Magnetic tape isn't just dead, but it is also deteriorating. 

It is breaking down, falling apart, and what was once thought to be nearly permanent is proving to be extraordinarily fragile. 

Audio tape was used for decades as a way to disseminate music, seminars, audio histories, speeches, news, by folklorist, in short--our culture.  Hydrolysis, the breakdown of the glue that holds the little magnetic bits to the tape, is becoming more prevalent.  The life span of tapes, under the best circumstances, is up to 15 years before things start getting sticky.  In other words anything created before 1994 has almost certainly started to lose its fidelity.

The Audacity of Hope is a look at Barak Obama's politics with a personal history behind what brought him to his world vision. It is clear throughout the book that the fact his father was an immigrant and his mother a U.S. Citizen colours his opinions strongly. He has spent a great deal of his formative years in Indonesia and Hawaii further engaging him with the outside world. His writing style is easy and familiar making the read a pleasure.

In many ways, Senator Obama's politics mirror my own. He believes in societal responsibility for its citizens. While not a pacifist, he doesn't move quickly to military solutions to U.S. Problems. He believes strongly that the U.S. must be a peaceful partner in driving poverty from the world.