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Have You Seen This? Best traffic court ever
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Traffic court can be an utter nightmare, but not when you're in providence. - photo by John Clyde
THE COURT In the criminal justice system, the people are represented by two separate yet equally important groups: The police, who investigate crime, and the district attorneys, who prosecute the offenders. These are their stories.

OK, so this isn't as intense as "Law and Order," but this may be the greatest court exchange ever caught on camera.

The YouTube channel "Caught in Providence" highlights clips from a TV show with the same name. This is the IMDb summary of the small show: "Real people have their cases heard in Providence Municipal Court. The cases include traffic, parking and arraignments for criminal offences. 'You could never script the excuses that are here before this court,' reports the show's host, Chief Municipal Court Judge Frank Caprio."

I can't vouch for the absurdity of some of the excuses, but I can vouch for the insanity of the ticket that was issued to the poor woman in this video. She received a parking ticket for parking in a zone at 9:59, and you aren't allowed to park in that zone until 10:00. The exchange that ensues reminds us that there are still good people out there and that fortunately, people still have senses of humor.

I'll let you watch the video for yourself, and then maybe you'll fall into the "Caught in Providence" rabbit hole I fell into. I've been watching these videos for the past hour now.
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Have You Seen This? Street musician slays with clarinet
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Better than almost every face-melting guitar or drum solo. - photo by Facebook video screenshot

THE BIG EASY — Yeah, yeah, we all know that New Orleans is stuffed to the gills will incredible musicians.

But knowing that fact and then hearing that fact are two different things. You can step into any number of jazz clubs on any given night on Bourbon Street, and you’ll probably be impressed with virtually every act. Or you can sit at home on your comfy couch and watch this featured video.

In the video, you’ll see a woman who is in the groove. She is swinging hard, and wailing on her clarinet with a practiced expertise that makes it sounds so easy.

From note one you’ll be drawn in; your appreciation will grow with every second, and then your face will melt off when you realize how incredible she really is.

If you’ve never played a woodwind or a brass, you may not know everything that comes with a performance like this. Lung capacity and breath control are huge factors in keeping your notes clear and loud, and hitting those high notes is especially difficult.

So when this woman hits that high note and holds it for several seconds, you know you’re dealing with an exceptional musician. It means she has worked hard for years to develop skill on top of her natural talent, and we get to benefit.

It kinda makes you wonder how we let people get away with mumble rap and autotune when talent like this exists in the world.

I wish this video were longer, and I wish I had more information about this woman, but as it is, we’ll just have to appreciate the little flavor of New Orleans jazz posted by the Facebook group Clarinet Life.

Martha Ostergar is a writer who delights in the ridiculous that internet serves up, which means she's more than grateful that she gets to cruise the web for amazing videos to highlight for your viewing pleasure.
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