The problem is that the definition of “free speech” has strayed far from its origins in the rights of ordinary folk to speak without interference from higher powers like governments. It has become a vacuous term, a plea to be able to act without any constraints, a dumb binary that either you’ve got or you haven’t. - The Guardian
When it opens on May 22, Epic Universe will become Florida’s first major new park in a generation — and, Universal hopes, a property that will reverse a longstanding business dynamic with Walt Disney World to the south. - The New York Times
“An exhibition by a prominent artist reopened last month at the National Museum, including a large painting with images of bare skin. At the Higher Institute of Dramatic Arts, students of contemporary dance have resumed rehearsing. Syria's National Symphony Orchestra held its first performance since the fall of Assad.” - Reuters
“I think of it as inviting this so-called ‘main stage’ to go outdoors and inviting the education programming to be ‘main stage’ in the sense that it is without distinction or for this particular kind of audience.” - CultureOC
The outcome could have implications for the more than 39 copyright-related AI lawsuits currently working their way through U.S. courthouses. That said, it’s not necessarily a slam dunk for plaintiffs who allege that AI companies violated their IP rights. - TechCrunch
One rock band frontman: “I feel bad for the people who have worked there for many years and the people who booked us. I hope that it returns to its former mission. But currently, it’s an institution that I’m not interested in supporting or offering my show to.” - Washington Post (MSN)
Turns out, pretty far. This is for the economy, the government claims - though "the proposed film studio is not crucial infrastructure or needed housing, unlike much of the other development the government has vowed to speed up.” - The New York Times
“This is a grim cautionary tale about complying with authoritarianism in advance, and it's not going to be pretty, but at the end I'll share with you some of the things that can still be done.” - 8th House with Claire Willett
Sudden cancellations of author events about civil rights, voting, homelessness, and climate change make the authors suspicious. One source said “the Carter Library would now need to seek approval from the National Archives for all programs, even those already scheduled.” - The New York Times
Karla Sofia Gascón’s fall from assumed winner to persona non grata was intense. “Rarely has a nominee’s curated image—that of a righteous up-and-comer, applauded by an industry eager to demonstrate its tolerance—so thoroughly differed from the one conjured by her personal online accounts.” - The Atlantic (Yahoo)
“How crazy is it to think that we’re going to celebrate Christ at Christmas with a big traditional production, to celebrate what we are all celebrating in the world during Christmastime, which is the birth of Christ?” Mr. Grenell said at the Conservative Political Action Conference. - The New York Times
The glass-domed plaza between the Philadelphia arts center's venues was intended to be a welcoming public space. Yet it tends to be desolate during the day, despite years of efforts to liven it up. The design of the new café there doesn't help, but the space still has potential. - The Philadelphia Inquirer (MSN)
AI is a category of general-purpose tools with myriad beneficial uses. Requiring developers to license the materials needed to create this technology threatens the development of more innovative and inclusive AI models, as well as important uses of AI as a tool for expression and scientific research. - Electronic Frontier Foundation
Gina Duncan was the first person of color to lead the academy, which operates several stages and a cinema, and has an annual operating budget of $56 million. She had previously served as BAM’s first vice president of film and strategic programming but had not held the top job at an arts institution. - The New York Times
“We can’t stand the fact that the sticker price is so high despite the fact that nobody pays it.” This pricing strategy took hold in the early 1980s. - The Atlantic
