“The tangible relationship between music and emotion is no surprise to anyone, but a study … suggests the minor third isn’t a facet of musical communication alone – it’s how we convey sadness in speech, too. When it comes to sorrow, music and human speech might speak the same language.”
Tag: 06.17.10
Bees And Wisdom: A Metaphor That Stings
“Since the age of the Druids, bees have been a symbol of wisdom. The Greeks and the Celts used the symbolism as well, as did cultures in India and Egypt, Sumerian mythology, and Christianity. … We feed our bees corn syrup, truck them from state to state, throw out their honey, and spray their pollen supply with toxic insecticides and pesticides, and wonder why in the world they might be dying off in catastrophic numbers.”
Scientists On Soapboxes (This Is Not A Metaphor)
“Fifteen scientists and science popularisers turned up [at Speaker’s Corner in London’s Hyde Park] on Monday to help invent a new form of science communication. This was the kind of public exposure that would make even an experienced stand-up comedian anxious, so wisely they all came armed with props, from a giant plastic ladybird to a blow-up globe.”
BP: Our Arts Sponsorships Will Stand
“BP Plc, which has shed 45 percent of its market value after causing the U.S.’s worst-ever oil spill, said it will keep sponsoring the British Museum, the Royal Opera House, Tate Britain and the National Portrait Gallery in London.”
Study: Biofeedback Can Help To Combat Stage Fright
“The study showed a 71% decrease in performance anxiety in the biofeedback group compared with the control group. The biofeedback group had a 62% improvement in performance” and “said they had an overall increased sense of calmness, slept better, were more relaxed and had less anger in their everyday lives.”
Demands For culture Minister’s Resignation After He Calls Funded Art “Crap”
“If the minister of education said our teachers were crap, that minister would be fired. If the minister of energy said that the oilsands were crap, you can bet that minister would be sitting on the backbenches faster than the minister of culture and community spirit can think of something stupid to say.”
UK Music Festival Organizers Say Artist Fees Are Too High
“A group of organisers that represents independent music festivals in the UK and Ireland claim that if fees aren’t cut, fans could suffer. They say the money top acts are demanding to play has continued to rise despite the recession. Last year’s festivals were estimated to have brought in £130m for the UK economy.”
Using “Virtual Humans” To Train Soldiers
“Teams of computer scientists, graphics visionaries, artificial-intelligence wizards, social-science experts, digital game makers and Hollywood storytellers “are taking the notion of virtual reality to a new level of fidelity, creating immersive environments that, among other things, help America’s soldiers experience the culture of Iraq and Afghanistan before they go and treat them for post-traumatic stress when they return.”
Critic Jerry Saltz Blogs Himself judging Art On TV
Those quick cuts where viewers see a split-second of him looking sideways at a contestant? They’re actually elaborately choreographed shots filmed from every possible angle that last so long they turn into “endurance staring contests.”
Photo Software That Uses Techniques From Canaletto
“Wide-angle lenses are great for taking dramatic photographs with a big scenic sweep, but they’ve got a big weakness too – they distort objects towards the edge of the frame. Now software can make wide-angled digital photos with perfect perspective, thanks to a secret of 18th-century painters.”