culture

The NBA season is barely six weeks old and six coaches have already lost their jobs. P.J. Carlesimo was canned in Oklahoma City, Randy Wittman lost his gig in Minnesota, Eddie Jordan was shown the door in Washington, and Sam Mitchell was dismissed in Toronto. Then just as things seemed to be settling down, Maurice…

I still believe in Christmas. It is the one time of the year that I believe the world will stay upright, that people are inherently good and kind, and that slow drivers aren’t out to deter me from getting to my destination as fast as possible. I believe in the Christmas spirit, the idea that…

MENU: — Winter Sangria— Spicy Goobers— BBQ Chicken Skewers— Pan-Fried Coconut Tempeh Fingers with Creamy Celeriac Sauce— Citrus Collards with Raisins Bruschetta— Baked Sweet Potato Fries with Ginger-Peanut Dipping Sauce— Money Green Champagne Winter Sangria Yield: enough to get you niceSoundtrack: “Brooklyn Go Hard” by Jay-Z featuring Santogold from Notorious I created this a few years…

A large chunk of the program for Barack Obama’s Jan. 20 inauguration was announced today. Liberal groups greeted the news that evangelical pastor Rick Warren, of Saddleback Church in California, will deliver the invocation with responses ranging from “grave disappointment” to cries of “BS.” But close observers of Obama’s rise should not be surprised by…

UK Prime Minister Gordon Brown teamed up with Iraqi Prime Minister Nouri Maliki to announce the withdrawal of British troops by July 2009. Amidst some criticism from British conservatives, Brown reports that his troops have completed their job. When I saw this on BBC, I wondered: “Where is the ‘Mission Accomplished‘ banner? Why isn’t he…

As the mother of two daughters, holiday shopping has now turned into an annual quest for black dolls. And not just any black dolls. I’m not talking about those white dolls that look like they’ve been dipped in chocolate or dyed that ubiquitous shade of candy-bar brown in an effort to pass for black. I’m…

For those who like to draw a line in the sand to distinguish between “real” hip-hop and that which is not-so-real, Kanye West has shown a consistent ability to blur the line. Since his 2004 breakthrough album, The College Dropout, there have been many rap artists as prolific and visible. But where so many of…

After an Iraqi journalist pelted a shoe at President Bush in a press conference yesterday, the New York Times reports that “Hitting someone with a shoe is a strong insult in Iraq. It means the person is as low as the dirt underneath the sole of a shoe.” My question is: Why is the first…

If the people who deliver your newspaper, cut your grass (or your hair) or hold open the door to your apartment building suddenly become much cheerier around the holidays, it could be the spirit of the season—or it could be they’re hoping for a holiday tip. In some parts of the country, tipping is welcome…

Santa might be a little strapped for cash this year, but if your kids are anything like mine, they won’t be trying to hear that on Christmas morning. It’s true; it’s the thought that counts, and many Americans just might be on the verge of busting out the depression glass this year. But most kids…