Women Are Using 'Rent-A-Gent' To Hire Men To Do Chores And Go On Dates

The next great job for grads?

ABC

By Caroline Moss

What can't money buy?

A service called Rent-A-Gent lets women choose a male companion from a list of "smart and handsome men."

For $200 bucks an hour, men can serve as handymen, dates, or personal chefs.

The only rule? The relationship can't get physical on the clock.

It has been written about previously, but now ABC 7 Chicago has a first-hand account of a woman named Marina who shelled out the dough for Eric on Rent-A-Gent.

Rent-A-Gent

Eric's profile on the site says he "loves the outdoors, culture and also active and social causes." He also suggested he'd be down for a rock-climbing date.

Marina says using Rent-A-Gent is easier than traditional dating sites because you're paying for a service instead of banking on feelings and mind games.

There are tons of guys on the site, divided into categories based on their profession.

Rent-A-Gent

After selecting, booking, and paying for two hours with Eric, he and Marina went rock-climbing.

"Two hours of fun," Marina says, "no strings attached."

But a dating expert tells ABC7 that this could hurt a woman's chance at finding true love - if you can just hire someone who's attractive, you may be dismissing potential suitors who want to make you happy without a price tag.

Rent-A-Gent's CEO, a woman named Sara Shikhman, says the interview process to become one of the site's "Gents" is rigorous - sometimes she can interview up to 100 men before finding one suitable guy.

Detroit motorists under siege in 'Carjack City'

By COREY WILLIAMS
Associated Press
DETROIT (AP) -- When they pull up to a gas station these days, Detroit drivers are looking beyond the price per gallon at a far more threatening concern: carjackers.
The armed auto thieves have become so common here that parts of the bankrupt metropolis are referred to as "Carjack City," and many motorists fear getting out of their vehicles even for a few moments to fill a tank.
So gas stations are taking steps to protect customers, and the city has formed a special police team to go after suspects. Convicted carjackers will even get their faces and prison sentences plastered onto billboards.
"You need to catch these people and make a good example of them," said Mousa Bazzi, who owns a Mobil station in a semi-desolate neighborhood bordering Detroit's east riverfront. He keeps his business well-lit and continually has two to four employees inside to ensure "there's always an extra hand or two" in case of trouble.
Authorities blame many of the carjackings, ironically, on improvements in vehicle security. Anti-theft equipment, GPS systems and advanced locks now prevent many vehicles from being driven without a key in the ignition.
That makes it difficult or impossible for thieves to steal parked cars, leading them to target vehicles that are occupied, said Jonathan Parnell, of Detroit's auto-theft squad.
Also contributing to the thefts is a strong demand for stolen wheels and tires, police said.
Bazzi's station displays pale-green decals depicting a lighthouse - a symbol that his business has joined the city's anti-carjacking effort. To be part of the program, stations must have security cameras, good lighting, be open 24 hours and have clerks willing to help motorists and provide a phone for emergency calls.
"There is a waiting list," Sgt. Michael Woody said. "We have so many gas stations that want to become a lighthouse. You get better protection with that big sticker in the window that tells criminals there is proper equipment that will help police investigate these crimes."
Detroit police reported 720 carjackings last year in the city of fewer than 700,000 people. That's down from nearly 850 in 2011 and 1,231 in 2008.

Oldest person in America turns 115

The oldest woman in America turned 115 Friday. Happy birthday, Jeralean Talley!



"Jeralean has been the oldest living American since she was 113. We are told by the experts that she's just the 31st person ever to turn 115 years old," ABC reports.

According to the Detroit Free Press, Talley will celebrate her big day with a trip to the doctors for a checkup, although she says she's not feeling sick. So what's her secret? Simple: "Treat others the way you want to be treated." But she also told the paper: "It's all in the good Lord's hands. ... There's nothing I can do about it."

In response to the question "How do you feel, Mama, about being the oldest American?," Talley did a little dance.

Talley is a supercentenarian - a title reserved for people 110 years and older.

According to the Gerontology Research Group, there are just 74 validated supercentenarians ​living in the world, and only about 1 in every 5 million Americans grows old enough to earn the title.

​And in case you haven't done the math yet, Talley was born in 1899. For perspective, according to the History Channel that was just 34 years after the end of the Civil War.

Can you imagine all that Jeralean Talley has seen in her 115 years? We bet she's got some amazing stories to tell.

Currently Talley lives in Michigan with her daughter. Her family spans over five generations. Talley recently did an interview with Anderson Cooper; it's scheduled to air on CNN next week.