1.2 Billion Elephants

The video attached is a presentation given by Al Gore to Ted.com in February of this year. It contains current facts and startling information. What is most noticeable is Mr.Gore's deep sense of frustration. This is not a new problem and it is not without solutions, what it lacks is a sense of urgency.

In the closing of the presentation Mr.Gore quotes Buckminster Fuller...

"If the future of all human civilization depended on me, what would I do?"

What would YOU do?
http://www.ted.com/talks/view/id/243

Record Store Day

Ok...in follow up to yesterday's blog ... check this out.


http://www.recordstoreday.com/Home

On Saturday, April 19, 2008, hundreds of independently owned music stores
across the country will celebrate “Record Store Day.”

“April 3, 2008 - Apple today announced that the iTunes Store surpassed Wal-Mart to become the
number one music retailer in the US, based on the latest data from the NPD Group. With over 50
million customers, iTunes has sold over four billion songs and features
the world’s largest music catalog of over six million songs.”

Not sure what is worse, the fact that itunes is the #1 retailer for music or the fact that the title was taken from Wal-Mart.

I have posted before regarding my fear of digital media and how easy it makes censorship and 1984 type of control. So it is no surprise that this announcement is nothing that I will be celebrating. And before anyone gets on my case…yes I have downloaded a ton of digital music and have even used itunes. And I do love the convenience of my ipod. So I am fully aware of my semi-hypocritical criticism of the digital age.

What it comes down to is awareness and caution. In this new age we need to be aware of how easily ideas can be changed and the meaning lost with the click of a mouse. And unlike paper or vinyl once it is changed that is the new history. While I support and love that fact that the digital age provides opportunities to many artists that previously did not exist. I believe that the preservation of our history and arts depends on maintaining the pressing of records and even CD’s, and the printing of books on paper.

So in closing I encourage everyone to find the balance between the old and new. Use your ipod and download new music. At the same time make the effort to collect support and preserve the truly great works by purchasing CD’s, books, even vinyl albums.

JDK

p.s. Yes I shop at Wal-mart too…but I don’t like it!