culture

Skip the ugly sweater, nix that stinky perfume and—unless you want to bestow the gift of a big fat behind—definitely say no to the gi-normous bucket of caramel corn. If you’re looking for a unique gift this year, something that really shows how much you care about someone, think about giving the gift of fitness.…

Books are fool-proof gifts. Not just because they virtually last forever, unlike that fruitcake or sweater that shrinks after one wash, but also because they’re affordable in these tough economic times. And, just think, you can take care of everyone on your list with one trip to your local bookstore. That alone should relieve some…

The NBA is the most predictable of the three major North American sports. In each of the last five seasons, the San Antonio Spurs, the Dallas Mavericks, the Phoenix Suns, the Denver Nuggets and the Los Angeles Lakers have been top teams in the Western Conference. The Detroit Pistons have gone to the Eastern Conference…

I got nothing against Facebook. Me and my 450 “friends” are there. If I’m trying to finagle work, or, say, hip myself to the gay scene here in L.A., I check in on that particular social-networking site. But I’m from Sandusky, Ohio, and my roots are on MySpace. I was the first in my family to go to…

What’s your favorite “black-out” verse in hip-hop? When did Black Thought cut off his dreads? Anyone notice white women growing ass? The discussions range from the whimsical to the trivial on okayplayer, the pioneering digital home of artists such as The Roots, Common, Erykah Badu, Mos Def and Talib Kweli. For nearly a decade now,…

The Illinois Governor was arrested for attempting to bribe aspirants for the vancant senate seat that President-elect Obama has left. With this episode, it is clear that the old ways of politics are not over. But, who would ever expect that Lil Jesse to be involved? I mean, we all knew his father was conniving,…

Dec. 10, 2008—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…

A former contestant on American Idol, Paula Godspeed, commtted suicide near the home of Paula Abdul. According to Abdul, Godspeed had been stalking her for the past 18 years, a fact that encouraged the producers to allow her on the show. If she had been stalking Paula Abdul for 18 years, obviously something wasn’t right.…

Fran Drescher may want to make discretion the key word in her bid for Hillary Clinton’s New York Senate seat. Illinois Governor Rod Blagojevich was arrested Tuesday morning on corruption charges stemming from his selection of Barack Obama’s Senate successor. A federal investigation alleges that Blagojevich and his chief of staff, John Harris, sought campaign…

We may want Big Brother to leave God alone, but that doesn’t stop a few hundred million of us from hittin the big guy up for favors on a regular basis. A recent study shows that 90 percent of Americans pray every day. About three quarters pray for themselves and loved ones, and the other…