(Why so happy? These guys have pretty good health care coverage.)

It seems President Bush cares about as much for health care as he does New Orleans—at least in the number of words, that is. In Bush’s 2006 State of the Union speech, many in New Orleans believed he would outline many of his administration’s plans for rebuilding the city and the Gulf Coast. Instead, Bush expended 160 words on all the feds had already done for New Orleans, and recognized that “many of our fellow citizens have felt excluded from the promise of our country” (they likely felt this exclusion most acutely when they were hanging out on rooftops waiting for days to be rescued, or while they were waiting for rescue for days at the Convention Center or it could have been when they were living for days, weeks and months in formaldehyde-laced trailer homes waiting for suitable replacement housing).

Even though 47 million Americans don’t have health care insurance, no one really believed the president would talk too much about it in his 2008 State of the Union speech.

And the good news? Without any high expectations, no one was disappointed when Bush gave the nation’s health care all of 159 words. Besides, what’s the point if you’re only repeating yourself? Read the rest of this entry »

To hear original rap songs by my young ‘Music Writing’ students, watch videos of their live performances, and to read their hilariously mean album reviews of local artists (as published in Gambit Weekly) visit myspace.com/mrmichaelsclass.

This week, my brilliant 2^nd graders at Behrman Elementary on the West Bank completed their second song of the semester (the first being their Christmas rap, which you can read about HERE). Or, almost finished it… My fault, definitely. As I’ve stated before, these kids are the best, most with-it I’ve yet taught. Many New Orleans kids I’ve worked with, even if the activity is fun, they initially project skepticism, doubt and stubbornness. I have to fight them, drag them kicking and whining toward the fun. But these Behrman kids, when we’re sitting in the cafeteria before class completing homework, they ask me “what we doin in rap class today?” and by the time we line up to walk to my room, their new verses are already half written. So different. Truly amazing.

This new song is called “Our New Year”. Because the Christmas song went so well, every time I’ve since asked them to choose a new song topic, they’ve listed the next holiday: “A Mardi Gras song!” they cheer now. Read the rest of this entry »

Allright, y’all, this missive is from Captain Ann-Marie Coviello of the Box of Wine. The Box of Wine is the parade that marches down St. Charles to alert the revelers and Mardi Gras fans that the time of Bacchus is upon us. It is open to all and more fun than a barrel of Motley Crue and Lindsay Lohan. Come march or watch.

To those who don’t know, Bacchus is the reason behind Mardi Gras. It all goes back to Bachhus. And he must be worshipped and given tribute especially, according to Grand Marshall for Life Shelly Loughnane, “by those who lives the lives that we do.”

From Ann Marie:

It’s that time of year again, the time of year when a Bacchante’s mind turns away from the quotidian and toward the call of Dionysus’ drumming…. Read the rest of this entry »

by Sam Winston

I said it would be Paris. It’ll be London instead. If I’m still on this side of the pond, it’s only an hour flight to London from Hamburg. If any Saints crazies are planning on making trip, avoid the “traditional” English breakfast and try to find some clotted creme instead. I was just there for New Year’s and beans for breakfast when they are not “south of the border” style are terrifying.