Monday, June 29th 2009. TECHAFFAIR was fortunate to have been invited to the Singularity University’s “INAUGURAL SUMMER PROGRAM AT MOFFETT FIELD / SU Graduate Summer Program Launch” featuring 40 students chosen from more than 1,200 candidates.

Singularity University narrowed the final students from a pool of applications around the globe. Students are focused on addressing “Humanity’s Grand Challenges” through scientific and technological collaboration and innovation.

The SU curriculum provides a broad, interdisciplinary exposure to ten fields of study: future studies and forecasting; networks and computing systems; biotechnology and bioinformatics; nanotechnology; medicine, neuroscience and human enhancement; artificial intelligence, robotics, and cognitive computing; energy and ecological systems; space and physical sciences; policy, law and ethics; and finance and entrepreneurship.

Singularity University was founded Sept. 20, 2008 by a group of leaders, including Worden; Ray Kurzweil, author and futurist; Peter Diamandis, space entrepreneur and chairman of the X PRIZE Foundation; Robert Richards, co-founder of the International Space University; Michael Simpson, president of the International Space University; and a group of SU associate founders who have contributed time and capital.

The energy at Singularity University is absolutely electrifying. It’s difficult to get across in words alone. So, hopefully the following images taken by TECHAFFAIR staff will tell the story:

The Mountain View Center for the Performing Arts (MVCPA)

NASA Ames Research Center located at Moffett Federal Airfield

Dr. Peter H. Diamandis (Vice-Chancellor & Chairman, Singularity University) & Friends

Tim Ferriss (Author of The Four Hour Work Week) and Troy Byrd

Susan Fonseca-Klein (VP of Operations, Singularity University) & Friends

Photography by Linda Poeng & Shaun Tai.

TECHAFFAIR would like to thank Bruce Klein and the entire Singularity University & NASA staff for allowing us access to this compelling event.

Thursday, June 18th 2009. TECHAFFAIR was fortunate to have been invited to “Oceans: Finding the Balance – A Voyage with an Oceans Pioneer and Google Earth” featuring 2009 TED Prize Winner, Dr. Sylvia Earle. Dr. Earle, a Deep Sea Diver, Oceanographer and Author, made a strong case for a ‘call to action’ combining great visuals which included a tour of the oceans using Google Earth.

Dr. Sylvia Earle was named Time magazine’s first “hero for the planet” and is an explorer-in-residence at the national Geographic Society. Dr. Earle was chief scientist at The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) from 1990-1992 and advised several presidents on our marine environment. She also received the Rachel Carson Award from the National Audubon Society on May 19. Sylvia has logged over 6,000 hours underwater and recently inspired the program demonstrated, Oceans in Google Earth.

About E2: "Environmental Entrepreneurs (E2) is the independent business voice for the environment. E2 is a national community of individual business leaders who advocate for good environmental policy while building economic prosperity. Working with NRDC, E2 takes a reasoned, economically sound approach to environmental issues by relying on fact-based policy expertise. As the independent business voice in the debate, E2 is effective and delivers results at both the state and national levels through its bipartisan efforts." Get involved.

About NRDC: "NRDC is the nation’s most effective environmental action group, combining the grassroots power of 1.2 million members and online activists with the courtroom clout and expertise of more than 350 lawyers, scientists and other professionals." Get involved.

Although TECHAFFAIR was not allowed to film this intriguing E2 event, our staff was able to capture some engaging snapshots of the Google environment and lifestyle surrounding Google Campus located in Mountain View, California (Photos courtesy Shaun Tai for SHAUN TAI Films ©2009):

TECHAFFAIR would like to thank E2, NRDC, and Google for allowing us access to this ‘deep diving’ event.

Eminem and Bruno (Sasha Baron Cohen) get into an odd squabble at the MTV Movie Awards. The event has caused a stir, and shock at the MTV Movie Awards, leaving ‘anti-anything’ rapper Eminem red-faced in an apparent stunt gone bad at the star-studded ceremony in Los Angeles, California (May 31, 2009).

Eminem cursed out Cohen (of course MTV bleeped out the words), before bodyguards threw the shock-actor off of the rap megastar. Eminem got out of his seat and walked out of the event. He had performed minutes earlier live on stage to a standing ovation. Stunt or not, the whole ordeal was quite entertaining and quickly spread word-of-tweet via twitter and visible to the world online via YouTube (thus making it to TECHAFFAIR).

Videos feature guest speakers: Chamillionaire, MC Hammer and Mistah F.A.B.

Hakeem Seriki (born on November 28, 1979), better known by his stage name Chamillionaire, a portmanteau of “chameleon” and “millionaire”) is an American rapper, singer and musician from Houston, Texas as well as the CEO of Chamillitary Entertainment.

MC Hammer (born Stanley Kirk Burrell; March 30, 1962) is an American MC who was popular during the late 1980s and early 1990s, known for his dramatic rise to and fall from fame and fortune and his trademark Hammer Pants.

Stanley P. Cox, (born January 23, 1982) better known by his stage name Mistah F.A.B., is an American rapper from North Oakland, California. He attended Oakland Technical High School and Emery High School.

The event took place July 22-24, 2008 at the Arillaga Center on the Stanford campus in Palo Alto, CA:

“The AlwaysOn & STVP Summit at Stanford is a two-and-a-half day executive gathering that highlights the significant economic, political and commercial trends disrupting the global technology industries. The AlwaysOn & STVP Summit at Stanford features the most innovative companies, eminent technologists, influential investors and journalists in keynote presentations, panel debates and private company CEO showcases. The AlwaysOn & STVP Summit at Stanford’s goal is to identify the most promising entrepreneurial opportunities and investments in the global tech industry.”

Videos filmed and produced by Shaun Tai.

This TechAffair.com exclusive gives a glimpse into the fourth class of the new course "Marketing 2.x" at the Haas School of Business at UC Berkeley.

Date: April 16th, 2009, Class 4
Course title: Marketing 2.x: The Social Data Revolution
Course number & semester: MBA 267, Spring 2009-B
Location: Haas School of Business, University of California at Berkeley (UC Berkeley)

Presentation by Andreas Weigend (Andreas S. Weigend, Ph.D.). Mankind is transformed by the data created by individuals. Information overload has become more serious than ever. Social discovery is the new search. What applications can we build to create relevant meaning in our lives?

Video filmed and produced by Shaun Tai.

“The medium is the message” is a phrase coined by Marshall McLuhan meaning that the form of a medium embeds itself in the message, creating a symbiotic relationship by which the medium influences how the message is perceived.