There’s a lot of talk of “innovation” in Silicon Valley, a term that usually means destroying things that work in favor of things that don’t. What these systems produce is statistically “near” the stuff we say, or the things we tell them to do, or the images we feed them. - The Daily Beast
There seems to be a transgressive quality to some translated fiction. Is that appealing? “That genre of ‘messed-up’ books has just exploded on TikTok.” - The Guardian
"I can’t put myself in the unisex Crocs of a young person exploring classical music for the first time, but Apple Classical strikes me as an oddly clumsy point of entry." - The New Yorker
Hollywood has a history of treating evolving consumer habits first as a threat to theatrical dollars and then as a tool to be co-opted in the pursuit of earning ever-greater profits. - The Atlantic
Felix Klieser, who was born without arms, at the Proms: "When I see myself it looks very interesting and very spectacular. But when I play by myself it's a very comfortable position. ... It's something I can do for hours." - BBC
But Congress might come through for the AM waves. "One in three Americans tune in to the band every month, according to Nielsen data. Plus, it still functions as a platform for free speech and information vital to the public." - Los Angeles Times
It should, right? Well, that depends. "The wider concern is that any price rise will benefit record labels and services, with platforms such as Spotify and Apple Music typically taking 30% of all subscription income, much more than the artists." - The Guardian (UK)
It's a temporary injunction, but still, "the executive director of Central Arkansas Library System, Nate Coulter, said the judge's 49-page decision recognized the law as censorship, a violation of the Constitution and wrongly maligning librarians." - NPR
Seems unlikely. "More films that skew to female audiences? The success of Twilight and 50 Shades of Grey already told them that. don’t expect a rush of films about quantum mechanics. Do expect Barbie’s success to accelerate the habit of making films about toys." - Irish Times
"More than 40 productions have been granted waivers to continue shooting during the mass work stoppage. But whether actors are crossing a picket line by participating in those productions has become a point of contention in the industry." - Los Angeles Times
Beneath La Cinquième Saison lies another Magritte, this one probably a portrait of his wife - though of course he said, "When one sees one of my pictures, one asks oneself this simple question, ‘What does it mean?’ It does not mean anything." - The Guardian (UK)
"My ballet may not be 'good.' But I know it’s not bad, either. And even if it was, well, who is to be the judge? I’m an incessant perfectionist who loves the color pink, and who was fortunate enough to find a shrapnel of joy in something beautiful early on." - Vogue
Not surprisingly, "games and adjacent discussion sites like Discord and Steam are becoming online platforms for Russian agitprop, circulating to new, mostly younger audiences a torrent of propaganda that the Kremlin has used to try to justify the war in Ukraine." - The New York Times
After the leaks, "certain incidents began occurring that resembled the fictional action. ... A fight broke out during the mixed doubles tennis tournament. ... There were rumours of marital affairs. A complaint was made that the tennis players were too 'cosy' with yacht club members." - The Guardian (UK)
But, just like the shambling husks in movies, it's ambling on until someone can fire the right shot. "Twitter was a go-to source for news, politics, sports, and entertainment—along with misinformation and hate speech. ... Each new day, it’s still there." - Wired
