7 TEDx Talks by guys with excellent beards
“Strider” at TEDxDarwin
Beards have a patchy history. King Henry VIII started taxing beards in 1535. Peter the Great of Russia declared his own war on fuzz 200 years later. Massachusetts law once required men to pay for a license just to rock a goatee and, on the other side of the razor, it was once illegal not to grow a beard in Brainerd, Minnesota.
Thankfully, the war on fuzzy faces might just have finally stalled. Help us celebrate great whiskers by watching these 7 talks from speakers with facial hair so impressive you might just want to grow your own (imaginary or not).
Life, Liberty, and the Pursuit of Reduced Misery: Paul Krugman at TEDxColumbiaSIPA
At TEDxColumbiaSIPA, Paul Krugman expands on happiness economics and what economics can do to make you less miserable, citing work from Sigmund Freud and Ben Bernake, two fellow beard-wearers.
Snow Patrol frontman Gary Lightbody releases new song written for TEDxStormont in Belfast
Gary Lightbody at TEDxStormont
Gary Lightbody, better known as the lead singer of the band Snow Patrol, spoke at TEDxStormont on March 28 about the Northern Irish music community, and performed a song he wrote specially for the event, “This Is All That I Ask Of You.” You can listen to the entire song at Snow Patrol’s website.
TEDx Intern Picks: 5 favorites for February
TEDx’ers contribute to the TEDx blackboard at TEDActive (Photo: Marla Aufmuth)
It’s that time again — time for another TEDx intern playlist. Today, one of our screening interns provides a glimpse into the vast variety of ideas circling the TEDx community — ideas that confront, surprise, and astound — even when you watch dozens of talks daily.
Comedy, economics, and carbon taxes: Yoram Bauman at TEDxTheEvergreenStateCollege
As an economics major, I understand that talking about the economy can be a little dry. Okay, VERY dry. So I was thrilled to find a talk in the TEDx library that was not only econ-related, but entertaining! Economics Ph.D Yoram Bauman takes us through some of the basic principles that economists use to show how a revenue-neutral carbon tax would benefit Americans by reducing or eliminating payroll taxes.
Learn 100 songs in five minutes: Jordan Hume at TEDxMacquarieUniversity
By now, a lot of people are familiar with the fact that many of our favorite songs from rock, pop, folk, and country share essentially the same chord structure.Jordan Hume took this phenomenon a little deeper by giving the audience at TEDxMacquarieUniversity a crash course in piano and music theory.
Building highways in the sky: Steve Fulton at TEDxCincy
In this talk, Steve Fulton explains the problems with our current disjointed and messy air traffic systems, and shows great real world examples of how airports are using computers to streamline flight paths in and out of travel hubs. As a lover of air travel, I thought that this talk was something we all should watch.
Classical architecture in modern times: G.S. Smith & F. Terry at TEDxLondonBusinessSchool
Sometimes I can’t help but cringe when I see a flashy new building go up in an otherwise traditionally-designed neighborhood. In this talk, G.S. Smith and F. Terry alleviate my fears by showing their old-world designs for brand new buildings — to bring a touch of classical style into our ever-changing cities.
Being silly: Sam Simmons at TEDxSydney
THIS PLAYLIST HAS GOTTEN TOO SERIOUS! If you need a quick dose of irreverence, check out the absolutely hysterical performance by Sam Simmons at TEDxSydney, before it’s too late! Bananas.
The cello — remixed: Ben Sollee at TEDxSanDiego
To round out our week of musical performances from TEDx — a talk from TEDxSanDiego: The cello — remixed
Ben Sollee grew up playing the cello — from classical pieces taught in school, to impromptu R&B and fiddle jams with his family. At TEDxSanDiego, he showcases his particular way of using the cello, which blends influence and technique in a fresh contemporary style. (Filmed at TEDxSanDiego).
Each week, we choose four of our favorite talks, highlighting just a few of the enlightening speakers from the TEDx community, and its diverse constellation of ideas worth spreading. Browse all TEDxTalks here »
