Open city

I looked up “open city,” as in the title of the 1945 Roberto Rossellini film Roma città aperta [Rome, Open City]. In war, an open city is one that has surrendered to an occupying enemy. I’d known the term only as a descriptor of U.S. hotbeds of vice. Terre Haute, Indiana, for instance, was “open.”

Last week, Google AI for terre haute open city included this remarkable sentence:

While this reputation is mostly historical, the city is still known for its vibrant culture and attractions, including the Federal Correctional Complex, which houses the federal death row.

But the AI is always learning. Today the Larry Bird Museum has replaced the prison and its death row. The museum is closed on Mondays and Tuesdays, but it’s open today.

A related post
“You know, the boys in Terre Haute, they don't set no limit”