behind the cornea ....

Music that makes you feel good (NPR All Songs Considered)

2011-08-19T15:47:00.003-04:00

Bob Boilen, Robin Hilton, and ASC listeners share the songs that elevate their mood, inspiring them to whistle, dance in public, and move on from hardship and heartbreak.

Hear The Songs
Related NPR Stories More Songs That Make You Feel Good

Funny State Signs found around the web

2011-03-06T18:25:00.000-05:00

I stumbled upon a bunch of funny state "Welcome" signs from various places while surfing the web...

Stop Northern Aggression sign in Mississippi


Stop Vandalizing Stop Signs Castine, Maine

***

They say eReaders, Tables and Wireless / mobile are hot now

2011-01-07T11:13:00.002-05:00

Friends out at the Consumer Electronics Show (CES) in Las Vegas are tweeting and sending updates that tablets and suped up mobile devices are the buzz in technology for 2011. Expect to see a zillion tablets announced before the iPad finally dominates over all. And I figure we'll finally have the Driod / iPhone cellular smackdown in true WWE style at some point before Summer.

Me? I'm still hanging in there with a pre-historic flip-phone. iCult followers accuse me of being an Apple Hater but I insist I'm not anti any computer manufacturer, just take a holistic view of the product. I've said it before, Apple has great designs, but why am I pummeled with juice boxes for saying their touch screen keyboard is small and awkward for touch typing?

I'm sure I'll switch over to a smart phone at some point. Just don't have a need to add $150 to the monthly cell bill. I figure the big cell service providers like AT&T, Sprint, and Verizon will roll data into their basic plan (Remember at&t used to charge more for touch tone, back in oh, 1793? Rotary Dial? DTMF? Hello? Who's reading this, anyway?). Right now my cell provider only has two dumb phones available, and my flip phone is pretty beat up.

If my phone holds out a few more months, I may replace it with one of those fancy 21st century phones. Lets see what gadgets are released at CES. Otherwise, sing along with me to the tune, "If my phone only had a brain."

Strive to be the best, or at least be gooder den average

2010-12-09T14:17:00.001-05:00

Average is the new excellence, rise above the apathy!

upcoming music in NY and beyond

2009-12-29T07:52:00.002-05:00

For many reasons I've been neglecting the Google calendar created to keep track of shows in and around the area. So I finally added gigs for the next few months. Now I am wrestling with google calendars to actually display my shared/public gigs. Here's an attempt at sharing the calendar

http://www.google.com/calendar/embed?src=spd6s2bgd57jc215ult6p8desg%40group.calendar.google.com&ctz=America/New_York
Click around and let me know if you see any gigs appear.

SPECTACLE: ELVIS COSTELLO WITH... in the studio audience at The Apollo Theater for taping

2009-09-25T07:14:00.010-04:00

Last night we went to the Apollo Theater (125 Street) to be a part of the tv show recording "SPECTACLE: ELVIS COSTELLO WITH...", which airs on Sundance Channel.

The music was great but I have a feeling there's a lot of post work on Spectacle, as Mr. Costello tends to ramble on, just a bit (smiley-face).

Appearing and performing on the show: Allen Toussaint, Richard Thompson, Levon Helm and Nick Lowe. Also sitting in, Larry Campbell (Bob Dylan's Love and Theft) along with Ray LaMontagne who came out to sing the closing song, The Weight.

Only one reshoot for The Weight because continuity was off when LaMontagne appeared on vocals without any intro. Overall the taping went smooth and ended about 40 minutes early. Celeb sightings at the theater: New Orleans piano player Henry Butler and actor Steve Buscemi.

Being a television geek, I enjoyed watching the program monitor much more than directly watching the artists up on stage. I also noticed all cameras were HD. Hmm, guess that new fangled thing is catching on.

After a great evening of tasty music with Elvis we ended the night at Dinosaur Barbeque on 12th Avenue (and 131 Street) with BBQ and Belgian beer.

Look for this episode of Spectacle appear on Sundance in a few months.

AIRS ON Wednesday December 23 at 10:00PM
Elvis Costello returns for a second season of "Spectacle," a refreshing mix of intimate conversation and live musical performances. Internationally acclaimed during its first season, this original series allows some of the most interesting and influential artists and personalities of our time a rare opportunity to reflect on their work and jam with Elvis. This time, the Grammy® Award-winning singer-songwriter welcomes Levon Helm, Nick Lowe, Richard Thompson and Allen Toussaint, who join Elvis in a memorable version of "The Weight."

Ken Burns - The National Parks

2009-09-20T12:22:00.006-04:00

CBS News National Correspondent Jim Axelrod interviewed Ken Burns on CBS Sunday Morning and gave a sneak peak at the new PBS special called The National Parks, a 12-hour, 6-part documentary series that airs on PBS beginning next weekend, Sunday, September 27, 2009.

In the film, Burns calls the idea of the national parks "an idea that was as uniquely American as the Declaration of Independence and just as radical."

"For the first time in human history, land was set aside, not for kings and noblemen, not for the rich, but for everybody in all time," Burns told Axelrod.

Watch a sneak preview on Amazon.

Pre-order Price Guarantee! Order The National Parks now and if the Amazon.com price decreases between your order time and the end of the day of the release date, you'll receive the lowest price.

a cell phone your Dad or Mom can use

2009-06-13T14:49:00.000-04:00

I hear the same complaints about Cell Phones from the older generation...

The buttons are too small and confusing
Too many damn features
Can't figure out how to make it work

Multi-function keys, touch screens, cameras, mp3 players? Forget it!

Take a look at the iNo CP09 from Foresight Technologies. Totally designed with the elderly in mind: buttons you can hit with a thumb, beefy fonts and a loud ringer, too loud maybe? The big monochrome fonts are easy to see and not very distracting.

Just in time for Father's Day.

Strange foods found on the net: Food in electronics, usb devices, and other odd places

2009-03-15T10:35:00.004-04:00

I saw a blog about hamburger obsession, 10 ways to make your burger fantasies come true. It got me thinking, how many people buy food gadgets so I did a quick scan of the net to see what I could find. Due to time and space limitations, my findings are not too extensive, but I'm sure you can find a lot more strange food swag, if you check.

Hamburger
I've found usb devices, CD Holders, mouse pads, Hamburgers YoYos, and a Wimpy doll (with Hamburger)

Hot Dog
a full body costume, a wall clock, and a hot dog wedding groom.

Pizza
a pizza flash drive, party lights, a belt buckle, and a singing pizza elmo toy.

French Fries
Not too many, maybe everyone is calorie counting?

Kiwi fruit
an ipod case, some sort of toy, and drawer pull knobs.

I'm sure with time and persistence, this list could go on forever :) what surprised me most is not too many cool Frency Fry oddities showed in my search. Give it a try.

North Miami Beach in the 1970s

2009-03-01T13:40:00.005-05:00

Recently a friend's status update on Facebook gave me the idea to start a new group, "Growing up in North Miami Beach in the 1970s," and it became an instant hit. Hundreds of "kids" from NMB in the 1970s jumped in with their memories of restaurants, record shops, various stores and parks. Dozens of names I haven't heard in decades suddenly streamed across my computer.

Do You Remember...

Greynolds Park
Skipper Chuck
Skylake Mall
Sandy's Drugs
Pirates World In Dania
on West Dixie Highway
163rd Street Mall
Vibrations Records and Tapes
Victory Park Pool
Uleta Pool

If you grew up in North Miami Beach the 1970s or are curious about "the way it was", check out the Growing up in North Miami Beach in the 1970s Facebook group. And if we knew each other, add me as a friend (just send a note with the friend invite just in case I can't place the face).

Amazon Kindle 2 - Slimmer, Thinner, Faster

2009-02-09T14:43:00.005-05:00

Amazon.com unveiled a new version of its Kindle e-book reader, thinner and faster than the older model, but no cheaper.

Amazon tweaked the user experience a bit but Kindle 2 still lacks a color screen. The battery life was increased 25% and a useful new feature for many is a text-to-speech option. The company says the new Kindle will cost $359 and begin shipping on Feb. 24.

READ MORE and PRE-ORDER A KINDLE 2

Say Hello to The New Kindle
Slim: Just over 1/3 of an inch, as thin as most magazines

Lightweight: At 10.2 ounces, lighter than a typical paperback

Wireless: 3G wireless lets you download books right from your Kindle, anytime, anywhere; no monthly fees, service plans, or hunting for Wi-Fi hotspots

Books in Under 60 Seconds: Get books delivered in less than 60 seconds; no PC required

Improved Display: Reads like real paper; now boasts 16 shades of gray for clear text and even crisper images

Longer Battery Life: 25% longer battery life; read for days without recharging

More Storage: Take your library with you; holds over 1,500 books

Faster Page Turns: 20% faster page turns

Read-to-Me: With the new Text-to-Speech feature, Kindle can read every book, blog, magazine, and newspaper out loud to you

Large Selection: Over 230,000 books plus U.S. and international newspapers, magazines, and blogs available

Low Book Prices: New York Times Best Sellers and New Releases $9.99, unless marked otherwise

Empire State Building - Purple Green and Gold for Fat Tuesday / Mardi Gras 2009

2009-02-04T17:04:00.013-05:00

Since January I've received two dozen inquiries about my campaign to color the Empire State Building in Purple, Green and Gold. I usually pitch the folks who manage lighting the ESB and emphasize that it's a

nod to the survivors and lives we lost when Hurricane Katrina hit the Gulf Coast. A silent acknowledgment that "we remember" and understand rebuilding is a slow, painful process.

Since we sucessfully pitched the ESB folks in 2006, requests [via forms, faxes, email, and voice mail] for the past two years to repeat the purple-green-gold lighting tribute led to a dead-end. I assume that the group who manages the ESB lighting is overwhelmed with daily requests and probably feels that New Orleans and the Gulf Coast had their acknowledgment in 2006 and Hurricane Katrina is just a memory.

The Meaning of Purple, Green, and Gold
In 1872 Rex chose PG&G as the official colors of Mardi Gras:
Purple = Justice
Green = Faith
Gold = Power

I'd like to see cities, large and small, who don't normally celebrate Fat Tuesday, take Purple Green and Gold, and in their own creative way decorate structures to send the "We Care!" message. Fat Tuesday is February 24, 2009: Lets use Social Networking (Facebook, MySpace, Twitter, etc) to spread the word. Reach out to the leaders in your home town.

Holiday Gift Giving? Low price USB gadgets for friends or be your Office Secret Santa

2008-12-12T06:25:00.001-05:00

Ugh, it's time for the gift exchange.

Tough economic times are hitting everywhere, and the holiday gift giving tradition hasn't been granted financial immunity. People are thinking twice before buying big ticket toys, instead opting for smaller, more thoughtful gifts.

If you're continuing the retail tradition of gift giving, take a look at some USB gadgets which may just quench your gifting desires, especially for coworkers.

There's the wildly popular USB Humping Dog! For about $12 you can be the hit of the office (or be sent to Human Resources department, depending on the work environment).

For your hostile work environment, try a Desktop USB Missile Launcher, sure to win friends and overpower cubicles.

There are USB Fans, and there are fans:

Know a Doctor Who Fan? get a Doctor Who Tardis USB 4 Port Powered Hub Station.

Star Wars fanatics? How about USB R2D2 or Darth Vader Collectible USB 4-port Hub.

And who doesn't know at least 10 Simpsons fans? For them, a Jumpin’ Banana Simpson’s USB Desk Light.

For your Environmentally friendly pals, get them a USB Robot Owl.

Seems like the list of USB gift ideas just goes on. Here is a list from Amazon's USB Toy shop. http://www.tinyurl.com/Cool-USB-Gadgets

Black Friday and Cyber Monday Sales

2008-11-27T18:29:00.000-05:00

Here comes another Black Friday (and Cyber Monday) and if you're not in line at 3am on the day after Thanksgiving for that 4am sale, you just aren't a serious shopper.

Actually you can avoid those lines at the malls, the frantic shoppers, and shop online in the comfort of your fuzzy bathrobe. Amazon has a slew of Black Friday sales planned. Take a sneak peak at the Black Friday section www.tinyurl.com/black-friday-sales and come back early Friday morning for some low-stress shopping.

Have a very Happy Thanksgiving

Having a bad day? Watch a puppy cam

2008-11-13T14:19:00.007-05:00

I think The Shiba Inu Puppy Cam is the most popular web cam on the internet. If you're having an extra bad day, watch these cute pups for a minute and your stress will melt away (and so will your heart).

Amazon.com Widgets

UPDATE: A Brand New PUPPY CAM is now operational

Restaurant reviews in New York City and Northern NJ

2008-08-11T09:43:00.003-04:00

Yelp is an easy way to find, review and talk about what's great (and not great) in a specific city or neighborhood. It has been a pretty reliable resource when trying I'm looking for a restaurant in NYC and does a good job of isolating a neighborhood and type of food. Check it out at yelp.com. And check out a few of my yelp restaurant reviews here.

George Carlin hosts Saturday Night Live (first SNL episode from Oct. 11, 1975)

2008-06-25T12:08:00.007-04:00

Rest In Peace: George Carlin
May 12, 1937 - June 22, 2008

Legendary comedian George Carlin died of heart failure at a hospital in Santa Monica, Calif.

This Saturday watch a rebroadcast of the first episode of Saturday Night Live on NBC with host George Carlin.

Original Airdate: October 11, 1975

Read Dying Is Hard. Comedy Is Harder, Jerry Seinfeld's Op-Ed column (published in the New York Times June 24, 2008).

Top Travel Gadgets

2008-06-08T07:56:00.005-04:00

I've been trying to pick up a pair of noise reducing headphones that fold up for travel and while evaluating my options I ran across the Jersey Journal's, Top 5 gadgets for Travelers. I don't necessarily agree or disagree with the list but a lot of people are planning their summer trips, so this list could be helpful if you're taking a flight in the near future.

Apple iPod Touch: The top-of-the-line iPod Touch stores 32GB of songs, movies and TV shows, with a relatively large, video screen.

Noise-reducing headphones: Little ipod earbuds don't block out a jet engine's roar, so something stronger is recommended. The Bose QuietComfort 3 headphones are considered the best choice, but Sennheiser and JVC offer decent options that cost much less.

Knee Defender: A bit obnoxious, okay this is totally obnoxious and rude. The knee defender locks on your tray table preventing the seat in front of you from reclining. Just be warned that seat karma will back at you for this evil trick.

Scanner Bag: A luggage tag with a quick-fold pouch inside to hold your “pocket stuff” when you go through airport security.

Nintendo DS Lite: I don't play video games, so I can't kick in any comments except recommend you wear your headphones when playing the games (or for that matter wear headphones while watching your portable DVD player or anything that makes noise). The author this list likes the Nintendo more than PlayStation Portable because of the interface and ease of use.

I'm thinking an Amazon Kindle or Sony Reader would be tops on my travel gadget list. I have trouble sleeping on long flights so this would be an opportunity to cut down my book list backlog. Hopefully inflight cell phone access doesn't catch on (cringe).

Add a comment if you can recommend a decent pair of headphones to use on a flight. Thanks!

WeatherPlus forecast widget

2008-06-05T11:26:00.006-04:00

A look at the weather in South Florida

Big Apple Barbeque Block Party Madison Square Park (free!) with music too

2008-05-18T17:19:00.012-04:00

The 6th Annual Big Apple Barbeque Block Party

This looks like a pretty tasty way to spend a day, or a weekend... BBQ and Mardi Gras Indians! It's almost like 2nd and Dryades is coming to New York. Almost.

June 7 and 8, 2008 in Madison Square Park
New York, NY
Noon to 6pm
http://www.bigapplebbq.org/

Admission is free!
MAP of Madison Square Park

Barbecue is $8 per plate, sides and desserts $4 per plate and drinks range $2-$6

Feed your belly with variations of bbq from some delicous bbq joints

New York: Blue Smoke; Hill Country; Dinosaur Bar-B-Que; Rack & Soul

Connecticut: Wilson’s Barbeque

California: Mr. Cecil’s

Texas: Baker’s Ribs; The Salt Lick BBQ

Virginia: Checkered Pig

Alabama: Big Bob Gibson Bar-B-Q

Illinois: 17th Street Bar & Grill

North Carolina: The Pit

Mississippi: Ubon’s “Champion’s Choice”

South Carolina: Black Jack BBQ

Feed your head with music**

Saturday, June 7

1:00PM – 2:15PM THE DEFIBULATORS

Combining strains of rockabilly, bluegrass, and classic country music with the quirky camaraderie of a vaudevillian jug band, The Defibulators are one of the most engaging live acts to have emerged from Brooklyn’s thriving roots music scene. Watch for the Defibulators’ first full-length album coming this summer!

2:45PM – 4:00PM THE SWEET DIVINES

Don’t call it nostalgia: The Sweet Divines are doing soul music the only way they know how—the old-school way. This four-woman vocal powerhouse and their hard-hitting Divine Soul Rhythm Band have been lighting up nightclub stages all over town with their nouveau-retro brand of girl-group soul.

4:30PM – 5:45PM THE WILD MAGNOLIAS

“Big Chief” Bo Dollis and his Wild Magnolias have been among New Orleans’ top-ranked Mardi Gras Indian tribes for four decades, playing pure New Orleans street funk. Their five career albums include the oft-sampled classic “They Call Us Wild” (1975) and “Life Is a Carnival” (1999).

Sunday, June 8

1:00PM – 2:15PM ALEX BATTLES & THE WHISKEY REBELLION

Brooklyn-based singer and songwriter Alex Battles leads The Whiskey Rebellion, a country band strongly influenced by the music of Hank Williams, Johnny Cash, Tom Waits, John Prine and Tom T. Hall. “Battles can wrap audiences around his knotty fingers.” (Nate Schweber, The Village Voice)

2:45PM – 4:00PM ELI “PAPER BOY” REED & THE TRUE LOVES

Roll With You, the new Q Division album from Boston-based soul band Eli “Paperboy” Reed & the True Loves, is a potent all-original set of sweaty, up-tempo numbers and aching, lovelorn ballads. “He combines the sob of Al Green with the beef of Otis Redding, and boasts a band, The True Loves.” (MOJO magazine)

4:30PM – 5:45PM THE SADIES

The Toronto quartet known as the Sadies combine the timeless sounds of Sixties/Seventies rock and country music with masterful songwriting and casually stunning harmonies from front men Dallas and Travis Good. On their latest album, “New Seasons” (Yep Roc), the Sadies “build fresh, bracing psychedelia.” (David Fricke, Rolling Stone

** Artists and Performance Times can change. Double Check with Venue

Get official updates from http://www.bigapplebbq.org/

The Big Apple BBQ supports Madison Square Park Conservancy, responsible for keeping historic Madison Square Park a bright, beautiful and active public park. The Conservancy’s dedication and consistent, loving attention keeps Madison Square Park a vibrant haven in the city for all to enjoy.

The Bamboo Room in Lake Worth Florida is Closing

2008-05-16T16:03:00.003-04:00

Sad news. Another Live Music Venue in South Florida is closing.

taken from The Bamboo Room's website:

Tue. 05.13.2008
Bamboo Room Will Go Dark, For Now -- Club Closing May 31

There’s an old adage that the bar business is recession-proof, but Bamboo Room is first and foremost a live music venue and we are not immune. Rising fuel costs make it increasingly difficult for national touring acts to include South Florida in their routing plans. Coupled with lower concert attendance during the summer, the truth is simple to understand -- particularly when heard directly from those sources.

We have thoughtfully reviewed recent economic issues that weigh on both performers and patrons. To compensate for the downturn, Bamboo Room recently adopted an abbreviated schedule for the first time in its nine-year history. Yet it soon became clear that it would be difficult to remain open through the summer. As a result we will close our doors May 31. A healthier economy will be key to operating during the winter season, much as was common in Florida not so long ago.

The trust and honesty of our relationships with artists, patrons and the media will remain firm... as has been our commitment to excellence in live music presentation. Our dedicated, excellent and valued staff will be kept apprised of future plans. We remain optimistic that the cultural and economic climate will improve.

The soul of Bamboo Room will continue to resonate with the sound of Roots, Blues and Americana.

Sincerely,

Russell Hibbard
Owner

The Bamboo Room had great site lines, a fantastic beer and whiskey selection and nobody could argue about the long list of lot of top talent they brought down to South Florida. And over the years even relaxed their uptight rules, a tad :)

NYC Subway Auditions

2008-05-04T21:35:00.003-04:00

I always thought it would make for an interesting festival to bring the performers we see below ground every day up to the surface for a festival. The subway Accordions, Violins, Brass Bands, Guitar strummers along with Preachers, and all the Buksters in a setting like Woodstock circa 1960s. Hey some of the music is really great. And that guy with the accordion, you know who I'm talking about, may actually be the front man for a great band we don't know about.

The reason I started to ramble on about the below-street performers? New York City is holding auditions for the next round of subway artists, (video follows), and you may see one of these talented individuals headlining at SummerStage next year, or at least below Times Square.

See you at the subterranian shows!

If the video above doesn't play, here's the link.

New Orleans Jazz Fest 2008 streaming live webcast

2008-04-23T13:31:00.005-04:00

Have a great Jazz Fest! We haven't made it back since Katrina washed us out and do miss the city a ton. Raise a toast to us and hope to see ya at JazzFest 2009!

If you're like us and can't make the fest this year, watch The New Orleans Jazz and Heritage Festival Live Webcast Exclusively live via AT&T Blue Room! http://www.attblueroom.com/music/
LIVE on the blue room May 3rd and 4th starting at 1PM EST. Featuring the best performances from the festival, the live webcast will include taped highlights from the first weekend.

See ya at the shows!

have you seen Google Transit?

2008-04-12T09:54:00.003-04:00

I'm not sure how long this has been around but I just discovered another cool product on Google. This is called Google Transit which invites riders of twenty-five transportation services in the United States, as well as eight other countries, to log onto Google Transit and plan their trip. It is still in beta, a standard tag on most Google products :)

I took the product for a test drive, trying to stump it. The NJ Transit option is only for trains so I attempted travel from North Bergen, New Jersey to the Port Authority Bus Terminal in New York City (a bus route, no trains conveniently located).
Estimated travel time: 2 hours (normally 20-30 minutes on the bus).

Start out walking to the closest Light Rail station (about 30 minutes on foot)
Take the light rail to Hoboken (about 15 minutes)
take the Sufferen train to Secaucus Junction (opposite direction from NYC)
Take Penn Station train (about 15 minutes)
Walk to Port Authority (about 9 minutes)

Okay I admit my test wasn't very fair, because they don't offer NJ Bus options on the site yet, but even without any bus options, the test was a success, if a bit time consuming!

I gave it another try attempting to travel from Tampa, Florida to Penn Station in New York and received a polite message telling me they don't have transit schedule data for that trip. I was hoping to receive a message, "walk from Kennedy Boulevard in Tampa, Florida to Grant Street in Salem, New Jersey (over a thousand miles, wear comfortable shoes) and board a NJ Transit train hehe. No such luck.

This transit tool has huge potential. From the broad travel (I'm thinking door-to-door directions going trans-Atlantic) down to the granular level on a city bus, think of all the non-intrusive ads Google can sell along a route. Car service, coffee and breakfast enroute to the airport, parking at O'Hare, airlines, hotels, rental cars, tour agencies, a florist or dry cleaners at the destination of the bus.

I'm sure in a matter of time the google wizards will have options for "go from living room to kitchen and Avoid Highways". I'll take another look at Google Transit in a few months and see what evolves.

Live Webcast from Langerado Music Festival 2008

2008-03-05T10:49:00.004-05:00

Checkout www.iclips.net this weekend to see live webcasts from all four days of the 2008 Langerado Music Festival.

About the Festival

Langerado was begun by promoters Mark Brown and Ethan Schwartz as a way to bring the exploding jam-based live music scene to South Florida. Over the course of its existence, Langerado has transformed from a genre-based festival to a more eclectic event that now spans the boundaries of the live music experience. Never afraid to take chances, Langerado has featured an incredible array of the best in live music in its 5 years.

As we relocate to the magical Big Cypress Reservation, we continue the process of introducing incredible musical acts to the South Florida community, as well as to all those who travel from across the globe for the beautiful weather and friendships made under the crystal clear skies of Florida's Everglades. We hope you enjoy your time at Langerado, and continue to do so for years to come. More on langerado.com

SNL Editorial Response - Sen. Clinton on Saturday Night Live

2008-03-03T15:32:00.001-05:00

Sen. Clinton on Saturday Night Live
March 1, 2008

Are we Friends on Frappr?

2008-02-03T13:52:00.000-05:00

So Wendy just sent me an email about adding a friend on a site called Frappr. The website sounded familiar but it has been a while since I used Frappr... in fact I couldn't remember it was a social map network. So I logged in and while I'm there why not share my friends map. Do you feel out? Add yourself to the map.

Go Green NOLA

2007-12-06T17:43:00.000-05:00

The Go Green NOLA website grabbed my attention because it incorporates two of my interests [a] The Environment and [b] New Orleans.

Go Green NOLA (http://gogreennola.org) is a guide for the New Orleans community on how to build and live in a green and sustainable way. The site covers topics from green building designs to alternative fuels. It is a resource for local green events and Louisiana Farmer's Markets. Already have a green thumb? Check out their community gardens page as well as Gardening Green 101 page for some pointers.

Check it out, let me know what you think in the comments down below. And while you're on a green streak, check out carbonneutral.2truth.com for a line of products with an environmental messages printed on shirts, tote bags, coffee mugs, stickers and other items.

Frying a turkey safely this Thanksgiving

2007-11-22T07:40:00.000-05:00

ABC-7 from San Francisco tells us what you need to know about frying a turkey this Thanksgiving

If you're thinking about deep frying a turkey this Thanksgiving you need to use extreme caution and know a few safety tips before you start. ABC 7 San Francisco has a video on frying turkeys and some fryer safety tips. [News Story and VIDEO]

Paper, Plastic or Canvas Tote?

2007-11-21T15:52:00.000-05:00

While typing something up about the reusable canvas tote bags we designed, I ran across this on a blog: A list of 19 Ways To Recycle Plastic Grocery Bags.

And for your own cool tote, check this page of our environmental friendly messages on totebags.

light NYC for Mardi Gras in 2008

2007-10-23T12:32:00.001-04:00

In 2006 this blog was instrumental in getting the Empire State Building to shine in Mardi Gras colors over New York as a salute to the folks impacted by Hurricane Katrina and Hurricane Rita. My official positive comment on why the Empire State Bldg ignored our request in 2007 is, "Our request came in too late for the ESB to process our request so lets get an early jump on 2008!"

Click on over to New Orleans Stuff, there is an effort underway to get the Empire State Building to shine in Purple-Green-Gold on Fat Tuesday. http://neworleansstuff.blogspot.com/

The ESB asks for a formal request to be FAXed or emailed back. I filled out the paperwork for 2006, it doesn't take too long and the folks still rebuilding after storms in Louisiana will feel remembered on Fat Tuesday!

Amazon's Unbox video download widget

2007-09-29T16:31:00.000-04:00

new from Amazon... Amazon Unbox a video download store featuring thousands of high-quality TV shows, movies, and more to buy or rent.

Amazon.com Widgets

A few of the studios listed on the amazon site: 20th Century Fox, A&E, ABC, BBC, CBS, Cartoon Network, Discovery, E!, FOX, FX, Fuel, MTV, NBC Universal, National Geographics, PBS, Sony Picture Home Entertainment, The Biography Channel, and more but I don't want to fill this up with too much clutter, better to check it out yourself.

nice blog post on Faubourg St John in New Orleans, LA

2007-08-16T09:52:00.000-04:00

the Lagalou New Orleans blog had a post (8/2/2007) spotlighting some great aspects of my old neighborhood, Faubourg St. John ...

Lagalou New Orleans: (let's keep it) Forever local in FSJ http://lagalounola.blogspot.com/2007/08/forever-local-in-fsj.html

... add FSJ is a short walk or bike ride from the bayou and art museum in City Park, (an underutilized, neglected park which is larger than Central Park in New York City).

Steve

Carbon neutral sales show Nature Conservancy the Green

2007-08-03T09:11:00.000-04:00

Hey the Carbon Neutral Earth Rising shops are now donating profits to the Nature Conservancy. Shop for swag and "feel good" about helping out the environment too. Read Article on the Newswire.

Carbon Neutral Shops http://carbonneutral.2truth.com

Kwik-e-mart in Times Square. Hey Simpsons Fans check it out.

2007-07-02T00:41:00.000-04:00

There's a Kwik-E-Mart in Times Square, on 42nd Street, between 8th and 9th avenue.

I walked by the store and it didn't hit me right away. My first reaction was "oh 7-11 couldn't make it in manhattan... it's been replaced by a... kwik--- oh wait! Simpsons!"

The Kwik-E-Mart on 42nd Street has Squishies, Buzz Cola, boxes and boxes of Krusty O's, and Radioactive Man!

In addition to New York, the Associated Press reports 7-Eleven Kwik-E-Marts are in Chicago; Dallas; Denver; Burbank, Calif.; Los Angeles; Henderson, Nev.; Orlando, Fla.; Mountain View, Calif.; Seattle; and Bladensburg, Md. It's all designed to hype the July 27th opening of The Simpsons Movie.

The all important question, can we buy Duff Beer? Nope. A 7-Eleven marketing exec said Duff was really a tough call, "but we want to make sure it's considered good, responsible fun."

Hey maybe a dozen MOE'S TAVERNs will be created for the sequel.

Jazz Fest - FESTAID

2007-04-03T11:04:00.000-04:00

Are you heading to New Orleans for the Jazz and Heritage Festival? Be a part of a truly unique experience and hook up with FestAid. This is the volunteer group's second year where people from around the country team up with locals to help rebuild, feed and celebrate the musical heritage.

The Fest Aid website is: FestAid.com and the Fleur de Lis Recovery Corps: FestAid 2007 blog is: Fleur de Lis Recovery Corps: FestAid 2007: Workin’ ‘til Dusk, Dancin’ ‘til Dawn

no Mardi Gras for the Empire State Building

2007-02-20T14:57:00.000-05:00

HAPPY MARDI GRAS!

Today is Fat Tuesday, February 20, 2007. I finally heard back at 1pm from the decision makers at Empire State Bldg regarding the lighting request. Unfortunately "Purple, Green and Gold"* will not be beaming over New York City. We received no specifics from ESBC but they communicated this:

"Many factors go into our decisions to light up for the great many events and
causes that reach out to us through out the year. We have decided the we are not
able to accomodate your request. "

A Post-Katrina New Orleans continues to be in the spotlight, and cities around the world* tip their hats to our Gulf Coast as a reminder rebuilding and recovering is ongoing! It is a long road to recovery. Send your request to ESB for Mardi Gras lighting in 2008, perhaps they'll be swayed.

And to people in the New York area, lets start a second line across 34th street tonight and encourage festive folks to join in. Below are some featured locations who are celebrating Fat Tuesday!

The Big Easy 1768 2nd Ave, New York, NY Shake it on top of the bar at this year-round Mardi Gras dive, pouring $6 hurricanes and $4 jungle juice.

Go to WebsiteGo to Website | Send 2 Phone
Union Hall 702 Union St, Brooklyn, NY Not what we'd expect from a library-style Park Slope bar, but we'll take it: A New Orleans musicians benefit with five bands, Pontani Sisters burlesque, soul food and a live marching band ($12, 6pm).
Bourbon Street 407 Amsterdam Ave, New York, NY It's not live Bourbon Street, but this annual bash gets close enough--with drink deals and tons and tons of beads.
TG Whitney's 244 E 53rd St, New York, NY In midtown? Like models? Meet the Corazon girls 7pm-8pm, with zydeco music afterward--not to mention free beads, cheap beer and hurricane specials all night.
Fat Tuesday Celebration Feb 20, 2007 The Town Tavern Bound to get rowdy with a most-beads contest at midnight, bartop can can dancers, free jambalaya all night and happy hour specials from 6pm to 10pm.

Laissez Les Bon Temp Rouler!

*traditional colors of Mardi Gras are purple (symbolic of justice), green (symbolic of faith) and gold (symbolic of power).

Empire State Building in Mardi Gras Colors for 2007

2007-02-11T12:21:00.000-05:00

UPDATE on The Empire State in Mardi Gras colors...

We're talking with the Empire State Building (ESB) management to go Purple-Green-Gold again on Fat Tuesday! (working on making it an ANNUAL event too). It made national news last year :)

New Orleans and the entire Gulf Coast is still rebuilding and we suggest as
another symbolic gesture to light the ESB on February 20, 2007 in
Purple-Green-Gold.

We filled out the forms and have gone back and forth with emails to justify a purple/green/gold theme on Fat Tuesday.

ESB wants to know what promotional material we have, what sort of media outreach we've got planned, etc. I'm not sure but it sounds like a large budget is needed. Maybe St. Patrick can spare some resources from his March 17th publicity ESB in green campaign. ;)

ESB Wrote:
"Last year we received media attention for the special lights, mostly due to it
being the first Mardi Gras since Katrina.
Do you have samples of promotional
materials? What media outreach will be undertaken? What connections do you have
with New Orleans?"

If you've got a sec, tell the esb you'd like to see purple-green-gold on Fat Tuesday too. :)

I've got a buddy who is going to shoot some video of the Empire State Building in Mardi Gras Colors, check back on 2/20 to see if we get the green light from ESB lighting mgt (pun intended)

HopStop.com - a nice mapping site for New York, Boston, DC and San Francisco

2006-07-18T17:20:00.000-04:00

Are you trying to use Subway Trains, Busses or Buggies to get around town? Don't know your A Train from a B Train? http://www.hopstop.com/ is a very cool transit mapper, for New York, Boston, Washington DC and San Francisco.

Another Subway mapper for NYC is "onNY Turf". Going on an interview in an unfamiliar neighborhood? This is pretty nice, you just enter an address in and OnNY Turf will show you which subway stations are nearby. http://www.onnyturf.com/subway/

Just looking for cross streets without the maps? Click over to the NYC Address Locator

become Carbon Neutral

2006-06-27T22:47:00.000-04:00

We are trying to increase awareness of global warming. After following these four steps perhaps you will be inspired to share these with a few friends?It only takes a minute.

See the movie An Inconvenient Truth
Go to climatecrisis.org under 'take action' and take the test :)
Visit the Carbon Neutral shops and display a bumper sticker or wear a Carbon Neutral shirt http://carbonneutral.2truth.com/
Write a letter to the editor, a guest op-ed column, essay, or article

Empire State Building in Purple Green and Gold

2006-03-01T20:52:00.000-05:00

We Did It!

It was a spur of the moment thing, Daphne and I were talking about Mardi Gras / Fat Tuesday last Sunday and thought about how the Empire State Building does theme colors, how it would be a nice gesture for displaced New Orleanians to show Mardi Gras colors on Tuesday.

A little research showed Feb 28th was the ESB 'default color' (white), so I wrote an email to the building management and suggested Purple Green and Gold, (my note and the reply is below). Evidently the building management receives a ton of lighting requests throughout the year for color themes but somehow our last minute request captured their attention.

It ain't Fat Tuesday everywhere... Evidently the further away your radius is from Louisiana, the more it is "just Tuesday". A lady came up to us while we snapped photos and said, "isn't it beautiful? I never get tired of it." She had no idea was Fat Tuesday was or what it ment, but thought it was pretty cool that we had the ESB lit it up for Katrina refugees in the New York metro area.

--we wrote to ESB: Fat Tuesday is February 28 and as a gesture to those from Louisiana, lighting the Empire State Building "PURPLE, GREEN and GOLD" would mean a lot to us refugees who are in the New York area. *Purple represents Justice; Green represents Faith; Gold represents Power.

--ESB replied: Excellent idea, we are doing the lights tonight!

Hey we fought the cold and went to 34th Street, took some close-ups too...