Tag: Arts Culture Entertainment

The Takeaway

Is the World Baseball Classic worth it?

Monday, March 23, 2009

If the 2006 World Baseball Classic was baseball commissioner Bud Selig’s newborn baby, with everybody cooing, talking up the novelty of it and predicting a bright future as Japan beat Cuba in front of a packed house at Petco Park in San Diego, then the 2009 WBC was a pimply, unlovable teenager in serious need of an attitude adjustment.

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The Takeaway

Calling all A. Gorillas! Your unfortunate or funny names...

Monday, March 09, 2009

BBC
Much respect to the Moon Units and Apples of the world, but this article is not for you. Regards, Tallulah Does the Hula from Hawaii, who last year was made a ward of the court by a New Zealand judge so she could legally change her name — but you didn't make the list.

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The Takeaway

Books people lie about

Monday, March 09, 2009

Britain celebrated World Book Day last week, and put out a poll to go along with the celebration. People were asked if they had ever claimed to read a book when they hadn't and 65 percent of respondents said that yes they had. Patrik Henry Bass a former book editor and current senior editor of ESSENCE magazine, joins us to talk about why people lie about what they are reading.

If you've faked reading some of the books mentioned in this segment and want to redeem yourself, cross them off the list below.


POST-SHOW UPDATE: Hey there. This is Stephanie — I was collecting your responses today on which books you’ve said you read, but actually haven’t. Your responses overwhelmed us! Here’s the list of tomes you’ve fibbed about — along with the reasons why.

All of Dickens.
But I did listen to it on tape. Does that count?

A Distant Mirror: The Calamitous 14th Century, by Barbara Tuchman.
Ironically, I have wanted to read this for years. I have started perhaps 10 times, but then…

Lady Chatterley’s Lover by D. H. Lawrence.
It's because I could never get through enough of it to find a good part, so to speak.

Dante’s Inferno
I hope I don't burn in hell for that one.

War and Peace by Leo Tolsoy.
I did it to better my chances with a woman I really liked, but it was a really stupid move, because it invited follow-up questions.

A Brief History of Time by Stephen Hawking.
If as many people read this book as bought it, we’d be a nation of cosmologists by now.

Moby Dick by Herman Melville.
I tried to read it because I was dating a sea captain and he loved it, but after just two chapters, I thought why?

The Star Wars series.
I actually have read them — many more than most people know.

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The Takeaway

Eyeborg: Filmmaker wants to install a wireless camera in his eye to document life

Friday, March 06, 2009

In big cities, surveillance cameras are everywhere. But Canadian filmmaker Rob Spence is taking the all-seeing eye concept to a new level, combining reality TV, public journalism and documentary filmmaking. If he can raise the money, he'll install an always-on wireless video camera into his own prosthetic eye. Listen to Rob explain why.

And you can read more about Rob Spence on his EyeBorg Project blog at eyeborgblog.com.

"When you're a one-eyed filmmaker and you have the chance to stick some high technology in your body and make an entertaining film, why not become a superhero fighting for justice?"
— Filmmaker Rob Spence on implanting a tiny camera in his prosthetic eye

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The Takeaway

Tell us: Why is Watchmen so great?

Wednesday, March 04, 2009


The acclaimed graphic novel "Watchmen" is now a movie (opening Friday), and we love it, but we're having trouble convincing all of our listeners how great it really is. Can you help us convince everyone — in one minute of audio or video?

Call us at 1-877-8-MY-TAKE and we'll play back the most convincing phone messages. Or, link to your YouTube video in the comments section below...
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The Takeaway

Art in hard times: Brandeis set to shutter its museum

Tuesday, February 03, 2009

Brandeis University has been hit hard by the economic downturn. The University’s endowment has dropped by 23 percent, staff positions are being slashed and scholarships are on the line. But an announcement by President Jehudah Reinharz that Brandeis will close its Rose Art Museum and sell off 6,000 works has sparked outrage. Is it a case of hard decisions for hard times or have Brandeis trustees gone too far? The Takeaway talks to Jonathan Lee, chairman of the board of overseers at Rose Art Museum.

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The Takeaway

Can Scotland's national poet save the Scottish economy?

Monday, January 26, 2009

Sunday marked the 250th birthday of renowned Scottish poet Robert Burns. Think you would never know some musty old poet? Oh, but you do! He wrote such classics as "Auld Lang Syne" and "A Red, Red Rose." The Takeaway is joined by David Stenhouse, a radio producer for the BBC, who tells us why Scotland is counting on Burns to bring in millions of dollars to the Scottish economy in 2009.

Here is a dramatic reenactment of Burns' poem "To a Mouse":

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The Takeaway

It's the quarterback, stupid: A review of weekend NFL playoff action

Monday, January 12, 2009

You can give 110% all you want, praise the Lord for the successful completion of a fade route and use the word "defense" as a verb, but the only cliché in football that matters — because it's actually true — is that you can't win without a good quarterback. Especially in the playoffs.

Read Jeff's notes on the weekend's games, or listen to his rewind on The Takeaway.
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The Takeaway

Motown Records celebrates its 50th birthday

Monday, January 12, 2009

Motown Records launched the careers of some of the most influential music artists of the 20th century. Stevie Wonder, The Supremes, The Jackson 5 and Smokey Robinson all came up through the ranks of Motown, founded 50 years ago today in Detroit. Gloria Jones is a singer songwriter who worked at Motown on songs for the Four Tops, The Jacksons, Marvin Gaye and Diana Ross and wrote the chart toppers "Tainted Love" and "If I Were Your Woman." Gloria joins The Takeaway to wish Motown a happy 50th birthday.



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The Takeaway

Rockin' the recession in style

Friday, January 02, 2009

A new year is upon us, and the country is dealing with some very important economic troubles that are trickling into every area of life--including fashion. When Chanel starts the layoffs you know the industry is in trouble. Some designers might be keeping a lower profile to save money, but Scott Schuman, founder of the popular style blog, The Sartorialist says that could mean big opportunities for regular folks.

Want more from The Sartorialist? Watch and learn.



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