We are confined to reality, but we cannot confront facts (or even make sense of them) without the salve of fiction. As Joan Didion so famously put it, “We tell ourselves stories in order to live.” - Washington Post
"Many, particularly members of the Osage Nation in Oklahoma, welcomed the movie, applauding Scorsese for his meticulous portrayal of Osage culture. … But other Indigenous viewers said the movie was told from a white man’s perspective and lacked sufficient context about the U.S. government’s complicity in the murders." - The New York Times
The in-flight entertainment and connectivity market grew to US$5.9 billion as of 2019, a testament to its economic impact on both the airlines and the GDP of countries with airline carriers. - The Conversation
"In (the treatise) On Dance," first-century philosopher Lucian of Samosata "makes two ground-breaking claims: that the body thinks, and that dance is the expression of a complete philosophy. … Only the dancer is not a philosopher but a ‘cheirosopher’, a coinage Lucian constructs ... with the addition of ‘cheiros’: gesture." - 3 Quarks Daily
That split between the big audience on Facebook and the influential audience on Twitter was instantly obvious to anyone in any newsroom who ever cared to look. - The Verge
As more major films, including some big hits, run longer than three hours, exhibitors can schedule fewer showings per day — so they want to give the patrons another opportunity to buy popcorn and sodas. And the patrons themselves would very much like to visit the restroom. - The Hollywood Reporter
"Through social media platforms like TikTok and YouTube, they are literally spreading the word, reshaping the French language from African countries, like Ivory Coast, that were once colonized by France." - The New York Times
"Just one day after his December 10 swearing-in, Javier Milei, … a hard-right libertarian economist and former tantric-sex coach who beat out center-left former economic minister Sergio Massa thanks largely to the votes of young jobless men, … signed a decree slashing the number of Argentinian ministries from nineteen to nine." - Artforum
"Among the most influential and progressive leaders in American opera, … (he maintained) a commitment to living composers through world and American premieres. He believed opera was a theatrical medium as much as a musical one and had a devotion to advancing the careers of promising young singers." - Santa Fe New Mexican
Kwamé Ryan, a 53-year-old Trinidadian-Canadian, "studied at Cambridge, lives on the edge of Germany’s Black Forest with his husband, hosts a weekly podcast for tips and life hacks, is into yoga, mountain biking and rugby, and guest-conducts orchestras throughout Europe and the U.S." - Yahoo! (The Charlotte Observer)
He had a breakout role in the 1989 Civil War epic Glory and went on to television stardom in both drama (Homicide: Life on the Street) and comedy (Brooklyn Nine-Nine), winning two Emmys and 11 nominations. In addition, he was an admired Shakespearean actor at New York's Public Theater. - AP
"(The appointment marks) the first time that a woman and a person of colour has taken on the biggest role in British theatre. Rubasingham, who has been artistic director of the Kiln theatre since 2012, will take over from Rufus Norris in spring 2025, when his second term ends." - The Guardian
"Those who dare say she got the job because of her gender should take a closer look at her accomplishments. … (She) has more than enough experience for this job. … She's by all accounts well-respected and well-loved … (and) too talented and experienced to sacrifice quality for any risk she takes." - The Guardian
"About 1,500 items (have been) classified as missing or stolen. Around 350 items in the museum’s collection have gold mounts or gems missing and 140 have been damaged by tools" — and that gold has probably been melted down by now. "Just 351 of the stolen items have been recovered." - Artnet
