“One of the things that is said over and over again about Africa is that there is no written history, but that is a blatant lie. If you go to Timbuktu you will see it is absolutely not true.”
Tag: 01.30.13
Salman Rushdie Has Yet Another Event Cancelled, This Time In Calcutta
“A visit by controversial author Salman Rushdie here to promote Deepa Mehta’s film Midnight’s Children, based on his award-winning novel, was called off at the last minute over security concerns today, evoking strong reactions from cultural and literary circles. Rushdie [had] travelled to Delhi, Bangalore and Mumbai without any problem in the last few days.”
So The Killer In The Mousetrap Is …
“I’m inclined to think that leaving the issue of spoilers to the judgment of critics and audiences is far better than pressuring them into secrecy. The more robust a piece of work, the more likely it is to withstand spoilers.”
Jean-Léon Destiné, 94, Father Of Haitian Professional Dance
“A Haitian dancer and choreographer who brought his country’s traditional music and dance to concert stages around the world, … [he] first came to international attention in the 1940s and remained prominent for decades afterward.”
Bloomberg: The Musical!? (Just Speculating Here …)
“While Fiorello! is the most successful Broadway musical about a New York mayor, it’s not the only one. Jimmy, about La Guardia’s predecessor Jimmy Walker, had a short run in 1969, as did Mayor, about Edward I. Koch (sample song: ‘How’m I Doin’ ‘), in 1985. Could Mr. Bloomberg be next? We asked three musical-theater composers to imagine song-and-dance numbers from the life of our current three-termer.”
When Conservatives Try To Talk About Rap
“A case study in the right sabotaging its own cultural criticism, starring National Review contributors.”
Global Ticketing Companies Battle To Control London Venues
“A battle between the world’s two biggest live music companies for control of London’s prime venues, including Hyde Park, Wembley Arena and the Olympic Stadium, has prompted an investigation by competition watchdogs concerned about music lovers potentially facing higher ticket prices and less choice of big name acts.”
London Theatres Post Record Box Office In 2012
“Plays were particularly successful, with audiences up 9% on 2011, which itself was up on the previous year. Plays now account for 29.4% of overall attendances and 23.6% of box office. Musical attendances were down 3% and revenue down 2%.”
Report: Majority Of Home Viewers Still Want Discs Over Streaming
“For the time being, at least, consumers still like to own and rent movies and TV shows on DVD and Blu-ray, even in a world where connected devices and digital rental, streaming, and ownership options are becoming more accepted and commonplace.”
What Wikipedia Is – Return To An Earlier Time?
“When you place Wikipedia in a longer timeframe, it seems that the historical anomaly was not today’s online collaboration, but the 20th century’s professionalized, bureaucratically produced tomes.”