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In This Rural Town, If Conservatives Can’t Ban Books From The Library, They’ll Shut It Down Altogether

In Dayton, WA, about halfway between Seattle and Boise, when the public library's board refused a demand to remove or sequester a list of books that's now grown past 100 titles, right-wing activists began working on a ballot measure to dissolve the public library system. - The Nation

“Jeopardy!” Finds A Resourceful Way Around The Writers’ Strike

With no more new clues being written during the work stoppage, the game show will re-shuffle and re-use answers and questions from earlier seasons. Also from previous seasons will be the contestants: players who lost their first games will get a second chance. - Variety

William Friedkin, Director Of “The French Connection” And “The Exorcist”, is Dead At 87

"In a checkered filmmaking career spanning 50 years, Mr. Friedkin was regarded as both a cinematic pacesetter, responsible for two box-office juggernauts, and a director who struggled to replicate the commercial and critical highs of his heyday in the early 1970s." - MSN (The Washington Post)

It’s Official: Simon & Schuster Has Been Acquired By Capital Firm KKR

"In a move that some in the industry will welcome as putting at least a temporary stop to industry consolidation, the private investment firm KKR has reached an agreement with Paramount Global to acquire Simon & Schuster for $1.62 billion in an all-cash transaction." - Publishers Weekly

Has Loneliness Been Weaponized Against Us?

Hillary Clinton: An “epidemic of loneliness” may sound abstract at a time when our democracy faces concrete and imminent threats, but the surgeon general’s report helps explain how we became so vulnerable.  - The Atlantic

Amazing (And Rare) Turnaround: “Funny Girl” Revival Makes Back Its Investment

Michele, whose reputation had been tarnished by allegations that she had behaved poorly to co-workers on “Glee,” worked tirelessly to transform the way people saw both her and “Funny Girl,” and became the toast of the town. - The New York Times

Maybe We Ought To Expect More Complexity In Our Theatre?

The problem arises when melodramatic simplicity makes its way into a play without elaborate spectacle, and instead claims to present a realistic view of society. That’s when people start complaining about being “lectured at” or “hit over the head.” - Theatre Ideas

The Many Ways AI Will Upend Publishing

In publishing, too, the technology has the potential to reshape nearly every aspect of the work that goes into producing a book — even the act of writing itself. - The New York Times

The New Intensity Of Concert Experiences This Summer

Concerts have always been spaces where like-minded fans can gather to discover connection, but now this brand of togetherness has transformed concertgoing into an urgent pilgrimage, drawing the faithful in record numbers and providing near-ecstatic experiences. - The New York Times

Buffalo’s Albright-Knox Museum Reopens After a Refresh. Here’s A Look

The once-in-a-generation refresh, the work of architect Shohei Shigematsu at design firm OMA, reestablishes the modern art museum as a friendlier neighbor with easier access and more admission-free gathering spaces. - Bloomberg

The Republicans’ War On Libraries

Attempted book bans in libraries and public schools have proliferated in Republican states, complaints made on grounds of history, race, gender, LGBTQ+ rights and more. Attempts to ban titles by high-profile authors (Maya Angelou, Amanda Gorman, Art Spiegelman) have attracted national headlines. - The Guardian

Some Real Talk About AI In Music

Production music, aka commercial music, will likely be AI’s victim number one. Production music is rarely the music you’d choose to listen to all by itself (excluding great film scores). - Shelly Palmer

Getting Navajo Culture Right On TV

George Joe consulted family to help with accuracy, since they all lived through the time and place depicted on Dark Winds. Then, language: "On the northeast side of the reservation, the Navajo word for 'snow' or 'coffee' is different from the other side of the reservation." - Los Angeles Times

What’s The Point Of The Met Museum’s New Collaboration With A Virtual Reality Company And The Game Roblox?

Maybe this: "I realized I was paying more attention to historical objects and works that I otherwise might not have given a second glance to." - Hyperallergic

Artificial Intelligence Programs Seem To Threaten The Profession Of Architecture

"In terms of strategic thinking and real-time analysis, AI is already way beyond what human architects are capable of. This could be the final nail in the coffin of a struggling profession." - The Guardian (UK)

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