TED talks are available from a computer and other devices. There are 1000's. Short, ad-free, they usually include a transcript that can be consulted to get spellings and clarify comments.
Bill
---------- Forwarded message ----------
From:
This week on TED.com <no_reply@ted.com>Date: Sat, Jul 16, 2016 at 9:08 AM
Subject: How to grow a tiny forest in your backyard
To:
olderkirby@gmail.com  | This week on TED.com July 16, 2016 | |
 09:11 minutes · Filmed May 2016 · Posted Jul 2016 · TED@BCG Paris Forests don't have to be far-flung nature reserves -- you can grow one right where you are, even in a small city yard. Eco-entrepreneur and TED Fellow Shubhendu Sharma grows ultra-dense mini-forests in urban areas, by using some engineering tricks that encourage the plants' own natural growth. Follow along and learn how you can get in on this tiny jungle party. | |
A collection of inspired talks and performances that highlght the passion and brilliance of theater. Watch » 9 TED Talks • Total run time 2:36:20 | |
 Throughout history, speculation has spurred beautiful, revolutionary science -- opening our eyes to entirely new universes. "I'm not talking about science that takes baby steps," says Eric Haseltine. "I'm talking about science that takes enormous leaps." In this talk, Haseltine passionately takes us to the edges of intellectual pursuit with two ideas -- one that's already made history, and the other that's digging into one of humanity's biggest questions with admirable ambition (and a healthy dose of skepticism from many). Watch »  How do you define "nature?" If we define it as that which is untouched by humans, then we won't have any left, says environmental writer Emma Marris. She urges us to learn a new definition of nature -- one that includes not only pristine wilderness but also the untended patches of plants growing in urban spaces -- and encourages us to bring our children out to touch and tinker with it, so that one day they might love and protect it. Watch » |  Professional Arab women often juggle more responsibilities than their male counterparts, and they can face more cultural rigidity than Western women. What can one woman's success teach us about tenacity, competition, priorities and progress? Tracing her career as an engineer, advocate and mother in Abu Dhabi, Leila Hoteit shares three lessons she's learned about thriving in the modern world. Watch »  Adam Savage makes things and tells stories -- and he uses costumes to add humor, color and clarity to the stories he tells. Tracing his lifelong love of costumes from a childhood space helmet made of an ice cream tub to a No-Face costume he wore to Comic-Con, he explores the fascinating world of cosplay and the meaning it creates for its community. "We're connecting with something important inside of us," he says. "The costumes are how we reveal ourselves to each other." Watch » | | |
Oceans: 5 reasons it might be okay to be optimistic about the ocean » A look at the big picture reveals some surprising good news Society: How to keep the ultra-rich from becoming aristocrats » "I think capitalism has stopped working for the middle class today." Art: The multi-dimensional beauty of day-to-night photography » Gorgeous photos that show the same scene over 24 hours  | |
|
| " | Let's give you a story. It's a rainy election day in a small country -- that can be my country, but could be also your country. And because of the rain until 4 o'clock in the afternoon, nobody went to the polling stations. But then the rain stopped, people went to vote. And when the votes had been counted, three-fourths of the people have voted with a blank ballot.
And the government and the opposition, they are simply paralyzed. Because you know what to do about protests. You know who to arrest, who to negotiate with. But what to do about people who are voting with a blank ballot? ... Basically they went to the ballot boxes to say that they have nobody to vote for.
This is the opening of a beautiful novel by José Saramago called Seeing. But in my view it very well captures part of the problem that we have with democracy in Europe these days. On one level nobody's questioning that democracy is the best form of government. Democracy is the only game in town. The problem is that many people start to believe that it is not a game worth playing." | | |
what makes us ... us? For thousands of years, we've pondered the question: Who are we? We asked a philosopher, a scientist, a psychologist and humorist Ze Frank to share their ideas on what makes us ... us. Listen to TED Radio Hour on iTunes » | |
| |
