Condoms For Humanity is in the running!

So for those of you who don't know, I put together a team and we have been working on a social enterprise to help stop the spread of AIDS. We have had some setbacks, but we are testing the idea in the Dell Social Innovation Competition. We need as many votes from the public as we can get so please go vote for us if you haven't already. It's really easy to vote. Go to the link below, register with a user name, password, and email. Then find Condoms For Humanity and click on the arrow to the left that says "promote." I really appreciate it, and tell whoever you want!

http://www.dellsocialinnovationcompetition.com/apex/ideaList?lsi=0

Today is World AIDS day

AIDS is a leading killer globally and the number one killer in Africa. It is no longer a virus that affects high risk groups, in fact globally more women have AIDS than men, and the trend in the United States shows that women are increasingly at risk of contracting the disease. This is a problem that devastates families across the globe and has left countless children orphaned in Africa. Let's join the fight and do what we can to help. Pass it on.

Inspired by a fat panda!

I saw Kung Fu Panda for the first time a few weeks ago and loved it! It sure was funny, like every Jack Black flick, but I was actually inspired by its message; "There is no secret ingredient." If you haven't seen it yet I'm not even going to explain it to you, go see it! When Poe realized that the blank Dragon Scroll was the secret, that there was no secret ingredient and that he was good enough as is to be the great dragon warrior, I realized that is really how life is. At times we are all tempted to think we are missing something, that we just don't have what it takes to do great things, be successful, or measure up to whoever it is we compare ourselves to, but I think we are all wrong and the fat panda is right! There is no secret ingredient!

Why I love Google

This month google celebrates its 10th birthday. I still remember using the google search engine for the first time as a high school student and loving it (to bad I didn't invest!). Since then I have become a big time googler. I'm sure I spend an average of at least two hours a day using some google product whether it is gmail, google docs, or the google search engine. But all of this only makes me like google, I love them for stuff like their latest birthday project, 10 to the 100th. Basically they are asking us, people from around the world, to submit innovative ideas to solve the worlds biggest problems and they have set aside $10 million to make the best five ideas happen. I believe socially innovative ideas started and executed by socially conscious businesses and business minded people are going to be the key to changing our world, and I love google for being part of it. Here is google's video to explain the project, check it out.

Why getting robbed sucks

I'm currently a student in Provo, Utah at a private religious university with strict moral and ethical standards. The area has, deservingly or not, become known as "happy valley." But I happen to know that in this valley of happiness you're still living in the real world. It's easy to forget this at times, but every once in a while something happens that brings you back to reality: Somebody stole my bike seat!

My wife and I only have one car, so naturally I have taken to cycling as a means of transportation. For some time I kept the bike inside our apartment, but as it was always in the way I took it outside and chained it up in the bike rack outside our apartment. This afternoon I took the garbage out and realized something was different about the bike, and then it hit me, there was no seat. I unchained the bike and took it back in the apartment and started voicing my frustration with my wife, and I even called my dad. But in the end it was to no avail, I still had no bike seat. That is when I realized, getting robbed produces a frustration that isn't easily overcome. Initially you think, "where are they? I wonder if I can find them and get my (blank) back (in this case bike seat)." However, after cooling off you realize tracking the perpetrators down is not likely. Then you, or me in this case, demonstrate anger through words and expletives, or substitutes thereof. Following this verbal attack on the vanished enemy you, or once again I, attempt to rationally understand why someone would do something like this to me of all people.

However, I realized and so will you, there is no explanation. You don't know why they took your bike seat, and for now you just have to ride standing up, and that is why getting robbed sucks.

Impossible? Not in America!

I'm a sucker for the feel-good inspirational movies, I tear up when they start chanting "Rudy, Rudy" and I am inspired when Wallace rings out "FREEDOMMMMMMM!" There are a number of stories, books, and movies that make my inspiration list, and thanks to the U.S. men's 400 Free Relay performance in Beijing I've added another to the list. My wife and I were watching the race live and listening to the announcers from the clip above. As Lezak began the final stretch of the relay I couldn't believe what was happening. First, I was sad that Phelps wasn't going to have the opportunity to try for 8 gold's in a single Olympic games, but second and more importantly, I was angry that the French had talked trash saying they were going to "Smash the U.S." and that they were actually going to do it. Then every thing changed. As Lezak made his final turn and started gaining ground on the French I was on my feet jumping and screaming. As Lezak somehow came from behind to pull off an unbelievable comeback and upset the French I got those same Rudy watching happy feelings. The feelings that come from watching someone endure strife and exhibit unnatural strength and discipline to achieve victory. The feelings that come from watching someone do the impossible.

After I cooled down from my own celebration Jesse and I couldn't stop talking about what we had just witnessed. In the course of our discussion I realized that comebacks and impossible victories like the one we just saw are the American dream. That is what America is all about. I'm not saying other countries don't produce athletes with similar drive and an uncanny ability to perform under pressure, just look at the Chinese divers and gymnastics teams. But there is something about being an American that breeds the thoughts and feelings that anything is possible. It's in our blood, we are all the product of people who had the courage to do the impossible. Somewhere up our ancestry line someone did the impossible. They left their countries, families, and professions to set out for a new land. They weren't sure exactly how they would do it or what would become of them, but they had a dream that life could be better so they came to the land of opportunity. Nothing comes easy, not even in America, but at least here anything's possible. All around us are stories of people rising up and becoming better, escaping and becoming more, believing and achieving what was previously considered impossible. As I watch the games I have found myself cheering along with Visa, "Go World." But when it is all said and done I'm proud to be an American!