The Lara Bingle nude photo scandal - and subsequent highly publicized interview with Woman's Day - has ended up creating a total train wreck. It looks highly likely to end up destroying her relationship with Michael Clarke. (That's something I thought was likely, but didn't expect to happen quite so quickly.)

Interestingly, as this article states, Clarke was less annoyed with the photo in question than the dredging up of all that old stuff about a previous relationship with Brendan Fevola. As anyone who's had a few dates knows, it's a real drag when someone keeps talking about their ex. It shows that they haven't quite moved on from it yet! The fact that Bingle was telling the whole nation about it must have magnified the negative effect a thousandfold. No wonder Clarke wants out.
 
 
While Lara Bingle is claiming that she is suing Brendan Fevola because she felt violated by those nude shots of her in the shower, it seems that her desire for publicity is paramount. And while Fevola himself clearly wouldn't be too happy about it, I can imagine that Bingle's beau Michael Clarke must find the legal stoush all very stressful as well. Who would want to be emotionally involved with someone who is exacting revenge against a former lover, and in such a public way? Wouldn't you want to "move on" and try to build something meaningful in the present? (Of course, you could say that Fevola's leaking of the shots - if that is what actually occurred - was an even lower act. That's true too. Still, why give the issue any more oxygen?)

While Lara Bingle herself clearly thinks that she's doing the right thing, it will cost her in the long run. I suspect that her current relationship and maybe even subsequent ones will suffer greatly because of this and related issues. When you continue to exploit your private life for public exposure (and ultimately monetary gain) you end up trashing your own soul, and hurting people who are close to you.
 
 
Here's another case of dating sites being used as a source of information about relationship behaviour: In a study about what men and women preferred in potential partners, Welsh researches discovered that age was a very important factor. Dating site data overwhelmingly revealed that men preferred women who were younger than them, while the inverse was true for women. This strongly contradicted the currently fashionable image of older women with toyboys, which occurs only rarely in real life.
 
 
Every now and then a hugely rich older man marries a beautiful and much younger woman in a flurry of media attention. The latest example is the highly publicized wedding of millionaire Dr Geoffrey Edelsten and Brynne Gordon at Melbourne's Crown Casino, which cost several million dollars.

His young bride - who is around forty years his junior - obviously appreciated all the attention. But I feel sorry for the husband. How is this guy going to maintain this level of luxury and lavishness. If he doesn't, she might start to get bored!
 
 
Up until now Tiger Woods seemed to have a perfect life. He was by far the best in the world at what he loved to do, with more money than most people even dream of and a beautfiul wife and kids. How could he not be perfectly, blissfully content with his lot?

But if the rumours about why he had his recent car accident are true, then he definitely wasn't happy, and was having an affair.

It seems the urge to stray - particularly in young men - seems almost impossible to contain, no matter how conducive the circumstances are to fidelity.
 
 
Recent research suggests that having kids make you happier with your lot in life - but not if you are an unmarried couple. You have to be married to enjoy this benefit.

This may seem a little surprising, but it does make sense. Married people have made a commitment to each other, and have already surrendered their autonomy. But people who have not married - even if they are in a long term relationship - are still probably thinking of themselves first. Kids are a huge responsibility and very demanding time-wise, so people who are still thinking of their own needs first would resent their presence.
 
 
It's interesting that David Letterman's wife Regina Lasko demanded his recent public apology for having sexual affairs with staffers. One would have thought that she would have filed for divorce. His behavior certainly warranted it, and it would have been hugely lucrative for her! I think it's highly likely that she considered it, but decided that if he demonstrated loyalty and obedience - thereby showing respect and giving her some dignity - then she would not end the marriage.

This is a lot like the goings on between randy Italian Prime Minister Silvio Berlusconi and his wife Veronica Lario. Back in 2007, she forced him to make a public apology over his flirting. He did so. More recently, he has demanded that she apologize to him for publicly complaining about his dalliances with young women.

Both these cases reveal that marriages are as much - if not more - about power as they are about love.
 
 
The highly publicized marriage between Australian golf legend Greg Norman and tennis champ Chris Evert-Lloyd has suddenly ended.

Norman's ex-wife has cattily observed that they were both narcissists, and too alike for the relationship to work. While her comments were probably motivated by still simmering anger towards them, I think they're still pretty accurate.

Relationships are never completely equal. There always seems to be one "star" who is dominant, and one "stage manager" who takes a more subordinate, supportive role. You can't have two stars. It just becomes a battle of egos!
 
 
Considering all the public dramas they've gone through over the last few years, it's surprising that Shane Warne and ex-wife Simone Callahan have gotten back together. Not only that, they're moving into a  luxury house together in the swish Melbourne suburb of Sandringham.

The true romantic would say it illustrates just how enduring love can be. What's that famous Shakespeare quote? "The course of true love never did run smooth."

It would be nice if this were the main reason behind this latest, surprising development. But I'd say that Warne's substantial wealth and fame had a lot more to do with it. (Warne paid for the Sandringham house, worth over 3 million dollars.) I can't imagine many blokes of much lesser means being so completely forgiven for the kind of behaviour Warne has been guilty of in the past.
 
Cliche confirmed 07/06/2009
 

One criticism of marriage that you've probably heard many times is that when you get married you tend to "let yourself go". That cliche actually seems to have some truth to it, because a recent study shows that married people have a higher incidence of obesity than those who are dating but not cohabiting.