Payback is now

Our Coast, to Fix or Lose

This is John Barry's article in May 12th WaPo where he argues that fixing the Louisiana coast benefits the WHOLE NATION.

Hey, all you nay sayers, all you NIMBYs, all your people out there who think Louisianians are idiots for living here: WAKE UP!!! All these years you have benefitted from the raping of the Louisiana coast. Payback is now. Do yourself a favor and educate yourself by reading Mr. Barry's article.

Here's an excerpt:


.... Eastern New Orleans (including the lower Ninth Ward) and St. Bernard Parish -- nearly all of which, incidentally, is at or above sea level -- exemplify this allocation of costs and benefits. Three man-made shipping canals pass through them, creating almost no jobs there but benefiting commerce throughout the country. Yet nearly all the 175,000 people living there saw their homes flooded not because of any natural vulnerability but because of levee breaks.....Despite all this and President Bush's pledge from New Orleans in September 2005 that "we will do what it takes" to help people rebuild, a draft White House cuts its own recommendation of $2 billion for coastal restoration to $1 billion while calling for an increase in the state's contribution from the usual 35 percent to 50 percent. Generating benefits to the nation is what created the problem, and the nation needs to solve it. Put simply: Why should a cab driver in Pittsburgh or Tulsa pay to fix Louisiana's coast? Because he gets a stronger economy and lower energy costs from it, and because his benefits created the problem. The failure of Congress and the president to act aggressively to repair the coastline at the mouth of the Mississippi River could threaten the economic vitality of the nation. Louisiana, one of the poorest states, can no longer afford to underwrite benefits for the rest of the nation.

Forgotton Buras, Louisiana

from reelrelief dot com comes the story of Buras, Louisiana"

In more than 20 months, little has been repaired. The parish (county) library is empty. The U.S. Post Office still lies in ruins. Only a few businesses have rebuilt; many people are still waiting for insurance money, grant money or to save up enough resources to rebuild.

But the desire to repopulate this town, that means so much to its residents, is still strong. EC runs a cafe, laundromat, supply distribution center, library and internet station and provides long distance service for the people in Lower Plaquemines Parish. The accommodations for volunteers are basic in Tent City: tents and army cots are available, or there is slab space to pitch your own tent. There are no walls in Tent city, just steel beams, most of a roof and inspirational quotes on the support posts. Live music is provided by musical volunteers. People work together to try to brighten up the lives of people whose options are severely limited. Individuals and groups are welcomed. It is an experience that will transform your life, as it transforms the lives of others.


thanks to Ellathebella

New Orleans' State of MInd

a snapshot of the state of mind in new orleans.

Here's another....

They are not okay.

Slideshow

Here's a slideshow put together by an eleven year old who, for his 11th birthday, asked for $11 donations to the New Orleans Musicians Relief Fund instead of replacing the train he lost to Katrina .
In his free time, Jake collects toys for New Orleans children in the hospital because he's thankful for the hospital's care when he was younger. In the slideshow he made to commemorate New Orleans, Jake uses a song by Liverpool musician Joe Topping who walked from Chicago to New Orleans in support of NOMRF's efforts for displaced musicians.

It's worth the watch.

Bay Bridge ReOpens

The Bay Bridge

which connects Bay St. Louis, Mississippi and Waveland to beautiful Pass Christian will be open on May 17th, 2007, almost 21 months after it was destroyed by Hurricane Katrina.

To celebrate this occasion, there will be a "Bridge Fest" . This will be a mostly local event by the looks of things, but the opening of the bridge represents a big step toward recovery.

Congratulations to you all!

One less Scuzzbucket

The world lost a prime-time
scuzzbucket yesterday

In my opinion, Mr. Falwell gave religion a bad name.
and I'm not alone in that feeling

Good riddance, sir

My 15 minutes...

One of my Jazzfest pix was chosen in the TP Editors top ten user submitted photos!

Emergency Planning

It's that time of year again and Seawitch has put together a great post on what we should be planning for the upcoming hurricane season.

Requesting Help

Thanks, Mr. Colbert! If only our esteemed governess knew!

hat tip Mr. Clio

Levees: Not just in NOLA

Recent news stories
about flooding in Missouri brings to light that levees are all over the country. And there are a LOT of substandard ones out there.
This shatters the belief by some tiny minded people that places like New Orleans shouldn't be rebuilt due to the geography.

From Levees dot org comes a new PSA with John Goodman.

New Orleans resident and award-winning actor John Goodman added his voice to a series of celebrity Public Service Announcements by non-profit flood-control advocacy group Levees.Org, asking "Don't we all deserve levees that work?"
The campaign aims to explain to communities nationwide that they are protected by levees built by the US Army Corps of Engineers and could experience a catastrophic flood like New Orleans experienced during Hurricane Katrina.
The 30-second version of the advertisement can be viewed at the organization's Web site, www.levees.org. For broadcasters, both a 15 and 30 second version can be downloaded.
Too many people don't understand that what happened here was a case of federal engineering failures and poor decision-making. Too many people don't understand that what happened here could happen anywhere. said Sandy Rosenthal, the organization's executive director.
The group is behind legislation to create an 8/29 Commission, an unbiased investigation of the failure of the federally built levees. Senator Mary Landrieu, D-LA will file the 8/29 Commission as an amendment to the Water Resources Development Act (WRDA). The WRDA bill likely will go to the Senate floor this week, said Ms. Rosenthal.
Rosenthal started Levees.Org while in Lafayette, LA after evacuating from New Orleans during the flooding in 2005.

Round Houses

Story about a Gulfport home that made it thru Katrina.

" The Kisers' home suffered no structural damage from 145-miles-per-hour
winds and a 24-foot storm surge. All of the walls and windows remained
intact, having survived the force of Katrina and the tornados spawned by
the hurricane."


Here's one of two that are being built on Lakeshore Drive in Slidell.