“Last August, student loans surpassed credit cards as the nation’s single largest source of debt, edging ever closer to $1 trillion. Yet for all the moralizing about American consumer debt by both parties, no one dares call higher education a bad investment. The nearly axiomatic good of a university degree in American society has allowed a higher education bubble to expand to the point of bursting.”
Tag: 04.25.11
Patrice Chereau Likes Working With English Actors
“They are very disciplined, very open, and because of the condition of the English theatre, they work very quickly. In France, we have a lot of time. Actors there like to wait for inspiration to arrive. … France is the country of the directors; here, you are the country of the writers.”
The Taxonomy Of Office Chairs
A new book “contains three different forms of classification. The first section is a chronological catalog of 142 [innovative] office chairs … The second is a taxonomy that charts the development of different parts of the chair, including the headrest, backrest, armrest, seat, stem and base. … A third section is devoted to milestones in the movement of office chairs.”
How Urban Planning Utterly Lost Its Mojo
There’s “a swelling perception, especially among young scholars and practitioners, that planning is a diffuse and ineffective field, and that it has been largely unsuccessful over the last half century at its own game: bringing about more just, sustainable, healthful, efficient and beautiful cities and regions.” (Is it all Jane Jacobs’s fault?)
Biographer Joan Peyser, 80
“Ms. Peyser was a lively writer whose interviews with contemporary European and American composers, published mostly in The New York Times between the late 1960s and the late 1980s, helped clarify what those musicians considered most important about their work.”
Last One Standing – Paul Taylor At 80
At 80, he is the last remaining pioneer of modern dance still alive, and, more to the point, still creating.
The Zahi Hawass Problem
“The ugly web of controversy in which he is embroiled goes well beyond this latest contretemps, which Hawass describes as no more than a misunderstanding. The return of a man known for his autocratic style raises questions about the future of government reform in Egypt, and it presents a challenge to Western cultural leaders.”
Deadly Sins – Where Wendy Whelan Meets Patti LuPone
“Of all the details – and there are plenty – involved in Kurt Weill’s The Seven Deadly Sins, the two most important when you’re talking about the new production at New York City Ballet are these: Wendy Whelan is dancing, and Patti LuPone is singing.”
The Death (And Life) Of Artistic Reputations
Not much more than a year ago, Julie Taymor was still widely considered one of the great American theater artists. Then came Spider-Man, and now “Taymor is roadkill on the Great White Way.” Kevin Nance considers some other creators (Edward Albee, Faye Dunaway, Samuel Barber, James Dickey) whose reputations crashed – and, sometimes, revived.
Accent Chameleons
“Tourists who visit other countries find themselves mimicking the local rhythm or a few sounds, and when they see they’re doing it, get embarrassed. (It’s so common that they really shouldn’t be.) And I’ve noticed people who have moved far from home lapse back into a more home-inflected accent when they talk to family.”