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I Was Teaching Virtue and Knowledge While Lying on the Side
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I Was Teaching Virtue and Knowledge While Lying on the Side

I had been with my boyfriend, Tyler, for almost 10 years when we finally agreed that we should get engaged and married. Up until then, our respective jobs – mine as an academic, his as a fisherman – had forced us to endure long stretches apart. But I had been offered a permanent academic job...

Indie Coffee Shops Are Meant to Counter Corporate Behemoths Like Starbucks – So Why Do They All Look the Same?
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Indie Coffee Shops Are Meant to Counter Corporate Behemoths Like Starbucks – So Why Do They All Look the Same?

Like many young, urban professionals, we run on coffee. We especially enjoy frequenting independently owned cafes that pride themselves on ethically sourced beverages, strong local ties and a hip aesthetic. They’re the kinds of places that sneer at the homogenization and predictability of Tim Hortons, Second Cup, Dunkin and Starbucks. But as public space and...

Racial, Political Cues on Social Media Shape TV Audiences’ Choices
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Racial, Political Cues on Social Media Shape TV Audiences’ Choices

Social media users are more likely to watch TV programs that are endorsed by members of their political party, a recent study suggests. However, individuals’ racial identity and their perceptions of racial and political ingroup norms and the demographics of a program’s intended audience also play roles in their decisions. Stewart Coles, a professor of communication at...

The Inspiring and Tragic Story of Mabel Stark, America’s Most Famous Female Tiger Trainer
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The Inspiring and Tragic Story of Mabel Stark, America’s Most Famous Female Tiger Trainer

For the sharpest minds in show business, there’s always another hustle. Take Joe Exotic, whose 2020 conviction for a murder-for-hire plot and violations of the Endangered Species Act hasn’t kept the eccentric tiger trainer out of the headlines. Since beginning his 21-year sentence, the “Tiger King” star has started a cannabis brand, hawked digital art...

Swipe Right, but Safer
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Swipe Right, but Safer

To address persistent concerns about harassment, boundary violation and user safety in digital dating spaces, a research team led by the University of Waterloo has launched an interactive Safety Map to coincide with International Women’s Day. Hundreds of millions of people use dating apps worldwide, with younger adults aged 18 to 34 being the most active users. In Canada, for example, roughly one in three people report having used a dating app, with 47 per cent of users identifying as women, underscoring...

Bad Bunny Says Reggaeton Is Puerto Rican, but It Was Born in Panama
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Bad Bunny Says Reggaeton Is Puerto Rican, but It Was Born in Panama

Bad Bunny likes to remind the world where he and his music come from. In “EoO,” a song from his 2025 album “DeBÍ TiRAR MáS FOToS,” he raps, “‘Tás escuchando música de Puerto Rico” (“You’re listening to music from Puerto Rico”). Similarly, in the album’s second track, “VOY A LLeVARTE PA PR,” he announces that...

European Capitals of Culture: A Diplomatic Linchpin in an Unstable World?
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European Capitals of Culture: A Diplomatic Linchpin in an Unstable World?

This year the cities of Trenčín in Slovakia and Oulu in Finland took the helm as Europe’s cultural beacon cities. As the Old Continent redefines its role on the global geopolitical stage, the European Capitals of Culture (ECoC) programme is at a turning point. The European Commission recently launched a public forum initiative to collectively...

Romance Films Shape Expectations of Love
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Romance Films Shape Expectations of Love

It’s almost Valentine’s Day, and love stories are in the spotlight. While binge watching romance films can be a fun way to celebrate the season, Virginia Tech experts Sarah Ovink and Rose Wesche say formulaic depictions of love may set unrealistic expectations for real-life relationships. Ovink, associate professor of sociology, said media’s role in shaping expectations of love starts...

Raise a Glass: Simple Holiday Cocktails With San Martín Tequila
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Raise a Glass: Simple Holiday Cocktails With San Martín Tequila

The holidays are the perfect time to gather friends and family, and nothing sets the mood like a thoughtfully crafted cocktail. This season, elevate your celebrations with San Martín Tequila, an exceptional spirit that blends craftsmanship with a refined, artful aesthetic. You don’t need an elaborate bar setup to impress. These simple, popular cocktail recipes...

Evidence from Professional Golf Shows Political Divides Undermine Focus and Hurt Performance at Work
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Evidence from Professional Golf Shows Political Divides Undermine Focus and Hurt Performance at Work

Few workers face more scrutiny than professional athletes. Every movement is measured, every outcome quantified, and every performance evaluated against objective standards. So when UC Berkeley Haas researcher Tim Sels wondered how America’s deepening political polarization was affecting workers’ performance, he turned to one of the most comprehensive data sets on individual human performance: the...