Weekend Ramblings - TED Presentations

I discovered "TED (Technology, Entertainment, Design) Ideas Worth Sharing" several years ago.  It is time that you too learn about and watch TED.  Want to hear about changes that are taking place or about to take place in the world?  Chances are, you will learn about them on TED first.  The mission of TED in their own words is to "bring together the world's most fascinating thinkers and doers, who are challenged to give the talk of their lives (in 18 minutes or less)."  To get you introduced to TED, I will share with you two of several TED talks that I watched this week.  I think you will find each interesting.
  

Luis von Ahn is the inventor of "Captcha".  Captcha is the program that displays random characters, then asks you to type the same characters into a box to access a web site.  Okay, so it has something to do with security, but what does it have to do with books being scanned for on-line libraries?  You will be impressed.  Also, you may want to participate in the newest use of Captcha and learn a language at the same time.  (BTW - Captcha was purchased by Google.)  You won't want to miss this video! Massive-scale online collaboration.

Britta Riley uses hydroponics to grow food in her apartment.  She and collaborators on the web are developing the best approach to growing your own foods indoors. They call it R&D-I-Y.  Listen to her talk on TED Britta Riley: A garden in my apartment.  If the TED video interest you, go to the Window Farms web site.


If you found these two TED talks interesting, your sure to find many more of interest.  Give it a try.

Here is a non-TED video that I am sure you will enjoy Animator vs. Animation.