The Aftermath

Well for that one person who doesn't know, Uncle Bob, Louisana and Mississippi have been destroyed by Hurricane Katrina. I am sitting safely in my parents house just north of Jackson. Or as I have gone to calling it the last line of civilization. South of I-20 is a mess. There is no electrical power, no, water, no sewage, no nothing. Road are blocked and the inferstructure of society has just broken down. The Mississippi Gulf Coast is gone. Like it was wiped clean by the Hand of God.

WLBT out of Jackson has been sending it mini-helicopter to the coast yesterday and today and the vidoe is both awe inspiring and shocking. Casinos have washed up onto highway 90 and have landed on builds across the street. Large piece of highway 90 and I-10 are just gone. Bridges crossing the bays are in the water. Whole neighborhood are just missing. Most of New Orleans is under water.
And if isn't any better as you move north. The reports I am getting out of Hattiesburg are they have no power and water. Plus, they got looting.
I have yet to return to my house in the burg, but I fear the worse. IF the house and my stuff survived the storm, if my roommates have not turned my stuff inside out, I am worried about looters. Hopefully I will get down there tomorrow or Friday and get a look at how bad it really is.Look for that report in the next day or so.

I was finally able to contact someone down there, she said its pretty bad living condition and she is head north tomorrow. But Liz said the Foley family survived the Hurricane, even if they where stupid and stayed on the coast.
I still have not been able to find out about USM, school restarts Sept. 6th, or work. Do I have a job to return to? At least the Hattiesburg American is reporting that the city is starting to get water working again but the whole city is still in a state of emergancy.

I spent the today watching the news and helping my parents neighbors. There is only so much destrution you can watch on TV before you can't stand it. This 24 hour coverage is starting to get to me. I know they are trying to give out the lastest information and keep people informed. But last night the anchorwoman was talking to a woman from Belhaven who was in Florida. Why was this news? Really? Why?
I was happy to get outside and get to work. I mainly raked yards and cut up trees. Hhhhmmmm.....Me running a chainsaw, shades of life in Americorps. My motto should be have chainsaw will travel. Anyway I get the feeling I will have plenty of chance to use one in the coming weeks.

Chris Reid did relate a funny story he heard about New Orlean. It appears they did not get all the animals out of the Aquarium of the Americas. Sharks got free into the flood waters and cops had to shot them because they were eating on the corpse in the water. Reid told me this story second or third hand. I don't know how true it is, but it is something to wonder about. Sharks of Bourbon Street!

The View from...

Jackson, Mississippi. 12:30pm
I am glad in my decision to flee from H'burg. From what little information I can get is that the whole city is without power and the eye wall is following interstate 59 straight to Hattiesburg. I hope everyone is bunkered down as it should be reaching there anytime now. As a class two Hurricane it could have winds up to 100mph.

WLBT is running news for Jackson and New Orleans.
News reports have massive flooding in New Orleans and the Gulf Coast. WBLT is showing some images and reporting some of building collasping. Gulf Coast Casinos are flooding up to the second floor. They have reported storm surge of 27 feet. Hospitals on the coast have stopped service and emergancy management on the coast has had to move north.

The Governor has stated that the search and rescue if the first priority, then clearing the roads, then restoring power, then rebuilding. Looters will be treated as "ruthlessly" as the law will let them.

Well I got to get off a tornado is on the way here.

The Great Escape.....

.....from Hurricane Katrina
Well all the forces of Kismet united and I have made the run to the parents house in Madison. I have never run from a weather pattern before, but I have never lived threw something like this before. So when all the right elements snapped together, I went.
First school for Monday is cancelled, then work is closed for tomorrow and finally the decision to close work tonight came.
I arrived at the Cresent City Grill at 4p.m. to be told we would be closing at 6pm. So for two hours we cooked, (And we cooked alot. Who goes out to eat before a killer storm? Really? Who? Idiots!) ,cleaned and threw things into coolers and freezers.
After work I went home to shower and pack. Roomate Kyle is throwing a Hurricane Party. Alot of his friends are hanging out at the house with a few cases of beer, some bottles of wine, at least one bottle of whiskey and one of tequila. I ignored them all and took a shower and changed clothes. Then threw a few changes of clothes in a bag. I told Kyle and Company I was going. When they asked why I was leaving I explained the house was a paper shack build just after world war two and wasn't going to survive a class two hurricane (Katrine is projected to be a class two when it arrives in H'burg).
As I got in the car to leave I got a call from the parents asking me to come home. I told them I was and would be there soon. Little did I know.
So I hit the road, heading North of Highway 49. I was surprised by how well I was doing. It was before seven and I was on way. I made good time all the way threw Magee despite some crazy drivers and some rain. Then I got to D'Lo (Yes, that is the towns real name). Here traffic become bumper to bumper. Something you should know about me is I don't handle lines well. I get mad and start yelling. But lucky I brought alot of music with me and rocked out to the Black Keys, Heartless Bastards, some old school rap ,and the occasional traffic/weather report.
I after about 45 minutes of slow bumper to bumper, I arrived in Florence and the one traffic light that was cause the traffic jam. I passed it and took off for my last 10 miles on 49. But I knew better than to take the highway all the way to I-20.
At the right point I turned off and side streeted it to down town Jackson. Having grown up in this city I thought could get up to Madison easier on the back street.
I was wrong!
I got a little lost and ended up in downtown ghetto very near where I was mugged all those years ago. Lucky the street where deserted and zipped threw town till I came to a good on ramp for I-55. I did stop at the Madison county exit to pick up a six pack of beer and then drove into the wilds of the county. Arrived home to find my parents watching "Non-stop continous cover of Hurricane Katrina". The word
Camille has gotten used alot. So I am now sitting about 160 miles inland and they are still talkin about 66 mph winds with gusts up to 80-85 mph.
Here is hoping that everyone is okay and that this storm is just over hyped media.
Yeah! I don't believe it, but its a nice thought.

We're Screwed....

The weather channel's Jim Cantore is on the coast, the Mississippi Gulf Coast. Old Jim is usually on ground zero when a Hurricane come a shore. People have even started to put up signs to tell Jim to go away. But no Jim is in Mississippi.
So Katrina seems to be headed here with all due force. I wonder if school will be cancelled? I wonder if work will be closed? I wonder if I still have time to go get some supplies? I wonder if I will ever stop writing about the weather?
Another H'burg blogger has gone so far as to writing about ever Hurricane this year. She labelled this one Katrine and the Waves. I thought it was funny, or maybe I am just old. Both work for me.
Well here is hope I live, thrive and survive another big storm.

Lost

NO! NOT THE TV SHOW STUPID!!!
While I was home last week, I lost my wallet. Yep! My home made duct tape wallet is gone, but more importantly everything in my wallet is gone. The weird thing is how it up an vanished. I was only in three place from the last time I saw it to when I noticed it was gone. My parents house, my car, and Pam's Parents House. Me and the family turned our house and my car upside down looking for it and Pam says it not at her parents. So where the Hell did it go? It just vanished. My dad says I am snake bite (The southern for really unlucky)
There where only two things of real importance in my wallet my license and my ATM/Debt card. Everythin else was just items from my past. Like my sports outfiter card, my grocery discount card, my blockbuster card, my old copy cards, etc....
So I sent my second day at home getting a new license (it only took an hour and a half, a MDOT speed recorded). And getting my Debt card cancelled. But it is weird how naked and alone I felt with out my wallet. Is my wallet my security blanket?
I can say that alot of my worse experiences involve me losing or almost losing my wallet. I lost my wallet on a school trip(school was a horroible experience), my mugging, my DUI, all bad, all involve me lossing my wallet some how.
Its sad how something so small can define you so. Especially given how I don't like to define myself by the stuff I own. Because like the movie said the stuff that you own, ends up owning you. But my wallet makes me feel okay that I can do anything as long as I got it.
So my parents bought me a new fake leather wallet, and I got my license and new debt card and life is good again.
Its a sad life I lead!

Uninspired Update

Well I has been two weeks sense I wrote anything. Has "Slacker" Williams struck again, yes and no. I have been pretty busy lately. I went home to Jackson for a few days to see the family and then Pamela come down to Hadesburg to visit me. I have been work hard. Thank God Crab Crazy month is almost over. We got so much crabs it even on all our toilets!!! Thats a joke.
I am headed back to school for a few classes. Some History and education stuff, maybe even a music or writing class. I don't know .
I also have been playing my guitar alot.
So as you can see I have been pretty busy, but...
I have also been pretty uninspired and maybe a little depressed. I don't know. I just.....don't know. I got a few half ass ideas for things to write about but I have not given them alot of thought. I am working on it.
Lastly I got to give a big shout out to Elisabeth Foley who got engaged last week. Maybe now her sister will stop worrying about Liz and I hooking up.

********Even More Updated**************

I wrote this last night and realised how sad it was. I was depressed! I had fallen into a funk. But writing and reading this helped me shake that shyte off. So the next time some one says the internet is no good, remember how it helped your old friend Ian throw off a funk!

Hub City Blues 8-25-05

Artist- Album- Title
Junior Kimbrough- Meet Me in the City- All Night Long
R.L. Burnside- Burnside on Burnside- Goin Down South
Slick Ballinger- Slick Ballinger- Mississippi Soul
Phill Durham- Goin' Down South-Blues Sampler vol. 2- Steal Away
North Mississippi Allstars- Electric Blue Watermelon- Hurry Up Sunrise (with Lucinda Williams)
Elam McKnight & Keith Carter- The Last Country Store- Leaving 5 Points
Nathan James & Ben Hernandez- Make a Change Sometime- Keepin' To Herself
Scott H.Biram- The Dirty Old One Man Band- Someday Baby
Son House- Revisited- Death Letter
Paul Oscher- Down In The Delta- Take A Little Walk
Elmore James- Shake Your Money Maker- Rollin and Tumblin
Bob Bogdal- Underneath the Kudzu- Workin' Out On The Road
Hillstomp- One Word- Cottonwood
Shemekia Copeland- The Soul Truth- Something Heavy
Kate Campbell- Blues and Lamentations- Genesis Blues
Bettye Lavette- I've Got My Own Hell To Raise- Joy
Pieta Brown- In The Cool- In The Cool
Cary Hudson Electric Trio- Live in Wredenhagen- Go Away Devil
Eugene Hideaway Bridges- Coming Home- Coming Home
Little Milton- Think of Me- Let Your Love Rain Down On Me
Mississippi Fred McDowell- Blues With A Message- Levee Camp Blues
Blind Mississippi Morris & Brad Web- Goin' Down South-Blues Sampler vol. 2- Country Days
Rory Block- Last Fair Deal- Last Fair Deal Gone Down
Grayson Capps- If You Knew My Mind- I Can't Hear You
The Morells- Think About It- She's Gone
Richard Johnston- Official Bootleg #1- Do The Romp

HCB 8-11-05

ARTIST - TITLE
Howlin Wolf - Midnight Blues
Alvin Youngblood Hart - Noboby’s fault but mine
Rod Piazza - Description of a Fool
John Hiatt - Find You At Last
Slick Ballinger - Brotherhood
Bob Bogdal - Workin’ Out on the Road
Robert Randolph - Ted’s Jam
Heartless Bastards - Runnin
The Bel Airs - Wild About You Baby
The Morells - She’s Gone
Scott H Biram - Someday baby
Elmore James - Rollin and Tumblin
Ray Charles - What’d I say
North MS Allstars - Stompin My Foot
Norht MS Allstars - Horseshoe
Norht MS Allstars - Bounce Ball
Shemekia Copeland - Something Heavy
Grace Potter & The Nocturnals - Treat Me Right
Pieta Brown - In the Cool
Rickie Lee Jones - Makin Whoopee
Elam McKnight/Keith Carter - Leaving 5 points
Paul Oscher - Take a Little Walk
Fred McDowell - Levee Camp Blues
Buddy Guy - She got the Devil in Her
Jr. Kimbrough - All Night Long

I don't know how to feel about this

The new Mayor of Jackson, Frank Melton, wants to start testing 6th thru 12th graders in Jackson Public Schools for drugs. But he wants to do it to help this kids get some treatment. I am conflicted on my feelings about this. I know testing every student is a way to keep random drug testing and profiling out of school, but it still feels like it is violating civil rights to me. But if little Johnny is coming to school blazed out of his mind, it seem like he should be getting some help. I am not against the causul drug use, I drink, sometimes to much. I know ALOT of pot smokers and have meet more than I would like for hard drug(Cocaine, Herion, Meth) users. I just wonder about the policies that will govern a program like this.

Garageband.com

Well if you have a good internet connection and have your speakers turned up you will have notice the rock music. This is because of a new website I have been visiting this week. garageband.com. I have know about this website for some time, but it hasn't been till lately that I have started visiting it. This is a website that unsigned bands can upload their music and have people listen to them for free. The cool thing is all the different types of music on it. While most every song that is playing on my blog right now I would listed as rock of some type(Alternative, Progressive, Modern, Blues, Indie, etc, etc. Think we got enough sub genres?), there are all kind of music on here. From Acoustic, to Comedy, to Hip-Hop, to Spoken Word, to Techno. A little something for everyone. This site lets bands get national and international exposure and helps to promote their work with band bios, CD sales, and upcoming gigs.
Its just a fun site to poke around listen to some music and maybe find an new up and coming band in your hometown. Because all musical acts had to start somewhere.

R.I.P. Little Milton & HCB 8-04-05

"Little" Milton Campbell passed away today. While he never achieved the level of famous as some other 2nd generation bluesmen, Muddy Waters, Howlin Wolf, B.B. King, his influence is felt in alot of modern music. Bonnie Rait, Gov't Mule, G. Love the and the Special Sauce all have listed him as an influence on their music. I got to meet him a few years back at a wedding in Jackson. The son of somebody a Malaco Records was marrying a girl I knew. Milton came because he was recording for Malaco at the time. He was very nice man and a great showman.

Artist - Album - Song
Little Milton- Who's Cheating Who- Grits Ain't Groceries
Little Milton- Welcome To...- When The Blues Come Knockin' (with Govt Mule)
Little Milton- I'm A Gambler- Poke Salad Annie
Little Milton- Guitar Man- Guitar Man
Little Milton- Greatest Hits- The Blues Is Alright
Floyd Dixon- Fine! Fine! Thing!- Everything's Alright
Kenny 'Blues Boss' Wayne- Let It Loose- Let Me Go Home Whiskey
Hound Dog Taylor- Natural Boogie- Roll Your Moneymaker
Mercy Dee- Blues With A Message- Walked Down So Many Turn Rows
Elam McKnight & Keith Carter- The Last Country Store- Leaving 5 Points
Nathan James & Ben Hernandez- Make a Change Sometime- Mama Let Me Lay It On You
Rose City Kings- Holler Out For More- Reckless Sinner
Alvin Youngblood Hart- Motivational Speaker- Nobody's Fault But Mine
Shemekia Copeland- The Soul Truth- Something Heavy
Grayson Capps- If You Knew My Mind- A Love Song For Bobby Long
Slick Ballinger- Slick Ballinger- Brotherhood
Bob Bogdal- Underneath the Kudzu- Workin' Out On The Road
Jimmy Norman- Little Pieces- Strange Suspicion
Ellis Hooks- Godson of Soul- Rock My Stone
Eric Bibb- American Folk- Judge Not Your Brother
Pieta Brown- In The Cool- In The Cool
Paul Oscher- Down In The Delta- Take A Little Walk
Fred McDowell- Blues With A Message- Levee Camp Blues
Scott Albert Johnson- Umbrella Man- The Yuppie Husband's Lament
The Morells- Think About It- She's Gone
Little Milton- Think of Me- Let Your Love Rain Down On Me
Govt Mule f/ Little Milton- The Deep End- Soulshine

Fun Links

Make Me Sad
HHHmmm...Alcohol
Thats just sad
Creepy
Ironic...maybe
Get that Woman a Beer
AC for everyone

Ride the Blinds

So Mike Strokes and I are yelling at each other from about six inches apart, when Mike says "The best southern blues rock bands come of Californa!" I laughed at this but it was hard to argue that with him. Because we both where rockin out to this great band. This band was definitely good. They definitely have what I like to call that "Punk Rock Blues" sound. You may ask, "What are Punk Rock Blues?" Well I am here to tell you, Punk Rock Blues are a style of music that takes traditional blues music Delta, Chicago, etc and adds that Punk Rock attiude of not giving a fuck. This blend leads to a strange mix of musical sounds. You can hear it in alot of garage rock right now. From The White Strips, The Black Keys, to R.L. Burnside, The Jon Spencer Blues Explosion, and The North Mississippi Allstars. What is most strange about these bands is the type of fans they attract. You get old school punk rockers like Jamie, who is fresh out of another failed rehab attempt; Neo-Hippie Jam Band Kids, Y'alter-country folks like David Suggs, who I am glad to say is staying out of jail; WUSM General Manager Mik, who is the Godfather of Hippisters in this town, and true blues lovers like Lou and myself. And of course its fun to dance, drink, and party to. I sometimes wonder how groups like Ride that Blinds, Runner and the Thermodynamic, The Legendary Shack Shakers, etc end up here. But then I remember I know Mik and I realize that is a stupid question.
It is strange to think that this little town in south Mississippi maybe the furthest outpost of cool, but its still cool.