Is moralÂiÂty a sixth sense that’s in all of us, and is it perÂhaps a prodÂuct of our bioÂlogÂiÂcal evoÂluÂtion? WritÂing recentÂly in The New York Times MagÂaÂzine, HarÂvard psyÂcholÂoÂgy proÂfesÂsor Steven Pinker sugÂgests that moralÂiÂty may well be hardÂwired. And he points to fasÂciÂnatÂing new research that backs up this belief. Pinker’s artiÂcle covÂers pretÂty much the same ground as does this engagÂing Radio Lab podÂcast (MP3 — iTunes — Feed — Web Site). TakÂing an hour-long look at the “sciÂence of moralÂiÂty,” the proÂgram gets into some fasÂciÂnatÂing stuff. It gets into the great TrolÂley moral dilemÂma, into what brain scans (MRI’s) reveal when human brains grapÂple with moral quesÂtions, and into how sciÂenÂtists think that we inherÂitÂed moral instincts from our priÂmate ancesÂtors. You’ll learn all about how moralÂiÂty is our “inner chimp.” If this is not enough, you can also lisÂten to Pinker’s interÂview yesÂterÂday on NPR’s Talk of the Nation. Get it here.
Over the past year, we’ve seen a steady supÂply of new travÂel podÂcasts comÂing online. Some are proÂduced by the pubÂlishÂers of major travÂel guides; othÂers by pasÂsionÂate indiÂvidÂual travÂelÂers. Many are in video, some even in HD. These podÂcasts will genÂerÂalÂly help you travÂel much more knowlÂedgeÂably. And, in most casÂes, they’ll say someÂthing about a travÂel desÂtiÂnaÂtion that a traÂdiÂtionÂal guide nevÂer could. This colÂlecÂtion will grow over time. You can find it housed perÂmaÂnentÂly in our PodÂcast Library locatÂed on the top right of each page. (There you can also find our colÂlecÂtion of Free LanÂguage Lessons, which will be handy, too, for your travÂels.)
A well reviewed podÂcast. “Scott and Sheryl quit their jobs and sold their home. Now they’re on a year-long excurÂsion through Europe where they’re explorÂing the places they’ve read about and dreamed of visÂitÂing. FolÂlow them on their jourÂney as they expeÂriÂence the culÂtures, art and hisÂtoÂry they find fasÂciÂnatÂing.”
FocusÂes on travÂel stoÂries with a dash of travÂel news, travÂel tips and travÂel resources. And, yes, as the title sugÂgests, it’s in video.
AnthoÂny BourÂdain — No ReserÂvaÂtionsiTunesWeb Site
ProÂduced by the TravÂel ChanÂnel, this video podÂcast comÂbines travÂel with the love of food.
This video podÂcast focusÂes on the great outÂdoors. DesÂtiÂnaÂtions explored here include Big Sur, Yosemite, Rocky MounÂtain NationÂal Park, etc. You can find an HD verÂsion of the podÂcast here.
See the real AmerÂiÂca in video. TravÂel every major road in the USA and see the counÂtry from someÂthing othÂer than a glossy, manÂuÂfacÂtured perÂspecÂtive.
TravÂel info from KelÂly Regan, ediÂtoÂrÂiÂal direcÂtor of FromÂmer’s TravÂel Guides, and David Lytle, ediÂtoÂrÂiÂal direcÂtor of Frommers.com. So far audio only. (It’s curiÂous that the big pubÂlishÂers are proÂducÂing less dynamÂic podÂcasts than the small guys are.)
Two LonÂdonÂers give you their perÂsonÂal look at Europe. This audio podÂcast was disÂconÂtinÂued in 2007, but the extenÂsive archive remains.
An interÂnet travÂel radio show that takes you to the four corÂners of the world. FeaÂtures talks with gloÂbeÂtrotÂters, artists, chefs and musiÂcians.
A visuÂal HD guide to the great city of LonÂdon.
SamanÂtha Brown: PassÂport to Latin AmerÂiÂcaiTunesWeb Site
ProÂduced by the TravÂel ChanÂnel, this well-reviewed video podÂcast often focusÂes on CenÂtral and South AmerÂiÂca, which is someÂthing that’s hard to find .… at least so far.
A 10 minute travÂel podÂcast that takes lisÂtenÂers to desÂtiÂnaÂtions around the globe to present soundÂscapes and audioÂtours from hip hotels, great restauÂrants, conÂcerts, fesÂtiÂvals and events.
ProÂduced by NationÂal GeoÂgraphÂic TravÂelÂer. “Stroll across the world, from crowdÂed city cenÂters to rusÂtic counÂtry routes, with travÂel expert Rudy Maxa in NationÂal GeoÂgraphÂic TravÂelÂer magÂaÂzine’s selecÂtion of the world’s greatÂest walkÂing tours.” In audio.
This looks like it’s the real deal — Yoko Ono’s tribÂute to John Lennon on YouTube. Among the video clips housed in the colÂlecÂtion, you’ll find footage that recapÂtures the “bed-ins” that John and Yoko famousÂly staged in MonÂtreÂal and AmsÂterÂdam in 1969 to protest the VietÂnam War. As Lennon puts it, there’s no betÂter way to protest the war than to “stay in bed and grow your hair.” That’s a form of protest that the lost slackÂer in me can appreÂciÂate.
The footage is accomÂpaÂnied by the song, “Give Peace a Chance,” which was writÂten durÂing the bed-in. It was folÂlowed latÂer that year by “War is Over! If You Want It — HapÂpy ChristÂmas From John and Yoko.” The heartÂbreakÂing YouTube video set to this song has over one milÂlion views.
In NovemÂber, Japan’s Kaguya spaceÂcraft orbitÂed the moon with a high-def camÂera onboard. You can see the first HD footage of an “earthÂrise” and “earthÂset” by checkÂing out these still images (EarthÂrise and EarthÂset) or watchÂing the video footage below, which has also been added to our YouTube playlist.
The celÂeÂbraÂtion of MarÂtin Luther King’s birthÂday was a litÂtle difÂferÂent this year. It had a politÂiÂcal edge to it, and unavoidÂably so. Dr. King’s work made posÂsiÂble what we’re finalÂly seeÂing today — a black canÂdiÂdate makÂing a seriÂous run at the AmerÂiÂcan presÂiÂdenÂcy. So it seemed entireÂly approÂpriÂate that Barack ObaÂma spoke SunÂday before the conÂgreÂgaÂtion at EbenezÂer BapÂtist Church in Atlanta, where MLK preached long ago. In this 34-minute speech, you get a perÂfect reminder of King’s legaÂcy and also a stump speech delivÂered in an oraÂtorÂiÂcal style that King would appreÂciÂate. The video clip below has been viewed close to 450,000 times on YouTube. It’s also been added to our YouTube playlist.
LibÂrivox is on a roll lateÂly. Since DecemÂber, the provider of free, pubÂlic domain audioÂbooks has released a numÂber of clasÂsic works on audio. Below, we’ve listÂed some of the highÂlights, which we’ve also includÂed in our AudioÂBook PodÂcast ColÂlecÂtion. (Here, you’ll also find free audioÂbooks by othÂer providers.) For LibÂrivox’s comÂplete catÂaÂlogue, click here.
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.
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