In Britain, Recession And Stress Lead Listeners To Classical Radio

“Radio audiences are turning to the soothing properties of classical music as a means of coping with the traumas brought on by the economic downturn, gloomy weather and summer exams, according to official listening statistics released yesterday. The national commercial station Classic FM and BBC Radio 3 have both apparently benefited from the desire of audiences to find some respite from the pressures associated with the recession.”

Can You Have A Fringe Festival Out In The Boonies?

“From New York City to Edinburgh to Adelaide, Australia, fringe theater festivals have become a staple of summertime culture, with troupes of actors producing experimental work on shoestring budgets and set-less stages. But none of these dozens of festivals are quite like the five-year-old Berkshire Fringe, in western Massachusetts, where its organizers work out of a cafe on Main Street because the wireless Internet is free.”