“What separates natural from artificial forces? Does natural intelligence end where I think something to myself, silently, alone? How about using a notebook or calling a friend for advice?” - The Baffler
Allstora claims to offer 10 million titles, among which are Mein Kampf and books by such anti-LGBTQ campaigners as former actor Kirk Cameron. Lady Bunny calls Allstora "rainbow capitalism," and the owner of one lesbian bookstore says it's "a dropshipping operation with a kind of veneer of progressivity over it." - Vulture
Faculty senate of the Cleveland Institute of Music voted overwhelmingly in favor of a motion of no-confidence in its president, Paul Hogle, and provost, Scott Harrison, citing reputational damage to the school, underqualified leadership, the institution’s growing deficit, and concerns about loss of accreditation, among other grievances. - Van
"The 78-year-old billionaire ... has been found guilty of money laundering and tax fraud, following a years-long saga seeking his prosecution." He was fined €1 million in addition to the back taxes he owes, authorities have seized €3.4 million in assets, and he will serve two years under house arrest. - Artnet
"The ATDF non-profit organization will downsize yet retain its 501c3 status as a nonprofit organization to produce projects and programs in the future. Tap City, the annual New York City Tap Festival which would have celebrated its 24th year, will also be canceled this year." - Dance Informa
When school district leaders in the Fort Worth suburb of Keller cancelled the production last month, they gave no specific reason but indicated that they'd prefer something more anodyne than a docudrama about the murder of a gay college student. But, facing resistance, the officials backed down. - The Dallas Morning News (MSN)
Though listenership and ratings are up (Nielsen reports WBUR is the top news station in its market and third overall), income from advertising and sponsorship is way, way down. - Boston Herald
Employees at the Massachusetts Museum of Contemporary Art in North Adams have begun a walkout (97% voted in favor) as contract negotiations (which began in October) have stalled. Low wages are the main issue. - The Berkshire Eagle
"More than half of the tickets will cost £30 or less, with £10 tickets on offer for every performance, while 2,000 free tickets will be distributed to young people. A half-price ticket offer will be extended to under-18s, those with disabilities or hearing impairments and to neurodivergent festival-goers." - The Guardian
"The verdict against movie armorer Hannah Gutierrez-Reed assigned new blame in the October 2021 shooting death of cinematographer Halyna Hutchins after an assistant director last year pleaded no contest to negligent handling of a firearm." She was acquitted of a charge of evidence-tampering. - AP
The new permanent rate covering theatres, museums and galleries - 45% for touring productions and 40% for non-touring shows - is below the current rates of 50%/45%, but well above the pre-pandemic rates of 25%/20%, which had been due to come back in over the next two years. - BBC
Film composers have taken up serialism as an important technique, employing this to yield a high degree of dissonance and ethereal sounds. - The Conversation
As we entered the new millennium, three daring TV series remade the television landscape, and they all featured a new breed of outsider: lawless, desperate, violent characters once unimaginable on the small screens in our living rooms. - LitHub
What does it mean to credit the written word with such capacious potencies, to charge it with such real-world responsibilities? And how is literature, poetry, language to operate as a force for good and still maintain its duties to itself, to its self-delighting, essentially purposeless imperative to live as lively language? - Public Books
