Plenty of "real" (i.e., broadcast) stations are available worldwide over the internet as well as locally via the airwaves. Their websites (in most cases, at least for nonprofit stations in the US, their call letters plus "dot-org") generally provide streaming audio that is accessible to any of the available media players, hence to anyone with speakers on their computers.

I always take the opportunity to plug the great local station for which I periodically volunteer, WWOZ (www.wwoz.org). For direct access to their "Listen Now!" web page, click here.

Programming is mostly jazz and R&B, plus other local New Orleans music -- see the website for a comprehensive schedule of which genres are featured at which days and times. The station is on the air 24/7, and has listeners all over the world. A year or two ago, during one of the twice-yearly fund drives, I took a membership pledge from Afghanistan!

Perhaps of greatest interest to most Mudcatters would be Sean O'Meara's weekly hour-and-a-half Celtic/Irish program, "Music From the Glen," Saturdays from 10 to 11:30 am, US Central Time (GMT -6). Saturday is "world music day," with Cuban, Brazilian, African and Jamaican programs following Sean's.

I trust we'll be hearing from one of the several Mudcatters who work at WFDU in New Jersey, also available both over the air and through the 'net.