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Culture Tag

This is a fascinating story and kind of a fun break from politics. Researchers have discovered an ancient settlement off the west coast of Canada that is approximately 14,000 years old. The Independent reports:
14,000-year-old village discovered in Canada one of oldest settlements ever found in North America An ancient village believed to be one of the oldest human settlements ever found in North America has been discovered during an excavation on a remote island in British Columbia.

The year, as we mark the season of Passover, there has been a discovery of the remains of a pyramid in Egypt that was reportedly built around the time of the Exodus:
Ahead of the Passover holiday, an unknown pyramid was discovered in Egypt, dating roughly to the time of Jews’ exodus from bondage. A top antiquities official says an Egyptian excavation team has discovered the remains of a pyramid dating back to the 13th Dynasty, some 3700 years ago.

Last week, Pepsi received massive backlash from people on the left and right with an ad that starred Kendall Jenner. Those on the left claimed the ad made light of the Black Lives Matter movement while the right stated it put cops in a bad light. Pepsi pulled the ad in less than 24 hours. Now one of the extras in the ad spoke with People magazine and said the majority of the actors were foreign and that he, being from Thailand, did not understand the significance of the ad.

As Holy Week begins for Christians around the world, some intriguing information on the faith has been released by the Pew Research Center.
Christians remained the largest religious group in the world in 2015, making up nearly a third (31%) of Earth’s 7.3 billion people, according to a new Pew Research Center demographic analysis. But the report also shows that the number of Christians in what many consider the religion’s heartland, the continent of Europe, is in decline. Christians had the most births and deaths of any religious group in recent years, according to our demographic models. Between 2010 and 2015, an estimated 223 million babies were born to Christian mothers and roughly 107 million Christians died – a natural increase of 116 million.

The Daily Show with Trevor Noah, like the rest of the entertainment industry, is no friend of the Trump administration or Press Secretary Sean Spicer. But sometimes the entertainment industry, in its desire to mock Trump, ends up mocking itself or other Trump haters. We saw that with the Saturday Night Live skit about a Trump-loving dog. And Noah did the same thing portraying Spicer as a kindergarten teacher dealing with unruly press children.

Comedian Don Rickles, who was well known for going after his audiences as well as his fellow entertainers, has passed away. He was 90 years old. The Hollywood Reporter has the story:
Don Rickles, Legendary Comic With a Gift for the Insult, Dies at 90 Don Rickles, the rapid-fire insult machine who for six decades earned quite a living making fun of people of all creeds and colors and everyone from poor slobs to Frank Sinatra, has died. He was 90.

On April 6, 1917, the U.S. House of Representatives voted to enter World War I, 373-50, almost three years after the war began. President Woodrow Wilson vowed American neutrality, but that all changed due to Germany's submarine warfare. Wilson admitted America's tactic did not work:
"With a profound sense of the solemn and even tragical character of the step I am taking and of the grave responsibilities which it involves, but in unhesitating obedience to what I deem my constitutional duty," he said.

Controversial advertising is one of the best ways to earn media. Which seems to be what Pepsi was thinking when it released an ad with model Kendall Jenner, featuring police and protesters, intentionally reminiscent of Black Life Matters protests. Wednesday, Pepsi pulled the ad after immense backlash from all ends of the political spectrum. The left complained the ad made light of the Black Lives Matters protests while conservatives whined it placed cops in a bad light.

What's the fastest way to ruin anything? Inject politics into it. This well-known, but unwritten rule of the Universe seems to have escaped ESPN, who's now doubling down on their political banter. The once great sports broadcasting network recently revised their discussion rules so as to accommodate for increased political commentary germane to the sporting event being covered.

Last week, the Washington Post published a profile on Vice President Pence's wife, Karen. As WaPo reported, Mrs. Pence "never weighs in on or attempts to influence policy" nor does she wish to speak on her husband's behalf. Though if you'd like to learn more about her work in art therapy, she'll gladly speak about her passions there.

The latest big bold anti-Trump move from the resistance is going to be a worldwide screening of the 1984 film "1984" based on the George Orwell novel of the same name. The Hill reports:
Theaters to play ‘1984’ in global Trump protest Nearly 200 movie theaters worldwide reportedly plan to screen the film version of “1984” simultaneously Tuesday in protest against President Trump. The demonstration, called "National Screening Day," primarily involves cinemas in the U.S. but also includes venues in Canada, Croatia, Sweden and the United Kingdom, according to Monday reports.