Courtesy of the president’s executive actions, audiocassettes, enjoyed loudly by many Egyptians in public spaces, were no longer simply a nuisance. Noisy cassette recordings were now illegal. - Lapham's Quarterly
The question of the intrinsic value of art is one he never expected to need to address. For him, it is a given. For others, it has become a questionable hypothesis. - The Bulwark
Mayank Kejriwal and fellow researcher Akarsh Nagaraj used data from 3,000 books that are part of the Gutenberg Project, across genres including adventure, science fiction, mystery and romance. - The Guardian
The Investigative Committee of Russia has opened a “rehabilitation of Nazism” case against Kulik. If he’s found guilty, the artist reportedly faces a fine of up to three million rubles, forced labor for up to three years, or imprisonment for up to three years. - Artnet
"The announcement, made Tuesday, comes after several rancorous months at the 25-year-old children's chorus that saw hiring disputes with the chorus board, staff resignations and confusion from chorus members and their parents." - KERA (Dallas)
If I were to have an absolute dream nomination, it would be a director who has conquered the fields of theatre, television and film, an Oscar and Olivier award-winning titan whose every work is a magnificent exercise in must-see spectacle — and who also built up his name at his own theatre, too. - The Critic
"All that stuff you squash, all that frustration, eventually you have to spoon it out, but then you're left with holes inside you. ... I see myself as a chunk of Swiss cheese, and I've spent five years trying to fill the holes so I become a chunk of Cheddar." - The New York Times Magazine
What we are witnessing is a pandemic of reformist box-ticking that places policy above pulling power. Forget about a box office that is running one-third below capacity. Forget about the music, too. The new curators have higher priorities. - The Critic
"A trove of sculptures and objects by the design duo Claude and François-Xavier Lalanne are hitting the auction block at Sotheby's to help fund the Musée d'Orsay's forthcoming research and archive center." - Artnet
When the financial incentives of the people paying for the movies and TV shows are aligned with those of the creators, the overall system is much more cost-effective — and often the movies and TV shows are better. - The New York Times
Oh, it goes way beyond Wordle (which, luckily, only lets us play once a day) and crosswords. A.J. Jacobs looks at the New York Times Spelling Bee, anagrams, "flats," and the particular psycho-chemical buttons they press. - Literary Hub
While Netflix’s competitors still have room to grow — and Disney in particular has committed to growing a lot — agents and creators believe they are seeing the end of the spending spree that has lined many pockets in recent years. - The Hollywood Reporter
"The Orkney Islands has the highest prevalence of multiple sclerosis in the world – with one in 170 Orcadian women living with MS – and on Monday Scottish Ballet Health, along with its partners, launched a dance project to help people with the condition." - Yahoo! (Press Association UK)
Never wish an actor "Good luck." (That's why they say "Break a leg.") Never bring mirrors onstage. Don't wear green. (We didn't know about that one.) Alexis Soloski speaks with several performers now on Broadway about which superstitions and rituals they observe. - The New York Times
"Archaeologists exploring the site – which was discovered amid the Roman ruins in the town of Osuna, 55 miles (90km) east of Seville – say the Phoenician-Carthaginian cemetery dates back to the fourth or fifth century BC." - The Guardian
