Video: Wes Anderson Centered
In this short elegant montage, the filmmaker Kogonada demonstrates how the technique of “centering” a shot is, well, central to the technique of Wes Anderson.
Video: Tilda Swinton reads Rumi’s poem “Like This”
Tilda Swinton reads Rumi’s poem “Like This” translated by Coleman Barks. Jalāl ad-Dīn Muhammad Rūmī, also known as Jalāl ad-Dīn Muhammad Balkhī, and more popularly as Rūmī (1207 – 1273), … Continue reading
Doug Anderson: Terra Incognita (from a journal)
“Terra Incognita” is the phrase old mapmakers used to suggest the world outside the borders of the known world. They would mark these areas with dragons and other monsters. That … Continue reading
Video: Sebastião Salgado — The silent drama of photography
Economics PhD Sebastião Salgado took up photography in his 30s, and the discipline became an obsession. His years-long projects beautifully capture the human side of a global story that all … Continue reading
Video: Frans de Waal — Moral Behavior in Animals
Empathy, cooperation, fairness and reciprocity — caring about the well-being of others seems like a very human trait. But Frans de Waal shares some surprising videos of behavioral tests, on … Continue reading
Clifford Thompson: Twin of Blackness
I have come to think of blackness as my twin. The proof is that we came along at the same time: 1963, the year of my birth, also brought the … Continue reading
John Samuel Tieman: The Art
To honor Lawrence Ferlinghetti on his 96th birthday, I send along this poem about poems. i I’ve never written a poem that said what I meant one means as much … Continue reading
Video: Mark Twain at Stormfield, 1909 (Edison film)
Shot by Thomas Edison in 1909, this digital restoration of a short film is most likely the only moving image of Twain in existence. Watch him strolling around Stormfield, his … Continue reading
Doug Anderson: Walt Whitman at the Huntington Malls along Walt Whitman Avenue
. I celebrate myself even amid this sheet-rocked temple of kitsch, even in the asphalt tributaries of traffic in which giant Bentleys bumble like Junebugs through the lesser Hondas of … Continue reading
Video: The Tomato Effect
Why does the medical establishment ignore highly efficacious therapies such as plant-based diets for heart disease prevention and treatment? In this video, Dr. Michael Greger recalls an amusing but sad example … Continue reading
Eduardo Galeano: In Praise of Nellie Bly
. On this morning in 1889, Nellie Bly set off. Jules Verne did not believe that this pretty little woman could circle the globe by herself in less than eighty … Continue reading
Dr. Neal Barnard: Cholesterol and Heart Disease
Nearly 2,200 Americans die of cardiovascular disease daily, with an average of one death occurring every 40 seconds. An estimated 7.1 million Americans have experienced a heart attack during their … Continue reading
Dr. Michael Greger: Eating Nuts May Extend Your Lifespan By About 2 years
We’ve known that increased nut consumption has been associated with a reduced risk of major chronic diseases, such as heart disease and diabetes. But do those who eat nuts actually … Continue reading
John Samuel Tieman: On Catholic Anti-Semitism
Perhaps the greatest challenge for anyone religious is to consider The Answer, but hold off on The Rule. Not long ago, I wrote an essay about growing up Catholic. It … Continue reading
