“The belief that cultural diversity, as such, is a valuable thing has taken hold in American society over the past two or three decades — precisely at the time economic inequality has not just increased, but accelerated its growth.”
Tag: 09.19.06
Will Music Give Athletes Unfair Edge?
Technology is allowing athletes to tap into the power of music to improve performance. “Technology like running shoes that increase the beat of music in time with a runner’s pace and even implantable micro-mp3 players may one day give athletes the winning edge.” But “the technology could create a whole new conundrum for sports authorities by making them redefine whether the use of performance enhancing music is cheating.”
A Lit Trickster Who’s Flourishing
Most literary fakes find their careers severely damaged when they’re exposed. “But Laura Alberts, another trickster, could emerge from her literary scam with her reputation enhanced. Since her fabricated author, JT Leroy, was exposed last year in New York magazine, she’s done script writing for the HBO series “Deadwood” while lying low from most interviewers.”
CBC Chairman Quits After Stupid Comments
The chairman of the board of the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation has resigned after making comments mocking the sexual habits of Lebanese. Fournier “has increasingly lost the confidence of Canada’s new government,” Canadian Heritage Minister Bev Oda said in announcing the resignation in the House of Commons on Tuesday.
Beirut Film Fest To Go On
Everyone assumed that the Beirut Film Festival would be canceled because the of war with Israel. But “artistic director and film-maker Eliane Raheb informed guests that it would go ahead as a sign of ‘cultural resistance’. Under the circumstances, this year’s programme had to be cut down from over 100 films to just 40.”
The Image Of (Mis)Interpretation
With all the digital manipulation of photos now possible, it’s a wonder anyone trusts what they see. But viewers also can distort the meaning of a photo. Take the misinterpretation of a photo taken on 9/11 and how what seems to be happening in the imag isn’t the real story…
Who Will Buy Four Remaining Klimts?
“In retrospect it may yet come to seem a pity that the Austrians declined to buy all five works for about the same amount that Mr. Lauder paid for Adele, saying the price was too high. At least the works would all have remained on public view.”
A Book Critic Bids His Staff Job Goodbye
Longtime Dallas Morning News book columnist Jerome Weeks spent his last day on the job Friday. He offers some final thoughts in his farewell column, which the paper chose not to print. “Nowhere in films or TV do characters read — other than the ‘bookish girl’ or the action hero, but only when he must desperately decipher the Sacred Inca Brain Codex for clues to foil the arch-fiend’s dastardly plot — a plot the ‘bookish girl’ could have figured out long ago. Still, for reviewers, one of the accidental delights of the job comes precisely from reading many of those books we’d normally use for attic insulation. It’s a central pleasure of art: discovery.”
Canadian Opera “Ring”: Not Much “Cringe” Factor
At the end of 15 hours of “Ring” performances at the Canadian Opera Company last week, Robert Everett-Green surprised himself – hed’ do a repeat this week. “It helped that the COC’s production turned out to be good — better, in some ways, than the ones in those more famous opera houses I mentioned. There was a lot to admire and very little to cringe at, and the cringe factor is a large issue when you’re dealing with a work that offers so many insanely difficult problems in performance and staging.”
Seattle Symphony Ended Season In Red
“The Seattle Symphony’s 2005-06 season ended $2.15 million in the red, contributing to an accumulated deficit of $3.2 million. That’s a tough deficit on an annual budget of $21.3 million, though it could have been worse.”