Worth a quick menÂtion. Today our conÂstantÂly-growÂing list, 350 Free Online CoursÂes from Top UniÂverÂsiÂties, was feaÂtured by NetÂted, a daiÂly newsletÂter writÂten by the WebÂbys, the same peoÂple who give awards for excelÂlence on the web. I don’t know if we’re achievÂing excelÂlence on the web. But I do know this: It’s hard to find a colÂlecÂtion of resources that’s more valuÂable than this. The coursÂes come from instiÂtuÂtions like StanÂford, Yale and MIT. They covÂer most every topÂic — from phiÂlosÂoÂphy and hisÂtoÂry to comÂputÂer sciÂence, physics and math. And they’re all FREE. Find the colÂlecÂtion here. Hope you enjoy.
David Byrne: How Architecture Helped Music Evolve
Since the break-up of TalkÂing Heads in 1991, David Byrne has made a good career for himÂself as a solo artist, workÂing in film and music, and also becomÂing an active supÂportÂer of cycling. OvertÂly intelÂlecÂtuÂal, Byrne has givÂen lecÂtures on a great variÂety of topÂics – from Carl Jung to the ways in which venue and conÂtext shape artisÂtic creÂation.
The TED talk above was givÂen in FebÂruÂary 2010 in Long Beach, CalÂiÂforÂnia, and here David Byrne presents his ideas on the interÂreÂlaÂtionÂship between music and archiÂtecÂture. A tranÂscript of this talk can be found on the TED Talks page.
Byrne was not the first to explain the link between music and archiÂtecÂture. In 2002, renowned archiÂtect Daniel LibeÂskind delivÂered a Proms LecÂture on that very topÂic (find the audio stream here) and, in 2007, Jonathan Cole preÂsentÂed his own lecÂture, “Music and ArchiÂtecÂture: ConÂfronting the BoundÂaries between Space and Sound,” at GreÂsham ColÂlege, LonÂdon. But it is Byrne’s talk that approachÂes the subÂject from the pracÂtiÂcal point of view of a musiÂcian.
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.
Phoenix Still Rising: Egypt After The Revolution
Much has been said, tweetÂed and writÂten about the 2011 EgyptÂian RevÂoÂluÂtion, gloÂriÂfyÂing it as one of the most landÂmark triÂumphs of freeÂdom in recent hisÂtoÂry. Yet the WestÂern media has delivÂered surÂprisÂingÂly litÂtle on its afterÂmath, leavÂing the lived post-revÂoÂluÂtion realÂiÂty of the EgyptÂian peoÂple a near-mysÂtery.
This beauÂtiÂful short film by British film stuÂdio ScatÂtered Images offers a rare glimpse of a phoenix still strugÂgling to rise from the ashÂes of oppresÂsion. With incredÂiÂble visuÂal eloÂquence, the film peels away at the now-worn media iconogÂraÂphy of the revÂoÂluÂtion itself, revealÂing how life after it has actuÂalÂly changed — or hasÂn’t — as Egypt remains a nation in tranÂsiÂtion, with a future yet to be decidÂed.
PolitÂiÂcalÂly, there is a vacÂuÂum. The revÂoÂluÂtion demandÂed a govÂernÂment accountÂable to the peoÂple and ruled by transÂparÂent instiÂtuÂtions. But now, the only ruler is uncerÂtainÂty.
Maria PopoÂva is the founder and ediÂtor in chief of Brain PickÂings, a curatÂed invenÂtoÂry of cross-disÂciÂpliÂnary interÂestÂingÂness. She writes for Wired UK, The Atlantic and DesigÂnObÂservÂer, and spends a great deal of time on TwitÂter.
The World’s First (and Slightly Scandalous) Hand-Tinted Motion Picture
The world’s first hand-tintÂed motion picÂture was proÂduced by Thomas EdisÂon’s comÂpaÂny, EdiÂson StuÂdios, in 1895, more than 115 years ago. The dancer, Annabelle Moore (1878–1961), was just a teenagÂer when this film was released, and her dance caused both a senÂsaÂtion and a scanÂdal. (Note the flashÂes of underÂgarÂment, all the way up to above the knee, about 29 secÂonds in.) It may have been a sign of things to come: Moore would go on to star as the GibÂson bathing suit girl in the first Ziegfeld folÂlies, where she remained until her marÂriage and retireÂment brought her back to respectabilÂiÂty in 1912.
The film is also worth comÂparÂing with a simÂiÂlar but much more delÂiÂcateÂly paintÂed verÂsion done just five years latÂer by the Lumiere brothÂers.
(SpeÂcial thanks to the recentÂly-launched Weyume)
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
Oil’d, by Chris Harmon
We’re often obsessed with oil. A year ago, the issue was offÂshore drilling. The DeepÂwaÂter HoriÂzon rig had explodÂed, and crude oil was spilling into the Gulf of MexÂiÂco at a rate of 53,000 barÂrels a day. We all watched helpÂlessÂly as BP threw everyÂthing but the kitchen sink at the probÂlem. (RememÂber the golf balls?) Three months passed and 4.9 milÂlion barÂrels ripped into the ecosysÂtem before the well was finalÂly capped. Time to talk about it? HardÂly. Now the disÂcusÂsion has moved on to skyÂrockÂetÂing oil prices and the issues surÂroundÂing them, like the causÂes (conÂflict in the MidÂdle East, risÂing conÂsumpÂtion in ChiÂna and India, comÂmodÂiÂty specÂuÂlaÂtion at home…) and the politÂiÂcal impliÂcaÂtions for the 2012 U.S. presÂiÂdenÂtial elecÂtion if gas prices stay high. Weighty issues, to be sure. But before we allow the DeepÂwaÂter HoriÂzon oil spill of 2010 to fade into our colÂlecÂtive amneÂsia, Chris HarÂmon, a BrookÂlyn-based designÂer, aniÂmaÂtor and writer, has creÂatÂed a work of aniÂmatÂed typogÂraÂphy to put some of the stagÂgerÂing facts into perÂspecÂtive.
Vladimir Nabokov Marvels Over Different “Lolita” Book Covers
In this short excerpt from a TV proÂgram called “USA: The NovÂel,” Vladimir Nabokov comÂments on difÂferÂent forÂeign ediÂtions of his novÂel LoliÂta. The indiÂvidÂual covÂers he disÂcussÂes are listÂed here; the full proÂgram is availÂable here, and it conÂtains some memÂoÂrable quotes by the author (from chapÂter 1: “Mr Nabokov, would you tell us why it is that you detest Dr. Freud?” — “I think he’s crude, I think he’s medieval, and I don’t want an elderÂly genÂtleÂman from VienÂna with an umbrelÂla inflictÂing his dreams upon me. I don’t have the dreams that he disÂcussÂes in his books, I don’t see umbrelÂlas in my dreams or balÂloons.”).
FindÂing a pubÂlishÂer for LoliÂta proved to be rather difÂfiÂcult for Nabokov. A DecemÂber 1953 review of the manÂuÂscript said: “It is overÂwhelmÂingÂly nauÂseÂatÂing, even to an enlightÂened FreudiÂan. To the pubÂlic, it will be revoltÂing. It will not sell, and will do immeaÂsurÂable harm to a growÂing repÂuÂtaÂtion. […] I recÂomÂmend that it be buried under a stone for a thouÂsand years.” (Get more inforÂmaÂtion at StanÂford’s “The Book Haven”) LoliÂta was first pubÂlished in 1955 (origÂiÂnal covÂer here) and has since been transÂlatÂed into many lanÂguages with a wide variÂety of covÂer designs (find a good colÂlecÂtion at this site).
ShortÂly after LoliÂta’s pubÂliÂcaÂtion, Nabokov disÂcussed his novÂel on the CBC proÂgram “Close Up”: see part one and part two.
Bonus: LitÂtle known detail — Nabokov held the post of curaÂtor of lepÂiÂdoptera at HarÂvard’s MuseÂum of ComÂparÂaÂtive ZoolÂoÂgy. He colÂlectÂed many butÂterÂflies and develÂoped a theÂoÂry of butÂterÂfly migraÂtion which disÂputÂed all preÂviÂous theÂoÂries and wasÂn’t takÂen seriÂousÂly by biolÂoÂgists then. Only recentÂly did genetÂic studÂies vinÂdiÂcate his once bold theÂoÂry. Some of Nabokov’s beauÂtiÂful drawÂings of the butÂterÂflies he studÂied can be enjoyed courÂtesy of FlaÂvorÂwire.
You can find this video housed in our colÂlecÂtion of 235 CulÂturÂal Icons.
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.
Obama Announces Death of Osama bin Laden (Video)
It’s news and it’s instant hisÂtorÂiÂcal footage. Tonight, PresÂiÂdent ObaÂma announced that Osama bin Laden, the masÂterÂmind behind the 9/11 attacks, was killed SunÂday by US forces in PakÂistan, right outÂside of IslamÂabad (and, in a forÂtiÂfied manÂsion, no less). The US began searchÂing for bin Laden back in 1998, folÂlowÂing the bombÂing of the US embassies in Kenya and TanÂzaÂnia. 13 years latÂer, the purÂsuit of Al Qaeda’s leader is over…
Warhol’s Screen Tests of Lou Reed, Dennis Hopper, Nico & More
Between 1964 and 1966, Andy Warhol shot close to 500 short movies of friends, celebriÂties, modÂels, and any of the othÂer loveÂly young things who passed through his stuÂdio known as The FacÂtoÂry. The indie-rock duet Dean and BritÂta recentÂly comÂposed songs for 13 of the videos, which they’ve been perÂformÂing live as part of a mulÂtiÂmeÂdia conÂcert for sevÂerÂal years. “13 Most BeauÂtiÂful… Songs for Andy Warhol’s Screen Tests” is availÂable on DVD, CD, and of course, YouTube.
We espeÂcialÂly loved “I’m Not A Young Man AnyÂmore,” feaÂturÂing an icy cool Lou Reed, so hip and desirÂable that even his Coke botÂtle looks as if it’s wearÂing sunÂglassÂes. There are othÂer gems as well, startÂing with the doomed Edie Sedgewick, one of The FacÂtoÂry’s earÂliÂest stars, who died of an overÂdose in 1971.
The 5′10″ GerÂman modÂel Nico, before she began recordÂing with the VelÂvet UnderÂground.
The preterÂnatÂuÂralÂly beauÂtiÂful Paul AmerÂiÂca, star of Warhol’s film “My HusÂtler,” who evenÂtuÂalÂly hired lawyers to seek payÂment for his role in the movie that made him a relucÂtant gay icon. He died after being hit by a car in 1981.
And finalÂly, the late DenÂnis HopÂper, extraÂorÂdiÂnary on screen even by FacÂtoÂry stanÂdards. AccordÂing to Dean and BritÂta, he was the first to buy one of Warhol’s soup can paintÂings.
On a someÂwhat unreÂlatÂed note, the Dean is of course Dean WareÂham of GalaxÂie 500 and Luna. If you’re a fan of his music, or even just nosÂtalÂgic for 90’s era pre-NapÂster indie rock, you might want to check out his dry, thoughtÂful memÂoir, Black PostÂcards: A Rock & Roll Romance.
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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.
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