I was kicked out from TEDx event for saying water-fuelled car is a scam
svedic.org
svedic.org
Jakobović seems like a crank, but is this criticism really necessary? "Not finishing college" or "low-level technician" should never be reasons to put down someone. People such as Jobs (college dropout, former fruit picker), Wozniak (once a low-level engineer), Einstein (patent clerk) and others are recognized as great contributors to science and technology. Quick show of hands: How many people on HN didn't finish college or have dreary day jobs while working on something exciting or innovative on the side?
There are already many reasons to condemn Jakobović. Not having the right credentials and background shouldn't be included on the list.
You are completely right, education or job are not the reason to put down anyone. I wanted to point out that if someone approaches you with the biggest inventions in the century but has no credentials, you would be skeptical, wouldn't you? However, you are right, I could said that point much better.
It's a shame because I love TED itself. They've tried regulating better, but I just can't see a way out for them except closing TEDx down completely and coming up with something else. The TEDx reputation is already destroyed.
I hope they try harder to audit the TEDx events. The main TED events are usually so inspiring, it's a shame to have it tarnished like this.
TED will get involved, but they will protect their brand. Not smart Croatians.
...followed immediately by list of glowing adoration that ends up dancing from point to point. While the True Believer has been been known to make posts like this, it really has more of the feel of a /salesman/.
"Nobody was reading Wikipedia links, organizers were only seeing that I am calling 'their' speaker a scammer."
Many true believers (at least from my experience) will look at the links, and initially make up some sort of defence, which often takes the form of arguing why those references suddenly don't apply or don't are excusable. It's only after they realize they can't argue against it that the entire subject becomes taboo.
The used-car salesman, however, will suddenly find new ways to not talk about that Big Defect even though they know all about it.
These organizers are on the take, or at least profiting form the situation personally in some way. It's possible they don't even realize it.
Fortunately, given the comments about TED shutting down similar situations, it looks like this particular problem is not going to persist. Even better: if the talks are "water engine" quality, refunding your ticket was probably a blessing.
So far, they are slightly average in most regards.
Which has always kind of surprised me, because I always suspected that kind of arms-length involvement would wind up with TEDx running the TED name into the mud.