Kreol – play music by typing from Kreol Music on Vimeo.

My long time buddy Mike Block (cellist guru) sent his latest side project Kreol, which turns any laptop keyboard into a musical instrument. This isn’t the first time I’ve seen keyboard instruments, but there are a few unique elements that set him apart using the mouse and collaborative group jams. Check the Kreol video above.

” I wish you would use all means at your disposal — films! expeditions! the web! more! — to ignite public support for a global network of marine protected areas, hope spots large enough to save and restore the ocean, the blue heart of the planet.”
- Sylvia Earle

This is the TEDwish that made me promise to cut back on seafood (and sushi consumption) this year, though I’ve learned it’s better to eat smaller fish that reproduce faster from a previous lecture on ocean life as well. Also helping out will be the free release in the astonishing documentary OCEANS (youtube) by Jacques Perrin (Winged Migration) to help educate people about the ocean sometime this year.
via TEDprize

Unbelievable story! Multiple standing ovations occurred during Jose’s story and performance at TED. I’ll be helping out with this TED wish with my time this year and I just might be picking back up my violin of 15+ years experience for a bit. Come join the wish! Watch the above performance with your sound blasting!

“Jose Antonio Abreu is the charismatic founder of a youth orchestra system that has transformed thousands of kids’ lives in Venezuela. Here he shares his amazing story and unveils a TED Prize wish that could have a big impact in the US and beyond.” via TED

“Barry Schwartz makes a passionate call for “practical wisdom” as an antidote to a society gone mad with bureaucracy. He argues powerfully that rules often fail us, incentives often backfire, and practical, everyday wisdom will help rebuild our world.” via TED

Also watch his other talks here or buy his awesome book “Paradox of Choice: Why More is Less“

Bill Gates gives a rather compelling lecture while releasing a jar of mosquito’s into the TED audience!

“Bill Gates hopes to solve some of the world’s biggest problems using a new kind of philanthropy. In a passionate and, yes, funny 18 minutes, he asks us to consider two big questions and how we might answer them.”

Q&A session:

A MUST watch from best selling author Elizabeth Gilbert of “Eat, Pray, Love: One Woman’s Search for Everything Across Italy, India and Indonesia.”

“Elizabeth Gilbert muses on the impossible things we expect from artists and geniuses — and shares the radical idea that, instead of the rare person “being” a genius, all of us “have” a genius. It’s a funny, personal and surprisingly moving talk.”

The new short film by Blu
an ambiguous animation painted on public walls.
Made in Buenos Aires and in Baden (fantoche)
blublu.org/
blublu.org/sito/video/muto.htm

music by Andrea Martignoni
produced by Mercurio Film
assistant: Sibe

video shown at TED2009

I’m off for the week to TED2009 for this years theme “The Great Unveiling”, but this round I’ll be in the satilite space in the new Palm Springs location. I won’t be blogging too much, but you can follow me on twitter, or if your there, let me know and we’ll meet up. Check out the full TED schedule here or my previous TED adventures.

I’m off to Monterey CA for TED conference founder Richard Saul Wurman’s newer “Entertainment Gathering” Conference!
The speaker list is quite impressive with a seemingly circus like theme this year based on this cool pdf program floating around.

Some highlight speakers I’m craving to meet:
- Violin guru Joshua Bell
- X Prize founder Peter Diamandis
- Applied Minds inventor Bran Ferren
- Viral Global Dancing Matt Harding
- Egypt’s Indiana Jones Zahi Hawass
- HEROES writer Tim Kring
- Illustrator David Macaulay
- MIT MediaLab founder Nicolas Negroponte
- Technologists David Pogue
- Dirty Job’s dirty man Mike Rowe
- Mythbuster’s Adam Savage
- PIXAR co-founder Alvy Ray Smith
- Magician Jamy Ian Swiss
- Penn&Tellers Teller
- A floating Zepplin, idea makers, shakers, and creators everywhere! Plenty of surprises…

Tim Brown’s talk from “Art’s Center: Serious Play”, which I attended and blogged, is online now. Watch it above. Watch out for the finger blasters!! and yes, work should be play!

I post about Sir Ken Robinson way too much, but he rocks so watch this 2 part interview about “Schools Killing Creativity” (part 1, part 2), and of course if you don’t know who he is, watch his TED talk afte the jump with the 2 video interviews. (some of my favorite ted talks here)
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I’ve mentioned Barry Schwartz many times throughout designverb, but why not mention his talk again at TED. Watch it, wonder, question, and talk about this paradox! (Buy the book “Paradox of Choice“!)