While New Orleans Danny Platt is now sitting in jail for allegedly killing his own son because he allegedly refused to pay child support, I am wondering what is going to happen to New Orleans which is dubbed the “most dangerous city” and the “murder capitol” and what will happen to the entire New Orleans area, which has generally seen growth while the national economy sputters.
A few events this weekend were stark reminders of the remnants of the region existing both before and after Katrina but certainly made worse by the storm.
On Saturday, many parts of the New Orleans area saw severe street flooding.This type of flooding occurred in East Jefferson Parish which was under water during Katrina due to the lack of pump operators.Serious flooding has also occurred many times during the past three decades in New Orleans and in Jefferson resulting in much damage.Obviously, none of the flooding this week or in the past could approximate the total inundation that resulted during Katrina.
Yesterday, I had the opportunity to visit the 9th Ward of New Orleans and re-visit the area where Brad Pitt’s “Make It Right” homes have been built.The Katrina damage markings were still on most of the homes and buildings in the district.So many of these houses and businesses are totally out of use.Although the general area was more populated, and there were now some people where over the past three years there were none, still, the overall condition of the Ward was in pitiful condition and in many respects looked like pre-Katrina New Orleans which had looked horrible before the “Big K”, and only made worse by the horrible hurricane.
The alleged killing by Danny Platt occurred in central city, the flood this week was throughout much of New Orleans and Jefferson Parish and both have little to do directly with the Ninth Ward, per se.
However, the totality of the events and scenarios underscore how far New Orleans and the area needs to go to ever be a real prospering city and not a cesspool of dysfunction.
Yes, we have culture down here in South Louisiana but we have little economy--due in part--to the national freeze of credit and the lack of momentum in our overall recovery.
It is pitiful that New Orleans and Jefferson Parish streets and homes have to be at risk due to a freak rain that emptied approximately four to five inches of water.It is maddening that a father would kill his own son due to child support—an event that could occur in any city in the US, but, is “event de jure” down here in the Big Easy and proximate environs.
And, it is horrible that more than three years have passed since Katrina and the Brad Pitt homes look so out of place like a young face on an otherwise almost dead body.
The Greater New Orleans region must work in overdrive to protect ourselves from flooding disasters, to create an economy where money does not become a motive in senseless crimes and where major swaths of the region’s infrastructure does not appear decaying or look like a segment of “Twilight Zone”.
I had visitors in for the holiday and yesterday, I was just downright embarrassed about the cacophony of events and scenarios.Yes, Sunday was sunny, warm and music was playing and the playgrounds were bustling. But, deep down below, there is a hellish inferno that permeates our area’s very existence, driving away businesses, capital, and middle-class families.
As a community, we are almost forced to put on our “proverbial” lifejackets and “bullet-proof vests” to stay afloat, financially and physically.Unfortunately, in 2009, we must be resolved to seriously rethink about the future of east New Orleans and this entire area for right now (over three years post-disaster) , it is the “pits”.
John, you sound an awful lot like T.W., which in it's self is also awful.... Lord those hoaxsters are becomming more transparent by the day.... Written by
on 1/7/2009
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Well get over it and bye-bye John............. Written by ooh baby?
on 1/7/2009
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that last post with the ooh baby stuff is why I NEVER read chat or blog lines. I just read the articles and move on. Written by john
on 1/7/2009
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No RhettsWife, it appears that it is you that needs to read more, and couple that with understanding....... I believe the ending to the comments your disdain was expressed on went somewhere along the lines of...... "Caring? Caring is meaningless unless coupled with progressive actions....... How willy-nilly some folks use the word Caring as they toss it around in cyberspace….. To harsh for you? Hey, sometimes the truth is brutal....." In other words RhettsWife, there is a quaint redneck saying which is sometimes used by Hillbillies as well. It goes.... "Wish in one hand and crap in the other and see which one fills up first" For the folks that get offended by to the point straight talk, the saying can be said "Wish in one hand and blow your nose in the other and see which one fills up first"............... or................ "Wish in one hand and spit in the other and see which one fills up first"............... I myself look at lapsidasicle progress as being about as useless as teats on a boar hog... You have to get the seed in the ground and water it before you can harvest a crop…. Throw the seed on the ground and not follow through with the rest of the processes in rapid secession and the seed goes bad, or the birds eat it, or the wind blows it away , or any number of other things…… Wishy Washy doesn’t get the job done……………
Written by
on 1/6/2009
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Written by, dear, caring means to seek the best and that means determination to seek progress. We suggest, dear, that you read a bit more and understand that progress can be described in numerous ways. If you took a look at our original propostions, you would have seen what we were proposing was progress. Do you care to see progress or only complain and bash others who express themselves in different ways. Too bad, dear, because you are missing so much. Written by RhettsWife
on 1/5/2009
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AN INTERESTING ARTICLE, AND WORTH THE READ..... CARING? HMMMMMMM, INTERESTING EMOTION THAT IS GENERALLY INITIATED FOR POLITICAL REASONS, OR PERSONAL GAIN..... Citgo suspends heating oil aid for U.S. poor - -- AFP BOSTON (Reuters) – Citgo Petroleum Corp, the U.S. arm of Venezuela's state oil company, has suspended its program to provide free heating oil to hundreds of thousands of low-income U.S. families, the head of the nonprofit organization that distributed the fuel said on Monday..... The Andean nation attributed the move to the sharp drop in the price of oil as well as the spreading world economic crisis, said Joseph Kennedy, chairman of Citizens Energy, which had distributed about $100 million worth of Venezuelan oil for each of the past three years..... "The current economic meltdown has just forced them to reevaluate all the assistance programs that they provide," Kennedy, a former Congressman and member of a storied U.S. political family, told reporters..... Kennedy said Citgo officials had told him they plan to resume the program in the future, but it is not clear when..... Citgo spokesman Fernando Garay declined comment but said the company would release a statement regarding its heating oil aid programs later Monday.... Houston-based Citgo, with support from Venezuela's President Hugo Chavez, said its program benefited as many as 235,000 U.S. families in 23 states..... Chavez, who considers U.S. President George W. Bush his nemesis, widened the heating oil aid program as prices surged in recent years, while accusing the Bush administration of neglecting the U.S. poor. Chavez has described the program as "humanitarian aid," even though average incomes in the United States are about 10 times those in Venezuela..... Kennedy asked why no U.S. oil companies have stepped up to fill the gap..... "What about U.S. oil companies?" asked Kennedy, the nephew of slain U.S. president John F. Kennedy. "How come I can't get one barrel of oil from U.S. oil companies?"..... The suspension of the heating oil aid would come as easing oil prices make heating oil more affordable for many U.S. families this year -- though rising unemployment has given them a new economic worry.... The price of heating oil in the U.S. market fell to an average of $2.33 a gallon during the last week of December, down 7.6 cents a gallon from the previous week and down $1.01 from the same week of 2007, according to the U.S. Department of Energy..... Venezuela, a member of the Organization of Petroleum Exporting Countries, enjoyed surging oil revenues for much of the past five years but has seen that income stream dwindle recently. Oil prices have fallen by around two-thirds since reaching a record of more than $147 a barrel in July...... Citizens Energy said it encouraged U.S. families to write directly to Venezuelan President Hugo Chavez and ask that Citgo continue to provide the U.S. poor with "much-needed" heating oil aid. Meanwhile, Citizens said it would continue its own heating oil assistance programs in Massachusetts, Ohio, Kentucky, Pennsylvania and Rhode Island.....
PERHAPS TINA TURNER WAS WRONG, WE DO PROBABLY DO NEED ANOTHER HERO.......... OR ACTUALLY WE NEED A BUNCH OF HEROS....... PRETTY CRAZY WHAT THE LEFT HAS DONE TO OUR WAY OF THINKING..... DUMMED DOWN ALL OF AMERICA...... HUMPTY DUMPTY SAT ON A WALL, HUMPTY DUMPTY........................................
Written by
on 1/5/2009
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Caring is wonderful RhettsWife.... I know of some people that care about their little stuffed elephants, and some people care about the number of chocolate chips in their cookies, and some folks care about the quality of the toilet paper they apply to their arse.... Caring? Caring is meaningless unless coupled with progressive actions....... How willy-nilly some folks use the word Caring as they toss it around in cyberspace….. To harsh for you? Hey, sometimes the truth is brutal..... Written by
on 1/5/2009
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Stephen, dear, we have been saying what you have said for quite some time now. We began our journey online after Katrina with a platform, which can be found at http://rhettswife.createforum.net/phpbb2/rhettswife-about331.html
Read it, dears, and you will see that our hopes, our dreams for a new Nouveau Orleans have not even begun. It was a simple platform based on a need for a change in attitude and methodology. Unfortunately, like you, Stephen, dear, we sit in this quagmire and ask why but still we ask why not? Why not try to renew? Why not meet the challenge. Our ancestors of all kinds did. We can too. We must dare to care, NOT BE THE CITY THAT CARE FORGOT. It is the latter description that makes most of this nation look away with disgust. Don't give up caring, Stephen, don't give up caring. Written by RhettsWife
on 1/5/2009
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Hey, hey, hey, hey,..... hey stoopid...... What ya tryin' to do????.... Hey, hey, hey, hey,.... hey stoopid - - -- They win, we lose........ Hey, hye, hey, hey,....... hey stoopid. A~Cooper
Written by Hey STupid, it's THE Alice Cooper
on 1/5/2009
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Speaking of drainage, that 14 million dollars spent on a 950 foot wide 'boulder dam' on the MRGO could have funded over 4,000 'concrete' shelters/temporary living quarters for folks that are now homeless and living in their vehicles with their families on numerous streets and alleys in the United States......... Now that is what I call a drain.... It is a shame that cost couldn't have been brought down to around 3 or 4 million with the rest used for the needy.... Or could it have been brought down? And what about dozens of other 'projects' around Louisiana and the United States? Yeah, we have some real academically inspired gurus running the show don't we? Written by
on 1/5/2009
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4" to 5" inches of rain would DROWN most cities. The fact that it was hardly as news story shows how WELL our drainage does work. I did not hear of ANY houses flooding. Written by Nolaboy
on 1/5/2009
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States with the best economies are the magnets," says Fornos. For example, North Carolina's bustling industries--including biotech and pharmaceuticals--will allow the state to gain 1.3 million people between 1995 and 2025, according to the U.S. Census. ..... But other states see increases from those wishing to slow down. States like Wyoming, with an increase of 1.8% over the last year, will continue to welcome those looking to retire to a more sprawling space. (The state's 97,000 square miles only house about 530,000 people at present.
Written by
on 1/5/2009
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Just who is 'everyone'? And who is 'Written By and aka, Strong Concrete' and what is spam and what is whiff? Hey Stupid, you read like a whiff...... So why don't you go ahead and introduce yourself..... Written by
on 1/5/2009
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Hey, Written By and aka, Strong Concrete. Please stop it, ok? I think that everyone knows you are doing this spaming the buzzboards with nonsense using false names. Again, please stop. Written by Hey Stupid
on 1/5/2009
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Please allow me to introduce myself, I’m a man of wealth and taste……. Ive been around for a long, long year - Stole many a man’s soul and faith…. And I was round when jesus christ had his moment of doubt and pain,,,, Made damn sure that Pilate washed his hands and sealed his fate……… Pleased to meet you - - - - Hope you guess my name,,,,,,, But whats puzzling you is the nature of my game - - - I stuck around St. Petersburg when I saw it was a time for a change - - - Killed the czar and his ministers,,,, Anastasia screamed in vain……. I rode a tank, held a generals rank when the blitzkrieg raged - - - - And the bodies stank - - - Pleased to meet you - - - - Hope you guess my name, ,,, oh yeah - - - - Ah, what’s puzzling you - - Is the nature of my game,,, oh yeah - - - - I watched with glee,,,
While your kings and queens fought for ten decades……. For the gods they made I shouted out - - -
Who killed the Kennedys? When after all - - - It was you and me………..Let me please introduce myself - - - - I’m a man of wealth and taste - - - - And I laid traps for troubadours, who get killed before they reached Bombay…………………….. Pleased to meet you - - - - - - Hope you guessed my name, - - - - oh yeah------- But what’s puzzling you, is the nature of my game, - - - - oh yeah,,,,,, get down, baby - - -- - Pleased to meet you - - -- Hope you guessed my name, - - - oh yeah - -- But what’s confusing you is just the nature of my game………………. Just as every cop is a criminal - - - -And all the sinners, saints……. As heads is tails just call me Lucifer,,,, ‘cause I’m in need of some restraint…………. So if you meet me have some courtesy,,, have some sympathy, and some taste……
Use all your well-learned politesse - -- Or I’ll lay your soul to waste, ,,,, ,,,, um yeah ,, ,,, ,, ,,,
Pleased to meet you, - - - Hope you guessed my name,,, ,, ,, um yeah,, ,, ,,,, But what’s puzzling you
Is the nature of my game,, ,, , ,,, um mean it,, ,,, ,,, get down ------Woo, who - - -- Oh yeah, get on down……. Oh yeah - - - -- Oh yeah! - --- --- Tell me baby, what’s my name? . .. Tell me honey, can ya guess my name…..Tell me baby, what’s my name ?? I tell you one time,,,,,,, you’re to blame - -- ---Ooo, who? - -- Ooo, who? - - -- Ooo, who? ----- Ooo, who, who - --- Ooo, who, who - -- - Ooo, who, What’s Me name? - -- - - Tell me baby, what’s my name? -- Tell me sweetie, what’s my name? - - Ooo, who, who - -- Ooo, who, who - - -- Ooo, who, who - - -- Ooo, who, who - -- - Ooo, who, who - -- - Ooo, who, who----- Ooo, who, who -- - - Oh, yeah……………………………..
Written by Sympathy for the Devil
on 1/5/2009
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The reason why Mr. Pitts homes look 'so out of place' is because his approach and implementation procedures are fundamentally 'flawed'...... Of course the economy has its affects, but when you slice that apple to the core it will be found that in the area of short term effects that are intended to proved long term results they are lacking..... And why? Motivation levels Steve, motivation levels..... Written by
on 1/5/2009
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While New Orleans Danny Platt is now sitting in jail for allegedly killing his own son because he allegedly refused to pay child support, I am wondering what is going to happen to New Orleans which is dubbed the “most dangerous city” and the “murder capitol” and what will happen to the entire New Orleans area, which has generally seen growth while the national economy sputters.
