Universal Declaration of Archives (draft)

The International Council on Archives (ICA) is preparing a Universal Declaration of Archives. It should be endorsed at the Annual General Meeting held in Malta in 2009.

DRAFT DECLARATION

Archives record decisions, actions and memories. Archives are a unique and irreplaceable heritage passed from one generation to another. Archives are managed from creation to preserve their value and meaning.

They are authoritative sources of information underpinning accountable and transparent administrative actions. They play an essential role in the development of societies by safeguarding and contributing to individual and community memory. Open access to archives enriches our knowledge of human society, promotes democracy, protects citizens'rights and enhances the quality of life.

To this effect, we recognize

a.. the unique quality of archives as authentic evidence of administrative, cultural and intellectual activities and as a reflection of the evolution of societies;

a.. the vital necessity of archives for supporting business efficiency, accountability and transparency, for protecting citizens rights, for establishing individual and collective memory, for understanding the past, and for documenting the present to guide future actions;

a.. the diversity of archives in recording every area of human activity;

a.. the multiplicity of formats in which archives are created including paper, electronic, audio visual and other types;

a.. the role of archivists as trained professionals with initial and continuing education, serving their societies by supporting the creation of records and by selecting, maintaining and making these records available for use;

a.. the collective responsibility of all - citizens, public administrators and decision-makers, owners or holders of public or private archives, and archivists and other information specialists - in the management of archives.

We therefore undertake to work together in order that

• appropriate national archival policies and laws are adopted and enforced;

• the management of archives is valued and carried outcompetently by all bodies, private or public, which create and use archives in the course of conducting their business;

• adequate resources are allocated to support the propermanagement of archives;

• archives are managed and preserved in ways that ensure theirauthenticity, reliability, integrity and usability;

• archives are made accessible to everyone, while respecting the pertinent laws and the rights of individuals, creators, owners and users;

• archives are used to contribute to the promotion of responsible citizenship.

Source

Mac & Hayes R.I.P.

In one week the world has had to mourn the less of two great entertainers. Bernie Mac has died at the age of 50. Isaac Hayes left us at 65. Both too young to go. Thank you for the laughs and thank you for the music.

Cooper & Chalfant's Subway Art & Style Wars

Subway Art is thé classic book about NYC graffiti that has influenced generations of graffiti artists and hip-hop lovers alike. Inside you'll find the masterpieces by the Kings of the Line, Dondi ( R.I.P. ), Blade, Lee, Kase, Seen, Lady Pink and a host of others. I just spotted on the blog of the Brussels hip-hop crew and record label Souterrain that there is an e-version. Actually there are several. The one you can find underneath stays close to the paper format, and can be read in an easy viewing page flipper. There is another version in a Scribd file (pdf kinda format), which kan be found here. For the actual reading the latter is a bit more clear, but also slower to load.

This book can't be seen apart from the classic documentary Style Wars, so I included that one too for your viewing pleasure.

Get your own - Open publication

Link if you want to watch full screen.

Freestyle: The Art of Rhyme

Freestyle: the Art of Rhyme is a documentary about that real shit. Watch and enjoy.

Discworld: Moist von Lipwig books

In Going Postal Terry Pratchett has introduced the character Moist von Lipwig into the Discworld universe. Lipwig is a petty con artist who, at the 'request' of Lord Vetinari, the absolute ruler (Patrician) of the city of Ankh-Morpork, has taken on the daunting task of getting the city's run-down post office going again. To accomplish this, he uses his sense of showmanship to launch a number of initiatives. One of these is the invention and production of paper stamps. These can be bought here by the way. There is also a fan page and a dedicated forum. Inevitably he comes into conflict with the clacks (Discworld version of the telegraph) company the Grand Trump, which is run by shrewd and cruel businessmen (most notably the chairman Reacher Gilt). With his flamboyant style and daredevil attitude Lipwig, as Postmaster General, gets the job done.

At the beginning of the second book in the series, Making money, Lipwig has turned the post office into a smoothly operating machine. He is also betrothed to the love interest of the previous book, Adora Belle Dearheart, the cynical, chain-smoking, tough mama, employee and advocate of the Golem Trust Fund. The crimes of the past have been forgotten, he's got himself a woman, he's even become somewhat of a respected citizen. He's got everything a man could wish for ... and he's bored. Vetinari alleviates this problem by introducing him to Topsy Lavish, the elderly chairwoman of the Royal Bank of Ankh-Morpork and the Royal Mint. The next day she dies. She has left the majority of the shares and the chairmanship to her dog Mr. Fusspot, who is placed in the care of Lipwig. Cosmo Lavish, an incredibly ambitious member of the family is not very happy with this choice and tries to undermine Lipwig's efforts to make the Bank a respected institution again. As the story unfolds Lipwig once again proves to be innovative. He creates paper money (picture) and ends up replacing the gold standard by ... something else (wouldn't wan to ruin the fun).

The basic backbone of the larger story is more or less the same as the first books of the City Watch series. The main character is down and out. Out of necessity he picks himself up and becomes a useful member of society. Then he gets bored, but luckily a new challenge presents itself. If a third book will appear, Lipwig will probably get married in that one. That being said, this new series is different in the portrayal of characters. The con man with his devious ways, the obsessive postal employee Stanley and the absolutely mad Cosmo Lavish, make both books very enjoyable reads. As always, Pratchett portrays a deep insight into the Western world in general and human psychology in particular. Long time fans will definitely not be disappointed. For those who are not familiar with the Discworld, this would make a good introduction. The story's focus is less on magic than usual, while the themes are universal in nature, making it enjoyable to people who aren't really into fantasy.

Forbidden Ensemble: Porno soundtracks

Three known Flemish artists are the musicians behind the Forbidden Ensemble. They have composed a soundtrack to seventies porn movies in true retro style, with excellent titles like We Have to Take Some Measurements First, Sonny darling I'm having a shower and I want to have the master bedroom decorated first. And best of all, the entire album can be downloaded for free. Go to their website and have a listen. You will not be disappointed. In their own words: "This music sounds like a combination of Quentin Tarantino's Death Proof and the Emanuelle sequels of adult movies. Feisty and furious with a sugarcoat of sensuality. This is the first volume of their ventures, played on real instruments and treated to have the authentic sleazy sound of the 70's."

Check out the promo video:

P*rno Soundtracks Volume 1 - Sonny Darling, I'm Having a Shower Now from PornoSoundtracks.com on Vimeo.

On The Go: Repeat offender

Legendary graffiti tape from back in the day. 'Nuff said.