Directions

I recently saw this TED Talk by MIT Professor Angela Belcher on growing batteries from bacteria; this is exactly why I intend to get my masters from MIT- to be a part of revolutionary thinking.   There is sooooo much natural order in the world which we can harness to fuel our progression into not only furthering our understanding of the world but also to preserve the existence of mankind and also mother Earth.  We are a relatively infant species on this planet of which we still yearn to discover entirely; we as the reigning species have a duty to this planet to not only preserve it's natural beauty and living things but to also take advantage of our collective knowledge to ensure it's health for future generations.  The last two hundred fifty years since the industrial revolution have brought on gargantuan changes in the surface layers of this planet that must be rectified if we wish to dream of a future for our people and the animals that share this world with us.

To get back to the presentation, I find this incredibly fascinating that they're working on manipulating the DNA of bacteria to behave in ways that produce normally toxic, disposable things in a way that would be organic and most likely self-replicating.  If you had a wire in your headphones tear, it could just repair itself.  We could possibly use this technology to create advanced AI machines that could not only think and act for themselves virtually but also repair themselves.  If you want to imagine a race of robots reproducing, it isn't far from plausible.

Here's the link to the TED Talk I'm referring to:

http://www.ted.com/talks/angela_belcher_using_nature_to_grow_batteries.html

Music that inspired this post:

Pandora Skrillex station

Song                                    Artist                                 Album
The Sirens                            edIT                                  Certified Air Raid Material
Bad Wings                           The Glitch Mob                  Drink The Sea
The Kill                                Marlow                              Hotflush Recordings: The Singles, 2007-2008                      
                                                                                                

Some thoughts on Ray

I would like to attempt to articulate the place in my heart that is awakened when I listen to Ray LaMontagne.  Forgive me if I ramble a bit, this one comes out a bit like a journal entry.
For those of you who are not familiar with this name, he is a singer/songwriter from New Hampshire.   His lyrics are so profound and have this magical quality to them of painting an image of healing and understanding which often can not be found organically within one's own mind.   Certain tracks come to mind for me when going through hard times in life (like break-ups, school stress, and general life stress) such as Old Before Your Time off of God Willin' & the Creek Don't Rise, title track off of Til the Sun Turns Black, and Empty off of same record.  It is the former track which inspired this post for it is highly empathetic in my view of my life;  I've spent many days and nights wondering what it is that lies ahead of me and who will be there when I arrive, ignoring the fact that I am the one who matters when I arrive.  The quotation "Through the years I've known my share of broken hearted fools, 
'n those who couldn't choose a path worth takin'. 
There's nothin' in the world so sad as talkin' to a man. 

Never knew his life was his for making."      

is the line in that, no matter how many times I've heard it and know when it comes, it hits me and opens my eyes wider to the pains of living without reason and without pleasure or learning.  There are many things in life we can not control and many of those things which don't seem to have reason but it is up to you to learn from them, coming out more resilient.  It is a fine balance between forming a tough skin to keep out the hurt from others which weakens and healing from those wounds, learning to recognize the people and places which breed the pain.  As I'm writing this I'm stuck between the soft words of Ray's song Winter Birds and the unyielding cackles of the people next to me at Starbucks.  I fear I've lost my inspiration and have also run  out of time so I leave, imparting an existential assignment:  

Take any album of his (I recommend Til the Sun Turns Black for it's tumultuous emotions) and take a couple hours for yourself to lay down somewhere peaceful and let the music and words envelope and seep into you.

Music which inspired this entry:

Artist                                                     Album
Ray LaMontagne                                 God Willin' & the Creek Don't Rise
                                                           Gossip in the Grain
                                                           Til the Sun Turns Black

Where are we going?

For those of you who read this as a note on my facbook, you will find some revisions.  I have been revisiting this perspective lately and found it an appropriate sophomore post in this blog collection encompassing art and technology.


  I am so excited for the future of the music industry. In the days of yester-year, and even still today, lawyers have essentially run the major record labels, and I must say they are not the worst person suited (yes, pun intended) for the job, but I , along with many of you music lovers, are tired of money controlling art almost exclusively. I sense a revolution of sorts culminating among the hearts of today"s music makers and listeners. The phrase is a little cliche, but it rings true-"We must become the change we want to see"- in that my dream of the music industry is one of people gathered together to benefit the whole.
  
  I understand pretty well the problem that illegal downloads have created for artists trying to make a profit, but I am noticing a lovely adaptation to that, and that is the acceptance of free and low-cost downloads on the part of the artists. With Major releases like Radiohead's In Rainbows and Harvey Danger's Little by Little, other artists, major and minor, are reaping the benefits of providing their fans with free content- RETURNING BUSINESS to either future shows or other releases such as Radiohead's most recent album King of Limbs, which fans across the globe gladly paid a flat fee for a digital release. Not that a financial investment should be a top priority, but we all have to eat. 


  In addition to the growth of the internet, other technologies are becoming more widely available; Only maybe ten years ago, one would need several pieces of expensive equipment to record and publish their music in an appropriate fidelity (musical instruments, recording devices-microphone, tape or digital recorder, etc ), but now with modern computers and recording software, one need only to spend an estimated $3,000 to have the benefits of a professional studio which might cost a few hundred thousand dollars to build (computer, musical instruments or synthesized instruments, music software, and internet connection).


  As these advantages are becoming apparent, it is expected that a new breed of music sharing will be more rapid and simple. The former model of the music industry required an artist, label, publishing company, distributor, and retail store, which created an intricate web of overhead & profit margins and required sales prices to accommodate these expenses . Tomorrow's industry need only an artist, modest home studio, a medium to share files (internet) and a few legal precautions, because this isn't a eutopian monetary society we're talking about. 
  
  The current state of the music industry is at times frustrating and cold-hearted and doesn't seem to put the art form and the audience's enjoyment in proper priority. I miss the days of looking forward to purchasing a CD to read the liner notes and see the pictures of my favorite band. My most recent CD purchases were lacking true value and an advantage over the quality of most download content. 


  I leave you now to reflect on this responsibility/opportunity we all have to keep this beautiful thing we call music alive and beneficial to all.  Please go out and make something beautiful for us all to enjoy, but disregard the potential profit, and instead focus on the work's contribution to society.  As my mom always told me "Do what you love and the money will follow."


I give you the following music which inspired this entry:


Artist                              Album Title


Radiohead                 King of Limbs

Keeping Your Innocence

  As my first entry, I would like to introduce my view on the child within us and the joys of nature and our connection with other humans.  In the coming blogs, I will touch on this theme further so for now I will simply express it's importance.  The world around us is a scary place which will eat you and spit you out if you take it too seriously. If we continue ignoring the simple pleasures and instead obsess on the achievements of others, never taking full worth of the beauty around us and the preciousness of this span of 70 years we spend on this spinning rock in a mysterious vacuum, you run the risk of dying lonely and insignificant. In keeping in mind the simple joys, like literally smelling the roses (when's the last time you did?), the last 6 billion years of this Earth's growth into beauty remains valid.  

  I ask you to take just one day, or night if you see fit, and throw the worries of judgement off your back (to a legal and decent degree of course) and do the things that make you happy, like walking barefoot, singing, playing in the mud, finger painting, whatever simple joys that make you smile and possibly others grimace.                    

  

Everybody gets anxious in the elevator, or has a hard time sustaining eye contact with strangers.

I give you the following songs which inspired this entry:

Song Title                                      Artist                                 Album Title

Ghost of Corporate Future     Regina Spektor                Soviet Kitsch

Old Before Your Time             Ray LaMontagne &          God Willin' & the Creek Don't Rise

                                                  The Pariah Dogs

Woodstock                              Joni Mitchell                      Ladies of the Canyon