The TED Conference by Ron Lichty

Recommended viewing:

The TED Conference - Technology, Entertainment and Design - has been on my conference wish list for nearly a decade. I heard of it first from a UI designer colleague who worships Richard Saul Wurman, who founded the conference. I've had a few friends who were lucky enough to attend and came back with stories that succeeded in whetting every envy neuron in my body.

Now, the TED Conference has video clip highlights online (click on the Highlights tab).


The highlights "reels" are all short and virtually every one of them worth watching, but I highly recommend checking out:

• designer William McDonough
  
• science writer Laurie Garrett
  
• inventors Bill Gross and Dean Kamen
  
• artist Arthur Ganson
  
• primatologist Jane Goodall
  

There are also a half dozen of this year's talks -- the whole thing -- online:

• Hans Rosling's talk shows amazing information visualization technology capability.
  
• Believe it or not, Al Gore's warmup is funnier than the comedian in the short highlight clips (and Al's message is a follow-up to his recently released movie).
  
• There's a brief look at Tony Robbins and why the life coach is so compelling to so many.
  
• Finally, you DO want to listen to South Bronx community organizer and MacArthur winner Majora Carter. She'll make you think twice about how things work in New York, in New Orleans, in your town.
  

One day, I'll get to TED firsthand, but until then...