This bit's good too:

Day one's keynote firesider was Paulo Coelho — the favourite author of that girl you met on the first day of university who spent her gap year in Thailand and like totally found herself. "Everyone has something interesting to say," Coelho said at one point, clearly showing that he's never had a conversation with one of his fans.

I skimmed over that until I thought "Coelho" is a strange name. Then I realized he wrote The Alchemist, which I read at the behest of a girl that pretty much fits that description.

I do love our humor.

Classic quote #2:

"skipped out to the car park where a Finnish startup had had the remarkable foresight to install a functioning sauna"

Good writing, but the mutual animosity between France and Britain is itself funny, if not a bit childish. No flame, but my impression is that both countries lost their past influence and glory, but none of them would admit that. ;-)

I think definitely these so called "conferences" are almost a waste of time.. no one is really that interested in the keynotes any more because most of the interesting people blog it all anyway.. right?

It's all about networking now: and the guys right - why not do it in a Sauna whilst getting drunk!

Your right we lost it... 30 years ago it would have been like that but now.. meh :(

I've found TED to be an incredible source of entertainment. I've learned quite a bit from it, too. If I could ever go in person, I'd do it in a heartbeat.

I think there is a difference - the British do recognise it through satire and humour - "taking the piss" out of themselves - I haven't observed that in the French (but perhaps it does exist, just not as obvious to the rest of the world).