Today, the word “laboratory” seems less loaded than it did in those early days. New Orleans Mayor Mitch Landrieu recently called the city “the nation’s leading laboratory for social change.” New Orleans-based journalist and Floodlines author Jordan Flaherty called it a laboratory for progressive, grassroots organizing.
Category: issues
The NYT Says Data Shows The Creative Class Economy Is Thriving? Not So Fast…
“Steven Johnson’s article “The Creative Apocalypse That Wasn’t” frames itself as a data-driven response to concerns about the plight of creative workers in the digital age. But Johnson’s grasp of the limitations of the data he cites seems tenuous, and he ends up relying on some very dubious and all-too-familiar assumptions. In its sweeping dismissal of artists’ various concerns, the article reads as an exercise in gaslighting.”
The New Creative Economy? Don’t Believe The Hype!
“One thing you find if you talk to people who work in culture is that those lacking family money, tenure, or celebrity status are pushing up against very serious limits in the entrepreneurial, tech-mad, post-recession world. The Times story mocks these struggles rather than trying to understand them. Don’t believe the hype.”
What Too Many Arts Execs Misunderstand About ‘Sustainability’
Too many boards and CEOs have “tried to make their organizations ‘sustainable’ by imposing a simplistic set of solutions to the problem: sharp cuts in the compensation packages of their union musicians and workers, plus an equally sharp reduction in programming. With respect, this is no way to build sustainability. On the contrary, this a recipe for disaster.” Scott Chamberlain proposes a differently way of looking at the concept.
Seven Tips For People Seeing Their First Ballet, Opera, Or Theater Performance
The Arizona Republic‘s suggestions range from the actually useful (genuinely practical advice on what to wear) to the worryingly obvious (“Don’t sing along”).
Lawyer Controlling Harper Lee’s Estate Makes Yet More Waves In Alabama
“Ms. Carter’s control of Ms. Lee’s affairs has become a polarizing issue that hangs over this town of about 6,300 residents. Praised by some as the dutiful protector of an aging friend, she is derided by others as a spiteful person who wields too much influence over a vulnerable client.”
National Museum Of Scotland Staff Start Seven Days Of Strike Actions
“The action comes as the city is at its busiest for the Edinburgh Festival. The Public and Commercial Services union said about 120 members were on strike following the collapse of talks with National Museums Scotland (NMS). The action was caused disruption to both the National Museum of Scotland and the National War Museum.”
And The Ancient Palmyran Temple Falls To ISIS
“Palmyra, one of the Middle East’s most spectacular archaeological sites and a UNESCO World Heritage site, sits near the modern Syrian city of the same name. Activists said the militants used explosives to blow up the Baalshamin Temple on its grounds, the blast so powerful it also damaged some of the Roman columns around it.”
The (Canadian) National Post Put Up, Took Down, Then Re-posted A Margaret Atwood Column About The Prime Minister’s Hair
“‘Um, did I just get censored?’ Atwood asked on Twitter Friday evening after her column disappeared from the Post’s website, several hours after it had been posted. ‘For my flighty little caper on Hair?'” (The answer was … probably.)
Consumer Behavior Is Changing. Here’s How
“Consumerism has shifted from a world of physical images and personal communication to a world of imagery and perception. Regardless of industry, product or service, vendors that enable instantaneous access and deliver on their digital promise will survive. Those who rely solely on their brick and mortar presence will not.”