http://www.shapeshift.net best documentaries on the web Thu, 18 Mar 2010 03:04:41 +0000 http://backend.userland.com/rss092 en Multi-award winning feature film, Children of God explores the life and plight of street children who live beside the Baghmati River in Kathmandu. (90 min)]]> http://www.shapeshift.net/2010/03/children-of-god-nepali-slumdogs/ A severe summer drought followed by an extra harsh winter has decimated the livestock in Mongolia and may inextricably end Mongolian nomadic culture. (4:17 min)]]> http://www.shapeshift.net/2010/03/mongolias-big-freeze/ Vanguard correspondent Mariana van Zeller travels to Sri Lanka to see how the Tamil Tigers, one of the world's most lethal and influential terrorist organizations, were finally defeated. (22:33 min)]]> http://www.shapeshift.net/2010/03/notes-from-a-war-on-terror-sri-lanka/ BBC Horizon looks at the most popular prescription drugs, how they affect us, how they came to be and some potential pills that people would like to have. (58 min)]]> http://www.shapeshift.net/2010/03/bbc-horizon-pill-poppers/ Matt Welch, editor of the libertarian magazine Reason.com, discusses health care with Paul Jay at The RealNews Network. (19 min)]]> http://www.shapeshift.net/2010/03/a-libertarian-take-on-health-care/ Enemy of the State?... explores the role of Internet in contemporary politics. (48 min)]]> http://www.shapeshift.net/2010/03/the-virtual-revolution-enemy-of-the-state/ A 20 minute excerpt of the BBC documentary, Documents for Artists, that examines photography as a documentary medium for artists. ]]> http://www.shapeshift.net/2010/03/photography-documents-for-artists/ It is expensive to dispose of ships so for years locals and Europeans have abandoned 300 ships in a huge remote bay in Mauritania, West Africa. The EU wants to continue fishing in these rich waters but needs to clean up the rotting ships. (6:47 min)]]> http://www.shapeshift.net/2010/03/shipwrecks-in-paradise/ BBC explores the origins, history and impact of the Internet and World Wide Web (WWW). From its Cold-War military origins in the 1950's, through its modern-day incarnations. (58 min)]]> http://www.shapeshift.net/2010/03/the-virtual-revolution-the-great-leveller/ The Mekong river, which supports the livelihoods of about 60 million people in Southeast Asia, is at record-low water levels. China has built four of its planned eight hydroelectric dams on the upper Mekong. (2:44 min)]]> http://www.shapeshift.net/2010/03/dying-mekong-threatens-livelihoods/ Anthony Bourdain and the No Reservations crew were in Bangkok Thailand during Songkran March 2009 when unrest and riots erupted in the country. Consequently, they tell a story similar to mine since I was there at the same time. (43 min)]]> http://www.shapeshift.net/2010/03/no-reservations-thailand/ Fight Science tests Ninja Woman Mindy's strength and flexibility against one of the best security systems modern technology can offer. (3:44 min)]]> http://www.shapeshift.net/2010/03/fight-science-ninja-woman/ Genetics and biotechnology promise a future of unprecedented health and longevity. Ultimately, the ageing process itself could be slowed down or even halted. But what impact will this have on who we are and how we will live? (57 min)]]> http://www.shapeshift.net/2010/03/the-biotech-revolution/ What if sensors on the street knew exactly which parking spots were free and your phone could direct you straight to a free space? San Francisco is trying the idea. If it works, it'll be good for motorists, for the city, and for the environment. (4:46 min)]]> http://www.shapeshift.net/2010/03/wireless-parking-san-francisco/ A 30 minute excerpt of the BBC documentary, Fixing the Shadows, tells the story of the invention of photography and the way in which it became an integral part of the modern world.]]> http://www.shapeshift.net/2010/03/photography-fixing-the-shadows/ RealNews discusses the state of U.S. journalism after decades of corporate consolidation then explores a possible golden future if the profession takes on a non-profit model, like the BBC or CBC. (19:30 min, 2 segments)]]> http://www.shapeshift.net/2010/03/death-and-life-of-american-journalism/ Professor Marcus du Sautoy goes in search of answers to one of science's greatest mysteries - How do we know who we are? (58 min)]]> http://www.shapeshift.net/2010/03/consciousness-the-secret-you/ R.I.P. Howard Zinn (1922 -2010). (6:30 min)]]> http://www.shapeshift.net/2010/03/bill-moyers-remembers-howard-zinn/ Terrified residents throughout Chile were awakened by an 8.8. magnitude earthquake. As Seth Doane reports, aid is already making it's way to the country. (2:47 min)]]> http://www.shapeshift.net/2010/02/earthquake-rocks-chile/ Shibam Yemen is home to some of the world's oldest skyscrapers - contiguous mud-brick tower buildings rising five to nine stories high that have stood for seven centuries, but their preservation could prove difficult. (3 min)]]> http://www.shapeshift.net/2010/02/yemen-mud-skyscrapers-in-danger/