Motorists pack a junction during rush hour in Taipei in 2009. Taiwan's capital is notorious for its traffic jams, even though many motorists choose motorcycles and scooters over cars. Last week, the world population ticked over to 7 Billion people, prompting more warnings from United Nations analysts that population growth increases pollution, deforestation, and climate change.
Photo via thebigpicture.com
What follows is an extract from an article by Matthew Herper from Forbes Magazine titled "With Vaccines, Bill Gates Changes The World Again".
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Bill’s dad had set up a dinner at Seattle’s posh Columbia Tower Club with the Program for Appropriate Technology in Health (PATH). While the meeting started with birth control—among other efforts, PATH taught Chinese condom makers to test their products before shipping them—Gates began consuming data that startled him. In society after society, he saw, when the mortality rate falls—specifically, below 10 deaths per 1,000 people—the birth rate follows, and population growth stabilizes. “It goes against common sense,” Gates says. Most parents don’t choose to have eight children because they want to have big families, it turns out, but because they know many of their children will die.
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Read the whole thing here. It's interesting stuff and inspiring to see someone who has the financial capacity to make a positive difference actually doing it.
Hey All,
Just thought I'd give you all an update regarding what's going on in my world for the next little while.
Well, it's been a heck of a year and it's not over yet! I've been on two big Southern Tours of the USA and played in New York and the West Coast as well. I've also released a new 7” 45rpm vinyl double A-side of my songs “Fisherman's Daughter” and “I Just Want To Love”. It's currently only available in stores in Nashville, TN (at The Groove and Grimey's) and at gigs, so if you're in Nashville get on down there to get your copy, or if you are elsewhere, be sure to come get one from me when I'm next playing in your town! There's also plans afoot to have them available for sale in Australia, so I'll be keeping you posted on those details too. Also, I'll be heading back into the studio again over the next few months so will have some all-new music heading your way in 2012. It's gonna be a good year.
Right now, I'm back in my home country of Australia for a couple of months and have some shows lined up down here, which are:
November 24th - The Empress, MELBOURNE, VIC, 8:00pm.
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with my band and also some very special guests...
December 4th – Brisbane Powerhouse, BRISBANE, QLD, 3:30pm.
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this will be a very special show and the debut performance of my new guitar, which was made especially for me by Simon Ramsey, master Luthier. It's a beautiful one-of-a-kind nylon string acoustic, and I feel so humbled and proud to be both its custodian and inspiration. I'll be playing new songs and some special versions of older songs.
December 11th – The Dowse Bar, BRISBANE, QLD, 6:00pm.
Then in January, I will be back in the United States and have plans to head out on tour again very soon after, so watch this space for more details. I'll be playing again in your neck of the woods and then even more necks of the woods very soon! Woods and necks: both awesome things.
In the meantime, keep safe and warm if you're in the Northern Hemisphere, and keep safe and cool if you're in the Southern one. Be sure to check in on my homepage and facebook page for regular updates and goings on.
Be good,
CP
What follows in an extract from a hilarious Chuck Closterman review of the new Metallica/Lou Reed album collaboration, Lulu, from grantland.com.
"As a rule, we're always supposed to applaud the collapse of the record industry. We are supposed to feel good about the democratization of music and the limitless palette upon which artists can now operate. But that collapse is why Lulu exists. If we still lived in the radio prison of 1992, do you think Metallica would purposefully release an album that no one wants? No way. Cliff Burnstein from Q Prime Management would listen to their various ideas, stroke his white beard, and deliver the following 45-second pep talk: "OK, great. Love these concepts. Your allusion to Basquiat's middle period was very apt, Lars. Incisive! But here's our situation. If you guys spend two months writing superfast Diamond Head songs about nuclear winter and shape-shifting, we can earn $752 million in 18 months, plus merchandizing. That's option A. The alternative is that you can make a ponderous, quasi-ironic art record about 'the lexicon of hate' that will outrage the Village Voice and mildly impress Laurie Anderson. Your call." Ten minutes later, Bob Rock would be parking his Lexus at the studio."
Read the whole thing here at Grantland.com. It's worth it.