 29 through may 1. Nichols was chosen for her outstanding contributions and dedication to improving local schools.

A total of 51 delegates, representing each state and the District of Columbia, have been selected by Parenting from a record setting number of applications submitted through Parenting.com. Each will receive an all-expenses-paid trip to D.C. for the event, where they’ll have the opportunity to connect with national leaders in education, Parenting editors and past Mom Congress delegates to exchange ideas on how to improve our nation’s schools.

“I’m honored and excited,” Nichols said on her selection to the 2012 Congress on Education and Learning. “The opportunity to meet our nation’s education leaders and the 50 other delegates in D.C. is thrilling. I live in a great school district with amazing volunteers, many of whom I’ve worked closely with over the past decade. I’ll bring their energy and commitment with me to Mom Congress and look forward to sharing and learning new ideas.”

The theme of the 2012 Mom Congress conference, “Teach Me Something new,” is dedicated to fostering the crucially important relationship between parents and their children’s teachers. For the third consecutive year, U.S. Secretary of Education Arne Duncan headlines the roster of education and advocacy leaders scheduled to address the delegates at the conference. others scheduled to appear include NBC News’ “Education Nation,” first Lady Michelle Obama’s Let’s Move!, Save the Children, National PTA, National Education Association, Teach for America and more.

In her work as an education advocate, Nichols has served in many leadership roles, from cofounder and director of The Parent Connection, a nonprofit group that brings parenting and education speakers to the South Shore of Boston to PTA president and School Committee co-chairman. she initiated many programs to bring together kids, teachers, parents and the community, including a district-wide communication committee, a family-school directory and the annual “Are You Smarter Than a Duxbury 5th Grader?” fundraiser. Her passion for productive family-school relationships and candid communication led her to launch The Parent Backpack , a consulting group and website/blog that helps parents connect to their kids’ education in effective ways. Nichols conducts workshops and is writing a companion book, The Parent Backpack: How to Navigate Kindergarten Through Grade 5 So your Kids Thrive and You Survive.

In 2010, delegates worked with Parenting editors at the conference to create the “Lesson plan for Change,” a blueprint to empower parents to get more involved in their children’s education that appeared in Parenting School Years magazine and the bestselling companion guide to the documentary Waiting for Superman. 

The 2011 class of delegates’ accomplishments include: the creation of a nationwide book drive in support of early literacy, Books make it better; recognition through The White House “Champions of Change” program; the improvement of several school lunch programs across the country; and the development of new educational resources and programs in nearly every state, from early science education workshops in Florida to a new parental advocacy program, Camp Educate, in California. 

Driven by the ever-increasing role that parents play in advocating for positive change in the education system, Parenting magazine launched the Mom Congress initiative in 2009 to celebrate and connect parents working to improve our nation’s schools. Each month, Parenting and Parenting.com give readers and the 25,000-plus Mom Congress members updated educational news and resources to help them make a difference and bring about positive changes for students.

Does Katy Perry already have a new boyfriend? one named Baptiste Giabiconi?

The blue-haired singer, who surprisingly announced her divorce from Russell Brand late last year, has been on a whirlwind tour of Europe here in March. 

They have not officially commented on their relationship, but were seen together last night outside the Montana Club in Paris, according to TooFab:

Allegedly, Katy was spotted getting cozy with him on the EuroStar train from London to Paris earlier this week as well. So who is he? and is this really a thing?

Baptiste, who is said to have his sights set on a music career, hails from France and has been described by iconic designer Karl Lagerfeld as his “muse.”

In fact, TooFab says that Baptiste and 77-year-old designer spent so much time together at one point, it was actually rumored they were dating, as well.

Looks like Katy landed him instead. maybe. We’ve learned not to assume too much about Perry’s life, since she shoots down rumors pretty regularly.

Still, these two are totally hanging out. Stay tuned.

A 72-year-old South Los Angeles retiree has been arrested on suspicion of killing his 41-year-old girlfriend,  who disappeared nearly three years ago, after traces of her blood were recovered from inside his home, Los Angeles police said.

George Larry Hill was taken into custody Thursday by the Los Angeles Police Department's Robbery Homicide Division on suspicion of murdering Channa Kincade.

Kincade was reported missing April 5, 2009, said Sgt. Mitzi Fierro. At the time, Kincade and Hill were in a relationship, police said. Hill was interviewed several times during the investigation and made inconsistent statements, Fierro said.

A more recent search of Hill's home on East 84th Street turned up blood linked to the missing woman. 

Fierro said Kincade kept regular habits and disappeared without a trace. Detectives have not discovered a body but say it is not unusual to seek murder charges without a body when there is evidence of foul play.

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KANSAS CITY, Mo. — the announcement by the Susan G. Komen Foundation to cut off funding to Planned Parenthood has created a firestorm of controversy over what some people say is a politically-motivated move against the clinics which, among other services, perform abortions.

According to records, the move should not affect funding at any of the metro-area Planned Parenthood clinics, as the local chapter of the foundation has never given funds to Planned Parenthood.

The Susan G. Komen Foundation is built around raising funds to help fight breast cancer through their Pink Ribbon campaign and Race for a Cure marathons. the foundation gives funds to over 30 local organizations, including St. Luke’s Cancer Institute.

“We are very grateful for our relationship with Komen,” said Kim Day, manager of St. Luke’s Breast Services. she says that the money they received from the foundation keeps their mobile mammography program running.

“that funding allows us to go out into our under-served communities in the Kansas City area and provide about 1,500 mammograms to those women each year,” said Day.

The foundation had previously given funds to Planned Parenthood to provide similar mammography services for low-income women. but earlier this week, the foundation announced that they were cutting off the payments because of an investigation by a Republican congressman from Florida over whether Planned Parenthood used federal funds to provide abortions.

The foundation says that their by-laws prevent them from working with any group or organization that’s under investigation by federal, state or local law enforcement agencies, but critics charge that the move is clearly politically-motivated.

“I think really what this is is a result of is this very ugly and agressive campaign by right-wing organizations to bully the Komen Foundation and keep them from working with Planned Parenthood,” said Planned Parenthood president Cecile Richards.

Planned Parenthood says that since the decision was announced, they have received almost $700,000 in donations in just 24 hours – an amount greater than they actually received from the Susan G. Komen Foundation.

The local chapter of the Susan G. Komen Foundation referred FOX 4 to the national organization for comment, but FOX 4′s calls were not returned. the foundation did release a statement defending their decision, saying, “to be absolutely clear that our grant-making decisions are not out politics.”

The move has caused an uproar on the foundation’s Facebook page.

“SHAME. ON YOU!!! I hope this backfires on your organization,” said commenter Gabrielle DoPico.

“Susan G. you did the right thing! U may lose some supporters but u will be gaining more:)!!!!!!” said Lindsay Kersey.

Here in the metro, groups like St. Luke’s Hospital say that they aren’t going to get involved in the controversy.

“If Susan Komen did not provide this funding those women would not have any access to mammography,” said Day.

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