Homaro Cantu + Ben Roche: Cooking as alchemy – TED Talks

Homaro Cantu and Ben Roche come from Moto, a Chicago restaurant that plays with new ways to cook and eat food. But beyond the fun and flavor-tripping, there’s a serious intent: Can we use new food technology for good?

Strange Random Cooking Quote:

Cooking “is a form of flattery….a mischievous, deceitful, mean and ignoble activity, which cheats us by shapes and colors, by smoothing and draping….” – Plato (427-347 B.C.)

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John Hodgman on Love and Aliens [TED Talks]

Image via Wikipedia

Humorist John Hodgman rambles through a new story about aliens, physics, time, space and the way all of these somehow contribute to a sweet, perfect memory of falling in love.

Strange Random Alien Quote:

“Babies have big heads and big eyes, and tiny little bodies with tiny little arms and legs. So did the aliens at Roswell! I rest my case.” — William Shatner

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Ron Gutman: The hidden power of smiling (TED)

Ron Gutman reviews a raft of studies about smiling, and reveals some surprising results. Did you know your smile can be a predictor of how long you’ll live — and that a simple smile has a measurable effect on your overall well-being? Prepare to flex a few facial muscles as you learn more about this evolutionarily contagious behavior.

Strange Random Smile Quote:

“Never rely on the glory of the morning nor the smiles of your mother-in-law.” -  Japanese Proverb

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How to build a toaster (from scratch) – TED Talks

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.

Strange Random Design Quote:

You have to roll up your sleeves and be a stonecutter before you can become a sculptor – command of craft always precedes art: apprentice, journeyman, master. — Philip Gerard

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John Lloyd inventories the invisible – TED Talks

A short TED Talk from 2009, on what we think we see, but don’t! As usual, don’t forget you can choose subtitles in several languages from the player window.

Nature’s mysteries meet tack-sharp wit in this hilarious, 10-minute mix of quips and fun lessons, as comedian, writer and TV man John Lloyd plucks at the substance of several things not seen.

Strange Random Invisibility Quote:

“In teaching you cannot see the fruit of a day’s work. It is invisible and remains so, maybe for twenty years.” – Jacques Barzun (French Educator, b.1907)

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