Author: Douglas McLennan

CULTURE STIRS IN IRAN

in the trenches of the “culture wars” – where right-wing vigilantes once attacked theatres that put on “liberal” shows, ripping up their chairs and intimidating theatregoers – the political sea change has brought rebirth. Iranian films are increasingly winning plaudits and awards at international film festivals for their fresh treatment of humanist issues. – New Statesman 09/25/00

THE BOTTOM LINE

“How should an entertainment company balance the demands of profit-making versus good corporate citizenship? It’s no secret that we live in an era when the demands of Wall Street dominate entertainment company decision-making. The Oscars, Emmys and Grammys are a once-a-year gold medal for corporate responsibility. The rest of the year, we celebrate the corporate gunslingers who boost their company’s value – and we demand the heads of the losers who lag behind in profits.” – Los Angeles Times 09/25/00

COMPUTERS MAY HURT, NOT HELP

A growing number of educators, child development experts, and doctors are beginning to speak out against early computer use, especially when coupled with regular television watching. Too much ‘screen time’ at a young age, they say, may actually undermine the development of the critical skills that kids need to become successful, diminishing creativity and imagination, motivation, attention spans, and the desire to persevere. – US News 09/25/00

STORIES TO TELL

Is the short story an endangered art form? A conference debates the question: “Society’s view of literature’s importance has shifted. It is no longer shameful to be ignorant of it. Teachers of literature apparently believe that one book cannot be judged as better than another, that evaluation is an impossibility – the sort of people rug dealers dream of having as merchants.” – National Post (Canada)

WOMEN’S MUSEUM OPENS

Museum dedicated to the history and accomplishments of women opens in Dallas. “The heart of the Women’s Museum is its exhibits, two dozen in all, ranging from an elaborate time line of women’s achievements to a short film about female comedians and portraits of female artists and athletes.” – Dallas Morning News

  • WHY A WOMEN’S MUSEUM? “Fewer than 5 percent of the nation’s historic landmarks focus on women’s achievements, the organizers point out. Fewer than 2 percent of textbooks are about women’s history. In cities known for their veneration of the past, such as Boston and Washington, few monuments to women exist.” – Washington Post

LONDON GOES LATE

“In a collective outbreak of sanity, the two major auction houses have decided to move the evening sales of Impressionist, modern and contemporary art, held in London in December, to late January and early February. This should bring in more business for the London salerooms after years of drift across the Atlantic to New York.” – The Telegraph (UK)

AGAINST THE WALL

Canada’s museums and galleries are having a rough time. “The rapid shift in funding patterns has caused tremendous stresses within the traditional values and structures of the art museum. In Canada, where in the past such institutions were majorly funded through government support, the new environment presents special challenges and opportunities. But institutions are slow to change, and in my opinion there is evidence that all is not well and happy in our galleries – at least not in my experience.” – CBC

THE BETTER MOUSETRAP

Shawn Fanning is the very model of the at-home innovator. “Fanning figured out that if he combined a music-search function with a file-sharing system and, to facilitate communication, instant messaging, he could bypass the rats’ nest of legal and technical problems that kept great music from busting out all over the World Wide Web.” – Time Magazine