Gen Xers, Millennials And Even Some Gen Zs Choose Vinyl & Drive Record Sales Up

Vinyl sales have been surging in the last few years, driven by a wide-age range of consumers |(Florencia Viadana / Unsplash, CC BY-SA)

Vinyl sales have been surging in the last few years, as CD sales stay flat and digital downloads decrease. In the United Kingdom, data from 2016 reveals that vinyl LP sales revenue surpassed that of digital downloads. And in the United States, LP sales are on par with the sales of CDs.

In an era when so much music is at our fingertips through streaming services for under $10 a month, who is spending their hard-earned cash on vinyl? Streaming is currently the primary and cheapest way to buy music. According to the Recording Industry Association of America (RIAA) database, paid subscription streaming services such as Spotify dominated music sales revenue in the U.S. in 2018, accounting for almost 50 per cent of revenue. But cassettes, CDs and digital downloads have all held that position in the past.

Teens of the 1980s (now aged approximately 45 to 54) and the ‘90s (now aged approximately 35 to 44) were the two largest age demographics buying vinyl in 2018, accounting for 24 and 21 per cent respectively of new vinyl sales in the U.S., according to 2018 data from the RIAA.

Vinyl’s lasting influence

Sales data shows that cassettes first surpassed vinyl LP sales in the U.S. in 1983. Then CDs surpassed cassette sales in 1991.

At that point, vinyl LPs disappeared from most music stores, remaining only a DJ specialty. They accounted for only 0.8 per cent of total music sales.

Tim Ford, vice-president of purchasing at Sunrise Records, says he recalls feeling forced to buy CDs in the '90s because they were cheaper than vinyl and more widely available for him as a broke teenager. Now, Ford and many other '80s and '90s kids are working adults with disposable incomes. Ford says 35-to-40-year-olds want music from their generation like their parents had.

These consumers are used to the concept of owning music, but now they want vinyl, because they think it’s better quality, and they have the money for it.

Michael Greaves is another example of this type of vinyl consumer; he was a DJ in the '90s and has a collection of 1,200 CDs — many of which he bought eight for a penny. Now he works full-time as a music administrator and is an avid vinyl collector.

Greaves says he buys vinyl because “with vinyl you get a warmth you don’t get with CDs.” There’s just something about the crackle of a vinyl record that makes people feel at home.

Owning a physical copy

No artist is forced to put his or her music on streaming services and not every artist even has the legal right to do so. The popular albums of the ‘80s and ‘90s that aren’t being widely reissued are going for hundreds of dollars on resale sites.

A mint-condition vinyl LP of De La Soul’s 1989 album 3 Feet High and Rising, for instance, is selling for more than $360 on Discogs. That album isn’t being widely reissued and is now unavailable on paid subscription streaming services such as Tidal, which is said to be because of artist and label disputes.

The initial excitement about streaming services seems to have worn off since Spotify launched in Sweden in 2008. Consumers are now seeing flaws in streaming, one of them being that we can never be fully assured of access to their favourite songs without owning a physical copy of them.

Andrew Winistorfer, editorial director at Vinyl Me, Please, a record-of-the-month club, says that young people today accept that you don’t own music. CD sales were at their height at the same time that music piracy became popular and almost destroyed the music industry.
However, the young today still account for part of the new surge in vinyl sales. Winistorfer explains that vinyl is “the cooler way to have … a physical manifestation of this music that you like.”

Willing to pay

RIAA data shows that 25-to-34-year-olds and 18-to-24-year-olds accounted for 19 and 16 per cent respectively of U.S. new vinyl sales in 2018. This is valuable to artists who are not being paid what they’d like to be on streaming services. For artists, selling other merchandise has become increasingly important.

Luckily for them, some fans are willing to pay for exclusive merchandise and experiences on crowdfunding platforms. A 2013 Indiegogo campaign for the Canadian band Protest The Hero raised nearly $450,000 to fund an album and 1,299 copies of the signed, limited-edition vinyl LP were claimed as rewards.

Katy Perry has a vinyl record coming out soon. It’s a record-first release but her truest “Katy Cats” will surely snatch up those 4,000 copies quickly to be able to hold a piece of their favourite artist in their hands.

Consumers have less control than they might think over what music they can access. What will happen if one day your favourite artist doesn’t have the resources, desire or legal right to keep your favourite songs up on a streaming service? What if you simply want to hold the music you love in your hands? Teens of the 80s and 90s would probably tell you to buy the album — on vinyl.

About Today's Contributor:

Marina Eckersley, Dalla Lana Fellow in Global Journalism, University of Toronto

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. 

KAICIID Allocates 1.5 Million Euros for Initiatives to Counter Hate Speech in 2020

More than 190 international delegates and guests, among them Heinz Fischer, former President of Austria and Adama Dieng, Special Advisor to the United Nations Secretary General for the Prevention of Genocide, will gather in Vienna on 30-31 October for a conference organised by the International Dialogue Centre (KAICIID) as a response to the UN Plan of Action on Hate Speech presented earlier this year. (Photo: Daniel Shaked)

Faisal bin Muammaar, Secretary General of the International Dialogue Centre (KAICIID) announced an allocation of nearly 1.5 million Euros for initiatives aimed at countering hate speech across the Centre's global programmes in 2020.

"The advent of the digital age has magnified the effects of antisemitism, Islamophobia, xenophobia and other manifestations leading to the isolation of individuals and groups on the basis of their identities, whether faith-based, gender-based or race-based," bin Muammaar said.

"The Centre aims to enhance the positive role of religious leaders and their institutions in countering hate speech and contributing to social cohesion at local and regional levels. To this end, I can announce that KAICIID is investing nearly 1.5 million Euros in 2020 towards the implementation of the recommendations and action plan agreed by this conference."

The investment, announced at an international conference organised by the Centre and attended by nearly 200 delegates and guests from all over the world, is intended to further align KAICIID's activities with the United Nations Plan of Action on Hate Speech announced earlier this year. The Centre was also involved in discussions leading to the 2017 UN Global Plan of Action for Religious Leaders and Actors to Prevent and Counter Incitement to Violence That Could Lead to Atrocity Crimes and has made countering incitement and hate speech a key component of its programmatic outreach.

KACIID's initiatives for next year will be administered in its focus countries and regions, comprised of Nigeria, the Arab region, Myanmar, Europe and the Central African Republic. They will include:

• Social media campaigns against hate speech and training for vulnerable groups such as women and people seeking refuge to counter the phenomenon.
• Supporting existing efforts and assisting in launching new national initiates to counter hate speech.
• A tailored training programme for media experts, journalists and social media influencers on the responsible use of their channels.

And in a new initiative, the Centre will be investing a significant amount into gathering and presenting polling data to help inform and shape its programmes while at the same time improving its contribution to discussions at policy making levels.

These commitments follow an allocation this year of almost 900,000 Euros which have also been directed at programmatic interventions dealing with hate speech and its impact on social cohesion. This allocation is in addition to amounts spent in other programmatic activities.

The announcement was made during the conference entitled "The Power of Words: The Role of Religion, Media and Policy in Countering Hate Speech," which had keynote contributions made by the former Austrian President Heinz Fischer; Adama Dieng, Special Advisor to the United Nations Secretary General for the Prevention of Genocide; and Ján Figel, Special Envoy for the promotion of freedom of religion or belief outside the European Union.

During his keynote address, Fischer told delegates: "If a word can have such an impact and such relevance, we can imagine what damage hate speech can bring to a human being, to a community, to society and to the principle of peaceful dialogue and respectful cooperation.

I accepted this invitation with pleasure, because I am ardently against hate speech and I am convinced that the overwhelming majority of the Austrian population is supporting this position. Fighting against hate speech is an essential element of defending human rights," the former President of Austria said.

Dieng for his part expressed concern over the growth of hate speech worldwide in recent years and commended KAICIID's work in the field. "At the United Nations we extremely value the work of KAICIID. We extremely value the convening of this first and historic conference on the power of words. We have to remember that the holocaust did not start with the gas chambers. It started much before with words. Words kill," he said.

Cardinal Miguel Ayuso Guixot, President of the Pontifical Council for Interreligious Dialogue, who represents the Holy See at KAICIID's Council of Parties and is a member of the Centre's Board was one of the high level religious leaders opening the conference. "World peace through human fraternity is not some idealistic dream but a reality that has emerged, taken hold in concrete ways, in events such as this, fostering dialogue and understanding. KAICIID is a living example of the efforts to counter hate speech, not only through the media, but by the very experience of working together to better relations and understanding between religions," he said.

The bulk of conference delegates were from the Arab region, where hate speech has been a major cause of division and violence. H.E Sheikh Abdallah bin Bayyah, President of the Forum for Promoting Peace in Muslim Societies and religious leaders representing the Arab region's Christian, Druze, Jewish, Muslim and Yazidi communities also attended. Many of them are part of the KAICIID-supported Interreligious Platform for Dialogue and Cooperation in the Arab World. The conference also received contributions by members of organisations such as the KAICIID-supported Muslim Jewish Leadership Council (MJLC), as well as other European experts, in order to produce shared perspectives and initiatives common to both regions.

The conference created specialist panels of experts to discuss countering hate speech in the policymaking, religious, media and educational fields. Delegates produced a special declaration and an action plan.

SOURCE: The International Dialogue Centre (KAICIID)

New Documentary by World Robot Olympiad Reveals Why Kids Fall in Love with Robotics

Each year, students from around the globe compete in World Robot Olympiad. To claim the coveted championship, they use their engineering skills, LEGO ingenuity, and competitive drive to qualify regionally, nationally, and internationally. ME & MY ROBOT follows 18 teams from 10 different countries — utilizing video diaries from the kids themselves.

Robotics is not just the stuff of sci-fi movies anymore, but something every child can – and should – learn to develop skills that employers are already prizing. That is the mission of World Robot Olympiad: to introduce STEM through fun robotics competitions and connecting thousands of children and youth regardless of their nationality and background. 

A new documentary – ME & MY ROBOT – follows several WRO teams to show how robotics impact the way kids see and interact with the world around them. The documentary premieres November 8 during the international final in Hungary, and will be part of a campaign to inspire students to explore their interest in STEM.

Trailer for ME & MY ROBOT

New friend, bonus family and first place

Fabian and Adib are two of the kids featured in the documentary. The story of how they became a team is remarkable. In 2016, Adib moved from Syria to Germany with his family, because the situation in Edlib had become too dangerous. His plan was to continue with robotics in Germany, maybe to forget about the war and leaving home. To find a partner, Adib looked for participants in robotic competitions and came across Fabian, who appeared to be the only other teenager in the state working with robotics in their age group. By a stroke of luck Fabian went to a school in Halle, Adib's new home town.

They met, and despite the fact they didn't share a language, they talked 2-3 hours about building better algorithms and robots. The first year they communicated in English. The second year Adib was fluent in German and they won 1st place in the German national WRO final. 

Adib says: "The main reason I speak German is because of Fabian's parents. I went climbing, swimming, and skiing with the family. They showed me how cool Germany is and have helped me a lot with practical things. They still do."

'Where else could this happen'

Last year at the international WRO final in Thailand, Adib and Fabian talked to the Russian team. They communicated through Google translate, exchanged email and are still developing algorithms together. 

Adib says: "They build algorithms on top of ours, which is extra cool. Where else could this happen: Syrians, Germans and Russians coding together? This kind of experience can't be taught at university or on your own. You have to exchange ideas and learn from other experienced people."

Adib's and Fabian's passion for robotics and LEGO have been passed on to their younger brothers, who now participate in WRO. Word of mouth is one way to acquaint more kids with STEM. Another is collaboration between NGOs, companies, governments and universities who want to help foster the engineers and inventors of tomorrow. Like the international WRO final in November which is hosted by the Hungarian government and Edutus University – and ME & MY ROBOT, which is presented by Juniper Networks and executive producer James Redford.

Facts

• The documentary was filmed up to and during the international final in Thailand 2018.
• More than 27,000 teams are participating in national WRO competitions in 2019.
• The international WRO final attracts 400 teams from 65 countries and 3,000 visitors.
• Teams consist of two to three young people supervised by a coach.

SOURCE: World Robot Olympiad Association

Related Video:

The Legendary Doll Collection Of American Heiress Huguette Clark Announced For Auction

A sample of over 400 Dolls and Automata from the collection of mysterious heiress, Huguette Clark, to be auctioned by Theriault's

When Huguette Clark, the 104-year-old daughter of W.A. Clark, the Gilded Age copper baron, died in 2011, she and her father left a legacy that spanned from the American Civil War all the way to the Obama administration. This fascinating life was documented in the New York Times best-selling book, Empty Mansions, by Bill Dedman and Paul Clark Newell Jr.

Among the treasures she left behind in her Manhattan 5th Avenue penthouse were paintings by Monet and Renoir, violins by Stradivarius, jewels from Cartier and her famed collection of rare antique dolls.

The doll collection will be auctioned by Theriault's, the international doll auction firm, at a special event to be held in Santa Barbara on January 11th and 12th, 2020 to benefit The Bellosguardo Foundation which oversees the historical coastal property in Santa Barbara, CA bequeathed by Huguette Clark as a future center for the arts. 

• A small collection of historically relevant dolls will be curated by Theriault's and retained by Bellosguardo for inclusion in the home display.

The collection comprises extraordinary dolls and automata from the French golden age of 1860-1890, as well as selections of sought-after early Japanese cultural dolls and architectural miniatures.

The dolls will be presented in a commemorative catalog which includes many historical references concerning the life of Huguette Clark including such unique correspondences as that with Christian Dior, the iconic fashion house which created custom costumes for some of her 19th-century fine French bebes.

Huguette Clark at Columbia Gardens, Butte, Montana

About Huguette Clark:

(Via Wikipedia)

Huguette Marcelle Clark (June 9, 1906 – May 24, 2011) was an American heiress and philanthropist, who became well known again late in life as a recluse, living in hospitals for more than 20 years while her various mansions remained unoccupied. She is the subject of the No. 1 bestselling biography Empty Mansions and the planned film based on the book.

The youngest daughter of Montana senator and industrialist William A. Clark, she spent her early life in Paris before relocating with her family to New York City, where she was educated at the Spence School. After a short-lived marriage ended in 1930, Clark returned to her residence at 907 Fifth Avenue, a large twelfth-floor apartment that she significantly expanded to occupying two floors. She also meticulously maintained Bellosguardo, a large familial estate in Santa Barbara, California, though she never returned to the property after the 1950s. [Click here to read more...]

About The Bellosguardo Foundation:

Huguette Clark bequeathed her magnificent Santa Barbara estate to the Bellosguardo Foundation in order to transform it into a focal point for art and culture. For more than half a century, the estate has stood frozen in time. The Foundation is committed to honoring the Clarks' legacy, while transforming Bellosguardo into a center for art, music, history, and culture on the California coast.

SOURCE: Theriault's

Here's How Your Foreign Accent Can Unfairly Destroy Your Credibility

It’s not what you say… it’s how you say it. (Shutterstock)

There’s an old Punch magazine cartoon depicting a rather typical business boardroom. The group in the illustration includes one woman and several men, with the chairman saying, “That’s an excellent suggestion, Miss Triggs. Perhaps one of the men here would like to make it?”

The cartoon is still regularly shared on social media in the context of the debate around unconscious, or automatic, bias. This bias can happen when people unknowingly favour people who appear to be more like themselves, and discriminate against those who appear “different”. Examples include white people being more likely to find black male faces more threatening, or applicants with ethnic minority sounding names being less likely to get a job interview, even when they have the same qualifications.

Many employers now require their employees to take courses aimed at making them aware of this bias. Judging another person’s capability or credibility based on their gender, race or whether they use a wheelchair is obviously discriminatory, as such characteristics are unrelated to competence and expertise.

What accents say

But most people never stop to reflect on the degree to which accent can affect their opinion of the person speaking – particularly (but not only) if the accent gives the speaker away as someone who did not learn the language as a native speaker.

A particularly disturbing example was recently reported in the form of a judgment by Canadian judge Terry Clackson. The judgment lists in great detail a range of grammatical and phonetic “errors” committed by the Crown’s expert medical witness, Dr Bamidele Adeagbo – who is of Nigerian descent – rejecting the expert opinion delivered in his capacity as the physician who performed an autopsy that was a key element in the case.

In the present day and age, one would very much hope that stereotypes based on race, gender or sexual identity would not be seen as remotely acceptable arguments in a court ruling. So how can a supposedly imperfect command of the English language by someone who did not have the good fortune of being born and raised in what linguist David Crystal has termed an “inner circle” country – such as the UK, the US or Canada – be acceptable grounds for dismissing their considerable expertise?

‘You’re not from 'round here!’ (Shutterstock)

Like the non-male, the non-white and the non-able-bodied, non-native speakers often face an uphill struggle to be heard and taken seriously. Research shows that they are seen as less intelligent and competent, are less likely to be found suitable for higher-status jobs, and are less likely to be believed when delivering trivia statements such as “ants don’t sleep”.

How well we speak the language therefore is a measuring stick for how competent we are at anything else. As the linguist Vivian Cook pointed out, foreign language speakers are typically evaluated not on the basis of how far they have come, what they have achieved and how much they are able to do, but by the gap that still separates them from the “ideal” native. The enumeration by Justice Clackson of the imperfections in Adeagbo’s use of English is a textbook example of such an evaluation.

Such biases are particularly common in societies where it still is considered the norm for people to grow up speaking only one language, and where foreign language learning is deemed to be a “useless” luxury – although similar biases have been shown to apply among other non-natives who presumably should share the pain.<

‘Where are you from?’

Even more disturbingly, labelling someone as “foreign”, with all the prejudices and stereotypes that this incurs, is something that literally happens within a split second. One study found that judgements on whether or not a speaker is a native can be surprisingly accurate upon hearing a speech segment that is just 30 milliseconds long.

Certainly, after a sentence or two, the listener will have made up their mind – and often will follow it up with the inevitable and ubiquitous question: “Oh, where are you from?” At that point, you know you have been labelled – and that your credibility is in tatters. What you say is now less important than how you say it.

While it is essential that these prejudices should be called out and recognised as part and parcel of unconscious bias, and that we should try to work against them, it is clear that this will have to be a marathon, not a sprint. The view that someone with a more “native” command of a language must be more knowledgeable than one who doesn’t – even if we are talking about a non-native who is considerably more expert – is deeply rooted and hard to challenge.

In an ideal world, society should treat everyone as equal, regardless of their wealth, power, status, race, gender – or accent. We do not live in such an ideal world. But there is a reason why many societies represent Lady Justice as wearing a blindfold: the judiciary must put facts and expertise in the balance and be able to abstract away from base prejudices.

“Thank you for your excellent analysis, Dr Adeagbo – perhaps a native speaker would care to present it?” is simply not good enough.

About Today's Contributor:

Monika Schmid, Professor of Linguistics, University of Essex

This article is republished from The Conversation under a Creative Commons license. 

How the War on Drugs and Myths about Addiction Have Created a War on All of Us

War on Us: How the War on Drugs and Myths about Addiction Have Created a War on All of Us. - Book Cover

While the War on Drugs may have sounded like a good idea at one time, the consequences have been catastrophic. One in three adults in the United States now have a criminal record, primarily for drug possession. The U.S. government seizes more assets under civil forfeiture law than ALL reported burglaries combined. Parents grieve the loss of their children as overdose and mass incarceration have escalated. Patients with severe illness or chronic pain are denied access to proven pain medications.

We've all become victims of this war, observes Colleen Cowles, a lawyer, speaker, teacher, advocate and author of the new book, War on Us: How the War on Drugs and Myths about Addiction Have Created a War on All of Us.

Cowles spent 15 years researching and writing this informative yet highly personal book. She is the parent of two sons whose experiences sparked her interest in learning more about the War on Drugs and its victims. As an attorney, she worked with clients whose lives were turned upside down by addiction and failed drug policy. Ultimately, she produced a roadmap for how individuals, professionals and policy makers can transform this punitive war into compassionate and effective policy. Cowles is also the author of the online course "A Parent's Guide to Addiction: Moving Past Punishment."

What Others Are Saying About the Book:

"A must-read for parents, taxpayers, educators, decision-makers, health-care providers and criminal justice professionals." — Gretchen Burns Bergman, A New PATH; Moms United to End the War on Drugs

"I highly recommend this book to anyone concerned about the increasing toll of death and destruction resulting from America's longest war." — Jeffrey A. Singer, MD, senior fellow, Cato Institute

"As a retired police detective, I've personally seen the effects of the War on Drugs. Colleen Cowles has captured the day-to-day agony created, for citizens as well as for law enforcement, and gives valuable insight into the history, the effects, the obstacles to change, and logical alternatives to this war that's killing our kids and destroying our communities." — Howard Wooldridge, Citizen's Opposing Prohibition; co-founder of Law Enforcement Against Prohibition

"This book is highly readable, engaging, fast-paced and covers a breathtaking amount of ground." — Daniel N. Abrahamson, former director of legal affairs and senior legal advisor at the Drug Policy Alliance; law school lecturer on drug law and policy

"A compelling look behind the scenes on the War on Drugs and the ensuing humanitarian crisis facing those living with chronic disease and addiction." — Lauren Deluca, president, CIAAG, (Chronic Illness Advocacy & Awareness Group)

Colleen Cowles

About the Author:

Colleen Cowles, J.D., speaks at corporate, public, association and university events, and is an author and frequent radio and TV guest expert on topics related to criminal justice reform, drug policy, and substance use disorder.

Related Video:

SOURCE: Colleen Cowles

Living With An Environmentaly Friendly Focus: Can You Do More?

A cup of coffee and a laptop... (image via Pixabay)

Some people have big views on the way the modern society is changing. The use of carbon emissions in our city centres. The way we have created such a wasteful lifestyle, and how we can take convenience as a matter of importance. There is the failings of vulnerable people being reported everyday, and the protests of peace for the whole world that can be ignored. So as someone who may feel strongly about these views, are you doing all that you can to live with this focus, and to help spread awareness? With that question in mind, here are some of the things that you could consider.

It isn’t just about what you say

Sometimes it isn’t just about what you say to people, you need to be able to share and spread awareness with information that has the right level of facts and also information that supports what you are saying. This is when you may want to look online and find websites that are full of information on the subject, such as websites like https://www.wopg.org/ where peace of words and different speakers will help to share and express your views in a different way.

Using digital platforms to your advantage

A great way to help share what you are doing and the changes that you are making to your life and the way that you live is to use digital platforms to help spears the awareness a little more. This could be easily done through already established personal social media channels that you have. It might be a case of sharing articles or speeches that mean something to you, or simply sharing what you are doing to make a change. You could also use an online blog to write about it in more detail. Sharing your articles with people and also helping them to spread awareness through the information and the content that you have written.

Practice what you preach

Another option to consider would be to seriously practice what you preach. That might be things like living more sustainably. This could mean things like growing your own food, and recycling more. It could mean that you live more consciously, such as using less plastic on a day to day basis to help reduce the amount of consumption that is polluting our seas right now. You could also change the way your home is energised by opting for solar panels as an option instead. There are many ways that you can live in the way that you believe in, that doing so can help you to lead by example with others following.

Find people that share the same view

Finally, it may be worth finding people that share the same views and opinions than you. This is different to seeking out confirmation on websites and through online blogs set up by others. This could be in your friends, your co-workers, and the people you lease with day in day out.

Let’s hope these suggestions help you to live with an environmentally friendly focus in your life.

Balt Getty Debuts New Single, 'LOSER' with Eccentric Music Video [Video Included]

Balt Getty - Loser Artwork

The Los Angeles born-and-raised maverick that is Balt Getty is back with another single, just in time for Halloween. The multi-talent creative releases "LOSER," the new theme song for all those who feel different. Everyone, even The Rock, has days that they feel like a loser and Balt Getty is right there with you.

"LOSER" brings a sense of humor and wit to the subject. Balt, himself, feels this way but yet travels the world, designs beautiful clothing, DJs some amazing parties, and still, sometimes he feels like a loser and an alien in this world. The song itself has a catchy melody that's easy to move and sing or rap along with. The lyrics are literally brought to lyrics through the music video, giving viewers an inside look on the real-life of Balt Getty; everything from his art to his clothing line, his drawings, his travels, his music. Intertwined with the lyrics as they're brought to life around the screen with playful effects that give the video some extra oomph.

The Video:

You may already be familiar with Balt Getty from one of his many feature films or TV roles or his newly launched clothing line/store Monk Punk. However, these days the recording artist/DJ is focused on his first love, music, and has been releasing under his alter-ego Balt Getty and working on his visionary collective Purple Haus Music, which has ignited collaborations for everyone from rap legends Wu-Tang Clan to Latin superstar Asdru Sierra.

Balt Getty

Getty sheds some insight on his ideas behind the new release, "The song LOSER is about feeling different. Feeling like a loser, feeling like a creep, feeling like an outsider. And then drawing parallels with being a Vampire, needing blood to survive. A metaphor for needing attention, needing love. Needing all those things we're always looking for to fulfill ourselves, to fill that hole inside of us I guess. All with a sense of humor of course. Yeah, it's in the title. I'm a loser I'm a creep, I'm a weirdo, I'm eccentric. You know, all these things that are a part of me. We see one thing on the outside but often feel differently on the inside. It's sorta cheeky, witty look at that."

• You can also listen to the song here

SOURCE: Balt Getty

Maya Biosphere Watch Opposes Proposal For Jungle Train And Disney-Like Theme Park

Archaeologist Richard Hansen looks out over the Maya Biosphere he hopes to develop from a tower at El Mirador. ( Photo by Kelly McLaughlin.)

A proposal to build a Disney-like theme park in the Maya Biosphere Reserve in northern Guatemala is under fire from a coalition of forestry and conservation groups as well as Mayan archaeologists.

"The future of the Maya Biosphere Reserve must lie in the hands of the Guatemalan people," said Teena Clipston, founder of the Maya Biosphere Watch, a coalition opposing the project. "They are the ones that need to make the decisions in what happens to their land."

The jungle theme park is the brainchild of Dr. Richard D. Hansen, an archaeologist from Rupert, Idaho, and director of the El Mirador Archaeological Project in the reserve.

"We have a real live Disneyland here," Hansen said. "We don't have to invent anything. It's all here. Animals, crocodiles, tapirs, jaguars, ruins, jungle, macaws, parrots, toucans, it's all here," Hansen said in an interview at the El Mirador archaeological site.

Though the plan has not been made available to the public, Maya Biosphere Watch reports that a 2018 executive summary documented plans for multiple hotels and a train that would traverse the rainforest, linking nine archaeological sites.

Clipston said forestry workers, archaeologists, and conservation groups in the area opposes the plan. The group believes the theme park would disrupt conservation efforts by forestry concessions and displace thousands of local residents, many of whom are descended from the ancient Maya, she said.

Hansen has hired a lobbying firm to seek out government assistance in Washington to raise the more than $100 million dollars for the project. Hansen has worked in the area for decades and has pursued this vision for at least 20 years. He believes it will be the salvation of the region, preventing deforestation, drug trafficking and halting migration to the U.S.

Conservation groups say the reserve is not in any immediate danger and insist that removing national parks and forest concessions would threaten the fragile rainforest environment. 

They point to a 2017 report by Consejo Nacional de Áreas Protegidas, a government agency, that shows a net gain in the amount of forest within the Eastern MBR over recent years.

"Like most people," Clipston said. "I was lured into the idea of this proposal being beneficial to the people and the forest, but after further investigation I was disheartened."

Dr. Tomas Barrientos, codirector of La Corona Archaeological Project in the MBR, says "The role that local communities have played in the preservation of nature must be taken into consideration."

Dr. Francisco Estrada-Belli, a Guatemalan archaeologist and director of the Holmul Archaeological Project, openly voices his disapproval. "It concerns me that those outside the academic community who currently support Hansen's project genuinely believe he is working to benefit Guatemala, while the plan appears to be more about him having control of a large portion of the country than about benefitting Guatemala or science."

Roan Balas McNab, program director of Wildlife Conservation Society in Guatemala, says Hansen's plan would "undermine the social fabric of the eastern Maya Biosphere Reserve, one of the few Mesoamerican wilderness areas that is actually increasing in size.

Our call to Guatemalans, Mexicans, and the U.S. supporters alike is that they take a step back, debate the merits and challenges inherent in this proposal, and at all costs avoid a rush to judgement."

• A full report on the controversy is available here.

SOURCE: Maya Biosphere

HBO Makes It "Rain Squid" To Promote New Series Watchmen In New York City And Los Angeles [Video Included]

HBO makes it "rain squid" to promote new series Watchmen in New York City and Los Angeles (PRNewsfoto/OUTFRONT Media Inc.)

In anticipation of one of their biggest shows of the year, HBO made a massive splash for Watchmen by utilizing an array of OUTFRONT (NYSE: OUT) out-of-home assets including bus posters, transit shelters, wallscapes, billboards, subway posters, and Liveboards, throughout New York City and Los Angeles.

The campaign maximizes augmented reality ("AR") on LA and NY bus shelters , which surprises commuters as it appears to "rain squids" from the sky, a reference from the original Watchmen graphic novel and the series' first episode. 

This is accomplished by placing a camera directed on the street and superimposing the experience on the current environment. The Liveboards included a real-time countdown that led up to the show's premiere on Sunday, October 20; an additional eight episodes will be released throughout the season. 

The series' all-star cast members include, Regina King, Jeremy Irons, Don Johnson, Jean Smart, Tim Blake Nelson, Yahya Abdul-Mateen II and more.

The Video:

"Squid falling from the sky is a daily reality for the characters in our Watchmen universe, and one that to them isn't really that odd," said Yauny Wheaton, VP Program Marketing, HBO. "For commuters in our world though it would be totally unexpected. So, with the use of AR technology we found a way to bring this unique element of the series to life."

The campaign features the series' key image and tagline "It's Time" in bright neon font, which is promoted on both dynamic digital and static displays. With a combination of out-of-home assets placed throughout two of the largest cities in the country, the show is set to have a significant following.

"The combination of highly visible out-of-home media formats created huge awareness for Watchmen's much anticipated launch," said Jodi Senese, Chief Marketing Officer of OUTFRONT Media. "HBO utilized a strong mix of static and dynamic digital assets to prime and excite the marketplace for this bold new series."

Watchmen on HBO

About HBO's Watchmen:

(Via Wikipedia)

Watchmen is an American superhero drama television series, inspired by some characters from the DC Comics limited series of the same name created by Alan Moore and Dave Gibbons. The TV series is created by Damon Lindelof for HBO, with Lindelof serving as executive producer and writer. The series takes place in an alternate contemporary reality in the United States, in which superheroes and masked vigilantes were outlawed due to their violent methods, but some of them gather around to start a revolution while others attempt to stop it.

According to Lindelof, the TV series is not a direct adaptation of the original source material, instead, being "remixed"; aiming to tell an entirely new story set in the world where the events of the original storyline took place. The series also showcases different points of view, with the only characters from the original storyline confirmed to appear in the series being Doctor Manhattan, the former Silk Spectre, and former hero Ozymandias. It retains continuity with the original comic, however, and can be considered a loose sequel. The series' lead character is detective Angela Abar, codenamed Sister Night, portrayed by Regina King.

[...]

HBO's Watchmen - The Trailer:

SOURCE: OUTFRONT Media Inc.

Saddle Up With George Strait As AXS Celebrates Country Icon's Upcoming Las Vegas Shows With Life-Like Pumpkin Carving For Halloween [Video Included]

An annual tradition, AXS has created a larger-than-life pumpkin sculpture of a music icon. For 2019, the ticketing and technology company selected the best pumpkin from the patch and headed to Texas to hold court with the King of Country himself, George Strait.

For the fourth year in a row, AXS has created a larger-than-life pumpkin sculpture of a music icon. For 2019, AXS selected the best pumpkin from the patch and headed to Texas to hold court with the King of Country himself, George Strait. 

Soundtracked to Strait's hit singles "We Really Shouldn't Be Doing This," "Write This Down" and more, the life-like carving captures Strait's unmistakable rabble-rousing spirit, decking the pumpkin with the singer's trademark Stetson and winning cowboy smile.

The George Strait Pumpkin Video:

AXS created the George Strait pumpkin to celebrate the country giant's upcoming exclusive engagement at T-Mobile Arena in Las Vegas. Since 2018, Strait has set up camp in the Entertainment Capital of the World, headlining multiple shows at T-Mobile Arena with more on the way in 2020. 

George Strait

• Strait will perform at T-Mobile with Ashley McBryde as support this December 6 and 7 before returning again in February 2020 during his "Gone West" run.

The George Strait pumpkin (carved by pumpkin artist Jon Neill) continues AXS' Halloween tradition of carving life-like pumpkins of some of the world's greatest talent. In 2016, the Jon Bon Jovi pumpkin did the rounds, while Slash and Brendon Urie of Panic! At The Disco transformed into pumpkins in 2017 and 2018, respectively. Now, it's the King's turn.

The Slash Pumpkin Video:

The Brendon Urie Pumpkin Video:

SOURCE: AXS

"Behind the Smile" - New Report From World Animal Protection Exposes Scale Of Suffering Behind Dolphin Tourism Experiences

Public display facilities confining marine mammals such as dolphins, are not essential conservation or education resources. The animals suffer poor welfare as a result of their captive environment. Pictured; Dolphins posing for visitors at an entertainment park in China. Credit Line: World Animal Protection Date: 08/08/2019 (CNW Group/World Animal Protection)

A new global report from World Animal Protection shows the massive scale and profitability of the multibillion-dollar, dolphin entertainment industry which causes immense animal suffering. This is likely unknown to many Canadian tourists who visit sun destinations like Florida, Mexico and the Caribbean. Some 64% of Canadians polled have gone on holiday to a destination where dolphin tourism was offered.

Millions of animal lovers every year are tricked into thinking that dolphin shows and swim-with-dolphin experiences sold by the world's largest travel companies are humane, educational and support conservation efforts.

The report, Behind the Smile, is the most comprehensive assessment of captive dolphins to date. It reveals that globally, there are 336 dolphin entertainment venues in 54 countries, including the United States, Mexico, the Caribbean and China, which confine at least 3,000 dolphins.

Melissa Matlow, Campaign Director for World Animal Protection says, "For wide-ranging, social and intelligent animals like dolphins, a life spent in a concrete tank entertaining tourists is no life at all. Every ticket sold is an incentive for this industry to continue breeding and capturing dolphins for a lifetime of suffering."

Fortunately, governments and travel companies are starting to respond to the scientific evidence and public pressure against keeping dolphins in captivity. Last June, Canada passed legislation banning the breeding, display and trade of cetaceans (whales, dolphins and porpoises) making it illegal to possess cetaceans for purposes other than research or rehabilitation.

Also in Canada, Transat and Air Canada have shown leadership on this issue. Transat has ceased commercializing all shows featuring captive marine mammals, including swimming with dolphins, with its holiday packages and flights-only sales. In so doing, the company is asserting its leadership in responsible tourism and responding to the concerns of travellers who are increasingly sensitive to the well-being of these wild animals.

"Transat supports the actions of World Animal Protection and is committed to helping its local incoming tourism partners, including its own Trafic Tours business unit, to cease commercializing such activities by finding economically viable and socially acceptable ways to replace them within two years," says Odette Trottier, Director, Communications and Corporate Affairs for Transat.

Peter Fitzpatrick, Director of Corporate Communications for Air Canada, Central Canada stated, "By the end of August 2020, Air Canada and its subsidiaries (including Air Canada Vacations) will no longer directly sell or promote packages to, or generate revenue from, attractions that involve the captivity of current or future generations of dolphins."

Other major travel brands such as Virgin Holidays, Trip Advisor and Booking.com, following guidance from World Animal Protection, have taken similar steps. They recently committed to stop selling or promoting tickets to captive dolphin venues.

However, market research shows that there is still work to do to educate and influence Canadian tourists, booking sites and travel companies. For example, 50% of Canadian tourists still consider keeping dolphins in enclosures acceptable and one-third of Canadian travellers have participated in at least one dolphin-related activity in the past three years.

"Canadian attitudes and behaviours are changing," says Matlow. "When people learn the truth about how dolphins suffer, they don't want to participate. That's why we are calling on travel companies like Expedia Group and others that are lagging behind to stop supporting activities that cause harm to animals."

The Video:

• World Animal Protection's goal is to make this the last generation of dolphins to suffer for our entertainment.

SOURCE: World Animal Protection