Culture

Following 2020's competition 'freedom of expression and satire in danger,' the Euro-Mediterranean Centre LIBREXPRESSION (Fondazione Giuseppe Di Vagno -1889-1921) boldly chose a natural successor for 2021. 'Cancel Culture and Political Correctness' was 2021's category for Europe's finest political cartoonists. Tom Janssen from the Netherlands scooped the top prize with his "Black Lives Matter" cartoon. Here's what the jury had to say about the piece: "Many have been, and still are, those who support, at least ostensibly, the anti-racist Black Lives Matter movement, but without doing much more than raising their fist to improve things on the issue. With his biting irony, precise and dynamic graphics, Tom Janssen unambiguously highlights the hypocrisy of our modern Western societies, quick to get emotional on social networks but indifferent to the concrete reality they face every day." Second prize went to Elena Ospina (Colombia) for "Censorship". Third prize was …

[Read more...] about ‘Black Lives Matter’ wins 2021 LIBEX cartoon prize focussed on ‘Cancel Culture’

Published 11 August 2015 Share close Share page Copy link About sharing Related Topics Ukraine conflict Ukraine has banned 38 books published in Russia, alleging that they spread "hate ideology" and "separatism". The ban includes works by Russian nationalists Alexander Dugin, Eduard Limonov and Sergei Glazyev. The blacklist was published by the Ukrainian State Television and Radio Committee. It accused Russia of waging "information warfare" against Ukraine. Ukraine and Western leaders say Russia is fomenting separatism and helping the insurgents in eastern Ukraine. "Information war" is seen as part of Russia's "aggression" against the pro-Western government in Kiev. Ukrainian troops and pro-Russian separatists exchange artillery fire daily in the Donetsk-Luhansk conflict zone. A spokesperson at Amnesty International's Kiev office, Bogdan Ovcharuk, condemned …

[Read more...] about Ukraine bans 38 Russian ‘hate’ books amid culture war

Bars form the backdrop to many Americans' social lives, whether they are the setting off for after-work cocktails or a quiet first date. And despite the U.S. witnessing a sustained fall in alcohol consumption in recent years, bars and brewers are beginning to adapt to changing tastes, by introducing ranges of less inebriating drinks. Research into America's Best Beer Towns by realtor Trulia appears to show bar-room drinking culture is far more pronounced in certain cities. These 10 U.S. cities, listed below, have the greatest concentration of bars per 10,000 households, according to Trulia's findings. =9. Ithaca, New York (12.1 bars per 10,000 households) This college town on Cayuga Lake, in New York 's Finger Lakes region, has long been associated with high-quality alcohol production. Ithaca is home to many orchards, meaning the city hosts many cideries, while Cayuga Lakes wineries and breweries also produce much on offer at the area's 47 bars. =9. Sheboygan, Wisconsin …

[Read more...] about These cities have the most bars per capita in America

Cats and dogs have very distinct tendencies, traits and personalities. So is it impossible for these furry friends to co-exist in a home or even become friends? Lovers of both pets can indeed enjoy the best of both under one roof. However, like all relationships, establishing and nurturing a positive co-existence requires work and there are several elements to consider to maintain a dog and cat friendly home. Speaking to Newsweek , Zazie Todd—the author of Wag: The Science of Making Your Dog Happy and the forthcoming book Purr: The Science of Making Your Cat Happy, which is out in spring 2022—said good early life experiences are key and cats will get along better with dogs if they are introduced as kittens. The early part of a kitten's life, from when they are two to around seven weeks old, is a sensitive period for socialization. "A wide range of positive experiences in this time helps them grow up to be friendly, confident, adult cats. So if they have positive …

[Read more...] about 7 mistakes to avoid when introducing cats and dogs

Women truly can do anything—even sell fried chicken. On Thursday, KFC announced a new advertising campaign featuring country music star Reba McEntire as Colonel Sanders, the first woman to ever take on the role of the company's mustached and goateed founder. There was no attempt to make a womanly version of the Southern colonel for McEntire. In a new commercial, the 62-year-old singer and actress wears the white-haired wig and facial hair with pride while she belts out a tongue-and-cheek song. "I'm Colonel Sanders, the same as always," McEntire croons, while the non-Sanders McEntire sits in the audience. "I swear I'm not a famous woman!" It's clearly light-hearted, and McEntire follows other celebrities who have donned the Colonel's white suit in KFC ads over the years—including Rob Lowe, Rob Riggle, Jim Gaffigan, Billy Zane and Darroll Hammond. But McEntire is the first woman cast by the fast-food company to shill buckets of its 11-original-herbs-and-spices chicken. Is …

[Read more...] about KFC casts first female Colonel Sanders, and some men are actually mad about it

A t one point in the long-awaited new film Candyman , billed as a “ spiritual sequel ” to the 1992 cult horror flick by the same name, a character is heading toward an inevitable confrontation with the monster. We’ve seen this moment a thousand times. The character knows now that evil is afoot. She knows that it’s of a supernatural variety. Blood has been shed. Her every step is measured and cautious. We can hear the creaking. We are tensed, ready for the jump scare. She comes upon a door, slowly opens it. On the other side is a long stairwell leading down to an eerie cellar. We know that she must go down there. She knows that she must go down there. She considers the dark path before her for a moment before gently but decisively shutting the door. “Nope,” she says. Watching a screener, I imagined audiences losing it at this particular moment. How many times have we watched horror films in which the protagonist makes the inexplicable choice to go further into danger just …

[Read more...] about Don’t Go in the Basement

I’ll say this for Keanu : The cat is cute. If it weren’t, the whole endeavor would have fallen apart in the opening scene, where an underground drug operation is raided by two merciless gangsters, and an adorable tabby kitten, the titular hero, pops its head out of a pile of dollar bills and makes a break for freedom. Keanu is the first feature film starring the comedy duo Keegan-Michael Key and Jordan Peele, who electrified the sketch-comedy genre with their show Key & Peele. While they certainly lend to the movie’s overall charm, the whole violent, loony caper wouldn’t make a bit of sense—nor would it be nearly as delightful—without the darn cat. Perhaps in an homage to the mercurial Hollywood icon it’s named after, Keanu is a zany comic take on the Keanu Reeves-starring John Wick , only this time, all the gangsters are doing battle over a kitten instead of a photogenic beagle. It’s also a take on the phenomenon of “ code switching ,” digging into Hollywood’s …

[Read more...] about ‘Keanu’: Like a Really Long ‘Key & Peele’ Sketch, With an Adorable Kitten

Back in the spring of 2011, as Gary Speed was beginning the process of revolutionising the Welsh national setup, he called his squad together before a match against England. One of his demands as the newly-installed Wales manager was for every player to sing the national anthem, whether they spoke Welsh or not, and in that meeting he told them he had found a way to help them learn the words. Speed’s grand plan, it turned out, was to recruit Courtenay Hamilton, a classical singer who also happened to be the reigning Miss Wales. Hamilton was performing the anthem before the England game at the weekend and, in the days leading up to the fixture, she was asked by the Football Association of Wales to provide a group singing lesson for the senior squad. Armed with the lyrics on sheets of paper (the Welsh version and the phonetic version), the Wales players inevitably enjoyed the occasion. It was a good laugh, as one might expect, and Speed evidently wanted the players to have fun with …

[Read more...] about A decade after his death, Gary Speed’s Wales legacy lives on

In a new book, Dangerous Hero , outlining the myriad ways in which Jeremy Corbyn is unfit for office – cleverly flagged up by The Mail on Sunday ’s screamer “UNFIT FOR OFFICE” – the charge list is so long that I can’t decide where to start. So here, randomly selected by dice throw, are five of the more sensational accusations targeted at him by Tom Bower, whose biography is serialised over a scant 13 or so pages of the popular tabloid. In tribute to Eric Morley announcing the Miss World results, these are listed in reverse order of severity. 5. When a former wife cooked a vegetarian Christmas dinner for Jezza and his eccentric brother Piers, “they stuffed it down their gullets, and never said thanks”. 4. On the day the family moved out of a house, he forgot to clear out the fridge in accord with his wife’s instructions. Brexit so far: in pictures Show all 53 3. At his grammar school in Shropshire, he was regarded not only as a …

[Read more...] about Here’s why the ‘devastating’ expose on Corbyn might actually work in his favour

Here’s a collection curated by The Associated Press’ entertainment journalists of what’s arriving on TV streaming services and music platforms this week. MOVIES — You have to admire the moxie of Netflix and director Ben Wheatley for taking on Daphne du Maurier’s “Rebecca,” which already has a masterpiece Alfred Hitchcock adaptation to its name. But even with the less than stellar reviews, the prospect of watching stunners Lily James and Armie Hammer fret around Manderley in period clothes is still just too alluring to deny. And if “Rebecca” doesn’t satisfy the need for voyeuristic beauty when it hits Netflix Wednesday, the streamer is also getting Todd Haynes’ “Carol” back in its ranks Thursday. — Following his critically acclaimed turn as activist Abbie Hoffman in Aaron Sorkin’s “The Trial of the Chicago 7,” Sacha Baron Cohen is returning to the character he made his name with: Borat. The Kazakhstani television host is back with “Borat 2” or “Borat Subsequent …

[Read more...] about New this week: The Boss, Billie Eilish, Borat & ‘Bad Hair’