11/02/09
Corinne Almquist wants to restore the biblical tradition of harvesting what farmers leave behind.
10/26/09
Colorful forensic pathologist Porntip Rojanansunan solves human rights cases.
10/19/09
Tendol Gyalzur returned from exile to provide homes for children in her native Tibet
(Lionel Cironneau/AP/File) When the Berlin Wall came down
Twenty years later, the rest of the world is a different place because of that event.


In Pictures:
The Fall of the Berlin Wall

POLITICS Patchwork Nation
The American voter beyond red and blue


Daily podcast

Monitor Reports

Discussions with Monitor reporters from around the world


Today

Pat Murphy

US unemployment rate hits 10 percent.




Making a difference
Making a Difference

What happens when ordinary people decide to pay it forward? Extraordinary change. See how individuals are making a difference, finding solutions, overcoming adversity, and giving back globally.

A recent graduate of Vermont's Middlebury College, Corinne Almquist promotes the practice of distributing produce that would otherwise go to waste to those in need.

Sarah Beth Glicksteen

The need to feed hungry families cultivates new interest in gleaning

Corinne Almquist wants to restore the biblical tradition of harvesting what farmers leave behind.

 
 
Cupid's rules - courtship in a chatroom age

Courting confusion: debating Cupid's rules
Do wistful thirty-something singles and high divorce rates justify a return to traditional courtship? Yes, argues author Elizabeth Marquardt, who says that parents should stop shirking their responsibility to help guide young people toward commitment. Historian Beth Bailey rejects longing for the past, saying that today's courtship confusion is rooted in positive changes in women's roles. Besides, the absence of ritual simply forces young people to communicate better.
Do you think today's singles need more courtship guidance, particularly from parents? Talk about it in our forums.

The changing face of dating
Film both shapes and reflects how Americans approach relationships. Iconic romantic movies show how dramatically Hollywood's love script has changed. If chivalry is declining, you would expect Alaska – where women are greatly outnumbered – to be a last frontier. But Heather Lende reports that single life reflects the pioneer saw: "The odds are good, but the goods are odd." Oddly enough, Jim Regan reports, age-old romantic wisdom is being preserved in the new frontier of cyberspace.

What do women want? Mel Gibson seemed to know, but so does the Monitor's Kim Campbell, who reports that recent polling shows that women may value white teeth above a fancy car or long résumé.

Tales of wooing
We asked our readers to tell us how they met their "sweetie pies." Whether love struck in the mountains of Nepal or down on the farm, all reported sweet surprise and disorientation. That happy moment of finding "the one" more often than not is preceded (or followed) by some quirky dates.
Think Romeo and Odysseus faced tough odds? Ben Arnoldy writes about the ultimate courtship trial by fire: moving in with his future in-laws before proposing.
And no pursuit in life would be worth all this attention if it wasn't fraught with failure, dejection, and heartbreak. The Monitor serves up maudlin tales for those who like a touch of bitter.
 
 
 
 
 


Tales of courtship
Click on photos to watch multimedia presentations.
Derek Busciglio
Video:
"Typically I always buy the meal, at least the first one...it's just being chivalrous...it still applies..."
Derek Busciglio
Tampa, FL

Valerei and Walter Hunt
Video:
"We've been married 20 years...We met at work, and actually I didn't like him that much...but he grew on me."
Valerei and Walter Hunt
Boston, MA

Andre Ferreira
Video:
"We used to talk over the Internet...and then we met...I know a lot of people who have met their boyfriend or girlfriend over the Internet."
André Ferreira
Cambridge, MA

Chen Wen and Joseph Johnson
Video:
"We met through school...we became very good friends and eventually we started dating..."
Shen Wen
China

Joseph Johnson
Sharon, MA

The Christian Science Monitor | csmonitor.com

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Also see:

Military | 11/08/09
The alleged shooter last week at Fort Hood is Muslim. But the overall picture of Muslims in the military is hardly one of strife and fundamentalism.
Military | 11/08/09
Dozens of investigators at Fort Hood are building a psychological profile of the suspect, Nidal Malik Hasan, as they try to understand the motive. Belligerent fanaticism, deepening anger over the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan, and fear about deployment may have played a role.
Justice | 11/08/09
The Supreme Court on Monday takes up two cases that explore the question: Should juveniles convicted of nonlethal crimes be sentenced to life in prison without parole?
Justice | 11/08/09
The Supreme Court on Monday takes up this fundamental question in patent law. The answer holds billion-dollar implications for the US economy.
Military | 11/07/09
At Fort Hood, Army filmmaker and Iraq war vet Elliot Valdez raced to the scene of the shooting, filming the aftermath of tragedy and heroism. What he recorded will help officials understand what happened.
Military | 11/07/09
Kimberly Munley, the police officer identified as bringing an end to Fort Hood rampage Thursday, applied protocols established in the aftermath of the 2007 Virginia Tech shootings.
More USA Stories
(Lionel Cironneau/AP/File) When the Berlin Wall came down
Twenty years later, the rest of the world is a different place because of that event.


In Pictures:
The Fall of the Berlin Wall

POLITICS Patchwork Nation
The American voter beyond red and blue


Daily podcast

Monitor Reports

Discussions with Monitor reporters from around the world


Today

Pat Murphy

US unemployment rate hits 10 percent.




Making a difference
Making a Difference

What happens when ordinary people decide to pay it forward? Extraordinary change. See how individuals are making a difference, finding solutions, overcoming adversity, and giving back globally.

A recent graduate of Vermont's Middlebury College, Corinne Almquist promotes the practice of distributing produce that would otherwise go to waste to those in need.

Sarah Beth Glicksteen

The need to feed hungry families cultivates new interest in gleaning

Corinne Almquist wants to restore the biblical tradition of harvesting what farmers leave behind.

 
 
The Christian Science Monitor | csmonitor.com

The Christian Science Monitor - csmonitor.com

Sorry, this page has moved or does not exist

Some possible causes for this error message:

  • The site or bookmark used to get here needs to be updated
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The Christian Science Monitor | csmonitor.com

The Christian Science Monitor - csmonitor.com

Sorry, this page has moved or does not exist

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  • The site or bookmark used to get here needs to be updated
  • The site may be down or temporarily overloaded by visitors
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