Some very powÂerÂful images in this New York Times feaÂture. But, takÂen togethÂer, they don’t say much good for 2009. Bring on the New Year…
Some very powÂerÂful images in this New York Times feaÂture. But, takÂen togethÂer, they don’t say much good for 2009. Bring on the New Year…
To eat bacon sandÂwichÂes? Or not to eat bacon sandÂwichÂes? That’s the quesÂtion that David SpiegelÂhalÂter, “ProÂfesÂsor Risk” at CamÂbridge UniÂverÂsiÂty, tackÂles in this short video examÂinÂing stats, life, and whether we should err on the side of cauÂtion … or risk. This clip is part of CamÂbridge’s YouTube chanÂnel, which now appears in our Smart YouTube ColÂlecÂtion.
Last week, we wadÂed into the best of TED debate. What’s the best TED Talk out there? It’s hard to say. PureÂly subÂjecÂtive. But we can say one thing. Jill Bolte Taylor’s “Stroke of Insight” talk reachÂes the top of many lists. What hapÂpens when a neuÂroanatomist expeÂriÂences a masÂsive stroke and feels all the brain funcÂtions she has studÂied (speech, moveÂment, underÂstandÂing, etc) sudÂdenÂly start to slip away? And how do these lossÂes funÂdaÂmenÂtalÂly change who we are? You’ll find out in a crisp (and at times emoÂtionÂal) 18 minÂutes and 40 secÂonds. You can also read her book that elabÂoÂrates on her life-alterÂing expeÂriÂence. See My Stroke of Insight: A Brain SciÂenÂtist’s PerÂsonÂal JourÂney.
David Simon once called his HBO series, The Wire, “a politÂiÂcal tract masÂqueradÂing as a cop show.” Think of it as a five seaÂson, 3600 minute, artisÂtic depicÂtion of the escaÂlatÂing breakÂdown of urban sociÂety. The show is art. But it is also life in the biggest sense. And it’s why some thinkers have likened the epic series to (or even eleÂvatÂed it above) TolÂstoy’s War & Peace. Now comes this… AccordÂing to The HarÂvard CrimÂson, William J. WilÂson, a HarÂvard sociÂolÂoÂgy proÂfesÂsor, will teach a new course that uses The Wire as “a case study for poverÂty in AmerÂiÂca,” sayÂing that “The Wire has done more to enhance our underÂstandÂing of the sysÂtemic urban inequalÂiÂty that conÂstrains the lives of the poor than any pubÂlished study.” If you haven’t seen this series, and if this whets your appetite, you can find a nice deal on AmaÂzon. The full series now goes for $125.00, 50% off the list price.
News broke today that Claude LĂ©vi-Strauss, one of France’s towÂerÂing intelÂlecÂtuÂals, has died. He was 100 years old. The New York Times has a lengthy obit that covÂers the career of the anthroÂpolÂoÂgist who brought us “strucÂturalÂism” and helped us look at diverse culÂtures in new ways. NPR has also aired a short piece (in audio) that highÂlights LĂ©vi-Strauss’ intelÂlecÂtuÂal accomÂplishÂments. You can lisÂten below.
AudiÂble Starter Kit: Get 3 AudioÂbooks, Plus a Free Phillips Spark 2GB MP3 PlayÂer![]()
There’s no sound, and the clip only runs 20 secÂonds. But this is the only known footage of Anne Frank, and it’s now online. The Anne Frank House does a good job of setÂting the scene for the video takÂen on July 22, 1941. “The girl next door is getÂting marÂried. Anne Frank is leanÂing out of the winÂdow of her house in AmsÂterÂdam to get a good look at the bride and groom… At the time of her wedÂding, the bride lived on the secÂond floor at MerÂwedeÂplein 39. The Frank famÂiÂly lived at numÂber 37, also on the secÂond floor. The Anne Frank House can offer you this film footage thanks to the coopÂerÂaÂtion of the couÂple.” Find more videos on YouTube’s Anne Frank ChanÂnel.
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Want to attend the 2010 TED ConÂferÂence and hang with some of the world’s greatÂest minds? Here’s your chance. Apply to the TED FelÂlows proÂgram. OrgaÂnizÂers of the TED ConÂferÂence are lookÂing for 25 promisÂing FelÂlows from around the world to parÂticÂiÂpate in TED 2010, and they’re acceptÂing appliÂcaÂtions through SepÂtemÂber 25, 2009. FelÂlowÂships include conÂferÂence admisÂsion, round-trip transÂportaÂtion, housÂing and all meals. FelÂlows will also parÂticÂiÂpate in a pre-conÂferÂence with the opporÂtuÂniÂty to present a short talk for conÂsidÂerÂaÂtion for TED.com. AppliÂcants should genÂerÂalÂly between 21–40 years of age, though anyÂone over 18 and over 40 may apply. They must also be fluÂent in EngÂlish. Click here and get startÂed with your appliÂcaÂtion today!
RelatÂed ConÂtent:
A memÂoÂrable scene from The GradÂuÂate (1967). But, as the New York Times tells us today, plasÂtics is out; staÂtisÂtics is now in.