Chinese HipHop? Not So Much…

“That Chinese hip-hop has so far failed to catch on is due partly to strict censorship – lyrics are vetted, so the usual staples of violence, drugs and guns are out – and that, well, drugs, guns and big-breasted gold-diggers in bikinis aren’t pressing local problems. Judging by Dragon Tongue Squad, however, the biggest stumbling block may be their amateurish output.”

Out Of Options

“Most people can’t make such a painful choice, not even the students at a bastion of rationality like the Massachusetts Institute of Technology… In a series of experiments, hundreds of students could not bear to let their options vanish, even though it was obviously a dumb strategy.”

NY Phil Makes Its North Korea Debut

“The emotional setting took a turn away from the political theme that had dominated the visit, which began Monday and ends Wednesday when the orchestra flies to Seoul, the South Korean capital, for a concert. It was the first time a major American cultural organization had appeared here, and the largest contingent of United States citizens since the Korean War.”

Australia’s “Best Minds” To Discuss Future

“Cate Blanchett will chair the ‘Creative Australia’ discussions at Prime Minister Kevin Rudd’s 2020 Summit in parliament’s Great Hall in Canberra on April 19-20, the government said Tuesday. The chisel-cheekboned actress joins 10 other prominent Australians on an independent steering committee for the summit, billed as a meeting of 1,000 of the nation’s best and brightest minds.”