April 11, 2012

15 Best Psychology TED Talks on Happiness, Motivation, & More

Today we present our picks for the 15 best TED talks covering the topics of psychology and neuroscience. With talks on positive psychology, autism, behavioral economics, electroshock therapy, and more you'll hear some very interesting insights from thinkers on the cutting edge of ideas about the mind and brain.

1. Jill Bolte Taylor's Stroke of Insight

In this moving talk delivered at the TED conference, brain researcher Jill Bolte Taylor provides a first-person account of her own stroke and the experience of losing control of her bodily functions as well the functions of the left side of her brain. Instead of it being a painful or frightening experience, she said the stroke put her in a intense state of bliss and nirvana. Sharing this experience became her motivation for recovery.

2. Martin Seligman on Positive Psychology

In this TED talk Martin Seligman, the founder of positive psychology and the author Authentic Happiness and Learned Optimism, looks at ways healthy people can lead happier, more engaged, and more meaningful lives. While Seligman acknowledges that psychology has done a pretty good job over the past 50 years of making miserable people feel less miserable, he shows that there is a whole other realm of positive psychology which he and a group of other psychologists are only beginning to study. Seligman tells some of his findings on what contributes to healthy states of mind and what fosters genius. Going beyond the conventional pleasure seeking form of happiness, Seligman points to practices that truly give life meaning.

3. The Surprising Science of Motivation

Learn how to better motivate yourself and others in this recent popular TED Talk. In this talk writer Daniel H. Pink lays out the facts about what drives the best results in business. In study after study any work that requires creative problem solving does not benefit from external rewards such as money. Only mechanical tasks benefit when there is reward and punishment, but when creative solutions are required, workers are more motivated when they feel there is intrinsic value to what they are doing. Pink lays out some of the ways businesses have benefited by implementing policies to encourage the best in right brained, creative thinking.

4. Helen Fisher: The Science of Love, and the Future of Women

In this TED talk, anthropologist Helen Fisher discusses a study she was involved in which examined the brains and biochemistry of people in love. She points out the ways in which we have evolved in order to trigger love, lust, and attachment to a mate. She also examines the changes of women's roles in society and how she feels this will ultimately lead to the happiest marriages.

5. Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi on Flow

Check out this TED talk from psychology professor Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi who authored the book Flow: The Psychology of Optimal Experience. Csikszentmihalyi talks about how he became interested in psychology after World War II when he heard a lecture by Carl Jung. Csikszentmihalyi eventually began his psychological study of how average people become extraordinary which he attributes to the idea of "flow" when one become completely involved in an activity for its own sake. Csikszentmihalyi provides many examples of individuals who have tapped into this "flow" state.

6. Matthieu Ricard: Habits of Happiness

Biochemist turned Buddhist monk Matthieu Ricard examines happiness and well-being in this TED talk. He differentiates between pleasure and happiness as pleasure if fleeting and reliant upon circumstance. He feels that true happiness is found by training the mind to be happy regardless of the situation we find ourselves in and to tap into the deeper happiness of the awareness that we are more than our fleeting emotional states.

7. Vilayanur Ramachandran: A Journey to the Center of Your Mind

In this TED talk, neurologist Vilayanur Ramachandran provides some neuroscientific explanations for puzzling psychological and physiological phenomena. He covers why after certain brain injuries patients cannot visually recognize their mother, how to amputated patients can overcome the pain of phantom limbs for only $3, and why certain people see colors when they look at numbers and letters.

8. Temple Grandin: The World Needs All Kinds of Minds

In this TED Talk, Animals in Translation author Temple Grandin discusses her autism and the wide spectrum of autism, and how she has used her insights into autism to help her relate to the inner worlds of animal. Her autism leads to hypersensitivity to noise and other sensory stimuli and she correlates it to how animals perceive the world through their senses.

9. Dan Gilbert: Why Are We Happy? Why Aren't We Happy?

Check out this TED talk from Harvard psychologist and the author of Stumbling on Happiness, Dan Gilbert. Gilbert provides info from studies that reveal that what we often think will make us happy is the opposite of the case. He shows that because we have the ability to consider the future, we are much better prepared for the results and can usually be happy regardless.

10. How Ordinary People Become Monsters... or Heroes

Renowned social psychologist Philip Zimbardo talks about the ideas in his book The Lucifer Effect which explores how good people turn evil. He looks at Abu Ghraib prison scandal which he was called as a witness to, and he compares it to the influential Stanford prison study which he conducted in the early 1970s. In both these circumstances normal individuals were given power without oversight over the prisoners. Zimbardo emphasizes the importance of circumstance when it comes to the potential evil, indifference, or heroism in all of us. Note: Zimbardo shows some graphic imagery of Abu Ghraib in this video.

11. Why We Think It's OK to Cheat and Steal (Sometimes)

In this TED talk Dan Ariely, author of the bestselling book Predictably Irrational, talks about his experiments in cheating in an attempt to understand the economic cheating that happened during the Enron scandal and later the Wall Street financial crisis. At MIT Ariely tested students at various activities and he details the many findings him and his colleagues discovered such as that most people like to cheat a little bit but not so much that it gives them negative impression of themselves as a "cheater".

12. Nancy Etcoff on the Surprising Science of Happiness

In this fast-paced talk from cognitive researcher Nancy Etcoff she looks the science of happiness and the many ways in which it is achieved along with the ways that it eludes us. She describes in basic terms the neuroscience of happiness including the importance of neurotransmitter dopamine and the hormone oxytocin. She also talks about the rise of stress, depression, and anxiety in the modern world. It's an interesting overall view of some of the recent findings in the science of happiness.

13. Daniel Goleman: Why Aren't We All Good Samaritans?

In this brief TED talk, psychologist and author of Emotional Intelligence Daniel Goleman discusses his research into the psychology of compassion and being a "good Samaritan". He suggests that our emotional response to be compassionate towards others is an automatic response when we see people suffering, and it is only by turning this emotion off through the busyness of our daily lives that we suppress this desire to help others. He then provides some inspirational stories for how we might all work towards being good Samaritans.

14. Sherwin B. Nuland on Electroshock Therapy

In this TED talk American surgeon, author, and Yale professor Sherwin B. Nuland talks about the history of electroconvulsive therapy (ECT) for treatment of severe major depression and other mental illnesses. He then proceeds to tell about his own recovery from major depression through electroshock therapy back in the 1970s. After his first marriage failed he fell into a deep depression until he could no longer function. When no other treatments worked the doctors attempted electroshock therapy which led to a remarkable recovery.

15. Oliver Sacks: What Hallucination Reveals About our Minds

Neurologist Oliver Sacks talks about Charles Bonnet syndrome where visually impaired people experience lucid hallucinations. Sacks points out that about 10% of visually impaired people experience these hallucinations, but few mention it because they are often frightened that they are losing their minds. Sacks gives examples of many of his patients who have had these hallucinations and what they often consist of. Through brain scans scientists have actually been able to identify which parts of the brain are activated when such hallucinations occur.

Posted by LOLDavid | Permalink

April 1, 2012

Laugh Out Loud - Funniest Videos on the Internet

April Fools! We present to you "Laugh Out Loud: The Funniest Videos on the Internet". At LearnOutLoud.com we've tried in vain to change the meaning of the acronym "LOL" and we even considered buying the LOL.com domain at one point, but we have realized that "LOL" will forever be regarded as the Internet slang for "Laugh Out Loud". So lets laugh out loud together with this list of the funniest videos on the Internet. Compiled from 100s of hours of watching humorous viral videos, these are truly the funniest videos on the Internet. We'll keep adding to this list when we find videos worthy of being called "the Funniest Videos on the Internet". In no particular order of hilarity:

1. Dramatic Prairie Dog - This dramatic prairie has caused a day's worth of laughing out loud to many who have seen it. And if you'd like to see how this star was born see this funny video as well: How the Dramatic Prairie Dog was Born.

2. DEA Agent Shows Guns in School - This DEA Agent does some show and tell in class and things get a little out of hand.

3. Amazing Skateboarding Jack Russell Named Pete - There are a lot of funny dog videos out there but none may be as stunning as this skateboarding Jack Russell Terrier named Pete. He often skateboards near our offices in Santa Monica and never fails to entertain. Pete's trainer also trained the amazing Jack Russell Terrier named Uggie who was featured in this year's Academy Award Best Picture The Artist. And Uggie can skateboard too!

4. Tampa Bay Rays: DJ Kitty - And there are plenty of funny cat videos but does any cat stand a chance against DJ Kitty!

5. "Love Story" One Man. One Dream. One Chance. - For the lovers out there and the fans of Bad English. This video is both inspirational and funny.

6. America We Stand As One - This video is both patriotic and funny. We stand as one laughing out loud.

7. Auto-Tune the News: Bed Intruder Song - From the Auto-Tune the News gang comes their undisputed masterpiece starring Antoine Dodson. And watch the original bed intruder newscast to see the raw material that was auto-tuned.

8. Michel & Sven - Der Tischdeckentrick - Teil 4 - To preface this video, nobody was harmed in the making of this video! So it is okay to laugh. But then keep watching the video and try to figure out how nobody was harmed. It's a mystery. We think the explanation might be in this video but it's in German and we don't have a translator.

9. Rebecca Black - Friday - Official Music Video - It's only been a little over year since RB made her debut and the music video still stands as the funniest music video on YouTube. For anyone wondering why Rebecca Black was contemplating sitting in the front seat or back seat of a convertible, watch this music video called "Say What You Want" by Ark Music Factory producer Patrice "Pato" Wilson who raps and explains RB's dilemma.

10. SUV Stunt - A Guy Sits on the Roof - Not sure what happened to the audio on this one but even in silent mode it's still "laugh out loud" funny.

11. Shining - Classic fake trailer of Stanley Kubrick's The Shining.

12. Falling for Fall Hidden Camera Prank - This one is juvenile but the laughs keep on coming.

13. I Want My Mama - No dog talks quite like this dog.

14. The Channing Show - The stuffed animal dog show we never got to see.

15. Little Kid Does Parallel Parking - Thumbs up for parallel parking! This kid will make you smile.

16. Wheelbarrow Races Never Looked So Good - These kids will also put a smile on your face.

17. How to be Bully Smart - A questionable video on how to deal with bullies.

We hope you've had some good, clean "LOL" laughs and we'll bring you more laughs in the future.

Posted by LOLDavid | Permalink

March 29, 2012

Best Charlie Rose Guests

Charlie Rose has conducted over 4000 hours of interviews of guests to his Charlie Rose show which has aired on PBS stations since 1991. Charlie has interviewed many other great authors, entertainers, political figures, business leaders, and more. We've gone through Charlie Rose's entire video archive on CharlieRose.com and picked out what we thought were the best guests and the best interviews. There are so many great ones to that we encourage you to go through all of the 350 interviews we've added:

350 of the Best Charlie Rose Guests on LearnOutLoud.com

He has interviewed many great film directors and actors which we featured in a previous blog post:

Top 10 Charlie Rose Interviews of Film Directors and Actors

We'll now feature some of the best of the best guests that Charlie has interviewed over the years. We've separated these by Personal Growth Experts, Business Leaders, Political Figures, Writers, and Entertainers:

Personal Growth Experts:

A Conversation about Nutrition with Dr. Andrew Weil

A Conversation about the Science of Happiness with Martin Seligman, Mihaly Csikszentmihalyi, and others

A Conversation with Anthony Robbins

An Interview with Steven R. Covey

A Conversation about Health and Disease Prevention with Dr. Mehmet Oz and Dr. Michael Roizen

Business Leaders:

An Hour with Jack and Suzy Welch

An Hour with Management Consultant Jim Collins

A Conversation with Business Guru Tom Peters

A Conversation with Lee Iacocca

A Conversation with Michael Milken & Muhammad Yunus

A Conversation with Jeff Bezos on Amazon.com

The Future with Eric Schmidt, Marc Andreessen, and Bill Gates

An Exclusive Conversation with Warren Buffett (at the start of the 2008 financial crisis)

Political Figures:

An Hour with Illinois Senator Barack Obama on Nov. 23, 2004

A Conversation with Guest Host Judy Woodruff and Massachusetts Governor Mitt Romney

A Conversation with Mayor Michael Bloomberg and Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger

An Hour with Mikhail Gorbachev

A Talk with Mahmoud Ahmadinejad, President of the Islamic Republic of Iran

A Discussion on Abortion with Arianna Huffington and Laura Ingraham

A Conversation with Noam Chomsky

An Appreciation of William F. Buckley

Two Conversations with Filmmaker Michael Moore

A Conversation with Bill O'Reilly

Writers:

A Conversation with Author David McCullough

A Conversation with Author Tom Wolfe

A Conversation with Carl Sagan on Pale Blue Dot

Gore Vidal Discusses His Life

An Interview with David Foster Wallace

A Conversation with Author John Updike on The Greatest American Short Stories of This Century

Author Christopher Hitchens on Hitch-22

A Remembrance of Hunter S. Thompson

A Remembrance of Intellectual Susan Sontag

Entertainers:

A Conversation with Opera Singer Luciano Pavarotti

A Conversation with Radio Personality Garrison Keillor

A Conversation with Basketball Legends Kareem Abdul-Jabbar, Julius Erving, and Bill Russell

A Conversation with Musician David Bowie

A Conversation with Comedian George Carlin

A Conversation with Rapper Kanye West

A Conversation with Julia Child

A Discussion of the Music Wars on the Internet with Metallica drummer Lars Ulrich and rapper Chuck D of Public Enemy

An Interview with Conan O'Brien on October 20, 1993

A Conversation with Mick Jagger

An Interview with Fred Rogers

An Interview with Terry Gross

Also at the turn of the century Charlie Rose conducted a series of interviews about some of the most important things in the 20th century with all-star guest panels discussing the most formative events, the most important person, the greatest minds, the most influential artists, and the greatest athletes of the 20th century. Here are those specials:

A Discussion about Formative Events of the 20th Century

A Panel Discussion about the Idea of the Most Important Person of the 20th Century

An Hour Panel Discussion about the Greatest Minds and Breakthroughs of the 20th Century

An Hour Panel Discussion about the Most Influential Artist of the 20th Century

A Discussion about the Greatest Athletes of the 20th Century

Enjoy these and many, many more great shows from the modern master of interviews, Mr. Charlie Rose:

350 of the Best Charlie Rose Guests on LearnOutLoud.com

Posted by LOLDavid | Permalink

February 23, 2012

Top 10 Charlie Rose Interviews of Film Directors and Actors

We have a confession to make that at LearnOutLoud.com we are huge movie buffs! And with the Oscars coming up on Sunday we had to feature some free videos on the movies. Recently we added over 350 of the best interviews from Charlie Rose show:

350 of the Best Charlie Rose Interviews on LearnOutLoud.com

Lucky for us Charlie Rose is a huge movie buff and he conducts the best interviews with film actors and directors. Charlie's interviews go beyond the generic interviews that actors and directors usually do to promote their movies, and he asks the great questions that film aficionados want to hear. We've picked out 10 interviews of the most popular movie actors along with 10 interviews of the most popular film directors and have watched these interviews and given you the inside scoop on what they're all about. Enjoy these interviews and Hooray for Hollywood! Here are the ten actor interviews we picked:

1. An Interview with Sylvester Stallone

In this interview with actor, writer, and director Sylvester Stallone, Charlie Rose traces the action icon's career; from humble origins making Rocky to his peak as one of the highest paid actors of all time. This discussion catches Stallone at a point when he was seeking out work that went against the macho typecasting that came to dominate his screen persona for over 30 years. We also get insight on what attracted him to the arts at an early age, how luck played an instrumental role in his success, and why he can't help controlling a set.

2. An Hour Remembrance of Actor Jack Lemmon

In this hour-long remembrance of Jack Lemmon, Charlie Rose shares two interviews he conducted with the beloved actor of stage and screen. Here Lemmon shares memories of films such as Some Like it Hot, The Apartment, and Days of Wine and Roses, and he reflects on his onscreen chemistry with real-life friend Walter Matthau. He also talks candidly about his acting method, the turbulent relationship he had with his father, his love of the piano, and what he learned from failure.

3. A Conversation with Meryl Streep

In this Charlie Rose special featuring Meryl Streep, she talks about her entire acting career. This special presentation features clips from many of the movies she has been in along with comments from interviews with director Mike Nichols and prominent film critics praising her roles. Streep discusses the many roles she has inhabited along with her thoughts on drama vs. comedy. It's a very enjoyable interview with one of cinema's most beloved and honored film actresses.

4. An Interview with Harrison Ford

Actor Harrison Ford talks for an hour about a lucrative screen career that blew up with Star Wars in the late 70s and made him one of the biggest box-office draws in film history. Hailing originally from Chicago, Ford flunked out of college and moved out West, where he meandered for a few years taking bit TV roles while moonlighting as a carpenter. After early key roles for George Lucas, he was catapulted to fame on the strength of a heroic mold that he later found hard to shake as he took on more complex pet projects.

5. A Conversation with Denzel Washington

Denzel Washington talks with Charlie Rose about his prolific movie acting career in this interview, from his winding path to become an actor all the way up to his 2000 Golden Globe win for the film The Hurricane. Washington talks about The Hurricane and what he put into the role. He also discusses the variety of roles he has picked and the many great directors he has worked with. His films have opened doors for him to become good friends with Nelson Mandela and many other prominent figures.

6. An Hour with Actor Sean Penn

Charlie Rose flies out to California to sit down with actor Sean Penn for an hour. Penn talks about his love/hate relationship with acting and why he prefers writing. He reveals some of the film artists he admires such as John Cassavetes, Marlon Brando, and Jack Nicholson. Penn expresses what he feels cinema should do as an art form and why he is frustrated with the state of commercial movies in America. He also talks about his disdain for paparazzi and the invasion of privacy they present for people in the public eye. Throughout the interview Charlie and Sean have some good laughs.

7. An Hour with Filmmaker Robert Redford

Actor, director, and activist Robert Redford rose to prominence in the 1970s as both a leading man and progressive advocate. Here he talks about his early origins in theatre, the key movies that led to his success, and how his acting career opened up other paths for him as a director and founder of the Sundance Film Festival. Throughout his career, Redford has been notable for leveraging his star-power to help raise visibility on a wide range of concerns, such as environmentalism, Native American rights, and political corruption.

8. A Conversation with Actor Bill Murray

Actor Bill Murray sits down with Charlie Rose and talks about his career in comedy films including the one he had just made Rushmore. Murray talks about his selection process for picking his next role and how certain scripts including Groundhog's Day and Rushmore were so good that he had to do them. Bill Murray discusses how the great directors are usually soft spoken on set and the bad ones are loud and obnoxious yelling out things like, "Do it again and don't scratch your noise this time!"

9. An Hour with Actor Michael Douglas

As part of an acting legacy, Michael Douglas found it hard at times to define himself outside of the long shadow cast by his father, screen legend Kirk Douglas. After achieving early Oscar recognition at age 30 for producing with One Flew Over the Cuckoo's Nest, it wasn't until a later, career-defining turn in Fatal Attraction that Douglas gained momentum as an actor. Here he talks about the different hats he's worn on both sides of the camera, reflects on his changing relationship with his father, and digs into a hard period where he was admitted into rehab.

10. An Hour with Actor Michael J. Fox

This one isn't much about acting but it's a great interview. In 2002 Michael J. Fox sat down with Charlie Rose for an hour. Michael J. Fox was diagnosed with Parkinson's disease in 1991 and went public with his condition in 1998. In this interview Fox talks about the whole process of accepting his disease to his eventual creation of the Michael J. Fox Foundation which is seeking a cure for Parkinson's disease. He relays many stories that he wrote in his 2002 memoir Lucky Man including his acting attempts to cover up Parkinson's which eventually he could no longer hide. He provides words of wisdom for people diagnosed with any disease and tells a truly inspirational story.

Next up we're featuring 10 great interviews that Charlie Rose has conducted with film directors. A few interviews are conducted with people who knew the filmmaker closely for the great directors Alfred Hitchcock and Stanley Kubrick. Enjoy these interviews with some of cinema's great artists.

1. An Hour with Filmmaker George Lucas

George Lucas sits down for an hour long conversation with Charlie Rose in this interview and chronologically goes through his moviemaking career from his days at USC film school up to creating the Star Wars prequels. He talks about his financial and technological struggles to get his visions on the big screen and how he has finally attained financial independence as an artist to create the movies he wants to make without having to answer to anyone. George also passes on his wisdom about storytelling, education, artistry, and parenting.

2. A Conversation about Alfred Hitchcock

As the undisputed "Master of Suspense", Alfred Hitchcock left behind a large body of work that continually explored the darker depths of the human heart. Here, Charlie Rose talks with the director's daughter Patricia along with noted film director/historian Peter Bogdanovich on the centennial of his Hitchcock's birth. Topics include Hitchcock's dogged attention to detail, his writing methods, which films of his own he preferred best, and where he ranks with the great masters of cinema history.

3. An Hour with Filmmaker James Cameron

Known as "Iron Jim" to friends and critics alike, James Cameron rose from humble beginnings as a truck driver to become the "King of the World" with his mega-blockbuster Titanic. Here Charlie Rose talks with the director at length about what went into making the most expensive film ever made, and how he managed to balance historical fact with romantic fiction. Cameron's talent for managing complex productions that still strike a chord with a broad audience has made him one of the most successful filmmakers in the modern era; a feat no less incredible when you consider how much his ambition grows from picture to picture.

4. A Discussion with Steve Jobs and John Lasseter

Capturing a key moment in history, this interview with Steve Jobs and John Lassetter catches both visionaries at the birth of what would become the most successful animation studio in recent history. After purchasing Pixar in 1986, shortly after his initial ouster from Apple, Jobs helped shepherd Lassetter and his team towards the first digitally animated movie, Toy Story, a box-office success that was followed by a string of hits that has not let up to date. Watch for an interesting moment near the end where Jobs tactfully dodges Charlie Rose's question about a possible return to Apple; and even that actually did come to pass later that same year!

5. An Interview with Quentin Tarantino

Coming off the wild success of his independent film breakout hit Pulp Fiction, super cool film director Quentin Tarantino sits down with Charlie Rose and talks about his craft and where his career is going to go from here. Tarantino talks about his childhood watching movies and his days as a video store clerk. He discusses his unorthodox way of storytelling, his method of writing, and his love of following the careers of film directors of which he mentions his favorites. Finally he talks about his first two films Reservoir Dogs and Pulp Fiction. Watch film geek Tarantino enthusiastically riff on his love of movies.

6. An Hour about the Life and Work of Filmmaker Stanley Kubrick

With a photographer's eye, a philosopher's curiosity, and a searing intellect, Stanley Kubrick's films have cut a distinctive path through cinematic history with a scope that is still hard to estimate. Here Charlie Rose talks with the late director's widow Christiane, his lifelong friend Jan Harland, and adds modern master Martin Scorsese into the mix to round out the table. Christiane Kubrick provides heartwarming insight on their marriage, while Harland and Scorsese weigh in on why Kubrick's films such as 2001, The Shining, and Dr. Strangelove continue to provoke, compel, and stimulate new generations of filmgoers.

7. A Conversation with Roman Polanski

In this interview, filmmaker Roman Polanski speaks about filmmaking, personal tragedy, and the legal trouble that has kept him from returning to the United States. Charlie Rose does not shy away from confronting the director of such classics as Rosemary's Baby and Chinatown on why he hasn't faced the legal ramifications of a rape charge that made him flee for Europe in 1977. Polanski also reflects on the loss of his mother at Auschwitz, his lonely childhood in war-torn Poland, losing his wife in the Manson family murders, and his current life as a French citizen.

8. An Interview with Oliver Stone

Director Oliver Stone is known for his political and historical films and in this interview with Charlie Rose, Stone talks about his film Nixon. Stone gives us his interpretation of the man Nixon and covers some of the more controversial aspects of his film. He also gives us his philosophy on drama and its ability to convey the shadow side of history which is often not the version put into the history books. Get a history lesson from Oliver Stone with this hour long talk about Nixon.

9. A Talk with Director Tim Burton

Director Tim Burton talks with Charlie Rose about his recent film and art exhibit at the Museum of Modern Art. In the first 10 minutes MOMA's exhibit curators talk about putting on the exhibition. Then Burton discusses some of his sketches and talks about how he went from being a weird and quiet teenager to a filmmaker extraordinaire. Burton talks about his love of masks and how they bring out new aspects in his performers such as with Jack Nicholson made up as the Joker in his film Batman or Johnny Depp in the wide variety of outfits he has suited up for in many Burton films. Burton feels that all kids are artists and doodlers up to about age 12, but then for various reason these creative instincts are suppressed as people get older, and both Tim and Charlie find this unfortunate.

10. A Conversation with German Film Director Werner Herzog

German film director Werner Herzog sits down with Charlie Rose in this 23 minute interview and discusses his prolific filmmaking career. Herzog gives some insight into the making of his film Fitzcarraldo about which he recently published his personal diaries in a book called Conquest of the Useless. He talks about his philosophy of filmmaking and his search for the "ecstatic truth" when it comes to the many documentaries that he has shot over the years. Herzog also addresses his talent for bringing out the best in actors such as his unique gift for harnessing the talent of German actor Klaus Kinski.

Enjoy these and many, many more great shows from the modern master of interviews, Mr. Charlie Rose:

350 of the Best Charlie Rose Interviews on LearnOutLoud.com

Posted by LOLDavid | Permalink

January 30, 2012

Best Commencement Speeches on Audio & Video

Get inspired with this list of the 10 best commencement speeches available on audio & video. While college commencement addresses are aimed at graduates, the wisdom they contain can be inspirational for everyone, no matter what stage of life you're at. Since colleges have been putting out more videos in recent years there are now many commencement addresses available on YouTube. And we've also discovered that the C-SPAN video library also features many great commencement addresses from the past twenty years or so.

We've selected these top 10 best commencement speeches mixing some historic commencement speeches with some great modern commencement addresses as well:

1. 2005 Commencement Address at Stanford University by Steve Jobs

Steve Jobs delivered this commencement address at Stanford University and it's one of the more inspiring commencement addresses we've ever had a chance to hear. Jobs tells three stories of endurance through his education, his career, and his diagnosis with cancer, and through it all his advice is: "Stay Hungry. Stay Foolish." This title is available on streaming video.

2. 1963 American University Commencement Address by John F. Kennedy

In this famous address delivered a few months before his assassination, President John F. Kennedy spoke of peace. Delivered at the height of the Cold War, Kennedy expressed his goal for peace that wasn't a "Pax Americana" based on American weapons of war. He spoke of the U.S. intentions around the World and against many of the policies of the Soviet Union. Many of Kennedy's words on peace still ring true today such as his statement: "For, in the final analysis, our most basic common link is that we all inhabit this small planet. We all breathe the same air. We all cherish our children's future. And we are all mortal."

3. J.K. Rowling Speaks at the 2008 Harvard Commencement

Harry Potter author J.K. Rowling delivers some wise words of wisdom during her Harvard Commencement address in 2008 which she entitled "The Fringe Benefits of Failure, and the Importance of Imagination". She talks about how failure in her life after a divorce and when she was living in poverty helped her to eliminate everything that wasn't most important to her. And she talks about what she learned of human good and evil in her work for Amnesty International. She points out how fortunate the graduates of Harvard are and encourages them to succeed and fail and live rich lives.

4. 2001 Harvard Commencement Address by Bono

Rock star Bono addresses Harvard graduates in this 2001 Commencement Address. He talked about his journey with economist Jeffrey Sachs to encourage debt cancellation in Africa in the Jubilee 2000 campaign. He encouraged graduates to rebel against indifference and create an America where anything is possible. The address is full of inspiring words from the U2 frontman and activist.

5. Oprah Winfrey's 2008 Stanford Commencement Address

Oprah Winfrey packs as much advice as she can into this 30 minute Commencement Address which she gave to the Stanford graduating class of 2008. Through stories in her own life, she relays life lessons like: "Grow into being more of yourself", "Listen to your gut", "If it doesn't feel right don't do it", "If you're not sure what to do, get still", "If you struggling, then help others who are struggling". And there are many more lessons relayed here in Oprah's wonderful speech.

6. 1978 Harvard University Commencement Address: A World Split Apart by Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn

In one of the most ambitious commencement speeches ever delivered, the Russian author Aleksandr Solzhenitsyn accessed the Western political and cultural situation in the year 1978 and many of his criticisms still hold true today. While in exile from the Soviet Union, he spent a number of years in the United States and this address is his analysis of the Western predicament. In this comprehensive one hour speech he discusses Western politics, the media, our role in Vietnam, the lack of courage in our leadership, Soviet communism, commercialism and materialism, and the spiritual state of Western man. He delivers the speech in Russian and it is simultaneously translated into English. This speech is offered on streaming audio through Google Video.

7. 1990 Commencement Address at Wellesley College by Barbara Bush

First Lady Barbara Bush imparted some words of wisdom in her well received Commencement Address at Wellesley College back in 1990. She emphasizes what's most important in life, provides some humorous anecdotes, and even quotes Ferris Bueller. In this brief 10 minute speech she receives thunderous applause.

8. Randy Pausch Inspires Graduates at the 2008 Carnegie Mellon Commencement

Carnegie Mellon Professor Randy Pausch is famous for his "Last Lecture" which he delivered shortly after he was diagnosed with terminal cancer. A few months before his death he delivered this brief and inspiring speech at the Carnegie Mellon commencement on what's really important when you look back at your life.

9. 2000 Boston University Commencement by Tom Wolfe

Watch this turn of the century commencement address from the great American author Tom Wolfe. While most commencement address speakers urge students to go out and change the world and fight the system, Tom Wolfe reminds graduates to keep up the current greatness of America and of our tremendous wealth and openness as a country. He praises our middle class virtues and laughs at movie actors and rock stars and other "intellectuals" who tear down the ordinary virtues of America with satire and cries of indignation. Throughout the talk Wolfe gives some of his own hilarious observations on America at the turn of the 21st century. It's a unique commencement address from one of America's most keen observers and most entertaining writers.

10. Conan O'Brien's 2011 Dartmouth College Commencement Address

And for some comic relief in a commencement address, Conan O'Brien delivered a rapid fire comic routine at Dartmouth College last year. After many jokes to warm the crowd up he gets a little serious about his failure at hosting the Tonight Show and the importance of having your greatest fear realized. Through it all he learned that dreams do change and that can lead to a much more exciting life than was previously imagined.

And here are some other good commencement addresses we listened to that have proven to be popular. Here are over dozen other commencement addresses in historical order. We're linking directly to these ones for the most part:

1941 Winston Churchill Address To Harrow School

Delivered in the midst of World War II, Churchill's speech to the Harrow School contains the lines: "Never give in. Never give in. Never, never, never, never -- in nothing, great or small, large or petty -- never give in, except to convictions of honor and good sense."

George C. Marshall Introduces The Marshall Plan at the 1947 Harvard University Commencement

George C. Marshall introduces the Marshall Plan to rescue Europe after World War II.

1999 George Washington Commencement Address by Desmond Tutu

Archbishop Desmond Tutu preaches for a new world and asks graduates to work for it.

1999 Agnes Scott College Commencement Address by Kurt Vonnegut

Kurt Vonnegut gives a freewheeling and funny commencement address with some gems of wisdom for the graduates to remember.

2000 Antioch College Commencement by Mumia Abu-Jamal

Mumia Abu-Jamal gives a politically charged taped audio address from death row for the Antioch College commencement.

2001 California State University at Fullerton Commencement by Nicholas Cage

Actor Nicholas Cage spreads his passion for movies and acting and art and life.

2001 Vassar College Commencement Address by Stephen King

America's Boogie Man Stephen King says life is short and then you die so give away what you have to the poor.

2004 Commencement Address at The College of William & Mary by Jon Stewart

Jon Stewart praises the youth generation and encourages them to fix what the previous generation has broken.

Bill Cosby's 2007 Commencement Address at Carnegie Mellon University

Bill Cosby urges you to not talk yourself out of being you and to be proud of being yourself.

Ellen at Tulane Commencement 2009

Comedienne Ellen DeGeneres talks about how she overcame some of the tougher setbacks in her life.

2011 Commencement Address by Denzel Washington

Actor Denzel Washington tells graduates to not have something to fall back on, but instead fall forward and keep getting back up.

Dr. E.O. Wilson at the 2011 University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill Commencement

Biologist E.O. Wilson encourages us to rescue the biodiversity of the plant.

Tom Hanks Addresses the Yale Class of 2011

Actor Tom Hanks talks about the "ying yang thang" of life and how our faith can grow bigger than our fears.

There are still a lot more commencement addresses for us to listen to. We'll try to build on this list for a feature later in the year when students are graduating.

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