Normally I devote the first editorial of the year to a kind of analisys of what we have done during the previous year and what we are aiming to do for the new year. This is not the case. Not now. Actually, I've pondered for a while the decision to postpone this re-opening of the website after our usual Christmas break. I feel a too strong contradiction between our world, made of normally useless and sometimes ridiculously expensive HiFi gear and what's happening in Haiti, where hundreds of thousands of people have probably lost everything, their loves, hopes and the possibility to lead a humanly acceptable life from now on.
How can we talk and write about Music and HiFi? I don't know. I keep repeating to myself that life has to go on nevertheless and that stopping our activity wouldn't be of great help to anyone. The problem is that my state of mind is not the usual one and the strenght of the images we receive from Haiti imposes me more than one reflection.

Even if slightly off-topic just let me tell one thing I can't keep for myself, something which is driving me crazy these days. Speaking of images, I ask myself whether is it really necessary to show all those children who are suffering, starving and for sure missing the presence of their parents. Why is it so? Audience laws do really impose this brutality? Do those images really help someone? And, if yes, in which way? I have no answers. For sure, images of the earthquake and of the devastation it produced should be strong enough to give an idea, if that is the goal. Matched with numbers and data these MUST be more than enough to make everyone understand what's going on there. I'd prefer to see human beings with all of their dignity. They deserve it as dignity is probably the only thing left. Lend a hand, instead, and turn off the camera whenever there's a child who needs help, desperately. There should be a limit to media idiocy.

While I hope the world of commercial audio will do something to help Haitian people (like it happened for the 2004 Tsunami) let me just mention a way to start helping Haiti. Haiti-native artist Wyclef Jean, The Fugees ex-member and world-class songwriter/rapper, is also the founder of Yele Haiti, a charitable organization that helps Haitian people to improve their situation, in particular it offers the possibility to get proper education and medical support to thousands of children.
Yele Haiti has just activated a funds raising to help earthquake victims in Haiti. 100% of funds raised goes to the relief operation!

Moreover, Twisted Pear Audio is currently holding a raffle to raise money for Doctors Without Borders' relief work in Haiti. Raffle tickets are $10 each. 100% of the the money raised will go to Doctors Without Borders. You can enter as many times as you would like. A final drawing will be held on Wednesday, January 20th.

I beg your pardon if I can't add more, just let me close this brief, sad article with a beautiful song from Wyclef Jean himself, together with Mary J. Blidge (one of best female voices around, in my opinion).

This is not much, I know, but sometimes Music is stronger than thousands of words.
Let the Music sweeten the silence, let a love song cure the pain.