Alan by way of Andy

Andy Carvin's Waste of Bandwidth serves up a good read on internet culture and the media in general. Andy's a dude and definitely a
favorite of mine.

Here's a recent entry that you might enjoy.
Alan Alda on Science, Improv and Richard Feynman

Andy Carvin delivers a highly engaging report on an interview Alan Alda gave at USC. Whether you're already a fan of Alda's or have a passing admiration for his work, you'll definitely enjoy his unabashed love of learning and his participation in the intersection of art and science, and his warm and accessible approach.



~ from the page

After wrapping up a trip to Los Angeles for an NPR retreat at the University of Southern California, I had the pleasure of catching an on-campus appearance by Alan Alda. Perhaps best known for his Emmy-winning role as Hawkeye Pierce on the TV series M*A*S*H, Alda has also dedicated a great deal of energy towards the sciences—in particular, making science more accessible to the general public. As the host of the long-running PBS Series Scientific American Frontiers, Alda has interviewed some of the greatest scientists of the modern age. He spent more than an hour covering everything from his admiration of Richard Feynman and the use of play in scientific discovery, to the role of government in funding the arts and sciences.

~ end quote


You might want to also check out Andy's contribution to the PBS Teachers site Learning.now where he recounts Alda's interview in the context of education. Alan Alda: the Play's the Thing

—Image by ANDY CARVIN 2008