Ted Talk Discussion: Getting A Family Tree For All Humanity

Well, another interesting fact reported by Heffernan is that 85% of executives, surveyed in Europe and the States, said there were issues and concerns in their working environments they were too afraid to report. Why? Because they felt they were bound to lose the ensuing arguments. So what have been some of the consequences of this socially mandated silence, particularly in corporate and organizational life? Could the Bhopals and the Chernobyls of this world have been averted if individuals in the know had had the courage to speak up.

The first one he demonstrated was a project called "We Feel Fine". The software application he and some co-workers developed searches through blogs across the universe, collecting people's emotions by searching for the words feel or feeling in sentences or statements.

Over the course of four days, attendees will listen to lots of speakers, as opposed to one or two keynotes. The speakers are limited to 18 minutes, regardless of who they are. This is often referred to as the "TED Commandment." Speakers sit in the audience, have no podium, and seem to be the gurus of not only their field, but PowerPoint.

But business talk after a few glasses of wine (free wine) becomes old hat. As the roughly three hour event wound down and the snacks began to dwindle, the group began to disperse as well. We stayed a little late, talking with Susan about the up and coming maturation of video as an online audience drawing element. Susan was very gracious and easy to talk too. She even played a little guitar hero educational apps for iphone us, and was surprisingly good at it.

This is quite a challenge. Especially when most presenters can't even remember their own presentation! Reading off crib notes, turning around to speak off the screen or frequent looking up or down are signs that the presenter has not prepared adequately.

Go do something you like. What's your favorite past time? Shopping? Eating at different restaurants? Sports? Fishing? Exercise? Running? Driving? Painting? Washing your car? Fixing up your car? Getting a spa treatment? Watching a movie? Traveling? Going on vacation? Well whatever it is, provided it's reasonable and won't land you broke or in jail, do it! Go have some fun doing something you like. It will ease your mind and make you feel better.

In the videos, hyperlinking to the TED chats all about his daughter scratching him and the like -- but neglects to mention the bottles of Grey Goose and wine that his daughter says he's been drinking.

So there have been times, especially recently, when I have felt like Cassandra, that character from Greek mythology. She was given the gift of prophecy with the agonizing caveat that she would never be believed. While my mother's health declined obviously and needlessly - in the hospital, where she should have been safe - I also fought to be believed. I like the following description of Cassandra because it is quite fitting: "She is a figure both of the epic tradition and of tragedy where her combination of deep understanding and powerlessness exemplify the ironic condition of humankind." Recognizing a precondition for trouble need not be ironic, however. Far from it: having the courage to act on potential problems is a gift.

'This is the day which the LORD hath made; we will rejoice and be glad in it'. -Psalms 118:24; 'Rejoice in the Lord alway: and again I say, Rejoice.' -Philippians 4:4 13. Look at the trials of others. Look at others around you in the world and count your blessings. Consider how blessed you are as compared to the vast majority of the world who may not have what you have. Food, water, shelter, clothing-these are all luxuries in many cases-that many people do not have.

21. Watch some motivational speeches on the internet. Check out these Top 100 Free Motivational Speeches, Lectures, and Podcasts featuring speeches from people like Martin Luther King Jr., Steve Jobs, Zig Ziglar, John Wooden, and more.