Rising Tide 6 - Slacker Post

I have been involved with the annual Rising Tide Conference from the Beginning. This year I was a slacker, significantly reducing my involvement to barely anything. Probably as a direct result the conference experienced a surge of new organizers and a big increase in attendance. Even the MSM had some nice things to say. Like this excerpt by Dave Walker, The Times-Picayune

David Simon gave one of the keynote speeches at Saturday’s (August 27) Rising Tide conference, an annual gathering of the tribe that articulated an impassioned online defense of New Orleans after the levees flopped six years ago.

In season one of “Treme,” John Goodman’s Creighton Bernette used some of the words blogged by the late Ashley Morris, whose name is on an award handed out annually at Rising Tide. This year, the award went to Dedra Johnson, who blogs as G-Bitch and was the author of this excellent first-person account of “Treme’s” Jazzfest re-creation this past season. Other panels hit on topics of interest to anyone interested in “Treme,” including the BP oil disaster, New Orleans food and brass bands.

Unfortunately he more or less ignored the many other topic covered at Rising Tide 6.

Hallucination of Independance

This weekend I was at Rising Tide. A great time was had by all. During our Friday Night reception I was talking to Dr. A about our recent trip to Delray Beach. I told her all about the trip and the post I had done on it. Unfortunately I hallucinated the post part. I never did it. I intended to and in my delusion came to beleive I had.

Here is is now.

Avenue Pubbing

Rising Tide 4 kicks off this evening at 7:00 with a party at Avenue Pub on St. Charles Avenue.

If you can't register on line come on by and register in person, we'll be upstairs. They have 31 beers on tap, unfortunately I don't know if they have Schlitz.

The beer that made Milwaukee famous has lubricated Rising Tide this year. Unfortunately their local distributor Crescent Crown Distributing hasn't gotten the word and sent a truck to reward us for our loyalty.

Rising Tide SWAG

It's Rising Tide Time Again and we going have a great one there are lots of other posts about the panels and the Keynote Harry Shearer.


But I know the most important part is the Great T Shirt designed by Greg Peters. Hurry on over to the Rising Tide Web Site and Register and order your T shirt.

See you there!

Cerasoli is a Rock Star

Tonight Ray Nagin was presented with an award for "Award of Distinction for Recovery, Courage and Leadership" at an event called "A Tribute to the Recovery of New Orleans". A number of people protested at the site of the award.

Later in the evening at Buffa's Robert Cerasoli strode into a room full of bloggers like a Rock Star.

Robert Cerasoli, Inspector General

I was surprised that he came, there had been rumors he might come, but I was skeptical. I was even more astonished that he reads our blogs, almost all of them apparently. When I introduced myself he commented on my recent posts. I'm a fan. I was impressed with his command of the blogosphere. Many others had similar experiances.

Nagin spent the evening with sycophants and Cerasoli spent the evening with concerned citizens of New Orleans and a few amateur investigators.

The Rising Tide Shitrs are in.

The Rising Tide III tee shitrs are in. They are another fabulous design by Greg Peters. Come on out and get one (or six).

Rising Tide - The Threequel

The same Krazy Krewe that brought Rising Tide I and II is at it again. We can't get enough it seems.

Mark you calendars for the week end of August 22 through 24. Begin making plans to attend what promises to be another thought provoking and energizing weekend.


Watch the New Orleans Bloggspace as events develop we will be letting the cat out of the bag.

I Love You, Man

Ashley Morris passed away suddenly last week. It was a shock. We all lost a friend, whether we knew him or not. My mother used to say my sister never met a stranger, neither had Ashley.

New Orleans has lost it's proudest, loudest champion. He literally wore his love of his city on his sleeve, or at least where his sleeve should have been.

I've been searching for a way to say something about him and never felt anything was enough. Others friends more able were closer and knew him better. His friends have posted tributes to him all week. It is far beyond my ability to add to what they have said.

Ashley working the sound board at Rising Tide with chicken.

Like many other bloggers I met Ashley through the Rising Tide Conferences. The picture of Ashley from Rising Tide shows his two most visible contributions, working the sound and hooking us up with Dunbar's fried chicken. There were other less visible and more substantial contributions.

At the second conference for some reason every time Ashley passed near me he said "I Love You, Man".

I have no idea why he said that, but back at ya, I Love You, Man.

Remember Ashley Morris.

The 300

Not long ago I was asked to help maintain the New Orleans Blog Roll. I have over the last several months had the pleasure of working on this great community resource. Today it passed a milestone of sorts. There are now 300 blogs listed.

The list is by no means complete. We find new bloggers all the time. Most of them are relatively new blogs, but occasionally we discover an older blog that has somehow escaped our notice. Like Note from the Book a blog I remember finding a while ago losing and re-finding recently. It contains a detailed first hand account of the flood and diaspora.

Unlike Leonidas and his 300 this 300 have not trained their entire lives to fight in great battles for glory and honor. This 300 is the a list of New Orleans Bloggers. It contains many people who have worked hard to restore their city from the Federal Flood. Some of these bloggers were instrumental in organizing the two Rising Tide Conferences. Others have been involved in many community groups. Many of us have also become friends.

The list long ago passed the Marching 100 of the St. Augustine High School Purple Knights.


I didn't start the list. I'm not exactly sure who did. I do know the Kimberly Marshall, law school graduate, gandma and newly elected member of the District A Orleans Parish Democratic Executive Committee worked on assembling the core of it. I'm sorry I don't know who else was involved. That was around the time I started this blog and before I got to know the New Orleans bloggers.

A Major Ommission: Heart Like Water

My previous posts pimping Rising Tide have omitted proper mention of Josh Clark and his book Heart Like Water.


The book seems to be gaining tremendous momentum.

We at Rising Tide are extremely fortunate to have Josh Clark as one of our speakers.

ESPN Loves Rising Tide

The Rising Tide Conference was mentioned on ESPN There more here.

Rising Tide Report

The Rising Tide Conference was successful, a bunch of people showed up and talked, most even listened. The New Orleans Yacht Club was great and got the air conditioning fixed Just in Time. The Cruise Director was in fine form. The Audio was handled ably by Ashley. Lisa counted the money. The Loud Indian Girl has a blow by blow of Rising Tide. The Main Mollusk has additional coverage. ScoutPrime traveled to New Orleans and reported on the happenings. I greatly enjoyed meeting G Bitch, she has a report on her experience getting to the NOYC.

The authors of DISASTER:Hurricane Katrina and the Failure of Homeland Security were the keynote speakers. They were great, Chris Cooper and Bobby Block spent the day talking and signing books.

Authors of The Wet Bank Guide, People Get ready and The New Orleans History Project have established The Rising Tide Blog.

Steve at Spot Coolers was also great. He was able to provide a temporary air conditioner on short notice and, when the club got the AC running, cancel it on even shorter notice.

A good time was had by all, the Dunbar's chicken was great. We heard they are reopening Monday at a new location.

Rising Tide New Orleans 2006

A group of bloggers are working very hard to help New Orleans recover. They have organized the Rising Tide New Orleans 2006 convention August 25-27, 2006.

I am grateful and humbled that this group of passionate citizens invited me to the initial planning. I only started blogging on June 29 , 2006. I had never met any of them so I was flattered to attend the initial organizational meeting held only about a month after I started this blog.

When I showed up at that meeting I reserved my identity and everyone respected my preference to remain private. I appreciate the respect they all had for my wishes.

I should explain why I decided to remain private not for my own sake but because I am concerned that if I (or anyone else) become identified with any group, the "others" will discount me. I have no concept of the "others" myself. As far as I am concerned we are all New Orleanians, in this together, sink or swim.

Although I am not a native of New Orleans, in the more than thirty years I have lived here I have grown to love and cherish New Orleans as a unique place in all of the earth. I consider it a privilege to be able to live here.

The Rising Tide organizers all feel the same way. They are working hard to help our city recover from a near death blow. The breadth of their commitment, involvement and passion is astonishing.

I believe that if all the people who love this city for many different reasons and from many different perspectives come together with goodwill, open hearts and open minds, we will be able to rebuild a stronger, healthier more vibrant city for the future.

I hope many people attend this citizen organized conference and contribute their passion for our home.