VIDEO
INTRODUCTIONS
Video Dating, Compatibility Testing & Personal Growth for Singles
"We're Taking the Guesswork
Out of Dating"SM
Enabling Singles Ethically Since
1977
Video Introductions
Orientation Page
Click buttons and underlined dating text below. Scroll
down for important and historical singles knowledge.
   
   
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Video Introductions announces
Baby Creations - morph your photo with other members to show what
your future child might look like.
Age Progression - age your photo to show what you might look
like in the future and realize why you shouldn't put off a serious search for a compatible partner.
Click Here for More
Information
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A Historical
Perspective
The Fifties and
Sixties
- The beginning of singles
awareness
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The first singles organization,
Parents Without Partners, is founded in 1957 in
New York City by two single parents: Jim
Egleson, a non-custodial parent, and Jacqueline
Bernard, a custodial parent, to provide a
social and educational venue for single parents
and their children.
25 single parents attended the first meeting in
a Greenwich Village church basement.
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Relevant remarks from some early
relationship mentors
who drew attention to issues affecting singles
and helped to raise singles
awareness
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"An elaborate
loneliness trap has been woven by those who
suggest that modern men and women should be
totally self sufficient and independent.
Interpersonal freedom is the melody they
play... these pipers trap people because they
make them feel guilty for even admitting they
are lonely; they insinuate that it is a sign of
weakness to publicly admit that a person really
needs someone else... this is no myth or fairy
tale - all available evidence suggests that
people do indeed die of broken
hearts."
-Dr. James J. Lynch
"The Broken Heart
-The Medical Consequences of
Loneliness"
1977
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"...a failure of
persons to honestly represent who they are... a
facade is created, designed to please what you
think that other person needs or wants. You
lose either way if you do this! If the person
responds to the facade, you've got nothing
there but a person who likes the false image
you've created. That person doesn't like you,
so what have you gained? If the person does not
respond to the facade and departs from your
life... you're always going to wonder if he (or
she) would have liked you, had you been
genuine."
- Norman Mickey
"Compatibility and Finding that 'Perfect'
Mate"
1st National Singles Convention
1979
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The
Seventies
-More singles enlightenment
Video Introductions singles organization is founded
in 1977 in Concord, California by Social Worker
Norman Mickey to provide singles with video dating
and singles counseling and education. The first
national singles convention is held in San Francisco
in 1979. Norman Mickey is invited to make a presentation at the convention - "Compatibility and Finding that Perfect Mate"
Some Pertinent Comments and Quotes
Over the Years
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The
Early Eighties
The first consumer guide
to dating services is published by Video
Introductions in 1982, alerting singles to deceptive,
unfair and high pressure sales tactics and lures of
some well known dating services in the
industry.
"It's important to take
some risks - to disclose something about
ourselves when we want to meet somebody... In
everyday situations I think some people are
going to look a little bit funny at you if you
start telling them all your personal
information. But isn't it sad, that as much as
we say we want openness and honesty in our
society, that we look upon someone who is
genuinely open and honest with us in a first
meeting, as odd..."
- Norman Mickey
Lafayette Orinda Presbyterian Singles
1982
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"Video Introductions of
Concord has put out a consumer guide "Things to
Look for (in a Singles Dating Service) before you
sign up."
- KGO Radio News
January 1983
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"Does a man like a lady
if she compliments his personality or do
opposites attract each other? We're going to find
out in the Video Introductions company in
Northern California."
- Allen Funt,
Candid Camera
"The Difference Between Men and
Women"
NBC TV,
November 1983
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The Mid Eighties and Early
Nineties
Great Expectations dating service offers a multi-million dollar settlement in an invasion-of-privacy class action lawsuit for secretly recording intimate details of prospective clients conversations in sales discussions from 1985-1989 without their permission.
The first partner compatibility test for
singles is devised by Norman Mickey and Ph.D.
Psychologist/Licensed Marriage Counselor, Dr.
Michael Mayer. It is published in 1992
providing the basis of a new approach of
identifying, assessing and measuring
compatibility.
Video Introductions acquires 5 other dating
services.
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"There's a lot of
deception, misleading claims in the
industry...There's clearly
(inappropriate) sales pressure in most of
the dating organizations that I'm aware
of, and the person is in an emotional
state and is susceptible to that
pressure. And because some singles feel
reluctant to complain because they've
been taken (advantage of) about admitting
that they're single and perhaps lonely,
they don't often complain to the right
agencies. There's a lot of rip-offs in
the industry and it needs to be
corrected. We're trying to do something
about that at Video
Introductions..."
- Norman Mickey
Ronn Owens Program, KGO Radio
June 1985
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"The lack of being
loved or having someone to love is probably
the most emotionally damaging thing that
one suffers, and I think it is most
intensified in older people."
- Norman Mickey
- San Jose Mercury News
February 1990
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"Dating services
aren't regulated in most states. If you're
thinking about joining one ask the
following questions and don't surrender
your money until you get answers."
"Rules for Video Love"
- condensed from 'Things to Look For in a
Singles Dating Service' by Norman Mickey,
Director, Video Introductions"
-Betsy Von Wagner,
Men's Fitness Magazine
July 1990
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The Nineties
Together dating service offers a settlement in 1995 in a lawsuit resulting from more than 100 complaints received by the Contra Costa County District Attorney's office for misleading customers and refusing refunds. Association of Ethical Matchmakers commences litigation in 1996 against Together for fraud and other unfair business practices, and is a plaintiff in a state of Washington litigation that the Together chain and its knowing participants constituted a racketeering enterprise.
Video Introductions expands
internationally with members in the Philippines
and in Russian countries.
Video Introductions web site is developed.
Exclusive partner compatibility assessment
software is developed.
Norman Mickey submits an original, innovative
concept and proposal to President Clinton's
task force on welfare reform, to help single
welfare recipients get off public assistance
through dating and marital assistance services.
American Association for Single People is
founded in 1999 by attorney Tom Coleman to give
single people the same rights as married
persons.
"King of
Hearts"
"Social Worker Norman Mickey has seen the
ugly effects poor marriages can have on
parents and children, so he's trying to
stop the marriages before they happen. 'I
wanted to do something more socially
redeeming...I turned to social work
because that's where I felt I was doing
the most work for people...Many people
marry for all the wrong reasons... We
shed some light on that and help them
make better decisions the next time
around' ...His contribution to marital
bliss is Video Introductions, a
comprehensive dating service that helps
singles avoid the frogs and get straight
to the princes."
- Dave Thom
Daily Ledger/Post Dispatch
October 1992
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"Forget nuclear
disarmament and Yakov Smirnoff. The end of
the cold war brought about something much
more momentous, according to the Russian
Connection brochure... the availability of
numerous desirable Russian women with an
amazing attraction to American men. The
Concord based dating service, part of Video
Introductions, provide men (and women) with
opportunities to meet (Russian women and
men)."
- Andrew Gordon
Concord Transcript
February 1997
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"Norman Mickey,
owner of Video Introductions in Concord,
started his service after years with the
Contra Costa County welfare office. His
experience there gave him the moral
motivation for founding the business. 'I
saw the results of all the bad marriages
and hardship on children that came about
because they didn't have a lot of guidance
in making their decision about the right
person for them initially' he said - he
also offers a conditional membership for
those of lesser means. Payment is made only
upon marriage."
- David Scholz
Argus Newspapers
February 1999
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The New Millennium
- Will we face up to the
devastating effects of unmet relationship
needs?
"Domestic
violence is the No. 1 health risk for
women between the ages of 15 and 44
Clinton said. Almost one third of the
women killed in the United States are
victims of husbands, ex-husbands or
boyfriends."
- President Bill Clinton
October 2000
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Almost a very
real casualty of an emotionally demeaning
marriage ending in divorce, a very
wonderful, caring and giving young man
attempts suicide, not knowing where else
to turn.
He subsequently joins Video Introductions
and develops hope and a different
relationship approach through use of
Video Introductions program, including
active participation in the free singles
support group led by Norman Mickey. As a
result, his self esteem and dating and
relationship skills are enhanced. He
realizes the rewards of his venture on
Valentine's day with a new outlook on
life and a level headed, attractive bride
met through Video
Introductions.
- A Marriage
That Almost Wasn't
February 14, 2000
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"I was scared to
death of failing at male-female
relationships"
- Edmund Kemper
Northern California females serial
killer,
- an interview shown on Court
TV
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The New Millennium and Beyond...
The Bush administration seeks Congressional
funding for marital assistance services for
single welfare recipients.
A candidate for California Governor runs on a
singles platform in 2003 and a Video Introductions member is also a candidate.
Full-length, good quality video interviews
are available on Video Introductions
website.
"Mickey says his
company's greatest asset is that it
allows customers to 'look before you
buy'. Potential customers can look
through the company's photo albums as
well as a few videos before they decide
whether or not to join... Mickey throws
in a 'reality check' as part of his
service: 'We make people realize that not
everyone is a 9 or a 10 and not everyone
can have a 9 or 10'. Formerly a social
worker...he emphasizes personal growth...
'We have a whole industry about marriage
counseling...I coined the term 'singles
counseling'."
- Alina Larson
The Montclarion
October 2000
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"Norm Mickey, a
former social worker, is scrupulously
honest in facilitating introductions and
operates his business with the highest of
integrity. If you are serious about
finding a partner, consider Video
Introductions."
- Open Exchange
Jan./Feb. 2001
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"Norman Mickey of
Video Introductions in Concord says
people feel ashamed to ask for dating
help, even though finding a mate may be
the most important thing we do in life.
'America is all about independence' he
says. 'We think we should be
self-sufficient in every way. If we admit
any deficiency in accomplishing anything,
it makes us feel less self-esteem, less
valued by our peers.'...let's face it,
some people will do almost anything to
avoid rejection, even if it means
spending their lives
alone."
- James O'Brien
Diablo Magazine
February 2002
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"A
relationship balance is looking at who
you are vs. what you want in a partner.
So many people fail to realize that what
they have to offer is not what they're
asking for in return and this is called a
discrepancy (relationship disparity), and
that's one of the measurements of the
partner compatibility test...we try to
bring a scientific measurement into the
whole process... relationships are so
often emotional - one side of the brain
dictates so much of our decision - and we
fail to consider a rational
counterbalance."
- Norman Mickey
"The Edge -KNEW
Radio"
September 2003
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Better
Business Bureau
Honor Roll
member
Video
Introductions
4701-B Clayton Rd. Concord, CA.
94521
Office
and Directions
phone: (925)676-2399
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All portions of
this website are Copyright 1977-2009 Norman
Mickey. All Rights Reserved.
Elements, graphics, content, textual
representations, video, and audio may NOT be
reproduced, borrowed, or linked without the
expressed written permission of Norman Mickey
and Video Introductions.
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