Hey there SF,
Today I’ve decided to spotlight one of my all time favorite bands: Man Man. About a year ago, whilst randomly Google image searching “Kentucky”, I stumbled upon a blog post describing their amazing live performance and once I found their MySpace page, I was infected with the disease of fandom. A stunning mix of all that is funky and far out, their music is something I absolutely cannot get sick of.
A few months ago, they released a music video for one of (in my opinion) their best songs, Rabbit Habbits. Directed by Lex Halaby with an amazing cast, the video centers itself around sweet blind dates, rejection, werewolves, eating Fred Armisen and acceptance–in that order. Sounds weird? Well it is! But its that wonderful brand of strange nothing short of brilliance that goes hand in hand with the music it is set to. Enjoy,
There is nothing extraordinary about Doc Hendley. You could walk into your local pub, order a drink from the guy behind the bar, and that guy could be Doc Hendley. In fact, that guy is Doc Hendley. And yet, for the most ordinary of guys, Doc is achieving extraordinary things.
A local bartender in Blowing Rocks, North Carolina, Doc has been pouring drinks and saving lives simultaneously for the past 5 years. The non-profit aid organization that he created is called Wine to Water and it’s a very simple idea. Here’s how it works: Doc sponsors and often hosts charity wine-tasting events to raise money for clean water projects in developing countries throughout the world. Then, he takes those funds and uses it to build functioning water wells and sanitation systems in water crisis zones such has Cambodia, Uganda, Ethiopia, Sudan and India.
His whole system is built around the precept of individual action and community empowerment. On the fundraising side, he taps regular customers, people who enjoy wine and good company and pools their collective resources into a positive outreach outlet. On the operational side, he works closely with native communities, training them to build and maintain cost-efficient drill pumps and water systems, using inexpensive tools and materials readily available in their villages and towns.
Many large scale organizations often come in and drill $15,000 bore holes in places where wells already exist, but have fallen into disrepair. It’s the difference between giving a man a fish versus teaching him how to fish. Doc Hendley tries to provide natives with the education and tools needed to make clean water a sustainable solution.
Each well that Wine to Water builds costs little more than $500. Each bacteria killling bio-sand filter costs $100. In the last year alone they have installed more than 26 wells throughout rural Cambodia and hundreds of filters in Uganda. They plan to double these numbers in the coming year.
The truth is, lack of clean drinking water is more than a crisis, it’s become an epidemic. Here in the developed world, we Americans don’t realize how deeply precious clean water is. We turn on a tap and PRESTO… Water! But according to UNICEF statistics, nearly 1 billion people live without access to clean water. That’s 1 in every six humans on the planet. Waterborne diseases claim more lives than any war, HIV/AIDS virus or malaria combined. And for every 150 gallons the average American individual uses a day, the average African family uses 5 gallons.
It’s a serious issue with an overwhelming amount of need. And while talking about it, practicing effective water conservation, and raising awareness are all wonderful ways to get involved and make a difference… there is nothing more transformative than sinking your hands in the mud and drilling a fresh hole. And in this, Doc is an inspiration, working both sides of the equation: running the foundation’s fund raising events in America and building and teaching well-maintenance to villagers in the field.
Doc has been called a Community Crusader and a hero. But the truth is, he’s just a normal guy who took his best talents — serving drinks and building relationships — and found a creative way to harness and effectively apply those humble skills to affect tremendous change in thousands of peoples lives.
In his own words: “You can be a bartender in Raleigh, North Carolina; you can be just a regular anybody. And you really, really can change the world. You can touch thousands of lives. I’m walking truth of that.”
This to me is what makes Doc’s story so inspiring. The idea that anyone, no matter what your level of access or experience, can take action and build an international, life-changing operation out of nothing… is simply awe-inspiring. It’s the positive sister to the Capitalist American Dream. Instead of pulling yourself up by the bootstraps, you pull those beneath you up instead. I call it the trickle-up theory.
So please, don’t just read this, smile to yourself and then plunge into your warm bath. Go to the Wine To Water website and find out more. Make a donation or sponsor your own wine (or ice-cream, or miracle-fruit) tasting event.
Better still, think about what you can do with the many skills at your disposal to affect positive change. It doesn’t need to be about water, it could be anything. Start Small but Think Big! If a bartender can do it, why not a student? A soldier? A manicurist?
This all new guitar coming from Gibson USA is a delicious piece of musical candy. Feast your eyes on its psychedelic powers which were created with no paint involved. This tasty guitar just made the top of my list. Kudos to the awesome luthiers at Gibson USA.
I had seen this video floating around the web and for reasons unknown, I wasn’t curious enough to watch it. That was, of course, beforeSuperForester Cole sent this in:
“How it would be, if a house was dreaming” is the title of a 3D projection instillation courtesy of Urbanscreen. The design idea was to break up the unadorned lines of O.M. Ungers’ Galerie der Gegenwart in Hamberg, Germany. The projection puts a modern twist on Ungers take on cubism, further setting the example that today’s artist are thinking outside the box….pun totally intended :) This is just the latest addition to a series of projections by Urbanscreen. Enjoy!
Wow! That was crazy! Apparently, I was really missing out when I didn’t watch this before. Thanks very much for sharing, Cole!
Love,
C
You can find UrbanScreen’s website by clicking here!
And to read SuperForester Cole’s wonderful blog, click here!
Several weeks ago, SuperForester Jackson informed us about “Truck Farm“, an online documentary by Curt Ellis and Ian Cheney about their adventures in converting an old grey Dodge into an amazing food producing fiend. Today, I found that they’ve released a second episode!
Since their initial preparation and planting featured in their fab first episode, the project has really flowered. A solar panel has been installed on the roof of the vehicle to power a video camera that records time lapse videos to track the growth of the plants. They also took a couple samples of their vegetables to nutritionist Marion Nestle of NYU who does an excellent job of reminding us of the insuperable value of locally grown foods!
It’s time to spill the beans about one of the fabulous projects that is currently being arranged here at SuperForest. About a month ago, the incredible SuperForester April and I teamed up and created “1+1=1”. A project that revolves around a simple concept: reach out to similar blogs, websites, and organizations and create partnerships. SuperForest Siblings!
With the dawning of the internet, millions and millions of websites, organizations, and bloggers have surfaced. All unique but at the same time, a lot of them can be strung together by similar goals and ideas. That’s where this project comes into play. The rich diversity of the internet also fills it with a lot of redundancies, as in, people all over the world do similar work. Now imagine for a second what things would be like if all of those similar sites joined forces and helped each other achieve their respective goals. With “1+1=1”, we hope to demonstrate the awesome power of open communication and idea sharing. It’s a daunting task, no doubt, but it is very possible, especially with your help and input. Yes, you.
Here’s the plan, SuperForesters: First, we will reach out to similar sites and highlight our similarities; similarities like, attempting to improve our environment, promoting good manners, promoting peace, etc. Once those similarities have been established, we will suggest combining forces to create an awesome super power that will be difficult to ignore. Second, if all goes well we’ll be able to create a family of websites that are joined with the intention of the betterment for mankind. If one of us comes up with a wonderful product, a project, or an idea, we then share it with each other, post about it, and blast it to an audience much wider than what a single site could’ve achieved on its own. SuperForest would eventually play host to a major think tank of websites; a think tank that will help develop and promote ideas and concepts to a group of websites to whom it matters the most.
And this is where you come into play: if you have any ideas or suggestions, please let us know! The more input, the better. And if you have any suggestions for similar blogs or websites (including your own) that we could include in this grand movement, we want to hear them!
We will demonstrate to the world how one and one coming together forms a unified entity that is difficult to shatter. Because in attempting to solve some of the world’s biggest problems, this equation will truly be key. It’s a concept that can be summed up by a beautiful song: Badly Drawn Boy’s “Year of the Rat”
As many of you may know, Comic Con 2009 took place here in SD this past weekend and I was lucky enough to attend! I know what a lot of you are thinking: nerd convention, right? Well four years ago when I first attended, I was thinking exactly the same thing. Even embarrassed to attend, I had gone in a simple handmade LOST t-shirt and told myself I was going strictly to meet a couple of the cast members of my favorite television show. Upon arriving, however, I was met with a group of the most enthusiastic, amazing people I had ever met! This year was very much the same…
I went this year under the assumption that I’d just be “along for the ride” and I hadn’t exactly planned anything out but when I got there, I realized that Ian Somerhalder of LOST was going to be there signing autographs for his new show Vampire Diaries.
(Yes I enjoyed finding that picture)
Now, if you’ve never gone to Comic Con you probably won’t be aware of the mobs that swarm to each of these line–making getting an autograph rather impossible—but my friend and I, after failing to make it to a LOST panel, a Chuck panel, and a line for Twilight merchandise–decided we’d give it a go. Amazingly, we made it and met the entire cast of the show, giving our otherwise disappointing day an incredibly joyous ending.
When I got home, I realized that I had spent a day with the most fun group of people I had ever encountered. Unadulterated by the obligation of acting like bland, normal human beings, I saw people let their souls shine. And in a convention center full of other people doing the same, the environment was awesome! Rather ironically, under all that make up and costumes are the most genuine people out there and I highly recommend making the pilgrimage to the Mecca of Creativity and hardcore AWESOME at least once in your lifetime. And if the people don’t convince you to come, maybe the SWAG will!
Have a great week!
-iman
Last week, SuperForester Frida wrote us with her ace suggestion for this series: divvying up your week and showering those you love with love on a day specifically designated for them. Here it is:
“Everyday, choose someone who will be with you (almost) all day, and do everything to make that person happier. I use this system:
Mondays: Dad Tuesdays: Mom Wednesdays: Brother Thursdays: Sister Saturdays: Friends I’m going out with Sundays: People I don’t know Fridays are my favourite day of the week, so it’s for me.”
We think spreading love seven days a week is a wonderful way to make the world better. Thanks again, Frida.
Have you ever thought to yourself, I wish I could learn more about water conservation and raise money for charity at the same time? Well… now you can! With givoogle.com
It’s the same thing as google, only for every 1000 hits, advertisers pay money, 100% of which goes to the American Cancer Society. Search the web, learn a whole bunch of good information, and fight cancer all at the same time! Win win win!
The members of our team are scattered across several countries, all united in a journey toward exploring how to redefine "environmentalism" and "sustainability" to encompass all aspects of life.
Being so, everything you find on this website has been chosen to uplift and inspire one person: you.
(Click on a picture to read individual posts.)
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