These are very substantial benefits, and it is true they are lost when we write using a keyboard or keypad. But on balance, far more is gained, which is why the past half century has seen nearly a complete transformation from pen strokes to keystrokes. - Brookings
Sales have held steady at around 31,000 a year for the past decade, but in 2024, fewer than 18,000 were sold, according to an industry census conducted by Music Trades. Upright pianos have been largely replaced by digital pianos. Over 188,000 were sold last year, according to the Music Trades census. - KERA
“The film-makers set out to deliver a sensory bombardment that would mimic the experience of addiction. But they ended up doing much more, touching off serious debates about the free will of the addict, the line between compassionate observation and exploitative voyeurism, and the toxic siren call of the American Dream itself.” - BBC
The aim is to organize experimental exhibitions created alongside artists that will surprise collectors and the public alike, via organizing exhibitions in non-traditional venues, hosting social gatherings, and more. - ARTnews
If the past tells us anything, it’s that seismic technological shifts have often served as a precursor for a changing of the guard at the record companies. - The Hollywood Reporter
“The non-binding opinion from the court’s advocate general … represents a comprehensive demolition of the arguments made by the Hungarian government defending its so-called child protection law, passed in 2021. … The opinion does not bind the court but ECJ judges follow the advocate general in most cases.” - The Guardian
Really famous stars anchoring and co-producing a show — George Clooney, Hugh Jackman, Bette Midler — can negotiate a good percentage of profit for themselves. Most well-known movie and TV stars, however, get paid what looks like a hefty salary for stage actors but is nothing close to what they earn for screen work. - Forbes
It’s two problems in one. The detritus — diary entries, to-do lists, correspondence — in which researchers often discover key details rarely gets put on paper these days, and messaging apps often delete material automatically. And if those things are preserved, how do archivists sort through a 4-terabyte hard drive? - The Atlantic (MSN)
“AMC Theatres has agreed to show pre-movie advertising before features begin as part of a new deal with National CineMedia, … the in-theater advertising company.” The commercials start on July 1. - The Hollywood Reporter
“Kim Sajet’s refusal to abide by Trump’s decision (will test) the bounds of presidential authority over the Smithsonian. ... It is not a traditional government agency nor part of the executive branch; hiring and firing decisions have historically been handled by the Smithsonian’s secretary (and not) its Board of Regents.” - The Washington Post (MSN)
The 325-seat playhouse in Islington, which has a long history of spawning award winners and West End and Broadway hits, has chosen Cooke, formerly of the Royal Court Theatre, to succeed Rupert Goold (who’s moving on to the Old Vic) next year. - The Guardian
“Named A Capsule in Time, the Bangladeshi architect’s partially-sheltered pavilion, made from wood and polycarbonate, comprises four arched timber structures that take on the form of a ‘half-capsule’ and are organised around a central courtyard.” - Dezeen
Last month, Studio 303 publicly joined the BDS boycott, including “all cultural and academic products that normalize the State of Israel." That includes Gaga, developed by Israeli choreographer Ohad Naharin — who has said, “If the act of cancellation would have helped the Palestinians’ cause I would boycott my own show.” - Jewish Telegraphic Agency
I’m not claiming that most people are saying “Let’s get rid of capitalism,” because it still delivers the bacon, to some extent. But I do think that many people are looking for a way to make it work better for everybody, and not just for the few. - Yale Review
These novels, aimed at young men who will soon be targets of recruitment drives, often feature hyper-nationalist, crudely-drawn “accidental travel” plots, wherein the hero is transported to pivotal moments in Russia’s past, using 21st-century knowledge to alter history in Russia’s favor, wreaking revenge against foreigners who try to destroy the Motherland. - The Guardian
