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If only such a machine really existed!
Few things can prepare you for actually gazing upon the Grand Canyon. No picture does it justice. The immense size and grandier overwhelm your brain. You just look out and go 'wow'...
Joan and one of the kids went to northern Arizona last weekend. It was a college visit to NAU. They made the time to drive up to the canyon as well. Whether she goes to that college or not the trip to see the canyon alone is well worth it.
The use of the Beatles songs for commercials does bring up other thoughts. Certainly John, Paul, George and Ringo didn't write songs to later be used for Target commercials. I know this came to a head a while back when it first occurred for a car commercial. But the former Beatles don't own the rights to their own songs and had no say. I think Michael Jackson actually owned them and he allowed a song to be used for a car commercial. That certainly caused a break between Ebony and Ivory.
But would Paul and Ringo object today to this happening? I would say probably not. The idealism of the 60s is long gone. Buried in the mess of the 70s and me generations that followed. John's revolution was a generational revolution against the Vietnam war. Would anyone today dare put up billboards in NYC saying "War is Over - If You Want It"? How many people really care? The war is largely ignored. Its not humanized to any degree. Rarely do you see news stories about war in Iraq. Instead the coverage is about Wall Street and recession.
It seemed you used to be able to discuss politics to some degree and look at issues from both sides. Now you are either Red or Blue. Speaking from the wrong side gets a revolt against you, usually in a personal manner.
You tell me it's the institution,
Well, you know
You better free your mind instead.
Will it be alright? Dunno. Maybe its easier to sell products to the institution at Target then it is to free your mind. And just dont' worry about the rest.
Every year the new year is brought in by a visit from some old friends. This bird is the Cedar Waxwing. I see a small flock of them once a year. These are some very unusual looking birds. They come in to eat berries. I assume the birds must be migrating as I only see them usually one day or just a day or two during a single week of the year. Then they are gone. What is weird is I always seem to catch seeing them each year even though they are here for such a short time.
On Saturday the waxwings were in our cherry trees. It was good to see them again.