This is part of an ongoing series in which we highlight particularly fascinating talks from some of the world’s most innovative thinkers. These videos are featured courtesy of a Creative Commons license; for more on the TED conference (Technology, Entertainment, and Design), click here.
I’ve been at times transfixed, horrified, depressed, inspired, and astounded by the information streaming out of Iran. Following the active cloud of conversation regarding the Iranian election via Twitter, I’ve been reminded once again of how powerfully the web changes the ways in which we as communities experience events in real time. Only now can a group of physically scattered people experience history together, blending real time reports from ground zero of a revolution with distant analysis and global reactions. These recent events reminded me of a TED video that I wanted to share. The projects Jonathan Harris demonstrates in this video are not comparable in urgency to the situation overseas. But Harris’ work evokes the same unique emotional connection we feel with far-flung individuals through the modern miracle of the modem. I hope you find his projects interesting and inspiring:
You can also download this video to iTunes (MP4 file) by clicking here (”Save Link As” on Windows).
This is part of an ongoing series in which we highlight particularly fascinating talks from some of the world’s most innovative thinkers. These videos are featured courtesy of a Creative Commons license; for more on the TED conference (Technology, Entertainment, and Design), click here.
What I find most interesting about Eggers is how his commitment to the written word extends beyond his own works, or the magazine he publishes, to include a heartfelt and effective social enterprise geared toward helping young people find their voices and receive one-on-one tutelage in writing. His nonprofits (the first of which was 826 Valencia in San Francisco) serve as a fun and unintimidating setting for after school tutoring and creative inspiration. His deceptiely simple idea–that a network of writers and freelancers with flexible schedules could engage young students in an authentic and helpful way after school hours–is making a huge difference in the lives of kids in cities across the country. I encourage you to watch the inspiring video below in which Eggers describes his philosophy and the quirky model of 826 Valencia. It involves pirates and superheroes, but I won’t give any more away:
You can also download this video to iTunes (MP4 file) by clicking here (”Save Link As” on Windows).
This is the first of an ongoing series in which we highlight particularly fascinating talks from some of the world’s most innovative thinkers. These videos are featured courtesy of a Creative Commons license; for more on the TED conference (Technology, Entertainment, and Design), click here.
Dan Barber is a chef and restauranteur who visited a truly amazing farm in Spain that raises geese for fois gras in a shockingly humane and natural way. The portrait Barber paints of the Spanish farmer is remarkable, and the amount of care that goes into raising these animals stands in astounding contrast to commercially-produced fois gras, beef, pork, poultry, corn, or soy. It’s neat to watch a clear lover of food discuss a revelation about the production of ingredients and what it means to learn from nature.
You can also download this video to iTunes (MP4 file) by clicking here (“Save Link As” on Windows).
We’d love to hear your reactions in the comments. In particular, I’m curious to know: is this destined to remain an inspirational micro-scale anecdote, or are there lessons in this story that could meaningfully impact our food systems at large?
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