“Julian Barnes finally won the literary prize that has eluded him on three previous occasions when he was tonight presented with the Man Booker prize for his short novel, The Sense of an Ending. His victory came after one of the most bitter and vituperative run-ups to the prize in living memory.”
Tag: 10.18.11
Edgar M. Villchur, 94, Made Home Hi-Fi Speakers Possible
“[His] development of what he called the acoustic suspension woofer made it possible for music lovers to buy loudspeakers that were domestically acceptable” – because they weren’t the size of a refrigerator. “A guy’s wife could accept their presence on the bookshelf in the living room.”
Why Does God Love Beards?
“Although beards appear repeatedly in religious texts, God never explicitly tells us why they’re so holy.” Yet Islam, some strains of Judaism and Eastern Christianity, the Amish and Mennonite faiths, and especially Sikhism all encourage or require men to grow facial hair. What reasons do they offer?
Actress Sues Amazon For Revealing Her Age Online
“An actress is suing Amazon.com in federal court in Seattle for more than $1 million for revealing her age on its Internet Movie Database website and refusing to remove the reference when asked.”
Psychopaths – You Can Tell Who Is One By Their Word Choices
The psychopaths used more conjunctions such as “because,” “since,” or “so that,” which all imply that a crime was necessary. They also used twice as many words that related to physical needs like food, money or sex. In fact, some described what they had to eat on the day of the crime.
Booker List Nominees Are Popular – But Does This Mean Prize Has “Sold Out”?
“While this year’s shortlist has been the best-selling in Booker history, some in the literary world have accused the prize of becoming too populist.”
Author Mistakenly Announced As Book Award Finalist Asked To Withdraw
“An author mistakenly nominated for the National Book Awards in the US but who was allowed to stay on the shortlist has now been asked to withdraw.”
The Art Of Occupy Protest
“Just as the Occupy movement has inspired protest songs, political cartoons and parody, the visual and performance art that has emerged from the movement has mirrored the protest itself: A wry but earnest grass-roots response of frustration and hope.”
College Where Expertise Is Applied Generally
“Students who attend St. John’s… know that their college experience will be like no other. There are no majors; every student takes the same 16 yearlong courses, which generally feature about 15 students discussing Sophocles or Homer, and the professor acting more as catalyst than connoisseur.”