SINGING FOR GOD

Think Latin’s the hot new music genre? Uh-uh, it’s Christian. “Last year, Christian music outsold Latin, which was supposed to be the hot new sound for 1999, by more than 25 million album sales. Its sales are twice those of jazz, classical and New Age music combined. The Christian music industry grew by 11.5 percent, outpacing the music industry as a whole. Christian music makes up 6.5 percent of the market and is the sixth largest-selling musical genre behind R&B, alternative, pop, hip-hop and country.” – Detroit Free Press

WHEN MICKEY SNUBBED WINNIE

Newly discovered documents show that during World War II, Winston Churchill secretly asked Walt Disney to make an anti-Nazi cartoon based on St. George and the dragon. “Noël Coward and officials from the Ministry of Information went to America to try to persuade Disney to help with Britain’s propaganda campaign. Their requests, however, were ignored by Disney who was determined to keep America out of the war and was anxious to protect the international market for his films.” – The Telegraph (UK)

LOSING FAITH

Jane Alexander began her term as head of the National Endowment for the Arts with optimism. Her new book shows that by the time she left the NEA, her “health, idealism and forbearance all suffered. She gripes about flying coach. She complains that the government won’t pay to move her back to New York. ‘The system is so corrupt that it may never be fixed,’ she concludes, sweepingly.” – The Plain Dealer (Cleveland)