Art

Art Review: Studies in Flab and Drooping Skin

Drawing of an old man

By the looks of past exhibits, I’d think artist Jeanine J. Eninaej was a primary school art teacher, exhibiting works by her worst students to wake up the masses to the unfortunate Future of Art in the post-postmodern world. But in fact, she exhibits her very own original “art” at some of the most “prestigious” […]

Fine Beers and Craft Wines

Have you ever wondered why there are no craft wines? Why wines can be fine, but only beer is ever craft. The impression this terminology produces is that brewers are master craftsmen, subtle geniuses bulging with wizardly skill and arcane expertise. Winemakers, or vintners, on the other hand, are just not. That’s not to say […]

Matilda

Who told Lies, and was Burned to Death Matilda told such Dreadful Lies, It made one Gasp and Stretch one’s Eyes; Her Aunt, who, from her Earliest Youth, Had kept a Strict Regard for Truth, Attempted to Believe Matilda: The effort very nearly killed her, And would have done so, had not She Discovered this […]

How Do Opera Singers Hold Their Notes So Long?

Have you ever wondered how opera singers hold their notes for such a long time? If you ask a voice teacher, you are liable to receive answers such as “lung capacity,” “breath support,” or “resonance.” If you perform an internet search, you might get a response like “they squeeze a quarter between their buttocks,” and […]

Swedish Heavy Metal Group Sings Virgil, in Latin

Inside sources report that Swedish heavy metal group Svart Död is preparing a new concert tour highlighting performances of Virgil’s Aeneid in Latin. Lead singer Lukas Bergström explains that: While heavy metal typically appeals to a fairly restricted demographic, classic Latin poetry has a much wider audience. We hope to broaden the appeal of heavy […]

Sign Language Institute Offers Advanced Music Interpretation

The South Carolina Sign Language Institute is now offering courses in advanced ASL Music Interpretation. If you’ve ever watched a sign language interpreter translating music into signs, you’ll notice that, while the words of the music can be rendered very literally, the interpretation of the music is not nearly as precise. The rhythm is more […]

Rock Stars Play Professional Conferences

Public domain image, available at http://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:Blast_beat_drum_pattern.png#mediaviewer/File:Blast_beat_drum_pattern.png

Seeking to gain better attendance and greater appeal among Generation X and Y members, some professional associations are hiring rock stars and setting theme songs for their annual conferences. Many of these societies feel their meetings are seen by younger members as being boring and having an uptight atmosphere which does little to spark their […]

The Blind Painting the Blind

If you’re tired of the same old paint colors, and don’t simply want to use whatever colors happen to be trendy this year when you paint, why not go for something really different. “Always Something Surprising” is the motto of a new Cleveland painting company called The Blind Painting the Blind, Inc. While not all […]