http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=D1R-jKKp3NA

a must view.
thanks to Gian Carlo!

http://www.worldchanging.com/archives/005785.html.

it starts at the 54th minute.
skip the ABSURD speech by representative Mr Hall that preceeds the testimony

http://boss.streamos.com/wmedia/energycommerce/032107.eaq_joint_hrg_science.climate_change.wvx

First hotel that i wanted to leave the minute i saw the room. imagine a small tall rectangular box. insert a loft at under which you enter the room bumping your head on the wooden rafters which are supposed to look like they have been there since the 18th Century [although no self-respecting 18th C French builder would ever had considered building such a miserly loft in such a cramped space] . add a small half-sprial stair which is designed to take you to the large bed on the loft...but you end up hitting your head on the top stair before you get to the loft; thus, needing to crouch to even get to the bed. add a small make-up 'desk' so cluttered with the obligatory superfluous stuff that a laptop would not be able to find a home. add two overstuffed armchairs with a low cocktail table nesteled between.

hard to imagine that anyone could destroy a property in that way. and it was not to just one room.....i asked for another room and was taken to another so called 'junior suite'. same awful layout but at least my head only grazed the loft ceiling.

add this one to the no-go list.

imagine 25,000 men in grey suits walking around a property 'event' in Cannes. lots of huge yachts for them to get free food and booze. just imagine.....you get it.

well. how can one find everything in one hotel? go to the W in SF. fantastic reception - they were polite, helpful, friendly etc. lobby impressive and concierge. a room with a view. top floor. bay bridge in the distance with the lights of san francisco below. wonderful. the reception was warm and friendly. the ground floor really just right. the room was really perfect and clearly one to return to. everything was perfect. and even a REAL signed note from the General Manager!!!

a 10/10. a must return.

So, i mentioned the situation again to the Day staff. they moved me from the 9th floor to the 6th. The difference in the rooms is/was night and day. This room is everything that you expect from a 'corporate' hotel. nothing specatcular and nothing now wrong. it has plenty of surfaces, the showerhead works, there is a clost and the desk is at a height i can work at.

This begs a totally different question - WHY is the 'accessible room [902]' such absolute crap? it is hard to describe the differences. room 902 was barren and a very bad room. why should a room like 902 be so bad? not necessary. it is so wrong to make an accessible room a crap room. the goal should be that NO ONE KNOWS the difference.

i was concerned that the second year at TED would be a let down. I thought that the newness of it all last year might have been a big part of why I was so rejuvenated by the experience. I was wrong. It is an incredible experience the second time around as well. Inspirational. It is a special community and it is an honour to be a prt of it.

This time around i know a few people and am meeting more.

I wish EVERYONE wold be able to be here - next best thing are the TED Talks which everyone can download here [http://www.ted.com/tedtalks/.

these are the ones that anyone can get to.....do it. it will be worth it.

Hans Rosling - the best use of information that i have seen in years
Rives - brilliant monologue
Eve Ensler - moving
Jeff Han - the 'interface-free' interface that i wish i had
Julia Sweeney - i laughed so hard i cried
Majora Carter - making a difference for those who need it most
Cameron Sinclair - open source 'Architecture for Humanity'
Al Gore - before he launched 'Inconvenient Truth'
Neil Gershenfeld - talks about the FabLabs

don't bother. the front desk couldn't be bothered. nor will i bother to reserve a room here next time I am in Monterey. My room is 902 a handicapp/fully-accessible room. I threw my bits on the bed when I arrived to go join Taylor for drinks. did not take a look at the room beyond to ensure that the elevator noise would not wake me up. upon returning, i tried to unpack and found no surfaces to place items nor a closet. i realized that the room was not designed for fully physically able individuals. I went down to the desk to politely ask about another room. they first tried to convince me that the there was indeed a large normal closet in the room. this did not work when the night manager appeared and acknowledged that the only closet was a little slot next to the television. i indicated that this would not be enough and he looked at and asked 'what do you want me to do?' with a slight angle to his head. The man needs a lesson in customer service. his number two came up with an option, but the manager mumbled his disagreement so the move was kabashed. Four days with no surfaces to speak of at all in the bathroom and room.

don't bother. they don't really care - i suppose they need to go back to read what the founders said about hospitality!