The Thousand-Page Harry

Within days of the announcement that the new installment of Harry Potter would be published in June, Amazon reported 30,000 orders. Book stores plan to be open at midnight on the first day the book is sold, and already it’s a bestseller before a single page is printed. But this installment looks to be more than 1000 pages long. Isn’t that a little long for a kid’s book?

Howells Condemns Pop Singer Robbie Williams For Piracy Remarks

UK culture minister Kim Howells is at it again, this time condemning singer Robbie Williams for his remarks supporting music piracy. “He should also realise that many of these pirate operations are linked to organised crime on a worldwide basis. In saying that piracy is a ‘great idea’, Williams is doing the work for international gangs involved in drugs and prostitution who find music piracy an excellent way of laundering their profits.”

Digging Out – But How?

Paul Daniel is the beleaguered conductor of the English National Opera. How will the company claw its way out of its current managerial and financial difficulties? “A period like this — when people have got the willies about what the hell is going on in our society — is exactly the time for arts organisations to put on interesting, provocative shows! That’s what ENO is about. It is a very volatile opera company. It takes risks. It’s not very good at doing tradition, and I’m proud of that.”