Blog Posts by Piper Weiss, Shine Staff

Sandie Blanton with her fiance, Reginald, whom she met on death row.

When you're making your checklist of what you look for in a man, remember to include "not on death row." You'd think murder would be a red flag, but there's a long history of women who seek out - and stand by - men charged with the most gruesome crimes.

On the 30th anniversary of the murder of John Lennon, Gloria Chapman still professes to be in love with her husband, Mark David Chapman, imprisoned for fatally shooting the Beatles front-man. The new documentary "Loosing Lennon: Countdown to Murder," exposes Gloria and Mark's 16-year tradition of conjugal visits that's still going strong.

If you've watched the Discovery ID docu-series "Prison Wives," or come across prison "pen pal" websites online, none of this should be a surprise. For notorious serial killers and current death row convicts, there's no shortage of female admirers.

But why would anyone support a man who's been convicted of violent crimes? Low self-esteem and so-called rescue fantasies may be one

Read More »from 5 prison wives of infamous killers

What you missed by not going to Art Basel, Miami. Who knew? (Photo by Uri Schanker/Getty Images) What's with all the hoopla about Art Basel? It's been four days since the international art festival ended in Miami and it's still generating celebrity news: Susan Sarandon and her ping-pong fling. Super-rich Yankee likes art, Real Houswife. Doesn't look like we missed to much... or so I thought, until I found this photo!

Meet Eva and Adele, the "Hermaphrodite Twins from the Future." No really, that's their self-description. They consider themselves "living art" ever since they wed in '91. "Achieving international recognition and acclaim, the Artists appear at museum openings and major art expositions arrayed in identical dazzling feminine costumes, shaved heads and glittering make-up, fusing together art and life and challenging our ideas about art, gender and sexual identity," according to the Claire Oliver Gallery."With a powerful and confrontational message, Eva and Adele defy the conventional description of what an artist is,"

Thanks, but I don't need no theoretical

Read More »from Meet Eva and Adele: You're Welcome.

(Photo by Dan Kitwood/Getty Images) Julian Assange, the man behind internet leaks of top secret government information, was arrested today. But not for his controversial WikiLeaks website. He's been accused of assaulting two women, fielding allegations of rape and molestation. One woman claims Assange held her down in "a sexual manner". Another alleges he had unprotected sex with her while she slept. The details are still emerging, and if they're true they could take down a man who has evaded the world's most powerful leaders.

But there's also just that fact to consider. Assange's leaks about U.S. military and political procedures have made top officials blow their tops. Today the Pentagon released a statement blaming WikiLeaks for putting national security and the peace-keeping process in jeopardy. While the reports of his alleged sex crimes surfaced before the leaks hit the internet, he was already on the shortlist of international agitators. That's made many supporters very suspicious of the charges brought against

Read More »from WikiLeaker: rebel hero or sex offender?

"I fought for you and I will continue to fight for you because I love you," Jodie Foster tells Mel Gibson in the new trailer for their movie, "The Beaver." The movie, directed by Foster, follows a man in crisis who turns to a hand puppet to derail his rage and depression. It's also about a woman who stands by her man, despite what other people say.

That's a role Foster has taken on in real life, going to bat and possibly salvaging the career of co-star Gibson, a man who stands accused of spousal abuse, and whose notorious sexist, racist and anti-Semitic tirades have offended a good portion of the planet. Sound like a strange position for a feminist icon to take on? While some speculate money is playing a role in Foster's defense of the Gibson, they're ignoring a more plausible reason: Foster may just be paying back a long-owed debt, Hollywood-style.

In the early 1990s, Jodie Foster was in her own career crisis, as her 1992 Oscar for "Silence of the Lambs" resulted in

Read More »from Is a Hollywood favor behind "The Beaver"?

To find out what month this hot guy holding a baby animal represents, you got to buy the calendar. 'Tis the season to celebrate the timeless tradition of beefcake calendars. This year, the pickings are more diverse than ever, thanks to an outcry from choosey fetishists.

Whether you're into back hair (perhaaaaps), nice Jewish boys (yes, please!) or adorable, cuddly animals shadowed by a rippling 12- pack, there's good reason usher in a new year.

The 2011 Hot Guys with Baby Animals calendar is already selling like hot-beef-cakes, but before you commit, have a look at the wide range of 2011 offerings that truly make a house a home.

Related stories on Shine:

• 5 hottest hunks from the Winter Olympics

• What's your favorite male body part?

• 8 books with topless men on the cover

• Would you date a former stripper?

Read More »from NSFW calendars for 2011: it's not porn, it's a scheduling tool

(photo by ThinkStock)

Bullying from peers isn't the only problem gay teens face. A new study by Yale University traced homophobic behavior to authority figures.

"Our analysis found that, consistently, gay and bisexual youth were at a greater risk of being punished by school and criminal-justice authorities than their straight peers who exhibited the same behaviors," said study leader Kathryn Himmelstein according to U.S. News and World Report.

The team of researchers analyzed the treatment of 15,000 students in both schools and courts, taking into account their sexual orientation. They found that non-heterosexual youth were up to three times more likely to be punished for criminal or school-related misdemeanors, than their heterosexual peers accused of the same misbehavior. That's not all. "Youth who identified as gay, lesbian or bisexual actually engaged in less violence, which is the most serious type of misbehavior," according to Himmelstein, whose findings were published in Pediatrics.

Read More »from It better get better: Gay teens bullied by teachers, courts

A scientist dressed as a panda holding a baby panda dressed as a baby panda. Best. Job. Ever. (photo courtesy of the Daily Mail)
Want to get your kids to do their science homework? Show them these pictures. Let the record show that in 2010, scientists get to dress up in giant Panda Bear costumes and hold baby pandas. This is not a furry convention or a union meeting for people who pass out flyers for Panda Express. This is science, people!

In China, researchers are work to preserve the endangered panda population by nurturing the youngest animals to health and then releasing them to the wild. In order to keep the living, breathing Gund stuffed animals, from getting too used to human contact, scientists dress up in Panda costumes when tending directly to the animals. Then they release them into a protected wildlife area where they monitor their adaptability with hidden video cameras. It's a radical effort to preserve the dwindling population, estimated at just 3000 in existence. It's also radical, in the '80s sense.

"It is not yet clear if the Pandas are fooled by the disguises, but researchers at China's

Read More »from The Best Job Ever: Panda Bear Scientist

A sample of the new profile page (via Mashable.com)Does it seem like your Facebook page is becoming a full-time job? This morning, we were reminded that once again the social networking site is adjusting the features on our personal profiles. Users can "upgrade" their site to access the new format. Translation: we need to do more stuff. Unless you're super into Facebook, these upgrades are one more thing to stress about. We know you're busy and don't need to spend your precious time watching the how-to video--and not watching a monkeys and cats befriend each other--so we broke down some of the key changes that will effect your profile, for better or worse.

1. Your recently tagged photos will appear at the top of your profile, so untag anything you don't want the world to see. If you don't want to delete the photo but would like to keep it buried in your album, you can also roll over the picture and click X on the top-right corner to remove it from the top of your profile.
2. Your privacy settings haven't changed with the new upgrade,

Read More »from 6 things you need to know about Facebook's latest changes