Although I’m not much of an activist, I’ve signed up for this year’s Rising Tide conference, to be held Saturday, August 22, in New Orleans. The conference is a gathering of NOLA bloggers and other lovers of New Orleans “to expand their on-line advocacy for the rebirth of New Orleans into a public event.” As a bonus, participants get to meet face-to-face some of the people they’ve developed on-line friendships with.
This year’s keynote speaker will be Harry Shearer. I’m hoping to get his autograph on my copy of “Smell the Glove.” I’m also hoping to get Greg Peters’s autograph on my copy of the commemorative poster he created (see picture at left).
I recently signed up with Twitter, under the handle minorwisdom. For the one out of a million unfamiliar with Twitter, it’s a micro-blogging service that allows you to write short posts and follow others’ posts on one screen. Post are limited to 140 characters, so if you want to post links, you’ll want to use something like TinyURL.com. I like the idea of reading and writing on the same screen. I won’t promise that I’ll be worth following on Twitter, but I have no trouble recommending the other folks that I follow.
I’m also just now venturing into some social-networking web sites: Facebook (for friends and family) and LinkedIn (for professional contacts). Both appear promising. So far, Facebook has put me back in touch with a few dear friends from years past; that alone has made it worthwhile. No such results yet for LinkedIn, but then I just started a couple of days ago.
When I was in the seminary, a fellow seminarian who happened to be an ex-Marine used to say, “Opinions are like assholes—everybody has one.” I beg to differ. You have only one asshole, but you can have many, many opinions. With that happy thought in mind, let me share some of mine.
The occasion is Gambit’s annual Best of New Orleans poll. Polls close on August 3, so if you want your vote counted, get a move on. Here are some of my uninformed votes:
A couple of weeks ago, fellow NOLA blogger Adrastos postedthis version of “Mannish Boy”:vocals by the one and only Muddy Waters; accompaniment by the one and only The Band, who prove that, with proper training, white boys can indeed play the blues. What I like about this version is the pace—just a tad slower than you expect. The result: every note is a payoff. But don’t take my word for it; give it a listen.
Catholic lawyers (especially those in Great Britain), take heed: “Enforcing” the Magna Carta may get you excommunicated—if canon law does not provide for prescription on a 796-year-old papal bull.1 Our friends at Drug & Device Law explain. __________ 1 No jokes, please, on why this papal edict is called “bull.”
Yesterday was either a bad day or a good day, depending on one’s point of view.
Bad:I start my car to go to work, the engine just barely turned over. Uh-oh, sounds like the battery is about to die. Even worse, I have a dental appointment in the afternoon. How will I get there if my car won’t start, or if it’s in the shop getting a new battery?
Good: The repair shop is on the way to work, and about six blocks from my office. And unusual for July, the humidity is low; it’s a lovely morning for a little walk. And if they’re still working on my car when it’s time to go to the dentist, I’ll just grab a cab.
Bad: The new battery ended up costing $126.33, including the electrical-system test (to make sure the problem was the battery and not the alternator or other part), the battery itself, and labor. Good: At least I didn’t get stranded somewhere with a dead battery.
Good: My car was ready in time to drive it to the dentist’s office. I made it there in plenty of time.
Bad: I was in the chair for about 4½ hours. Two teeth needed work. Some video of the procedure below.
Good: The dentist didn’t say “yee-hah!” And 4½ hours inhaling nitrous oxide.
Bad: Final tab $1,260. Most of that for a porcelain onlay. (Apparently silver-colored fillings are passé.)
Good: I have a Blue Cross/Blue Shield dental plan.
Confession: I’m a sucker for space travel. I was too young to remember the exploits of Alan Shepard and the other original seven Mercury astronauts. But I do remember the Gemini program and the tragedy of Apollo 1. Why talk about this now? Because 40 years ago today (actually 40 years ago from when this blog post went on line: 9:32 a.m. EDT on July 16, 1969), Apollo 11 lifted off, destination: the moon—specifically the Sea of Tranquility. I was 11 years old then.
Here’s something I didn’t understand then, but I understand now. A rocket launch is a controlled explosion. The bigger the rocket, the greater the risk that the explosion will get out of control. The Saturn V booster was the biggest rocket in history—for all I know, it still is. So keep that thought in mind as you watch this piece of history.
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