Alok A. Khorana: "When I first read the poem, I was puzzled by the structure ... because it felt strangely familiar. ... The entire poem seemed to me structured like an Upanishad." This, it turns out, is not happenstance: Eliot knew those Sanskrit texts well. - Literary Hub
"In recent months, however, Hollywood's business culture has started to regress in subtle ways. New problems — widespread cost-cutting as the box office continues to struggle, coming union contract negotiations that producers worry will result in a filming shutdown — have become a higher priority." - The New York Times
"On the official 5-4 website, there is a one-liner that pretty much tells you everything you need to know: 'A podcast where we dissect and analyze the Supreme Court cases that have caused America's lofty promise to fall like a dying satellite slowly crashing back to earth.'" - Vulture
"The Dallas Morning News and KERA announced Monday the formal launch of their new shared endeavor Arts Access, 'a first-of-its-kind journalism partnership' designed to expand 'arts, music and culture coverage in North Texas, through the lens of equity and access.'" - KERA (Dallas)
Two members of the board of competitive Irish step dancing's chief governing body have stepped down in the wake of revelations that some coaches and judges have colluded in fixing the results of competitions. There has been no indication so far that either of the resigners was directly involved. - Irish Independent
"After a late start in his performing career, (he) became a recognizable face from roles on numerous television shows, most notably Will & Grace, then achieved even more fame during the pandemic when his quirky homemade videos attracted millions of Instagram followers." - The New York Times
“If a seat’s good, you don’t notice it,” he said. “You only notice it when it’s bad.” In the world of theater seating, he added, “No news is good news.” - The New York Times
Pesek was a Czech conductor with a solid if unspectacular career when in 1987 he was appointed chief conductor of the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra; the next 11 years brought about not only a transformation in the orchestra’s fortunes, but also in his own standing. - The Telegraph (UK)
Peter was a man of well-developed opinions, on art and much else. He was someone who, after being lost for a time, knew some things about survival. We met more than twenty years ago. - The New Yorker
There are old books and there are old books. Sometimes opening one that I have innocently purchased for 3.99 plus postage can feel like I’ve inhaled enough mold spores to start growing a very large inner book colony. - 3 Quarks Daily
Unless you think—and some philosophers do think this—that the large-scale future consequences of our practices don’t matter at all, it’s hard to see how the technical tools used to predict and quantify those consequences could be a poor fit for a book of applied ethics. - City Journal
The argument for me as groupie is more complex than the definition of the term. Groupies were women who hung around bands. They were crucial to any music scene, alongside musicians and bands, other fans, and the inevitable young music writer trying to make a name for themselves. - The Walrus
One of soap operas' major problems in recent times has been a failure to bring in new fans on top of their existing ones. Much of culture right now is preoccupied with nostalgia, from the endless stream of reboots and remakes, to "all stars" reality shows. - BBC
Audiences are being more selective, according to researchers and arts leaders across the region. Some are scared to gather in crowded indoor venues. Others have lost the habit of attending. Still others are avoiding the hassle of driving and parking, instead staying at home. - KERA
