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Peaky Blinders: episode by episodePeaky BlindersAs the series moved beyond the halfway point, tragedy continued to stalk the Shelby family – alongside a little brotherly bonding and fascism coming to the fore A shock diagnosis, a secret son and a reluctant salute. Here’s your full medical examination of episode four, Sapphire … The enemy within“I understand you have defeated many enemies, Mr Shelby. Now you have a new one inside you. [Read More]

LGBTQ+ rightsLettersPlease don’t use the Q-wordKarl Lockwood says he and many other gay people find the use of the word ‘queer’ insulting and derogatory We’re here, we’re queer, get used to it | LetterRead moreYour report (England and Wales census counts trans and non-binary people for first time, 6 January) tells us that of the 1.5 million people who declared themselves non-heterosexual, only 15,000 referred to themselves as “queer”. I suspect that many of the others, like me, consider the term to be insulting and derogatory, and certainly not “reclaimed”. [Read More]

Oregon wide receiver Troy Franklin celebrates after scoring a touchdown against Colorado during the first half of Saturday’s game in Eugene, Oregon. Photograph: Amanda Loman/APOregon wide receiver Troy Franklin celebrates after scoring a touchdown against Colorado during the first half of Saturday’s game in Eugene, Oregon. Photograph: Amanda Loman/APCollege football‘They’re fighting for clicks’: Oregon slam brakes on Colorado hype train with 42-6 rout No 10 Oregon win 42-6 over No 19 Colorado in Eugene Oregon coach says team is ‘rooted in substance not flash’ Deion Sanders has struck fear into the establishment Turns out Colorado wasn’t quite ready for Oregon’s version of prime time. [Read More]

Beyoncé This article is more than 1 month oldTina Knowles defends daughter Beyoncé against allegations of skin lighteningThis article is more than 1 month oldKnowles posted an Instagram statement saying that reports following her daughter’s recent red carpet appearance made her ‘blood boil’ Tina Knowles has defended her daughter Beyoncé on social media against allegations that she lightened her skin for the premiere of her new concert film. On 25 November, the 42-year-old pop star attended the opening of Renaissance: A Film by Beyoncé on the “chrome carpet” in an all-silver outfit with platinum blond hair. [Read More]

Italy US priests' tap-dancing duel – video Two priests – the Rev David Rider and the Rev John Gibson – stage a tap-dancing duel in front of a crowd at the Pontifical North American College in Rome. The dance-off was filmed by journalist Joan Lewis in April but has since gained hundreds of thousands of views on social media Source: YouTube Fri 24 Oct 2014 09.55 BST First published on Fri 24 Oct 2014 09. [Read More]

Armistead Maupin'A friend rang me and said how could I do that to such a beautiful, beautiful man?'Armistead Maupin tells Patrick Gale how he took the rap for outing Rock HudsonIn 1976, Armistead Maupin had fallen in with Jack Coates, who had been Rock Hudson's lover for four or five years. Coates took Maupin and a group of friends to the San Bernadino Playhouse to see Hudson in a stage production of John Brown's Body. [Read More]

The guidelinesCultureThe Guidelines: Random notes from pop culturePeel your ears (1) and get this, nickel rats (2). Some nighthawk (3) has been using his noggin (4) so much that rather than hittin' the hop (5) they've compiled a collection of the best US slang from the 1920s to the 1960s. So grab a flop (6), chill your chat (7) and learn how to talk like a real hipster. Or something. [Read More]

Reel historyMoviesJack Nicholson's storming performance aside, this 1992 biopic of Jimmy Hoffa suffers from an excess of fictional embellishment in David Mamet's screenplay, and unintentional nods to Queen's Bohemian Rhapsody videoDirector: Danny DeVito Entertainment grade: C– History grade: C Jimmy Hoffa was an organiser for the International Brotherhood of Teamsters, an American trade union, serving as its president for 13 years. After a controversial career, mixed up with organised crime, he disappeared in 1975. [Read More]

FilmReviewJon Erwin and Brent McCorkle’s retelling of the beginnings of the evangelical movement in the US is a sexless, inaccurate depiction This corny but slickly made southern California-set drama looks plausibly like a million other period-set Bildungsromans made by the Hollywood entertainment sausage factory. It’s a story of a confused young teenager finding his calling in life with the help of a nice girl and some wise mentors, unfolding at the beginning of the 1970s, and it has all the hippy-era trimmings: love beads, barefoot extras, vintage cars with old-school California black and orange licence plates, and many needle drops from bands like Fleetwood Mac, America and even the Animals, who are singing about the House of the Rising Sun. [Read More]

Maine This article is more than 2 months oldMaine voters reject plan for non-profit power utility backed by climate groupsThis article is more than 2 months oldBallot initiative to transform grid backed by climate advocacy groups fails amid fears over cost and performance Maine voters turned down an attempt on Tuesday to oust the state’s corporate-owned electric utilities and replace them with a non-profit backed by climate advocacy groups. In one of several ballot initiatives, Maine voters rejected the proposed takeover of the two investor-owned utilities that distribute 97% of electricity in the state. [Read More]