China’s Covid policy didn’t have to end in riot and protest. This is why it did | Stephen Reicher

On Thursday 24 November, a fire broke out on the 15th floor of an apartment block in Urumqi, capital of the western Chinese province of Xinjiang. At least 10 people died, all from the minority Uyghur community. Outrage grew at the fact that the deaths were entirely avoidable, caused by China’s draconian Covid lockdown policy. … Read more

Kathy Burke: ‘I’m so glad I didn’t kill myself during menopause’

The director, writer and performer Kathy Burke experienced suicidal impulses as a result of the menopause, she has confided in an interview with the Observer Magazine this weekend. Burke, 58, who has survived a string of serious physical health scares during her career, reveals that her more recent struggles with mental health may have been … Read more

Ireland took their chances, Springboks didn’t – Siya Kolisi | The Citizen

Springbok captain Siya Kolisi admitted that the age-old problem of the Springboks being unable to take their opportunities once again returned to haunt them as they went down 19-16 against Ireland in their end-of-year-tour match at the Aviva Stadium in Dublin on Saturday night. The Boks were on top of the hosts in the possession … Read more

Steven van Betten – I Didn’t Mean To Do That :: Indie Shuffle

Straying for what we normally share, Steven van Betten’s “I Didn’t Mean To Do That” is a more folk-leaning track with a moving message. It’s a song with a strong concept backing it. Multi-colored examples of human mistakes roll off the artist’s tongue punctuated by the refrain ‘I didn’t mean to do that.’ It is, … Read more

House of the Dragon’s Messy Time Jumps Didn’t Benefit the Characters

With Breakbones being the biological father of Rhaenyra’s first three children, further hurting her claim to the throne in the eyes of those who already considered her an illegitimate heir, Ser Harwin’s sparse appearances and sudden death on the show are truly confounding. One could argue the couple’s extramarital affair is one of the most … Read more

You didn’t have to know country music to know that Loretta Lynn (1932-2022) was an American icon: tribute

(October 7, 2022).  There are certain names in music that are just transcendental.   A kid born in 2002, for instance, knows that Elvis or the Beatles or Michael Jackson were legendary artists, once-in-a-lifetime figures whose work and accomplishments often precede them, even if that millennial didn’t grow up listening to those acts and doesn’t have the … Read more

Why Didn’t Zendaya & Tom Holland Go to the Emmys Together?

The biggest heist of this year’s Emmy Awards? Tom Holland and Zendaya’s decision to deny us their non-Spiderman red carpet debut as a couple. Don’t worry — the happy couple is still seemingly very much together. Only days ago, Tom was photographed visiting Zendaya on the set of Dune 2 in Budapest. But Tom’s absence … Read more