Highlights from TEDxUSC.

This week marked the second annual TEDxUSC conference--a local offshoot of the famed (and occasionally infamous) TED conference. While the program had its ups and downs, it was, overall, an inspiring and uplifting day of speakers, performances, and screenings. (Which says a lot as I'm generally not easily moved. They don't call me Cruella for nothing...no, they don't really call me that, you nincompoop.)

Here are some highlights.

* Raul Fernandez' short film/music video, 'The Woods: The Final Breaths of a Main Character.' The film is beautiful and creative and worth watching. The video is below for your viewing amazement.
* Paul Frommer spoke on creating the made up language, Na'vi, for communications on the land of Pandora (if you have no idea what I'm talking about, you were clearly out of the planet for the last Oscar season).
* Jazz musician Charlie Parker apparently invented bee bop because he suspected that white musicians would not be able to copy the style. This somehow related to Johanna Blakley's talk about the lack of copyright protection in the fashion industry (don't ask me to explain my notes 3 days later, please).
* Short film 'Amelie and Alchemy' portrayed a father's quest to have his four year old daughter pose and hold still for a photograph taken by a century old camera device. I wish I could find the short in full online to show you as it was fantastic.
* Navigenics is a company founded by speaker Dr. David Agus. You: spit in a vial. They: give you a full report on your chances for disease as compared to the average population. Fascinating. Advanced. Likely insanely expensive. But still fascinating!

View talks from the 'real' (okay, okay-original) TED conference online. You will be so glad you traded in that hour of Real Housewives for something more inspired.