“If you’ve been to see contemporary art in the last three decades, you will probably be familiar with the feelings of bafflement, exhaustion or irritation that gallery prose provokes.”
Tag: 01.27.12
Ancient Babylonian Yo’ Mama Jokes Deciphered (Sort Of)
“Middle East scholars Michael Streck and Nathan Wasserman describe and interpret some thigh-slappers scrawled on a badly damaged tablet from Babylon, circa 1500 BC.” And there is indeed a yo’-mama zinger among them.
Agnieszka Holland Unexpectedly Meets Subject Of Her Latest Film
In Darkness “tells the true story of a small group of Jews who hid in the sewer system below Lvov for 14 months and survived the German occupation of Poland during World War II.” Holland had presumed that, by now, everyone in that group had passed away. Then she received an e-mail from Long Island …
Male/Female – NPR’s Book Review Problem
“NPR and WBUR talked about male writers about 70 percent of the time. Of the roughly 60 works of fiction discussed on NPR, only about 20 were written by women. Of the six novelists featured on more than one program, all but Amy Waldman, author of The Submission, were men. Of the three novelists interviewed on more than one program, all were men. Terry Gross interviewed twice as many male as female novelists, and Morning Edition apparently dedicated no coverage at all to women fiction writers.”
The Internet Isn’t An Organic, Natural Entity – And It Needs Active Defenders
“The question now is whether the people who got mobilized around SOPA and PIPA, called their senators and congresspeople, and agitated on the Internet, will become a political force by making clear that candidates’ record on Internet issues will be an important factor in their voting decisions. That is not yet clear. So it was definitely a short-term victory but we will see whether it will be a long-term victory.”
Napoleonland, Where France Reigns Mostly Supreme, May Become Theme Park Reality
Yes, really: “Mr. Jégo envisions visitors skiing through a re-enactment of Napoleon’s catastrophic retreat from Russia surrounded by the frozen bodies of soldiers and horses,’ he told the Sunday Times.”
Royalties Are Waiting For You! Just Email This Company – And No, It’s No Scam
“SoundExchange is a non-profit that’s rapidly growing to become one of the most important organizations in the music industry. For many labels, it’s the No. 2 source of digital revenue only behind iTunes.” And it’s a nonprofit – which is both its salvation and a possible source of problems.
A Good Episcopalian Boy, Living For Yiddish Theatre
“It’s not easy being the top non-Jew in the Yiddish theater. There are those letters to ‘Miss Sheyna Baker’ and the constant questions about why he would want to steep himself in Yiddish.”
Eiko Ishioka, 73, Designer Of Costumes For ‘Spider-Man’
She won an Oscar for her design of Francis Ford Coppola’s “Dracula” in 1992, but the designer didn’t stop with movies. “Ishioka spread her talent across a variety of genres. She tried her hand at opera, designing the set and costumes for Richard Wagner’s Ring Cycle at the Netherlands National Opera, and she directed Bjork’s controversial music video for the 2002 single Cocoon.”
Smile In That Profile Photo – Your Future Happiness May Depend On It
“People who smile in photos are generally warmer and friendlier than their sad face counterparts. The smilier they are, the easier time they have with social relationships. Heightened smiling intensity in said photos correlates with greater life satisfaction.”