Can tech Help during the Pandemic?

It seems like when there's a Global Crisis, tech can help. And it requires the 2 largest tech companies to come together. Apple and Google. Here's how.


How tech companies can help combat the pandemic and reshape public health

Karen DeSalvo, the chief health officer at Google, explains the partnership between big tech and public health in slowing the spread of COVID-19 -- and discusses a new contact tracing technology recently rolled out by Google and Apple that aims to ease the burden on health workers and provide scientists critical time to create a vaccine. (This virtual conversation, hosted by current affairs curator Whitney Pennington Rodgers and head of TED Chris Anderson, was recorded on May 27, 2020.)

The Global Economy is Shut Down! What's Next?

The coronavirus pandemic has resulted in stay-at-home across the globe and businesses closed across the world. This kind of "Global Lockdown" has never happened before in world history.

This extremely interesting talk gives a world view of the global economy, what we can expect, and how global economies and international bodies have responded and are expected.


How to rebuild the global economy

The coronavirus pandemic shattered the global economy. To put the pieces back together, we need to make sure money is going to the countries that need it the most -- and that we rebuild financial systems that are resilient to shocks, says Kristalina Georgieva, managing director of the International Monetary Fund. She takes us inside the massive economic stimulus efforts leading the world toward recovery and renewal and discusses what it will take for countries to emerge from this "great transformation" even stronger than before. (This virtual conversation, hosted by head of TED Chris Anderson and current affairs curator Whitney Pennington Rodgers, was recorded on May 18, 2020.)

Do we Lie?

While most of us are aware that we sometimes lie, what we call a white lie, I was surprised that that's not true. We lie a whole lot more.

And now I know how to spot a liar, so be careful when you meet with me. Unless you've watched this talk too.


How to spot a liar
Pamela Meyer

On any given day we're lied to from 10 to 200 times, and the clues to detect those lies can be subtle and counter-intuitive. Pamela Meyer, author of Liespotting, shows the manners and "hotspots" used by those trained to recognize deception -- and she argues honesty is a value worth preserving.

Can we help choose our future?

The last few weeks I've been focussing on the pandemic. And felt that we must not forget another equally serious issue. The Climate. And the Future.

And Tom has a great idea. I liked it. And maybe you will too.


How to shift your mindset and choose your future
When it comes to big life problems, we often stand at a crossroads: either believe we're powerless against great change, or we rise to meet the challenge. In an urgent call to action, political strategist Tom Rivett-Carnac makes the case for adopting a mindset of "stubborn optimism" to confront climate change -- or whatever crisis may come our way -- and sustain the action needed to build a regenerative future. As he puts it: "Stubborn optimism can fill our lives with meaning and purpose."

Different cultures respond differently even to pandemics

I am currently in the US and here the political establishment is blaming China for the Pandemic impact which has been devastating. Some States have even sued China for damages.

What surprised me however was that many ordinary people here, most Republicans, a fair amount of  Democrats and even some healthcare professionals including Physicians, seem to believe that somehow China is responsible for the pandemic impacting the US. And that the US response has been PERFECT!

While I don't subscribe to this and have not found anyone who has any rationale behind their beliefs, unfortunately, perception is reality.

The way I see it is that China has done everything that any other country where a virus would begin would do. And this is borne out by history. While they should and could have done more, what right does any country have to expect from others what they themselves would not do? And the bigger question is, what would have changed and how?

This TED talk by Chinese author Huang Hung throws some light on the difference in response of the two countries based on the difference in values.


How American and Chinese values shaped the coronavirus response

To combat COVID-19, countries have enforced city-wide shutdowns, stay-at-home orders and mask mandates -- but the reaction (and adherence) to these rules has differed markedly in the East and West. In conversation with TED's head of curation Helen Walters, writer and publisher Huang Hung sheds light on how Chinese and American cultural values shaped their responses to the outbreak -- and provides perspective on why everyone needs to come together to end the pandemic.

The Chinese state media released a propaganda video and while its propaganda, I do think it is funny and at a macro level not inaccurate. Have a Laugh!