Saw an interesting article on New Orleans in the San Jose Mercury News today.  New Orleans is working on raising money in all sorts of ways.  One of its latest efforts is a “Text to Give” campaign.  Using your mobile phone and your PayPal account, you can text a number and donate money to New Orleans to rebuild. New Orleans hopes to raise $1 million with its text messaging campaign.  If you want to donate but don’t know how to use text messaging, you can also click on a link on the front page of the City of New Orleans web site. 

The news article mentions that New Orleans efforts to get companies to provide sponsorships for Mardi Gras did not really work.  Not surprising since Mardi Gras is associated with controlled mayhem and fun, not to mention drinking.  Few companies, even beer distributors, want to be associated with beer-fueled parties.  They want to be associated with responsible drinking.  Let’s hope that next year its efforts to get corporate sponsorships for Mardi Gras work better as its marketing people learn better how to position Mardi Gras for corporate consumption.

If you are heading down to New Orleans for Mardi Gras, download the Geogad Mobile Tour of New Orleans French Quarter.  While there are not longer any Mardi Gras parades that travel through the French Quarter since its streets are far too narrow for the parades and crowds, the French Quarter is still crazy crowded at night.  Try getting a little sightseeing done with Geogad’s tour on your MP3 player during the morning when others are still deep in sleep.  

Technorati tags: New Orleans, Mardi Gras, Text to Give, French Quarter, Geogad Mobile Tours

While California is in its perpetual winter, my mind is already jumping ahead to good stuff coming down the road.  Specifically, my thoughts are after the rush of the winter holidays are turning to that next wild set of celebrations, Mardi Gras or Carnival, depending on where you live.  Since I am from the East Coast originally, I always think about New Orleans’ celebration first.  They have really been through some tough times, but they will make it out.  Their residents will stay just so that they will have great seats for the Mardi Gras parades.  And right after Mardi Gras is Jazz Fest, which is a celebration of all that makes New Orleans what it is.  It is the best combination of music, food, and fellow music and food lovers that is somehow unique to that area of the world. 

New Orleans and the area around it worships the good life.  But it is not the good life that you get from money.  It is the good life that comes when you follow your passions. 

Speaking of good New Orleans music, I will be spending part of next week looking for music tracks for updating the Geogad Mobile Tour of New Orleans French Quarter.  I will have to search for and listen to excellent jazz and zydeco music.  Tough job if you can get it. 

Technorati tags:  New Orleans, Mardi Gras, Jazz Fest, jazz, zydeco, French Quarter