Our friend Harper Reed is a yoyo player, juggler, performance judge for the Triple Crown of YoYo, and also just finished up as the Chief Technology Officer for President Obama’s reelection campaign. He spoke yesterday at the TED 2013 conference about technology and its role in the future of politics to crowd of some of the most brilliant minds in the world.
We spend a lot of time on YoYoNews talking about the little, wonderful things in our industry and community, but it’s worth noting that there are yoyo players operating on a MUCH larger scale. With Black’s hugely successful presentation at TED earlier, this makes two yoyo players in two days who’ve presented at TED, and that’s a huge impact on the world at large. We’re going to try and pin down Harper for an interview in the near future but in the meantime, here are some photos from his TED talk, and a great write-up on the TED blog. (photos via TED)
Congratulations to him and his accomplishments. I hope that he brings positive light to the sport. It is true that I don’t like his boss that he chose to work for. Steve, what it comes down to is you broke my separation of yoyo and politics and I can never go back to my blissful ignorance.
Any separation between yoyos and politics are imagined, just like any other separation. If Mr. Reed’s appearance at TED is what breaks this illusion for you, I am happy. The reality that all things and people are intertwined is more beautiful than the shadow of ignorance.
Politics and yoyo! No Thanks. If we are ask Mr. Reed if Obama is coming after my throws after my guns.
Oh, put it away. Can you really tell me that you can’t recognize Harper’s achievements in technology, and be proud of a yoyo player accomplishing something on a scale that has never before been attempted let alone pulled off, just because you don’t like his boss?