“In 2011, Jean-Baptiste Michel and multiple co-authors published an article in Science, helpfully if not colorfully titled “Quantitative Analysis of Culture Using Millions of Digitized Books,” which announced that more than five million books had been digitized, thus giving us a new tool by which to identify cultural trends and to quantify changes over time.”
Tag: 12.03.13
Bolshoi’s Chief Conductor Explains Why He Quit
Vasily Sinaisky said that he and former Bolshoi general director Anatoly Iksanov, who was replaced in July, “did our job hand in hand, and I was absolutely happy. Now, the new general manager – Mr. Urin – is a completely different person.”
Will This Be The Conductor Who Finally Ends Israel’s Ban On Wagner?
In a brief essay, Asher Fisch, a native-born Israeli and a protégé of Daniel Barenboim, explains how he believes his mentor went wrong in his 2001 attempt to break the Jewish state’s longstanding Wagner taboo – and how he hopes to succeed. Says Fisch, “It’s up to me, and it’s waiting to happen.”
Egyptian Museum’s Antiquities And Staff Alike Suffer From Country’s Instability
“The century-old home of Egypt’s mummies and King Tutankhamun’s treasures is trying to make the best out of the worst times of political turmoil. But the Egyptian Museum is taking a hammering on multiple levels, from riots on its doorstep to funding so meager it can’t keep up paper clip supplies for its staff.”
The Deathwatch App
“At the time of this writing, there are sixteen thousand two hundred and seventy-seven days remaining in my life. I know this because an app I have installed on my phone tells me so. … And this is essentially the point of the app. It’s supposed to make you think like this – to terrify you into productivity, turning mortal dread into a procrastination preventative.”
Bad Sex Award Goes To Manil Suri And His Shoals Of Atomic Nuclei
“Among the pools of sweat, ripe brie, knotted vines, hot stones, damp glades and chocolatey tobacco in this year’s entries, it was the exploding supernovas of Manil Suri’s third novel, The City of Devi, that clinched him the most dreaded award in the world of books: the Literary Review bad sex prize.”
The Next Industrial Revolution – Things That Make Themselves
“When you 3-D-print an object, it’s a fixed, static thing. If you want something more complex, you need to print it as parts and then assemble it. We thought, instead of assembling intelligence into it afterwards, why not print intelligence into it?”
So Objectifying People Is Okay?
“If we view people as capable of feeling, but not capable of action, we’re still failing to understand them as fully human. Someone who is incapable of thinking for herself, and yet feels very much, is essentially a puppy.”
A Global Conversation – Miami’s New Museum Opens
“The diversity of display styles suits a young institution that lacks deep holdings of major figures. Instead the museum layout convenes a conversation among local artists and global ones. That’s just perfect for Miami, the restless nexus of the Americas and Europe.”
Figuring Out What’s Excellent Used To Be Easier
“Defining quality used to be easy, although taste was always a mitigating factor. Now in our multicultural society, it is more complex. No longer can we calibrate merit solely through a Eurocentric framework.”