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Archive for “Culture” news
And Now for a Few Words About Lesbians at Penn
By Gail Shister 1/15/2013
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We’re here! We’re queer! Lesbian! Gay! Bisexual! Transsexual! Intersex! Asexual! Allied! Questioning! Non-Cisgender! Try chanting it!
How many letters does it take to topple an acronym? That question has been very much on my mind since I was quoted by the New York Times last week in a lengthy piece about the millennial generation’s ever-expanding definitions of sexual orientation and gender.
Get Caffeinated: Philly Mag’s Best Cafés
By Joel Mathis 1/10/2013
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You've probably already heard about the magazine's list of 50 Best Restaurants in Philadelphia. You may have overlooked, however, our somewhat shorter ranking of the five best coffee joints in town. Topping the list? One Shot Café in Northern Liberties, where "the Mexican mocha is made with chocolate from Guatemala, two shots of espresso, steamed milk, cinnamon and cayenne." Our list includes options for students, parents, and even folks who like to take a mid-afternoon high tea. Check it out. [Best Cafés in Philadelphia]
Comcast’s David Cohen Meets With Gun Violence Task Force
By Joel Mathis 1/10/2013
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The Hill reports that David L. Cohen, Comcast's executive vice president, is meeting today with Joe Biden's gun violence task force. Also expected at the meeting: Other cable, television, and movie executives—though Cohen is singled out in The Hill's report. "The entertainment and video-game industries have come under scrutiny since the shooting and lawmakers have suggested that violent entertainment content contributes to aggressive behavior," The Hill reports. "Biden is also meeting with representatives from the video-game industry this week." [The Hill]
Photographer Killed in Traffic While Tailing Justin Bieber; Miley Cyrus Weighs In
By Joel Mathis 1/03/2013
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"Bieber Fever" has apparently claimed its first fatality—photographer Chris Guerra was killed New Year's Day in a traffic accident that took place while he was tailing Bieber's Ferrari. The car—which was being driven by Bieber friend Lil Twist—had been pulled over by the California Highway Patrol, and Guerra exited his car to take pictures of the encounter; he was struck by an SUV after being warned by officers to return to his own vehicle. Bieber said the incident should lead to new legislation to protect celebrities from stalking photographers. "While I was not present nor directly involved with this tragic
Questlove Remembers First Time He Heard “Rapper’s Delight”
By Joel Mathis 12/07/2012
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In Rolling Stone's countdown of The 50 Greatest Hip-Hop Songs of All Time, Philadelphia's Questlove offers his memory of hearing "Rapper's Delight" for the first time.
Me and my sister, Donn, were sneaking a listen of the local soul station while washing dishes when an army of percussion and a syncopated Latin piano line came out of my grandma's JVC clock radio – what appeared to be Chic's "Good Times." How was I to know that my world would come crashing down in a matter of 5, 4, 3, 2 . . .
I said a hip, hop, the hippy to the hippy/To the hip
Heir, Heir! Prince William, Kate Expecting a Baby
By Joel Mathis 12/03/2012
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If you'd like to point out that we fought the Revolutionary War so we wouldn't have to pay attention to the fertility of rich people who live an ocean away, we won't argue. In the meantime, there's this breaking news:
Not much else to report at the moment. We assume, however, that tabloid editors the whole world round are thrilled. [AP]
UPDATE: The Daily Beast's "Royalist" blog reports that Kate isn't that far along in her pregnancy, and that the couple was forced to make the announcement early when William and Kate had to go to the hospital (or, as mom, dad
Nearly 100 Words Added to the Dictionary–Including “QR Code”
By Tom McGrath 11/19/2012
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Attention, spelling bee contestants: the American Heritage Dictionary has just added nearly 100 new words to its latest edition. Among the newbies are "QR Code" (the pixelated box you can scan), "sharrow" (the symbol for a shared car-bike lane) and both Flerovium and Livermorium, two new elements. No word if either spell-check or autocorrect will be catching up any time soon. [CBS Philly]
Justin Bieber Dominates American Music Awards
By Tom McGrath 11/19/2012
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The Canadian teenager and Most Talented Person of All Time had a big night, including winning Artist of the Year, where he beat out Katy Perry, Maroon 5, Drake and Rihanna. The 18-year-old dedicated one award to "all the haters who thought I was just here for one or two years." Thanks for the shout-out, Justin! [USA Today]
Pennsylvania High School Student Protests Grinding Ban
By Joel Mathis 10/26/2012
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Somewhere, an aging Kevin Bacon is getting ready for his closeup. We'd already told you about plans at Mt. Lebanon High School—way out in Western Pennsylvania—to ban "grinding," which is a form of dirty dancing that, well, involves grinding. (Do we really have to spell this out for you people? You were 16 once, right?) Anyway, because it's the 21st century—and not, say, a 1980s pop-culture phemomenon set amongst the relatively isolated-but-Bible-loving people of Oklahoma—at least one student has taken it upon himself to protest the ban by writing a letter to Gawker. "I, like nearly the entire student body
J-Lo Will Destroy Iran’s Theocracy With Pop Tunes, Sultry Dresses
By Joel Mathis 10/15/2012
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Jennifer Lopez nearly destroyed Ben Affleck's career, but now she's after bigger game: The mullahs of Iran. The singer/actress/beloved icon gave a concert in Azerbaijan last month, "accompanied by a private security force, dazzling pyrotechnics and a wardrobe that consisted of sequins and not much else." The reason? Azerbaijani officials wanted to rub their glorious, glorious freedom in the face of neighboring Iranians suffering under stiff theocratic rules and harsh economic sanctions as the rest of the world tries to slow down the country's nuclear program. “You could almost feel the Iranians seething,” said an Azerbaijani official. “This stuff makes them
