A quick news bulÂletin: Japan was struck by a masÂsive 8.9 earthÂquake today, folÂlowed by some devÂasÂtatÂing tsunamis (see clip below). Al Jazeera is proÂvidÂing live covÂerÂage (in EngÂlish) on the web. Start watchÂing here. Or find anothÂer live stream from NHK in Japan. What’s more, The Wall Street JourÂnal has a live blog dedÂiÂcatÂed to the earthÂquake, and Google has set up a peoÂple findÂer for those livÂing in the counÂtry. Our best wishÂes to the peoÂple of Japan…
We take you back to anothÂer era when fundÂing for pubÂlic broadÂcastÂing was in doubt – to 1969, when Richard Nixon planned to cut PBS’ fundÂing from $20 milÂlion to $10 milÂlion. Here Fred Rogers, the genÂtle creÂator of MisÂter Rogers’ NeighÂborÂhood, gets six short minÂutes before SenÂaÂtor John PasÂtore, the chairÂman of the SubÂcomÂmitÂtee on ComÂmuÂniÂcaÂtions, and makes his pitch for pubÂlicly-fundÂed eduÂcaÂtionÂal teleÂviÂsion. In those 360 secÂonds, Rogers gets the gruff senÂaÂtor to do a comÂplete 180 – to end up sayÂing “It looks like you just earned the 20 milÂlion dolÂlars.” And, indeed, it turned out just that way. Those were the days…
We Are Equals proÂduced this 2‑minute video for the 100th anniverÂsary of InterÂnaÂtionÂal WomÂen’s Day. Daniel Craig and the great Dame Judi Dench reprise their roles from the last two James Bond films — with a twist. We’d say more, but the video speaks for itself. Enjoy!
Jon StewÂart put it niceÂly. Now filmÂmakÂer Michael Moore takes the gloves off. VisÂitÂing MadiÂson, WisÂconÂsin this SatÂurÂday, he told the crowd “AmerÂiÂca isn’t broke.” Rather, the monÂey that used to run the counÂtry simÂply got siphoned out of the sysÂtem and put into unproÂducÂtive Wall Street accounts. Strong words, but if you conÂsidÂer that most US corÂpoÂraÂtions pay no US taxÂes, that bilÂlionÂaire hedge fund manÂagers pay far lowÂer taxÂes than the rest of you, that we’re preÂservÂing the unsusÂtainÂable Bush tax breaks that overÂwhelmÂingÂly benÂeÂfit the extremeÂly wealthy, then you start to think about our nationÂal deficits and WisÂconÂsin’s batÂtles with teachÂers in a difÂferÂent light.
Make no misÂtake about it. The deficits are a real probÂlem. And any truÂly excesÂsive perks for pubÂlic workÂers should be cut. But the midÂdle class shouldÂn’t bear the sole brunt of the nationÂal sacÂriÂfice. And, so far, that’s all we see. Main Street took the hit in 2008 while Wall Street walked. And that’s what’s hapÂpenÂing again…
Jon StewÂart had to do it. He had to conÂnect the dots. We’re going after the pubÂlic serÂvants tryÂing to do some good. But how about the non-conÂtributÂing bankers who kept their perÂsonÂal gravy train rolling at taxÂpayÂer expense? Or the hedge fund manÂagers who pay draÂmatÂiÂcalÂly lowÂer taxÂes than almost anyÂone readÂing this site? 15%?? And let’s not forÂget that some of our our largest corÂpoÂraÂtions – includÂing GE and Exxon — have recentÂly paid no US income tax? UltiÂmateÂly, this all gets down to who funds your next elecÂtion. Banks and corÂpoÂraÂtions do. Kids and pubÂlic serÂvants don’t. David Brooks makes that point rather well. I’m all for sacÂriÂfice, but let’s make it fair and shared. Or is that idea too “socialÂist” (or what we quaintÂly used to call “demoÂcÂraÂtÂic”)?
Where will the MidÂdle East go from here? Towards democÂraÂcy, as many hope? Towards a more theoÂcratÂic modÂel, as some despair? Or, towards more of the same disÂilÂluÂsionÂing autocÂraÂcy?
On the first day of the big TED conÂferÂence, Wadah KhanÂfar, the head of Al Jazeera, offered a supremeÂly optiÂmistic take on the revÂoÂluÂtions transÂformÂing Tunisia, Egypt, Libya, and perÂhaps beyond. ThroughÂout the past few weeks, many WestÂernÂers have tuned into Al JazeerÂa’s live EngÂlish-lanÂguage covÂerÂage on the web and found themÂselves pleasÂantÂly surÂprised by the balÂance and depth of their reportÂing. Now you get 17 upbeat minÂutes with the leader of the Qatar-based news orgaÂniÂzaÂtion …
There’s someÂthing wonÂderÂful about this .… unless you’re a dicÂtaÂtor. Today, The New York Times shines a good light on Gene Sharp, a shy AmerÂiÂcan intelÂlecÂtuÂal who has spent decades writÂing on the art of non-vioÂlent revÂoÂluÂtion. Back in 2002, Sharp pubÂlished “From DicÂtaÂtorÂship to DemocÂraÂcy: A ConÂcepÂtuÂal FrameÂwork for LibÂerÂaÂtion,” a 93-page guide to upendÂing autoÂcrats. Then, he had the text transÂlatÂed into 24 lanÂguages and made freely availÂable online, with all copyÂright restricÂtions removed. The manÂuÂal has since inspired disÂsiÂdents in BurÂma, Bosnia and EstoÂnia, while givÂing strateÂgic direcÂtion to the protests in Egypt and Tunisia. Ideas have powÂer. But good ideas have more powÂer when they’re open. You can downÂload Sharp’s manÂuÂal here (PDF), and learn more about his misÂsion through his nonÂprofÂit, The Albert EinÂstein InstiÂtuÂtion.
SpeakÂing of good ideas that are open, feel free to downÂload 35o free online coursÂes and teach yourÂself anyÂthing and everyÂthing.
A litÂtle ways back, ChristoÂpher Hitchens fieldÂed quesÂtions for 30 minÂutes from Reddit.com users, answerÂing any and every quesÂtion they threw his way. What hisÂtorÂiÂcal figÂures, events or books have been underÂemÂphaÂsized in AmerÂiÂcan pubÂlic eduÂcaÂtion? Has the Iraq War (someÂthing Hitchens supÂportÂed) had a posÂiÂtive or negÂaÂtive impact on IslamÂic extremÂism? What do socialÂism and libÂerÂtarÂiÂanÂism have in comÂmon intelÂlecÂtuÂalÂly, if anyÂthing? OthÂer figÂures interÂviewed by RedÂdit users include Richard Dawkins, Noam ChomÂsky, and Ron Paul.
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