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Culture Tag

Posted by Kemberlee Kaye on June 29, 2015 4 Comments
It's often the most innocuous things in life that result in monumental memories. A few years ago, twins brothers from North Carolina fell in love with the board game Battle Ship. Battle Ship sparked their curiosity in naval warfare. And the rest is, as they say, history.

Posted by Leslie Eastman on June 28, 2015 19 Comments
Mark Twain once wrote that "A lie can travel half way around the world while the truth is putting on its shoes." In the age of the internet, that saying should be updated to "three times around the world", as is evidenced by the story behind the resignation of a British scientist. I recently reported that Dr. Tim Hunt, a Nobel-prizing winning physiologist, a British knight, and a leading advocate for science education that is usually promoted by women’s rights activists, made a lame joke about single-sex labs. His punishment in the wake of a vicious social justice campaign was his forced resignation from the University College London. New revelations about the speech and the context of the joke have surfaced. An account of a European Commission Official who took detailed minutes of the event adds key information absent from the original report:
According to the new account, Sir Tim started with: “It’s strange that such a chauvinist monster like me has been asked to speak to women scientists,” which makes clear he mocking sexism, rather than indulging in it. St. Louis reported this as Hunt simply admitting: “he has a reputation as a male chauvinist.”

Posted by Kemberlee Kaye on June 25, 2015 43 Comments
And the derpfest rages on. Apple has joined other retailers in boycotting the Confederate flag by removing Civil War games from the App Store. Apple’s Tim Cook spearheaded the move. "In a tweet, Cook called to honor the lives of the victims in last week’s tragic South Carolina shooting by “eradicating racism & removing the symbols & words that feed it.” An Alabama native like myself, Cook has been a strong proponent for equality during his tenure as CEO, often speaking out against the South’s tarnished history and the changes we still need to address," writes 9 to 5 Mac. According to Touch Arcade, "the reasoning Apple is sending developers is "...because it includes images of the confederate flag used in offensive and mean-spirited ways." Right, because all history should be polite, unoffensive, and politically correct. Nevermind the fact that in each of these scenarios the Confederacy is ultimately defeated... Some of the games in exile look super offensivey, don't they? Ultimate General: Gettysburg AAA American Civil War Cannon Shooter Civil War: Hidden Mysteries Civil War The Battle Game Civil War Defense Civil War Battle Defense 1861 A Civil War Rebellion Civil War: 1862 Civil War: 1863

Posted by Leslie Eastman on June 25, 2015 40 Comments
As summer officially opens, battle lines are being drawn in the war against "cultural appropriation". This particular engagement pits Sioux Indians against a counter-cultural group that loves Native Americans a little too much.
The peace and love were interrupted by profanity Monday as Rainbow Family members confirmed their plan to congregate an estimated 5,000 people July 1 to July 7 somewhere in the Black Hills, but were immediately confronted by opponents of the gathering. ...The Rainbow Family of Living Light is a loose association of people who’ve been gathering since 1972 around the ideals of peace and healing. Some Native Americans have expressed concern that the gathering is not appropriate for the Black Hills, considered sacred Indian lands. Before the indoor meeting began, Native American activist James Swan, of the United Urban Warrior Society, parked a pickup west of the building, planted two flags and used a portable sound system to berate the Rainbow Family contingent that was gathered under a light rain on the west lawn of the visitor center.
I must admit, having your culture appropriated by The Rainbow Family of Living Light would be disturbing, as this video clearly shows:

Posted by Kemberlee Kaye on June 23, 2015 15 Comments
Despite gender fluidity's fifteen minutes of progressive fame, men and women still hold differing opinions on what is "morally acceptable" in the confines of a romantic relationship. Polling released by Gallup Monday showed that the spectrum of "morally acceptable" behaviors has grown, but a crevasse splits men and women on issues like pornography, divorce, polygamy, extramarital affairs, and oddly, having children out of wedlock. Women are more accepting of having children outside of marriage and divorce. Women too, are less likely to find homosexuality morally unacceptable. Gallup Polling Men and Women

Posted by Amy Miller on June 23, 2015 10 Comments
Can we be done with Rachel Dolezal? I think we're ready to be done with Rachel Dolezal. If the left's reaction to the general backlash against a decades-long exercise in blackface is any indication, we may be nearly free of seeing her face in the news. Acknowledging that the story is quickly fading into the background, Salon (#SalonPitches, still going strong!) published a missive dragging the issue back into the racial limelight: "What we can’t afford to forget about Rachel Dolezal: A master class in white victimology." I'm not going to pull a quote from this thing, because to do so would be to jump down the rabbit hole, through the looking glass, and into a world of intellectual pain; suffice it to say, the author attempts to make academic hay and fails (or succeeds, depending on how you feel about academia) spectacularly. On a more serious note, officials associated with the NAACP and other organizations continue to take Dolezal to task, bristling at the idea that we can change our racial heritage as a matter of "identity." The rest of the world, however, seems happy to hand over the story to comedians and the entertainment establishment. On a recent episode of Late Night with Seth Meyers, Maya Rudolph succumbed to demands that she take on the character and pulled it off with flair (and an afro):

Posted by Kemberlee Kaye on June 22, 2015 20 Comments
Last week, we discussed the Treasury Department's ill-conceived decision to boot Alexander Hamilton off the $10 bill in exchange for a yet-to-be-determined gal. Monday, the former Federal Reserve chairman wrote he was "appalled" by the Treasury Department's latest announcement. And because it's 2015, Bernanke blogged his disgust:
I must admit I was appalled to hear of Treasury Secretary Jack Lew's decision last week to demote Alexander Hamilton from his featured position on the ten dollar bill... Hamilton, the first Secretary of the Treasury, would qualify as among the greatest of our founders for his contributions to achieving American independence and creating the Constitution alone. In addition to those accomplishments, however, Hamilton was without doubt the best and most foresighted economic policymaker in U.S. history. As detailed in Ron Chernow's excellent biography, as Treasury Secretary Hamilton put in place the institutional basis for the modern U.S. economy. Critically, he helped put U.S. government finances on a sound footing, consolidating the debts of the states and setting up a strong federal fiscal system. The importance of Hamilton's achievement can be judged by the problems that the combination of uncoordinated national fiscal policies and a single currency has caused the Eurozone in recent years. Reflecting on those parallels, as Fed chairman I recommended Chernow's biography to Mario Draghi, the president of the European Central Bank. Mario told me that he read it with great interest.

Posted by Amy Miller on June 22, 2015 48 Comments
Marc Maron knows how to run an interview. I've been listening to his podcast for a while now; I call it cultural anthropology, much in the same way that those who monitor MSNBC and other outlets justify their forays into the gutters of mainstream media. I may not agree with him politically, but listening to Maron draw out the celebrities and entertainment types whose voices populate the podcasts downloaded to my phone every week is an exercise in appreciation for the human element of a terrible and transparent industry. Rarely does he spend much time talking politics; the 'cast is not a hospitable environment for talking points, and more often than not, guests who go into it with an agenda end up derailing into the gorge of their own humanity. Sex, drugs, rock n' roll, frustrations, failures, emotions...that's Maron's goal. Unless, of course, you're the President of the United States. If you're the president, you get to use your mic time to stump about the obstructionist Congress and preach about gun violence.

Posted by Kemberlee Kaye on June 18, 2015 59 Comments
Up until Wednesday night, I figured the push to have a woman's mug gracing American currency was nothing more than internet fun. Apparently, this is a thing that's actually happening. Late Wednesday evening, Benny Johnson and Justin Green of IJ Review reported the new $10 could be available as soon as 2020:
The Treasury Department is preparing to announce that they are putting a woman on the $10 bill, as a source has confirmed what appears to be a premature tweet. Treasury Secretary Jack Lew will announce Thursday that the Bureau of Engraving and Printing will put a woman on the bill as soon as 2020.
The Treasury attempted to be female friendly in 1978 when they printed $1 coins featuring Susan B. Anthony's face. Only 1/3 of the coins were circulated though. Despite the convenience of the $1 coin, the fad never really caught on. When it comes to having a woman's face on the cash I use to buy shoes, books, and americanos, I'm indifferent. It all spends the same. If anything, I loathe the idea that because I'm a woman I'm supposed to applaud or champion all women firsts a la "it's time a woman _____!" Being a woman and doing something a man did years before is not in itself an accomplishment. Likewise, slapping a woman's face on a $10 bill isn't a cause to celebrate.

Posted by Leslie Eastman on June 18, 2015 22 Comments
A leaked version of the climate change encyclical written by Pope Francis ignited a storm of controversy earlier this week.
The unexpected leak of Pope Francis’ much-anticipated environmental encyclical has meant the return of something that not long ago was fairly common around the Vatican but had become often dormant during the two-plus years of Francis’ mostly charmed papacy: intrigue. Who leaked it and why? Was this the work of frustrated conservatives in the Vatican, as some experts have speculated? Does it portend big fights at a pivotal October meeting in which church officials are expected to grapple with homosexuality and divorce? Or is it just a tempest in a teapot? “Somebody inside the Vatican leaked the document with the obvious intention of embarrassing the pope,” said Robert Mickens, a longtime Vatican expert and editor of Global Pulse, an online Catholic magazine.
In the wake of this incident, the Vatican revoked the credentials of Sandro Magister, the Italian journalist who has been reporting on the behind-the-scenes development of the papal document.

Posted by Kemberlee Kaye on June 17, 2015 22 Comments
Don't ever change, Internet. Otherwise how else would we be able to enjoy the simple pleasures in life, like this hillbilly banjo band hilariously heckling marathon runners? From a local Fox News affiliate in Franklin, TN:
Marathon runners in Leiper’s Fork were greeted with an unexpected surprise along their route in Franklin Half Marathon a few weeks ago. Runners usually expect to see friends and family as they run, but it’s not often that they see a hillbilly band parked along the side of the path to heckle them.
Serenading runners with "Dueling Banjos", the hillbilly band set up on the back of a truck, under the cover of a patio umbrella. Hollering things like, "where ya going?" "where y'all running from?" "what's your hurry?" and "slow down young man!" one gentleman beat a trash can lid on the side of a water trough and another bare-chested, overall-clad man danced a jig and chased runners around. Yet another man, who was lounging atop a five gallon paint drum in cut off cammo pants, joined his overalled companion in dancing a jig while brandishing an ax. It's a perfect slice of internet heaven:

Posted by Kemberlee Kaye on June 12, 2015 17 Comments
Last month we discussed feminist angst over summer blockbuster, Jurassic World. Evidently, the film's traditional gender roles were another tool of the patriarchy to keep women in the kitchen... or something. It should be noted that in an age where gender roles are a matter of choice, if one chooses to go the traditional route, the decision should be applauded. But when has any leftist faction ever employed ideological consistency? In any case, back to Jurassic World.

Be forewarned: Spoilers ahead, though I've tried to keep them vague.

If you enjoyed Jurassic Park, you'll love Jurassic World. I fully expected a modern redux of the original dino-park dream turn nightmare, but was pleasantly surprised. Jurassic World holds its own with plenty of subtle and not so subtle nods to its predecessor. Before the film hit the silver screen, there was much ado about the film's traditional gender roles -- at least among the feminists. Based on the trailer alone, they decried the portrayal of a stiff-shirted woman who needed the help of a man (heaven forbid!).

Posted by Kemberlee Kaye on June 12, 2015 6 Comments
A docudrama called Sing a Little Louder is based on a powerful true story from World War II. Set in World War II Germany, the film tells the story of a young German boy who's church was located next to the train tracks. Every Sunday at the same time, trains taking Jews to death camps passed by the church. One day, a train broke down. The cries and screams of the Jews being carted away were so loud, the pastor instructed the choir to sing louder to drown them out. Juliana Taimoorazy, the film's executive producer and President of the Iraqi Christian Relief Council, says the church in the West is no different than the small German church. While Christians in the Middle East are being persecuted and slaughtered for their faith, Christians in the West are singing a little louder.

Posted by Mike LaChance on June 12, 2015 27 Comments
Our humorless and intellectually superior friends on the left listened to what Jerry Seinfeld said about political correctness and proved his point in exactly the way you'd expect. Progressives can't abide a celebrity with Seinfeld's gravitas criticizing their culture of microaggressions and limits on free speech so naturally, he must be discredited. MSNBC's Alex Wagner discussed the subject with her guests and for the most part, they dismissed Seinfeld's concerns because after all, he's rich. Matthew Balan of NewsBusters:
Shorter MSNBC: Seinfeld's Jab at 'Creepy PC' Isn't Valid Because He's Rich Alex Wagner, along with her three liberal guests, ripped Jerry Seinfeld on her MSNBC program on Wednesday, for his blast at "creepy" political correctness. Wagner hinted that Seinfeld had "fallen behind the times." New York magazine's Annie Lowrey mocked his critique: "I kind of roll my eyes at Jerry Seinfeld. You know, he's a billionaire – like I don't feel sorry for him if people don't laugh hard enough at his jokes."
Here's the video:

Posted by Amy Miller on June 10, 2015 9 Comments
The day Caitlyn Jenner's Vanity Fair cover was revealed, I made a joke about it. It wasn't anything particularly crude or shocking, and it didn't go any further than the mildest joke you would have seen on Twitter that day, but I still fielded text messages chewing me out for being "insensitive" and "transphobic" by chittering outrage squirrels who don't understand what phobic means. People in general have accepted that for the most part, comedy comes from a dark place. It's the knee-jerk reaction that you repress, but that the comedian packages and splatters on the wall for the world to see. That being said, even the world's most popular creative talents are getting the sense that, when it comes to comedy, the general population would much rather not laugh at the expense of the bubble-wrapped classes that the left so jealously shields from criticism. On last night's Late Night with Seth Meyers, comedian Jerry Seinfeld joined Seth and New Yorker editor David Remnick and unleashed on today's PC culture that can't even handle a lighthearted joke about social media that happens to have the word "gay" in it. Watch:

Posted by Kemberlee Kaye on June 08, 2015 28 Comments
You probably remember Emma Sulkowicz, who carried her mattress around Columbia University to protest her alleged rapists presence on campus. Sulkowicz's "Carry the Weight" project was an act of "performance art" (her term, not ours) that resulted in college credit. Her alleged rapist, Paul Nungesser, was later cleared by Columbia and has since filed suit against the university. Sulkowicz graduated with her mattress in tow. Wasting no time, Sulkowicz released her latest piece of performance art -- a sex tape. "Ceci N'est Pas Un Viol" or "This is Not a Rape" is Sulkowicz's latest endeavor. Titled to imitate Rene Magritte’s “Ceci N’est Pas Une Pipe,” Sulkowicz's project begins with a trigger warning, and includes a critical thinking guide.

Posted by Kemberlee Kaye on June 08, 2015 20 Comments
On the rare occasion Mike Rowe of Dirty Jobs fame wanders into quasi-political discourse, he shares a perspective severely lacking in this overly-politicized world -- common sense observation. Usually, these observations are served up via Rowe's mail bag. Sunday afternoon, Rowe responded to a message from Craig P. Craig wrote:
Your constant harping on “work ethic” is growing tiresome. Just because someone’s poor doesn’t mean they’re lazy. The unemployed want to work! And many of those who can’t find work today, didn’t have the benefit of growing up with parents like yours. How can you expect someone with no role model to qualify for one of your scholarships or sign your silly “Sweat Pledge?” Rather than accusing people of not having a work-ethic, why not drop the right-wing propaganda and help them develop one?
Mr. P. makes several good points, namely -- despite the oft interneted mantra, just because someone's poor certainly doesn't mean they're lazy. In response to Mr. P., Rowe pointed out what's probably the single most productive observation I've seen on the matter (emphasis added):
Hi Craig, and Happy Sunday! I’m afraid you’ve overestimated the reach of my foundation, as well as my ability to motivate people I’ve never met. For the record, I don’t believe all poor people are lazy, any more than I believe all rich people are greedy. But I can understand why so many do.

Posted by Mike LaChance on June 06, 2015 6 Comments
Many people have written about our media which, with few exceptions, has become an arm of the Democratic Party. The other casualty of this era is the world of comedy. Last year, I wrote about it in a piece titled Cowardly Comedy in the Age of Obama. Little has changed since then. Most American comedians seem to have no problem speaking truth to power when Republicans are in charge but have found themselves unable to do so for the last seven years. It's obvious that many of these same comics are hoping to carry their sad act into the age of Hillary as well. David Rutz of the Washington Free Beacon put together the informative reel below which shows the lopsided treatment the left gets from America's court jesters. Of course, there are consequences for all of this.
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