“The Kindle, which can store 3,500 e-books, we are told, is the new home library, vaporizing tons of paper. And why should anyone mourn — except for those who go on about the beautiful tactility of ink and paper and who seem peculiarly attached to the book as a physical object?”
Tag: 12.31.10
Is Hollywood Now A Copy Machine?
“Hollywood is harvesting Europe with unusual intensity. In the last year, five American retreads of French films have been released.”
First Professional Palestinian Orchestra Since 1948
“All of the musicians are of Palestinian origin, and many have played with orchestras around the world. The group is an initiative of the Edward Said Conservatory of Music, named after the late Palestinian writer and academic, and was formed in 1994.”
What Art Politicians Hang On Their Walls Says Something About Them
“Ministers’ private offices are their inner sanctums, and what they choose to hang there can say a great deal about them, their personal preferences and how they see themselves.”
What’s Wrong With Broadway?
“The news of so many showbituaries has produced nervous hand-wringing among seasoned arts patrons. Many can’t help but ask: What is wrong with Broadway? The answer is: nothing we didn’t already know.”
A Fatal Flaw In LA’s Approach To Urban Planning
“Even as city planners have made a point of focusing, at least in theory, on a finer grain of civic improvements, such as urban-design guidelines released in 2009, in practice they continue to allow developers to shape downtown one mega-project at a time.”
North Korean TV Airs Its First-Ever Western Movie (Which One?)
“Bend it like Beckham has become the first western-made film to be broadcast on television in North Korea – but the broadcast, monitored in Seoul on Boxing Day, was edited down to just an hour long, instead of the original 112 minutes.”