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How the Word ‘Voodoo’ Became a Racial Slur
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How the Word ‘Voodoo’ Became a Racial Slur

For decades, it has been common for people to throw around terms like “voodoo politics,” “voodoo economics,” “voodoo science” and “voodoo medicine” to reference something that they think is ridiculous, idiotic or fraudulent. Horror movies and crime shows often tell stories about evil “voodoo doctors” who terrorize their victims with black magic. Even Disney’s first...

The Lotus Sutra − an Ancient Buddhist Scripture from the 3rd Century − Continues to Have Relevance Today
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The Lotus Sutra − an Ancient Buddhist Scripture from the 3rd Century − Continues to Have Relevance Today

State legislatures across the United States have introduced over 400 bills to limit transgender Americans’ rights. Many of these bills’ sponsors, such as the Christian nonprofit Alliance Defending Freedom, cite Christian values as well as the values of the other Abrahamic faiths – Judaism and Islam – to justify their anti-trans positions. The Alliance Defending...

The (Wrong) Reason We Keep Secrets
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The (Wrong) Reason We Keep Secrets

In and out of the workplace, people often keep adverse information about themselves secret because they worry that others will judge them harshly. But those fears are overblown, according to new research from the McCombs School of Business. In fact, when study participants pushed through fear to reveal a secret, those in whom they confided...

Nigeria’s Plantain Wine: a Traditional Drink with Huge Economic Potential
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Nigeria’s Plantain Wine: a Traditional Drink with Huge Economic Potential

Agadagidi, a wine made from plantain, is a popular drink at festive occasions in Nigeria. But it’s not always of a high quality. It is usually produced in the southern part of the country in limited quantities because it is difficult to store. Akwa-Ibom, Cross River, Imo, Enugu, Rivers, Edo, Delta, Lagos, Ogun, Osun and...

From Ancient Greece to Broadway, Music Has Played a Critical Role in Theater
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From Ancient Greece to Broadway, Music Has Played a Critical Role in Theater

Though anxiety about the fate of live theater performances still lingers, Broadway is celebrating its third season since reopening after the COVID-19 pandemic, with a lineup dominated once again by musicals. The new season includes long-running hits like “Hamilton,” revivals of classics like “Merrily We Roll Along,” new musical adaptations of nonmusical works like “Days...

In Conversation with Tim O’Keefe of the Texas Ballet Theater
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In Conversation with Tim O’Keefe of the Texas Ballet Theater

The winter holiday season is chock full of tradition, and one of the most beloved traditions this time of year is seeing the beloved ballet The Nutcracker. Except for the sourest curmudgeons, The Nutcracker dances, music, story, and costumes are major fan favorites, for many reasons, and that’s not just the opinion of the average showgoer, but of...

Passion and Sumptuousness- La Traviata at the FGO
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Passion and Sumptuousness- La Traviata at the FGO

It’s the opening of the Florida Grand Opera’s 82nd season, and this one delivers a few of the most beloved in the operatic canon. The FGO is starting with La Traviata, and audiences are already buzzing about its passion and sumptuousness. Before the actual premier performance, nearly 1,400 students from the Miami-Dade district attended a dress...