The Cannes Film Festival Re-Cap
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The Cannes Film FesÂtiÂval just wrapped up in France, and it turned out to be a very good one, the best in recent memÂoÂry.
In this interÂview, John PowÂers, NPR’s film critÂic-at-large, gives a good, spirÂitÂed debrief (iTunes — Stream) on a fesÂtiÂval that feaÂtured, among othÂer things, sevÂerÂal highÂly-acclaimed AmerÂiÂcan films, includÂing ones by the Coen BrothÂers (No CounÂtry for Old Men), Gus Van Sant (ParaÂnoid Park), and Michael Moore (Sicko). Also, PowÂers touchÂes on the RomanÂian film that took top honÂors at the fesÂtiÂval (4 Months, 3 Weeks and 2 Days) as well as Quentin TaranÂtiÂno’s splenÂdid disÂapÂpointÂment (Death Proof). You can find the full list of 2007 prize winÂners here. For an anothÂer point of view, you can check out the New York Times podÂcast from Cannes (iTunes — mp3). Here you get A.O. ScotÂt’s and Manohla DarÂgis’ final thoughts on the fesÂtiÂval, plus their othÂer podÂcasts from the RivÂiera. And while you’re at it, you can review a colÂlecÂtion of their print covÂerÂage. LastÂly, here’s a French perÂspecÂtive on the fesÂtiÂval that comes from Europe 1. (Yes, it is in French.) RelatÂed TopÂic: Check out our colÂlecÂtion of 100 Top CulÂture Blogs, which includes many film blogs, and |
iTunes U & What It Means For You
Here’s a logÂiÂcal folÂlow up to our last post — 10 Free UniÂverÂsiÂty CoursÂes on iTunes.
It turns out that yesÂterÂday Apple niceÂly inteÂgratÂed iTunes U into iTunes. Now, you’ll probÂaÂbly ask what is iTunes U, and why should I care about this inteÂgraÂtion? So here is the simÂple answer:
iTunes U is essenÂtialÂly a non-comÂmerÂcial verÂsion of iTunes that sevÂerÂal uniÂverÂsiÂties startÂed to use over the past year. And, in fact, some of the best uniÂverÂsiÂty podÂcast colÂlecÂtions (nameÂly, BerkeÂley’s and StanÂford’s) were launched on this platÂform. The probÂlem was that you couldÂn’t access these podÂcasts from the iTunes store that everyÂone’s accusÂtomed to using. So, if you opened iTunes and searched for StanÂford podÂcasts, you got bubkis.
The disÂtincÂtion between iTunes and iTunes U was largeÂly artiÂfiÂcial, and so it made perÂfect sense to mesh togethÂer the two platÂforms. (Read the press release here.) What doesÂn’t parÂticÂuÂlarÂly make sense is the way in which the two platÂforms now fit togethÂer — or actuÂalÂly kind of don’t. If you do a search for “MIT,” for examÂple, you’ll see that some MIT podÂcasts come up in a search results buckÂet called “PodÂcasts” (these are from MIT’s busiÂness school) and othÂers come up in a buckÂet called “iTunes U.” So, put simÂply, the MIT podÂcasts aren’t grouped togethÂer in one colÂlecÂtion. (Try it out and you will see what I mean.)
But why comÂplain, the new inteÂgraÂtion is no doubt a good step in the right direcÂtion.
10 Free University Courses on iTunes
We haven’t talked about the uniÂverse of uniÂverÂsiÂty podÂcasts in some time. So let’s get back to it.Below, we have highÂlightÂed ten full-fledged coursÂes from top flight uniÂverÂsiÂties. All of these coursÂes can be downÂloaded to your iPod for free. That’s a price that you can’t beat. (You can see our comÂplete colÂlecÂtion of free online coursÂes here.)
1. EuroÂpean HisÂtoÂry from the RenaisÂsance to the Present (UC BerkeÂley)
“This course is an introÂducÂtion to EuroÂpean hisÂtoÂry from around 1500 to the present. The cenÂtral quesÂtions that it addressÂes are how and why Europe–a small, relÂaÂtiveÂly poor, and politÂiÂcalÂly fragÂmentÂed place–became the motor of globÂalÂizaÂtion and a world civÂiÂlizaÂtion in its own right.”
–Thomas LaqueÂur, ProÂfesÂsor of HisÂtoÂry
2. GeogÂraÂphy of World CulÂtures (StanÂford UniÂverÂsiÂty)
Even in a globÂalÂized world, peoÂple conÂtinÂue to be joined togethÂer and dividÂed asunÂder by the lanÂguages they speak, the reliÂgions they folÂlow, and the ethÂnic idenÂtiÂties to which they belong. This map-intenÂsive course examÂines every world region, seekÂing to underÂstand how places vary from each othÂer with regard to the culÂturÂal attribÂutÂes of their inhabÂiÂtants. (Note: This course is being rolled out in weekÂly installÂments.)
–MarÂtin Lewis, LecÂturÂer in HisÂtoÂry, InterÂim DirecÂtor, ProÂgram in InterÂnaÂtionÂal RelaÂtions
3. Old EngÂlish in ConÂtext (Oxford UniÂverÂsiÂty)
A four lecÂture mini-course on how EngÂlish became EngÂlish durÂing the medieval periÂod.
–Dr StuÂart Lee, OUCS
4. Physics for Future PresÂiÂdents (UC BerkeÂley)
This course gives you the physics you need to know to be a presÂiÂdent, Supreme Court jusÂtice, diploÂmat, busiÂnessÂman, lawyer, footÂball coach, or othÂer world leader.
–Richard Muller, ProÂfesÂsor of Physics.
NOTE: Tthe same course hapÂpens also to appear on Google Video. SimÂply go to Google Video and perÂform a search with the folÂlowÂing keyÂwords: physics 10 berkeÂley.
5. QuanÂtum MechanÂics (UC Davis)
If Physics for Future PresÂiÂdents is too basic for you, you can get into some more heavy duty sciÂence right here.
–John TernÂing, AssoÂciate ProÂfesÂsor of Physics
6. The HisÂtorÂiÂcal Jesus (StanÂford UniÂverÂsiÂty)
Who was the hisÂtorÂiÂcal Jesus of Nazareth? What did he actuÂalÂly say? In short, what are the difÂferÂences — and simÂiÂlarÂiÂties — between the Jesus who lived and died in hisÂtoÂry and the Christ who lives on in believÂers’ faith?
–Thomas SheeÂhan, ProÂfesÂsor of ReliÂgious StudÂies and ProÂfesÂsor EmerÂiÂtus of PhiÂlosÂoÂphy
7. UnderÂstandÂing ComÂputÂers and the InterÂnet (HarÂvard UniÂverÂsiÂty)
This course demysÂtiÂfies comÂputÂers and the InterÂnet (along with their jarÂgon) so that stuÂdents underÂstand not only what they can do with each, but also how each works and why.
–David Malan, InstrucÂtor
8. EntreÂpreÂneurÂship and BusiÂness PlanÂning (Carnegie MelÂlon)
This class parÂalÂlels a course being offered at Carnegie MelÂlon. It covÂers the ins-and-outs of startÂing a new venÂture, lookÂing at how to develÂop ideas for new comÂpaÂnies, write busiÂness plans, creÂate teams. It also looks at typÂiÂcal b‑school topÂics: marÂketÂing, comÂpetÂiÂtive stratÂeÂgy, sales, pricÂing, fundÂing and finance.
–Mark Juliano, Adjunct ProÂfesÂsor
9. The LitÂerÂaÂture of CriÂsis (StanÂford UniÂverÂsiÂty)
In lookÂing at great works by PlaÂto, SophoÂcles, ShakeÂspeare, Vergil, and Voltaire, this course explores crises that change the course of indiÂvidÂuÂals and largÂer culÂtures.
–Marsh McCall, ProÂfesÂsor of ClasÂsics
–MarÂtin Evans, ProÂfesÂsor in EngÂlish
10. ExisÂtenÂtialÂism in LitÂerÂaÂture & Film (UC BerkeÂley)
The course looks at efforts “to reinÂterÂpret the Judeo/Christian God, and to deterÂmine in what sense God is still a livÂing God.” Along the way it looks at “Dostoyevsky’s and Kierkegaard’s attempts to preÂserve a non-theÂoÂlogÂiÂcal verÂsion of the God of ChrisÂtianÂiÂty, as well as Nietzsche’s attempt to save us from belief in any verÂsion of God offered by our traÂdiÂtion.” Films also get disÂcussed here.
–Hubert DreyÂfus, ProÂfesÂsor of PhiÂlosÂoÂphy
If you know of othÂer good coursÂes availÂable via podÂcast, please **@******re.com/” target=“_blank”>email us and let us know.
Who Didn’t See This One Coming?
AmerÂiÂca’s 42nd presÂiÂdent spoke this weekÂend at HarÂvard’s Class Day, a traÂdiÂtionÂal event held for gradÂuÂatÂing seniors. While Class Day often feaÂtures pop icons and comeÂdiÂans — take this speech by Ali G from a few yeas ago — ClinÂton’s speech was a bit more seriÂous and ideÂalÂisÂtic, and it reminds us that there may be again a day when we can look to the White House for subÂstance and inspiÂraÂtion. This too shall pass. You can watch Part 1 of his preÂsenÂtaÂtion below. Here are links to Parts 2 and 3.
Talks from the 92nd Street Y
If you’re not a New YorkÂer, the 92nd Street Y probÂaÂbly means litÂtle to you. But, if you’re a ManÂhatÂtan dweller, you know that it is a culÂturÂal pilÂlar of the city, a place where you can always find good talks being givÂen by leadÂing news makÂers, artists, authors and thinkers.
HavÂing recentÂly left NYC for shiny, hapÂpy CalÂiÂforÂnia, it was a pleaÂsure to disÂcovÂer that the “Y” now runs a blog and, betÂter yet, a podÂcast (iTunes — Feed) feaÂturÂing highÂlights of noteÂworÂthy talks. Here’s a samÂple of the audio clips that you’ll encounter: A segÂment from David HalÂberÂstam’s 11th and last appearÂance at the Y (mp3) before his recent fatal car acciÂdent; Kurt VonÂnegut, who also died recentÂly, readÂing (mp3) from his book BreakÂfast of ChamÂpiÂons; and Robert AltÂman (yes, he died too not too long ago) talkÂing (mp3) about what turned out to be his last film, A Prairie Home ComÂpanÂion.
Now, I realÂize that this sounds more grim than it is. No, the podÂcast colÂlecÂtion feaÂtures more than talks by the recentÂly deceased. The last I heard SydÂney PolÂlack is still alive, and here he is talkÂing (mp3) about his docÂuÂmenÂtary, SketchÂes of Frank Gehry. And to end on a someÂwhat posÂiÂtive note, here you have BriÂan WilÂson, of Beach Boys fame, disÂcussing the film BeauÂtiÂful DreamÂer: BriÂan WilÂson and the StoÂry of Smile. Smile is one of the more famous “unfinÂished” albums in rock hisÂtoÂry.
For more podÂcasts along these lines, please see our colÂlecÂtion of Arts & CulÂture PodÂcasts.
French Lessons from the BBC and the Peace Corps
WhenÂevÂer trafÂfic flows to to our colÂlecÂtion of Free LanÂguage Lessons, one good outÂcome is that we almost always learn of new podÂcasts to add to the list. (Just as an fyi, we now have 64 indiÂvidÂual podÂcasts that offer instrucÂtion on 22 difÂferÂent lanÂguages.)
Last week didÂn’t disÂapÂpoint. We learned of a few good new ones. Most notably, one of our readÂers flagged for us a series of video-based French lessons assemÂbled by the BBC. PreÂsentÂed by StĂ©phane CorÂniÂcard, Ma France conÂsists of 24 interÂacÂtive video units that teach you the lanÂguage and a litÂtle about the counÂtry. You can launch this video to get a brief introÂducÂtion. The series, which assumes a litÂtle priÂor knowlÂedge of French, was shot in Lyons, the Alps and in Provence. You can access the videos on iTunes, by feed, and by web.
AnothÂer new addiÂtion to colÂlecÂtion, How to Learn LanÂguages for Free: SpanÂish, EngÂlish, ChiÂnese & 37 OthÂer LanÂguages, comes from the Peace Corps. They offer some podÂcasts that will teach you some French, ManÂdarin ChiÂnese, AraÂbic, and RussÂian. It all sounds pretÂty straightÂforÂward. But then you find out that they’re teachÂing the French spoÂken in Mali (West Africa) and the RussÂian used in KazaÂkhstan — that is, the kind of places where Peace Corps volÂunÂteers actuÂalÂly go. It’s a bit of a difÂferÂent twist on the usuÂal lanÂguage lesÂson podÂcast. Also, be sure to check out the instrucÂtionÂal PDF files that accomÂpaÂny each podÂcast.
Fonts of Fame
What font do you write in? Do you have strong feelÂings about it? It turns out many writÂers do. Slate has a fasÂciÂnatÂing slide-show essay markÂing HelÂvetiÂca’s fiftiÂeth anniverÂsary, celÂeÂbratÂing the font “some have called the offiÂcial typeÂface of the 20th cenÂtuÂry.” In an accomÂpaÂnyÂing artiÂcle the magÂaÂzine surÂveyed a few famous writÂers and none of them claimed the big H as their letÂterÂing of choice (couriÂer won by a landslide–apparently these peoÂple have fond memÂoÂries of their typeÂwritÂers). If you’re in New York, you might check out the MoMA exhibÂit celÂeÂbratÂing HelÂvetiÂca’s goldÂen moment.
Ready for a new look yourÂself? There are hunÂdreds of sites ready to help you get your font on for love or for money–check out SimÂply the Best Free Fonts as just one examÂple. To be safe, always make sure you scan downÂloaded files for virusÂes before startÂing that new novÂel.
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