Next week, two momentous occasions in Middle Eastern affairs will take place: President’s Obama’s long-negotiated sanctions deal with Iran takes effect on Monday, and on Wednesday, the Geneva II peace conference begins in Switzerland, where Syria’s opposing forces will come together to begin negotiating an end to hostilities and the building of a transitional government….

The TLC biopic, Crazy Sexy Cool, premiered on VH1 last week, and reminded me how much I love the group to this day. Their immense talent and unbelievable chemistry created a dominant cultural touchstone for people, especially women, who came of age in the late 1980s or early 1990s. TLC is part of the history…

From the “guess what, big law firms are still playgrounds for clueless white men” files: a memo circulated through Clifford Chance’s U.S. offices that gave women helpful tips for public speaking. Some of these tips: You’ve got to lose the “Um” and “Uh,” “You Know,” “OK,” and “Like.” Use a relaxed, open throat, breathe from…

Eminem’s new album, “The Marshall Mathers LP2″, is slated for release November 5th. No reputable outlet has yet reviewed the album’s actual content or quality, but that hasn’t stopped commentators at the NY Daily News and the Hollywood Reporter from breathlessly ringing the alarm: it’s full of homophobic slurs, including the word “f*ggot”, and Eminem still…