Just how do women get through infidelity in marriage? Does infidelity always lead to divorce?

These are questions the media and armchair pundits are pondering in the aftermath of the Spitzer sex scandal. Psychologists and academics say the obligation to remain sexually faithful to one's spouse continues to carry a lot of weight, at least in the U.S. In France and Italy, it's something else altogether. But in the U.S., among all the marital problems one can have, infidelity is the one most likely to lead to divorce.

Sociologists' research on infidelity shows that men are routinely motivated by sex, while women stray outside the bounds of marriage in search of emotional intimacy, the kind they're not receiving from their spouse. Yes, more men than women cheat, but the numbers are increasing for both genders.

In fact, a 1994 study by sociologist Edward Lauman found that 10 percent to 11 percent of spouses had cheated in the previous year; over a lifetime, the study revealed about 18 percent of women and 24 percent of men reported an extramarital affair. More recently, a 2006 Pew Research Center survey found that nearly 90 percent of participants said it's morally wrong for married individuals to have an affair, which may or may not involve sex. Nearly the same percentage said adultery is morally wrong.

Notably, experts say that wives are more likely to forgive a cheating spouse and remain in the marriage particularly if the infidelity was committed with a prostitute or a one-night stand, versus a mistress or someone with whom a longer-term emotional bond was formed. However men are much less forgiving of their cheating wives; most don't tolerate their wives' indiscretions and view infidelity as a statement about their manhood.

The hand-wringing over Silda Wall Spitzer's future with her now defamed husband, the governor of New York, has officially begun. Newspapers, talk radio, TV pundits, therapists and armchair shrinks — yeah, that's you and me and all of us — all chipping in with our two cents.

Silda, Silda, Silda... Whatever was she thinking standing by her cheatin' hubby, the gov of New York? Well, she and the gov are married for 20 years. They have three kids together. She shelved her prestigious and lucrative legal career to raise the kids and to be a dutiful political wife. She's also a passionate philanthropist and organizer, having founded a children's advocacy program (Children for Children), among other activities.

This is a dynamic woman. She is no fool. Will her children, three beautiful girls, ever be able to trust the men in their lives? What message does it send to them if she stays?

All bets are off on Silda's marriage. Yep. In what's likely to become the Super Bowl of divorces, I anticipate a separation and divorce proceedings to begin within six to eight months, or at least before the end of 2008.

Forget about those Santa Ana winds. Oscar's embers blew directly into Ann Blanchard's house Tuesday night as Hollywood honchos, TV execs, first and second wives, along with various and sundry well-wishers gathered for a reading of Mimi Schmir's fictional and hilarious "Hot Flashes" blog...

The confab, masterminded by the former William Morris überagent who's now with Mosaic Media, drew Hollywood's finest TV and film actresses who read selections from the blog which chronicles the rollercoaster antics of Schmir's heroine, Esme, a late 40s-ish divorced mother of two. While I wasn't in Ann's parlor experiencing the "Hot Flashes," faux and for-real, firstwivesworld.com's intrepid correspondent reports the evening was a scorcher. Yes, HOT or you know, HOT!

Actresses Amy Brenneman ("Private Practice" and "Judging Amy"); Dana Delany ("Desperate Housewives"); Kathyrn Morris ("Cold Case"); and Natasha Henstridge ("Commander-in-Chief") each morphed into Esme as they read portions of the edgy blog that began on firstwivesworld.com. And they say there aren't any good parts for women?? Huh?!

Schmir, a writer for TV hits "Grey's Anatomy" and "Shark," was feted for her fiesty and comedic portrayal of the daily exploits of a pre-menopausal late 40s mom who's trying to move on with her life after a divorce in which her husband leaves her for a younger model (surprise, surprise). "Hot Flashes" just may be the next "Starter Wife" but there's a difference: "Hot Flashes" started on firstwivesworld.com, yes, the Web baby, and is destined for episodic television.

Oscar's afterglow may be fading but man-oh-man is it gettin' hot in here or what? Nah... it's just those damn "Hot Flashes"! Yeah, baby...

What, you say, am I talking about? Well, it's a reading of Mimi Schmir's fictional blog "Hot Flashes" that's getting firstwivesworld.com all hot and bothered. Mimi (pictured here) and a whole bunch of first, and most likely second wives will gather Tuesday night in Los Angeles to hear actresses Dana Delaney (ABC's "Desperate Housewives"), Amy Brenneman (ABC's "Private Practice"), Natasha Henstridge ("Dirty, Sexy Money") and Kathryn Morris (CBS' "Cold Case") read selections from the blog.

The reading, presented by First Wives World Productions along with the fabulous, Ann Blanchard, will feature the renowned actresses channeling the adventures of "Esme," Mimi's alter-ego, as she goes through a variety of pitfalls, hilarious escapades and twisted sexcapades. "Hot Flashes" appears once a week on firstwivesworld.com. Mimi also wrote for ABC's hit series "Grey's Anatomy".

There are more fictional series and episodic Webisodes planned on firstwivesworld.com. Now how's that for hot...?

That's the headline of a post that appeared on Craigslist...and it sounds soooooo appealing.

Does it sound like your ex? Or anyone you know? Maybe you've enountered this person out there on the Internets? God help you if you have.

The man described in the headline is the husband of the woman who allegedly posted the ad on Craigslist, in the uh, 'married-but-looking' category perhaps. She appears to warn any woman who might come into contact with him to keep her distance. Now why any woman would go near a headline like this (okay, maybe just for kicks, as a joke!), is beyond me.

And hey, maybe the posting itself is just a joke...

Care to read the text?

"Yep, my husband, for the third time, is prowling the intertubes looking for some half-blind, brain dead female to tell him he's the greatest thing since sliced bread. He needs to hear this every day, especially when he's sitting in his recliner for the 16th consecutive hour watching the Sci-Fi channel with the remote in one hand and a bag of Chips Ahoy in the other, belching and breathing through his mouth.

The lucky lady who responds to his plaintive whining will receive 27 pairs of XXL boxer briefs complete with skidmarks which he will expect you to wash, fold and put back in his drawer. In the bedroom you will receive five minutes of sloppy, wet, tongue down the throat kisses, but please don't expect him to brush his teeth beforehand...oh no.

More than once a day is far too much effort for him to put forth, even if he's popped a Cialis and is hoping for a sweaty fuck before he rolls over and spends the rest of the night snoring and farting and drooling on the pillow. During relations, the lucky lady will need to work diligently to get him semi-erect, using any and all means possible, with the exception of fellating him, which he does not enjoy.

Women's chances of getting remarried diminish after separation and divorce, according to the findings of a new study.

Their chances of moving on and finding a successful relationship can be particularly hampered when there are children from a previous relationship or marriage.

The study, conducted by Dutch researcher Anne-Rigt Poortman, revealed that the prospects of embarking on a new relationship are slimmer for women as compared to men. One reason for this may be that women are far more cautious after a failed marriage or cohabiting relationship than men are.

Hmm. From everything I've seen and heard, this tends to be true. I've noticed that men tend to remarry or secure a significant relationship within three years of being divorced or widowed. In my opinion, men tend to gravitate back to relationships quite easily.

Poortman also found that while separated or divorced, people still wanted a partner and furthermore, had a stronger desire for less committed types of relationships such as a living-apart-together relationship or unmarried cohabitation.

Interestingly, her findings reveal that divorced people preferred not to live with a partner, whereas people who have only cohabited in the past prefer that arrangement. The study also found that divorced men and women appear to prefer divorced partners. And people who have gone through a divorce are more likely to get divorced again.

Click here for more.

According to a published report, Sana, 27, and Adnan, 32, Klaric, coined the screen names Slatkica (Sweetie) and Princ radosti (Prince of Joy) when they met online. Sana and Adnan grew closer over the course of several months and shared their marriage problems, hopes and dreams. During the course of their chat, they found understanding and support.

"I was suddenly in love again. It was beautiful, I thought I finally found someone who understands me, and who is in a similar situation — in a bad marriage, like I am," said Sana.

Sweetie and the Prince of Joy believed they found true love so they decided to go on a date. They were shocked to find that they were already well acquainted with one another since they'd been married for a few years. Go figure... Having accused one another of cheating, the couple decided to divorce.

People following the couple's saga urged them to remain together. Whether it was fate or something else at play, something caused this couple to confront one another as cheaters. But when you cheat with your own spouse, is it still cheating? Perhaps it's a form of emotional cheating. What do you think?

Click here for more.

And that's more often the case these days. U.S. census data revealed earlier this week that more than half the Americans who might have made it to their 25th wedding anniversaries since 2000 got divorced, separated or widowed before reaching that benchmark. The data reveals that for the first time since World War II, couples who got hitched in the late 1970s had a less-than-even chance of remaining married 25 years later.

You've heard of the seven-year itch, the restlessness that occurs in a marriage after seven years —allegedly — and if not, the brilliant movie starring Marilyn Monroe. These days, some experts think the seven-year itch is happening even earlier, say around three years. People start getting bored, they're looking for an adrenaline boost — a little romance and excitement — the kind you can get from a new partner.

First Wives World's Debbie Nigro commented on the new census data and trends in a piece today on the "CBS Early Show." Debbie noted that one of the problems is that for some people, "commitment" doesn't mean "commitment" any longer, or doesn't mean "commitment" to a single person for life. "It's ‘commitment' until I say it isn't." Marriage, Debbie told the "Early Show," is a "work in progress." To be sure, it is a relationship that requires understanding, empathy and a commitment to working on it throughout your life.

The results of First Wives World's latest poll are in and they're, uh, rather surprising. We asked you how much sex you're having each month and found that 55 percent of the 10,000 divorcées surveyed answered "none."

Another 22 percent of those surveyed said they were "lucky to get it" one to three times a month, 13 percent of the divorced women polled said they had sex three to six times a month. And 11 percent claimed they had "more than I'll ever admit to."

Well, you told us! Now your task for today, along with juggling job, kids, home, social activities and extended family is to go out and cultivate your inner sex goddess. Maybe it's dressing a bit more provocatively (okay, don't go overboard if you're in a conservative office!), saying hello to the guy at the coffee stand or just projecting a beautiful smile. But whatever it is, do it with positive energy and you'll be reeling in men before too long. At least that's what they say!

Click here for more about the poll in today's New York Post.

Thomas W. Weeks III, the minister accused of attacking his televangelist wife in a hotel parking lot, will contest his estranged wife's petition for divorce. Attorneys for Weeks said they're weighing whether the counterclaim will accuse Juanita Bynum of cruel treatment. Bynum accuses Weeks of cruel treatment.

Week's attorney says "cruel treatment" is a vague legal term. It's true. What exactly is "cruel treatment" anyway? It could be any number of things. Who do you believe?

Bynum, a former hairdresser, became a Pentecostal evangelist, author and gospel singer. Her ministry centers around singles turning away from sexual promiscuity. The couple were married in a million-dollar, televised ceremony. That's "tele-evangelism."