Seeking places to enable creativity, "Making", building testing and deploying truth seeking ideas

I find when surrounded by people - intelligent, creative, knowledgeable, very *different* from the average "Joe", I am energized and inspired to do bigger and better things I otherwise might not.

ATS is a good example of how all of our inquisitive energies synergize in a meeting of minds to accomplish fact finding, getting the scoop, and rooting out the truth.

I'd like to get all of your feedback on places which contribute to our collective inspiration, and bring like minded high caliber people together *** on a personal level *** to investigate, build, test, present... etc.

TED video series is great, and so is Make Magazine, but the trouble is they do not bring people together on a personal level.

I have found an interesting link of what are known as "Hacker Spaces" but the name is very misleading - in that a Hacker Space has nothing to do with anything bad, and may include computer programming - but deals with much broader and diverse "Maker" activities such as crafts, construction, material fabrication, prototyping ideas & bouncing opinions off each other.

I've found one interesting resource and I hope you all can add other interesting links:
A list of all Maker Spaces around the world: hackerspaces.org...

I happen to be considering one locally where I am in NJ: Fubar Labs

Any other get together activities near you? Feel free to make this thread an official list of cool people and groups to hang with, of an intelligent and inquisitive nature, similar to the true spirit of ATS!

reply to post by ATS4dummies


So you are looking to Create a "BrainerNet" Cafe.

Interesting idea, however, it may be hard to schedule for all of that Brain Power to be at the same place at the same time.

reply to post by ATS4dummies

ATS is a good example of how all of our inquisitive energies synergize in a meeting of minds to accomplish fact finding, getting the scoop, and rooting out the truth.

That's one of the reasons I joined.
I never heard of Hackers Spaces, I found one in SD. I don't know if I have much to contribute. I have many ideas and some unique observations.

Thanks

Oh ya, I had a little collaboration her on ATS in my number matrix thread. I got some help from some really nice members. I'm on my phone now I will try to post the link, but you find it in my profile.
Proof I have Way too Much Time on my Hands.abovetopsecret.com

Yep, I'm excited that the "Maker/Hacker" space movement is picking up steam now all over the world. When you're in the room with these folks, you just want to join in the fun and make make make!


A lot of the Maker Spaces are providing the tools for “Custom Manufacturing”, and it is finally starting to gain momentum.



I guess that's the most important reason why I'm considering paying my monthly dues and joining one of these maker spaces - Not just the cool equipment they provide to their members, but also the people who have the smarts, the drive, the enthusiasm to gather together and share what they are doing and inspiring eachother to do even more.

I found some other interesting links:

There’s also an awesome company called www.emachineshop.com

This is the world’s first online machine shop on the Web, and with free design software, they can fabricate anything you want. Even pricing the finished parts appear in the software before you hit the “Make” button. So, for example, say you’re building a replacement for your cheap plastic refrigerator drawer that has cracked. Download the software, design the drawer, hit the “Make” button, and in about a week it arrives at your doorstep.

A similar company called www.pad2pad.com performs a similar service for electronics. You design (or download) the electronic circuit board, and it too, arrives at your doorstep.

What a fantastic age we are living in....

I think I'm going to also include a list of "intentional communities" in my next post - so people can see what is going on with community spaces that exist today.

This is a list I have compiled of intentional communities around the USA. It’s hard to find this information in an organized table, so I made one. Unfortunately, there are currently none in NJ. (Something will have to be done about that.) They are all different and unique. Some reflect my preferences and others don’t.

I was going to paste the list, but it was so large (360+ communities) around the USA, I'm just providing a hyperlink instead.

My compiled list of Intentional Communities in the USA

Like all of you, I feel the need to integrate with smart groups, and to concentrate efforts to rise above an isolated society and connect with people of a higher caliber. I believe this is another tool that can be used for that purpose.

Lets have a few contributors here provide their input on what they have discovered as well. Maybe some of you have some experiences to share too.

I was looking at the Intentional Community of Arcosanti in Arizona.... it looks amazing!
LINK: Arcosanti

So where do each of you escape the negativity of the idiocracy we live in? The internet and video games are not real. Do we need a place like that in real life? Where do we find it? How do we create it? Do we have the ability and will to make it?