I have an amazing friend who points me to things that change my life. Sometimes I check it out straight away, and other times I’ll revisit six months later. My introduction to TED.com falls into the latter category. Over the last couple of months I’ve downloaded several videos for my later viewing, and whilst all are quite amazing, there are two I’ve found so incredible that I just have to share them.

Whilst hardly a practising (in the traditional sense) Roman Catholic, I still retain an interest in matters of faith. Karen Armstrong’s Charter for Compassion rings true with many of my thoughts on the Abrahamic religions (Christianity, Islam and Judaism) - there is a single unifying ideology of compassion which gets lost amongst a sea of commentary. Sometimes people add too much crap to a really great idea. Karen is truly engaging throughout and her wish of an open dialogue between the faiths is one that I share.

Which brings me to Dave Eggers. Apart from being a fairly prolific author (his first book, A Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius was shortlisted for the Pulitzer Prize), he was instrumental in opening a tutoring lab for young people in San Francisco’s Mission District called 826 Valencia. His TED Prize Wish outlines the setup and growth of 826 Valencia, and the subsequent implementation of the concept in other American cities. Entertaining and inspirational in the same breath, I couldn’t help but be amazed by the foresight of the project.

I wonder if I’ll ever speak before a TED conference. Guess I’ll have to do something worthwhile in the meantime…

Edit: at the suggestion of one reader, I have included direct links for downloading the relevant talks. Just means you won’t have to deal with auto-loading movies. And for those who enjoy watching video on their iPod, I recommend you download the zipped version and then use iSquint to convert it into iPod-friendly format straight into iTunes. Enjoy!

Karen Armstrong: Zipped mp4 or iTunes

Dave Eggers: Zipped mp4 or iTunes

I know this has become a Mac forum, but there is something else gnawing away at me, and not in a good way.

You Melbournians who read this will probably think I am a disloyal Melbourne native when you read what I have to say about the AFL.

Although born and raised in Melbourne, I have never admired the AFL or anyone associated with it besides a few standouts like Jim Stynes.

What person in their right mind would let their kids go to an Auskick session with a bunch of immature bogan criminals like the current bunch of yobbos we call footballers?

The thing that really bothers me though, is that they sometimes get caught, but rather than be made an example of, they receive light sentences, if any punishment at all.

Geelong defender David Johnson escaped conviction over a drunken scuffle with police on Grand Final eve because he is “Geelong defender David Johnson”.

Former St Kilda and Brisbane Lions footballer Steven Lawrence was FINED $5000 and AVOIDED a conviction over a drunken pub brawl. St Kilda forward Fraser Gehrig and Brownlow medallists Michael Voss and Simon Black were also involved in the bar fight and like Lawrence have also avoided conviction.

And who could forget good old Benny Cousins? He should have been forced to go to some sort of boot camp style rehab centre here. Give him to Judge Judy and see what she says. If he is allowed to play the game again, the AFL has no regard for public morals and its followers.

Normal people, actual members of society, would be (and are) dealt with far more harshly. A brownlow medal only means you can kick a pig gut in a paddock with prowess than the other Neanderthals around you. It doesn’t make you a good person.

We all know the old saying: One man’s trash is another man’s treasure.

We’ve had the dude who traded a paper clip for a house, another guy who sold his speeding ticket on an online auction house for $NZ52. Faulty laptops, non existent laptops! Kieren Dyer, but who would want him anyway! And who could forget the whole “Jesus Toast” escapades! In the age of E-Bay, securing another man’s trash has become even easier.

Which brings us to Ozheek (not to be confused to our own Oz). Now it seems that Ozheek’s recycle bin on his computer was getting a little large. Now rather than empty the recycle bin, he thought WTF… I’ll try and sell it on E-Bay. I’ve included the link, here, for the auction in case you think that I’m having a lend! 14 bids later and Ozheek is $US50 richer. For the winner; music videos, cellphone “stuff” and yes, porn, is their treasure! As for me, I’m searching around my house for crap to sell right now…

Thanks to a BEEZHOUSE reader, Michael Philippe, for passing this one along.