File this under “RanÂdom” …
ConÂtribute to The PowÂer of Dreams Music EduÂcaÂtion Fund at www.detroitsymphony.com and click on EduÂcaÂtion or go here.
Maps Explaining Why Americans Know Less About the World
SpeakÂing at the TED ConÂferÂence, Alisa Miller (CEO of PubÂlic Radio InterÂnaÂtionÂal) explains why AmerÂiÂcans know less and less about the rest of the world. Along the way, she uses some eye-popÂping graphs to put things in perÂspecÂtive. Watch the video below or find it on our YouTube playlist …
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India’s Answer to M.I.T. Presents Free Courses on YouTube (in English)
Lots of newsprint has been dedÂiÂcatÂed to MIT’s OpenÂCourseÂWare iniÂtiaÂtive. And, of course, it’s underÂstandÂable. MIT’s project offers free access to mateÂriÂals from 1800 MIT coursÂes, many on the cutÂting edge of techÂnolÂoÂgy and engiÂneerÂing. It is all great. But sudÂdenÂly MIT is not the only tech powÂerÂhouse getÂting into the busiÂness of proÂvidÂing free eduÂcaÂtionÂal resources.
In India, there are sevÂen instiÂtutes dedÂiÂcatÂed to trainÂing some of the world’s top sciÂenÂtists and engiÂneers and makÂing the counÂtry an up and comÂing world powÂer. They are colÂlecÂtiveÂly known as the IITs, or the IndiÂan InstiÂtutes of TechÂnolÂoÂgy. And now some of the IIT coursÂes are being made availÂable in EngÂlish on YouTube for free. (The main page is here; the coursÂes are actuÂalÂly here.) Some of the titles feaÂtured here include: IntroÂducÂtion to ComÂputÂer GraphÂics, Core SciÂence MathÂeÂmatÂics, ComÂputÂer NetÂworks, IntroÂducÂtion To ProbÂlem SolvÂing & ProÂgramÂming, FluÂid MechanÂics, and EnviÂronÂmenÂtal Air PolÂluÂtion.
You can access the full list of IIT coursÂes here. And note that we have inteÂgratÂed many of these coursÂes into our colÂlecÂtion: Free Online CoursÂes from Great UniÂverÂsiÂties, which now feaÂtures more than 225 free coursÂes.
Ninja Fast Dictionary
Long ago, I got in the habit of using MerÂriÂam-WebÂster’s online dicÂtioÂnary. And I’ve sufÂfered through the painfulÂly slow page loads for the betÂter part of a decade. But then I stumÂbled upon a betÂter alterÂnaÂtive. NinÂjaÂWords is “a realÂly fast dicÂtioÂnary … fast like a NinÂja.” Give it a try. You’ll enjoy the speed.
PS AnothÂer cool option is Definr.com, which is fast and feaÂtures a handy auto-comÂplete funcÂtion. Thanks to a readÂer for flagÂging that one for us.
1001 Books to Read Before You Die
As I write, the most emailed artiÂcle on The New York Times offers a few reflecÂtions on Peter BoxÂalÂl’s book, 1001 Books You Must Read Before You Die. The Times piece makes a couÂple of logÂiÂcal points: First, there’s no time to waste if you hope to read every book on the list. ReadÂing a book per month, you’ll get through 1000 books in a mere 83 years. So you had betÂter get startÂed now. SecÂond, this “best of” list is bound to be conÂtroÂverÂsial. (Do you realÂly need to read Anne Rice’s “InterÂview With the VamÂpire” before it’s lights out?) The 1001 books on BoxÂalÂl’s list can be preÂviewed here. The book itself, which runs 960 pages, is obviÂousÂly more than a raw list. Each entry is accomÂpaÂnied by an “authorÂiÂtaÂtive yet opinÂionÂatÂed critÂiÂcal essay describÂing the imporÂtance and influÂence of the work in quesÂtion.” And also there’s apparÂentÂly some nice illusÂtraÂtions. If you’re a bibÂlioÂphile, it’s worth a look.
For more great books, see the colÂlecÂtion of Life ChangÂing Books creÂatÂed by our readÂers.
HBO Revisits 2000 Election with “Recount”
On SunÂday night, HBO aired its new film “Recount,” which delved back into the conÂtroÂverÂsial FloriÂda recount that deterÂmined the outÂcome of AmerÂiÂca’s 2000 presÂiÂdenÂtial elecÂtion. Days before the film (watch the trailÂer here) hit the airÂwaves, CharÂlie Rose conÂductÂed an interÂview with Kevin Spacey (actor in the film), JefÂfrey Toobin (Senior Legal AnaÂlyst at CNN) and David Boies (who argued Bush v. Gore on behalf of Al Gore). In watchÂing the film and interÂview, my first reacÂtion was to think: yes, it’s been eight long years, but it’s perÂhaps not been long enough. PerÂhaps anothÂer eight years is what it takes before politÂiÂcal trauÂma can be transÂformed into pure enterÂtainÂment. Or maybe it will nevÂer quite get there. But that says nothÂing about the merÂits of the film or the interÂview below. If you missed “Recount,” it re-airs tonight on HBO.
Harvard Law Faculty Votes to Put Articles Online
The open access moveÂment keeps rolling along. See here.
Jacques Brel Sings “Ne Me Quitte Pas”
Ne Me Quitte Pas — It’s Jacques Brel’s clasÂsic from 1959. It’s a fixÂture in the French culÂturÂal imagÂiÂnaÂtion. And it’s been covÂered left and right, by such singers as Nina Simone (here) and Frank SinaÂtra (lisÂten). Now, Jacques, take it away. (PS You can find Brel’s video on our YouTube playlist.)
Tobias Wolff Reads From His New Collection
SegueÂing from our last post, I wantÂed to feaÂture a readÂing givÂen by Tobias Wolff, a masÂter of the short stoÂry, who also hapÂpens to teach creÂative writÂing at StanÂford.
In March, he released a new book, Our StoÂry Begins: New and SelectÂed StoÂries. And below we have postÂed a clip of him readÂing from a piece called “The BenÂeÂfit of the Doubt.” As you’ll see, Wolff knows how to give his stoÂries a very good read. Enjoy.
(PS If you like litÂerÂaÂture in audio forÂmat, then feel free to peruse our Free Audio Book ColÂlecÂtion. Also note that if you sign up for AudiÂble, you can downÂload two bestÂselling audio books for free. Get more info on the deal here.)
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Stanford Online Writing Courses
A quick fyi: YesÂterÂday, StanÂford ConÂtinÂuÂing StudÂies opened up regÂisÂtraÂtion for its sumÂmer lineÂup of online writÂing coursÂes. Offered in partÂnerÂship with the StanÂford CreÂative WritÂing ProÂgram (one of the most disÂtinÂguished writÂing proÂgrams in the counÂtry), these online coursÂes give beginÂning and advanced writÂers, no matÂter where they live, the chance to refine their craft with giftÂed writÂing instrucÂtors.
RegÂisÂtraÂtion opened yesÂterÂday, and some of the classÂes are almost full. ClassÂes will start durÂing the last week of June. For more inforÂmaÂtion, click here, or sepÂaÂrateÂly check out the FAQ.
Caveat empÂtor: These classÂes are not free, and I helped set them up. So while I wholeÂheartÂedÂly believe in these coursÂes, you can take my views with a grain of salt.
SumÂmer CoursÂes:
- IntroÂducÂtion to CreÂative WritÂing
- NovÂel WritÂing: MakÂing a Great Debut
- Short StoÂry WritÂing
- CreÂative NonÂficÂtion: BeginÂning Your Book
- CreÂative NonÂficÂtion for MagÂaÂzines
- FicÂtion WritÂing: The Short StoÂry Cycle
- PoetÂry: WritÂing the Moment
By the way, if you live in the San FranÂcisÂco Bay Area and want to keep the mind engaged, give some thought to StanÂford ConÂtinÂuÂing StudÂies. Our full sumÂmer catÂaÂlogue is here.
Learn to Play Instruments (and Also Some Music Theory) Online
The always handy LifeÂhackÂer has pulled togethÂer resources that will teach you to play guiÂtar, drums and piano. Some of these lessons are taught via video, othÂers with podÂcasts. And if you’re lookÂing to teach yourÂself music theÂoÂry, then head over to Musictheory.net. They’ve got you covÂered.
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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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