Facebook eclipses MySpace
Facebook has overtaken MySpace in number of unique visitors, according to comScore (Silicon Valley Insider, March 18). This news thrills me because I despise MySpace ever since an incident in summer 2006. [Read more →]
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Facebook has overtaken MySpace in number of unique visitors, according to comScore (Silicon Valley Insider, March 18). This news thrills me because I despise MySpace ever since an incident in summer 2006. [Read more →]
Performing live on the Internet
Second Life (SL) debuted in 2003 but has taken off over the last two years, with participants reportedly numbering more than 13 million. Developed by Linden Lab, SL is a three-dimensional version of the Internet. What’s cool for musicians is that virtual venues have been created specifically for the purpose of live music performance. [Read more →]
Bjork strikes the right chord on Tibet
So China’s feelings are hurt by Bjork’s actions at a recent concert where she shouted “Tibet!” after performing the song “Declare Independence.” Although she has dedicated the song to a variety of independence movements in different performances, making this statement in China was courageous. If we censored ourselves because of concerns about hurting the feelings of people in different countries, South Africa would still be under apartheid, and the U.S. would still be reneging on its treaty commitments to Native Americans (oh, whoops, strike that last one).
Bjork deserves credit for doing the right thing. The Tibetans deserve to be able to practice Buddhism freely and honor their spiritual and political leader, the Dalai Lama. Musicians around the world have a rich tradition of using music to protest injustice. Go, Bjork!
A musical map of the world
One of my favorite blogs is Strange Maps, which recently posted this “World Beat Music” map of the world with the continents outlined by musical notation on staves of music. The music was written by James Plakovic, and you can purchase a copy of the score at his website http://plakovic.com/originals/WBM.shtml. Although he’s posted a song sample, it unfortunately bears no resemblance to the actual notes on the map. (The actual musical result would be pretty inharmonious, in contrast to the “harmonic world beat” designation in the score.)
To see a more detailed image and interesting commentary, visit the All the World in a Song posting at Strange Maps.
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