Tag: 11.27.18

Berkshire Museum Says It’s Finished Selling Off Art

“Nearly a year and a half after it announced plans to part with 40 artworks from its collection in order to close a budget gap, pay for building repairs and renovations, and pursue a new programming agenda [focused on science and history], the Berkshire Museum in Pittsfield, Massachusetts, said today that it has completed the sales, bringing in $53.25 million for 22 works.”

India Just Finished The World’s Tallest Statue. Now It’s Building Two That Are Even Taller

With a 597-foot bronze of independence leader Sardar Patel completed in Gujarat, work is underway on a 696-foot sculpture of the 17th-century Maratha conqueror Shivaji just off the beach in Mumbai. And plans have just been announced for a 725-foot statue of the Hindu god Rama in the city of Ayodhya, considered to be Rama’s earthly birthplace, in Uttar Pradesh state. And yes, Hindu nationalism is tied up with all three projects.

In Search Of Literary Fame

“Young man, literary glory, or the fame that comes from learning and then writing, is one of the very few forms of glory presently available to the commoner. Admittedly, it’s not as impressive or satisfying as the glory that derives from public service, since action is much worthier and nobler than thinking or writing, and more natural. We weren’t made to spend our lives sitting at a table with pen and paper, and doing so can only be detrimental to your health and happiness. All the same, as I said, this is a glory that can be achieved without initial riches and without being part of a large organization. Theoretically.”

Study: Superhero Stories Help Inspire Altruism

“Heroes loom large as exemplars of morality. They often embody virtues that we wish to express in our lives,” writes a research team led by psychologists Daryl Van Tongeren of Hope College and Jeffrey Green of Virginia Commonwealth University. Their findings suggests that subtle reminders of the superhero ethos can inspire us to emulate their selfless behavior.

Cognitive Scientists Explain Why Two Heads Are Better Than One

“One reason is that our senses are unreliable. Often, we have to make decisions on the basis of what we’ve just heard or seen. But these sensations can be noisy. How can we be sure of what it was we just heard or saw? Think of radar operators who have to hunt for weak signals and decide if this is an incoming missile or a flock of birds. The wrong decision could start World War Three.”