There are just some celebrities who don’t know how to spend their millions properly – like Jake Paul or Kylie Jenner (hit us up anytime guys; we’ll help you out).Kevin Hart is not one of those celebrities. The 41-year-old stand-up comedian, actor and producer might be a lavish spender, but at least he splashes his cash on things even the snobbiest, anti-celebrity-culture gent would approve of.Something he’s got particularly good taste in is cars. His collection is rather expansive, with monsters like an Aston Martin Vanquish, a Mercedes-Benz AMG SLS Black Edition and a Ferrari 488 Pista in his garage, but he’s got a particular love for classic cars. Some of his coolest whips include a modified Ford Bronco (that rides so high he has to jump to get in it), two first-gen Mustangs and a Pontiac GTO.He loves classic cars so much that he’s just announced he’s making a new TV show – titled Kevin Hart’s Muscle Car Crew – which will revolve around him and his buddies starting up, you guessed it, a muscle car crew. And he’s starting the show on a high note.Over the long weekend, Hart unveiled the newest addition to his collection: a resto-modded 1959 Chevrolet Corvette C1 convertible, which he secured at a Barrett-Jackson auction for the princely sum of 825,000 USD (~1.08 million AUD) – a record-breaking sale.

An impeccable example of the iconic American sports car, Hart’s C1 features plenty of modern wizardries to make this perhaps the purest example of American muscle ever.Powered by a 343kW 6.2L V8 from a C7, it also features a custom Art Morrison high-performance front suspension, Wilwood brakes, a powder-coated frame, retro EVOD wheels, Dakota Digital gauges that fit into the original instrument cluster and a modern Wonder Bar radio head unit imbued with 1950’s style, Fox News reports.RELATED: Kendall Jenner’s ‘Perfect’ Pickup Truck Shows Celebrity Cars Are Changing For The BetterThe flexing didn’t stop there, either. As part of some additional promo for Kevin Hart’s Muscle Car Crew, Hart shared a photo of himself relaxing in yet another classic muscle car – a convertible first-gen Mustang this time around – with a new Audemars Piguet Royal Oak Tourbillon Extra-Thin watch (ref. 26522ST.OO.1220ST.01) worth a cool 200,000 USD (~260,000 AUD) as well.Kevin’s got a real hard-on (Hart-on?) for the Royal Oak, as he owns at least half a dozen examples of the classic luxury sports watch at this point. The Royal Oak is a bona fide classic, but you do have to ask: can you have too much of a good thing?Apparently not.

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The post Kevin Hart Drops Over $1 Million On ‘Record Beating’ Classic Car appeared first on DMARGE Australia.

Real men don’t spend $1,000 on shoes. That’s a dominating perception out there when we speak to men who’ll rarely spend $200 on a pair of shoes let alone the maximum on designer kicks.You’ve heard the argument: Why the hell would I pay $1,000 for sneakers when my $100 New Balances can do the same job?It’s a redundant debate so we’re focusing on the educating part instead. Today we’re delving a bit deeper to show you guys what sets apart a pair of $100 sneakers and $1,000 white sneakers.From materials to design to manufacturing and branding, we’ve hit up Sneakerboy founder Chris Kyvetos and Eve & Kane founder Gabriel Levi to uncover every aspect that makes up the final price of today’s most recognised sneakers: Balenciaga Triple S, Yeezys, Common Projects, Nike Flyknits.Is the price of hype really worth the cop? Let’s find out.

The Difference Between A Shoe & Sneaker

A shoe is a sneaker, right? Not quite. Those in the fashion industry have a clear distinction between these two terms and it’s understanding this difference that one can comprehend where the substantial price discrepancy between a cheap and expensive sneaker comes from.Think dropping $1,000 on something like a pair of Balenciaga vs a pair of $100 Skechers or similar cheap sneaker.Shoe:

• Traditional shoes such as high quality oxfords or leather lace-ups that are made in small scale shoe factories or boutiques
• Basic machinery used
• Shoe construction techniques involve hand stitching and turning
• Absence of performance materials

Sneaker:

• Performance type shoes, usually mass produced
• Advanced machinery used in construction process
• Limited use of expensive materials like leather
• Extensive use of advanced synthetic materials

“Balenciaga isn’t a sneaker brand,” explains Chris Kyvetos.“It’s not a performance brand. It doesn’t make athletes run faster, jump higher and perform better – that’s functional footwear for athletic purposes.”As such, Balenciaga who can charge up to $1,000 for their shoes don’t use sneaker factories to make them. They use shoe making factories to make their shoes.And this takes us into the biggest pricing factor for luxury sneakers: production.

The Hidden Price Of Construction

Manufacturing process and location is the biggest factor that plays into a sneaker (or shoe’s) final price tag.Making an expensive luxury shoe like the popular Italian-labelled Balenciaga Triple S involves cold cementing leather uppers onto rubber sole units.“This in itself is a shoe making technique, not a sneaker making technique,” says Kyvetos.Common Projects ($500 – $600) which are basic white leather sneakers made in Italy also follow this same production philosophy.“There is no such thing as a sneaker made in Italy. Italians don’t make sneakers, they make shoes.”

Expensive Sneaker Construction Utilises:

• Use of expensive high grade leathers – pebble leather which doesn’t crack as much over time
• Thicker leather – this ensures the shoe retains its shape and looks newer for longer
• Tumbled leather – some mid-range shoe brands use this to achieve a balance between quality and affordability

Balenciaga’s Sneaker Construction:

• The margins for Balenciaga’s luxury sneakers is half of what they work on with their hand bags
• A Balenciaga handbag which can retail for $3,000 is essentially a single item piece of leather stitched together
• Their sneaker construction involves stitching, turning and cementing, and then repeating the process for the other shoe
• Balenciaga moved production of the Triple S to China because the Italians didn’t have the technology to make the shoe’s mid-sole unit
• Even with this move to China, Balenciagas aren’t being made in a sneaker factory – they’re still making them in a women’s shoe making factory in China which has the tools to create a stitched and turned upper that is applied to a sneaker midsole – a process which can’t be achieved in Italy

Converse Sneaker Construction:

• A vulcanised shoe implementing a primal construction process – “basically put it in the oven”
• Very inexpensive process with little complexity
• Most Converses are cup sole units

Facts About Cheaper Sneakers:

• Low quality EVAs in the midsole
• Cheaper materials in the upper construction

According to Kyvetos, you can get a good pair of sneakers on the market for $200 today regardless of the brand. He stresses the point though that, “at this price point consumers are getting a sneaker, not a shoe”.

Are You Paying For Quality?

Whilst the Sneakerboy founder genuinely believes that consumers are paying for what they get in a $1,000 Balenciaga sneaker, Gabriel Levi of Eve & Kane thinks that quality doesn’t necessarily translate into pricing across the entire sneaker spectrum.“The quality of some of the shoes coming out of China now is the exact same and perhaps better in quality than shoes from Spain, Portugal and Milan,” he says.“It depends on where you are in that manufacturing country as well. In China there’s a lot of shit, and there’s a lot of great stuff as well.”Levi’s tips on how to spot a high quality sneaker irrespective of the price tag:

• Leathers are the easiest to determine in terms of shoe quality but for performance shoes like Flyknits it’s a bit harder
• For materials like suede and leather, see how flexible it is
• Smell is also a sign – you can smell the inside of a shoe and if it smells like glue you know it’s been made on the cheap
• A good quality shoe needs to smell like good quality leather – as long as they are new, smell away
• If they are lightweight they will be using more expensive soles which are generally better quality
• If it doesn’t look like it has a lot of manufacturing hours put in then the manufacturing costs shouldn’t be that high – think Converse

Cost Of Sneaker Design

Look at any sneaker blog and you’ll be dazzled by the array of designs on offer implementing some of the most innovative materials. Gore-Tex, Flyknit, React, Boost, Primeknit…the list goes on.You would think that design plays a huge role in driving up costs of any sneaker, but you’d be wrong.“Air wasn’t developed by Nike. Flyknit wasn’t developed by Nike. They’re all third party developed technologies and people bring these to the brand to pitch,” says Kyvetos.“A couple of kids in a science lab brought Gore-Tex to Nike and said let’s give it a go.”Even more surprising is the fact that the popular Boost sole found in most of adidas’ sneakers today like the Ultraboost, wasn’t even designed for performance shoes.“It’s a German compound that is used in bumper bars in BMWs. Boost was never ever created for shoes. It’s the compound that sits behind the bumper bar of a BMW – BMW being the Bavarian motor company which is not far from Adidas HQ.”“Adidas licensed the right to use Boost in their running shoe.”So when it comes to design and innovation costs, it’s important to know where your hard earned dollars are going. This whole ideal of bespoke materials designed specifically for a sneaker simply isn’t true.“A lot of these technologies aren’t developed by the sneaker brands for your running pleasure,” laughs Kyvetos.

Branding: The Big Bad Beast

There’s no shortage of debate on this topic when it comes to anything luxury – not just sneakers.When you pay $1,000 for a sneaker, how much of it is for the name and how much of it is attributed to the actual product?The answer is that it’s all relative to a brand’s broader marketing spend.“If you look at New Balance, they don’t have any athletes signed to them, they don’t do much real marketing,” says Kyvetos.“There isn’t high cost of marketing factored into a New Balance shoe so you’re able to get the best quality shoe for a very competitive price.”“Asics is in the same league. They’re not a huge marketing company so they’re able to factor in a lower marketing cost in the final price for the consumer.”Nike and Adidas are on the same playing field. As two of the biggest and most active marketing companies in the world, their volumes are so high that their marketing cost gets spread across a much bigger production run of shoes.For luxury sneaker brands like Balenciaga, you’re not really paying for the brand’s marketing.“They’re not doing much compared to sports brands. No endorsements and a bit of Instagram. Their marketing costs aren’t astronomical,” adds Kyvetos.“Marketing is offset by the sheer volume of the business. In my view it’s not a huge factor in what a consumer pays at the end; it’s not a defining price factor.”

Copping The Right Idea On Kicks

• With all these factors in play, it’s near impossible to define a single scale on why sneakers cost $100 or $1,000.
• The most important thing to take away from this study is to differentiate between sneakers and shoes.
• Balenciaga Triple S’ and Common Projects are shoes on a rubber sole which is far more expensive to produce than a running shoe.
• There’s a little you’re paying for innovation for Nike, but not enough to define the final price.

Read Next

• The Best Cheap Sneakers For Men

The post The Difference Between $100 & $1,000 Sneakers, Explained By Experts appeared first on DMARGE Australia.

There’s nothing worse than saying “I told you so”… but what about wriggling righteously?While geography, population size and a citizenry well accustomed to the petty tyrannies of a nanny state may have played more of a role in Australia’s success in containing COVID-19 than our government might like you to think, now more than ever it’s important to celebrate life’s little pleasures.Speaking of.. while England bans its citizens from jetting abroad, Europe discusses vaccine passports and America sends SWAT teams to Miami’s Spring Break, Australians are – perfectly legally – living it up on the beach.Case in point: a party that occurred on the northern headland of Sydney’s iconic Bondi beach over this Easter long weekend.Though photos show the beach was quite calm in the morning (and the day after)…

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A post shared by Anna Margareta Hales (@annamhales)

…videos from @bondisunsetmusic (and other social media users like @onlyinbondi) show things escalated quickly on Sunday afternoon.

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A clip by @bondisunsetmusic shows perhaps a hundred revellers dancing and singing to bongo drums, whistles and a saxophone.

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While you might expect such a scene to raise the hackles of authorities (and in some other parts of the country, like Byron Bay, where restrictions are currently stricter, it would have), the event describes itself as (and seems to be) “family friendly” and about “re-connecting people through dance and music” rather than getting wasted.

“3-7pm Sundays. North Bondi Grassy Knoll. Multicultural Instruments. Drug & Alcohol Free. Family Friendly.”

The NSW government’s “common questions about outdoor gatherings” page, at the time of writing, reads, “Up to 200 people from different households can gather in an outdoor public place such as a park, reserve, beach, garden or public space.”

More can gather if the event follows certain extra rules.Videos (see: above and below) from travel writer and commercial content editor @escape.com.au Sangeeta Kocharekar show the music could be heard from halfway down the beach.Sangeeta told DMARGE: “This is the biggest I’ve seen it.”

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Photos from previous weeks on @bondisunsetmusic’s Instagram account show smaller gatherings (though getting larger as the weeks go on), as well as the event’s positive integration into the community.

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So: after a lifetime of Australians (read: me) coming back from Europe and sneering at Down Under’s ‘nanny state,’ the thong is now on the other foot. We’re the ones who can have nice things (rather than not be able to be trusted with them), and our casual acceptance of authority is apparently to thank.RELATED: Iconic San Sebastian Photo Reveals The Secret To Spain’s Nightlife SuccessNever thought I’d say that. What’s next? The global hegemony of flat whites? The worldwide preponderance of three quarter soy milk piccolo lattes? A pandemic of Reef sandals?As we touched on earlier, it’s also worth noting, for those who doubt we really are better behaved – or more community-minded – than any other random slab of 26 million people anywhere, that geography, early lockdowns, a travel ban, a resource-based economy and population density (and size) have helped too.Some also argue that the true costs of our lockdowns are yet to be realised.The Australian, for instance, though it appears to love offering a contrarian (or at least, conservative) take on things, offered an interesting perspective last week: “With unemployment almost back to where it was before the pandemic and relatively few COVID-19 deaths in our wake, it’s easy to be triumphalist about our response to the coronavirus.”However, “[Australian] state and federal government debts have increased by more, as a share of gross domestic product, than any other major developed nation since restrictions began a year ago,” The Australian reports.The article argues Australian economists provided too much support for government interventions that had limited evidence to back them up.To make its point, it dissects a comment by Ross Garnaut, one of Australia’s foremost economists, which was made last month to Treasury secretary Steven Kennedy on a panel in Canberra.Garnaut said: “Experience showed there was no trade-off, the countries that did best dealing with pandemic ended up doing best economically … countries with less health impact did better economically,” pointing to Taiwan, South Korea, China, Japan, Vietnam, Thailand, New Zealand and Australia as examples of countries that have dealt with the pandemic well.The Australian points out that lockdowns were not the only factor at play.“Yet all these nations responded very differently, suggesting other factors might explain their relatively low death tolls, such as their location or geography. Taiwan never locked down, while Japan barely tested anyone for COVID-19 relative to Australia and New Zealand,” (The Australian).

“Similarly, in Europe and the US, where deaths tolls were much higher overall, nations and states responded differently, yet trajectories of COVID-19 cases and deaths have been similar.”

The article also claims that silly figures were being thrown around last year. In particular, it cites two economics professors who in May 2020 claimed that the costs of a national lockdown were outweighed by its $1 trillion benefit.To reach this figure, The Australian reports, they assumed 90 per cent of Australians would contract COVID-19 without the lockdowns and 225,000 of them would die.“In other words Australia would have had around half the number of deaths as the US, which has 13 times our population, or would have incurred 50 per cent more deaths India has, a nation of 1.3 billion people,” (The Australian).Food for thought. We’re off to the beach to mull it over…

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The post Astonishingly Legal Sydney Beach Party Proves Australia Really Is The Lucky Country appeared first on DMARGE Australia.

The British Royal family constantly finds novel ways to light a fire in the public’s imagination. From Diana quipping in 1995, “There were three of us in this marriage, so it was a bit crowded,” to photos of Prince Harry playing strip billiards in Vegas hitting the tabloids in 2012, there have been plenty of scandals over the years to shock, horrify and pique interest (and that’s before we even get into the last couple of laps around the sun).Suffice to say: the Royals are scrutinised for a whole lot more than their fashion choices. What has so far gone without much analysis, however, is their flight patterns. Specifically: the number of air miles the family flies.Enter: new research conducted by Stratos Jet Charters Inc. This analysis shows which members of the royal family have racked up the most miles in the last five years as well as how many miles the family’s 13 members have accrued combined.

The investigation took into account only the family’s business mileage. But even without including pleasure travel, the household garners some serious numbers in their fulfilling of official duties, trips and tours, and charity endeavours.RELATED: Dan Bilzerian Reveals How The Wealthy Are Maintaining Their Mental Health During IsolationStratos Jet Charters went through the Royal Family’s financial reports from the past five years (from 2015 to 2020), focusing on the official international trips conducted by each member of the ménage, dissecting the number of trips made, the cost of these trips and also the number of air miles travelled for each one.From this they created the Royal Travel Index (seen at the bottom of this article).In total, when the top 13 members of the Royal family’s international travel plans in the last five years were put together, they had flown enough miles “to get them to the moon and back, and then complete three loops of the earth’s equator,” Stratos Jet Charters claims.

“In total, between 2015 and 2020, the Royal family have flown 545,161 miles over 92 trips with a cost of £6.5 million / $9 million.”

Though the bulk of these trips are on private jets, by DMARGE’s calculations, even if they had all been done with Qantas, this number of miles, astonishingly enough, would only be enough to net the royals 50 odd toasters.Even the cheaper stainless steel toasters in the Qantas shop cost approximately 10,260 points each. The British Royal family has flown 545,161 miles in the given time period. Assuming one mile equates to about 1 frequent flyer point (which is usually does) then, depending on the exact value of points at any given moment in time, the royals could buy between 50 and 60 toasters for their prolific flying efforts.Other than this notable statistic (one which, we might add, puts even the world’s most prolific frequent flyers to shame), further findings included:

• The Prince of Wales (Prince Charles) is the “most travelled” Royal, with 25 trips taking him over 120,213 miles and amounting to a cost over £2.4 million / $3.3 million
• Charles’ longest trip took place in 2017 and took him to Singapore, Brunei, Malaysia and India – totalling up to 18,000 miles (the equivalent to making five trips between London and New York)
• Charles’ most expensive trip cost over £416,000 / $573,000 , which took place in 2019 during an extensive tour around the Caribbean
• The majority of times a Royal flies, they fly private; 61% of the official trips taken internationally in the last five years were via private jet charters – none more so than Prince Charles and Camilla (18 and 12 trips respectively)
• Meghan, the Duchess of Sussex had the highest average cost per trip at £163,323 / $224,292
• Prince Andrew, the Duke of York had the lowest average cost per trip at £25,060 / $34,511
• Sophie, the Countess of Wessex had the highest average mileage per trip of 11,735
• The Queen and Prince Philip had the lowest average mileage of 1,876, and also made the least trips – both of them only made two international trips in the last five years
• Prince Richard, the Duke of Gloucester was the only Royal not to travel via private jet in the last five years
• The Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh are most likely to travel private, while Prince Charles made the most private jet flights

Joel Thomas, President of Stratos Jet Charters, said of the findings: “It has been fascinating to… find out just how many air miles one of the world’s most famous families have racked up in the last five years. However, it is hardly surprising that the Royals choose to use private jets for their transport, they are extremely useful for utilizing time, and as we know, the royal visits are often very busy with a lot of appointments. Also, private jet hire means that the family can travel safely and securely to their destinations, with anonymity which wouldn’t be possible using regular airlines.”

“At Stratos Jets the past 12 months have definitely been strange for many of our customers. It’s important to remember that by using private jets in the last year as opposed to alternative options, we can be assured that the Royals are recognizing the threat of COVID-19 and taking the necessary precautions when carrying out their noble duties.”

The full Royal Travel Index (via Stratos Jet Charters) can be seen below:

1. Prince of Wales – Prince Charles

120,213 air miles. 25 trips.£2,468,501/ $3,395,855. 88% private jet flights.

2. Duke of York – Prince Andrew

77,668 air miles. 9 trips.£225,544/ $310,275. 33% private jet flights.

3. Duchess of Cornwall – Camilla

69,425 air miles. 13 trips.£1,703,039 / $2,342,828. 92% private jet flights.

4. Duke of Sussex – Prince Harry

51,362 air miles. 7 trips.£442,900/ $609,286. 43% private jet flights.

5. Duke of Cambridge – Prince William

48,496 air miles. 10 trips.£477,054/ $656,271. 70% private jet flights.

6. Princess Royal – Princess Anne

42,331 air miles. Eight trips.£287,778 / $395,889. 75% private jet flights.

7. Countess of Wessex – Sophie

35,204 air miles. Three trips.£73,291/ $100,824. 33% private jet flights.

8. Earl of Wessex – Prince Edward

32,248 air miles. Three trips.£81,167/$111,659. 33% private jet flights.

9. Duchess of Cambridge – Catherine

24,322 air miles. Six trips.£288,196/ $396,464. 83% private jet flights.

10. Duke of Gloucester – Prince Richard

19,990 air miles. Two trips.£47,725/ $65,654. 0% private jet flights.

11. Duchess of Sussex – Meghan

16,398 air miles. Three trips.£326,645/ $449,357. 50% private jet flights.

12. The Queen – Queen Elizabeth II

3,752 air miles. Two trips.£83,575/ $114,972. 100% private jet flights.

13. Duke of Edinburgh – Prince Philip

3,752 air miles. Two trips.£83,575/ $114,972. 100% private jet flights.

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The post British Royals Would Only Be Able To Purchase 50 'Qantas Point' Toasters, Despite Incredible Miles Flown appeared first on DMARGE Australia.

Too much gets swept under the rug when it comes to sex and dating. It’s something we all share in common yet it’s also something many of us are too afraid, ashamed or embarrassed to talk about. That shouldn’t be the case, of course, as not talking about such intimate things can lead to further problems or insecurities.

If there’s a question you’ve always had on your mind about The Bedroom, whether it be relating to something that’s happened during your sex life or something you want to know more about before you try it with your partner, there’s a very good chance it has been asked and answered on Reddit’s r/Sex community.

The majority of questions put forward on this thread will have been answered with experiences, thoughts and opinions from other Reddit users, which, while sometimes beneficial, may not always take all factors into account (let alone be coming from an authority on the subject).

We here at DMARGE decided to trawl through the Reddit thread and pick out some of the most hard-hitting questions, which we then put forward to Samantha Jayne, Relationship Expert and Advisor to Channel 10’s The Bachelor, and Sydney based Relationship Therapist Heidi Gee, to get their professional opinions.

Forget ‘the birds and the bees’, this is real life.

1. Does Anyone Else Get Sad After Masturbation?

Jumping right in at the deep end, it’s the topic of self-love. Dating yourself, you could call it. On feeling sad afterwards Samantha said: “Know that it’s normal to feel lonely, especially if you haven’t been with someone for a long time.”

“Sex is only one component of a relationship and that alone is not enough to fulfil basic human needs. Humans are hard-wired to connect with other humans, from the moment we are born, humans need physical touch: the touch off a mother to a newborn releases oxytocin, which has an anti-stress effect.”

“What’s most important is that you give yourself a break. If you haven’t been with someone for a long time, it’s ok, you’re not the only one, there are lots of people in your shoes.”

“Remember today is a new day and you are in control. There are so many incredible ways to meet someone these days, with dating apps at your fingertips you can find someone in the comfort of your own home. You just need to be proactive and stay positive.”

“If you are feeling lonely then you can change that, focus on what you want and take baby steps to make it happen. Dating apps, getting out to singles events, smile and say hello to people that normally cross your path. You can even join groups or a gym so that it expands your circle.”

“Use your loneliness as a motivating factor to change things, write down an action plan and do something everyday that will get you close to what you want.”

Heidi adds, “I think it’s important to love ourselves and be comfortable in our own company. To be over and to give love is a human need but we need to be able to give love to ourselves first and foremost because the most important relationship you have is the relationship with yourself.”

“There is a saying that we look for our ‘other half’ or someone to ‘complete us’. I believe we should go into a relationship as a whole person, we don’t go into a relationship as half a person, and you deserve a whole person too.”

She continues, “Society has this expectation that we ‘have to be in a relationship by a certain age or there is something wrong with us’, so most people then seek happiness externally and not from within.”

“Work on yourself, heal, personal growth and do what makes you happy, not others. I think we project what’s in our thoughts. If we are desperate and lonely we won’t attract positive energy. If you want to attract someone who brings the best you of you then be mindful of your narrative.”

We did also ask Samantha if it was possible to give ourselves too much ‘self-love’.

“The reality is if you want someone in your life you need to make room for it. If you have too much ‘self-love’ it doesn’t make room for someone new in your life because it is fulfilling your needs to a level that is just enough not to do something, but not enough to feel fulfilled.”

“Sometimes filling the void is what inspires action and transformation.”

2. How To Handle Porn In A Relationship

Porn and relationships can so often be a touchy subject. Some couples welcome it into theirs, while others see it as complete taboo. This particular example from Reddit comes from a girl who doesn’t appreciate her boyfriend watching it.

Samantha’s take?

“Porn is a tricky one. It can distort relationships in the long term. I think honesty is the best policy in relationships and being secretive promotes a lack of trust.”

“If a guy wants to continue watching porn in a relationship it really comes down to how it affects his partner. If she is ok with it then ok, but if she is totally against it and it goes against her values, then I think he needs to consider feelings.”

“When you are in a relationship you need to think about your partner and how your actions impact them. How would you feel if she continued to do things that she did when she was single?”

Heidi adds that porn can have its benefits, “Ethical porn is used for stimulation. I usually encourage my clients to watch porn when masturbating, but not to rely on it to avoid being conditioned and to also no compare. Porn is for fantasy and for stimulation.”

“Have an open discussion and see where you are at; a good relationship is about understanding each others needs and wanting to meet them.”

“If he can’t resist then he could suggest watching it together. Some will be up for it and others won’t. It all comes down to compatibility.”

“It may spice up some peoples’ sex lives but it could also potentially make sex about getting off rather than about the connection and building intimacy, so it’s important to do a bit of both.”

RELATED: Women Reveal What Really Made Them Cheat On Their Partner

3. Feeling Bad About Promiscuous Past

A question many new couples can’t help but want to know about their new partner is what their “number” is.

As ‘woke’ as we might like to think we are about these things, some hang-ups, it would appear, die hard. And there is still most definitely a double standard in society: if a guy sleeps with multiple women, he’s viewed as a ‘player’, and generally receives positive comments from his friends.

However, if a girl sleeps with multiple guys, she’s given labels far more derogatory. It shouldn’t be the case, but it still often is.

On this note, Samantha relates, though you should feel free to do so if you wish, “Realistically before you can discuss your previous sex life or any touchy subject ask yourself, ‘will sharing this information benefit or potentially harm this relationship?'”

“Will there be judgement? Put yourself in their shoes, would you want to know everything about them and the details of when they’ve bumped uglies?”

Heidi shadows these comments, “You need to ask yourself ‘why would I want to know this information and what am I going to do with it?'”

“This can be brought up in an argument or there could be comparison which can cause problems in the relationship.”

Samantha continues, “Some couples love to share everything and know everything about each other, whereas others like to focus on the present moment and the future. It’s probably healthier to focus on the two of you right now to avoid any insecurities.”

“So in terms of is it healthy to discuss your previous sex life, every relationship is different. If you are opening up to gain trust and get closer it could work, but if you are talking to your partner about your previous sex life to make a comparison, then that is a problem.”

“If your partner feels inadequate in any way, then just like anything else, you can reassure them and highlight your relationship strengths and what you adore about them. If you feel inadequate, then it’s probably best not to shine the light on that and know that by simply discussing it, you need to take responsibility for potentially asking the question.”

“If you do feel insecure, don’t ruminate over it, the past is the past and if you partner is with you then clearly they want to be with you. If you are really struggling then speak to a therapist.”

“If someone feels guilty about their promiscuous past they have to realise that they can’t change it [and there is nothing to be ashamed of really in the first place], but they can change the future. They can make an effort to make everyday new and different and work towards the life they want to lead.”

“Ask what was the positive learning from your previous experience, how have you grown? What do you appreciate now that you didn’t before? Don’t beat yourself up, it won’t help.”

Heidi adds, “You can’t change the past but you can learn from it. If there is guilt then ask yourself what the guilt is about? What would you need to happen to move forward from this? Also, seeing a therapist could help work through this.”

Read Next

• ‘I Didn’t Want Anyone To Think I Was Bad In Bed’: The Dating Myth That Needs To Stop

The post Reddit's Hardest 'Real Life' Dating Questions, Answered By Relationship Experts appeared first on DMARGE Australia.

A summer evening down at the beach with your mates, a bonfire, and a couple of beers is a guaranteed good time. But salty sea-breezes can be a touch chilly, so you need a hoodie that’ll keep you warm but not too warm (you obviously don’t want to overheat)! Enter the Baja Blanket Pullover by Outerknown.

Made from 100% organic cotton, this hoodie is lightweight, breathable, and cozy, meaning you’ll be perfectly comfortable at any beach or backyard hangout sesh! Plus, with a relaxed fit design, the Baja Blanket Pullover will layer beautifully over any outfit and features a roomy kangaroo stash pocket to keep all your necessities in. The blue and white striped pattern will also make you look effortlessly cool and beachy (even if you’ve never actually stood up on a surfboard).

For only US$148, Outerknown’s Baja Blanket Pullover is a summer essential!

Shop Outerknown Baja Blanket Pullover US$148

The post This $148 Men’s Hoodie Is Perfect For Beach Summer Nights appeared first on DMARGE Australia.

We all know that the Australian property market is bonkers.

For many years, property prices in our major cities – particularly Sydney – have been astronomic. But over the last twelve months, we’ve also seen regional property prices soar, as city slickers continue to try and escape The Spicy Cough by finding comfier digs further afield to work from home in.

But with something as fluid and complex as the property market, it can be hard to discern just how unaffordable it is. Thankfully (or rather regrettably, considering the circumstances) a recent study has laid the extent of the problem bare for all to see – and the results are even worse than you might have anticipated.

Property platform homesales.com.au, using data from ANZ’s most recent Housing Affordability Report, has graphed how long it would take the average Aussie to save for a 20% house deposit in each of our major cities. The results are shocking – with Sydneysiders potentially facing a gruelling 11 years or more.

Canberrans are the least worst off, with just under a seven-year wait – but seven years is still a bloody long time.

In an article published on news.com.au, Australian finance writer Tarric Brooker relates that “yet again, house prices are acting like a fault line, as the tectonic plates of Australia’s long-simmering intergenerational conflict continue to shift.”

“Older Australians claim that young people want too much, too fast and are impatient to get the things they desire. They claim many prospective first homebuyers spend far more on gadgets, overseas holidays and other non-essentials than they ever did. They then conclude that this unnecessary spending is why home ownership is increasingly out of reach.”

“Younger Australians counter this by pointing out that the required size of a home deposit relative to income has never been greater and that the nation’s property prices are extremely high, even by international standards.”

“Like most hotly contested and heavily divisive debates, there is a grain of truth on both sides of the argument. However, even after all the spending on iPhones, holidays and even the now legendary smashed avocado on toast has been taken into account, the net result is still many young families and individuals are priced out of the housing market.”

RELATED: ‘It’s Like Reading Roman History’: The Truth About Australia’s Housing Market

With the scaling back of JobKeeper and JobSeeker payments, things are likely to get even worse in the short to medium term, as a majority of Australian businesses continue to struggle with the economic downturn, further affecting that deposit wait time.

It could be worse – as propertyclub.nyc relates, it takes the average New Yorker over a century to afford a down payment on a Manhattan house…

Read Next

• 90 Hour Work Week: Brutal Lifestyle Of Goldman Sachs Employees In New York
• Australia’s ‘Money Is Cheap’ Philosophy A Financial Iceberg In The Making

The post 'Painful' Graph Reveals How Long It Takes To Save For A House Deposit In Australia appeared first on DMARGE Australia.

Owning a bar cart has jumped in popularity over recent years, as it adds a touch of resplendent charm to any home. Plus, let’s be honest we all love a good drink, so why shouldn’t we be putting our impressive liquor collections out for stylish display? The only hitch is that bar carts can be expensive, but don’t fret! We’ve found this classic-looking bar cart that won’t break your bank.

Yamazaki, often hailed as the ‘Japanese Ikea’, have released a 3-Tier Kitchen Cart in a timeless black. Made in durable steel and with three-tiered shelves, this cart will easily support all of your alcohol and alcohol-related paraphernalia. The cart comes on wheels so you can roll it easily to wherever you please, which would come in super handy at your next party; your guests will be wildly impressed by your rolling bar service! But if you want to display your finest crystal cocktail glasses and you’re worried about the glass potentially smashing, the wheels have brakes so you can keep it perfectly stationary.

For only US$120, the 3-Tier Kitchen Cart is an absolute bargain that’ll elevate both your home and your current liquor cabinet.

Shop Yamazaki Kitchen Cart $US120

The post This $120 Bar Cart Is Perfect For Lounge Rooms & Kitchens appeared first on DMARGE Australia.

Ever since high-profile dating apps such as Tinder launched in 2012, we have rerouted our quest for love from bars, nightclubs and speed-dating events to our phone screens. Users of these apps will have no doubt put themselves through the endless process of swipe, swipe, match, talk, ghosted, swipe, match, date, not successful, swipe, swipe.

Being able to view who is single in our area without even needing to leave the bed or the couch has proven to be the ultimate in convenience, something which only intensified during the past year. In a report looking into the future of dating post-pandemic, Tinder reports that it alone experienced 3 billion swipes around the world in a single day on March 29 2020 – just a few days after the Covid virus was declared a pandemic – and went on to break that record another 130 times during the year. A sign that people were still just as desperate to find love, or something for people to do when they were bored at home? You decide.

Instead of someone you don’t find particularly attractive hitting on you when you’re out, and you needing to either let them down gently or suddenly realise you left the iron on at home, you can instead just banish them away with a simple flick of the thumb.

But, are we to blame to succumbing to patterns such as those mentioned above? We can’t all be that fussy when it comes to finding a partner, surely? Is there actually more going on behind the scenes of our quest for love than meets the eye. As Rebecca Twomey notes in her article for Cosmopolitan, dating apps are ultimately a business, and businesses need to make money. In helping us find our true companion and subsequently deleting the app, a potential source of income is lost. Do they, therefore, want us to stay single?

Naturally, the apps themselves hold on to the secret of their algorithms as closely Coca-Cola holds on to its thirst-quenching recipe. Some users – this writer included – have long held the belief that the more active you are on an app, the more it recognises that and so pushes you to the front of the queue, increasing your exposure. Failure to use it and the opposite happens, you’re pushed to back of the pile. This is actually true for Bumble, although you are given a 30-day window before you’re deemed to be “inactive.”

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Tinder admits to adopting a similar practice, although it uses logic to determine whether you’re genuinely keen to find someone. One spokesperson for the company told DMARGE, “We have found that being active on Tinder and where you live are the two most relevant factors to improve match potential.”

“And that makes sense because if you haven’t been using Tinder for a few weeks or months, you might not be interested in meeting someone new right now. Location is also a strong signal, we’ve seen that our members want to meet people within the distance they’ve indicated is right for them.”

But, as for whether the apps only show you a fraction of the single people in your area remains unclear.

Tech commentator and founder of the Technology Uncorked podcast Geoff Quattromani gave DMARGE his two cents.

“It’s a really interesting question, an ethical one for sure, as to whether dating apps want you to leave. No businesses are built to gain and lose customers, it’s usually about retention.”

“There is a lot of evidence that suggests people are meeting their wives/husbands on these apps and living happily ever after.”

“What I would say from a technology point of view is that there is a strong chance, and many have been caught out by this, that dating apps are placing fake potential partners in your lists, in your DMs and even ‘matching’ with you, who are just bots.”

Dating app Bumble and hook up app Hud declined to comment on how their algorithms work when asked by DMARGE, and we’re still waiting to hear back from Hinge.

Cosmopolitan’s Rebecca Twomey cites tech expert Rhys Maddock in her article, who made similar comments as Geoff, “Most apps use ‘collaborative filtering’, which was first developed by Amazon.”

“It assumes if you buy the same product as someone else, you’ll also be interested in the other items they purchased.” In the dating app world, the theory suggests that you’ll be shown “recommendations based on the preferences of others who also liked that person.”

Geoff continues:

“It’s always interesting when a dating app launches and somehow there are millions of users registered, how did they get there?”

“The use of AI and bots will keep you engaged, keep you on the app and hopefully continue to pay for long enough that eventually a real human witll match with you and hopefully that progresses well.”

“Assuming there are some dating apps out there that are genuinely trying to match you correctly, they will use AI to analyse every photo you swipe ‘yes’ and ‘no’ to, to gather metadata on what you most commonly approve of, e.g. brown hair, blue eyes, dark skin etc.”

“These characteristics might not all be listed in someone’s bio but there are plenty of tools that can read all of this information and more from an image.”

“Eventually you could almost be presented with the perfect date every single swipe as the app is only showing you what you like.”

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Even if this were all true, and we were presented with ‘the perfect person’, how come we often struggle to delete the app altogether? Do the apps cause an addiction, similar to that of gambling or nicotine? As Rebecca notes in her piece for Cosmopolitan, “I’ve felt sky-high when someone hot likes me – but then, 10 minutes later, I want more. One isn’t enough…I want so many matches and yet I only want to be in a relationship with one person. It doesn’t make sense.”

It’s certainly true that we all like to be liked, whether it be on a friends-only basis or something more romantic. Psychologist Dr John McAlaney from Bournemouth University, told Rebecca, “Feeling rewarded is a basic psychological desire. it’s not really that complicated that making people feel good is a very powerful and basic concept.”

Could this desire for recognition and validation outweigh our desire to meet someone? And do we genuinely consider if it is actually a relationship we want, or do we just like to “have a quick check, just to see what or who is out there?”

With apps now offering features that allow you to find singles anywhere in the world for a small fee (although Tinder has made its ‘Passport’ feature free for the month of April) our curiosity as to where our future partner could be could know no bounds. Despite this, Tinder’s report also surmised singletons ultimately want to meet someone who lives close by (perhaps again pertaining to the idea of convenience culture).

Ultimately, answering the question “does your dating app want you to stay single?” is nigh-on impossible. But it could be we should be focusing on ourselves to find the answer, as opposed to placing blame on the apps.

Read Next

• ‘Don’t Self-Deprecate In Bio’: Woman Explains Why You’re Doing Tinder All Wrong

The post Dating Apps Want You To Stay Single… Preferably Forever appeared first on DMARGE Australia.