EG 2010 Decompression

Colossally improbable. This is how Berkeley professor Walter Alvarez described the odds of a single human being defying a set of historical contingencies to have been born. "Each one of us is a winner in the most pitiless game of chance ever devised," he said. Simple, yet incredibly profound. A perception altering statement, and one of many extraordinary moments I was fortunate enough to experience last weekend during the 2010 Entertainment Gathering (EG) down in Monterey, CA.

Hosted by artist, scientist and musician Michael Hawley, the event brought together bright minds from the worlds of tech, science, music, art and beyond -- a heady swirl of cerebral bliss. Or, as I jotted down in my notebook: "An intellectual bubble of awesomeness!"

From David Hume Kennerly reminiscing on his journeys as a Pulitzer Prize winning photographer to master pianist Marc-André Hamelin and violin virtuoso Anna Lee leaving a small crowd in awe after playing Bach, the weekend was filled with truly magical moments.

Attending an event like EG reminds me of the profound effect that other people's passions can have on an individual, and why I am so proud of what we've accomplished at FORA.tv. We strive to offer anyone with a decent Internet connection the opportunity to immerse themselves in the world of ideas, to indulge in the passion of others.

So, many thanks to Michael Hawley and Jane Rosch for their hospitality and BRAVO to the incredible cast of presenters for the inspiration and, most importantly, for recharging my mind and soul for another year of building our ambitious little project.

2010, ahoy!