“[O]ne element of the government’s yearlong effort to garner trust among Hispanics, an ethnic group that has been historically wary of the decennial census process,” is getting a very popular telenovela to introduce a character who works for the Census Bureau. “The message is the same one Census Bureau officials are trying to emphasize at nearly every turn: Do not be afraid to be counted.”
Tag: 09.23.09
That New Art Park In Lower Manhattan? Vandalized Already.
“The new temporary public art and sculpture park down on Canal Street where an office building once stood, LentSpace, opened only a few days ago – but already it’s been visited by some with a critical bent. The visitors left behind some rather harsh opinions in black spray paint. No alternative was offered, which is often the way with critics.” (includes photos of the damage)
Neuroscientists Say Maybe There Is Such A Thing As Free Will
“Champions of free will, take heart. A landmark 1980s experiment that purported to show free will doesn’t exist is being challenged.”
Calif. Shakespeare Theater Embarks On Major Renovation
“Demolition of the 20-year-old ‘temporary’ buildings that house public restrooms and a refreshment stand, as well as dressing rooms and offices, will begin Oct. 12, after the last show of the season.”
In Praise Of The Season’s Literary Riches
“Why so many major books now? Publishers always make a push before the holiday season, but that doesn’t account for the sudden feast this year.”
The Bookies Have A Nobel Favorite: Amos Oz
“Ladbrokes has backed Oz at 4/1 to take the 10m Swedish Krona (£815,000) prize, ahead of Algerian novelist Assia Djebar at 5/1, Spanish writer Juan Goytisolo at 6/1 and American novelists Joyce Carol Oates and Philip Roth at 7/1.”
Restored, Empire State Building Art Deco Murals Reappear
“People who walked into the Empire State Building have done their looking up outside, craning their necks to see the top, 1,250 feet above the street. As they made their way to the observation deck, they had little reason to look up in the cathedral-like lobby. Now there is something to look up at.”
Compiling A Literary History Of America
“So how does one select which moments and artifacts from North America’s last 500 years deserve inclusion? With a meeting.”
Cleveland Orchestra Plans Regular New York Residency
“Having already sunk residency roots in Miami and Vienna, the Clevelanders plan an every-other-year presence at the Lincoln Center Festival,” beginning in the summer of 2011. Future plans include fully-staged opera with the Cleveland Orchestra in the pit.
Golden Silk From The Webs Of Golden Spiders
Now on display at the American Museum of Natural History is “an 11-foot-long, brilliantly golden-hued cloth, the first recorded example of a hand-woven brocaded textile made entirely from the silk of spiders.” (Yes, the spiders are gold-colored.)