Mind you, the source from which said wonk, at the Post‘s Wonkblog, got his data made no such claims about opera in general. But the wonk did. (Aren’t wonks supposed to know better than to make claims wildly beyond what the data supports? Isn’t that what makes them wonks?)
Tag: 10.31.14
Pianist Demands Removal Of Review Under EU’s “Right To Be Forgotten” Ruling
“On Oct. 30, [Dejan Lazic] sent The Washington Post a request to remove a 2010 review by Post classical music critic Anne Midgette that – he claims – has marred the first page of his Google results for years. It’s the first request The Post has received under the E.U. ruling. It’s also a truly fascinating, troubling demonstration of how the ruling could work.”
“Noble Intentions”: Alex Ross Takes Down The Cello-Suites-Really-Composed-By-Mrs-Bach Theory
After looking at the arguments and evidence, Ross writes, “No one is well served by wild speculation that distorts the historical record – or, for that matter, ascribes a piece of music to a woman on the grounds that it lacks maturity.”
Oldest Shiite Shrine In Iraq Blown Up By ISIS
Built in 1085, the distinctive domed mausoleum of Imam al-Daur was destroyed on October 23. According to the extremist ideology of ISIS and similar groups, veneration of any shrine is a form of idolatry.
Gruesome Murders Of Furniture On The Streets Of Paris
“In a Cronenbergian melding of inanimate matter and grisly viscera, chairs, mattresses, and even a toilet have appeared on the city’s sidewalks bearing heinous wounds and oozing crimson fluid into the gutters.”
French Town Bans Clowns Following National Wave Of Clown Attacks
The mayor of Vendargues, near Montpellier, announced a one-month absolute ban on clown and clown costumes following a series of incidents elsewhere in the country in which people in clown costumes beat up passersby with fists or weapons – and anti-clown vigilante groups began forming.
The Poet And Critic Who Never Retired, Just Wrote On, Facing Death
Clive James “knows what is coming, and he still seems in a hurry to write a little more, burnish a little more and hope to be remembered.”
The Gaping Maw Of TV Audiences (And The Problems That Causes)
“Feeding that curiosity can be good for business. Extreme stunts command a huge live viewership and social media attention, leading advertisers to pay a premium to reach captive audiences.”
Ian Fraser, Composer And Longtime Julie Andrews Collaborator, Dead At 81
“Fraser was the arranger and conductor on numerous television shows during the golden age of musical specials in the 1960s and ’70s, winning the first of his 11 Emmys for the 1976 ‘America Salutes Richard Rodgers’ show that aired on CBS.”
Why Is Facebook Turning To ‘The Dark Web’ For Privacy?
“Since Facebook uses SSL encryption, no surveillance system watching either Facebook’s connection or the user’s local traffic should be able to match up a user’s identity with their Facebook activity.”