Karen Refugees Save a Church and Head to Hollywood

By Thaw Bwe

                   (Writer's Note: My ethnicity is of the Karen (KA-wren) people, and this is an article about how they came to Middle Tennessee.)
      
                    In 2007, a group of 70 ethnic Karen people fled from Myanmar (also known as Burma) and started their new lives in Smyrna, Tenn. Most of them decided to attend All Saints Episcopal Church, which increased enrollment. During the same year, prior to their arrival, the Rev. Michael Spurlock and his congregation at All Saints Episcopal Church in Smyrna had fallen to only 20 members, and they were not able to make the church’s monthly mortgage payment. The All Saints congregation was about to lose the church and planned to sell the property. Suddenly, 70 Karen Anglican Christians joined  the church. Life for Rev. Spurlock and his congregation is back to normal and has became stronger than ever.



                 The hard-working Karen people in America are employed at low-paying jobs by Tyson and Taylor Farms. Some of them have problems with transportation, so when the Karen  people go to work or to the store, they combine resources and save money by riding together. Many Karen had a difficult time and sturggled financially when they first arrived in Smyrna. Before the Karen people came to America, they were farmers. Bcause of their agricultural experience, the spokesman for the Karen, Ye Win, asked the All Saints congregation if they could plant gardens on the church’s large property. The All Saints vicar liked the planting idea, and the Karen started to cultivate and grow vegetables such as chili peppers and beans native to Burma. According to an Episcopal News Service article by Lisa B. Hamilton, “…20,000 pounds of produce had been raised. About 10 percent of that went to the refugees, and the rest was sold locally or donated to food pantries.” Now All Saints is financialy strong and everyone is blessed and happy.

                        The Karen people are an ethnic group from Burma. During World War II when Burma was a British colony, many Karen and other ethnicities became Christian. The missionaries were Anglican, Baptist and Catholic, so the Karen became Anglican, Baptist and Catholic. After World War II, when Burma gained independence from the British, the dictatorship of Burma started to attack other ethnic groups in its country, including the Karen people. Fueled by the greed of more land, it practiced genocide. Many Karen people were forced to flee from their homes where the Burmese military dictatorship burned their villages and tortured, raped and killed their people. A few Karen people stayed in Burma to fight back.  Most Karen crossed the border to Thailand and became refugees. In 2007, the Karen immigrated to other countries, including Australia, England, Canada and America, but some of them moved to Thailand.

                        The Karen refugees come to Tennessee through an agency known as World Relief. Catholic Charities in Nashville sponsor the refugees in Middle Tennessee. According to the Tennessee Lawmaker’s Commission, “ In 1990, refugees made up roughly half of 1 percent of the total population… descendants make up closer to 1 percent (.9 percent) of Tennessee’s 6.5 million residents. An estimated 9,200 refugees are students in K-12 schools. Metro Nashville Public Schools educate, by far, more refugees than any other system in the state. Roughly 10,900 refugees get health care through TennCare. Before Medicaid rolls were trimmed down after 2001, nearly 25 percent of refugees in the state were on TennCare. Currently, most Karen refugees living in Smyrna reside at the Chalet Apartments, 111 Joyner Drive. Some of them are helped by Community Servants connections.

                        From personal experience, I am Karen. Every year, we celebrate the New Year by dressing up in beautifully colored Karen clothing. During the New Year ceremony, we show our culture through dance, and I give speeches about the meaning of the Karen national flag in my native language and English. Other people are giving speeches about the history of the Karen. The Karen offer their “soul food” for the New Year in the form of an array of mostly spicy foods. Unlike American desserts, the Karen desserts are not as sweet; some are made with coconut milk and gelatin. 

                        The survival story of how the Karen people succeeded at All Saints Episcopal Church and how they saved one another has appeared in a Nashville newspaper several times. The amazing story came to the attention of Steve Gomer, a TV and film director from Hollywood. Over My Shoulder Foundation Executive Director, Dawn Carroll said, “… I’m pleased to announce OMSF’s relationship with a fabulous new movie, ‘All Saints.”’ To be able to make the film, Producer Martha Chang and Gomer are trying to fund their project by raising production money.

      “We’re in a really interesting place,” Gomer said. “We submitted the script to a very small division of Sony called Affirm, and they really liked it. They’ve guaranteed us distribution and a certain amount of dollars for print and ads, but they couldn’t commit to any production dollars. So we’re a little bit backward.”

      Chang and Gomer plan to shoot the movie, “All Saints”, in Smyrna so they can use and pay the Karen as extras in the film. If everything goes well, making “All Saints” will start in the spring or summer of 2015, when the plants are growing on Tennessee’s green farmland. “All Saints” may show in theaters in late 2015 or 2016.  

Links for this blog article:

1.      http://archive.episcopalchurch.org/81803_103917_ENG_HTM.htm

2.      http://nashvillepublicradio.org/blog/2013/11/12/tn-lawmakers-commission-then-reject-study-showing-refugees-contribute-to-economy/

3.      http://overmyshoulderfoundation.org/all-saints-

4.      http://www.voanews.com/content/a-13-2009-01-02-voa26-68822582/413634.html

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Frogs in a Pot: Excessive Regulations Gone Wild

By Mike Sparks

 

    The old adage “Frogs in a Pot” is a metaphor I’ve often heard, but never really gave it much thought. The past several years, I have seen many examples of situations, government policies, and lethargic attitudes from many who work in government or serve as elected officials. Sadly, I have witnessed much of their silence and turning a blind eye to many issues. In our lives, we have seen many who spoke up against many of these grievances from Dr. Martin Luther King Jr., John F. Kennedy, President Abraham Lincoln, and even Jesus himself only to ultimately give their lives for their cause.

    One of our local heroes from my hometown of Smyrna, Tenn., was a young man named Sam Davis. Sam Davis was a young scout for the Confederate army in what was known as the Coleman Scouts during the Civil War. The young 21-year-old was captured and offered his freedom if he revealed his sources, which he refused and was hanged. I’ve always admired his last words: “I would rather die a thousand deaths than betray a friend”.

    The “frogs in a pot” or “boiling frog” is a metaphor that is often used when there are changes being made and people are unaware of the changes since they are slow and gradual. The boiling frog story is an anecdote describing a frog slowly being boiled alive. The basis is that if a frog is placed in boiling water, it will jump out, but if it is placed in cold water that is slowly heated, it will not be aware of the danger and will be boiled to death. The story is often used as a metaphor for the inability or unwillingness of people to react to significant conditions that occur gradually. Those conditions can be excessive taxation from local governments, more regulations to small businesses, more burdensome fees from government offices, more citations from local Police departments in the name of “serving and protecting” our citizens, just to name a few.

     I often hear people complain about the Federal Government’s intrusion into our lives, from the new Affordable Care Act, otherwise known as Obamacare, to Common Core being implemented in our public school system, and I wholeheartedly understand their fears and concerns.  A recent example is New York City’s Mayor Bloomberg’s ban on Big Gulps drink.  

     The controversial plan to keep large sugary drinks out of restaurants and other eateries was rejected by a New York state appeals court in July of 2013, which said he had overstepped his authority in trying to impose the ban. 

    The law, which would have prohibited those businesses from selling sodas and other sugary beverages larger than 16 ounces, "violated the state principle of separation of powers," the First Department of the state Supreme Court's Appellate Division said.

    The decision, upholding a lower court ruling in March that struck down the law, dealt a blow to Bloomberg's attempt to advance the pioneering regulation as a way to combat obesity. Beverage makers and business groups, however, challenged it in court, arguing that the mayoral-appointed health board had gone too far when it approved the law.

    A unanimous four-judge panel at the appeals court agreed, finding that the board had stepped beyond its power to regulate public health and usurped the policy-making role of the legislature.

    I have seen local mandates much like Mayor Bloombergs here in my own community. I have watched a retired gentleman who operated a fruit stand be forced to build a $100,000 building or shut down, then to make matters worse the fruit stand was required to install a $40,000 sprinkler system. The irony is the small 1,500-square-foot building had two large two-car garage doors and two side exit doors, Ihave never heard of tomatoes or pumpkins being a flammable threat to one's health or property. The sad irony is that, just a few miles down the road, the new Smyrna Waffle House wasn't required to have one installed, yet they have open flames every minute they operate and house at least a dozen customers on average.

    Last year, I attended a Rutherford County Planning committee meeting in which the discussion was to require (mandate) new homes with a low-flow fire hydrant to have sprinkler systems installed. I had asked the 15-member board to raise their hands if they had a sprinkler system in their own homes. No one raised his or her hand. I asked the fire chief in the audience if he had a sprinkler system. He shook his head "no". I then mentioned to the two men who proudly had their hands raised and ironically sitting with the fire chief, "You two guys install sprinkler systems for a living don't you?", and in fact they did. 

    I also asked if they had read the State of Tennessee's report by TACIR, the Tennessee Advisory Commission on Intergovernmental Relations, and they gave me the deer in the headlights look. The study that TACIR performed did show Tennessee ranked high for fire deaths, but not because homes didn't have sprinkler systems. Many of the fire deaths were from older homes, mobile homes, and a lack of smoke detectors, which I believe should no doubt be required in every new home, which is in the building codes. Check out this web link for more information: http://bit.ly/1sF51IX

    Why would a group of policy advisers be concerned about this issue? Their decision, much like the city of LaVergne requiring them in any new construction, will not only add a cost of $4,000 to $6,000 to the construction of new homes, but it will also make the cost of a new home out of reach for many low income homebuyers. 

    These slow and gradual mandates, tax increases, fee increases, and more regulations are slowly impeding an individual's rights to live, work and play in a country that was founded on freedom of choice. I can easily cite many more examples of foolish governmental actions, policies and decisions that only hurt the average person and even the poor who really cannot absorb these higher costs. My fear is that it may be too late to turn the tide, and we, the American public and our future generations will eventually be the "frog in the pot" who didn't realize what was happening until the heat eventually took its life.

The Dos and Don'ts of Getting Tattooed

By: Christy Charernnam
        Before I even got tattooed, I knew what I was going get: Angel wings on my wrist.  The story behind this tattoo is heartfelt.  I was the only person around when my grandparents died of natural causes.  My mother called me an angel.  Later, I went to a small tattoo parlor in Murfreesboro, Tenn.  Back then, I didn’t know how much about tattoos except that they are painful.  I sat down in the chair.  The first five minutes were terrifying, but after that it wasn’t so bad.  From there on out, one led to two, and two led to a full sleeve.  After the angel wings, I found an amazing tattoo artist who captured the images I explained to him.  He has been inking my sleeve for four years and is waiting for me to come back and finish it.  I plan to return soon!

        The tattoo has been around for centuries.  It has been said to date back to 2000 B.C. on female mummies.  Back then, tattoos signified one’s culture or religion (something meaningful).  Most were from tribes or villages.  For example, my father has tattoos from head to toe.  They represent his village in Laos.  Nowadays, tattoos have become more acceptable, and many people are getting them.  However, I do not think some know what they are getting into.  The question is, why do you want one?  What are you getting?

            Since my father has tattoos all over his body, I have a few as well.  Even though mine aren’t considered tribal like his, they have a special meaning to me.  First, you want to make sure you want one... not if you can handle the pain, but the fact that you’re accepting a tattoo permanently.  Second, it is your body.  Do not let anyone get in your way.  My father was not very happy when he saw my first tattoo.  In his own words, he said it was not “lady like.”  Little does he know that tattooed women outnumber men.  The numbers are not as important though.  The important thing is knowing what you are getting yourself into.

        After finding out what you want, make sure it is something meaningful to you.  Remember that it is permanently staying on your body.  It’s important to mention that laser tattoo removal is an option.  As many as 50 percent of the people with tattoos get them removed.  Unfortunately, tattoo removal is more than getting an actual tattoo.  The removal requires many procedures.  After the therapy, you will have an ugly scar instead of a tattoo.  Therefore, think long and hard about what you want. 

  Some of the 50 percent who are getting tattoos removed are doing so because of their jobs.  Specific careers require employees to appear professional.  Still, what is the definition of “professionalism”?  According to Bank of America spokeswoman Ferris Morrison, the company has no restrictions when it comes to inked corporate employees.  Forbes displays a picture of a man in a doctor’s suit with no tattoos showing.  A picture on the right shows him undressed with tattoos galore.  I have been told I would not get a job because of my tattooed sleeve.  When I attend an interview, I wear long sleeves in an effort to obscure them.  I found that how you present yourself is most important.  After that, they will see your true colors, literally.  Overall, different companies have different policies.  Think about that as well.

        Lastly, before getting a tattoo, remember how the application process works and the aftercare.  Getting tattooed, involves the insertion of many needles into the skin barrier with ink.  So yes, it will hurt.  Do not let anyone tell you otherwise.  Depending on your pain tolerance, it will either feel like a pinch or a torch burning upon your skin.  Another factor on how painful it is involves its location on the body.  Different areas on your body tend to handle it better or less.  For example, your ribs will incur more pain because the needles are tapping into the skin on top of your bones.

        After you are finished getting your first tattoo, you will have to learn how to take good care of it to prevent infections.  A tattoo is essentially an open wound, so you have to medicate your wound for it to heal.  Open wounds without proper care come with health risks.  Ointments and serum wraps will help for the first few days.  The wraps will prevent any dust or dirt from entering the wound.  Cleaning it every day with antibacterial soap will help in the healing process.  Throughout the healing process, it will feel irritated, and your skin may peel.  It is just like a scar peeling from a wound.  Moisturizing will help.  If you have bright colors, it will help prevent fading.  If anything out of the ordinary happens, and it looks strange, you should consult your tattoo artist or a doctor as soon as possible.  That being said, if everything goes well, then you can show it off.  Continue with your regular skin products including sunscreen. 

        As it was previously stated, make sure you know what you want before going to a tattoo parlor.  A tattoo is permanent, but if you don’t like it, there is laser tattoo removal.  Tattooing can still work if a company says “no” to visible tattoos.  If they are okay with tattoos, make sure you take care of them properly.  I have a full tattooed sleeve, and I do not regret getting it one bit.  It has meaning to me, and if I ever need it to be covered, a long-sleeve shirt will help.

             Your body is a canvas.  Show it off! Here is a video that I thought was pretty neat.  It is tattooing close up in slow motion. Enjoy!

 

Songwriting Launchpad: Tips On How to Write A Song

By Sally Quick

      Songwriting has been a passion of mine since I was very young.  My first song was co-written with my cousin about her grandmother’s teacakes when we were about 8 years old.  Inspiration is important.  At 50, food continues to rank among one of my favorite incentives.  Quality is necessary.  The song needs to be sound enough to stand the test of time.  Availability is desirable.  You may prefer to confine your creation to your inner circle, or write it for the world to hear.  A good song wants an audience.  A great song demands one.

     Songs have been written on most any subject imaginable.  Love won, love lost, faith, people, nature, pets, trains, trucks, morality, immorality, RV’s, Patriotism, money, and even politics hardly scratch the surface of the topics that can inspire a lyric.  Any competent songwriter has learned to look for inspiration in everyday and seemingly unimportant events.  This may contribute to the fact that many writers may seem to “look right through you” in a conversation.  Their creative minds are trolling for song ideas.

     The older I get, the harder I work at writing.  I want to write songs that inspire and encourage other people.  I want to write well-crafted songs about pertinent subjects and silly nonsense.  As an eternal student, I study the art of songwriting through several avenues.  Many books have been written on the subject by talented songwriters and industry professionals.  “Shortcuts to Hit Songwriting: 126 Proven Techniques for Writing Songs That Sell” is a highly rated book.”  “The Everything SongwritingBook” by C.J. Watson and “How to Write a Hit Song” by Molly-Ann Leikin are a part of my personal collection.  Other songwriters maintain educational blogs or write informative articles for various publications.  Songwriting seminars, intensives, and live workshops are very helpful ways to strengthen your writing skills.  Each of these resources can contribute to the ongoing education of songwriting.  It is extremely important to glean from the knowledge of others.

     I have had the privilege of meeting some very talented individuals in the Christian songwriting field.  One of these giants is Dave Clark, recipient of ASCAP’s 2009 Living Legacy Award.  Dave’s concern for others vies for the top spot in his list of qualities.  Among his many talents lies an aptitude for using modern technology.  However, Dave writes of his concern for the possibility of tech advancement to overshadow the need for good songs.  “We have the ability to prop up average songs with compelling videos and well-placed guitar solos…”  Clark reminds us that quality lyrics and well written music must only be enhanced by technology.  Kenna Turner West is another songwriter that comes to mind.  Kenna has had eight number one songs and over 20 song nominations.  She recently garnered her first two Doves at the 45th Annual GMA Dove Awards.  Kenna has a tenacity for staying with a song from start to finish.  Sue Smith, a five-time Dove award winner, has written over 55 musicals and nine number one songs.  Sue has a passion for helping other songwriters develop their talent.  The “Write About Jesus Workshop” is a writing intensive in St. Louis that Smith and her husband John started in 2000.  Melissa Brady is another accomplished Christian writer and she highly recommends the online writing course through the Berklee College of Music led by Jimmy Kachulis.

     The path of a song includes a number of steps, beginning with the concept.  This idea is referred to as the “hook.”  The creative process continues with writing or co-writing sessions.  This portion of the song is completed when all lyric and melody editing is finalized.  A good quality demo is recommended before pitching a song.  Modern technology facilitates in-house productions.  Feel free to record this yourself if you are a skilled musician and have access to adequate equipment necessary to make a good clean demo.  If not, hire a professional.  The motto here is “only serious inquiries need apply.”

     In the music industry, especially songwriting, there is an unwritten protocol that the writer should follow.  These guidelines can best be summed up with a list of Do’s and Don’ts.  I want to address only a couple of obvious ones.  Do develop relationships with artists and producers.  Networking is important.  I confess that I slip in this department.  As a creative type, I’m more comfortable in the corner of my garage writing that I am in a crowd. 

     The other topic is a “Don’t.”  Don’t send unsolicited songs by email.  Contact the person to find out if they are looking for songs and where to send them.  Sending song files can bog down some email servers, especially if several songwriters are pitching at the same time.  Don’t send a CD with a lot of songs.  Find out what type of songs the artist is looking for such as up-tempo, ballad, or ¾ songs.  In gospel music, there are some rather colorful terms for fast songs.  They include “Barnburner” and “Three Chords and a Cloud of Dust.”  You want to be able to fill a niche for the album that is being recorded.

     As a writer, nothing compares to watching a song go from a coffee stained ledger straight to the heart of the listener. 

The Better Wheel: An Overview of the iPhone 6

By Jimmy Smith   

     It was not so long ago, back in 2010, when Apple founder Steve Jobs publicly stated that "no one" would want to buy a phone with a bigger screen. Fast forward four years into the future, and you'll see that a lot has changed. Not only has Apple recently launched two brand new iPhones with substantially larger screens, but the founder and former CEO of the most successful consumer electronics company to date is no longer here.

    On the surface, the iPhone 6 & 6+ represent a company responding to the market and it's consumers. Instead, it goes deeper than that. The new iPhones stand as a symbol of change at Apple: Not just a change in screen sizes, but a change in leadership and direction. A bold statement that Apple, a company famous for defining the rules of the computer and smartphone industry, is capable of breaking them.

Overview

    As you could guess, the first thing you'll notice about the iPhone 6 is its size. If you're coming from an iPhone of a previous generation, your fingers may feel awkward as they wrap themselves around the edges of the phone. That may be a good or bad thing, depending on the size of your hands. The second thing you may notice is how incredibly thin the phone is. Coming in at 6.9 mm thick, the new iPhone 6 feels like you're holding a giant wheat thin. But all jokes aside, the phone feels great in the hand. The rounded edges of the all new aluminum casing feel great and give the impression that you're holding something valuable in your hand. With that said, it also gave me the impression that I could easily drop it. Although a of lot people turn their heads at the awful perforated back of the Samsung Galaxy S5, it does make the phone easier to hold. In holding the iPhone 6, I slightly yearned for a similar caveat that would make the phone easier to grasp, something that my fingers could grip onto. 

    The next biggest changes are the location of the power button, which is now located on the side for easy access, and the rear camera, which now slightly protrudes from the rear of the phone. Setting the phone down on its back on a flat table allows the phone to rest on the outer rim of the camera. For some this can be quite cumbersome, but for the majority of people that throw cases onto their phones, it shouldn't be a problem.

    Other than a new design encased around a bigger screen, there's not much to externally differentiate the new iPhones from the previous generation. But that's not to say the buck stops there.

Hardware

    The new iPhones come with the latest incarnation of Apple's microprocessors, the A8 & M8. While they're vastly powerful, they're more of an evolutionary bump over last year's A7 & M7, rather than the revolutionary bump we saw from the A6 to the A7. With that said, these processors are still considered state of the art. Even though many rival smartphones boast quad-core processors, the A8 still utilizes a dual-core 64-bit architecture and 1GB of RAM. What's even more interesting is that the new iPhones beat out rivals from HTC and Samsung in various tests, such as internet browsing and response time. Apple has always been known for their focus on power consumption and efficiency, so the A8 and M8 paint a familiar picture.

    The new screen on the iPhone 6 features a 4.7" 1334 x 750 resolution display. On paper, it may fall short of the 1080p and QHD screens featured in other smartphones released this year, but in practice, the iPhone 6 screen shines. The blacks are deep, the colors are vivid, and viewing the screen under a bright sun won't strain your eyes. Browsing the web and reading text on the new screen is great, and you can't truly distinguish individual pixels unless you hold the phone directly up to your face. Even though the resolution is sub-par by today's standards, the iPhone 6 has a great screen.

    When Apple held their press conference almost a month ago, many people expected the new iPhones to boast better cameras. When it was announced that the iPhone was keeping the same 8 megapixel sensor that they've been using since 2012, a lot of photographer's hearts were broken. Instead, Apple announced that they've made upgrades to the sensor to allow more light and added in a new technology that they like to call focus pixels. To keep things simple, focus pixels allow the new iPhone to rapidly focus on subjects, no matter how near or far away they are. In theory, this sounds like a small benefit, but gone are the days where you open the camera app and have to tap the screen and wait a few seconds for the camera to focus so you can get the best shot. Now the iPhones are able to focus almost instantly, and this makes the iPhone a better choice when it comes to choosing a phone camera to get the best shot in any situation.

    Along with those improvements, Apple finally announced something that Android and Windows phones have had for years, NFC. NFC stands for Near Field Communication and is a term used to describe a technology that allows data to be transferred over really short distances, like a few inches. What's great about it is that it can allow you to interact with objects and services just by simply holding the phone in close proximity to an NFC enabled device. Regarding Apple, they've decided to use NFC in the iPhone 6 to introduce a new payment system called Apple Pay. Apple Pay allows you to sync your credit card information to your iPhone. Then, once you come in contact with an NFC capable register at a retailer, you're able to to pay for your items using your phone. You simply hold your phone near the register and use the thumb print on the Touch-ID button to complete the transaction. Although Android phones have had this capability for the past three to four years, Apple's adoption ensures that NFC is here to stay. Since both major platforms have adopted this technology, it means that we're one step closer to ditching our wallets. It's a small step into the future, where our phones will be at the centerpiece for everything that we do.

Software

    The new iPhone 6 comes out of the box with iOS 8. If you watched WWDC back in June, you'll already know of the new features of Apple's latest operating system. Instead, I'd like to talk about how it runs. iOS 8 is super smooth on the iPhone 6. It's obvious that this phone was designed with iOS 8 in mind. Even the rounded curvature of the new screen allows your fingers to glide on the sides of the device, which makes using gestures even more of pleasure. Switching apps and tabs is smoother than what I experienced on my iPhone 5S.

Conclusion

    The iPhone 6 represents change: A change, not only from big to small, but from one direction to the other. It represents a shift in the smartphone market and a bold claim that large screen phones are here to stay. Apple's latest smartphone machines are more evolutionary than revolutionary, but that's not a bad thing. If the something isn't broken, then why reinvent the wheel? Why not just improve the wheel and make it better? That's what Apple has done with the iPhone 6. Feel free to check it out at http://www.apple.com/iphone-6/

Sources
www.apple.com

The Death of the Music Industry

 

By Sarah Nichols
 

 

                The music industry seems to be breaking records day by day. Unfortunately, it is breaking all the wrong kinds. As CD sales are dropping to an all-time low, the music industry is taking a huge blow. It is understandable that the once ever-so-popular compact discs are dying out. Isn’t that what technology does? It slowly creeps into our lives, ignites a whirlwind, and then is snuffed out by the next new thing. Like its predecessors (vinyl records, cassette tapes, and the phonograph), CDs are slowly but surely becoming a thing of the past.
 

                Nielsen SoundScan, which began tracking music sales in 1991, recorded America’s album sales the week of Aug. 28, 2014—a jaw-dropping 3.997 million albums. Not only was it the lowest album sales since 1991, but the first time it has dropped below 4 million in that span of time. People may agree to the idea of CDs becoming extinct with an excuse like, “It is just their time.” But is their death a premature one? Some say yes, and the culprits behind the CD’s untimely death is due to digital downloading, audio streaming, and online piracy.
 

                The event that initiated the downfall of the music industry was the moment digital downloading became available. Instead of having to buy a physical copy, Apple created the online store iTunes that, for a price, provides digital singles and songs available for download. For a mere 69 cents (sometimes 99 cents or $1.99) individuals can pick and choose what they want to download instead of spending 20 bucks on a physical copy they would only listen to a few songs anyway. While aspects of this are great, there are flaws that were unforeseen when digital downloading was first introduced.
 

                Godfather of punk rock Iggy Pop has very loud opinions of exactly what he thinks of digital downloading and U2’s poor attempt of befriending the age of digital downloads. “We are exchanging the corporate rip-off for the public one,” he says, “Aided by power nerds. Kind of computer Putin’s. They just wanna get rich and powerful. And now the biggest bands are charging insane ticket prices or giving away music before it can flop, in an effort to stay huge. And there’s something in this huge thing that kind of sucks.” In fact, NPD estimates that iTunes has been responsible for 63 percent of music downloaded in the past year and that the music industry will never be able to return from the digital age.
 

http://www.digitalmusicnews.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/07/salesplunge2019.jpg

                The rise of audio streaming platforms such as Spotify, Pandora, SoundCloud, YouTube, 8tracks, and a host of other sites makes the accessibility of music easier than anyone could ever imagine. With the  touch of a few keystrokes, anyone can have unlimited access to the many media streaming services from virtually anywhere: from your phone, computer, TV, car or any portable device. It is no wonder that the music industry is suffering. Major stars and artists speak out against the age of digital streaming. They scrutinize the corporations that make a handsome profit off their art that they spent all the money, hard work, blood, sweat and tears creating. Yet, these corporations do nothing to re-invest to keep the artists, that are making them so much money, afloat.

                Amanda Palmer, former lead singer of The Dresden Dolls and front runner of Amanda Palmer and the Grand Theft Orchestra, spoke at the 2013 Virgin’s Disruptors Conference. “…one weird thing is that iTunes, Apple Spotify, Google, whatever, all of the people who are profiting – [and] YouTube – who are profiting off the artists from the small level to the huge levels aren’t really feeding very much back into the creation of new content.  And, that’s actually one of the largest problems, and even though my views aren't nearly as extreme as David Byrne’s, he does bring up the giant question, which is ‘where is the capital going to come from to make art?‘… But wouldn't it seem that the place that is making the lion’s share of the profit should actually also be putting money back into the creation of content to make a healthy ecosystem?”
 

                High-profile bands like Pink Floyd have this to say: “Of course, this letter doesn’t say anything about an 85 percent artist pay cut. That would probably turn off most musicians who might consider signing on. All it says about royalties is ‘we are all fervent advocates for the fair treatment of artists. Fine print is one thing. But a musician could read this ‘letter of support’ a dozen times and hold it up to a funhouse mirror for good measure without realizing she was signing a call to cut her own royalties to pad Pandora’s bottom line.”
 

                Audio piracy is a cheap, fast way to get all your favorite music, and maybe to you a song or two here and there isn’t a big deal. I mean, Katy Perry and Justin Bieber are millionaires. They won’t miss the 99 cents from iTunes or the $17.99 it would be to buy a physical copy, right? Wrong. When everyone across the globe participates in audio piracy, the music industry takes a big hit. Since the emergence of Napster in 1999 and other peer-to-peer sites, American music sales have dropped a disturbing 53 percent from $15.6 billion to $7 billion. According to the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA), “from 2004 though 2009 alone, approximately 30 billion songs were illegally downloaded on file-sharing networks…only 37 percent of music acquired by the U.S. consumers in 2009 was paid for.”

               Even headlining bands are noticing the dramatic decline of profit from albums. Iggy Pop states in his John Peel lecture at the radio festival, “If I had to depend on what I actually get from sales, I'd be tending bars between sets.” He goes on to talk about how the recent digital advances have caused the music industry to become “almost laughably pirate” and the electronic devices “estrange people form their morals and also make it easier to steal music than pay for it.”
 

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               Not only does this merely affect CD sales, but the people who work for the music industry as well. Songwriters, recording artists, audio engineers, computer technicians, talent scouts and marketing specialists, producers, publishers and countless others (RIAA) take a great hit from profit losses. In fact a study, by the Institute for policy Innovation pinpoints the annual damage of audio piracy at $12.5 billion in losses to the United States economy, as well as $2 billion in wages, and a devastating 70,000 lost jobs.
 

               Born in the '90s, I was a kid exploring the beginnings of the Internet.  I discovered that I was in the height of LimeWire. I am ashamed to admit in my younger years (I’m only telling you this because I checked the statute of limitations, and I’m clear), I was an audio pirate. From the ages 7 to 14 I built my own corrupted empire; kids from all grades would give me list of songs to download for me to put on a disc for them. I would charge them $5 a CD. I distinctly remember just before my 10th birthday breaking my portable compact disc player and getting my very first iPod - I was instantly smitten. Yes, I had money from my criminal transactions, but it wasn’t enough to buy all the music I wanted. So what did I do? I just downloaded more songs. Sure, I knew it was a “crime”, but I didn’t really know how serious it was nor who or what I was affecting. Only until we had a talk in our Criminal Justice class and I conducted my own research did I realize I was part of the music industry’s problem.
 

                I seriously believe that if we teach kids at a younger age how their actions online can cause irreversible effects, then a lot of these problems will be solved. To my knowledge, there are no such programs available, but maybe this is something to consider installing in our future curriculum. Keep in mind, I’m not telling you to stop jamming out to Spotify or to boycott the iTunes store; they’re both amazing music platforms that I love using. I’m asking for you to stop and think next time you decide to rip a song off PirateBay—reflect on the repercussions of this action. When you digitally download an album, maybe every once and a while you can dish out the extra $10 to buy the physical copy. In the end, it will be worth it to see the music industry be restored to its former glory; there is no telling what we will see from it when it is.
 

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Miata One Horse One Rider: The Ideal Sports Car Choice

                                                                   By: John Saupé

            You open the door and sit down. You notice the seats hug your sides ever so slightly. You feel secure but not cramped. Then you put on the seat belt and turn the key. As you start to move, you notice the sensitive steering and tight handling. Now you hit the gas in first gear and it squeals the tires as you accelerate and feel the suspension tighten up. That’s when you love yourself for buying a Miata.

         

            Since its day view in the year 1989, the Mx-5 Miata has been the leader in the small roadster class. It is recognized worldwide as the inexpensive, reliable, and fuel-efficient track car made for the street. When the Miata came out, they sold like crazy because of this, which makes it the perfect car to start a race car project or a car to enjoy driving to work while getting 30 plus miles per gallon. This is great because now there are many parts available both aftermarket and original engine manufacture. So that brings us to the start of what this blog post is about.
 

            Over the years I have grown to love all sports cars for what they are. Sports cars have been around since people have manufactured cars. At first they were just stripped down versions of normal cars to increase speed and handling capability. But I am truly in love with the’ 90s sport cars. I have ridden in and worked on cars such as the Nissan 240sx, Toyota Supra, Corvette, and of course the Mazda Miata.

          When I went to go buy my first sports car, I made the mistake of getting a Honda Crx. Not a bad choice if you have a lot of money to make it reach its potential, but being a broke college student, I soon realized this and got rid of it for a 1994 Mazda Miata. I did my homework and sat down and figured out that it has almost everything I was looking for. The Miata is still just as slow as the Crx, but it has the potential, for less money, to become a true thrill to drive. What I was looking for was a reliable, two-door, lightweight, rear-wheel drive car. That was when it hit me. A 1990s Miata will run you about $3,000 for a nice one, or for my case, $1,800 fixer-upper. I was fine with this because, even though I am by all means not a car guru, I have the ability to do regular maintenance and small repair jobs such as oil changes and other random engine maintenance and repair requirements. Also, since the Mazda Miata was made in the 1990s, it is old enough to know the common problems and new enough to still easily find parts for the car.
 

          If you are looking for a reliable, fuel efficient, and fun drive, look no further. The Miata has been featured in many car magazines as well as on many forums as the number one track car even still today. It is the king today because of the previously mentioned attributes. And with the aftermarket for the car being massive with the help of companies such as Flyin Miata, anyone can build a street-legal race car. Companies such as Flyin Miata offer everything from oil filters, to wheels, to turbo, and suspension components. This is when what I call the cost to fun factor, comes in. For less than the price of a newer 2005 4.6 liter v8 Ford Mustang, you can have an older Miata that will eat the new 5.0 liter Mustang. Figure it this way; you buy a Miata for around $2,500 and build the engine for $2,000. Now you can make around 300 to 400 horsepower without blowing up the engine. Add another $3,500 in suspension and a turbo, and put a little elbow grease in there, and you have a monster! Oh yeah, and $8,000 is about what a mint condition 2005 Mustang should run you, unless you want the 2014 5.0, which starts at $31,210.
 

            One of the most commonly overlooked aspects of a race car is the weight. People love the Mustang as do I. But at the end of the day, it still weighs in close to 3,500 pounds when the Miata can be reduced to slightly under 2,000 pounds. This is where power to weight ratio comes out to bite the v8 owners in the butt. Let’s do the math; 300 horsepower on a low boost Miata that weighs 2,200 pounds is one horsepower for every 7.3 pounds. Now the new 5.0 Mustang weights around 3,700 pounds, which is not horrible by all means but does limit the ability of that car. Now the 3,700-pound Mustang makes 420 horsepower, which means the power-to-weight ratio is 8.8 pounds to the same one horsepower. Which, since you're reading this, you know that makes a huge difference especially on a back road. 

            This is why I encourage you, if you have not already bought one, to buy a Miata. The possibilities are endless for performance. Or if you want to keep it original and have fun do what you feel is right. Here’s a link to the Flyin Miata's website; http://www.flyinmiata.com/. So, go ahead and take a look at what’s there. If it’s for you, then chase your dreams. If it’s not, then have fun, but get ready to be passed! Thank you for reading have a great time on the streets!

                                                            Sources

http://usnews.rankingsandreviews.com/cars-trucks/Mazda_MX-5-Miata/
 

http://www.flyinmiata.com/
 

http://www.mazda.com/

http://www.caranddriver.com/mazda/mx-5-miata