CThings People

Mark Vicente - Director, What the BLEEP Do We Know?

2006-03-23T15:32:00.000-08:00

Mark Vicente was born in Johannesburg, South Africa in 1965. With a father in Radio and a mother in the Diplomatic Service, he rarely stayed in one place for very long. As a child he traveled the world and lived in such diverse places as Portugal, Brazil, Canada, and the US. When it came to his life's passion, he took his cue from his Grandfather who owned an advertising agency. Taking his first photograph at age 4 he soon developed a keen eye for visual storytelling. This led to his "professional" decision at age 13 that he wanted to make movies. After working as a news-cameraman in Apartheid South Africa, he went on to shoot music videos and commercials, and got his first big break as Director of Photography on the musical, "Sarafina" starring Whoopi Goldberg. In 1992 at age 26 he became one of the youngest cinematographers to shoot a big budget studio picture with Disney's "Fatherhood" starring Patrick Swayze, Over the next 8 years he shot another 14 feature films, but eventually tired of interpreting stories presented to him by other directors. Driven by the conviction that tales of greatness could be as exciting and financially successful as the subjects of rape, pillage, plunder and scandal so beloved by the industry, he decided that no one else was telling the stories that he deeply cared about. In 2000, driven by creative desperation, he decided it was time to embrace his inevitable destiny as a director. He began directing and shooting commercials and documentaries that gave voice to his rebelliousness and politically incorrect sense of humor. The Rockumentary, "Where Angels Fear to Tread," takes to task organized religion and the lengths to which human beings will go to abuse minorities and specifically woman, in the name of God. "What the BLEEP do we Know" is his most recent project and it's success has been astounding. The audience, which Hollywood never said existed, seems to have come out in droves in support of the film. And his dream of creating cinema to uplift and inspire, is finally coming to fruition. Mark has a number of projects in development with mysterious, reflective and unusual subject matters. He is currently preparing to shoot "Bending Time," a big budget spy thriller which includes themes of remote viewing, reincarnation and time travel... and of course a healthy dose of cutting edge science.

How did you get involved in the What the Bleep project?

The Financier, Will Arntz, and I met at a retreat that we were attending together. We realized that we had the same dream, which was to make a film that blended science and mysticism together.

What was your biggest challenge in directing the film?

The biggest challenge was figuring out how to blend the narrative, the interviews and the animation in a seamless fashion. This involved a lot of experimentation and trial and error.

What surprised you about the way it was received?

That so many people took ownership of the film as their own, and that people of all denominations found common ground to share themselves with each other.

What is "Down the Rabbit Hole" (the now playing "director's cut" version of the movie) and how will it be different?

"Down the Rabbit Hole" is basically the same film, however it is a deeper exploration of the science. All the interviews have been replaced with new interviews and an additional narrative scene was added along with four new animated sequences starring Dr. Quantum.

Where do you turn for inspiration and to "refuel?"

That is a really good question. I used to have to take a break from my life to refuel. So I recognized that there was something about my life that was not working. I am living a life now where what I am doing is refueling to me all the time. If we ever need to refuel it would suggest to me that we are not doing the things that we love in life. For inspiration I turn to anyone that does something better then I do.

How did you find your purpose?

I grew up in South Africa in the middle of the bush, and I had a recognition that there was something wrong with the way that people were treating each other in that apartheid era. I remember as a six year old child, banging on some cake tins that I imagined were drums, and I felt this exhilarating feeling in my body. I thought that if everybody could feel what I was feeling in that moment, that they would never do bad things to other people. I imagined that there might exist speakers big enough to reach across the entire valley where I grew up as a child. Then I imagined the sound reaching beyond the mountains, across the whole country. I did not know what that speaker system was until I saw Star Wars at the age of thirteen, and then I knew. Movies. That was how I could get my message to the world. I feel like I saw my purpose when I was six. It just took me awhile to figure out how to do it.

What accomplishments are you most proud of?

Two things, the first was seeing my name up on the screen in 1992 after having focused on that for so many years as a child. The other is, having participated in touching so many people lives with "What The Bleep."

Is there a particular book that has had a significant impact on your life and business?

The First book that truly got me onto my spiritual path was Autobiography of a Yogi. Also the early works of Lucas and Spielberg moved me tremendously. I also have a great admiration for anybody that has stood for a principle against a massive majority who were fighting for mediocrity and small mindedness. Nelson Mandela and Martin Luther King come to mind for me.

Does spirituality play a role in your life?

Very much so.

Which technology do you think has most improved your quality of life?

An introspective science that I am currently studying developed by a scientist, which has the highest IQ in the world, as recorded in the Guinness Book of Records.

What's your preferred method of getting the news?

Anywhere outside of the U.S.

What dream for the world would you like to see achieved in our lifetime?

I would like to see people willing to be mindful of how everything we do affects everything and everyone else.

What upcoming projects are you most excited about?

A science fiction thriller that I am producing called "Bending Time." I am also in the middle of writing a screenplay for a historical piece set in the middle ages. People can look on my website to check on the progress of these projects.

(Interview by CThings Editor, Paul Horne)

Michael Shellenberger: Co-Director, The Breakthrough Institute

2006-02-23T08:56:00.000-08:00

Michael Shellenberger is co-director of the Breakthrough Institute, a think tank, and co-founder of the research and strategy firm American Environics. Michael works on and writes about everything from politics to energy to changing social values. In early 2007, Houghton Mifflin will publish Michael Shellenberger and Ted Nordhaus' The Death of Environmentalism and the Birth of a New Aspirational Politics. In October, 2004, Shellenberger and Nordhaus published an essay by the same name, creating a major national debate over the future of environmentalism and progressive politics. In 2003 Michael co-founded the Apollo Alliance, referred to by the New Yorker as "an influential umbrella organization of Greens and trade unionists" that is advocating a New Apollo Project to create three million clean energy jobs, free America from foreign oil, and re-establish America's global economic leadership. Michael has written articles on issues ranging from the New Apollo Project to ethical trade for the L.A. Times, the American Prospect, the Philadelphia Inquirer, Glamour Magazine, and other publications. He is also the author of Race to the Top, a report on NGO ethical business campaigns. Michael speaks Spanish and Portuguese and received his Masters Degree in cultural anthropology from the University of California, Santa Cruz in 1996.

What lead you to conclude that environmentalism is dead?

What we actually wrote was that environmentalism is incapable of dealing with the great ecological crises of our day and thus must die so that a new, more aspirational, expansive and powerful politics can be born. We took pains to acknowledge in our essay that environmentalism has accomplished a great deal. We are grateful for what it's done, especially in the so-called developed world. The air is cleaner in cities like Los Angeles. Rivers no longer catch on fire, as they did in the 1960s, because of industrial contamination. Large swaths of land and wilderness have been protected. But look where we're at today. The ecological crises we face - global warming, species extinction, the destruction of the Amazon, to name a few - are far more complex, global, and tied to the economy than the problems the environmental movement was created to address 40 years ago. And yet environmentalists haven't reconceptualized these problems nor revamped their politics. As a consequence, environmentalists are weaker today than at any point in recent American history. Environmentalism is today more of a tradition than a movement. At least in the U.S., environmentalism is a victim of its own success. The passing of dozens of environmental laws in the late 60s and early 70s created the impression among environmentalists that they had a popular mandate. Since at least the early 90s environmentalists have not been able to generate the political will needed to deal with the really big threats to a human future, such as global warming and the Amazon. Environmentalism has, in a variety of ways, failed to evolve with the times.

What's preventing environmentalism from changing?

The problem is with the category itself. What do we mean by the "the environment," anyway? Why do we include in the category of "the environment" or "Nature" those Amazonian Indians who log the forest but not street children in Rio de Janeiro who consume almost nothing? What are the implications of creating a politics around such an arbitrary category? These are not just philosophical questions. There are real world political and practical implications to our answers. Some environmentalists have tried to simply broaden the category. In the United States there's been a movement to define asthma from industrial pollution as an environmental problem. In Brazil many people now consider rubber tappers to be environmentalists. But such inclusions only reinforce the fact that what we include and exclude in the category of "the environment" is utterly arbitrary. The human animal is as much a part of the environment as a mahogany tree or a raindrop. Defining humans as outside of the environment is scientifically specious and politically suicidal. But if humans are part of the environment then the concept of the environment is meaningless. Either way, concern for "the environment" is hardly solid footing for a political movement. Of course, these questions are rarely raised outside of academic settings, mostly because environmentalism has been dominated by the natural sciences and has shown little curiosity in the social sciences, especially psychology, which is central to understanding politics.

What about environmentalism outside of the U.S.?

Before writing "Death of" we thought that Europe's environmental movement was far more robust and relevant than our own. Now we're not so sure. What's certain is that Europeans hold the value of ecological concern far more strongly than Americans or Brazilians and, probably, anybody else in the world. But the strength of ecological concern in Europe is really more a cause than a consequence of organized environmentalism. In China there have been major revolts by ordinary people against the industrial contamination of the air and water. At the same time, the government doesn't allow the environmental movement to operate freely. More importantly, the majority of Chinese care far more getting their material needs met than "the environment." The question we have to ask ourselves is this: how do we build popular support for an agenda that results in things like dramatically reduced greenhouse gas emissions and greater sustainable development and conservation of the Amazon? We believe that these demands have to be woven into a wider agenda that people care much more intensely about. Brazil and the U.S. aren't so different in terms of what people care about: jobs, the economy, health care, and security. Environmentalists won't get very far by simply pounding people over the head with more reasons why we have to save trees and jaguars, or burn less carbon.

What explains the fact that environmental organizations are so financially successful in the face of so much political failure?

One of the reasons U.S. environmental leaders have been in so much denial about their political failures is that their organizations have seen their memberships and budgets increase dramatically since the election of President Bush in 2000. In fact, they have explicitly pointed to their financial success as proof of their relevancy. Never mind that they've lost all three branches of the federal government to anti-environmental extremists, and have suffered set-back after set-back on everything from global warming to endangered species. They see increased membership as an affirmation of their work when it, in fact, represents a reaction to the Bush Administration's anti-environmental policies. People contribute money to the NGOs based on their concerns about the state of the world, not on any sort of critical evaluation of NGO effectiveness. There's incredibly little public debate over environmental politics, at least in the U.S. So most people have little to go on other than feeling outraged and wanting to do something or help in some way.

What have you learned from the debate over the essay?

What's incredible is how little debate there's actually been about the substance of the essay itself. Mostly we've been attacked personally and had our motives questioned. The cardinal sin we committed is that we delivered “The Death of Environmentalism” as a paper at the national annual conference of environmental funders. But where else should we have delivered it? There was simply no other opportunity to have a debate over the environmentalist strategy and assumptions. There is no professional association of environmentalists, no annual conference, and no serious journal for practitioners. Is it any surprise that there's been so little evolution of environmentalism? A system without feedback loops can't improve. We've been told that we should have delivered the paper quietly and confidentially to a few of the leaders of the movement -- not issued it publicly. That would have been a recipe for being ignored. Our intention was to create a debate, and that's what we did. Just about every other professional association in the world has one or more peer-reviewed journal and national conference where there are major and often quite heated debates. The American Librarian's Association has more debate over the archival storage of old newspapers than environmental NGOs have over the future of the human species. And they do it openly and transparently without all the fury and paranoia in the reaction to the "The Death of Environmentalism."

How has it felt to have so many people become so angry with something you wrote?

We didn't expect to be embraced with open arms. Of course, it's never easy to have people angry with you or question your intentions, but we felt that what we said had to be said and we are proud to have started a debate that so many people obviously wanted to have. I think much of the anger over "Death of" is a sign of how unaccustomed the American Left has become to public debate. There was a time in the U.S. when you looked to the Left, not the Right, for vigorous debate over ideas. That's no longer the case. One of the great myths among American progressives is that conservatives are monolithic and unified because they are authoritarian and we're democratic. It's simply not the case. Such thinking is exemplifies how the Left underestimates the right. Look at how American progressives have underestimated George W. Bush since 2000. Environmentalists have underestimated the anti-environmentalist right for more than 20 years, when many of the anti-environmental policies were proposed under President Reagan. There are important differences between conservatives and they get fought out publicly. There are religious conservatives, free market libertarians, wealthy Republicans, and neoconservatives (foreign policy hawks who used to be Leftists). We ignore those differences - and shut down debate on our side - at our peril. I also think it's a sign of the intellectual flabbiness among progressives that the central criticism being directed at us for writing "Death of" is that some people's feelings were hurt. Never mind the ecological, cultural and political crisis we're facing - people's feelings were hurt! At the same time, one of the most positive things that's happened since we wrote "Death of" is the huge number of young people -- from young professionals in environmental organizations to college students - who have contacted us asking to be involved in building a post-environmental movement. We're hosting a retreat for a small group of these young people to come together this November.

You're writing a book that will be out in early 2007. What will it be about?

The book is about three things. First, it's about two of the great ecological crises of our time: global warming and the Amazon. Second, it's about the rise and fall of environmentalism. Finally, it's a manifesto for a new, post-environmental politics. In addition to Brazil we're also writing about Europe and China. In all of those cases are looking at the whole country, and where it stands globally, and not just at that narrow set of concerns defined as “the environment.” In the U.S. and Canada our book will be published by Houghton Mifflin, which published Henry David Thoreau's Walden, which started the American conservation movement, and Rachel Carson's Silent Spring, which launched the modern environmental movement.

How do you define post-environmentalism?

Post-environmentalism is the word we are using to describe the thought-movement of former environmentalists who view the so-called "ecological crisis" as conceptually and politically inseparable from the human crisis, and who believe that environmentalism is incapable of turning this crisis into an opportunity. Post-environmentalists share many of the same values and concerns as environmentalists. What we reject is environmentalism's soft misanthropy; its incuriosity about the human sciences, from sociology to psychology to anthropology; its scientistic fetishization of the non-human sciences, like ecological biology (which makes environmentalism, paradoxically, unscientific); its outmoded liberalism, which believes humans are and should be rational, materialist and self-interested individuals; and its gloomy, anti-aspirational focus on "limits" and "restrictions." What post-environmentalism embraces is the recognition that, for people to care about the non-human world they must first have their basic material needs met. We can't expect a favelado to care about the destruction of the Amazon if he's hungry or sick or fears for his physical safety. A post-environmental politics recognizes that it must work to meet people's basic material needs and at the same time, speak to the universal, non-material need for fulfillment, community, love, happiness, and well-being. Post-environmentalism breaks from a the materialist politics of the past, which today fails to speak to higher needs, such as our desire to have a purpose in life and realize our full potential -- both as individuals and as members of the larger human community. In contrast to environmentalism's obsession with limits, constraints, and restrictions, post-environmentalism is obsessed with creating, manufacturing and unleashing a totally different kind of economic growth -- one that is not merely "less destructive"but rather entirely good for both human and non-human worlds. The technology exists for this kind of economic growth; the problem is that our politics haven't caught up. Everyone wants to be inspired by a vision of a better world and by leaders who are true to what they believe in. Environmentalists have spent the last 40 years telling people what they can't have, can't do and can't be. We need to offer a vision to the entire human race about what we can have, can do, and can become. We need to speak as much to people's hopes as to their fears.

Where do you turn for inspiration?

My family, my friends and the beautiful places on California's northern most county, Humboldt.

How did you find your purpose?

By becoming increasingly clear about what I'm good at and what I love.

Is there a particular book that has had a significant impact on your life?

I've been very interested by the sciences, in particular by Darwin's discovery that humans are as much a part of the Earth as a redwood tree or a hurricane. I'm very interested in the contingent nature of scientific truth, and the way that truths often emerge from within old truths rather than from without. Scientists knew that humans came from the Earth before Darwin, they just couldn't explain nearly as well as he could how we emerged from "lower" beings. I'm very interested in philosophy, particularly thinkers who challenge our everyday ways of seeing things. I've been influenced a great deal by thinkers who challenge the theological ideas about Nature, Science, life, and death. Right now I'm very interested in deconstructing many of my assumptions about the world. What changes societies? To what extent do we determine our own values, and to what extent do they determine us?

Does spirituality play a role in your life?

It depends what you mean by spirituality. I don't believe that there is an external being that affects our lives. For me, the sciences reveal awesome mystery with every new discovery. I love it that the more we learn about the worlds we inhabit the more we discover how little we know. I'm interested in being in the world in a way that allows me to constantly be amazed and marvel at the mysteries all around us.

What's your favorite technology or gadget?

Probably our Tivo so we can watch a bit of TV without commercials. I don't really like most of the technology I use, even though I'm always buying the latest computers, phones and cameras for my work.

What's your preferred method of getting your daily news?

I read the New York Times and the San Francisco Chronicle and my home page is always on Google News. I think most magazines are boring and pointless with a few exceptions, such as the New Yorker, which is producing fantastic reporting and writing. The New York Review of Books is a distant second. Most everything else just parrots the banal ephemera of daily life; political magazines on the left and right rarely veer from ideological orthodoxy.

What dream for the world do you think can be achieved in our lifetime?

I try to wear my utopias very lightly. I think we need to help everyone in the world get their basic material needs met so they can work on their fulfillment and happiness. Many people whose basic material needs of food, shelter, security and freedom try to get their post-materialist needs for belonging, purpose, meaning, community and love met through greater materialism, from overeating to shopping to TV. Inevitably they are disappointed. Former American Psychology Association President Dr. Martin Seligman identifies the three sources of happiness as hedonism, the fulfillment of desires through food, shopping, anonymous sex, drugs, alcohol and passive entertainment; flow, the feeling of being engaged in a creative unfolding where time appears to stand still, such as getting in the "zone" through sports or experiencing spiritual ecstasy; and service to others, the experience of helping other people through charity, love, kindness and compassion. Of these three forms of happiness, research shows that flow and service to others - two sources of fulfillment - are more deeply felt, and last longer, than hedonistic pleasures. This isn't complicated stuff, and yet many Americans remain confused about what really matters to living a fulfilling life.

(Interview by CThings Editor, Paul Horne)

John Pratt: Co-Founder, Fundable.org

2006-02-13T09:18:00.000-08:00

Fundable.org is an exciting new fundraising model that that lets groups of people pool money in "group actions" for whatever goal or purpose they like. Similar to an online auction, a group action has its own page, describing how much money will be collected and what the money will do. The site accepts credit card pledges through Paypal, and no payments are accepted unless 100% of the target pledge amount has been raised. This policy ensures that the money will only be used if the project is successfully completed. Current project examples include "Jim's Birthday Present," server space to start a new business, fundraising for tsunami burn victims, help fund a short film, provide meals to malnourished children in Malawi, and help save dogs scheduled for euthanasia in Los Angeles. As you can see, the kinds of projects are all over the place, from purely self-serving to purely altruistic. What the site does is help bring together like-minded individuals in an online collaborative environment to make dream projects come to life. Recently, we spoke to Fundable's co-founder John Pratt who started the website with his partner Louis Helm.

Where did the idea for Fundable come from -- what problem were you trying to solve?

Initially, we wanted to develop a system that was, by coincidence, similar to Motorola's iRadio (think satellite radio, but with cell phones). In short, we were trying to find a way for independent radio content to be funded by groups of people. Fundable's model emerged in the process and we decided it was worth pursuing instead of the original project.

What are the most popular and successful kinds of projects on Fundable.org?

It varies, though successful ones share a lot in common. The more thought, planning, and effort put into a project by its organizer, the more likely it will succeed. This seems obvious, but some people forget that we aren't exactly like eBay -- you can't just throw a project on our site and expect it to meet its goal. The most notable project was one organized by citizens of Lakeview, a neighborhood in New Orleans destroyed by Hurricane Katrina. They raised $9,000 for a political advertisement in a week using small donations, which is impressive.

Which kinds of projects do you think can have the biggest impact on the world?

The purpose of Fundable is to provide a means for groups of individuals to pool money without much effort. If we can do this successfully, we're sure that projects can make an impact on their local level. We aim high, but we also understand that it's not feasible to orchestrate an impact on the world as a whole. Those sorts of changes emerge in a complex way, on their own.

Where do you see the company in 5 years?

Part of Google! Kidding. Right now we're looking to build our online reputation and see how far we can take this fundraising model.

What difficulties have you had to overcome in bringing Fundable.org to market?

Since we don't have an advertising budget, people usually hear about us through word of mouth (or interviews). Constructing the site was difficult, but promotion has been our primary concern lately.

What part of your job do you enjoy the most?

It's great when people understand the site and it works for them. When someone says that they couldn't have accomplished their project in any other way, that is truly satisfying.

Where do you guys turn for inspiration and to "refuel?"

To relax, I prefer the gym. My partner Louis is training for a marathon and meditates twice a week.

Who are some of the most inspiring people you're working with now?

We don't work with people in a collaborative sense, exactly. We're mostly self-serve: groups or individuals visit our site, set up a page, collect pledges for some purpose, and we turn the pledges into money for them. Lately we've seen a lot of projects in which people are raising money for themselves or another person. But the projects we like to see the most are those in which groups are splitting costs or buying products in bulk. This, we think, is when the site is most powerful.

What dream for the world would you like to see achieved in our lifetime?

Less exploitation from globalization.

(Interview by CThings Editor, Paul Horne)

Diane Korman - Producer, Extreme Makeover: Home Edition

2006-02-05T23:18:00.000-08:00

Few people know more about transformation than Diane Korman. Each week she coordinates the team that transforms lives by giving families in need an entirely new home on the Emmy-award winning Extreme Makeover: Home Edition.

A reality television pioneer, Diane has spent the past ten years working on the founding teams of groundbreaking shows that have shaped the reality genre. Mark Burnette, who created Survivor and The Apprentice, hired Diane for his first major show, the Eco-Challenge, and she spent three years traveling the globe organizing press teams for the adventure race. Diane then developed documentary television for Discovery Channel, ESPN, and National Geographic. She also worked for E! Entertainment coordinating the popular E! True Hollywood Stories and the On E! Specials, before joining Blind Date, the show that started the reality dating genre. After Blind Date, she continued as a field producer on TLC's A Dating Story.

When Diane's interest changed from Dating to Design, she became a producer at one of HGTV's top shows, Designing for the Sexes, and later moved to Outer Spaces, an outdoor style show. After hearing about a show in development that was planning to re-build houses in seven days, Diane decided she had to join the team. Much to her surprise and delight, she is now able to produce shows that merge her design interest with a compelling social purpose. She still credits her mother, a Special Education teacher for over 30 years, as her inspiration. Diane lives with her husband in Torrance, and spends her rare free time hiking, scuba diving, cooking and volunteering with her husband at Red Cross events.

Have you noticed a thematic change in "Extreme Makeover: Home Edition" since the show started? It seems to have become more emotional or dramatic in the past couple seasons.

I actually think our show has always been emotionally driven. Our first show was the story of a family with a dilapidated house because all their money went into medical costs to fight their six-year-old daughter's cancer. I think we've always been on the cutting edge of reality television and we're not afraid to take some risks. We've always pushed the limit of human drama.

How many submissions do you get in a week, and what advice would you give someone who wanted to submit an application?

We get thousands of submissions each week, and the team that reads those letter have the toughest jobs of all -- imagine reading all the stories day after day. I think the main thing we look for are truly deserving families where there was a string of bad luck leading to the collapse of the house. If the house is really the problem, then maybe we can be the solution. My suggestion would be to write the story as you would a pitch -- if you can't tell your story in two sentences, neither can we. For example, "My parents retired and bought a rundown summer camp for kids with disabilities, and every penny they have goes to improving the camp as their house crumbles around them."

How are you able to get a house up in 7 days? Has EMHE managed to streamline some aspect of homebuilding?

We don't build the houses in 7 days, its more like 5 days 9 hours from the time the house is demolished to the time the family comes home. And almost 100% of the labor and materials and supplies are donated. No one could ever afford to build these homes in such a short time. On a normal build cycle, the time frame would be 6 months, so we build a month's worth of home in a day. But, the reason it happens is because the entire team is working toward the goal of changing a life. This is not a normal house build, and could never be this way when the laborers are building homes for people they do not know. It truly is a miracle of love and devotion.

I'm sure you have many, but what are a couple of your favorite transformations on the show?

Hard question -- I've loved all the families we've worked with. My heart still breaks when I see footage of Rodney Anderson's house. Deep in the heart of South Central Los Angeles, Rodney was a basketball star, with a full scholarship to Fullerton. He was on his way to the NBA, until one fateful night when he went home to visit a friend, was mistaken for a gang member and shot three times in the back. He was lucky to have survived the shooting, but paralyzed and bound to a wheel chair. Rodney's parents applied for money from the state to ADA the house and after a contractor did some demolition including removing their only toilet, he took off with their money. Our builder had a small company and a huge heart, he gathered everyone he knew and tackled the project. We built two homes, one for Rodney and his fiancee and one for his family on the same lot, so they could always watch out for him. And we had a wedding for Rodney, at 4 in the morning after they toured the house all night long. Another favorite was in Livermore, California. The seven girls and one boy of the Cadigan-Scotts lost both of their parents within two weeks of each other. The oldest girls moved home to make sure the youngest girls weren't sent off to foster homes. The family had so much love for each other. The old house had one bathroom for all eight of them. In the new house the boy got his own modern, masculine bathroom. And the girls got a huge bathroom with seven sinks for the seven sisters.

Beyond each family's individual story, what are some of the other ways the show is able to positively impact broader social issues?

Our families are metaphors for the struggles of all people in this country. But the message is when communities come together, we can accomplish anything. This TV show proves that people care about each other, that neighbors care about neighbors and that positive change is still possible.

What is the biggest challenge to making the show come together on time?

No matter how early we get the house, we always suck every last minute of time to finish the decor. It's actually the most fun I have on the entire shoot. We are running around moving as fast as we can. Finishing the house while dressing the house. Against the clock. Volunteers and designers working together just to make everything beautiful for the family when they come home.

What's the best part of your job?

There are two moments: When the family finds out their lives will forever be changed, when Ty [Pennington] shouts out the words "Good Morning Johnson Family." You see families fall to their knees thanking God, crying and hugging each other. It restores your faith in humanity. Then after the makeover is finished, watching the expression on the family's face when the bus moves and they see their new home for the first time. It's the most amazing thing you'll ever see. Grown men, construction workers, producers just balling as they see pure joy and raw emotion... it's a force, I can't quite put it into words.

What is the biggest risk you've taken personally?

I have dedicated myself to this job, often sacrificing my personal life to continue at the pace, and I do think it is worth the sacrifice.

Where do you turn for inspiration and to "refuel?"

There isn't a lot of time right now to think about refueling... once you begin momentum in your life, you have to ride the wave and continue to work toward your goals. This year I made a new commitment to healthy eating and exercise, because if you take care of your foundation, every day can be inspirational. If you are waiting for inspiration to hit you on the head and someone to hand you time to take care of yourself, you are missing the boat.

How did you find your purpose?

I think I'm a really lucky person in that I have many purposes in life. I think we are all here to make the world a better place and to make a difference. I care very much about people and find much joy in being with others who try to make a positive impact on the world. Goodness and kindness are contagious, so if we all try a little harder to make a difference, just think how much better the world would be.

Is there a particular quote that has had a significant impact on your life?

Winston Churchill once said, "With great success comes great responsibility." I take that very seriously in life.

Does spirituality play a role in your life?

Running on the beach on my birthday this year, I stopped and stared at the waves crashing on the shore and it was beautiful. In one beautiful moment, my breath was rising and falling in synchronicity with the waves, and I got it... When you realize that all living things are connected... that we all have the same needs... that is when you see the hand of God.

What's your favorite technology or gadget?

I admit I am addicted to the blackberry, the "crackberry." I can type about 60 words a minute on it. I've learned all the tricks and short cuts. I get nervous when I've put it down and can't find it right away. It's a bad addiction, but when you travel as much as I do for the show, nothing else can help you to communicate and answer the thousands of questions that need an immediate response.

What's your preferred method of getting your daily news?

Every morning I try to listen to NPR on my way to work.

What dream for the world do you think can be achieved in our lifetime?

Our responsibility is to create a cleaner environment in all aspects. On our show we put this to practice when we removed mold, cleaned indoor air pollution and recycled all useable building materials. We have the technology and innovation in this generation to support the environment, and make better consumer choices that solve problems instead of create them.

(Interview by CThings Editor, Paul Horne)

Gotham Chopra - Author, Producer, Youth Advocate

2006-01-27T14:37:00.000-08:00

Gotham Chopra is a multi-media voice on issues of spirituality, culture, and news. As an anchor for Channel One News, an educational news broadcast seen daily by more than 8 million American students, Gotham reported from Israel, Gaza, Egypt, China, India, Sri Lanka, Pakistan, Afghanistan, Iran, Colombia, Russia, Chechnya, Mexico, Honduras, and all across Europe and the United States. He has interviewed a wide range of Global leaders -- from President Bush to the Dalai Lama to foot soldiers of Osama Bin Laden. Gotham's global assignments have sent him on patrol with anti-militant commando units in war torn Kashmir and had him detained by secret police in China, Iran, and Pakistan. Gotham is the author of Familiar Strangers, a non-fiction and spiritual chronicle of his travels and encounters at the frontlines of areas in conflict and transition. He served as Story Editor on Bulletproof Monk -- a comic book about bullets, monks, gangs, and seekers, and was Executive Producer of the 2003 film version with John Woo. Gotham also wrote Child of the Dawn, a novel published in 1996 and translated into 13 languages internationally, and recorded The Mythical Lover on A Gift of Love -- a recording of sensual poetry by the 13th Century poet Rumi. As co-founder of 5K Entertainment, Gotham wrote, is producing, and will direct the indy feature Swindle. He is also co-creator of K Lounge -- a Kama Sutra bar and lounge in New York City. As co-founder of Chopra Media and a partner in Intent Media (with his father Deepak and Elizabeth director Shekhar Kapur), Gotham is involved in a wide-array of creative media ventures. He is the President of development for Gotham Studios Asia, the largest comic book studio in India, and creative consultant to Current TV, a television network co-founded by former Vice President Al Gore. In 2004, Newsweek called Gotham one of the "most powerful and influential" South Asians worth watching. He continues to speak nationally on issues of youth, spirituality, and conflict resolution, and develops workshops to create a language for young people to bring out the internal and external issues that are important to them.

What was the purpose of creating Intent Media and what are its plans for the future?

Entertainment is moving east. Not just because of the huge population booms and surging middle class in countries like India and China but also because the global market is increasingly finding more familiarity in the types of Asian content coming from the East. Intent was created as a platform to really ride that wave and see if we could be part of its initial emergence. Our goal with Intent has really been to focus in specific sectors and partner with groups to build dynamic opportunities. Hence the birth of Virgin Comics and Animation, which we think, can play a very prominent role in the emergence of India in the character property space.

How do storylines in Indian comic books differ from their American counterparts?

I think Indian and Asian story templates and structures in general are very different than what we are accostommed to in the west. For years, the western hero has been modeled after the man that charts his own destiny, the John Wayne archetype of the guy who forges ahead indiscriminently and carves out his own destiny. In the east our heroes often operate from a place where their fates have been foretold in prophecy. The story then becomes the journey to achievement, the struggle against fate, or the deliverance of it. I think this is increasingly a template that great contemporary films are following: we like to call the Matrix, Lord of the Rings, and Harry Potter "Asia's greatest films" as they all follow this template.

How did you get involved with Bulletproof Monk, and what surprised you most about working on a mainstream feature film?

I was actually making documentaries for a company called Channel One, traveling around the world to places like Chechnya and Pakistan when I met some guys at a small comic book publishing company in Los Angeles. They already had the title Bulletproof Monk but were really missing the story. They brought me on to help think it out and it just sort of took off. Watching the genesis from comic to big budget film was very educational. Working alongside talents like John Woo and his producing partner Terence Chang was an awesome learning experience. Often the more money that goes into a film, the less creative control there is. So if I would say there was one lesson learned, it'd probably be to keep things tight, emphasize the story and not get too tempted by the promise of big budgets.

Are you still involved with Current TV?

I am. I remain an advisor and on-air contributor to the network and have learned so much from working alongside former Vice President Gore and his partner and co-founder Joel Hyatt. I think what they are doing on television and media in general is revolutionary and I am thrilled to be a part of it.

When does production on Swindle begin and what is the story about?

We're aiming toward the middle of this year but with so much going on, it's definitely a challenge! The story is based around a New York City cab driver who happens to be Indian and finds himself the centerpiece of a heist gone wrong. It's also a portrait of the colorful and cultureful landscape of New York City where the last loyalty left is probably just money. It's the one God every race seems to believe in.

What is the biggest risk you've taken?

That's a tough question. I've tried to stay off the conventional path I suppose. Tried to be more entrepreneurial in some of my work and stayed away from big titles, big salaries, and little freedom. That does create a lot of uncertainty but I've grown comfortable with it and no longer consider it much of a risk. Now i just trust in my own instinct and rely on the Universe to handle the details. For 5 years I served as a war correspondent and reported from places like Chechnya, Gaza, Pakistan, Kashmir, Colombia and other conflicted areas. That was always risky but worth it in terms of what I learned.

Where do you turn for inspiration and to "refuel?"

I am very close with my family - my wife, my parents, sister and her husband and kids. We find great comfort and friendship with each other and have a lot of fun together. In general I try not to take things or life too seriously. That to me is living an inspired life.

How did you find your dharma?

It'd be presumptuous to say that I have. I wake up dissatisfied all the time, frustrated by the way things are going. If I were in my dharma all the time or had found some enlightenment, I suppose there'd be little point to still being around.

Is there a particular book that has had a significant impact on your life?

Probably a few: Herman Hesse's Siddhartha, Rushdie's Midnight's Children, and James Joyce's Portrait of the Artist as a Young Man. I respect great writers above all else and those are probably amongst my favorites in terms of inspiring me to pursue the arts, and take the chance at failure, perhaps hoping it'd give me more to write about one day!

What role does spirituality play in your life?

I suppose I consider myself a spiritual person though I'd never really qualify myself as religious. To me, spirituality is a state of being, a domain of awareness that brings some definition to the existential questions that we all ask about our meaning, purpose, adn significance on the planet. I think about these things so guess that makes me spiritual!

What are your favorite technologies or gadgets?

I love my cell phone, my blackberry, my ipods, and lap top. I am behind in terms of not mastering a personal mobile gaming system or some of the other awesome gadgets out there. It's definitely an area I need to catch up to.

Which websites do you visit the most?

I'm a sports and news junkie. So various news sources from ESPN to CNN, Drudge Report, and assorted news blogs like Huffington Post and rediff.com. And most importantly my own Intent Blog!

What would people be surprised to find out about you?

Probably the sports addiction. I am a diehard Boston Red Sox and New England Patriots fan. I live and die by my teams and can go into an emotional tailspin when they lose. It's definitely an area where I could use some spiritual detachment.

What's your preferred method of getting the daily news?

I'm online constantly - checking newsites and blogs, surfing international sites, and even wire service sites pretty regularly.

What dream for the world do you think can be achieved in our lifetime?

Perhaps hitting some critical mass that tells us that if we continue upon our current path -- with our ancient instincts and modern means -- that we will exterminate ourselves. There's too much suffering in the world, too much poverty, inequity, and ecological devastation -- mostly perpetrated by powerful nations that know better. I hope we can realize that collectively and turn that tide. Otherwise maybe our ecosystem will evolve and rid itself of this human experiment gone awry.

(Interview by CThings Editor, Paul Horne)

Chris Anderson, Curator of the TED Conference

2006-01-23T12:41:00.000-08:00

Chris Anderson is the curator for TED, an extraordinary Technology, Entertainment, and Design conference held every year in Monterey, California. The first TED in 1984 included the public unveiling of the Macintosh computer and the Sony compact disc, while mathematician Benoit Mandelbrot demonstrated how to map coastlines with his newly discovered fractals and AI guru Marvin Minsky outlined his powerful new model of the mind. The roster of speakers now includes scientists, philosophers, musicians, religious leaders, environmentalists and many others. Those who have spoken at TED include Bill Gates, Frank Gehry, Jane Goodall, Billy Graham, Herbie Hancock, Murray Gell-Mann, and Larry Ellison. Yet often the real stars have been the unexpected: Li Lu, a key organizer of the Tiananmen Square student protest, Aimee Mullins, a Paralympics competitor who tried out a new pair of artificial legs on-stage, or Nathan Myrrhvold speaking not about Microsoft platforms, but about dinosaur sex. Even with a steep price tag and no advertising or PR, an invite-only TED conference pass is one of the hottest tickets around. Anderson calls TED "the official, pre-release version of Heaven," and we wanted to find out why.

How did you become involved with the TED conference?

I bought it from the founder Richard Saul Wurman. I fell in love with TED from the first day I went, back in 1998. Had never before met so many cool people in one place at one time... nor got so excited at the ideas they were sharing.

What kind of people attend, and what does it take to get invited?

It's a really varied crowd. The founders of most of the leading dot-coms, leaders of all kinds of technology and creative businesses, film stars, movie producers, architects, scientists, authors, musicians. You name it. But pretty much everyone is remarkable in some way... and yes, that's what it takes to be invited. You have to prove that you're remarkable in some way. Oh, and it costs $4400.

This year's conference is sold out -- do you plan to increase the size of next year's conference, or are you trying to maintain a certain number of attendees?

We don't want to increase it beyond 1000 people. But we're working on lots of other ways of sharing the ideas that spring out of TED. There's the TED Prize, the TED Blog, the TED Global Conference held every two years... and stand by for Podcasts and other fantastic highlights from TED soon to be made available online.

What have been a few of your favorite moments or speakers at past conferences?

So many. Sergey Brin and Larry Page of Google spoke a few months before their IPO, and were followed by Craig Venter announcing the discovery of millions of new genes contained in droplets of ocean water. The two talks symbolized the way that biology and information were merging and changing the world. Less cerebrally was the way 14-year-old pianist Jennifer Lynn improvised a piece on stage and triggered an outbreak of tears and rapturous cheers in the audience. Or Bono's remarkable talk last year on Africa, which you can still see on the website.

Is the conference filmed, and are there any plans to make it available on DVD?

It is filmed, but the DVDs are currently only for conference participants. Look out, though... We're releasing some of the material on the web this year.

What is your dream vision for TED?

It's no longer just a conference. It's becoming a global community of remarkable people who believe in the power of ideas to change the world.

What is the Sapling Foundation?

I founded it 10 years ago to look for smart solutions to tough global problems. It's the foundation that owns TED.

Is there a particular book that has had a significant impact on your life?

So many books... Sir Harold Evans' books on journalism persuaded me to enter that as a career. I love books that offer a profound new lens on the world: Jared Diamond's Guns, Germs and Steel, Richard Dawkins' The Selfish Gene, Edward O. Wilson's Consilience, Steve Pinker's How the Mind Works and Lee Smolin's The Life of the Cosmos. One more recent book that's stayed with me is Robert Wright's Non-Zero. It's shocking to me that the ideas these books contain aren't understood by that many people.

Does spirituality play a role in your life?

I'm an idealist. I really think people can change the world... and I'm awed, beyond awed, at nature's scale, grandeur, and ingenuity. I love life's mystery. Science doesn't deliver all the answers... it still has no compelling language to begin to address sentience, for example. But the truths we're discovering about nature seem to me infinitely more inspiring than anything offered by the traditional religious myths. Alas, as a society, we haven't yet figured out a good way to celebrate these truths... or even communicate them broadly. I think that will change.

What's your favorite technology or gadget, and why?

Verizon's EVDO network card is pretty damn cool... Broadband to your laptop most wherever you are in the U.S. Will always revere Tivo and the satellite radio stations for freeing us from the tyranny of too many damn ads. Intuit's online shared database, Quickbase, is an underused treasure. It just keeps getting better and better. But I'm mainly shocked at how unnecessarily complex most technologies are. Everyone seems to develop them based on the assumption that users will base their lives around them and have the time to work out every detail. Time is the one thing we don't have, and the result is confusion, incompatibility and frustration.

What dream for the world do you think can be achieved in our lifetime?

I buy the theory that a combination of media, technology, economic growth and connectivity are creating the background forces that promote greater empathy among different people. It's a long-term thing, and the noise of the daily news hides it. Over a 50-year time horizon there will be a better understanding that the world's biggest problems and opportunities are shared among all of us. Life will be a great deal better for a great deal more people... but knowing our psychology, we may not even appreciate it.

(Interview by CThings Editor, Paul Horne)

Ben Patrick Johnson - actor, author, activist

2006-01-18T23:34:00.000-08:00

Ben Patrick Johnson grew up with a keen interest in broadcasting and writing. At the age of 18, after a childhood of obesity and depression, Johnson decided to make radical changes in his life, and started weight training and dieting. Over the next decade, as Johnson's career in radio and writing grew, so did his knowledge of nutrition. By the turn of the millennium, Johnson was the number one voice-over narrator in Hollywood, had secured a deal for what would lead to several bestselling books, and had become a marathon runner and expert in sports nutrition and supplementation. He put into practice what he learned, and the results were seen on magazine spreads and calendar covers. Further pursuit of fitness ideals led Johnson to launch The Fitness Kitchen, a Los Angeles based food preparation and delivery service, providing clients with balanced, organic meals for fitness enthusiasts, Hollywood celebrities, as well as clinical nutrition patients dealing with diabetes, heart disease, AIDS, and other degenerative disorders. In 2006, Johnson accepted an invitation to join Sir Elton John and Rep. Barney Frank as an official Ambassador to the Gay Games, extending his advocacy of health and fitness regardless of people's age, gender, race or sexual orientation.

What difficulties have you had to overcome to get to the top of your field as a voiceover actor?

Most of the difficulties I've encountered have come from within my own self; the business has been very kind to me. I struggle with feelings of worth (and lack thereof), with staying focused, with being patient and gracious in a variety of work settings, and trying to balance all the disparate elements of my life.

How do you balance your dual actor and author careers?

It's a challenge. I think it's useful that in my voice-over work I have windows of time during the day when I'm not occupied and I can turn my attentions to writing -- or at least to the business of writing: I find it difficult to switch my brain from one mode to another when I have fifteen or thirty minutes to spare. The best is when I can get up early in the morning and have a dedicated writing session for an hour or two. The real difficulty comes when it's time to promote the books I've written. This requires me to be on the road, and scheduling interviews, etc., all of which takes me away physically from being available for the voice-overs. One of the things that's helped me achieve the degree of success I have as a voice-over artist is being virtually always available for clients. When I'm on a plane to Chicago to make a bookstore appearance, I'm not so available.

What part of your job do you enjoy the most?

I love it when I feel as though I've nailed a given voice-over read on the first take and the producer agrees with me. I enjoy coming to the end of a section of writing and feeling as though I've told a scene, or anecdote, or section as well as I possibly can.

Where do you turn for inspiration and to "refuel?"

As far as literary inspiration, there is more than I could ever get to in a lifetime on the shelves of the local bookstores and library. One of the great things about books is that they're permanent -- we can still look at Balzac just as readily as Baldwin, John Donne as readily as John Grisham. In my voice-overs, I just turn on the television or radio and experience the excellent work of my colleagues. And in bodybuilding, my "third" passion, there are magazines on any newsstand with pictures of splendid achievement, plus I've risen to a stature where I am fortunate enough to have access to some of the greats of the sport, both young and old.

Who are some of the most inspiring groups/people you're working with now?

As trite as it may sound, I've had really good luck with book editors. Each of the several I've been assigned, including my current editor at Alyson Books, is very, very smart and inspiring. For bodybuilding, I've just started a dialogue with IFBB bodybuilding pro Jamo Nezzar to help him put together a program to bring an increased level of fitness to all people regardless of age, sex, orientation, or location. He especially wants to work with kids to get them off to a good start and disabled people to help them achieve a high degree of fitness despite their impediments.

How did you find your purpose?

In a fortune cookie several years ago. It said, "Give up now while you're still ahead." But seriously, my purpose has sort of always been there -- to excel at what I endeavor, and do it in a way that leaves the world a better place for my having been here, on both a large and small scale. It's a lofty goal, but if we don't shoot high, what's the point?

What accomplishment are you most proud of?

I'm proudest of coming out as gay at a young age and being steadfast in my refusal to subvert my identity under any circumstances, even when it might have been lucrative or professionally advantageous to do so.

Is there a particular book that has had a significant impact on your life and business?

There are many ... most significant in recent years would be The Four Agreements and the writings of (Buddhist nun) Pema Chodron.

Does spirituality play a role in your life?

Absolutely. I'm what I like to refer to as a "quiet Christian." Evangelism is the furthest thing from my mind. I feel that if one lives one's life according to a personal code of ethics, or in this case one dictated by a spiritual icon, others will see the goodness therein and evangelism will not be required. I find it's often those most ready to crow their religious or spiritual achievements whose very achievements are the most dubious and suspect. It's the quiet heroes that I seek to follow, and perhaps someday I will be regarded as one of those quiet heroes. Nothing would please me more.

What's your preferred method of getting your daily news?

Honestly? I watch two shows on Comedy Central -- The Daily Show and The Colbert Report -- and read headlines online. CThings makes a wonderful counterpoint and addition to these sources.

What dream for the world would you like to see achieved in our lifetime?

I'd like to see pharmaceutical companies and the medical establishment unleash their genius upon the task of ridding us of both degenerative and contagious diseases. I'd like to see color blindness prevail. I'd like to see an end to the need (in everyone's mind) for preferential hiring and academic admissions. I'd like to see people no longer tortured, ostracized, hung in public squares, or strapped to fences for who they love.

I read a statistic just this morning that there are now more women news anchors in America than men. This is great! One more field in which the white male (a group of which I am inextricably a part) corners the market. One of the fundamentals of free market capitalism and democracy is that, when properly exercised, the best man (or woman, or computer, or corporation) for a given job wins out. Again and again, despite cronyism, nepotism and generations-old prejudice, I see the expression of these democratic ideals coming to fruition. It's a great time to be alive.

(Interview by CThings Editor, Paul Horne)

Debbie Tenzer, Founder - DoOneNiceThing.com

2006-01-18T00:11:00.000-08:00

Debbie Tenzer, a marketing strategist in California, found a way to actively spread kindness by creating the website DoOneNiceThing.com -- a site that encourages people to do at least one nice thing for someone else every Monday. Site features include a blog, people profiles, and weekly kindness ideas for inspiration.

What inspired you to start DoOneNiceThing.com?

I wanted to be a better person, and help people more, but my follow-through didn't always live up to my intentions. So I decided to think small. I promised myself that I'd do one nice thing for someone every Monday. It was such a small commitment that I thought I'd be able to fulfill it. And I have.

Why Monday?

Originally I thought it was the day that people needed help the most, so it would be a good day to help THEM. But the result was it helped ME and made my Mondays better.

What are some of the cool acts of kindness you've seen people do on your site?

Maurice Stein, who won an Academy Award for creating the makeup for the original Planet of the Apes film, retired and now gives free makeup and makeup lessons to burn victims. Dori Kenneally, a former Los Angeles prosecutor, volunteers as a children's advocate for some of the 25,000 foster children lost in the social services system in LA County. Janie Culos is a teacher near Washington, DC who specializes in teaching English to immigrant children. Each week she drives with a friend to a local orphanage and cuddles the abandoned newborns. Darren Erman quit his job with a big Chicago law firm to teach science and coach basketball at a very rough inner-city school in New Jersey. With his help, all the seniors earned scholarships to college. I could go on and on. I love these people.

Who are some of the most inspiring groups you're working with now?

We hear about new amazing people almost everyday. This week we're honoring a group of students from James Madison University in Virginia. Instead of going home for Thanksgiving break, each student spent $325 and 15 hours on a bus to go to Biloxi, Mississippi to help with the hurricane clean-up. For the whole week they slept in a church, removed garbage, served meals at a shelter - how great are these kids! Next week we're honoring Vince Staskel, a paralegal and advocate for people with disabilities. When he was in college he wanted to be a performer, but as he uses a wheelchair, everyone discouraged him. But he held onto his dream, and now he and some his friends are starting a cable TV channel for and by creative people with disabilities. Imagine the determination that takes. He's fantastic.

What dream for the world would you like to see achieved in our lifetime?

End hunger. I know that's a big one. And end AIDS. We can do it. It's a preventable disease.

(Interview by CThings Editor, Paul Horne)

Chris Markl: Pedaling for the Millennium Development Goals

2006-01-02T14:11:00.000-08:00

Chris Markl, a Ph.D. candidate at the University of Colorado in Bolder is organizing a bicycle ride across the entire continental United States to raise money and awareness for organizations that support the millennium Development Goals. Following is our interview with Chris.

What inspired you to create this ride?

One night I was thinking about the largest thing that I could do now to help people in the developing world and the idea of an insanely large bike ride developed. I asked my girlfriend Kelley and friend Eamon what they thought of the idea and they are amazing enough to believe in and help plan this ride. This event will show the world that a small group of young men and women have the ability to effectively tackle global poverty.

Why the name The Yes Ride?

We are asking people to say yes to humanity. We are asking people to say yes to the forgotten poor of the world. We are asking people to say yes to helping the over 1.1 billion people who live on less than one dollar a day. By supporting this event, children in Kenya will receive free secondary education; families in Russia, Rwanda, and Haiti will receive the same level of health care that is available in the first world; families in Sub Sahara Africa will receive income generating renewable assets such as animals and seedlings and because of this ride a vaccine will be found for malaria and AIDS, diseases that claim over 4 million lives each year.

What websites, magazines, books, etc. do you look to for inspiration?

Danpallotta.com, The End of Poverty by Jeffery Sachs, Robert Muller's daily emails. Most importantly I look for my every day surroundings for inspiration.

How has your advanced degree impacted your life?

One of the largest influences on my life was my undergraduate degree in philosophy. Studying philosophy forced me to reevaluate my entire belief system and it reminded me the importance of compassion, virtue, peace, humility, and justice.

What was your last book read?

Our Endangered Values: America's Moral Crisis by Jimmy Carter

Favorite music you've been listening to recently?

Rufus Wainwright, Aimee Mann, Indigo Girls, Jennifer Knapp, Nicole Nordeman.

Where do you see yourself in 5 years?

Teaching political science at a small college while working on policy in the developing world. Or working for cool organization like the Carter Center in Atlanta. Honestly there are so many amazing things to accomplish in this world, I have no idea where I will be led.

What one thing do you wish the whole world would know?

The importance of our actions is not defined by their magnitude. An individual who cheers for a rider on this event is just as influential as an individual who writes a 10,000 dollar check to our organization. Without both of these individuals this event would not be possible. My father always reminded me about the quote from mother Teresa that "We can't do great things, but only small things with great love." I hope we remember that even if we are not recognized by Time magazine, our actions are still truly remarkable.

(Interview by CThings Editor, Paul Horne)