Deck The Malls

Geov Parrish at Working For Change inflicts us with some seasonal guilt over our consumption habits in this column, which I submit for your edification (and yes, I’m partly culpapble as well; we should own stock in Lego).

Also, as long as we’re talking about holiday shopping, I should note this column with sadness from Peter Osnos of The Century Foundation about the demise of Tower Records. I can recall many good times browsing and hanging out at the store on South Street in Philadelphia, particularly on Friday or Saturday nights after a movie at a Ritz or another theater. I think Osnos makes some good points about what the retail world has become with all of the advances in the Internet and downloadable (word?) music over the last few years.

And as long as I’m on this subject, I’d like to throw out some random observations (and feel free to shoot them full of holes if you want, of course):

- The holiday offerings of Manheim Steamroller DO NOT constitute legitimate Christmas music!

- A Christmas toy registry is an absolutely ridiculous concept unless at least one family member giving a gift lives in another state or country.

- I’ve heard some of the songs from “Love,” which is supposed to be a “mash-up” of Beatles’ songs for the Cirque du Soleil show in Vegas, and I have only two words for this: stop it! Actually, I have three words for it: stop it now!

We all know what The Beatles were, and many of us know how great their music is and will continue to be. You could argue that they were the best of them all, with the possible exception of Elvis.

But it’s over, OK? No more reissues of demos, remixes, or out takes of anyone’s drug crazed ramblings or arguments with their wives or girlfriends set to music. Let Apple digitize their music as per the deal currently in negotiation and then call it a day. Can we do that, please?

Update 12/8: And don't forget to add this little item to your holiday gift list also (emphasis on "little").