Heads-up for 31 August 2010

TED Talks
The Happy Planet Index - Nic Marks (2010)
Statistician Nic Marks asks why we measure a nation's success by its productivity -- instead of by the happiness and well-being of its people. He introduces the Happy Planet Index, which tracks national well-being against resource use (because a happy life doesn't have to cost the earth). Which countries rank highest in the HPI? You might be surprised.
(review, feed)

Witness (BBC)
Libya Coup: In the early hours of September 1st 1969, a group of Libyan army officers took power from the ruling monarch, King Idris. Among them a young soldier called Muammar Qadhafi. Witness hears from two Libyans who lived through those heady events.
(review, feed)

New podcasts in August 2010 - Anne is a Man

Newly reviewed podcasts this month:

Ideas (CBC) (review, site, feed)
Philosophy program on Canadian radio

Reading Marx's Capital (CUNY) (review, site, feed)
David Harvey's close reading course of Das Kapital (2008 podcast).

Witness (BBC) (review, site, feed)
Nine minute issues paying attention to an occurrence in history close to this date. Combined with historic narration are the words of one or more witnesses to the event.

Hidden Heritage (review, site, feed)
Three podcasts about Irish history

Bhagavad Gita (Librivox) (review, site, feed)
A reading on an English translation from the Gita by Sir Edwin Arnold.

The State We're In (RNW) (review, site, feed)
Dutch documentary radio in English

Documentary on one (RTE) (review, site, feed)
Documentary radio from Ireland

History of Iran (Columbia) (review, site, feed)
A 2008 history course by Richard Bulliet. Iranian history from prehistory to the Safavid period (18th century).