Tag: 06.03.09

‘Queen Of The Blues’ Koko Taylor Dies At 80

“The Chicago musical icon died Wednesday at age 80 of complications from gastrointestinal surgery less than four weeks after her last performance, at the Blues Music Awards in Memphis, Tenn. There she collected her record 29th Blues Music Award, capping an era in which she became the most revered female blues vocalist of her time with signature hits ‘Wang Dang Doodle,’ ‘I’m a Woman’ and ‘Hey Bartender’.”

Invented Languages: Esperanto (Easy) Vs. Klingon (Extremely Difficult)

“One could look at the media universe, where mass-based broadcasting has been replaced by niche-based narrowcasting, for a parallel. (If Esperanto is a failed broadcast medium, Klingon is a highly successful narrowcasting one). More broadly still, the entire modernist project of utopianism, which produced [Esperanto inventor] Ludwik Zamenhof as surely as it produced Karl Marx, has become disreputable.”

I’m a Celebrity, Get Me Out of Here! Is Big In Britain – Why Not In The States?

“Why does this particular franchise work in other places, but not for an American audience that seems so suited? Perhaps it is that people in Britain have more of an appetite for watching celebrities being punished … for the sins of being famous and having all the perks in life. This could be less appealing to a US audience … because celebrity is – like any other part of the American Dream – a form of self-built success?”

Boldface Friends Urge Judge To Be Lenient With Drabinsky

“Broadway musical director Hal Prince, Stratford veteran Martha Henry and New York novelist E.L. Doctorow are among the stars who have written letters praising Garth Drabinsky in a bid to secure leniency for the convicted theatre impresario, the Star has learned. The letters will be presented to Superior Court Justice Mary Lou Benotto, possibly tomorrow when sentencing court sessions are scheduled to begin.”

From Orange Prize Longlist, Teens Choose Alt Winner

“On the eve of the announcement of the winner of the Orange prize, a youth panel has selected Bernardine Evaristo’s reimagining of the slave trade as their alternative champion. … The six judges – three girls and three boys, aged between 16 and 19 – read the 20 books longlisted for the overall Orange prize and selected their own shortlist of six, which was entirely different from that selected by the main prize’s judges.”

Educators To Arnie: Digital-Textbook Plan Has Huge Flaw

“Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger believes schools can save hundreds of millions of dollars by using free digital textbooks – an example he gave Tuesday of old-fashioned innovation ‘to stretch the taxpayer dollar.’ … Education officials, however, said Schwarzenegger might first want to go out and get a better calculator. The idea of free digital textbooks is nice, but given the associated technology costs and teacher training, they won’t save schools much money now or anytime soon. “

Harsh Visa Rules Harm Arts, May Damage U.K. Reputation

“Stringent new visa controls have brought one ballet company to the brink of collapse and threaten dozens of concerts, festivals and exhibitions. Rules designed to prevent illegal immigration have left international performers struggling to gain access to Britain, a report says. Other artists have decided that it is simply not worth the hassle to travel. It is feared that the new rules could destroy Britain’s reputation as a centre for international arts.”