My TED experience has begun with some great conversations over breakfast this morning with a couple of other TEDsters. It’s very inspiring just to hear other peoples stories on how they’ve become interested in TED. The official program is set to begin at 2pm local Aspen time with a “fun meet and greet” hosted by TED Content Producer Kelly Stoetzel and Rives. One of the emails to the Aspenites hinted at an opportunity of 30 seconds on stage during this session. Who will be bold enough to go on stage! It should be fun.

As a TED virgin, I’ve been cautioned to take my time and take in everything at a measured pace. Maybe I should be doing some kind of brain exercises before the talks begin today! And speaking of talks… Here’s today’s agenda.

Session 1: Who are we?
WADE DAVIS: Anthropologist
Wade Davis travels the globe to live alongside indigenous people
and document cultural practices throughout our “ethnosphere.”

LOUISE LEAKEY: Paleoanthropologist
Louise Leakey hunts for hominid fossils in East Africa, in the
family tradition. She and her mother, Meave, recently found
bones that may redraw our evolutionary tree.

CHRIS JORDAN: Artist
Chris Jordan runs the numbers on modern life, making largeformat,
long-zoom artwork out of our most mindblowing stats.

JILL BOLTE TAYLOR: Neuroanatomist
Brain researcher Jill Bolte Taylor studied her own stroke as it
happened — and has become a passionate advocate for the
brain’s resilience.

Session 2: What is our place in the universe?
PATRICIA BURCHAT: Particle physicist
Patricia Burchat studies the structure and distribution of matter,
anti-matter, dark matter and dark energy.

JOHN HODGMAN: Expert
John Hodgman is a writer, humorist, geek celebrity, former
professional literary agent and self-proclaimed expert on all
world knowledge.

PETER WARD: Paleontologist
Peter D. Ward studies mass extinctions, and is also co-author of
“Rare Earth,” arguing that perhaps no other planet has the
circumstances to permit intelligent life.

SRI SRI RAVI SHANKAR: Spiritual teacher
Sri Sri Ravi Shankar has devoted his life to breath, meditation
and radiating love to his millions of followers.

KAKI KING: Guitarist
Kaki King combines jaw-dropping guitar technique with dreamy,
searching songwriting.

One final note, on Thursday the TED Prizes will be awarded. This event will be broadcast live on Thursday, 5:15pm Pacific time at this link.

Yet another final note, if you want to see more photos from TED, check out this link on Flickr.

NOTE: eman’s views has now moved to emansviews.com. I hope you’ll stop by. 

I arrived in Aspen today and after a quick lunch proceeded to the registration desk. Here are some pictures of the TED @ Aspen venue.

Video from Monterey is beamed back and forth via satellite to Aspen. It looks as though the video will be in high definition and broadcast to the many LDC screens within Doerr-Hosier Conference Center.

A main stage is set up in the center of the room with more video screens set up in more intimate smaller “nooks” seating about 20 people off to the sides of the central area.

View of the main stage.

One of the more intimate areas to the side of the main hall stage.

A computer/camera for chatting with the Monterey site.

Spectacular view from “Blogger’s Alley” – conference room on the second floor of the conference center dedicated to bloggers.

NOTE: eman’s views has now moved to emansviews.com. I hope you’ll stop by. 

I’m sitting in the airport waiting for my flight to Chicago, then on to Aspen for TED. Thank goodness for air cards. Bruno Giussani, European Director of TED, is in Monterey and has posted on the preparations for TED here. Bruno will be conducting “live blogging” from TED. Something I will NOT attempt – rather I’ll give my full attention to the talks and provide daily (hopefully) TED updates. I don’t want to attempt too much – I’m a TED newbie you know!

NOTE: eman’s views has now moved to emansviews.com. I hope you’ll stop by. 

I just got done printing out the TED 2008 schedule and pasting it into a new Moleskine notebook for the conference. Here’s some other items as folks prepare for TED…

Chris Anderson – curator of TED appeared on Charlie Rose this week. See the video here.

Thomas Dolby – musical director of TED has a great blog, and is talking about getting ready for TED.

Tom – talks about the TED Buzz on his TrueTalk Blog.

The CBC has a nice article about TED here.

Conde Nast Portfolio.com – sponsor of TED, is devoting parts of their web site to all things TED.

Kluster – a web based collaboration and decision making platform will be launching at TED. From kluster’s site… “kluster is a place to harness the power of community collaboration to get things done. everyone has ideas, we provide the platform to get them out of heads and into the world… where they belong.”

NOTE: eman’s views has now moved to emansviews.com. I hope you’ll stop by. 

Encyclopedia of Life – part E.O.Wilson’s TED wish is set to launch during TED. See more about EOL in the video below.

Rickshaw Bagworks – a new company, founded by Mark Dwight the former CEO of Timbuk2, will be launching their bag line at TED. Below is a video of Mark, his Moleskines, and the new bag.