The inaccuracy of most nativity scenes in the U.S. that has had the most enduring negative effect is the complexion of the holy family. In most cases, Jesus, Joseph, and Mary have fair skin, blue eyes, rosy-red cheeks, and (in some cases) blond hair. That's a product of 19th-century America, according to Edward Blum, San Diego State University religion professor and co-author of "The Color of Christ," who told The Washington Post that evangelical Protestants ran with a fake letter that " Read More...
Cardi B is dealing with a flood of threats from apparent gang members, thanks to a social media post that included a hardcore diss against the Crips.
On Monday, Cardi put up a shot of herself rocking a blue fur coat in Minneapolis. Her caption said, "I hate wearing Flue but this coat was too poppin." It's that word "Flue" that has her in serious hot water -- it's a way to knock Crips favorite color, blue, without using the actual word. Read More...
Books blogTurkmenistanA dictator's guide to the universeWhat would aliens make of Turkmenistan if they discovered a copy of Saparmurat Niyazov's panoptical Ruhnama?Two years ago in a McDonald's in Moscow I asked a man from Ashgabat about some of the bizarre stories circulating about his homeland:
"Is it true that gold teeth are banned in Turkmenistan?" "Complete bullshit." "I heard that beards are banned too..." "Don't believe what you read on the internet. Read More...