“Christians believe that God took on human flesh in the form of Jesus Christ in order to save humankind. He did not come to save the chimpanzees or the dolphins … And he certainly did not come to Earth to save the proverbial little green men on the far side of the galaxy.”
Tag: 08.23.10
The Youngest Wagner, Trying to Loosen Up Bayreuth
“Dressed in jeans and polo shirt, the attire of the co-chief of Germany’s Bayreuth festival could hardly be in starker contrast to that of the high society event’s standard dress code. But then [Katharina] Wagner neither looks nor behaves as you might imagine the head of one of the world’s most talked-about cultural institutions to.”
Vaclav Havel Completes His First (and Probably Last) Film
“The noted dissident playwright and former Czech president completed on-location filming on the movie adaptation of his stage drama Leaving on Saturday.” A Prague newspaper “quoted Havel as saying the feature-length film will probably also be his last.”
Anne Frank’s Chestnut Tree Snaps and Falls
“Three years ago, conservationists managed to save the mighty chestnut tree which offered Anne Frank comfort during her 25 months of hiding in an Amsterdam attic during World War II. On Monday, however, the tree succumbed to disease and toppled in a storm.”
Ansel Adams Trust Sues Over Alleged Negatives
“The controversy surrounding a stash of photo negatives that its owner claims were taken by Ansel Adams took a legal turn on Monday when the trust representing the famed nature photographer filed a lawsuit to halt the sale of prints.”
Why Do Humans Cry?
“One theory is that crying may have evolved as a kind of signal – a signal that was valuable because it could only be picked up by those closest to us who could actually see our tears.”
Quicksand in the Media: An Evolutionary History
“Quicksand once offered filmmakers a simple recipe for excitement … a plot device unburdened by character, motivation, or story.” Now it just seems quaint, “an analog fear in a digital age.” Yet the Internet (of course) harbors a thriving subculture of quicksand enthusiasts.
Photographer Drops Claim in Shepard Fairey-AP Lawsuit
“Mannie Garcia, a former Associated Press freelancer, has settled with the news wire his claim of ownership of the image at the centre of a legal fight over the Barack Obama ‘Hope’ poster.”
Russian TV Channel Reports on America – To Americans, in English
Russia Today, a state-funded cable news network available to about 20 million American viewers so far, has begun broadcasting six hours of programming covering events in the U.S. Says one Moscow analyst, “The Americans have a view of Russia and they show it to us. Russians have a point of view about America, too, and we want to show it to you.”
Egypt’s Fine Arts Minister Arrested Over Van Gogh Theft
“Egypt’s general prosecutor ordered that the government’s head of fine arts be detained for four days pending an investigation into the theft of a Van Gogh painting worth an estimated $55 million, state media said. Mohsen Shaalan, first undersecretary at the Culture Ministry, and four other officials have been accused of ‘negligence and failing to carry out their employment duties’.”