Rareş Pamfil

This video shows how different kinds of molecules work to transcribe and translate DNA, ultimately encoding the processes that are the basis of life.

A good intro to some basic principles that will help you improve your reading speed. There is extensive literature on this, but this is good if you're still skeptical and just want to try this out.

...of the causes and the conflict.
by Alex De Waal

Course handouts and for some courses, sound and video recordings from MIT's courses.

A great program online that you can use to plot worldwide data about development and demographics. Here are two clips with the author showing some of its potential:
http://www.ted.com/index.php/talks/view/id/92
http://www.ted.com/index.php/talks/view/id/140