deNuded Art

Originally written by Nanna Mercer on August 22, 2007 8:12 PM We skipped a light fandango, Turned cartwheels 'cross the floor. I was feeling kind of seasick, But the crowd called out for more. The room was humming harder, As the ceiling flew away. When we called out for another drink, The waiter brought a tray. And so it was that later, As the miller told his tale, That her face at first just ghostly, Turned a whiter shade of pale. ... [A Whiter Shade Of Pale lyrics on http://www.metrolyrics.com]

Giving it a voice:

Back to the main subject, here is a look at a new book on censorship and translation:

http://accurapid.com/journal/42censorship.htm

On Italian censorship in English:

Italian Justice Minister Clemente Mastella requested the withdrawal from television of a fictional work about the life of Mafia leader Toto Riina, considering that the directors made a hero of him. Michelle Serra ponders the polemic between the minister and Canale 5, the private channel that programmed the film, '"Is depicting the mafia, and depicting it rather well as in the Canale 5 fiction, 'The Boss of Bosses', incitement to follow in his foot steps? This, to a certain degree, is what the Minister of Justice believes by ordering its suspension. His is a minority voice, but not at all isolated preceded by that of a magistrate and those of several Sicilian mayors. ... In view of the mafia's current state of health, it is less a question of portraying the evil, than of having failed to portray it enough, out of convenience, complicity, or laziness." La Repubblica (Italy) http://europe.courrierinternational.com/eurotopics/article.asp?langue=uk&publication=27/11/2007&cat=MEDIA&pi=0#0

Russia's broadcast watchdog began hearings on whether or not to revoke the license of a cartoon network as punishment for transmitting episodes of South Park, The Simpsons and Family Guy: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/worldnews/europe/russia/3074454/Russia-to-ban-Simpsons-and-South-Park.html

From http://www.slate.com/id/2228263/:

[...]

Item 2: Pick up a copy of the U.S. edition of September's GQ. Buried deep inside, you will find an article titled "Vladimir Putin's Dark Rise to Power," by Scott Anderson. The article, based on extensive reporting, argues that Russian security services helped create a series of bomb explosions in Moscow in 2000—explosions that were blamed on Chechen terrorists at the time. Read it carefully, for you will not find this article in GQ's Russian edition. As of this writing, you will not find this article on GQ's Web site, either: Condé Nast, the media company that owns GQ, has ordered all its magazines and affiliates around the world to refrain from mentioning or promoting this article in any way.

[...]

 the three stories lead to one conclusion: In different ways, the Russian government, the Chinese government, and unnamed Islamic terrorists are now capable of placing de facto controls on American companies—something that would have been unthinkable a decade ago. In a world that seems more dangerous and less profitable than it did in the past, greed or fear proved stronger than these companies' commitment to free speech. ...

Originally written by Jacek K. on September 15, 2009 10:13 AM From http://www.slate.com/id/2228263/: ... In a world that seems more dangerous and less profitable than it did in the past, greed or fear proved stronger than these companies' commitment to free speech. ...

Sad. Sad and scary.

[…]

…n today's Russia, says Nina Ognianova, the program director for Europe and Central Asia at the Committee to Protect Journalists, the origin of the 1999 bombings is a taboo topic. And she says Russian authorities often turn up the heat on reporters who stray into unwelcome terrain.