Spread the Web

There are some really amazing websites out there that I wanted to share with all my friends (or shall I say loyal readers?). I feel like these websites the reason I believe in the web. They also could be time consuming beasts, that are the reasons I will never do anything creative on my own again. I will be far too busy watching, reading, and viewing others creative works and ramblings. You may have heard of some of these, or you may not ... I am not claiming to reveal anything revolutionary ... I am no Columbus of the internet. What I am doing is simply sharing what some new finds of mine, with the hope you too find joy or activation by looking at these:

www.pangeaday.org












At Roadtrip Nation we are actually throwing a local event for this. So if you are in the Southern Califronia Region, you are welcome to view the screening at our headquarter offices in Costa Mesa. It is going to be AWESOME! A brief description from the website:

Pangea Day taps the power of film to strengthen tolerance and compassion while uniting millions of people to build a better future.

In a world where people are often divided by borders, difference, and conflict, it's easy to lose sight of what we all have in common. Pangea Day seeks to overcome that - to help people see themselves in others - through the power of film.

On May 10, 2008 - Pangea Day - sites in Cairo, Kigali, London, Los Angeles, Mumbai and Rio de Janeiro will be linked live to produce a program of powerful films, visionary speakers, and uplifting music.

The program will be broadcast live to the world through the Internet, television, digital cinemas, and mobile phones.

Of course, movies alone can't change the world. But the people who watch them can. So following May 10, 2008, Pangea Day organizers will facilitate community-building activities around the world by connecting inspired viewers with numerous organizations which are already doing groundbreaking work.

Though, I strongly encourage you to go to the website and check out what it is all about. This is the materialization of a dream that one of the 2006 TED Prize winner's (as well as one of our Roadtrip Nation interviewee), Jehane Noujaim, wish. Check out her acceptance speech on either this site, or my next website...


www.ted.com

The tagline here is "Ideas Worth Spreading."

But really. They are. They aren't joking.

TED stands for Technology. Entertainment. Design. And as you can read on the site, it began as an annual conference in Monterey, CA. Oddly enough, I had no idea about this until recently and I resided in the Monterey Bay area for five years of my life. It is a place for the greatest thinkers and speakers from these realms to come together and give a speech in 18 min that will inspire and inform others. The best speeches are compiled and made available to the pubic here on this website.

Dave Eggers ( author of "Heartbreaking Work of Staggering Genius" and founder of educational non-profit tutoring centers, 826Valencia, LA, and so on) won the prize for 2008 . And his project can be found at www.onceuponaschool.org .

I suggest watching all of these when you can.

If you are in the mood to be inspired, provoked, or to simply be humbled by great people of our time ... simply visit this website. Talk about motivation to get out there and do something.

www.goodreads.com

Pretty self explanatory.

Share what you a reading with your friends, write reviews, see what other people have enjoyed. GET EXPOSED TO GOOD BOOKS!

And add me as a friend while you are at it.

www.roadtripnation.com

HAHA Made you look.

But really, you should. It's pretty great.

www.freedocumentaries.org

I cannot tell you how impressed I am with the existence of this site.

This website is free access to documentaries, just like the URL states. Whatdayaknow? And we aren't just talking unheard of, underground films ... these documentaries cover the spectrum. From popular, in theater films such as "Supersize Me" or "Sicko" to PBS series documentaries to "Invisible Children" to ones you may have never heard of. They are all on this site, and ready for your viewing.

I love the idea that everyone with a computer has access to this information and access to becoming informed. Availability to these kind of films are crucial, and I feel much more inclined to view when I know they are only a click away when I am sitting around at home. It is a much better free time activity than picking my nose and sitting on facebook/myspace. Although I do still indulge in those activities quite frequently.

www.improveverywhere.com

Listen, just visit it and watch the Food Court Musical mission and the Union Station Freeze mission.

I WILL participate in a mission. And I invite you all to participate in missions as well.

I love organized choas, especially when it involves throwing people off course for even a few minutes and getting them to rethink their day. And if this means dancing and getting people to laugh and enjoy themselves a bit ... then all the better.

Also, if you are interested, check out www.worldfreeze.org.

www.hulu.com

I am sure you know about this.
BUT HOW THE HELL DID I NOT?! FREE FREAKIN' TV!?!!
I can catch up on my television w/o having to actually own a TV.

LIFE IS GOOD.