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Korea Herald
5 days ago
- Entertainment
- Korea Herald
Podo Museum exhibition poetically reflects on human vulnerability
SEOGWIPO, Jeju Island — Distrust, jealousy and endless desires drive us to fight and wound each other. Wars take place one after another across the globe, claiming the lives of innocent civilians. We often forget how fragile and small human beings are in the vast universe. 'We, Such Fragile Beings' at the Podo Museum on Jeju Island began with that thought. Bringing together 13 artists from around the world, the exhibition offers comfort and compassion to visitors who are grieving, whether directly or indirectly. 'While preparing for this exhibition, I reflected on how we often get caught up in the struggles and conflicts of everyday life. If we can expand the 'common denominator,' whether through religion, music or any experience that transcends our immediate concerns, we can see those daily challenges from a much broader perspective,' said Chloe Kim, executive director of Podo Museum, Friday at the museum. Seemingly a curtain with an image of countless stars and planets in the Milky Way, the installation 'Drawings on Newspaper' by Japanese artist Sumi Kanazawa consists of newspapers with densely drawn lines using soft, dark 10B pencils. Events from different times and dates are seen where the pencil has skipped over. Standing before the work, which feels meditative, one may realize just how many things are concurrently going in this vast universe. Lebanese artist Annabel Daou's scroll-like work unfurls from the gallery wall and spills out onto the floor, beginning with the phrase from the American Declaration of Independence from which it takes its name, 'When in the Course of Human Events.' Unlike the declaration's urgent call to action, the hundreds of sentences written in white correction fluid on black microfiber by ordinary people continue with phrases emphasizing needs, hopes and desires 'to breathe deeply,' 'to reach out' and 'to hold back tears.' 'It was in 2019 that I began working on it at a time when there were protests all across the world. I had this kind of sense that this was the moment, a pivotal moment. "I started asking people to complete the sentence, and what was really interesting to me is that it was the sense of excitement — the possibility of rewriting or adapting the form of this US document that was written by wealthy white men and to put it in the voice of people across the world,' the New York-based artist said. A white hallway of the museum is filled floor to ceiling with 560 white clocks, the sound of their ticking like falling rain. Each clock has a name, a job and a country. The installation by Korean artist Lee Wan shows each clock is ticking at a different speed. "There is a formula for calculating the speed of the clocks. By entering data from the people I interviewed, such as their income, the cost of living in their country and how much they pay for a single meal, I was able to determine the pace of time for each person. 'However, this pace does not represent an eternal speed. The speed of time for everyone represented in the clocks will continue to flow as it does at this very moment,' he said. Outside the museum is an installation by Robert Montgomery where light-emitting diode bulbs create the sentence: 'Love is the revolutionary energy that annihilates the shadows and collapses this distance between us.' The exhibition runs to Aug. 8, 2026 at the museum owned by SK Group.
Daily Mirror
10-08-2025
- Politics
- Daily Mirror
Donald Trump given two-word assessment by ambassador ahead of meeting with King Charles
The US Ambassador to the Court of St James has heaped praise on the US President ahead of his state visit, saying he was a 'delightful' man and a 'good grandfather' US President Donald Trump has been granted the honour of a second state visit by King Charles III, where he is expected to join the monarch and his wife, Queen Camilla, at Windsor Castle in mid-September. Ahead of this unprecedented second visit, the US ambassador to the Court of St. James has offered a two-word assessment of his boss, suggesting that he may have been invited back because he's "charming and funny." Typically, second-term presidents are not offered a state visit but are usually invited for tea or lunch with the monarch. Ambassador Warren Stephens told The Times that Trump was absolutely delightful company when he and his wife brought their extended family into the Oval Office. Ambassador Stephens said he was particularly charming with the younger children: "He opened his desk drawer and gave them all coins and showed them the American Declaration of Independence. You can tell he is a good grandfather; he has all his family photos." The ambassador added that the bust of Winston Churchill, which was notoriously removed from the Oval Office during President Obama's administration, is now very much back in its place. He also mentioned that the president is a first-class golfer: " I did not play very well and he's a surprisingly good golfer. He played terrifically. He can drive; he can putt." The billionaire ambassador, who donated $1 million to MAGA Inc. , a super PAC that supports Donald Trump added: "The president and his son Eric beat my son, me and my son-in-law." Ambassador Stephens went on to say that he was equally charmed when he met with the King after taking office in May: "It was a thrill. Harriet and I drove to Buckingham Palace in a gilded carriage. "The King was most gracious with his time. Frankly, I was nervous. We had rehearsed here with members of the royal staff, but he was so disarming. He was delightful." Widespread demonstrations against President Trump are anticipated during his UK visit. A major protest has been organised for Wednesday 17 September 2025, coinciding with the opening day of Donald Trump's state visit to Britain. Additional action is expected to occur near Windsor Castle. Stop Trump Coalition spokesperson Seema Syeda said: "This will be a massive protest against Trump's state visit. Trump and his authoritarian politics are not welcome here. Keir Starmer should not be rolling out the red carpet for Trump." "They are already running scared. They have chosen the first possible date that stops Trump from being able to address Parliament. We know that Trump is deeply unpopular with the public." She added: "We mobilised hundreds of thousands of people against Trump during his first term, and he has only got worse since then. We are working at speed to bring together all the movements – for democracy, for equality, against climate change, for a free Palestine – to show our unity against Trump." However, despite potential public backlash, Trump expects a cordial reception from the Royal Family. Speaking in April, he declared: "I'm a friend of Charles, I have great respect for King Charles and the family, William. We have really just a great respect for the family."
Epoch Times
12-07-2025
- Entertainment
- Epoch Times
‘The Pursuit of Happyness': Freedom Is Founded on Responsibility
Among self-evident truths and unalienable rights listed in the American Declaration of Independence is the 'pursuit of Happiness.' But to the founders, freedom or independence doesn't involve some hedonistic hunt to possess happiness, as one would pursue and possess some once-in-a-lifetime treasure or asset. It's the everyday practice of happiness as one would cultivate a lifelong conscious state of being, like love or hope. That spirit shines through in 'The Pursuit of Happyness' In the film, Chris's (Will Smith) bitter separation from his disrespectful and irate wife Linda (Thandiwe Newton) renders him a single parent to his 5-year-old, Christopher Jr. (Jaden Smith).
Time of India
22-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Time of India
NYT Connections Hints and Answers for puzzle #742 for today, June 22, 2025
The New York Times' daily Connections puzzle remains a favorite among word game fans. Each day, players must group 16 words into four sets based on shared meanings or patterns. Puzzle #742 for June 22, 2025, brings another round of wordplay. Hints and Answers for Puzzle #742 News Terms Group This group includes words used in broadcasting or public communication. These words are commonly linked to media reports and alerts. by Taboola by Taboola Sponsored Links Sponsored Links Promoted Links Promoted Links You May Like Feni Sadar: Scholarships You Can Apply For (Start Now) Google Search Search Now Undo Bulletin Flash Report Wire Live Events Also Read: What to Watch This Weekend: Here's the complete list Words from Declaration of Independence This group contains terms found in a well-known line of the American Declaration of Independence. These are often used in the context of rights and ideals. Happiness Liberty Life Pursuit HBO Television Shows This group features titles of popular series aired on the HBO network. These shows are known for strong audience engagement and high ratings. Entourage Euphoria Insecure Succession Different Senses of the Word 'Left' These words carry meanings that relate to 'left,' whether in direction, departure, or remaining presence. Departed Port Progressive Remaining Also Read: Iran hackers launch cyber attack on Albania's capital Tirana. Here is the reason Understanding NYT Connections Gameplay The puzzle presents a 4x4 grid of words. Players must select four words that form a group based on a shared link. They repeat the process until all four groups are found. Color codes help define difficulty: Yellow: Simple or direct group Green: Slightly harder Blue: Even more complex Purple: Most abstract or subtle group Solving Tips Begin with the clearest connections. Use the shuffle tool to see new word patterns. Be cautious of similar meanings that fit more than one group. Try thinking in categories like media, emotions, or directions. FAQs What makes NYT Connections Puzzle #742 hard to solve? The use of abstract categories like 'left' and TV show titles can confuse players and cause overlap in guesses. Can I use hints while solving NYT Connections puzzles? No direct hints are available in-game, but players often rely on shuffle, word elimination, or thematic thinking to solve.
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Business Standard
02-06-2025
- Politics
- Business Standard
Shashi Tharoor's book offers a partisan polemic on the Constitution
Our Living Constitution: A concise introduction & commentary Published by Aleph Books xiv+118 pages ₹499 School syllabi in the mid-1950s had a subject called civics. It dealt with administration systems and processes and the principles they were based on — quite clearly, the Constitution. The prescribed texts were well-written, with simple explanatory diagrams of reporting and hierarchical relations. The reason for recalling this is that nearly the entire first half of Shashi Tharoor's latest work under review resembles those texts, but is not as succinct or lucid as those volumes, probably committee-written, were. Mr Tharoor rambles on stressing repeatedly the uniqueness of India as a nation as well as its constitution writing exercise. Dr B R Ambedkar is invoked in reverential terms (as he should be) and quoted extensively. All of this is common knowledge, especially so in the last six months as we observed the 75th anniversary of giving ourselves the Constitution. In case you missed it, a quick reference to Wikipedia will tell you all that Mr Tharoor does in the first 47 pages of his rather slim volume, and with much less verbiage. One does not have to wait long for the reason for Mr Tharoor to retell this oft-told tale. Phrases such as the idea of India and India as a well-established secular state keep appearing page after page. References to select members of the Constituent Assembly (the author often calls them Founding Fathers, a term usually reserved for the signatories of the American Declaration of Independence, with good reason), most of them belonging to the Indian National Congress, in adulatory terms, abound. In case the reader is still at sea about why this book was written, two chapters entitled 'An alternative idea of India', and 'A challenge to the Constitution' in the middle of the book clear all doubts. Mr Tharoor dwells on the Hindu Mahasabha opposition to the Constitution at the time of its drafting. He also talks of the Hindu-Hindutva ideologues V D Savarkar, M S Golwalkar and Deen Dayal Upadhyaya and their negative reactions to the Constitution: 'Upadhyaya saw the seeds of division …even in the Constitution's decision to rename provinces as 'states'…he felt the formulation envisaged in the Constitution diluted the sacred idea of a unified Bharatvarsha.' Mr Tharoor suggests that the ideological descendants of these critics, now in power, are still not reconciled to the secular nature of the Constitution. He could well be justified in believing this, but in the absence of any reasoned arguments, this remains just a shibboleth voiced by the current leadership of his party. He glosses over the fact that many senior Congress leaders in the 1940s and 1950s were uncomfortable with Hinduism not being accorded what they considered its due importance in the Constitution and by the actions of the Jawaharlal Nehru governments of the 1950s. The President of the Assembly and later the first President of the Republic, Rajendra Prasad, and a Congress president, P D Tandon, were among such personages. The short point is that unlike universal adult franchise, secularism was not yet an idea whose time had come then. But Mr Tharoor states quite emphatically that secularism was very much an integral part of the Constitution at all times, even though it was expressly inserted in the Preamble only during the Emergency through the 42nd amendment. Mr Tharoor is agitated by the passage of the Citizenship (Amendment) Act, the National Register for Citizenship and the Waqf Act amendment initiated by Bharatiya Janata Party -led governments in the last five years. He believes they affect the very fabric of the Constitution. Again, this point is vital in any debate on the Constitution, but to Mr Tharoor the existential threat to the Constitution is real and must be fought, which is very much the posture of the Congress. Mr Tharoor cherry-picks his arguments. He quotes the renowned constitutional scholar Dr Gautam Bhatia on citizenship, but not on the overall centralising drift of the Constitution, which tends to favour the government in power. He could have used the dispassionate writings of scholars such as Faizan Mustafa on the recent trio of measures. His tone switches from that of Chicken Little, who feared the sky was falling (the Constitution is under threat!), to the benign soothsayer: 'The Constitution will prevail as long as its spirit survives in the ordinary citizens of India'. That is when the book reveals what it truly is: A polemic on the Constitution, and not 'compelling narrative' about it, as it claims. Stylistically, the book has all of Mr Tharoor's flourishes: Alliterations, long (50+ words) sentences, equally long paragraphs, repetitions of words — all the bugbears an analytical writer is told to avoid. The book does have one plus point: It carries footnotes and citations where they ought to belong, at the bottom of the page. Post-script: One wonders what the author Mr Tharoor who goes to extraordinary lengths to toe the party line feels about the politician Mr Tharoor being excoriated by the same party for his eloquent defence of government policies in the wake of Operation Sindoor!
