I haven’t seen any statistics on such, but I would bet the City of New Orleans contains more street derelicts per capita than any metro area in the nation. I have been to New York City and I have been to other great metro areas — but, per block, I say New Orleans has more. I’m not talking about the homeless, whose numbers are easier to track. I’m talking about the homeless PLUS those who have a place to crash but can’t seem to get past the booze/drugs/mental problems/whatever to put two and two together on a daily, societal basis.

Those of you would frequently pass through the intersection of Magazine and St. Andrew (the last one-way block of Magazine as you head Uptown) have seen Tommy. He’s the gnome-like man who often wanders out in the middle of Magazine to shake his cup at passers-by, sometimes stradding the white line before careening, pinball-like, back to the sidewalk. He roots through trash cans to eat, pisses on walls, shouts at people and, generally, endangers himself and creates a small, pitiful spectacle as his daily life. I don’t know Tommy’s story (and I doubt he does either, anymore) and I doubt I could understand a lot of it anyway, given his Dr. John-like manner of growlish Yatspeak. I had to shoo him away from the front of the restaurant this evening, since he’d seated himself at one of our sidewalk tables to dine on leftover macque-choux from the previous occupants. I told him he could take the food, but he couldn’t sit there — so I became a “fucking asshole” as he crept slowly away, corn dribbling down his shirt. He finished it up at a nearby trash can.

The cops tell who know him tell me Tommy has a place to sleep and is not homeless. They’ve been there many times — often to return him from a hospital trip after he’s been beaten severely when calling someone less tolerant a “fucking asshole.” Tommy is one of those many who roam our streets who are beyond reasonable help — likely due to a combination of their own bad choices, unfortunate circumstances and, quite possibly, simple biology. Every city has them, but I don’t think they’re publicly tolerated as much as they are in New Orleans (at least not as long as they’re physically harmless, as Tommy certainly is).

I certainly don’t want him in or near my business. But, at the same time, God bless him and those like him. Please.

I just finished watching the big debate in New Hampshire and I just want to voice a bit of a disappointment, though in truth I was not surprised. A question was posed to the Democratic candidates about what we should do as a country to prevent the very likely event of a nuclear bomb devastating an American city. The candidates moved right into what they would do AFTER a potential attack and not one of them mentioned sending aid to the devastated city. They each repeated ‘the first thing I would do is…’ but not one of them even mentioned helping out the American people who were actually attacked. They would all head out to retaliate but I guess they would just leave the people on the ground in our own country to rot once again. Did we not learn from Katrina? I do not think that is a stupid question just possibly a little redundant. And I am a democrat too.

I was so happy to see the streetcar running in the Lower Garden District today that I found myself battling an overdue wave of tearful joy. The atmosphere along the avenue was wonderful. The route to Napoleon was lined with officials and RTA drivers in their purple shirts. Passers-by were taking photos and honking and waving. I had to fight back tears because I had to go to work. I didn’t want to show up all puffy and unable to stop crying, so I called Craig to be sure he’d be able to take a ride with TBK on my behalf once they started to accept actual passengers.

My co-workers were as happy as I was to hear my report of the cars rolling. Some gleeful arm pumps were happening in the otherwise quiet environs of Law Library Circulation in support of the streetcar’s return along the Avenue.
Once at the library, I received some more rather positive news . . .
Read more

In the interest of not offending anyone, scaring off potential tourists or new residents, and portraying the city of New Orleans in the most positive light possible, I’ve decided to go for a new style when I post something. Certainly hope that you enjoy and learn just how easy and wonderful the city of New Orleans is after Ms. Katrina. I hope this new style will bring millions of people rushing to New Orleans, to experience just how great we are rebuilding America’s most unique city.

I woke up this morning and had some cereal for breakfast. The milk was so cold I got a brain freeze and almost passed out! What a way to start the day! Plus it was Capt’n Crunch. I just love those little red cereal pieces. Did anyone know they tasted like fruit? I was very surprised.

The Pepper-naitor was jumping all over the place wanting his walk. I wouldn’t want to hold my bladder either so I threw on some shorts and out we headed. Boy has anyone noticed how hot it is? I have a brilliant idea! Why don’t we build a big plastic bubble over the country, air conditioned of course, so we don’t have to suffer in this heat? I’m going to write my wonderful congressperson and senator on this idea. I know they will jump right on it because my ideas are perfect for everyone!

As Pepper and I were taking our laps around the French Quarter, a wonderful man approached us. In other cities, I might have been concerned about some kind of criminal activity. But not here in New Orleans. Everything is wonderful, all is well. This wonderful man just needed some spare pocket change because his momma’s baby needed some diapers. That is really a worthy cause so I went to the ATM and got him 50 dollars. Diapers cost money now a days you know. As long as that baby’s ass isn’t dirty, I’m a happy camper. I’m sure he would never use the money for some other less-worthy cause.
Read more

It’s not bad enough that the citizen’s of Orleans Parish and the metro area in general have to suffer the inept “leadership” coming from the Orleans Parish District Attorney’s office. It’s been well documented how DA Eddie Jordan cannot keep murderers in jail, cannot find witnesses that are across the street and how he nor his office cannot assist in making people around here feel safe.

Now it’s time to pour salt in our gaping wounds. After being elected, Eddie Jordan, AKA the Hat, basically went through the DA’s office and fired all the white people. Maybe not all the white people, just the one’s who had experience in convicting some criminals around here. They didn’t convict them all obviously, the former DA’s record wasn’t a whole lot better but they did succeed occasionally. So the white people who were fired sued The Hat for discrimination. Well they won the first go round and of course the Hat appealed. And lost again yesterday. The Orleans Parish DAs office now owes millions of dollars to wrongly fired former employees.

This is where we all lose twice though because of the Hat. Eddie Jordan made the decision to fire these people. Eddie Jordan SHOULD be responsible for paying this judgement. But he’s not. It does not matter whether you voted for the Hat or not, if you’re a citizen of Orleans, YOU will be paying this judgement.
Read more

Last night a friend who is renovating a house in Treme called to say the house had been robbed of its architectural pieces . . . again. The first time the bandits took the cornices right off the front of the house. He found them at the Bank and got them back. This time, thieves broke in and took everything of value, including his pocket doors. He took off work this morning to to go hunt down his stuff at the local salvage yards . . . so far no luck.

More Photos
Read more

As promised, a full report on the highly anticipated evening of Dennis Quaid & The Sharks.
Read more

As I predicted about the time that Kathleen Blanco announced the she would no longer be running for Governor, Louisiana lost out on the steel mill plant that was suppose to save the state. Or so the Germans would have had us believe.

As the deadline got closer and closer, the state decided to up the ante even more. First the state was going to offer incentives worth 200 million to land the mill. Then increased to 300 million. That was Kathleen Blanco “last, final and best offer”. Until word spread this morning that the state had boosted the incentive package to a little over a “One Billllliooooonnnn” dollars.

In the end, it didn’t matter if we offered a gazillion trillion billion dollars to this company. In the end it wasn’t about money. It wasn’t about location either because Louisiana’s location for the plant was much better than Alabama’s location, which ended up winning. In the end, it was about stupid. As in a majority of Louisiana’s population didn’t seem to have the brains to work in a steel mill.
Read more

Heart of Darkness Block Party: This Saturday, Jan. 27th, 2pm. At the Magazine/ Melpomene Road Closure.
Come show your support for getting Magazine St. open, support for the people who live there . . . or come for the craziness

On one of our regular city safaris, I learned that my friend, Willie White, knows Mr. Marshall and his wife, Julie Simpson. These are the owners of the two townhouses under extensive and costly renovation at the end of the Melpomene Culvert. Willie took me over to meet Mr. Marshall and hear is story. Their buildings, pictured above, date back to 1855 and 1856 respectively. Marshall told me the Green Building is circa 1854 . . . and lots more.

After the hurricane, Marshall’s building suffered some debilitating damage at the rear. This has all been fixed, a lot of masonry work has been performed to stabilize their walls and they purchased cypress beams salvaged from the Baptist Church which burned on Coliseum Square to rebuild their rear gallery. They will be stunning when they are finished and the owners have only about 3-4 workers helping them.
Read more

I went on my bi-monthly drive through most parts of the city yesterday to check up on my personal progress report for the year. I was also possibly house hunting for an upcoming move back into the “shit” as we like to call it. Here are some of my observances throughout my neighborhood by neighborhood statistical fact sheet. Feel free to add anything I may have missed.

We begin in Uptown of course. Everything seems to be going well here. The light was out on State St. but everything else seemed pretty okay. I didn’t see too much garbage or anything around there, but I did see a tard in a hoody jogging down the St Charles line.
Read more