ITS IMPORTANT TO KNOW MORE ABOUT EBOLA VIRUS AND MARBURG VIRUS WHICH RELATED AND CAUSE HEMORRHAGIC FEVERS.

By Mayo Clinic Staff and Posted By Steven Mruma
          Ebola virus and Marburg virus are related viruses that cause hemorrhagic fevers — illnesses marked by severe bleeding (hemorrhage), organ failure and, in many cases, death. Both viruses are native to Africa, where sporadic outbreaks have occurred for decades.
Ebola virus and Marburg virus live in animal hosts, and humans can contract the viruses from infected animals. After the initial transmission, the viruses can spread from person to person through contact with body fluids or contaminated needles.

The Death of Che Guevara:

On October 9th, 1967, Ernesto "Che" Guevara was put to death by Bolivian soldiers, trained, equipped and guided by U.S. Green Beret and CIA operatives. His execution remains a historic and controversial event; and thirty years later, the circumstances of his guerrilla foray into Bolivia, his capture, killing, and burial are still the subject of intense public interest and discussion around the world. As part of the thirtieth anniversary of the death of Che Guevara, the National Security Archive's Cuba Documentation Project is posting a selection of key CIA, State Department, and Pentagon documentation relating to Guevara and his death.

The Contents of Cattle Diseases and Conditions of Campylobacter infection (Vibriosis)

Campylobacter infection (Vibriosis)

  The NADIS data show that abortion and infertility remain significant problems on farm. One of the most important causes of infertility and abortion in UK cattle is infection by Campylobacter fetus. This organism can cause sporadic abortion, abortion storms, metritis, delayed return to heat, and very low pregnancy rates.

How do cows get infected?

NGUGI WA THIONG`O: WASOMI NA VIONGOZI WA SERIKALI WA AFRIKA WATEKWA NA FIKRA ZA KIGENI.

 

 Credit, Habari  kwanza.

Mwanazuoni mkongwe na mwanafasihi wa lugha za Kiafrika aliyebobea duniani, Profesa Ngugi wa Thiong’o amesema si viongozi wa serikali za Afrika pekee waliotekwa na fikra za kigeni, bali hata wasomi wa karne ya sasa ni majemedari wanaopigana vita katika kambi ya adui.
Amesema majemedari hao tena wakiwa na majina ya kizungu na kuweka kando ya asili, wanaona fahari kutumia lugha za kigeni kama silaha ya maendeleo, bila kujua kuwa wanaangamizwa wao na vizazi vyao na kuendelea kujenga matabaka makubwa, huku akisisitiza kuwa mtu anayedharau lugha ya mama yake, hata angejua lugha zote duniani, ni mtumwa.
Profesa Ngugi alisema hayo jana, alipokuwa akitoa mhadhara wa kitaaluma katika Chuo Kikuu cha Dar es Salaam, sehemu ya Mlimani, kwenye ukumbi wa Nkrumah, siku moja kabla ya chuo hicho leo kumtunuku Shahada ya Heshima ya Udaktari katika Fasihi.
Ikiwa ni mara yake ya kwanza kutoa mhadhara duniani kwa lugha ya Kiswahili, Profesa Ngugi alisema: “Lugha imekuwa uwanja wa vita baina ya mtumwa na mtawala, ni silaha ya kutamalaki na kupinga kutamalakiwa kama silaha ya upanga, lakini Waafrika wengi tunaziweka lugha zetu za asili kwenye uduni na kutukuza za kigeni, tumesahahu hata majina yetu ya asili na kutukuza ya kigeni.
Profesa Ngugi ambaye jina lake la ubatizo ni James, ambalo aliliacha na kutumia Ngugi wa Thiong’o akitambulisha uafrika wake, alisema Bara la Afrika ni kubwa duniani, lakini limeendelea kutawaliwa kifikra, nje watu wanajiona Waafrika lakini katika akili kwenye bongo zao ni Wazungu kiutawala, kiutendaji na kisiasa, hali inayojenga matabaka makubwa.
“Majemedari wa Afrika wanaotazamiwa kulikomboa Bara hili wametekwa katika kambi ya adui waliodunisha lugha zetu ili kujinufaisha, katika hili hakuna wa kujigamba, kwani si viongozi wa Serikali za kiafrika wala wasomi, wote wametekwa, sasa wewe umetekwa unamwongozaje mtu, utampeleka wapi?,” alihoji Profesa Ngugi na kushangiliwa na hadhara kubwa iliyofurika katika ukumbi wa Nkrumah kumsikiliza jana.
Akifafanua kitaaluma, Profesa Ngugi alisema wasomi na viongozi wa Serikali wanalazimika kuiangalia Afrika kama watalii au wageni huku akidai wasomi wanaficha vito vya thamani walivyopata kwa kujua lugha za Kiingereza na Kifaransa wanazopaswa kuziwasilisha kwa lugha zao za kiafrika wakidhani wanamkomoa mtu kumbe wanajikomoa wenyewe
“Kuna tunu nyingi lakini tunazificha katika lugha za kigeni, ni mzaha kitaaluma kama si upumbavu kuona lugha yako mama ni duni, unalifanya Bara lako lionekane duni mbele ya mabara mengine, tulitendewa hivi na visiwa wa Ulaya, sasa tunajitendea wenyewe, hali hii lazima ibadilike,” alisisitiza Profesa Ngugi anayekumbukwa kwa utunzi wa vitabu vingi vya Fasihi duniani kikiwamo cha The River Between.
Profesa huyo aliyepata kutunukiwa shahada za heshima za udaktari zaidi ya saba katika vyuo mbalimbali duniani hadi sasa - ya leo ikiwa ya nane- alisema lazima asasi za kitaaluma, taasisi za kitaaluma na wasomi kwa kushirikiana na Serikali kujenga nguvu ya pamoja kuwezesha lugha za kiafrika kama Kiswahili kuwa silaha ya mapambano dhidi ya ukoloni mamboleo.
Alisema kwa sasa Afrika inahitaji serikali zenye sera ya kukuza lugha za Afrika kama za aliyekuwa Rais wa Kwanza wa Ghana, Kwame Nkrumah na Rais wa Kwanza wa Tanzania, Baba wa Taifa, Mwalimu Julius Nyerere ambao Profesa Ngugi aliwanukuu kama wanazuoni waliokombolewa kifikra tofauti na wa sasa ambao wote ni mateka.
“Hatuhitaji viongozi mateka kwa sasa, Kiswahili kinapaswa kuwa mstari wa mbele katika vita hii, kinapaswa kuwa lugha ya dunia kwa sasa, hakuna aliyekufa kwa kuongea Kiswahili na kupata haki ya kuishi kwa kuwa anaongea Kiingereza ama Kifaransa,” alisema Ngugi anayeishi uhamishoni Marekani na kuongeza:
“Kufaulu kwa Kiswahili leo ni matokeo ya wasomi wa kwanza waliohitimu kwa lugha za kigeni na kurejesha thamani ya kutekeleza walichokipata kwa lugha zao za asili, Nyerere alipohitimu Chuo Kikuu cha Makerere enzi hizo kikiwa cha London, aliweka sera kukipa hadhi Kiswahili, hii inathibitisha kwamba lugha za Afrika zinaweza kukuza fikra kama lugha nyingine duniani.”
Profesa Ngugi alisisitiza, kuwa hakuna haja kwa wasomi kukwepa wajibu na mapambano haya kwa kuwa wao ndio wanaotarajiwa kufungua njia na kuongeza kuwa wasomi wa zama za sasa wanakimbia mapambano na kusahau kwamba “wageni wametupa lafudhi zao na kujiona bora tunapozungumza kwa mtiririko wao, wakachukua rasilimali zetu na kutuwekea kinyaa kuzungumza lugha zetu”. 
Alisema si vibaya kujua lugha nyingi kadri iwezekanavyo, lakini ni kosa lugha ngeni zikachukua nafasi na utukufu wa lugha za asili.
Alishangaa baadhi ya utumwa wa sasa ulivyokomaa katika kutukuza Kiingereza na kueleza namna ambavyo baadhi ya shule watoto huchapwa wakizungumza lugha za asili na kutukuzwa wanapozungumza Kiingereza.
“Huu ni wakati wa Afrika kuchagua kujiweza ama kuwezwa, kuna watu wanafikiri kwamba Mungu anaongea Kiingereza pekee ama Kifaransa, lugha nyingine hasikii, hapana, lugha zote zitatupeleka mbinguni, naomba niwaache na neno hili; ukijua lugha zote duniani na hujui lugha ya mama, wewe ni mtumwa na umewezwa, ukijua zote na ya mama pia, wewe u huru na umejiweza,” alisema Profesa Ngugi.
Awali, Makamu Mkuu wa Chuo Kikuu cha Dar es Salaam, Profesa Rwekaza Mukandala, akimkaribisha Profesa Ngugi kuzungumza, alimwelezea kama mwanazuoni, mwanafasihi na mwanamapinduzi aliyepigania uhuru kifikra na uhalisia, kupitia kalamu yake na uwezo wake na ni urithi mkubwa kwa Bara la Afrika.

Women A Man Shouldn’t Marry And 10 Types of Men A Woman Shouldn’t Marry.

      If there's one thing I know about women, it's that there are 11 types of them: ten types that men do not want to marry, and then the wife type. If you're one of the ten gross unwifeable kinds, WOE BETIDE YOU, because not only are you dumb and annoying and probably love your mom too much, you also can't fulfill your womanly prime directive! Which is to get married. At all cost. To whomever. AS SOON AS POSSIBLE.

At least, that's what I learned from Samantha Daniels's "10 Types of Women That Men Do Not Want to Marry," a handy personality checklist for women who just want to be married to anyone no matter what and are eager to carve up their personalities into a freakish amalgam of bland woman-tropes so they can land the kind of man who likes women who aren't human beings. In other words...romance! The 10 types of unmanageable hags include: Miss "I Have Daddy Issues," Miss "I Want To Change You," Miss "Bossy Pants," Miss "I Live For You And I Have Nothing Else Going On," Miss "I Speak To My Mother Five Times A Day About Everything," and Miss "I Don't Eat."

Because yep. That's what people are like! We just have one personality trait each, like Smurfs. (Be sure to tune in for next week's column: "The One Type of Female Smurf that All the Other Smurfs Except One Totally Want to Bang.")

But turnabout is fair play—ladies shouldn't have to settle for just any old man, and we shouldn't be the only ones invested in self-improvement in the name of wedlock. So, after thorough scientific research, I've made my own equally sensical list, dividing all the men on earth into the ten types of men that there are. On earth. Make sure you're not any of these men and you will definitely get a whole bunch of wives—guaranteed! It's science like that!

10 Women A Man Shouldn’t Marry

1. The Late Night Texter
You know, the girl who only texts you after midnight. She’s the girl who only contacts you when she wants something, or someone to talk to. You can go weeks without hearing from this person, only to rarely get a text full of smiley faces and a message that reads, “Hey! How are you?” They aren’t consistent. Don’t fall into the trap.

2. The Gold-digger
She’s the woman who loves your wallet, bank account, and credit cards. Be sure to stay away from a woman who is only interested in material things, and how much of these things your salary can buy her.

3. The Flirt
This woman loves to flirt with strangers, waiters, and even your friends. The woman you should seek is one who flirts with you and only you, no matter the circumstance. That last thing you want is to be married to someone who will deliberately flirt with people in front or you, let alone behind your back.

4. The Liar
Don’t trust a woman who is constantly lying to you. If you continue to ignore her inconsistencies, she could eventually do something detrimental to your relationship.

5. The Flake
This is the woman who calls off dates, constantly changes plans and never shows up when she promised she would. If you think this will change once you’re married, you’re wrong. A flakey woman will never put her man first.

6. The Partier
Stay away from her. Although she may seem as a fun and outgoing, I guarantee you will be better off with someone who stays away from gatherings full of bad mistakes and regretful decisions. The lifestyle of a partier never fits well with the maturity that is needed in marriage.

7. The Quick To Judge
Everyone is entitled to their own opinion, but I would encourage you to stay away from the woman who constantly throws judgments at others. This is a bad habit that is not only frowned upon, but it will also hinder you from finding any type of outside friendships. Let Judge Judy stay a TV show. Don’t marry her.

8. The Immodest Dresser
The last thing you want to do is marry someone who put’s their body on display for the rest of the world to see. Without going into too much detail, I would encourage you to marry someone who respects their body enough to keep it covered and modest.

9. The Negative Nancy

She’s the woman who can find something negative in just about anything. And although there is nothing wrong with being a little skeptical, living life with someone who is constantly negative will definitely put a damper on your relationship. It’s not worth it.

10. The Cheater
I’m all for grace and second chances, but the last thing you want is to find yourself in a marriage with someone you can’t even trust. I’m a huge believe that everyone can change, but please don’t get caught up in the lie that cheating is just normal part of life. You deserve better.

10 Men A Woman Shouldn’t Marry

1. The Late Night Texter
You know, the guy who only texts you after midnight. He’s the guy who only contacts you when he wants something, or someone to talk to. You can go weeks without hearing from this person, only to rarely get a text full of smiley faces and a message that reads, “Hey! How are you?” They aren’t consistent. Don’t fall into the trap.

2. The Slacker
He’s the guy who has no dreams, vision, or passion to get up and do anything. Don’t let his smooth words trick you into a relationship that will be full of dull moments and half-hearted plans.

3. The Liar
Don’t trust a man who is constantly lying to you. If you continue to ignore his inconsistencies, he could eventually do something detrimental to your relationship.

4. The Flake
This is the guy who calls of dates, constantly changes plans, and never shows up when he promises. If you think this will change once you’re married, you’re wrong. A flakey man will never put his woman first.

5. The Cheater

I’m all for grace and second chances, but the last thing you want is to find yourself in a marriage with someone you can’t even trust. I’m a huge believe that everyone can change, but please don’t get caught up in the lie that cheating is just normal part of life. You deserve better.

6. The Partier
Stay away from him. Although he may seem as a fun and outgoing, I guarantee you will be better off with someone who stays away from gatherings full of bad mistakes and regretful decisions. The lifestyle of a partier never fits well with the maturity needed in marriage.

7. The Fake
He’s the guy who claims to be one thing, but in person never steps up to the plate. Not only is this unfair to your relationship, but you need to understand this isn’t going to stop anytime soon. Look for a man who is who he claims to be. Fakes can only pretend for so long.

8. The Hypocrite
He goes back and forth between his beliefs, standards, and regulations of life. Most of the time this man will change things to better suit his personal life. Don’t expect yourself to have a thriving relationship with someone who is constantly hypocritical in their words and actions.

9. The Flirt
This man loves to flirtatiously chat with strangers, waiters, and even your friends. The man you should seek is one who flirts with you and only you, no matter the circumstance. That last thing you want is to be married to someone who will deliberately flirt with people in front or you, let alone behind your back.

10. The Jerk
Simple. Don’t marry a jerk. You deserve more than that this guy can offer you. Look for someone who is kind, generous, selfless, and chivalrous. That last thing you want is to be embarrassed about bringing your man in public, all due to his attitude. Not to mention, verbal abuse is a widely spread problem that I don’t believe any woman should have to encounter.

 ADDITIONAL POINTS:  TYPE OF MEN THAT WOMAN SHOULDN'T MARRY 

Women often wonder if there are men out there who just won’t marry them. The answer is yes. These men are probably the type that you wouldn’t want to marry anyway! Here are the ten men you should stay away from.

1. The guy who is still hung up on his ex. He is not over her and will not marry you because you aren’t her.

2..The guy who doesn’t want a serious relationship “right now”. This is either a convenient way for him to dump you without looking like a total jerk, or he will never be ready to make that leap.

3. The guy who is always looking for something better. He is always going to be wondering if there is someone better out there, and if he thinks that he has found it, he will dump you in a second.

4. The guy who likes to hang out with guys old enough to be his sons. He will be out clubbing and being immature with younger guys, trying to pick up women to impress them.

5. The guy who is still trying to figure out what he wants from his career. He will always be more focused on his job than you.

6. The guy who is over fifty and has never been married. He is looking for Miss Right, but if he hasn’t found her yet, why would you be it?

7. The guy who doesn’t believe in monogamy. Yeah, stay clear of this one at all costs (unless you are into that kind of thing). Once a cheater, always a cheater.

8. The guy who is all about himself. He only thinks of him, not anyone else. He won’t care about your feelings or thoughts because they aren’t his.

9. The guy who is all about his kids. This can seem sweet in the beginning until you realize there is no room left for you in the family.

10. The guy who still dates other women while he says he really cares about you. If he really cares, he wouldn’t need the other dates.

-Jarrid Wilson, Sammantha and edited by Steven Mruma (Researcher)

Reason #1: They’ve got plenty of company
Perhaps the first reason women are happier to stay single is because they’re hardly the pariahs they were in the past. Today, a whopping 16 million boomers — more than 25 percent of men and women in this age group — are single. That means unattached women this age are rarely lacking in a little company, whether that’s a night out with some single pals or a hot date on a Saturday night. Internet dating has also helped turn the world into their oyster, presenting them with tons of prospects, many of whom are much younger and very interested in wooing an older woman.

All in all, it’s easier than ever for women this age to get the same emotional perks that their married counterparts do, whether that be affection, intimacy, shared fun or laughter. In fact, some of these singles might argue that their love lives are even more exciting by comparison, since their relationships aren’t weighed down by the draining domestic concerns that marriage entails. “You’d be surprised,” says Carol Ford, a fifty-something widow for ten years and online dater for two years, “how easy it is to find someone who is warm and interesting to be with. I’ve been out with a lot of charming men my age. Then after a romantic evening, I can go back to my little retreat and he goes to his, and there’s no squabbling over ‘Why didn’t you fold my laundry the way I like it?’”

Reason #2: They’d rather downsize domestically
While 7.6 million boomers have never been married, the majority have tied the knot at some point. Many have raised children. If they find themselves single again after the death or a spouse or divorce, marriage is rarely high on their list of priorities because, well, they’ve already been there, done that. In fact, many have spent so much of their lives compromising in the name of family — sacrificing their dreams of starting a business to take care of their kids, passing on that girls-only Caribbean vacation because their husband argued that money was tight — that being single can feel downright liberating! Ford, for one, is reveling in her ability to do what she wants, when she wants. “Today, for example, I bought a $2,500 ‘shabby chic’ entertainment unit with chicken wire on one of the panels,” she says. “My husband would have flipped out. But I didn’t have to explain to anyone why I just had to have this beat-up old cabinet!” - See more at: http://www.match.com/magazine/article/6801/I-Dont-Want-To-Get-Married/#sthash.SHNaVVNc.dpuf

Most people believe that men over 50 have long cherished their bachelordom. But these days, a growing number of women also feel that

	These days, a growing number of women over 50 feel that staying single has a whole lot of benefits.

staying single has a whole lot of benefits. When I was conducting research for my book, The Boomers’ Guide to Online Dating, I was surprised by how often I heard this sentiment. This doesn’t mean these women aren’t dating—on the contrary, their calendars are packed with fun plans and romantic prospects. But if a well-meaning male suitor starts putting out feelers along the lines of, “So do you ever want to get married someday?” they’re more likely than ever to hear a woman say, “I doubt it”—and really mean it. What’s caused such a dramatic shift in 50-plus women’s romantic goals? Read on to find out.

Reason #1: They’ve got plenty of company
Perhaps the first reason women are happier to stay single is because they’re hardly the pariahs they were in the past. Today, a whopping 16 million boomers — more than 25 percent of men and women in this age group — are single. That means unattached women this age are rarely lacking in a little company, whether that’s a night out with some single pals or a hot date on a Saturday night. Internet dating has also helped turn the world into their oyster, presenting them with tons of prospects, many of whom are much younger and very interested in wooing an older woman.

All in all, it’s easier than ever for women this age to get the same emotional perks that their married counterparts do, whether that be affection, intimacy, shared fun or laughter. In fact, some of these singles might argue that their love lives are even more exciting by comparison, since their relationships aren’t weighed down by the draining domestic concerns that marriage entails. “You’d be surprised,” says Carol Ford, a fifty-something widow for ten years and online dater for two years, “how easy it is to find someone who is warm and interesting to be with. I’ve been out with a lot of charming men my age. Then after a romantic evening, I can go back to my little retreat and he goes to his, and there’s no squabbling over ‘Why didn’t you fold my laundry the way I like it?’”

Reason #2: They’d rather downsize domestically
While 7.6 million boomers have never been married, the majority have tied the knot at some point. Many have raised children. If they find themselves single again after the death or a spouse or divorce, marriage is rarely high on their list of priorities because, well, they’ve already been there, done that. In fact, many have spent so much of their lives compromising in the name of family — sacrificing their dreams of starting a business to take care of their kids, passing on that girls-only Caribbean vacation because their husband argued that money was tight — that being single can feel downright liberating! Ford, for one, is reveling in her ability to do what she wants, when she wants. “Today, for example, I bought a $2,500 ‘shabby chic’ entertainment unit with chicken wire on one of the panels,” she says. “My husband would have flipped out. But I didn’t have to explain to anyone why I just had to have this beat-up old cabinet!”

Reason #3: Their families come first
Another factor for women who already have families under their belt is how messy things can become with a new husband in the picture. Conflicts of all kinds can crop up once families blend, even if the kids are already out on their own.

It felt disloyal to hear someone doubt him.

Some women express reluctance to share their family inheritance with someone else and their children. Others worry about the emotional impact a new husband would have on the family dynamic. Rather than rock the boat, they’d rather keep things status quo. One copy editor acquaintance of mine I know from New Jersey has this story to share: “I dated a really nice man, and we had no problems with each other,” she says. “But he would criticize my 22-year-old son, and I was very sensitive to that. You know, if you bring up a child, you have this history; the long-term view. Maybe the kid isn’t doing so well at this point in time, but you remember how hard he worked to win the 400-meter butterfly in a junior varsity swim, say, and you believe he’ll dig down and be a winner again. It felt disloyal to hear someone doubt him. So I picked motherhood over marriage.”

Reason #4: They don’t need a man to make ends meet
Now more than ever, women in this age group are engaged in successful careers with lucrative salaries. The impact of this fact has been twofold: One, they’re less likely to think they need to marry a guy to get by. Two, they’re often so focused on their careers that socializing and romantic pursuits get put on the back burner. Think of bachelorette extraordinaire Secretary of State Dr. Condoleezza Rice. She is not atypical of other women with doctorates, who, as a group, are twice as likely as doctoral men never to have married or to be divorced.

Sometimes high achievers feel marriage would be more of an annoying distraction than a welcome diversion. Just ask boomer Jan Harayda, a successful author and former women’s magazine editor. “There have been many points in my career,” she says, “when I’ve really had to concentrate to meet deadlines or the work is going smoothly and I’m having so much fun with it that I just don’t want to stop.” And while many men often view marriage as a support network that will help further their professional goals, women still tend to think in either/or terms: They can have a family or a career, but “having it all,” so to speak, isn’t as easy as the slogan suggests. Whether or not this is true is debatable, but the feeling is real and very prevalent, keeping many women content pouring their energy into a career rather than a forging a long-lasting relationship.

The bottom line is, there are so many mature unmarried folks, male and female, that going solo doesn’t feel like a lonely proposition any more. If you want companionship but not necessarily commitment, love but maybe not wedlock, chances have never been better that you’re in very good company.

Judsen Culbreth is the author of The Boomers’ Guide to Online Dating. - See more at: http://www.match.com/magazine/article/6801/I-Dont-Want-To-Get-Married/#sthash.SHNaVVNc.dpuf

Most people believe that men over 50 have long cherished their bachelordom. But these days, a growing number of women also feel that

	These days, a growing number of women over 50 feel that staying single has a whole lot of benefits.

staying single has a whole lot of benefits. When I was conducting research for my book, The Boomers’ Guide to Online Dating, I was surprised by how often I heard this sentiment. This doesn’t mean these women aren’t dating—on the contrary, their calendars are packed with fun plans and romantic prospects. But if a well-meaning male suitor starts putting out feelers along the lines of, “So do you ever want to get married someday?” they’re more likely than ever to hear a woman say, “I doubt it”—and really mean it. What’s caused such a dramatic shift in 50-plus women’s romantic goals? Read on to find out.

Reason #1: They’ve got plenty of company
Perhaps the first reason women are happier to stay single is because they’re hardly the pariahs they were in the past. Today, a whopping 16 million boomers — more than 25 percent of men and women in this age group — are single. That means unattached women this age are rarely lacking in a little company, whether that’s a night out with some single pals or a hot date on a Saturday night. Internet dating has also helped turn the world into their oyster, presenting them with tons of prospects, many of whom are much younger and very interested in wooing an older woman.

All in all, it’s easier than ever for women this age to get the same emotional perks that their married counterparts do, whether that be affection, intimacy, shared fun or laughter. In fact, some of these singles might argue that their love lives are even more exciting by comparison, since their relationships aren’t weighed down by the draining domestic concerns that marriage entails. “You’d be surprised,” says Carol Ford, a fifty-something widow for ten years and online dater for two years, “how easy it is to find someone who is warm and interesting to be with. I’ve been out with a lot of charming men my age. Then after a romantic evening, I can go back to my little retreat and he goes to his, and there’s no squabbling over ‘Why didn’t you fold my laundry the way I like it?’”

Reason #2: They’d rather downsize domestically
While 7.6 million boomers have never been married, the majority have tied the knot at some point. Many have raised children. If they find themselves single again after the death or a spouse or divorce, marriage is rarely high on their list of priorities because, well, they’ve already been there, done that. In fact, many have spent so much of their lives compromising in the name of family — sacrificing their dreams of starting a business to take care of their kids, passing on that girls-only Caribbean vacation because their husband argued that money was tight — that being single can feel downright liberating! Ford, for one, is reveling in her ability to do what she wants, when she wants. “Today, for example, I bought a $2,500 ‘shabby chic’ entertainment unit with chicken wire on one of the panels,” she says. “My husband would have flipped out. But I didn’t have to explain to anyone why I just had to have this beat-up old cabinet!”

Reason #3: Their families come first
Another factor for women who already have families under their belt is how messy things can become with a new husband in the picture. Conflicts of all kinds can crop up once families blend, even if the kids are already out on their own.

It felt disloyal to hear someone doubt him.

Some women express reluctance to share their family inheritance with someone else and their children. Others worry about the emotional impact a new husband would have on the family dynamic. Rather than rock the boat, they’d rather keep things status quo. One copy editor acquaintance of mine I know from New Jersey has this story to share: “I dated a really nice man, and we had no problems with each other,” she says. “But he would criticize my 22-year-old son, and I was very sensitive to that. You know, if you bring up a child, you have this history; the long-term view. Maybe the kid isn’t doing so well at this point in time, but you remember how hard he worked to win the 400-meter butterfly in a junior varsity swim, say, and you believe he’ll dig down and be a winner again. It felt disloyal to hear someone doubt him. So I picked motherhood over marriage.”

Reason #4: They don’t need a man to make ends meet
Now more than ever, women in this age group are engaged in successful careers with lucrative salaries. The impact of this fact has been twofold: One, they’re less likely to think they need to marry a guy to get by. Two, they’re often so focused on their careers that socializing and romantic pursuits get put on the back burner. Think of bachelorette extraordinaire Secretary of State Dr. Condoleezza Rice. She is not atypical of other women with doctorates, who, as a group, are twice as likely as doctoral men never to have married or to be divorced.

Sometimes high achievers feel marriage would be more of an annoying distraction than a welcome diversion. Just ask boomer Jan Harayda, a successful author and former women’s magazine editor. “There have been many points in my career,” she says, “when I’ve really had to concentrate to meet deadlines or the work is going smoothly and I’m having so much fun with it that I just don’t want to stop.” And while many men often view marriage as a support network that will help further their professional goals, women still tend to think in either/or terms: They can have a family or a career, but “having it all,” so to speak, isn’t as easy as the slogan suggests. Whether or not this is true is debatable, but the feeling is real and very prevalent, keeping many women content pouring their energy into a career rather than a forging a long-lasting relationship.

The bottom line is, there are so many mature unmarried folks, male and female, that going solo doesn’t feel like a lonely proposition any more. If you want companionship but not necessarily commitment, love but maybe not wedlock, chances have never been better that you’re in very good company.

Judsen Culbreth is the author of The Boomers’ Guide to Online Dating. - See more at: http://www.match.com/magazine/article/6801/I-Dont-Want-To-Get-Married/#sthash.SHNaVVNc.dpuf

Most people believe that men over 50 have long cherished their bachelordom. But these days, a growing number of women also feel that

	These days, a growing number of women over 50 feel that staying single has a whole lot of benefits.

staying single has a whole lot of benefits. When I was conducting research for my book, The Boomers’ Guide to Online Dating, I was surprised by how often I heard this sentiment. This doesn’t mean these women aren’t dating—on the contrary, their calendars are packed with fun plans and romantic prospects. But if a well-meaning male suitor starts putting out feelers along the lines of, “So do you ever want to get married someday?” they’re more likely than ever to hear a woman say, “I doubt it”—and really mean it. What’s caused such a dramatic shift in 50-plus women’s romantic goals? Read on to find out.

Reason #1: They’ve got plenty of company
Perhaps the first reason women are happier to stay single is because they’re hardly the pariahs they were in the past. Today, a whopping 16 million boomers — more than 25 percent of men and women in this age group — are single. That means unattached women this age are rarely lacking in a little company, whether that’s a night out with some single pals or a hot date on a Saturday night. Internet dating has also helped turn the world into their oyster, presenting them with tons of prospects, many of whom are much younger and very interested in wooing an older woman.

All in all, it’s easier than ever for women this age to get the same emotional perks that their married counterparts do, whether that be affection, intimacy, shared fun or laughter. In fact, some of these singles might argue that their love lives are even more exciting by comparison, since their relationships aren’t weighed down by the draining domestic concerns that marriage entails. “You’d be surprised,” says Carol Ford, a fifty-something widow for ten years and online dater for two years, “how easy it is to find someone who is warm and interesting to be with. I’ve been out with a lot of charming men my age. Then after a romantic evening, I can go back to my little retreat and he goes to his, and there’s no squabbling over ‘Why didn’t you fold my laundry the way I like it?’”

Reason #2: They’d rather downsize domestically
While 7.6 million boomers have never been married, the majority have tied the knot at some point. Many have raised children. If they find themselves single again after the death or a spouse or divorce, marriage is rarely high on their list of priorities because, well, they’ve already been there, done that. In fact, many have spent so much of their lives compromising in the name of family — sacrificing their dreams of starting a business to take care of their kids, passing on that girls-only Caribbean vacation because their husband argued that money was tight — that being single can feel downright liberating! Ford, for one, is reveling in her ability to do what she wants, when she wants. “Today, for example, I bought a $2,500 ‘shabby chic’ entertainment unit with chicken wire on one of the panels,” she says. “My husband would have flipped out. But I didn’t have to explain to anyone why I just had to have this beat-up old cabinet!”

Reason #3: Their families come first
Another factor for women who already have families under their belt is how messy things can become with a new husband in the picture. Conflicts of all kinds can crop up once families blend, even if the kids are already out on their own.

It felt disloyal to hear someone doubt him.

Some women express reluctance to share their family inheritance with someone else and their children. Others worry about the emotional impact a new husband would have on the family dynamic. Rather than rock the boat, they’d rather keep things status quo. One copy editor acquaintance of mine I know from New Jersey has this story to share: “I dated a really nice man, and we had no problems with each other,” she says. “But he would criticize my 22-year-old son, and I was very sensitive to that. You know, if you bring up a child, you have this history; the long-term view. Maybe the kid isn’t doing so well at this point in time, but you remember how hard he worked to win the 400-meter butterfly in a junior varsity swim, say, and you believe he’ll dig down and be a winner again. It felt disloyal to hear someone doubt him. So I picked motherhood over marriage.”

Reason #4: They don’t need a man to make ends meet
Now more than ever, women in this age group are engaged in successful careers with lucrative salaries. The impact of this fact has been twofold: One, they’re less likely to think they need to marry a guy to get by. Two, they’re often so focused on their careers that socializing and romantic pursuits get put on the back burner. Think of bachelorette extraordinaire Secretary of State Dr. Condoleezza Rice. She is not atypical of other women with doctorates, who, as a group, are twice as likely as doctoral men never to have married or to be divorced.

Sometimes high achievers feel marriage would be more of an annoying distraction than a welcome diversion. Just ask boomer Jan Harayda, a successful author and former women’s magazine editor. “There have been many points in my career,” she says, “when I’ve really had to concentrate to meet deadlines or the work is going smoothly and I’m having so much fun with it that I just don’t want to stop.” And while many men often view marriage as a support network that will help further their professional goals, women still tend to think in either/or terms: They can have a family or a career, but “having it all,” so to speak, isn’t as easy as the slogan suggests. Whether or not this is true is debatable, but the feeling is real and very prevalent, keeping many women content pouring their energy into a career rather than a forging a long-lasting relationship.

The bottom line is, there are so many mature unmarried folks, male and female, that going solo doesn’t feel like a lonely proposition any more. If you want companionship but not necessarily commitment, love but maybe not wedlock, chances have never been better that you’re in very good company.

Judsen Culbreth is the author of The Boomers’ Guide to Online Dating. - See more at: http://www.match.com/magazine/article/6801/I-Dont-Want-To-Get-Married/#sthash.SHNaVVNc.dpuf