Around The Arts

Motorcycle giant celebrates 100 years\nMILWAUKEE -- Harley-Davidson, Inc. topped off its 100th birthday celebration with a concert featuring country star Tim McGraw, rocker Kid Rock and pop star Elton John.\nMcGraw rode onto the stage Sunday on a Harley motorcycle and went straight into a set. Kid Rock later joined him in a song and did more songs with McGraw's band.\nAfter McGraw completed the set, a large gospel choir filled the stage and sang as dozens of spotlights swirled their beams over the audience, forming a cone or wheel shape.\nJohn later took his seat at the piano, getting a mixed reaction from the biker crowd.\nEvelyn Hickey, of Austin, Texas, said she likes John but didn't think it was the best choice for the Harley event. She and her group were leaving after his first song rather than waiting for a closing fireworks show. "We all just are tired," she said. "It's been a long day."\nThe thousands of fans of the Milwaukee-based motorcycle maker spent Labor Day weekend taking in everything Harley -- including motorcycle exhibits, memorabilia sales and a 10,000-motorcycle parade.\nAs the show began, fireworks shot from the sides of the stage. Blues Brother Dan Aykroyd welcomed the crowd and the Doobie Brothers opened the concert.\n"We're a biker band. We believe that riding can set you free," said Pat Simmons, of the Doobies.\nNew antiquities museum continues Alexandria revival\nALEXANDRIA, Egypt -- Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak inaugurated a new antiquities museum Sunday, displaying mummies as well as pharaonic and Roman artifacts, in this Mediterranean port city.\nThe Alexandria National Museum, located in a restored mansion, will hold up to 1,800 artifacts from the country's pharaonic, Roman, Coptic and Islamic eras and some modern pieces. Mummies are shown in a special underground chamber.\nMubarak and his wife, Suzanne Mubarak, were given a tour of the museum by Zahi Hawass, head of the Supreme Council of Antiquities.\nThe port city of Alexandria, once the summer seat of government, has long suffered from neglect in favor of the capital Cairo, 135 miles to the south, but witnessed a revival of sorts in the past few years.\nIn addition to an aggressive campaign of urban renewal, Alexandria last year celebrated the opening of the $230 million Bibliotheca Alexandrina, a modern version of the ancient library founded around 295 B.C.\nUniversity honors Abbott and Costello\nMONTCLAIR, N.J. -- Who's on first, What's on second and Abbott and Costello are on the facade.\nMontclair State University has named its new recreation center for the New Jersey-born comedy team best known for the "Who's on First" baseball routine.\n"We wanted to not only honor our state's heritage but also be a little creative," Montclair State University President Susan A. Cole told The Record of Bergen County.\nLou Costello, the pudgy, animated half of the duo, was a Paterson native, and straight man Bud Abbott hailed from Asbury Park.\nUniversity officials chose the comedians after polling students.\nToday, the university will open the center, located in the heart of a $65 million complex that features four new residence halls. Those buildings also will be named after notable New Jerseyans.\nSuch tributes are the norm at Montclair State. Count Basie Hall salutes the Red Bank jazz great, who received an honorary degree from the university in 1982.\nOther buildings have been named after pipe-smoking Rep. Millicent Fenwick of Bernardsville, Mount Laurel social reformer and suffragette Alice Paul and Pulitzer Prize-winning poet and doctor William Carlos Williams, who was born in Rutherford.\nJimmy Dean finally getting diploma\nPLAINVIEW, Texas -- Fifty-five years ago, Jimmy Dean dropped out of high school to support his mother.\nThis week, the 75-year-old country music star turned sausage king will finally be getting his diploma.\nA friend worked with school district officials to get him the diploma. Although the friend, Dean's wife, and district officials tried to keep the diploma a secret, Dean eventually figured out that something was going on.\n"I didn't know a thing in the world, until I put two and two and two together, and when I ended up with three, I knew something was wrong," he said.\nDean left school shortly before his 1946 graduation. He said not getting his high school diploma hurt him, but hurt his mother more.\n"I know very well that she'll be watching at the little ceremony, where I'll say 'Mom, I got it,'" Dean said.\nHe said he worked several odd jobs before heading to the Army Air Corps for three years. Later, he got into music, and won a Grammy for "Big Bad John." Dean also had his own television show before launching his Jimmy Dean sausage company.\nIran blocks director from Venice festival\nVENICE, Italy -- Iranian officials have blocked a director from appearing at the Venice Film Festival to promote his movie about a Muslim boy who falls in love with a Jewish girl, the producer said Monday.\nAbolfazl Jalili was to appear Monday with his film "Abjad," or "The First Letter." But producer Emmanuel Benbihy said the director has been unable to get permission for the trip.\n"He doesn't have the official authorization to leave," Benbihy told The Associated Press. "If he doesn't obey, he is in serious trouble. It's not his way to avoid a problem."\nBenbihy said the director was not in custody but added that he hadn't heard from him on Monday and was worried.\nThe film is about a 16-year-old Iranian boy from a religious family who falls in love with the daughter of a Jewish cinema manager. The story starts before the Islamic Revolution and follows its effect on the main characters.\n"We all think we made a film about love," the producer said during a news conference. "It goes beyond religion to talk about love"