The occasion is a moment to ask how a novel that mourns addiction and venerates humility and patience became a glib cultural punch line, routinely subjected to the word “performative” in its most damning sense. - The New Yorker
Under Bezos’s leadership, CEO Will Lewis has floated a bunch of proposals to make the company profitable, few of which so far resemble anything people might actually want to buy. - Intelligencer (MSN)
Greg Ketter became a social media phenomenon over the weekend, when MS Now aired a video of him pacing half a block away from where Alex J. Pretti had been murdered by agents an hour earlier, cursing the 50-100 armed ICE agents keeping the crowd back. - Publishers Weekly
The companies, including Universal Music Publishing Group, Concord Music Group, and ABKCO Music, are seeking more than $3 billion in potential statutory damages over alleged infringement of more than 20,000 songs. - Music Business Worldwide
For such a large city, L.A. has been a difficult environment for classical dance; before this company, no ballet troupe there had lasted for more than nine years. Artistic director Melissa Barak and executive director Julia Rivera talk with a reporter about how Los Angeles Ballet has lasted and where it’s headed. - Pointe Magazine
A machine will never possess the level of interpersonal skills needed to manage a team, to engage in civil discourse with individuals from different cultures and backgrounds, or to resolve messy human conflicts that resist logic. Judgment will never be AI’s strength. - US News
Neuroplasticity therefore reframes the brain as neither rigid nor infinitely malleable, but as a living system shaped by experience, effort and time. - The Conversation
“It feels more important than ever to invite multiple voices into the museum space. There isn’t one perfect solution for all visitors, but we strive to offer a variety of access points—whether it’s traditional labels, guided gallery conversations or prompts to spark reflection and dialogue.” - The Art Newspaper
A recent survey found that about a third of responding musicians were dealing or had dealt with an eating disorder. While there’s not yet any research as to why classical musicians develop eating disorders, several known risk factors are very common in the profession. - Classical Music (UK)
The old metaphor of creativity being sparked makes it sound like there’s a creativity center in the brain that’s just waiting to kick things off. But brain scans of jazz improvisers point to a much more diffuse picture of creativity’s location. - Psychology Today
The milestone year reflected the “largest annual payment to music from any retailer in history,” the company announced on Wednesday in a post. In 2025, Spotify’s payout amount grew by over 10%, making the Sweden-based streamer one of the industry’s main revenue drivers. - Los Angeles Times
The battle is approaching a tipping point after the Smithsonian acquiesced to an administration demand to hand over documents regarding the types of exhibits it will display for America’s 250th anniversary this summer. - The Hill
“Constellations – also jokingly dubbed ‘Not Writers’ Week’ – is being put on by “a loose coalition” of writers and publishers and the support of not-for-profit Writers SA, with dozens of free events to be staged from 28 February to 5 March.” - The Guardian
“TheatreWorks Silicon Valley is partnering with the city of Palo Alto on a new venue at a familiar location. The municipality and the Tony-winning theater company announced plans to redevelop (its) existing theater … and build a new one next to it, forming a performing arts complex of 40,000 square feet.” - San Francisco Chronicle (MSN)
“For almost a quarter-century Freeview has enabled viewers to access (digital terrestrial) television from the nation’s biggest broadcasters … for no charge. Despite it still being the UK’s largest TV platform, … those same broadcasters are now calling for the service to be switched off in as little as eight years’ time.” - The Guardian
