In one of our recent pieces, we highÂlightÂed a video that feaÂtured law proÂfesÂsor Cass SunÂstein interÂpretÂing the secÂond amendÂment and quesÂtionÂing whether it conÂferred the right to bear arms. In response, one of our readÂers offered this comÂment:
“ReeeeealÂly good talk. My friend and I sat down to watch it, and before we startÂed, we laid out our posiÂtions, basiÂcalÂly one on each side of the debate. SunÂstein proÂceeds to explain how we’re both wrong. AweÂsome.”
I menÂtion this simÂply because it’s great to see the media (videos/podcasts) feaÂtured here being used in this way. It’s great to see readÂers realÂly engagÂing with the mateÂrÂiÂal and allowÂing it to shape their views. It’s the ultiÂmate comÂpliÂment in some ways. Thanks Ben.
In 2001, StanÂford law proÂfesÂsor Lawrence Lessig pubÂlished The Future of Ideas: The Fate of the ComÂmons in a ConÂnectÂed World. Here, Lessig launched a camÂpaign against AmerÂiÂcan copyÂright law, arguÂing that it has become so restricÂtive that it stiÂfles culÂturÂal innoÂvaÂtion and social progress .… which underÂmines the origÂiÂnal point of copyÂright law. Back in 1787, the foundÂing fathers includÂed the “copyÂright clause” in the AmerÂiÂcan conÂstiÂtuÂtion, lookÂing to give authors a short-term incenÂtive to innoÂvate and ultiÂmateÂly conÂtribute to the pubÂlic good. (ArtiÂcle I, SecÂtion 8 empowÂers ConÂgress “To proÂmote the Progress of SciÂence and useÂful Arts, by securÂing for limÂitÂed Times to Authors and InvenÂtors the excluÂsive Right to their respecÂtive WritÂings and DisÂcovÂerÂies.”). At the outÂset, copyÂright law proÂtectÂed forms of expresÂsion — and let authors profÂit from them — for a minÂiÂmum of 14 years and a maxÂiÂmum of 28. Then, the mateÂrÂiÂal went into the pubÂlic domain. But over time, the proÂtecÂtions placed on culÂturÂal expresÂsion have been extendÂed, and now works are proÂtectÂed so long as an author is alive, and then anothÂer 70 years. That’s potenÂtialÂly up to 140 years or more. All of this has hapÂpened because ConÂgress has been sucÂcessÂfulÂly lobÂbied by large media corÂpoÂraÂtions (e.g. DisÂney), wantÂiÂng to monÂeÂtize their media assets (think, MickÂey Mouse) indefÂiÂniteÂly.
AnyÂway, this is a long way of telling you that you can now downÂload The Future of Ideasfor free. Lessig perÂsuadÂed RanÂdom House to release the book under a “CreÂative ComÂmons” license, using the arguÂment that free e‑books will actuÂalÂly stimÂuÂlate sales of paper copies. (Do you realÂly want to read 350 pages on your comÂputÂer screen?)
This is not the first time that Lessig has worked with this modÂel. One of his preÂviÂous books, Free CulÂture: How Big Media Uses TechÂnolÂoÂgy and the Law to Lock Down CulÂture and ConÂtrol CreÂativÂiÂty, was also made freely availÂable in digÂiÂtal forÂmat. (You can downÂload a free audioÂbook verÂsion or buy the paper verÂsion here.)
As a final note, I should menÂtion that Lessig will be leavÂing behind his focus on these copyÂright issues, and turnÂing his sights to corÂrupÂtion in WashÂingÂton. Below you can watch him outÂline the probÂlem that he’s lookÂing to tackÂle.
What does the SecÂond AmendÂment mean? It’s someÂthing that the Supreme Court has nevÂer realÂly said. In this hour long video, Cass SunÂstein, a very well known law proÂfesÂsor from the UniÂverÂsiÂty of ChicaÂgo, takes a crack at interÂpretÂing this amendÂment and seeÂing whether its origÂiÂnal meanÂing actuÂalÂly conÂfers the right to bear arms. Originalists/conservatives probÂaÂbly won’t like his conÂcluÂsions, and they may be inclined to disÂmiss this as a talk givÂen by anothÂer libÂerÂal elitÂist. But they should keep in mind that SunÂstein actuÂalÂly saw the Bush adminÂisÂtraÂtion’s wireÂtapÂping as havÂing a plauÂsiÂble legal basis, and he’s had anyÂthing but a harsh assessÂment of John Roberts’ track record as a judge.
ComÂing off of the runÂaway sucÂcess of OmniÂvore’s DilemÂma, Michael PolÂlan has just pubÂlished a logÂiÂcal sequel — In Defense of Food: An Eater’s ManÂiÂfesto. His new book tells us what to eat, what not to eat, and how to stay healthy. GenÂerÂalÂly speakÂing, his advice can be boiled down to a few words: “Eat food. Not too much. MostÂly plants.” But there is obviÂousÂly much more to it than that. To fill in the gaps, you can buy the book or lisÂten to two recent interÂviews with PolÂlan:
SomeÂtimes order seemÂingÂly comes out of nowhere. It just mateÂriÂalÂizes. It hapÂpens in ant colonies, in cities, on the web, in the brain. This episode of Radio Lab (MP3 — iTunes — Feed) takes a fasÂciÂnatÂing look at how groups orgaÂnize and direct themÂselves withÂout the help of a leader, or some kind of cenÂtral comÂmand. The show includes conÂverÂsaÂtions with biolÂoÂgist E.O. WilÂson, econÂoÂmist James SurowiecÂki, and neuÂrolÂoÂgists OlivÂer Sacks and Christof Koch. Also includÂed in the mix is DebÂoÂrah GorÂdon, a StanÂford proÂfesÂsor who has spent years studyÂing ants, which are indiÂvidÂuÂalÂly incomÂpeÂtent but do remarkÂably comÂplex things as colonies. There’s more to ants than you’d first think, so we’ve also includÂed below DebÂoÂrah GorÂdon’s preÂsenÂtaÂtion at the TED Talks conÂferÂence. It’s called “How Do Ants Know What to Do?” And it’s added to our YouTube Playlist.
Although he hasÂn’t served in govÂernÂment for more than 30 years, HenÂry Kissinger still exerÂcisÂes more powÂer interÂnaÂtionÂalÂly than JimÂmy Carter, George HW Bush and Bill ClinÂton comÂbined. That’s a strong claim, and it comes from ProÂfesÂsor JereÂmi Suri, who has a new book out on the forÂmer SecÂreÂtary of State. In a wide-rangÂing and fast movÂing conÂverÂsaÂtion (MP3 — iTunes — Feed), Suri talks about Kissinger’s legaÂcy and how his realpoliÂtik forÂeign polÂiÂcy shapes AmerÂiÂcan deciÂsion makÂing down to this very day.
The truÂism goes that laws and sausages are the two things you don’t want to see being made. NevÂerÂtheÂless, if more of us paid attenÂtion to what our conÂgresÂsionÂal repÂreÂsenÂtaÂtives are realÂly up to (and let them know when they screw up), we’d probÂaÂbly be a litÂtle hapÂpiÂer with how the sysÂtem works overÂall. Two thirds of AmerÂiÂcans think we’re on the wrong track (if recent polls are to be believed), and with the presÂiÂdenÂtial elecÂtions comÂing up there’s no betÂter time to start payÂing attenÂtion.
All that’s a long run-up to menÂtionÂing a new webÂsite iniÂtiaÂtive called Open ConÂgress designed to help the averÂage citÂiÂzen figÂure out what the heck is going on in WashÂingÂton. Track repÂreÂsenÂtaÂtives and bills that you’re interÂestÂed in; interÂact with othÂer users who share your conÂcerns; sort through data by issue or indusÂtry. It just got a litÂtle easÂiÂer to make your vote count.
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