O.C.C

It’s funny how symbiotic the United States is. Nothing goes unnoticed. What? Does that mean all those new telephone poles laced with electricity, cable-vision, and telephone have built in Big Brother devices that constantly monitor your personal activity? What would be so appealing about your personal life that could interest the federal government? It seems John Lennon was on the “list” for surveillance, before he was murdered by Mark David Chapman. He was considered a political malcontent, and with an entity like the "Electoral College" power hung in a balance. The transfer of power of Orange County Choppers from The Discovery Channel to The Learning Channel seems to have had a rocky transition. The transformation from “artistry” to “entertainment” never will be a smooth one. Musica Reservata best describes this event, where the needs of the masses exceed the artistic ideals of the few. “That’s Entertainment,” or so we are supposed to believe. That is, “Shuckin’ and Jivin’,” or “Smoke and Mirrors.” The most recent episode of “OCC” documents that process clearly. The “end” circumvents the “means.” The bike has all ready been built, just as Emeril’s casserole has all ready been baked. If compassion, true feeling for the audience, and humanity have been included in the pre-conceived production then the contrived performance will transcend barriers and meet the producer’s and fan’s needs. Is it appropriate to fabricate a mock crowd-produced bike, when in reality the bike has all ready been made in the name of “good entertainment”? In the case of OCC the Paul’s had enough heart and love of their discipline to transcend the “entertainment requirements” superimposed by Simon Cowell. The crowd was not as humane as the one in Europe. They seemed only to want to have a good time. “Was it infatuation?” Evidently the formula worked. Give away a well-built chopper? Prince is doing it. So did drug dealers in the James Bond movies. Giving away a product kills the competition, because prices fall like the Dow Jones did today. We must quit using “smoke and mirrors” to fund the infrastructure of the United States.