Ever wonder what Adobe CQ5 is? Here’s a short one-minute video that explains it on WebSmart TV.

I just read a great blog post today by Chris Horst on Smorgasblurb, highlighting two recent celebrity charity “fails” – Greg Mortensen and Madonna – and what we should learn from them.

“If we’ve learned anything from politicians and pastors; it’s that we need to measure them by the lives they lead and by what they have done, not solely on what they say, by how famous they are, or by the nobility of their intentions.”

“Madonna and Mortensen endeavored to help the poor, but pious motivation is no excuse for bad charity.”

Chris Horst
Regional Representative
HOPE International

I first posted about the Headstand Media Bank of Hope on my company website. Since I have a son who is working for HOPE International (partnering with Esperanza) in the Dominican Republic, where the Bank of Hope is located, he was able to get some photos of the Dominican women (mostly) who are receiving micro-loans from this bank.

These photos were taken by a HOPE International worker named Liz, about a week ago as she visited the area that the Headstand Media Bank of Hope serves. Captured in these images is a biweekly meeting of our (Headstand Media’s) Bank of Hope named “El Futuro!” (The Future!).

"El Futuro" Group Associates

Our bank is partnering with 2 groups in the bank – Group #1 and Group #4. The whole bank is made up of 8 groups for a total of 40 associates. There are pictures of various members of the bank, and also specific photos of group #1 and #4. One woman from Group #1 couldn’t make it to the meeting, so she isn’t pictured.

"El Futuro" - Group 1

"El Futuro" - Group 4

The bank meets in a community center, which is currently undergoing a new green paint-job on the interior.

Reading the Verbal Pledge

Ana, the Esperanza loan officer, is the one wearing the black and white striped shirt.

Ana, the bank loan officer, receiving a loan payment

A woman from the bank named Rafaela, brought some ice cream to share with the rest of the bank associates. She has an ice cream business. Here is a photo of her with her business.

Rafaela's ice cream business

It is so great to see the faces of those we are helping to provide an opportunity for their businesses to grow. In time, this help positively affects their families and community, which leads to a more stable and flourishing local economy, which leads to less poverty and greater health all around.

I stumbled across this video on YouTube that puts in to word/images one of the key reasons why I think the Web is a Net Gain for us as humans. I am well aware of all the negative bad stuff that comes along with it, but that has been true of every major technological advance, especially in communications: the printing press, the camera, the movie camera/projector, the telephone, radio, television, computer, mobile phone, etc.

I particularly like this style of communication (visual/audio) as Stephen Johnson talks about “Where Good Ideas Come From.”

Deb and Kathryn outside a Mugg & Bean's waiting for our flight from Capetown to Durban

After spending a week in Capetown, we travelled with daughter Kathryn to Durban on Friday, February 25, 2011. We were greeted at the airport by our old friend Skip Collins, who both Debbie and I knew when we were kids growing up in the western suburbs of Chicago. Skip and his wife Sheila have lived in South Africa for over 20 years and raised three sons there. We spent the next few days at their home and enjoying their generous hospitality.

Skip & Sheila Collins - Debbie & Randy Birkey

Sunset sky over Durban

Durban beach and surf

Durban is on the East coast of South Africa, on the Indian Ocean. It hosts Africa’s largest sea port and is one of the largest sea ports in the world. The ocean is much warmer than that around Capetown, so we enjoyed some time in the pounding surf!

Rugby Game

On Saturday evening we went to visit the stadium where the World Cup soccer games were played, and then we went to an actual rugby game in the rugby stadium between the Durban home team called “The Sharks” and the New Zealand team called the “The Blues.” We actually started to understand the game, how it is played, scored and even some of the strategy, thanks to running commentary by Jordan Collins! Plus, The Sharks won!

We enjoyed many other features of Durban including: walking along the downtown beaches, eating at a local Kauai wraps franchise (really good!), enjoying long conversations preparing food in the kitchen and over dinner at the Collins’ home, visiting Grace Family Church, eating at a nearby Bangkok Wok Thai restaurant, riding in cars on the wrong side of the road and experiencing turnabouts, and “robots” (traffic lights), and so much more!

Here is a sculture I commissioned for Headstand Media which was unveiled on our trip – not!

Headstand Media Sculpture?

It seems that no matter where you go in the world, there’s always someone cutting corners… !

No Parking?

Old Map of Robben Island

Today we took a ferry boat to visit Robben Island located out in the bay north of Capetown. This island has been the home to many people over many years mostly as a place of separation and punishment. It has been used as a leper colony, a prison and military base. Today it is a museum.

Nelson Mandela's Prison Cell

This is the place where Nelson Mandela spent 26 years of his life sentence as a political prisoner. His 6 x 9 cell is pictured here.

Our tour guide through the prison was named Togula, a former political prisoner with Mandela. He had spent 10 years in the prison before general amnesty was granted to all political prisoners. He was one of the “young lions” as they called them in the prison. Hearing him tell the story of the island from an intimate and personal point of view was unique and powerful.

A former prisoner as our guide

I couldn’t help but imagine what life would have been like had it been me. How would I have held up? Would I have survived?

It was amazing to me that our guide had invited some of his former prison guards to his home for dinner after being released as part of the reconciliation process.

Even though there were good elements to his story, I was also reminded of how cruel humans can be to one another and that contrary to what some believe, we are not generally “getting better.” The 2oth century was the bloodiest century in the history on mankind, more bloodshed than all previous centuries combined. This memorial and others like it (Holocaust museums, etc.) are empirical reminders of this. So far, I don’t sense that the 21st century is getting off to a better start.

Robben Island Prison Entrance

I recommend visiting this island museum if you ever get the chance.

A view of the wine country of Stellenbosch, South Africa

Today we went on a road trip out east of Capetown toward the mountains to the wine country and area around Stellenbosch. We were invited to visit with our friend Rouloff, who we met on our flight from Johanessburg to Capetown. Rouloff and his wife showed us around a vineyard and farm, and olive oil facility, and a beautiful home in the wine country. We ate lunch at a great restaurant called Tokara, which is also the name of the wine label of the vineyard we visited.

My glass of amber lager... very good!

With lunch, I had a micro beer called Berne. It was a dark amber lager than was actually brewed in Bavaria by some South Africans, specifically for the South African market. They do this because they can’t get the quality of ingredients they need to brew it in South Africa. You can learn more about the Gabriel Collective on their website. It is definitely the best beer I’ve had so far in South Africa.

We had some pretty incredible views today, being up in the mountains. South Africa is a beautiful country.

Stellenbosch wine country

Hake and Calamari Combo at Hout Bay

Today we drove along the coast on Victoria Road (M6) toward the end of the cape visiting Camps Bay, past the Twelve Apostles (mountain peaks) and Hout Bay. While in Hout Bay we stopped at the Mariner’s Warf and picked up some Fish N Chips. I ordered the Hake and Calamari Combo. As you can see, I had no trouble polishing it off. I’d have to say it was one of the best Fish N Chips meals I have ever had!