Homan's Amazing Parrot Freaked Out by Adrastos' Giant Head

Yesterday Adrastos, my blogging nemesis who has a very big head (size 9 3/4) thought he found my parrot in Greece. He was mistaken. This is my parrot:

The Old Man and the Storm

I recently watched "The Old Man and the Storm" on Frontline. I think it did a fantastic job capturing the frustration people in New Orleans feel now 3 1/2 years after the levees failed. It's a hard story to cover, we hear about it quite infrequently in the news these days, and trust me when I say that people who live here suffer from Katrina fatigue more than anyone. Not a day goes by without thinking about those days, and the documentary tells the incredible story of Herbert Gettridge and his family. Rebuilding was tough for me, but I had money for contractors and was in my 40's. Gettridge is in his 80's, and moreover he lives in the 9th ward, perhaps the hardest hit neighborhood. He was trying to get the house ready for his wife to return, so they could live there for their "golden years." Thanks to June Cross for making this amazing documentary. If you would like to see how difficult it is to rebuild, mostly because of an inept federal, state, and local government, you should see it. You can watch it online here.

Take That, Lead Belly Foundation!

All right, so the Lead Belly foundation blocked our video on YouTube because it had Lead Belly audio, so we redid the audio to our "Raising the Homan House video on YouTube. This time, it's me on guitar, Kalypso on violin, and Gilgamesh tapping, and we all sing "House of the Rising Sun" with a brand spanking new lyrics. Now poor Lead Belly can rest in peace, knowing that our measly video about raising our Katrina Damaged home was used without the permission of some descendant Mr. Lead Belly never met. But now, instead of 3453 views, we have 0.

Leadbelly's Legacy Blocks My Youtube Video

I just received an email from the YouTube "Content Identification Team" that the audio I used in a video of my kids lifting our house was unlawful and they are blocking the video. This was the main part of their email:

A copyright owner has claimed it owns some or all of the audio content in your video Raising the Homan House in New Orleans. The audio content identified in your video is New Orleans by Lead Belly. We regret to inform you that your video has been blocked from playback due to a music rights issue.

But I can't figure out who to contact to ask for permission. I just emailed leadbellymusic@leadbelly.org, and asked if they were the ones who blocked it. The main point is that the song is about a house in New Orleans, and the rising part fit well with the idea of raising our house. It seems pretty heavy handed to me. I'm a big fan of Leadbelly, and knowing what I know about the man, I would imagine he would want his songs played.

UPDATE: On January 30, 2013, I received an email from a gentleman who coauthored a book with a descendant of Lead Belly. I also received the comment below from Lead_Belly_Music. Glad to hear Lead Belly's family is so supportive. I noticed the original video with the Lead Belly song is back on youtube with a button where people can purchase the original song. That is a great solution and I'm glad it all worked out so well. I love the Lead Belly song.

Glad for Gadbois

My friend Karen Gadbois was just named New Olreanian of the Year by the Gambit Weekly. I first met Karen during her struggles to hold her neighborhood Walgreens accountable for their properties. Since then she's been a real leader in our rebuilding efforts, and more than anyone, she personifies how it is the citizens of New Orleans leading our recovery, with little to no help from the government.

Karen has been stippled by the Wall Street Journal and now she has been gambitted(?)



Sharing the award with Karen are Liz McCartney and Zack Rosenburg, founders of the St. Bernard Project. Congratulations to all three, and thanks to the Gambit for recognizing these heroes.

Joan of Arc Parade for Epiphany

Today, January 6th, marks the Epiphany, the day the Magi brought gifts to the newborn Jesus. For those of us in New Orleans, it marks the beginning of the Mardi Gras season. We've waited so long for King Cakes, parades, and Mardi Gras parties. Tonight we're going to go down to the French Quarter to participate in the first annual Joan of Arc parade. We never had a good time with the Phorty Phunny Phellows and their street car, so we're hoping this is a better fit. I need a costume though and quick.

Gaza & Bush

I have always supported an independent and autonomous Palestinian state. It has been well documented that the Bush administration feels differently, and they have been cohorts with the most militant wings of the Israeli government. This idea that that you will stop rocket attacks by invading Gaza and killing hundreds is about as ridiculous as bringing democracy to Iraq with tanks. I remember how great Israel and Palestine were back in the late 1990's, how much hope there was, right before Ariel Sharon visited the Temple Mount in 2000. I fear that Israel will bomb Iran in the next few days before Bush leaves office. And in case you were wondering just how ignorant Americans are regarding the Israel vs. Palestine problem, read the comments in this article in a recent Times-Picayune article. I am hoping that Obama has a statement soon about policy with this issue.

Tree House Accident

A neighborhood friend of Gilgamesh's fell out of our tree house yesterday and got a pretty good gash on his forehead. It required a couple of stitches. I think he also hurt his wrist, so he can't write for a while until it heals. We're hoping for the speedy recovery of our friend Miguel.

Christmas Gifts from Uncle Mike

I'm the proud uncle of three children in Omaha. I have two nephews: Zane and Cedric, and one niece named Lena. For Christmas this year I got Zane his first girlie magazine. Cedric got a bottle of Crown Royal, and little Lena got a pack of cigarettes.

Congrats to a Tenured Howie

I just found out that my friend and colleague Dr. Howie Luvzus received tenure at Xavier. Moreover, he got promoted to the rank of Associate Professor. I ask you though, would you give tenure to someone who appears in public dressed thusly?:

I know this post-Katrina world has been a real emotional roller coaster for him, which may have played a role in his cross-dressing. Congratulations to him and his family on this well-deserved accomplishment. In my letter of support for his being granted tenure, amongst many paragraphs of praise, I wrote the following two sentences (note that Howie, believe it or not, goes by a different moniker at times):

"My job satisfaction here at Xavier is directly related to having Dr. Gstohl as a colleague. I consider Dr. Gstohl to be my best friend, and he is someone who I admire greatly both for his scholarship, teaching, and personality."