“That sort of painful, sort of bittersweet, sort of wistful feeling you get looking out the window or driving at night or listening to a far-off train whistle? There’s a word for that in Japanese.”
Tag: 01.04.13
Art In Code
“We want to complete our vision of an interactive documentary, an application that allows viewers to traverse the conversation database freely following their interests.”
South Africa Sees Boom In Stand-Up Comedy
“[There’s a new] generation of South African standups who have become wildly popular, providing not only escapism but a different perspective on the nation’s problems. They tackle race, class, crime, corruption and the political elite. As court jesters tweaking the nose of the powerful, they are quite possibly helping to keep the nation sane.”
Sotheby’s Drops Musical Instrument Business
“The move is further evidence of Sotheby’s desire to focus on its core fine art and antiques business, an area that delivered headline-making results for the company in 2012, chief among them the highest price ever paid for a work of art at auction – $119.9m for Munch’s The Scream.”
Rushdie Vs. Mishra, Round 3
Pankaj Mishra: “Such are the imbalances of geopolitical power that it is hard even to imagine Mo Yan, or any writer in China for that matter, attacking … Salman Rushdie for failing to be sufficiently critical of Barack Obama’s routine executions using drones … Rushdie’s self-presentation as a stern literary ombudsman to errant politicians is not much more persuasive.”
Learning Life Lessons From Psychopaths
As one correspondent (a lawyer, naturally) told researcher Kevin Dutton, “Psychopathy (if that’s what you want to call it) is like a medicine for modern times. If you take it in moderation, it can prove extremely beneficial. It can alleviate a lot of existential ailments that we would otherwise fall victim to because our fragile psychological immune systems just aren’t up to the job of protecting us.”
What’s Wrong With The Way Most History Is Written
“Today’s historical monographs resemble those written 100 years ago, speakers said. They’re still narrated in an omniscient, third-person voice that was largely invented in the 19th century. And the profession is built to sustain the present model.”
The Return Of The Darkroom
“To some young Baltimore fans of traditional photography, especially black and white, that past is well worth remembering and preserving, which is why they’re building darkrooms where the old methods can be taught and practiced.”
Is It Worth It To Save An Old Theatre?
“People are confusing memories with heritage,” says a politician who wants to tear down Blackpool (UK)’s ABC Theatre and turn it into a parking lot.
Daphne Oxenford, Voice of ‘Listen With Mother,’ 93
“Oxenford narrated the programme from 1950 to 1971, and her meticulously modulated opening phrase was eventually included in the Oxford dictionary of quotations. But regular listeners also recall the words that would precede her arrival: ‘And when the music stops Daphne Oxenford will be here to tell you a story.'”