Columbia University

It is Friday evening and the stage is set with the "Glorified Podium of Discussion" in the middle of the living room. First on the docket is "Weekly Fast Fact." At the sound of the gavel my grandfather declares, "If you are ever in need of a quick repair, there is only one item for every job: duct tape. Duct tape fixes everything!" Or so I was told. Three pieces of particle board, half a roll of duct tape, and some TLC came together to create the "Glorified Podium of Discussion." Every Friday, for the past four years, my family has gathered to hold our personal family Congress TED Talk in the…