With college kids downloading music for free over the internet, music producers are battling a culture in attempt to stop piracy. – Wired
Author: Douglas McLennan
LAST SYMPHONY OF THE CENTURY
The BBC helps keep classical music tradition vital. – Financial Times
YOU PICKED THE WRONG TIME TO LEAVE ME, BLUE SHIELD
New album sings the blues of managed care. Only $14.95 co-pay. – Hartford Courant
L’AFFAIRE FRENCH FILM
As Hollywood’s shadow keeps getting darker and longer, the question `What is cinema?’ becomes more and more insistent. “The real fight is over taste, over affirming strange, original and singular films versus routine films.” Village Voice
PRODUCTION COSTS –
– for making film and professional quality video have plummeted to the point that that they’re now within reach of those without studio budgets. A new business model is needed. Financial Times
POMPIDOU REOPENING
An ambitious $90 million makeover accompanied with some hard thinking about the center’s future. One of Paris’s top attractions, with 150 million visitors in its first 20 years, the Pompidou Center was undeniably a success. Now a rethinking of its creative spirit. New York Times
GIFT-GIVING GLOBES
Controversy has erupted around the Golden Globe awards over policy of allowing the giving of promotional gifts to voting members. CBC 12/22/99
- And: VOTERS: Return expensive watches. Cleveland Plain Dealer (AP) 12/22/99
- Previously: GOLDEN GLOBE nominees announced. Washington Post 12/21/99
- And: Complete list Washington Post 12/21/99
CATCH-18?
Not exactly the same ring to it, eh? Christopher Hitchens reflects on his pal Joseph Heller. How a cultural conundrum almost came up four short if not for Leon Uris. – The Nation
EQUITY ACTORS
employment days/earnings hit all-time highs last year. Variety
CIRCULAR ARGUMENT
British Medical Association study says that playing the saxophone is a major health hazard for jazz musicians. – CBC