TED suggestions

[Mesozoic Mister Nigel]

It does look like he has a sociology background. I just really question his conclusions, and what they're based on, as he offers pretty much no support for them whatsoever.

[The Good Reverend Roger]

I didn't get funding so popularizing science is just WHORING.
\

He's a visual arts professor. He doesn't even have a background in science, or in anything even vaguely relevant. Just, he went to a presentation his friend gave for funding, and his friend was turned down, and the rich guy who was the potential donor told his friend he should be more like Malcolm Gladwell.

He then proceeded to criticize TED at length for being exactly what they are, pop science that is accessible to the masses, rather than being a serious science symposium, which he appears to be unaware exist.

I am not sure why he limited his criticism to TED rather than including other popsci outlets such as, well, Popular Science. Although it seems to me that it is possible that he is placing altogether too much importance on TED.

In solidarity, I shall throw out all my Richard Feinmann books.

[Mesozoic Mister Nigel]

I didn't get funding so popularizing science is just WHORING.
\

He's a visual arts professor. He doesn't even have a background in science, or in anything even vaguely relevant. Just, he went to a presentation his friend gave for funding, and his friend was turned down, and the rich guy who was the potential donor told his friend he should be more like Malcolm Gladwell.

He then proceeded to criticize TED at length for being exactly what they are, pop science that is accessible to the masses, rather than being a serious science symposium, which he appears to be unaware exist.

I am not sure why he limited his criticism to TED rather than including other popsci outlets such as, well, Popular Science. Although it seems to me that it is possible that he is placing altogether too much importance on TED.

In solidarity, I shall throw out all my Richard Feinmann books.

I would take him more seriously if he provided ANY datapoints. ANY at all. He essentially said that the right wing owns all mainstream media and that the left wing has TED, which is um.

[The Good Reverend Roger]

I didn't get funding so popularizing science is just WHORING.
\

He's a visual arts professor. He doesn't even have a background in science, or in anything even vaguely relevant. Just, he went to a presentation his friend gave for funding, and his friend was turned down, and the rich guy who was the potential donor told his friend he should be more like Malcolm Gladwell.

He then proceeded to criticize TED at length for being exactly what they are, pop science that is accessible to the masses, rather than being a serious science symposium, which he appears to be unaware exist.

I am not sure why he limited his criticism to TED rather than including other popsci outlets such as, well, Popular Science. Although it seems to me that it is possible that he is placing altogether too much importance on TED.

In solidarity, I shall throw out all my Richard Feinmann books.

I would take him more seriously if he provided ANY datapoints. ANY at all. He essentially said that the right wing owns all mainstream media and that the left wing has TED, which is um.

Rachel Maddow:  Right Wing Extremist.

[The Good Reverend Roger]

Also, what's wrong with getting up and dancing for some funding?  You do that ANYWAY, only the rich guys are more likely to stuff singles down your shorts than the NEA/NES is.

[Mesozoic Mister Nigel]

I didn't get funding so popularizing science is just WHORING.
\

He's a visual arts professor. He doesn't even have a background in science, or in anything even vaguely relevant. Just, he went to a presentation his friend gave for funding, and his friend was turned down, and the rich guy who was the potential donor told his friend he should be more like Malcolm Gladwell.

He then proceeded to criticize TED at length for being exactly what they are, pop science that is accessible to the masses, rather than being a serious science symposium, which he appears to be unaware exist.

I am not sure why he limited his criticism to TED rather than including other popsci outlets such as, well, Popular Science. Although it seems to me that it is possible that he is placing altogether too much importance on TED.

In solidarity, I shall throw out all my Richard Feinmann books.

I would take him more seriously if he provided ANY datapoints. ANY at all. He essentially said that the right wing owns all mainstream media and that the left wing has TED, which is um.

Rachel Maddow:  Right Wing Extremist.

Also, the idea that TED is some kind of leftist media outlet. 

[Mesozoic Mister Nigel]

Also, what's wrong with getting up and dancing for some funding?  You do that ANYWAY, only the rich guys are more likely to stuff singles down your shorts than the NEA/NES is.

That was an interesting part for me as well. What was most interesting is that the friend was presenting in a non-traditional way to a non-traditional direct funding source that probably wouldn't have been available were it not for pop lecture venues like TED. Rich people used to donate to institutions which would decide how to dole out the funding based on grant applications, not verbal presentations. Sometimes you would meet to elaborate on your grant application, but basing the whole funding opportunity on a verbal presentation?

[Roly Poly Oly-Garch]

This talk is not especially dynamic, but the data is significant. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AFOEe6M2VT4

Here in Mercia's basement we have the richest person in the world, Mr. Carlos Slim... we also are the nest of the worse Cartel's... what were you saying about the correlation between crime and inequality?

USA really has 25% with mental illness population???

I vaguely recall something I think Cain wrote or cited, about how inequality fosters envy and hatred between different classes. (Or was that some text about prejudice i read...?)

I'm sure you already know all this, but for the benefit of others who may not, inequality also creates a particular type of relative status stress, which is why poorer countries with less inequality are healthier overall than richer countries with more inequality. Check out Robert Sapolsky's social status and stress studies, and, oh shit I can't remember her name I'll try to find it, but these finding have been replicated in study after study in different types of primates, including humans.

I saw the one involving baboons. And then all the dick-head alphas caught some disease and died. And then shit was cool. I still can't help but smile.

[Mesozoic Mister Nigel]

This talk is not especially dynamic, but the data is significant. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=AFOEe6M2VT4

Here in Mercia's basement we have the richest person in the world, Mr. Carlos Slim... we also are the nest of the worse Cartel's... what were you saying about the correlation between crime and inequality?

USA really has 25% with mental illness population???

I vaguely recall something I think Cain wrote or cited, about how inequality fosters envy and hatred between different classes. (Or was that some text about prejudice i read...?)

I'm sure you already know all this, but for the benefit of others who may not, inequality also creates a particular type of relative status stress, which is why poorer countries with less inequality are healthier overall than richer countries with more inequality. Check out Robert Sapolsky's social status and stress studies, and, oh shit I can't remember her name I'll try to find it, but these finding have been replicated in study after study in different types of primates, including humans.

I saw the one involving baboons. And then all the dick-head alphas caught some disease and died. And then shit was cool. I still can't help but smile.

Yeah, that was a pretty good story. He tells more of it in his memoir, it's pretty excellent.

[Resigned Obligatorily]

The Ted talk teaching some written Chinese!

[P3nT4gR4m]

Misandrist wankery aside this one from a couple of days ago blew my fucking mind. She's sceptical about how quickly fmri resolution will increase. Kurtzweil has been tracking it and, so far, it fits onto the moore's law/accelerating returns graph. Going by the video demos I'd give it 5-10 years before we're recording our dreams in 1080p

[Mesozoic Mister Nigel]

Misandrist wankery aside this one from a couple of days ago blew my fucking mind. She's sceptical about how quickly fmri resolution will increase. Kurtzweil has been tracking it and, so far, it fits onto the moore's law/accelerating returns graph. Going by the video demos I'd give it 5-10 years before we're recording our dreams in 1080p

Nice!

I'm becoming increasingly interested in neuropathology research that relies heavily on fMRI to map the activity of abnormal brains, to try to understand the differences in function.

[P3nT4gR4m]

I'm beginning to see this in - Big Data - terms. The software side. That's essentially how they cracked it. A lot of AI stuff, backing up minds and the like, the thinking always assumed figuring out how all the intricate bullshit worked in minute detail. Thing is, we only need that if we're  talking about writing consciousness from the ground up. Stick that particular noble ambition to the side and focus on the immediate goal - I am fucking awesome. My consciousness is, at the moment, not being backed up. That shit is unacceptable and needs to be rectified at first available opportunity.

I'm guessing a lot of people also feel this way. Or would, if they thought about it in terms like that. So this video feed thing strikes me as a significant milestone on the road to capturing a snapshot of my whole instance.

[Mesozoic Mister Nigel]

I'm beginning to see this in - Big Data - terms. The software side. That's essentially how they cracked it. A lot of AI stuff, backing up minds and the like, the thinking always assumed figuring out how all the intricate bullshit worked in minute detail. Thing is, we only need that if we're  talking about writing consciousness from the ground up. Stick that particular noble ambition to the side and focus on the immediate goal - I am fucking awesome. My consciousness is, at the moment, not being backed up. That shit is unacceptable and needs to be rectified at first available opportunity.

I'm guessing a lot of people also feel this way. Or would, if they thought about it in terms like that. So this video feed thing strikes me as a significant milestone on the road to capturing a snapshot of my whole instance.

I'm totally all about the computer backup of the human brain. That technology, however, is a very, very long way off, and in fact when it does arrive it will probably barely be recognizable as "technology".

[Cramulus]

Observation: TED talks are supposed to be 15 minutes long.

Realization: Taking the train home from work takes 20 minutes.

Conclusion: I could be listening to amazing people discussing amazing things five times a week.


Request:  Tell me what your favorite TED talks are.

This one is important to the Fractal Cult
http://www.ted.com/talks/ron_eglash_on_african_fractals