One of my friends from way back, SheerÂly Avni, has just postÂed an interÂview with Joss WheÂdon, who has now domÂiÂnatÂed in four media catÂeÂgories: film (SerenÂiÂty), teleÂviÂsion (Buffy the VamÂpire SlayÂer), comics (RunÂaways, The AstonÂishÂing X‑Men) and finalÂly the interÂnet. (Dr. HorÂriÂble’s SinÂgaÂlong Blog). The interÂview was conÂductÂed for MothÂer Jones, so there’s a lot about polÂiÂtics, genÂder, the writÂers’ strike, and, yes, TV and film. It runs about 38 minÂutes. Have a lisÂten.
Here we have the odd couÂple. The agnosÂtic filmÂmakÂer and one of AmerÂiÂca’s most influÂenÂtial reliÂgious figÂures engaged in a liveÂly conÂverÂsaÂtion. It’s actuÂalÂly a rather genÂtleÂmanÂly exchange from the late 1960s, and it’s added to our video colÂlecÂtion of CulÂturÂal Icons. Part 1 appears below, and you can get Part 2 here.
You can find this video perÂmaÂnentÂly hostÂed in our colÂlecÂtion of 235 CulÂturÂal Icons.
Here’s the moment when ChicaÂgo, ObaÂma’s adoptÂed homeÂtown, learned about his vicÂtoÂry TuesÂday night. It has been a long time since we’ve seen this kind of civic engageÂment and exciteÂment. Catch the moment below and watch his vicÂtoÂry speech here.
Back in May, This AmerÂiÂcan Life (iTunes — Feed — Web Site) aired an episode called The Giant Pool of MonÂey (stream here). The show, which demysÂtiÂfied the mortÂgage criÂsis in an unsuÂal way, became a major hit. Now, they have aired a sequel: AnothÂer FrightÂenÂing Show About the EconÂoÂmy (stream here), and it explains the ripÂple effects of the origÂiÂnal mortÂgage criÂsis that have pushed the AmerÂiÂcan finanÂcial sysÂtem to the brink. How did comÂmerÂcial paper freeze up, and why does this paper matÂter? What exactÂly are credÂit default swaps, why wasÂn’t this masÂsive marÂket regÂuÂlatÂed, and how does this poorÂly underÂstood marÂket threatÂen our ecoÂnomÂic well being? It’s all answered here. Give a lisÂten.
A NASA satelÂlite caught Alaska’s Mount CleveÂland in the act. An amazÂing image. For more brilÂliant volÂcano action phoÂtos, have a look here.
I menÂtioned this free course back in July, but, givÂen the hisÂtoric nature of TuesÂday’s elecÂtion, it seems worth givÂing it anothÂer menÂtion.
On StanÂford’s YouTube channel, you’ll find a comÂplete series of lecÂtures from an underÂgradÂuÂate course called “African-AmerÂiÂcan HisÂtoÂry: ModÂern FreeÂdom StrugÂgle.” Taught by ClayÂborne CarÂson, a promiÂnent hisÂtoÂry proÂfesÂsor who has editÂed and pubÂlished the papers of MarÂtin Luther King, Jr., the course overviews the strugÂgle for libÂerÂty and comÂplete equalÂiÂty, movÂing from W.E.B. Du Bois (earÂly 20th cenÂtuÂry), to MLK and MalÂcolm X, down to Barack ObaÂma today. The lecÂture below, entiÂtled “Barack ObaÂma’s AmerÂiÂcan Dream,” sitÂuÂates ObaÂma withÂin the largÂer sweep of African-AmerÂiÂcan hisÂtoÂry. It’s rather conÂverÂsaÂtionÂal in style, and it does a good job of getÂting into ObaÂma’s perÂsonÂal biogÂraÂphy. The comÂplete lecÂtures can be watched in their entireÂty on YouTube here, or downÂloaded in video via iTunes. And be sure to see our largÂer colÂlecÂtion of 250 Free Online CoursÂes from LeadÂing UniÂverÂsiÂties, where you’ll also find this course.
We’re down to the next to last lecÂture, takÂing you from Nixon to Bush. (Next week, this StanÂford course ends with a postÂmortem of ObaÂma’s vicÂtoÂry in 2008.) You can access LecÂture 4 via Tunes U in high resÂoÂluÂtion or watch the YouTube verÂsion below. If you missed the preÂviÂous lecÂtures, grab them on iTunes here and YouTube here.
Michael CrichÂton has died of canÂcer. You know him best as the author of JurasÂsic Park and The AndromÂeÂda Strain. But some will rememÂber him for the conÂtroÂverÂsy that surÂroundÂed his latÂer career. CrichÂton’s 2004 novÂel, State of Fear launched a litÂerÂary assault on enviÂronÂmenÂtalÂism and the conÂcept of globÂal warmÂing. And the next thing you know, CrichÂton tesÂtiÂfied before the US SenÂate at the inviÂtaÂtion of SenÂaÂtor James M. Inhofe, who called globÂal warmÂing “the greatÂest hoax ever perÂpeÂtratÂed on the AmerÂiÂcan peoÂple.” (Inhofe also made State of Fear — a novÂel, mind you — required readÂing for the SenÂate ComÂmitÂtee on EnviÂronÂment and PubÂlic Works.) Below, we feaÂture CrichÂton offerÂing his thoughts on why enviÂronÂmenÂtalÂism is “one of the most powÂerÂful reliÂgions in the WestÂern world.”
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