I think you make a number of good points here. Having grown up in the cultural sterility of central Florida, I’ve always marvelled at the pessimism New Orleanians exhibit about the prospect for positive change. I’m thankful that– whatever their faults– we have a mayor and a governor who are smiling, travelling salespeople for our city and state.
We have unmatched cultural advantages here. The trick is finding successful business models that won’t kill or fatally dilute what makes this place unique. Clearly, as you note, the service/tourism industry isn’t enough to build a 21st century economy around. We must become a flexible, dynamic “idea village”, centered around our inherent strengths. How is it a second rate town like Birmingham (much less Orlando, Vegas and Atlanta) can eat our lunch in terms of growth and job creation? There’s no inherent limitation that destines us to being a decayed third world resort town.
Compared to the gloomy fatalism I encounter, the “fake it till you make it” strategy seems highly preferable.
[By the way, the Gambit profile of Blanco is by far the most revealing that I’ve read.}
you mention the weather… this december muggy heat is INSANE. I can handle 110 degrees in August. But now… jeez. It’s oppressing. No wonder this place is lagging!
If we’re so ripe with corruption, how come it was a Texas company that awarded an MBA to a cat?
Mike Hoffman (unregistered) December 7th, 2004
2:05 pm
Corruption in LA has less to do with academic credentials and more to do with how “old money” your family is and what last name they have. Well, that’s not entirely true. Ask the people who went to Jesuit High School or LSU. Those are the academic cedentials that matter around here, as any good ole boy will tell you.
A cat can’t do much harm with made up credentials.
tomboyms (unregistered) December 7th, 2004
9:45 pm
It’s the chimps with made up credentials that you have to worry about. :)
I think you make a number of good points here. Having grown up in the cultural sterility of central Florida, I’ve always marvelled at the pessimism New Orleanians exhibit about the prospect for positive change. I’m thankful that– whatever their faults– we have a mayor and a governor who are smiling, travelling salespeople for our city and state.
We have unmatched cultural advantages here. The trick is finding successful business models that won’t kill or fatally dilute what makes this place unique. Clearly, as you note, the service/tourism industry isn’t enough to build a 21st century economy around. We must become a flexible, dynamic “idea village”, centered around our inherent strengths. How is it a second rate town like Birmingham (much less Orlando, Vegas and Atlanta) can eat our lunch in terms of growth and job creation? There’s no inherent limitation that destines us to being a decayed third world resort town.
Compared to the gloomy fatalism I encounter, the “fake it till you make it” strategy seems highly preferable.
[By the way, the Gambit profile of Blanco is by far the most revealing that I’ve read.}
you mention the weather… this december muggy heat is INSANE. I can handle 110 degrees in August. But now… jeez. It’s oppressing. No wonder this place is lagging!
If we’re so ripe with corruption, how come it was a Texas company that awarded an MBA to a cat?
Corruption in LA has less to do with academic credentials and more to do with how “old money” your family is and what last name they have. Well, that’s not entirely true. Ask the people who went to Jesuit High School or LSU. Those are the academic cedentials that matter around here, as any good ole boy will tell you.
A cat can’t do much harm with made up credentials.
It’s the chimps with made up credentials that you have to worry about. :)