“We measure time not simply in terms of minutes and seconds, but in terms of concepts such as ‘early’, ‘late’ – or, for that matter, ‘fashionably late.’ What is the length of a ‘work day’? In the United States, Europe and Japan you’ll get three different answers.”
Month: January 2013
Raging Against The Machines – Who Were The Luddites?
“According to legend, a young kid named Ned Ludd had smashed up a couple of [knitting machines] some time in the late 18th century. The Luddites of the early 19th century took up Ludd’s name and cause. They began smashing up factories and, occasionally, killing people.”
Well, Here’s A Blast From The Past: Rich Little Plans Broadway Revue
“[The] country’s pre-eminent impressionist in the 1970s and for years a fixture on talk, variety and game shows, … he is plotting his re-emergence courtesy of Jimmy Stewart & Friends, a hybrid of biographical theater and comedy that tells the story of that beloved actor’s life, as voiced by Mr. Little, with vocal cameos by dozens of luminaries who crossed Stewart’s path, and a few that did not. (Somehow, Dr. Phil pops up.)”
National Lampoon Gets Back In The Stage Business
“One of the most recognizable names in comedy, but one that has seen its brand image suffer in recent years,” is trying out a new stage review – Sketches from the National Lampoon, mostly featuring material from the vaults – in L.A. next month. The company folded its flagship magazine in 1998 and has gone a decade without a hit movie.
Stop Making Fun Of China’s Replica Eiffel Tower And English Village
“The Chinese tradition of duplication as power and control goes back to the Qing dynasty and earlier, and permeates modern Chinese culture.” The copies of European landmarks say, “We can pick and choose whatever we want, including owning a piece of the West. In fact, we’re so rich we can own the West without even having to go there.”
Russian Movie Box Office Up (But Audience For Russian-Made Movies Down)
“Hollywood maintained its dominance of the world’s fifth biggest movie market with Fox’s “Ice Age 4: Continental Drift” grossing $50 million to take top place and, for the first time in a decade, not a single Russian film in the top 10.”
How All Those “Likes” Might Be Bad For You
“A recent study found that the “likes” prompted by your status updates and photo posts might also have a negative impact, especially on your waistline and pocketbook.”
Chinese Censors Chop James Bond
“Shots of a Chinese character being killed and dialogue referring to prostitution and politics were either edited out or left obscured in subtitles.”
German Publisher’s Politically Correct Editing Of Classic Book Sparks Protest
The publisher’s “new edition of Otfried Preussler’s beloved 1957 tale “The Little Witch” (“Die kleine Hexe”) has been amended to remove certain questionable terms, including the word “negro.” The decision has sparked heated discussion over how to handle outdated, controversial language in classic children’s books.”
Are We In A New Golden Age Of Opera?
“So, what happened to change the dismal mid-20th-century outlook into the flourishing field of today? An entire history is in the making, with many channels.”