Big Think is one of the new media. Experimental. Different mix. No earlier models. Micro Talks. No props - person talking on white background - nonmoving close camera. Short - only 3 or 4 minutes. Riveting. Stopper ideas. Thinkers. Curiousers. Active about 2 years. Fairly large archive now.
Here is a celebration of the 10 most popular videos on their site last year. This is definitely not youtube.
"This years top videos included a rant about the distractions that are limiting workplace productivity, an evolutionary biologist's take on the problems inherent in modern dating, and a suggestion by Stephen Hawking that we must abandon the planet."
And here's another tidbit spotted on BigThink, Karen Armstrong "How to Die Well".
Wednesday, December 29, 2010
Thursday, November 18, 2010
Welcome to Av8n.com
This is mostly about aviation. But it is also about the new kind of citizenship promoted on the internet of folks who just share understandings.
John S Denker has written a most thorough manual of flight instruction "See How It Flies". In this he has broken with many long standing traditions and instructional paradigms. Many of the best traditions and paradigms continue in his scheme. He is no anarchist. But he gathers into a new mix, the physics of flight, current accident rates and causes, and a most practical common sense. He is as concerned to communicate how to stay alive as to how to fly the plane. See also his lecture "CFI Seminar - Takeoff, Landing and Maneuvering".
And he makes his book of instruction (and more) freely available! John has a double life as a PhD in Physics and as Aviation Enthusiast. Bio.
John S Denker has written a most thorough manual of flight instruction "See How It Flies". In this he has broken with many long standing traditions and instructional paradigms. Many of the best traditions and paradigms continue in his scheme. He is no anarchist. But he gathers into a new mix, the physics of flight, current accident rates and causes, and a most practical common sense. He is as concerned to communicate how to stay alive as to how to fly the plane. See also his lecture "CFI Seminar - Takeoff, Landing and Maneuvering".
And he makes his book of instruction (and more) freely available! John has a double life as a PhD in Physics and as Aviation Enthusiast. Bio.
Sunday, October 17, 2010
Snake Oil? The scientific evidence for health supplements
This interactive balloon chart took David McCandless a month to do. He collated the entire medline database to grade "evidence" and did keyword search at google to measure the public interest in any supplement. Spend some time with it. Interesting. And if you'd like check out his TED talk, The Beauty of Data Visualization on this and other aspects of his present interest in putting modern, often incomprehensible data into understandable context.
Sunday, August 29, 2010
The Videos of RSA Animate
About a dozen interesting 11 minute lectures by current leading minds, are offered by RSA Animate, a new project of a very old London group. They are illustrated during the talk in a most unique way by. Well worth the listening. Their models of community and the change upon us, are most intriguing.
"For over 250 years, the Royal Society for the encouragement of Arts, Manufactures and Commerce (RSA) has been a cradle of enlightenment thinking and a force for social progress. Our approach is multi-disciplinary, politically independent and combines cutting edge research and policy development with practical action."
The videos are also collected on youtube
"For over 250 years, the Royal Society for the encouragement of Arts, Manufactures and Commerce (RSA) has been a cradle of enlightenment thinking and a force for social progress. Our approach is multi-disciplinary, politically independent and combines cutting edge research and policy development with practical action."
The videos are also collected on youtube
Thursday, August 19, 2010
HTwins.net - The Scale of the Universe
the size of things outside our normal lives is hard to comprehend.
things get incredibly bigger and also smaller than we can really fathom.
this site starts of with a few things a centimeter or so in size.
familiar things. manageable.
then you move a slider for bigger or smaller. and each pops up or down a factor of ten.
familiar things. still manageable.
suddenly you are seeing how small viruses are and how large planets are.
less familiar things. still manageable.
then there you are
so small "it makes no sense to be smaller" - strings and quantum foam
so huge "we can't see any further" - the very edge of creation
completely unfamiliar, yet still manageable.
well done.
things get incredibly bigger and also smaller than we can really fathom.
this site starts of with a few things a centimeter or so in size.
familiar things. manageable.
then you move a slider for bigger or smaller. and each pops up or down a factor of ten.
familiar things. still manageable.
suddenly you are seeing how small viruses are and how large planets are.
less familiar things. still manageable.
then there you are
so small "it makes no sense to be smaller" - strings and quantum foam
so huge "we can't see any further" - the very edge of creation
completely unfamiliar, yet still manageable.
well done.
Space.com : The Black Hole That Made You Possible
here's an excellent series of 4 short 5 min videos on space.com on black holes. they are rather well hidden on their site and don't show up on searchs for black hole info though lots and lots of data does.
"the black hole that made you possible" is a series of 4 episodes. here is the link to the first episode. the others are presented on the same page.
the lectures have wonderful animations and space telescope shots, and are very up-to-date in terms of changing, quick moving dance between theory and observation on this subject.
"the black hole that made you possible" is a series of 4 episodes. here is the link to the first episode. the others are presented on the same page.
the lectures have wonderful animations and space telescope shots, and are very up-to-date in terms of changing, quick moving dance between theory and observation on this subject.
Saturday, June 26, 2010
YOUNG GALLERY
View a spectacular sample of the work of Nick Brandt. Black and White photography of Africa. And should you choose to purchase, only a few thousand euro!
13 things that don't make sense
A head scratching list of 13 things in New Scientist. Each little summary opens to a larger backgrounding article if one of the themes catches your fancy.
Welcome to The Responsibility Project by Liberty Mutual
An insurance company is sponsoring a novel idea - exploring responsibility in our everyday lives. Here is a growing collection very worth sharing. The front page film about a family talking about phone texting and driving is good. Also check out the 3 dozen or so short films intended to spark conversations on moral themes under "Film & Video". The one called "Lawyers" and also it's consequent comments, is particularly illustrative of the site's perspective.
Tuesday, June 15, 2010
Thursday, June 10, 2010
/home
Here is a lovely presentation of an amateur astronomer in Austria, Johannes Schedler. He is most gifted. There is art in his compositions and high science in his descriptions. Enjoy.
Sunday, May 23, 2010
Bolivia Rising
BOLIVIA: Peoples Conference model of inclusion offers only path forward on climate change
we are called to justice.
but sometimes justice is too hard, too large, too out of our league to consider. here is a story about how ordinary people can respond to such calls. the forwarded post below announces and links to a summary report of the recent climate conference held in cochabamba to save mother earth (pachamama), attended by 35,000 people. these people were not the officials that seem unable to cope with climate change, but ordinary folks who cared enough to cousel together on what needs to be done and what might compose an alternative frame to the failure of kyoto and copenhagen.
http://boliviarising.blogspot.com is an excellent window into the gentle revolution happening in south america. it is english, not spanish, and that makes it efficient also. it invites independent news folks to post articles and so is input from many perspectives. i highly recommend the feedblitz subscription of this blog.
one of the characteristics of this new "bolivarian revolution" that has been gathering momentum in south american this last decade is it's desire to find a new inclusivity. a blend of capitalism and socialism. partners not masters with the elites and the north. with a voice and justice for the poor and aboriginal. to work on a new kind of society with fair rules. new constitutions with rights to water, education and health. sustainable goals.
many are unaware of this. it finds no mention whatsover in the mainstream media, though it may well be the most respectful and successful social experiment on the planet.
http://democracynow.org is an independent english source that attends these developments.
we are called to justice.
but sometimes justice is too hard, too large, too out of our league to consider. here is a story about how ordinary people can respond to such calls. the forwarded post below announces and links to a summary report of the recent climate conference held in cochabamba to save mother earth (pachamama), attended by 35,000 people. these people were not the officials that seem unable to cope with climate change, but ordinary folks who cared enough to cousel together on what needs to be done and what might compose an alternative frame to the failure of kyoto and copenhagen.
http://boliviarising.blogspot.com is an excellent window into the gentle revolution happening in south america. it is english, not spanish, and that makes it efficient also. it invites independent news folks to post articles and so is input from many perspectives. i highly recommend the feedblitz subscription of this blog.
one of the characteristics of this new "bolivarian revolution" that has been gathering momentum in south american this last decade is it's desire to find a new inclusivity. a blend of capitalism and socialism. partners not masters with the elites and the north. with a voice and justice for the poor and aboriginal. to work on a new kind of society with fair rules. new constitutions with rights to water, education and health. sustainable goals.
many are unaware of this. it finds no mention whatsover in the mainstream media, though it may well be the most respectful and successful social experiment on the planet.
http://democracynow.org is an independent english source that attends these developments.
Thursday, May 13, 2010
Oneness: The Big Picture | Link TV
Global Spirit is a series hosted on Link TV. Here is a sample: an excellent discussion between Deepak Chopra and Riane Eisler, and host Phil Cousineau centered upon a 2005 movie "One". This movie documentary asked 20 questions of a range of persons, exploring the meaning of oneness. It is a string of pearls sort of film with little pearls of wisdom from voices like Father Keating, Thich Nhat Hahn, and many interesting citizens. Its High Def Streaming for 75 minutes. Very worth while. No commercials.
Saturday, April 24, 2010
Mark O'Connor and Ruby Jane - Fiddle Melancholia
This sweet little fiddle duet (at PopTech) is the best example I've ever heard to illustrate the sound of "just intonation".
With "just intonation", every note relates to every other note in an exact ratio: 1:2, 2:3. 4:5, etc. The brain does the math and identifies such notes as "musical". Fretless stringed instruments and wind instruments necessarily play "just" music. So also the untrained human voice (a child's nursery song). It is a characteristic of traditional music.
Modern (last few centuries) music has invented fretted instruments and keyboard instruments with "tempered intonation". The advantages are: one can play in any key without retuning the instrument, and more easily play with other instruments. The disadvantage is that any given note may be up to 3% variant from it's proper frequency in a given key. Since tempered instruments have an even difference of the 12th root of 2 between the 12 note intervals of an octave.
We've got used to this modern convenience, and seldom notice the slight dissonance between "just" and "tempered" instruments. But in such a case as this lovely bit of Americana, we are reminded how much such pure traditional music can move the heart.
With "just intonation", every note relates to every other note in an exact ratio: 1:2, 2:3. 4:5, etc. The brain does the math and identifies such notes as "musical". Fretless stringed instruments and wind instruments necessarily play "just" music. So also the untrained human voice (a child's nursery song). It is a characteristic of traditional music.
Modern (last few centuries) music has invented fretted instruments and keyboard instruments with "tempered intonation". The advantages are: one can play in any key without retuning the instrument, and more easily play with other instruments. The disadvantage is that any given note may be up to 3% variant from it's proper frequency in a given key. Since tempered instruments have an even difference of the 12th root of 2 between the 12 note intervals of an octave.
We've got used to this modern convenience, and seldom notice the slight dissonance between "just" and "tempered" instruments. But in such a case as this lovely bit of Americana, we are reminded how much such pure traditional music can move the heart.
Wednesday, April 21, 2010
old poems to new life - TED
This beautiful half hour concert at a recent TED conference will settle your spirit and please you muchly. Natalie Merchant put 6 years into searching out lovely old poems for children and presenting them in plainsong.
Saturday, April 17, 2010
CBC - Being_Erica
CBC have just put pretty much all their TV online - and in HD. Here's a way to catch the best at a time of your convenience.
Being Erica. This show is surprising. It's a strange mixture of time-travelling sci-fi and the issues of Generation X. But the appeal is it's deep spirituality. The key idea of the series is to ask "what would it be like if you could return to the scene of your regrets in life?"
If like me, you missed it, I encourage you to take it in now that it's online. This links to the first episode of the TV series on CBC this last 2 years.
Being Erica. This show is surprising. It's a strange mixture of time-travelling sci-fi and the issues of Generation X. But the appeal is it's deep spirituality. The key idea of the series is to ask "what would it be like if you could return to the scene of your regrets in life?"
If like me, you missed it, I encourage you to take it in now that it's online. This links to the first episode of the TV series on CBC this last 2 years.
Friday, April 9, 2010
Video | Economist Conferences
The Economist sponsored a "Media Convergence Forum" in New York in October 2009, and here put online, 21 videos from that conference. The first one, "Future of Media" is a top notch panel discussion on changes and possibilities on topics of Music, News, Cable, Web and Citizenship. Other panels are about kids, social media, privacy, and marketing. A lot of demo videos also.
Monday, April 5, 2010
Bolivia Rising: Communitarian Socialism in Bolivia
Bolivia Rising is an excellent source of news on the encouraging democratic political reformation of Latin America. Various independent voices are here published in English. This essay is a good example - a summary of the present position, some few details on what peaceful revolution looks like ... what justice looks like! Roger Burbach is director of the Center for the Study of the Americas (CENSA)
Saturday, April 3, 2010
Ambassador Eikenberry's Cables on U.S. Strategy in Afghanistan#p=1
These leaked secret documents from the US Afghan Ambassador reveal the folly of 8 years and the complete lack of civilian program to create stability. Click here for the back story.
Wednesday, March 10, 2010
Journeyman Pictures : Documentary Distributor, Documentaries on Demand, DVD, Educational, Footage : Journeyman Pictures
Independent Excellent Short Documentaries "Journeyman Pictures is like a video encyclopedia of the world with over 5,000 films." The films offer snippets but one must purchase streaming time $6/day or $200/year.
But there are a small selection of them on YouTube. Sample: a beautiful and moving 12 minute film is Banking on Change - India "J.S Parthibhan is a bank manager with a difference: he's interested in people, not numbers. Through micro loans, he helps villagers in rural areas develop a sense of entrepreneurship."
But there are a small selection of them on YouTube. Sample: a beautiful and moving 12 minute film is Banking on Change - India "J.S Parthibhan is a bank manager with a difference: he's interested in people, not numbers. Through micro loans, he helps villagers in rural areas develop a sense of entrepreneurship."
Tuesday, March 9, 2010
Tim Berners-Lee: The year open data went worldwide | Video on TED.com
Open Data Here in 5 minutes is how the internet is changing the way the world works. How single human beings scattered the world over are hearing and helping each other.
Tim Berners-Lee is the chap who invented HTML - the code that transformed the internet from text to it's modern multimedia format. A year ago he called for an open sharing of data. Here is his report of what has happened. The process he describes happening in mapping in Haiti right now is simply stunning.
Tim Berners-Lee is the chap who invented HTML - the code that transformed the internet from text to it's modern multimedia format. A year ago he called for an open sharing of data. Here is his report of what has happened. The process he describes happening in mapping in Haiti right now is simply stunning.
Saturday, March 6, 2010
John Battelle's Searchblog
The Database of Intentions Here's a worthy essay. An explanation in human terms of the technical structures changing everything.
"The Database of Intentions is simply this: The aggregate results of every search ever entered, every result list ever tendered, and every path taken as a result. This information represents, in aggregate form, a place holder for the intentions of humankind - a massive database of desires, needs, wants, and likes that can be discovered, supoenaed, archived, tracked, and exploited to all sorts of ends. Such a beast has never before existed in the history of culture, but is almost guaranteed to grow exponentially from this day forward. This artifact can tell us extraordinary things about who we are and what we want as a culture. And it has the potential to be abused in equally extraordinary fashion.
"The Database of Intentions is simply this: The aggregate results of every search ever entered, every result list ever tendered, and every path taken as a result. This information represents, in aggregate form, a place holder for the intentions of humankind - a massive database of desires, needs, wants, and likes that can be discovered, supoenaed, archived, tracked, and exploited to all sorts of ends. Such a beast has never before existed in the history of culture, but is almost guaranteed to grow exponentially from this day forward. This artifact can tell us extraordinary things about who we are and what we want as a culture. And it has the potential to be abused in equally extraordinary fashion.
Tuesday, February 16, 2010
Haiti: A Creditor, Not a Debtor | Naomi Klein
Haiti Naomi and partner Avi continue to bring forward issues of justice - a much needed service when main media serves only the masters of our economy. In this essay Naomi challenges the notion that Haiti is and ever will be in our debt. She also makes reference to Avi's piece (youtube/aljezeerah) Faultlines - the politics of rebuilding. His micro documentary will certainly inform you of Haitian hope against the probable outcome of a huge expansion of $3/day sweatshops.
Tuesday, January 26, 2010
Haiti - the politics of rice
In a two part 22 minute documentary video from Youtube/Al Jezeerah, Avi Lewis examines the reasons for Haiti's poverty and what the present crisis might bring. There continues to be two forces in contest in Haiti - on the one side justice and hope that the Haitian people might be returned their opportunities, and on the other that the globalized version of economic impoverishment will be re-asserted.
Two pieces of good news. IMF has under pressure changed their immediate offer of a $100,000,000 loan with the continued minimum wage stricture to a grant. Venezuala has forgiven a $380,000,000 debt for past oil and is shipping more across the Dominican Republic border.
Two pieces of good news. IMF has under pressure changed their immediate offer of a $100,000,000 loan with the continued minimum wage stricture to a grant. Venezuala has forgiven a $380,000,000 debt for past oil and is shipping more across the Dominican Republic border.
Sunday, January 24, 2010
X PRIZE Foundation
X PRIZE Foundation Peter Diamandis' vision has attracted many of the "movers and shakers" of our time. The X-prize endeavor is a nurturing of the seeds of the future. Explore this site and discover the many new x-prize areas. But first listen to his talk on TV Ontario in their Big Ideas series. LINK (Please be patient - this link loads before playing). The talk was delivered at the Perimeter Institute in Waterloo in Oct 2008. Peter describes how this all came to be and introduces us to their current projects, not the least of which is Singularity University.
View Past Public Lectures - Perimeter Institute for Theoretical Physics
Public Lectures Here is a wonderful collection of physics lectures. Another indication of the web sharing that so rapidly is extending the university to the people.
Here's their self description: "Perimeter Institute is a major centre for theoretical physics research, attracting a diverse community of resident and visiting scientists from around the world. They cluster in Waterloo, Ontario, to forge new, mind-bending ideas about the ultimate nature of our universe, from space and time to matter and forces. Driven by curiosity, their mission is to unlock nature’s most profound secrets hidden deep inside the atom and far across the universe."
Here's their self description: "Perimeter Institute is a major centre for theoretical physics research, attracting a diverse community of resident and visiting scientists from around the world. They cluster in Waterloo, Ontario, to forge new, mind-bending ideas about the ultimate nature of our universe, from space and time to matter and forces. Driven by curiosity, their mission is to unlock nature’s most profound secrets hidden deep inside the atom and far across the universe."
Saturday, January 9, 2010
Videos - Gapminder.org
Videos - Gapminder.org i thought i'd check up on hans rosling. well worth the visit. he's got 3 dozen video shorts now illustrating his incredible gapminder presentation system of statistical data. subjects include cancer and hiv rates, millenium development goals, co2 emissions, world health and income.
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