Rockstar Games fired a bunch of folks last week. “According to the Independent Workers’ Union of Great Britain (IWGB), all of the employees fired were part of a private trade union Discord chat and were either already union members or attempting to organize a union at Rockstar.” - The Verge
Coogan: “I noticed the University of Leicester’s website carries Richard Taylor’s statement in full, but not any of my statements. I’m sure that’s just an oversight.” - The Guardian (UK)
According to SCAD, the Applied AI program will prepare students for professions including AI product developer, AI design strategist, AI story engineer, autonomous agent designer, and “ethical design strategist.” SCAD is also offering a minor in Applied AI that’s open to students across all majors. - Fast Company
“Nearly nine months after Trump became chair of the center and more than a month into its main season, ticket sales for the Kennedy Center’s three largest performance venues are the worst they’ve been in years. … Tens of thousands of seats have been left empty.” - The Washington Post (Yahoo!)
Arts Council England’s online portal, Grantium, was used by artists to submit and manage funding applications. It crashed in July, leaving thousands of applications in limbo until the portal reopened in late September. Yet, say applicants, ACE refused to extend deadlines and has distributed less money than grantees were promised. - The Guardian
In issuing his ruling, Judge Stein compared George R.R. Martin’s Game of Thrones to summaries of the book created by ChatGPT. The judge wrote that a “discerning observer could easily conclude that this detailed summary is substantially similar to Martin’s original work. - Publishers Weekly
The administration’s newest emergency appeal to the high court was filed a month and a half after a federal appeals court in Washington held that the official, Shira Perlmutter, could not be unilaterally fired. - APNews
Several major curriculum publishers have withdrawn products from the market, while others have found that teachers are shying away from lessons that were once uncontroversial, on topics as basic as constitutional limits on executive power. - The New York Times
On any measure you care to look at, London’s economy — though still the most productive in Britain —is, at best, stagnant, and, at worst, in outright decline. - Washington Post
“It’s the human factor I find the major underdiagnosed problem these days, the spiritual crisis now gripping many journalists and democracy enthusiasts. ‘What is civic engagement in the age of exponential lies?’ Maria Ressa, the dissident journalist and Nobel laureate, asked the audience.” - Matt Pearce
Turns out GoFundMe created “realistic-looking but unauthorized fundraising pages without permission that included logos and other identifying information from the nonprofits, but suggesting an optional 14% 'tipping fee’ in addition to the normal nonprofit 2.2% fee plus 30 cents for each credit card transaction.” - Oregon ArtsWatch
Not really, but there will be “acoustic and jazz” concerts, poetry readings, dance performances and more — including possible “historical reenactments of gladiatorial battles.” - AP
“The 42-seat luxurious movie theater a place where countless presidents, their families or staff have screened any movie of their choosing, whether the latest Hollywood blockbuster, an Oscar contender or a perennial classic.” - The Hollywood Reporter
