Events under the TEDx license must show talks from TED for 25 percent of their total "stage time." Far from being a burden, this rule gives the organizers two key things: a bit of breathing room, and a neat chance for a grown-up version of show-and-tell.

The mastermind behind our TED video selections is Carl Skompinski. Carl is involved in many, many events and organizations around Western New York, and is a bona fide student of TED Talks. He viewed and reviewed more than 100 talks this year to choose about 18 of them, of which we only used about seven. The talks Carl chose alternately complement our speakers and fill in subject areas that year's TEDxBuffalo did not directly address. Carl's a heck of a guy.

Onto the videos. We shall post them here, in rough order of appearance at our 2013 event, a few at a time, while we await the final edits of our own speakers.

First up is Massimo Banzi, one of the inventors of the Arduino hardware board. Arduino has found a home among hobbyists, prototype builders, hackers, Kickstarter projects, and many other creative types. Banzi walks through some of the more compelling and fun projects Arduino has made possible, and touches on the "Why" behind the board. If nothing else, there's an automatic fat-cat/skinny-cat feeding system in here that made the crowd "ooh."

Ron Finley planted vegetable gardens in land he didn't own in South Central LA: abandoned lots, medians, curbs, berms. He did so to feed people, to combat the food deserts throughout his neighborhood, to teach kids about the origins of real food, and to fight rampant obesity. This talk drew more than a few spontaneous claps during its showing.

More videos soon, from TED and from TEDxBuffalo.