I left Austin Sunday evening with the bus running perfectly on diesel, an improved coolant wrap on the veggie filter and a broken rib (i think).
I'm going to run on diesel until I get the veggie tank cleaned out and the oil refiltered. I think I've been using poorly filtered oil to often to save time and that may have contributed to the injectors gluing themselves shut.
Friday night MK, Rene & Jim and I went out scamming free beer from the multitude of free parties at the South By SouthWest festival. 12 hours later on the bicycle ride home. MK's chain got tangled in the glow stick now wrapped around her wheel and it broke her derailer. While trying to give her a push from behind so that she could keep rolling down the road... I decided to tackle the concrete. Initially I was very worried about my shoulder which now appears to be fine. My ribs however have gotten more painful each day and today I was gifted a few Vicadins. yeah!
I decided to take a short side trip to hang out with a guy that I owe a lot of sleepful nights to. Marcus was my first DVD club subscriber and kicked in a fair chunk of change to fix my injectors. WHY? Well for 1) he and his significant other are currently on their first RV working road trip because they've been inspired by my travels; and for 2) they think what I'm doing is important... So, I thought I should meet these people. '~)
Showing posts with label NOmadjik Update. Show all posts
Showing posts with label NOmadjik Update. Show all posts
Tuesday, March 24, 2009
Thursday, March 12, 2009
The Bus is Being Held for Ransom
The bus was found to be harboring 3 completely useless fuel injectors and 1 that still worked. This was likely due to using poorly filtered oil and allowing it settle in the tank for a month while we were in Slab City. I'll be draining and refiltering the oil left in the tank before using it.
It's fixed up and ready to go as soon as I Pay Da Man 2,100. Online Donations and Pledges are at 1,500. I should be back on the road Tuesday or Wednesday depending on when the money clears and when I get paid again.
It's fixed up and ready to go as soon as I Pay Da Man 2,100. Online Donations and Pledges are at 1,500. I should be back on the road Tuesday or Wednesday depending on when the money clears and when I get paid again.
Wednesday, March 4, 2009
Courage
I finally got the courage to take the bus in to the shop. I'm sitting here in the parking lot waiting for them to look at it... maybe not until tomorrow. The guy that worked on before has moved to another location. They're going to give me their best "out of the box" thinker.
Friday, February 27, 2009
Journey to Safety
We made it back to Austin yesterday. The bus has issues. NO power. We had the problem since Slab City, so much trouble shooting was done along the way. Still No power and extremely slow acceleration. 0 - 55 in about 10 minutes. Every incline we had to climb dropped our speed down, sometimes down to 25-35 in an 80mph zone.
I'm going to take it in for an oil change on Monday and ask them about it.
I'm going to take it in for an oil change on Monday and ask them about it.
Tuesday, February 17, 2009
Exit Slab City
We had our first Screening Night our last night in Slab City. We showed a selection of videos from the RNC, DNC, the Vermin Supreme campaign and other selections of interest to the 15 Slabbers who loved having info from the outside world. More Photos Here and here's a video from "The Range" the main venue in the Slabs.
Tuesday, February 10, 2009
MBN Movie Night on the Slabs
Still in Slab City. Setting up a movie screening night on Friday. If you're in the neighborhood come on by the bus and watch some of our latest videos on the big screen. Bring an AMFM radio and a chair if you want to sit. We'll have a fire afterward too.
Wednesday, January 21, 2009
Saturday, January 17, 2009
Emergency Stopping Only
Yesterday we learned something about the bus. ... there's a fuel shut off safety mechanism that turns off the gas peddle. We found this out during the part of rush hour on the Ventura freeway just before the traffic slows down... ie 57 miles an hour in a sea of 70mph speeders and 5 lanes of traffic.
I was able to pull off the road and ran down a check list of things that could be wrong.. It was some what traumatic but eventually I was able to analyze it and found the shut off thingy that I had no idea existed just before the highway service truck was about to force a tow on us. .. yeah!
I was able to pull off the road and ran down a check list of things that could be wrong.. It was some what traumatic but eventually I was able to analyze it and found the shut off thingy that I had no idea existed just before the highway service truck was about to force a tow on us. .. yeah!
Sunday, January 11, 2009
formerly LIVE Sunset from Malibu
The bus is on vacation. Thought we'd share today's sunset with you.
Friday, January 2, 2009
Desert Hot Springs New Year
We camped in the Desert Hot Springs Spa's parking lot for the new years celebration but after soaking in the tubs all day... fell asleep and woke up to fireworks... assumed it was midnight and went back to sleep. woo ho.
We're in the greater LA metro area from now until Jan 20th.
We're in the greater LA metro area from now until Jan 20th.
Tuesday, December 30, 2008
Slab City & The Salton Sea
We've left Slab City but plan to return the last week of January for the talent show and to hopefully catch some footage of the military bombing the mountain side. We're over nighting in Salton Sea and moving on for some more hot spring action for the new year. Should be in LA on the 2nd.
Wednesday, December 24, 2008
Setting Up @ Slab City
We finally arrived in Slab City, CA. All the worrys about being cold and getting the satellite set up have been brushed aside. The Broadband card works here, works fast too. I'm hoping to set up a LIVE broadcast ... probably test it out later today and then broadcast a "show" tomorrow.
It turns out Slab City is nestled between a federal prison and a military bombing range. It's a big open desert many miles seperate us from them. The bombings, we've been told, are on hold until after the holidays. So, I think we're going to stop here on the way back east too; to get some war footage. '~)
Tuesday, December 16, 2008
The NOmadjik Winter Tour
Well we're off to warmer climates. Now poised to set up in Tucson for a few days of work and editing.
The concerned look on our faces is wondering if the damn cell phone was going to take the picture or not.
Check out the new road map in the side bar.
Wednesday, November 19, 2008
Point Au Chene Media Bus
The Bus is providing this free kitchen with internet access so they can continue feeding those in need in the deep Bayou. The people who populate this area have been here for hundreds of years, they are indigenous. They receive NO HELP from the government because the government would like them to move, they can not move without loosing their oil and mineral rights and they can not exploit their oil and mineral rights because the government/corporations don't want red skins to profit.
Also pictured... Felipe's bus and EveryBody's Kitchen.
Wednesday, November 5, 2008
Traveling kitchen provides home-cooked relief
Nikki Buskey~Staff Writer
Published: Tuesday, November 4, 2008 at 4:05 p.m.
HOUMA — Everybody has a right to a home-cooked meal, regardless of their income or situation in life.
Everybody's Kitchen volunteers Anne and Floppy, both of whom use only their first names, prepare dinner Monday inside one of the organization's two buses outside St. Charles Bromeo Catholic Church in Pointe-Aux-Chenes.
That's the premise of Everybody's Kitchen, a group of volunteer chefs who retrofitted an old school bus into a self-sustained, solar-powered kitchen that they use to travel the country feeding the homeless and providing disaster-relief meals.
The organization has temporarily set up shop at St. Charles Borromeo Catholic Church, 1237 La. 665 in Pointe-aux-Chenes. They're preparing breakfast and dinner for residents of Pointe-aux-Chenes and Isle de Jean Charles, as well as shipping meals to Dulac residents.
Anyone can stop by and pick one up, said Everybody's Kitchen volunteer James McGuinness.
The cooks, a "revolving door" of volunteers who also fed people in New Orleans' Ninth Ward after Hurricane Katrina, hooked up with the New Orleans-based relief group Common Ground Collective to service damaged communities in Terrebonne after hurricanes Gustav and Ike, McGuiness said.
"When you're trying to work on your house, or get your business going, you don't always have time to cook," said McGuinness, 52, of Brooklyn, N.Y.
Everybody's Kitchen has been operating since 1992, McGuinness said, and has done disaster relief in Minneapolis, Mississippi and New Orleans, fed needy people on Los Angeles' Skid Row and traveled to Mexico to feed deported immigrants.
"The focus of this is that everyone has a right to eat, broke or not. We will share with anyone, and anyone who wants to share with us can," said a 41-year-old Detroit volunteer known only as Floppy.
He was manning the buses built-in propane stove Monday, preparing red beans and rice, a south Louisiana staple.
"It's Monday, what else?" he said, adding that everywhere the kitchen travels, they try to take a cue from locals about what to cook, learning their recipes and adding to their repertoire.
Long-haired and long-traveled, the group of traveling, food-distributing gypsies might be a strange sight to some locals.
Their 12 volunteers work out of two school buses — on painted orange and and the other in a bright shade of blue. When the weather is nice, they cook outside under a tarp.
The volunteers camp on the church lawn, and they've been given access to the St. Charles Borromeo Catholic Church rectory where they have established an an impromptu business office to keep in contact with businesses who might want to donate cooking items.
"It's beautiful here," McGuinness said of south Terrebonne. "The people are very friendly, and we're happy to be helping out where there's a real need."
The workers will stay and cook as long as they're needed and wanted, he added.
Floppy stressed that the group isn't a charity in the conventional sense, but they do operate using donations from businesses and others.
"We've had people stop by and drop off oysters, shrimp, crabs," McGuinness said. "Anything they drop off, we'll cook up."
The group steamed the crabs, and local residents appreciated the meal, though McGuinness said they later discovered that's not the way the seafood is traditionally prepared in bayou country.
"I guess most people boil them down here," he said. "We talk to the people that come down, try to figure out what they like. We love the food down here anyway -- anything that spices things up."
If you want to get in touch with Everybody's Kitchen to help their effort with a donation, supplies or food, or if you just need to grab a meal, you can find them at the St. Charles Borromeo Church in Pointe-aux-Chenes, or call them at 504-421-1205.
They can also be reached by mail at
Everybody's Kitchen
P.O. Box 115
Montegut, LA 70377.
Published: Tuesday, November 4, 2008 at 4:05 p.m.
HOUMA — Everybody has a right to a home-cooked meal, regardless of their income or situation in life.
Everybody's Kitchen volunteers Anne and Floppy, both of whom use only their first names, prepare dinner Monday inside one of the organization's two buses outside St. Charles Bromeo Catholic Church in Pointe-Aux-Chenes.
That's the premise of Everybody's Kitchen, a group of volunteer chefs who retrofitted an old school bus into a self-sustained, solar-powered kitchen that they use to travel the country feeding the homeless and providing disaster-relief meals.
The organization has temporarily set up shop at St. Charles Borromeo Catholic Church, 1237 La. 665 in Pointe-aux-Chenes. They're preparing breakfast and dinner for residents of Pointe-aux-Chenes and Isle de Jean Charles, as well as shipping meals to Dulac residents.
Anyone can stop by and pick one up, said Everybody's Kitchen volunteer James McGuinness.
The cooks, a "revolving door" of volunteers who also fed people in New Orleans' Ninth Ward after Hurricane Katrina, hooked up with the New Orleans-based relief group Common Ground Collective to service damaged communities in Terrebonne after hurricanes Gustav and Ike, McGuiness said.
"When you're trying to work on your house, or get your business going, you don't always have time to cook," said McGuinness, 52, of Brooklyn, N.Y.
Everybody's Kitchen has been operating since 1992, McGuinness said, and has done disaster relief in Minneapolis, Mississippi and New Orleans, fed needy people on Los Angeles' Skid Row and traveled to Mexico to feed deported immigrants.
"The focus of this is that everyone has a right to eat, broke or not. We will share with anyone, and anyone who wants to share with us can," said a 41-year-old Detroit volunteer known only as Floppy.
He was manning the buses built-in propane stove Monday, preparing red beans and rice, a south Louisiana staple.
"It's Monday, what else?" he said, adding that everywhere the kitchen travels, they try to take a cue from locals about what to cook, learning their recipes and adding to their repertoire.
Long-haired and long-traveled, the group of traveling, food-distributing gypsies might be a strange sight to some locals.
Their 12 volunteers work out of two school buses — on painted orange and and the other in a bright shade of blue. When the weather is nice, they cook outside under a tarp.
The volunteers camp on the church lawn, and they've been given access to the St. Charles Borromeo Catholic Church rectory where they have established an an impromptu business office to keep in contact with businesses who might want to donate cooking items.
"It's beautiful here," McGuinness said of south Terrebonne. "The people are very friendly, and we're happy to be helping out where there's a real need."
The workers will stay and cook as long as they're needed and wanted, he added.
Floppy stressed that the group isn't a charity in the conventional sense, but they do operate using donations from businesses and others.
"We've had people stop by and drop off oysters, shrimp, crabs," McGuinness said. "Anything they drop off, we'll cook up."
The group steamed the crabs, and local residents appreciated the meal, though McGuinness said they later discovered that's not the way the seafood is traditionally prepared in bayou country.
"I guess most people boil them down here," he said. "We talk to the people that come down, try to figure out what they like. We love the food down here anyway -- anything that spices things up."
If you want to get in touch with Everybody's Kitchen to help their effort with a donation, supplies or food, or if you just need to grab a meal, you can find them at the St. Charles Borromeo Church in Pointe-aux-Chenes, or call them at 504-421-1205.
They can also be reached by mail at
Everybody's Kitchen
P.O. Box 115
Montegut, LA 70377.
Friday, October 31, 2008
Point Au Chene
I'm setting up the satellite internet in Point Au Chene, LA. The rainbow Family has dispatched to kitchen busses here and are already freeding several hundred a day. The internet will allow them to publize their efforts and bring in more donations; meaning the can feed more people. This is probably a short term assignment as they are suppose to be getting internet capabilities from Common Ground Relief by the end of next week.
Tuesday, October 28, 2008
Filler Up
I'm back in Sildell at BioLiberty filling the tanks with all the oil I can hold. Gordon is packin up the bio diesel plant to move it into New Orleans as part of a larger project so I've got about 500 gallons of fine veggie oil at my disposal.
I'll be heading down to Point au Chene in the deep bayou country where the native indian population has been intentionally left to rot after both Katrina & Gustav. I'll set up the satellite internet for them and try to sort out the reasons they NEVER get any more than an MRE for hurricane relief.
I'll be heading down to Point au Chene in the deep bayou country where the native indian population has been intentionally left to rot after both Katrina & Gustav. I'll set up the satellite internet for them and try to sort out the reasons they NEVER get any more than an MRE for hurricane relief.
Tuesday, October 14, 2008
Dharma's Lost in the Rubble
Upon recieving a tip from a friendly police offer that I should go HERE and check out the damage, myself and a local worker who fashions himself a citizen journalist headed down there.
While filming the debris of a house we were warned that we could be shot for looting and told that the police were being called. Since we had not touched anything or even approached the house in question further than a few feet onto the driveway to get a better angle.. I continued filming. The guy who rode down there with me was more interested in eating the 6 Red Cross dinners he scored us and while I filmed some of the other houses he proceded to spill 2 of the dinners on the bus seats and LET DHARMA ESCAPE. (no, he wasn't drunk or high... just stupid). He had asked Red Cross for 2 meals and they gave him 6 to run up their numbers since no one in this well to do neighborhood wanted to eat the shitty food they hand out.
The police eventually showed up threatened to arrest us if I did not allow them to search the bus for the items the lieing resident had said that he saw us take. I consented, filmed the search, the cop said on camera "no, that stuff's not here" and then got bent out of shape we he realized I had filmed him performing his duty as a public servant. Ran us for warrants and told us to leave. I told him we would have been gone long ago if the cat had not escaped and we were hoping he'd come back. He said leave or be arrested. Gave us a Trespass WARNING and said if we came back we could be arrested. I informed that I would be back the next day in the afternoon to allow my cat to come home. He said that would be ok in the afternoon but if I was there after dark I'd be arrested for trespassing.
I returned this afternoon and did NOT leave the bus at all for fear of being shot or arrested. I'd been parked there on the public street NOT under any curfew for about 3 1/2 hrs waiting... Dharma did not return. With about an hour of daylight left the same cop showed up and informed me that he had been called once again because I was seen trespassing. I had not set foot off the bus. I told him that. He said leave or be arrested. I told him I didn't want to be there, I was just waiting for my cat. He told me to get off the bus and go look for him, I had a 1/2 hour to leave or be arrested. I told him I didn't think that me wandering around in this neighborhood looking for my cat was safe. He repeated his directive to leave or be arrested.
I stepped into the middle of the street and yelled for the cat for about 20 minutes and then left.
Tommorrow morning I'm going to the police station and demand that I be able to sit in my bus on the public street and wait for my cat to return.
HERE's the video that helped save him.
Thanks to all how called to vouch for me. Dharma came back 4 hours into being allowed to stay there after dark.
While filming the debris of a house we were warned that we could be shot for looting and told that the police were being called. Since we had not touched anything or even approached the house in question further than a few feet onto the driveway to get a better angle.. I continued filming. The guy who rode down there with me was more interested in eating the 6 Red Cross dinners he scored us and while I filmed some of the other houses he proceded to spill 2 of the dinners on the bus seats and LET DHARMA ESCAPE. (no, he wasn't drunk or high... just stupid). He had asked Red Cross for 2 meals and they gave him 6 to run up their numbers since no one in this well to do neighborhood wanted to eat the shitty food they hand out.
The police eventually showed up threatened to arrest us if I did not allow them to search the bus for the items the lieing resident had said that he saw us take. I consented, filmed the search, the cop said on camera "no, that stuff's not here" and then got bent out of shape we he realized I had filmed him performing his duty as a public servant. Ran us for warrants and told us to leave. I told him we would have been gone long ago if the cat had not escaped and we were hoping he'd come back. He said leave or be arrested. Gave us a Trespass WARNING and said if we came back we could be arrested. I informed that I would be back the next day in the afternoon to allow my cat to come home. He said that would be ok in the afternoon but if I was there after dark I'd be arrested for trespassing.
I returned this afternoon and did NOT leave the bus at all for fear of being shot or arrested. I'd been parked there on the public street NOT under any curfew for about 3 1/2 hrs waiting... Dharma did not return. With about an hour of daylight left the same cop showed up and informed me that he had been called once again because I was seen trespassing. I had not set foot off the bus. I told him that. He said leave or be arrested. I told him I didn't want to be there, I was just waiting for my cat. He told me to get off the bus and go look for him, I had a 1/2 hour to leave or be arrested. I told him I didn't think that me wandering around in this neighborhood looking for my cat was safe. He repeated his directive to leave or be arrested.
I stepped into the middle of the street and yelled for the cat for about 20 minutes and then left.
Tommorrow morning I'm going to the police station and demand that I be able to sit in my bus on the public street and wait for my cat to return.
HERE's the video that helped save him.
Thanks to all how called to vouch for me. Dharma came back 4 hours into being allowed to stay there after dark.
Saturday, October 11, 2008
I made it to Galveston
... All I can say is... I've made a lot of bad choices lately.
I have not yet ventured outside of the bus, but I've driven most of the Island and it looks like they've got it under control. I'm not feeling very needed here. The satellite is useless as I've got cell phone coverage and my broadband internet card works everywhere.
I saw 2 Free Meal Christian operations on the way in even though the grocery stores, bars & restaurants are almost all open. Some of the island had random electricity but those going without would appear to be "second" homes.
I suppose I'll know more when I decide to get out of the bus, but at the moment I'm not feeling very social. I spent the entire night editing my last RNC video regarding the harassment of the bus in St.Paul. I'm going to start preparing it for the internet now and take a nap.
Maybe this is my beach vacation...
I have not yet ventured outside of the bus, but I've driven most of the Island and it looks like they've got it under control. I'm not feeling very needed here. The satellite is useless as I've got cell phone coverage and my broadband internet card works everywhere.
I saw 2 Free Meal Christian operations on the way in even though the grocery stores, bars & restaurants are almost all open. Some of the island had random electricity but those going without would appear to be "second" homes.
I suppose I'll know more when I decide to get out of the bus, but at the moment I'm not feeling very social. I spent the entire night editing my last RNC video regarding the harassment of the bus in St.Paul. I'm going to start preparing it for the internet now and take a nap.
Maybe this is my beach vacation...
Monday, September 22, 2008
The IkeMan Cometh
The Bus has changed it's mind once again regarding what to do after the conventions. I was slated to coordinate a team of editors working on a feature length documentary of the RNC. But it has become apparent for many reasons that that was not the right thing for me to be working on at this time.
Ike Happens
Tail winds of Hurricane Ike dropped a tree on the skinnychef's roof (Austin) and it needs to be completely replaced. This is in addition to the damage done by 1 thieving, lying, filthy sack of shit known as Heavy Fed who rented her place with NO INTENTION of honoring the lease and proceeded to trash the place and steal anything of value left in the house before finally getting evicted. These issues need to be dealt with. If you know a trustworthy soul looking for a room to rent in Austin contact chef.skinny@gmail.com
The NOmadjik Media Bus will begin fulfilling it's 1st disaster relief mission in Texas as soon as we can get her down there from New York. With the generator and satellite internet on board we will be going into a yet to be determined location. Probably somewhere that won't be getting electricity for a good long time. We will be able to both document/report on the recovery effort and offer internet to residents who still have no electricity and limited if any cell phone service. It is likely that we will team up with other grassroots relief organizations in an encampment .. but these things are still in the planning stages.
If you have info regarding Rainbow Family kitchen bus locations in hurricane devastated areas or know of other grassroots efforts that could use our services please get them in contact with me @ Staff@MobileBroadcastNews.com
Donations are being sought for: GAS CARDS/gas cans to run the generator, Food, Cleaning Supplies and Veggie Oil. These can be collected in route if you get in touch.
Tax deductible donation$ can be processed through Deep Dish TV if they are specifically marked for MobileBroadcastNews.
related videos My Hurricane Katrina Coverage
NOmadjik Media Bus BEFORE | AFTER
Ike Happens
Tail winds of Hurricane Ike dropped a tree on the skinnychef's roof (Austin) and it needs to be completely replaced. This is in addition to the damage done by 1 thieving, lying, filthy sack of shit known as Heavy Fed who rented her place with NO INTENTION of honoring the lease and proceeded to trash the place and steal anything of value left in the house before finally getting evicted. These issues need to be dealt with. If you know a trustworthy soul looking for a room to rent in Austin contact chef.skinny@gmail.com
The NOmadjik Media Bus will begin fulfilling it's 1st disaster relief mission in Texas as soon as we can get her down there from New York. With the generator and satellite internet on board we will be going into a yet to be determined location. Probably somewhere that won't be getting electricity for a good long time. We will be able to both document/report on the recovery effort and offer internet to residents who still have no electricity and limited if any cell phone service. It is likely that we will team up with other grassroots relief organizations in an encampment .. but these things are still in the planning stages.
If you have info regarding Rainbow Family kitchen bus locations in hurricane devastated areas or know of other grassroots efforts that could use our services please get them in contact with me @ Staff@MobileBroadcastNews.com
Donations are being sought for: GAS CARDS/gas cans to run the generator, Food, Cleaning Supplies and Veggie Oil. These can be collected in route if you get in touch.
Tax deductible donation$ can be processed through Deep Dish TV if they are specifically marked for MobileBroadcastNews.
related videos My Hurricane Katrina Coverage
NOmadjik Media Bus BEFORE | AFTER
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)