Other Side Drive: Wednesday Segments

Revolutions 

-Dany Recio 

Revolutions will talk about Jimi Hendrix’s second studio album from beyond the grave.

EP1 Revolutions

It has been 42 years since Jimi Hendricks untimely passing and yet somehow we are still being treated new music by the guitar icon. On March 5th a new unreleased album will finally be revealed to the public. The album called People, Hell and Angels is made from material that Jimi had been experimenting with shortly before his death. Aside from the Jimi Hendrix Experience, Jimi wanted to work more with a larger variety of sounds with horns, keyboards, and even rhythm guitar. This is isn’t the first album to be released by Hendrix since his death. 2010 saw the release of Valleys of Neptune; which also featured twelve previously unreleased tracks. Hendrix was obviously a busy artist recording dozens of tracks in the short span of two years that are just now seeing the light of day. The first single has already been released; entitled somewhere it carries the sonic blueprint of much of his music. It hauntingly though, is very rough and you can tell that these songs were in the very early stages of writing. It is amazing to hear Jimi in the middle of the writing process. Jimi is one of the most iconic artists of Rock and Roll and it truly is astounding that we are still able to enjoy new music. He truly was an artist pushing the boundaries of what he felt a guitar could do and now we know he had even bigger plans for his future. We can only imagine what fate and history would have had in store for him if had lived to see the release of these tracks and even more of his music. Sadly we can now only appreciate the art he has given us and the impact he has had on music history.

Money Share

-Shannon Williams 

Alamo Drafthouse, a full service movie theater integrated sought to help a community in need after a fire. While aid may not be profit driven, it could potentially benefit the company in other ways.

EP1 Money Share

Following natural disasters aid pours in from government programs and generous individuals – or at least that is the hope of those affected. During 2012’s election, President Obama’s speedy aid to hurricane Sandy left voters with a more favorable view of the president. Businesses can also adopt aid as a strategy to not only better ravaged communities but also to project a positive light in the community. Alamo Drafthouse Cinemas did this following a recent fire.

In late November an early central Texas cold-front cast heaters into action and Air conditioning units to the off mode.  What was believed to be an electrical fire erupted in International Apartment complex off of 183 and Hymeadow drive in North Austin, wiping out three buildings within the complex. At 3:30 AM Keith Quintanilla and five other Lake Creek Alamo Drafthouse employees were among those rushed out of the burning complex and into the parking lot.

“I was just looking at the building and all of a sudden the roof collapses on the very top. You could actually see the fire. It just kept on spreading and spreading and it was bigger than I thought, and I couldn’t grab anything. The only thing I had taken from my apartment was my cell phone, so I had lost absolutely everything in my apartment. Everything I had, all my clothes, my computer, my electronics, my shoes, my socks they were all gone.”

red cross gave $500 voucher to salvation army to get clothes/furniture

church gave toiletry items and towels

No deaths or serious injuries were incurred in the fire, but two buildings burned to the ground and one other was damaged beyond repair. Items inside may just be things, but they were belongings and part of the people in this community’s life just the same. Aid from the red cross and salvation army assisted the residents in buying new clothing and furniture. Community members and a local church reached out with donations and a place for the newly displaced victims to shelter. In addition to community support, the nearby location of Alamo Drafthouse Cinemas initiated a fundraising project to benefit the community.

CASEY
They were initially the ones that started the fundraising, but with the overwhelming number of donations that we got we decided to set a limit to the amount that the employees got and give the rest to the other residents. We had stuff all the way from a dentist’s office all the way to a brewery. It was so nice to see the community helping us help others.

Corporate employees of Alamo Drafthouse organized a silent auction that raised twenty-thousand for the community. Company founder Tim League personally wrote checks to each of the six employees to help them with necessities and donated original Star Wars posters to the silent auction.

Humanitarian aid can have an important impact on people’s perceptions.
Following the Tsunami in 2011, the United States launched an aid program titled “Operation Tomodachi” to assist the Japanese government in crisis response. According to PEW research center, Japanese ratings of the U.S. soared after receiving aid. In a poll involving 23 different countries’ perceptions of the US, 85% Japanese respondents awarded the U.S. an overall positive rating which was the highest of any nation.  Humanitarian aid can benefit public perception of U.S. government, or even a corporation.

Fostering that kind of relationship within the commuinity helps the business itself grow.If we are seen as a community that cares, or a business that cares, the community will take care of us. And it is nice to know that we can take care of them in times of need.

For Quintanilla and his co-workers, just getting by

Even though accounting statements may not embody compassion, humanitarian efforts may have an even deeper impact.