The New York Times asks: Can an old brain learn, and then rememÂber what it learns? Can it keep nimÂble and throw off the rust? HapÂpiÂly, new studÂies sugÂgest that it can, and it largeÂly comes down to nudgÂing neuÂrons in the right direcÂtion by chalÂlengÂing our ingrained perÂcepÂtions, conÂfronting new ideas, and conÂstantÂly pushÂing to disÂcovÂer new things. Get more on how to keep your mind sharp here.
We can’t help you get fit (at least physÂiÂcalÂly) in the new year. But we can help you learn a new lanÂguage. Our colÂlecÂtion of Free LanÂguage Lessons covÂers 37 lanÂguages, and we have now develÂoped secÂtions dedÂiÂcatÂed to comÂmonÂly sought after lanÂguages. (See below.) Please keep in mind that the colÂlecÂtion also feaÂtures less freÂquentÂly spoÂken languages–Maori, LuxÂemÂbourÂgish, TagaÂlog, YidÂdish and beyond. For all lanÂguages, please visÂit the full colÂlecÂtion How to Learn LanÂguages for Free: SpanÂish, EngÂlish, ChiÂnese & 37 OthÂer LanÂguages:
YesÂterÂday, Jon GorÂdon (the host of Future Tense, a techÂnolÂoÂgy show aired by AmerÂiÂcan PubÂlic Media) disÂcussed the major tech innoÂvaÂtions of the decade. At the end of the show (around the 49th minute), a caller asked: “What’s the neatÂest site, in terms of wow facÂtor, that makes you say holy cow this is so cool?” And, in answer, Jon respondÂed: Open CulÂture. We’re not cutÂting edge. We’re under-read and under-appreÂciÂatÂed. (All probÂaÂbly true — any thoughts on how to fix that?). But we delivÂer the goods. Thanks very much Jon, and thanks for allowÂing me the rare self-pat on the back. You can lisÂten to the interÂview below or access it here. And, if you want, you can folÂlow us on TwitÂter and FaceÂbook and get updatÂed on all new bits of Open CulÂture.
CouldÂn’t let you down. CouldÂn’t let the year end withÂout givÂing you a “best of” list. So here it goes. A pureÂly subÂjecÂtive list. 25 items. Some eduÂcaÂtionÂal; some a litÂtle more enterÂtainÂing; some popÂuÂlar, etc. I hope you enjoy, and you can always search through our comÂplete archive here. Thanks all, and best wishÂes in ’10.
Yup, we menÂtioned Quentin TaranÂtiÂno last week, and we’re doing it again this week because Rosario has unearthed this nice clip. In six snapÂpy minÂutes, TaranÂtiÂno (direcÂtor of Pulp FicÂtion, ReserÂvoir Dog, IngloÂriÂous BasÂterÂds, etc) lists his favorites films made since 1992 — when he, himÂself, startÂed makÂing films. You’ll know some of these titles, but likeÂly not othÂers.
Today, we’re rolling out a sizÂable colÂlecÂtion of Free eBooks, most of them clasÂsics, that feaÂtures major works writÂten by James Joyce, F. Scott FitzgerÂald, Jane Austen, NietÂzsche and othÂers. (We have even thrown in a litÂtle Paulo CoelÂho.) You’ll find 100+ free ebooks in total, and you can downÂload the texts to your comÂputÂer, smart phone (iPhone, Android, etc.) or KinÂdle, dependÂing on the forÂmat you choose. Our eBooks Primer overviews the difÂferÂent downÂload options, so please give it a quick read over. Below, we’ve postÂed a quick samÂple from the new colÂlecÂtion (plus a link to the entire list of Free eBooks). Feel free to offer feedÂback and share the list with friends. Down the road, you can always find this colÂlecÂtion in the top navÂiÂgaÂtion bar. Just looks for eBooks.
Note: Don’t forÂget to check in on Seth HarÂwood’s big KinÂdle experÂiÂment. What hapÂpens when you sell your book for 99 cents on the KinÂdle? Find out as the experÂiÂment unfolds. StoÂry here.
About a week ago, I postÂed here about my PubÂlishÂing ExperÂiÂment Take 1. I spoke of the need for authors (Yes, Authors!) to make experÂiÂments in new media and pubÂlishÂing. Well, now’s the time to put my ficÂtion where my mouth is. Today I’m launchÂing my colÂlecÂtion of short stoÂries, A Long Way from DisÂney, on AmaÂzon’s KinÂdle platÂform at the price of $.99.
It’s that time of the year. Or rather that time of the decade. It’s time for “best of” lists — good ones, often banal ones, and someÂtimes bad ones. Here’s one good list that might serve you well next year. TwenÂty-Five EssenÂtial Films of the 2000s feaÂtures some films that you’ve undoubtÂedÂly seen (The Lord of the Rings, Munich, There Will Be Blood) , but probÂaÂbly a good numÂber that you haven’t (Three Times, Fat Girl, The Blind SwordsÂman: ZatoÂichi). If you’re lookÂing to replenÂish your NetÂflix queue in 2010, it’s not a bad place to begin …
One thing is for sure. David Lynch has nevÂer been conÂvenÂtionÂal. Not now, and not durÂing his earÂly years. While putting togethÂer our colÂlecÂtion of Free Movies Online, we unearthed sevÂerÂal short films from the 1960s, when Lynch was getÂting his start. His very first film, Six Men GetÂting Sick (Six Times), appears above. Links to the othÂers can be found below. A DVD conÂtainÂing these and othÂer earÂly Lynch films can be bought on AmaÂzon here.
To eat bacon sandÂwichÂes? Or not to eat bacon sandÂwichÂes? That’s the quesÂtion that David SpiegelÂhalÂter, “ProÂfesÂsor Risk” at CamÂbridge UniÂverÂsiÂty, tackÂles in this short video examÂinÂing stats, life, and whether we should err on the side of cauÂtion … or risk. This clip is part of CamÂbridge’s YouTube chanÂnel, which now appears in our Smart YouTube ColÂlecÂtion.
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