Author: Douglas McLennan

Star Singer/Songwriter Ryan Adams Accused Of Manipulation, Abuse

Adams has seven Grammys and 16 albums, and was seen as a champion of women artists’ careers. But some now say that Adams’s rock-star patronage masked a darker reality. In interviews, seven women and more than a dozen associates described a pattern of manipulative behavior in which Adams dangled career opportunities while simultaneously pursuing female artists for sex.  – The New York Times

Fox News Rejects Ad For Oscar-Nominated Anti-Nazi Documentary, Calling It “Inappropriate”

The documentary focuses on a 1939 pro-Nazi rally in New York and warns that fascism could happen here. The movie – A Night At The Garden – is competing in the documentary category and the ad for it – a 30-second spot was called “It Can Happen Here.” Producers had wanted to buy a spot on the Sean Hannity Show. – The Hollywood Reporter

After 112 Years, The Oregon College Of Arts And Crafts Is To Close And Be Sold. But Why?

Every great city has a vibrant arts and craft culture, and schools and colleges are a critical. In Portland, our art and craft worlds have suffered an ongoing erosion. Go to a public school and see how few wood shops are left. The loss of the Museum of Contemporary Craft was a major hit. If we let the college close, the many donors inscribed on the wall in the college’s Vollum building — and thousands of additional donors — will completely lose their investment in this nationally recognized school.  – The Oregonian

Movie Industry Weighs In On Oscars’ Decision To X Televising Cinematography Awards

Russell Crowe, not nominated for anything this year, chimed. “The Academy is removing cinematography, editing and make up from the televised show? This is just such a fundamentally stupid decision, I’m not even going to be bothered trying to be a smart arse about it,” the actor, who won an Oscar for Gladiator, said. “It’s just too fucking dumb for words.” – New York Magazine

Russia Is Cutting Itself Off From The Rest Of The Internet (Temporarily). But Is This Prelude To Something Bigger?

Ostensibly the goal of the legislation is to protect the Russian internet from the US, which has an offensive cybersecurity strategy and lists Russia as one of the major sources of hacking attacks. However, many observers think the creation of a Russian intranet is a further step towards a goal of duplicating the Great Firewall of China to restrict the access of the country’s internet users to content deemed harmful by the authorities. – The Guardian

James Turrell’s Roden Crater Set To Open After 45 Years And New Funding (Including $10M From Kanye West)

Roden Crater is located in the Painted Desert region of Northern Arizona, and has been under construction for 45 years. In the early 1970s, Turrell spent the night in the bowl of the extinct volcano in Arizona. Since then, he has set about buying and turning the crater into a celestial observatory connected to a series of spaces and installations.  – ArchDaily