The Mockingbird Foundation (a non-profit organization dedicated to promoting and raising funds to support music education in schools) announced the other day that they’re starting a Phish Reunion Fund for Music Education.
The Phish Reunion Fund will be maintained in an interest-bearing account, separate from other Foundation assets, and will be distributed for the benefit of music education for children programs (in accordance with the Foundation’s guidelines and mission) after whichever of the following events occurs first: (1) it is announced that >PHISH will perform one complete public show (or more) as an entire band; (2) the Foundation announces, for whatever reason, that it is dissolving; or (3) [heavens forbid!] a band member dies, in which case the reunion fund will become a Memorial Fund in honor of the life of the deceased.
The foundation has provided a lot of support to music education programs around the country. Please support their efforts as music education (and any arts education) is an important aspect of a well rounded education. I would not be the person I am today without the musical education I received when I was in school (I play(ed) the clarinet in band, and wasn’t too shabby either). Music and art classes are the first to go when the budget gets tight. While I fully understand the emphasis on math, science, and reading/writing/literature, music and art should not be forgotten.
If you like Phish (or any type of rock music) consider buying the Sharin’ in the Groove tribute album if you can’t donate to the foundation (or need something in return for your donation). The album is not your standard tribute album. The artists are actually artists who influenced Phish in some way, rather than vice versa. Many of the songs are a different take on some of the classic Phish tunes, and all proceeds from the album go to the Mockingbird Foundation.
The Wrong Reasons are a band from Providence. Anyone who knows me knows that I have a very eclectic taste in music. It generally stays around the jam band scene, but I’m also a big fan of folky music, which naturally expands to bluegrass, slamgrass, rockabilly, country rock, alt-country, and alt-folk. I like most rock music and the Wrong Reasons rock. In short, the albums moves from some twang to rockabilly to folk to rock to garage band music. It reminds me a lot of the Violent Femmes. Providence has a very punk-ish gritty vibe. This album fits that notion of Providence quite well. I don’t know how the alt-country/twang scene got so big here being in southern New England where country types of music just aren’t that big except in the more remote regions, but it’s big in Providence.
Since I just got the album today, I can’t really say much about each individual track. If you like the Femmes, if you like alt-country, if you like twangy garage rock, this album is for you. The album is available at CD Baby (apparently, it’s temporarily out of stock, that’s how popular it is). None of the proceeds go to large corporations, there’s no copy protection, no DRM, it’s just a clean CD where the money goes to the band (and probably some to CD Baby for distribution). Buy this album today. You’ll like it. I promise.
Yesterday, Microsoft issued a press release announcing web-based versions of it’s Office software designed to allow users to collaborate live in an online workspace. Unfortunately, potential users will be required to have Microsoft Office installed on the computer they wish to use Office Live Workspace. I can understand Microsoft wanting to keep being able to sell copies fo MS Office. And I can also understand Microsoft wishing to compete with Google, as Google Docs can be considered a reasonable alternative to MS Office, so long as you don’t need any of the more advanced features. What I don’t understand is the need for the MS Office requirement to use it. If Microsoft truly wants to compete with Google, they would release a web-based version of the basic MS Office products (Word, Excel, Powerpoint) for free, cutting out some of the more advanced features, but leaving in some of the features that would make them better than Google Docs, starting some real competition.
I applaud Microsoft for making the attempt, but it falls short of actually being a useful attempt. I don’t see this getting Microsoft anymore business. The only thing it really allows for is easier online collaboration for people who already own MS Office. As some of the tags say in the Slashdot article below, this is too little too late.
Microsoft Prepping Browser-based Word and Excel (Slashdot)
Microsoft punts web-based apps to the masses (The Register)
Recent Comments