last night i spent over an hour catching up on new ted talks.
ted, which stands for technology, entertainment, design, is a small nonprofit devoted to ideas worth spreading. ted.com features incredible videos of lectures from the world's most inspired thinkers. they believe in the "power of ideas to change attitudes, lives and ultimately the world."
if you've never been to the site, you are in for a real treat! but i warn you, hours seem to pass very quickly when you're watching.
last night i was very moved and inspired by the lecture called the opportunity of adversity by aimee mullins. aimee was born without fibular bones, and had both of her legs amputated when she was an infant. she has gone on to model, act, and break records in the paralympics. her energy, grace and voice are incredibly powerful. i highly recommend it.
have any of you been to the ted.com site before? if so, what's your favorite lecture?
I've seen a few TED talks...a (sort of) former coworker of mine was featured on there awhile back. Johnny Lee? You gotta be careful with some of the tech-related talks, though. Their videos do a lot of Wizard-of-Oz-ing (such as the "Sixth Sense" Project).
ReplyDeleteAlso, I think Jamie Oliver may've done an interesting TED talk on getting children to eat healthier. Or something to that effect.
I love the TED talks. I listen to them while I clean or do chores! My favorites are Mark Bittman's talk on why we should eat differently and Ann Cooper on school lunches. (Ann Cooper is head of nutrition for the Berkley, CA school district and is passionate about making school lunches healthier...it's fascinating!)
ReplyDeletei loved elizabeth gilbert's talk! have you read her new book yet? it's a really great anthropological look at marriage :)
ReplyDeleteoh i love the elizabeth gilbert talk too - although i didn't like her new book. :(
ReplyDeleteI agree with Lynette, Elizabeth Gilbert's was my favorite! And I second her recommendation for "Committed"!
ReplyDeleteI haven't read Gilbert's new book yet- should I? Maybe. Anticipating Eat, Pray, Love the movie more these days.
ReplyDeleteI so love TED talks. I get wrapped up in them easily and yes, before you know it, hours- gone. Not so bad when you are learning though!
The Aimee Mullins one was the first TED talk I listened to, and it's still my favourite - my second favourite is the Elizabeth Gilbert one. Ole! :D
ReplyDeleteI love TED! too many faves to list just one...
ReplyDeletecool! I've never heard of this but I'll definitely have to check it out. Thanks for the tip!
ReplyDeleteI thought the JJ Abrams talk was really inspiring and insightful. Just reminds you of the art of story telling and the importance of mystery. Sometimes the questions are more important than answers. Although when it comes to LOST, I'd like some answers, please!
ReplyDeletei love TED! i actually just recently watched the same aimee mullins piece.
ReplyDeleteThis: http://blog.ted.com/2008/01/david_gallo.php
ReplyDeleteis my favorite TED talk - I could watch it a million times.
mina, thanks for the recommendation! i haven't seen that one :)
ReplyDeleteYou will absoulutely love this talk http://www.ted.com/talks/willie_smits_restores_a_rainforest.html by biologist Willie Smits who has found an amazing way to re-grow clearcut rainforest in Borneo and saving local orangutans.
ReplyDeleteI just learned about this website from my grad school professor! It's very cool!
ReplyDeleteAh, nina, great post! I'm glad others are into Ted :)
ReplyDeleteI blogged about Jamie Oliver's speech on childhood obesity a few weeks ago (http://owl-and-peacock.blogspot.com/2010/02/naked-truths-from-naked-chef-very.html). I watched his Ted speech 3 times in one sitting, it moved me tremendously. And it's seriously got me so riled up that I want to actually do something about it, which is a huge sigh of relief through my *what am I doing!* lifestyle :)
I may have seen a TED talk before, but I'm not positive, I have heard of the site though but never knew what TED stood for. :)
ReplyDeleteI love love love Ted talks. I really like this video and the one by the presenter on Dirty Jobs.
ReplyDeletehttp://www.ted.com/talks/view/id/66
My favorite TED talk is the one by Jill Bolte Taylor, a brain surgeon who describes in detail her own stroke. It´s amazing.
ReplyDeletei love TED talks. i use them in my psychology class all the time. i'm really excited to watch this one though. thanks for the recommendation!! and thanks for the born into brothels recommendation. i loved it.
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