Last Supper paintings has food changes

Has even the Last Supper been supersized?

The food in famous paintings of the meal has grown by biblical proportions over the last millennium, researchers report in a medical journal Tuesday.

Using a computer, they compared the size of the food to the size of the heads in 52 paintings of Jesus Christ and his disciples at their final meal before his death.

If art imitates life, we're in trouble, the researchers conclude. The size of the main dish grew 69 percent; the size of the plate, 66 percent, and the bread, 23 percent, between the years 1000 and 2000.

Supersizing is considered a modern phenomenon, but "what we see recently may be just a more noticeable part of a very long trend," said Brian Wansink, a food behavior scientist at Cornell University.

The study was his idea. For biblical context, he sought help from his brother, Craig Wansink, professor of religious studies at Virginia Wesleyan College in Norfolk, Va., and an ordained Presbyterian minister.

The Bible says the Last Supper took place on a Passover evening but gives little detail on specific foods besides bread and wine.

"There's nothing else mentioned. They don't say there's a fruit cup or carrot cake," though other foods such as fish, eel, lamb and even pork have appeared in paintings through the years, Brian Wansink said.

For the study, he used paintings featured in the book "Last Supper," published in 2000 by Phaidon Press. They include perhaps the most famous portrayal of the meal, by Leonardo da Vinci. Computer technology allowed them to scan, rotate and calculate images regardless of their orientation in the paintings.

Details are in the April issue of the International Journal of Obesity.

The study is "not very meaningful science," said Martin Binks, a behavioral health psychologist and a consultant at Duke University Medical Center. "We have real life examples of the increase in portion size — all you have to do is look at what's being sold at fast-food restaurants."

A more contemporary test would be to analyze portion sizes in Super Bowl commercials, he suggested.

"That would be a much more meaningful snapshot of how this society's relationship to food has changed," Binks said.

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source

Paintings and study: http://www.mindlesseating.org/lastsupper/

Sony made 205$ for Michael Jackson songs

The Michael Jackson estate and Sony Music have reportedly agreed on a seven-year, 10-project, $250 million pact that will be the most lucrative in music history, the Wall Street Journal reports, citing sources close to the negotiation. The Jackson estate is guaranteed an expected $200 million from the deal, which will likely feature reissues of the King of Pop’s albums, new greatest hits collections and possibly a Cirque du Soleil show based on Jackson’s music. An official announcement is expected today.

According to reports, one of the first releases from the $250 million deal will be an album of unreleased material culled from Jackson’s personal musical vaults, which reportedly house as much as three albums’ worth of unheard material. That release is expected out by the end of 2010, most likely in November to capitalize on the annual pre-holidays sales. Since his June 25th death last year, Jackson’s catalog has sold 31 million copies, the WSJ reports, and coupled with the concert rehearsal film This Is It, the Jackson estate has earned more than $250 million in the past year.

The deal is expected to also include the release of a DVD collection of all of the King of Pop’s iconic music videos and a remix compilation. Still, it’s the unreleased material that is most notable, as Rolling Stone previously reported, Jackson left hard drives filled with unheard music, much of it recorded during his prime in the 1980s. Two unreleased tracks, “Another Day” and “A Place with No Name,” briefly leaked in 2009. Jackson’s manager Frank DiLeo told RS that roughly 100 completed Jackson songs remain unreleased, including collaborations with Akon, Will.i.am and Ne-Yo. “There are a couple of songs we recorded for the Bad album that we had to cut that are just sensational,” DiLeo said.

The record-breaking $250 million pact is $100 million richer than the 10-year deal Jay-Z signed with Live Nation two years ago. The deal will also go a long way toward helping the Jackson estate pull itself out of the massive debt Michael accrued in the last years of his life. In addition to the new releases and reissues, the $250 million deal also extends Sony’s right to distribute the Jackson catalog through 2017.

Australia Won Hockey Worldcup 2010

New Delhi:

• The Aussie dream of regaining the glittering hockey World Cup was realised after a hiatus of 24 years on Saturday.

• With a display that underscored the efficacy of efficiency and effort, not to mention admirable athleticism, Australia won 2-1 in the Hero Honda-sponsored championship at the Dhyan Chand Stadium to deny the Germans a hat-trick of triumphs.

Doerner nets winner

• The trump card for coach Ric Charlesworth, was Luke Doerner, who produced a whiplash of a shot from a penalty corner in the second half, to signal Australia's second triumph. The victory also confirmed the fact that Australia's win against Germany in the Champions Trophy was no aberration.
• If there was commiseration for Germany it was truly spontaneous. Everyone played his heart out but none more than the lithe skipper Max Muller, whose work in the zone, especially in the circle, was outstanding. His save of a Luke Doerner's shot, after goalkeeper Tim Juessulat was beaten, was mind-boggling.
• The role of Aussie skipper Jamie Dwyer was admirable. Moving smoothly on the flanks, he sent the huge crowd into raptures. Useful work by Desmond Abbott, Mark Knowles and Grant Schubert projected Australia's strength in attack and defence.
• Goalkeeper Nathan Burgers also deserves mention for the saves he made, especially when the Germans attacked, prompted either by Matthias Witthaus or Benjamin Wess.
• What brought Australia's display into full bloom was the early lead.
• A rare, momentary confusion in the German defensive zone, following a free hit, culminated in Edward Ockenden slotting in.
• Goalkeeper Jessulat blocked at least one dangerous hit by Doerner and rendered a few more attacks fruitless.
• Germany increased the pace after the break and the heavy pressure at the Australian end signalled danger. Moritz Furste slammed in the equaliser amidst vociferous cheers.
• The 1-1 scoreline transported the encounter to a different octave. Ten minutes before the hooter, the memorable moment for the Aussies dawned when Doerner pumped in the match-winner.
• As the final whistle sounded, the Aussies emoted joyfully even as the Germans fell to the ground in disappointment. A weeping Jessulat had to be consoled by one of the German officials. The scene was a clear picture of ecstasy and agony.
• Earlier, Rogier Hoffmann triggered an impromptu celebration as the Netherlands, fighting a 1-3 leeway at half-time, came back to claim the bronze.
• The Dutchmen deserve unalloyed commendation for their fortitude and focus to overcome England 4-3, the match-winner coming three minutes before the final whistle. This was the three-time champion's second bronze after the one in 2002 at Kuala Lumpur.
• It was an emotional moment to cherish for veteran Teun di Nooijer at the end of his fifth World Cup. His touch and elegance were there for all to see when he gave the Dutch the lead in the first half after a pass by Joeren Heartzburger.
• England fought gamely thanks to a goal by Alistair Bragdon, followed by two superbly executed penalty corners by Ashley Jackson.
• But the Dutch came roaring back, with Taeke Taekema's penalty corner conversion and the equaliser by Klaas Vermeullen. What followed when Rogier Hoffmann hit the boards is now part of Dutch folklore.

The results: 3-4:

• The Netherlands 4 (Teun di Nooijer, Taeke Taekema, Klaas Vermeuellen, Rogier Hoffmann) bt England 3 (Alistair Bragdon, Ashley Jackson 2). HT 1-3.
• Final: Australia 2 (Edward Ockenden, Luke Doerner) bt Germany 1 (Moritz Furste). HT 1-0.

Final positions:

• 1. Australia, 2. Germany, 3. The Netherlands, 4. England, 5. Spain, 6. Korea, 7. Argentina, 8. India, 9. New Zealand, 10. South Africa, 11. Canada, 12. Pakistan.

Special awards:

• Man of the final: Luke Doerner (Aus); Man of Steel of the final: Martin Haner (Ger); Best goalkeeper of the tournament: Guus Vogels (Ned); Man of Steel of the tournament: Maximilian Muller (Ger); Top-scorers of the tournament (eight goals each): Luke Doerner (Aus) and Taeke Taekema (Ned); Man of the tournament: Guus Vogels (Ned); Fairplay trophy: New Zealand .