“Turkey’s top literary star at the [London Book] Fair is not, as you might expect, the Nobel Prize-winner of Orhan Pamuk – who is notably absent – but Elif Shafak. Shafak … is, along with Pamuk, perhaps the only other Turkish author to truly command a broad English-speaking readership. Yet, considering Turkey’s highly professional publishing industry and it’s [sic] geographic position at one of the flash points of world affairs, it’s time for this to change.”
Tag: 04.16.13
Robin Williams Remembers Jonathan Winters
“My father’s laughter introduced me to the comedy of Jonathan Winters. My dad was a sweet man, but not an easy laugh. We were watching Jack Paar on The Tonight Show on our black-and-white television, and on came Jonathan in a pith helmet…”
Hawaii To Have Its First Independent Pops Orchestra
“Matt Catingub, whose last performance as conductor of the former Honolulu Symphony pops was in 2009, said Tuesday he is forming an independent pops orchestra called Hawaii Pops that will launch its first season later this year.” Following the collapse of the Honolulu Symphony, a new Hawaii Symphony Orchestra gave its first concert in March 2012.
Pianist-Whisperer Dorothy Taubman, 95
“Musicians, often called elite athletes of the small muscles, suffer repetitive strain injuries from long hours of practice and hectic performing schedules. Like athletes, they turn to physical therapy, ice packs, massage, acupuncture, surgery and cortisone injections for relief. Ms. Taubman thought that such problems could be avoided with a more ergonomic approach, and that such an approach could lead not just to pain-free playing but also to greater artistic results.”
Why Doesn’t Hollywood Make More Family-Friendly Movies?
“Despite three times as many R-rated movies as PG releases in 2012, the PG releases collectively made almost as much money than their more mature brethren and suggested that “PG-13 represents the sweet spot” in terms of movie profitability.”
Shenzhen’s Transformation For 50 Million People – Now A Building With A “Mini-Skirt”
“Rice fields gave way to roads, lined with ever more fantastical buildings. It is now the biggest, most densely populated and fastest-growing city in the Pearl River Delta, the world’s largest manufacturing megalopolis, home to 50 million people.”
As Technology Plays Bigger Role In Education, Poorer Students Fall Behind
“For many students from low-income households, even a basic connection could be out of reach of the monthly budget. As a result, they are falling on the wrong side of a growing digital divide. Some end up huddling in McDonald’s and Starbucks just to complete homework assignments.”
Crowd Psychology: Has The Boston Marathon Bombing Ruined Mass Public Events?
“Will the masses at NFL events do ‘the wave’ only in the watchful sights of a police sharpshooter’s high-powered rifle? Is tailgating before the game all but nostalgic history? Will major marathons be relegated to a dull repetition of 105 or so loops around a stadium track?” Probably not. But there will be some lasting ill effects, especially for certain groups.
Jailed Bolshoi Dancer Denied Bail In Acid Attack Case
A Moscow judge found that Pavel Dmitrichenko, the alleged mastermind of the acid attack on Bolshoi Ballet director Sergei Filin, is a flight risk and should be detained until at least June 18.
Minnesota Orchestra Management And Musicians Fighting Over Terms Of Audit
“Citing frustration over lack of progress in discussions with locked-out musicians over an independent analysis of the orchestra’s finances, management at the Minnesota Orchestra today announced it has launched a study on its own.” Management insists that the analysis be numbers-only and not include assessments of executive or board performance; the musicians object to those limitations.