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Portions Of 2,000-Year-Old Roman Temple Fresco Unearthed In Italy

Says the excavation's lead archaeologist, "It's the first time that the ruins of a shrine painted with such a wide palette of colors in an incredibly well-preserved state — and with such rich, elaborate decorations — has been unearthed." - CNN

What We Know So Far About Placido Domingo And The Argentine Criminal Cult

Further investigation will show if Domingo was aware of the Yoga School cult’s alleged crimes and of his friends’ connections to the group. But the media reaction to the story shows a tendency to exaggerate suspicions and report tendentiously where celebrities are concerned. - Van

How Paul Robeson Became A Hero In Mao’s China

The great African-American singer-actor suffered a great deal in his home country because of his fervent Communism, but — starting in 1941, when he performed and recorded the March of the Volunteers (which became, and remains, the PRC's national anthem) — he was celebrated for it in mainland China. - Aeon

HBO Max Lays Off 70 (And Making Programmers Much Less Diverse)

One former employee says as many as 13 people of color previously in charge of developing shows like The Gordita Chronicles and the Spanish-language docuseries Menudo: Forever Young have been let go, likely influencing the types of shows and movies that are greenlit moving forward. - The Daily Beast

The Agony Of An Author Recording His Own Audiobook

Adrian Chiles: "Whenever I read back anything I have written, I think how I could have written it better. ... Having to read your words out loud takes this to a new level, subjecting your prose to the sternest, most unforgiving test." - The Guardian

Beyond Politics: What’s Wrong With Technocrats?

The idea of surpassing politics with technical-scientific rationality such that the “the government of persons is replaced by the administration of things” is often associated with St. Simon, but the originator of the phrase, in fact, was German philosopher (and frequent coauthor of Karl Marx) Friedrich Engels. - Boston Review

In Narendra Modi’s India, Archaeology Isn’t Just A Battleground, It’s A Political Weapon

That Hindu temple built over the destroyed mosque in Ayodhya (said to be the birthplace of the god Rama) was just the beginning.  Modi is encouraging "searches" for evidence of Hindu worship at numerous mosque sites.  And he and his militant Hindu party aren't the only ones acting like this. - ARTnews

Hawaii Symphony Signs A New Four-Year Contract With Its Musicians, Goes Year-Round

The new contract guarantees 18 weeks of performances in the first two years, 19 weeks in the third year, and 21 weeks in the final year of the agreement — and increases the performance season from nine months to a year-round schedule. - Hawaii Public Radio

Lourdes López Marks Ten Years At The Helm Of Miami City Ballet And More Than 50 Years in Dance

After dancing as a principal at New York City Ballet under Balanchine, she became a TV reporter, ballet instructor, head of the Balanchine Foundation, and co-founder of the dance company Morphoses before returning to her hometown to stabilize MCB after the firing of founder Edward Villella. - MSN (The Miami Herald)

American Librarians Are Now Having To Do The Jobs Of Social Workers

"In recent years, amid unrelenting demand for safety-net services, libraries ... offer help accessing housing, food stamps, medical care, and sometimes even showers or haircuts. Librarians, in turn, have been called on to play the role of welfare workers, first responders, therapists, and security guards." - California Healthline

Two Of Paul Newman’s Daughters Sue The Charitable Foundation Behind “Newman’s Own” Foods

"The daughters, Susan Kendall Newman and Nell Newman, allege their own charity organizations are both supposed to receive $400,000 a year from the Newman's Own Foundation under a mandate by their father, but the foundation has cut those payments in half in recent years." - AP

Three Years After A Ferocious Battle, There’s Finally A New Official Definition Of “Museum”

When a new definition of the term was proposed to the International Council of Museums in 2019, the arguments over the wording were so furious that the submitted text was withdrawn.  An 18-month participatory process came up with a compromise text that ICOM has voted to adopt. - Museums Association (UK)

Musicians Of The Defunct San Antonio Symphony Have Formed A New Orchestra

The San Antonio Philharmonic will perform ten classical programs and three pops programs from September to next May at the city's First Baptist Church (rather than the Tobin Center, built for the SA Symphony) as well as 36 youth concerts in city schools. - San Antonio Report

Warner Bros. Is Holding Secret “Funeral Screenings” Of Shelved “Batgirl” Movie

The showings are reportedly restricted to those who worked on the film, as well as selected executives and representatives, before the footage is locked away for good.  Batgirl was seen in public only once, in a test screening with incomplete visual effects and music, before the studio canned it. - The Hollywood Reporter

More Basquiat Scandal Fallout: Orlando Museum’s Interim Director Resigns After Seven Weeks

Luder Whitlock took the temporary post on July 5, following the firing of director Aaron De Groft after the FBI confiscated as forgeries the works in the museum's big Basquiat exhibition. Whitlock had already served as the museum's interim director once before, for nine months in 2020. - ARTnews

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