Kickstarter is a very cool little resource for people running small projects – or with just a crazy idea in their head.  The basic premise is, people need some $ to pull off their big ideas.  Other people like to support people with big ideas. Let’s get the two groups together. It’s all or nothing funding which is cool. If a project get’s 100% backing, then it’s a go. If it comes in shallow, no money exchanges hands, and nobody is on the hook without enough budget.

Donations are met with rewards with a few tiers based on amount donated. $5 could get you a sweet limited edition vinyl, or $50 might get you a cooking class.

If you’re an art buff, it’s definitely worth checking out. A small donation can really add up to some cool work.

I stumbled upon this great trailer for a documentary about indie folk pop band Blind Pilot this morning, and was utterly delighted. I popped over to itunes and grabbed their latest record without listening to a single preview, and after my third full listen in two days I’m happy to say it’s wonderful.

They went on rock tour – one of the great american dreams – by bicycle. Absolutely nuts. In the trailer, the bassist confirms what you’re thinking. ‘Oh, at least they save on gas. Suck, probably more expensive.’ So why do it? I guess we’ll have to wait until the documentary comes out, but suffice it to say there’s something beautifully impractical about a band traveling by bike. It comes loaded with intentions and that’s why I love it.

Thankfully for us midwesterners, they’re touring by van these days. I look forward to seeing them near the middle coast.

Check out the band here on their website: http://blindpilotmusic.wordpress.com/
or iTunes: http://itunes.apple.com/us/album/3-rounds-a-sound/id318683535

Via: Nau’s fantastic blog: http://blog.nau.com/

http://www.wcrc.org/

As weeks have passed, we’ve been able to see the global response to the eco-humanitarian crisis in Haiti in a post-katrina world. US media efforts to cover the crisis have left me with the impression that lessons were learned. In the immediate afternmath of Katrina, we saw an American media quickly adopt a racist response as dark skinned folks ‘looted’ and light skinned folks ’struggled valiantly to protect their families.’ After the waters abated, many were able to critique the narrative that guided the American response. Distinguished newscasters openly apologized, and attempted to revise that storyline. Whether that attempt to re-write their role in the events as they unfolded really matters is questionable.

My general impression (and I openly admit that I didn’t go searching for people writing to the Pat Robertson crowd) is that the media has done more things right than wrong. Anderson Cooper and Dr. Sanjay Gupta have produced a narrative that seems honest, and accurate, finding plenty of drama for the American audience in the true human elements, without needing to spin one of fiction. The reporter as hero is a seems a natural evolution for American journalism. Cooper’s chiseled features rescuing children would smack of big budget hollywood but the danger seems real. I’m happier to see the story become Anderson Cooper in Haiti instead of a fictional account derived from helicopter footage.  Additionally, much of the reporting on the current affairs and condition of Haiti has been informative without trying to sell us on a myth of sad but ‘noble savages.’

We saw the beginning of gotcha journalism in the critique of Wyclef Jean and Yele Haiti’s finances, only to see the media quickly course correct itself after the issue was disproven.

NPR Correspondant Jason Beaubien’s emotional breakdown was one of the most compelling pieces of journalism that I’ve ever experienced. It is truly an example of kind of raw emotional honesty that can accompany today’s journalism  without corrupting it. (Imagine if Glen Beck’s tears, and Olbermann’s outrage were backed by an ounce of Beaubien’s honesty). [LINK]

Photo: Jonathan Torgovnik

I must admit that the progressive claims that “no bill is better than the current bill” had started to sway my opinion. Unfortunately, this argument is rarely accompanied by a list of the things that bill will do right. The critique tends to focus on the bills omissions rather than its’ inclusions. The gaping exception is of course the women’s right to choose. There are significant differences in the House and Senate bills on this issue, and it will be extremely interesting to see what shape the final bill is in.

The bill certainly isn’t a socialist takeover of medicine as we know it. The bill certainly is about health insurance reform, rather than the health care reform that we were promised.  Knowing all of that, 14 million more people will be able to go to the doctor. That strikes me as a step in the right direction. Governance in America hasn’t been about sweeping changes for 200 years (arguably aside from the last 8).

Enough of my thoughts, check out this site for a simple comparison of the 2 bills. http://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2009/11/19/us/politics/1119-plan-comparison.html#tab=0

Organization: Half The Sky
Website: http://halftheskymovement.org
Thoughts: The clouds are dramatic and the faces are extremely engaging. Big titles make the site feel accessible and the content feels very easy to find.

Organization: Invisible Children
Website: http://invisiblechildren.com
Thoughts: The black background allows the content to jump of the screen. This is not a site that lulls you in – it’s in your face and aggressive. This tone matches the seriousness of the content. Bold color choices make it impossible to ignore.

Organization: Not For Sale
Website: http://www.notforsalecampaign.org/
Thoughts: Here’s another high contrast site. The callout “27 Million People Are Enslaved Today” makes it impossible to miss what this site is about. Take a lesson – be able to explain what you do in 2 seconds without any confusion.

Organization:Planned Parenthood
Website: http://www.plannedparenthood.org/
Thoughts: Not many organizations can put topless dudes on their homepage and get away with it, but Planned Parenthood does it well. A clean, bright and cheerful sites make them seem approachable and friendly. A nice limited color pallette, strong typography, good whitespace, and consistent elements make it an easy site to read and navigate.

Organization:Nuru International
Website: http://www.nuruinternational.org/
Thoughts: Nuru’s website is well organized and easy to read, but where they really shine is in their video content. The site is full of well produced moving videos.  If I were a grant giver, those stories would be particularly moving. With technology moving the way it is, there’s no reason your organization can’t have the same quality of content.

Organization:Gorilla Doctors
Website: http://www.gorilladoctors.org/
Thoughts: If your organization works on an issue that is a little outside the mainstream, let’s say you provide medical services to gorillas, you might experience an uphill battle in the fundraising department. Having a website that presents your organization in a professional and compelling manner is going to be key in communicating your message. Gorilla Doctors’ site does a great job of legitimizing and communicating their message.

Organization: Latin America Working Group
Website: http://www.lawg.org/
Thoughts: This site does a great job of referencing the cultural and aesthetic background of the groups’ mission, without letting it compromise readability and presentation. The site is extremely easy to navigate and well laid out.

James White

One of my favorite designers/visual artists, James White, is donating all the proceeds from his sales this week to the relief effort in Haiti. This is a great chance to pick up one of his pieces. This should be an example of how ordinary folks can continue to do their thing and make a positive impact.

Check out his site here: Signal Noise

Photo: Gerald Herbert / Associated Press

Take a few minutes to look through this photo essay presented by the Wall Street Journal. The photos express the scope and tragedy in a way that the newscasts do not.

See all the photos here: Link