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Is This a Million Dollar Idea?

2025-03-28 · announcement · Hank · 1:35 · watch on YouTube

Topic: Global development · mode: Announcements · tags: fundraising ask, civic or action cta, on location, community lore, self promotion

At Torc Waterfall in Ireland, Hank announces he will upload a 12-hour recording of the waterfall as a white-noise video to the Vlogbrothers channel and donate all its revenue to Partners In Health, and asks viewers to search for and pick it so YouTube recommends it.

What is said

The parts of the video and what is said in each (★ — how much it matters to the video).

00:00:00 — Torc Waterfall, white-noise videos as a business, and the plan to give the waterfall video's revenue to Partners In Health

  • ★ Hank films at Torc Waterfall in Killarney National Park in Ireland. — 00:00:00
  • ★★ Hank says the waterfall made him think its sound is the perfect noise to fall asleep to. — 00:00:05
  • ★★ Hank often uses YouTube videos as a white noise machine when he travels without one. — 00:00:09 · YouTube
  • ★★ Hank says many of these YouTube white-noise videos have around 39 million views. (hedged) — 00:00:18 · YouTube
  • ★★ Hank concludes that making white-noise videos is a good business to be in, and wonders what it would be like to be in it for Partners In Health. — 00:00:23 · Partners In Health
  • ★★★ Hank has made a long recording of the waterfall, will upload it to the Vlogbrothers channel and will donate all the money the video makes to Partners In Health. — 00:00:29 · Vlogbrothers, Partners In Health
  • ★★ If it works, Hank may look for other good sounds in the world and become a sound hunter for charity. (playful, hedged) — 00:00:42
  • ★★ The video will carry one ad plus YouTube Premium revenue, easy to calculate; Hank will grab its stats every six months and make the donation to Partners In Health. — 00:00:47 · Partners In Health, YouTube
  • ★★ Hank says Partners In Health could really use the money right now. — 00:00:55 · Partners In Health

00:00:58 — The 12-hour upload, the ask to search for and select it, and the noise-hunters sign-off

  • ★★ Hank tells John he will upload the 12-hour waterfall video right after this one: John can fall asleep to it while all the money goes to making the world better. — 00:00:58
  • ★★★ Hank asks viewers to search YouTube for white noise videos, listen, and select his Torc Waterfall video so YouTube recommends it to far more people than Nerdfighteria. — 00:01:10 · YouTube, Nerdfighteria
  • ★ Hank muses they might take the top spot in YouTube searches for white noise, and says he likes the plan. (playful, hedged) — 00:01:25 · YouTube

In the description and comments

  • ★ The description says Hank is uploading from the Seattle airport on his way home, very tired, having just taken a picture with a group of rocket engineers. — video description
  • ★★ The description marks the one-year anniversary of the launch of the We're Here newsletter. — video description
  • ★★ The description invites viewers to sign up for the We're Here newsletter. — video description
  • ★★ The description announces merch to celebrate the newsletter's anniversary. — video description

Threads in this video

Where the stories that moved here went next

Mentioned

Central: Partners In Health · Torc Waterfall · white noise

Also: Ireland · Killarney National Park · YouTube · YouTube Red

Only in the description or credits: Seattle · We're Here newsletter

Also centred on white noise: The Economics of a YouTube White Noise Video

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