One of the great source of pleasures for people who has insatiable passion for learning and knowledge is the availability in modern times not only of enormous information resources in written form but also in various fascinating media that aim to educate, entertain and stimulate all at the same time!
The vast, and still growing, number of documentary films that aim to capture life in its variegated facets is one such wellspring that never cease to amuse, and sometimes even shock, while simultaneously seeking to illuminate the mind. The documentary film genre, strictly speaking, belong to the non-fiction category. Its main object is to be factual, historical and/or empirical as much as possible.
Fictitious inventiveness, which is the realm of imagination, is shunned away totally. While the genre allows reasonable measure of interpretation on the materials that it provides, yet it must clearly distinguish between opinions and facts in its presentation of data and information for it to maintain integrity and objectivity.
Documentary films may focus on subjects as varied as nature, people, personalities, places, animals, culture, ideas, religion, philosophy, psychology, behavior, scientific research, time, space, and numberless other things (animate and inanimate), as well as any combination of them.
What follows is an example of personality documentary focused on Adolf Hitler. Learn and Enjoy!
Hitler - Mein Kampf (full documentary) - Part 1
Hitler - Mein Kampf (full documentary) - Part 2
Monday, July 26, 2010
Thursday, July 22, 2010
E-book Tools and Softwares
Below are basic e-book tools that are necessary for your digital collection and library. The first three - Winzip, Winrar, and Izarc - are all compression tools. E-books are often downloaded with a .rar, .zip, and other file zipping extension names. You may have been wondering how to open these files. Compression utilities such as the three below are what you need to open such files. There is no need to download all three tools but you should only choose the one that fits your need.
Adobe Reader and Foxit are very important tools for you to be able to open and read e-books with .pdf extension name. You also need to download the one that suits your need. Microsoft Reader, on the other hand, is used for opening e-books with .lit extension name.
Calibre is not just a reader, but a general e-book management software that can handle files in various formats. Happy reading!
http://www.winzip.com/index.htm
http://www.win-rar.com/
http://www.izarc.org/
http://get.adobe.com/reader/
http://www.foxitsoftware.com/pdf/reader/
http://www.microsoft.com/READER/
http://calibre-ebook.com/
Adobe Reader and Foxit are very important tools for you to be able to open and read e-books with .pdf extension name. You also need to download the one that suits your need. Microsoft Reader, on the other hand, is used for opening e-books with .lit extension name.
Calibre is not just a reader, but a general e-book management software that can handle files in various formats. Happy reading!
http://www.winzip.com/index.htm
http://www.win-rar.com/
http://www.izarc.org/
http://get.adobe.com/reader/
http://www.foxitsoftware.com/pdf/reader/
http://www.microsoft.com/READER/
http://calibre-ebook.com/
Tuesday, July 6, 2010
Hubble Space Image #20
Source: Hubblesite.org
HUBBLE'S CAPTURED IMAGE OF THE DEATH OF A SUN-LIKE STAR. THE WHITE DOT IN THE CENTER IS THE BURNT-OUT STAR TERMED A 'WHITE DWARF.'
Job 26:6-14
"The unseen is naked before Him, and destruction has no covering. He stretches out the north over the empty place, and hangs the earth upon nothing....
"The pillars of heaven tremble and are astonished at His reproof. He divides the sea with His power, and by His understanding He smites through the proud.
Psalm 147:1-5
"Praise ye the LORD: for it is good to sing praises unto our God; for it is pleasant; and praise is comely....
"He heals the broken in heart, and binds up their wounds. He tells the number of the stars; He calls them all by their names.
Psalm 8
"O LORD our Lord, how excellent is Thy name in all the earth! who hast set Thy glory above the heavens. Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings hast Thou ordained strength because of Thine enemies, that Thou mightest still the enemy and the avenger.
"When I consider Thy heavens, the work of Thy fingers, the moon and the stars, which Thou hast ordained; What is man, that Thou art mindful of Him? and the son of man, that Thou visits Him?
"For Thou hast made him a little lower than the angels, and hast crowned him with glory and honour. Thou madest him to have a dominion over the works of Thy hands; Thou hast put all things under his feet: all sheep and oxen, yea, and the beasts of the field; the fowl of the air, and the fish of the sea, and whatsoever passes through the paths of the seas.
"O LORD our Lord, how excellent is Thy name in all the earth!"
Isaiah 40:17-26
"All nations before Him are as nothing; and they are counted to Him less than nothing, and vanity. To whom then will ye liken God? or what likeness will ye compare unto Him? The workman melts a graven image, and the goldsmith spreads it over with gold, and casts silver chains. He that is so impoverished that he has no oblation chooses a tree that will not rot; he seeks unto him a cunning workman to prepare a graven image, that shall not be moved. Have ye not known? have ye not heard? has it not been told you from the beginning? have ye not understood from the foundations of the earth?
"It is He that sits upon the circle of the earth, and the inhabitants thereof are as grasshoppers; and stretches out the heavens as a curtain, and spreads them out as a tent to dwell in: that brings the princes to nothing; He makes the judges of the earth as vanity. Yea, they shall not be planted; yea, they shall not be sown: yea, their stock shall not take root in the earth: and He shall also blow upon them, and they shall wither, and the whirlwind shall take them away as stubble.
"To whom then will ye liken Me, or shall I be equal? says the Holy One. Lift up your eyes on high, and behold who has created these things, and brings out their host by number: He calls them all by names by the greatness of His might, for that He is strong in power; not one fails."
Hubble Space Image #6
Source: Hubblesite.org
A BEAUTIFUL PINWHEEL OF HOT BLUE STARS CIRCLING AROUND THE YELLOW NUCLEUS OF HOAG'S OBJECT GALAXY
Hubble Space Image #5
Source: Hubblesite.org
A WHIRLPOOL OF INNUMERABLE STELLAR & PLANETARY SYSTEMS. GALAXY NGC 1512 IN VISIBLE LIGHT.
Hubble Space Image #4
Source: Hubblesite.org
'MYSTIC MOUNTAIN' CAUGHT BY HUBBLE'S EYE
This is a photo taken by Hubble Satellite Telescope on its 20th anniversary. It is an image of mountain of dust and gas growing in the Carina Nebula.
Psalm 19:1-6
"The heavens declare the glory of God; and the firmament shows His handiwork. Day unto day utters speech, and night unto night shows knowledge. There is no speech nor language, where their voice is not heard. Their line is gone out through all the earth, and their words to the end of the world. In them has He set a tabernacle for the sun, which is as a bridegroom coming out of his chamber, and rejoices as a strong man to run a race. His going forth is from the end of the heaven, and his circuit unto the ends of it: and there is nothing hid from the heat thereof."
Hubble's Eye into the Sky : Satellite Images of Deep Space
The following images, taken by the Hubble Space Telescope, were posted here for educational, aesthetic, and informational purposes only.
Copyright Information and Notice: While the following images are in the public domain, yet none of the following materials can be used for the purpose of stating, suggesting, or implying that NASA, or any of its personnel, is endorsing any activities, services, or products of any commercial organization or individual. Any such use with the intent to mislead or misinform is expressly prohibited. NASA and STScl must always be lawfully acknowledged as the source of these materials. Details of the copyright notice is accessible by clicking here.
Source: Hubblesite.org
A LIKELY IMAGE OF A BLACK HOLE WITH X-RAYS EMANATING FROM HEATED MATERIAL THAT FELL INTO IT
Copyright Information and Notice: While the following images are in the public domain, yet none of the following materials can be used for the purpose of stating, suggesting, or implying that NASA, or any of its personnel, is endorsing any activities, services, or products of any commercial organization or individual. Any such use with the intent to mislead or misinform is expressly prohibited. NASA and STScl must always be lawfully acknowledged as the source of these materials. Details of the copyright notice is accessible by clicking here.
Source: Hubblesite.org
A LIKELY IMAGE OF A BLACK HOLE WITH X-RAYS EMANATING FROM HEATED MATERIAL THAT FELL INTO IT
Monday, July 5, 2010
Old and New Masters of the Guitar
The classical (or Spanish) guitar was brought by the legendary master, Andres Segovia, to the limelight at the early 20th century. Having taught himself the arcane secrets of the the instrument through poring over the works of such old masters as Aguado, Sor, Tarrega, and others, as well as the application of painstaking self-discipline, devoted self-training, and tireless dedication, he was able deliver the guitar from the obscurity of the barber shop back to the concert stage!
What follows is a video sample of Andres Segovia playing Isaac Albeniz' Asturias, followed by solo video performances of Edgar Cruz, Wang Yameng, Roland Dyens, and great American virtuoso Christopher Parkening, representatives of a newer generation of guitar masters.
Andres Segovia Plays Isaac Albeniz' Asturias
Edgar Cruz plays Bohemian Rhapsody
Wang Yameng plays Brouwer's Sonata mov.3-La Tocata de Pasquini
Roland Dyens plays Dizzy Gillespie's A Night in Tunisia
Christopher Parkening plays J.S. Bach's Jesu Joy of Man's Desiring
What follows is a video sample of Andres Segovia playing Isaac Albeniz' Asturias, followed by solo video performances of Edgar Cruz, Wang Yameng, Roland Dyens, and great American virtuoso Christopher Parkening, representatives of a newer generation of guitar masters.
Andres Segovia Plays Isaac Albeniz' Asturias
Edgar Cruz plays Bohemian Rhapsody
Wang Yameng plays Brouwer's Sonata mov.3-La Tocata de Pasquini
Roland Dyens plays Dizzy Gillespie's A Night in Tunisia
Christopher Parkening plays J.S. Bach's Jesu Joy of Man's Desiring
Sunday, July 4, 2010
Candiru: A Horror of Nature
The great Amazon River is home to a plethora of frightful creatures. Among these is the Candiru, or toothpick fish, which is a parasitic freshwater catfish. Watch the following video from the BBC to have a glimpse of Candiru's nightmarish evil...
Friday, July 2, 2010
Speed Reading: Basic Tips
Speed reading is a skill that has to do with text reading (books, newspapers, and any other written works) using a method, either learned through formal training or informally by experience, that's aimed at decreasing the time needed to finish the object of reading while at the same time increasing comprehension and info retention.
Some of the simple, but often overlooked, rudiments of speed reading are:
1. Be sure to choose a suitable and comfortable place where you will do your reading. The place should be well- lighted and well-ventilated. Make sure that the light is coming from behind or is focused directly on what you are reading and not on your eyes.
2. Unless your immediate aim for reading is to induce sleeping, as in bedtime story reading, it is always advisable to stay away from bed when reading, and ideal to sit on a chair or even under a tree with your book.
3. Always sit properly, assuming a good comfortable posture, while reading, and avoid the extremes of body positions that could lull to sleep, or, on the other hand, could bring uneasiness that distract concentration.
4. While this is not strictly the rule, it is ideal under normal situation to choose a quiet place for your reading pleasure. But, as already hinted, this is not the protocol for all booklovers, for there are surely some valiant souls that are able to defy noises of any kind (in a subway, bus, street, workplace, etc.) and go on with their reading enjoyment undistracted! Wow!
5. Finally, be sure to take care of your eyes by always keeping an appropriate distance between your eyesight and your book (or kindle or other reading gadget). Not too far or too close for either of these will surely overexert and damage the eyes. A distance of 12 to 16 inches is a commendable suggestion for most normal eyesight, but a good rule of thumb is to always maintain the distance where no feeling of strain on your eyes is experienced while reading.
The above are the ABCs of good reading habits in general, and promote speed reading skills in particular. We could then, from these basics, go on to proceed to the intricacies and details of the various methods and improve our skill further.
Below is an instructional video that offers a rather new alternative method to speed reading. View, learn and enjoy!
You Can Learn Speed Reading in Under 60 Seconds! by Daniel Herzner
Some of the simple, but often overlooked, rudiments of speed reading are:
1. Be sure to choose a suitable and comfortable place where you will do your reading. The place should be well- lighted and well-ventilated. Make sure that the light is coming from behind or is focused directly on what you are reading and not on your eyes.
2. Unless your immediate aim for reading is to induce sleeping, as in bedtime story reading, it is always advisable to stay away from bed when reading, and ideal to sit on a chair or even under a tree with your book.
3. Always sit properly, assuming a good comfortable posture, while reading, and avoid the extremes of body positions that could lull to sleep, or, on the other hand, could bring uneasiness that distract concentration.
4. While this is not strictly the rule, it is ideal under normal situation to choose a quiet place for your reading pleasure. But, as already hinted, this is not the protocol for all booklovers, for there are surely some valiant souls that are able to defy noises of any kind (in a subway, bus, street, workplace, etc.) and go on with their reading enjoyment undistracted! Wow!
5. Finally, be sure to take care of your eyes by always keeping an appropriate distance between your eyesight and your book (or kindle or other reading gadget). Not too far or too close for either of these will surely overexert and damage the eyes. A distance of 12 to 16 inches is a commendable suggestion for most normal eyesight, but a good rule of thumb is to always maintain the distance where no feeling of strain on your eyes is experienced while reading.
The above are the ABCs of good reading habits in general, and promote speed reading skills in particular. We could then, from these basics, go on to proceed to the intricacies and details of the various methods and improve our skill further.
Below is an instructional video that offers a rather new alternative method to speed reading. View, learn and enjoy!
You Can Learn Speed Reading in Under 60 Seconds! by Daniel Herzner
Thursday, July 1, 2010
The Hubble Space Telescope
One of the greatest scientific accomplishments of the past 20th century is the placing of the Hubble Space Telescope into orbit in April 1990. The positioning of this marvel of space age technology outside the earth's atmosphere gave mankind a fresh and new view, not only of the celestial sphere, but also of the universe we all live in.
The Hubble Space Telescope, which is named in honor of the American astronomer Edwin Hubble, provides us with a perspective of the celestial sphere that was not possible before. Telescopes and observatories here on earth, in a way, had already given us an inkling and glimpses of the measureless vastness of the heavens through their eyepieces. But the clouds and the earth's atmosphere, in general, have always served as a sort of screen that perverted and obscured our visions through earth's telescopes.
What a shocking and humbling revelation indeed it became when the Hubble Space Telescope began sending its first sight of the stellar and galactic regions, free from the blurring effects of the earth's atmosphere. Colors, patterns, and displays beyond the capabilities of any of earth's artists' brushes and canvases to portray began to unfold their long hidden mysteries.
The Most Important Image Ever Taken (by the Hubble Space Telescope)
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