Morgan State at the Rose Parade and Alcorn State at the Macy's Parade for MLK Day

Happy MLK Day! For this year's version of JSU's 'Sonic Boom of the South' at the Rose Parade for MLK Day, I'm featuring the HBCU bands in the 2026 Rose Parade and the 2025 Macy's Parade. I begin with Smash Time Productions' Morgan State University M3 @ Disney Land Parade 2025.


Smash Time knows how to select a preview image, which is why this video came first.

Luis of Music213 recorded the next two videos, beginning with Morgan State University "Magnificent Marching Machine" - 2026 Pasadena Bandfest.

From Baltimore, Maryland
The Magnificent Marching Machine of Morgan State University performing their show at the 45th Annual Pasadena Tournament of Roses Bandfest on Monday, December 29, 2025.

The Mid-Eastern Athletic Conference (MEAC) bands (and former MEAC bands, like North Carolina A&T, which is now a member of the Coastal Athletic Conference), have more drum corps influence than the bands in the Southwestern Athletic Conference (SWAC) like Alcorn State, and someone like me can see it in their field shows, although they are still recognizably HBCU showbands.

Next, Morgan State University "Magnificent Marching Machine" - 2026 Pasadena Rose Parade from Music213.

The Magnificent Marching Machine of Morgan State University performing at the 137th Pasadena Tournament of Roses Parade on a very wet Thursday, January 1, 2026.

It's unusual that it rains on the Rose Parade, but it didn't dampen the performers' spirits!

Now travel back in time to watch Band Central's Alcorn State University Marching Band Macy’s Thanksgiving Day Parade 2025, which combines original coverage with broadcast TV clips.

Alcorn State University Marching Band Performing in Macys Thanksgiving Day Parade 2025

NBC cut them off just a little too soon. Darn. Still, what power!

I close with my own video, Alcorn State University Marching Band in Macy's Thanksgiving Day Parade.

#shorts Alcorn State University Marching Band in Macy's #Thanksgiving Day Parade 11/27/2025 #MacysParade #NYC
https://www.twitch.tv/alldaynyc

AllDayNYC on Twitch approves and so do I!

That's a wrap for the holiday. Stay tuned for another tale of the Retail Apocalypse followed by one more post recognizing diversity among movie winners, the Critics Choice Awards and Golden Globes won by KPop Demon Hunters.

Weather Network and Weather Channel observe the 20th Anniversary of Hurricane Katrina

I told my readers twice to "stay tuned for the 20th anniversary of Hurricane Katrina." I begin with The Weather Network's Hurricane Katrina: A Storm Like No Other.

Two decades ago, Hurricane Katrina became one of the most devastating and defining storms in modern history. Now, 20 years on, we’re bringing together weather experts and meteorologists who were on the ground during the disaster to share untold stories, lessons learned, and how Katrina reshaped the way we understand extreme weather.

Those images and stories are still stunning, 20 years later.

I'm closing with The Weather Channel's FEATURES: 20 Years After Katrina - Resilience And Recovery.

In the 20 years since Hurricane Katrina ravaged the Gulf Coast, New Orleans has rebuilt and redefined itself through relentless efforts to restore homes and revive traditions. Two decades on, those who lived through the tragedy remember lessons learned and rejoice in the unity and resilience that helped shape the future of the Crescent City.

I'm glad to see stories of recovery.

I could post lots more, but this has been a draining day in real life, so I'll stop here. Stay tuned for a resumption of my Emmy Awards coverage tomorrow.

Marching music for primaries in Georgia, Mississippi, and Washington plus Democrats Abroad

I closed Four years of the COVID-19 pandemic by telling my readers "Stay tuned for this year's edition of Marching music for the Washington, Mississippi, Democrats Abroad, and Georgia primaries." I'm going in alphabetical order by state, which happens to be by poll closing time east to west, followed by a non-North American drum corps and Rose Parade band to represent Democrats Abroad. I kick off the music to watch and listen while waiting for results with with Spirit of Atlanta | #DCI2021 | "Bottle Tree" from Drum Corps International (DCI).

Spirit of Atlanta of Atlanta, Georgia, performs a segment from the corps' #DCI2021 production, "Bottle Tree," during the DCI Celebration events hosted August 12-14 at Lucas Oil Stadium in Indianapolis.

DCI hasn't uploaded any more recent shows, so I'm following up with Spirit of Atlanta – "Up Down and All Around" | DCI Finals 2023 from Pageantry Innovations, which at least isn't a bootleg of the FloMarching video, so it will stay up.

Enjoy Spirit of Atlanta's 2023 production, “Up Down and All Around” from the perspective of their synthesizer performer & audio engineer.

Much like Vic Firth Marching, a drum stick maker whose videos I've embedded as part of this series, Pageantry Innovations is an instrument and equipment maker, in this case the carts for the synthesizers and soundboard. That makes this advertising, but I'm O.K. with that.

Georgia also has an all-age corps, Atlanta CV. Watch Atlanta CV Drum & Bugle Corps 2018 Show Clip By Box5TV, an official clip from Drum Corps Associates.

Provided by Box5TV, enjoy this show clip of the 2018 AtlantaCV from DCA World Championships!

Follow over the jump for the rest of the drum corps and marching bands representing Georgia, Mississippi, Washington, and Democrats Abroad.

FiveThirtyEight's 2023 elections to watch

2023's off-year election day is tomorrow, so I'm featuring FiveThirtyEight's series on 2023's elections to watch, beginning with Ohio's abortion vote.

Nathaniel Rakich breaks down Ohio's Issue 1 ballot measure, one of the key races in the 2023 elections.

This is the election I'm most interested in because Ohio is next door, the nearest state to where I live in Michigan, and reproductive rights have been a focus of mine on this blog since it became clear that the Supreme Court would overturn Roe v. Wade. While I think that Issue 1 will win, I'm not certain.

There is also an Issue 2 on Ohio's ballot to legalize recreational marijuana. I'm even less sure that will pass, although these measures usually do.

The elections for Virginia legislature also have implications for reproductive rights, as a trifecta would allow Republicans to pass laws restricting abortion.

Republicans are hoping to win a "trifecta" this November in Virginia’s 2023 legislative midterm elections. Nathaniel Rakich takes a look at what issues are at stake for both parties in this pivotal contest.

These elections will also take the temperature of the electorate in a state that's trended Democratic since 2008. If Democrats have trouble here, then they might have issues nationally next year.

On the other hand, FiveThirtyEight has generally good news for Democrats in Kentucky governor.

Democratic Gov. Andy Beshear is popular, but Kentucky is a deep red state. Nathaniel Rakich looks into the tight governor's race in the state between Beshear and state Attorney General Daniel Cameron.

Here's to hoping Beshear can win a state that is considered solidly Republican again.

I close with Mississippi governor, which is the most watched of all these videos, much to my surprise.

Mississippi currently has one of the most unpopular governors in the country in Republican Tate Reeves. Nathaniel Rakich wonders if a Democrat could win in this year's election in this deep red state.

I can see why Reeves is unpopular, but I'm not so sure that will translate into a Brandon Presley win. I'd be pleasantly surprised if he does.

I'll return with some comedy tomorrow. Stay tuned.

A comedic history of HBCU marching bands by 'The Daily Show'

For this week's Sunday entertainment feature, I'm sharing Dul-Sayin’ - The Impact of HBCU Marching Bands | The Daily Show for Black History Month.

Dulcé Sloan breaks down how Black marching bands became the phenomenon they are today in another Dul-Sayin’.

For my reaction, I'm going to be a good environmentalist by recycling my conclusion from Trevor Noah on First Ladies for Women's History Month.

[I]t's a good day when I learn something new, even from comedy. To paraphrase what I wrote two years ago, I learned more from ten minutes of reporting laced with comedy than I would have from ten minutes of straight reporting. I hope my readers do, too.

In this case, it's five minutes of comedy, but the idea still stands.

Speaking of straight reporting, follow over the jump for two videos about HBCU's in general and one HBCU marching band in particular.

'Good Morning America' reports on the results of state ballot initiatives while the presidential contest is still being decided

The presidential contest is still being decided as I write this, so I'm going to concentrate on the issues that have been. ABC's Good Morning America has a video about some of them in Ballot initiatives make history to state and local laws.

"GMA" takes a look at the legislation that will change things in states across the U.S., from Mississippi approving a new state flag to Oregon decriminalizing possession of hard drugs.

I'm glad to see Mississippi replace variants of the Confederate Battle Flag and the Stars and Bars with the state flower and motto from the state seal. Consider it another Confederate monument removed.

Marijuana legalization passing in five states (recreational in Arizona, Montana, New Jersey, and South Dakota and medicinal in Mississippi), it fits a trend I first identified ten years ago and reported here two years later in 2012's Meanwhile, at the bottom of the ballot: "Two years ago, I told one of my students that there would be two changes in his lifetime propelled by his generation--marijuana legalization and marriage equality." When the Supreme Court ruled in favor of marriage equality five years ago (three years later), I commented "One down, one to go." It's getting there. I didn't have to wait another year from this year's 4/20 post to report more encouraging news about marijuana legalization.

I am not as sanguine about Oregon decriminalizing hard drugs, although Portugal did something similar and drug addiction dropped afterwards. I hope that's what happens in Oregon.

California showed the limits of the progressive agenda by not overturning the ban on affirmative action and reclassifying drivers for Uber and Lyft as independent contractors instead of employees. My wife was surprised by that second result. I wasn't. Not only was the polling not in its favor, but as an expatriate Californian, I remember what Golden Staters are like. They love convenience, efficiency, and technology and are starting to hate driving, so they might think classifying ride-share drivers as employees might threaten that. Besides, California is an expensive state for political advertising; Uber and Lyft, who supported this ballot initiative, have the money for it, while the other side does not. Color me disappointed, but not surprised.

I am also disappointed but not surprised by the next result from CBS Boston (WBZ-TV) in Boston: Mass. Voters Approve Right To Repair Question, Reject Ranked Choice Voting.


I think this is a good idea that needs more time. I suspect the voters in Massachusetts may be waiting to see how ranked-choice voting works out in Maine. I'll report on that if it makes a difference in the U.S. Senate contest and Maine's Second Congressional District.

For the final video, I can't resist a report on the current state of the presidential contest. Watch Inside Edition explaining Why a Presidential Winner Has Not Yet Been Determined.*

A winner has not yet been determined in the presidential election. The numbers currently stand too close to call in several battleground states, including Wisconsin, Michigan, Nevada, Georgia, North Carolina, Arizona and Pennsylvania. Incumbent President Donald Trump or his challenger, democratic Vice President Joe Biden need 270 electoral college votes to be declared a winner. Inside Edition Digital’s Leigh Scheps explains.

While all the states still have not been called, the trends look good for Biden. Stay tuned.

*I opened with a news division's idea of an entertainment program and I closed with an entertainment company's idea of a news program. Consider it a closing of a circle. As an environmentalist, I like that.

Marching music for the Michigan, Washington, Mississippi, and Democrats Abroad primaries

Once again, it's time to share some marching music for my readers to watch and listen while they are waiting for the results from six states, Michigan, Washington, Missouri, Mississippi, Idaho, and North Dakota, plus Democrats Abroad.  Two of these states, Michigan and Washington, have competitive drum corps.  In addition, Democrats Abroad allows me to feature a corps outside of the United States other than the Canadian corps I feature for Canada Day.  Finally, one of my favorite HBCU bands is from Mississippi, Jackson State University.  May my readers enjoy all of them as much as they did the corps I included in A drum corps Super Tuesday 2020, which is one of the 20 most popular entries of the ninth year of this blog.

I begin with the corps from my adopted home state of Michigan, which happens to be both the most populous state having an election today and the first one to vote, Legends from Kalamazoo.  It's also the highest placing of the two corps, coming in 21st last year.  Without any further ado, watch Legends playing their 2019 program, Siren, at Semifinals.


Normally, I'd embed the most recent show clip from Drum Corps International's YouTube channel, but that is from 2014.  Not only is it not as good a competitive performance as last year's show, but it was a French-themed show, which I'd rather save for Bastille Day.  After all, I'm an environmentalist.  Not only do I recycle, I conserve my resources.

Next, two clips of Washington state's top corps, the Seattle Cascades.  First, the most recent official show excerpt from DCI's channel, 2019 Seattle Cascades | Off the Grid.



Seattle, WA | 25th Place | 73.275
Now, the most recent full show upload from the Seattle Cascades' official channel, Seattle Cascades - Set Free (Full Show), the corps' 2017 program.

Repertoire
• One Thousand Airplanes on the Roof by Philip Glass
• Labyrinth by Philip Glass
• Scenes of Memory by Philip Glass
• Fly to Paradise by Eric Whitacre
• Symphony #10, movement 2 by Dmitri Shostakovich
• Bird Set Free by Sia

Set Free opens with "1000 Airplanes on the Roof".  As does the poem, we begin with the free bird having power and “naming the sky his own” while acting on inborn impulses to fly and float on the sky.

The show continues forward, as does Angelou’s work, with a more ominous tone in "Labrynth", as the caged bird experiences darkness, pain, and fear. Reduced to an unnatural and lesser version of itself than the free bird, the caged bird cannot fly yet retains the desire to be free and to find self-expression. Here various performers are trapped by the caged and “open their throats to sing.”

The program takes an adventurous turn with "Scenes of Memory" as we return to the escapades of the free bird. Ultimately the thoughts of freedom are oppressed and eventually trapped at the end of the production.

As the program continues with "Fly to Paradise", we again experience the idea of longing for freedom.  The final production is a juxtaposition of two oppositional pieces of music ("Symphony 10, mvt. II" by Shostakovich and "Bird Set Free" by Sia) that each have a message of their own; one being that of oppression and the other of freedom. The show ultimately concludes with one idea winning out over the other.

Follow over the jump for the rest of the videos.

Condoms and Florence Nightingale plus other health news

I bet those are two topics most readers didn't expect to see together.  Just the same, they are the two top news items this month based on my preference of "if it moves, it leads."  Also, since sex sells, the news about condoms goes first.

Discovery News: Birth Cowtrol: Human Condoms Made From Cows?

Bill Gates challenged inventors to revolutionize the condom, and they delivered! Laci Green reports on their creations, including the condom made from cow parts. And no, we're not joking.

One of the stories I included in Overnight News Digest: Science Saturday (MAVEN to Mars) was about one of the grant winners.

University of Tennessee: Professor Receives Gates Foundation Award to Reinvent Condom, Improve Global Health
November 20, 2013

Condoms have the power to make the world healthier by preventing disease and unplanned pregnancies, yet they are vastly underutilized.

This year, Bill and Melinda Gates and their foundation issued a challenge to develop the next generation of condoms. Called Grand Challenges in Global Health, the initiative aims to foster scientific and technological innovation to solve key health problems in the developing world.

Jimmy Mays, a chemistry professor at UT, responded to the challenge with a design that will encourage condom use in developing countries. He has received $100,000 from the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation for research and development of a prototype.

Next, the University of Alabama, Birmingham shows its YouTube followers Florence Nightingale exhibit honors founder of modern day nursing.

Florence Nightingale left countless gifts to her profession, including a collection of 50 letters and more preserved in the UAB Historical Collections. Copies of these are on permanent exhibit in the University of Alabama at Birmingham School of Nursing.

Here's the press release: UAB dean’s paper highlights Nightingale’s leadership for global health and nursing.
By Tyler Greer
Friday, November 22, 2013

The University of Alabama at Birmingham School of Nursing is home to a one-of-its-kind, interactive exhibit of 50 famous Florence Nightingale letters. School of Nursing Dean Doreen C. Harper, Ph.D., analyzed the components of these letters, which highlight Nightingale’s visionary leadership for global health and nursing within the historical context of Great Britain’s colonization of India.

The result of this analysis was the paper “Leadership Lessons in Global Nursing and Health from the Nightingale Letter Collection at the University of Alabama at Birmingham,” recently published in the Journal of Holistic Medicine. The descriptive study used a narrative analysis to examine selected letters that Nightingale wrote to or about Dr. Thomas Gillham Hewlett, a physician and health officer in Bombay, India.

“Florence Nightingale is indisputably the founder of modern nursing,” Harper said. “Nightingale also was a prominent force in the creation of global health care and global nursing. To this day, these letters offer countless leadership lessons relevant to the future of nursing and health care. It was a joy to study these letters and try to increase understanding of her visionary leadership for global nursing and health.”

Follow over the jump for more of last week's health news from campuses on the campaign trail.

Deepwater Horizon damaged psyches, too

Yesterday was the second anniversary of the Deepwater Horizon oil spill. For the headlines on how the spill affected all three aspects of sustainability, environment, economy, and society, PBS Newshour has the following video summary.

Two years after the largest oil leak in U.S. history, the Gulf of Mexico region still struggles with its impact. Jeffrey Brown, David Valentine of the University of California, Santa Barbara and Garret Graves of the Coastal Protection and Restoration Authority of Louisiana discuss the state of the Gulf and related industries.

That video does a superb job of following up on the better known types of long-term damage, but it forgot one--the damage to people's mental states. Here's an article from the American Psychological Association that orginally appeared in Overnight News Digest: Science Saturday (Japanese earthquake and daylight savings edition) in Daily Kos and which I've been saving for just this occasion.

The oil spill's reverberations
The Mississippi coast has begun recovering from the Deepwater Horizon oil spill, but what about the people whose lives were changed as a result of the disaster? A team of graduate students investigates.
By Kirsten Weir

Nearly two years after BP's Deepwater Horizon oil rig exploded off the Gulf Coast, the effects of the disaster still linger. The accident on April 20, 2010, killed 11 people and poured 200 million gallons of oil into the Gulf of Mexico over the next three months. It was the worst oil spill in U.S. history.

The environmental devastation grabbed most of the headlines, but the human impact was just as significant. Millions of Gulf Coast residents were affected by the disaster. Rig workers found themselves unemployed, and the fishing and tourism industries — both major contributors to the Gulf Coast economy — suffered huge hits. As of December 2011, BP had paid more than $21 billion in cleanup costs and economic damages. Yet a report by the U.S. Travel Association estimated that the spill could cost the coastal region $22.7 billion over three years in lost tourism alone.

"Yes, it's an environmental disaster, but it really affects people's lives financially," says Scott Sumrall, director of disaster preparedness and response with the Mississippi Department of Mental Health.

Along with that financial devastation came depression, anxiety and even post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD). To address the mental health effects, BP provided $12 million to the Mississippi Department of Mental Health Oil Spill Recovery–Behavioral Health Grant Program for outreach, training and clinical services. Most of the grants went directly to mental health centers and other groups that provide direct care to people on the coast. But $285,000 of that funding, over a two-year period, also went to Stefan Schulenberg, PhD, an associate psychology professor at the University of Mississippi, and a team of graduate students who have been charged with assessing how well the program is meeting the mental health needs of people on the Mississippi coast.

Read the rest of the article for the results of that research. It's amazing what the social costs have been.

Today's song is another ironic choice, Black Water by The Doobie Brothers (lyrics here). Mississippi and black water take on new meaning in the context of the Deepwater Horizon distaster.