Denmark Tries Turning Electric Poles Into Public Art

As the Danes move from traditional power sources to wind and water power, the country’s electrical grid needs to be updated. To deal with the inevitable NIMBY problems, “the Danes hit on the idea about a decade ago of having industrial architects, if not artists, design new, pleasingly sculptured pylons, those huge steel towers that support the power lines.”

Arab Animation Starts Growing Up

“[The] the demand for original Arabic content is fueling more investment in an industry once looked upon as a children’s play space, rather than a money-making, cross-generational, affordable Internet and cell phone genre. Online Arab creativity has also been galvanized by high Internet and mobile penetration … [as well as] censorship in traditional media outlets.”

Pauline Kael Just Loved Those Precious Bodily Fluids

“Rhapsodizing about Robert Altman’s Nashville … Kael wrote that ‘Altman, from a Catholic background, has what Joyce had: a love of the supreme juices of everyday life.’ Those ‘supreme juices’ were what Kael went to the movies for as well. Praising Barbra Streisand’s vitality in Funny Girl, she noted approvingly, ‘She simply drips’.”

Blockbuster Withholds Movies From Blockbuster

“The studio has said it will no longer authorize the video store chain to carry its new movies when they are released on DVD. At issue is Warner Bros.’ desire to have outlets such as Blockbuster offer its films only for sale for the first 28 days of release before allowing consumers to rent titles. Netflix and Redbox also have to wait 28 days before offering Warner Bros. titles for rent.”