It’s July and we’re all anxious to get away for some time before the end of summer is upon us. So the eternal question came up again at dinner last night with some friends…if you could only take 10 albums with you to a desert island with no other access to music (sorry no cloud service is available on this particular island), what would they be?
This is my personal list and these are not necessarily the 10 best albums of all time. Simply my 10 favorites. These would be coming with me in the lifeboat (after my wife and kids of course). Only caveat, castaways are not permitted to bring greatest hits albums…have to be as originally recorded, blips and all.
Blood on the Tracks (Bob Dylan) – My single favorite album of all time so had to put this one first. Makes you glad you are alive to be able to hear this astonishing record. Song after song leaves you wondering how any one person could write so many great songs in one sitting. “Tangled up in Blue”, “Simple Twist of Fate”, “Lily, Rosemary and the Jack of Hearts”, “Shelter From the Storm” with lyrics so good, they leave you breathless.
Photo Credit: Xavier BadosaArthur or the Decline and Fall of the British Empire (The Kinks) – The Kinks, led by Ray Davies, are quite simply one of the best bands of all time and always seem to be overlooked. They have written at least 100 great songs and wrote with an unsurpassed irony and satire. This record, which focuses on England’s rocky transition from a world power after WW2 was one of the first rock operas. “Victoria”, “Mr. Churchill Says”, “Drivin”…it’s a gem throughout.
Who’s Next (The Who) – I could easily have put three other Who albums here, but this one, even with it being overplayed over the years, has an amazing resilience. This may be the best rock album ever made. Not only is the music unparalleled, but the lyrics of songs like “Behind Blue Eyes”, “Won’t Get Fooled Again” and Baba O”Riley never lose their resonance. And if you don’t know “The Song is Over”, what a treasure you have ahead of you.
Photo Credit: Jason HickeyGraceland (Paul Simon) – “These Are Days of Miracle and Wonder”…when you hear this astounding record for the first time with “The Boy in the Bubble” you know you’re hearing true greatness. This should be required listening for any aspiring songwriter. The title track and “Diamonds on the Soles of Her Shoes” are so sublime you might forget you’re stranded.
Forever Changes (Love) – A magnificent record from one of the great, forgotten bands of the 60’s. Arthur Lee’s amazing band recorded their third and final album with this lineup (including Bryan MacLean). “Alone Again or” kicks off a seamless and beautifully arranged album with strings, horns and some fine guitar playing. “You Set the Scene”, which closes the record was a breakthrough in originality and arrangement. If you don’t know this album, get it immediately.
American Idiot (Green Day) – Love this record….all the way through. It’s a classic and will be listened to years from now. Amidst all the passive media response to the Iraq war, one of the only consistent voices against our involvement was Green Day’s American Idiot. The title track, “Holiday”, “Boulevard of Broken Dreams”, “Wake Me Up When September Ends” are all great. One of the finest albums released in the last 10 years.
Photo Credit: Daniel D’AuriaSgt. Pepper (The Beatles) – I know…it’s so obvious but this record would be hard to live without on a desert isle. Not much explanation is needed here. I rarely listen to it at home anymore but that’s because we all know every line on the record. Still think “She’s Leaving Home” is one of McCartney’s best songs ever.
The Rising (Bruce Springsteen) – I’m aware that a lot of Springsteen fans prefer his earlier work, but this remarkable album of America’s unshakeable spirit in the dark days following 9/11 is my favorite. “Lonesome Day”, “The Rising”, “You’re Missing”, “My City of Ruins”…every song is an inspiration. The Rising was the miracle we were all looking for.
Photo Credit: Cable27Turn Turn Turn (The Byrds) – Aren’t we lucky to still have this record to listen to. The Byrds were great interpreters of Dylan and there are two songs of his on this album, but they also wrote some great songs themselves. The arrangement of Pete Seeger’s “Turn Turn Turn” will never get old. Two great Gene Clark songs The World Turns All Around Her” and “Set Her Free This Time”. A classic recording.
Achtung Baby (U2) – Released 20 years ago, this pivotal album included so many great songs that you forget this was somewhat of a comeback after ‘Rattle and Hum’. Recorded against the backdrop of a turbulent Berlin, this record includes “One”, “Mysterious Ways”, “Who’s Gonna Ride your Wild Horses”, “Until the End of the World” etc. A truly great album.
Photo Credit: Matt McGeeI’m sure I forgot some favorites, but that’s my list for now. Which albums would you take? Write your lists in the comments below.
Day: July 27, 2011
A Greek-Style Salad for $1.99? You Betcha!
That’s right: it’s possible, and it’s available as long as lunch supplies last for the day! Not bad, even if I say so myself!
The Suburbanites: A Divine Discourse on this Exquisite Breed of Human Beings
In response to this lovely picture of daisies that I sent to a friend this morning, I received this story-of-a-joke. If you can picture the conversation between the primary characters here, it would be nothing short of a “show” in your head, for sure!
GOD: “Frank, you know all about gardens and nature. What in the world is going on down there on the planet? What happened to the dandelions, violets, milkweeds and other beautiful things I started eons ago? I had a perfect no-maintenance garden plan. Those plants grow in any type of soil, withstand drought and multiply with abandon. The nectar from the long-lasting blossoms attracts butterflies, honey bees and flocks of songbirds. I expected to see a vast garden of colors by now. But, all I see
are these green rectangles.”
are these green rectangles.”
St. FRANCIS: It’s the tribes that settled there, Lord. The Suburbanites. They started calling your flowers “weeds” and went to great lengths to kill them and replace them with grass.
GOD: Grass? But, it’s so boring. It’s not colorful. It doesn’t attract butterflies, birds and bees; only grubs and sod worms. It’s sensitive to temperatures. Do these Suburbanites really want all that grass growing there?
ST. FRANCIS: Apparently so, Lord. They go to great pains to grow it and keep it green. They begin each spring by fertilizing grass and poisoning any other plant that crops up in the lawn.
GOD: The spring rains and warm weather probably make grass grow really fast. That must make the Suburbanites happy.
ST. FRANCIS: Apparently not, Lord. As soon as it grows a little, they cut it-sometimes twice a week…
GOD: They cut it? Do they then bale it like hay?
ST. FRANCIS: Not exactly, Lord. Most of them rake it up and put it in bags.
GOD: They bag it? Why? Is it a cash crop? Do they sell it?
ST. FRANCIS: No, Sir, just the opposite. They pay to throw it away.
GOD: Now, let me get this straight. They fertilize grass so it will grow. And, when it does grow, they cut it off and pay to throw it away?
ST. FRANCIS: Yes, Sir.
GOD: These Suburbanites must be relieved in the summer when we cut back on the rain and turn up the heat. That surely slows the growth and saves them a lot of work.
ST. FRANCIS: You aren’t going to believe this, Lord. When the grass stops growing so fast, they drag out hoses and pay more money to water it, so they can continue to mow it and pay to get rid of it.
GOD: What nonsense. At least they kept some of the trees. That was a sheer stroke of genius, if I do say so myself. The trees grow leaves in the spring to provide beauty and shade in the summer. In the autumn, they fall to the ground and form a natural blanket to keep moisture in the soil and protect the trees and bushes. It’s a natural cycle of life.
ST. FRANCIS: You better sit down, Lord. The Suburbanites have drawn a new circle. As soon as the leaves fall, they rake them into great piles and pay to have them hauled away.
GOD: No!? What do they do to protect the shrub and tree roots in the winter to keep the soil moist and loose?
ST. FRANCIS: After throwing away the leaves, they go out and buy something which they call mulch. They haul it home and spread it around in place of the leaves.
GOD: And where do they get this mulch?
ST. FRANCIS: They cut down trees and grind them up to make the mulch.
GOD: Enough! I don’t want to think about this anymore. St. Catherine, you’re in charge of the arts. What movie have you scheduled for us tonight?
ST. CATHERINE: ‘Dumb and Dumber’, Lord. It’s a story about…
GOD: Never mind, I think I just heard the whole story from St. Francis.
This Is Pakistan Too… Beauty At Its Best
I doubt I will ever have the opportunity to see any of these sights in Pakistan in person, but thanks to my friend CS, I can appreciate and share the natural beauty of a land not always recognized for it, and not always associated with it.
“Astola Island ” [near Pasni Baluchistan 40 km from shore]. Astola is Pakistan ‘s largest offshore island and the only significant offshore
island in the northern Arabian Sea .
“Arror Rock”
[near Rohri in Sindh] The shape of rock was caused by unknown natural forces. There is also a Shrine on the top. 
This is an amazing view of a tunnel and bridge over a river on the railway track from “Rohri to Quetta “.
This track passes through 20 tunnels and over 368 bridges. 
Headmarala , Sialkot
Mountains of Jammu & Kashmir in the background. 
Attabad Lake also known as Hunza Lake is a lake in the Hunza Valley of northern Pakistan .
The beautiful lake was formed due to a massive landslide at Attabad village in Gilgit-Baltistan, 9 miles (14 km) upstream (east) of Karimabad that occurred on January 4, 2010.
Is this Great Wall of China ?
No. It’s Wall of Sindh in Ranikot [3 hrs drive from Karachi ]. 
Kalam Valley.
It is a valley along the upper reaches of the Swat River in Swat , Pakistan . Kalam Valley is known for its waterfalls, lakes and lush green hills, and is a 270 km drive from Islamabad, the capital of Pakistan . 
Kachura Lake.
The Kachura Lakes are two lakes in the Skardu District of Gilgit-Baltistan, Northern Pakistan . The lakes, at 2,500 metres (8,200 ft) in elevation, are Upper Kachura Lake and Lower Kachura Lake .
This is a ‘Mud Volcano’.
In Pakistan there are more than 80 active mud volcanoes, all of them in Baluchistan province; there are about 10 locations having clusters of mud volcanoes. In this region, the heights of mud volcanoes range between 800 to 1,550 feet
(243.8 to 472.4 m). The most famous is Chandaragup.
The Great Trango Tower , 6,286 m (20,608 ft).
The east face of the Great Trango Tower features the world’s greatest nearly vertical drop. [aka Tallest vertical mountain of world] Located in Gilgit-Baltistan Region of Pakistan . This is one of the most difficult mountains to climb.
Laila Peak , Hushe, Karakoram Range , Pakistan .
It has a distinctive spear-like shape. One of the most beautiful & scenic snow covered mountain of the world. The Laila peak has been climbed only twice. 
This is not Fox and Franz Josef Glacier, New Zealand .
This is Biafo Glacier – which is a 63 km long glacier in the Karakoram Mountains, Pakistan meets the 49 km long Hispar Glacier at an altitude of 5,128 m (16,824 feet) at Hispar La (Pass) to create the world’s longest glacial system outside the polar regions.
Makran, Pakistan.
The present day Makran derived its name from Maka, a satrap of Achaemenid Empire. Maka was an important early eastern satrapy of Cyrus the Great, founder of the Achaemenid Empire.
K2.
It is the second-highest mountain on Earth, only after Mount Everest . It has a peak elevation of 8,611 m [28,251 feet]!!!
Concordia Base Camp , Pakistan .
This is the view from Concordia towards the valley of the Baltoro Glacier at dawn. On the left [Paiju peaks], middle ,[Trango towers] & on the right [Grand Cathedra].
The epic Lake Saiful Muluk.
It is located at the northern end of the Kaghan Valley (34°52′37.34″N 73°41′37.71″E) near Naran, Pakistan . The clarity of the water comes from the multiple glaciers all around the high basin which feed the lake.
Village Halmet, Neelum Valley , Pakistan .
Neelum Valley is definitely another hidden pearl of Pakistan . No other valley in Kashmir can compare this valley and even most of the Pakistanis know little about it and have little visited there.
Lansdowne Bridge of Rohri, Pakistan .
A marvel of nineteenth century engineering, the ‘longest “rigid” girder bridge in the world’ at that time, was begun in 1887. Designed by Sir Alexander Meadows Rendel, the girder work weighing a massive 3,300 tons was erected by F.E. Robertson, and Hecquet.
Is this Grand Canyon or Texas ?
No. It’s Hingol National Park of Baluchistan, Pakistan . It got Mysterious Mud mountains, beautiful blue water Hingol river, desert and deep blue Arabian sea . [3.5 hrs drive from Karachi on Makran coastal highway]
Cold Desert of Skardu in Pakistan .
This is one of the most beautiful tourists attraction of Northern areas of Pakistan . There are huge sand plains in Skardu.
Passu Peaks , Hunza , Pakistan .
Mysterious mountains stand like a wall between Hunza river and valley. 
Uli Biaho Tower, Pakistan.
It is a peak near Trango Towers and Baltoro Glacier in the Northern Areas of Pakistan . It consists of two main peaks, Uli Biaho Tower (listed by Roskelley as 19,957 feet, and by Kopold as 6109 m (20,058 feet)); and
Uli Biaho Peak (Kopold: 6417 m), which as of 2006 was unclimbed.
Rakaposhi, Pakistan.
Rakaposhi is also known as Dumani [Mother of Mist]. It is situated in the Nagar valley.
Nanga Parbat.
It is the ninth highest mountain on Earth and among the eight-thousanders with a summit elevation of 8,126 meters (26,660 ft). It is also an immense, dramatic peak that rises far above its surrounding terrain.
Karamber Lake.
Karambar Pass marks the boundary between the Chitral and Ishkoman Districts of Pakistan . The Karmabar Lake is almost 3 km long approx and it is 4300 meters above sea level. The flowers of autumns are worth seeing on this lake.
Deosaid plains – Skardu
Bara Pani – Deosai
Dudiptsar Lake or DudipatLake is a lake encircled by snow clad peaks in Lulusar-Dudipatsar National Park .
The lake lies in the extreme north of the Kaghan Valley
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I don’t know the name of this tree, but it has the most striking leaves in that the underside of each leaf is almost bone-white.
