Comments on: The International Water Tasting Competition–Berkeley Springs, WV

By: Tom

Tom — Fri, 27 Feb 2009 15:05:31 +0000

this post made me thirsty.

By: Ryan McD

Ryan McD — Fri, 27 Feb 2009 12:22:06 +0000

You know, if you make a book out of this, every one of these festivals will sell your book every year it is in existence. To a captive, already positively inclined audience. I’m thinking especially of this one, given the current controversy over bottled water. Everybody thinks their festival shows the best side of their particular passion to the world. Why drink bottled water? For the same reason you don’t just drink your local wine or beer. It’s not a convenience, it’s a gourmet experience. In general, festivals seem to say–whether they’re about coondogs or an icy pond or wooly worms–”It’s not to be taken for granted: it’s special, and if you could see it like we do, like those of us who love it, you would love it, too. And there tends to be a claim to transformative power: if you interact with the subject in this way (e.g. by cutting a hole in it and jumping in), you will be changed, and you won’t see the world, or this particular part of the world, the same again.

It’s that _seeing_ analogy that is so important to the rationale of your project. And it’s why these festivals would sell lots of copies of your book.

By: Augustine McD

Augustine McD — Fri, 27 Feb 2009 12:11:55 +0000

Hi Ross,

I want to see you again. I’m just trying to eat. I don’t know anything more to him. Or we could send a letter to him. Of us. At somewhere. I want to drink some water and different tastes of water. Are we going to ever get a different taste of water to drink, Dad? Where? The grocery store? Mommy said one time you have to have big tanks to breathe underwater, but I know the things, but you can have goggles and flippers and there are these kinds of goggles that have a breathe-up and then you can breathe and put your face in the water, but she says you need to have big tanks on your back to breathe. Why is that? We have that in my French book.

(Ana Jean says: Alyosha!)

Love,
Augustine (and Ana Jean)

By: Mark P

Mark P — Fri, 27 Feb 2009 05:17:16 +0000

Wow. I mean, wow.

Chase re Julie: “She’d be eaten alive in that world.”

By: Julie

Julie — Thu, 26 Feb 2009 16:48:03 +0000

If I had known there are professional water drinkers in the world I never would have bothered with this whole journalism business. You didn’t happen to snag one of the flask water bottles, did you?
Great post.

By: jaysteinke@aol.com

jaysteinke@aol.com — Thu, 26 Feb 2009 16:13:00 +0000

Really nice coverage Ross and Andrew. Nice lighting of people etc. Great video, so informative. Photos are looking goooooooood!! Hey, you having fun???

By: nitsyrk

nitsyrk — Thu, 26 Feb 2009 15:56:58 +0000

I really enjoyed your coverage of this event! What an interesting competition… And the first photo is beautiful! I can’t wait to see what’s next!

By: Sean McDermott

Sean McDermott — Thu, 26 Feb 2009 14:45:20 +0000

Ross and Andrew,
This is by far the best video that you have made yet. And the pictures, for me, really capture the seriousness of the event. I thought they were wonderful. And just to let you know, here are the winners: http://www.berkeleysprings.com/water/winners09.htm
sean