I saw a truck spewing smoke on my way up to Maine this past 4th of July. The smoke was so bad, you couldn't see past the truck, at all. A real driving hazard.
Anyway, I just realized a few things.
Cars and trucks (and buses, planes, jets, internal combustion engines...) spew out an incredible volume of gases (as opposed to liquids or solids, not gasoline. OK, gasoline gasses...). If people could see how much they create, perhaps they would drive less.
So, my idea is, create some sort of additive so that cars (trucks, etc) emit visible NON-TOXIC smoke. People will see how much they are polluting. Yes, it would be a driving hazard and harsh medicine but very dramatic. And that's what it takes to really get the point across that there is an incredible volume of toxic gases we emit but don't see. And since we don't see this, we don't think it is that bad of a problem. It's an invisible killer.
Now, what can be put in a car's gas tank that would make the exhaust smoke? I guess there are hobby kits out there.
Whadya think? Anybody want to pick up and run with this idea?
Check out WLIW, Ch 21, tonight (midnight, Saturday night (actually Sunday morning, 12/29)) for Austin City Limits. Cafe Tacuba is on. (It's a repeat.) This is one of the best concerts I've seen on tv. At one point the lead singer teeters on the edge of the stage, falls off the stage, a girl in the audience immediately starts dancing with him and pulls him back up onto the stage. They dance some more. During the B part of the music, she bends him over her knee and kisses him, one of the funniest live concert moments I've ever seen. A great show. Great sound. Turn it up! (I hope you have your tv set up to play through your stereo. It will sound great, as all ACL shows do.)
I got my first cell phone a few days ago. I signed up for the AAA plan with Consumer Cellular which charges $10/month and .25 cents a minute. I don't use the phone much so it seemed like a good deal.
I got the phone a few days ago, having only ordered it on Friday of last week so it came fast. It was alot smaller than I was expecting. It is a Nokia 1600. It doesn't have a camera. I'm not paying for text service but for some reason it says I have some text messages sent and received (That has since been resolved. I erased the message counter but the customer service lady, a nice girl, didn't know why it had happened.) I have called them three times and I think I bewildered two customer service agents who answered. One woman had no idea what I was talking about when I asked her about the musical note icon that appears when the screen dims. Both were patient and helpful though the other guy I talked to seemed to be frustrated that I wasn't up to speed on how this cell phone worked. (I have plenty of computer experience so can get what I need out of geeks but I have very little knowledge about how to use a cell phone.)
I have made a few calls. The first was to my sister who uses a portable phone through an internet connection. It broke up a couple of times but I don't know if it was due to her portable phone, the internet connection or my phone.
I have noticed I get both two bars and four bars for reception while sitting in the same chair. I looked up the cell phone reception on MobileMedia's cell phone coverage page (http://www.cellreception.com/coverage/) and some people have commented that my area does get poor reception sometimes.
I am not impressed with the voice quality. (It's also hard to hear sometimes. And totally inconvenient to adjust the volume while in a call. That's BAD design.) I am not sure I want to put up with these limitations. I also don't like having the keypad on the phone. Often enough you have to hit keys while listening to a menu. Using a phone that has the keypad on the base unit is much easier. I haven't found any Bluetooth desk phones that I, in theory, could use with this phone (if it had Bluetooth, which it doesn't.) That would be a good accessory. Inventors, listen up.
I do see how people can be absorbed by the buttons on their phones. You do spend a lot of time looking at them. These are really small. Too small. They are backlit too but the lighting isn't uniform. Bad design.
There are 35 articles of impeachment being offered. Constitutional scholars have said many have merit yet the Democrats are refusing to allow it to proceed.
What would happen if Bush were impeached? Dems fear a backlash but wouldn't doing the right thing be more powerful?
I say impeach. He certainly deserves it. Much more so than Clinton whose only offense was lying about having sex. Sending people to war under false circumstances, and other offenses, certainly justifies impeachment. I'd say it demands it. If we don't impeach him what kind of country do we have?
And If we impeach, what will happen then? I don't know but feel that not impeaching is unacceptable.
Do you get mad when you see someone perfectly able park in a handicapped spot? Now you can do something about it.
There's this website where you can report people who might be abusing handicapped parking or placards. If you see something that looks wrong, write the info down (license plate number, time of day, location, handicapped parking tag number if you can see it). Then, when you're home go to this website and fill out their simple form. They will send a monthly report to each state's DMV. The DMV will determine if there is abuse and contact and possibly fine the person if so. You don't have to and shouldn't confront anyone. This is a great way to bring to justice people who abuse this important resource for handicapped people. People who need the parking are not punished.
(The slate at the end of yesterday's webcast says they start at 1 pm but they don't, thankfully.)
I tune in at 1:54 NY time and they are showing the crowd at some stage. Can't tell who is on stage, some jazz. No lower third to ID this.
This is the Salvador Santana Band. They're not supposed to be on till 4... (They are actually on live I guess.) stupid rap, latin
2:03 NY time. Screen fades to black then they go to intro to Porter Batiste Stoltz. Good.
Audio still ahead of the video. No phasing to speak of.
Now this is some nice music!
- Heavy delta slide blues. Meet Me In The Morning? (Chicago blues) (some 16k!)
2:13 PM Alejandro Escovedo
Right on time. Too short for Porter Batiste Stoltz but I love Alejandro's music. Good lyrics and heartfelt tunes.
- eh
- Nice, typical Alejandro stuff. Cello is a tough instrument to sell in the rock world. Great shot of Alejandro and fiddler trading licks.
- Sweet intro. Sister La Soul, Brother La Soul?
- Another sweet intro. waltz? real slow. Now a different tune, tempo. Familiar. From Lives (Songs?) of the Fathers? (That "opera" he did.) A haunting tune, lovely. Rosalie. What Alejandro does best.
- song from his earlier band, Sensitive Boy.
- Nice intro. (It's going on after 2:40 so I'm glad it's continuing.) Heavy. Makes No Sense, Makes Perfect Sense... Nice.
- More! High pitched squeal of feedback. 'Real as an animal...' (Iggy Pop)
- 'All I ever wanted was a 4 piece band...' 'I'm the last drink of water from the Salton Sea...'
- Well alright, another one. This song ended up on Bush's top 10 iPod songs. Dedicated to Joe Strummer... Dumpstaphunk up next? What happened to Papa Grows Funk? I Like It Better When She Walks Away. Quint gives him a hug.
3:00 PM Ivan Neville’s Dumpstaphunk (live) - We catch the first tune after it started. Boring. Show Me How To Funk Like You
- another... For whatever reason I don't get into though the beat is good. Some nice camera work. .... shake your bitty booty... Good music to make lunch by. ... I'm getting into it as time goes on.
- Shake It Off. Sax is low in the mix.
3:37 Now they play the Salvador Santana Band. What happened to Bonerama? Too latin for me w/ rap. ... Evil Ways (Art Neville up next. The schedule is all f'd up.)
4 pm. They do a piece on the fest.
Art Neville on now. (is that the Dumpstaphunk gtr-ist?)
- We miss the beginning of this tune. The difference between these guys and say, Salvador Santana Band. These guys aren't trying so hard to impress. They're getting more out of less.
- old song (for him). forgettable 50s tune.
They cut out of that and go to the host.
Santana (Carlos) as they are starting up a tune or ending one. Some sort of classical-based tune. Then chaos. This will win them over. Carlos directing the chaos with his hands. Drummer goes nuts then into a nice beat. Jingo! Nice. Dual maraca players with two bright yellow maracas in each hand! This is live. Conga player with black hair flowing in the wind. Carlos continues to be one my favorite rock dinosaur gtr players. Ever since Caravanserai.
- "new" singer. Saw him on Later? His vocals get left out at one point... And again.
- Wow, this is a flashback! The old Tower of Power/San Francisco horn sound. Can't remember the name of this, Sing It Round? Somebody's out of the mix.
- Another blast from the past. I'm sure others are having flashbacks too. Another familiar tune in there. And another. And now into a blues tune. A big smile as he finishes up a hot riff. Very nice.
- Familiar but with more noise.
- I Ain't Got Nobody (That I Can Depend On). I hope everyone's drugs are kicking in about now. Yeah! The crowd loves it! "We are the continuation of their voices... We are the opposite of George Bush... The power of love... unity, harmony, compassion... gentleness."
- Dedicates this next tune to the women because "nothing happens unless the women are happy." Naima (John Coltrane) Trumpet solo. Nice closeup of organ player. This could be any jazz band... Nice!
- latin hip hop... Maria, Maria... mama chola... something mambo
- unknown latin/Cuban/Mexican? tune. Good direction, they hit the horns just when needed. Nice shot of Carlos. Yeah!
- Black Magic Woman. (w/ Hendrix's Third Stone From The Sun?) thrown in there) Nice
- Right into Oye Como Va. (Never Go Back To Georgia! thrown in there. I think I've heard him do that before.) Organ is a little low in the mix. Hard to hear it's solo. Prince's Love Bizarre thrown in for one second. This is called blowing the roof off the sucker! Crowd loves it.
- IDs the band. "Your purpose is to create a masterpiece of joy in your life... Heal people in this world"... Video part of the stream is being jerky. Probably lots of viewers. Audio is fine. Unknown song... coño.... We hear the Woodstock chant after they're done! lol
- (tune played at Woodstock, Soul Sacrifice?) Nice mix!! Timbale player using his elbows. Kid on timbales! Then to silence as the tune would normally crescendo. Carlos plays solo at the head of the stage. Then he brings it back up again into a heavy metal riff. Then to (?). Then to a church choir, as they pray. Then into another tune. Peace! Indeed. Carlos shakes the hands of the stage mix engineers as he goes off.
5:59 pm Vaucresson Sausage Co spot. Crawfish sausage! This guy can sing too.
Bonerama! The host previewed this by saying 'see some of the local entertainers or some such.' That's kinda what Jazz Fest should be about, isn't it? Sound problem. Can't hear the CD being used as backup. Elvis... The National Anthem. Done straight. Mostly.
- Crosstown Traffic. Craig has his reneworleans sticker on his horn.
- Hang up the phone and drive... This trying to be "heavy" with these power chords is tiresome.
- new: Hard Times. The dancing girls sure don't hurt! (Fan dancers wearing too much clothing.) The AT&T feed is loving it!
- Nice effect on this funky intro. Is this on their first album? Shake It Down? Shake my rugelator... Craig's singing is pretty weak. (Always?) Papa Grows Funk coming up next.
That's it for them. Not so great. Now wee see some scenes form the fest.
6:27 PM Papa Grows Funk Nice outfit on the gtr-ist. Video still jerky, might be worse.
6:43 PM They cutaway from Gros and we see the host.
Neville Brothers. Quint intro. Live. AT&T director did the right thing, came in at the right time. Thank you.
- Indians on stage! Wild Tchopitoulas
- Meet De Boys On The Battlefront (gonna stomp some rump) Nice to see them dancing with the crowd behind them. Big Chief Jim Robinson? singing the verses.
- Fire On The Bayou
- Bass starts out. Must have put voodoo on me...
- Long Time Coming beautifully sung by Aaron. Nice!
- Tipitina! Yeah.
- latin beginning... Beasme Mucho, jeez. Nicely done though.
- Tell It Like It Is sung by Aaron. I hear women screaming in the background as this starts! Very nice.
- Carlos Santana comes onstage. Did I see the drummer just lose a drum stick? Had a new one in a second. That's My Blood Down There.
- Ain't No Use To Cut You Loose. Carlos is igniting the band!
- Brother Jake. Nice.
- Yellow Moon. Nice duet w/ gtr-ist
- Brother John Is Gone/Iko Iko (8pm NY time)
- Mean Willie Green starts out on the drums. unknown song/ When You Go To New Orleans? Nice dancing on stage! "Shake what your mama gave ya." " We all Nevilles", Quint after listing all the Neville family members on stage.
- Amazing Grace? Yes. (Sung by Aaron, of course.) One Love! Yes!!! w/ People Get Ready.
- Big Chief. w/ Trombone Shorty on trumpet... Killer drum solo.
Nice ending from Quint.
Stream hasn't gone out today! Video is jerky but it didn't stop. Audio good with a few exceptions. (This is SO much better than listening to WWOZ!!)
Overall: Stream audio is well mixed but two problems: audio is slightly out of sync with video, ahead of it! and phasing got bad towards the end. Video is freeze-framing here and there but it's so much better to see this stuff. And they've thrown in some features, my favorite being watching the second line with the New Wave Brass Band. They even added some acts that weren't on their schedule: Widespread Panic and Jimmy Buffett who was recorded that day!
Saturday, 5/4 AT&T webcast in the order they appeared (times are NY time)
Roddie Romero and the Hub City All-Stars! The audio on this is overmodulated. The stream stops. On restart I miss most of his set. Probably a buffering problem.
A piece on Muses.
Susan Cowsill This is on 2:41 NY time. River Of Love.
Theresa Andersson Group! Looking hot as usual.
Kim Carson White trash. Another cover - Pink Floyd's Wish You Were Here. Nice.
Jon Cleary! - Tipitina, done with all the latin influences heard before. - Zulu Strut - It's All Over Now - typical R&B played well but awfully repetitive. - nice drum intro! nice gtr solo. What We Got, No Different Than What You Got. Good funk groove.
Good mixes so far w/ AT&T. Sounds good other than that one spot where it was distorting. Well directed and cameras are doing a good job.
Dr John! (everyone getting wet) - Right Place, Wrong Time. Nice shot of keyboard and crowd! Very nostalgic for the pics of Jazz Fest I've seen from the 70s, black and white... - Keep That Music Simple, funny. - 'Let's get Shannon McNally's ass up here and do one of them Bobby Charles tunes.' lol. You can lose everything and you still have music. A song for the hurricane survivors. 'Give it up for her ass'. - song about murders in New Orleans. Say What? Jab at Bush! Yea! "There's a whole lotta shit to be answered for." Hear, hear. - I'm Qualified, comparing rich vs poor.
Voice of The Wetlands All-stars! Quint intros them wearing an LSU shirt. LSU sucks! Sorry, I couldn't help myself. All stars indeed. The cream of the crop. Don't Let The Water Wash Us Away. - Louisiana Sunshine. Another song to help people rebuild their lives. Disco beat?
Stream stops and restarts at beginning.
I get it to work again but I miss the next song.
They don't edit out the between-song wait.
- Dedicates this song to the people who are trying to move back to New Orleans. Sung by Jumpin' Johnny Sansonne. 'Insurance man nothing more than a big ball buster.' Good to hear these songs about how hard it's been. (AT&T has the wrong lower third up as Johnny sings. It's not Dr John playing anymore...) Bush and Haliburton and Blanco. Good song.
- Ain't Gonna Lose No More. (We Gonna Fight). A Mardi Gras Indian is on stage in pink. (Monk Boudreaux) Saving our wetlands in Iraq, we want our money back! Alright!
- Hold Em Joe? chant. The rain is coming down! They cut it short.
The subdudes! .... What an honor to play after the Dixie Chicks, I mean Dixie Cups. They are subdued. I always thought the name was more 'sub dudes' but it sure applies to their music now and then. Subdued. Subdued dudes? Sub ub ub...
- Lord you got to help me now... late at night. (ED problems?)
- '1972, the hippies came and rearranged our minds'! Love is a beautiful thing. A familiar tune. 'Leave the mud people alone.' (That's the year I came down there too.) Nice to hear this again.
Now they show a tent where Strum Sticks are sold. A non-musical host.
Zac Brown (on ahead of schedule) - generic, boring country. - hard rock w/fiddle and organ, then reggae. Who Knows. Into ska w/ fiddle then Allman Bros. Gtr and fiddle trading licks. - 'right cheer', cracker for "right here." Whoa, an Irish riff? - Opening for Etta James that night at the HOB. Talk about a mismatch. Another generic country tune. Just As Free As We'llo Ever Be. Then into Van Morrison's Into The Mystic. Funny, I was thinking he sounded similar to Van, except for the lyrics, phrasing, band, and talent. Then back into his song. "Though we don't have a lot of money, all we need is love." He's from GA. - Lists his favorite things: ' cold beer on a Friday night, a pair of jeans that fit just right' All country cliches. Next! And he loves his mama. Give me a break. Thanks the soldiers for dying so he doesn't have to sacrifice. (Expletive edited out.)
Irma Thomas! (and the Professionals) - It's Raining? I miss this. - Ruler Of My Heart. Sounds like she's going to play the hits. Nothing wrong with that. Thanks the out-of-towners. - unknown song. The horn players have got their little dance routine with Irma. - If You Want It, Come And Get It... - Soul Survivor - Time Is On My Side - I Just Got Over! complete w/ second line audience participation. And Iko Iko and Hey Pocky Way and then back into I Just Got Over. Thanks the audience for helping out the city again.
Stream stops then restarts back at the Voice of the Wetlands.
Wayne Toups! (long set) Starts early. OK - nice - Leap Of Faith (hear some phasing throughout AT&T webcast) - slow dance song - some song about a train - from a soundtrack... - unknown song with bad audio problem (kind of like an echo/phasing problem) - song in French, nice and long. - unknown song - another. Some nice jams. The Allman Brothers Blue Skies - ending. - ending tune, phasing is bad at points. Phasing continues after tune ends.
Not on the schedule but it appeared anyway: Widespread Panic, phasing is bad at times. It's adding it's own rhythm track. Not much to this music. Gets better. "Sewing machine" is an important lyric, important enough to be repeated three times? This at least has a harder edge than whatever I'd heard Phish do.
Tim McGraw - which I could not watch. Awful stuff.
piece on soft shell crabs!
piece on second lining with the New Wave Brass Band!
(rec today!) Jimmy Buffet (w/ Sonny Landreth? Allen Toussaint comes in) Is this a little lagniappe? I am no Jimmy Buffett fan these days. I did like his Why Don't We Get Drunk And Screw days though. This stuff is music perfectly safe for an elevator near you.
- One Particular Harbor - Ilo Ferreira, more elevator music - fins song - Ralph MacDonald on percussion! Brings Allen Toussaint on to do Do You Know What It Means To Miss New Orleans. That was a jazz Fest moment? Pretty pitiful.
Also, AT&T will webcast video as well, on Saturday and Sunday of some of LAST WEEK'S shows. Starts at 2 pm EST. Should be EXCELLENT!!
Saturday Line-Up Roddie Romero & The Hub City All Stars! Zac Brown Wayne Toups! Jon Cleary! Dr. John! Voice of the Wetlands All Stars featuring Tab Benoit, Dr. Cyril Neville (Dr? lol), Dr. John and others! the subdudes! Theresa Andersson! Susan Cowsill! Kim Carson Irma Thomas! Tim McGraw Jimmy Buffett Widespread Panic
Sunday Line-Up Salvador Santana Band Alejandro Escovedo!! Ivan Neville's Dumpstaphunk Porter Batiste Stoltz! Papa Grows Funk! Art Neville! The Neville Brothers!
Jazz Fest is coming up! (4/25 -4/27 & 5/1 - 5/4). I won't be there but there are plenty of bands I'd want to see. WWOZ will (hopefully) be broadcasting taped performances from the 25th-27th. AT&T will supposedly air video of some on 5/3 & 5/4. see http://attblueroom.com/music/New-Orleans-Jazz-and-Heritage-Festival/more-information.php
On Monday, 4/28, WWOZ will have their annual Piano Night, always a treat. I'm looking forward to: Marcia Ball, Eddie Bo, John Boutte, Jon Cleary, Casandra Faulconer?, John Gros, Joe Krown, Ronald Markham, Shannon Powell, David Torkanowsky
Here's who I would want to see at Jazz Fest. Most I am familiar with. Some I am only curious about since they have interesting names.
I will post more on all this when it starts happening.
Friday, April 25 Buckwheat Zydeco, Robert Plant and Alison Krauss, Burning Spear, Ozomatli, Tab Benoit, Anders Osborne, Big Sam’s Funky Nation, Terence Simien & Zydeco Experience, Leo Nocentelli’s “Rare Gathering” feat. Bernie Worrell, The Iguanas, The New Orleans Nightcrawlers, Twangorama, Bruce Daigrepont Cajun Band, Zydepunks, Zion Trinity, Bonsoir Catin...
Saturday, April 26 The Count Basie Orchestra, Jon Cleary & the Absolute Monster Gentlemen, Wayne Toups & Zydecajun, Walter “Wolfman” Washington & the Roadmasters, Harlem Blues and Jazz Band, NewBirth Brass Band, Rosie Ledet & the Zydeco Playboys, Eddie Bo, Big Chief Peppy & the Golden Arrows, The Original Last Straws, Young Tuxedo Brass Band, Nine Times and Single Men SAPCs, The Electrifying Crown Seekers, Golden Comanche and Chief Iron Horse & the Black Seminole Mardi Gras Indians, The RRAAMS Drum and Dance, Lady Jetsetters...
Sunday, April 27 Irma Thomas, Al Green, Elvis Costello and Allen Toussaint, Cassandra Wilson, Delbert McClinton, Del McCoury, Pete Fountain, Hot 8 Brass Band, Big Chief Monk Boudreaux & the Golden Eagles, BeauSoleil avec Michael Doucet, Dolemite, Jo “Cool” Davis, Mamadou Diabate of Mali, Jambalaya, Willis Prudhomme & Zydeco Express, Wilberforce University Choir, Midnite Disturbers, Lars Edegran’s New Orleans Ragtime Orchestra, Furious Five, Carrollton Hunters and Flaming Arrows Mardi Gras Indians, AsheSon, N’Fungola Sibo West African Dance Company, Percussion Inc., Percussion Inc., Ninth Ward Navajo and Cherokee Hunters Mardi Gras Indians...
Thursday, May 1 Randy Newman, Tower of Power, Deacon John, Luther Kent & Trickbag, Porter- Batiste-Stoltz, Steve Riley & the Mamou Playboys, C.J. Chenier & the Red Hot Louisiana Band, Kirk Joseph’s Backyard Groove, Creole Zydeco Farmers, Walter Payton & Filé Gumbo, Hot Club of New Orleans, Topsy Chapman’s Tribute to Dinah Washington, New Orleans Rhythm Conspiracy, Panorama Jazz Band, Mighty Chariots of Fire, Joe Torregano, Billy Iuso & the Restless Natives, The Melody Clouds, TBC Brass Band, Small Souljas Brass Band, The Golden Wings, Red Hawk and Geronimo Hunters Mardi Gras Indians, Culu Children’s Traditional African Dance Company...
Friday, May 2 Art Neville, Stevie Wonder, Richard Thompson, Trombone Shorty & Orleans Ave., Marva Wright & the BMWs, Papa Grows Funk, Sunpie’s Tribute to Clifton Chenier, Zigaboo Modeliste, Bonerama, John Boutté, Soul Rebels, Coco Robicheaux & Spiritland, Theryl “Houseman” DeClouet, Chubby Carrier & the Bayou Swamp Band, Bluerunners, Wanda Rouzan, Ann Savoy’s Sleepless Knights, Butch Thompson, New Wave Brass Band, Tuba Woodshed, Belton Richard & the Musical Aces, Lyle Henderson & Emmanuel, Pinettes Brass Band, D.L. Menard & the Louisiana Aces, New Orleans Mardi Gras Rhythm Indian Section,
Saturday, May 3 Marcia Ball, Steel Pulse, Bobby McFerrin and Chick Corea, Dirty Dozen Brass Band, Henry Butler (only if he doesn't sing), Aaron Neville’s Gospel Soul, John Mooney & Bluesiana, the subdudes, New Leviathan Oriental Foxtrot Orchestra, Savoy Center of Eunice Saturday Cajun Jam, Charmaine Neville, The Dixie Cups, Nathan & the Zydeco Cha-Chas, James Andrews, Dr. Michael White & the Original Liberty Jazz Band, Geno Delafose & French Rockin’ Boogie, Pine Leaf Boys, Treme Brass Band, Don Vappie & the Creole Jazz Serenaders, Feufollet, Pinstripe Brass Band, Storyville Stompers Brass Band, Young Guardians of the Flame, Westbank Steppers, Valley of the Silent Men and Pigeon Town Steppers SAPCs, Golden Blade and Wild Tchoupitoulas Mardi Gras Indians…
Sunday, May 4 The Neville Brothers, Santana, The Radiators, Rebirth Brass Band, Sonny Landreth, Snooks Eaglin, Preservation Hall Jazz Band, Tribute to Mahalia Jackson feat. Irma Thomas, Goldman Thibodeaux & the Lawtell Playboys, Lost Bayou Ramblers, New Orleans Spiritualettes, Zulu Male Ensemble, Tribute to Tuba Fats, Highsteppers Brass Band, Black Eagles, Hardhead Hunters and Apache Hunters Mardi Gras Indians, Lady Rollers and CTC Steppers SAPCs, Young Traditional New Orleans Brass Band, Young Magnolias and Black Feathers Mardi Gras Indians, Original Prince of Wales and the Original New Orleans Lady Buckjumpers SAPCs, Tornado Brass Band...
I am having a hard time stopping feeding the birds. I have a suet feeder. (I don't feed them year-round because the fallen seed will attract rats.) The suet ran out today and hearing what seemed to be some plaintive cries, I gave in and put some more out. I know they can survive without it but it just seemed that some were upset that my supply wasn't there, their songs sounding just a little bit worried/upset.
Things are greening up slowly here and I've started to see some moths at night, so insects are becoming available for the birds and I guess seed and other goodies are available all year-round. Still, I don't want to disappoint them. I will miss their songs when I stop feeding them since most will move away.
I watched as the kids in my backyard explored the woods. Last time they did this they poked sticks at a pair of ducks that were nesting there. Today, I saw them gather around where they hide but they weren't making movements like they were doing anything bad to them so I didn't speak up.
Later I saw a rabbit run away as they approached. The wildlife here really has a hard time.
They are painting the house in front of me. Yesterday they brought in a dumpster and today they tore apart the brick front porch that was falling apart. In the process of bringing in the dumpster, they ran over some daffodils that are popping up all over the front yard. I tried digging a few of them out today but the soil is so thick with roots and rocks it broke a fork tool. I was able to transfer at least two shoots with bulbs and have planted them by the other rescued plants. Maybe others will survive... I took some pics.
Yesterday I moved some plants that the painter stepped on. They were about to bloom. I also moved the Tulips that were doing the best they ever had since they had gotten run over by the dumpster delivery. They are now back with the rescued plants but won't bloom this year, I shouldn't think.
Today, miraculously the painter DIDN'T run over the hyacinths that are blooming for the first time (without getting run over) in the six years I have lived here. I put up a marker so people will know they are there but that may have to get taken down.
When I find them in the bathroom or the kitchen, I might wash them down the drain. If I was an ant, I can only imagine the terror of one second everything being fine and the next, I am cold, underwater and being sucked down into a dark hole that I cannot escape out of. Imagine this hole as a place where another world exists. It is almost another dimension. If you're big enough, you're fine; you don't go down the hole. If you are small, you can and there's no way out. Sort of like as if a black hole existed on earth. One second you're fine, the next, you're being sucked into something you can't escape and that will kill you.
Horrific.
And I see few alternatives. I do escort some of them outside but I can't do that for all of them. I just have to be hard-hearted or more apt, cold-blooded and murder them. Not something I like to do.
I kill animals inadvertently all the time. We all do. (Very small ones. None too big, thank you....) When you walk on the grass you kill some bugs. Driving, you see bugs splattered on your windshield. I have avoided killing larger animals. I don't like knowingly killing anything that I can avoid killing.
This is one of the prices we pay for modern life. We live. They die. Don't think about it. Move on... Still, I feel a little pain in my heart every time I do it. I am aware of it. I have to get to the point, as I know I will, that I don't feel bad about it. That's the same as knowing that people are dying but not doing anything about it. A rationalization. It's what made it possible for people to do nothing while the Nazi's killed the Jews, albeit on a lessor scale. It's ok to kill ants. It's not ok to kill people. Or, it's ok to kill ants and it's ok to kill people. We do make these distinctions. The ants lose. (And too many people die before the killing is stopped.)
Ah, spring. The birds are singing, the woodchuck is out and about, the air has promise.
And the motorcycles are out. Illegally loud. Annoying. Whatever steps my local government has done about this, if any, are inadequate. Loud noise really lowers the quality of life. I wish something was being done about this.
And soon to be heard, loud car stereos. I would think it would be easy to station cops anywhere and have them ticket offenders. That would help but I don't think anyone does that.
I just saw the first ant, a small black one, inside my house on the kitchen table at 8:35 pm. I put him/her outside in the 30 degree weather to fend for him/herself.
Jon Voigt at charity dinner Harrison Ford, on Letterman, 12/5/07 Jimmy Walker, on Letterman 10/17/07 Alison Krause (How can she look old? She's only...) Vanessa Redgrave, 6/20/07 on Charlie Rose Gore Vidal, 4/7/07 Peter O'Toole is STILL looking old! 1/17/07 Doyle Lawson (of Quicksilver, a Bluegrass band) silver hair, 12/31/06 Jerry Lee Lewis, not surprisingly, hunched over Paul Simon, on SNL, grey, fat but smiling
Rex "zings" Chocolate City Mayor Ray Nagin (and gets down) Hail Rex!
(Things start at 9 NY time. WWOZ will riding in Zulu so let's see what that's like. So far, Krewe Du Vieux and Bacchus have been my favorites. They also had the best video quality.)
I tune in at about 8:30 NY time. WWOZ is broadcasting live from Zulu they say. Haven't heard anything that would indicate that.
Looking at the earthcam bourbocam. Nobody is walking around in costume. What's up with that? True, it is 8 in the morning but at least there should be a few people out there wandering around like lost souls. (see Bourbocam 2006)
Hey Oh! Huey Piano Smith - Don't You just Know it. Me been drinking!
Ha Ha Ha!
I watch the street cleaning crew clean up near the Bourbocam. Imagine waking up on Mardi Gras day and going to work to clean up Bourbon St. Amen for my good life.
The cleaning crews are doing a real good job. Good!
Do what you wanna - Dirty Dozen? No.
A plastic bag blows onto Bourbon St. The street sweeper just went by but a guy with a broom sweeps it up. Right on!
Oh great, bob French next. New Orleans worst ambassador.
It's 9 am in NO. I don't see anyone in costume on Bourbon St. What's up with that?
Ok, I see one. And a Sousaphone. Alright.
Bob French comes on nicely. Good morning. Kinda quiet. "Ain't no time for no violence. Good. You people in NYC, I'm sorry you ain't here. Well, alright." Now he talks on the phone and isn't aware he is also on mic.
Seeing more crowds on the Pardadecam.
Bob dedicates this to all the big fat women out there. Ok. Help yourself.
A whole slew of bike riders goes by the Bourbocam.
More costumes. Good.
Whoa. Floats passing by the Paradecam! 10:13 NY time.
Watching a Miller Light truck BACK UP on Bourbon St. No one gets run over.
There are f'ing floats going down St Charles and no one is on the Paradecam.
DSU cam is live. They got Zulu on! An aerial cam but Zulu nonetheless. 10:18 NY time. "Must have taken many hours to get ready to go to work today". Expect lots of bad humor on this.
Pete Fountain in the Zulu parade. The DSU woman is yakking away, rapid fire. I turn them down. Listen to OZ. "If you can't be good, be good at it."
DSU screen goes black. Iko Iko on OZ. They go black for commercials I guess. Bands go by but we can't hear them, the hosts are yakking. And the cam is way too high up.
Mardi Gras Mambo...
Woman says: "You look glazed and dazed", to Bob.
Bob cues up a song and then says I'm not sure if I want to play this song.
DSU hosts are way up on the Hotel De Cirque. A safe distance. Cute blond. You think you're going to get a coconut way up there?
John Boutte - Mardi Gras Mambo as a real mambo on OZ.
Bunch of big wigs on the Bourbocam. Hi! Blue hair, purple hair...
Another latin song on OZ.
11:23 am NY time. Nothing much going on. Ate some shrimp. (I'm going to run out WAY before I am satiated.) Now eating pistachios. Zulu parade going on on the DSU cam but it's too far away. Still nothing going on on the Paradecam. Bob is playing a sad song about a woman who misses her lover. Drinking Again.
There's Pete Fountain on the DSU Zulu parade cam which is now street level. They have audio of it, good. See some nice costumes. Doing Margie! The great Ray Charles song. One of my favorites by Ray, done on that live album, Ray Charles Live, a great album. Nice!
The Fantastic Four on the Bourbocam! Bob French playing, That't The Time I Feel Like Making Love... lol. (Topsy Chapman singing them.)
I need another drink.
McCormicks, the cheaper Bailey's. Nice funky tune on OZ. Bob speaks then WAY overmodulates, playing Henry Butler - Iko Iko... Easy Bob.
DSU cam shows radar with rain over NO, but not for long.
I see a woman pirate on Bourbon St., with purple legs. As Jeff would say, hello pretty lady. The Jesus freaks are back! ARE YOU BORN AGAIN? NO!!!
I thought the Paradecam was going to be on at 10 NO time. It is almost 12 NY time, 11 NO time and they are still on the roof. No parade happening though. I take it back, there goes a military band. And vendors. And riders on horses. And floats. Did someone oversleep? Nope they have a host but are still on the roof. Lauren is hosting.
"Happy Mardi Gras, sweetheart", heard on OZ.
Nice float on the Zulu parade. Nice drumming on OZ but overmodulated, seriously overmodulated. Rebirth - On A Mardi Gras Day. We see an American Indian with head-dress in the reviewing stand on the DSU cam, Zulu parade. Nonstop parades wherever you look. Mardi Gras overload!! OZ, Paradecam, DSU cam...
Raining doubloons!, heard on the Paradecam.
Right Time Wrong Place - brass band version. Nice. Overmodulated but nice. I can look past that. But it is typical of WWOZ production values. Amateurs. Haven't gotten better in all these years.
(12 pm NY time) Nice black and white tiger on Zulu parade. Incredible headdresses. Huge.
That looks like Arthur Hardy with the DSU hosts.
Maxing out my computer. Getting nice dribs and drabs of DSU cam audio, Paradecam audio, OZ audio.
Zulu handing out NutriGrain bars! lol
DSU cam: "This is exhausting." Wimps.
Zulus riding on top of the fire truck. Very white people doing commentary. "They really go full out into their costumes." Their problem? They talk too much. Relax and enjoy it.
Whoa. Bourbon St is getting crowded! Well alright. 12 NY time still... 12: 06 actually.
Nice audio soup. Paradecam, DSU cam, OZ. Very nice.
I sing along with OZ, Do You Know What It Means To Miss New Orleans and the DSU cam, and the Paradecam. Nice melange.
Scott, we're multifaceted, Bob French says. Bob says goodbye. Bye Bob. Paradecam has Laurie and other non-native host. And we DO get dead air from OZ!! What Bozos. (Where is it, Bob asks.) Clueless amateurs. Funny. "We are expecting temporary difficulties." (Experiencing?)
I laugh. OZ still doesn't have it's act together. They never will .
See fire engine on Paradecam.
Gotta roll with it on OZ. The end of Rex on the Paradecam. Elks next.
DSU cam:" We should identify these people." Nice audio soup with all three.
OZ stream stops. Maybe I have too much going on here... Only 91% CPU use... 12:33 pm NY time.
Very little of any stream getting through now. Only a few dribs of the DSU cam audio.
Ooh, silence. Can't deal with that. Now we get DSU cam back. "Things are looking back to good." What the hell does that mean? lol. Mardi Gras madness.
DSU cam: "Here comes the tribal king." ..."As he tosses out all those riches, so to speak."
DSU cam: "The stuffed animals. This is what I'm telling you."... "What's interesting, those backup tractors." lol, these guys are hilarious. Must be Republicans. Not used to seeing black people. I crack myself up. "Those girls can dance too." "I'm so jealous of these girls, I have two left left." Mitchell High School of Memphis, TN.
OZ is back. 1 pm NY time. DSU cam: Didn't know there were so many riding clubs around here. Arthur Hardy on DSU cam.
OZ is playing a nice smooth variation on a brass band tune.
DSU cam is on Poydras by One Shell Square. Dr john singing Mama Roux on OZ! "Wham bam, Hang the ham"
Zulu is only half way through! 1 pm NY times.
"Everybody do your thing. Who knows what tomorrow brings."
Paradecam still with no host, but parade passing by. 1:10 pm NY time.
Inkster High School, Inster, MN. I never knew there was such a place. I've heard of a Jay Inkster but had no idea there was an Inkster anywhere.
DSU cam: "A family oriented parade."
Nice evil mouse float on DSU cam. Do What You Wanna on OZ. Gotta love it. Sure, my computer keyboard is covered with pistachio stains. I'm having fun. Will clean it all up tomorrow.
Not seeing very many costumes on the Bourbocam.
Looks like a nice band on the DSU cam but they aren't letting us hear their music.
Do What You Wanna still on. A nice soundtrack to the DSU cam with their chattering idiots muted. Yeah, you right.
Doin' The ? ? Strut. Front Porch Strut! "Do the front porch strut. Swing your butt. Swing it to the left, swing it to the right." My new favorite song. 433 A <-
DSU is showing a Metairie parade... Argus.
So Tom, what was that? He doesn't say!!
Paradecam is still stopped.
Want My Money Back again on OZ. Another version.
Almost time for lunch. Fried catfish. Yum. May have to start that before Rex...
DSU cam : "One of the longest Zulu parades in history. This is unfortunate." "We're waiting for the king of merriment..." Sure we are...
A leaning tower or Pizza on one float. "They mean well." as they get pelted.
Arthur: " I feel like I'm doing a hurricane report." "Are we ready to get toasted", another DSU anchor. Queen of Argus.
Rex is beginning at last. 1:40 NY time. The LSU marching band. Nice drumming and nice lines but not a NO tune.
Rex comes by. 1:42 pm NY time. Towards the 2000 block of St Charles. Paradecam is still stuck on a stopped parade. DSU cam has Rex moving on down.
Riders on Rex? wearing blackface! Some with one eye whitened. Man, they got balls.
"The only thing that we really have is our funk down by Congo Square." Mardi Gras indian song on OZ.
2pm Paradecam paradecam is still stuck.
No audio from DSU cam, it's breaking up.
DSU cam: Still waiting for Rex to start. My mind spins.
Rebirth with the Nightcrawlers! on OZ.
Paradecam is finally moving. 2 pm NY time. Is that Elks? (Bad hum on the Paradecam but we can hear Lauren occasionally. Still on the roof.)
DSU: Arthur?: "My 30th Mardi Gras. Never ceases to be hilarious." DSU is on Bourbon Street. No, tomorrow they will be hurting... not back at their desks like any other day. "Now is the time to bring the family to Bourbon Street." Un hunh.
Warren Easton High School in Rex too.
Bouef Gros!
Streams stop so I restart the computer. Or was it that nap I took... Rex is by One Shell Square. ~3 pm NY time. Maitre d from the Boston Club, a black man.
Rex: "We need you all to help us rebuild this city... To my wife, today you are the other woman and that makes you that much more alluring."
Arthur Hardy w/ Dr John Oeschner Sr.
Bad hum on the Paradecam, still on roof too, so hard to watch. 3:05 pm, NY time.
Gretna parade a little late. Hah!
Bouef Gras has smoke coming out of his nostrils!
Tributes to rivers, NO pays homage to rivers, the Amazon river is the next float. Volga the next. Old wagon wheels on this float, not that many people can see them.
Some nice floats. Mekong river.
"Long time ago we used to knock some heads, Now we knock em dead with some needle and threads", Mardi Gras Indian song.
Some newbies on OZ.
Tigres and Euphrates river float. Iraq not mentioned. "They didn't have to dodge heavy quantities of heavy beads." No, they are dodging something a little more dangerous these days.
River Tiber float, with supposed wolf at the head.
Pipe band, scottish, Scotland The Brave played.
The river Styx.
OZ DJ chastises himself for calling the Mardi Gras Indian outfits "costumes". They are "suits", like there is any difference...
Congo river float. Atchafalaya river. Not exactly one of the major rivers of the world but what the heck. An egret has fallen off one of the floats, stopping the parade.
The river Ganges. DSU host gets hit: "that's not nice." But she gets him back. Lots of people complaining of getting hit by beads and stuff. 3:45 NY time
The Nile. Nice dog? head. We hear DSU tv people talking between live shots.
OZ DJ singing along with the Mardi Gras Indians. OZ DJ, "it's definitely not about Bourbon St and beads." Well, it sort of is.
"You uptown rulers don't give a damn." - Handa Wanda Indian song.
The mighty Mississippi float has a fearsome figurehead.
The Yangtze river, a float I've seen before and loved.
DSU preparing to sign off live so they can show the Ellen deGeneris show. Paradecam has truck floats but is still on the roof (and has horizontal lines going up the screen.)
4pm NY time. Bourbocam (Earthcam) shows few in costume.)
DSU continues its web feed with a very high overhead shot of Canal St. showing floats going up and down the street.
OZ DJs are talking about tipping the street cleaners and waitresses, one guy says, "don't forget those dancing girls..."Smoke My Peace Pipe - Wild Tchopitoulas.
Good to see the (Palm?) trees on Poydras have survived. They look magnificent!
4:33 pm NY time. Things are kinda winding down. OZ is playing slower stuff. The DSU cam is showing the high aerial shot of Canal St. The Paradecam's parade is done. I think it is time for me to have lunch. Catfish here I come.
5 pm NY time. I see trucks not moving on Canal St on the DSU cam. Lots of people on the Bourbocam. Nothing much on the Paradecam. Time to kiss that one goodbye. See you next year. It's been great.
So, for me it might as well be over. I'll keep watching the Bourbocam and the aerial Canal St DSU cam till I go out tonight. I'll be going out to see a local band do jazz/NO funk. Could be good. Could be disappointing. We'll see.
Happy Mardi Gras y'all.
PS I tune into the Bourbocam (earthcam...) to watch the cops clear Bourbon St. They sweep through rapidly. I was heartened to see people APPLAUDING the police, the street sweepers, etc as they walked/rode by. In my day, the mid 70s, we didn't respect the cops because they were out of control. To see people applauding them now is heartening.
I foolishly thought Cox 10 was going to webcast the Zulu Lundi Gras Fest but all they have is a promo. You have to have Cox cable to see the show. Oh well.
So tonight, it's Proteus - 6:15 p.m. and Orpheus - 7 p.m. (NY times) (DSU said Zeus too but we never see it.)
I tune in at 6:04 NY time. DSU cam has reporter. Paradecam is still on the roof.
Jeff is on Paradecam. "Bloggers have been mentioning you, Meredith, too." I have... Others?
People walking around in shorts so the weather must be nice. Arthur Hardy next on DSU. We see Arthur reacting to whatever they are saying in the studio. He talks. When done, a beauty shot...
Watching people standing around eating, drinking, talking on cell phones before the parade starts.
DSU guy white balances the camera on a guy's shirt?
See flambeaux with lights arranged vertically. Haven't seen that before.
Hear the train whistle from down by the river. Ah nostalgia.
6:30 NY time and no sign of any movement. We can see the first float in the DSU cam. Now hear a siren. The parade is moving.
Flambeaux moving up. The DSU cam is only just around the corner from the Paradecam so is slightly ahead of the Paradecam.
20 floats. Realms of Enchantment the theme. DSU cam has a good spot. First float after the captain is nice, green Proteus, nicely done.
Poseidon (Pronounced Po-sigh'-den not Posaden). A flambeaux shouts Happy Mardi Gras.
Nice faery float coming up. Well, at least the faery is nicely done. The rest of it is poorly painted. A nice figure on the very end I see. (That may be on another float. It's hard to keep track...)
I missed a big fish float.
Proteus had a lot of family troubles...
Did I see one of the black band members in whiteface?
This float is waddling up, the figurehead seems to be pulling it. (The Cyclops! I later hear.)
Paradecam guy reads James Joyce!
Nice to hear the weather is nice.
The (St James) Wildcats conveniently stopping in front of the Paradecam. I noticed the cymbal player jazzing it up too. The tuba player giving it alot of body English. Cymbal player really showing off! Now they all gyrate.
DSU reporter getting ready to go live, on cam.
Damian wants to get an organ transplant from one of these guys! The band shakes it up. Band finally moves off.
Float #11, nice figurehead.
Beautiful blue sky shot on the DSU cam.
Nice leprechaun figurehead on this float.
Jeff thinks that I might know who is who. Nope. I'm just following your lead and writing down as much as I can. But thanks for the reference! It's nice to be mentioned. And fun to see who is looking at the blog!
Crystal Caverns, cool figurehead. I would have guessed it was an alien but Jeff has a better view.
DSU reporter is doing her on-cam thing. A beautiful float (figurehead, an old man) passing by her.
Sunflowers on this float. Gilded Gardens it's called.
Fire engine on the DSU cam. 7:18 pm NY time.
(I do watch the streetcar cam occasionally...)
St Charles Streetcar Band again.
Proteus is done. (~ 1 hr) after it started. 7:22 NY time.
The view on Bourbon St is familiar but we sure miss the Bourbocam and it's hosts. All those interviews. The whole scene. Now all we see is a silent mass of people moving around, jerkily, very slow motion.
Orpheus 7:30 pm NY time Paradecam is going but DSU cam is bluescreen. Are they done?
Eating dinner as I write, we see a Trojan horse float! The DSU cam is back.
Paradecam video camera is acting up, giving strange but beautiful colors and having other technical problems. 7:40 pm NY time
St Aug band coming up on the DSU cam.
Some nice spotlights coming up on the DSU cam. Very cool effect seeing the light in the trees.
Original Lady Buck Jumpers/Steppers struttin' front of the cam.
O Perry Walker wearing white pith helmets!
They ran out of Hummers and now have golf carts! (Good, I hate Hummers.)
Gorgeous effects with the searchlights on the DSU cam.
Paradecam has been better but still has some video problems.
Damian: Palm trees?
Float goes by Pitt St so DSU cam is by Pitt and Napolean.
Wow, a very bright float approaches on the DSU cam.
Have a steam train float but haven't seen Smokey Mary yet. Oh, that is her. 6 floats long! Wow. Let's watch this go around the corner.
Smokey Mary has all kinds of American flags on her. We hear the whistle but she isn't smoking much that I can see.
Bachalopter? I thought it was the Bacchussaurus? Paradecam is acting up, strange colors.
Wow, an incredible white float coming up on the DSU cam, 2 sections, full of feathers or what looks like feathers. Might be flowers.
Another cool gremlin with a blue shirt coming up on the DSU cam. And a nice owl.
Kids marching on the DSU cam. Not in uniforms or at least it looked like it (they do on the Paradecam). Then a band.
Jiminy Cricket and a large sun behind him.
Paradecam is all video noise now. Audio is fine. 8:31 pm NY time.
Bee on the Stinger float. I like the arch of flowers on it too.
We hear the Paradecamers catching beads.
Lots of nice close-ups of the riders on the DSU cam. The crowd is very close to the float on the DSU cam.
Paradecam video is f'd up. 8:41 pm NY time (before and after the tape change.) OK now but not for long.
Unmasked riders on the Coast Guard air rescue float with the helicopter on the back.
I watch the DSU cam cuz the Paradecam video is too bad. Audio is fine. (I think there is something wrong with the camera or the transmission from it to the receiver.) Internet connection is fine for both. DSU cam, not surprisingly since they are a TV station, has had a great picture throughout Mardi Gras. Not always the best position but best picture quality. And good audio when they use it.
Nice Neptune? float coming up. Paradecam fine now!
How are the high school seniors marked? The hosts are noting the seniors often so they must be marked somehow.
Cool dragon coming up on the DSU cam. Fabulous! The best decorated float yet.
I agree. It's not quite the same when the Ford blows its horn compared to the train!
Band in red making a good noise on the DSU cam.
Dragon looks great on the Paradecam, smoke everywhere.
Wow, a white creampuff of a float.
DSU cam is blue screen now. 9 pm NY time.
Here's the white creampuff. A green dragon as its figurehead.
Well alright, biodiesel!
Paradecam is now blue screen. Both are blue now. 9:05 pm NY time. Good, they realize there is a problem. This is so much better than in previous years when they would go on without doing anything about it. Glad they still have audio.
The DSU cam is blue screen and doesn't look like it is coming back so goodbye, DSU.
Paradecam is still on the roof. 9:15 pm NY time.
Good, the audio gets better on the Paradecam. We have radio at this point with the cam up on the roof.
The hummingbird? Not the restaurant...
End of Orpheus. Very nice. Tomorrow starts at 10 (NO time for the Paradecam.
I tune in about 6 NY time. The DSU cam is on Annunciation and Napolean. Traffic was too messed up to get to other spot, anchor says. OK.
We hear anchor live, before they are on cam.
Paradecam is on the roof still.
She throws to Camille. Behind the scenes of live tv...
Parade doesn't look ready but who knows when it will start.
(6:15 NY time) Two motorcycle cops just went by and I see some blinking lights and hear more sirens, but now that's stopped... Oh well.
More sirens. Here we go. Lots or people in wheelchairs here. We may be near a hospital. Sirens stopped. Now started again. Now stopped.
(6:19 NY time) Paradecam switches to the street level. No host yet. (Paradecam has audio hum...)
DSU cam will be AHEAD of the Paradecam...
Crowd on DSU cam cheers.
Anchor says some bands are still unloading, so will be more delays. (6:25 NY time)
Meredith of nola.com comes on. "We're excited about Hulk Hogan." Un hunh. lol.
DSU cam goes blue screen but is ok shortly after.
Marching band. Marines probably, playing the Marine Hymn. 1st float is going by. DSU cam is not changing position.
See some flambeaux. Now DSU cam moves. Nice shot of masked riders moving closer.
Paradecam is going to the roof but little do they know the parade is on it's way.
There's Hulk. Dad by ladder does Hulk poses!! Hulk throwing casually. People might be booing! He definitely wasn't into it.
Paradecam is blue screen, now ok.
Lots of flambeaux!! These flambeaux carriers have propane containers on their backs!!
Nothing has reached the Paradecam yet. (6:43 NY time)
Nice marching band on DSU cam. St Aug? Purple Knights so yes.
"Beads crushing under your feet are like fall leaves..." Meredith. Sort of. If your leaves are real crunchy.
Meredith wonders if they sleep in the big cop van when they're on stakeouts. Another guy points out that having Police written in big letters on the van probably eliminates that idea.
People waving to the cops. Angola Prison rodeo...
Some nice close-ups on the DSU cam. Some guy on the Bacchus float signing throws.
DSU audio cuts out. (6:53 pm NY time) but comes back soon. The parade has stopped. Guy is signing a shirt now.
Meredith is a roller girl. (Her audio is a little low now, compared to everyone on this cam being really loud normally. She was loud earlier so I guess someone turned her down.)
Hulk hasn't rounded the corner by the Paradecam yet.
Here we go.
Nice dancers going by, in black. Band behind them. Good audio from DSU cam. 7 pm NY time
Confetti! Two tigers. Louie Louie! Unmasked riders on this float. LSU float. National champs in something.
How many toes have been run over by police cars trying to clear people from the street. 1st float, riderless, is for Harry Lee. They really worshipped him down there. I don't know why. Black bunting on the float.
DSU stream looks nice. A little jerky but nice. 7:06 pm NY time
Paradecam guy catches a miniature Harry Lee magnets. Very weird!
We see some marchers turn onto Napolean on DSU cam. Floats come up Napolean.
Nice band! Red outfits.
Wow, a big white French Quarter float, the 4-parter?! Hey Pocky Way plays! Then Going To The Mardi Gras.
This is like watching two different parades. Where's Hulk on the Parardecam?! 7:12 pm NY time
Here he is. Meredith goes nuts. Paradecam miss him by not pointing high enough up.
Meredith discovers making flirty eye contact gets her throws.
Statue of Liberty float. Some cowboy types in the middle and a ladies leg on the back. Not sure what the theme was there.
St Aug parade leaders walk backwards!
Nice effect to see the confetti and the searchlights.
Peace sign on this float!
Beautiful red float coming up. Big heart and hearts all over. Cupid ready to shoot his arrow. That is a well designed float. Hearts like strawberries.
Great band beat! O Perry Walker. Bravo! (Maybe this is on the DSU cam though so I don't know who the band is there.)
Cool dancing on the Paradecam. O Perry Walker there.
Budget truck. Somebody moving in the middle of the parade?
Guy just got 4 bags of beads! His old boss.
Star Wars float.
Nice band, 7:56 NY time. Thundering drums. Then Led Zeppelin dirigible on float. Bee Gees on the end. WTF?
Band with straw hats! St Paul's High school.
Star Wars float reaches the Paradecam 8:15 pm NY time. Spectacular dinosaur on the DSU cam!
I rejoin things after dinner 8:30 NY time
Bands conveniently stop in front of either cam. Great sound from the DSU feed.
Beautiful alligator float on the DSU cam.
We have smart hosts on the Paradecam for a change. Not that I think Jeff isn't smart but compared to the other usual hosts, Meredith and friends are a pleasant change.
DSU cam goes blue screen suddenly, losing audio too. (8:38 NY time) I miss it...
What a scream! As the Bachussuarus passes by. (Took 1/2 an hour to get to the Paradecam.)
DSU cam is back but now is a high overhead shot with static for audio (and some on the video). They are probably almost done with their feed though there is still plenty of parade by them. Getting some cool effects from the searchlights maxing out the camera... Kind of like the aurora around the sun.
DSU cam is black cuz the lighting is so low. We see only a light or two.
Nice overhead shot from the Paradecam too. Still getting audio from them. Now we're back to street level. There goes the gator. Saw that about 20 minutes ago on the DSU cam.
No audio from the Paradecam now. 9:01 pm NY time. (Seeing street level view.) The DSU cam has a truck on it. Done for them?
Audio is coming back, but breaking up, on the Paradecam. Here we go. Yeah, those are the street cleaners on the DSU cam. Audio is ok on Paradecam now.
Misimpression is only a word while Bush is president. Hopefully after that we go back to reality as we used to know it.
Ick. The Spice Girls. The hum comes back.
I stop the DSU cam
Guy they are interviewing, 'I know where the adult fun can be found. He feels good about the country that families can have fun like this.' We know how you feel bro.
Float 25 out of 31 here. A beautiful woman.
Cool, throwing beads into the exhaust pipes of the Mardi Gras tow truck! Nice diesel horn. Other woman host needs a doorbell like that.
1:31 NY time, the 2nd half starts. (Already started on DSU cam?... hmm.)
40 floats. Quite the scene with all the crowd. BBQs going? Something smoking.
St Aug passes by yet again.
Now no parade on the DSU cam.
Looks like St Aug passing on the DSU cam. So, DSU is after Paradecam....
This is Mid City, not Toth. OK.
Uses aluminum foil rather than paper mache'. Their "den" got flooded during Katrina , dens being where the floats are stored.
Xavier Prep band.
A bright red float looks great.
Nice medallion.
Mid City had the first animated float, being propelled by Boy Scouts on stationary bikes! Hilarious. Slave labor.
Float 6 - beautiful.
This guy knows how much hotter the foil floats are: 35 degrees. Un hunh. Is that a fact?
Drill team dressed in black does routine in front of Paradecam. One guy drops his fake rifle.
2:02 PM NY time. A break in the action on both cams.
"Port-O-Lets have regained their shape after Friday." People were sitting on top of them then.
Jeff interviews group in front of Paradecam. Guy sings The Time of My Life, ick. 'Blood level is vodka and tonic right now.' Their breath would catch fire...
More break. 2:11 NY time
Paradeacam comes back at 2:20 NY time.
DSU cam has parade at 2:24 NY time so it is definitely AFTER the Paradecam, ok?
Last float of Mid City. 2:27 NY time. (False alarm)
DSU stream is very jerky. My computer is running at 100% CPU use.
Smokey Mary? No, just a steam tractor! Cool.
And a calliope! Calliope being pulled by a steam tractor. We don't hear much of it, alas.
End of Mid City? (Audio is dropping out/breaking up on Paradecam) 2:31 NY time.
No pies from Hubigs. No love...
Jeff: Jaeger - Epicac with alcohol! (I've never had it.)
Yes, they are making absinthe again! Great. We can narcotisize ourselves with it.
Jeff asks group to sing. American Pie. That's kinda what I would expect from them. 'They are adjusting so well for their first time in NO.'
Toth begins. 2:39 NY time. ("Toth. Is that a word?")
Beautiful horses for the mounted police. Apaloosas? I have no idea. Lots of white markings. (Some of the cops have cowboy hats. Gretna police?)
Cheese fries. Sausage sandwiches. Yum.
Coast Guard helicopter flies over.
When The Saints - somewhere in GA Marine Corp band.
Drill team does their thing.
3:00 pm NYtime (Have blue screen when he thinks Paradecam is done with tape exchange.)
3:01 pm NY time. I write to nola.com to tell them the Paradecam is still blue screen. Let's see how long it takes for them to fix it. Cool. It is fixed as I am writing this! Thanks!! 3:03 ny time
Tulane band is in front of the Paradecam now. Jeff will be graduating soon. (after 7 years...)
Float with (Egyptian?) one eye. Master Builders. Masons?
Gary is a target so Jeff moves away. Aiming for Gary but their aim sucks. Get tons of stuff.
Fish beads
Nice stepping from the Arlington High School dancers.
Float #1 now?
Lots of Carmelettes.
Another song... You've Lost That Loving Feeling. Artfully sung. Or more accurately, drunkenly. They go on.
One guy throwing heaps, armfuls, of beads on the Renaissance Festival float.
Jeff says to a guy on the float, "you look familiar." He responds with a shrug.
Maine lobster float! Lobster, bland compared to crawfish and hard to peel. (But so much more meat and damn good!)
Low-weesiana...
Parisolcam?
'A band displaying their pride in motion?' Something only a bandmember would say or think.
Nice Egyptian masks!
Maybe the horses enjoy Guns N Roses. Maybe...
Almost 4pm NY time and the RealOne Player hasn't stopped in a long time. Stream is abit jerky and video quality is not great but is as good as can be expected. Audio is better, not breaking up much. DSU cam is still jerky but I haven't been watching it much.
India float followed by NO Irish Pipe Band. Well, alright.
AZ Balloon Festival! Wouldn't have expected them to be there.
Day of the Dead. Yes, Mexico. Float isn't decorated very well. A skull here, a skull there. Could have been MUCH better.
LA Fantasy Girls?
LA Swampfest. Alright!!! Miles of alligators! Alligators love marshmallows! lol
I remember the Chinese New Year dragon float. One of my favorites.
(CPU is staying at 100% now... but all seems well.)
Abdul and the Tentmakers on their burger break.
(I stop watching the DSU cam as the Paradecam has a better angle on it all, though it is blurry.) 4:05 pm NY time Get CPU use to 75% now. Better.
Another dunk tractor driver.
"Tiger bait" idiot yelling.
Big Chief by Gulf Coast something band. Drummers in truck!
NO Jazz Fest, float #21.
Loyola dance team, not very energetic... Jeff says.
Nice gold medallion!
Jeff: "This is getting dangerous. These assholes are going way too far." The riders on the floats?
I like the striped outfits on these dancers.
Horse drawn cart! The Mardi Gras Indians on horses. The Indian competition on Mardi Gras day is to see who's the prettiest.
Basketballs being thrown from floats.
Rider hands out one of his flowers to someone and he didn't have many. Another rider talking on his cell phone. Black cowboys.
"Once again, the horses are being followed by a sound truck. they apparently enjoy it!"
Hear a steam/train whistle coming up. Christmas in NY float - what's that about? Maybe a Santa Claus and maybe either a Rockette or a Nutcracker figure. Two touristy things to do I guess. An interesting idea for New Orleanians going up to NY for Christmas.
We hear a little bit of Zoot Suit by the WIld Tchopitoulas.
A very quick battery change!! 4:23 pm NY time
It's getting dark there. Still light here! Maybe, it'd be good to adjust the camera... It's ok for looking towards the parade though. The sky is a little dark when focusing on that.
Nice Egyptian insignias on the last float. Meredith will host Bacchus. Starting at 5:15 NO time.
I tune in about 5 of 12 NY time. The WDSU cam is on, low level audio but nothing happening. People standing around with no parade in sight. As usual they are abit back from the action but they do zoom and pan so we will see good scenes. The Paradecam link for the live Real video isn't working. (The Quartercam looks nice...)
Paradecam (works now and) is still on the roof. And people are marching!
12:07 NY time, Paradecam switches to handheld. Jeff again. great! (Nothing happening on DSU cam)
This is Okeanos. New Orleans Past and Future, Back To The Future. 17 floats for this parade.
Dominican cheerleaders and talk of gods/sacrifices...
DSU cam has parade now. A nice white Roman-stylle villa float stopped.
Queen of Okeanos passes by the Paradecam. (12:16 NY time)
Chappelle High Steppers have lots of "protection".
Okeanos frisbee.
(I think the DSU cam is ahead of the Paradecam. Am seeing the streetcar. (Paradecam stops but starts again...) float, St Charles Streetcar band, singing Prof Longhair's Going To The Mardi Gras. I saw another streetcar float on the DSU cam abit before.)
It's raining stuff. (We hear them get bombarded.) Aquarium float.(Audio drops out)
Parade is stopped on DSU cam. Now moving. See cowboy on float. (12:30 NY time)
Paradecam has stopped but it starts again eventually. Then stops. May have to drop it. It comes back.
Indians on horses.
Change in LA license plates!
Fire engine on DSU cam. (12:35 NY time)
Talk of Roy Scheider... boring. Christopher Walken - renaissance man... can't get enough....
Here comes the fire engine so DSU cam is ahead of the Paradecam. I suspect by the corner of Perrier and Napolean. (12:39 NY time)
King and other floats are behind fire engine?!
This parade does not use electricity on their floats when usually parading at night. Only flambeaux. Got to see that in person.
Float #3, so this is a new parade? Ah, this is Babylon.
12:55 NY time, paradecam stops then starts.
12:59 NY time we see a blue satyr w/ a bow (and arrow I suppose) float on the DSU cam.
Here it is on the Paradecam, 1:03 NY time. Sagitarius. Fire engine behind it. Wait. The satyr is still sitting stopped at the DSU cam and that cam is live! Hmm... Now I'm confused. There's the fire engine. So the DSU cam is after the Paradecam? Like, a few feet past it?
Now a break on both cams. Paradecam is holding up well despite some starts and stops. DSU cam is good. No audio on it but good steady stream. Better picture quality than the Paradecam. But the Paradecam has hosts and people like Jeff are worth listening to. His accomplices, while smarter than the usual, are not worth listening to. At least they aren't screaming like some of the other accomplices.
(Might as well post this since there is a break in the action.)
Endymion from a different place than where their camera was for the webcast... (edited post facto)
I tune in about 10 after 12 NY time. RealPlayer stops within 30 seconds. I restart it and it is ok for awhile.
Jeff is hosting.
DSU cam is black. I wonder why.
RealPlayer stops again. This isn't good. I may not be able to watch. I switch to RealOne Player. See how that does.
I give up on DSU cam. (12:22 NY time)
Nice ladybig plushie.
Damn Yankee story? Do tell!
Baby seal.
Blue then black screen w/ sparkles... weird (12:28 NY time) Audio is fine. Then it is fine. Then it happens again. Then RealOne Player stops.
I restart it. Getting blue flashes then is ok.
It stops again. I give up for now.
***
I return home at 6:15 pm NY time. The DSU cam has, I guess, Endymion on it. The Paradecam is up to the roof again. We see Arthur Hardy* and a DSU reproter on the DSU cam. Funny to watch them wait for the feed to go live, their being distracted by the parade behind them. Audio level is low.
*Make all those previous references Arthur Hardy, not Blaine Kern.
Arthur Hardy: "There's a lotta love here."
We see the parade off in the distance. DSU has again picked a spot where they can't see the parade well, can barely see it at all.
The paradecam is done yet the DSU cam still has the parade so where is the DSU cam? We see Mardi Gras Indians on trucks. This looks like Uptown somewhere. Where?
I watch, committed that I am.
One float has a searchlight that is bright even in the afternoon sun.
Two floats coming, both large heads that move with lights for eyes and mouth. They look great. Parade's moving slow when it moves at all.
7pm (NY time) the parade moves again. This float is a two-parter. Has building facades and the Superdome on it. Nice.
Maybe the DSU cam is on the corner of Orleans and Carrolton? Orleans and City Park? Floats are turning right from Orleans so I think it is Orleans and Carrolton. At least the sign looks like it says Orleans Ave but it's pretty hard to tell.
7:27 (NY time) Not alot going on.... The parade has stopped again. The other big-head float has yet to go around the corner and looks great, one big smile, all lit up. It changes from green to blue as it's eyes open and close. Gorgeous at night. "A Salute to Rudyard Kipling?" Broadway comedy and tragedy masks at each end, or just two comedy masks, I really didn't get to see the one at the back, I don't see how this is a salute to Rudyard Kipling.
The parade is now moving. Floats look great at night. People on them are showering the crowd with beads and other throws. It's raining beads. Like a snowplow flinging snow out of the way, beads are flying in a constant stream. Or a waterskier. Or like kids splashing in a pool, the water flying up are the beads.
A gorgeous Asian/Indian goddess on the next float. Blue face, red blouse. Thai? I'd say Siamese but that would be Thai these days.
The next float has a circular sun radiating on a pole in the front. That sun turns out to be a trumpet when I see it in profile. A god playing a trumpet.
A huge = long float now passing by. A three-parter.
DSU cam goes blue screen now. (7:50 PM NY time), Stream still working but blue screen. Not much point in waiting for this to get better...
I missed the parades for Wed and Thurs. True to New Orleans form, the website for WDSU still has info for last Saturday's parades (Sparta, Pegasus) at the top of the page for the Live Streams with no info on anything since then. And the page for this weekend's parades has info for only last weekend's parades.
I will watch whatever parades will be on...
I am checking out WWOZ. I am not sure if I missed the New Birth Brass Band. I think I did.
From WDSU's website: >Watch the following parades live on WDSU.com: > >Friday, Feb. 1, 6 p.m.: Hermes, Krewe D'Etat, Morpheus, Muses > >Saturday, Feb. 2, 11 a.m.: Isis, Tucks > >Saturday, Feb. 2, 4 p.m.: Endymion > >Sunday, Feb. 3, 11 a.m.: Okeanos, Thoth, Mid-City, Babylon > >Sunday, Feb. 3, 5:15 p.m.: Bacchus > >Monday, Feb. 4, 5:15 p.m.: Proteus, Orpheus, Zeus > >Fat Tuesday: WDSU.com will stream WDSU's >coverage of Mardi Gras live from 9 a.m. to 2 p.m.
Good. I look forward to them
(HI to BourboJeff for mentioning my blog!! I'll have to be on my best behavior, which is challenging since the Paradecam is pooping out so often...)
WDSU cam and Paradecam are working fine. No audio from the paradecam yet. Hermes getting ready to go. Woman hosting on DSU. I've the 2-cam switched feed going here, Nice!
(DSU has a Bourbon St cam but it is very high above the street. I miss the Bourbocam.)
Woman w/ trooper. Audio is very low level. (Paradecam is back on the roof.)
Almost as if on cue, the marching band starts in. The DSU cam has no view yet. Paradecam is still on the roof but we can see the parade.
Paradecam has audio and host. BourboJeff? Good level. Arthur Hardy is on cam on DSU cam but not speaking and we're not getting their audio. Sounds like BourboJeff. I'll probably keep both audios on unless it gets too confusing.
DSU is missing the parade.
BourboJeff: "Back before electricity, New Orleans only got it recently..."
New float: the garden of earthly delights.
"Hermes, God of Commerce. Something NO really likes."
DSU cam is airing white noise. DSU cam is BEHIND the crowd. Behind the tall ladders so they won't be able to see anything. Will this change? They can only see what is above the crowd. Bad...
I catch Blaine getting hit with some beads. He is oblivious!
Cupid and who? are the theme this year.
Girls being escorted by nuns... not costumers in nun's outfits.
Nice dancing from girls in blue.
The birth of Dionysus. (He butchers it.)
DSU audio is real low. Paradecam audio is a bit hot.
Shaw next.
95 floats tonight! Float #7 passes by.
Beautiful white dove float! The goddess plots revenge. (40:00)
Paradecam is not handheld and is mostly staying in one position. That's ok.
DSU cam is blue screen now but the stream is still working.
Oracle of Apollo.
We see Hermes doubloon.
Great dragon float.
DSU cam is back. See kids waving for beads behind the crowd. Nice shot now from higher up. Whoa, now they get really loud audio.... Mostly noise.
Nice Hermes throw. LA women vs TX women...
DSU cam is good now. Way up above the crowd.
Got you some titty beads?
Good dancing from band in white (55:34)
I'm guessing the DSU cam is abit downriver of the Paradecam. It used to be slightly above the paradecam. (Or else it it is WAY upriver. I'm seeing on the Paradecam what might have been a float I already saw on the DSU cam.)
Things seem to be done at the DSU cam. I'm seeing vendors on the street whereas on the Paradecam the parade is still going on. So the DSU cam must be Uptown of the Paradecam.
Float 23. Rams with Golden Fleeces. (See LA State Police van on DSU cam.)
Talking Greek/Roman/Egyptian influences.
See Clydesdales on DSU cam.
Nice marching (1:15:35)
People walk faster than 15 minutes a mile...
Float 26. Psyche?
Paradecam has blue screen. Now is ok.
Float 27: Pleasure. Daughter of the lovers. "She looks a little stoned on this float."
See fire engine on Paradecam. One drunk woman on mic.
Jeff got married recently. Spent the honeymoon in Gatlinberg, TN.
Krewe d'Etat coming up next. (Seeing LA State Poice van on Paradecam so DSU cam is WAY uptown of the Paradecam.)
NASCAR, no thanks.
See Clydesdales on Paradecam... (DSU cam's parade is not moving so it will be along time before it gets to the Paradecam.)
Nice skeletons!
D'Etats Dirty Dishes flyer held up to cam. Jeff gets on cam. Great skeleton heads!
Parade is moving on the DSU cam. Big green float.
Tulane marching band.
Title float, E'Tat's Dirty Dishes.
DSU cam is rewinding! Now stuck on still.
Both cams are f'd up now. Now fixed.
Hilton float on DSU cam (8:41 NY time)
Paradecam shows Jen talking to husband on the phone.
Looks like Hilary on the float on the DSU cam now.
Guy with float sign but no float!
NC girl.
Hilton float passes Paradecam 10 minutes after it passes the WDSU cam. OK. Now I have my bearings.
Nice drumming from marching band passing by P-cam.
Hillary float passes p-cam.
Lauren's husband is from South Dakota. His first Mardi Gras. Lauren runs the ? watch on nola.com?
US Sin-Ate float.
Bush Whack float. "Regardless of your political lean, if you don't have a sense of humor, not a good place to be right now."
Half baked Alaska float. Energy/environmental.
Giant martini glass float on DSU cam.
(9:08 NY time) We lose the audio for the Paradecam . Stream stops. I restart it. It looks like it won't start. It thinks I have network problems.
City Hall float on DSU cam.
Paradecam is out and I can't change players because they don't offer that choice on the windows I am getting. STUPID! I usually have that choice but not now. I'd switch over to the MediaPlayer feed but IT ISN'T BEING OFFERED.
DSU cam scene is stopped. Now it moves.
Paradecam is back. Martini glass is passing by. (9:28 NY time)
Paradecam is moving some, handheld?, so it covers what is happening better.
Seeing vendors on the DSU cam so that is the end of Krewe d'Etat.
Nice fluorescent lights on the Navy float.
Fire roasted pig = Don Imus!
Float 18...
Paradecam stream stops again... Can't start it. Goddamit!
I quit the RealPlayer again and it works. Jeff is talking about pagans loosing Saturnalia to the Christians! Heathens, thus came carnival. The abridged Carnival as told by Jeff.
Mobile AL vs NO's Mardi Gras.
See fire engine on Paradecam.
Stream stops again. I have to quit it to get it back. Morpheus next. (9:39 NY time)
No parade on the DSU cam yet so it's gonna be awhile.... Just seeing the cop car now.
Plushy pervs. Like Jon Donley.
DSU cam audio is very low.
Paradecam vs Bourbocam. I miss Reese.
DSU cam has parade flowing.
GD Paradecam has stopped again.
Nice dancing, Helen Cock High School. Harvey, LA.
Nice marching band antics.
GD Paradecam keeps stopping. I have to quit it and restart it to get it to work. What a pain. (And a constant problem with watching and listening to Mardi Gras and Jazz Fest.)BourboJeff remarks on my blog!! Thinks I see blog on how the media treats it. Well, sort of. It is more just a log of what I see that I have tried to make a little more readable, lately. Thanks, Jeff! (Calls me lipwok.)
Shot of Fat Harry's!
Parade is stopped. King of Morpeus is still sitting there.
Paradecam stopped again.
Finally King's float moves. King Jerry.
RealPlayer stops again. Godamn it.
(RealPlayer started again) Nice cat float.
I'd be cool to see the truck floats lined up on River Road. Anyone got any pics of that?
(RealPlayer stops again. I have to quit it and restart it to get it going again.)
Funny Pope story!
GD RealPlayer stops again. ****! This is happening every couple of minutes or so. VERY frustrating. The DSU cam has been pretty stable.
10:45 NY time. Talking about Barkus parade. I missed it too and don't seem much of anything good on the net of it. The video was very disappointing. Some good pics, especially one by Jon Donley of that little dog with the jester's cap on! (Which I think is from last year?)
"Do you know the Mr Bingle jingle?" and then the GD RealPlayer stops again. Very tiresome to a) quit it and restart it and b) write about it. (10:49 NY time)
"That nun has a beard!... All the nuns have extra parts." Jeff yelling out hey, pretty lady.
Now DSU cam has blue screen but is still streaming.
I see lots of blue flashing lights in the crowd. Cool.
Float 19, Hollywood South. 10:53 NY time. Now RealPlayer stops again. I really am a masochist...
DSU cam still blue screen. Muses up next. 10:56 NY time
10:57 DSU cam is back up. Paradecam has stopped. I can't take it anymore. I'm gonna watch only the DSU cam. Sorry Jeff.
We see butterflies on poles. A giant purple slipper!
(I will listen to the Paradecam but won't watch and won't care if it stops.)
Penis police and Beadwhores partying together!
Rollergirls go by.
PC stops again. 11:05 NY time.
Woman got kissed by the Roller Girls.
Very cool flashing Muses shoes on poles!!
St Augustine band. (Sound is uneven but you get the idea.)
Guest Muse is Marva Wright! Well, alright. (RealPlayer stops again. 11:10 NY time.)
There she goes sitting in the pink shoe!
Nice marching steps, Warren Easton Sr High. Nice band too.
26 floats in the Muses parade tonight. 768 riders.
(RealPlayer stops again. 11:15 NY time.)
Cool Bathtub float! With bubbles!!
Title float: All That Glitters? Jeff despairs, not knowing the title. So close...
RP stops, 11:19 NY time.
Stilt walkers! Very cool! Dressed in black.
Some nice floats on the DSU cam. A house or tower on one float. (When will we see you again, it says.)
Nice throw with the mirrors on it.
Literally hitting on him!
Nice dancing girls in white. 11:25 NY time.
Czar Wash? float! (on the DSU cam) PC has stopped again, 11:26 NY time
The "When will I see you again" float arrives at the Paradecam 11:32 NY time. Dedicated to the contractors helping rebuild..." (Paradecam stops so it is cut off!)
Good art on them? They look pretty crude on the webcam.
Czar Wash arrives, 11:36 NY time.
11:39 RP stops. DSU cam has blue screen. Hmm.
Wow, cool throw! (Psychedelic)
We see Elvis's on bikes go by! The Krewe of Elvis.
11:43 RP stops. DSU cam still has blue screen. (Turning my firewall off. Maybe that will help.) DSU still has blue screen.
The pink slips.
11:49 RP stops. DSU cam still has blue screen.
Chicks with wigs dancing! Nice! Or are those helmets? Awful music but cool to see them all dancing.
So, it seems to be that RealPlayer is stopping every 5 minutes. Why? (Still blue screen with the DSU cam. I guess I'll give up on them.)
Come on down to Fat Harry's to see this chicks bare ass...
Cameltoe steppers!!
"Daddy, who was the captain of Bacchus, Hi Daddy..."
All female brass band? (We don't hear them...)
I could do without this chick helping out.
Krewe d'Etat sounds like crudite! I always thought it was a play on coup d'état...
Great. The Bearded Oysters! Love em!
RP dies again.
The Molassies!
Bad Girls, float 20.
We lose audio on the Paradecam, 12:13 NY time. Pic is still working, for now. Audio comes back.
The chick says: "Mardi Gras tests the hand to eye co-ordination of the natives." Good one.
Family Gras?
Float 25.
"I'm all about feminism. I love Muses. But these girls can't throw!" Another good one from the chick.
The parade ends. "Vendredi Gras." Another good one.
Bye all. Paradecam starts up at 11 tomorrow, 12 NY time. (2 hrs for this one)
We have a male announcer. Not a good camera position again, on the wrong side of the street. Cameraman isn't zooming in for much so we're far away. Stream is jerky too. (The old Copeland's? You mean the sign is still up and it isn't open anymore? How long has that been? Will it ever open up again? I guess they're keeping the site?)
Video goes black 25 minutes into it. Oh well. We hear audio but have no video. (Might as well be radio.) Larry from Minnesota says it (the temperature) is like an August day (in MN). Hear Jon Donley. (Keith and Lauren and Greg were the hosts earlier.) WDSU is tied in with the TP and nola.com. Hmmm.
'The return of gaps in parades is a sign that the city is coming back to it's same old usual self....'
32:00 They realize they have a problem with the stream. (And I am watching/listening still!) (It doesn't get fixed.)
Killing time, Jon; "How about those Saints?"
Pegasus probably won't run tonight. I'm assuming it didn't. (It does.)
One of the floats has a flat tire. We get this from a cop. Officer Deal. Good deal, Bad Deal?
The parade starts again. More radio. Good enough. I like radio. These hosts this yaer are MUCH better than the nola.com ones although I liked some of them alot. No more Charlie, thank you .I do miss Reese, Cory, BourboJeff, others.
Pegasus begins. (More radio, no video)
Hosts talk about the band Rush. Please...
Wayne and Gary are hosting. Jon Donley will post blog shortly after. Where? The Mardi Gras blogs on nola.com haven't been added to since January 6th! I have seen stories by Jon on the WDSU site. Haven't seen them on the TP site.
Why do they still have links to the Bourbocam? It's been dead for a long time.... As usual, New Orleans is lackadasical about keeping things up to date.
The DSU crew signs off one hour and 41 minutes after it started.
I tune in at about 5 of 2 my time. No sound, beautiful picture though and good stream. A cloudy day at (Copeland's, who's web site doesn't have a NO location!) and St Charles. At least it isn't raining (much, it is raining some but not like last night). No signs that the parade is near starting, cops milling around, few people lined up.
Police mobile command center sets off at about 2:15, See a military Humvee go by. DSU cam is on the wrong side of the street! See motorcycles go by. Dune buggies throwing throws. I provide my own soundtrack as the marching band goes by. Float! Throwing tons of crap. Fish on front. (Carpi Sun?) Lots of overarm throwing. I thought that was illegal? Stream getting a little jerky. Dancing girls are mimicked by watchers.
I switch to the (nol.com) Paradecam. it is on the correct side of the street and has sound. Fun, not obnoxious hosts, a guy and a girl. Not sure how old the girl is, sounds young. There's a better quality picture on the DSU cam but better POV on the paradecam and it has sound. (They are both on the same corner, but the DSU cam is on the NW corner.) And the DSU cam is several seconds behind the paradecam. Gold Dusters dancing away. Woman announcer is an adorable blond...., I switch DSU cam to tv and leave paradecam on. Now can tab between the two, keeping the audio going! 2:57 my time
Shangra La Using RealOne player but it is using up more of my CPU than RealPlayer was. DSU feed is stuttering more. (I don't think it is me.)
Starts 3:17 my time. I have a two cam switched feed! lol Can't get the Real feed to go full screen though. Now I have a two-cam split. Not bad.
A kid comes up to the paradecam, "I'm Aiden. I'm from the great city of New Orleans!" Well, alright!
Cool, both are full screen! (Use on screen control on RealPlayer) but then I don't get to watch the QT player at all. Guy is talking off-mic but we can hear him. Audio for the marching bulldogs is very distorted. DSU feed is very jerky now.
Lots of marching band's dancers using a hop step. (Higgins High School) Haven't seen that before. Male flag wavers? Skipping too.
AE Breedy says hi to wife in Seattle.
Imperial Children, from China?
I switch to the DSU cam for the floats, to the paradecam for the bands/flags.
Mt Carmel Carmelettes.
Woman host gets hit by beads, it hurts, she laughs.
Ice cream truck music while watching marching band.
Must be woman host's first Mardi Gras. She asks why the parades stop in the middle.
Good looking high school dancers, mostly blond, with terrible music. (Before Land of the Matador float)
"Lotta dance companies from Kennah (Kenner)".
(35% CPU!)
Different dance steps. Leaping, one foot hops.
DSU cam has stopped. 4:25 pm my time I restart it.
Big Easy Rollergirls.
Vietnamese Young Leaders of New Orleans dragons!, Riverside Ramblers.
Sparta at 6, paradecam signs off. 4:30 my time. DSU cam still going. Still more floats! Maybe I'm seeing reruns... I am.
I start up the WDSU cam at about 10 of 7 my time. It's raining badly. I can hear a band coming in the distance! Great stream quality! A beautiful picture. Here they come, they're smiling! The parade must go on! I'm nice and warm inside and it's only a little colder outside: 27 vs 37 in NO. Floats are throwing stuff, alright. The DSU on air talent goes to to talk to some parade watchers: "we're crazy!" we hear them say off camera. The cameraman yells to the king as his float passes by, "King!". "He didn't do nuthin", after... People inside their cars, to stay out of the rain, honk their horns in appreciation. The on air talent goes to get some more sound bites, brings back a black family, "We're going to be on tv! one of the children says excitedly. Then the signal goes dead. I restart it and see what turns out to be the beginning of the whole thing repeated.
On restart, I see Pygmalion has been rescheduled. I give up as player won't play. They have probably stopped the feed.
We'll see if the video ends up on the internet. It isn't up yet.
I've climbed the Grossglockner, the highest mountain in Austria (and by no means hard to do). I have no desire to climb another mountain again, thank you.
