Writer Danielle Steel opened a gallery in San Francisco this fall. “Everyone thinks I have this glamorous life. I have been a recluse for many years. I had nine children, but the death of my son Nick hit me very hard, and it shut down my public world. It is hard being famous. People make incorrect assumptions and are very unkind.”
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Disney Hall – Worth Waiting For
After 16 years and $274 million, Disney Hall is opening this week in LA> “Is the long-delayed Disney Hall, then, just a consolation prize for Los Angeles? Does one of the biggest cities in the world find itself in the odd position of playing second fiddle to a Basque regional capital with a population under 400,000? Not exactly. The building is a fantastic piece of architecture—assured and vibrant and worth waiting for. It has its own personality, instead of being anything close to a Bilbao rehash. And surprisingly enough, it turns out that all of those postponements and budget battles have been a boon for the hall’s design.”
Charge: Microsoft Manipulating Online Music Buyers
Is Microsoft forcing computer users to buy music only by using its browser? “Lawyers for the Justice Department and 19 state attorneys general have formally complained to a federal judge about a design feature of Windows that compels consumers who buy music online to use only Microsoft’s Internet browser and steers them to a website operated by the company.”
A Sculpture That’s 200,000 Years Old
Archaeologist Pietro Gaietto has found what he believes to be the earliest evidence of art. “Gaietto believes the sculpture is 200,000 years old, and would have been used in rituals. He says it would have been made by an extinct species of human called Homo erectus, of which there is evidence in the region. Gaietto’s claims are controversial because hominids such as Homo erectus are not thought to have been capable of the symbolic thought needed to create art.”
iTunes Windows A Hit
Apple’s iTunes service for Windows computer users is a hit. “More than a million copies of the Windows version of its iTunes music software have been downloaded in the past three days. The program offers PC users the same services, prices and catalogue of songs, which Apple hopes to increase to 400,000 by the end of October.” Since debuting earlier this year, Apple’s Mac iTunes stores has sold 14 million songs.
Greek PM To Tony Blair: Return Marbles, Re-elect Me
The Greek Prime Minster Costas Simitis is being attacked after TV cameras recorded him telling British Prime Minister Tony Blair that England’s returning the Parthenon Marbles would help his re-election chances. “It is sad for him to use a national issue, such as the return of the Parthenon marbles, for petty party-political ends.”
Retailer Attacked By Shareholders For Buying Art
Some shareholders of the fashion retailer Monsoon have criticized the company for adding to its art collection and not paying out the money to shareholders. “They are prepared to pay money adding to what they have on the walls of their headquarters but are not prepared to give anything to long-suffering shareholders.”
Museum Looting Report From Baghdad
The lead American investigator of the looting of Iraq’s National Museum says that more than 10,000 artifacts are still missing. “What we are finding is well known and otherwise respected members of the art community are in fact authenticating stolen pieces for a fee. The second point of this is many of these items are either destined for less scrupulous museums or art dealers or are placed with art dealers in transit, as the middle location. We need the art community first to stop that.”
The De-Musicfication Of TV Shows On DVD
TV studios are releasing TV shows on DVD, and they’re a hit with consumers. But music found in the original TV series is often being replaced. “It all comes down to a matter of money. (Studios are) saying, ‘We couldn’t afford to license the music we used in the show. It’s happening more and more, actually.’ Indeed, studio executives acknowledge that the price of obtaining those rights is prohibitive.”
The VIP Movie Ticket
A New York movie theatre chain begins adding a surchare for its best seats. “It appears that Loews’ already has isolated the best middle sections in three theaters at its 34th Street megaplex near Ninth Avenue. For a mere 50 percent markup from the customary $10, moviegoers can stop worrying that they’ll be sitting too close to the screen or too far from the screen or that they’ll miss the previews and look stupid trolling the aisles in the dark-and still be forced to sit separately from their friends.”