America’s Best High Schools 2012

  This year, our ranking highlights the best 1,000 public high schools in the nation—the ones that have proven to be the most effective in turning out college-ready grads. The list is based on six components provided by school administrators: Graduation rate (25 percent) College matriculation rate (25 percent) AP/IB/AICE tests taken per student (25 percent) Average SAT/ACT scores (10 percent) Average …

Hollywood Dogs – from Rin Tin Tin to Uggie

Featuring author Susan Orlean, animal trainers Sarah Clifford and Omar von Muller and a screening of “Clash of the Wolves” (1925) starring Rin Tin Tin, with live musical accompaniment by Michael Mortilla. “Man’s Best Friend” has gotten a wonderful publicity boost from the movies. Canine cinema mythology has enhanced human appreciation of a dog’s loyalty, heroism, humor and intelligence from the earliest days …

Enroll in free online in courses from top institutions – Princeton, Stanford, Michigan

Online educational marketplaces are on the rise, with tools like Udemy and Khan Academy allowing people of all ages to become an expert in any topic. New company Coursera is targeting higher education by offering university-level courses from top institutions to students all over the world, all for free. The company launched with $16 million in Series A funding and is announcing …

Best original song from the Academy Awards – "Man Or Muppet" by Jason Segel and Walter

From Disney’s “The Muppets” – Written by Bret McKenzie. — Watch Bret perform a duo with Kermit – Life’s a Happy Song

Best original song from the Academy Awards – “Man Or Muppet” by Jason Segel and Walter

From Disney’s “The Muppets” – Written by Bret McKenzie. — Watch Bret perform a duo with Kermit – Life’s a Happy Song

Wanna join the Academy Awards? Well don’t be a female and pray if you’re not white…

About 37 million people tuned in to the Academy Awards last year, and a great deal rides on the show’s outcome…Yet the roster of all 5,765 voting members of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences is a closely guarded secret. The organization does not publish a membership list. A Los Angeles Times study …

Wanna join the Academy Awards? Well don't be a female and pray if you're not white…

About 37 million people tuned in to the Academy Awards last year, and a great deal rides on the show’s outcome…Yet the roster of all 5,765 voting members of the Academy of Motion Picture Arts and Sciences is a closely guarded secret. The organization does not publish a membership list. A Los Angeles Times study …

Fun facts of the Oscars…nineteen nominations for playing the king/queen of England?

19 Nominations for actors playing kings and queens of England   $325,000 – Cost of It Happened One Night (Best Picture, 1935)   $237 million – Cost of Avatar (Best Picture nomination, 2010—it lost)   23 – Best Picture nominees in which Bess Flowers appeared, the most of any actor (and she was an extra in all 23 …

The Oscars trailer from Funny or Die – Billy Crystal in Mongolia as Shukshin

I’m proud to say that my good friend, over at Cr8impact, is also good friends with “Nick Corirossi and Charles Ingram, at Funny Or Die, who wrote and directed the new Oscars Trailer featuring Billy Crystal and Robin Williams! I’m only two degrees of Kevin Bacon/separation away from all this!     That’s Robin Williams as …

On the grounds of the Villa Medici in Rome with gods, gardens, and great art (photos)

I don’t know what to say about this…I was visiting the website of the French Academy in Rome and then accidentally closed the window. When I re-opened it a new beautiful picture was staring at me. I kept refreshing the page and found 8 more beautiful pictures. The building is called the Villa Medici located …