Stories

The third movie in the Tom Holland Spider-Man universe busted records, reaching the third biggest opening ever, not just during the pandemic. What does this mean for movie theatres as the omicron variant threatens Christmas showings? - Baltimore Sun

"If you believe the hype, NFTs are poised to transform the art world, changing not only how art is bought and sold, but also what kind of art we value, and which artists." That's ... a big if. - Washington Post

But it's not for winter warmth - the giant purple and green tipis are meant to draw attention to the disproportionate affects of the pandemic waves on Native peoples. - WBUR

Especially in New York, where last-minute omicron-variant cancellations led to a very strange night. "The rigid format—with every sketch introduced by one of the performers reading a hastily written lead-in—yielded a disconcerting, even apocalyptic, atmosphere." - The Atlantic

Basically? Schadenfreude. (And there's a lot more sociological analysis in this article - yes, in USA Today.) - USA Today

Her books - like Eve's Hollywood and Sex and Rage - brought new views of the city to those outside, and her frank, fresh voice became a hit with younger generations in the 2010s after a Vanity Fair profile of the elusive author, who has died at 78. - Variety

OK, sure, we may not want too much forest or savannah in our skyscrapers, but some is good for humans. - The Observer (UK)

"Patrons savor the chance to browse aisles of paperbacks and hardcovers stacked on tables in pavilions from different countries. ... To revel in what to many Iraqis is the true, enduring character of Baghdad." - The New York Times

Ask a wardrobe supervisor: "To build a singular tutu it’s 80-100 hours. ... There’s 15 yards of tulle, and 10-14 layers, depending on the tutu." Now imagine the number of tutus on stage for Nutcracker. - Cincinnati Enquirer

"We have to trust that most people no longer venture out while sick, that they are not manufacturing fake proof of vaccination, that they are careful and considerate with their health in the course of their daily lives." It's a tall ask. - Los Angeles Times

The Pritzker Prize-winning architect who designed the Pompidou (with Renzo Piano), the Millennium Dome, and Lloyd's of London, has died at 88. He had "an enthusiasm for the efficiencies of technology modular construction and a commitment to the more humane side of architecture." - The New York Times

As our holiday parties go on yet another COVID-19 hiatus, might as well look at parties painted by the greats. - The Guardian (UK)

Owner Lucy Yu made the decision "to embark on this journey—now, in the midst of a pandemic, on the heels of so much anti-Asian hatred" because what else has kept people going during the pandemic but stories - and community? - LitHub

It's about money, of course, but subscribers - especially sports fans - may not care about the reasons. "The outage came during an ESPN broadcast of a Lakers-Minnesota Timberwolves game, upsetting some basketball fans." - Los Angeles Times

Kimberlé Crenshaw explains how hooks's books and other writing worked: "Sometimes people say things, or write things, that so capture your experience that you forget never not knowing it or thinking it." - The New York Times