“The announcement on Monday that Vancouver-based Raincoast Books is suspending its domestic publishing program, shuttering its Ontario warehouse and laying off 20 employees this year is a harbinger of tough times ahead for the Canadian trade-book industry.”
Tag: 01.09.08
Baghdad’s Librarian
The man is spending his life trying desperately to rebuild Iraq’s National Library and Archive in a city that is still very much a war zone. And the hell of it is, he didn’t have to be there at all. Saad Eskander lived happily abroad for decades, yet agreed to come back to his home country in November 2003 to try and rescue a critical piece of Iraqi history.
Apple To Cut UK Download Prices
“Apple has announced that it will cut the price it charges for music downloads in the UK from its iTunes music store within the next six months. The cut will bring the UK into line with the charges in the rest of Europe.”
Writer/Dancer Ernestine Stodelle, 95
“Ernestine Stodelle, a pioneering modern dancer who performed with Doris Humphrey and José Limón and also wrote about dance, died on Saturday in Santa Barbara, Calif. She was 95.”
Sponsors Pulling Out Of Golden Globes
“Some prominent advertisers have pulled their sponsorships for NBC’s strike-subdued Golden Globes coverage… The decisions came a day after the traditional format for the awards program was scrapped in the face of anticipated picket lines.”
You’d Think People Would Choose A Better Show
There’s been plenty of sniping that a lack of writers couldn’t possibly make Hollywood awards shows any less entertaining than they already are. But last night’s pre-taped, clip-laden Peoples’ Choice Awards proved otherwise…
FCC Will Look Into Comcast Net Neutrality Violations
“The Federal Communications Commission will investigate complaints that Comcast actively interferes with Internet traffic as its subscribers try to share files online… The company said the intervention was necessary to improve the surfing experience for the majority of its subscribers.”
Line of Succession
Who’s in the running to replace Phillippe de Montebello at the head of the Metropolitan Museum of Art? The list is headed by the British Museum’s Neil MacGregor, and also includes such art world names as Glenn Lowry and Michael Govan.
de Montebello’s Metropolitan Legacy
Phillippe de Montebello’s legacy “was never about celebrity architecture or fashion or political correctness. His ideal for the museum stressed the permanent collection, the public’s true heritage, and it entailed doing the difficult thing because it was right.”
Chamber Orchestra Killing In The Clubs
One of the hottest club nights on the Berlin scene these days is an unadvertised monthly performance by the Mahler Chamber Orchestra known as Yellow Lounge. The show “rotates between Berlin’s coolest venues on the first Monday of each month,” and it is as hot a ticket as the best local DJ or dance band.