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A Battle Breaks Out Over Who Gets To Design And Make Philadelphia’s Harriet Tubman Monument

When Wesley Wofford's touring sculpture of Tubman stopped there this winter, it was wildly popular, and the city commissioned him to make a permanent version. Some Black artists are furious that they didn't even get to submit designs; officials say they can't just turn Wofford's idea over to someone else. - Artnet

As Boris Johnson’s Prime Ministership Collapsed, British TV News Got Very, Very Weird

Featured on the commercial networks' coverage this week: a "Government Resignations Ticker", an anti-Brexit campaigner belting "Bye Bye Boris", a discussion of the Tories' future set to "Yakety Sax" (played at actor Hugh Grant's request), a star cameo by 10 Downing Street's resident cat, and a psychic pig. - Variety

Actor James Caan Dead At 82

"(He) memorably displayed his tough-guy screen presence as the trigger-happy Mafioso Sonny Corleone in The Godfather (among many other roles) but also proved, beyond his macho exterior, a versatile performer of wry expressiveness and unexpected vulnerability." - MSN (The Washington Post)

Warning: Current Streaming Model Is Rotten, Must Change

The longer that this new “business model” is allowed to operate, the harder it will be to change. I often think about how 25 years ago the introduction of the DVD became a cautionary lesson in when you choose to fight.  - Deadline

How Is It A Century-Old Book On Prose Is Still Popular?

Nearly a century old, it’s still avidly read and discussed in MFA circles, thanks to its author’s meticulous dissection of the devices of fiction, likely more valuable than any of the most recent craft books on the shelves.  - LA Review of Books

Man Recreates Banksy Mural Inside A Vending Machine To “Start Discussion”

"Like everyone else I felt a real pride that he'd come to Lowestoft and the surrounding area and done that (painted his artwork) because Lowestoft needs a bit of a boost. "So obviously we all felt a bit of a kick in the teeth when we thought someone had just said 'that's worth a lot of money, I'll just...

Until The 1880s Anthropologists Researched In Libraries. When They Finally Went Into The Field It Was Eccentric

Instead of sitting in libraries, they began to study “primitive” cultures for themselves, across Africa, Asia and the Americas, living with their subjects for extended periods of time and then reporting back to western readers on what they’d found. - The Guardian

Authentication Wars: She Bought A Chagall. Years Later Sotheby’s Suggests She Sell. Panel Says Destroy It

To Ms. Clegg’s dismay, the expert panel in Paris declared her Chagall to be fake, held onto it and now wants to destroy it. When she complained to Sotheby’s, the auction house said there was little it could do, saying its guarantee of authenticity was good only for a time. - The New York Times

Clint Eastwood Wins $2 Million In Lawsuit Against Defendants Who Used His Name And Likeness To Promote CBD

"The verdict is the second in favor of the actor in a pair of suits against CBD manufacturers and marketers that fabricated news articles and manipulated search results to make it appear that the actor endorsed their products." - The Hollywood Reporter

Journalists Prize Access To Sources. But Too Much

I’ve come to believe that one of most overrated aspirations in journalism is access. This is particularly true in any story involving people who are wealthy or powerful, and who have experience in dealing with the press. They know that journalists and editors prize access above all else. -LitHub

Twitter Sues Indian Government Over Orders To Remove Tweets

"Twitter's suit, filed in the Karnataka High Court in Bangalore, challenges a recent order from the Indian government for the company to remove content and block dozens of accounts. Twitter complied with the order, which had a Monday deadline, but then sought judicial relief." - The New York Times

It Took War For North Americans To Learn About Ukrainian Music

There has been little known in the West about Ukrainian composers until recently, especially in Canada and the U.S., according to experts. “North Americans know nothing about Ukrainian classical music,” - San Francisco Classical Voice

CBC News Is Launching A New Streaming Service. But Aren’t They Providing Us Enough Programming Already?

There are the main TV and radio networks, a cable channel (CBCNN), streaming service CBC Gem, the app, the YouTube channel, the "documentary Channel" (sic), and the CBC.ca website with 70 different sections. Asks columnist John Doyle, "How much CBC News does the world need?" - The Globe and Mail (Canada)

Japan Is Conflicted About Resuming Tourism

Japan's opening up to mass tourism over the last decade brought an economic boost — a record 32 million tourists visited in 2019 and spent some $38 billion — but that also led to complaints of shoddy behavior at sites such as Kyoto's temples. - Japan Times

Pay Equity Is Great, But Can Theater In America Afford It Without Shrinking?

Jesse Green surveys the unpaid and underpaid work that has always been part of making theater in the US, especially early in a career — and the likelihood that instituting fair pay practices could mean that the field contracts, with fewer jobs and fewer shows. - The New York Times

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