This week, CNN announced the winÂners of the iReÂport Film FesÂtiÂval, the network’s first user-genÂerÂatÂed short film comÂpeÂtiÂtion. The fesÂtiÂval “chalÂlenged filmÂmakÂers to docÂuÂment this year’s presÂiÂdenÂtial camÂpaign from their perÂsonÂal vanÂtage point, whether they were volÂunÂteerÂing for a camÂpaign or had comÂpelling stoÂries about this elecÂtion they wantÂed to docÂuÂment creÂativeÂly.” And the Grand Jury Award went to a short film called “13th AmendÂment.” Here, Mike DenÂnis of PhiladelÂphia, Pa., folÂlows his 90-year-old grandÂmothÂer, who is African AmerÂiÂcan, on her jourÂney to vote for the first seriÂous black canÂdiÂdate for the AmerÂiÂcan presÂiÂdenÂcy. (And, by the way, in case you were wonÂderÂing, the 13th AmendÂment banned slavÂery in the UnitÂed States in 1865.) Here it goes:
The Political Wire
I’ve spent the past sevÂerÂal months workÂing through The Wire on DVD. A simÂply brilÂliant show. (Here’s a recap of SeaÂson 1 in case you don’t know what you’re missÂing. And for even more recaps click here.) Now some memÂbers of the cast, the good guys and the bad, have rolled out a comÂmerÂcial encourÂagÂing North CarÂoliÂna resÂiÂdents to get out the vote on TuesÂday. It’s a good idea for all AmerÂiÂcan votÂers, no matÂter who you supÂport in this race. Thanks to KotÂtke for point it out. Here it goes:
Darwin’s Legacy
For weeks, it’s been one of the most popÂuÂlar podÂcasts on iTunes: CreÂatÂed by the CasÂsiopeia Project, “EvoÂluÂtion” (iTuneÂsU) offers a series of video podÂcasts that explains what sciÂenÂtists know about evoÂluÂtion in a visuÂalÂly appealÂing forÂmat. (If you don’t have an iPod, you can always watch the series on your comÂputÂer by downÂloadÂing iTunes here.)
This all gives me a good excuse to highÂlight anothÂer podÂcast comÂing out of my proÂgram at StanÂford. To comÂmemÂoÂrate the 200th anniverÂsary of Charles Darwin’s birth and the 150th anniverÂsary of the pubÂliÂcaÂtion of On the OriÂgin of Species, we’re preÂsentÂing a course called DarÂwin’s LegaÂcy. (Access for free on iTunes here.) Led by Bill Durham, a MacArthur (“genius grant”) Prize WinÂner and ProÂfesÂsor of AnthroÂpolÂoÂgy, the course brings togethÂer leadÂing DarÂwin scholÂars from around the counÂtry and explores Darwin’s legaÂcy in fields as diverse as anthroÂpolÂoÂgy, reliÂgion, medÂiÂcine, psyÂcholÂoÂgy, phiÂlosÂoÂphy, litÂerÂaÂture, and biolÂoÂgy. Among othÂers, you will find here talks (capÂtured in video) by Daniel DenÂnett and Janet Browne (author of the definÂiÂtive two-volÂume DarÂwin biogÂraÂphy.) To access the comÂplete course via iTunes, which is being rolled out in weekÂly installÂments, simÂply click here. Down the road, we will also be makÂing the course availÂable on YouTube. For many othÂer free uniÂverÂsiÂty coursÂes, click here.
Elephant Jumping On Trampoline
This is half art/half ranÂdom, or maybe it’s betÂter to say half random/half art. AnyÂway, it calls to mind one of our popÂuÂlar posts (EleÂphant PaintÂing) from months to go. So here it is, an aniÂmatÂed short by NicoÂlas Deveaux.
What Makes a Poem a Poem in 60 Seconds
A rather clever mini, mini-lecÂture from Charles BernÂstein, poet and proÂfesÂsor at the UniÂverÂsiÂty of PennÂsylÂvaÂnia, wouldÂn’t you say?
Mihaly Czikszentmihalyi Explains Why the Source of Happiness Lies in Creativity and Flow, Not Money
SpeakÂing at the TED ConÂferÂence, famed psyÂcholÂoÂgist Mihaly CzikÂszentÂmiÂhaÂlyi asks what’s the source of hapÂpiÂness? And his answer comes down to this: Beyond a cerÂtain point (and it’s not very far), monÂey doesÂn’t affect hapÂpiÂness too much. Rather, as his research shows, we tend to be most hapÂpy when we get immersed, almost lost in, being creÂative and perÂformÂing at our best. It’s an ecstaÂtÂic state that he calls “flow.” The video runs about 19 minÂutes, and is well worth your time. Some book titles worth checkÂing out include: Flow: The PsyÂcholÂoÂgy of OptiÂmal ExpeÂriÂence or FindÂing Flow: The PsyÂcholÂoÂgy of EngageÂment with EveryÂday Life.
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RelatÂed ConÂtent:
John Cleese, MonÂty Python Icon, on How to Be CreÂative
MalÂcolm McLaren: The Quest for AuthenÂtic CreÂativÂiÂty
Amy Tan: The Sources of CreÂativÂiÂty
From Washington to Lincoln — The Geography of US Presidential Elections
We have now postÂed LecÂture 2 of our ongoÂing course, The GeogÂraÂphy of US PresÂiÂdenÂtial ElecÂtions, preÂsentÂed by StanÂford’s ConÂtinÂuÂing StudÂies proÂgram. You can downÂload it via TuneÂsU here (in high res) or you can watch it embedÂded below. This week, ProÂfesÂsor MarÂtin Lewis takes you through AmerÂiÂca’s earÂly forÂmaÂtive elecÂtions, startÂing with WashÂingÂton and JefÂferÂsonÂ’s elecÂtoral vicÂtoÂries and movÂing through the transÂforÂmaÂtive CivÂil War. To watch the first lecÂture, click here. And to ask ProÂfesÂsor Lewis quesÂtions about the secÂond lecÂture, just click here. And keep in mind, this is all free. For more free coursÂes, check out our big colÂlecÂtion here.
Ninth Circuit Judge on The Dating Game Way Back When
The name Alex KozinÂsÂki probÂaÂbly won’t mean much to many of you. But if you’re a lawyer, or a Supreme Court watchÂer, you’ll know that he’s the Chief Judge of the UnitÂed States Court of Appeals for the Ninth CirÂcuit (a realÂly presÂtiÂgious posiÂtion). Rather recentÂly, he’s been assoÂciÂatÂed with a highÂly visÂiÂble pornogÂraÂphy scanÂdal relatÂed to one of his casÂes, and now this. A video docÂuÂmentÂing his appearÂance long ago on The DatÂing Game, a wonÂderÂful piece of AmerÂiÂcana. And the best part is that he beat SquigÂgy from the othÂer slice of AmerÂiÂcana, LavÂerne & Shirley. Oh, the endÂless wealth of YouTube:
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