Jonathan Miller’s Brief HisÂtoÂry of DisÂbeÂlief is a BBC proÂducÂtion (2005) that offers teleÂviÂsion’s first susÂtained look at the hidÂden hisÂtoÂry of atheÂism. The three-part docÂuÂmenÂtary takes you from unbeÂlievÂers withÂin Ancient Greece, to the re-emerÂgence of disÂbeÂlief in 15th and 16th cenÂtuÂry Europe, through to the French EnlightÂenÂment, RevÂoÂluÂtionÂary AmerÂiÂca and the rise of DarÂwinÂian thought. We’ve postÂed Part 1 below. You can watch Parts 2 and 3 here and here.
Here’s SNL’s satire of last week’s wideÂly viewed vice presÂiÂdenÂtial debate. Thanks to Tina Fey’s impresÂsion of Palin, SNL’s ratÂing are up 40% over last year. Quite a boon for NBC.
Now showÂing in the YouTube ScreenÂing Room: “Peter and Ben is a touchÂing and quirky stoÂry of how two “black-sheep” form an unusuÂal and endurÂing bond.” The 10-minute short film was named Best DocÂuÂmenÂtary at the Aspen Shorts Fest 2008. It’s added to our YouTube playlist. Here it goes:
CNN recentÂly hostÂed a conÂverÂsaÂtion with sevÂerÂal recent SecÂreÂtaries of State, and they all disÂcussed the major chalÂlenges that Barack ObaÂma or John McCain will be facÂing next year. This is no ordiÂnary time, and it’s rare to find HenÂry Kissinger, Madeleine Albright, WarÂren ChristoÂpher, ColÂin PowÂell, and James BakÂer all sitÂting on the same stage and offerÂing their advice. Below, we have postÂed the first segÂment. You can watch the remainÂing parts here.
UCLA has brought their videos to YouTube, joinÂing a growÂing numÂber of othÂer well-respectÂed culÂturÂal and eduÂcaÂtionÂal instiÂtuÂtions. ComÂpared to othÂer newÂcomÂers, the iniÂtial set of videos (see the UCLA colÂlecÂtion here) is reaÂsonÂably strong, and I susÂpect that it will get more subÂstanÂtive over time. Straight off the bat, I’d point you to a longer course that you can watch online. It’s called Life, ConÂcepts & Issues, and the first video appears below.
While on the topÂic of YouTube, I want to menÂtion that I’ve been workÂing at StanÂford on a fun (and also free) media project that we’ll be rolling out next week. Stay tuned for more details.
This is worth a quick menÂtion: If you’re tryÂing to make sense of our rapidÂly changÂing (and these days deteÂriÂoÂratÂing) econÂoÂmy, then you’ll want to spend some time with NPR’s PlanÂet MonÂey. The podÂcast has been takÂing an expert look at the day-to-day breakÂdown of the finanÂcial sysÂtem and govÂernÂment efforts to bail it out. Plus, it’s been keepÂing an eye on how the fiasÂco potenÂtialÂly affects you. To stay on top of things, you can grab the podÂcast here: iTunes — Rss Feed. Also see the PlanÂet MonÂey PodÂcast web site here.
Sci-fi author Neil Gaiman has the right idea. After makÂing his well-known novÂel AmerÂiÂcan Gods freely availÂable online last year, he has gone the extra mile again in releasÂing his new novÂel, The GraveÂYard Book. In brief, he has just kicked off a nine day book tour, and each day he’s readÂing a chapÂter that you can latÂer watch on the web. You can watch all of the videos above. And find more readÂings here:
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BilÂly Collins, forÂmer US Poet LauÂreÂate and one of AmerÂiÂca’s best-sellÂing poets, reads his poem “Now and Then” with aniÂmaÂtion by Eun-ha Paek of Milky EleÂphant. (Yup, it’s added to our YouTube playlist and also see the preÂviÂous aniÂmatÂed BilÂly Collins poem.)
You know things are lookÂing bleak when comÂeÂdy starts makÂing fodÂder out of depresÂsion themes. Here’s a bit that tells you how to go from office workÂer to homeÂless drifter in sevÂen easy steps. (Video courÂtesy of HowÂcast)
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