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Culture Archive

Archives for November 2014

Culture
Katherine Heigl’s terrible new show State of Affairs, gif-splainedKatherine Heigl’s terrible new show State of Affairs, gif-splained
Culture

In her new show, State of Affairs, Katherine Heigl flounders as a CIA official.

By Kelsey McKinney and Alex Abad-Santos
Technology
Code/red: Big Tech Calls for Deactivation of NSA’s Eye of SauronCode/red: Big Tech Calls for Deactivation of NSA’s Eye of Sauron
Technology

Plus, Samsung’s plans to shrink its smartphone lineup, the wait for Apple’s trillion-dollar market cap and a grooming tip for Larry Ellison.

By John Paczkowski
Why Bill Keller left the New York Times to put a spotlight on criminal justice
Media

A conversation with the editor and the founder of The Marshall Project

By Dara Lind
Technology
Why Big Data Is Bad for Pop Music and More #MustreadsWhy Big Data Is Bad for Pop Music and More #Mustreads
Technology

Taylor Swift might be right after all, just not how she imagined it.

By Noah Kulwin
Culture
Disney’s The Little Mermaid turns 25 today. Read the original instead.Disney’s The Little Mermaid turns 25 today. Read the original instead.
Culture

Disney’s The Little Mermaid turns 25 today. The animated classic is known for a singing mermaid who combs her hair with forks and a comical West Indian crab, but the Hans Christian Andersen fairy tale that inspired the film is a much darker, much mor

By Kelsey McKinney
Culture
The Sopranos is finally on Blu-Ray. Here’s the one episode you have to watch.The Sopranos is finally on Blu-Ray. Here’s the one episode you have to watch.
Culture

It involves Robert Patrick.

By Emily St. James
Culture
A male TV anchor wore the same suit for 365 days. Nobody noticed.A male TV anchor wore the same suit for 365 days. Nobody noticed.
Culture

While Stefanovic’s prank is funny, it also shows the inequality women face in the workforce everyday. On television, as in every workplace, women are judged more harshly than men on their appearance and less on their actual work.

By Kelsey McKinney
Technology
Code/red: Elon Musk Is Starting to Scare MeCode/red: Elon Musk Is Starting to Scare Me
Technology

Plus, why Apple’s UnionPay deal is a big one, Spotify for dogs, treadmills for shrimp and Religious Vader.

By John Paczkowski
Culture
Five ways Sesame Street changed the worldFive ways Sesame Street changed the world
Culture

Sure, the show, turning 45 this month, changed TV. But why settle for that? It made the world a better place.

By Emily St. James
Technology
Re/code on the Air: Silicon Valley’s Oscars, Uber’s Giant Pile of Money and Barack Obama’s Big Net Neutrality NewsRe/code on the Air: Silicon Valley’s Oscars, Uber’s Giant Pile of Money and Barack Obama’s Big Net Neutrality News
Technology

Want more Re/code? You get more Re/code: Here are some of our sharpest TV and radio appearances from the last week.

By Peter Kafka
Culture
Bill Cosby refuses to respond to rape allegationsBill Cosby refuses to respond to rape allegations
Culture

This question gives me no pleasure, Mr. Cosby,” Simon begins, “but there have been serious allegations against you in the last couple of days.”

By Kelsey McKinney
Culture
The definitive playlist of songs about buttsThe definitive playlist of songs about butts
Culture

The internet remains sound. For now. In honor of Kim, let’s see what a playlist of celebratory butt songs does to it.

By Kelsey McKinney
Movies
Why science fiction mattersWhy science fiction matters
Movies

Science fiction can give students a tangible vision of change.

By New America Foundation Weekly Wonk
Health Care
Grubergate is really ObamacaregateGrubergate is really Obamacaregate
Health Care

The irony of everyone turning on Jon Gruber.

By Ezra Klein
Culture
Here’s a dark, funny, and beautiful show you should watch this weekendHere’s a dark, funny, and beautiful show you should watch this weekend
Culture

Part musical, part sibling drama, and part complete absurdity, Over the Garden Wall is a story that might be about death and is definitely about brotherhood.

By Kelsey McKinney