René O'Deay gBlog

Combine an enjoyable visit to New Orleans with some 'Fact-Finding' of your own: all about the Middle East direct from each country.

"Unless Democratic presidential candidate Barack Obama is making a visit, the Middle East gets scant coverage in the nightly news. Here's your chance to explore the many nations, cultures and conflicts of the region in more than one- and two-minute segments. Zeitgeist Multi-disciplinary Arts Center presents the New Orleans Middle East Film Festival with 60 films screening over 10 days. The movies offer fresh perspectives on countries that are often overshadowed by conflict, and the goal, says Zeitgeist director Rene Broussard, is to provide people with a new understanding of the cultures. The festival includes films from Turkey, Lebanon, Jordan, Iran, Iraq, Egypt, the United Arab Emirates and Israel, including the Oscar-nominated Israeli film Beaufort."Gambit Weekly : Middle East Film Festival : July 29, 2008:

Rene Broussard and the Zeitgeist Multi-Disciplinary Arts Center presents New Orleans Middle East film Festival, with ticket information, festival and film schedule, and each film's description, country of origin and preview photos.

Broussard provides an eclectic experience at the center, with an unusual, exotic collection of snacks and beverages, including Ben & Jerry treats.

Looks like fun, just to explore the website is fun.
Check it out.

René O'Deay

And it rained, and it rained! Up to 8 inches in some areas.
Some areas experienced major flooding, with cars floating down the strehttp://www.blogger.com/img/gl.link.gifets.
Do see the Times-Picayune front page to view photos of street flooding and of the JazzFest.

Billy Joel's singing in the rain - Keith Spera - Times-Picayune - NOLA.com: "As Billy Joel plowed through 'Keeping the Faith' at the Acura Stage, a roadie armed with a squeegee swept standing water off the top of the black grand piano.

That tells you all you need to know about the weather Saturday evening at the Fair Grounds. A hard, steady rain fell throughout Joel's set. 'Why, God, why?' shouted a guy standing in the puddle behind me.

Joel, too, had some questions for the Almighty. More than once, he shook his fist and glared at the foreboding sky. 'Is that the best you got?' he shouted at one point. 'C'mon, bring it on.'"

Maybe that was the wrong thing to say, as the rain came down even harder.

More Thunderstorms predicted for Sunday, though it is partly sunny this A.M.
Hopefully the forecast will be better for next weekend's four-day event at JazzFest. Hopefully I will be going on one of those days.

René O'Deay