‘Last Lecture’ Professor Randy Pausch, 47, Dies

A most inspiring story.
Rest in peace, Randy Pausch. Education is better because of educators like you.
The Ny Times writes,

"Randy Pausch, the Carnegie Mellon computer science professor whose last lecture became an Internet sensation and bestselling book, has died of pancreatic cancer. He was 47.
Dr. Pausch, whose proudest professional achievement was creating a free computer programming tool for children called Alice, was an improbable celebrity. A self-professed nerd, he pushed his students to create virtual reality projects, celebrated the joy of amusement parks and even spent a brief stint as a Disney “Imagineer.'’
Last September, Dr. Pausch unexpectedly stepped on an international stage when he addressed a crowd of about 400 faculty and students at Carnegie Mellon as part of the school’s “Last Lecture” series. In the talks, professors typically talk about issues that matter most to them. Dr. Pausch opened his talk with the news that he had terminal cancer and proceeded to deliver an uplifting, funny talk about his own childhood dreams and how to help his children and others achieve their own goals in life. He learned he had pancreatic cancer in September, 2006."
Read full story here.
Also, here is his presentation from the 'Last Lecture' series:

graph per ny times
video per youtube

Brideshead Revisited: Yea on Form and Content

Julian Jarrold's film Brideshead Revisited will serve as a good teaching tool to future filmmakers who attempt cinematic adaptations of literary works. This new adaptation confidently captures the angst of '20-s Oxford students who grapple with things like originating from different socio-economic backgrounds, coming to terms with identity confusions, dealing with familial and familiar tensions, and figuring out dis- and misplaced affections.
Moreover, Jarrold's cast choices are nigh perfect. Emma Thompson plays the role of the ruling matriarch most dexterously and Matthew Goode's rendering of the innocent non-aristocratic boy caught in a love triangle with two privileged siblings is another solid performance for the generally quiet British actor.
The NY Times review says:
"“It exposed some of the myths I’d had about ‘Brideshead,’ ” Mr. Jarrold said of his rereading. “I’d had the memory of it being a nostalgia trip about the passing of English life and a bygone era, a glorification of aristocracy — about people wearing odd clothes and poncing around Oxford.” That was part of it, he said. But there was also a bite and a sharpness that are as relevant now as they were in 1945, when the novel was published.

“One of the reasons for the book’s popularity is, it is an archetypal type of story of this young individual from a poorer, less interesting background who is welcomed into this beautiful, magical, alluring kingdom with wonderful, magical people,” Mr. Jarrold said. “And then he begins to realize that everything is not what it seems.”"

It's a solid performance coupled with a more than adequate cinematography.
graph per ny times