An unnamed board member described Trump’s phone call as “fucking crazy” to CNN, while another source told the news outlet that Trump screamed throughout the call. - The New Republic
It’s not just that the festival itself has been happening for 40 years, or that people have been complaining that it’s not what it used to be for decades. It’s that Burners themselves are older, with 40% of them over 40 last year and only 10% of them in their 20s. - The Guardian
There are around 77,000 temples across the country, but as many as 17,000 no longer have a full-time resident priest as congregations have shrunk — particularly in rural districts experiencing rapid depopulation — and financial pressures have taken their toll. - Deutsche Welle
Scotland was the first to allow this: the law passed two years ago, and the first “visitor levies” were collected this summer in Edinburgh. Welsh localities will have the authority to charge this tax starting next year. Andy Burnham’s government just announced plans to extend this power to English local governments. - The Independent (UK)
With certain fiscal collapse within weeks, the board seeks to determine what recognition and acknowledgement will comply with the Court’s decisions in Beatty v. Trump et al. and with its statutory obligations, and wishes to explore additional options to present that recognition in a concrete and public fashion. - Washington Post
The process to select a successor to Mr. Bunch, who the Smithsonian said would stay through the end of the year, will offer Mr. Trump his best chance to exert control over the Smithsonian. Here is what to know about how the institution might choose its next leader. - The New York Times
That desire to disconnect comes as technology has fundamentally changed what it means to go out. In the 1990s rave scene, there was no smartphone in your pocket and no expectation that a night out would be documented and shared online. - CBC
Director Lonnie G. Bunch III “realized that — one way or another — he was probably not going to last through this administration, that the White House was intent on taking over the Smithsonian.” So he resigned, in part to save the institutions. - The New York Times
“Center officials say they could be unable to make payroll or pay routine maintenance contracts ‘within a matter of weeks’ and argue that publicly recognizing Trump could secure his help raising enough money to keep the institution afloat.” - Washington Post (Yahoo)
You see, reaction videos are based on copyrighted material. You’d think that fair use applied here, and, well, yes, but some reaction vid makers say "the way Remove Your Media has been going after creators is abusive and unrelated to any legitimate interest in protecting copyrighted IP.” - The Verge
We know AI is going to change everything, but how? “We face a choice: delay and obstruct AI adoption in the name of social justice, or embrace it in a radically altered form.” - The Guardian (UK)
“The proposed class action alleges that Meta violated Illinois and California privacy laws by extracting biometric information from people’s photos without notice or consent” for training smart glasses - and generative AI images. - Wired
Oh, says the company doing the spying, not that much. “The word ‘continuously’ is doing a lot of heavy lifting here as Gamers Nexus demonstrated on LG TV keeping extensive logs of ambient conversations.” This seems fine. - The Verge
Previous searches have largely revolved around professional qualifications. This one begins after Trump has spent more than a year demanding changes to the Smithsonian’s exhibits and leadership — and as Republicans and Democrats are already staking out competing visions for Bunch’s successor. - Washington Post (MSN)
After the attacks, Congress charged the Institution with documenting them and preserving the physical record. A quarter-century on, with the White House constantly accusing the Smithsonian of distorting American history, its 9/11 exhibit is especially fraught — and especially important. - The Washington Post (Yahoo!)
