Whitney Tilson gave a great talk today to the Councils about a book he co-authored, “Poor Charlie’s Almanack.”
Here’s the link to download the mp3:
At the end of the call, Whitney also gave an update on the economy and the housing crisis.
If you want to download Whitney’s latest presentation with his thinking on the housing crisis, click here to fill-out a form and download the 150-slide deck:
Thanks,
Phil
09. September 2009 by Arrian
Categories: Uncategorized |
Tags: Books |
Comments Off on Whitney Tilson mp3
The Reading Odyssey’s latest initiative, Slow Art, has launched in the U.S. and Europe.
This live event is designed to help participants see art in a new way – to exercise their seeing, thinking and listening muscles.
Slow art was started by the Reading Odyssey to invite novices (and experts) to come, to feel welcome, to not worry about what experts say but rather to take the time themselves to see and discover what is possible when slowly viewing art.
April 17, 2010 Slow Art events are being planned in cities around the world.
– Register for 2010 Slow Art
– Host one in your city?
– Reviews of past Slow Art events
– Sign-up for the Reading Odyssey monthly e-mail newsletter
Below are the 2009 cities we just completed.
Thanks,
Phil
– – – October 17, 2009
Ashland, Oregon
http://slowartAshland2009.eventbrite.com
Atlanta
http://slowartAtlanta2009.eventbrite.com
Boston
http://slowartboston2009.eventbrite.com
Chicago
http://slowartChicago2009.eventbrite.com
LA
http://SlowArtLA2009.eventbrite.com
Miami
http://SlowArtMiami2009.eventbrite.com
New York
http://SlowArtNYC2009.eventbrite.com
San Francisco
http://slowartSF2009.eventbrite.com
Stanford
http://SlowArtStanford2009.eventbrite.com
Toronto
http://SlowArtTO2009.eventbrite.com
Washington, DC
http://slowartdc2009.eventbrite.com
Worcester, MA
http://SlowArtWorcester2009.eventbrite.com
– – – October 24, 2009
Berlin
http://SlowArtBerlin2009.Eventbrite.com
London
http://SlowArtLondon2009.Eventbrite.com
—————————————————-
Completed
—————————————————-
– – – October 10, 2009
Portland
http://slowartportland2009.eventbrite.com
– – – October 11, 2009
Copenhagen
http://slowartdk2009.eventbrite.com/
06. September 2009 by Arrian
Categories: Uncategorized |
Tags: Slow Art |
1 comment
The Reading Odyssey’s Aristotle 2009 reading group had a good conversation with Professor Barry Schwartz about “practical wisdom” and Aristotle’s Nicomachean Ethics.
Download the mp3 from the dialogue here:
Phil
02. September 2009 by Arrian
Categories: Aristotle, Reader Call |
Tags: Aristotle, Barry Schwarz |
1 comment
E.O. Wilson just wrote an important editorial, “We must save the living environment” in the New Scientist, June 22, 2009. He calls for action to save the living world at the same level as there has been action about saving the physical world (i.e. work on global climate change).
Many of the comments to his editorial focus on why humans won’t heed his call to work on and try to stop the pending destruction of much of the living microbes that make up so much of our biological world.
While I understand some of the negative comments about whether humanity will be able to make the changes that E.O. Wilson suggests, I also have seen E.O. Wilson reframe other debates successfully. (Note: we are lucky that E.O. Wilson agreed to speak live for our fourth Darwin150 web lecture this fall – you can sign up free here: http://DarwinLecture4.Eventbrite.com).
Yes, it is the tendency of humans to be short-term oriented. Yes, humans often find it difficult to understand long-term unanticipated consequences like the destruction of biodiversity from human activity.
And yes it is true that it is hard for humans to care about something that they cannot see.
I, however, am cautiously optimistic that E.O. Wilson and others can bring this important issue to the attention of humanity.
We have found that through concerted grassroots efforts that we have been able to build a Darwin group on Facebook with 250,000 members – many of whom are not scientists. This more mainstream general audience does have an interest in learning about science and even in challenging preconceptions about what is important.
I have posted a link to this article in our Facebook group. And I am cautiously optimistic and willing to do some work to support E.O. Wilson and others to reframe the importance of losing so much of our biodiversity.
Phil
On our way to 1 million, help us get there
http://www.facebook.com/home.php#/group.php?gid=53320310123
22. August 2009 by Arrian
Categories: Commentary, Darwin |
Tags: Darwin |
1 comment
We kicked off the fall Darwin150 Campaign – the celebration of the 150th anniversary of the publication of Darwin’s “On the Origin of Species” with scientist, editor and author Richard Milner.
Milner delighted us tonight with the stories, songs and science of his new book, “Darwin’s Universe.” An Associate in Anthropology at the American Museum of Natural History, Richard Milner is an unusual combination of scientist, writer, historian and Broadway actor.
Download the mp3 of our wonderful conversation here:
I recommend Richard’s witty and wise book. Buy it here:
And his musical performance website:
Do listen to the mp3 and share it with others.
Thanks,
Phil
P.S. Join us in the Facebook campaign to reach 1 million members by November 24, 2009 – the date of the original publication of “On the Origin of Species” 150 years ago:
P.S.S. See these blogs commenting on the call:
20. August 2009 by Arrian
Categories: Darwin, Lecture |
Tags: Darwin |
1 comment
We had a great time at our first “slow art” action this last Saturday, August 8 at MoMA in New York City.
The participants each viewed paintings and sculptures in the collection for up to one hour for each object. Then after 2 1/2 hours of that slow viewing, we went to Danny Meyer’s Cafe on the second floor and had a wonderful meal and conversation about what we saw.
Here’s a photo of the planners of slow art with the general manager of the Cafe (and other food services in MoMA).
10. August 2009 by Arrian
Categories: Uncategorized |
Tags: Slow Art |
Comments Off on Great time at slow art, next one is October 17
I look forward to seeing you and others tomorrow, Saturday, August 8 at MoMA for the the first Slow Art (aka Art Watch).
Keep the following in mind:
1. This is not an official MoMA event
Pay for the museum entry fee and go view the paintings that you selected. Be courteous to other folks around you and *don’t* ask anyone at MoMA for info on “Art Watch” – this is not an official event!
2. Text me through my cell phone or call me on my cell when you arrive
I’d like to know who is in the museum – and let me know if you plan to stay for lunch.
3. You can view the paintings you selected (or others) from 10 minutes to 60 minutes…
It’s up to you how long you want to view the paintings you selected (or others). The average museum visitor spends about *8* seconds per painting. Anything longer than that is a good start 😉
4. What if you can’t find your painting?
I came up with the list of paintings based on what MoMA said on its website was currently on display. It’s possible, however, that one or more paintings are on loan to another museum. If you can’t find the painting you signed up for, then simply find another painting.
5. We are meeting at the cafeteria at 1pm
The good folks at Danny Meyer’s restaurants contacted me and set aside a table for 6 at 1pm tomorrow, Saturday.
Come ready to see and listen with your eyes.
I look forward to it!
Best,
Phil
08. August 2009 by Arrian
Categories: Uncategorized |
Tags: Slow Art |
1 comment
Come join us for the initial Art Watch this Saturday, August 8, 2009 at MoMA in New York.
To participate, click on the link below and select a painting and timeslot.
– What is this?
It’s “Art Watch” – a movement to look at art for much longer than the average museum visitor (the average time spent in front of a painting or sculpture is *less* than one minute). Think of it as the art world equivalent of slow food.
– Why am I doing this?
Last summer, I sat in front of two paintings for an hour each and it was a wonderful experience. I find that “slow watching” changes your perspective on that painting and develops your “ways of seeing” muscles. Plus, it’s just pure good fun.
– How does it work?
1. You select one painting at MoMA to look at for 1 hour this Saturday
2. That’s it – you come at your designated time and look at one painting for an hour.
3. Oh, and come dressed distinctively
4. Optionally – join us for lunch in the cafeteria at 1pm.
5. Spread the word
I’ve set up 10 paintings and two timeslots this Saturday – 10:30 – 11:30 and 11:30 – 12:30.
To participate, click on the link below and select a painting and timeslot.
Even if you can’t make it, please spread the word.
03. August 2009 by Arrian
Categories: Uncategorized |
Tags: Slow Art |
1 comment
The great recession we are experiencing reinforces a timeless observation made by the pioneering Greek historian Herodotus: “Human prosperity never abides long in the same place.”
The New York Times concluded a recent article about the recession with this quote from an unemployed construction worker in Phoenix: “You’d think that someone would have seen this coming and been more prepared.”
With all respect to the construction worker, why would he think that someone would have been prepared?
I was reading Herodotus for the first time during the boom and Herodotus’ observations were instructive. We humans have – for good evolutionary reasons – a strong bias towards short-term thinking and a tendency to forget the past. A few years after the dotcom boom and bust, we got the real estate boom and bust. And somehow we had difficulty remembering what had happened just a few years earlier. Herodotus shows us that humans not only had this tendency two years ago but we had it 2,500 years ago.
Reading Herodotus and discussing it with others in a community might not change these boom and bust patterns but it does have multiple other benefits, including teaching us the following:
1) We are not alone in our mistakes
We learn that we are not particularly or uniquely screwed up in the early years of the 21st century. Humans have been screwing up like this for thousands of years – and I find that somehow soothing. It certainly contradicts the widely held notion that everything that is happening today is either the best or worst. No. We are ordinary humans.
2) Joy is possible even in hard times
We can learn and be joyful even in the midst of our mistakes. Reading these great books and discussing them in a community of readers is joyful. It just is. The stories, ideas, methods all better prepare us to live, learn and create through the ups and downs of life.
3) Reading “hard” books is possible and inspiring
When members of the Reading Odyssey read a great book like that written by Herodotus or Darwin, they discover several things. First, they discover that they *can* read an author like Herodotus. That is where part of the joy referenced above comes from. It’s delightful for readers to discover the possibility of reading books like these. Then, readers also discover the history of ideas. It doesn’t matter, for example, that Aristotle’s biology is wrong on many points. What matters is to discover the grandeur of the attempt he made – with the limited tools he had – to understand everything around him. It’s inspiring.
4) The importance of connections and conversation
Reading these challenging but wonderful books together – this collective habit of wisdom, as Aristotle might call it – can help people become more connected to the past, to the present and to people both dead and alive. I often claim Herodotus, Darwin, Lincoln and others as my mentors. I am connected to them even though they have no idea who I am and probably never will. These social and historical connections really mean something. A community of learners connected to each other and to 2,500 years of human conversation makes each reader stronger.
5) Great treasures are available to all
This may be a great recession but humanity has survived much worse – as you learn when you read Herodotus or the other great Greek historian, Thucydides. We in the 21st century are lucky to have 2,500 years of great thinking and great writing to delight, inspire and to teach us. I for one am grateful to have this great treasure of writing and thinking. This is one way we are very different from the humans of 2,500 years ago – they did not have 2,500 years of written scientific inquiry, of literature, of great histories, of epic poetry. We do.
That’s some of what I have to say for now on the benefits of reading these great books.
What do *you* think?
29. July 2009 by Arrian
Categories: Commentary, Herodotus |
Tags: Newsletter |
1 comment
Reading Odyssey is a nonprofit currently seeking 501c(3) status. We hope and expect to receive confirmation of that status from the IRS by November 2009.
We accept donations now and our lawyer advises us that if we do receive 501c(3) status then donations made now will be tax deductible.
To make a donation you can either send a check. Email pterry at reading odyssey dot com for instructions or you can use the PayPal button below.
Thank you!Phil TerryFounder, Reading Odyssey, Inc.
12. July 2009 by Arrian
Categories: Reading Odyssey |
Tags: Donate |
Comments Off on Support Reading Odyssey, Inc.
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E.O. Wilson, the final speaker in our Darwin150 campaign, writes an important editorial
E.O. Wilson just wrote an important editorial, “We must save the living environment” in the New Scientist, June 22, 2009. He calls for action to save the living world at the same level as there has been action about saving the physical world (i.e. work on global climate change).
Many of the comments to his editorial focus on why humans won’t heed his call to work on and try to stop the pending destruction of much of the living microbes that make up so much of our biological world.
While I understand some of the negative comments about whether humanity will be able to make the changes that E.O. Wilson suggests, I also have seen E.O. Wilson reframe other debates successfully. (Note: we are lucky that E.O. Wilson agreed to speak live for our fourth Darwin150 web lecture this fall – you can sign up free here: http://DarwinLecture4.Eventbrite.com).
Yes, it is the tendency of humans to be short-term oriented. Yes, humans often find it difficult to understand long-term unanticipated consequences like the destruction of biodiversity from human activity. And yes it is true that it is hard for humans to care about something that they cannot see. I, however, am cautiously optimistic that E.O. Wilson and others can bring this important issue to the attention of humanity. We have found that through concerted grassroots efforts that we have been able to build a Darwin group on Facebook with 250,000 members – many of whom are not scientists. This more mainstream general audience does have an interest in learning about science and even in challenging preconceptions about what is important. I have posted a link to this article in our Facebook group. And I am cautiously optimistic and willing to do some work to support E.O. Wilson and others to reframe the importance of losing so much of our biodiversity. Phil On our way to 1 million, help us get therehttp://www.facebook.com/home.php#/group.php?gid=53320310123
22. August 2009 by Arrian
Categories: Commentary, Darwin | Tags: Darwin | 1 comment