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<div class="moz-cite-prefix">On 4/7/23 1:01 PM, Stephen Guerin
wrote:<br>
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<div>Your human response (as in call and response) to the
machine brought to mind this letter written on this day in
history dealing with similar themes.<br>
April 7, 1901<br>
<br>
Honorable Governor Miguel Antonio Otero II,<br>
Office of the Governor,<br>
New Mexico Territory<br>
Dear Governor Otero,</div>
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... more below ...<br>
<p>I see Strangelove has been <a
href="http://friam-comic.blogspot.com/">lampooning us again</a>...
<br>
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<p><img
src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh3HELH_Lpo-KvJ1fXgwHwhlIoEvq0gmAkvkr8nKrmPCSRtR43iXMT1Agp95VAh3XNYc-KqGAN46Ijcg74lYpd1lQRVOzk1eW01m0766y-yBXfJ7jvwqitZeHqs6bnvKXFvpx-4aZh2jnh3UalG6nLZp6iC_IfUYP_EWOyJAMsU-E7KGogmHNYuT6Iw/s16000/Page_1.jpg"
alt="" width="354" height="457"><br>
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<p>I expect to see a mashup of a Theramin and the Player Piano next?<br>
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<p><img src="https://f4.bcbits.com/img/a0157195752_10.jpg" alt=""
width="401" height="401"> <a
href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K6KbEnGnymk"><img
src="cid:part1.vEK33bvu.6zBjeXlQ@swcp.com" alt="" width="270"
height="397" border="0"></a></p>
<p>amazing rendition of "somewhere over the rainbow" btw! <a
href="https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K6KbEnGnymk"
class="moz-txt-link-freetext">https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=K6KbEnGnymk</a></p>
<p><img
src="https://static.tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pub/images/bulletdancing.png"
alt="" width="350" height="263"> <img
src="https://storage.googleapis.com/hippostcard/p/ce321d9e47816977a2aa12698eda5918-800.jpg"
alt="" width="333" height="261"><br>
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<p>maybe some <a
href="https://tvtropes.org/pmwiki/pmwiki.php/Main/BulletDancing">bullet-dancing</a>
just to juxtapose the lunacy of gun-culture V music?</p>
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<div><br>
April 7, 1901<br>
<br>
Honorable Governor Miguel Antonio Otero II,<br>
Office of the Governor,<br>
New Mexico Territory<br>
Dear Governor Otero,<br>
<br>
I trust this letter finds you in good health and high
spirits. My name is Charles Fletcher Lummis, and you might
know me from my time as editor of the Los Angeles Times. I
write to you today from New Mexico, where I have been
recuperating from paralysis and rediscovering the beauty
of this enchanting land.<br>
<br>
Just the other day, I found myself in a dusty saloon,
seeking respite from the heat of the day. As I sat there,
a copy of The New York Sun in hand, I was captivated by
the story of the legendary John Henry. The sound of a
cowboy pianist, with a virtuosity rivaling anything I had
heard in the hallowed halls of Cambridge, filled the room
as I read about the struggle between man and machine.<br>
<br>
In that very same saloon, the night before, I had
witnessed the stark contrast between human artistry and
mechanical efficiency: a player piano, cranking out tunes
devoid of the emotional resonance that imbued the cowboy
pianist's performance. This juxtaposition brought to light
the dangers of such technology, threatening to displace
the true artists who breathe life into music.<br>
<br>
As someone who has dedicated his life to the preservation
of culture and authentic expression, I am deeply concerned
by the implications of these mechanical devices. Player
pianos may bring music to the masses, but they do so at
the expense of the human touch that makes music truly
resonate. I fear that if we allow these contraptions to
take root, we risk losing the essence of creativity that
defines our art.<br>
<br>
Furthermore, as a journalist, I can't help but contemplate
the wider ramifications of mechanization. Today, it is the
player piano that threatens to replace the skilled
musician; tomorrow, it could be an artificial device that
churns out fabricated news stories, indistinguishable from
the truth. If we do not take a stand against this
encroachment now, we may be complicit in eroding the very
foundations of truth, creativity, and human expression
that have long been pillars of our society.<br>
I implore you, Governor Otero, to consider the potential
consequences of this new technology and take action to
preserve the sanctity of human creativity in all its
forms. Let us not allow the tale of John Henry to be a
harbinger of a world devoid of the beauty that springs
from the human spirit.<br>
<br>
In closing, I beseech you to use your esteemed position to
foster a culture that values and supports the development
of human talent in music, journalism, and beyond. By doing
so, we can ensure that our society remains vibrant and
alive for generations to come.<br>
<br>
Yours sincerely,<br>
<br>
Charles Fletcher Lummis<br>
Former Editor, Los Angeles Times<br>
Advocate for Cultural Preservation<br>
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