TED Talks with English transcript

11:39

TEDWomen 2010

Elizabeth Lesser: Take "the Other" to lunch

2010-12-081,460,477 views

Readability: 4

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There's an angry divisive tension in the air that threatens to make modern politics impossible. Elizabeth Lesser explores the two sides of human nature within us (call them "the mystic" and "the warrior”) that can be harnessed to elevate the way we treat each other. She shares a simple way to begin real dialogue -- by going to lunch with someone who doesn't agree with you, and asking them three questions to find out what's really in their hearts.

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11:22

TEDSalon London 2010

Thomas Thwaites: How I built a toaster -- from scratch

2010-11-111,456,254 views

Readability: 4.1

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It takes an entire civilization to build a toaster. Designer Thomas Thwaites found out the hard way, by attempting to build one from scratch: mining ore for steel, deriving plastic from oil ... it's frankly amazing he got as far as he got. A parable of our interconnected society, for designers and consumers alike.

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08:24

TEDWomen 2010

Amber Case: We are all cyborgs now

2010-12-081,853,478 views

Readability: 3.5

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Technology is evolving us, says Amber Case, as we become a screen-staring, button-clicking new version of homo sapiens. We now rely on "external brains" (cell phones and computers) to communicate, remember, even live out secondary lives. But will these machines ultimately connect or conquer us? Case offers surprising insight into our cyborg selves.

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11:23

TEDWomen 2010

Jody Williams: A realistic vision for world peace

2010-12-08821,241 views

Readability: 3.3

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Nobel Peace laureate Jody Williams brings tough love to the dream of world peace, with her razor-sharp take on what "peace" really means, and a set of profound stories that zero in on the creative struggle -- and sacrifice -- of those who work for it.

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18:04

TEDxToronto 2010

Neil Pasricha: The 3 A's of awesome

2010-09-303,207,333 views

Readability: 3

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Neil Pasricha's blog 1000 Awesome Things savors life's simple pleasures, from free refills to clean sheets. In this heartfelt talk, he reveals the 3 secrets (all starting with A) to leading a life that's truly awesome.

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21:41

TEDWomen 2010

Deborah Rhodes: A test that finds 3x more breast tumors, and why it's not available to you

2010-12-081,021,722 views

Readability: 5.2

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Working with a team of physicists, Dr. Deborah Rhodes developed a new tool for tumor detection that's 3 times as effective as traditional mammograms for women with dense breast tissue. The life-saving implications are stunning. So why haven't we heard of it? Rhodes shares the story behind the tool's creation, and the web of politics and economics that keep it from mainstream use.

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17:04

TEDxMidAtlantic

Charles Limb: Your brain on improv

2010-11-051,351,678 views

Readability: 4.4

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Musician and researcher Charles Limb wondered how the brain works during musical improvisation -- so he put jazz musicians and rappers in an fMRI to find out. What he and his team found has deep implications for our understanding of creativity of all kinds.

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10:07

TEDxRainier

Lesley Hazleton: On reading the Koran

2010-10-102,252,412 views

Readability: 4.9

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Lesley Hazleton sat down one day to read the Koran. And what she found -- as a non-Muslim, a self-identified "tourist" in the Islamic holy book -- wasn't what she expected. With serious scholarship and warm humor, Hazleton shares the grace, flexibility and mystery she found, in this myth-debunking talk.

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04:43

TEDWomen 2010

Arianna Huffington: How to succeed? Get more sleep

2010-12-075,209,500 views

Readability: 3

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In this short talk, Arianna Huffington shares a small idea that can awaken much bigger ones: the power of a good night's sleep. Instead of bragging about our sleep deficits, she urges us to shut our eyes and see the big picture: We can sleep our way to increased productivity and happiness -- and smarter decision-making.

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23:08

TEDSalon NY2011

Barry Schwartz: Using our practical wisdom

2010-11-181,136,541 views

Readability: 3.9

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In an intimate talk, Barry Schwartz dives into the question "How do we do the right thing?" With help from collaborator Kenneth Sharpe, he shares stories that illustrate the difference between following the rules and truly choosing wisely.

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20:50

TEDxHouston

Brené Brown: The power of vulnerability

2010-06-0646,319,192 views

Readability: 3.4

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Brené Brown studies human connection -- our ability to empathize, belong, love. In a poignant, funny talk, she shares a deep insight from her research, one that sent her on a personal quest to know herself as well as to understand humanity. A talk to share.

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18:30

TEDxMidwest

Majora Carter: 3 stories of local eco-entrepreneurship

2010-09-101,275,564 views

Readability: 4.5

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The future of green is local. Majora Carter tells three inspiring stories of people who are saving their own communities while saving the planet.

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15:29

TEDWomen 2010

Sheryl Sandberg: Why we have too few women leaders

2010-12-0810,007,379 views

Readability: 2.9

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Facebook COO Sheryl Sandberg looks at why a smaller percentage of women than men reach the top of their professions -- and offers 3 powerful pieces of advice to women aiming for the C-suite.

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17:51

TEDWomen 2010

Beverly + Dereck Joubert: Life lessons from big cats

2010-12-08962,232 views

Readability: 3.9

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Beverly + Dereck Joubert live in the bush, filming and photographing lions and leopards in their natural habitat. With stunning footage (some never before seen), they discuss their personal relationships with these majestic animals -- and their quest to save the big cats from human threats.

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11:41

RSA Animate

Sir Ken Robinson: Changing education paradigms

2010-10-142,180,835 views

Readability: 0

No Transcript

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In this talk from RSA Animate, Sir Ken Robinson lays out the link between 3 troubling trends: rising drop-out rates, schools' dwindling stake in the arts, and ADHD. An important, timely talk for parents and teachers.

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17:05

TEDxSydney

Rachel Botsman: The case for collaborative consumption

2010-05-221,352,497 views

Readability: 4.7

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In her talk, Rachel Botsman says we're "wired to share" -- and shows how websites like Zipcar and Swaptree are changing the rules of human behavior.

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17:39

TEDWomen 2010

Rufus Griscom + Alisa Volkman: Let's talk parenting taboos

2010-12-082,430,863 views

Readability: 3.8

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Babble.com publishers Rufus Griscom and Alisa Volkman, in a lively tag-team, expose 4 facts that parents never, ever admit -- and why they should. Funny and honest, for parents and nonparents alike.

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10:39

TEDxMidAtlantic

Diana Laufenberg: How to learn? From mistakes

2010-11-052,232,346 views

Readability: 3.5

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Diana Laufenberg shares three surprising things she has learned about teaching -- including a key insight about learning from mistakes.

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16:45

TEDWomen 2010

Hanna Rosin: New data on the rise of women

2010-12-071,047,470 views

Readability: 3.4

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Hanna Rosin reviews startling new data that shows women actually surpassing men in several important measures, such as college graduation rates. Do these trends, both US-centric and global, signal the "end of men"? Probably not -- but they point toward an important societal shift worth deep discussion.

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09:20

TEDWomen 2010

Kiran Bedi: A police chief with a difference

2010-12-081,401,566 views

Readability: 3.2

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Kiran Bedi has a surprising resume. Before becoming Director General of the Indian Police Service, she managed one of the country's toughest prisons -- and used a new focus on prevention and education to turn it into a center of learning and meditation. She shares her thoughts on visionary leadership at TEDWomen.

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11:46

TEDWomen 2010

Tony Porter: A call to men

2010-12-073,010,230 views

Readability: 2.9

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At TEDWomen, Tony Porter makes a call to men everywhere: Don't "act like a man." Telling powerful stories from his own life, he shows how this mentality, drummed into so many men and boys, can lead men to disrespect, mistreat and abuse women and each other. His solution: Break free of the "man box."

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10:18

TEDWomen 2010

Halla Tómasdóttir: A feminine response to Iceland's financial crash

2010-12-08674,652 views

Readability: 4.2

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Halla Tómasdóttir managed to take her company Audur Capital through the eye of the financial storm in Iceland by applying 5 traditionally "feminine" values to financial services. At TEDWomen, she talks about these values and the importance of balance.

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10:50

TEDGlobal 2010

Arthur Potts Dawson: A vision for sustainable restaurants

2010-07-15938,666 views

Readability: 3.9

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If you've been in a restaurant kitchen, you've seen how much food, water and energy can be wasted there. Chef Arthur Potts-Dawson shares his very personal vision for drastically reducing restaurant, and supermarket, waste -- creating recycling, composting, sustainable engines for good (and good food).

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14:12

TEDxRotterdam 2010

Bart Weetjens: How I taught rats to sniff out land mines

2010-06-04610,956 views

Readability: 4.5

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No one knows exactly how many landmines still litter the world, but it's safe to say: millions, waiting to kill and maim unsuspecting civilians. Clearing them is slow, expensive and dangerous. The founder of Apopo, Bart Weetjens, talks about his extraordinary project: training rats to sniff out land mines. He shows clips of his "hero rats" in action, and previews his work's next phase: teaching them to turn up tuberculosis in the lab.

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18:35

TEDGlobal 2010

Marcel Dicke: Why not eat insects?

2010-07-141,580,166 views

Readability: 3.4

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Marcel Dicke makes an appetizing case for adding insects to everyone's diet. His message to squeamish chefs and foodies: delicacies like locusts and caterpillars compete with meat in flavor, nutrition and eco-friendliness.

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19:16

TEDxMidwest

William Ury: The walk from "no" to "yes"

2010-10-172,393,780 views

Readability: 3.3

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William Ury, author of "Getting to Yes," offers an elegant, simple (but not easy) way to create agreement in even the most difficult situations -- from family conflict to, perhaps, the Middle East.

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05:47

TEDxNextGenerationAsheville

Birke Baehr: What's wrong with our food system

2010-08-282,364,826 views

Readability: 3.7

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At a TEDx event, 11-year-old Birke Baehr presents his take on a major source of our food -- far-away and less-than-picturesque industrial farms. Keeping farms out of sight promotes a rosy, unreal picture of big-box agriculture, he argues, as he outlines the case to green and localize food production.

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19:58

TEDxHouston

Dan Phillips: Creative houses from reclaimed stuff

2010-10-121,315,406 views

Readability: 3.4

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In this funny and inspiring talk, Dan Phillips tours us through a dozen homes he's built in Texas using recycled and reclaimed materials in wildly creative ways. Brilliant, low-tech design details will refresh your own drive to make more with less.

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17:22

TEDxMidwest

Jason Fried: Why work doesn't happen at work

2010-10-185,877,382 views

Readability: 2.4

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Jason Fried has a radical theory of working: that the office isn't a good place to do it. He calls out the two main offenders (call them the M&Ms) and offers three suggestions to make the workplace actually work.

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19:47

TEDGlobal 2010

Zainab Salbi: Women, wartime and the dream of peace

2010-07-16585,228 views

Readability: 3.4

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In war we often see only the frontline stories of soldiers and combat. AT TEDGlobal 2010, Zainab Salbi tells powerful "backline" stories of women who keep everyday life going during conflicts, and calls for women to have a place at the negotiating table once fighting is over.

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