LifeÂhackÂer is runÂning a good piece today that highÂlights a series of web-based lanÂguage tools for anyÂone lookÂing to figÂure out a word’s defÂiÂnÂiÂtion, transÂlaÂtion, proÂnunÂciÂaÂtion, synÂonym, or antonym. Word nerds, this could be your lucky day…
Here’s J.K. RowlÂing speakÂing with eloÂquence at HarÂvard’s gradÂuÂaÂtion, 2008. You’ll find a litÂtle wit (although far difÂferÂent than the kind on disÂplay when Sacha Baron Cohen — a.k.a. Ali G & Borat — spoke at HarÂvard gradÂuÂaÂtion fesÂtivÂiÂties in 2004). And then there’s the sage advice that she disÂpensÂes. Some good thoughts on why sucÂcess is ultiÂmateÂly predÂiÂcatÂed on failÂure (thoughts that call to mind Steve Jobs’ now famous talk at StanÂford), and why we need to exerÂcise the powÂer of imagÂiÂnaÂtion — and empaÂthy — in the broadÂest sense. We have othÂer fine gradÂuÂaÂtion speechÂes postÂed below.
Since we highÂlightÂed a free audio book of George Orwell’s 1984 earÂliÂer in the week, it seemed worth postÂing this bit from BoingÂBoÂing TV — a nice pupÂpet deconÂstrucÂtion of Orwell’s clasÂsic. What a way to start the weekÂend.
MSN-SymÂpaÂtiÂco has been runÂning a piece that covÂers the ins-and-outs of learnÂing a forÂeign lanÂguage online. The piece highÂlights free resources that you can access on the web, includÂing our colÂlecÂtion of Free ForÂeign LanÂguage LesÂson PodÂcasts, but also many othÂer worthÂwhile mateÂriÂals. Free lanÂguage dicÂtioÂnarÂies, flash cards, interÂacÂtive games, lanÂguage learnÂing comÂmuÂniÂties, interÂnaÂtionÂal news and radio shows, forÂmal uniÂverÂsiÂty coursÂes — they’re all listÂed here.
What do natÂurÂal magÂnetÂic fields look like? This extraÂorÂdiÂnary footage from NASA’s Space SciÂences LabÂoÂraÂtoÂry (UC BerkeÂley) gives you a glimpse and reveals their “chaotÂic, ever-changÂing geomeÂtries.”
This is a clever web site creÂatÂed by the folks at the New Zealand Book CounÂcil. The site creÂates a repliÂca of a PC deskÂtop enviÂronÂment, and, withÂin the foldÂers, you’ll find texts that can be read on the sly.
The advent of digÂiÂtal camÂeras has changed phoÂtogÂraÂphy as we know it. It has draÂmatÂiÂcalÂly lowÂered the cost of phoÂtogÂraÂphy, and we’re now snapÂping more phoÂtos than ever before. But we’re not necÂesÂsarÂiÂly takÂing betÂter picÂtures.
This is where Nikon steps in. Their camÂeras make casuÂal phoÂtogÂraÂphers immenseÂly betÂter than they actuÂalÂly are. (Trust me, I know.) And Nikon has now set up a free DigÂiÂtal LearnÂing CenÂter that offers tutoÂriÂals and tips for takÂing a range of difÂferÂent picÂtures — porÂtraits, travÂel phoÂtos, nature phoÂtogÂraÂphy, etc. QuesÂtions that get tackÂled here include, but are not limÂitÂed, to: “How can I take betÂter porÂtraits?” “How can I take phoÂtos at dusk withÂout havÂing them look comÂpleteÂly dark?” “How do I get true-to-life skin tones?” “How can I get the movÂing figÂures in my phoÂtos to look like they’re in motion and not frozen?” “My porÂtraits have red eyes. How can I preÂvent this?” Give a tour of the LearnÂing CenÂter here.
If you’d like to learn about digÂiÂtal phoÂtogÂraÂphy using podÂcasts, check out DigÂiÂtal PhoÂtogÂraÂphy Tips from the Top Floor (iTunes — Feed — Web Site). And, for that matÂter, if you need to learn how to use a podÂcast, spend some time with our PodÂcast Primer here.
Also Slate recentÂly put togethÂer a nice gallery of images feaÂturÂing the work of HenÂri CartiÂer-BresÂson, a masÂter phoÂtogÂraÂphÂer who is conÂsidÂered the father of modÂern phoÂtoÂjourÂnalÂism.
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