sheghan’s Blog

Arranged marriages have been a topic of interest for centuries. Authors across the ages have explored this theme at length, and it still surfaces in literary works today. What’s the appeal? Is it the fascination with the lack of lust and desire we cultivate in North American society? We strive on the element of danger, of the forbidden, while an arranged marriage is usually a safe way to ensure a family’s approval of a union.

And yet, many of today’s romance novels deal with marriages of convenience. We’ve all read them: the heroine marries the hero because she needs him, whether for financial reasons, or because her children need a father — there are as many reasons to marry as there are novels dealing with this subject. Yet although the marriage isn’t initially based on love, theres always that sensual tension simmering beneath the surface, and as readers, we know it’s inevitable that the two are going to fall deeply and irrevocably in love.

But what about real life, where things don’t always work out so well? Arranged marriages are commonplace in a number of countries, such as Iran, Iraq, Afghanistan, Japan and India. They’re more common than you’d think even in North America, where cultural diversity is cherished and encouraged.

Young people in countries where arranged marriages are commonplace are told from an early age that their spouse will be chosen for them. To deny an arranged marriage is seen as a sign of disrespect toward the family. But how are suitable spouses chosen? In Japan, for instance, “when a woman reaches the marriageable age of 25, she and her parents compile a packet of information about her, including a photograph of her in a kimono and descriptions of her family background, education, hobbies, accomplishments and interests. Her parents then inquire among their friends and acquaintances to see if anyone knows a man who would be a suitable husband for her” (the Asia Society’s Video Letter from Japan: My Family, 1988). Usually, the most important aspect of choosing a suitable spouse is the bond between the two families, rather than the relationship between the couple being married. Property or land with the aim of securing social status sometimes seals marriage agreements.

Do arranged marriages work? Opinions tend to differ. Statistics place the divorce rate for arranged marriages much lower than those in the United States, where marriages out of love are the rule. However, research also shows that the pressure a married couple encounters from both society as a whole, and from the respective families, suggests that divorce is often not an option.

Can love grow out of an arranged marriage? Absolutely, and in the same way that love can grow in romance novels from a marriage of convenience. But there’s more to love than finding a suitable match. Love can grow for many reasons, from lust at first sight to friendship that develops over a long period of time. It’s impossible to predict whether a union will be successful.

Despite such speedy-sounding names as “Full Throttle,” “Amp” and “Rush,” energy drinks pack a punch that is generally no stronger than coffee, according to a report released on Monday.
 
A comparison of 12 popular energy drinks, published in the September issue of Consumer Reports, found that the caffeine in 8 ounces of various brands ranged from 50-145 milligrams (mg), though most were in the 75- to 80-mg range.

Results were rounded to the nearest 5 mg.

By comparison, the caffeine in an 8-oz cup of brewed coffee can range from 65-120 mg, with an average of 85 mg, according to the National Coffee Association.

The least-caffeinated energy drink Consumer Reports tested was the fruit punch-flavored offering by Target Corp.’s private label Archer Farms, with 50 mg. At the high end was the lemon-lime flavored Celsius with 145 mg.

Market-leading Red Bull had 80 mg of caffeine. Sobe No Fear, owned by PepsiCo Inc., had 85 mg of caffeine. Amp had 75 mg of caffeine, while Rush and Coca-Cola Co.’s Full Throttle both had 80 mg.

Jamie Kopf Hirsh, associate editor at Consumer Reports and the report’s author, said it was “good news” that energy drinks were not much more caffeinated than coffee, but said consumers should still be cautious.

Even though 8 ounces is the standard serving size for measuring, most containers have more than that, and most consumers drink more than that.

“You don’t have to be alarmed by this, you just have to account for it in your daily caffeine intake,” Hirsh said, adding that energy drinks, with their graphic video-game-like logos that appeal to young men, could be “coffee for the new generation.”