Democashy:

One dollar, one vote. We pretend that that’s not how our democracy works… but it is. Because that’s how our corporations work. Corporations control lobbying. Lobbying, and campaigning, controls elections and legislation. Legislation, and the fact that our “elected” representatives are beholden, not to their constituents, but to their campaign donors, controls the outcomes of our so-called democratic process.

Enter bountyup, stage left. It doesn’t change the system, it’s still one dollar, one vote. But it makes it public, it removes the veil. And in a small way, it levels the playing field. Now the underdogs can play, too.

Within the sphere of social causes, I’ve been mulling over the Inconvenient Truth. Specifically, the fact that the most compelling part of that film, is the slowly, but inexorably, upwardly mobile graph-line of our atmospheric carbon.And the shift in awareness that follows - when we measure it, we will change it.

Weight-watchers understands this as well as anyone.

As the idea of crowd-funding becomes more and more obvious (especially given the media-highlighted recent successes in prize-driven development), our competition emerges. And while many of them seem to have missed the point entirely, and no one has captured exactly what BountyUp has, they all have one feature that we’re lacking: the thermometer.

Originally I had stayed away from the meter on purpose, thinking that the idea of a bounty being potentially FINISHED at any moment was sort of exciting. But I’ve got it wrong - without a visible goal, people are hesitant to become involved. Reluctantly, I’ve added support for a “target amount” - and sooner or later, I’m going to need to add that all-important pretty little graphic.

Who is Jones Soda? What is this funny looking drink with its bright colors that you want me to drink?

Are you kidding me!?

Why would I ever give up my beloved Dr Pepper?

This is what I thought in on my first ever Warped tour back in good’ol 1997. I saw products all around me and was taken by their influence on me. Jones Soda, Yoohoo chocolate drinks, Gatorade, Hurley, Vans, AOL, Hansen’s, Sprite, Ernie Ball, G-Shock Watches and the list goes on…I couldn’t get away from then.

What started as a closed minded assumption about Yoohoo Chocolate drinks quickly turned into an obsession. There wasn’t a day on the Warped tour that I didn’t drink at least a six-pack. I know, I know a six-pack you say. Yes, I had one every day. Yoohoo is surprisingly refreshing on a hot summer day. And those wacky guys at Jones Soda had me hooked with their lollypop colored drinks; I was sporting G-Shock watches and wearing Vans shoes. (more…)

jFor the last 17 years I have been involved in live events in some form or another, from concerts to sports events and even some corporate meetings. Regardless if it’s U2, the Superbowl or Microsoft Company Meeting people will never stop loving the live event. And no matter how fast the Internet becomes or how much you can view or download at one time the live event will never disappear. Now you may think I’m nuts, but the live event can mean many things to many people. For some it’s going out to eat, for others it’s shopping at the mall, but for me, and the purposes of this blog, it’s the rock concert. It may be a question of analogue versus digital, but that is really a discussion for another time.

The first large concert that I was involved in was a European festival called Dynamo Open Air. I was there with a band that none of you would know, let alone remember. I was 19 years old, impressionable and extremely naive. I had talked myself into a position of mixing the sound for this unnamed band at a festival with an average attendance of one hundred thousand kids, a far cry from the clubs of my hometown of Austin Texas.I remember standing behind the large mixing console looking out at a sea of screaming kids as the band began to play their thunderous songs. The crowd immediately began to move to the beat of the songs like a giant single organism focused and intent on one thing. As the band finished their set the organism at once leapt into and furry of applause and preceded to purchase the band’s merchandise.

Now I doubt that many of the audience ever knew of this band, but by the end of their set you can sure bet that everyone did. Seventeen years later, and more events than I can count, it still amazes me how much power music has to move people. (more…)