If you didn’t catch this video where Blaise Aguera y Arcas spoke at the TED (Technology, Entertainment, Design) Conference in Monterey, California, then go see it now. It’s amazing to see how Seadragon and Photosynth will evolve in the months and years ahead. After you watch the video, head to the Photosynth site to try the latest collections from the team.

The Atlanta Humane Society is accepting Michael Vick t-shirts and jerseys for bedding, chew toys and rags for cleaning up messes. Mutt and Jeff argue over who gets one of those t-shirts above, although there seems to be enough to go around.

To celebrate the end of summer on Monday (Labor Day), I won’t do any labor; so I’ll see you on Wednesday (Tuesday if I get an overload of news in my email box). Have a great weekend!

Photo via: Cute Overload, natch.

At Right: Capetonian Ilze Oberholzer’s competition winning piece symbolising the fight against HIV/AIDS.

World Gold Council and AngloGold Ashanti in association with Tanishq and Rand Refinery today announced the launch of their unique initiative ‘AuDITIONS.’ AuDITIONS is India’s first and only Gold Jewellery Design Competition. The theme for this year’s AuDITIONS is ‘Trendsetting Gold’ which aims to bring about a range of new designs in gold jewellery and ideas with a completely fresh design aesthetic that appeal to the new age Indian woman.

The overall grand prize is 500grams of gold; second prize is 250grams of gold while the third prize is 100grams of gold. The balance 17 shortlisted finalists will be given 20gram gold coins.

Entry is open to all designers (jewellery or any other design disciplines) across India. The closing date for receipt of entries is 15 November 2007. Visit the site to learn more.

Via: Indianinfoline

Avid fashion designers and artists are invited to submit entries to the 2007 Villa Maria Cult-Couture Awards. Garments entered for the awards should demonstrate a unique New Zealand interpretation and explore the limits of haute couture and artistry. Villa Maria encourages originality and innovation from designers, this year’s event has been given a stylish, eye-catching new look.

There is $15,000 in prize money to be won in seven categories, including: Recycled Revolution, Formally Yours, Obviously Organic, Flight of Fantasy, Matrimonial Bliss and On the Streets, plus a new award to recognise creative excellence from Manukau designers.

Entries close on 14 September 2007. The competition is open to anyone 18 years and over. Finished garments must be received by 13 October 2007. Visit the contest website for the entry form.

Via: Talent Speaks

Rochester Institute of Technology announces its second annual Digital Arts, Film and Animation Competition for high school students who are deaf or hard-of-hearing. Students with hearing loss in grades 9-12 can compete for cash prizes and an all-expenses-paid trip to Rochester, N.Y., for the awards ceremony and an exhibition of their work.

This national competition recognizes students’ artistic expression with awards in the following categories: Mixed Digital Media, Web Page Design, Graphic Media, 3-D Animation, Film, Interactive Media, Photo Illustration and Free-Hand Art in Digital Form. Film is a new category this year.

Students may submit up to two entries. The submission deadline is 8 October 2007. Entry forms, contest rules and other details are available online.

Krista Nielson, SLCC Fashion Institute student, designed a “fun, flirty and sexy” red patent leather boot called “Krista” for the nationwide Steve Madden Shoe Art + Sole Design Contest. Madden chose a total of five finalists, and Nielson’s boot was one of them.

The online contest votes were really close between Nielson’s design and another competitor’s. The votes had to be recounted. Nielson ended up the runner-up in the Steve Madden Shoe Design Contest.

But Nielson’s boot became so popular that Madden decided to produce it, too. He is also giving Nielson the same prizes as the grand prize winner. The only difference is that she received a $250 shoe gift certificate instead of the $500.

Nielson, 44, is a mother of four kids and four step children. She is currently pursuing a Fashion Institute Certificate. She has been sewing since she was a little girl. Her first time in college, she earned her business degree and she worked in the stock market for 15 years. After retiring from the stock market, she was a stay-at-home mom for five years.

Via: Globe

Each year, North Carolina’s three public aquariums conduct an Underwater Photography Competition. The contest is designed especially for amateur and non-professional photographers. No entry fee is required. Photos in all categories must be taken in North Carolina’s coastal waters, in that state’s fresh water systems, or - in the third category (Aquatic Life in the North Carolina Aquariums) - at any of North Carolina’s three aquariums.

Cash prizes are awarded in each of three categories: first place $500; second place $200; third place $100; honorable mention $50. Winners at all levels receive certificates. Winning photos will be published in the Summer 2008 edition of Aquarium News, the magazine of the North Carolina Aquarium Society.

Winners will be announced on or before March 31, 2008. Deadline for entries is 31 December 2007. Visit the site for details.

The Humanitarian International Design Organization is looking for new concepts to overcome sanitation problems in developing countries. The problem is that there is no water available in slums; on the other hand, they’re looking for the perfect toilet for rural areas that can be added to already existing schools.

This challenge, should you decide to accept it, will reward you with developmental work with the Humanitarian International Design Organization to realize the design. Entries due no later than Monday, 22 October 2007. Visit the site to learn more about this humanitarian request.

Via: Core77

Now in its eighth year, the historical digital cinema festival, HDFEST, has released the schedule for the first three events of the HDFEST 2007 World Tour: the Seoul event, the London event, and the New York event. HDFEST screens films that have originated exclusively in High-Definition using High-Definition cameras and technology. All festival material will be played back with some of the most advanced High-Definition projection equipment available. HDFEST events in Seoul, London and New York will showcase some of the finest new independent cinema from around the world, all of which has been created with state-of-the-art high-definition technology.

HDFEST’s is proud to partner once again with The Seoul Film Festival for its Seoul event and the Raindance Film Festival for its London screenings. HDFEST is further pleased to announce that the New York festival screenings will be held in the High-Definition Theatre at Sony Wonder Technology Lab. Additional HDFEST 2007 World Tour festival events will also be taking place in Finland and Los Angeles in November and December, respectively.
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The Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences (KNAW) is organizing a photography competition to share the magic of science (meaning all sciences including the social sciences and the humanities) with the world. Magic should be widely interpreted … from one-off scientific breakthroughs, photos of people, action pictures to everyday events, as long as it triggers the imagination and answers to the theme.

Winners will receive a 1-year subscription to a magazine of their preference. The first prize winner will also be invited to an awards ceremony at the Royal Netherlands Academy of Arts and Sciences in Amsterdam in the last week of January 2008; travel expenses and accommodation costs will be covered.

Deadline for sending in photographs is 1 November 2007. Visit the site to learn more.

The National Association of Home Builders (NAHB) invites its builder, remodeler and developer members to submit entries for the third annual Builder Achievement Award for Outstanding Community Service. The award honors members who demonstrate an exceptional commitment to bettering their communities and promoting philanthropic endeavors.

The award, to be presented at the 2008 International Builders’ Show in Orlando, will honor eight winners, including Gold, Silver, Bronze and five honorable mentions. Each winner will receive a donation to be directed to their charity of choice: $10,000 for Gold; $5,000 for Silver; $2,500 for Bronze; and $1,000 each to the honorable mentions.

Entries should be received by 1 December 2007. The work of past winners, complete rules and entry forms for the current event can be viewed at NAHB.