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    Erin Flaherty, Shine staff

    Erin Flaherty, Shine staff

  • Does this offend you?

    "Gay advocates are demanding an apology from the University of Washington student newspaper after an image of a man and a sheep was included in an opinion piece against gay marriage."-Yahoo NewsWTF!?

  • Rush Limbaugh: Sexist or adorable fuzzball?

    Last night Barbara Walters interviewed Rush Limbaugh as part of her "10 Most Fascinating People" special, and she could barely contain her animosity towards Rush for that unfortunate Hillary aging comment he infamously made earlier this year, blurting out, "What's with you Rush?" This erm, hard-hitt

  • Would you take love advice from a little kid?

    The author of How to Talk to Girls may have some things in common with other relationship authors, but the most distinguishing factor--the one that really sets him apart from the pack--is that he's never actually been on a date. That's because he's um, nine.According to the New York Post, Alec Greve

  • Heavy Petting: The "chihuahua tango"-creepy or cute?

    Um, this video has been blowing up the buzz charts, and while I get it--"dancing with the dogs" or whatever is a sure fire crowd pleaser--I can't help but have mixed feelings. Anyone care to weigh in here?Want more "Heavy Petting"? See also:

  • What's your favorite kind of condom?

    Some fun facts to help us kick off World AIDS Day: In 2007, the Federal Government gave $176 million to abstinence-only education, which, as we discussed a few posts back, is just going swimmingly (ahem). In fact, over 30 percent (30!) of girls in the U.S. become pregnant by the age of 20. Tw

  • Britney's top 5 romantic mistakes

    According to the recent Rolling Stone cover story, Britney's long time, off-again, on-again manager Larry Rudolph admits that his currently single client is more of a "relationship girl" at heart. But while some young celebrities never seem to get caught up in over-the-top public romantic drama (oh

  • Could you handle a day without the gays?

    In celebration of International Human Rights Day on December 10th and in reaction to anti-gay ballot initiatives in California, Arizona and Florida, DayWithoutAGay.org has come up with a brilliant way to peaceably fight the opposition. The gay community is asking for supporters not to call in sick,

  • Bizarre tampon commercial: Hot or so not?

    Um, this commercial for Australian tampon brand Kotex U is kinda freaking me out. See, there's this beaver and well... Maybe it simply speaks for itself.

  • Heavy Petting: Monkey cowboys riding dogs

    So I see this Buzzfeed item that claims, today, people are checking out the state fair sensation that is the Banana Derby. I'm like, "What the heck is that?" I click through and look at a picture. It's stupid cute. There's a monkey riding a dog in this rodeo ring. What's not to love? Then I bring it

  • Sex tips, from the year 1894

    Imagine a time when sex was seen as "at best revolting and at worst rather painful." According to The Sun (and well, anyone who's ever taken rudimentary history lessons), the Victorians, not exactly known for their raunchy bedroom antics, perceived a woman's um, "wifely duties" as something to abhor

  • How to keep the recession out of your love life

    Immediately following the Dow crash, we reported that some hookup sites saw major spikes in activity, leading us to speculate that "terror sex" was at play and that in some strange way, perhaps a recession could somehow be good for your love life (see the original post). But now that some time has p

  • "Red Sex, Blue Sex": Do abstinence-only programs cause more teen pregnancies?

    Do religious teens exposed to abstinence-only education have more sex and unplanned pregnancies than those with less restrictive parameters? Startling new research says yes, absolutely. The latest issue of the New Yorker presents these findings in a provocative article called "Red Sex, Blue Sex," wh

  • 5 romantic (and affordable!) winter getaways

    <img src="http://media.zenfs.com/en-US/blogs/partner/mr_0ce022bc48366f.jpg" alt="" align="middle" height="408" width="300" > <br> There's nothing better for your relationship than escaping all the stress and obligatory travel of the holidays and doing something just for you two. For some couples, a special trip is priceless when compared with material possessions--who needs those <a rel="nofollow" href="http://shine.yahoo.com/channel/sex/how-do-you-feel-about-manties-179797/">manty stocking stuffers</a> anyway?--so a well-planned weekend or hopefully, week long, adventure is a yummy gift idea, too. As a travel junkie, <span>I've been everywher</span><span>e</span> as they say, so I wracked my brain to come up with a list of unique places that not only provide a sexy backdrop for two, they're also easier on your pocketbook than say, a lavish weekend in the French countryside. Enjoy, and don't forget to let us know your suggestions as well. <br> <span><br></span><span><span>Reykjavick, Iceland</span></span> <br> As a nation under recession, we can relate to the unfortunate circumstances that have led to a decline in the value of the Icelandic krona. But from a vacation opportunist's perspective, this means that travelers can take advantage of the lower currency rate, SO... While ice hotels are erm, so hot in terms of winter travel, they're also expensive and come with a major waiting list. Iceland is a great alternative because you can enjoy snowmobiling, dog sledding and other winter play, but there's also a hip nightclub scene in Reykjavik and the famous <a rel="nofollow" href="http://www.bluelagoon.com/">Blue Lagoon</a> spa, which is relaxing, affordable and romantic. Also, the friendly locals, most of whom speak English owing to a top-notch Scandinavian education system, believe in elves. SO! <br> <br> <span>For more info:</span> <a rel="nofollow" href="http://www.visiticeland.com/">Visit Iceland</a> <br> <span>Stay at:</span> <a rel="nofollow" href="http://www.hotelranga.is/Restaurant-Dining/">Hotel Ranga</a> <br> <span>Eat</span>: reindeer (really) <br> <span>Must do:</span> whale watching, snow mobiling, dog sledding, arctic rafting, <a rel="nofollow" href="http://www.adventures.is/">glacier tours</a> <br> <br> <span>Vieques, Puerto Rico</span> <br> The Bahamas are consistently stretched thin during the holiday season, but considerably off the beaten path Vieques is a great way to bypass the crowds and get your remote beach on. It's cheap to fly into San Juan, and one ferry ride will take you to this small Caribbean island where the locals still get around via horseback. Any couple should enjoy balmy nighttime kayak visits to the bioluminescent bay, where mysterious microorganisms glow beneath the water. Just don't forget to wear your contacts or you risk losing sight and getting separated from the group, as my travel companion learned the hard way. Ahem. <br> <br> <span>For more info:</span> <a rel="nofollow" href="http://www.vieques-island.com/">Vieques-Island</a> <br> <span>Stay at:</span> <a rel="nofollow" href="http://www.viequestravelguide.com/casa-tucepi-vieques-island-puerto-rico-vacation-rental.html">Casa Tucepi</a> <br> <span>Eat:</span> fresh caught seafood and plantains <br> <span>Must do:</span> <a rel="nofollow" href="http://www.biobay.com/">Biobay Eco-tour</a>, lay on the sand <br> <br> <span>Santa Fe, New Mexico</span> <br> One of the most unique destinations in the U.S., "The City Different" equally appeals to the history buff, art lover, shopper and the foodie. The charming central plaza is good for hours of wondering around, museums like the <a rel="nofollow" href="http://www.okeeffemuseum.org/home.aspx">Georgia O'Keeffe</a> and <a rel="nofollow" href="http://www.sitesantafe.org/">Site Santa Fe</a> are top notch, restaurants range from upscale Southwestern fare at the <a rel="nofollow" href="http://www.innoftheanasazi.com/dine1.cfm">Anasazi</a> and the down and dirty <a rel="nofollow" href="http://www.cowgirlsantafe.com">Cowgirl Hall of Fame</a>, there's bucket loads of turquoise jewelry to buy, and winter sports enthusiasts can ski and snowboard locally. Here's an insider tip: Japanese spa 10,000 Waves is one of the most romantic, albeit expensive places to stay. But psst: Their adorable new "Silver Moon" shabby chic airstream trailer room is only about $100 per night and includes access to their famous outdoor hot tubs. <br> <br> <span>For more info:</span> <a rel="nofollow" href="http://www.newmexico.org/">New Mexico Tourism Department</a> <br> <span>Stay at:</span> <a rel="nofollow" href="http://www.tenthousandwaves.com/">10,000 Waves</a> <br> <span>Eat:</span> Southwestern style delicacies like chili relleno <br> <span>Must do</span>: museums, live music at the Cowgirl, drive to nearby Chimayo and Taos <br> <br> <span>Antalya, Turkey</span> <br> The adventurous couple will find Turkey to be an unexpected gem and a great alternative to crowded Greece, as it combines the exoticism of east meets west, the ruins of its Grecian, Roman and Arabic ancestry, irresistible culinary treasures and gorgeous Mediterranean beaches among other surprises.Trust me, it's awesome. Plus, while it may seem expensive to fly there, do a little research and you'll find that expenses should run relatively cheap once you arrive, so everything'll balance out. <br> <br> <span>For more info:</span> <a rel="nofollow" href="http://www.tourismturkey.org/">Tourism Turkey</a> <br> <span>Stay at:</span> <a rel="nofollow" href="http://www.antalyahotels.com/hotels_detail.asp?hotelID=95&hotelName=Tekeli%20Konaklari">Tekeli Konaklari</a> <br> <span>Eat:</span> fresh fish, mezza platters <br> <span>Must do</span>: ancient ruins, Turkish hamam, <a rel="nofollow" href="http://www.bluecruisesturkey.com/What_Turkish_Gulet.html">rent a gulet</a> (small Turkish boat) <br> <br> <span>Miami, Florida</span> <br> <br> Owing in part to its popularity, flights to Miami are notoriously inexpensive. But for the couple that wants to play hard <span>and</span> relax as well, December is a great time to go, as from the fourth through the seventh, teams of artists, celebrities and their handlers descend on the city for <a rel="nofollow" href="http://www.artbaselmiamibeach.com/">Art Basel</a>. An entire cottage industry has formed around the festival, which is one of the most prestigious art shows in the world, and there are tons of events to crash. Luckily, there are plenty of pools and beaches around so you can nurse your hangover all day before you go out and cane it all over again. <br> <br> <span>More info:</span> <a rel="nofollow" href="http://www.miamigov.com/cms/visitor.asp">City of Miami</a> <br> <span>Stay at:</span> <a rel="nofollow" href="http://www.standardhotels.com/miami/">The Standard</a> <br> <span>Eat:</span> Cuban sandwiches and (drink) mojitos <br> <span>Must do:</span> gallery hop, topless sunbathing in Miami Beach <br> <br>

  • Why gay marriage lost big this week (and is Obama partly to blame?)

    This historic, landslide presidential election was a huge win for those who are thirsting for change in the form of a progressive new political ideology in this country. And that's exactly why gay marriage activists are even more perplexed as to how Proposition 8 passed on the same day. In fact, Nov

  • Study finds the lady in red is one red hot mama

    According to a new study led by psychology professor Andrew Elliot of the University of Rochester in Rochester, New York, 100 (mostly) young, straight men found women dressed in red more sexually attractive than those who weren't."Although this 'red alert' may be a product of human society associati

  • Do women cheat as much as men do?

    That's the first question the latest infidelity studies point to. The second is: If you cheated on your spouse, would you even admit it to a researcher?Historically, the male sex gets most of the flak when it comes to infidelity among spouses. But that could be due to those tired old gender roles we

  • Can you date someone who doesn't share your politics?

    In an appearance on "The View," staunch Obama supporter Maggie Gyllenhaal famously stated that she could never date a Republican. In this new YourTango essay, a liberal man writes wistfully, and just a tad angrily about the conservative girl he had to break up with. And when I recently wrote that di

  • Who's your favorite single girl?

    Since I don't own a TV at the moment, I've kinda fallen behind on what in the world could possibly be going on out there. (Truth be told, they lost me at those scary D-list celeb reality shows.) So in order to supplement my malnourished pop culture muscles I catch up online--see our Joanna's Enterta

  • The government is listening to our phone sex

    Soldiers in Iraq--men and women who have honorably taken oaths to defend the Constitution--and their loved ones may have had their own rights violated when Bush's terrorist surveillance program, which allows the intelligence community to monitor phone calls between the United States and overseas wit

  • Is the recession good for your love life?

    There's a great post in Healthy Living today about fear during uncertain times (Roosevelt's quote "We have nothing to fear but fear itself," makes even more sense within the context of economic woes), and it got me thinking about how when I lived in New York City after 9/11, what followed the disast