Hans Rosling's Insights on Ending Poverty

Hans Rosling, doctor and researcher, seeks to change perceptions about the developing world and dispel myths and common misperceptions. In his latest TED Talk, Rosling shows trends in health and economics, ultimately seeking to explain how countries are pulling themselves out of poverty. The dimensions of development, or the tools necessary to move away from poverty, include human rights, environment, governance, economic growth, education, health and culture. He asserts that economic growth is the most important means to achieve development, but should not necessarily be the most important goal. The primary goals should be the promotion of culture and human rights.

As the world changed over time, most developing countries moved towards being the developed countries and demonstrated trends of low fertility rates and high life expectancy. The only real exception to this trend has been Africa, which still exhibits large families and low life expectancy due to the HIV epidemic.  The trends of child mortality rates and GDP per capita show that the countries in the world slowly grew richer and by the 20th century, for the first time, more than ninety-percent of children survived the first year of life. 

Compared to the U.S. and Sweden overtime, it becomes apparent that countries in Asia, Latin America, and the Middle East have achieved advances in health, education, and the possession of human resources faster than developed countries of the West. In the emerging economies of the world, health progress is preceding economic progress.

 Rosling then moves on to discuss poverty, how to get out of poverty, and finally how to move away from poverty to reach permanent development. When an individual is in poverty, everything is about yields—it is about survival and having access to food. To get out of poverty, technology becomes essential. However, for a country to permanently develop, there is a need for a market and human resources specifically schools, health, infrastructure, credits, and information.

Drought is a function of nature.  Famine is man-made.

Rise In Music Sales Since 2004

Great news, U.S. album sales have risen for the first time since 2004.   According to figures published by Nielsen and Billboard total album sales have increased and digital sales have defeated physical music sales for the first time in units. 

Digital music  sales have beat physical music sales, accounting for 50.3% of all music purchases, in units, in 2011.  According to Billboard total album sales hit 330.6 million units, compared to 326.2 million in 2010. That’s an increase of 1.3%. That may seem small but considering how sales have been since 2004, any improvement is a big deal.

As expected, British singer Adele's "21" was the top-selling album in the United States last year at 5.82 million copies, the highest annual tally since Usher's "Confessions" sold 7.98 million copies in 2004.  Adele's "Rolling in the Deep" was also the best-selling U.S. single of 2011 at 5.81 million downloads.

The small increase in the world's biggest music market will be welcome news to the record industry after years of declining revenues.  The information for the report was collected from the Nielsen SoundScan, a data system that tracks all music sales, downloads, and streams.  The information also includes hard copy sales from major retailers such as Amazon.com. 

The music industry has a long way to go towards recovery.  This increase is due to the Internet and the online music culture which has made it easier for listeners to find and purchase music.  Grooveshark, Pandora, and Spotify are streaming services used to offer legal ways to get music. 

Music will always live on, people continue to search for new music and support their favorites no matter how dire the industries circumstances.  The music industry has a long way to go.  

Sniderman, Z. (2012). Retrieved from: http://mashable.com/2012/01/06/music-2011-nielsen-soundscan-report/