Entertainment + Science = Education

The Great Planet Earth Debate

A Mission to Bridge the Gap Between Traditional Education...

and Entertainment

Did you struggle through school as a child, wondering if you were the only person out there that just didn’t have the ability to absorb information being thrown at you on a daily basis?  I, for one, spent my entire youth lost and confused.  I couldn’t remember facts and figures, was bored to death in the typical classroom setting and had no interest in doing the work to learn important details in science, history and math that I knew would be easily forgotten.  I sure didn’t have a problem remembering the lyrics to the latest top 40 hit that would drown out all my problems I faced in school – because the songs played over and over again, forcing me to absorb the words as if they were a part of me.  I repeatedly told myself (and others) that if only teachers would put the material to music, I’d never forget a thing!  WOW, what a concept!

Now is the time.  It’s happening.  My dream is finally coming to fruition.

Ignacio Peña has done it again.  He’s managed to fuse music with education.  The Great Planet Earth Debate is music + science + video = education.  While living in Austin, Texas, Peña performed along with his band at a local high school’s Earth Day Event.  Affected profoundly by the experience, the idea for educational concerts flourished and The Great Planet Earth Debate/El Gran Debate del Planeta Tierra was born.

The TGPED concept has taken several years to develop due to its intricate production.  Consisting of a 45-minute rock science show in surround sound, the idea stems from Ignacio’s original show entitled “Phono/Grafico.”  Presented behind the band, multiple screens serve as a backdrop displaying visuals with information and bullet points that flow in sync with live music.  TGPED uses the same premise as Phono/Grafico but instead of the images representing political figures and current economic events, the visuals tell the story of the relationship between humans and the planet they inhabit, and how our modern behaviors are starting to alter the balances that allow for the conditions of our comfortable existence.  The visuals include images of scientific matter, quotes from scientists such as physicist Stephen Hawking, famed inventor and namesake of the electric vehicle, Nikola Tesla, news clips and questions posed to cause the kids to ponder the effect we as a human race have had on our great planet Earth.  The goal is to induce thoughts and ideas in our youth and create a safe environment for DEBATE over the future of our planet.  The show leaves the children filled with an undeniable hope that they can begin to take steps now that will cause greater change and a better outcome for the future of humankind. 

These nationwide “concerts for education” are targeted to middle and high schools, and universities in an effort to capture the imagination of our youth and garner their interest in the sciences and humanity.  With the current state of the environment and the latest happenings such as the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico, which affect not only the U.S. but the rest of the world as well, this project is a necessity and will become an indelible part of the educational system.

The first TGPED experience took place last week at the SeriouslyCreative Meeting Space in San Juan, Puerto Rico, where Peña was a guest speaker.  Fifty students from local alternative schools were given first glimpse at the audio-visual experience by viewing TGPED video footage.   The group of kids was allowed to ask questions and provide Peña with feedback in order to make necessary tweaks to perfect his show so that children will get the most pertinent information.  The event was a huge success, with the response to the show being positive and upbeat.

The goal for this concept is for it to become an educational experience in a classroom setting, taking education to a whole new level.  In today’s day and age, where children’s attention-span is at an all-time low, with media and technology consuming their thoughts and actions, TGPED is a necessary tool in our educational system.  The next concert in the series, which Peña is already developing, will focus on flight and space exploration.

THE GREAT PLANET EARTH DEBATE will be a great national effort to better educate our children regarding this amazing Planet Earth. 

For more information:

Check out the trailer:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wqPXfpYOrEs

The Debate @ SeriouslyCreative (Puerto Rico):

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xj4VqueHU2E

See the video for “Mientras Espero del Fin del Mundo (2010)”:

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WPIJ-N-CGr8

SeriouslyCreative Blog (Puerto Rico):

http://seriouslycreative.com/blog/?p=77

The Great Planet Earth Debate/El Gran Debate del Planeta Tierra:

http://www.elgrandebatedelplanetatierra.com

Coldplay Gives Back to the Fans with FREE Music

For those of you that are Coldplay fans, or if you live under a rock somewhere and don't know their music.. now's your chance, follow the link below to download, for FREE, live tracks directly from Coldplay.

As a thank you to the band's fans, the guys wanted to give something back. I've always known Coldplay to be generous with the people that make them who they are - FANS. This is one of the key reasons that I'm willing to give them my money - because they're not afraid to give back. When you reward people (this includes companies rewarding their employees) you will get more from them in return.

Last summer I spent almost $100 a ticket to see them live for the first time at the HP Pavilion in San Jose. I wasn't sure if I'd be able to bring my camera into the venue because you just never know these days. I decided to sneak it in. The trick, for ladies anyway, is to hide it in the small pocket inside your purse. In the event that security wants you to open the pocket so they can see inside, place a personal female item on top of the camera which will make them so uncomfortable they'll let you go without searching further. Voilà. You're in.

So I snuck my camera in only to discover that the place was lit up by flashes going off all around me. So I joined in. The band was amazing. They played all the classics and almost everything off the new album (Viva La Vida). Chris Martin rocked it out. I took over 200 photos that night. We sat 18th row so I got some great shots with my little SLR digital camera.

The highlight of the show was when the band ran off the stage, down the side of the floor seats and up a side aisle, right into the audience. They set up shop in the middle of screaming fans and jammed on a couple of songs with people standing arm to arm, feeling every drop of sweat that fell from Chris Martin's body. Ahh... what a thrill!

The show ended with a bang as thousands, if not millions, of fluorescent-colored paper mache butterflies were released from above and came floating down onto the entire arena. Beautiful.

If you get the chance to catch Coldplay out on the road now I highly recommend it. These guys do NOT disappoint.

Get your FREE tracks here:

http://www.coldplay.com/lrlrl/lr.html