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So, Who’d Have The Perfect Voice For Reading Poetry Written By An A.I. Robot? Werner Herzog, of Course

"For the editors of I Am Code: An Artificial Intelligence Speaks, the answer was obvious. … 'They had an understanding that I wasn't the best choice — I was the only choice,' Mr. Herzog said. 'When you look at the text, it becomes quite self-evident.'" - The New York Times

Small Washington Town’s Library Under Siege By Book-Banners

The library director and board initially refused to move any of the books. But, more recently, the library has tried to assuage its adversaries, eliminating the entire young adult nonfiction section and intermingling those books with adult books. It has not worked. - Seattle Times

An Existential Ethics Review At America’s Leading Medical Museum

"In common with many other museums, the Mütter is plagued by questions around the rights of acquisition of its collection. Earlier this year, the Mütter took down its collection from its website and began an audit of 35,000 specimens in its archive of anomalies and oddities." - The Observer (UK)

Iowa School District Used ChatGPT To Decide Which Books To Ban

Each of these texts was reviewed using AI software to determine if it contains a depiction of a sex act. Based on this review, there are 19 texts that will be removed from our 7-12 school library collections and stored in the Administrative Center while we await further guidance or clarity. - Iowa Gazette

Stand-Up Comedians Vs. A.I.: Can The Bots Win?

"Until recently, comedy has been seen as so quintessentially human that it was assumed A.I. would kill humanity before it would at a club. But since the rise of large language models like ChatGPT less than a year ago, this common wisdom no longer applies." - The New York Times

TikTok Says It Will Let Users Opt Out Of Its Algorithms In The EU

TikTok’s algorithm learns from users’ interactions—how long they watch, what they like, when they share a video—to create a highly tailored and immersive experience that can shape their mental states, preferences, and behaviors without their full awareness or consent. - Wired

A Daughter of Korean Immigrants To America Could Win Olympic Gold In Breakdancing

"Sunny Choi is now one of the 10 best B-girls in the world, and won silver at the 2022 World Games. Her ascendence comes at a time when break dancing's platform has never been bigger and the stakes have never been higher." - ESPN

Traditional TV Watching Falls Below 50 Percent For First Time As Streaming Dominates

In July, cable’s share fell below 30% for the first time, losing a full share point to stand at 29.6%. Broadcast usage fell 3.6%, down 0.8 points. On a year-over-year basis, broadcast viewing was down 5.4% (-1.5 points), and cable viewing was down 12.5% (-4.8 points). - Variety

Parisian Booksellers Explain How They Are Preparing For The 2024 Olympics

"With a diving suit and helmet, and with dark glasses, earplugs, and a plan for retreat to the countryside." "We'll of course have a few books, but in a corner." "We have other things to think about." "Maybe we'll do one window about sports. Maybe some French flags." - The Paris Review

“Barbie” Arrives In The Cinemas Of Saudi Arabia

"That this was happening in Saudi Arabia — one of the most male-dominated countries in the world — was mind-boggling to many in the Middle East. … Moviegoers rushed to prepare Barbie-pink outfits. Some theaters scheduled more than 15 showings a day." - The New York Times

Directors Of Theatres All Over Britain Are Resigning Because The Job Is So Miserable These Days

"While larger institutions ... can still attract and keep good artistic directors, regional theatres and arts centres are struggling. A job heading of one of these offers the same stress, accountability and long hours, but on a smaller budget and with a smaller salary." - The Observer (UK)

SAG-AFTRA Will Stop Granting Strike Waivers For Indie Productions

"SAG-AFTRA (had) argued that (waivers) supported the strike because they involved independent producers who agreed to all of the union's demands. But they have caused considerable backlash within the union, as some members felt they undermined the strike's overall impact." - Variety

Opera Philadelphia Cuts Budget And Staff, And Its Director Will Step Down

The company has cut this year's budget by about 20% and eliminated six positions. One of this season's productions, Joseph Bologne's The Anonymous Lover, is postponed to 2024-25, the Opera Philadelphia Channel (paid streaming) will be shuttered, and President David Devan will depart next summer. - The Philadelphia Inquirer

London Evening Standard Is Hemorrhaging Money And Would Shut Down Without Its Deep-Pocketed Owner, Say Auditors

"The (paper) has lost a further £16m and said it was reliant on extra funds from its owner, Evgeny Lebedev, to continue publishing. … The business model of printing hundreds of thousands of free newspapers aimed at commuters has been hit hard, (with) little sign it will revive anytime soon." - The Guardian

National Gallery In London Extends Its First Pay-What-You-Wish Program

While admission to the general collection and some special shows is free, the NG does charge for certain special exhibitions. Last year, amidst the UK's cost-of-living crisis, the museum began a name-your-price scheme on Friday evenings; that has now been extended through January. - FAD Magazine

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