September 12th, 2008
Every break, I go home and get my hair cut and its color re-touched, my face pampered, my hands and feet manicured and pedicured, and my wardrobe updated with items I wouldn’t be able to get in the U.S., or in New Haven, at least. I go to one or two new restaurants that have opened in the time I was away (and rejoice silently when I remember I don’t have to tip there, because “service charge” is included in the bill), but most importantly, I make sure to stuff myself with greasy street food, rated by the late food critic R.W. Apple as one of the best and most varied in the world.
Welcome to Singapore, or Uniquely Singapore, as our Tourism Board would prefer me to say: a fine city, land of the free market but a censored press, home to the materially well-off but politically oppressed. The first thing friends at Yale ask me when they find out I’m from Singapore is whether chewing …
February 12th, 2008
By Sydney Lapeyrolerie
Valentine’s Day is around the corner. Sex Week is happening at Yale. If there were a Victoria’s Secret in New Haven, it surely would be low on merchandise this week particularly. For women everywhere, this time of year is an important one for lingerie shopping. However, as many men do not realize, not all women support this industry. There is, in fact, a large debate over the appropriateness of lingerie sales. Some believe that the garments help a woman to feel confident and increase self-esteem. Others see it as a self-debasing act that objectifies woman. While this is an irresolvable discussion, the question that all women need to ask themselves is: does a woman’s lingerie define her or is it simply another representation of her self-image?
Many women feel as though the lingerie industry is perpetuating masculine ideas about sexiness. Historically, lacy, transparent underwear and brassieres were a creation of male tailors before women came to dominate the fashion industry. The ideal woman to fit into the lingerie of …
February 11th, 2008
This week there are a ton of exciting Sex Week events planned. From the serious discussions about relationships to pornographic DVD giveaways, the subject matter runs the gamut. With so much going on it can be hard to keep it straight and decide which programs to attend. What follows is a Sphere recommendation guide for things to mark as “must do” for this week.
Check out the full schedule at Sexweekatyale.com
Monday February 11th
Dr. Ruth – Sexually speaking
7:30pm, Slifka Center
After assigning homework to the audience of a recent Mater’s Tea which included daily Kegal exercises for women and admiring one’s own penis for men, Dr. Ruth will surely be dispensing some gems at her talk about sex.
Tuesday February 12th
Patty Brisben – Everything you ever wanted to know about sex
7:30pm, Davies Auditorium
Enterprising Ms. Brisben has a few things up her sleeve to give away. Weather for a Valentines Day gift, some self-exploration, or kicks and giggles, surely there will be something for everyone.
Wednesday …
February 6th, 2008
By Sydney Lapeyrolerie
With the election looming in November and job application deadlines quickly approaching, it seems as though everyone is scrambling to make his or her look more professional. Whether it is the girl who is trading in her miniskirts for trouser slacks or the boy who is debating between the single-or double-Windsor, something in the air is pushing people towards Brooks Brothers and J.Crew. To a person who has grown up around career-oriented people, the beginning of the year seems to signal the time for the most important wardrobe staple worldwide: the power suit. It is attractive, conservative and mysteriously sexy. For women especially, suits now come in many varieties that truly leave room for self-expression. Anyone and everyone can master this outfit; the power suit is one of the last pieces that is able to upgrade any ensemble yet allow for individuality and variation. Generally, the power suit represents so many things: independence, domination, allure, and even androgeny. The three basic types of suits include:
The First Wife Suit
The …
January 31st, 2008
13th Annual Black Solidarity Conference at Yale
The Ballot or the Bullet: Revitalizing the Revolution
February 29 – March 2, 2008
www.yale.edu/bsc
No, if you never see me another time in your life, if I die in the morning, I’ll die saying one thing: the ballot or the bullet, the ballot or the bullet.
-Malcolm X
Now, I say to you today my friends, even though we face the difficulties of today and tomorrow, I still have a dream. It is a dream deeply rooted in the American dream. I have a dream that one day this nation will rise up and live out the true meaning of its creed: ‘We hold these truths to be self-evident, that all men are created equal.’
-Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr.
Both envisioning a greater America, Malcolm X and Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. uttered these beautiful and stirring words during a defining moment of American history. They and countless others wondered would the democratic ideals of justice, equality, and peace of our forefathers finally be realized. …
December 22nd, 2007
This past week, Yale’s Black Men’s Union partnered with the Delta Kappa Epsilon fraternity to conduct a toy and coat drive. The drive was kicked off with guys from BMU and DKE paying football shirtless in the brisk winter weather. The drive continued with toys, donations and coats being collected. With food, music, beverages, and football and charity melding together, the Polar Bear challenge was a great success.
Approximately 2,065 dollars were raised over the course of the week. They spent approximately 600 dollars on toys for Yale New Haven Children’s Hospital’s Toy Closet and donated 1,300 dollars in check form to the hospital to provide for a happier holiday for children that would be spending it in the hospital. Furthermore, all the coats collected during the coat drive will be donated to the United Way of New Haven.
The success of the toy/coat drive simply goes to show the power of collaboration. That two unlikely groups on campus could come together and use their partnership to achieve such high …
December 19th, 2007
By Young McGreevey
Image by Gail Shumway
The scope of political correctness means different things to different people and spans a large number of contexts. It entails what is acceptable in the halls of government and even part of the rationale on which this country bases political decisions. Beyond that, it is a component of what dictates social norms and what is generally permissible with non-close friends and acquaintances on the streets as well as in the office. It is also highly influential in shaping pop culture. Therefore, this guide jumps between all of these areas. Keep these tidbits in mind and 7 times out of 10 you should be fine.
1.) Don’t bring up organized religion in polite company, except to say how it’s oppressing something, particularly yourself.
2.) When making a commercial or movie, cast as many racially ambiguous, EurAsianBlackLatinocentric people as possible, with wavy yet-not-too-curly hair and perfect teeth.
3.) If you enjoy the use of epithets and you are a minority, please use only the racial epithet that has been used …
December 13th, 2007
By Sydney Lapeyrolerie
Images courtesy of ShopBop.com
Now that the weather has dropped, the demand for the winter coat has risen. However, with all the various social engagements and other occasions where stylish outerwear is crucial to an outfit, a girl simply has to pick the right jacket! A coat can make any ensemble instantly fabulous. With a whole new variety of trendy jackets this term, no one has the excuse to look like a rotten Christmas Tree in January. Follow our stylish winter jacket guide for tips on being this year’s Snow Belle of the Ball.
Military Jacket
This style is definitely the season’s darling. Sturdy and strong, this type of jacket really pulls together an outfit. While many are in a traditional navy blue or black, a military jack in an unconventional color, say turquoise or a plaid, can make a look unique and stylish. While pricing for this type of jacket ranges widely, a good place to find a cool military jacket is the thrift store. If this look is good …
December 7th, 2007
By Sharifa Love-Schnur
Apple is at it again. And of course by at it again, I mean always at it. Flashy new designs of the iPod Nano, and new iPod Touch. Reduced prices of iPhones sparked an uproar. The release of operating system Leopard touting “300+ new features” was highly anticipated and has been well received. But more than anything, iPod is back at commercials.
I don’t know anyone who hasn’t been hit over the head with the new iTouch commercial with the bopping pop-ish sound and the catch refrain of “music is my boyfriend, music is my imaginary friend.” After being bludgeoned one time too many with the commercial, I decided to do the standard Google search of lyrics to see what the song was and who it was by. To my surprise I found the title of the seemingly innocuous song is Music is My Hot Hot Sex.
This clearly demanded further investigation.
The band Cansei de Ser Sexy has apparently been around for a bit, founded in 2003, a …
November 30th, 2007
Sphere Magazine has teamed up with Dozo—New Haven’s newest upscale sushi house—to present an evening of cocktails, appetizers, and music to officially introduce Dozo to the Yale/New Haven community. December 1 is internationally recognized as World AIDS Day, and as a publication committed to promoting global citizenship, Sphere will dedicate the program and proceeds from ticket sales to support local efforts to eradicate the sting of this epidemic. As the AIDS epidemic exempts no culture, ethnicity, or class, Sphere has arranged a very inclusive program for the evening—combining world influences in the choice of venue and the featured artists. Proceeds will benefit AIDS Walk New Haven and
Leeway AIDS Hospice.
