Underground Railroad Quilt ‘Code Blocks’ Live On, Even For 21st Century Quiltmakers
Quilt historian Laurel Hinton, who's a folklorist, knows the tale is uncorroborated. But “as a narrative, she recognizes the cultural significance of the codes....
Iris Apfel, Iconic Designer And Maker Of Her Own Legend, Has Died At 102
Apfel was "a soaring free spirit known in society and to the fashion cognoscenti for ignoring the dictates of the runway in favor of her...
Who Owns Ana Mendieta’s Life?
Mendieta’s niece Raquel Mendieta “may be running the estate, which decides how her art is presented in museum and gallery settings, but as various...
The Distracted Viewing Life Of A Continuity Cop
"I freely recognize that being aware of this kind of detail makes one seem like a joyless dweeb. I wish I could help it.”...
Music Is So Over On Social Media, But Sounds Are Here To Stay
As TikTok blocks music clips, “royalty-free, almost-contextless sound clips will become the new hot commodity.” - Wired
The Radio Squirrels Of Point Reyes Are Keeping Morse Code Alive
"Morse code outlived the telegraph age by becoming the lingua franca of the sea. But by the late 20th century, satellite radio was turning it into...
How Streamers Made ‘Binging’ Shows A Desirable Thing
Sure, people binge-watched DVD sets (anyone remember the classic Portlandia sketch about Battlestar Galactica?), but streaming makes it extreme. "I guess I’m wondering if...
Turns Out That ‘Fixer Upper’ Couple Bought Larry McMurtry’s Bookstore Contents For Their Hotel...
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...
This 50-Part TikTok Saga, Totaling More Than 10 Hours Of Viewing, Makes It Clear...
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...
How Far Can Book Challenges Go In Minnesota?
A group of Muslim Somali parents asked their school district not to share any books with LGBTQIA content with their kids, and the school...
Never, Ever Bet Against A Film About The Holocaust At The Oscars
Yes, Oppenheimer is a WWII movie, usually a safe bet - except when a WWII movie is up against a WWII Holocaust movie. Anonymous...
Uh-Oh: AI Can Be Infected With Worms
Now, in a demonstration of the risks of connected, autonomous AI ecosystems, a group of researchers have created one of what they claim are...
Creating Invented Languages For Movies
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...
A Wave Of Civic Construction Along The Mexican Border
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....
The New Science Of Telling History
What if instead of digging in the archives and criticising arguments, you could write history directly from the physical remains of the past, reconstructing...
The Crisis In Pop Music
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 Volunteers Who’ve Pitched In To Keep UK Theatre Going
A theatre belongs to the people who make it more than just a building. That includes the volunteers just as much as it does...
Updating Our Map Of The Brain
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...
When Ballet Rocked Austin’s Favorite Hippie Hangout (Hey, It Was The ’70s)
"In 1972, hundreds of locals clambered to their seats at Armadillo World Headquarters for one thing only: Sunday night ballet. ... Guests settled in...
A World Of Hurt For Hollywood
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...
Air India Brings Indian Classical Dance Into Its Passenger Safety Video
"Highlights of the video include the Bharatnatyam dance form becoming 'the living canvas for seat belt and cabin baggage instructions', with Kathakali and Mohiniyattam...
Could Generative AI Finally Break Copyright Law?
Contrary to popular belief, copyright does not exist for the benefit of creators. Its purpose, according to founding documents and recent interpretations, is to...
How The Criterion Collection Became Cinema’s Ultimate Seal Of Approval
"(It's) a catalog so synonymous with cinematic achievement that ..., over four decades, through a combination of luck, obsession and good taste, this 55-person...
The Strain Pop Music Inflicts On Voices
Pop vocals, then, routinely run up against the physical limits of the human body. Yet what makes a song difficult to sing doesn’t necessarily...
A Chinese Emperor’s Robe, In Near-Mint Condition, Turns Up In A British Earl’s Dresser...
The gold-thread-and-royal-blue-silk garment, purchased in Beijing in 1913 and left sitting untouched in a cardboard box for over a century, would have been worn...
