HumidCity

I’m a bit older than some.

I remember when there was no internet.

Shocking, I know, but there was such a time.
Today, people are on line everywhere, connected at coffee shops, bars, home & work, by blackberry, Iphone, et al.
And we have a phenomenon called Bloggers. I think of myself as a writer, a columnist, but I suppose I fall into this categorey, as well.

One of the symptoms of Blogger Society appears to be Blog Wars, feuds of words, wherein various bloggers attack each other with what they believe is biting sarcasm, cutting edge one-up-manship, taunting and slander. What a huge waste of human potential.

Is this who we are?

Really?

At our fingertips is the greatest tool ever known to humanity, a conduit where we can come together, learn each others ways, circulate information…and we get adolescent ego tripping, like a bad rap movie?

Right now, you could be at the Benefit for Chris & Otter, witnessing some of the best music and art in New Orleans, helping some artists who had a bad turn.

You could be attending a roller derby match to help support the family of Hana Morris, a woman who lost her husband and has three tiny children. Her husband was a vibrant and compelling voice for us all.

You could be signing on to SilenceIsViolence.com, as yet another youth dies, unprotected, in a hail of bullets.

Right now, a child is wondering if they should stay in school or sell drugs. A kid with a brain that could cure cancer is afraid of the crack dealers on the corner, and dropping out. A mother is trying to explain to her children why daddy isn’t coming home from Iraq. Someone is so lonely they are staring down a bottle of pills, wondering who would notice. All of us, at one time, reach out, often too late, for friendship, for love, for hope. By clicking the keyboard we could find one another, answers to our questions, something like the truth, another way to go, another like us.

Instead, I find myself beset by this Biggie vs Tupac Blogger mentality.
Is this who we are?
Really?

At our fingertips is the greatest tool ever known to humanity, a conduit where we can come together, learn each others ways, circulate information.. and change the world.

Next time you start reading that crap, do us all a favor;
Turn it off & simply walk away.
Paint something.
Read a book.
Teach a child to play a musical instrument.
Roll on the grass with your dog.
Tell a stranger they’re beautiful.
Find yourself….

Because this is NOT who we are.
Really.
I know you better than that.
You can do just about anything.

Just do what you dream.

Don’t waste another second on this foolish game.

It diminishes us all.

And you deserve better.

Lord David
Pirate & Artist
Skull Club
New Orleans

Gather round the propane boys and girls, Loki has a holiday bedtime story to share:

Twas the night before Christmas, when all through the blogs
We hid from the rain, falling like cats and dogs;
The stockings were hung in the trailers with care,
In hopes a Road Home check soon would be there;
GBitch was nestled all snug in her bed,
While visions of levees danced in Adrastos head;
Maitri in her sari, mind like a steel trap,
And Ray in New Orleans, enduring more crap,
When out on da po’ blog there arose such a clatter,
I sprang to my laptop to join in the chatter.
Away to my Windows I flew like a flash,
But a Blue Screen of Death caused my laptop to crash.
The moon in the puddles of new-fallen rain
Showed American Zombie out placing more blame,
When, what to my wondering eyes should appear,
But Poppy Z. Brite (she was pounding a beer),
There was dear little Sophmom, so lively and quick,
Standing in because FEMA had detained St. Nick
More rapid than ScoutPrime her coursers they came,
And she whistled, and shouted, and called them by name;
“Now, Alan! now, Ashley! now, Gentilly Girl!
On, Ernie! on, Blagueur! on, Slate (there’s my girl!)
I saw Mr Bingle he was at the town hall!
Now blog away! blog away! blog away all!”
As the waters that after the levee’s break flow,
(The Corps was responsible, everyone knows!);
And up to the rubble the coursers they swam,
With a wounded Greg Peters, he still is The Man!.
Yat Pundit and Becky, I heard on the roof
While Dangerblond carolled and acted the goof.
As I drew in my head, and was turning around,
Into my door Oyster came with a bound.
He had Lisa wih him, his wife Lovely as well,
Pearlgirl was cute as a snail in its shell:
“People Get Ready, for its the Third Battle,
Read Nation of Morons, it disects the prattle!”
His glasses — they twinkled! his bottle how merry!
He filled, added Rox, and he dropped in a cherry!
“Its our Moldy City and I’ll never move
Theres nothing quite like the Home of the Groove!”
Then in came Mike Homan with a jug of sweet tea,,
And then Jeffrey joined us fresh from library;
We had jambalaya and good pepper jelly,
We ignored the mold, even though it was smelly.
Though the National Guard through our streets still do roam,
The Saints have been winning at the Superdome!
Its Post K New Orleans and there’s a lot that looks grim,
But we’re real New Orleanians and know how to swim;
We’ll rebuild our city, we’ll put in the work,
Despite C Ray Nagin and that “Dolla’ Bill” jerk,
Our Blue Tarp Buffet, it tickled my nose,
our new blogger friends have all lightened our woes;
They took a few pics, which we posted to flikr,
And they hopped in a car with a “Fix The Pumps,” sticker,
But I heard them exclaim, ere they drove out of sight,
“Happy Christmas New Orleans, now keep up the fight!”

EDIT: Check out Kelcrow7’s offering from last year! It’s kicks!

EDIT 2:If you wish to repost feel free, all I ask is notification and that you include the following at the end: Writtten by George “Loki” Williams Reprinted from http://humidcity.com/2006/12/21/the-blog-before-christmas/

Well, as I perdicted a few posts ago the torrent of anit-NOLA sentiment is strating to really rear its head in the wake of the election. Now only a fool would say that there is no blame to lay at our own doorstep, there is plenty enough to go around. The thing that you just cannot understand until you’ve been here (and even then some people do not get it) is that this transcends partisian politics. It is a simple matter of what needs to get done.

The refrain is usually “corrupt Louisiana politics,” but I see very few talking about the corrupt Fedral politics that have exacerbated the situation from day one. When money is sent down here only to be eaten up by layer upon layer of subcontractors (can you say “No Bid contracts?”) with questionable Federal connections (shoot anyone lately, Dick?) it sounds more like the problem is in DC. Yes, we re-elected Nagin. In DC they re-elected a crack smoker for Mayor, does that sound localised to La.?

Greg Peters gives some great comments on his blog. Read the entire post over on his site, it is a rousig and neccessary call to action!
Suspect Device Blog: Get used to this.
For those out there who think NOLA/Louisiana bloggers have become “so negative”, try Instapundit and Malkin or Bendan Loy today (Be sure to check out the warm and fuzy comments on Loy’s post). This is what a good portion — perhaps a majority — of the rest of the country thinks of New Orleans. It started with yammering nobodies like Bay Buchanan, but they’re the point people: they say the outrageous first, and when no voices rise in protest, the mainstream feels free to lay on.

The Food Network is on and Rachael Ray’s voice captures my attention as she says,”…or you could ride the scenic streetcar down beautiful St.Charles Avenue.” I stop what I’m doing and look up.

I remember when she was in town, I was a manager at one of the restaurants she went to. Seeing New Orleans as it was, an evening I participated in directly, was extremely surreal. The streets were so bright and well populated, the atmosphere robust and full of Joie de Vie. I remember it vividly, the music, the dancing, tripping over camera rigs the whole time. It seemed almost glaringly bright compared to the city around me now.

We now dwell in a bizarre parrallel reality, one painted in a palette of debris and ranting politics. John Folse over at WetBankGuide gives his view of the mirror universe:

“With all of the festivals of winter and spring behind us and the Big Day staring us in the face, it seems that everyone is down. Matri reminds us that blogging traffic is off, and some NOLA bloggers like Dangle and Jaybirdo are just letting go. I haven’t talked to most of my local peeps in weeks, the steady dribble of emails from the fall and winter having ground to a halt. Everybody is too damned busy or depressed or angry. Or busy and depressed and angry. “

This is our downfall. We must work together, me must communicate. No matter what happens or which way things go this will be a New New Orleans. Beginings are delicate things. Let’s all get involved. Let’s try not to screw this up…
Tomorrow we will venture out into this blasted realm and cast our ballots. I can’t say I’m fond of the choices, not at all. The Spanish burned us to the ground and we came back. To hell with FEMA. Vote your conscience and cross your fingers.