shameless plug - giving a TEDx talk
 

Did a second dry run on my talk by phone this evening, have dress rehearsal next Saturday, then Sunday 15Sep is the day. Was honored to be asked by the organizers (who did the first TEDxUSC events some years back) who I met through some commercialization meetings at my day job. Conversations about the deeper meanings of some of my crackpot theories as well as being a busy musician...one thing led to another. I'm actually doing a combination talk/performance. It'll be telling a cautionary tale about digital technology and virtual humans, and for the performance part my vocalist and I will be doing an example of auto-tune, then closing the talk with a bass/vocal version of My Romance.

Should be available online after the event.

TEDxVenice Beach | Home

Very, Very cool Todd.

Very cool indeed todd! Good luck and we will be there with you in spirit, and waiting to see it online!

I'm so proud of you!

But will he admit to being a poopyhead moderator and hanging out with us lot is the real question? ;)

is TEDx the X-rated version of a TED talk?

siriusly, congrats!

Brilliant!

Just to add... excellent! I will watch the recording.

That's a big deal! Local boy makes good. Very proud of you Nostatic.

Thanks all. Certainly has been a long, strange trip to get wherever the hell it is I am right now.

And this place actually has been inspirational and instructional for my take on the "digital divide." So you all deserve some credit. Or blame.

No poop on any slides, but I do have a nuclear explosion, Bill Murray, and my wife's match.com profile from 7 years ago.

This is the coolest thing EVER!!!!! I wanna watch! Congrats, nostatic! Can't wait to see it!

Ooooooo, I am squealing from the excitement! :)

I've always enjoyed your creativity.

Looking forward to the presentation.

KT

Todd Talk.

I'll watch this!

Good luck! I'll be sure to watch. That is quite an honor.

What an honor! Congratulations.

The Singularity is Near!

Very very cool Todd!!! ;)

Great. Make sure you post the link here so we can watch.

Ian

Awesome, I can't wait to watch - sounds interesting...

Break a leg (as they say in show business - no personal injury wished).

No dissertation on that 500C?
.
Congrats!

Way to go Todd!

Attaboy Todd! SmileWavy

TED topics covers cooking cow dung with mirrors in the desert, to inter-space time travel.
Best to you.

When I grow up I want to be Todd. :D

Congrats!

Cool!!! Can't wait!

Way to go Todd!
I'll keep an eye out for that.

(Who says musicians aren't deep?)

Best
Les

Congrats, I'm sure it will be a good one.

Excellent. I look forward to seeing it.

Wow, very cool, congrats

Awesome, quite an accomplishment! Break a leg!

Congratulations Todd, can't wait to see it!

Imagine the audience is naked.

you are? Cool!

I watched those for the first time the other night on netflix- I never knew about 'em till then and it's good stuff.

rjp

THIS is a shameless plug....
http://forums.pelicanparts.com/uploa...1378350932.jpg

Very very cool

Photographic proof. Talk went well - organizer wants to push for it being on the main TED site. Video should be cut in a few weeks so we'll see how it came off. Felt good and the reception was great. Nerve wracking beforehand though...I'm still tired.

http://nostatic.com/photos/tedx11.jpg

http://nostatic.com/photos/tedx16.jpg

http://nostatic.com/photos/tedx12.jpg

Definitely let us know when the vid is available.

Who's the hottie? No offense if she's your better half.

"THINK POSITIVE!!"

"and now, let's dance!!"

rjp

Better half in a musical sense. She's the main vocalist I work with, Claire Rifelj. Amazing voice. She sang for part of the talk.

And she's married. Too late.

I call BS - that doesn't look like your avatar at all! (Funny how I end up picturing people by their avatar).

Honestly though, seriously cool! I'm a big TedTalks fan and really looking forward to seeing your video.

So, how do you think it went? Tell us about it...

The talk went well. It is basically a cautionary tale about digital technologies, and talks about the underlying cause being a fundamental difference between analog (continuous) and digital (stepped). I talk briefly about the uncanny valley and show some of our work on virtual humans, then draw parallels with molecular orbital theory. Then I give three examples of virtual - online dating, computer trading, and autotune. Then we do a live demo of auto tune, singing the chorus from "Killing Me Softly" with and without the effects. Then I talk about the need to find a balance and think of analog/digital as yin/yang, then we end with an analog musical conversation (perform "My Romance").

Might not make sense in the thumbnail but in 15 minutes (11 of talk, 4 of performance) it covers a lot of ground.