Films on Demand, a streaming video platform used by Media Services, has once again added hundreds of new titles available to watch instantly. Their collection is far-reaching, including everything from newsreel footage to informational health videos. Here are a few highlights from the newest batch.
The Difference Between a Cold and the Flu (2011, 2 min.)
So what’s the difference between cold and flu? Most people have a general idea that they are different, but when pressed have a hard time really saying what the difference is.
There Once Was an Island: The Devastating Effects of Climate Change (2010, 80 min.)
The people on a remote Pacific island face the devastating effects of climate change. As an enormous flood threatens to engulf their paradise, who will decide to flee and leave their culture behind forever? And who will stay, hoping that God will save them?
Sex and the Wailing Wall: The Battle of the Sexes at the Holiest of Sites (2011, 45 min.)
A band of brave Jewish women is fighting back for the right to raise their voices at the Wailing Wall. The holy site is the most potent symbol for Jews. But it is dominated by the ultra-Orthodox, who seek to maintain segregation of the sexes and limit the rights of women who want to pray there. This documentary tells how a group of women is challenging the iron grip of the reactionaries and demanding reform.
USA: Soldiers of Conscience (2008, 54 min.)
A U.S. Army study conducted after World War II revealed that a surprisingly large number of combat troops failed to fire on the enemy when given the chance to do so. It became clear that whether a soldier pulled the trigger or not, most wrestled with their conscience either during the event or afterward. In this program a group of American soldiers, some who were able to kill with few qualms and some who have become conscientious objectors, discuss their positions on warfare.
Clouds Are Not Spheres: The Introduction of Fractal Geometry (2009, 51 min.)
Until recently geometry was incapable of describing the irregular shape of a cloud, the slope of a mountain, or the beauty of the human body. With fractal geometry, however, Benoit Mandelbrot introduced a language able to describe our natural world. In this captivating documentary, he explains this groundbreaking discovery