I hate it when that happens. It stopped around 14 minutes in the middle of his story about Sputnik. Now I don't know what happened. Help.

I think a more interesting talk would be what makes an idea good.

Maybe I'm a grouch, but I'm not a huge fan of TED talks. It always seems like the presenters are trying hard to be clever and amazing and tie it back to a real world example and one can be impressed for a moment but then what? Then the info is largely inapplicable to my life and I never see where the rubber meets the road. OK, I get where tacticly "good" ideas are brought about by other ideas having sex. But how does an individual capitalize on this? That is my million dollar question.

Abersouth, I suggest you missed the point.

While you're wondering about Money! Now! - this TED talk explained how the process takes time. He even provided an example.

So. Figure out where a chain of ideas is going and put yourself somewhere on that path.

Here's a few unrelated statements about things you might not have noticed.

* Only one reporter is on the scene, then fifty talking heads put their spin on it on your big-screen TV. Their hype didn't change the story, it just amplified it.

* One of the Mars probes several years ago was paid for by emergency funding from Congress. Why?

* When you pay by electronic check, the phone company asks for your Routing Number and Account Number. Just what makes you think those are a mystery to any bank, when they use them to settle your accounts? They all know your business.

* When you read a paper and the article is in your field, you know immediately when the columnist has no clue. Then, you cheerfully turn to the next article and assume that it's correct!

The principal value of TED talks, to me, is that at least somebody is thinking about something - other than Britney or sports!

Amy here is the woman that you should talk to if you'd like to do a talk at TED - http://www.sweetmedia.us/