Monthly Archives: August, 2012

Aug 6, 2012 - Gibson Guitars, whom JTMP had covered in an 2011 post about the dust-up when federal agents raided their factory and confiscated wood said to be illegal, have reached an agreement with the US government admitting they imported rare, slow-growth wood that is protected by the Lacey Act. Gibson Guitars became a cause celebre for right-wingers and "Tea Partiers" as a symbol of government overreach, and the supposed "over regulation strangling American businesses and killing American jobs."

But now NBC News reports that the president of the company, David Berryman, got a memo from a subordinate in 2008 who was in Madagascar reporting that the wood was illegal to purchase and ship back to the states; but the company apparently went through with the deal despite his warning. Gibson Guitars came to an agreement with the government, and the government has agreed to drop all charges. Gibson Guitars has agreed to pay a $300,000 fine, forfeit over $200,000 worth of illegal wood, and they will also donate $50,000 to the National Fish and Wildlife Foundation to promote the preservation of rare wood and other slow-growth trees that are endangered and protected. Read more on NBC News here.

This is the dilemma with guitarists and guitar manufacturers, can we build guitars in a sustainable way? Is slow-growth wood truly the ONLY tone wood we can use? JTMP supports efforts in the guitar world using synthetic and quick-replenishing wood to help solve this crisis, like Martin's OMC Cherry that uses wood that is grown and harvested in an "ecologically responsible manner". Remember, it takes 500 years for one of these slow-growth trees to mature, and only 5 minutes to cut it down.

August 6, 2012 - JTMP fully supports government investment in infrastructure and social services, but we also realize the need for the technological and other benefits that comes from other government investment; such as the wildly successful landing of the SUV-size "Curiosity" rover that the government-funded and run NASA organization pulled off yesterday. The scientific world is abuzz with excitement at the very risky landing of the new rover, that has many more tools and gadgets the the previous Mars rovers have had. The scientific and technological advances and data gathered will benefit humankind for years to come, perhaps even add or rewrite some of the scientific textbooks in our public schools on our understanding of the planet Mars and the universe we live in.

President Obama issued a statement on this historic and monumental scientific achievement, and said:

"Tonight, on the planet Mars, the United States of America made history.

The successful landing of Curiosity – the most sophisticated roving laboratory ever to land on another planet – marks an unprecedented feat of technology that will stand as a point of national pride far into the future. It proves that even the longest of odds are no match for our unique blend of ingenuity and determination.

Tonight’s success, delivered by NASA, parallels our major steps forward towards a vision for a new partnership with American companies to send American astronauts into space on American spacecraft. That partnership will save taxpayer dollars while allowing NASA to do what it has always done best – push the very boundaries of human knowledge. And tonight’s success reminds us that our preeminence – not just in space, but here on Earth – depends on continuing to invest wisely in the innovation, technology, and basic research that has always made our economy the envy of the world.

I congratulate and thank all the men and women of NASA who made this remarkable accomplishment a reality – and I eagerly await what Curiosity has yet to discover."

- President Obama, Aug 6, 2012

Watch NASA employees celebrate the landing of Curiosity and pictures from the Mars surface on NASA's website here, and to watch an awesome animation video about Curiosity, including the landing and its tools, check out this NASA video below. (photo credit: NASA/public domain)

August 3, 2012 - President Vladimir Putin of Russia, who was just re-elected to a third term, was in London for the Olympics and commented on the Pussy Riot trial saying, "I see nothing good in what they did. Nevertheless, they should not be judged too severely." Russian courts usually follow what is "suggested to them" by the government, so this is a good sign that the 3 women will not face the full 7 years of prison they face. Read more on NYDailyNews.com here. (photo credit: Russian government/Wiki)

August 2, 2012 - 4 well-known British musicians have published a letter to The Times in the UK calling for the release of the punk rock band members of Pussy Riot in Russia; among those are Pete Townshend, Neil Tennant of the Pet Shop Boys, Jarvis Cocker of the Pulp, and Martha Wainwright. They state in the letter they feel the free speech action at the cathedral was at worst a "breach of the peace", and also say, "Dissent is a right in any democracy and it is entirely disproportionate that they face seven years in jail for what we consider a preposterous charge of 'hooliganism motivated by religious hatred'." Many are also now concerned with the treatment of the women who have been held in detention during trial, and there are reports of lack of food, physical abuse, and other mistreatment by the authorities. Read more on WashPo here.  (photo credit: Ian McLagan/Wiki)