Out of Print ClothÂing “celÂeÂbrates the world’s great stoÂries through fashÂion,” workÂing with artists to design t‑shirts that feaÂture iconÂic book covÂers. The catÂaÂlog lets you choose from Orwell’s AniÂmal Farm, Salinger’s CatchÂer in the Rye, William S. BurÂroughs’ Naked Lunch, BulÂgakov’s RussÂian clasÂsic MasÂter and MarÂgariÂta or 29 othÂer vinÂtage shirts, each of which costs a fairÂly reaÂsonÂable $28. See the full list of shirts here.
Last week, the Dalai Lama spent sevÂerÂal days at StanÂford UniÂverÂsiÂty, where he made comÂpasÂsion his focus. He laid the founÂdaÂtion with a large pubÂlic address before an audiÂence of 7,000. (Watch an excerpt above or the full talk below.) Then things got more focused when the spirÂiÂtuÂal leader of Tibet parÂticÂiÂpatÂed in a dayÂlong conÂferÂence about the neuÂroÂbiÂoÂlogÂiÂcal underÂpinÂnings of comÂpasÂsion. HostÂed by StanÂford’s CenÂter for ComÂpasÂsion and AltruÂism Research and EduÂcaÂtion, the conÂferÂence brought togethÂer imporÂtant sciÂenÂtists from many disÂciÂplines – psyÂcholÂoÂgy, neuÂroÂscience, medÂiÂcine, and ecoÂnomÂics. You can watch a recordÂing of the conÂferÂence here. It’s all in video and ready to go.
If you would like to supÂport the misÂsion of Open CulÂture, conÂsidÂer makÂing a donaÂtion to our site. It’s hard to rely 100% on ads, and your conÂtriÂbuÂtions will help us conÂtinÂue proÂvidÂing the best free culÂturÂal and eduÂcaÂtionÂal mateÂriÂals to learnÂers everyÂwhere. You can conÂtribute through PayÂPal, PatreÂon, and VenÂmo (@openculture). Thanks!
In North Korea, the proÂpaÂganÂda machine is kickÂing into gear, layÂing the founÂdaÂtion for Kim Jong-un to replace his father Kim Jong-il. EarÂliÂer this month, father and son attendÂed a masÂsive milÂiÂtary parade togethÂer. OstenÂsiÂbly meant to comÂmemÂoÂrate the 65th anniverÂsary of the foundÂing of the WorkÂers’ ParÂty, the parade was realÂly about givÂing the son a big comÂing-out parÂty – a first introÂducÂtion to domesÂtic and forÂeign audiÂences. And departÂing from the usuÂal script, the North KoreÂan regime allowed WestÂern jourÂnalÂists to covÂer the event live and on-site. Hence the video above. Using Canon 60D and 1DmkIV camÂeras, the Guardian brilÂliantÂly capÂtured the proÂpaÂganÂdisÂtic essence of the moment.
RelatÂed note: It hasÂn’t been updatÂed in a while, but the blog North KoreÂan EconÂoÂmy Watch uses Google Earth to proÂvide the most extenÂsive mapÂping of North Korea’s ecoÂnomÂic, culÂturÂal, politÂiÂcal, and milÂiÂtary infraÂstrucÂtures. It’s a great way to furÂther demysÂtiÂfy the secreÂtive state. Thanks to Ed for the tip.
Do schools kill creÂativÂiÂty? Sir Ken RobinÂson asked that quesÂtion at the 2006 TED conÂferÂence. And the talk resÂonatÂed wideÂly. His short preÂsenÂtaÂtion remains one of the most watched and “favorÂitÂed” videos in TED’s large catÂaÂlogue of inspirÂing videos. Quite an accomÂplishÂment.
Now, with the latÂest RSA video, Sir Ken returns to delve deepÂer into this basic quesÂtion. He asks, Why do schools kill creÂativÂiÂty? And why is this probÂlem built into the modÂern eduÂcaÂtionÂal sysÂtem? And how can we bring a “parÂaÂdigm” shift – one that will let schools fosÂter creÂativÂiÂty at long last?
RunÂning 11 minÂutes, the creÂativeÂly-aniÂmatÂed video above (how fitÂting!) gives you some answers. But realÂize that the clip is an excerpt from a longer 52 minute lecÂture availÂable in its entireÂty here.
A quick PS: Wired UK recentÂly asked the big quesÂtion: “What innoÂvaÂtion would most improve eduÂcaÂtion in the next decade?” You will find sucÂcinct answers by Ken RobinÂson, Chris AnderÂson (head of TED), yours truÂly and sevÂerÂal othÂers here.
David Lynch has been pracÂticÂing TranÂscenÂdenÂtal MedÂiÂtaÂtion for decades, and, last year, he interÂviewed anothÂer longÂtime TM pracÂtiÂtionÂer – Sir Paul McCartÂney. The interÂview (find Part 1 above and Part 2 here) turned quickÂly to The BeaÂtÂles, their involveÂment with the MaharÂishi Mahesh Yogi (guru of the TM moveÂment), and their famous trip to his ashram in Rishikesh (India) in FebÂruÂary 1968. There, among othÂer things, they wrote 48 songs – many of which conÂtributed to The White Album – before havÂing a falling out with the guru and leavÂing town.
If you would like to supÂport the misÂsion of Open CulÂture, conÂsidÂer makÂing a donaÂtion to our site. It’s hard to rely 100% on ads, and your conÂtriÂbuÂtions will help us conÂtinÂue proÂvidÂing the best free culÂturÂal and eduÂcaÂtionÂal mateÂriÂals to learnÂers everyÂwhere. You can conÂtribute through PayÂPal, PatreÂon, and VenÂmo (@openculture). Thanks!
ReadÂers of Open CulÂture will appreÂciÂate how video has become, in many ways, our newest vernacular—growing in popÂuÂlarÂiÂty every day, and estiÂmatÂed to reach 90 perÂcent of worldÂwide web trafÂfic by 2013. Yet so litÂtle of our movÂing image herÂitage is actuÂalÂly online. As of OctoÂber 2010, just sinÂgle perÂcentÂage points of the great colÂlecÂtions at the BBC Archive, ITN Source, Library of ConÂgress, NationÂal Archives, etc., are actuÂalÂly digÂiÂtized and availÂable over the InterÂnet! A new short film out this week from the UK’s JISC Film & Sound Think Tank makes the point with clarÂiÂty. (Watch here or above.)
What if it were posÂsiÂble to enjoy the world’s largest and most popÂuÂlar inforÂmaÂtion comÂmons and enable it with downÂloadÂable video–video of great qualÂiÂty, whose origÂiÂnaÂtors, ownÂers, and rightholdÂers opened to reuse and remix by anyÂone for free?
IntelÂliÂgent TeleÂviÂsion and iComÂmons have proÂduced a report–just out now–to help culÂturÂal and eduÂcaÂtionÂal instiÂtuÂtions underÂstand and appreÂciÂate the posÂsiÂbilÂiÂties preÂsentÂed by openÂly licensed assets for Wikipedia and the open web. Video for Wikipedia: A Guide to Best PracÂtices for CulÂturÂal and EduÂcaÂtionÂal InstiÂtuÂtions describes how Wikipedia is now openÂing its doors to video, and how leadÂing instiÂtuÂtions can parÂticÂiÂpate in what is, in effect, the newest knowlÂedge revÂoÂluÂtion.
The issues are sitÂuÂatÂed, of course, withÂin the largÂer conÂtext of buildÂing a free and informed sociÂety. For uniÂverÂsiÂties, museÂums, archives, and othÂers, bringÂing video online from our culÂturÂal herÂitage (and equipÂping stuÂdents to use it) has become a new culÂturÂal imperÂaÂtive. Open video on Wikipedia is not simÂply a call for free media fragÂments to be stored online. It augurs a new vision of teachÂing and learnÂing, and a new creÂative and politÂiÂcal disÂcourse. EveryÂone is invitÂed to parÂticÂiÂpate in this conÂverÂsaÂtion just getÂting underÂway…
The AutoÂbiÂogÂraÂphy of Mark Twain (Vol. 1) hit the stands just yesÂterÂday, and already it stands atop the AmaÂzon bestÂseller list, leapfrogÂging past Stieg LarsÂson, Bill Bryson, Jon StewÂart, and even the latÂest, supÂposÂedÂly greatÂest AmerÂiÂcan novÂelÂist, Jonathan Franzen. Although he died a cenÂtuÂry again, Twain has still got it.
The 766 page autoÂbiÂogÂraÂphy pubÂlished by UC Press runs $18.99 in hardÂcovÂer on AmaÂzon, and the KinÂdle verÂsion a far coolÂer $9.99. You can read excerpts in PDF forÂmat here and here. MeanÂwhile you can also find free verÂsions of Twain’s clasÂsics – AdvenÂtures of HuckÂleÂberÂry Finn and Tom Sawyer – in our colÂlecÂtions of Free Audio Books and Free eBooks.
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