This week in NYTimes Arts, 11/14-11/16
What have you found of interest in the NYTimes Arts section? Remember to save your comments on your own computer, in case of any future crash.
In a related aside, some of you have expressed interest in Korean art, and I noted a reference in one of today’s articles to a gallery called Gana Art at 568 West 25 St. that is currently showing the contemporary Korean painter Sa Suk-Wong. I believe this gallery shows a lot of, or maybe exclusively, Korean artists. The gallery is in the Chelsea area that we visited on our class field trip. (admission is free) Maybe good for a visit and a blurb if you’re interested. And there’s about 200 other galleries nearby if you want to make a day of it.
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“Fill your heart with Christmas! Bring someone that you know to see the Radio City Christmas Show!” The song delivers exactly what it promises. A heartwarming show for any audience, The Radio City Christmas Spectacular is already beginning to get some recognition this year. I don’t think anyone could claim they went through any holiday season without hearing the famous jingle, or at least going to the show. That is to no surprise, as the show has been around for very many more years than most of us have been around. According to the article, “Dancing Santas and Other Traditions of the Season” the Radio City Christmas Spectacular began during the Great Depression, so in today’s recession the show feels right at home and will be as incredible as any year before.
This year’s show will be quite similar to the spectaculars from years before. Backed by popular demand, the 36 Rockettes are still going to be dancing and are still as beautiful as ever. The Parade of Wooden Soldiers will also still be dancing in their fantastic clean-pressed uniforms, and, rest assured, the show will still have the Nutcracker performance. Throw in a small performance of a living nativity set and, of course, a little scene with the one and only Santa Claus and you will have another Radio City Christmas Spectacular.
I am disappointed to hear that the movie “We Are Wizards” is not made well because the movie jumps around too much and we do not get a true sense of the characters. The movie itself seems like a good idea. Many people love Harry Potter and I would think that some children are really obsessed with it and think it is real. I would have like to have seen the detailed aspects of the children and their interest in Harry Potter. But I do not think I would enjoy the movie because the material does not seem clear.
I also read the article “Rollicking One-Man Show About More Than It’s About”. I have never really liked one-man shows because I had thought they were boring. I imagined it as one person droning on and on. But one month ago I had seen a one-woman show and I was surprised at how much I enjoyed it. The plot looks great for “Sleepwalk With Me”. Mike Birbiglia seems to include many different fun elements to the show. I would really like to watch it if I get a chance.
Reading “Gehry Puts a Very Different Signature on His Old Hometown’s Museum” actually put a smile on my face, unlike those that I had faked during earlier reviews. Gehry was commissioned to redesign a museum, taking what belonged to his town and adding his own distinctive flavors. As I envisioned this maverick (damn the GOP for sucking the life out of this word), yielding his t-square as an extension of his body, at his drafting table, I reminisced about Howard Roark from The Fountainhead (Ayn Rand), and drew the parallels between this article and the book.
In the novel, Roark is a man who thinks himself second to no one despite his lack of known accomplishments. He works to work; the rewards of fame and fortune are ancillary as long as he can erect buildings that fit the mold of the idyllic beauty that he wants in his world. Roark seeks to deviate from antiquity; he finds no solace in building upon the ideas of others, while Gehry works delicately to instill his visions without upsetting the foundation of ideas upon which this Ontario museum was built. Though their approaches are different, it’s obvious from the article that Gehry, like Roark, gives up a part of himself to attach to the building. The addition of the spiral to the museum reminded of the Guggenheim, while the comparison to the original museum shows the spiral only as a supplement, not a replacement.
Lastly, this critic writes about the place as if it were a process of exploration (the same way I structure my reviews), which I thought was pretty awesome.
“From Ashes, Reviving a Place of Wild Dreams,” is about a tragic loss of Deyrolle and people’s effort to revive it. Deyrolle is a shop on Rue du Bac, founded 177 years ago by Jean-Baptiste Deyrolle. Ever since its establishment, Deyrolle became the heart of Paris where people would come as a child, with their fiancee and as a grandparent.
A short circuit caused a fire that destroyed stuffed menagerie, cases of butterflies and beetles, pedagogic posters and century-old prints. Mr. de Broglie sought for help as he try to rebuild what seemed impossible. When I see people work collectively to maintain a culture-a piece of their memory, I find it very endearing. My country has suffered a recent loss of national treasury. I have not followed up on that story, but I can feel how devastating the loss of Deyrolle would mean to Paris. The recovery is in process and I hope such terrible incident will never happen again.
Like Miji I also loved the article “From Ashes, Reviving a Place of Wild Dreams.” Deyrolle was a shop founded 177 years ago by Jean-Baptiste Deyrolle. The shop feels like a museum except everything is for sale there. It was a store everyone went to throughout their lifetime. There was a short circuit fire that destroyed most of the items in the store and unfortunately the building was uninsured so the owner had to raise money to rebuild the store. It’s great that everyone is lending a helping hand in helping to restore Deyrolle. Hermes is even making an limited edition scarf to help raise money. There’s also been customers that donated animals and items they bought earlier from the store. This article makes me feel happy that there are people out there who are still generous to help out when a devasting accident happens.
I also read “Even After the Books, Pottermania Rocks On”, basically its a documentary about Harry Potter fans. I think it’s going to be interesting to see how insanely in love these fans are in love with Harry Potter. I love Harry Potter books but after I finished my 4th book I didn’t really get the chance to read the other books. It’s difficult for me to decide if watching the movies or reading it is better. I feel that sometimes the movies are just way to short to cover every single detail from the book.
The article about Deyrolle in Paris is really tragic. To think that a single fire destroyed all the art in the museum is depressing. Art is not something easily duplicated, and if it is damaged, it will be that way forever. Because of the fire, some people may never have the same experience when they visit again. To most Frenchmen, Deyrolle was a part of their lives—they’ve visited it when they were children to the time when they bring their own children. Deyrolle’s past is saddening, but there is also hope. It is now beginning to renovate and revise itself. I am glad artists are donating their works and helping the museum get back on its feet with auctions and purchases. Many are giving parts of animals (which I think is quite creepy) that many appreciate as fine art. I think with the help of all its supporters, Deyrolle will be back in no time.
From the movie review of “Quantum of Solace,” it seems like the critic didn’t like it very much. There were parts that were good, but many more that weren’t so great. To A. O. Scott, Quantum of Solace needed more originality in areas of technology and characters. Since so many movies these days use crazy technology ideas, it didn’t make 007 stand out. Some characters were also dull and seem to have no personality. James Bond was full of grief in this movie—it makes Scott wonder whether all protagonists/heroes have to be depressed. This made me think and I find it true to a great extent. But then, I guess people do get tired watching sad people all the time. In addition, I learned that there are tons of movies with James Bonds in it. It was impressive to read about it. Anyway, reading this review killed my desire to watch Casino Royale, which I haven’t yet, because it gave away some parts of the ending. I realized reading movie reviews on the NY Times really gives the movie away, so I’ll probably stop reading them now.
While watching “Amjad,” Nancy commented that the dancers resembled birds. I giggled, in complete agreement. Well, after reading “Flap Those Swam Arms and Make Like a Queen ( Now, Spin Faster!), it turns out that Nancy was right. The dance company, La La La Human Steps was attempting to create an image of “swan arms.” While watching the show, I was amazed at the dancer’s talents and their incredible bodies! The reviewer seems to disagree, calling the performance “less dream than nightmare.” Ouch.
I also learned that this dance actually told the story of a prince and princess (the female whose picture was casted on those circular screens). In addition, the tall, buff female dancer in the middle was the queen of the story. I didn’t quite catch that while watching the performance.
In Sunday’s New York Times, I was reading and stepped upon the article, “Mapping an Imagined Order, Page by Page.” The article was about a man by the name of Matt Mullican. Over the years of his life, Mr. Mullican has been very involved in all types of art. He has been making art since he was a little kid, seeing his father, mother and friends observe and critique art, he would make his own art, and pot it up on the wall next to the art all of the adults were critiquing.
Mr. Mullican’s parents have played a large role in allowing Matt to become an artist. The family would travel all around the world and pick up different art from different countries. He was bombarded with art at a young age and from that developed some very useful habits; particularly the use of notebooks.
With an imagination like the one Mr. Mullican has, ideas come to his mind constantly. He was given a notebook at a young age, and he filled the notebook on the very day he was given it. Now, even during his New York Times interview, he has ideas and a notebook to jot the ideas that come to his mind down.
Another interesting thing about Mr. Mullican is his art’s attempt to overcome the subject-object divide. His newest gallery is featuring this phenomenon. Many people have taken an interest in his uncanny ability to use his art when trying to breach the subject-object divide.
As a student, Mr. Mullican did not fare all that well. He got left back in the 10th grade, but managed to finish high school by the age of 20. However, he did get recognized for his art, and received a $1000 scholarship for some of the art featured in his notebook. At college, his professors and fellow students were aware that Mr. Mullican was unlike any other student at his school. He had a very open and imaginative mind that was incomparable to all of the other students. A work that he did in college interested me quite a bit. Mr. Mullican and a few of his students took a couple of mirrors, and let each person hold a mirror in a certain spot. They put a leaf on the wall. Then, they lined up each of the people so that the sunlight from outside could be reflected through all of the obstacles in-between the front door and the leaf. Once the managed to shine the light so that it hit the light, Mr. Mullican took a magnify glass and used it to burn the leaf. With creativity like that, it is no wonder why Mr. Mullican’s art is in demand today.
Beyonce Knowles is amazing. Not only is she a talented and successful singer, she is also a great actor in movies such as “The Dreamgirls.” In the article, “Pop Music’s Dreamgirl Awakens Her Earthy Side” in the NYT Art Section, Knowles starred in another film “Cadillac Records.” The article started off introducing Beyonce Knowles as the singer Etta James and that she made an unexpected entrance where she curses at everyone. What is so surprising about this is that Beyonce Knowles have always contained a good-girl image and this film bought out a new and unfamiliar side of her. This shows how serious she is in taking on this new role since she is willing to throw away her glamour and instead focus on the true nature of the character. Ms. Knowles also met with the real Etta James, who is still touring at 70, after the film was completed. I think that this experience definitely have a big impact on Beyonce Knowles especially since she motioned that acting in movies changes her life and her music and the way she look at things. She viewed that taking this role is a big turning point in her life, a transition in her career that will open more of her capabilities to the public. I believe that she will succeed.
“Flap Those Swam Arms and Make Like a Queen ( Now, Spin Faster!)” talks about our recent IDC event, “Amjad.” Like Diane, I also liked the show so I was little surprised when I saw the reviewer having a negative view of it. I guess critics and non-critics have a different point of view. I figured out that the story had two major characters but I could not figure out why the dancers were flapping their arms constantly. After reading this review though, I realized that they were suppose to represent swan arms.
I think for students who were not exposed to ballet before should go to see shows like “Amjad.” This show is not as conventional and the students have a lot of room to interpret during the show. I realized that ballet isn’t as boring as I thought. Now my next goal is to watch another ballet with my little brother.
One of my new favorite shows is “Ugly Betty” and in the “Making Beautiful Music on ‘Ugly Betty’” article it was pretty cool to read about the guy behind the new Season 3’s soundtrack. Val Emmich is no stranger to the entertainment circle, both an actor and a musician; both of which he gets to “exercise” on the set of Ugly Betty. A newcomer on the show, Val plays Jesse, an aspiring musician (and Betty’s love interest) who’s career advances after meeting the lead heroine. Emmich plays an interesting part, exerting his musical talents both onscreen and offscreen while given a great opportunity to promote his new album as well. I haven’t been able to catch up on the last few episodes of Ugly Betty so I’m not exactly sure about Val Emmich’s role and music but after reading this, Im definitely interested in looking into it a bit more.
Everyone knows I’m Indian. So it comes as no surprise that “Extreme Mumbai, Without Bollywood’s Filtered Lens” caught my eye in the Sunday New York Times. Mr. Boyle, a British filmmaker, created a movie in Mumbai, perhaps one of the most crowded, and poorest cities in India. Therefore, it came as no surprise to me that thousands of people gathered around the set, most likely amazed to see a “western” amongst all this chaos. The description of India as fast and constantly changing is definitely on target.
His movie is an Indian version of “American Dream” movies where a poor child suddenly strikes gold. The movie is described as “very Bollywood” which implies that it is like a soap opera, packed with unbelievable drama and a whole lot of singing and dancing. I would guess that this movie isn’t going to do too well in America, considering half of the movie is in Hindi, with English subtitles. Americans aren’t interested in watching dance during a movie. Those are two separate entertainment categories.
I also found it ironic that some Indian police officers demanded that the filmmaker take out a scene about police brutality, which is a very real thing in India. As I read on, I realized that filming in India was crucial to the movie. There was no way you could recreate Mumbai on a set. Mr. Boyle also had to find a “real Indian” who suited the part of a slum-dweller. Whatever the case is, I’m sure this movie won’t be a success.
I just watched “Quantum of Solace” last night and I really enjoyed it much more than I expected. The movie picks up where “Casino Royale” left off, with a love-spurned Bond off on his next mission against both old and new enemies. The opening credits in itself was a visual treat, set to a duet by Jack White and Alicia Keys with the movie continuing the car chase that ended in “Casino Royale” ( something I didn’t even realize or remember until I read the article “007 Is Back, and He’s Brooding”). Although Daniel Craig isn’t the first man to fill the legendary shoes of 007 and received some negative feedback when it was first announced he’d replace Pierce Brosnan, I think he’s fit in just right for the part of the England’s top spy. The only thing that really surprised me was the relationship between James Bond and his Bond girl, Camille, because (if I remember correctly) Bond usually gets with all the ladies except in Quantum, where they kept a very intense partnership vibe throughout. I’d definitely recommend the movie to anyone who saw the first movie (even if you were disappointed by it) or if you just need a amazing weekend film because its got everything from emotional conflict, love, action, adrenaline and high tech gadgets.
“The Voice Behind the Drawing Board” is about a visual development artist for Walt Disney Animation Studio that gets a chance of a lifetime, to voice a character in a production. Mark Walton was given the opportunity to play as Rhino, the hamster in the movie “Bolt”, and he is making the most of it. The hamster is the main comic relief in the movie and plays a major part in its advertising campaign. He is more attention than John Travolta, who is voicing Bolt. There is a lot of pressure on Disney to produce high grossing animation because it acquired Pixar in 2006 for $7.4 billion. If this movie isn’t successful, then the purchase of Pixar will seem like a poor decision. So far, there has been a large advertising and promotion campaign for the movie so the public has been informed of it. The only thing left is if they show up to watch it.
From the Sunday NYT “The Vampire of the Mall” caught my attention because its about a new movie coming out about vampires. I have no idea why but I’ve always loved watching vampire series and movies. This article was so funny and bizarre because its talking about Robert Pattinson at Prussia Mall to sign autographs for his new movie Twilight and it gets awkward. All these young teenage girls are drooling over this guy and really forget that he’s just an actor. They think he is a REAL vampire. The girls come up to him and be like “bite me!” People see him on streets and they stare at him terrified because they think he’s a REAL vampire haha. I can’t help but think this is so silly. The funniest part was the end of the article where Pattinson gets on stage “Do you guys care about the questions, or do you just want to talk about nothing?” Then the a girl replies, “We just want to look at you.” lol I feel bad for Mr. Pattinson it must get really odd having such a strange fan base. I also realized Mr. Pattinson was in Harry Potter and played Cedric Diggory from Harry Potter and the Globet of Fire.
One article that first caught my eye in this weekend’s NYTimes Arts section was “Chelsea: Art Chockablock with Encyclopedic Range”. It immediately reminded me of our class trip to a few of the many, many art galleries located in Chelsea. In describing the content of these art galleries in recent times as “encyclopedic”, I couldn’t agree more – during our own trip, we saw so many different types and styles of artwork – from landscape photographs, to giant statues, to strange installations of who-really-knows-what. I couldn’t think of any other way to put it better than the article did: with Chelsea galleries running “the gamut from blue chip to schlock, die-hard hip to clueless, and good to pedestrian to egregious, often within close proximity”. And certainly, I wish I’d seen this article before we’d ever set foot in a Chelsea gallery. It offers the following sage advice that, in retrospect, probably would have made the experience less confusing, and allow me to waste less time trying to make sense of it all: “The array reminds you that the No. 1 rule for looking at art is: no rules. You must be willing to be betrayed by your taste, or put another way, to let yourself be dazed and confused by art that runs counter to your most dearly held ideals, agendas, prejudices and so-called standards.” The article goes on to describe so many different new shows, styles, and pieces (some even located in the galleries that we once visited) that I’m once again reminded how quickly the art world changes.
“In Faltering Economy, Auction Houses Crash Back to Earth” also reminded me of that very same sentiment. Not too long ago, I read a similar NYTimes article – “Tapped Out?” from the November 2nd NYTimes – which touched upon the same subject: the struggling economy and its impact upon the art world. In most ways, this article had many of the same ideas; namely, bad economy = bad times for art auctions. It’s interesting to note that one of the pieces mentioned in “Tapped Out?” – a $60 million painting by Kazimir Malevich – actually sold, according to the more recent article. I already pointed out my feelings about the high prices of art in my review of “Tapped Out?” – but this time around, I probably felt most irked by the lines that Sotheby’s and Christie’s, famous art auction houses, have decided that they “would also be cutting back on general expenses like lavish dinner parties for clients, extravagant catalogs and travel that takes art around the world”. Okay, maybe showing art around the world isn’t such an incredibly bad thing – but the dinner parties and overdone catalogs do seem a bit unnecessary, even in a stable economy. But maybe that’s just the scrimper in me complaining. The article, however, also brought up another interesting point – that with changing times, there are also changing tastes in art; which probably has a little bit to do with costs. Works by artists who were recently considered hot, like Takashi Murakami, Richard Prince and Peter Doig (the latter two of whom I don’t really know much about) have fallen in price, while more reasonably priced artists whose work wasn’t previously considered desirable (like Alexander Calder) have been appealing to buyers. It truly puts out an example of how, even in a bad economy, one man’s loss can be another’s gain – and we’re probably going to see a good number of losses and gains in coming times.
In the Friday Times I read “Dancing Santas and Other Traditions of the Season.” Like Walter said, this Christmas show comes at an appropriate time during a recession, since it began during the Great Depression. People can enjoy the holidays with the show’s heartwarming performance. All the old-time favorites have returned in this year’s show, such as “The Parade of the Wooden Soldiers” with the sharp uniforms and “The Nutcracker.”
I also read “Flap Those Swan Arms and Make Like a Queen.” I did not know until I read the article that the dance is based on the story of a prince and a princess. I did not originally think of the dance movements as resembling birds, but I just found them really graceful. Like Diane, I was amazed by the incredible movements, from maintaining their balance and doing all the spinning. They did an excellent job even though it must have been tough because I could see their sweat glistening the lights. I really enjoyed the dance performance because of all the quick, smooth movements along with the music. After a while, however, I felt that the different performances started to repeat themselves because in all of them they pretty much did the same movements.
In the Sunday Times I read “Saving Buffalo’s Untold Beauty.” Buffalo contains architecture from the late nineteenth and twentieth centuries. It is a city of modern architecture but it is associated with rising unemployment and abandoned homes. There are plans now to demolish part of a historic neighborhood. The architecture in Buffalo is unique because the architects were highly innovative in their approach to break away from traditional European styles. I have never been to Buffalo before but I have never thought of this city as having such rich historical roots in architecture. It astounds me to know that of all the cities in the US, architects chose to experiment with new ideas and bring in some American flavor to the buildings. Again there is this idea of cultural diffusion where they borrow European styles for the buildings and urban planning developments but they eventually deviate and integrate their own brilliant innovations into the projects. I would not be able to distinctly recognize the differences between European and American architecture and the boundary of where European influences end and Americanism begins though. But it is really interesting of how I originally considered Buffalo a modern city, but I neglected to know that it preserves much of the historical past before reading this article.
I also read “The Vampire of the Mall.” I did not know that Robert Pattinson, who plays the main character in this upcoming movie on vampires, also played the role of Cedric Diggory in Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire. When I saw him in the Harry Potter movie, I found him absolutely gorgeous so I will definitely go and see this Twilight movie even though I never read the book or any of the books in the vampire series for this matter. I agree with Nancy of how absolutely bizarre and amusing it is that his most silliest female fans actually think of him as a real vampire and adore him because he is a vampire but the actually forget that he is just an actor. This is not to mention in my opinion that they chose the right actor to play the role of a vampire in the movie.
I remember seeing Pierce Brosnan portray Secret Agent 007 at the movie theater with my grandfather. Being young, about 10, I was unable to keep up with the political aspects of the movie–having to close my eyes whenever James Bond decided to have sex was no fun either. Regardless, I was able to acknowledge the fact that James Bond was inspirational in a way, always seeming to save the world at just the right moment, always with a seductive female by his side.
Logically, when I saw the new posters for the latest film in the franchise, “Quantum of Solace,” the rush I had associated with my first Bond encounter immediately consumed me once again. Like any moviegoer familiar with a franchise, I’ll certainly have certain expectations in the back of my mind when I go to see the film. How exactly will the film match or exceed my expectations?
“007 is Back, And He’s Brooding,” is a New York Times review of 007’s latest action adventure. The reviewer, a Mr. A. O. Scott, examines various aspects of the film, including the film’s acting and the overall intentions of the film.
Scott proclaims that this particular Bond film has many faults. Primarily, the story is much more sentimental than previous films. Sure, there are the action sequences and women, but the film delves deeper into the emotional psyche of the Bond character. Having been epically burned by his former love interest in Casino Royale, Bond has now resorted to brooding, as the review’s title would aptly indicate.
I, for one, am a big fan of drama. I enjoy when a plot is able to progress at a steady pace while the emotional aspect of a character is also developed in depth. I think it will be interesting to see how the director of the film incorporated both Bond’s emotional development and the incessant action associated with the franchise into the film.
On a more superficial note, Bond has two love interests. Anyone who’s seen the movie’s posters can attest to his latest female counterpart’s beauty. Her sultry, vivacious demeanor will certainly fill up some seats in the theater as the film enters its first week in theaters.
I’m personally a huge fan of Disney/Pixar films. I, for one, nearly cried at the end of Monster’s Inc. I loved the Lion King with every fiber of my being. My sister enjoyed watching a certain little clownfish find his way back home, and I certainly felt all warm and snuggly after watching Wall-E find true love. (Let none of the preceding statements affect how you see me.)
When Disney acquired Pixar, I felt it was a good overall move for the company. As mentioned, I loved the Lion King, but I felt that the hand-drawn style of animation had long since reached its prime. After the merger, I’ve seen a slew of collaborative efforts, including the aforementioned Monster’s Inc, The Incredibles, and Wall-E. Disney, however, has not always had such substantial success in its endeavors. After a string of failures, the company hopes to hit a home run with its latest animated feature, entitled “Bolt.”
Essentially, a dog who has grown up in Hollywood is shipped to New York and forced to fend for himself while at the same time learning various life lessons (Sound a bit like Madagascar?). “The Voice Behind the Drawing Board” is a New York Times article that talks about one of the film’s most important voices–that of the protagonists sidekick (an overweight hamster confined to an exercise ball. How can Pixar go wrong there?)
The article shines a spotlight on the voice of Rhino, a Mr. Mark Walton. The childish man’s jubilance clearly shines through the article–i can only hope this same attribute shines through his character.
The article goes on to talk about Disney’s financial woes following the colossal failures of a few key films. Having been to Disneyland AND Disneyworld (I have a 7 year old sister, don’t judge), I can’t see why Disney’s revenue isn’t higher. The price to get into those themeparks is obscene, and once you actually get in amidst a nonsensically large crowd, you’re forced to pay obscene amounts for food.
The article goes on to describe the incredible nature of how a simple animator can attain such a crucial position in an animated film. Having auditioned several other actors for the role, those in charge of casting the film felt Mr. Walton’s personality would be best for the voice of the hamster. I’m somewhat inspired by this man’s ascendance in his organization.
All in all, the article is very well written. It isn’t a review more than a glorification, shining a spotlight on a man who really doesn’t get the credit he deserves.
In the article “Assault on the Gentrifiers, and the Audience”, I can see that Danny Hoch is a very talented actor. I find most people who do one-man shows are talented because they portray totally different personalities. His characters are especially different from each other. I like that his topics are current events. But in his new show “Taking Over”, I find that alienating the middle-upper class is not a great idea if he wants to make money. The economy is not doing well and it is probably the richer people that will spend money on watching theater. Sometimes I do not like it when the film alienates a certain crowd and makes the feel uncomfortable. If I were in that situation I would not enjoy the show. But I like how he wants the people of New York to be able to get along with foreigners.
I really enjoyed the article “Online, Onstage: Interfacing With the World”. It is so amazing that we have the technology to talk to each other face to face without being with each other. Adding this to theater makes the performance more dynamic and exciting because you do not know what will happen and in the play the main character’s relatives do not have a script. It is great that a theater is doing a show about the technology we have and how this affects people. I would definitely love to watch this show because it is different from any other show I have watched.
“The Big Picture ” is an interesting article about a new project by NASA to create a new rover, and the interior will be designed so that “two people will be able to sleep, prepare and eat meals, exercise, use the facilities, drive around and conduct scientific research on missions lasting from two days to two weeks — all in about 380 cubic feet.” Creature comforts include synthetic leather upholstery and retractable benches that can be configured into comfortable crew quarters. With long-term goals that include one of establishing a moon colony by 2020, NASA has started to take into account “human-design”. Space has become a home away from home for many scientists, so engineers are now thinking of ways to make living spaces more comfortable. Art is a part of everything, especially design, and its always amazing to see how far we’ve come in the space race. Our technology only gets better in time, and we’ve come far since the old days of metal benches and cramped bunks.
Let me tell you about George.
I first met George in early 2008 during the movie “Good Will Hunting,” in which he had a small role as one of the many psychologists that counsels the troubled protagonist. Engaged in verbal combat, George and Matt Damon exchange words that ultimately ends with an accusation of homosexuality that leads George to storm off. My encounter with George is nothing compared to the multitude of interviews in the new book “George, Being George” – George Plimpton’s Life as Told, Admired, Deplored, and Envied by 200 Friends. Unfortunately George passed away in 2003, long before I became aware of the many talents of a man whose popularity was only matched his diligence.
George had lived a life that no man could have complained about. Born into a good family and educated at Harvard, George had all the right things going for him. He sparred with champion boxers, played against the tennis elites, and etc, all of which elevated him to fame – something rarely accomplished by a journalist. Immeasurably charming and sociable, George’s presence carried with it an air of effortless wit and a bottomless bag of carefully calculated quips. To strangers, he was a celebrity; to his many friends, he was a trustworthy companion; to himself, he was a hard worker who understood the value of assiduousness, and often arduously wrote pages upon pages before finally stumbling upon a sentence that he deemed worthy for publication.
When I grow up, I want to be George Plimpton, or a dessert chef.
Chang, that made me laugh, thanks.
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