We have two quick primers for you. First, this CNN video breaks down the probÂlems afflictÂing the FukushiÂma Nuclear PowÂer Plant in Japan. Give the video three minÂutes of your time, and you will get a fairÂly comÂpreÂhenÂsive overview of what’s going wrong.
And though it amazÂingÂly feels like old news now, NationÂal GeoÂgraphÂic proÂvides a quick tutoÂrÂiÂal on tsunamis. Please note that the video includes some disÂturbÂing footage.
IgudesÂman & Joo are a musical/comedy duo perÂformÂing in the US and CanaÂda this spring. This clip, “RachÂmaniÂnoff Had Big Hands,” starts out a litÂtle slowÂly but gets enterÂtainÂing fairÂly quickÂly. If you like comÂbinÂing comÂeÂdy and clasÂsiÂcal music, then don’t miss anothÂer proÂgram recentÂly highÂlightÂed on Open CulÂture: Bill BaiÂley’s RemarkÂable Guide to the OrchesÂtra.
Thanks to Sara for sendÂing this our way…
It’s a litÂtle morÂbid, I’ll give you that. But you have to give this video some points for creÂativÂiÂty and many for effort. Some fine soul pulled togethÂer murder/death scenes from 36 of Alfred HitchÂcockÂ’s movies, then synÂchroÂnized them to cliÂmax in uniÂson. We have listÂed the films below, many of which can be found in our colÂlecÂtion of Free HitchÂcock Films (and also our Free Movie colÂlecÂtion)…
Row 1: BlackÂmail, MurÂder!, Rich and Strange, NumÂber 17 (?), The Man Who Knew Too Much, Waltzes from VienÂna (?)
Row 2: The 39 Steps, SabÂoÂtage, The Secret Agent, Young and InnoÂcent (?), The Lady VanÂishÂes, Jamaica Inn
Row 3: ForÂeign CorÂreÂsponÂdent, RebecÂca, SusÂpiÂcion, ShadÂow of a Doubt, Lifeboat, SpellÂbound
Row 4: Rope, Under CapriÂcorn, Stage Fright, Strangers on a Train, I ConÂfess, Dial M for MurÂder
Row 5: To Catch a Thief, The TrouÂble with HarÂry, The Man Who Knew Too Much, VerÂtiÂgo, North by NorthÂwest, PsyÂcho
Row 6: The Birds, Marnie, Torn CurÂtain, Topaz, FrenÂzy, FamÂiÂly Plot
via MetafilÂter
In a world of 7 bilÂlion peoÂple, who is the most “typÂiÂcal”? That’s the quesÂtion NationÂal GeoÂgraphÂic asks (and answers) in a visuÂalÂly engagÂing video that kicks off a year-long look at globÂal popÂuÂlaÂtion issues. NationÂal GeoÂgraphÂic’s webÂsite now hosts a feaÂture artiÂcle that prefÂaces the series and also an accomÂpaÂnyÂing phoÂto gallery.
On a rather relatÂed note, we’re all watchÂing the news in Japan go from bad to worse. First an earthÂquake. Then a tsunaÂmi. Now a potenÂtial nuclear disÂtaster. If you want to give a hand, conÂsidÂer makÂing a donaÂtion to the JapanÂese relief effort. CharÂiÂtyÂNavÂiÂgaÂtor will help you evalÂuÂate speÂcifÂic charÂiÂties operÂatÂing in Japan and avoid scams. A decent place to begin…
via Brain PickÂings
Here’s the trailÂer for the play FrankenÂstein, which opens in LonÂdon at the NationÂal TheÂater this ThursÂday. Two intriguÂing points: 1.) This proÂducÂtion is helmed by DanÂny Boyle, the Oscar-winÂning direcÂtor behind SlumÂdog MilÂionÂaire, 127 Hours, and the approÂpriÂateÂly terÂriÂfyÂing zomÂbie movie 28 Days LatÂer. 2.) Boyle’s FrankenÂstein is part of the NationÂal TheÂater Live proÂgram – now in its secÂond seaÂson – and will be simulÂcast live in hunÂdreds of movie theÂaters all over the world. There are 12 parÂticÂiÂpatÂing venues in CalÂiÂforÂnia alone – click here to find out if there’s one near you.
For a pre-screenÂing refreshÂer, you can downÂload Mary ShelÂley’s clasÂsic novÂel for free at Project GutenÂberg, or as a free audioÂbook at LibÂriVox. And whatÂevÂer you do, don’t miss this video of the gorÂgeous 1934 illusÂtratÂed ediÂtion, with woodÂcuts by the AmerÂiÂcan artist Lynd Ward.
RelatÂed ConÂtent:
FrankenÂstein Hits the SilÂver Screen (1910)
SheerÂly Avni is a San FranÂcisÂco-based arts and culÂture writer. Her work has appeared in Salon, LA WeekÂly, MothÂer Jones, and many othÂer pubÂliÂcaÂtions. You can folÂlow her on twitÂter at @sheerly.
In 2009, Tate LivÂerÂpool disÂplayed four works of conÂtemÂpoÂrary art in difÂferÂent locaÂtions around the city. Acclaimed film direcÂtor Mike FigÂgis was asked to turn the reacÂtions of LivÂerÂpoodlians to these sculpÂtures into short films. The video above shows teenagers disÂcussing Jeff KoonÂs’s “Three Ball Total EquiÂlibÂriÂum Tank.” AnothÂer short film capÂtures the views of stuÂdents when one of Dan FlavÂin’s instalÂlaÂtions called “UntiÂtled” was disÂplayed at their school for one day.
By proÂfesÂsion, Matthias RaschÂer teachÂes EngÂlish and HisÂtoÂry at a High School in northÂern Bavaria, GerÂmany. In his free time he scours the web for good links and posts the best finds on TwitÂter.
10 HarÂvard proÂfesÂsors. 10 fasÂciÂnatÂing ideas. 10 minÂutes each. That was the gist of HarÂvard Thinks Big, a TED-esque event held on FebÂruÂary 11th. Now fast forÂward sevÂerÂal weeks, and the talks all appear online for free. Find them on YouTube, iTunes, or HarÂvard’s dedÂiÂcatÂed web site.
Of all the 10 talks, we decidÂed to feaÂture one: Daniel Gilbert, a psych proÂfesÂsor known for his book StumÂbling On HapÂpiÂness, presents a talk called “It’s the End of the World as We Know it, and I Feel Fine.” (Yes, a nod to R.E.M.) And it tries to make sense of a bafÂfling quesÂtion. Our planÂet is on the brink of an ecoÂlogÂiÂcal catÂaÂstroÂphe and we’re calmÂly sitÂting here watchÂing videos. Humans have thrived because we take threats seriÂousÂly. But why not this one?
OthÂer speakÂers at the event include Steven Pinker, Lawrence Lessig, Richard WrangÂham, and Elaine ScarÂry – some well known HarÂvard names. One figÂure not present was Michael Sandel. But here we have his TED Talk from 2010: The Lost Art of DemoÂcÂraÂtÂic Debate.
RelatÂed ConÂtent:
HarÂvard Presents Free CoursÂes
What’s the Right Thing to Do?: PopÂuÂlar HarÂvard Course Now Online
Nature shows its force once again, this time in Hawaii. Last weekÂend, the U.S. GeoÂlogÂiÂcal SurÂvey detectÂed unusuÂal activÂiÂty at the Kilauea volÂcano. And, withÂin minÂutes, the floor of the Pu’u O’o crater began to colÂlapse. It’s all capÂtured in the short video above. The WashÂingÂton Post has a litÂtle more on the stoÂry…
via @pourmecoffee
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