StuÂdents at Poland’s WroÂclaw UniÂverÂsiÂty of TechÂnolÂoÂgy got a litÂtle techie (or is it techÂno?) this week, turnÂing their dorm winÂdows into a full colÂor light show. HapÂpiÂly, we can report that all lights were conÂtrolled wireÂlessÂly. Thanks BarÂtosz for sendÂing this our way.
The Walker Library of Human Imagination
The tech/internet bilÂlionÂaires of the 1990s were nevÂer known for their largesse. They built their masÂsive yachts. They bought their sports teams. They didÂn’t give much back to the pubÂlic domain, as the RockÂeÂfellers, MelÂlons and the GetÂtys once did (despite their many othÂer flaws).
There are some excepÂtions, of course. Bill Gates finalÂly found reliÂgion and got involved in philÂanÂthropy in a big way. Then, on a lessÂer scale, there’s Jay WalkÂer, the founder of PriceÂline and WalkÂer DigÂiÂtal. He plowed many of his milÂlions into creÂatÂing The WalkÂer Library of Human ImagÂiÂnaÂtion. As Wired magÂaÂzine has put it, the library is a kind of intelÂlecÂtuÂal DisÂneyÂland, a 3600 square foot room that disÂplays great works of human imagÂiÂnaÂtion in an imagÂiÂnaÂtive setÂting. ArtiÂfacts on disÂplay include: a comÂplete Bible handÂwritÂten on sheepÂskin from 1240 AD, the first illusÂtratÂed medÂical book from 1499, a 1699 atlas conÂtainÂing the first maps that put the sun at the cenÂter of the uniÂverse, the napÂkin on which FDR sketched his plan to win WWII, and an origÂiÂnal 1957 RussÂian SputÂnik satelÂlite. You can get a full list of culÂturÂal curiosiÂties here, watch the recentÂly proÂduced video tour of the library above, and spend a few minÂutes watchÂing WalkÂer talk about his library at TED.
Thanks Colleen for flagÂging the new video.
An Open Invitation: Suggest & Contribute
SomeÂwhere durÂing your day, you spot a great video, an enrichÂing audio lecÂture, or an excelÂlent free ebook. And you think, that’s perÂfect for Open CulÂture. So you shoot us a quick note, and the next thing you know, your perÂsonÂal disÂcovÂery is live on the site, being shared with thouÂsands of like-mindÂed readÂers from across the globe — readÂers from LonÂdon to New York, from Tehran to BanÂgaÂlore, from SydÂney to Sao Paulo and beyond. And our globÂal vilÂlage is hapÂpy … and betÂter off for it. Sounds good, right? We think so.
So here’s what we ask: WhenÂevÂer you see a great piece of intelÂliÂgent media, please quickÂly send it our way. (We have a nice “SugÂgest a Link” butÂton on the upper right side of the site.) And, assumÂing it fits with Open CulÂture’s genÂerÂal misÂsion, we’ll share it with your felÂlow readÂers, give you full credÂit, and thank you warmÂly. Look forÂward to your sugÂgesÂtions, and, if you haven’t already, please join us on FaceÂbook and TwitÂter.
Open Culture Makes You Say, “Holy Cow This is So Cool”
YesÂterÂday, Jon GorÂdon (the host of Future Tense, a techÂnolÂoÂgy show aired by AmerÂiÂcan PubÂlic Media) disÂcussed the major tech innoÂvaÂtions of the decade. At the end of the show (around the 49th minute), a caller asked: “What’s the neatÂest site, in terms of wow facÂtor, that makes you say holy cow this is so cool?” And, in answer, Jon respondÂed: Open CulÂture. We’re not cutÂting edge. We’re under-read and under-appreÂciÂatÂed. (All probÂaÂbly true — any thoughts on how to fix that?). But we delivÂer the goods. Thanks very much Jon, and thanks for allowÂing me the rare self-pat on the back. You can lisÂten to the interÂview below or access it here. And, if you want, you can folÂlow us on TwitÂter and FaceÂbook and get updatÂed on all new bits of Open CulÂture.
The Open Culture Archive
Want to see every post that we have writÂten since 2006? Then look back through our Archive. We just creÂatÂed it and added it to the site, partÂly in response to a readÂer request. You can perÂmaÂnentÂly find the Archive in the secÂond colÂumn, between “EssenÂtials” and “CatÂeÂgories.” Enjoy.
Socrates Flubs His Academic Interview
What hapÂpens when Socrates tries to land a job at a uniÂverÂsiÂty? It doesÂn’t go so well. Below, we have the comÂments returned by the interÂview comÂmitÂtee, as imagÂined by THE (Times HighÂer EduÂcaÂtion). In this piece, you’ll also find TolÂstoy, KafÂka, Jane Austen and othÂer geniusÂes comÂing up short with the search comÂmitÂtees. Now to Socrates…
“At first the canÂdiÂdate’s own list of quesÂtions felt refreshÂing, but soon became counter-proÂducÂtive to the interÂview process. His spirÂit of inquiry masked an indifÂferÂence to time conÂstraints and a pasÂsive-aggresÂsive need to domÂiÂnate the conÂverÂsaÂtion. As anothÂer canÂdiÂdate cooled his heels, the request for him to conÂclude his thoughts on the ideÂal sociÂety scarceÂly regÂisÂtered as we wonÂdered if, then began to wish that, someÂone would spike his drink.”
Bike Tricks Courtesy of Thomas Edison
Voila, the 1899 preÂcurÂsor to this amazÂing 2009 bike stunt video origÂiÂnalÂly found on the @courosa TwitÂter stream. And who can doubt that we’re makÂing progress?
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Open Culture scours the web for the best educational media. We find the free courses and audio books you need, the language lessons & educational videos you want, and plenty of enlightenment in between.
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