The 2010 Buckminster Fuller Challenge is now open. Each year a distinguished jury awards a $100,000 prize to support the development and implementation of a strategy that has significant potential to solve humanity’s most pressing problems. Entries are now being accepted and the deadline is midnight, Eastern Time on October 30, 2009.

The Idea Index is a repository for entries from previous years and showcases the winners from the past two cycles, as well as over 200 innovative solutions addressing the world's most pressing problems.

Buckminster Fuller's prolific life of exploration, discovery, invention and teaching was driven by his intention “to make the world work for 100% of humanity, in the shortest possible time, through spontaneous cooperation without ecological offense or disadvantage of anyone.”

Fuller coupled this intention with a pioneering approach aimed at solving complex problems. This approach, which he called “comprehensive anticipatory design science”, combined an emphasis on individual initiative and integrity with whole systems thinking, scientific rigor and faithful reliance on nature's underlying principles. The designs he is best known for (the geodesic dome, the Dymaxion house, car, and map, and the global electric grid) were part of a visionary strategy to redesign the inter-related systems of shelter, transportation and energy.

After decades of tracking world resources, innovations in science and technology, and human needs, Fuller asserted that options exist to successfully surmount the crises of unprecedented scope and complexity facing all humanity – he issued an urgent call for a design science revolution to make the world work for all.

Answering this call is what the Buckminster Fuller Challenge is all about.

Bucky had it right. “You never change things by fighting the existing reality. To change something, build a new model that makes the existing model obsolete.”

That’s why we’re awarding a $100,000 prize each year for comprehensive solutions that radically advance human well-being and ecosystem health.

Here's the Buckinster Fuller Challenge Movie:

The Buckminster Fuller Challenge from Buckminster Fuller Institute on Vimeo.

Click here for the LIVE BLOGGING starting at 6:30 PM EST:

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Local fans of the TED conference present TEDxAsheville, an independently organized TED event, Sunday, August 30, 7–11 p.m. at The Orange Peel.

Mix your favorite mind-blowing lecture in college with a hot night out at a club, add a few beers, and you've got TEDxAsheville, where smart is sexy and great ideas are the name of the game. Five Asheville visionaries join a sprinkling of all-local performance talent for a night of fun for your head that promises inspiration, excitement and ideas worth spreading.
 

Confirmed 2009 TEDxAsheville speakers include:
Dee Eggers, UNC Asheville professor of environmental science
Drew Jones of the Sustainability Institute, creator of interactive climate simulations
David McConville of the Elumenati, media artist, entrepreneur, inventor and community activist
Caroline Yongue, Buddhist minister and director of Asheville’s Center for End-of-Life Transitions
Robert Zimmerman, Bug Logic coder, designer and illustrator
 

This late-summer conference event is FREE, seats will fill QUICKLY. Arrive early if you can.
TEDxAsheville official website: tedxavl.com
TEDTalks sample videos: tedxavl.com/videos
Facebook: search TEDxAsheville
Twitter: follow @TEDxAVL
 

ABOUT TEDx
In the spirit of ideas worth spreading, TED created a program it calls TEDx. TEDx is a program of local, self-organized events that bring people together to share a TED-like experience. Our event is called TEDxAsheville, where “x” = an independently organized TED event. At TEDxAsheville, TEDTalks video and live speakers combine to spark deep discussion and connection within the audience.
The TED Conference provides general guidance for the TEDx program, but individual TEDx events, including ours, are self-organized.

Deadline for entries: August 31, 2009

The Aesthetica Creative Works Competition is internationally recognised for identifying new artists and writers and bringing them to international attention. 2010 will be the competition's third year and previous finalists have achieved success and recognition with accolades including: writing commissions from Channel 4, selection to represent Australia in the Florence Biennale, exhibitions at DACS (London), John Martin Gallery (London), Flores Fine Art Gallery (New York), inclusion in the International Drawing Competition exhibition (Poland) and the National Geographic International Photographic exhibition. The Aesthetica Creative Works Competition represents the scope of creative activity today, and provides an opportunity for both new and established artists to nurture their reputations on an international scale.

• The Aesthetica Creative Works Competition seeks entries of Artwork, Photography & Sculpture, Fiction and Poetry
• Three winners will be awarded £500 (approx $825) each
• Additional prizes include an Olympus E-420 SLR camera and a boutique holiday for two
• All finalists will be published in the Aesthetica Creative Works Annual, in stores December 2009
• Entry to the 2009 Aesthetica Creative Works Competition is £10 (approx $16)
• This allows you to submit up to 5 images, 5 poems or 2 short stories
• Closing date to receive Creative Works is 31 August 2009
• For full details please visit www.aestheticamagazine.com/submission_guide.htm

This Saturday night, get yourself over to the Orange Peel for a showcase of the region's finest electronica artists. AND you'll be supporting the new community internet radio station, Asheville FM.

AshevilleFM is sort of like college radio, but all grown up. The volunteer-based, grassroots station was envisioned earlier this year as an outlet where community members could broadcast locally based music and news. The space has been rented (behind Wizzy's), the studio being built: Check it out at www.ashevillefm.org. Chip in monetarily (think of it as a fund drive without the boring chatter) at the all-ages Orange Peel benefit. Music from Doom Ribbons, IO, J.R.R. Foolkiller, Aurascene, Kimathir, Liz Lang, sys:ex and Pomme de Terre. Saturday, Aug. 22 (9 p.m., $8 advance, $10 doors. Info: www.theorangepeel.net or 225-5851).

"Producing and Documentary Movie Making"
Wednesday, Aug 19th 2009
The Fine Arts Theater (critics lounge) 6:30 - 8:30 p.m.
Beer and wine are available in the lobby.

Asheville Filmmakers Group (AFG) is pleased to announce that they are fortunate, one more time, to have a generous host speaker, independent documentary filmmaker and former ABC, NBC, and CBS news producer, Joe De Cola.  Joe is traveling from NYC to speak at the August AFG monthly meeting this Wednesday. He has produced such shows as "Close Up", a one hour documentary show for "60 Minutes" on CBS, as well documentary shows for NBC Nightly news and the Today Shows. He has received a number of awards including a News Emmy for his work on NBC Nightly News Series “The New Cold War”.

Join AFG this Wednesday as this is a great opportunity to find out more about documentary movie making, producing in general, and ask questions on what exactly does a producer do and how they get their projects produced from A to Z.

Info about AFG:

The Asheville Filmmakers Group (AFG) meets once a month in order to network local filmmakers with one another, as well as discuss different aspects of the filmmaking process including things like writing, equipment use, music, documentary work, narrative work, rights, and of course, the creative process.   It is also open to discuss your current works in progress and ask for feedback from other filmmakers in a safe environment.  On occasion we will have screenings of members work for discussion and feedback. 

The AFG was formed in order to bring Asheville and Western North Carolina filmmakers together and to build a stronger filmmaking community right here in our mountains.  It's also a way to network people who are interested in working as crew members, music composers, screenwriting, and other collaborative efforts with others interested in the production of film.

We meet on the THIRD Wednesday of every month in the upstairs Critics lounge at the Fine Arts Theater in downtown Asheville from 6:30 p.m. to 8:30 p.m.  Please come and join us!

The NEW and IMPROVED MAP website has all kinds of fuctions for getting your information out to the other MAP members and the rest of the world.  There are blogs, member message boards, and a bi-monthly newsletter.

But what I want to talk to you about is the calendar. Anyone visiting the site can see the calendar (it's over there >>>> on the right of the page) AND anyone who is a MAP member can post events to the calendar.

To post an event, you'll need to log-in. If you don't already have an account, and are a digital media artist residing in western North Carolina you'd better just sign up for one right now!

Okay, so you have logged-in. Now click on the "calendar" link on the upper right hand side of the page. You'll see a small red link on the right that says "add to the calendar". From here on it's pretty self explainatory. Just fill in the fields, upload an image, and click the "display this event" button.

Easy Peasy Lemon Squeezey!

We want your input! The MAP Board of Directors met for their monthly meeting on Monday August 3rd. One of the issues discussed was wheter media artists from outside our region should be allowed to join themap.org and post their work on profiles. The site was designed as a regional network for regional artists to get work, but we also know that some of the members used to live here or are thinking about moving here. So, the Board is seeking your input. Let us know what you think by contacting me or, if you are a member, by going to the member message board.

Congratulations to Mary Long of ivaluva design, videographer Scott Duncan, and photographer/mixed media artist Ken HIlberry!  They have all won a year of unbridled excitment on themap.org!