Did you know that people with a bachelor’s degree earn nearly a million dollars more in a lifetime than people without one? Yes, that’s right. College is good for more than keg stands and beer bongs. In New Orleans, only about 26% of the population over 25 holds a bachelors degree. The College Admissions Project is out to raise that number, and needs your help. They’re looking for people to assist high school juniors and seniors in the college application process.
Do you remember college searches, applications, visits, and the always-dreadful essays that still haunt your dreams? This can be a pretty painful task for someone enrolled in the 9-hour New Orleans high school days. Having someone who’s been through the process before to point you in the right direction can be incredibly valuable.
Looking to get your foot in the door to become a teacher or community organizer perhaps? This is a great opportunity to work one-on-one with someone who needs your help. Work hands in our community, help someone succeed, and gain meaningful experience. What are you waiting for? Sign up to volunteer now.
For info visit: http://www.collegeadmissionsproject.org/
By: Pauline Zebrowski
Lets face it: a healthy dose of escape from our musical ennui is not always cheap, and it’s very rarely free. That is, unless you are a fan of Rhapsody or Pandora. Bleh. No offense to those who enjoy having a membership service that effortlessly introduces you to thousands of new songs, but let’s face it, you don’t own that music, you just access it. Besides, the search and discovery for new music is half the fun!
Let’s dive into the web of MP3 freedom and discover our options out there.
Daytrotter
If there are bands you already love, and new bands you love to hear, Daytrotter.com could be your golden ticket. The site provides hundreds of free downloads from privately recorded sessions with artists who stop off in Rock Island, Illinois at the recording station, The Horseshack, during tours. Daytrotter opens its arms to artists to visit and record private sessions, new renditions of old favorites, and never-released tracks with whatever instrumental resources they happen to have with them, all for our free listening pleasure at www.Daytrotter.com. You can even check out their new iPhone App.
MP3.com
For those of you who stick to your guns and know what you want to listen to, there is www.MP3.com which has more music than you can imagine, but graphically is less than enticing as the list of artists is actually a list, not images. The list itself is overwhelmingly long, but if you have the time you’ll probably find something you want.
Rcrdlbl
If you are into a site that’s slightly more business-in-the-front in appearance and hosts thousands of indie and electro artists then perhaps you might also be interested in a personal favorite, www.RCRDLBL.com (for vowel-dependent readers, it’s pronounced ‘recordlabel’.com). The site has a similar flurry of artists but the list is endless and inherently electro-conscious. The homepage even displays a list of new and upcoming artists to the site, artists rising in user popularity, and artists whose music is simply in the zeitgeist (aka “most popular downloads: all time”) – which is something you’d rarely find on the pop radio stations. Currently, RCRDLBL even has a Lollapalooza play list. The greatest part: the mp3s you choose download straight into your iTunes.
WTUL
Conversely, you could use that time to show some local pride and tune into an offbeat New Orleans-based radio station like WTUL (91.5fm). You can stream their music online at www.wtulneworleans.com to find which artists you like before embarking on your impending download hunt.
So there you have it. Now sit back, relax, and enjoy the free jams.
This week we commemorate the five year anniversary of Hurricane Katrina. As we look back on the past five years, each of us will remember, in our own way, times of pain followed by joy, laughter amid struggles, abrupt endings and new beginnings. As we reflect, a world of possibility unfolds. What an eternity five years seems. As we look back, we see where we’ve been, where we are now – and in turn, we look forward.
Block Party
On Saturday, head to the Lower Nine to commemorate Katrina and celebrate the release of One Block: A New Orleans Neighborhood Rebuilds, which features an essay by Chris Rose and photos by Dave Anderson. Held on the 500 block of Caffin Street, the block party will feature musical performances by Little Freddie King at 6 p.m. and Rebirth Brass Band at 7 p.m. Food and drinks will be provided. Cost: free.
Local Art
The Arts Market of New Orleans happens the last Saturday – that’s this Saturday – of every month. Held in Palmer Park from 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., the dog-friendly market boasts local artists, food vendors, and live music from Eve’s Lucky Planet at 1 p.m. and The Revealers at 2:30 p.m. Cost: free.
Absinthe Minded
The Southern Food and Beverage Museum presents Absinthe in Art and Literature this Saturday from 2 p.m. to 4 p.m. Todd Price, Times-Picayune alcohol columnist, will lecture on the role of absinthe in art, literature, and New Orleans culture, and a tasting and absinthe demonstration will follow. Cost: $10 for non-members, $5 for members.
King Cake Craving
Saturday night, the Krewe of O.A.K. (that’s outrageous and kinky) celebrates a Mid-Summer Mardi Gras starting at 9 p.m. The krewe will kick things off at the Maple Leaf Bar, then parade and bar-crawl through the Riverbend neighborhood. Costumes are highly encouraged. Cost: free.
Collide
Head to the New Orleans Museum of Art Wednesday night for Culture Collision 2 from 6 p.m. to 10 p.m. Mingle with like-minded people and learn about cultural organizations in New Orleans while enjoying music by The Courtyard Kings and food from Café Degas, Eat NOLA, Matt and Naddie’s, the American Sector and Ralph’s on the Park. At 8 p.m., the celebration will move to the sculpture garden for an after-party featuring beverages compliments of NOLA Brewing and DJ Matty on the 1s and 2s. Cost: free.
Cate on 
