Headline Sep30,2012 / ''That Classic Fairy Tale Called Marriage!''

''THAT CLASSIC FAIRY TALE CALLED
MARRIAGE!''

It is a an-age old story! These are the best of times. These are the worst of times. It is an age of wisdom. It is an age of darkness. Yes, it's the new millennium version of that classic fairy tale called marriage. Except. these days, a wedding is no longer the happily ever after.

So, it is no surprise that marriage has become as ''unfashionable'' as white socks with sandals?? In 2007, the latest date for which data has become readily available, more than 230,000 couples tied the knot in England and Wales.
As many as that you ask?
But that's the lowest number of unions since 1895. Please, believe that! And at a time when the population was a third smaller than it is today. The men who do tread nervously up the aisle are leaving it much longer to do so. An average groom delays marriage until the age of 32, up three years of the past decade.

Who could blame him? UK judges have been extremely generous to a woman when handing down divorce settlements. What red-blooded man didn't shudder when the Court of Appeal awarded the estranged wife of former Arsenal and England International Ray Parlour a portion of his future earnings? The former Mrs Parlour walked away with a pound 250,000 lump sum, two mortgage free properties and pound 444,000 a year, although the presiding judge asked that the arrangement be reviewed at a later date.
As for the unfortunate Mr Parlour? With his playing days now over, so much for those for future earnings.

Even judges admit that UK divorce settlements have moved way out of step with the rest of Europe, putting London in a great spotlight as a Divorce Capital of the World, at least for estranged wives. The President of the High Courts Family Division, then Sir Mark Potter, had said that sky-rocketing settlements have ''hugely'' raised the aspirations of claimants. His comments came after Beverly Charman received a pound 48 million payment from her ex-husband, insurance high flyer John Charman, who originally offered a paltry pound 20million.

The other ladies watching this unfold were delighted to opine that if their husband offered them one tenth of that they would be just too delighted to walk away, send their ex husband a Christmas card every year and welcome him to come meet the children. As Mr Charman was so quick to point out too: that his ex wife who was in her mid-fifties, could live extremely well off the interest on pound 20 million, without ever needing to touch the sum itself.

There is no question that such settlements have discouraged Men from tying the knot according to Vaneesa Lloyd Platt, a proprietor of Family Law Firm Lloyd Platt & Company.
''There's a direct correlation between Draconian divorce settlements and plummeting marriage rates. Men are standing on window ledges, jumping off at the mere thought of marriage!!'' Ha Ha Ha!

Many thanks to !WOW! for this delightful post and interlude. And this post continues just don't miss it!.

Good Night and God Bless!

SAM Daily Times - the Voice of the Voiceless