CULTURE BUZZ – These kits help women collect evidence on their own after a rape, but were always prohibitively expensive. Starting in 2009, all states will be required to pay for anonymous rape kits in order to continue receiving funding. Well, there’s not much good news to give rape victims, but at least now, prosecuting rape cases will get a lot easier starting in 2009. It’s nice to see our country progressing in some form.

The Best Links:

1. At-Home Rape Exam Now Available without Having to Go to the Cops
2. ‘Jane Doe’ Rape Kits Allow Evidence To Be Collected Anonymously
3. Good News for Rape Victims!
4. Rape kit on Wikipedia
5. This will obviously help women, but what about the men??
6. Jane Doe Kits Go National…Finally!
7. How Rape Kits in NYC Work - Sometimes Your Insurance Covers It
8. Missouri “Out Of Money” For Rape Kits

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CULTURE BUZZ – Clip from a Japanese TV show features a monkey bartender. As the human race de-evolves, monkeys will one day inherit the earth.

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CULTURE BUZZ – Joan Acocella, a Manhattanite herself, answers in Smithsonian why her fellow city dwellers are so often thought to be rude - it’s because they’re smart! As New Yorkers, we must admit we would have trouble imagining Ms. Acocella coming to our overpriced, underwhelming outer-borough apartment and thinking us Mensa material.

The Best Links:

1. Why Joan Acocella Thinks New Yorkers Are Pretty Nice (If You Get To Know Them)
2. “It is Downright Knuckleheaded to Assert That Nice People Are Dumb”
3. New Yorkers “Work So Hard to Live There, It Only Makes Them Love The City More.”
4. New Yorkers = Media Nerds?
5. Why New Yorkers Don’t Let Paul Mccartney Catch Them Texting
6. “Heh, Who’d of Thought New York Would Have Something to Say About Kingdom Living?” [Church & The City]

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CULTURE BUZZ – A Flickr photoset juxtaposing screens from GTA IV’s Liberty city with shots of New York City includes many accurate and crazy details. For more ways in which GTA IV resembles real life, be sure to read this article about dating advice according to Grand Theft Auto.

The Best Links:

1. Check Out the Flickr Photoset Here
2. Proof of Just How Detailed GTA IV Is
3. Manhattan Bridge vs Algonquin Bridge
4. Statue of Liberty vs Happiness
5. Times Square vs Star Junction
6. Grand Theft Auto Takes On New York
7. Digg Users Are Digging the Photo Tour

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CULTURE BUZZ – An enormous, animated wall-painting by the Argentinian street artist Blu. This is amazing; if you like it, check out the artist’s site for more.

The Best Links:

1. Blu’s Site, With Other Videos and Art

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CULTURE BUZZ – In Argentina, a new movement to bring back slowing dancing attracted 4,000 people to an outdoor slow dance party. The revelers, who learned of the event via Facebook and mass emails, danced to hits like Peter Cetera’s “The Glory of Love,” Bryan Adams’ “(Everything I Do) I Do it For You,” and Whitney Houston’s “I Will Always Love You.” Although the event turned out to be a marketing campaign for Doritos, please let this catch on. I would love it if 8th grade graduation-style dances were the next New Rave.

The Best Links:

1. Bringing Back The Slow Dance in Buenos Aires
2. Que vuelvan los Lentos Official Site
3. Atención Románticos: Los Lentos Vuelven Gracias a Una Publicidad
4. “Return of the Slow Dance, a Marketing Stunt?”
5. Slow Dance Fans Mob Buenos Aires Planetarium
6. Forget the Tango. Remember the Slow Dance: ‘Que Vuelvan los Lentos’
7. Que Vuelvan Los Lentos at the Planetario in Palermo
8. Doritos Had Me at Slow Dancing

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CULTURE BUZZ – A New York news anchor drops an f-bomb on live TV. WNBC’s Sue Simmons was obviously irked about something during this news teaser, which aired live last night. She’s since issued an apology.

The Best Links:

1. Simmons Says Sorry for Her “Unfortunate Mistake”

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CULTURE BUZZ – Sex and the City fans can now buy a special edition “Mr. Big” rabbit vibrator, coinciding with the release of the movie. The Sex and the City movie is almost upon us! We’ve been hearing about it for so long now that it might take a vibrator to get us excited again.

The Best Links:

1. Lame Way to Capitalize on the Sex and the City Movie
2. Buy the Vibrator in the UK
3. Get One for Half Price if You See the Movie
4. Buy the Rabbit at Babeland

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CULTURE BUZZ – Kittens + treadmills = YouTube sub-genre!! Look at the cats, so mesmerizing on their treadmills. Walk, kitty, walk!!!

The Best Links:

1. They’re Workout Buddies!!
2. This Cat is in Better Shape Than Me, and That is Sad!!
3. Is This Torture? Cat Hatez a Treadmillz!
4. 2 Cats, 2 Funny!!
5. Three Minutes Later, Still Scary, The Look This Cat Has in Its Eyes
6. Treadmill Cat Loves Techno!
7. Very, Very Determined Cat Will Not Give Up!
8. The Sting Soundtrack Here Really Makes This Cat/Treadmill Video Special

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CULTURE BUZZ – The voting is now open for the 2008 annual World’s Ugliest Dog contest. Cast your vote now! Even though he already won last year, I’m rooting for Elwood (pictured). The mohawk and lolling tongue rival the cuteness of any goldendoodle.

The Best Links:

1. Sonoma-Marin Fair 2008 - Vote Now
2. YouTube - Last Year’s Winner
3. The Ugly Dog that Won the Contest 3 Years in a Row
4. Sam The World’s Ugliest Dog Uncannily Resembles Amy Winehouse
5. The World’s Ugliest Dog and the World’s TWO Cutest Dogs!!
6. Who are you rooting for??
7. The Ugly Contest Phenomenon

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