“Last October, Google settled the lawsuit brought against it by book publishers and authors concerning its massive book-scanning project. … The only obstacle remaining for the settlement to take effect is final court approval.” It’s unsurprising that one interested party that’s “nudging its way into the settlement is an internet-issues-oriented group from New York Law School. But what does raise an eyebrow is the source of New York Law’s funding on this matter: Microsoft.”
Tag: 03.31.09
Thanks To Slumdog, Bollywood Dancing Is A Fitness Hit
“I’m standing in Pineapple Studios in central London, clad almost entirely in Lycra, and writhing for all I’m worth. … This is the warm up to the beginner-level Bollywood class, and it is tremendous fun. It is also, it would seem, fast becoming the Next Big Thing in fitness.”
Booker Judges Give Back, Sort Of, Planting Oaks In Essex
“Booker Prize judges have planted an avenue of oak trees in a symbolic gesture over felled timber used to produce books entered for the prize. The group, led by Michael Portillo – chair of last year’s panel, planted 13 saplings in a woodland site in Essex. They mark the ‘Booker Dozen’ – the 13 titles long-listed for the prestigious award every year.”
Suddenly Secretive: MPAA Won’t Reveal Spending Numbers
“Reversing a longstanding practice, the Motion Picture Association of America won’t disclose the average amount of money that studios spent on making and marketing movies last year.” Speculation is “that the reversal came about as a result of pressure from … studio bosses, who are never eager to cast a spotlight on how much they spend, particularly during a time of recession and layoffs.”
Hollywood Is An Economic Driver, MPAA Head Says
“While other American industries look for cover during the economic crisis, Motion Picture Assn. of America chair-CEO Dan Glickman believes the thriving worldwide box office makes the U.S. film biz a powerful growth engine. Glickman had plenty of positive stats to rattle off during his annual state-of-the-industry address at exhib confab ShoWest thanks to the current surge in moviegoing.”
Dancing The Financial Crisis
“In the face of an abysmal economy, Momentum Dance Company this week [at the Miami Dance Festival] offers a sign-of-the-times performance with a humorous bent: Obamanomics takes on Fannie and Freddie Mac, golden parachutes, budget stretching and belt-tightening. Audience participation is encouraged.”
Finale Of Schiff’s L.A. Beethoven Cycle To Be Streamed Live
“András Schiff’s cycle of Beethoven’s 32 piano sonatas at Walt Disney Concert Hall, a two-year project, ends Wednesday night [April 1].” The program of “three astonishing final sonatas – best known through their Opus numbers 109, 110 and 111”, will be streamed live on NPR’s website beginning at 8 pm (Pacific time).
R. Crumb Redraws The Book Of Genesis
The underground comics superstar has finished his long-awaited take on the first book of the Good Book. “My problem was, how am I going to draw God? Should I just draw him as a light in the sky that has dialogue balloons coming out from it? Then I had this dream. God came to me in this dream, only for a split second, but I saw very clearly what he looked like.”
Assault Charges Against Conductor/Maria Judge Simon Lee On Hold
“Charges have been stayed against Simon Lee, the British stage conductor and longtime Andrew Lloyd Webber collaborator, over an incident that was alleged to have taken place in Toronto last summer during the finale of CBC-TV’s How Do You Solve A Problem Like Maria?“
How Is The (Once-)Mighty NEA Funding Fall’n
“Thirty years ago, the NEA received a modest 12 cents per $100 of non-military discretionary spending. Today that is just 3 cents per $100. If the NEA had simply maintained its 1979 percentage of discretionary funding, its 2008 budget would have been $613 million.”