tagged w/ critic
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Pigeons, it seems, can discriminate between art techniques and can even judge their quality.
According to scientists, given the incentive of food, racing pigeons can be trained to study the colour, pattern and texture of paintings and evaluate them like an art critic.
Their experiment was divided into two halves: the first saw four pigeons placed in a chamber with a computer monitor displaying watercolour and pastel paintings by schoolchildren.
The paintings were divided into 'good' and 'bad' categories by 11 adults, including an art teacher, depending on whether the images were clear and precise.
The pigeons were shown some of the paintings from each category and rewarded with food when they pecked at the good pictures, but not the bad ones.
They were then presented with a mixture of new and old paintings from both categories and the researchers noted the birds consistently pecked at the 'good' paintings more often.
However, when they were presented with monochrome paintings, they were no longer able to distinguish between the paintings, indicating that they use colour to discriminate.
The second experiment looked at eight new pigeons, which were trained to recognise the paintings' texture - four were trained to peck at watercolours and four at pastels.
As before, when shown a mixture of new and old paintings, pigeons used both colour and shape cues to discriminate between textures accurately.Pigeons, it seems, can discriminate between art techniques and can even judge their... more
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The famous film critic who writes for the Chicago Sun-Times, wrote a letter to Bill O'Reilly in response to O'Reilly including the Chicago Sun-Times in his "Hall of Shame."
Excerpt from Ebert's letter:
"Bill, I am concerned that you have been losing touch with reality recently. Did you really say you are more powerful than any politician?
That reminds me of the famous story about Squeaky the Chicago Mouse. It seems that Squeaky was floating on his back along the Chicago River one day. Approaching the Michigan Avenue lift bridge, he called out: Raise the bridge! I have an erection!"The famous film critic who writes for the Chicago Sun-Times, wrote a letter to Bill... more
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Sen. Judd Gregg, who was offered the job of President Obama's commerce secretary but withdrew his name, has become one of the toughest critics of Obama's handling of the economy.
U.S. Republicans say the path to prosperity is not the excessive spending proposed by President Obama but limited spending that holds down the growth of government, taxes and debt.
"We believe you create prosperity by having an affordable government that pursues its responsibilities without excessive costs, taxes or debt," Sen. Judd Gregg said Saturday in the weekly Republican radio address.
Gregg, who was offered the job of Obama's commerce secretary but withdrew his name, has become one of the toughest critics of Obama's handling of the economy.
"In the next five years, President Obama's budget will double the national debt; in the next 10 years, it will triple the national debt," the New Hampshire Republican said.
"His budget assumes the deficit will average $1 trillion every year for the next 10 years and will add well over $9 trillion in new debts to our children's backs," Gregg said. "He also is proposing the largest tax increase in history, much of it aimed at taxing small business people who have been, over the years, the best job creators in our economy."
Gregg said Obama's proposals "represent an extraordinary move of our government to the left."
He said Obama "is not trying to hide this; in fact, he is very forthright in stating that he believes that by greatly expanding the spending, the taxing and the borrowing of our government, this will lead us to prosperity."
Gregg countered that:
-- "It is the individual American who creates prosperity and good jobs, not the government."
-- "We believe that you create energy independence not by sticking Americans with a brand new national sales tax on everyone's electric bill, but by expanding the production of American energy ... while also conserving more."
--"We also believe you improve everyone's health care not by nationalizing the health care system and putting the government between you and your doctor, but by assuring that every American has access to quality health insurance and choices in health care."
He said the United States "has an exceptional history of one generation passing on to the next generation a more prosperous and stronger country, but that tradition is being put at risk."Sen. Judd Gregg, who was offered the job of President Obama's commerce secretary... more
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Literary and cultural critic John Leonard, an early champion of Toni Morrison, Gabriel Garcia Marquez and many other authors, and so consumed and informed by books that Kurt Vonnegut once praised him as ``the smartest man who ever lived,'' has died at age 69, his stepdaughter said Thursday.Literary and cultural critic John Leonard, an early champion of Toni Morrison, Gabriel... more
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Mr. Blackwell, the acerbic designer whose annual worst-dressed list skewered the fashion felonies of celebrities from Zsa Zsa Gabor to Britney Spears, has died. He was 86.Mr. Blackwell, the acerbic designer whose annual worst-dressed list skewered the... more
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Acid-tongued fashion critic Mr. Blackwell has been hospitalized with a serious illness, his business partner said Thursday.Acid-tongued fashion critic Mr. Blackwell has been hospitalized with a serious... more
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