Economic Darwinism

Dear Friends,

Imagine for a moment that you are a baker. You run a nice bakery and you specialize in cakes...delicious cakes. For the last three or four years you've noticed that things in your neighborhood are changing. People don't want as much cake as they used to. They want different flavors and fat free icings and fillings. But you decide, "Fuck them, I'm the fuckin' baker." and continue to make the same huge, fattening, boring, ugly cakes that you've always made. Now imagine that your sales crumble and you are going to have to close the bakery if things don't drastically pick up. So you spend the remainder of your budget on ridiculous Rube Goldberg style commercials and moderately famous spokesmen to rescue you from oblivion... BUT YOU CONTINUE TO MAKE THE SAME SHIT CAKES!

Now, do you think that your bakery should be saved with a huge amount of money from the people who don't want your stupid cake?

If you answered "Yes." that question you are either, (a) an idiot or (b) an executive from Ford, GM or Chrysler. Thank God we're on the verge getting a government with a functioning ability to use logic.

Astounded,
Phill

Of Rabbits.

Hello Friends,

For the last six months or so my Mom has been feeding a wild rabbit that hangs out in the front yard. She gives it scraps of carrot or celery that are left over from making dinner. She makes sure our dogs don't bark at it while it chills in the shade under the big maple tree. Apparently the little lagomorph even ate right from her hand a few times.
She never brings it into the house or tries to capture in a cage. Pets are denied their freedom in exchange for a lifestyle that by animal standards is nothing short of decadent. This rabbit may get cold and lonely sometimes, but it remains free. My mother maintains this distant harmony with the rabbit and thus I think she considers it a friend, whom she'll care for and pay attention to but will never try to disrespect by wrangling too close a hold on.
Mom told me she found her little friend dead on the side of the road the other day after not seeing him in the yard for a week so. She's a tough woman, but I heard her voice crack and I felt her pain. Whether the bunny fell victim to a neighborhood cat or a careless driver, I'll never know but I sure wish it was still around, the whole situation just seems terribly...unfair.

Phill

Carl.

Dear Friends,

Spare four minutes from your undoubtedly busy day and give Dr. Sagan the time he deserves.



Thank-you Carl,
Phill

I love the Beatles.

Dear Friends,
I saw a blog that got me started up on The Beatles today and figured I'd give a list of some of my favorite songs. They're in no order what-so-ever and there are certainly other songs that deserve big praise that aren't on this list. Brother Nick's Picks are below mine and needless to say, he has impeccable taste.

Glass Onion - The White Album
The White Album is both avant-guard and retrospective. This song specifically references a bunch of The Beatles' previous work and puts them into a nonsense context. I'm partial to John's weird darkness in the later recordings and this song manages to be gritty and psychedelic instead of the more pop oriented like Lucy In The Sky and I Am The Walrus.

Baby Your A Rich Man - Magical Mystery Tour
The Boys liked to mix up pieces that Paul wrote (Baby, you're a rich man) with stuff that John had written (One of the beautiful people) and the band as a whole would make them work to together. The song is abstract, ironic, quirky and light hearted. The combination of the various rhythms, the hovering Clavioline (an anolog synthesizer invented by Michel Gondry's grandfather) and the chanted chorus offer up a perfect weird balance that all Pop Art should possess.

Dear Prudence - The White Album
This song is slow build from start to finish that swirls and thumps it's way to a tear drop climax. John wrote this because his friend wouldn't leave her bedroom...I bet she came out to play after she heard it.

Here Comes The Sun - Abbey Road
This song makes the list for it's technical facility as well as it's sentiment. The recording procedure on Abbey Road was by far the most advanced of it's day and this song contains so many layers, dubs, synthesizers and harmonies that it remains one of the deepest and smoothest recordings ever. On top of all that gadgety stuff the sentiment of the song is optimistic and sophisticated. Truly a work of that agrees with my aesthetic almost entirely.

A Hard Days Night - A Hard Days Night
One big twelve string chord and some cowbell makes us all fans of The Beatles! This song is definitive of the band's early sound and demonstrates the level of intensity they were planning on bringing to the music scene. Also, Ringo didn't drum this well again until Abbey Road. When I hear this song I'm reminded of why I love The Beatles.

BROTHER NICK'S PICKS

All You Need Is Love - Magical Mystery Tour
Without a doubt one the most powerful songs I know. Possibly one of the most powerful songs of 60's and 70's. Soothing, true, and just GOOD(not to mention the song was released world wide in one day and recorded in one take).

While My Guitar Gently Weeps - The White Album
This is the reason George is my favorite Beatle. The voice overs on him just sound awesome. The backing piano and organ give this song a very eery tone, while George literally wails on a screaming, crying, weeping guitar. I love it!


She Came In Through The Bathroom Window - Abbey Road
A song which can not be over looked on the B side of Abby Road. Paul's voice and funky bass, John and George with rolling background harmonies, and Ringo......just holding a perfect Beatles beat, all come together wonderfully. Not to mention a chorus that remains my favorite chorus of all time. Makes no sense, but great harmony with another tasty time change.

We Can Work It Out - Day Tripper/We Can Work It Out Single
A song released way ahead of its time. A perfect 50/50 among John and Paul regarding song writing, pure singing ability and harmonies. I think the chorus in this song is brilliant. A beautiful mixture of John and Paul vocally, with a time change that is unmistakably perfect. And finally, the harmonium. An instrument which usually gives a song a sort of rusty squeeze box feel, puts this song in a shiny gold chest!!

Here Comes The Sun - Abbey Road
By far one of my favorite songs of all time. George managed to take you along for a beautiful, bright, and happy trip. Building each verse up to quite possibly one of the most pleasant choruses I've ever heard. I also feel this is one song where Ringo really was the only fit... Without a doubt one of George Harrison's finest!

Please leave a comment and tell me your favorites.

Phill