“An essayist, fiction writer, teacher, scholar and literary critic … Mr. Steiner both dazzled and dismayed his readers with the range and occasional obscurity of his literary references.” As one New York Times critic wrote, “His bracing virtue has been his ability to move from Pythagoras, through Aristotle and Dante, to Nietzsche and Tolstoy in a single paragraph. His irritating vice has been that he can move from Pythagoras, through Aristotle and Dante, to Nietzsche and Tolstoy in a single paragraph.” – The New York Times
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Turn Libraries Into Arts Spaces? Be Careful!
It’s fantastic to see libraries recognised as valuable public spaces that need protection and increased support, but I’m concerned that the attempt to rejuvenate them through the arts could backfire. Rather than reviving libraries, it could transform them into something else completely. – Arts Professional
The Trump Impeachment Isn’t Over, And The Smithsonian Is Already Looking For Artifacts
“Years from now, when school groups visit the National Museum of American History, they might learn about the impeachment of a president through a fidget spinner. And they will have Jon Grinspan, the Smithsonian’s curator of political history, to thank.” – The Washington Post
Disney’s “Hamilton” Movie Could Change Theatre
While a handful of Broadway productions are filmed for airings on PBS or to be added to BroadwayHD’s on-demand streaming library, “Hamilton’s” road from stage to studio might set a lucrative precedent for future commercial productions to prepare for potential major releases. – Los Angeles Times
Want High School Kids To Get Excited About Engineering? Try Teaching Them To Make Guitars
“Unlike science and math, engineering and technology skills aren’t typically included in the standardized tests used to evaluate students and their teachers. Because the stakes are high, schools generally make the subjects that are tested their highest priority. When kids make guitars, they learn the math and science, but also the importance of mechanical precision, the design process and basic manufacturing skills, which are central to what engineers do.” – The Conversation
How Lula And Erwin Washington Have Kept Their Dance Company Going For 40 Years
“Both are 69 now. As the wife and husband who founded the Los Angeles dance company in 1980, the two continue to strike the delicate balance between artist and administrator” — a job Erwin gave up his own career in journalism to do — “between ambitiously creative and cautiously pragmatic.” – Los Angeles Times
YouTube Earned More Than $15 Billion From Ads Last Year
For the first time, Google and its corporate parent, Alphabet, broke out from overall revenue reports the income from its video platform — and that income is enormous. What’s more, YouTube ad revenues have almost doubled over just the past two years, and the platform is bringing in another $3 billion annually from its 20 million paid subscribers. – The Hollywood Reporter
Proposed Missouri Law Could See Librarians Jailed Or Fined For Lending ‘Age-Inappropriate Sexual Material’
“Missouri House Rep. Ben Baker introduced the bill, dubbed the ‘Parental Oversight of Public Libraries Act,’ in January that calls for the creation of a panel made up of non-library workers who will determine the removal of ‘age-inappropriate sexual material,’ from their local branch. Libraries that don’t comply will lose their funding. Library employees providing material deemed inappropriate would be hit with a misdemeanor charge and liable for a $500 fine or a maximum jail sentence of a year, according to the bill’s current language.” – ABC News
One In Six American Adults Sings In A Choir — And They’re Healthier For It
“[A recent] study identifies numerous reasons: Singing in groups has been linked to better mental and physical health, a sense of belonging and feeling connected to others, better social skills, increased civic engagement and volunteering, developing leadership skills and much more.” – Pittsburgh Post-Gazette
Ireland’s Youth Orchestras Are Growing
The orchestras that get most of the publicity are just the tip of the iceberg. And they are seriously outnumbered by a less-heralded cohort. Just as the great teams in sport are outnumbered by the organisations that operate in local communities or provide an outlet for youth activities. – Irish Times