"Writers’ rooms, in fact, were never written into any WGA contract, seemingly based on an assumption that business would continue as usual. But Netflix, perhaps because it was coming from outside the industry, had no interest in business as usual. So it discarded the old norms." - The Atlantic
Look, stone is energy efficient, and some architects are ready for a return. "Solid stone can once again form the walls and structure of building, with benefits for the environment and for the beauty of architecture." - The Observer (UK)
"Foreign film and TV shoots in Canada have ground to a halt. While domestic production continues, union leaders say that eventually many of the concerns driving the U.S. strikes will need to be negotiated here as well, albeit in the context of the Canadian system." - CBC
Hockey romance fans "gravitate to players who remind them of their favorite book boyfriends, and one popular choice is Seattle Kraken center Alex Wennberg. His team initially courted BookTok with posts and hashtags ... and flew out a popular creator for a playoff game." Then things went way wrong. - Washington Post
"The rules of crosswords ... are intimately related to the grammar of language in general. Just as toddlers develop a deep knowledge of different classes of words without being taught what a noun or a verb is, crossword solvers develop strong intuitions about what entries are possible." - The Atlantic
Modern Photography "was as devoted to the technical side of photography as it was to its aesthetics. Ms. Scully focused on the latter, and under her tenure the magazine was instrumental in the emerging recognition of photography as art." - The New York Times
"Barbie’s astounding success puts in a new category, which, until now, had been dominated by the likes of James Cameron, Steven Spielberg, and Christopher Nolan—the richest filmmakers in the world." Next up for her: Narnia. - Fast Company
Why is the new Teenage Mutant Ninja Turtles movie so much better than the 2007 version? "Since Into the Spider-Verse became a box office hit as well as an Oscar winner, major studios have grown less fearful of animation that diverges from the norm." - The New York Times
"Harry Styles was hit in the eye with a sweet in Vienna, Bebe Rexha received stitches after she was hit in the face with a mobile phone in New York, and Pink was left stunned when someone threw their mother’s ashes on stage in London." What is going on? - The Guardian (UK)
Laura Lippman: "The through line in almost every book that I write is that no one is more capable of bad acts than someone absolutely convinced of their own goodness. People who identify as 'good' scare the pants off me." - Irish Times
"'To be clear, any A.P. Psychology course taught in Florida will violate either Florida law or college requirements,' the College Board said." Then Florida's homophobes accused the College Board of "playing games with Florida students." - The New York Times
The plea deal avoids jail time. Daniels, "who appeared on some of the world’s leading stages, including the Metropolitan Opera in New York and the Royal Opera in London, is one of the most prominent classical stars to face criminal charges during the national #MeToo reckoning." - The New York Times
"It’s not hard to understand why nostalgia is everywhere. ... It feels as though the world is spiralling towards fascism in the midst of an accelerating environmental apocalypse, and a yearning for a lost past that seems safer and better than our present is an understandable reaction." - The Guardian (UK)
In a note to members after the so-called meeting, "WGA leaders dampened expectations of a resolution to the strike and expressed skepticism over the AMPTP’s intentions." - Los Angeles Times
