They were remodeling an old hotel in Waco, Texas. “Upon Joanna’s request for 'a ton of books,' Chip purchased around 300,000, the entire collection of Larry McMurtry, the Texan writer who died in 2021.” Only about 2000 are on display. Where did the books go? - The Paris Review
Like Zola for those with long Twitter memories (your current editor watched that one unveil in real time), last weekend’s epic TikTok drama shows that middle-aged users are taking over the app that originally appealed to the Youth. - The New York Times
A group of Muslim Somali parents asked their school district not to share any books with LGBTQIA content with their kids, and the school district agreed. Now, the school board is asking the state for clarity, especially on “protected classes." - Sahan Journal
Yes, Oppenheimer is a WWII movie, usually a safe bet - except when a WWII movie is up against a WWII Holocaust movie. Anonymous Oscars voters are showing sudden Zone of Interest, uh, interest. - The Guardian (UK)
Now, in a demonstration of the risks of connected, autonomous AI ecosystems, a group of researchers have created one of what they claim are the first generative AI worms—which can spread from one system to another, potentially stealing data or deploying malware in the process. - Wired
Today, with the budgets of the biggest films and series rivalling the G.D.P.s of small island nations, constructed languages, or conlangs, are becoming a norm, if not an implicit requirement. - The New Yorker
Known for keeping a tireless schedule, Meyer Falcón said P.M.U. has so far completed about $2 billion worth of public buildings and community infrastructure. Towns applied for help through a rigorous process. - The New York Times
What if instead of digging in the archives and criticising arguments, you could write history directly from the physical remains of the past, reconstructing events with the forensic detail of a crime scene investigator? This would be a history written not from words, but from things. - The Guardian
In the streaming era, tours have become the main source of cash as sales of recorded music have plummeted. However, a recent study by the Help Musicians charity found that an astonishing 98% are struggling to make a living. - The Guardian
A theatre belongs to the people who make it more than just a building. That includes the volunteers just as much as it does the stars, staff and audience. - The Guardian
Beyond the operating table, knowledge of how the body maps onto the motor cortex has been instrumental in the development of brain-machine interfaces that control prostheses to restore function to paralysed patients and amputees. - Aeon
"In 1972, hundreds of locals clambered to their seats at Armadillo World Headquarters for one thing only: Sunday night ballet. ... Guests settled in with overflowing baskets of nachos and ice-cold Lone Stars, the smell of marijuana drifting up to the lofted ceilings as the curtain rose." - Austin Monthly
Twenty twenty-three was a year of downsizing, diminishment, shelving, sidelining, retrenching, retreating and bet hedging. And 2024 is the year of consequences. - The New York Times
"Highlights of the video include the Bharatnatyam dance form becoming 'the living canvas for seat belt and cabin baggage instructions', with Kathakali and Mohiniyattam forms 'eloquently expressing the prohibition of electronic gadgets and smoking on board' against a backdrop of the backwaters of Kerala." - Business Traveller
Contrary to popular belief, copyright does not exist for the benefit of creators. Its purpose, according to founding documents and recent interpretations, is to foster a culture that produces great works of science, art, literature, and music. - The Atlantic
