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Today's Stories

Washington National Opera To Leave The Kennedy Center

The resolution calls for the opera to move its performances out of the Kennedy Center’s 2,364-seat Opera House as soon as possible and to reduce the number of performances as a cost-saving measure. Opera officials said that new sites in Washington have been lined up but that no leases have been signed. - The New York...

How Does This Professor Get Students To Read Complete Books? With A Class Called “Existential Despair.”

The professor is Justin McDaniel, chair of the religious studies department at Penn. The class meets once a week for seven-to-eight hours, reading one book cover-to-cover in complete silence, then discuss it. No phones, of course. - New York Magazine

Could Japan’s Highest-Grossing-Ever Live-Action Film Revive Interest In Kabuki?

In the movie Kokuho, a epic covering five decades in the life of a fictional kabuki actor, we see the traditional theater slowly fade from Japanese popular culture. In real life, interest in kabuki has fallen, especially since COVID. Now there’s hope that the film’s success could attract new fans to the genre. - CNN

Philanthropist Ensures Live Orchestra For San Diego Opera

On Monday, San Diego Opera announced that Jacobs has committed $4.5 million to establish The Joan and Irwin Jacobs San Diego Symphony and San Diego Opera Collaboration Fund. - San Diego Union-Tribune (MSN)

The Humanities Crisis Is Over. Uh-Oh.

There is no longer a crisis in the humanities. Our field’s long-running narrative of continuous crisis is over. The bad news: The crisis of the humanities has been revealed by the events of the last year to be a crisis of civil society writ large. - Chronicle of Higher Education

The Poverty Of Living When Everything Is Ranked

Value capture occurs when you get your values from some external source and let them rule you without adapting them.” Because we live in a world in which nearly everything is quantified and ranked, value capture is everywhere. - The New Yorker

First Designs Released For 2032 Olympic Stadium In Brisbane

The design, by the Australian firms Cox Architecture and Hassell in collaboration with the Japanese practice Azusa Sekkei, is inspired by the wraparound verandas of traditional “Queenslander” houses. (Brisbane is the Queensland state capital.) - CNN

Making Climate Change Real: When We Write About Places People Know

We have discovered that writing about local places that people are already connected to changes this dynamic and gives people a way to examine their own assumptions within a recognisable framework. - The Conversation

Science Fiction And The Art Of Predicting The Future

At odds with the outspoken desire for that which is novel and original in art, audiences also have a hunger for the familiar or at least the spectacularly plausible. If the future can’t be predicted, then maybe it can be gamed out, run through a series of thought experiments. - The Baffler

Researchers Use AI To Decipher Tens Of Thousands Of Medieval Manuscripts

More than 32,000 manuscripts were transcribed in the space of a few months. - Inria

One Of America’s Top Luthiers Is Still Picking Up The Pieces After Last Year’s L.A. Fires

Mario Miralles has made violins and cellos for everyone from Yo-Yo Ma and Anne Akiko Myers to principals in the Los Angeles Philharmonic to students to Gustavo Dudamel. His home and studio were in Altadena, and he lost years’ worth of carefully sourced wood, instrument diagrams, and almost everything else. - The New York Times

More And More Artists Being Asked To Help Finance Museum Shows Of Their Work

Across the US, artists report being called on to subsidise budgets for museum exhibitions, public commissions and even acquisitions. In some cases, opportunities evaporate entirely when the artist and organisation are unable to raise the money needed for production. - The Art Newspaper

Universal Music Chief Warns About “Irresponsible” Business Models For Music Taking Hold

“Let me be clear: UMG will not stand by and watch irresponsible business models take hold, models that devalue artists, fail to provide adequate compensation for their work, stifle their creativity and ultimately, diminish their ability to reach fans.” - Music Business Worldwide

Vancouver Symphony Backs Down, Says It Won’t Require NDAs In Harassment Settlements

On Tuesday, the VSO issued an open letter saying it would be ending the use of confidentiality agreements in cases of sexual misconduct, unless it is specifically requested by the complainant. - CBC

San Diego Museum Of Art At 100

“After starting out with ... mostly borrowed and donated items a century ago, the museum today boasts a collection of more than 39,000 items, including many Spanish Old Masters and significant numbers of French, Indian, Asian and American works. Annual attendance now tops 550,000, about five times (that of) 2010.” - The San Diego Union-Tribune (MSN)

Dance Theatre Of Harlem In Court Battle With Its Former Archivist

“The court conflict involves Dance Theatre of Harlem; its former archivist, Judy Tyrus; and ChromaDiverse, a nonprofit Tyrus founded to preserve the records of performing arts groups. Dance Theatre of Harlem has accused the heirs of their one-time photographer of illegally donating 16 boxes of archival materials to Tyrus’s organization.” - Gothamist

Ron Protas, Martha Graham’s Heir And Controversial Custodian Of Her Work, Has Died At 84

"Graham … died in 1991 at 96. Tensions between her company and Protas then simmered for a decade before boiling over in a court fight starting in 2001, after which performances by her dancers all but ended for two years. To (his) critics, … he was ‘the most reviled man in dance.’” - The New York Times

“A Cold Dose Of Reality”: Atlanta’s Public Radio And TV Face A Future With No Federal Funding

With Congress’s defunding of the Corporation for Public Broadcasting and its subsequent dissolution this week, WABE in Atlanta and jazz station WCLK-FM have seen the loss of about 13% of their budgets, while Georgia Public Broadcasting has now lost 11%. - Inside Radio

Frank Gehry-Designed Concert Hall For Wimbledon Will Go Ahead

The local council governing the London suburb, along with the trust created for building the venue, have confirmed that planning and construction of the project will proceed despite Gehry’s death last month. - The Standard (London)

An “Existential Question” For Scotland’s National Orchestra?

The Royal Scottish National Orchestra's chief executive says that government funding of the group is the same amount as in 2009 — amounting to, adjusted for inflation, a 30% cut. He warns that the RSNO may have to switch from a salaried ensemble to a freelance model without a funding boost. - The Scotsman (MSN)

By Topic

The Humanities Crisis Is Over. Uh-Oh.

There is no longer a crisis in the humanities. Our field’s long-running narrative of continuous crisis is over. The bad news: The crisis of the humanities has been revealed by the events of the last year to be a crisis of civil society writ large. - Chronicle of Higher Education

The Poverty Of Living When Everything Is Ranked

Value capture occurs when you get your values from some external source and let them rule you without adapting them.” Because we live in a world in which nearly everything is quantified and ranked, value capture is everywhere. - The New Yorker

Making Climate Change Real: When We Write About Places People Know

We have discovered that writing about local places that people are already connected to changes this dynamic and gives people a way to examine their own assumptions within a recognisable framework. - The Conversation

Science Fiction And The Art Of Predicting The Future

At odds with the outspoken desire for that which is novel and original in art, audiences also have a hunger for the familiar or at least the spectacularly plausible. If the future can’t be predicted, then maybe it can be gamed out, run through a series of thought experiments. - The Baffler

The Mythology Of The Friend Group

If friend groups seem ubiquitous, so does a quiet underclass of people like me, bemoaning their lack of them. - The Atlantic

New Vision For Your Car: An AI Companion

Across the show floor, the car emerged less as a machine and more as a companion as automakers and tech companies showcased vehicles that can adapt to drivers and passengers in real time — from tracking heart rates and emotions to alerting if a baby or young child is accidentally left in the car. - Fast Company

Most Arts-Vibrant Communities In The US 2025

“This year marks a decade of measurement. In celebration, we’re releasing our most comprehensive analysis yet: rankings for the top 100 communities nationwide and all 50 states.” - SMU DataArts

What’s The Ultimate Goal Behind The Trump Administration’s Attacks On The Smithsonian? To Finally Win The Culture Wars

Charlotte Higgins: “’The goal,’ as one senior employee of the Smithsonian told me, ‘is to reframe the entire culture of the United States from the foundation up.’” - The Guardian

Smithsonian Faces New Ultimatum From Trump Administration

“After a monthslong lull in tensions, the Smithsonian is facing an ultimatum from the White House to comply next week with a demand” to produce a very long list of internal documents for “a comprehensive review of the institution’s content and plans — or risk potential cuts to its budget.” - The New York...

America’s Only Weather Museum May Have To Close Down

“The National Weather Museum and Science Center in Norman, Oklahoma, the only US museum dedicated to weather artifacts, said late last month that it is at risk of closing. The nonprofit, launched in the early 2000s, has relied completely on donations, grants, and partnerships for funding, and receives no federal funding.” - ARTnews

Report: Increasing Share Of Artist Visas Into The US Are Going To Influencers And Models

A growing share of O‑1B visas are now being granted to social media influencers and OnlyFans models, according to an immigration attorney. - Newsweek

2026 Will See Major Copyright Rulings On AI

After a string of fresh lawsuits and a landmark settlement in 2025, the new year promises to bring a wave of rulings that could define how U.S. copyright law applies to generative AI.  - Reuters

Washington National Opera To Leave The Kennedy Center

The resolution calls for the opera to move its performances out of the Kennedy Center’s 2,364-seat Opera House as soon as possible and to reduce the number of performances as a cost-saving measure. Opera officials said that new sites in Washington have been lined up but that no leases have been signed. - The...

Philanthropist Ensures Live Orchestra For San Diego Opera

On Monday, San Diego Opera announced that Jacobs has committed $4.5 million to establish The Joan and Irwin Jacobs San Diego Symphony and San Diego Opera Collaboration Fund. - San Diego Union-Tribune (MSN)

One Of America’s Top Luthiers Is Still Picking Up The Pieces After Last Year’s L.A. Fires

Mario Miralles has made violins and cellos for everyone from Yo-Yo Ma and Anne Akiko Myers to principals in the Los Angeles Philharmonic to students to Gustavo Dudamel. His home and studio were in Altadena, and he lost years’ worth of carefully sourced wood, instrument diagrams, and almost everything else. - The New York...

Universal Music Chief Warns About “Irresponsible” Business Models For Music Taking Hold

“Let me be clear: UMG will not stand by and watch irresponsible business models take hold, models that devalue artists, fail to provide adequate compensation for their work, stifle their creativity and ultimately, diminish their ability to reach fans.” - Music Business Worldwide

Vancouver Symphony Backs Down, Says It Won’t Require NDAs In Harassment Settlements

On Tuesday, the VSO issued an open letter saying it would be ending the use of confidentiality agreements in cases of sexual misconduct, unless it is specifically requested by the complainant. - CBC

Frank Gehry-Designed Concert Hall For Wimbledon Will Go Ahead

The local council governing the London suburb, along with the trust created for building the venue, have confirmed that planning and construction of the project will proceed despite Gehry’s death last month. - The Standard (London)

First Designs Released For 2032 Olympic Stadium In Brisbane

The design, by the Australian firms Cox Architecture and Hassell in collaboration with the Japanese practice Azusa Sekkei, is inspired by the wraparound verandas of traditional “Queenslander” houses. (Brisbane is the Queensland state capital.) - CNN

More And More Artists Being Asked To Help Finance Museum Shows Of Their Work

Across the US, artists report being called on to subsidise budgets for museum exhibitions, public commissions and even acquisitions. In some cases, opportunities evaporate entirely when the artist and organisation are unable to raise the money needed for production. - The Art Newspaper

San Diego Museum Of Art At 100

“After starting out with ... mostly borrowed and donated items a century ago, the museum today boasts a collection of more than 39,000 items, including many Spanish Old Masters and significant numbers of French, Indian, Asian and American works. Annual attendance now tops 550,000, about five times (that of) 2010.” - The San Diego...

Elite Universities Are Cutting Their Art History Admissions

Amid widespread budget deficits, several top universities have suspended admissions to their art history graduate programs or cut the size of the cohorts they will admit, along with modifications to other humanities concentrations. - ARTnews

At Florence’s Uffizi Galleries, Temp Workers Protest: “No More Precarious Lives”

“Some temporary workers at the museum — assigned to roles in security, reception, ticketing, the bookshop, and the coatroom — lost their jobs following a change in service providers at the institution last fall. That raised the ire of the trade union Sudd Cobas, which organized the protest.” - ARTnews

Are We Living In An Age Of Bad Painting?

Walking through Frieze London’s carpeted aisles in October, a long-developed hunch was confirmed emphatically: we are amid a deluge of bad painting. - The Art Newspaper

How Does This Professor Get Students To Read Complete Books? With A Class Called “Existential Despair.”

The professor is Justin McDaniel, chair of the religious studies department at Penn. The class meets once a week for seven-to-eight hours, reading one book cover-to-cover in complete silence, then discuss it. No phones, of course. - New York Magazine

Researchers Use AI To Decipher Tens Of Thousands Of Medieval Manuscripts

More than 32,000 manuscripts were transcribed in the space of a few months. - Inria

Kenneth Turan: I Lost My Library In The LA Fires. Should I Start Collecting Again?

My entire collection of something like 4,000 volumes, acquired one by one over all those decades, had turned to smoke and ash in the Palisades Fire. The question before me was not just about this particular book, but about whether it made sense, in my late 70s, to begin collecting all over again. -...

Kurt Vonnegut Estate Joins Lawsuit Against Utah For Banning Books In Schools

The estate of the author of Slaughterhouse-Five (one of the banned books) joins three (living) novelists and two anonymous high school students as plaintiffs, represented by the ACLU of Utah, in a complaint challenging the state’s “sensitive material review” law. - Publishers Weekly

AI-Created Novel Loses Publication Prize After Being Voted Winner In Reader’s Choice

Contest-winning AI novel loses physical publication and manga adaptation after guidelines were updated to ban AI-generated works. - Automation

So How Are Libraries Going To Get Their Books Now?

The company faced several challenges in recent years, including a data breach in 2022 – after the company was acquired by a private investment group in 2021 – that put it in what independent library consultant Marshall Breeding called "a weak financial position." - NPR

“A Cold Dose Of Reality”: Atlanta’s Public Radio And TV Face A Future With No Federal Funding

With Congress’s defunding of the Corporation for Public Broadcasting and its subsequent dissolution this week, WABE in Atlanta and jazz station WCLK-FM have seen the loss of about 13% of their budgets, while Georgia Public Broadcasting has now lost 11%. - Inside Radio

How To Assemble A Film Cast And Crew While Hiding The Entire Project From Iran’s Authorities

And this project — Jafar Panahi’s Cannes-winning It Was Just an Accident — was extra-sensitive, since it’s about torture victims hunting down a man they think was their interrogator. - Los Angeles Times (MSN)

Movie Theatre Association Comes Out Against Warner Sale To Netflix

"We are deeply concerned that this acquisition of Warner Bros. by Netflix will have a direct and irreversible negative impact on movie theaters around the world,” Cinema United, the largest trade organization representing exhibitors, said. - The Hollywood Reporter

Hollywood Is Being Destroyed By Oligopolies

Effectively, in only three years, the Warner Bros. Discovery merger has validated nearly all the concerns that critics of “market first” policymaking have warned about for years. Once it had a dominant market share, the company started providing less and charging more. - The Conversation

Universal Music Buys Big Stake In Bollywood Movie Studio

Universal Music India, a division of Universal Music Group, will acquire a 30% equity interest in the Mumbai-based movie studio. In the deal, announced Monday, the companies will work together on forthcoming films, series, music and emerging formats. - Los Angeles Times (Yahoo)

“Rage Giving” To Public Radio — Will It Be Enough?

Since Congress defunded public TV and radio months ago, an estimated $100 million has been raised from foundations and, notably, from record numbers of listeners angry about the cuts — so-called “rage giving.” That leaves only $435 million to go to replace the funding promised to stations just last year. - Inside Radio

Dance Theatre Of Harlem In Court Battle With Its Former Archivist

“The court conflict involves Dance Theatre of Harlem; its former archivist, Judy Tyrus; and ChromaDiverse, a nonprofit Tyrus founded to preserve the records of performing arts groups. Dance Theatre of Harlem has accused the heirs of their one-time photographer of illegally donating 16 boxes of archival materials to Tyrus’s organization.” - Gothamist

A Plan To Map Europe’s Dance Heritage

That lack of recognition has real consequences. Across Europe, most public heritage funding is absorbed by monuments, libraries and museums. Dance, which exists only in the moment of its performance, is rarely included. - Horizon

Another Former Student At Richmond Ballet Sues For Abuse

“A former Richmond Ballet student is suing the performance organization for $11.5 million, alleging sexual, emotional and psychological abuse at the hands of staff members during her eight years (there). The 85-page complaint … is the third lawsuit filed by a former student … in the past five years.” - WTVR (Richmond)

The Fast-Paced, Virtuosic, Intimidating Traditional Dance Of Georgia

“Georgian dance is an art of outrageous virtuosity and athleticism, often meant to indicate prowess at war and in the hunt. The dances are characterized by fiery leaps, sudden drops to the knees, swordplay, spinning jumps and men dancing on the tips of their toes.” - The New York Times

Want To Head Off Dementia? Try Dancing

One study found that people who danced frequently (more than once a week) had a 76 percent lower risk of dementia than those who did so rarely. - Washington Post

Every Hub Of Street Dance Has Its Homegrown Styles. Check Out These Examples From Detroit, Chicago, And Philadelphia.

“The New York Times invited cast members of American Street Dancer to demonstrate the fundamentals of Detroit Jit, Chicago Footwork and Philly GQ.” - The New York Times

Could Japan’s Highest-Grossing-Ever Live-Action Film Revive Interest In Kabuki?

In the movie Kokuho, a epic covering five decades in the life of a fictional kabuki actor, we see the traditional theater slowly fade from Japanese popular culture. In real life, interest in kabuki has fallen, especially since COVID. Now there’s hope that the film’s success could attract new fans to the genre. -...

French Researchers Have Used AI To Write A Molière Play

Mind you, this script wasn’t just spit out by a bot after one prompt. The French AI collective Obvious spent two years developing the script with the Théâtre Molière Sorbonne: training the software on the playwright’s structure and themes, then producing new drafts after feedback from scholars and actors. - The New York Times

Broadway Production Will Rework “The Fantasticks” As Gay Love Story

“In the re-envisioned Fantasticks, the central romantic pair – traditionally Matt and Luisa – are now Matt and Lewis, reinterpreting the story’s ‘allegory of love, longing, and reconciliation through a gay lens,’ according to producers. The show’s original pair of fathers, who secretly orchestrate the clandestine love affair between their children, are now mothers.” -...

The Man Who Has Four Shows Currently On Broadway

“If I step back and think about what unites the shows, it’s probably they’re all trying to be joy-forward experiences and shows where the audience is acknowledged,” says Alex Timbers, now 47. - AP News

Artistic Director Of Chicago’s Shattered Globe Theatre Will Depart

Sandy Shinner, 75, will step down in May from the widely-admired Off-Loop company, which she has run for 13 years. She will remain a member of the group’s ensemble. - Chicago Tribune (Yahoo!)

How Sam Shepard Became The Star Playwright Of 1960s Off-Off-Broadway

“Shepard would astonishingly make his mark as an avant-garde playwright on the downtown scene with only a few months of networking and no production to his name. … ‘New York was like that in the Sixties,’ he said later. ‘You could write a one-act play and start doing it the next day.’” - Literary...

Ron Protas, Martha Graham’s Heir And Controversial Custodian Of Her Work, Has Died At 84

"Graham … died in 1991 at 96. Tensions between her company and Protas then simmered for a decade before boiling over in a court fight starting in 2001, after which performances by her dancers all but ended for two years. To (his) critics, … he was ‘the most reviled man in dance.’” - The New York...

Renee Nicole Good Merch Pops Up On Amazon And Etsy

Less than 24 hours after the horrifying shooting of a woman by an Immigration and Customs Enforcement (ICE) agent in Minneapolis, merchandise related to the slain U.S. citizen is already proliferating on e-commerce shopping sites, including on Amazon and Etsy. - Fast Company

Renee Nicole Good Was A Poet. Here’s Some Of Her Work

The bio from a now-private Instagram account belonging to Good describes her as a “Poet and writer and wife and mom and shitty guitar strummer from Colorado; experiencing Minneapolis, MN.”  - LitHub

Bruce Crawford, Ad Exec Who Led Metropolitan Opera And Lincoln Center, Has Died At 96

In his primary career, he ran agencies BBDO Worldwide and Omnicon. As the Met’s general manager, he erased the company’s big deficits and stabilized operations; he also served twice as board chairman. As chair of Lincoln Center, he established peace among feuding resident organizations and set big projects in motion. - The New York...

Remembering Literary Critic John Carey

Pugnacious, fearless and disdainful of academia’s more pretentious mores, Professor Carey was a paradoxical figure in the British literary establishment for more than half a century. - The New York Times

Tyler Perry Faces Two Sexual Misconduct Lawsuits. Are More Coming? Or Is This All A Swindle?

“The first lawsuit accusing Perry of leveraging his power to sexually assault aspiring male actors in his orbit was filed in June. Another lawsuit was filed Dec. 26, with the entertainment mogul characterizing claims from both of the accusers as a shakedown. But his legal troubles may just be beginning.” - The Hollywood Reporter

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Executive Director – Theatre Commons Los Angeles (via TOC Arts Partners)

Theatre Commons Los Angeles seeks its inaugural Executive Director.

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Jacob Burns Film Center seeks a thoughtful, committed, and driven new Director of Development.

Overture Center for the Arts seeks Chief Financial Officer/Co-Chief Executive Officer

Overture Center for the Arts seeks Chief Financial Officer/Co-Chief Executive Officer. Overture Center offers a salary range between $170,000 and $185,000 with benefits.

Pewabic Pottery seeks next Executive Director

Pewabic Pottery, one of the oldest continuously operating potteries in the country & now a nonprofit in Detroit, MI seeks its next Executive Director.

Washington National Opera To Leave The Kennedy Center

The resolution calls for the opera to move its performances out of the Kennedy Center’s 2,364-seat Opera House as soon as possible and to reduce the number of performances as a cost-saving measure. Opera officials said that new sites in Washington have been lined up but that no leases have been signed. - The...

Béla Fleck Talks About Why He Canceled His Kennedy Center Concerts

“As this thing became more and more charged, it wasn’t any longer something where I’m under the radar playing this gig. I am actually taking a position by playing at the Kennedy Center now. By not canceling, I’m taking a position, and I don’t want to take that position.” - The Washington Post (MSN)

Bruce Crawford, Ad Exec Who Led Metropolitan Opera And Lincoln Center, Has Died At 96

In his primary career, he ran agencies BBDO Worldwide and Omnicon. As the Met’s general manager, he erased the company’s big deficits and stabilized operations; he also served twice as board chairman. As chair of Lincoln Center, he established peace among feuding resident organizations and set big projects in motion. - The New York...

What’s The Ultimate Goal Behind The Trump Administration’s Attacks On The Smithsonian? To Finally Win The Culture Wars

Charlotte Higgins: “’The goal,’ as one senior employee of the Smithsonian told me, ‘is to reframe the entire culture of the United States from the foundation up.’” - The Guardian

Béla Tarr, Prizewinning Maker Of Darkly Comic Films, Is Dead At 70

“Tarr became internationally in the ‘90s and ‘00s as his films” — among them Sátántangó and Werckmeister Harmonies — “were shown more widely, partly because of their inordinate length and partly because of what appeared to be his definitive expression of middle-European black-and-white miserablism.” Yet he insisted his movies were comedies. - The Guardian

Is This The Future Of Entertainment?

Domed screens, with comfortable seats and bar food, are actually the present for some (sports) fans. But the test run was “when the domed screen transformed into a high-resolution recreation of Michelangelo’s fresco paintings in the Sistine Chapel.” - The New York Times

A Year Of Not Listening To AI-Generated Music

“Resistance was easy. Uncomplicated, too. Like so many who have grown skeptical of AI, I value my life. I don’t want AI-generated music taking a moment of it away from me.” - Washington Post (MSN)

What Music Superfans Will Do For Memorablia

Don’t worry, Beethoven fans did it first. - The New York Times

Ireland’s Ancient Musical Laments Meet The 21st Century

In disguised artist Róis’s 2025 Irish-language album, she merged “experimental, electronic production with traditional singing ... drew inspiration from ancient mourning practices." - BBC

What It’s Like For An Opera Singer To Retire From The Met

“Singers are tested by every performance, year after year. We are trained to make it look easy. It is never easy. We live through sacrifice, isolation and self-doubt. ... Constant travel (if you’re lucky), fatigue and stress take an emotional and physical toll.” - The New York Times

Like “The Vandals In Rome”: Senators Investigate How MAGA Allies Are “Looting” Kennedy Center

Led by Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), Democrats on the Senate’s Environment and Public Works Committee say they’ve obtained documents suggesting that the Center is being operated as a “slush fund and private club for Trump’s friends and political allies”, resulting in millions of lost income and a departure from its statutory mission. - The...

If We Want More People To Read, We Should Tell Them That Reading Is A Vice

“This would be a more effective way to attract young people, and it also happens to be true. When literature was considered transgressive, moralists couldn’t get people to stop buying and reading dangerous books. Now that books are considered virtuous and edifying, moralists can’t persuade anyone to pick one up.” - The Atlantic (MSN)

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