In 2014 I secured a license to privately screen a simulcast of the TED Conference from Vancouver, in my home. Here are a few highlights:
!["We Need Hackers"](https://aaronsylvan.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/TED2014-by-Aaron-Sylvan-iPhone-2014-03-20-at-11-53-46-768x576.jpg)
“We Need Hackers”
![Edward Snowden (NSA Whistle-blower, and at the time one of the most "wanted" people in the world), transmitted live via encrypted channels](https://aaronsylvan.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/TED2014-photo-by-Aaron-Sylvan-2014-03-18-408236-768x576.jpg)
Edward Snowden (NSA Whistle-blower, and at the time one of the most “wanted” people in the world), transmitted live via encrypted channels
![Richard Ledgett, Deputy Director, NSA](https://aaronsylvan.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/TED2014-by-Aaron-Sylvan-iPhone-2014-03-20-at-13-10-03-768x576.jpg)
Richard Ledgett, Deputy Director, NSA, discussing Edward Snowden
![In the past, people might just be described as "athletic", but now the bodies of athletes are becoming more highly specialized for the one competition in which they specialize.](https://aaronsylvan.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/TED2014-by-Aaron-Sylvan-iPhone-2014-03-20-at-12-29-23-768x576.jpg)
In the past, people might just be described as “athletic”, but now the bodies of athletes are becoming more highly specialized for the one competition in which they specialize.
![TED2014](https://aaronsylvan.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/TED2014-by-Aaron-Sylvan-iPhone-2014-03-20-at-12-37-18-768x576.jpg)
TED2014
![Audience at TED2014](https://aaronsylvan.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/TED2014-by-Aaron-Sylvan-iPhone-2014-03-20-at-12-45-29-768x576.jpg)
Audience at TED2014
![Seth Godin, Marketing Guru](https://aaronsylvan.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/TED2014-by-Aaron-Sylvan-iPhone-2014-03-20-at-12-50-12-768x576.jpg)
Seth Godin, Marketing Guru
![Ray Kurzweil, leader in Artificial Intelligence, Optical Character Recognition, Speech Synthesis, and Longevity](https://aaronsylvan.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/TED2014-by-Aaron-Sylvan-iPhone-2014-03-20-at-13-02-42-768x576.jpg)
Ray Kurzweil, leader in Artificial Intelligence, Optical Character Recognition, Speech Synthesis, and Longevity
![Ants communicate via "anternet", which is surprisingly analagous to our "internet"](https://aaronsylvan.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/TED2014-by-Aaron-Sylvan-iPhone-2014-03-20-at-14-59-24-768x576.jpg)
Ants communicate via “anternet”, which is surprisingly analagous to our “internet”
!["every circle contains 10 million galaxies"](https://aaronsylvan.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/TED2014-by-Aaron-Sylvan-iPhone-2014-03-20-at-15-34-13-768x421.jpg)
“every circle contains 10 million galaxies”
![TED2014](https://aaronsylvan.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/TED2014-by-Aaron-Sylvan-iPhone-2014-03-20-at-15-52-32-768x576.jpg)
TED2014
![Showing a model of a very low-cost, tiny satellite](https://aaronsylvan.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/TED2014-by-Aaron-Sylvan-iPhone-2014-03-20-at-15-55-05-768x576.jpg)
Showing a model of a very low-cost, tiny satellite
![The tiny satellite in his hand costs less than .001% as much as the big one in the picture - but they serve a similar function (photographing the surface of the earth)](https://aaronsylvan.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/TED2014-by-Aaron-Sylvan-iPhone-2014-03-20-at-15-55-44-768x576.jpg)
The tiny satellite in his hand costs less than .001% as much as the big one in the picture – but they serve a similar function (photographing the surface of the earth)
![A large number of cheap satellites can provide information which is more up-to-date than what we currently have, from a small number of expensive ones.](https://aaronsylvan.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/TED2014-by-Aaron-Sylvan-iPhone-2014-03-20-at-16-04-42-768x576.jpg)
A large number of cheap satellites can provide information which is more up-to-date than what we currently have, from a small number of expensive ones.
![X-Prize founder Peter Diamandis, with TED Curator Chris Anderson](https://aaronsylvan.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/TED2014-by-Aaron-Sylvan-iPhone-2014-03-20-at-16-21-57-768x576.jpg)
X-Prize founder Peter Diamandis, with TED Curator Chris Anderson
![TED2014](https://aaronsylvan.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/TED2014-photo-by-Aaron-Sylvan-2014-03-17-408233-768x576.jpg)
TED2014
![Nicholas Negroponte, founder of MIT Media Lab](https://aaronsylvan.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/TED2014-photo-by-Aaron-Sylvan-2014-03-17-408235-768x576.jpg)
Nicholas Negroponte, founder of MIT Media Lab
![Creator of the typeface used in millions of phone books ("Bell Gothic")](https://aaronsylvan.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/TED2014-photo-by-Aaron-Sylvan-2014-03-18-408237-768x528.jpg)
Creator of the typeface used in millions of phone books (“Bell Gothic”)
![Up close, you can see how the typeface is actually missing parts — this is because the ink bleeds, so removing these bits results in a letter that's correctly formed after it's printed onto paper.](https://aaronsylvan.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/TED2014-photo-by-Aaron-Sylvan-2014-03-18-408238-768x576.jpg)
Up close, you can see how the typeface is actually missing parts — this is because the ink bleeds, so removing this bits results in a letter that’s correctly formed after it’s printed onto paper.
![Showing some concepts for wearable computers and new fashions inspired by technology.](https://aaronsylvan.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/TED2014-photo-by-Aaron-Sylvan-2014-03-19-408236-768x576.jpg)
Showing some concepts for wearable computers and new fashions inspired by technology.
![Famous wrong words about computers: "There is no reason for any individual to have a computer in his home."](https://aaronsylvan.com/wp-content/uploads/2016/01/TED2014-photo-by-Aaron-Sylvan-2014-03-19-408232-768x576.jpg)
Famous wrong words about computers: “There is no reason for any individual to have a computer in his home.”