To hold public officials accountable, in other words, “intelligent men”—all people, in fact—need reliable reporting about the activities of government and politicians. But these days, local news is withering in many places across America. – The Atlantic
Author: Douglas McLennan
Man Convicted Of Trying To Steal Magna Carta From Salisbury Cathedral
In October 2018, Mark Royden, 47, went equipped with a claw hammer, gloves and safety goggles, tampered with a CCTV camera and set off a fire alarm to cause a distraction before smashing the document’s protective case. – The Guardian
How I Learned To Be An Art Critic
“How did I learn to judge between one work and another? By looking and reading and looking and reading and looking. It is not a matter of mere subjectivity. You acquire the skill to transmit your excitement before a work, feel its pulse, recognize why it comes alive, pinpoint the source of its visual allure.” – Hyperallergic
The Virus In Canadian Publishing
The COVID-19 lockdown, which has caused overall unit sales to drop by 27 percent, places Canadian publishers under huge financial pressure. Indigo’s continued delays in payment could push them to the brink. At the moment, their revenue is largely dependent on shuttered independent bookstores, which are limping by on online orders, Indigo-style diversification into gift sales, and home delivery. Indigo, by contrast, can’t afford to limp by; its shareholders demand a profit. – The Walrus
How Music Lessons Have Adapted Online
“It was a novelty for a week or two,” said Catherine Keen. “But it was really tough on the kids. They were on their computers all day with their home classes. And then to have to come to an online voice lesson was really hard. Some of them did well. But others . . . “ She doesn’t go into specifics. But clearly, some of her students were struggling. – Movers & Makers
Architecture’s Existential Crisis
Suddenly, the profession was at a crossroads. Was this a time for quick, targeted, pragmatic responses to a built environment that no longer felt safe, or was this a revolutionary moment, a call to rethink everything? – Washington Post
The Problem With The “Right” Kind Of Theatre Fans
“What is wrong with the theatre fandom is the belief that objectively, some musicals are better than others, and that if you like a certain show, you aren’t the right kind of theatre fan. Gatekeeping is the practice of musical theatre fans who feel that they have the authority to determine who belongs and who doesn’t belong based on whether or not someone is a “true fan.” – OnstageBl31
Why COVID Demands Our Best Design Thinking
You may not think of architects as the problem-solvers we need now. But now that interacting with people in any enclosed space is fraught, they are who you need. Though we have been living in a world ruled by public-health experts, few doctors and scientists can interpret their mandates in three dimensions, or understand the dynamic movement of people (and the hazardous droplets they spew) through a busy airport or sports stadium. – Medium
Montreal Museum Fires Chief Curator
The Montreal Museum of Fine Arts (MMFA) says it is immediately terminating the contract of director general and chief curator Nathalie Bondil following what it describes as “disturbing testimonies from employees reporting an obvious deterioration in its workplace climate.” – Global News
Podcast Growth Cut In Half By Virus Shutdowns
The exploding audio medium is forecast to generate nearly $1 billion in 2020 advertising revenue, with an expected growth rate of 14.7%, according to the fourth annual Interactive Advertising Bureau Podcast Ad Revenue Report prepared by PwC. Before the pandemic, the industry was expected to grow as much as 29.6% this year. Revenues are expected to rebound in the third and fourth quarters. – Los Angeles Times