The search for surÂvivors still goes on near the TusÂcan island of Giglio, where the CosÂta ConÂcorÂdia hit rocks and listÂed helpÂlessÂly to the side. The helpÂlessÂness of the cruise ship has been capÂtured in a remarkÂable image takÂen by DigÂiÂtal Globe from outÂer space. Click here (or above) to see the image in a rather stunÂning, enlarged forÂmat.
via UniÂverse Today
Some of the big webÂsites are going black today to protest SOPA, the Stop Online PiraÂcy Act, that has been windÂing its way through ConÂgress. We’re going to hanÂdle things in our own way — by illuÂmiÂnatÂing the matÂter with a litÂtle intelÂliÂgent media.
Backed by the Motion PicÂture AssoÂciÂaÂtion of AmerÂiÂca, SOPA is designed to debilÂiÂtate and effecÂtiveÂly shut down forÂeign-based webÂsites that sell piratÂed movies, music and othÂer goods. That all sounds fine on the face of things. But the legÂisÂlaÂtion, if enactÂed, would carÂry with it a series of unexÂpectÂed conÂseÂquences that could change the interÂnet as we know it. Among othÂer things, the law could be used to shut down AmerÂiÂcan sites that unwitÂtingÂly host or link to illeÂgal conÂtent — and withÂout givÂing the sites due process, a real day in court. Big sites like YouTube and TwitÂter could fall under presÂsure, and so could countÂless small sites. NeedÂless to say, that could have a seriÂous chillÂing effect on the openÂness of the web and free speech.
To give a quick examÂple: It could conÂceivÂably be the case that StanÂford might object to my feaÂturÂing their video above, file a claim, and shut the site down withÂout givÂing me notice and an opporÂtuÂniÂty to remove the mateÂrÂiÂal (as exists under curÂrent law). It’s not likeÂly. But it is posÂsiÂble, and the risk increasÂes with every post we write. If this law passÂes, the amount of mateÂrÂiÂal we could truÂly safeÂly covÂer would become ludiÂcrousÂly small, so much so that it wouldÂn’t be worth runÂning the site and using the web as an eduÂcaÂtionÂal mediÂum.
The ObaÂma adminÂisÂtraÂtion has come out against SOPA and PIPA, sidelinÂing the legÂisÂlaÂtion for now. But you can almost guarÂanÂtee that reviÂsions will be made, and the bills will return soon. So, while othÂer sites go black, we’re going to do what we do best. We’re feaÂturÂing video of an event held in DecemÂber by the StanÂford CenÂter for InterÂnet and SociÂety (SCIS). What’s Wrong with SOPAÂť brings togethÂer a series of informed oppoÂnents to SOPA, includÂing StanÂford law proÂfesÂsors and busiÂness leadÂers withÂin SilÂiÂcon ValÂley. (Find their bios below the jump.) Some of the most inciÂsive comÂments are made by Fred von Lohmann, a Google lawyer, startÂing at the 19:10 mark.
Note: If you’re lookÂing to underÂstand the debate from the perÂspecÂtive of copyÂright holdÂers, then we’d recÂomÂmend you spend time watchÂing, FolÂlow the MonÂey: Who ProfÂits from PiraÂcy?, a video that tracks the theft of one movie, makÂing it a microÂcosm of a largÂer probÂlem.
On DecemÂber 8th, six “all-star enviÂronÂmenÂtal proÂfesÂsors” came togethÂer at an event called “HarÂvard Thinks Green” and preÂsentÂed short, TED-style talks about the enviÂronÂment and strateÂgies for reversÂing cliÂmate change. The event startÂed with James McCarthy (ProÂfesÂsor of BioÂlogÂiÂcal OceanogÂraÂphy) askÂing the quesÂtion (see above), “Is it too late to avoid seriÂous impacts of cliÂmate change?” A good quesÂtion to ask givÂen that 2010 witÂnessed the biggest annuÂal jump in globÂal carÂbon emissions—5.9%. This set the stage for Richard Lazarus (ProÂfesÂsor of Law) to disÂcuss ways that our politÂiÂcal sysÂtem could become more responÂsive to the criÂsis. (Did you know that Barack ObaÂma only menÂtioned cliÂmate change once in pubÂlic last year? Just once?) And then RebecÂca HenÂderÂson (Co-DirecÂtor of the BusiÂness and EnviÂronÂment IniÂtiaÂtive) tries to make the difÂfiÂcult case that monÂey-makÂing and savÂing the world can go hand-in-hand — that capÂiÂtalÂism can become enviÂronÂmenÂtalÂly susÂtainÂable. You can watch the remainÂing talks online here, or on iTunes here.
RelatÂed ConÂtent:
Why is the U.S. F’ed Up? 8 LecÂtures from OccuÂpy HarÂvard Teach-In ProÂvide Answers
HarÂvard Presents Free CoursÂes with the Open LearnÂing IniÂtiaÂtive
Last WednesÂday, the OccuÂpy moveÂment gained a litÂtle more intelÂlecÂtuÂal momenÂtum when eight facÂulÂty memÂbers from HarÂvard, Boston ColÂlege, and N.Y.U. gathÂered in CamÂbridge to present a dayÂlong Teach-In. In one talk, Archon Fung (Ford FounÂdaÂtion ProÂfesÂsor of DemocÂraÂcy and CitÂiÂzenÂship and Co-DirecÂtor of TransÂparenÂcy PolÂiÂcy Project at HarÂvard) took a vague theÂsis of the OccuÂpy moveÂment — “Shit is Fucked Up and BullÂshit” — and gave it some acaÂdÂeÂmÂic depth in a data-filled talk called “Why Has InequalÂiÂty Grown in AmerÂiÂca? And What Should We Do About It?” The othÂer talks are availÂable on YouTube (see links below) or via audio stream:
HetÂeroÂdox EcoÂnomÂics: AlterÂnaÂtives to MankiÂw’s IdeÂolÂoÂgy - Stephen MarÂglin, WalÂter BarkÂer ProÂfesÂsor of EcoÂnomÂics, FacÂulÂty of Arts and SciÂences, HarÂvard UniÂverÂsiÂty
Wall Street’s Role in the EuroÂpean FinanÂcial CriÂsis - Richard ParkÂer, LecÂturÂer in PubÂlic PolÂiÂcy and Senior FelÂlow at the ShorenÂstein CenÂter, Kennedy School of GovÂernÂment, HarÂvard UniÂverÂsiÂty
The OccuÂpy MoveÂment and StuÂdent Debt Refusal — Andrew Ross, ProÂfesÂsor of Social and CulÂturÂal AnalyÂsis, New York UniÂverÂsiÂty
EcoÂnomÂics for the 99% — JuliÂet Schor, ProÂfesÂsor of SociÂolÂoÂgy, Boston ColÂlege
Booms and Busts: The Legal DynamÂics of ModÂern MonÂey — ChrisÂtine Desan, ProÂfesÂsor of Law, HarÂvard Law School, HarÂvard UniÂverÂsiÂty
Fear and PowÂer — Brad Epps, ProÂfesÂsor of Romance LanÂguages & LitÂerÂaÂtures and DepartÂment Chair for StudÂies in Women, GenÂder, and SexÂuÂalÂiÂty, FacÂulÂty of Arts and SciÂences, HarÂvard UniÂverÂsiÂty
VigÂiÂlance, Inquiry, AlienÂation & Hope at HarÂvard and in the USA - John WomÂack, Robert Woods Bliss ProÂfesÂsor of Latin AmerÂiÂcan HisÂtoÂry and EcoÂnomÂics, FacÂulÂty of Arts and SciÂences, HarÂvard UniÂverÂsiÂty
RelatÂed ConÂtent:
Noam ChomÂsky at OccuÂpy Boston
HarÂvard Thinks Big, a TED-Esque Event
Last week, comÂposÂer Philip Glass and rock legÂend Lou Reed embraced the OccuÂpy Wall Street moveÂment. IniÂtial video & audio clips capÂturÂing their appearÂances were shodÂdy at best. Now Jean Thevenin (who joined the protest at LinÂcoln CenÂter Plaza) has givÂen us a betÂter view, proÂducÂing a short, eleÂgant film simÂply called VisÂiÂble Shape. The accomÂpaÂnyÂing music is “Protest” from SatyaÂgraÂha, writÂten by Philip Glass and perÂformed by New York City Opera OrchesÂtra.
This fall, the world’s popÂuÂlaÂtion reached sevÂen bilÂlion. A soberÂing thought. How did we get to this point? ProÂducÂer Adam Cole and phoÂtogÂraÂphÂer MagÂgie StarÂbard of NationÂal PubÂlic Radio have put the world’s accelÂerÂatÂing popÂuÂlaÂtion growth in perÂspecÂtive in a two-and-a-half minute video, above.
In those two and a half minÂutes, 638 babies will be born worldÂwide, accordÂing to staÂtisÂtics from the UnitÂed States CenÂsus Bureau, and 265 peoÂple will die. That’s a net gain of 373 peoÂple, just while you watch the film. The biggest growth, accordÂing to NPR, is hapÂpenÂing in sub-SahaÂran Africa, where access to famÂiÂly planÂning is low and infant morÂtalÂiÂty rates are high.
It may seem counter-intuÂitive that popÂuÂlaÂtion growth rates are high where infant surÂvival rates are low, but as Swedish globÂal health expert Hans Rosling put it durÂing a recent TED talk, “Only by child surÂvival can we conÂtrol popÂuÂlaÂtion growth.” Because popÂuÂlaÂtion growth and infant morÂtalÂiÂty rates are both corÂreÂlatÂed to poverÂty rates, he argues, elimÂiÂnatÂing poverÂty is the key to achievÂing a susÂtainÂable world popÂuÂlaÂtion. You can learn more in our NovemÂber 1 feaÂture, “Hans Rosling Uses IKEA Props to Explain World of 7 BilÂlion PeoÂple.”
In earÂly OctoÂber of 2009, MalÂcolm McLaren was nearÂing death but didÂn’t know it yet. He showed up at the 2009 HandÂheld LearnÂing conÂferÂence feelÂing fatigued, but manÂaged to delivÂer a provocaÂtive and heartÂfelt speech titled, “NevÂer Mind the BolÂlocks, Here’s the Txt PisÂtols,” in which he reflects on his life growÂing up in post-World War II EngÂland and expressÂes disÂmay over the rise of what he called “karaoke culÂture.”
“All popÂuÂlar culÂture today,” said McLaren, “goes to great lengths to proÂmote the idea that it’s cool to be stuÂpid.” He chamÂpiÂoned instead the “messy process of creÂativÂiÂty” in which strugÂgle, failÂure and the acquiÂsiÂtion of skill and knowlÂedge are valÂued above instant fame. You can watch the comÂplete speech above. A few days after it was givÂen, McLaren went into the hosÂpiÂtal and learned that he had canÂcer. He died six months latÂer, on April 8, 2010. The next day HandÂheld LearnÂing founder GraÂham Brown-MarÂtin wrote:
The talk from MalÂcolm at the HandÂheld LearnÂing ConÂferÂence 2009 will, I believe, stand the test of time. The speech doesÂn’t elabÂoÂrate about the periÂod of the Sex PisÂtols, New York Dolls, ViviÂenne WestÂwood, his impact on design, fashÂion and music culÂture and many othÂer imporÂtant achieveÂments of MalÂcolm’s life that will be reportÂed in obitÂuÂarÂies over the comÂing days. Instead and in keepÂing with the theme of the conÂferÂence, MalÂcolm disÂcussÂes in his inimÂitable style–his life, learnÂing, authenÂticÂiÂty vs karaoke culÂture and what we gain from the expeÂriÂence of failÂure. IronÂiÂcalÂly, failÂure was someÂthing MalÂcolm nevÂer achieved. The talk was anyÂthing but ordiÂnary, it polarised our audiÂence and instantÂly trendÂed globÂalÂly on TwitÂter but what else would you expect?
Last night, two AmerÂiÂcan icons lent supÂport to the OccuÂpy Wall Street moveÂment, speakÂing at a protest held outÂside of LinÂcoln CenÂter in New York City. After a perÂforÂmance of SatyaÂgraÂha at the Met, Philip Glass spoke to demonÂstraÂtors. AccordÂing to Alex Ross, the music critÂic for the New YorkÂer, Glass recitÂed the closÂing lines of SatyaÂgraÂha (see around 3:00 minute mark in the video above), which come from the BhaÂgavad Gita:
When rightÂeousÂness withÂers away and evil rules the land, we come into being, age after age, and take visÂiÂble shape, and move, a man among men, for the proÂtecÂtion of good, thrustÂing back evil and setÂting virtue on her seat again.
He repeatÂed the sayÂing sevÂerÂal times, and the “human microÂphone” ampliÂfied the mesÂsage for him.
Lou Reed was also in attenÂdance and helped someÂone crawl over a police barÂriÂcade at one point, then said: “I was born in BrookÂlyn, and I’ve nevÂer been more ashamed than to see the barÂriÂcades tonight. The police are our army. I want to be friends with them. And I wanÂna occuÂpy Wall Street. I supÂport it.” A not-so-clear audio clip appears below:
via Gothamist and The Rest is Noise
More OccuÂpy Videos:
Noam ChomÂsky at OccuÂpy Boston
Slavoj Zizek Takes the Stage at OccuÂpy Wall Street
Joseph Stiglitz and Lawrence Lessig at OccuÂpy Wall Street
David CrosÂby & GraÂham Nash at OccuÂpy Wall Street; Echoes of WoodÂstock
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