The Evidence Is In: Our Pop Songs Are More Narcissistic

“Clear evidence of American society’s increasing narcissism can be found in our best-selling popular songs. That’s the conclusion of a study just published in the journal Psychology of Aesthetics, Creativity and the Arts. Compared to a quarter-century ago, ‘Popular music lyrics now include more words related to a focus on the self,” reports a team of researchers’.”

The Decline And Fall Of Venice

“Already half the houses in Venice are empty, owned by foreigners and absentee landlords. True Venetians hate the Disneyfication of their city – the kitsch of the carnival that has now become a commodified mass spectacle, the endless tourists. There is talk of constructing a London Eye-type ferris wheel to dwarf the surroundings. Venetians such as Germano and Marina almost despair of regaining their city.”

Massive New Montreal Cultural Project – Four Years And A Billion Dollars

“The project to create a cultural quarter with a public sqaure, a symphony hall and a skating rink has cost close to $1 billion in public and private money . The two sq. km. area also will be home to new luxury condos and office towers. But at a public meeting Thursday, the audience was divided on whether the project was worth waiting for.”