San Francisco, U.S.A. — Guerrilla Green is a growing movement of frustrated young people tired of waiting for sustainable transformation in the built environment. The place they spend most of their time, the school campus, is usually built with little care to future generations and in some cases contain toxins that increase the risk of cancer in students and teachers.

As more schools push for science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) very few give an outlet for practical and tangible results. We’re changing that. This inaugural sustainable showdown invites teams of middle and high school students across the U.S. to bring innovative solutions to their school buildings, outdoor spaces and activities.

Using a ‘bracket style’ competition the top eight teams will compete to win their region before battling for the grand prize of ten grand. We are not just highlighting and honoring ideas, we’re investing in them with over $30,000. This money empowers the students with direct action, not only to imagine but to implement. Surprise jury members will be announced every day starting October 24. The group includes a 19 year old filmmaker, a 21 year old eco-pioneer, an emerging TV and film actor and many more.

Cameron Sinclair, ‘Chief Eternal Optimist’ of Architecture for Humanity and former TED Prize winner, argues that “the only difference between a good idea and a great one is implementation. I came up with Architecture for Humanity when I was a kid, and it took over a decade before I found the support to launch it. We can’t wait while the innovative ideas sit on the shelf, so we are helping to fund the Guerrilla Green Sustainable Showdown and in turn invest in what matters, the environmental leaders of tomorrow.”

Additional funding has been provided by Youth Rock The Rebuild, a group of school rock bands who have raised funds for rebuilding in Haiti and Japan as well as local initiatives. Support has also been garnered from the Bezos Family Foundation, The Department of Small Works and Teens Turning Green.

Are you a teenager? Do you know a teenager? Have you seen a teenager? Register and submit the next great green solution for a chance to collect up to $13,000, submit it at bit.ly/hackitgreen then talk it up on our Facebook page and Twitter @guerrillagreen. Snap it up on Pintrest and Instagram. Each venue gives your team more exposure and more money (mini challenges to come). So Green into it!

For more information, visit bit.ly/hackitgreen or join in at Twitter @guerrillagreen and Facebook.

The article $30,000 in Grants for Teens with Great Green Ideas appeared first on The Toonari Post - News, Powered by the People!.

San Rafael, U.S.A. — TEDxMarin, an independently organized TED event for Marin County California, has announced the speaker lineup and has begun ticket sales for its third annual evening of inspirational talks and fostering community. This year’s event takes place on Thursday, September 27  from 5:30pm to 10:30pm and carries the theme “Designing Tomorrow, The Emerging Future,” and will present an evening envisioning how human intention and ingenuity can develop a positive and productive future on Earth.

“We are absolutely thrilled to present these inspiring and visionary speakers who will contribute to a memorable night wondering what if, what’s next, and what to do about it,” said Bob Ayres, Executive Producer and Licensee of TEDxMarin.

This year’s six speakers will offer bold, unique insights into emerging research and innovations that may fundamentally shape the course of things to come – both in their disciplines and for all of society. From social media’s impact on brain evolution to the future of American capitalism, and from rainforest wisdom to reengineering space, audience members will get a glimpse into paradigm-shifting thoughts that will shape tomorrow; the immediate significance of these ideas will provide a framework of understanding to allow them to make better decisions.

This year’s TEDxMarin speakers include:

Andrew Hessel, a futurist with a focus on microbiology and genetics, will discuss the coming industry of synthetic biology in a talk entitled: The Dark Side of the Double Helix: When good molecules do bad things.

Gary Lauder, Managing Partner of Silicon Valley-based venture capital firm Lauder Partners and co-creator of the Aspen Institute’s Socrates Society, will explore time as a finite resource, how poor design squanders our time, and how we can regain it, in his presentation: Designing if Time Mattered

Ed Lu, a NASA Astronaut for 12 years, during which time he flew the Space Shuttle twice, and logged six months in the International Space Station. He now carries a bold new mission, which he will detail in his talk: “Changing the Course of the Solar System: How we can and why we must.”

Rachel S.L. Minard, the CEO of Minard Capital LLC, will use 20 years of experience in the hedge fund market to bring a staggering vision into the economic future of our nation in The Future of American Capitalism: the only impervious currency is personal.

Dr. Mohammed El Majdoubi, a neurobiologist and Professor at Dominican University of California, will present surprising evidence of recent adaptations in cognition due to digital culture – and how modern youth think differently, in The Brain of Homo Digitalis: the impact of digital technologies on the brains and behavior of the millennial generation.

Lynne Twist a global visionary, co-founder of the Pachamama Alliance, bestselling author of the Soul of Money, and President of the Soul of Money Institute, will reflect on a fascinating encounter with shamanistic wisdom and pose a challenge to modern culture in a presentation titled Changing our Collective Dream: a call from the indigenous people of the Rainforest.

The article TED Announces the Speakers for California Event appeared first on The Toonari Post - News, Powered by the People!.

Universal City, U.S.A. — Universal Pictures announced that the studio has reached the $1 billion mark at the domestic box office, three months earlier than at any time in history.  The previous record was set during the weekend of November 7, 2008 with films that included ‘Mamma Mia!’, ‘The Incredible Hulk’, ‘Wanted’ and ‘The Mummy: Tomb of the Dragon Emperor’. This will be the seventh time Universal has reached this milestone.  With five films yet to be released in 2012, the studio is on track to have its highest-grossing year ever at the domestic box office, a record also set in 2008.

Universal’s 2012 success at the North American box office has been fueled by a strong slate of films including five that became No. 1 (‘Contraband’, ‘Safe House’, ‘Dr. Seuss’ The Lorax’, ‘Snow White and the Huntsman’ and ‘Ted’), two that grossed more than $200 million (‘Dr. Seuss’ The Lorax’ at $214 million and ‘Ted’ at $203.6 million*) and two that grossed more than $100 million (‘Safe House’ at $126.4 million and ‘Snow White and the Huntsman’ at $153.8 million*).  Universal is one of only two studios so far this year to have two films that have grossed more than $200 million domestically.  Currently, Universal has four of the 15 top grossing films of the year, more than any other studio.

Other Facts:

Universal and Illumination Entertainment’s ‘Dr. Seuss’ The Lorax’ was the highest opening for an animated film in 2012 ($70.2 million) and the highest-opening film for Universal this year.

As the breakout comedy hit of the summer, ‘Ted’ set a new record for the highest opening for an original R-rated comedy in history ($54.4 million) and is well on its way to becoming one of the all-time highest-grossing R-rated comedies ever.

The studio’s February hit ‘Safe House’ was Denzel Washington’s second biggest opening of his career and his second highest-grossing film ever.

Universal Pictures International passed $1 billion at the overseas box office on July 17, also setting a new studio record.

This week, Universal will release the next chapter in the studio’s hugely popular espionage franchise, ‘The Bourne Legacy’. In October comes the new out-loud comedy ‘Pitch Perfect’ and the action-thriller ‘The Man With the Iron Fists’ arrives in November. Universal will close out 2012 with two films in December: ‘Les Miserables,’ the motion-picture adaptation of the global stage sensation seen by more than 60 million people in 42 countries and in 21 languages around the world, and ‘This Is 40,’ the latest comedy from writer/director Judd Apatow.

The article Universal Pictures Reaches the $1 Billion Mark appeared first on The Toonari Post - News, Powered by the People!.

TED, the nonprofit devoted to “Ideas Worth Spreading,” has opened registration for its TED2013 conference – with a twist. In order to unearth some of the world’s most remarkable voices and ideas, TED will host a 14-city global audition series.  Organizers expect to fill at least half of next year’s program, themed “The Young. The Wise. The Undiscovered,” with people they discover through the process.

“The search was borne of a realization that TED’s best moments often come from unexpected places. We thought, why not leverage TED’s expanding global footprint to find even more of those undiscovered voices, to do something completely different?” said Chris Anderson, TED’s curator.  “The search is designed to bring together the most remarkable lineup in TED’s history. Given what we’ve already seen from our global TED community, we’re confident we’ll be wowed.”

Audition events are confirmed on six continents: in Amsterdam, Bangalore, Doha, Johannesburg, London,Nairobi, New York, Sao Paulo, Seoul, Shanghai, Sydney, Tokyo, Tunis and Vancouver – all between April and June 2012. TED has tapped local TEDx organizers in each city to produce the events.

Online audition applications, which include the option to upload a short video, will be available for each city at least two months before the audition. From those submissions, TED will invite 30 of the best applicants to each audition, where speakers will have 3-6 minutes to deliver a proposed talk in English. Anyone – with the exception of those who have already spoken at an official TED Conference or have a talk on TED.com – is eligible to apply to auditions in his or her nearest city. In some exceptional cases, TED will contribute to travel costs.

After auditions in each city have been held, TED will post video of all candidates’ talks on TED.com, inviting the public to vote for their top choices. Many of the 50 most popular selections will officially be invited to speak or perform at TED2013, and will make up at least half of the program.   TED will offer coaching and audio-visual support as needed, as well as cover travel and accommodation to Long Beach, California.  Members of the top 50 who aren’t a fit for the program will nonetheless receive global recognition on TED.com.

“Every TED conference weaves together a surprising mix of voices – and 2013 will be no exception,” said TED director and talent search judge Kelly Stoetzel.  “By adding the emerging trailblazers, under-celebrated sages, and hidden geniuses we find on this global search to our usual lineup of well-known speakers, we hope to deliver the most thrilling TED conference yet.”

Image Courtesy of   https://www.facebook.com/TED

The article TED Announces Global Talent Search for Speakers appeared first on The Toonari Post - News, Powered by the People!.