This story was originally published on risemiaminews.com on July 20, 2015.
By Nicholas Olivera
Sugardaddie.com is in a business that is in many ways, centuries old.
The Miami-based online dating service connects wealthy men with younger, attractive women who may or may not be under difficult financial circumstances. The obvious implication of a service such as Sugardaddie is that it is essentially a form of high-class prostitution although its founder and CEO, Steve Pasternack thinks otherwise.
“The relationships that develop on my site are completely different than that,” Pasternack, who has been bombarded with the questions of prostitution since the site’s inception in the early 2000s said. “If a woman only engages in sexual activity with a man in exchange for something then it is a business transaction.”
He continued that if users do get physical and it is part of an ongoing relationship in which the man takes care of the woman, perhaps giving her gifts or taking her out on trips, then it is no different from a regular relationship.
Some argue these ongoing relationships still began with a somewhat business relationship.
“We have our exchange relationships, which we have with anyone who will give goods or service in exchange for something, such as a housekeeper,” Asia Eaton, assistant professor in Psychology and Women’s and Gender Studies at Florida International University said. “And then we have our communal relationships which we share with people we genuinely care, such as our family or friends. No matter what these relationships that develop began as an exchange relationship.”
Eaton asserts that the ladies who enter these relationships out of economic necessity may use this reason in order to justify their actions. Perhaps this justification will even convince them that this relationship must continue for longer than initially desired.
Pasternack does not think it is economic necessity that drives women to his service. He claims that it is a desire to be with a man who has power, who can set high-level goals and achieve them, and on top of that is capable of caring for the woman in his life.
“It’s not the money, it’s the personality,” Pasternack said in an interview.
The Economist magazine recently featured Pasternack and his business in an article about how many college graduates with high levels of debt are turning to sugar daddy relationships as a financial fix. The Economist reported that Sugardaddie.com receives 5,000 new profile uploads across the world every day. A quick search on Alexa.com shows that the site is the 20,873 most popular in the United States with people spending an average of 23 minutes on the site every day.
Scott Cunningham, an associate professor of economics at Baylor University, states that there are three factors that often bring women to services like Sugardaddie.
The first is economic shock. It could be sudden employment or the illness of a family member. The second is level of repugnancy. There are women who find selling their companionship to be less repugnant than other women do. The third is knowledge.
“It’s usually informed women who know what they are getting themselves into that tend to use these services,” Cunningham said.
Regardless of a woman’s reasons for entering a sugardaddie-sugarbabe relationship, Pasternack believes that whatever comes from it could be a good thing.
“A lot of people look down upon the sugardaddie-sugarbaby relationship, but it’s no different than any average relationship.”
Like this piece? Rise News just launched a few weeks ago and is only getting started. Follow us on Facebook and Twitter to stay up to date with global news. Have a news tip? (No matter how big or small!) Send it to us- [email protected]
Cover Photo Credit: Salvatore Barbera/ Flickr (CC By 2.0)
What Do You Think?
-
Who Would the World Vote For As President of the United States?
While only, approximately, 235 million people have the opportunity to vote for President of the United States of America, that does not make interest in the outcome of that contest a solely American interest.
The President of the United States is uniquely powerful in affairs outside the borders of the United States, and will thus often impact the lives of a great number of non Americans.
Thus, it may be of at least passing interest to perspective voters who their peers across the world endorse as the next President.
A caveat before I begin, this list will not examine all 192+ sovereign countries on the Earth, but a handful relevant to American interests. It should also be noted that, just as in the United States, no country is politically homogenous. There are some attempts to reflect this, but the law of averages tells us that there was probably someone in India who was disappointed when Lincoln Chaffee dropped out.
China:
The Diplomat ran an excellent piece, based largely on the work of Matt Hartzell which examined the voting preferences of users of Chinese survey site, Zhihu.
Out of 450 respondents, most identified with Republican candidates, and a whopping 38% with Donald Trump. In a subsequent poll launched by Mr. Hartzell on Zhihu, the candidates feelings on various issues were briefly expounded upon, resulting in both Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders trouncing the Republican field.
These findings seem to contradict various Chinese bloggers, according to Foreign Policy, who claim that Clinton is unfairly critical of China. These harsh feelings would also likely extend to both Sanders and Ted Cruz who have both supported anti-Chinese legislation during their tenure in the Senate.
Trump has also been stridently anti-China, despite saying that he has lots of Chinese tenants in some of his buildings.
China probably doesn’t have much of a favorite in this field of leading Presidential candidates.
Russia:
The cooperative mood between Russian President Vladimir Putin and Republican Presidential Candidate Donald Trump has been well documented, and likely assisted by Trump’s anti-NATO stance.
The endorsement of President Putin likely influences Mr. Trump’s popularity among Russians, based on Putin’s own approval ratings. State news entity Sputnik News has published a number of articles praising Trump.
France:
France’s government has presented a consistent anti-Trump front.
Shortly after Mr. Trump’s call for a ban on Muslim Immigrants, Prime Minister Manuel Valls tweeted, “Trump, like others, stokes hatred and conflations: our ONLY enemy is radical Islamism”.
The ” others” being referred to is France’s own nativist party, the National Front. The ever delightful French Ambassador to the United States, Géraud Araud, also frequently bashes Trump and the similar National Front movement in his own country. It should then come as no surprise that National Front founder, and political kindred spirit on: trade, immigration, and NATO, Jean-Marie Le Pen offered his support for a Trump Presidency.
However, if the results of France’s recent regional elections are any indicationLe Pen’s support is worth little.
France24, one of France’s premiere international news sites, is pretty scant on individual coverage for the other Republican candidates, though John Kasich received some praise for his positions following his second place showing in New Hampshire.
On the Democratic side, Clinton seems to be more popular than Sanders. Nicholas Sarkozy, head of Les Republicains and presumptive candidate for President of the center right party, offered his support for her candidacy.
Meanwhile, Sanders appears to be an after thought on France24’s search algorithms. This may be more reflective of the Senator’s more recent rise to prominence than his agreeability to the average Frenchman however.
Israel & Palestine:
Starting with Palestine, it is safe to assume that Cruz and Rubio competing during debates over who has more disdain for the Palestinian national movement does not endear them to Palestinians.
Kasich and Trump likely would not fair better, due to the former justifying illegal settlements in the West Bank and the latter’s support for moving the US embassy from Tel Aviv to Jerusalem, in addition to anti-Muslim comments over the past year.
The consensus among Fatah, the Arab Center for research and Policy Decisions, and Al-Najah National University, among others, appears to be that Clinton, while no friend to the Palestinian national movement, is preferable to her Republican competition, according to Al-Monitor.
Sanders in the past has expressed solidarity with Palestinians as well as opposition to military aid to Israel, though his position seems to have shifted to a position that equivocates violence between Israel and Palestine.
Never the less, it seems that Sanders is the more palatable candidate for Palestinians at large.
Among Israelis, national polling done by The Times of Israel found that 38% of Israelis would favor a President Clinton, followed by 23% endorsing a Trump Administration. Sanders, Cruz, and Rubio brought up the rear with 7, 5, and 4 respectively, and leaving 23% of respondents unsure.
This seems to reflect that the opinions of Prime Minister Netanyahu are not influential on Israeli opinions on American Presidential candidates, as the Prime Minister has shamed Mr. Trump for his anti-Muslim comments, whilst presumably being very friendly with Senator Cruz who was among the first to congratulate Netanyahu on his recent electoral victory.
This small sample size of four countries, and one aspirant country, is not representative of the world at large, but is representative of a few of the places most relevant to American interests.
It would be wise then as American voters to consider the political opinions of our friends and rivals abroad, including those not mentioned here, so as to best mold the world in a positive way over the next four years.
Is there a country that we missed that you would be interested in learning more about? Tell us in the comments below!
RISE NEWS is a grassroots journalism news organization that is working to change the way young people become informed and engaged in public affairs. You can write for us!
Cover Photo Credit: Nicolas Raymond/ Flickr (CC by 2.0)
What Do You Think?
-
Miami Landmark Football Sandwich Shop Will “Reopen Soon”
What’s News In This Story?
–There is literally a sign of life at one of Miami’s best loved sandwich joints.
-Football Sandwich Shop (8484 NE 2nd Ave, Miami) has been closed for months for an unknown reason.
-But a new sign placed on the inside of the door at the shop is raising hope that it may open again.
–The sign reads: “Closed due to construction. Will reopen soon.” It also says to send emails to an address that bounces.
–RISE NEWS first noticed the sign on April 13 and sent multiple messages to a working email for the shop over the course of a week- but no one responded.
–Yelp and Google have listed the restaurant as closed. –And there were rumors that the owner was trying to offload the property.
-Football Sandwich Shop has operated in Miami’s Little River area since 1972 and is well known for its ties to Miami Dolphins history.
-The shop is covered with drawings of former Dolphins greats and sandwiches are named after legendary players like Mercury Morris and Larry Csonka.
-There has been significant construction along NE 2nd Ave for months.
There’s A Secret Buddhist Temple In This El Portal House
RISE NEWS is South Florida’s digital news network. Follow us on Facebook to make sure you never miss a story!
Have a news tip about this topic or something completely different? Send it on in to [email protected]
What Do You Think?
-
BREAKING: Ex-Dolphin Arrested After Threatening High School, NFL Players In Bizarre Instagram Post
UPDATED: 4:44 PM EST
What You Need To Know About This Story:
-Former Miami Dolphins player Jonathan Martin was arrested Friday after he allegedly posted a threatening message on Instagram that caused a Los Angeles High School to close.
-Martin allegedly posted this message to his Instagram story:
Former Dolphins OL Jonathan Martin with some seriously disturbing stuff on his IG story… pic.twitter.com/NaJ8a0BXze
— Nick Brown (@NickyBeaster) February 23, 2018
-The message references Harvard Westlake High School and shows a shotgun with multiple rounds of ammunition lying on a surface. It reads, “When you’re a bully victim & a coward, your options are suicide, or revenge.”
-The message also tags current NFL players Mike Pouncey and Richie Incognito.
–Incognito and Pouncey allegedly bullied Martin while they were all members of the Miami Dolphins. That incident became national news and resulted in an NFL investigation after Martin went public with the allegations.
-Martin said in a message announcing his retirement from football in 2015 that he once attempted suicide during his NFL playing career.
– Harvard Westlake High School closed Friday as a precaution. LAPD said that the closure was because of actions by a “former student of the preparatory school [who] apparently used Instagram to say he wanted to seek revenge for alleged bullying he underwent when he attended one of the school.”
-In a statement obtained by the Los Angeles Times, Harvard Westlake said: “The safety of our students, faculty, and staff is always our primary concern. So, out of an abundance of caution, we made the decision to close school today,” the email read. “The school’s private security team is working with the Los Angeles Police Department, which is present on both campuses. With these precautions in place, we believe there is no imminent threat to our campuses or our school community.”
–Pouncy is still on the Miami Dolphins while Incognito plays for the Buffalo Bills.
This a developing story which we will update on a continuous basis.
This story is from The Miami Monster, a new brand focused on telling the true stories of what life is like for a young person living in South Florida. Be sure to also follow our founder Joel Franco on Twitter to keep up to date with the latest breaking news in the area. You can send news tips to [email protected]
What Do You Think?