This looks like it’s the real deal — Yoko Ono’s tribÂute to John Lennon on YouTube. Among the video clips housed in the colÂlecÂtion, you’ll find footage that recapÂtures the “bed-ins” that John and Yoko famousÂly staged in MonÂtreÂal and AmsÂterÂdam in 1969 to protest the VietÂnam War. As Lennon puts it, there’s no betÂter way to protest the war than to “stay in bed and grow your hair.” That’s a form of protest that the lost slackÂer in me can appreÂciÂate.
The footage is accomÂpaÂnied by the song, “Give Peace a Chance,” which was writÂten durÂing the bed-in. It was folÂlowed latÂer that year by “War is Over! If You Want It — HapÂpy ChristÂmas From John and Yoko.” The heartÂbreakÂing YouTube video set to this song has over one milÂlion views.
In NovemÂber, Japan’s Kaguya spaceÂcraft orbitÂed the moon with a high-def camÂera onboard. You can see the first HD footage of an “earthÂrise” and “earthÂset” by checkÂing out these still images (EarthÂrise and EarthÂset) or watchÂing the video footage below, which has also been added to our YouTube playlist.
The celÂeÂbraÂtion of MarÂtin Luther King’s birthÂday was a litÂtle difÂferÂent this year. It had a politÂiÂcal edge to it, and unavoidÂably so. Dr. King’s work made posÂsiÂble what we’re finalÂly seeÂing today — a black canÂdiÂdate makÂing a seriÂous run at the AmerÂiÂcan presÂiÂdenÂcy. So it seemed entireÂly approÂpriÂate that Barack ObaÂma spoke SunÂday before the conÂgreÂgaÂtion at EbenezÂer BapÂtist Church in Atlanta, where MLK preached long ago. In this 34-minute speech, you get a perÂfect reminder of King’s legaÂcy and also a stump speech delivÂered in an oraÂtorÂiÂcal style that King would appreÂciÂate. The video clip below has been viewed close to 450,000 times on YouTube. It’s also been added to our YouTube playlist.
LibÂrivox is on a roll lateÂly. Since DecemÂber, the provider of free, pubÂlic domain audioÂbooks has released a numÂber of clasÂsic works on audio. Below, we’ve listÂed some of the highÂlights, which we’ve also includÂed in our AudioÂBook PodÂcast ColÂlecÂtion. (Here, you’ll also find free audioÂbooks by othÂer providers.) For LibÂrivox’s comÂplete catÂaÂlogue, click here.
In one of our recent pieces, we highÂlightÂed a video that feaÂtured law proÂfesÂsor Cass SunÂstein interÂpretÂing the secÂond amendÂment and quesÂtionÂing whether it conÂferred the right to bear arms. In response, one of our readÂers offered this comÂment:
“ReeeeealÂly good talk. My friend and I sat down to watch it, and before we startÂed, we laid out our posiÂtions, basiÂcalÂly one on each side of the debate. SunÂstein proÂceeds to explain how we’re both wrong. AweÂsome.”
I menÂtion this simÂply because it’s great to see the media (videos/podcasts) feaÂtured here being used in this way. It’s great to see readÂers realÂly engagÂing with the mateÂrÂiÂal and allowÂing it to shape their views. It’s the ultiÂmate comÂpliÂment in some ways. Thanks Ben.
In 2001, StanÂford law proÂfesÂsor Lawrence Lessig pubÂlished The Future of Ideas: The Fate of the ComÂmons in a ConÂnectÂed World. Here, Lessig launched a camÂpaign against AmerÂiÂcan copyÂright law, arguÂing that it has become so restricÂtive that it stiÂfles culÂturÂal innoÂvaÂtion and social progress .… which underÂmines the origÂiÂnal point of copyÂright law. Back in 1787, the foundÂing fathers includÂed the “copyÂright clause” in the AmerÂiÂcan conÂstiÂtuÂtion, lookÂing to give authors a short-term incenÂtive to innoÂvate and ultiÂmateÂly conÂtribute to the pubÂlic good. (ArtiÂcle I, SecÂtion 8 empowÂers ConÂgress “To proÂmote the Progress of SciÂence and useÂful Arts, by securÂing for limÂitÂed Times to Authors and InvenÂtors the excluÂsive Right to their respecÂtive WritÂings and DisÂcovÂerÂies.”). At the outÂset, copyÂright law proÂtectÂed forms of expresÂsion — and let authors profÂit from them — for a minÂiÂmum of 14 years and a maxÂiÂmum of 28. Then, the mateÂrÂiÂal went into the pubÂlic domain. But over time, the proÂtecÂtions placed on culÂturÂal expresÂsion have been extendÂed, and now works are proÂtectÂed so long as an author is alive, and then anothÂer 70 years. That’s potenÂtialÂly up to 140 years or more. All of this has hapÂpened because ConÂgress has been sucÂcessÂfulÂly lobÂbied by large media corÂpoÂraÂtions (e.g. DisÂney), wantÂiÂng to monÂeÂtize their media assets (think, MickÂey Mouse) indefÂiÂniteÂly.
AnyÂway, this is a long way of telling you that you can now downÂload The Future of Ideasfor free. Lessig perÂsuadÂed RanÂdom House to release the book under a “CreÂative ComÂmons” license, using the arguÂment that free e‑books will actuÂalÂly stimÂuÂlate sales of paper copies. (Do you realÂly want to read 350 pages on your comÂputÂer screen?)
This is not the first time that Lessig has worked with this modÂel. One of his preÂviÂous books, Free CulÂture: How Big Media Uses TechÂnolÂoÂgy and the Law to Lock Down CulÂture and ConÂtrol CreÂativÂiÂty, was also made freely availÂable in digÂiÂtal forÂmat. (You can downÂload a free audioÂbook verÂsion or buy the paper verÂsion here.)
As a final note, I should menÂtion that Lessig will be leavÂing behind his focus on these copyÂright issues, and turnÂing his sights to corÂrupÂtion in WashÂingÂton. Below you can watch him outÂline the probÂlem that he’s lookÂing to tackÂle.
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