TED

The TED conference is held every year in Long Beach, CA and features talks from thinkers, movers and shakers across a broad spectrum of disciplines.  The acronym stands for Technology, Entertainment and Design – although the themes have expanded quite a bit since its inception in 1984.  The purpose of the TED website is to bring some of the best highlights of these conferences to the public space (as downloadable or streaming video).  You’ll find a broad range of topics from science, technology, art, media, environmental/social issues, and a whole lot more.  Each speaker is asked to present their talk in 18 minutes or less, which makes for an engaging exploration of issues without a lengthy time commitment.