The Adjective That Must Not Be Named Is Back…And It Brought Reinforcements
Fri, Jan 1, 2017
by Drew McManus
Back in 2014, we started a campaign to eradicate the B-word from orchestra promotional material. At the time, it did a respectable job at keeping things under control but just like a virus that keeps mutating, “beloved” has found its way back. But this time, it brought a gaggle of old school “greatest-art” adjectives along
Brace For Impact: The Fight To Maintain Net Neutrality Heats Up (Again)
Thu, Jan 1, 2017
by Drew McManus
After dodging a bullet in 2014 over net neutrality (details), it looks like incoming fire is on the horizon thanks to the Trump Administration’s decision to install a forceful critic of net neutrality as the new chair of the Federal Communications Commission (FCC). If proposing to eliminate the National Endowment for the Arts wasn’t enough,
Easier Gigs
Wed, Jan 1, 2017
by Drew McManus
The 1/24/2017 edition of the Wall Street journal published an article by Charles Passy that examines the decision by New York Philharmonic president Matthew VanBesien to depart his position in favor of taking a position as president of the University of Michigan’s University Musical Society. VanBesien is the latest orchestra CEO to exit for an academic
Plans To Eliminate NEA & NEH Raises Alarm And Inspire Ire
Tue, Jan 1, 2017
by Drew McManus
Ever since the news that the Trump administration plans to eliminate the National Endowment of the Arts (NEA) and the National Endowment for the Humanities (NEH) became public knowledge, responses from inside and out of the arts community have been swift. There’s a list of reports from mainstream media that examine how much arts and
Simple Tips To Keep WordPress Fast
Mon, Jan 1, 2017
by Drew McManus
If you’re a WordPress user and your site is more than a few years old, there are a number of things you should be doing behind the scenes to keep everything running as fast as possible. Having said that, a good bit of it requires a certain level of technical skills but there are a
Let’s Be Friends
Thu, Jan 1, 2017
by Drew McManus
A few months ago, I made a big switch from using traditional comments to a system powered by Facebook. At the time, I mentioned this switch was an experiment in progress and now that we’re several weeks in I can say that it will be the ongoing standard for the foreseeable future. Since making the
Betty White Wants You To Change Your [*******] Password Already!
Wed, Jan 1, 2017
by Drew McManus
I realized earlier this week that it has been awhile since I posted a reminder about updating the passwords you use for personal and business accounts. As such, let’s get down to it. It Takes More Than Capitalizing The First Letter Of Your Old Password The sad truth is most passwords are awful; they are
Waiting For Godot, Milwaukee Style
Tue, Jan 1, 2017
by Drew McManus
In the wake of what seems like an ironic number of Charlie Brown football gag style attempts over the past 20 years, the Milwaukee Symphony Orchestra (MSO) appears to be on a strong path toward finally kicking that ball in the form of obtaining their own concert hall. According to a report by Ben Jordan
The Recent Round Of AFM-EPF Pension Headaches
Mon, Jan 1, 2017
by Drew McManus
Pensions; can’t live with them, can’t avoid a crippling social collapse without them. Recently, the American Federation of Musicians & Employers’ Pension Fund (AFM-EPF) Board of Trustees sent a letter to plan members explaining how the fund has suffered since the economic downturn and their plan for recovery. Unlike other union pension plans, the AFM-EPF
Trump On The Arts & Humanities: You’re Nothing But Waste