blog posts - TED

Learning can be SCARY!

09.09.2008 / 1:57PM / , , , , , , / no comments »

This is cut from a FWD: email that you probably ignored, just translated to a more 2.0 format:
Basically if you get TV/History channel and are not out raging tonight, you should switch on at 8pm to watch a show that’s going to teach you about the LHC (biggest science experiment ever, going to teach us about dark matter, quantum mechanics, etc, by recreating very tiny/short big bang-type black hole experiments by crashing particles in a big loop in Europe, and don’t worry it’s not going to hurt you)

Or if you can’t wait for tonight/dont have TV, just listen to this guy, who’s job it is to teach us dum-dums about what the smarties are up to:

[AND the original FWD/email marketing scheme is here:]

Nearly two years ago, the Silent Crow team began looking cinematically at physics. Not just your everyday physics, but the quantum world of particle physics. Over my head? Yes. So, we were joined by the best physicists in the world.

On September 9, at 8 PM (Eastern),on the EVE of the first beam in the biggest particle collider on the planet,the History Channel will air the film we’ve created. It’s called Next Big Bang, and it is just that. It’s a deep look at the physics of the very beginning of time. We battled hard with the network to create something that isn’t simply sensational or dumbed down, something stunningly beautiful, and something that you will want to watch again, because it sparks so many questions about the nature of the universe. This is really compelling, fascinating, challenging and did I mention gorgeous(?) immersive stuff.

I am proud of the Next Big Bang, even if it is TV. Which is the reason for this email:

The network is not promoting the show for fear their audience doesn’t want to be intellectually inspired, enlightened or challenged. Prove them wrong. Watch the show. Tape it. Tivo it, and most importantly, call your friend down the block who you know loves science and physics, and tell him to watch it. Tell your school physics teacher that there’s a show her students should watch.

It’s VERY cool, and it sends the networks a message that we actually do like entertaining programming that inspires us… to think.

So, from the many producers and physicists that toiled to create this visionary piece, please enjoy the Next Big Bang.

TUESDAY, Sept 9, at 8 PM EST - HISTORY CHANNEL

Thank you!
MATT BENNETT
Silent Crow
1.212.944.3636 (o)

LHC

“…we basically had the whole country.”

23.06.2008 / 11:21PM / , , , / no comments »

Gotta love the nonchalance of this article describing no-bid contracts from Exxon Mobil, Shell, Total and BP coming into Iraq.

It reminded a TED talk posted not too long ago.
A quick word about TED. The Technology/Entertainment/Design conference takes place every year in California. But that name doesn’t quite do it justice. As far as I can tell, it has become a forum for the smart, the ambitious, the talented, and the philanthropic, to share their ideas with like-minded (or un-like-minded) peers. I was introduced to these earlier in the year, and have become addicted. This is exactly what our world need right now. For the people who know their areas of inquiry best (nerds) to reach out and share their knowledge with the world. Hopefully, this helps them find validation, support, funding, and maybe most importantly, an understanding of how it’s all connected.
Here is a list of their impressive past speakers
Here is their RSS Feed for new videos
and the YouTube page for the TED talks Director
but best of all, if you have an iPod/iPhone that is capable of playing video, you can use their VIDEO PODCAST for an easy dose of intelligence.

This is not one of the most entertaining TED talks, but you’ll see the connection to the article pretty early on, and hopefully these “Ideas Worth Spreading” will do just that.