Oz Dating

Clare Werbeloff's youth and beauty didn't just get the attention of men's magazine editors. She may now have snared a job as a reporter on A Current Affair.

That's pretty ironic considering the "report" that originally got her noticed turned out to be a complete fiction. Beauty can get you anywhere, it seems!

Only days ago, Clare Werbeloff was just an average young woman living in Sydney. Now, millions of people across the globe know of her, simply because she witnessed a shooting and gave a description of the event to a reporter.

Some people have argued that it was just her amusing manner and politically incorrect vocabulary that got her noticed. But I suspect her looks had something to do with it, too!

Certainly, local men's magazine editors seem to have noticed. There are rumours that they have already asked her to pose nude for their publications. Not surprising, really.

The Aussie singer Peter Andre is splitting with wife Jordan. There are rumours that the breakup is all a sham; a way of getting more publicity.

While I doubt that it consciously is a publicity stunt, I can't help thinking that they are getting some ego gratification out of the media covering their melodramatic spats. They've both lived their lives in a fishbowl for ages, and have probably forgotten what normal life is like!

If and when they do make the break completely and subsequently recede a little from the public eye, they might not like the feeling. Which is why I think they might just get back together again, a development the supermarket tabloids would love.

Huge media site News.com.au has partnered with online dating giant Match.com.

This shows that the biggest dating sites are a force to be reckoned with; in the same league as big media companies. It also reveals just how well accepted online dating is in our culture.

The wife of Australian movie star Mel Gibson has filed for divorce. This is surprising, since they've been together for ages. It certainly seemed to be one of the most stable showbiz marriages of all.

Still, it seems that she finally found his wild, drunken behaviour just too much to bear.

Many people are shocked that someone as beautiful, talented and successful as Rihanna could be in such an abusive relationship. But she's certainly not the first famous woman to be assaulted by her partner.

I can understand how the economy might affect our relationships and courting behaviour. If you don't have any money to spare you can't pay for a date, after all! But I can't quite accept the idea that what is considered sexually attractive can be linked so specifically to the state of a nations' economy - which is the theory described in this article. 

The evidence supporting the theory - changes in the appearance of the most popular naked models in Playboy magazine over time - strikes me as a bit spurious also. I doubt that the women's measurements were an accurate reflection of what men of a particular era found generally attractive.

Firstly, Playboy caters to a particular demographic - in much the same way that Hustler caters to another one. Also, while lots of men got to choose from a certain number of models, those models were chosen in the first place by only a few men. The options were limited to begin with, and were therefore not truly representative. 

Here's an intriguing story with a romantic theme: An attractive Sydney woman claims she met a handsome young man in a city cafe. She was instantly smitten but he suddenly disappeared, leaving his jacket. But he left such an impression on her that she decided to launch an internet campaign to find him featuring his jacket.

If you think it sounds a bit too corny to be true, then you're not the only one. There is a theory that the whole thing is a clever publicity stunt engineered by the company that made the jacket.

There are many shocking murders committed daily. Most are reported in a pretty brief and matter of fact way in the media.

But if sex is involved, coverage is more thorough. This trend increases if a beautiful young woman is the victim. And if she's one of the accused, well, the courthouse is teeming with journalists! Which is why this murder trial, involving a gorgeous young student named Amanda Knox ("Foxy Knoxy") will be covered in meticulous detail throughout. 

Hugh Hefner has long been criticized for his hedonistic lifestyle and antiquated attitudes to women. The latest story about him will only confirm his image as utterly shallow, self indulgent and sexist.

One of his harem has described how she had a very perfunctory relationship with him, and even had to sneak out of the Playboy Mansion to satisfy her sexual urges.

By her account the pretty blondes involved with Hefner have a very limited and frustrating life. Not surprisingly, he benefits heavily from the very unequal relationships he maintains. Look at the photo of him in the story. The 82 year old looks like he has discovered the fountain of youth!