New Orleans, LA

I got an email from the zoo:

My name is Zelda, an African Blackfooted Penguin—one of the many animals you can adopt from Audubon Nature Institute! Over the past year, my animal friends at Audubon Zoo, Audubon Aquarium of the Americas and Audubon Center for Research of Endangered Species have been doing well because of the kindness of supporters like you.

Your gift of $35 to adopt me will help feed and care for me—and for the many animals within Audubon’s care.

When you adopt me or any other animal at Audubon Nature Institute, you will receive a “parent package,” which includes a personalized adoption certificate, a photo and fun facts about your new wild child and an invitation to a special event only for adoptive animal parents. Animal adoptions are terrific holiday and birthday presents, too!

Thank you for being a part of our Audubon family! Please come visit us; we love to see the people who make our excellent care possible.

Love,
Zelda
African Blackfooted Penguin at Audubon Aquarium of the Americas

zoo, audubon, aquarium, penguin, adopt, new orleans

I am a news junkie. One of the topics that I spend a lot of time on is New Orleans news from places outside New Orleans. I like to see how other people see New Orleans. I especially like news about New Orleans from outside the US. The point of views can be fascinating. You can see the type of stuff I like on my other blog where I comment on an interesting New Orleans news headlines. I try to post at least one headline per day.

Along those lines, I found an article in The Hindu. The Hindu bills itself as Online edition of India’s National Newspaper. This particular article, After the floods, is written by Anjali Kamat and was posted on September 23, 2007.

I don’t want top say that the author got it wrong as much as I want to say he is misinformed. For one thing, he starts off with a picture labeled, “Now a Wasteland.” Excuse me, New Orleans is not a wasteland. True, there are plenty of areas that need work. Some areas haven’t even started work. Calling it a wasteland damages your credibility though.

With all of the half-truths and misinformation in this article, there is one comment that really stands out as being just plain ignorant.

Visiting the post-Katrina landscape of New Orleans is a bit like time travel. It’s a crash course in the long and shameful history of American poverty, injustice, slavery, and racial segregation. But it’s also a window into the future of what other cities in the United States and perhaps across the world could soon look like. That privatised, gentrified, and militarised future is unmistakeably bleak and terrifying.

After a statement like that, you would think the author would provide some information to back up the statement but not in this case. It’s a drive-by insulting aimed at New Orleans and all of the US.

But, as I said above, there are some very true statements in the article:

Two years after the flood, little has changed at the Lower Ninth Ward. The scene is eerily reminiscent of images from days after the hurricane.

Or this:

After two years of wrangling with the bureaucracy, owners who had finally received federal money to rebuild their homes returned only to find their houses demolished and their property seized by the city. Meanwhile rent prices had skyrocketed by almost 200 per cent.

The insane cost of living that is currently biting New Orleans is particularly vexing. Until there is additional housing, rent will remain high. With insurance and taxes out of control, I don’t see it getting better any time soon.

This following paragraph is a prime example of, almost paranoid, misinformation.

The city’s elite called Katrina a godsend that “cleaned up” the crime-ridden projects. But all Stephanie could talk about was how much she misses the sense of community at the projects. She now lives in Survivors Village, a rat-infested “tent city,” erected in protest by former public housing residents like herself, right across the street from her old home.

Who, in New Orleans, called Katrina a “godsend”? I think they got that from the K-Ville pilot episode.

Even though this article is mostly wrong or warped, I still like reading what people in other places are thinking. The downside to reading this is that I have to ask myself, “Is this the image New Orleans is broadcasting to the world?”

new orleans, katrina, news, india, hindu, image

In 1800, Spain controlled a vast territory in the New World called Louisiana. The small, at that time, US had no particular interest in buying that land. That land which ran from the Gulf of Mexico to Canada. The US and Spain had a treaty, the Pickney Treaty of 1795, that allowed American navigation of the Mississippi River and access to the Port of New Orleans. More than a quarter of everything produced in America traveled to the Gulf via the Mississippi River.

In 1801, France resumed control of Louisiana and America’s views on that changed. President Jefferson was concerned that France would try to block American use of the river stangling American growth. France at that time was the traditional American enemy. To make matters worse, Napoleon made public his intentions to occupy Louisiana and make that land the bread basket of France in America.

Many in the US wanted to declare war on France. Not just for this but it added fire to the flame. The Federalists had wanted war for a long time and this gave them added impetus. Jefferson did not want war and struggled for a way out. He wrote to the US ambassador to France and said (I paraphrase), “The day that France takes possession of New Orleans is the day we must marry ourselves to the British fleet and nation.” Meaning that he was willing to go to war over New Orleans. He also instructed the ambassador to make sure that the French, in particular, Napoleon, understood that.

France was facing a slave revolt in the Caribbean. Between fighting and yellow fever, Napoleon lost over 40,000 soldiers. He could not afford a war with the US and Britain. The US wanted to purchase New Orleans for $10 Million. Napoleon sold all of Louisiana for $15 Million, only 3/4 of which they were required to pay (the rest went to reparations to the US government).

In one fell swoop, the US doubled its land by acquiring Louisiana. The purchase was ratified in 1803 and Louisiana was admitted to the Union in 1812.

new orleans, louisiana, louisiana purchase, france, america, jefferson, history

Seeing as how K-Ville will be on tonight (episode 2!), I wanted to link over to my K-Ville blog and share an open letter I wrote about K-Ville, An Open Letter on K-Ville and My Personal Observations. Unlike Chris Rose’s open letter to the producers, I am not looking for a job. Well, if they want to hire me to consult, I wouldn’t say no.

This open letter is to the people in New Orleans and the surrounding area who are offended by bad accents, car chases, gumbo, voodoo shops, etc.

Thanks,

LewisC

letter, kville, k-ville, tv

Lakeview Dino’s Pizza, New Orleans, LA - Christmas Day 2005
Photographer: Gina Cunningham

To submit a photo, send me an e-mail at lewis.cunningham@451press.net with the subject line of New Orleans Photo. In the e-mail attach your photo. Include your name, date of the photo (just month and year is necessary), website you want me to link to, and a description of the photo.

By emailing me the photo, you are explicitly declaring that you are the copyright holder of the photo and that you are giving me permission to post the photo.

I can hot link to your site, or upload the image and link from this site. Tell me your preference.

Thanks,

LewisC

new orleans, photo, katrina, lakeview

This is a completely irreverent, completely hilarious parody of MTV cribs. Join the world’s greatest MC, mav-rick jae robokopp, in his crib in St Bernard. You can only get humor like this from the parish!

With sound bits like, “I’ve been living here for 45 years and I’m only 35 years old. What does that tell you?” The scene with the tasty bits in the fridge is guaranteed to amuse and disgust.

This is the height of bad taste and sick humor. Excuse, I’m going to go now and watch some more goatworthy videos.

Click on the video images at the bottom right to see more New Orleans videos. I’ll be changing them on a semi-regular basis. If you know of some good ones that you would like me to link to, leave me a note and I will.

Take care,

LewisC

new orleans, humor, video

The New Orleans Mint is reopening in October. The New Orleans mint was the mint that imprinted an O on coins. The mint shut down in 1909 but has been turned into a museum. It took some major damage by Katrina but has been renovated and is reopening for business.

For those collectors passing through New Orleans, the restored Mint Museum is well worth a visit. The former exhibit on the history of the New Orleans Mint has been totally revamped and expanded. It also now includes a section on the archeology of the Mint. The building served as both a U.S. and Confederate mint, but lack of bullion shut it down quickly under Confederate administration. Minting operations ceased once and for all in 1909 and in 1966 the landmark was transferred to the state. It opened to the public in 1981 as a state museum.

According to web sources, the old mint was built in 1835 and is the only mint in the US to server as both a US and Confederate mint.

View Larger Map

new orleans, us mint, o mint, tourism, history, museum, history, historical, numismatic

Specifically, 10 Headlines From New Orleans’ Past. From the newly opened, NY Times archive, I present 10 headlines from 1851-1980. Anything before 1922 is freely available. Anything between 1922 and 1980 will cost you to read more than a brief abstract.

I love this stuff. If you like this kind of thing, drop me a note and I’ll do some more. If you include a topic list (like Mardi Gras, Shrimp, Flood, etc), I will do a list of old headlines with about that topic.

October 7, 1851, Wednesday

LATEST INTELLIGENCE; Arrival of the Georgia at New-Orleans from Havana–Release of Capt. Ellis, one of the American Prisoners.

The steamship Georgia has arrived at this port in forty-seven hours from Havana. Her news is of no importance, further than the fact that Captain Ellis, one of the recent invaders, has been released from prison. The U. S. steamer Saranan, and ships Albany and Decatur, were at Havana. She brings a large number of passengers and the California mails of September 6th.

October 10, 1851, Wednesday

FATAL AFFRAY IN NEW ORLEANS.–Quite an excitement has been produced in New Orleans, by the death of Alderman William Laughlin, on Sunday evening last, In a rencontre with Ex-Alderman William Silk. Both of the gentlemen were highly respectable. It appears that they met at. Kathman’s Coffee-House, at the corner of Bienville and Marais-streets, and got into an altercation, when harsh words were exchanged.

July 4, 1853, Wednesday

The Wreck of the Ship William and Mary–A Passenger’s Statement.; From the New-Orleans Picayune

May 15, 1927, Sunday

THE LONG BATTLE TO SAVE NEW ORLEANS; Herculean Labors and Costly Strategy Used to Check the Mississippi

LAST to receive the impact of the crest of the heaviest flood that ever swept down the Mississippi will be the levees that half encircle New Orleans. Will they hold? The eyes of a nation are focused on these man-made embankments that hold the fate of the gay and lovely metropolis of the South, our chief foreign trade port after New York.

September 20, 1947, Saturday

NEW ORLEANS HIT, HURRICANE HOWLS ON TO ARKANSAS; 90-Mile Winds Batter the City as Tidal Waves Flood Bayou Area — Fury Is Dropping SIX DEAD AND 400 HURT Gulf port Destruction Is Heavy — Thousands Are Homeless Along Stricken Coast HURRICANE HOWLS ON TO ARKANSAS DESTRUCTION LEFT IN WAKE OF HURRICANE AT NEW ORLEANS

A devastating hurricane was centered in mid-Louisiana early today moving in a northwesterly direction toward Arkansas. Six persons were reported dead along the Gulf Coast and some 400 injured in its wake

April 10, 1955, Sunday

NEW ORLEANS RELIVES ITS CREOLE DAYS; Author of “Bayous of Louisiana,” “Queen of New Orleans” and “Plantation Parade.”

Today, Easter Sunday, marks the traditional opening of New Orleans’ “rival to the Mardi Gras” in its appeal to thousands of travelers–the annual Spring Fiesta. For ten days, through April 20, Orleanians and visitors will join in commemorating the Creole-American civilization which saw its golden days in and about the river city a hundred years or so ago.

September 11, 1965, Saturday

New Orleans Loss In Storm Heavy; 23 Dead in 3 States; STORM LOSS HIGH IN NEW ORLEANS Floodwaters Swirl in Southern Cities After Pounding by Hurricane

Hurricane Betsy dashed itself against lower Louisiana and Mississippi early today and ended a destructive journey that began 15 days ago in the Atlantic Ocean.

November 14, 1960, Monday

U. S. COURT BARS LOUISIANA’S MOVE TO SEIZE SCHOOLS; Enjoins Legislature After It Votes to Call Troopers to Prevent Integration SHOWDOWN DUE TODAY New Orleans Board Plans to Defy State and Admit 5 Negroes to White Classes — U.S. COURT BARS LOUISIANA MOVE

A special legislative session approved steps tonight to forcibly prevent desegregation of the New Orleans public schools.

April 9, 1971, Friday

Plan for Domed Stadium Stirs New Orleans Resistance

Louisiana officials are going ahead with plans to build a $150 - million air - conditioned sports arena in downtown New Orleans amid allegations of “boondoggle,” “swindle” and “kickbacks.”

August 9, 1957, Friday

New Orleans Laymen Asks Pope Bar Integration in Archdiocese; POPE GETS APPEAL FOR SEGREGATION

The Association of Catholic Laymen of New Orleans, bypassing its Archbishop, today asked Pope Pius XII to stop racial integration in the church.

new orleans, history, new york times, archive, headline, headlines, news, newspaper, story

Queen New Orleans, City By The River, was written by Harnett T Kane. Mr Kane was a lover of Louisiana and New Orleans. He wrote several books about the region, include Queen New Orleans, The Bayous of Louisiana and The Romantic South. Mr Kane died on September 4, 2007.

In honor of his memory, and to celebrate his writing, I thought I would share a short excerpt from Queen New Orleans. I have to say that I am quite proud to own a first edition; printed by Morrow in 1949. If you can get a copy, I recommend it. You can find them on ebay at times.

I enjoy this book from two perspectives. As a native New Orleanian, I can see Kane’s love for New Orleans. It’s in every word. As a writer I can see his love for words. When you read this excerpt, I don’t think you’ll be able to do anything but agree.

From Queen New Orleans, Introduction - New Orleans is a Lady.

New Orleans is a lady - part American, part Spanish, more French than either in her essential viewpoint. She is intriguing in her swift changes of mood, grande dame one moment, gamine the next. She enjoys laughter, appreciates a show, relishes a quiet hour of happiness. By the unco guid she is considered a little shady, if not worse she would be the first to admit she is no anemic Puritan. For she has seen a good deal in her day, and she doesn’t shock easily.

It is generally admitted, however, that she has taste and judgment and poise is unmistakable. To her have come glory and heartbreak, triumph and defeat, and she has profited from them all. She can look fate in the face and make the best of whatever befalls her. And above everything else she has her Gallic joie de vivre, her Latin appreciation of the generous intention, the gallant gesture.

Throughout her story New Orleans has remained faithful to herself, and to the river with which destiny has joined her. In fat years and thin, she has stayed his Queen, now a consort in ornate halls, now a tiresome helpmate eating red beans and rice in her kitchen. With the Mississippi she will live to the end; and meanwhile she will go on as always, savoring, appreciating what the days bring.

Read the rest of this entry »

I couldn’t resist commenting on this news. From Workers World (tag line: Workers and Oppressed Peoples of the world unite!), comes the headline: Immigrants testify on exploitation in New Orleans. Excuse me, I have to snicker.

Ok. I’m back.

I agree that the government should have done more than it did. I agree that it is a tragedy that after two years New Orleans is in the state that it is in.

But, oppressed? Come on. Exploited? Please. Let’s get the ACLU and the NAACP and the Rev Sharpton to cry me a river.

Later, after he got out of the situation, Dennis stood on the corner at a Home Depot looking for work. Managers from the store called the police on the workers and armed police arrived in five patrol cars. The workers were not only arrested, Dennis described, but police stole $200 from him. In jail, he said, the Latin@ workers were terrified.

This article boggles the mind. Some dipstick head’s to New Orleans from a foreign country expecting to gouge the locals as day laborers. And we should feel sorry for him because he did not get what he was promised?

The recruiter promised the workers a good home, with a swimming pool, a television and telephone service. “But when I arrived,” Daniel said, “the reality was totally different.”

Duh! Ya think? A large portion of the local population was living in freaking fema trailers and you expect to have a good home and a swimming pool? Who’s exploiting whom?

The ruling class has successfully managed to drive down living conditions for the most oppressed workers in a way that can make heads spin. In addition, in every single facet of life, the community of New Orleans and all the Gulf Coast is being brutally and inhumanely hit. The horror the world saw in August of 2005 continues today in the wake of “Hurricane U.S. government.”

OH MY GOD. My mom and the rest of my family must be part of the oppressed. The man is keeping them down.

Ack. I need to stay away from rags like this.

commies, socialists, stupid

I read an article in CityBusiness this weekend, Jeff Parish plans Fat City makeover. They’re talking about a potential $300 million improvement. This is great news.

Sneed and the rest of the Council have made inroads to maximize the area’s potential. Fat City is softly bounded by Division Street to the west, Severn Avenue to the east, Veterans Memorial Boulevard to the south and West Esplanade Avenue to the north.

I used to live in Fat City. For a couple of years in my late teens, early twenties, I lived in an apartment on Edenborn. Talk about “living liquida loca”.  Anybody else remember “drinkin with lincoln?”  $5 all you can drink friday night.  I was even stabbed in Fat City once. Just a flesh wound.

Anyway, it’s been a two or three years since I was last there but it was decrepit and run down then so I can imagine what it looks like now. I’m glad they are putting some thought into renovation.

“It goes against common sense that this area, with its proximity to viable real estate like Lakeside Mall, Causeway Boulevard and Interstate 10, has been able to languish,” Sneed said. “This is clearly the best real estate in the metro area.”

They are talking about high-rises and I’m not too sure about that. Keep the high-rises in the NO CBD. Fat City should be about architecture and open air. Make it an open air, walking mall like is common in San Diego. Or make it an shop/entertainment area like Universal City Walk in Orlando.

“It’s easiest in that area to build high rises,” Sneed said. “It makes it of value to developers because it makes it financially feasible for a (building like) Lakeway Center or a Heritage Plaza.”

But anything would be good for Jefferson and for Metairie. Boot out Broussard and rebuild Fat City. The future looks bright.

jefferson parish, fat city, new orleans, metairie, party, liquor, drinkin with lincoln

451Press was starting a new K-Ville blog and since I plan to watch and blog about, I jumped on the opportunity. If you are a K-Ville lover (heck, even if you are a hater), head over to Watching K-Ville.

I plan to post about the show, the stars, insider secrets (so, hey you insiders, send me some secrets!) and more.

I hope to see you there!

LewisC

kville, k-ville, watching k-ville, television, crime drama, tv

Set your DVR on Thursday, September 20 at 7PM to WYES for Reshaping New Orleans. It will repeat at 9pm on Friday.

Reshaping New Orleans is a discussion amongst several knowledgeable and involved people. They will be discussing the Unified New Orleans Plan (UNOP). The Unified New Orleans Plan (UNOP) addresses specific actions necessary to facilitate the recovery and rebuilding of New Orleans. The objective of this multi-level planning process is to successfully integrate community input and a set of deliverables from the district-level and neighborhood planning processes into a Unified Recovery and Rebuilding Plan that will be submitted to the City Planning Commission, City Council, Mayors Office and State of Louisiana. The plan culminates with a city-wide plan that encompasses all districts and neighborhoods.

Is the Citywide Strategic Recovery and Redevelopment Plan more than just thoughts and words on paper? Can it really serve as a practical, workable blueprint to rebuild the city into the community that all residents and neighborhoods want?

The discussion is being led by John Snell (WVUE) and includes:

Stephen D. Villavaso, local planner who worked on Unified New Orleans Plan (UNOP); David Dixon FAIA, a Boston, MA planner who worked on the UNOP; LaToya Cantrell, President of the Broadmoor Improvement Association; David Voelker, board member on the Louisiana Recovery Authority (LRA) and a Federal Representative; Dr. Edward J. Blakely, Executive Director of the Office of Recovery Management for New Orleans and Donald E. Powell, Federal Coordinator of Gulf Coast Rebuilding. Prior to his new appointment, Mr. Powell served as the 18th Chairman of the Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation (FDIC).

Tune your radio to AM 690 WIST Thursday, September 20 at 8pm after RESHAPING NEW ORLEANS with local hosts Eric Asher and Shane Warner as they discuss the program and take calls from locals. Watch on AM 690 WIST Inside New Orleans with Eric Asher weekdays from 12-3pm and don’t miss The Shane Warner Show weekdays from 3-5pm.

new orleans, planning, katrina, rebuilding, wyes, wvue, wist, reshaping new orleans

Sunday is Photo Of The Week Day.

French Quarter Band, April 2005
Photographer: Mikrash

To submit a photo, send me an e-mail at lewis.cunningham@451press.net with the subject line of New Orleans Photo. In the e-mail attach your photo. Include your name, date of the photo (just month and year is necessary), website you want me to link to, and a description of the photo.

By emailing me the photo, you are explicitly declaring that you are the copyright holder of the photo and that you are giving me permission to post the photo.

I can hot link to your site, or upload the image and link from this site. Tell me your preference.

Thanks,

LewisC

new orleans, photo, image

Monday night. Will I be watching Heroes or K-Ville? I can’t decide. I plan to watch both but one will be DVR’ed. I think I may watch K-Ville live and then blog about it during Heroes’ commercials.

What genius decided to put K-Ville up against Heroes? K-Ville is already fighting an uphill battle just by being a fairly depressing topic. I’m not sure the rest of America really wants to spend an hour a week watching ficticious stories about crime in New Orleans when they already spend part of their nightly news time watching true-life stories about crime in New Orleans.

Bah! I guess I’ll just make sure my DVR is ready. I plan to watch for as long as it lasts or until they just get too stupid to be born.

Will you be watching?

kville, k-ville, new orleans, crime, drama, heroes, abc, nbc, tv