“Lethal warfare drove the evolution of altruistic behaviour among ancient humans, claims a new study based on archaeological records and mathematical simulations.”
Author: Matthew Westphal
Memorial Murals: The Graffiti (Almost) No One Objects To
“Over the decades, an artistic refuge enabling dispossessed communities to express their anger and grief has even turned into a focus of commerce. Not only can a new retail store claim neighborhood legitimacy by allowing a mural to remain, as in the case of Gainesville’s American Apparel, but other businesses are starting to offer mural painting for a fee.”
Numbers As Abstract Concepts That Even Infants (Unlike Certain Adults) Can Understand
“Abstract numerical thought is the ability to perceive numbers as entities, independently of specific things. It can be demonstrated by the human capacity to link a certain number of objects to the same number of sounds, irrespective of what the specific sounds or objects are. But whether this ability is innate or learned through culture or language wasn’t known.”
St. Louis Symphony Players Get New (And Healthy) Contract
“At a time when other major orchestras are giving ground in a sour economy, the St. Louis Symphony Orchestra has a new contract that contains modest gains and no givebacks from the musicians union. … The new contract [also] gives management the ability to broadcast concerts on local radio and public television without permission from, or payments to, musicians.”
Yet More Delays In Building South Miami-Dade Cultural Arts Center
“Commissioners approved the $38.8 million project in 2005, projecting an August 2007 opening. The existing construction contract calls for a February 2008 completion. Last month, officials projected a fall 2010 opening for the 966-seat theater and activities center in Cutler Bay. It looks now like re-doing shoddy work, then putting the finishing touches on the buildings, could push opening night to late 2010 or early 2011.”
Anna Paquin’s Big Problem As A Former Child Actor
“A couple of occasions [in college] I had a bouncer look at [her fake ID] and go, no, you’re not so-and-so. If I tried to say yes, I am, they’d go, ‘No, you’re not, you’re Anna Paquin!’ Like, they’ll know because my movie is playing across the street. They’d be like, this is the worst fake ID I’ve ever seen, go away.”
Renée Fleming’s Big Problem With Mozart
“I just said, ‘Ok, enough stress.’ Mozart is so naked and yet requires perfection. I don’t know too many sopranos who think, ‘Yeah, I get to sing Donna Anna tonight! Wow! I can’t wait!’ So it was nice just to be able to say, ‘I’d rather sing Strauss.'”
Colleagues Race To Aid Oregon Ballet Theatre
The company, which needs to raise $750,000 by the end of this month to avoid the risk of closure, has put together a major benefit, with top dancers from the likes of New York City Ballet, San Francisco Ballet and Pacific Northwest Ballet, in record time – and with virtually zero in out-of-pocket costs. “Jon Ulsh (OBT’s executive director) woke up one morning with the idea… and the next morning we were lining up companies.”
More Good Ideas For Helping Oregon Ballet Theatre
Trisha Pancio of Portland Center Stage suggests “Eight things nobody has tried yet to save the ballet.” For example, here’s no. 3: “Tutu trick or treat? Like Unicef but for ballet? Couldn’t the Sisters of Perpetual Indulgence… spend an evening or two going door to door in tutus to collect for the ballet?”
Opera Australia Plans ‘Top-To-Bottom’ Review Of Operations
The board chairman “said a ‘fresh set of eyes’ would look at how the company could be more efficient with its government funding (currently $21.9 million [Aus] a year), but the review will also look at management structures, programming schedules, repertoire, and marketing strategies.”