A judge rules that American teachers “do not have a right under the First Amendment to express their opinions with their students during the instructional period. The judge ruled that school officials are free to adopt regulations prohibiting classroom discussion of the war.”
Month: March 2006
Hollywood’s “Indie” Contradiction
A lawsuit against producers of “Brokeback Mountain points up “an uncomfortable contradiction in the specialty divisions owned by the major studios. That is, movies are budgeted as though they were in the independent world, often squeezing every nickel out of actors, directors and production staff, who cut their fees to near nothing for the privilege of making a picture they are passionate about. When it comes to releasing the film, however, the “arthouse” divisions can take advantage of the deep pockets of their studio parents, frequently spending tens of millions of dollars to promote a movie to glory or box office success in the award season. There is a trap in there somewhere…”
Of Thee I Sing – Musicals Bloom In West End
London is poised to be awash in musicals on an order no one can remember.
Shakespeare, Political Animal
Shakespeare wasn’t just a great playwright, he was a skilled politician who worked hard to make his acting company the most successful in London.
Gotta Brainstorm? That’s Not Very Creative
“The trouble with brainstorming is that it reduces people into impersonal little thought bites, little sound bites. It doesn’t allow them to access their imagination the way they can with avatars, and it doesn’t allow personal emotional investment. Its emphasis on nonjudgmental positivity prevents animus and its bitter, exciting battles. Brainstorming, with its image of storm troopers from faceless military platoons or free-associating advertising drones, encourages hivemind rather than originality.”
The Smartest Countries In Europe (A List)
Germany comes out on top in a new study, followed by the Netherlands. Researchers say “that populations in the colder, more challenging environments of Northern Europe had developed larger brains than those in warmer climates further south. The average brain size in Northern and Central Europe is 1,320cc and in southeast Europe it is 1,312cc.”
Rescue For Theatre Museum?
The Royal Opera House in London is putting together a rescue plan for the Theatre Museum. “The museum, which is part of the capital’s Victoria and Albert Museum, is under threat because it had a £2.5m lottery grant bid turned down.”
Da Vinci Code Hype (Get Ready)
The book seems like a license to print money. “It certainly has meant ‘print more books.’ Now it also means “print movie tickets, paperbacks, store displays, posters.” Think of a tickertape parade with all that paper raining down: Dan Brown’s controversial thriller about a murdered art curator and a centuries-old Vatican conspiracy is going to generate heaps of paper in the next two months. And a lot of it will be green.”
The Mystery Of Da Vinci Code’s Success
On the eve of the release of the Da Vinci Code in paperback, Julia Keller wonders: “why is “The Da Vinci Code” such a hit? What accounts for its sensational success?”
Religious Books Hit The Bookstores
With the impending release of the Da Vinci Code movie, bookstores are being inundated with religious-themed books…