This is what things look like here in New Orleans right now. Very little change in some neighborhoods, very little change at all. Here are pics from our photographer, Charlotte Diem, of New Orleans East, The 9th Ward, Chalmette, and more.Hurricane Season Eve 2006 - a photoset on Flickr
Tomorrow begins hurricane season, a very uneasy time if you are here fighting for the survival of city and culture. Nine months after the Act Of Man (it was the levee failure not Katrina that did us in) inundated my home I see this in the news:
Levee slumps; repairs to take weeks With hurricane season only three days away, the Army Corps of Engineers on Monday announced that a 400-foot section of earthen hurricane protection levee being rebuilt near Buras High School in Plaquemines Parish slumped by more than 6 feet overnight Saturday, and repairs could take three to six weeks.
Due to immunity set in place after Hurricane Betsy the Corps is not going to be held accountable for one of the worst disasters in American history. Ask yourself honestly, how do you feel about this?
Tomorrow Hurricane Season (it gets capitalized nowadays) begins. To mark this date we welcome the return of an old face from the Silver Machine rogues gallery: Charlotte Diem, our Humid Photographer. She brings us this image from a church in New Orleans East as well as number of other photos that can be found on Humid City on Flikr.
Take a good look at what things look like in several different neighborhoods around the city this long after the fact. Take a good look, please…
The Shreveport Times The grim population outlook also all but assures Louisiana will lose another seat in Congress, thereby reducing its clout and influence in Washington.
Katrina victim found in New Orleans house Less than a week before the next hurricane season starts, firefighters still searching for those missing after Hurricane Katrina have found another body.
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.
This excerpt from Dangerblond’s site really gets it across. A long but brilliant Dear John letter from that aging southern belle, New Orleans, to her troubled mayor. If you get something out of the excerpt go read the whole thing on her page. Highly advised for before hitting the polls.
dangerblond.org » the blond truth: i still love you, ray
Ray, you made me look like a fool. In front of, well, everybody. Every lousy cab driver in America thinks I got exactly what I deserved for not having enough sense to keep my levees up. Now Douglas Brinkley has told the entire world what hotel you were in while Katrina was in town. I may never live this down, Ray, and you getting drunk and babbling about god and the chocolate city did not help matters. You know, you can leave here. You can get another job and leave all this behind you. But I have to stay here and face people, I don’t have a choice.
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.
