Comedian and actor Peter Serafinowicz speaks with Boing Boing about his new DVD, and his spot-on Beatles impression skills.

Mardi Gras 1956: "Through my father's lens" (Boing Boing Video)

Rare and historic film from Mardi Gras in New Orleans, Louisiana, from 1956. The daughter of an amateur photographer discovers midcentury parade photos taken by her father, after he has passed away.

Boing Boing presents "O Pato," a new music video from the NASA project directed by Didiu Rio Branco and Robson Minghini, featuring Kool Kojak and DJ Babao.

Haiti Earthquake Update: AIDG's Catherine Lainé, live from Haiti (BB Video)

Watch on YouTube | Download MP4 | Dotsub (with foreign language translations)

In this episode of Boing Boing Video, I speak with Haitian-American blogger and sustainable tech development activist Catherine Lainé (photo at left from earlier this year). She was working in Haiti when the catastrophic earthquake struck earlier this week. Catherine spoke to us via Skype video from Cap-Haïtien, where she is working out of a space shared with AIDG (Appropriate Infrastructure Development Group) and a kindred nonprofit known as SOIL.

A number of her family members live in Haiti. At the time of this interview, all were safely accounted for, except for her brother, who resides in the devastated capital city of Port-au-Prince. He is currently still missing. Catherine is trying to get into the city to locate him, as I publish this blog post.

Among the observations she shares: aid groups are running out of body bags, and corpses are piling up so fast that the morgues have no space. The internet is a vital form of communication, as are cellphones—when they work—and she is seeing people in Haiti using social networking services as a means to try and locate missing loved ones within Haiti. The environment is so chaotic and roads so badly damaged that even in-country, mobile technology and web-based social networking services like Facebook are playing a vital role in the reconnection process. Don't assume that because Haiti is so poor, nobody's using the internet. She says cell service has been spotty, with certain carriers performing better than others. She connected to us using WIMAX, and the degree to which that service has performed during the disaster makes her a real believer in the promise of that particular wireless technology.

Edited video transcript after the jump (recorded at 1130pm ET on Jan. 14, 2010), along with Catherine's suggestions on how to help.

On the eve of Adolf Hitler's Third Reich, a young woman of Jewish descent married an Aryan man. The Nazis would later classify that as a "privileged marriage," which saved her life while millions died. Her name is Elizabeth Pschorr, and this is her story.

Swell Season on Boing Boing Video

Swell Season (Irish musician Glen Hansard and Czech singer and pianist Markéta Irglová) speak with Boing Boing's David Pescovitz, and perform an unreleased song for us during a US tour.

Boing Boing contributing editor Lisa Katayama reports on the marriage in Japan between a man known as "Sal9000" and Nene Anegasaki, a character in the Nintendo DS dating simulation game "Love Plus."

N.A.S.A. feat. Tom Waits + Kool Keith: "Spacious Thoughts"

Boing Boing presents a music video from the N.A.S.A project: "Spacious Thoughts," featuring Tom Waits & Kool Keith, directed by Fluorescent Hill.

After a live recording session of the Carolina Chocolate Drops at Village Studios, Santa Monica, an impromptu jam with visiting "nouveau oldtime" guests. Blind Boy Paxton, Dom Flemons (of the Carolina Chocolate Drops), and Frank Fairfield.

Test-driving the Electrobite, a trilobite-shaped DIY vehicle (BB Video)

Boing Boing talks with the creators of the Electrobite, a DIY art-vehicle in the form of the prehistoric trilobite creature.

"Man in the Sand," from Gordon Gano and the Ryans' new record "Under the Sun." Video dorected by Matt Mahurin.

Digital Open Winners: Australian Teen Crafts "Sneaky" Games

Harry Lee, 16, of Melbourne on his "Sneaky Card" game, which explores social interactions between people -- a winning project in the Digital Open, an open tech expo for youth from IFTF, Sun Microsystems, and Boing Boing.

Meet a 15-year-old kid from Spain who is fascinated by eco-friendly architecture, and designing smart homes that rely on renewable energy.

Digital Open Winners: From pocket-sized Altoids tin hack, big dreams emerge

Meet Digital Open winner Nick Brenn. This teen's crafty Altoids tin hacks led to his "Electronikits" store, which sells electronics kits for pocket-sized tin-mod flashlights and other DIY oddities.

Digital Open teen winner Alexis McAdams describes her vision of "Dioractive," a living diorama project in which human beings enact current events, to create empathy and understanding.

Digital Open Winner: teen creates a robot shop

Brennon Williams, whose Digital Open project offers robotics kits to beginners, talks about his creations. Institute for the Future teamed up with Sun Microsystems and Boing Boing to create the Digital Open, an online tech expo for global teens.

Institute for the Future teamed up with Sun Microsystems and Boing Boing to create the Digital Open, an online tech expo for global teens. Meet a winning team: "Hybrid Airship" by robotic blimp builders "The Funky Shiitake Mushrooms."

Digital Open Winners: A student website by and for teens.

Meet a winning team from the Digital Open teen tech expo: "Centralized Student Website," by Raymond Zhong and Aatash Parikh.

Ever wondered what a giant, sprawling, three-day music festival in the desert would look like if it were nano-crammed into five minutes? Filmmaker Ray Klein's time-lapse of Coachella 2009 shows us.

Boing Boing Video: SYNESTHESIA, a film by Jonathan Fowler.

Boing Boing presents a remix of "Synesthesia," a documentary directed by Jonathan Fowler about people whose senses blend, or mix. For instance: a synesthete might see colors when listening to music, or taste flavors when hearing a spoken word.

An ode to the periodic table of elements, by alt-quirk-pop band They Might Be Giants, from the new album "Here Comes Science."

Doctor Who Exit Interview: David Tennant + Russell T. Davies, with Richard Metzger (BB Video)

David Tennant and Russell T. Davies, the outgoing star and executive producer of Doctor Who, in conversation with BB Video guest host Richard Metzger.

Excerpts from the Mighty Boosh live show held July 28, 2009 at the Roxy on Sunset, Los Angeles, CA.

(BB Video) Mighty Boosh, pt 3: Slashfic, Boosh books, Eleanor's NORAD link

In the final portion of Xeni's interview with Noel Fielding and Julian Barratt, we explore slashfiction, Eleanor's secret NORAD link, and Boosh books.

Part 2 of Xeni's interview with Mighty Boosh creators Julian Barratt and Noel Fielding focuses on the "power of the crimp," nonsensical rhyming Brit-raps featured on the hit BBC show.

BB Video: Xeni with Noel Fielding and Julian Barratt of The Mighty Boosh (pt 1)

Noel Fielding and Julian Barratt of "The Mighty Boosh," a hit BBC comedy show described as "Sid and Marty Krofft meets Frank Zappa," in conversation with BB's Xeni Jardin.

Theo Gray, Popsci.com columnist and "Mad Science" author, shows us how to perform DIY electrochemical machining with homemade gadgets.

(BB Video) Send Me a Link: The Art of Cassandra C. Jones

Xeni interviews artist Cassandra C. Jones. Her work uses "found photography" from search engines to explore how we relate to images online.

In this 1944 "Soundie" which inspired the Devo song and video “Whip It,” a cowboy flirts with cowgirls sitting on a a fence, and strips one of them with his whip.

Boing Boing Video review: Joel tries the Sigma DP2 camera

Boing Boing Gadgets' Joel Johnson reviews the Sigma DP2, which promises very high quality images with a compact device form.

 TV viewing at highest since 1992 |Media |guardian.co.uk

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 Sky drops ITV court fight as it cuts stake -Business News, Business - The Independent

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 BBC - BBC Internet Blog: Drama on BBC HD

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 Freeview slots up for grabs | News | Broadcast

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DAB debate in the House

 DAB debate in the House

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Digital Radio UKs Ford Ennals and a switch thats very far from over Media The Guardian

 Digital Radio UKs Ford Ennals and a switch thats very far from over |Media |The Guardian

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 Interview: Michael Lyons fights the BBC Trusts corner |Media |The Guardian

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 Digital TV - News - JML fails in Freesat EPG listing appeal - Digital Spy

 TV industry demands closer involvement in Project Canvas

Welsh regional news bidders line up for beauty contest Media guardiancouk

 Welsh regional news bidders line up for beauty contest |Media |guardian.co.uk

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 Media Talk: John Terry and the superinjunction

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 TV makers and retailers voice concerns over Project Canvas |Media |guardian.co.uk

 TV product placement: Bradshaw bans nasties |Media |The Guardian

Humax HD Fox T2 early review Finally Freeview HD is here - Crave at CNET UK

 Humax HD Fox T2 early review: Finally, Freeview HD is here - Crave at CNET UK

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 Tory government to scrap BBC Trust |Media |guardian.co.uk

You gotta love the feisty attitude of former 'M*A*S*H' stars Alan Alda and Wayne Rogers about Sunday's Super Bowl broadcast being a record-breaker. Alda was gracious about the 'M*A*S*H' finale being topped by the Super Bowl broadcast. The New Orleans Saints victory over the Indianapolis Colts had more total viewers than the 1983 'M*A*S*H' finale. But Alda and Rogers both added a shot of vinegar to their honey coated responses.

Alda said in a statement to the L.A. Times, "If they broke our record, I'm happy for New Orleans and I hope it gives even more to cheer about to a city I love." However, he did wonder about how Nielsen measured the audience. It's a good question and one many people ask.

Continue reading Alan Alda's Take on the Super Bowl Besting 'M*A*S*H' Record

Filed under: Sports, TV Royalty, OpEd, Celebrities, Ratings, Reality-Free

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Review: 'Damages' - 'Flight's at 11:08'

(S03E03) "Tonight's been educational." - Patty

Educational it was, both for Patty Hewes and viewers alike, as last night's 'Damages' proved that it can tell one helluva narrative without any of those pesky "six months from now" flashes. 'Flight's at 11:08' isn't the first episode to put the back and forth, past/present/future jumps on the back-burner, but it is the earliest it's happened in a season. Normally, those narrative devices don't fade away until the climactic moment later in the season when everything collides. What we got instead was a bit of different angle for 'Damages' as last night's episode was driven by the characters and not the over-arching plot.

Continue reading Review: 'Damages' - 'Flight's at 11:08'

Filed under: OpEd, Episode Reviews, Damages, Reality-Free

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This little bit of news has been lost in all of the Leno/Conan/NBC chaos (and overshadowed by this past Sunday's Super Bowl commercial with Jay, Dave, and Oprah), but tonight is the last episode of 'The Jay Leno Show.'

The guests tonight are Ashton Kutcher, Gabourey Sidibe, and Bob Costas. I know, they're not exactly the type of guests that a person has on their final show (no offense to Mr. Kutcher, Ms. Sidibe, or Mr. Costas), but this probably was not meant to be a final show when they were booked. Or maybe it's no big deal even to them and they just want to end things.

I'm sure there's going to be a lot of tears tonight as Jay shows a montage of all of the great bits from his show. Set your DVRs America!

I don't know what's in store for this Jay Leno person after his show ends tonight. But he's a funny, talented guy, and I wouldn't be surprised if NBC gave him another show at some point.

Filed under: Celebrities, Reality-Free, Jay Leno

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Paul Reiser Is Thinking About a Return to NBC

Paul Reiser, one of the stars of NBC's "Must See TV" heyday of the 1990s, is reportedly returning to the Peacock Network. Thankfully, he's not producing a hokey reality game show like his pal, Jerry Seinfeld.

Reiser, co-creator and star of NBC's hit sitcom 'Mad About You', is executive producing and starring in a new single-camera pilot backed by Warner Bros. Word is that NBC has picked up the project, possibly to help fill the coming gaps in its schedule thanks to Leno's return to late night.

Continue reading Paul Reiser Is Thinking About a Return to NBC

Filed under: Other Comedy Shows, Industry, Programming, Reality-Free

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(S07E15) Remember how Charlie and Chelsea's relationship was drifting into the danger zone last week? You know that 'to be continued' we were left with... well, we picked up with the story as Charlie and Alan had cleaned up at home after their sojourn in the woods -- Jake, too -- only to find that Chelsea was pulling a 'Charlie.' That's right, she was coming home in the wee small hours of the morning and hadn't bothered to call. More on that and Alan's topiary below the belt after the jump.

Continue reading Review: 'Two and a Half Men' - 'Aye, Aye Captain'

Filed under: Other Comedy Shows, OpEd, Episode Reviews, Reality-Free

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Howard Stern Says He Really Is Interested in Simon's Idol Seat

Love him or hate him, Howard Stern has confirmed his interest in Simon Cowell's seat on 'American Idol'. This goes along with the earlier announcement that 'Idol' producers are interested as having Stern as a judge.

This entire situation seems more sound and fury and it's unlikely that anything would come of it. All Stern has in common with Cowell is the ability to be obnoxious and denigrating of other people. Cowell at least had ties to the music industry before appearing as an 'Idol' judge. While Howard Stern does work in radio, he thankfully has not released a CD of himself singing the Beatles' greatest hits. If he has, I missed it.

Most likely this situation is being used by Stern as a bargaining chip for a renegotiation of his contract with Sirius. Stern would be too much of a turn-off for the majority of viewers for 'American Idol'. If he does end up replacing Cowell, then it could signal the beginning of the end of 'American Idol'.

Filed under: Industry, Programming, OpEd, American Idol, Celebrities, Celebrity Commentary, Casting, Reality-Free

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(S08E07) I'm going to whine a lot about this episode, so that's just a little warning to anyone absolutely loving this season of '24.' But first, let's talk about the great scene where Renee goes ballistic, stabs Vladimir, then accidentally stabs Jack. Then Jack takes the knife out and hurls it at the other guy coming in the door. Awesome!

Ok, now for the bad stuff. For one thing, I thought we were going to get to see Renee kick some major butt this season. So far, she's just a wimpy female with a big fat vengeance chip on her shoulder who still gets knocked around by the bad guys (excepting that awesome scene noted above). Come on, Renee! I want a female Jack Bauer, not some sniveling sap!

Continue reading Review: '24' - '10:00PM - 11:00PM'

Filed under: OpEd, 24, Episode Reviews, Reality-Free

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Review: 'Life Unexpected' - 'Bong Intercepted'

(S01E04) I am so excited for the return of the infamous bong lamp, but wow, does it cause some major trouble. Last week, we saw Lux sell Baze's pride and joy to help cover his bar rent. Two weeks ago, the offending lamp was also one of the reasons Baze was denied full custody of Lux. This week, it's the reason she gets suspended from her fancy-pants public school. Stupid lamp, can't do anything right.

We're ratcheting up the drama here this week. Lux's illusions of family life crumble a bit more as she and Cate, in the grand traditions of mothers and daughters everywhere, clash something awful.

Continue reading Review: 'Life Unexpected' - 'Bong Intercepted'

Filed under: Other Drama Shows, OpEd, Episode Reviews, Reality-Free

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(S04E19) Volume Five came to a climactic end, and as with past volumes, it was both exciting and a little bit of a letdown. But also in keeping with tradition, it left the door open for exciting possibilities in Volume Six, teased at the end of the episode, despite a fifth season not being a certainty at this point.

I suspect, though, that NBC will in fact bring the show back, despite it's lackluster ratings performance. A reboot, of sorts, to the franchise could revitalize it in the same way 'Chuck' has seen ratings improve this season. Properly handled, 'Heroes' is a show that could go several seasons. "Properly handled" is the key to that phrase, and it has been mismanaged for too long.

Continue reading Review: 'Heroes' - 'Brave New World' (season finale)

Filed under: OpEd, Heroes, Episode Reviews, Reality-Free

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Review: 'Chuck' - 'Chuck Versus the Mask'

(S03E07) This was the last 'Chuck' until after the Winter Olympics, so it was important that we made some progress with the intersect -- natch -- and also the Hannah and Sarah situations. Ever since she flew into Chuck Bartowski's life, Hannah has seemed too good to be true. Is she really? And what of Chuck and Sarah's on/off relationship? Fortunately, we got a good take on it all, as well as some edge-of-the-seat thrills. More after the jump.

Continue reading Review: 'Chuck' - 'Chuck Versus the Mask'

Filed under: OpEd, Episode Reviews, Chuck, Reality-Free

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(S06E14) "You can do it." - Cuddy

I get the reason for making an episode like '5 to 9.' Long running show that's popular. Established characters and story structure. The desire for David Shore, Katie Jacobs, and the rest of the 'House' crew to try something different is to be expected. However, that doesn't mean they should have done it. '5 to 9' wasn't a bad episode (in many ways, it felt like a back-door pilot for Cuddy), but it was, in a word, pointless. At the end of the day, '5 to 9' doesn't really add anything to the world of 'House,' and its outside-the-box attempt at being different just ended up being forgettable.

Continue reading Review: 'House' - '5 to 9'

Filed under: OpEd, House, Episode Reviews, Reality-Free

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Review: 'How I Met Your Mother' - 'Rabbit or Duck'

(S05E15) I've noticed that the last few episodes of 'HIMYM' have largely taken place in the "home booth" at MacLaren's. I know it's the 21st century version of the couch at Central Perk, but the world of 'Mother' is a lot bigger than that these days. And, besides, Cobie Smulders and Alyson Hannigan aren't pregnant anymore; there's no need to hide their baby bumps under the table anymore.

That being said, it's a great place for two of this show's signature "bits" to start: 1) Absurd arguments, and 2) Incessant ball-busting. We saw both of these this week, with Ranjit thrown into the mix to make things more interesting. What really made this episode wasn't just the Rabbit/Duck argument, though; it was the subtle direction shifts that made loyal viewers think Ted was going in one not so good direction, when he was really going in a worse -- but more fun! -- direction.

Continue reading Review: 'How I Met Your Mother' - 'Rabbit or Duck'

Filed under: How I Met Your Mother, Episode Reviews, Reality-Free

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(S01E01) Networks usually give the post-Super Bowl time slot to household series or to series they really believe in and want to offer a ratings booster. This year, CBS decided to give the post-Super Bowl time slot to the new reality documentary series 'Undercover Boss.'

The series follows high-level CEOs are they go undercover in their own company to examine how things work outside of their ivory towers.

In the premiere, Larry O'Donnell (pictured right), president and COO of Waste Management, got out of his suit and put on worker clothes to live a day in the lives of four of his employees.

Does the concept work? Will I tune in for more? My two cents coming up!

Continue reading Review: 'Undercover Boss' - Series Premiere

Filed under: Other Reality Shows, Episode Reviews, Reality-Free

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Jorge Garcia's New 'Lost' Podcast Just Melted My Brain

Jorge Garcia, the dude who plays Hurley on 'Lost', has launched a new weekly podcast about the show's final season, lovingly titled "Geronimo Jack's Beard."

You can download the first episode now, which features Jorge and co-host Beth Shady discussing the script for last week's premiere 'LA X Parts 1 & 2'. It's a fun listen, but don't expect to hear any plot spoilers from Jorge, who clearly states that he's "not the answer guy."

While listening to "GJB," I honestly wasn't expecting to get any definitive answers to the four million questions I have about the premiere. (I doubt Jorge could get away with sneaking spoilers into the recording.) Still, I was hoping to get a few clues about the strange new "flash sideways" storyline.

But the podcast left me even more confused about the premiere than I was before.

Continue reading Jorge Garcia's New 'Lost' Podcast Just Melted My Brain

Filed under: OpEd, Lost, Watercooler Talk, Reality-Free

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As the title says, the Goth Geek God himself, Neil Gaiman, has penned an episode of the British iconic program 'Doctor Who'. Gaiman has already written for television (including an episode of 'Babylon 5' and his British TV series 'Neverwhere') but this represents the first time he has written for a program that he actually watched as a child. If you listen carefully, you can hear all the nerd brains around the world exploding.

Gaiman himself announced this at a British sci-fi convention this past weekend and shocked everyone with this bombshell during an award acceptance speech. However, the folks behind our favorite Time Lord would not confirm Gaiman's statement. Hopefully he didn't jump the gun with this announcement. It would be a shame if he had to renege on it later.

The episode might be called 'The House of Nothing' (the announcement is nothing if not vague) and supposedly will air sometime in 2011, during the next season. Neil Gaiman, meet Matt Smith.

Filed under: Industry, OpEd, Doctor Who, Celebrities, Reality-Free

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Big Shot TV Producers Aren't Straying From Familiar Territory, And Why Not?

If you're one of the fortunate few who make it big in the television biz, shouldn't you take the opportunity to use that cushy cushion you have built for yourself and take a big risk on something exciting and new? Not if you're one of these big television producers.

Big shots like Shawn Ryan, David E. Kelley, and Shonda Rhimes all have pilots in the can that don't seem to stray much farther from the shows that made them the big shots that they are today.

For instance, Ryan, creator of the groundbreaking FX cop drama 'The Shield,' has another cop drama premiering with Fox called 'Ridealong.' Kelley, the writer/producer behind 'The Practice' and 'Boston Legal,' has created a reality drama for NBC called 'Kindred.' Even Rhimes, the woman behind ABC's 'Grey's Anatomy,' has another medical drama show for ABC called 'Off the Map.' Is ABC looking to create an all-medical soap opera cable channel in the coming year?

Filed under: Other Drama Shows, Industry, Grey's Anatomy, Pickups and Renewals, Reality-Free

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The family reality show that would never say die just died.

TLC has officially canceled the long-running 'American Chopper', which has been on the air since 2003 when it first found footing on the Discovery Channel. The show's final episode will air on Thursday.

Say what you will about the series running past its prime, but both the show and its subjects have been through a hell of a lot of mayhem. The shop played host to a ton of thick, rich drama, capping with the final season in which Paul Jr. leaves the shop on very heated terms and eventually led to Paul Sr. suing his son for a $1 million in back company stock.

If you're curious to know how things will wrap up, check out a preview of the final episode at Turbo.Discovery.com.

Filed under: Other Reality Shows, Cancellations, Reality-Free

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New TV on DVD Releases This Week

Here are the new TV DVDs, in stores tomorrow.

'Studio One' is one of those shows I wasn't sure they'd ever release on DVD. Sure, it's an important, classic shows, but I wondered if they'd bother releasing them and if some of the tapes were erased or in horrible condition. There was a big 'Studio One' set released last year, and this week we have 'Twelve Angry Men' and the Rod Serling dramas in separate sets. Really great stuff, and well worth getting if you're into TV history.

Or you could buy season one of 'Gary Unmarried.'

• 'Army Wives' - Season 3
• 'Fraggle Rock' - Wembley's Egg Surprise
• 'Gary Unmarried' - Season 1
• 'The Guild' - Season 3
• 'JAG' - The Final Season

Continue reading New TV on DVD Releases This Week

Filed under: TV on DVD, Reality-Free

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Bashing 'Heroes' has become a sport, much like bashing 'Saturday Night Live' became a sport several years ago. "It's not as good as it was" and "it sucks" are the phrases you hear most often when former fans (or fans that are still watching the show but always on the edge of leaving) talk about it.

Tim Kring tells The Onion that he knows what fans are saying about the show, but he also wants fans to know that there are things going on behind the scenes that they might not be aware of. For example, the writers strike hurt the show. Two, it's actually a more consistent show when more writers write an episode than having just one writer on an episode. Three, the writers don't even think of the show as being in "seasons," it's really all one continuous plot.

Continue reading Tim Kring Explains What Goes on Behind the Scenes of 'Heroes'

Filed under: Web, Celebrities, Heroes, Reality-Free

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Nick Offerman Really Does Have a Woodshop

On last week's 'Parks and Recreation' we saw Ron Swanson prove to Leslie how much of a tolerance he has for alcohol: he finished building a small harp in his woodshop while downing a bunch of whiskey. Power tools, precise measurements, minute tuning, the whole works. He even showed her photographic evidence (above).

When I spoke to Nick Offerman at the press tour, he told me that the show would be getting a look inside Swanson's woodshop. When he talked about the prospect, his eyes lit up and said, "I'm very excited about it." Well, now we know why: Offerman owns his own woodshop, and has a website full of examples of his and his crew's work. They make some very nice furniture, and they also build small structures and canoes.

Continue reading Nick Offerman Really Does Have a Woodshop

Filed under: TCA Press Tour, Reality-Free, Parks and Recreation

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Epstein and Taylor: Are We All Keynesians Now?
Richard Epstein and John Taylor reflect on the global economic crisis of 2008 and discuss why the Keynesian narrative of events fails to identify and explain the causes at the root of the crisis. Epstein and Taylor evaluate the government responses to the crisis, assessing the effectiveness of TARP and President Obama's stimulus legislation.

Finally, Epstein and Taylor lay out the future steps that government must take to ensure recovery and growth. Key among them: "Don't raise taxes."
Date: Mon, 25 Jan 2010 00:00:00 -0800
Location: Stanford, CA, Hoover Institution, Hoover Institution
Program and discussion: http://fora.tv/2010/01/25/Epstein_and_Taylor_Are_We_All_Keynesians_Now

Meeting the Millennium Development Goals

Meeting the Millennium Development Goals
The combination of food and financial crises trapped an estimated 50 to 90 million people in extreme poverty in 2009.

How can the Millennium Development Goals for 2015 be met in the wake of the economic crisis?
Date: Fri, 29 Jan 2010 00:00:00 -0800
Location: Davos, 2010 World Economic Forum, World Economic Forum
Program and discussion: http://fora.tv/2010/01/29/Meeting_the_Millennium_Development_Goals

Rebuilding Peace and Stability in Afghanistan
More than eight years after the UN authorized military action in Afghanistan, the 43-nation coalition intends to increase troop levels to provide fresh impetus to efforts to bring peace and stability to the country.

What is needed from Afghanistan, the region and the international community to achieve success?
Date: Fri, 29 Jan 2010 00:00:00 -0800
Location: Davos, 2010 World Economic Forum, World Economic Forum
Program and discussion: http://fora.tv/2010/01/29/Rebuilding_Peace_and_Stability_in_Afghanistan

After the Financial Crisis: Consequences & Lessons

After the Financial Crisis: Consequences & Lessons
The financial crisis has caused an economic crisis around the world.

Drastic state measures have prevented the collapse of the economic system: governments have established rescue funds for failing banks or nationalized banks for relaunching economic growth. At the same time, central banks have intervened with important injections of liquidity and have lowered interest rates.
Date: Thu, 28 Jan 2010 00:00:00 -0800
Location: Davos, 2010 World Economic Forum, World Economic Forum
Program and discussion: http://fora.tv/2010/01/28/After_the_Financial_Crisis_Consequences__Lessons

The US Economic Outlook with Lawrence Summers
The economic outlook for the world's largest economy remains uncertain with unemployment levels reaching 10 percent and budget deficits increasing at the national and state levels. How will the Obama Administration address these and other economic challenges in 2010?

Lawrence H. Summers, Director of the National Economic Council talks with journalist Charlie Rose about these and other pressing economic questions.
Date: Fri, 29 Jan 2010 00:00:00 -0800
Location: Davos, 2010 World Economic Forum, World Economic Forum
Program and discussion: http://fora.tv/2010/01/29/The_US_Economic_Outlook_with_Lawrence_Summers

Rethinking Privacy in an Age of Disclosure and Sharing

Rethinking Privacy in an Age of Disclosure and Sharing
The increasing reach of information technology into all areas of life, from social networking websites to data sharing in public services, has thrown up a number of questions about privacy. Information about our medical records, financial circumstances and shopping habits is increasingly likely to be stored in electronic media that are out of our control.

Some critics worry more about Tesco's data-gathering than any "surveillance state." The controversy about Google Maps' Street View function, which captured thousands of unwitting people walking or standing on the streets, is a reminder that new technology constantly raises new questions about our privacy.

So how worried should we be? Does the convenience of easily accessed information outweigh the danger of abuse? How are our conceptions of privacy changing? And following the success of the Pirate Party in Sweden, can we expect privacy to move up the political agenda in the UK, too?

These concerns focus on technological development, but arguably there has been a broader cultural transformation, whereby we are loosening up about what we consider "private." From school to the workplace, we are constantly encouraged to discuss our feelings, while public figures in politics as well as showbiz seem ever-anxious not only to be "transparent" about their work, but to reveal intimate details of their private lives.

Some argue we are seeing a fundamental shift in attitudes to privacy, with a whole new generation growing up at ease with sharing pictures and information about themselves online with loosely-defined "friends." Meanwhile, we are increasingly suspicious of goings-on "behind closed doors," and the demand for privacy often seems a cranky hang-up of those with something to hide.

In this context, what does it mean to insist on a right to privacy? Should we look to privacy laws to protect those who are less keen on sharing all? Where is the line between public and private today? Do we need to redraw this line and why is this so politically important?
Date: Sat, 31 Oct 2009 00:00:00 -0700
Location: London, Battle of Ideas 2009, Institute of Ideas
Program and discussion: http://fora.tv/2009/10/31/Rethinking_Privacy_in_an_Age_of_Disclosure_and_Sharing

Rethinking How to Feed The World
World leaders and CEOs at the Davos 2010 World Economic Forum participate in a panel called Rethinking how to feed the world. The panel discusses the challenges facing global food production and possible solutions that will increase yield and support agricultural producers worldwide.

The panel is moderated by Prannoy Roy, Chairman, New Delhi Television (NDTV), India, and panelists included: Jakaya M. Kikwete, William H. Gates III, Ellen Kullman, Nguyen Tan Dung, Patricia A. Woertz, Prannoy Roy, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala
Date: Fri, 29 Jan 2010 00:00:00 -0800
Location: Davos, 2010 World Economic Forum, World Economic Forum
Program and discussion: http://fora.tv/2010/01/29/Rethinking_How_to_Feed_The_World

The Outlook for South Africa with Jacob G. Zuma

The Outlook for South Africa with Jacob G. Zuma
In a wide-ranging interview that moves from Nelson Mandela's legacy to economic recession to marital relations, Fareed Zakaria, Editor, Newsweek International, USA, asks Jacob G. Zuma, President of South Africa, to address outside concerns about one of Africa's democratic success stories.
Date: Thu, 28 Jan 2010 00:00:00 -0800
Location: Davos, 2010 World Economic Forum, World Economic Forum
Program and discussion: http://fora.tv/2010/01/28/The_Outlook_for_South_Africa_with_Jacob_G_Zuma

The Gender Agenda: Putting Parity into Practice
Companies perform better if their female talent is equally integrated, but a decade of data reflects only marginal change in this area. How can we move beyond awareness towards action?

In partnership with the World Economic Forum, CNBC hosts this debate focusing on gender parity.
Date: Sat, 30 Jan 2010 00:00:00 -0800
Location: Davos, 2010 World Economic Forum, World Economic Forum
Program and discussion: http://fora.tv/2010/01/30/The_Gender_Agenda_Putting_Parity_into_Practice

Leveraging Technology to Better Society

Leveraging Technology to Better Society
Some of the same technologies, such as cloud computing and semantic search, that make the most popular social networking applications possible are now being applied to development, education and healthcare delivery.

How can these readily available technologies be best leveraged to address complex issues?
Date: Fri, 29 Jan 2010 00:00:00 -0800
Location: Davos, 2010 World Economic Forum, World Economic Forum
Program and discussion: http://fora.tv/2010/01/29/Leveraging_Technology_to_Better_Society

SIRIUS XM Radio CEO Mel Karmazin
Mel Karmazin is chief executive officer of SIRIUS XM Radio. Karmazin oversees all aspects of the company's operations from its New York City corporate headquarters. SIRIUS XM Radio is America's satellite radio company delivering commercial-free music channels, premier sports, news, talk, entertainment, and traffic and weather to more than 18.7 million subscribers.

Karmazin joined SIRIUS XM in November 2004. Previously, Karmazin was president and COO of Viacom, president and CEO of CBS Corp., and president and CEO of Infinity Broadcasting. Prior to Infinity, Karmazin spent ten years with Metromedia. Karmazin is a vice chairman of the board of trustees of The Paley Center for Media, and serves on the board of Autism Speaks. He was inducted into the Broadcasting Hall of Fame, and has received the National Association of Broadcasters National Radio Award and the IRTS Gold Medal Award.
Date: Wed, 03 Feb 2010 08:00:00 -0800
Location: New York, NY, The Paley Center for Media, Paley Center For Media
Program and discussion: http://fora.tv/2010/02/03/Roundtable_Breakfast_SIRIUS_XM_Radio_CEO_Mel_Karmazin

Davos 2010: Special Session on Haiti

Davos 2010: Special Session on Haiti
In a special session of the 40th World Economic Forum Annual Meeting, William J. Clinton, Founder, William J. Clinton Foundation; President of the United States (1993-2001); and UN Special Envoy to Haiti make a robust call for immediate aid and sustained investment to assist Haiti as it struggles to build a new and prosperous nation out of the rubble of the devastating earthquake of 12 January.

In partnership with the Clinton Global Initiative and the United Nations, the World Economic Forum will work to increase private sector involvement in Haiti for the long term. "We are reminded of the common humanity which we all share," said Klaus Schwab, Founder and Executive Chairman, World Economic Forum.
Date: Thu, 28 Jan 2010 00:00:00 -0800
Location: Davos, 2010 World Economic Forum, World Economic Forum
Program and discussion: http://fora.tv/2010/01/28/Davos_2010_Special_Session_on_Haiti

Steve Wozniak: Creativity in the 21st Century

Steve Wozniak: Creativity in the 21st Century
Steve Wozniak, Apple co-founder and philanthropist in conversation at the Discovery Forum 2010 with Emmy-award winning journalist Dana King from CBS 5 Eyewitness News.

Renowned technology pioneer Steve Wozniak speaks to the importance of hands-on learning and encouraging creativity, and how the Bay Area Discovery Museum is a critical resource for preparing children for the challenges of the 21st century.

The Discovery Forum serves to increase awareness about the importance of childhood creativity, and raises support for the Museum's educational exhibitions and programs.
Date: Mon, 01 Feb 2010 00:00:00 -0800
Location: San Francisco, CA, Discovery Forum 2010, Bay Area Discovery Museum
Program and discussion: http://fora.tv/2010/02/01/Steve_Wozniak_Creativity_in_the_21st_Century

Circa 1979: A Signal to Noise with John Cale
John Cale has been directly involved in some of the most seminal moments in late 20th-century music. As a foundation member of the legendary New York band The Velvet Underground, the producer of The Stooges' first album, composer of avant garde and experimental music, pioneer of drone and important solo artist, he has created some of the most influential sounds and techniques in modern music. He has worked with artists such as Brian Eno, Patti Smith, Nick Drake, Siouxie Sioux and the Happy Mondays.

Here, in a relaxed keynote address to the Sydney Festival, he opens his photo album and shares the intimate stories of "someone who spent his time trying to f**k up sounds".
Date: Fri, 15 Jan 2010 00:00:00 -0800
Location: Sydney, Australia, Sydney Festival, Australian Broadcasting Corporation
Program and discussion: http://fora.tv/2010/01/15/Circa_1979_A_Signal_to_Noise_with_John_Cale

Rethinking Global Energy Security

Rethinking Global Energy Security
A panel of experts discusses the future of global energy security.

They debate the benefits of different sources of energy, and explore the wider effects of increasing energy security.
Date: Wed, 27 Jan 2010 00:00:00 -0800
Location: Davos, 2010 World Economic Forum, World Economic Forum
Program and discussion: http://fora.tv/2010/01/27/Rethinking_Global_Energy_Security

Rethinking Humanitarian Assistance: Haiti Relief Efforts
Major disasters over the last several years (including the 2004 tsunami and 2005 Pakistan earthquake) have taught valuable lessons on the role of prevention, better coordination and the effective use of the private sector. Are these lessons being applied in Haiti?

Speakers include Catherine Bragg, Sadako Ogata, Cameron Sinclair, Barbara Stocking, Nicolas Mariscal Torroella, and the discussion is moderated by Simon Maxwell.
Date: Thu, 28 Jan 2010 00:00:00 -0800
Location: Davos, 2010 World Economic Forum, World Economic Forum
Program and discussion: http://fora.tv/2010/01/28/Rethinking_Humanitarian_Assistance_Haiti_Relief_Efforts

Eliot Spitzer: The Cataclysm of 2008-2009

Eliot Spitzer: The Cataclysm of 2008-2009
As the former attorney general and later governor of New York, Spitzer prosecuted some of the most notorious white-collar crime and securities fraud on Wall Street. He now questions whether we have what it takes to regulate and reform the banking industry.

Does "too big to fail" mean too big? Without successful financial regulatory reform, are we just waiting for the next economic meltdown? Spitzer will examine whether the Obama administration is up to the task or whether taxpayers may be on the hook for the next crisis.
Date: Tue, 26 Jan 2010 00:00:00 -0800
Location: San Francisco, CA, The Commonwealth Club of California, Commonwealth Club
Program and discussion: http://fora.tv/2010/01/26/Eliot_Spitzer-The_Cataclysm_of_2008-2009

Chris Farrell: The New Frugality
According to Federal Reserve Chairman Ben Bernanke, The Great Recession may technically be over. But what's clear is that, no matter what the GDP may be, people are hurting financially. In The New Frugality, Chris Farrell, personal finance expert for American Public Media's "Marketplace Money" and contributing economics editor for BusinessWeek, presents a new paradigm for surviving the greatest economic crisis in a generation.

The embrace of what Farrell calls the New Frugality signals that half a century of people spending with abandon and borrowing as much as possible is done. Profligacy is out. Frugality is in. Also, The Great Recession comes at a time of another great crisis related to our over consumption: global climate change. This convergence of crises creates opportunities and new ways to be frugal. In everyday money decisions, it turns out that being frugal and being green are synonymous.

Farrell suggests we should focus not only on what's affordable in the short term, but also on what's sustainable in the long term. If you're thinking about getting rid of your car and buying a bike to save money, there's no reason you should buy a two-wheeled clunker from Craigslist that needs a trip to the bike shop every other day.

As Farrell demonstrates, there's a difference between being frugal and being cheap. We'll still need places to live (do we buy or rent?), to save for college, and every now and then go into a little debt. How we make these choices will be as important as the choices themselves.

The New Frugality offers smart, sustainable, and ultimately more fulfilling ways to approach our personal finances and get more out of spending less.
Date: Thu, 21 Jan 2010 00:00:00 -0800
Location: Berkeley, CA, Hillside Club, Berkeley Arts and Letters
Program and discussion: http://fora.tv/2010/01/21/Chris_Farrell_The_New_Frugality

David Plouffe: The Audacity to Win

David Plouffe: The Audacity to Win
David Plouffe's The Audacity to Win: The Inside Story and Lessons of Barack Obama's Historic Victory is his story of that groundbreaking achievement, taking readers inside the remarkable campaign that led to the election of the first African-American president.

The book chronicles the arrival of a new moment in American life at the convergence of digital technology and grassroots organization, and the exciting possibilities revealed by a campaign that in many ways functioned as a $1 billion start-up with laser-like focus and discipline.
Date: Mon, 23 Nov 2009 00:00:00 -0800
Location: Washington, D.C., Sixth & I Historic Synagogue, Sixth and I Historic Synagogue
Program and discussion: http://fora.tv/2009/11/23/David_Plouffe_The_Audacity_to_Win

Robert Reich: 2010 Economic Forecast
Is the U.S. economy showing signs of recovery, as some indicators suggest, or are these assertions dangerously premature?

Having served in three administrations, former U.S. Secretary of Labor Robert Reich is uniquely positioned to share his take on the 2010 economic outlook for California, the U.S., and the rest of the world in this year's annual installment of the Walter E. Hoadley Economic Forecast.
Date: Fri, 22 Jan 2010 00:00:00 -0800
Location: San Francisco, CA, Fairmont Hotel, Commonwealth Club
Program and discussion: http://fora.tv/2010/01/22/Robert_Reich_Bank_of_America_Annual_Economic_Forecast

One Year, Counting: When Will Guantanamo Close?

One Year, Counting: When Will Guantanamo Close?
January 22, 2010 marks President Obama's self-imposed deadline for closing the Guantanamo Bay detention facility, which he set by Executive Order one year earlier, on his second day in office.

This discussion examines the obstacles that are preventing President Obama from fulfilling his promise, when and how Guantanamo is likely to close, and the impact of the attempted Christmas Day airline bombing on the politics of closing the detention facility.

The discussion also illuminates why it is essential that America comply with the rule of law as it continues its efforts to close Guantanamo.
Date: Fri, 22 Jan 2010 00:00:00 -0800
Location: New York, NY, The Interchurch Center, Open Society Institute
Program and discussion: http://fora.tv/2010/01/22/One_Year_Counting_When_Will_Guantanamo_Close

The Role of Prizes in Innovation and Entrepreneurship
Experts from research, government, and academia share their views on science prizes and how they might contribute to solving environmental challenges.
Date: Thu, 02 Dec 2010 00:00:00 -0800
Location: Washington, D.C., Resources for the Future, Resources for the Future
Program and discussion: http://fora.tv/2010/12/02/The_Role_of_Prizes_in_Innovation_and_Entrepreneurship

Dr. Simon Thurley: The Politics of Heritage Preservation

John Marshall: Medical Advances in Visual Identification
Identifying people is a fundamental skill and special areas of the brain are hard wired for recognising faces. Non-subjective artificial recognition of individuals has become increasingly important. The recent advent of computerization for facial recognition can be used to identify a person on an image. More accurate identification can be obtained by analysis of the iris but this requires co-operation of the individual. Discrimination between people can also be undertaken remotely, by analysing their retinal images.

Professor Marshall describes these new techniques and their controversial applications.
Date: Wed, 02 Dec 2009 18:00:00 -0800
Location: London, Museum of London, Gresham College
Program and discussion: http://fora.tv/2009/12/02/John_Marshall_Medical_Advances_in_Visual_Identification

Uncommon Knowledge: John Yoo

Uncommon Knowledge: John Yoo
John Yoo is a professor of law at the University of California at Berkeley and a visiting scholar at the American Enterprise Institute. From 2001 to 2003, he served as deputy assistant attorney general in the Office of Legal Counsel in the Justice Department of President George W. Bush. Professor Yoo is the author, most recently, of Crisis and Command: A History of Executive Power from George Washington to George W. Bush.

Yoo, who played a significant role in developing a legal justification for the Bush administration's policy in the War on Terror, reflects on the controversial legal and policy positions taken by the Bush administration on interrogating captured terrorists after 9/11.

Beginning with a discussion of the war powers of the executive branch, Yoo asserts, "Today's conflict over presidential power does not truly arise over whether the authorities in question exist, but whether now is the right time to exercise them," addressing the fundamental questions at the heart of the debate over "enhanced interrogation techniques."

As a strictly legal matter, does water boarding amount to torture, as the current Justice Department regards it? And are we safer because the Bush administration made use of enhanced interrogation?

Finally, Yoo challenges the wisdom of the Obama administration's decision to try Khalid Sheikh Mohammed in a federal court in New York City.
Date: Fri, 18 Dec 2009 00:00:00 -0800
Location: Stanford, CA, Hoover Institution, Hoover Institution
Program and discussion: http://fora.tv/2009/12/18/Uncommon_Knowledge_John_Yoo

Michael Pollan on Food Rules: An Eater's Manual
Michael Pollan, one of the best-known names in food-related issues, offers a guide about health and food. Food Rules: An Eater's Manual is a set of memorable ideas for eating wisely. Many of them are drawn from a variety of ethnic or cultural traditions. Whether at the supermarket or an all-you-can-eat buffet, this handy, pocket-size resource is for people who would like to become more mindful of what they are eating.

Pollan is the author of In Defense of Food: An Eater's Manifesto, The Omnivore's Dilemma and The Botany of Desire.
Date: Sat, 23 Jan 2010 00:00:00 -0800
Location: San Francisco, CA, Book Passage, Book Passage
Program and discussion: http://fora.tv/2010/01/23/Michael_Pollan_on_Food_Rules_An_Eaters_Manual

Albie Sachs: The Strange Alchemy of Life and Law

Albie Sachs: The Strange Alchemy of Life and Law
From a young age, Albie Sachs played a prominent part in the struggle for justice in South Africa. As a result, he was detained in solitary confinement, tortured by sleep deprivation and eventually blown up by a car bomb which cost him his right arm and his sight in one eye.

After helping draft South Africa's post-apartheid Constitution, he was appointed by Nelson Mandela to be a member of the country's first Constitutional Court. Over the course of his 15-year term on the court he has grappled with major issues confronting modern South Africa, and the challenges posed to the fledgling democracy as it sought to overcome the injustices of the apartheid regime.

Sachs's book The Strange Alchemy of Life and Law (Oxford University Press) provides an insider's perspective on modern South Africa and a rare glimpse into the working of a judicial mind.
Date: Thu, 21 Jan 2010 00:00:00 -0800
Location: New York, NY, Open Society Institute, Open Society Institute
Program and discussion: http://fora.tv/2010/01/21/Albie_Sachs_The_Strange_Alchemy_of_Life_and_Law

The United States, Russia, and the Future World Order
As the Cold War was being ushered to a close, American and Russian leaders crafted a settlement with principles and arrangements intended to constitute a great-power peace as well as to extend the liberal international order. Today, the promise these arrangements once held now seems distant. The administration of President Barack Obama sees the repair of the relationship with Russia as a major foreign-policy objective, and has spent its first year ambitiously attempting to reset relations and place them on a more positive footing.

John Ikenberry and Daniel Deudney discuss the current relationship between the United States and Russia and its impact on world order, based on their new article in Survival. They are joined by Robert Kagan and Stephen Sestanovich. Thomas Friedman moderates the discussion.
Date: Mon, 25 Jan 2010 00:00:00 -0800
Location: Washington, D.C., Carnegie Endowment for International Peace, Carnegie Endowment for International Peace
Program and discussion: http://fora.tv/2010/01/25/The_United_States_Russia_and_the_Future_World_Order

W. Davis: Why Ancient Wisdom Matters in the Modern World

W. Davis: Why Ancient Wisdom Matters in the Modern World
What does it mean to be human and alive?

The thousands of different cultures and languages on Earth have compellingly different answers to that question. "We are a wildly imaginative and creative species," declares Wade Davis, and then proves it with his accounts and photographs of humanity plumbing the soul of culture, of psyche, and of landscape.

The threat to cultures is often ideological, Davis notes, such as when Mao whispered in the ear of the Dalai Lama that "all religion is poison," set about destroying Tibetan culture.

The genius of culture is the ability to survive in impossible conditions, Davis concludes. We cannot afford to lose any of that variety of skills, because we are not only impoverished without it, we are vulnerable without it.
Date: Wed, 13 Jan 2010 00:00:00 -0800
Location: San Francisco, CA, Cowell Theatre, Long Now Foundation
Program and discussion: http://fora.tv/2010/01/13/Wade_Davis_Why_Ancient_Wisdom_Matters_in_the_Modern_World

Post Crisis: Free Markets and Control

Post Crisis: Free Markets and Control
National responses to the global economic crisis have included both traditional and innovative means of protectionism challenging the paradigm of globalization and the force of free market.

What must be done to restore balance between regulatory and oversight mechanisms and India's ongoing reform agenda?
Date: Tue, 10 Nov 2009 00:00:00 -0800
Location: New Delhi, India, India Economic Summit, World Economic Forum
Program and discussion: http://fora.tv/2009/11/10/Post_Crisis_Free_Markets_and_Control

A Conversation with Your Phone
Kurt Fuqua, vice president of SVOX USA, explores the technical challenges involved in the future of interactive voice communication in mobile devices during a panel discussion at swissnex San Francisco. With moderator Dylan Tweney, Wired.com senior technology editor, Fuqua and fellow panelists Jim Larson of W3C Voice Browser Working Group and Bill Meisel, president of speech-industry consulting and publishing firm TMA Associates, discuss just what it takes for a device to understand the meaning of language, how to make multiple applications work together, and how voice commands will soon allow smartphones to go way beyond clicks and menus to allow for truly natural conversations with the devices in our pockets.
Date: Tue, 19 Jan 2010 00:00:00 -0800
Location: San Francisco, CA, swissnex SF, swissnex San Francisco
Program and discussion: http://fora.tv/2010/01/19/A_Conversation_with_your_Phone

Joe Biden: Challenges Facing Middle Class in 21st Century

Joe Biden: Challenges Facing Middle Class in 21st Century
Vice President Joe Biden, Chair of the White House Task Force on Middle Class Families, delivers the opening remarks for a panel of leading scholars discussing the unique challenges facing America's middle class in the 21st century economy.

He discusses the many economic developments and trends affecting middle-class families, including changes to the overall labor market in recent decades, shifting gender roles and the need for work-life balance in today's economy, economic inequality and mobility, and the increased gap between productivity and wages.
Date: Thu, 05 Nov 2009 00:00:00 -0800
Location: Washington, D.C., Center for American Progress, Center for American Progress
Program and discussion: http://fora.tv/2009/11/05/Joe_Biden_Challenges_Facing_Middle_Class_in_21st_Century

Great Expectations: India's Next Aspiration

Negotiating with Iran: Wrestling the Ghosts of History
John Limbert discusses how the United States could negotiate with Iran in its attempts to end the 30-year estrangement between the two countries in his new book, Negotiating with Iran: Wrestling the Ghosts of History.

The essential question of the book is not whether the United States should negotiate with Iran, Limbert emphasizes, but how such negotiations should be conducted. In his book, Limbert reviewed four Iranian case studies and offered 14 recommendations for moving toward this objective.
Date: Wed, 02 Dec 2009 00:00:00 -0800
Location: Washington, D.C., Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center, Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars
Program and discussion: http://fora.tv/2009/12/02/John_Limbert-Negotiating_with_Iran_Wrestling_the_Ghosts_of_History

Todd Disotell: A New Tale of the Primate Split

Todd Disotell: A New Tale of the Primate Split
Recent advances in molecular genetics are radically changing ideas about the appearance of primates and the subsequent branching off of the major lineages. Previously, it was thought primates first appeared some 65 million years ago; now experts are proposing dates as far back as 80-90 million years ago, when dinosaurs roamed the Earth.

The hazy image of our lineage provided by the fossil record is now coming into focus thanks to new molecular analytical techniques; researchers now have whole genome sequences representing at least one member of each major lineages and whole mitochondrial lineages of nearly every genus in the order Primates.
Date: Tue, 12 Jan 2010 00:00:00 -0800
Location: San Francisco, CA, California Academy of Sciences, California Academy of Sciences
Program and discussion: http://fora.tv/2010/01/12/Todd_Disotell_A_New_Tale_of_the_Primate_Split

Ian Morison: 400 Years of the Telescope
A lecture to coincide with the 400th anniversary of the first use of a telescope to observe the heavens by Galileo Galilei in 1609.

The lecture charts the development of optical telescopes since then, the subtle ideas that are greatly improving their performance and how they are bringing ever-further parts of the universe within our reach.
Date: Thu, 26 Nov 2009 00:00:00 -0800
Location: London, Museum of London, Gresham College
Program and discussion: http://fora.tv/2009/11/26/Ian_Morison_400_Years_of_the_Telescope

A Lethal Obsession: Anti-Semitism Then and Now

A Lethal Obsession: Anti-Semitism Then and Now
Hebrew University of Jerusalem professor Robert Wistrich and University of Maryland, College Park professor Jeffrey Herf trace the history of anti-Semitism from its earliest recorded roots through the present.

Furthermore, they discuss the potential impacts of its modern-day resurgence.
Date: Mon, 04 Jan 2010 00:00:00 -0800
Location: Washington, DC, Wilson Center, Woodrow Wilson International Center for Scholars
Program and discussion: http://fora.tv/2010/01/04/A_Lethal_Obsession_Anti-Semitism_Then_and_Now

Obamanomics: Is Obama Bankrupting America?
Are Big Business and Big Government enemies? According to journalist and author Tim Carney, that story is a myth. Both Republicans and Democrats bilk taxpayers to benefit their corporate allies and K Street lobbyists, whether the issue is health care reform, climate change, or defense spending.

The Obama administration's bailouts and "stimulus" package(s) have taken the taxpayer-bilking to historic levels -- a remarkable achievement, considering the previous administration. And at the same time the president promises his health care overhaul will put patients first, the legislation he supports has corporate lobbyists once again lined up at the trough.
Date: Tue, 12 Jan 2010 00:00:00 -0800
Location: Washington, D.C., Cato Institute, Cato Institute
Program and discussion: http://fora.tv/2010/01/12/Obamanomics_Is_Obama_Bankrupting_America

Refugees, Economic Migration and the Intelligentsia

Refugees, Economic Migration and the Intelligentsia
In the 1990s, the advanced economics appeared no longer self-sufficient in labour supplies. Without permanent mechanisms to recruit workers (or students) from the rest of the world, economic growth could be threatened - or the labour force would be overwhelmed by foreign workers working illegally.

In the late 1990s, the inflow of irregular migrants - to meet strong labour demand - reached levels that wrecked the refugee system. In the popular mind, the adjective "bogus" became indissolubly cemented to the noun "asylum-seeker".

The intelligentsia is most often a primary target for assault when social orders break down. Its social role is so fundamental for society, and yet depends on transferring culture and skills into each society, that authoritarian governments must control it or liquidate it.

The breakdown in the refugee system is, as a consequence, a catastrophe for academic refugees. CARA is one of the few organisations devoted to helping them in flight.

For downloadable and transcript versions of this lecture, please visit the event's page on the Gresham College website:

Gresham College Lectures and Events
Date: Tue, 01 Dec 2009 18:00:00 -0800
Location: London, Museum of London, Gresham College
Program and discussion: http://fora.tv/2009/12/01/Refugees_Economic_Migration_and_the_Intelligentsia

'I Have a Dream' - Martin Luther King Jr. (audio only)
On August 28, 1963, Martin Luther King Jr. gave a speech that is often considered to be one of the most notable in human history. "I Have a Dream" immediately became emblematic of the civil rights movement, inspiring Americans for generations.

January 18 is Martin Luther King Jr. Day - the first time the holiday is celebrated with a black President in office. We imagine Dr. King would be beaming with pride.
Date: Wed, 28 Aug 1963 00:00:00 -0700
Location: Washington, D.C., Lincoln Memorial,
Program and discussion: http://fora.tv/1963/08/28/I_Have_a_Dream_Martin_Luther_King_Jr_audio_only

What Is God?: Jacob Needleman

Don Lattin: The Harvard Psychedelic Club
The 1950s -- a decade defined by conformity, consumerism, and conservatism -- were coming to a close, and a new era of social, spiritual, sexual, and psychological revolution was beginning. By the end of the century, Americans would have a new outlook on religion and new ways of practicing medicine, and the Mind/Body/Spirit movement would make things like yoga, organic produce, and alternative medicine commonplace.

This is the story of how it all began. Three brilliant scholars and one ambitious undergrad -- widely known today as leaders in the fields of spirituality (Ram Dass), world religions (Huston Smith), hallucinogenics (Timothy Leary), and holistic medicine (Andrew Weil) -- came together in the winter of 1960-61 around the Harvard Psilocybin Project, an infamous series of experiments with psychedelic drugs. Seeking spiritual enlightenment, their research brought them together before bitterness and betrayal tore them apart, and as they forged their own paths and changed their own lives, they would also transform the culture of America.

The Harvard Psychedelic Club takes readers into the heart of the 1960s and back into this era of "peace, love, and joy." With cameos by some of the best known and most beloved cultural figures of the era -- including John Lennon, Allen Ginsberg, William Burroughs, Jerry Garcia and the Grateful Dead, Ken Kesey, Joan Baez, Keith Richards, and Aldous Huxley -- this book presents a comprehensive and compelling picture of a nation undergoing great and lasting change, and the four men who took us there.
Date: Thu, 07 Jan 2010 00:00:00 -0800
Location: Corte Madera, CA, Book Passage, Book Passage
Program and discussion: http://fora.tv/2010/01/07/Don_Lattin_The_Harvard_Psychedelic_Club

Start-Up Nation: The Story of Israel's Economic Miracle

Our Changing Perceptions of National Security
How have our ideas of national security changed since 9/11 and the terrorist attacks on London? Are we doing enough to secure ourselves against national threats?

Where might the future bases of international terrorism be and how is this linked with political instability? How should we view the danger and how can governments help prepare us for what might happen in the future?

Sir Richard Dearlove KCMG OBE, former head of the British Secret Intelligence Service, speaks candidly on all of these issues.

For downloadable files and the transcript of this lecture, please visit the event's page on the Gresham College website:

Gresham College Lectures and Events
Date: Wed, 25 Nov 2009 18:00:00 -0800
Location: London, Royal College of Surgeons, Gresham College
Program and discussion: http://fora.tv/2009/11/25/Richard_Dearlove_Our_Changing_Perceptions_of_National_Security

Wilfred Hodges: The Geometry of Music

Wilfred Hodges: The Geometry of Music
Geometers study shapes and how they transform into one other. Musicians create shapes and transform them. We illustrate with some examples that are interesting to both geometers and musicians.

For downloadable files and the transcript of this lecture, please visit the event's page on the Gresham College website:

Gresham College Lectures and Events
Date: Mon, 30 Nov 2009 13:00:00 -0800
Location: London, Barnard's Inn Hall, Gresham College
Program and discussion: http://fora.tv/2009/11/30/Wilfred_Hodges_The_Geometry_of_Music

Skyplane: The Impact of High-Rises on City Life & Culture
Luminaries from the world of architecture launch Skyplane - a book which explores the impact of high-rise towers on city life and culture.
Date: Wed, 30 Sep 2009 00:00:00 -0700
Location: Sydney, Australia, The University of New South Wales, Australian Broadcasting Corporation
Program and discussion: http://fora.tv/2009/09/30/Skyplane_The_Impact_of_High-Rises_on_City_Life__Culture

Larry Summers: Innovation and Economic Growth

Larry Summers: Innovation and Economic Growth
This conversation features Lawrence Summers, Director of the National Economic Council and Assistant to the President for Economic Policy.

Judy Woodruff, Senior Correspondent for The NewsHour with Jim Lehrer, moderates.
Date: Mon, 30 Nov 2009 00:00:00 -0800
Location: Washington, D.C., The Innovation Economy Conference, Aspen Institute
Program and discussion: http://fora.tv/2009/11/30/Larry_Summers_Innovation_and_Economic_Growth

Testing of new interface.

Emunation 1.4.2.7

Minor AU fix. AU display options in console. Logging Option for Monitor Messages. New ini File Format.

DVBStreamExplorer 3 build 60 Lite

vPlug 1.5.1

Fixed D+ AU. Fixed DISH and BEV N2 AU. Added auto reload v_tps.db file on TPS-AU mode. Fixed broken GMT changer when v_tps.db file is in use.

Emunation Softcam creator 1.0.0

vPlug 1.5

Added TPS-AU. Fixed P*e*i*re N2 AU. Update : PMT and CAT parsers have been rewritten from scratch. AU.Bin file has been removed. Added support for new NA N2 providers. Fixed memory problems with long times running of AU features.

Now you can selected the Sound card manually. Now you can control the level of sound (play-Record) from the module. Bug fix in play mode. New skin for the module.

SIDcache channels 28.01.07 by LeDoc

New update (channels and ECM) for DVB-s cards.

CAM emulator for original NDS - Videoguard cards. NEW: Fixed COM port selection.

SimOSD Module 1.1.1

DVB Dream OSD Module by Simoh. EPG in Russian language display issue fixed. Automatic update for EPG data.

The full source code of the OSH project except for OSHPDVB.dll module.

ProjectX 0.90.04.00.b14

ProjectX 0.90.04.00.b14

CAM emulator for original NDS - Videoguard cards. First public release. EMM support (Not fully tested). Tested only on Viasat package on Sirius 5E.

Emunation 1.4.2.6

RitzDVB Support. Plugin saves Monitor and Console positions.

Works with original unpatched 4.4.0 drivers. Allows to control more SS2 cards in one PC. Allows to sleep SS2 when is not used.

BetaSky 0.7

BetaSky 0.7