AUDIENCE EDITION
GOOD WEEK/BAD WEEK
Myspace
The pre-Facebook social site (remember Tom?) added 1 million users this month
Smash
The heavily hyped NBC drama saw its ratings decline in Week 2
CRIME
Brass Bandits
A wave of tuba thefts has swept Southern California in recent months, with dozens of instruments stolen from schools. The crimes are likely related to an increase in the popularity of Mexican banda music, which prominently features the $7,000 instrument. So far, the oboe remains safe.
ART
Dishonest Babe
Even presidential families can fall victim to identity theft. The curator of the Abraham Lincoln library and museum has discovered that a famous painting of the President's wife is just an embellished portrait of an anonymous woman. Lincoln's granddaughter purchased the painting in the 1920s for $2,000 to $3,000. Later it was hung in the Illinois governor's mansion, where it remained for 32 years.
FILM
Nicolas Cage Makes Ridiculous Movies
The permanently brooding actor appeared on SNL to promote Ghost Rider: Spirit of Vengeance, which he says has all the qualities of a classic Cage film: "All the dialogue is either whispered or screamed," and "everything in the movie is on fire." Well, at least he's honest.
STYLE
Fashion Figures Twice a year, designers present their latest collections at New York Fashion Week. But what happens behind the scenes at the biannual behemoth? We break it down by the numbers.
790
tubes of Maybelline mascara used backstage by makeup artists
15,000
cans of Diet Pepsi consumed by attendees
45,000
Fiber One bars given away at Lincoln Center
670
bottles of nail polish provided backstage by Butter London
FOOD
Tying the (Garlic) Knot
Nothing says "I love you" like a pepperoni pizza with breadsticks. Pizza Hut offered these menu items as part of a $10,010 proposal package for Valentine's Day. All that dough got you a ruby ring, limo service and a fireworks show. Except for the pizza, that almost sounds classy.
IGNORANCE
Paul Who?
When Paul McCartney took the stage (twice!) at the 2012 Grammy Awards, Twitter exploded not with praise but confusion. "Who is Paul McCartney?" became a trending topic on the micro-blogging site, with users making all sorts of ill-informed observations about the former Beatle, such as "who is he, he hella old too" and "He's not very popular over here, I think." We've never felt more ancient.
A BRILLIANT BEAN
Millennium Park's Cloud Gate sculpture, better known as the Bean, normally reflects the Chicago skyline. But through Feb. 20, the structure also has lights of its own. Luminous Field, an installation by Luftwerk, features choreographed colors set to music.
VERBATIM
'The black artist can only tell the truth about humanity, and humanity is messy. People are messy.'