On a lighter note, and while we’re on the subÂject of ecoÂnomÂic criÂsis, we offer you an aniÂmatÂed (and not so seriÂous) explaÂnaÂtion of the finanÂcial criÂsis in Greece. The saga conÂtinÂues with Episode 2.
Thanks Eren, aka @Gulfi
Economic Crisis and Globalization
The news isn’t good. The Euro is losÂing valÂue daiÂly. CounÂtries are slipÂping into “sovÂerÂeign debt crises” – meanÂing they’re going broke. And the marÂkets are swoonÂing once again. We’re watchÂing the proverÂbial othÂer shoe drop.
ThroughÂout this criÂsis, many AmerÂiÂcans have directÂed their anger at Wall Street (and deservedÂly so). But few have wonÂdered whether there’s anyÂthing basiÂcalÂly wrong with AmerÂiÂcan-style capÂiÂtalÂism. And, if anyÂthing, the only orgaÂnized protest moveÂment (The Tea ParÂty) has assertÂed that we need more capÂiÂtalÂism in our lives, not less.
In some rare quarÂters of acadÂeme, capÂiÂtalÂism still doesÂn’t get off so easy. And that brings us to three new online coursÂes taught by the econÂoÂmist Richard D. Wolff at The New School in NYC. Above, we feaÂture the first lecÂture from EcoÂnomÂic CriÂsis and GlobÂalÂizaÂtion, a course that takes a less orthoÂdox view of how we’re manÂagÂing the Great RecesÂsion. (Find the othÂer sevÂen lecÂtures here.) His othÂer coursÂes, both on MarxÂiÂan ecoÂnomÂics, appear in our colÂlecÂtion of Free Online CoursÂes under EcoÂnomÂics.
Writing the U.S. Constitution (in Tweets)
223 years ago today, the ConÂstiÂtuÂtionÂal ConÂvenÂtion startÂed meetÂing secretÂly in PhiladelÂphia. SevÂerÂal months latÂer, the meetÂings endÂed with the signÂing of the US ConÂstiÂtuÂtion. StartÂing today, the NationÂal ConÂstiÂtuÂtion CenÂter will use TwitÂter to reenÂact the events of the ConÂvenÂtion. You can folÂlow @SecretDelegate, a mysÂteÂriÂous insidÂer, who will show you what hapÂpened inside the priÂvate proÂceedÂings. The “TwitÂter ConÂvenÂtion” will conÂclude on SepÂtemÂber 17, when the ConÂstiÂtuÂtion was signed, and only then will the true idenÂtiÂty of @SecretDelegate be revealed. You can be among the first to folÂlow these tweets.
LookÂing for more Open CulÂture? Find us on TwitÂter at @openculture.
Can Monkeys Talk?
If we believe that Homo sapiÂens (a.k.a. peoÂple) and monÂkeys evolved from a comÂmon ancesÂtor, then it makes sense to ask: Can monÂkeys use lanÂguage like we do? Do they make mere sounds? Or do they use speÂcifÂic sounds to comÂmuÂniÂcate a range of difÂferÂent intendÂed things? Robert SeyÂfarÂth, a proÂfesÂsor at the UniÂverÂsiÂty of PennÂsylÂvaÂnia, uses the case of the Vervet MonÂkeys to answer these quesÂtions. You can read more about his work in The New York Times.
Sir Ken Robinson: Bring on the Learning Revolution!
Some months ago, we asked you to name your favorite TED Talk. And, more than a few of you flagged Sir Ken RobinÂson’s preÂsenÂtaÂtion from 2006, Do Schools Kill CreÂativÂiÂty? You’re in good comÂpaÂny. The talk remains one of TED’s most popÂuÂlar videos of all time. Today, TED has released RobinÂson’s sequel (of sorts). RecordÂed this past FebÂruÂary, Bring on the LearnÂing RevÂoÂluÂtion! “makes the case for a radÂiÂcal shift from stanÂdardÂized schools to perÂsonÂalÂized learnÂing — creÂatÂing conÂdiÂtions where kids’ natÂurÂal talÂents can flourÂish.” Give it some time. PerÂhaps it’s anothÂer talk for the ages.
Mark Twain Finally to Publish Autobiography
File this under “betÂter late than nevÂer.” Mark Twain spent his last decade writÂing his memÂoirs, proÂducÂing some 5,000 uneditÂed pages. HowÂevÂer, he stipÂuÂlatÂed that they couldÂn’t be pubÂlished for at least a cenÂtuÂry folÂlowÂing his death. (AproÂpos see this very rare footage recordÂed by Thomas EdiÂson showÂing Twain in his last year.) Fast forÂward to 2010. We have now clocked 100 years. And this NovemÂber, UC BerkeÂley will pubÂlish the first volÂume of Twain’s manÂuÂscript. The IndeÂpenÂdent tells you more about this litÂerÂary event, and sugÂgests why Twain wantÂed to keep his autoÂbiÂogÂraÂphy under wraps. Get the full artiÂcle here.
via @ebertchicago
James Joyce Encoded in Venter’s Artificial Life
You may have heard the news last week: J. Craig VenÂter and a team of sciÂenÂtists creÂatÂed the first livÂing organÂism – a “synÂthetÂic cell” – by way of a comÂputÂer-genÂerÂatÂed genome. We’re now seeÂing the beginÂnings of artiÂfiÂcial life. And it’s a big stoÂry, with many far-reachÂing impliÂcaÂtions. But where does James Joyce fit into this picÂture? Let me add this litÂtle facÂtoid to the mix: AccordÂing to The ChrisÂtÂian SciÂence MonÂiÂtor, VenÂter’s team insertÂed DNA waterÂmark codes into the genome so that they can disÂtinÂguish between natÂurÂal and synÂthetÂic bacÂteÂria movÂing forÂward. And when this code is transÂlatÂed into EngÂlish, it will “spell out the names of the 46 researchers who helped with the project, quoÂtaÂtions from James Joyce, physiÂcist Richard FeynÂman and J. Robert OppenÂheimer, and a URL that anyÂone who deciÂphers the code can e‑mail.” Lots of smarts packed into the tiniÂest of packÂages.
UPDATE: The quotes in waterÂmark apparÂentÂly read: “TO LIVE, TO ERR, TO FALL, TO TRIUMPH, TO RECREATE LIFE OUT OF LIFE.” — James Joyce’s A PorÂtrait of the Artist as a Young Man; “SEE THINGS NOT AS THEY ARE, BUT AS THEY MIGHT BE.”-A quote from an OppenÂheimer biogÂraÂphy, AmerÂiÂcan Prometheus; “WHAT I CANNOT BUILD, I CANNOT UNDERSTAND.” — Richard FeynÂman.
David Simon Takes New York Down a Peg
SpeakÂing in New York City, David Simon, the creÂator of The Wire, wasÂn’t shy about takÂing the city to task. “There is no city more vain about its posiÂtion in popÂuÂlar culÂture, more indifÂferÂent to othÂer realÂiÂties, more self absorbed than othÂer cities.” “ManÂhatÂtan is [now] one big pile of monÂey,” which leaves it divorced from the real probÂlems facÂing othÂer AmerÂiÂcan cities. So why are so many stoÂries and teleÂviÂsion shows still cenÂtered in New York, and how can they tell the real tale of urban AmerÂiÂca in 2010?
This talk took place at The New School for LibÂerÂal Arts in NYC.
via The DaiÂly Dish
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