K-Ville Ad Rates

I found some interesting statistics on ad rates for various shows over at TVByTheNumbers.com. The article covers the costs of advertising a 30 second spot.

K-Ville is right about in the middle at $190k. American Idol is way up there at 700k. That isn't unexpected but I was surprised that Grey's Anatomy, Desperate Housewives, and Sunday Night Football all came in as more expensive than Heroes' 300k.

K-Ville is quite a bit more than some that surprised me like Smallville, Reapers and America's Top Model (my wife is addicted to this show). I don't watch Smallville but I did watch the premiere of Reapers and thought it was hilarious.

Spike Lee Goes Commercial for the Saints

They might be the reincarnation of the Aints but Spike seems to have gone gaga over them. Spike Lee stars in this commercial(?) for Monday Night Football.



This video is somewhat controversial due to the claims that less than 50% of the people have returned and that most people don't have water or other utilities. Of course, the pictures of homes were all flattened. But at least New Orleans is still on the radar.

Time Magazine: The Threatening Storm

If you have not been to the Time special about the Katrina Anniversary, you should do so. It is a difficult read but an important one.

One of the biggest issues I have had with living in Florida since Katrina are the people who say things like, "Why would people live below sea level?" Or, "When you live in a bowl, you deserve what you get." Yes, I have had people who know where I am from actually say that. I can forgive those comments but the ones that are worse are the ones where the people of New Orleans are to blame for the problems. "Well, the government gave billions of dollars for the levees but the locals mis-spent it!" I have had to tell several people that is not true. The Army Corps of Engineers control the funds and choose what to work on.

This article from Time sheds light on the issue to people from around the world. To those who say New Orleanians are just having a "pity party" (yes, I was told that at a party when I said New Orleans still needed help), there is nothing that anyone can say that will open their eyes. They are, and will remain, ignorant. I move on without argument when I encounter someone like that.

However, for those who just don't know the facts, I think this article from Time will open some eyes. I wish I knew where they got their raw research. I would love to read some of these documents. Of course, the fact that Time has those documents are the reason they're Time Magazine. If everyone could write something like this it wouldn't be special.

The article starts off with:

The most important thing to remember about the drowning of New Orleans is that it wasn't a natural disaster. It was a man-made disaster, created by lousy engineering, misplaced priorities and pork-barrel politics. Katrina was not the Category 5 killer the Big Easy had always feared; it was a Category 3 storm that missed New Orleans, where it was at worst a weak 2. The city's defenses should have withstood its surges, and if they had we never would have seen the squalor in the Superdome, the desperation on the rooftops, the shocking tableau of the Mardi Gras city underwater for weeks. We never would have heard the comment "Heckuva job, Brownie." The Federal Emergency Management Agency (fema) was the scapegoat, but the real culprit was the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers, which bungled the levees that formed the city's man-made defenses and ravaged the wetlands that once formed its natural defenses. Americans were outraged by the government's response, but they still haven't come to grips with the government's responsibility for the catastrophe.

It gets better from there. Eight pages of intense, factual statistics and stories.

Aug, 3 2007 - Taco Peddlers in Jefferson Parish

Not really news to anyone familiar with New Orleans and Jefferson Parish but the LA Times ran an article recently, Hold the tacos, New Orleans says. It was sub-titled, "Mexican-food trucks are outlawed in a parish. Is it racism wrapped in a health issue?"

Watch a video about the taco trucks on CNN.

I'm not really into involving myself in racial debates but, as this has already been turned into a racial issue, I think I should note that the article was written by Miguel Bustillo. I don't know that Miguel is latino but I would be willing to bet on it. If you do a google search on "Miguel Bustillo racism", you will see that racism plays a part in many of his articles.

According to the article, the politicians want to ban the taco peddlers who sell out of their truck because said politicians are racists. I don't want to say the article is biased but it seems to me that the author is putting his own spin on things:

But not everyone is enamored of the newest cheap eats to captivate the Crescent City. Jefferson Parish politicians, who have long turned a blind eye to whites and blacks peddling shrimp out of pickup trucks and snow cones on the street, recently outlawed rolling Mexican-food kitchens, calling them an unwelcome reminder of what Hurricane Katrina brought.

The bolding is mine. In my opinion, that is, itself, a racist comment. Have there never been Mexican or Vietnamese fisherman peddling shrimp out of trucks? Did the officials not turn a blind eye to them?

It is also a slam to the local politicians. Not that I have anything against slamming politicians, I don't like or trust most or them myself. A wise man said, "Politicians should be replaced as frequently as a baby's diaper. And for the same reason."

He is a reporter though and I thought a reporter was supposed to report, not make news.

And who is this guy? Has he ever even been to New Orleans for anything more than to stir up the racist hate pot? I love tacos and Mexican food. Nevertheless, I'll take a check-in/check-out poboy over that any day. Am I a racist?

I used to work in a warehouse on Division St in Metairie quite a few years ago. We had a food truck we called the "roach coach" come by at breakfast and lunch. After getting sick a few times, I quit eating from it. Eventually, this particular truck was shut down. It was a white guy driving and cooking.

I am sure many, if not most, of the cooks in these trucks keep the kitchen very clean and use good ingredients. Just like most fast food establishments keep it clean. As long as inspectors are inspecting, I wouldn't have much of a problem eating from one. Where does the cook wash his hands though?

However, does the fact that the trucks are ugly and, in some cases, block views mean nothing? I think the city has a right to regulate them. There are many empty buildings that can be converted to taqueria and these stores would have restrooms and washing stations.

I think we should just keep the racism card out of it and have a reasonable discussion. So what do you think? Should the taco peddlers be allowed to stay?

K-Ville: First Take of the Premiere Preview

Fox and NOLA.com have gotten together and you can watch the k-ville premier right now. Go to the NOLA Entertainment section to see it. If that video is no longer available, you can view it at Fox but you need to download a viewer.

Unless you've been under a rock (or have absolutely no interest in New Orleans topics), you have heard of K-Ville. If you haven't heard, it's a cop drama in New Orleans about two years after Katrina hit. New Orleans now. Crime drama. Just like real life. Only here the bad guys are rich white women and mercenaries that work at casinos. And I thought there was enough crime with the scum bag murderers, gang bangers, dopers, pimps, etc.

From the blurb on fox.com:

From writer and executive producer Jonathan Lisco (“NYPD Blue,” “The District”) comes K-VILLE, a heroic police drama set – and filmed – in New Orleans. Two years after Katrina, parts of the city are still in chaos, but hope has emerged. Battling an upsurge of violence, understaffing of police forces and a lack of crime labs and other facilities, the cops who remain in the New Orleans Police Department have courage to burn and a passion to reclaim and rebuild their city.

MARLIN BOULET (Anthony Anderson) is a brash, wry, in-your-face veteran of the NOPD’s Felony Action Squad, the specialized unit that targets the most-wanted criminals. Even when his partner deserted him during the storm, Boulet held his post, spending days in the water saving lives and keeping order. Now, two years later, he’s unapologetic about bending the rules when it comes to collaring bad guys. The stakes are too high, and the city too fragile, for him to do things by the book.

Boulet’s new partner, TREVOR COBB (Cole Hauser), was a soldier in Afghanistan before joining the NOPD. He’s tough and committed, but if he’s less than comfortable with Boulet’s methods, it’s because he’s harboring a dark secret. Cobb has come to New Orleans seeking redemption, but redemption can be dangerous. Will Boulet be able to trust him? Will Cobb’s past endanger them both?

Rounding out the crew are wisecracking JEFF “GLUE BOY” GOODEN (Blake Shields), the team’s comic relief; tough-as-nails GINGER “LOVE TAP” LeBEAU (Tawny Cypress), the only female on the squad; and CAPTAIN JAMES EMBRY (John Carroll Lynch), who wrangles the eclectic personalities of his squad with equal parts humor and tenacity.

Through its no-holds-barred crime stories and dramatic personal stories, this intriguing series will take viewers from the Victorian mansions of the Garden District to the rubble of the Lower 9th Ward.

K-VILLE, executive-produced by Lisco and Craig Silverstein (BONES, “Standoff”), is produced by 20th Century Fox Television. Deran Sarafian (HOUSE, “CSI”) directed the pilot.

I watched it this morning and I have some opinions of it. I've asked some non-new orleanian friends to check it out and tell me how it plays to a non-native. I also read the forum comments and I agree with some of them.

Even though I have some opinions, I am going to reserve judgment until I have seen several shows. My first thoughts are, as you read in my first paragraph above, somewhat incredulous that with everything that is wrong, they needed to make up such a contrived plot for the premier.

Why not a story about two guys, brothers maybe?, who are the cities two most wanted criminals who are both gunned down by other scum bags before the police can catch them? Oh wait. That one has already been done. In real-life.

How about a painfully inept DA that dismisses a high profile case, maybe like 5 teens gunned down in broad daylight, because he can't find a witness? Our cop, Boulet, can track down the witness in, say three hours, and show everyone what a complete numb nut the DA is. Oh wait. That really happened.

Ok. Maybe I like the rich white woman/merc story-line. At least I'll watch it for a while and see how it goes. Can it be any worse than real-life?

LewisC

Oh, the Food! Dookie Chase is Back!

Dooky Chase's to reopen after $500,000 in repair. According to the New Orleans City Business news, Leah Chase has been able to get the requires repairs funded and implemented. We're coming up on the two year anniversary and while the article says no date is yet set, I hope it's on the anniversary. That's the kind of message the world needs about New Orleanians. The job will get done.

I watch Leah on PBS when I see that she's on. Her show is "Creole Cooking with Leah Chase" and it's a hoot to watch. She is one spunky lady. The article above says she is 84 and wikipedia says she was born on January 6, 1923.

She's a local. She was born in my mom's home town of Madisonville on the north shore. Even now, Madisonville is fairly rural (growing lot's of very large homes right now, though) so I can imagine what it was ike in the 1920s. When I was kid, many of the roads were made up of little river rocks (and I'm not that old).

She moved to New Orleans when she was 18 and got a job at Colonial Restaurant . In 1945 she married Dooky and, after starting a family, she began working at his family's restaurant, part-time. She soon took a more direct involvement and eventually changed the menu and became chef. The rest is history.

The City Buisness article credits Leah with geting the resturaunt fixed.

Chase’s tenacity was key to the restaurant’s recovery as was the outpouring of support from friends, family and the legions of fans who vowed not to let Dooky Chase’s become another casualty of Katrina.

Money cobbled together from various sources covered what a $200,000 insurance policy did not. Chase estimates close to half a million dollars went into rebuilding her restaurant.

Leah Chase is a New Orleans icon. Unlike the entertainer/chefs who spend all of their time on TV, Leah built her reputation on making food. She won the Southern Foodways Alliance’s Lifetime Achievement Award and the Ella Brennan Savoir Faire Award for Excellence in 2000. She also has several cook books available.

You should check out her Dooky Chase Creole Gumbo recipe from WDSU.

LewisC

Anders Osborne on New Orleans Music

I ran across this video on worship the glitch, Anders Osborne on New Orleans Music. It's a short video with music about music in New Orleans.

A Surge For New Orleans?

From MTV, John Edwards on the New Orleans Recovery. His heart is in the right place but he called it St BernardS parish.

K-Ville AD

Check out this ad. Notice the scene with Boulet putting hot sauce on his oatmeal. Eww.

Cemeteries and Food

Two of my favorite features of New Orleans are the the food and the incredible cemeteries. Where else but New Orleans can you combine both? Where else would you want to combine both? As a matter of a fact, do you really want to combine them?

I'm not talking about a picnic at cemetery #1. I'm talking about the first Culinary Tour of Metairie Cemetery. This Sunday, August 5, members of the hospitality industry (hotels, restaurants, etc) are invited to take a 1 hour bus tour of Metairie Cemetery.

Tales of the Cocktail has partnered with Save Our Cemeteries to create a Culinary History Tour of Metairie Cemetery. The New Orleans Culinary and Cultural Preservation Society, a non-profit organization dedicated to raising funds to benefit hospitality industry members, produces Tales of the Cocktail annually.

“What an exciting and unique way to learn the success stories and inspirations behind New Orleans’ culinary stars like Ruth Fertel, Al Copeland, Angelo Brocato and Arnaud Casenave”, said Ann Rogers, founder of Tales of the Cocktail.

While the tour is closed to the public this Sunday, it will be open to anyone in October. On two Sundays, October 7 and 28, the tour will be available to all comers. The cost per person is $18. Your spot has to be reserved in advance and you can call 504-525-3377 to make a reservation.

A self-guided tour is also being developed by Joyce Cole, a fifth generation New Orleanian who is a licensed commercial tour guide and donates her time to Save Our Cemeteries to preserve the very institutions where she takes her tour guests.

Sounds like an awesome way to spend a Sunday morning. Click on these links to find out more about Tales of the Cocktail or Save our Cemeteries.


Since I am on a food track, have you ever wanted to learn how to cook cajun/creole food? How would you like to do so while enjoying some fine wine and some good company? How about at the House on Esplanade?

You can do so courtesy of Classic New Orleans Cuisine. At $150 per person, it's not cheap but it does seem like a good time to me. More for the food than anything else.

A few treats that you might experience: Andouille Calas, Crabmeat Thermidor, Crabmeat Ravigote, Baked Oysters Bienville, Oysters en Brochette, Crab Bisque, Chicken a la Bonne Femme, and many more items (not all at the same time though).

According to the information on the site, you can:

Learn to cook authentic New Orleans cuisine in focused, intimate classes. Whether you are a skilled cook or just an enthusiast, you will enjoy the camaraderie of our spirited groups and talented chefs. Following each class, you will savor your delicious creations, along with fine wines, in our residential dining room or our delightful garden.

The weekend is nearly here. What are your plans? Drop me a line and let me know if anything interesting is coming up and I'll make sure to pass the word along.

Thanks,

LewisC

2007-08-01 FEMA Vs La - Money in, money out?

I found a very interesting document at the FEMA site, FEMA Louisiana Public Assistance Global report for July 27, 2007. It is a bunch of summary statistics from FEMA about Rita and Katrina. Some very interesting figures in this document.

Total cubic yards of debris removed:

• Orleans: 14.5 million


• Jefferson: 5.5 million


• St. Tammany: 9.8 million

The article lists more than those parishes. You should check it out if you live in another parish.

According to the paper, the money from FEMA is split in three buckets: Emergency Work, Permanent Work and Admin. The total that FEMA has given to the state is just under $5 billion dollars. The state has paid out about half that amount. The state has paid out 73% of the emergency funds but only 27% of the permanent work.

If I stick with the same parishes I mentioned above:

• Orleans has been designated $1.3 billion but the state has only paid out $516 million (40%)


• Jefferson has been designated $254 million and the state has paid out $150 million (59%)


• St. Tammany has been designated $328 and the state has paid out $222 million (68%)

The worst two payouts are in Cameron and Plaquemines at 29% and 31% respectively. I was surprised to see that Washington parish was designated to receive almost $110 million. Of course, St Bernard was hit bad and they have been designated $736 million. The state has only awarded 49% of those funds.

The paper also has some charts on payouts and funding as well as a table of projects. All in all a very interesting read.

LewisC

2007-7-31 Today’s the Last Day to Apply for Road Home Funds

The Road Home provides funds for those people who were made homeless, or at least had damage, by Katrina and Rita. The Road Home program gives homeowners up to $150,000 to get back into their house and provides some assistance to relocate if you've moved away.

This program is funded with money from the US Housing and Urban Development (HUD). I know this post is a little bit late but I hope that if you were eligible, you took advantage of the program. I know many people did get money, although I don't know anyone who got $150,000.

On an up note, HUD has extended the Disaster Voucher Program (DVP) until September 1, 2007. DVP specifically helps those who were living in public housing when Katrina hit. HUD estimates the 11,400 people are eligible for the assistance.

"As we approach the second anniversary of one of this nation's worst natural disasters, I'm pleased HUD can extend the program for families who still need help," said Jackson, who greeted low-income New Orleans' evacuees living at the facility. "We want all families who benefited from HUD's housing programs before Katrina and Rita struck to continue to get assistance."

For additional good news, the Times Picayune ran a story today that, after 23 months, Lakefront Airport is finally staffing the control tower. The tower required $6 million for renovations due to Katrina.

According to the article, which was written by TP Staff Reporter John Pope,

The tourism industry is pleased about this development, too, because more big spenders will have a place to land and park their corporate jets when they fly in for events such as the Sugar Bowl and next February's National Basketball Association All-Star Game, said Mary Beth Romig, a spokeswoman for the New Orleans Metropolitan Convention and Visitors Bureau.

[tags]tourism, new orleans, katrina, hud, housing[/tags]

Brad Pitt project to build 150 homes in Ninth Ward

Today's headline is from CityBusiness. The headline is Brad Pitt project to build 150 homes in Ninth Ward posted on September 26, 2007 at 14:54.

Brad Pitt has been doing good things for New Orleans for a while now. Today's news is equally good. I am starting to be quite impressed with Mr Pitt. He is showing some very real humanity to the people of his new home.

Best Quote: At the meeting, Pitt challenged attendees to join him and Bing in rebuilding the Lower Ninth Ward. Pitt pledged to match $5 million in contributions to the project. Bing has pledged to match $5 million.

Thanks Brad!

New Orleans tourism ready for busy fall season

Today's headline is from KATC 3, Acadiana's New Channel. The headline is New Orleans tourism ready for busy fall season based on information from the Times-Picayune.

This is a good news post. The hotel and convention industries are not back to where they were pre-Katrina, but they are on the way. It looks like this fall and winter will be the highest numbers since Katrina.

Best Quote:

From October to December, groups meeting at the city's convention center will require more than 211,500 room nights, nearly double the amount needed from May through September.

"It feels like somewhat of a return to normalcy," said Fred Sawyers, president of the Greater New Orleans Hotel and Lodging Association and general manager of the Hilton New Orleans Riverside Hotel. "The summer was hard on a lot of us, and what we've looked forward to is returning to our normal business."

Nagin: New Orleans or Bust(ed)?

Does Nagin deserve to be Mayor of New Orleans? Heck, does he even want to be? Shouldn't he be concentrating his energies on New Orleans now? Does the national spotlight really NEED Nagin?

Today's headline is from the Bayou Buzz. The headline is New Orleans Nagin: A Jena Trip by Jeff Crouere.

He makes some really good sense. Best Quote:

New Orleans is a city that is suffering, as thousands of homes remain unoccupied and thousands of people remain in trailers. The infrastructure has not been fixed, and major tourist attractions such as the St. Charles Streetcar have not returned. The economy is in the doldrums, as the main industry, tourism, has not returned. Crime is rampant and the city is on its way to retain the tragic title of Murder Capital of the nation.

So, in the midst of this turmoil and trouble, it would only reason that the Mayor of New Orleans would be working hard to solve these problems. Sadly, working hard is that last thing that Mayor Ray Nagin wants to do. In recent months he has been all over the nation raising money and garnering publicity. His publicity tour continued yesterday when he traveled 250 miles to join protestors in Jena, Louisiana rallying for the “Jena Six.”

What do you think?

Feds approve demolition of four New Orleans public housing complexes

Today's headline is from NOLA.com and the Associated Press. The headline is Feds approve demolition of four New Orleans public housing complexes posted September 21, 2007 at 9:55PM.

Best quote: Awaiting wrecking crews are 4,500 units of public housing at the four complexes. After all redevelopment is complete, developers will have created 7,000 homes across New Orleans, including 3,300 homes reserved for public housing families and 1,800 available for families using federal housing vouchers or tax credits. The rest will be market-rate rentals and homes for sale.

National Society of Newspaper Columnists Coming to New Orleans

Today's headline is from Editor and Publisher. The headline is NSNC Offers More Info On Its 2008 Working Conference in New Orleans posted on September 19, 2007 at 2:25PM. NSNC is the National Society of Newspaper Columnists.

The NSNC is having a working conference in New Orleans in June 2008. The working conference allows attendees to "have the opportunity to participate in and/or write about the post-Hurricane Katrina recovery effort."

Best Quote: It was only three years ago (in 2004) that the NSNC last met in New Orleans. "We've never come back to the same place so soon," said Anders. "We’re returning to show our support and to be part of the recovery effort."

Ship lines cruise into terminal operations

Good news for New Orleans. Today's headline is from CityBusiness. The headline is Ship lines cruise into terminal operations posted September 18, 2007 at 10:30am.

Best Quote: According to the World Shipping Council, a Washington, D.C.-based industry trade group, container trade by liners has grown 53 percent from 31,100 container shipments per day in 2000 to 47,650 a day in 2006. There is tremendous growth of container shipping by liners. Offsetting the growth is the limited availability of new terminal facilities in the United States. But the demand could forge new partnerships for U.S. terminal operations, said WSC Vice President Anne Kappel.

Some Road Home recipients will be taxed for grants

Kick them while they're down. Today's headline is from CityBusiness. The headline is Some Road Home recipients will be taxed for grants posted on September 17, 2007 at 10:30am.

If you claimed a casualty loss in 2005 on your home due to Katrina AND you have received money from the Road Home Program (has anyone?), you not only will have to pay taxed on the road home grant, you may be pushed into a higher tax bracket meaning higher taxes all around. If you are on social security, you could go from no taxes due to having to pay. Like a kick to the head.

Quote: "Of course, you'll have to be careful to explain to the client the tax consequence, but people will still want to roll the dice," he said. "Cheating on taxes is a game, but I hope they know if they get caught, the penalties and interest will eat them alive."

Mark Kurt, New Orleans CTO Resigns

After only 7 months on the job, Mark Kurt is resigning as CTO of New Orleans. This headline is from the Time Picayune on September 15, 2007. The headline is Chief Technology Office Resigns.

Best Quote: Before taking the City Hall post, Kurt had spent four years working in the mayor's Office of Technology as a partner in Imagine Software LLC. The firm, whose four original partners all worked for Meffert in the private sector, has enjoyed lucrative subcontracts since Meffert's arrival, overseeing much of the technology-related work in City Hall.

Katie Couric and the State Of Medicine in New Orleans

In this interview, this doctor beings up some good points. Right now, New Orleans is missing 54% of its metro doctors and is hurting for nurses.

Can't move back until crime, schools and medical needs are fixed. Why would a doctor move back when they can't bring thir family?

LSU Dental School clinic reopens

Today's headling is from the Times-Picayune. The headline is LSU Dental School clinic reopens posted on September 13, 2007 at 1:06 PM. More good news for New Orleans.

Best Quote:

"This is a milestone for us beause is the return of the last of our school," LSU System President John Lombardi said at a news conference in the clinic. He stood in a brightly lighted room full of cubicles that was festooned with purple and gold ribbons and balloons.

Best Comment:

"This is a milestone for us beause is the return of the last of our school,"

Are we really expected to read and understand this crap? No wonder no one signed their name to this. Learn to write, man. And then read what you wrote. And then hit the button that sends it to the Internet.

How about some more facts too. Was the building suitable for use after the storm and LSU was just dragging their feet?

No. Its in the east and it experienced catastrophic flooding, remember? Surely the building's state of the art mechanical and electrical systems did not just fix themselves.

While the article was poorly spelled and grammatically incorrect, it is still good news. ;-)

New Orleans to throw book at students who skip school; New truancy center, staff aim to raise attendance

Today's headline is from Harvard. The headline is New Orleans to throw book at students who skip school; New truancy center, staff aim to raise attendance.

Looks like New Orleans is taking school seriously. Watch out parents!

Best Quote: A city of New Orleans truancy ordinance mandates that students attend school and allows police officers to pick up youngsters loitering during school hours. Children who skip school could face Saturday detention and be required to attend an extended day program. Guardians could be hauled before a municipal court judge. The New Orleans district intended to launch its truancy center in about two weeks and hire truancy officers later under a wide effort to lean on groups to provide more of a community presence in schools. But after seeing the dismal attendance in the first week of school, the district decided to quicken the pace of its plans, said district Superintendent Paul Vallas.

Killer Bees Expand Range Into New Orleans

From the realm of, "Great. Just what we needed" comes a headline from The Daily Green, the consumer's guide to the green revolution. The headline is Killer Bees Expand Range Into New Orleans posted on Wednesday, 9/12/2007.

On the day we find a hurricane forming off the coast of Texas, comes the upbeat news that deadly bees are making a home in New Orleans.

Best Quote: It’s been an historic year for bees, as Colony Collapse Disorder has rocked the beekeeping world. Unlike the honey bees being lost to that mysterious disease, or the native pollinators that are suffering from a variety of known and unknown causes, the hybrid killer bees do not appear to be suffering.

Agency proposes its role in post-Katrina New Orleans

Todays's headline is from the Journal Gazette in Fort Wayne, In. The headline is Agency proposes its role in post-Katrina New Orleans. This story falls under the heading, "The clueless leading the even cluelesser".

Best Quote: James Ross, a city spokesman, said late Monday that the city was caught off guard by the "new" plan. He said the city had heard nothing from NORA about the agreement in over a month. On Tuesday, he could not immediately say how NORA's offer is different from what the city had put forth. But he dismissed any suggestion that NORA had no clear direction on the city wanted it to play, saying it had presented "multiple CEAs" to the agency.

BUSH’S NEW ORLEANS TAP DANCE

Today's headline comes from Jim Hightower, America's #1 Populist. The headline is BUSH’S NEW ORLEANS TAP DANCE posted on Monday, September 10, 2007 by Jim Hightower.

Best Quote: Like his other trips, however, the constant tourist only popped in for a couple of quickie photo ops to try to bolster his own political image – not to do anything that would really lead this hard hit city to revitalization. In his brief visit, Bush showered the media with a gusher of statistics to show that he’s been doing “a heck of a job” in getting federal help to the people. “There’s been a lot of progress made, and that’s what people have got to understand,” he loudly declared.

Rental rates falling in New Orleans

Today's headline is from the Times-Picayune. The headline is Rental rates falling in New Orleans posted on September 8, 2007 at 9:33 by Greg Thomas.

This is some good new for anyone trying to live in New Orleans. It's probably not as welcome to people renting property.

Best Quote: According to a survey of rental rates by Larry G. Schedler & Associates, Jefferson Parish rents during the first part of this year were 21 percent higher than they were during the comparable period in 2005. St. Tammany Parish rents were 22 percent higher, and a broad area called the New Orleans Historic Center, which includes Uptown, the French Quarter and the St. Charles Avenue corridor, posted rent increases of 35 percent. The rest of Orleans Parish recorded rental rate increases of 10 percent.

Visiting the old and new of New Orleans

Today's headline comes from MSNBC. The headline is Visiting the old and new of New Orleans posted on September 6, 2007 at 12:10am by Peter Greenberg.

The article is about teh memories of a reporter's first trip into New Orleans via train and a visit with friends. It's also a recent recollection of New Orleans and many of the sobering statistics that are the reality of life in New Orleans.

Best Quote:

It was a fitting welcome to New Orleans, one I will never forget. And it only got better. Of course there was Bourbon Street and the French Quarter, but my friends also took me over the Huey P. Long Bridge to a wild restaurant called Moska's (think Italian Cajun....), a place where mom was still cooking in the kitchen and old wooden tables with well-worn red and white checked tablecloths were all occupied.

I was introduced to the po boy sandwich at a place called Mothers, and taught the fine art of the mufalletta at the central grocery. (Before eating this sandwich, make sure you're wearing clothing you wish to immediately donate following the meal).

Rudy Giuliani talks hurricane, emergency preparedness in New Orleans

Today's headline is from the NY Daily News. The headline is Rudy Giuliani talks hurricane, emergency preparedness in New Orleans posted on September 4, 2007 at 4AM by David Saltonstall.

Best Quote: The plight of Katrina's victims was made worse by bungling and delays in getting aid to them. Giuliani's speech in Pearl, Miss., a Jackson suburb, will spell out his commitment to "ensure that every community in America is prepared for terrorist attacks and natural disasters."

Free Internet service won't expand in New Orleans

Today's headline is from the Houston Chronicle. The headline is "Free Internet service won't expand in New Orleans" post on September 2, 2007 at 8:48PM by the Associated Press.

Best Quote: EarthLink spokesman Jerry Grasso said the company has no plans to end the free service and that the restructuring should not affect the current service in New Orleans.

I think it was a good idea and it helped the city when they needed it but I can't imagine Earthlink really thought they would make a profit.

Katrina Two Years Later Fact Sheet

Today's headline is not really a headline. It is a fact sheet from New Orleans City Council member, Shelley Midura. This is good stuff. The post is titled: Katrina Two Years Later Fact Sheet.

Best Quote:

• The federal government has currently spent over $455 billion on the war in Iraq (MSNBC’s “Countdown with Keith Olberman, August 3, 2007 and www.nationalpriorities.org ) vs. $116 billion for the Gulf region’s recovery.


• The Bush Administration has spent $20.9 billion to rebuild Iraq’s infrastructure (Wall Street Journal, May 10, 2006) as compared with the $8.4 billion allocated for New Orleans levee repair (Institute for Southern Studies)


• Congress has authorized $44 billion in funds for rehabilitation and reconstruction projects in Iraq, yet Bush has threatened to veto due to cost the $21 billion water resources bill being considered by Congress of which only $1.9 billion would be devoted to restoring Louisiana’s coastal wetlands (Institute for Southern Studies and www.voanew.com )

Return to New Orleans

Today's headline is from, of all places, The Trinidad & Tobago Express. The headline is Return to New Orleans on September 1, 2007 by Ric Hernandez.

This is a must read article for anyone even remotely interested in New Orleans. The perspective is a wonderfully refreshing view of how much of the rest of the world views America's best city.

There are so many good quotes in this article I am going to put three here. Read the article though.

Best Quote #1:

If New Orleans nights are magical, early mornings are innocent enough.

An easy stroll it was, to the Café du Monde, where natives gathered ritually, to pick up the Times-Picayune newspaper, their café au lait and the obligatory beignets.

Best Quote #2:

And this double profile could give you, on the one hand, an idea of New Orleans with its architecture, universities, artists, and its association with literature. This is paralleled by its jazz, its dedication to good times, or as the Cajuns would say: "Laissez les bons temps rouler." Not forgetting the whiff of debauchery palpable in the air.

I don't like to gush but this is exactly the article I needed to read so close to the anniversary of Katrina.