Invading the Long Beach Convention
Center (and our Twitter streams) today is the Technology,
Entertainment and Design (TED) Conference, the invite-only gathering
of “world-shaping minds,” a.k.a. Woodstock for nerds.
Astronaut
Catherine “Cady” Coleman will launch the weeklong event over
a live video streaming from her current home in space.
According to Wired, other speakers
include:
]
- Film critic Roger
Ebert discussing the health problems that cost him his physical
voice but gained him a new and compelling literary voice;
- Wadah
Khanfar, director general of the Al Jazeera Network, who will
discuss the revolutionary upheavals that have toppled long-standing
governments in the Middle East;
- Director Julie
Taymor will discuss the steps and missteps behind the new $65
million Spider-Man musical;
- Four-star General
Stanley McChrystal, who lost his command after making impolitic
remarks about the U.S. leadership to a Rolling Stone reporter, will
discuss what makes a good leader;
- Dr.
Anthony Atala, professor of surgical sciences and one of the
pioneers of organ regeneration, will demonstrate a 3D printer that
produces live-cell organs.
- As respite from the often rich and heady presentations of TED
speakers, an array of musicians and artists–including Jason
Mraz and Bobby McFerrin–will entertain the audience.
The best part of the conference, of
course, is that we regular minds can later watch the inspirational
“TED Talks” at Ted.com, all
while sitting at home in our pajamas, debating whether to get up and
make a sandwich.
