If your name is SpeedDate.com, here's a great idea for a PR stunt: Mix 8 celebrity bloggers and a SpeedDate.com session, bake at 400 degrees, record, and release the highlight reel on YouTube. That's exactly what happened in conjunction with Meebo to advertise Meebo's new SpeedDate app.

Perhaps one of the funniest moments of the video is when Aaron Rowe of wired asks Justine of iJustine.TV, "Why? Would you like to come over and play doctor?" Although we'll admit you didn't have much time, try taking it a bit slower next time, Aaron. They can smell desperation -- even across the internet.

For those unfamiliar with Meebo.com, the site is a browser based instant messaging service for AIM, Google Talk, Yahoo IM, and more. The SpeedDate.com app on Meebo allows users to participate in SpeedDate sessions through Meebo.

[via TechCrunch]

Ever have a bad first date with someone you met online? Your story couldn't possibly top that of Des Gregor, a 56 year old Australian farmer who took a chance on love and went to Mali to meet a potential bride. Sure, you've been forced to go to a bad movie, or wasted a few hours with someone who turned out to be nothing like described; Des found himself kidnapped and held hostage with a machete. Beat that for a bad date.

Gregor, safely back in Australia now, is pleading for people to stay safe when meeting potential partners online. "You see this in a movie, you read about it in a book. It happens to someone else, not you. But it does", said Des' brother, who described his sibling as "love blind".

Granted, it takes a certain amount of gullibility to hop a plane to Mali with the belief that you're not only meeting your new bride, but also collecting a dowry of $100,000 in gold bars. Still, the message remains the same. When you're meeting someone new, play it safe. Match.com offers a set of tips on how to approach online dating safely, and it's worth a read if you're contemplating something new.

Anytime you attach the word "Internet" to something, politicians are ready to jump in and try to save us from ourselves. Take "Internet Dating" for example. Since time immemorial, we as a species have gathered in social places, imbibed adult beverages and looked to hook-up with what flips our romantic switch. In the modern age, we go to bars and clubs, even to speed dating events and, last I remember, no one stands at the door running background checks to make sure we were felony free before letting us mingle.

In Illinois though, State Rep. John Bradley is convinced that people meeting and hooking up through online dating websites should undergo background checks or be warned in rather strong language that no background checks have been performed. The same bill, introduced by Bradley last year, passed the Illinois House of Representatives but, died a crash-and-burn death in the State Senate.

Fortunately for the millions of people living in Illinois -- who are perfectly capable of making their own decisions -- the rest of the state Representatives display a little more common sense this time around, and have soundly defeated the bill. Common Sense; 1, Illinois Politicians; 0