It’s an oft-repeated charge that students’ writing is worse than it used to be. But is that provably true?
Tag: 07.11.06
The Book Storage Problem
Storing data for the future is getting more difficult, not less. To start, what form do you store books in? “We’re talking of moving past gigabytes of information into terrabytes [a thousand gigabytes], into petabytes [a thousand terrabytes], and into exobytes [a thousand petabytes]. We need to install now an architecture into which you will be able to plug in whatever is the storage system of the day, in the future.”
Bad Writing, Truly
Jim Guigli has won this year’s San Jose State University bad writing competition with this passage: “Detective Bart Lasiter was in his office studying the light from his one small window falling on his super burrito when the door swung open to reveal a woman whose body said you’ve had your last burrito for a while, whose face said angels did exist, and whose eyes said she could make you dig your own grave and lick the shovel clean.”
Canada Chooses Venice Biennale Representative
David Altmejd, 32, a Montrealer who works in New York and London, was chosen by a Canada Council jury in a nationwide competition.
Is There Too Much Meddling In Birthing Plays?
“The new interventionism seems to have begun around 1979 as part of a proliferation of new ideas – devised theatre, documentary, attempts at new forms, physical theatre – that had their roots in the 60s. The emphasis on top-down thinking, rather than anything created writer-up, meant that a new form of censorship began to impose itself. This has led to young writers delivering drafts instead of plays, knowing the humiliation that lies in store.”
Turner Prize To Liverpool?
For the frst time in 24 years, the Turner Prize will be staged outside of London. “The 2007 show is likely to open at Tate Liverpool, rather than at its traditional home at Tate Britain – a huge coup for Liverpool, which takes up its role as European Capital of Culture in 2008.”
Greece: We Want It All Back
Thrilled by its success at getting the Getty to return artworks, Geece plans to “reclaim hundreds of looted art works and antiquities from museums and private collections around the world, the government said yesterday. ‘Whatever is Greek, wherever in the world, we want back’.”
Conductor Suddenly Departs Australian Orchestra
When Matthias Bamert became music director of the Western Australia Symphony Orchestra, he was touted as the group’s savior. Now he has suddenly departed, and no one’s talking. “The reason Bamert fell out of favour depends on who you ask, although no one can say on the record because players have received written and verbal warnings not to make any public comment. Before the China tour they signed a code of conduct that reminded them that section 70 of the Crimes Act made it an offence to publicly disclose company matters.”