Audio Books

I was always curious to know if audio books were really as effective as reading. I've only actually used an audio book once and I sort of felt like it was cheating. Some people enjoy audio books when they can't physically hold a book for example, if they were driving or working out. However others believe that they can't retain as much by just listening to a book. Turns out that reading and listening are extremely similar in the cognitive processes. In 1985 a study found that listening comprehension had a lot to do with reading. Basically it found that if people read books often they will also be able to listen to them well. In addition, in 1977 a group of college students wanted to see if audio books were really the same as reading. Half of the group read a short story and the other half listened to it and both sides were equally able to summarize the text. So at the end of the day audio books aren't to bad. So as long as you're reading in anyway, it's a good thing.

Source:

http://www.forbes.com/sites/olgakhazan/2011/09/12/is-listening-to-audio-books-really-the-same-as-reading/2/

Artist Creates Amazing 25-Foot-Tall Ice Castles

  Artist Brent Christensen, 50, of Alpine, Utah has spent the last four years making the craft of intertwining icicles into solid, 20 to 25-foot-tall structures he calls ice castles absolutly perfect. His little hobby started in 2000 when his family moved from california to the cold, cold utah. He was looking for some fun activities to do in the winter, and thats when he came across doing this. "We started doing winter stuff in the yard, playing around with the kids, making igloos and ice forts and slides and stuff," Christensen told ABCNews.com. "And it just evolved. One year I stumbled upon the concept of doing icicles by spraying water.

  once he got really good at the art he went to nearby resorts to see if they would be interested in if they would want him to create these beautiful art peices infront of their buildings to display to their guests. and of course, there was no takers and Brent was about to give up, but then heard from a spa and resort weeks later whom was interested.

  since then Brent has become famous for his intertwining icicles. he  currently has two ice castles on display this year, one in Steamboat Springs, Colo., as well as a larger, more grandiose one he created in the parking lot of Mall of America near Minneapolis-St. Paul.

  "People come and they pay an admission and spend about a half an hour usually taking pictures and exploring," he said. "The ice castle itself is probably about an acre and a half."

  he and his group of men work and work doing these 20 to 25-feet-tall sculptures and have a goal of being able to do 40 feet and high one day.

The best art of 2012

Top Ten Best Art Of 2012 (in no particular order) 
(http://www.guardian.co.uk/culture/2012/dec/15/best-art-2012-laura-cumming)

1. Bronze Royal Academy 


2. Lucian Freud: Portraits National Portrait Gallery


3. Edvard Munch Tate Modern


4. Tino Sehgal Tate Modern (no picture)

5. Philip Guston: Late Paintings Inverleith House, Edinburgh


6. Mark Wallinger: Site Baltic, Gateshead


7. Art of Change: New Directions from China Hayward Gallery


8.Presence: The Art of Portrait Sculpture Holburne Museum, Bath


9. David Shrigley: Brain Activity Hayward


10. The Tanks: Art in Action Tate Modern

Christmas Break

            So for christmas I got a brand new book called Beautiful Creatures by Kami Garcia and Margaret Stohl. This book is being turned into a major motion picture and comes to theaters Feburary 13th. So, what I got from the back of the book and the movie preview is that it's about a boy named Ethan who longs to leave his small southern town when he meets a girl named Lena. Together they uncover secrets about their towns history, their families and their history. From the movie preview it looks like it has to do with witches and things of that nature but I think it's safe to say this one isn't about vampires. I'm going to start reading it this week and hopefully I'll have great things to say about it later.