“Are brie and baguettes a vital part of world heritage? Yesterday, the United Nations’ cultural organization (UNESCO) added the French gastronomic experience to the world’s list of intangible cultural treasures. Here are 10 of the more bizarre entries on the list.” (Actually, some of these entries might be legitimate candidates.)
Tag: 11.17.10
Up Next – The “Enhanced” Book?
“A mere collection of bound pages may no longer suffice for entertainment in the information age. That is where augmented reality (AR) books come in. We are talking books, plus.”
Poland’s Theatre, Once Stultified, Roars to Life
“[In] the years directly following the collapse of communism in 1989, contemporary Polish drama was all but absent from the Polish stage. … The theatres were practically deserted; indeed, some joked that the most popular play in Poland was Performance Cancelled. The last 10 years, however, have seen a dramatic rebirth of playwriting.”
Phila. Museum Acquires Major Paul Strand Collection
“The Philadelphia Museum of Art has acquired more than 3,000 photographic images by the pioneering modernist Paul Strand, catapulting the museum into the front ranks of worldwide photography meccas, and creating the greatest single repository of Strand’s work anywhere.”
Avoiding The Void: A Brief History Of Nothing(ness)
“We all know the aphorism that one can see a glass filled to the middle with water as half-full or half-empty, the optimistic versus the pessimistic views. What about an empty glass? Of course, everyone knows that it’s filled with air. Can we, however, contemplate total emptiness?”
Turning a Rio Slum Into a Giant Artwork
Led by a pair of Dutch artists, residents of the favela of Santa Marta have covered the exteriors of 34 buildings with swathes of vibrant color. The project has brought local and international attention to the area as well as providing some jobs and improving morale.
FCC Chair On Net Neutrality: Trust Me
“FCC chairman Julius Genachowski now finds himself caught between unfulfilled promises made to the tech community to keep the internet open, and a Republican Congress ready to portray any new rules on broadband ISPs as heavy-handed, economy-killing regulation.”
How To Have A Career As A “Classical” Musician
“To succeed these days, musicians have to be willing to diversify, to branch out, and take chances as never before. You have to learn the industry as much as you learn your instrument.”
Angelina Jolie Cuts Short Bosnia Film Shoot as Tensions Persist
“Angelina Jolie has cut short the shooting of her first movie in Bosnia, her producer said, after rumors that it portrayed a relationship between a rapist and his victim sparked protests from women assaulted during the Bosnian War.”
Jasper Johns, Yo-Yo Ma to Receive Presidential Medal of Freedom
“The White House announced Wednesday that President Obama will bestow the Presidential Medal of Freedom – the country’s highest civilian honor – on 15 individuals, including artist Jasper Johns and cellist Yo-Yo Ma.”