Ouroboros For Our Times

Frederick Soddy was fascinated with circles but also with alchemy; he related circles to his discovery of the natural transmutation of elements. Link

Through alchemy, Soddy became familiar with Οὐροβόρος ouroboros, the mythological symbol of the serpent eating its own tail. Ouroboros was also August Kekulé's inspiration for the structure of benzene, a generation before Soddy:

I may have been thinking similar thoughts when I tried to describe the circularity of political extremes and the chemical elements here. Whatever. Consider the following sketch an explicit update--ouroboros for our times--showing the demographic bulge of wealth and talent that must somehow transfer to the next generation (I should make it into an animated flip book).

Ouroboros For Our Times (click to enlarge)
Ball Point Pen on 8 1/2" x 11" white copier paper

Ethnic Germans Reject Kloppenburg?

I noticed the curious swath across the state map of voting results in yesterday's judicial election in Wisconsin:

original here

That orange swath reminded me a little of the orange swath of ethnic Germans who settled the state:

Coinkydink?

50 Years of myTunes: 1988

There was only one best album of 1988 for me, and there were only a few noteworthy singles. It wasn't me getting old either, because things really picked again in the 90's. 1988 did coincide with paradigm shifts in the music industry. Look at the following chart:

Vinyl albums were dead by 1988. Many people were just re-buying favorites in CD format.  I have no clue what was happening on MTV then.

Daydream Nation by Sonic Youth. Sonic Youth had been around awhile already but they failed to incite or ignite much in me until this album. Truly avant-grunge, their sound picked up where so many had tried (and ultimately given up).  The thing about Sonic Youth was they didn't seem to care about the money.  They exuded coolness, and that was enough for them.

1988 Singles

Only Life  The Feelies trying to catalog the upbeat in NY/NJ

Colors by Ice T, cataloging the decline of L.A.

I Drink Alone by George Thorogood, cataloging some personal decline.

Hello Dad, I'm In Jail by Was (Not Was), cataloging the further decline of Detroit.

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It was mourning in America again, in many ways.

50 Years Of MyTunes: 1963

US Birthrates (per thousand people) vs. Year

click on it to enlarge

Demographics are telling. Consider that the avant-boomers were just turning 18 in 1963 and that the real middle of the demographic bulge was yet to enter puberty. Holy producer-consumer symbiosis!  But I'm not saying anything new so I'll shut up.

Here are the contenders for best song of 1963.  Notice that I had to give the Beatles a poll of their own. Please vote early and vote often.

Anything by The Beatles in 1963 (see special poll below)
Anything by The Beach Boys off Surfin' USA
My Boyfriend's Back ~ The Angels
Louie Louie ~ The Kingsmen
Blowing in the Wind ~ Bob Dylan
Surf City  ~ Jan and Dean
Ring of Fire ~ Johnny Cash
Glad All Over ~ Dave Clark Five
Heat Wave ~ Martha Reeves & The Vandellas
On Broadway ~ Drifters
He's So Fine ~ The Chiffons
Puff the Magic Dragon ~ Peter Paul & Mary
Be My Baby ~ Ronettes
Walk Right In ~ Rooftop Singers
In Dreams ~ Roy Orbison
Surfin' Bird ~ Trashmen
Dominique ~ The Singing Nuns
Wipe Out ~ The Surfaris

Take my poll!