Virtual Affair Ends in Real Divorce

eHarmony director lists useless buzzwords

(NEWSER) - Single this Valentine's Day? Then perhaps you'll be interested in this advice from an eHarmony senior director. Grant Langston tells Time the five most overused, meaningless phrases you should take off your online dating profile right now:

• Down to earth: What does that even mean? No one knows. Plus, "even the most superficial, narcissistic person in the world thinks they’re down to earth, so that one is particularly ridiculous."

Robin Tyler and Diane Olson married in California in 2008

(NEWSER) - Two women in California who became what MSNBC calls the "poster couple" for gay marriage are getting a divorce. Robin Tyler and Diane Olson were the first women to legally marry in Southern California in June 2008, right after the state Supreme Court swept away a law banning same-sex marriage, notes NBC Los Angeles . More»

'Supermarkets of love' no better than bars for meeting people: Study

(NEWSER) - Online dating could help you find your perfect match—but your chances aren't any better than they'd be at a bar, a study suggests. You can't tell much about the people listed on sites like Match.com. Browsing such lists "overloads people and they end up shutting down," the psychology professor behind the study tells Reuters . It amounts to shopping at "supermarkets of love": When you have too many choices, you make bad decisions. More»

'Cathy' will post stuff to your wall to impress your friends

(NEWSER) - There's an easier and cheaper way to make an ex jealous than going outside and finding a real, human girlfriend. For a measly five bucks, you can hire someone to act as your Facebook girlfriend, notes the Washington Post blog . Cathy01, posting on fiverr.com —a site that allows people to offer services for $5—says she'll be your Facebook belle for 10 days and even write up to three faux-affectionate messages on your wall. More»

...compared to married couples: research

(NEWSER) - Getting a divorce can do more than just bum you out: It can lead to an increased risk of early death. A new review of 32 studies published over 27 years finds that divorced adults have a 23% greater chance of dying early than married couples do, the Arizona Republic reports. That risk is similar to what you'd face if you started smoking or drinking a lot, stopped exercising, or gained a lot of weight. The studies that were reviewed encompassed 6.5 million adults living in the US and 10 other countries. More»