Leisure travel has roared back since the pandemic, with the Greek capital a destination rather than a transit point to the islands; the Acropolis is now getting 16,000 visitors a day. The mayor of Athens is arguing for a tourist tax to cover the ballooning cost of services. - The Guardian
When unusually high tides hit last week, the $6 billion MOSE system of barriers in the lagoon was raised and a repeat of the catastrophic 2019 floods was avoided. Yet, as sea levels continue to rise, so do fears that, within a few decades, MOSE won't be enough. - MSN (The Washington Post)
The Russian Federation and its envoy had been chairing UNESCO's World Heritage Committee this year, throwing a wrench in the organization's attempts to save Ukraine's heritage sites and leading 46 countries, including large donor nations, to threaten a boycott. The Russian ambassador's resignation has ended that impasse. - Artnet
Since AIDS was identified in the early 1980s, the World Health Organization estimates that over 40 million people have died of HIV or AIDS-related illness and that today there are an estimated 38 million people carrying the virus. - Barre-Montpelier Times-Argus
In a word, sales. "Some much-heralded device innovations, like the ability to place Amazon orders via Alexa, have failed to win over a dedicated audience. In other words, Alexa does not appear to be driving incremental retail sales in any meaningful way." - Fast Company
Sofiane "Bennacer was part of the 32 emerging actors shortlisted for best newcomer at the Cesar Awards, France’s equivalent to the Oscars. ... But in the wake of the indictment, the Cesar Academy pulled Bennacer out of the nominations process." - Variety
It's not because of COVID, and it's not because of the "downbeat" nature of some winners. Let's look at at the slate for 1980, for instance. - Irish Times
"More than its streaming services, movies or television series, the Walt Disney Co. matters because of its theme parks, and it is at institutions such as Disneyland and Walt Disney World that we can experience life inside a narrative-driven fantasy world." - Los Angeles Times
In recent years, especially in the months since it reopened after an extended, pandemic-forced closure, the tone of a visit to the Disneyland Resort had changed. One hopes that Iger and his new reorganized regime will take a close look at the current state of the parks and begin a reevaluation process. - Los Angeles Times
By creating a character who can’t be written off as another predictably problematic man, “Tár” draws our attention to how Lydia learned to become one. - The New Yorker
In four years, the number of students graduating from high schools across the country will begin a sudden and precipitous decline, due to a rolling demographic aftershock of the Great Recession. - Vox
The soon-to-open International African American Museum will be the flagship of efforts, beginning in the 1990s, to stop trying to ignore the history of slavery and to properly incorporate the Black people who built the city into the stories Charleston tells about itself to both visitors and locals. - BBC
Some people who make a living from their visual creativity are upset that AI art tools trained on their work can then produce new images in the same style. The Recording Industry Association of America has signaled that AI-powered music generation and remixing could be a new area of copyright concern. - Wired
“Having a mental health diagnosis is not a reason to not have a creative life." Schizophrenia can be disabling, but therapy, medication and even playing music can help, according to a growing body of research. - Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
