culture
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For South Africa’s Postapartheid Generation, Discontent Grows
Thakeng Moreki lives in Orange Farm, a sprawling, impoverished shantytown 40 miles south of Johannesburg, the largest city in South Africa—his community a place bypassed by the economic gains that the end of apartheid was supposed to bring to the nation’s poor. Unemployment exceeds 40 percent in Orange Farm, South Africa’s most populous shantytown, with…
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Valentine’s Day: Decades of Enduring Love
It seems like celebrities are always making up and breaking up. It may be hard to find long-lasting love in the limelight, but these adorable couples prove that partnerships can endure. Here are 14 celebrity duos who have been making our hearts melt for decades. 1. LL Cool J and Simone Smith LL Cool J and…
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1 Year Later: Student’s Vigil Over Ole Miss Noose Goes On
If you walk across the middle of the University of Mississippi’s campus on any given day, you’ll probably see sophomore Correl Hoyle sitting in front of the statue of James Meredith. Meredith was the first African American to integrate the University of Mississippi, in 1962. The monument was constructed in his likeness to symbolize inclusion…
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‘Been Around the World and I, I, I’: Why a Nomadic Couple Is Heading Out on a Wedding-Engagement Tour
Antoine Kinch hopped onto an ottoman in a swanky New York City rooftop lounge to toast his fiancee and thank their family and friends for making it out to celebrate his and Shaunte Otey’s wedding engagement. Kinch, a 37-year-old engineer, spoke giddily about how he was marrying a longtime friend and a woman whom he at…
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The Stars Sizzle in Red Fashions for a Cause
There was some serious hotness on the fashion runway Thursday night as a stream of stars came out blazing in red gowns to symbolize the fight against heart disease. The Go Red for Women Red Dress Collection was presented by Macy’s in the tents at Lincoln Center to raise awareness of the disease nationwide. The…
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Scandal Recap: Billion-Dollar Baby
Thursday’s episode of Scandal was laced with excellent quotes, major changes in plans and plenty of unanswered questions, like, what was the plan when you proposed this auction, Olivia? And why is Andrew still alive? Olivia’s friends suddenly decide that they should bid for Olivia in the auction. I’m not sure why it took them so long to think…
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Your Roomie Had a Right to React the Way She Did When Your Boyfriend Moved In
My best friend and I were living together when I met my boyfriend. When I became pregnant, he started to stay over every night because I got off work late and he was concerned for my safety. She started to become very distant and eventually moved out. After she left, she called to say that…
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No Shade (Well, Maybe a Little), but Fifty Shades Doesn’t Get BDSM Quite Right
Kink is going (sort of) mainstream with the release this weekend of the movie Fifty Shades of Grey—based on E.L. James’ book of the same name—just in time for Valentine’s Day. The three-volume book series quickly garnered a huge following for its taboo plotline of BDSM (bondage, discipline/domination, submission/sadism and masochism) between lovers Christian Grey—the wealthy…
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Journey of You: Hill Harper – Looking Back While Moving Forward
For years, fans of Hill Harper were used to seeing him as a medical examiner-turned-detective on CSI: NY. Often referred to as “Doc” by his TV show colleagues, that role of a medical professional isn’t too far from his family’s real-life story. Both sides of Harper’s family have medical backgrounds. His maternal grandfather, Doc Hill,…
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Valentine’s Day: Death to the Drugstore Teddy Bear
Last week I walked into a CVS pharmacy and was struck by the annual Valentine’s Day gift selection. I wasn’t taken aback because I saw anything new or unusual. To the contrary, I was struck by the realization that drugstores across America have been peddling the same janky, hacky combinations of tired teddy bears holding heart-shaped…