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Weekly Roundup: Etch A Sketch Art, Boston 'Mobspeak,' Sustainable Grilling

Here’s our weekly compilation of arts coverage from all four of WBUR’s radio programs – Here & NowOnly A GameOn Point and Radio Boston.

sights

How To Shoot Photos Of Fireworks

Bill Sandidge, left, and Nancy Koughan, of Decatur, Ga., watch a fireworks display on the field following a baseball game between the Chicago Cubs and the Atlanta Braves, Wednesday, July 4, 2012, in Atlanta. (David Goldman/AP)
Bill Sandidge, left, and Nancy Koughan, of Decatur, Ga., watch a fireworks display on the field following a baseball game between the Chicago Cubs and the Atlanta Braves, Wednesday, July 4, 2012, in Atlanta. (David Goldman/AP)

Photographer Aram Boghosian shares his tips, which include shooting at the beginning of the show to avoid the smoke, taking wider shots for context and being mindful of your camera's delay.

sounds

Sigur Rós Goes Industrial

Each week, NPR Music editor Stephen Thompson brings us new music. This week, he has us listening to "Brennesteinn," off the new album "Kveikur" by the Icelandic band Sigur Rós.

Singing Nuns Top Classical Charts

"Angels and Saints at Epheseus" has topped Billboard’s classical charts for weeks. The album was recorded by the Benedictines of Mary, Queen of Apostles at their priory in rural Missouri.

Fourth Of July: When The Piccolo Gets To Shine

The piccolo is much smaller than the flute, and harder to play. We hear from Jim Walker, the retired principal flutist and piccolo player for the Los Angeles Philharmonic.

words

The Long History of Boston ‘Mobspeak’

This 1980 black and white surveillance photo released by the U.S. Attorney’s Office and presented as evidence during the first day of a trial for James “Whitey” Bulger in U.S. District Court in Boston, Wednesday, June 12, 2013, shows Bulger, right, with another man at a Lancaster Street garage in Boston’s North End. Bulger is on trial for a long list of crimes, including extortion and playing a role in 19 killings. (AP)
This 1980 black and white surveillance photo released by the U.S. Attorney’s Office and presented as evidence during the first day of a trial for James "Whitey" Bulger in U.S. District Court in Boston, Wednesday, June 12, 2013, shows Bulger, right, with another man at a Lancaster Street garage in Boston’s North End. (AP)

Linguist Ben Zimmer has been listening closely to the trial of James "Whitey" Bulger, and he says witness testimony has "opened up a time capsule of old-school Boston mobspeak" that traces its history back more than 300 years.

William Faulkner On The Battle Of Gettysburg

In his 1948 novel "Intruder In The Dust," Faulkner wrote about the promise that the afternoon of July 3, 1863 held for the southern cause, the moment before the Confederate attack that became known as "Pickett’s Charge."

Philipp Meyer Explores Bloody Origin Of Texas In ‘The Son’

Meyer's epic new novel details the blood-soaked evolution of Texas. Spanning 200 years, it tells the story — in often brutal detail — of the McCulloughs, who first settled in the state in the early 1800s.

'The Ghost Horse' Tells A Mysterious Tale

Joe Layden tells the true story of a journeyman horse trainer whose wife tells him on her deathbed that she would come back as a horse. Layden says it's a "a story about survival and finding triumph and meaning in getting out of bed every morning and going on with your life."

screens

Creating Art, On An Etch A Sketch

A piece by Etch A Sketch artist Andrea Tilden. (Andrea Tilden/Facebook)
A piece by Etch A Sketch artist Andrea Tilden. (Andrea Tilden/Facebook)

One hobbyist spends her time outside of work on her easel with special magnifying glasses, creating Etch A Sketch nudes. She tells us how she manages to make such original pieces on a seemingly unwieldy toy.

Wedding Films Are About More Than Getting Married

The Supreme Court recently ruled on same-sex marriage. Can Hollywood be far behind? Filmmakers often use wedding movies to address issues like commitment and family dysfunction, says Los Angeles Times film writer Steven Zeitchik.

Is The U.S. Movie Industry Broken?

Hollywood insiders say the studio movie-making machine is broken. We ask where the movie business is headed.

experiences

The Sustainable Grill With Barton Seaver

Chef and author Barton Seaver in the On Point studio. (Jesse Costa/WBUR)
Chef and author Barton Seaver in the On Point studio. (Jesse Costa/WBUR)

Check out Barton Seaver's recipes for ember-roasted squash hummus, zucchini with dried tomatoes and mint, grill-roasted chicken, escarole with nectarines and ricotta salata and grilled spiced olives.

New England Aquarium’s Grand Re-Opening

The aquarium's most famous exhibit, the 200,000-gallon Giant Ocean Tank, is open once again. The tank is home to a new reef that was hand-fabricated in Charlestown, and its redesign cost $17 million.

This program aired on July 7, 2013. The audio for this program is not available.

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