culture
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The Maasai Name Isn't Free
The Maasai people of Kenya and Tanzania are looking to take back their name and culture by seeking royalties for the unauthorized commercial use of their name, Bloomberg reports. According to the news site, approximately 10,000 companies around the world are profiting by selling products using the tribe’s name, six of them earning an estimated…
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'Hanging Man' Decor Not Racist, Homeowner Says
A lifelike hanging man intended to frighten trick-or-treaters has some Riverside, Calif., residents screaming racism, NBC Los Angeles reports. The hanging “man” made from PVC piping and chicken wire not only dangles from a noose but is made to kick and struggle while groans come from an embed stereo. It’s definitely frightening, but is it…
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Conrad Murray Released From Jail
Conrad Murray, the doctor convicted of involuntary manslaughter in the death of pop star Michael Jackson, has been released from prison after serving only two years of his four-year sentence, ABC News reports. Murray’s lawyer told ABC News that the former cardiologist was being released for credit for time served; he received an additional day of credit…
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Al Sharpton and Barneys Execs Set to Meet
The Rev. Al Sharpton has put his shopping at Barneys on hold, threatening a boycott against the luxury retail store. He also says that Jay Z is not the enemy, the New York Post reports. Sharpton, who spoke to reporters at his National Action Network headquarters, said that a meeting is planned with Barneys executives and…
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Jesse Jackson Jr. Selling Home to Pay Debt
Disgraced former Rep. Jesse Jackson Jr. is set to sell his high-priced townhouse in the nation’s capital to pay back the $750,000 of campaign cash he spent on furs, vacations and a Rolex watch, the Chicago Tribune reports. Jackson, 48, was sentenced to two and a half years in prison Aug. 14, but he is…
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Women Atop Million-Dollar Companies
(The Root) — Nakia Stith has been running Top of the Clock, a security company, mostly on her own since she was about 23. Stith, who was tossed into the proverbial frying pan at such a young age, had little choice 12 years ago. Her father, who originally owned the company, was battling kidney disease…
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Street Harassment: What Men Can Learn
(The Root) — 1. “Smile, girl.” 2. “God bless you.” 3. “Slow down, I really wanna get to know you.” 4. “Hey, beautiful.” 5. “What that mouth do?” If you know that one of these expressions is not like the others, you’re a regular guy (correct answer is No. 2). If you can spot the…
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Single Moms With Family Values
University of North Carolina assistant history professor Molly Worthen writes a piece at the New York Times about single mothers who are changing the landscape by rejecting the politics of their liberal peers. When Jennifer Maggio was in her early 20s, she was raising two children by herself on the $750 per month that she…
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Time for Washington's Football Team to Change Its Name
“The name fails the most basic tests of acceptability,” writes Washington Post columnist Eugene Robinson about the Washington Redskins’ team name. He joins a widening chorus calling for a name change for the football team based in the nation’s capital. I’m a bit late to the topic, but the Washington, D.C., professional football team really…
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'SNL' Parodies '12 Years a Slave'
Saturday Live tried to poke fun at 12 Years a Slave, the movie chronicling the brutal era of slavery in the United States. The sketch, “12 Days Not a Slave,” features Jay Pharoah, a regular, and Edward Norton, the guest host of the evening. While visiting with his friend, Norton, at an all-white saloon, Pharoah,…