30 replies to this topic

[UptownNewOrleans]

I will say this, the engineering & medical students coming out of Tulane, LSU & UNO are gaining invaluable experience. They're gonna have jobs raining on them like chopper bullets As far as I'm concerned, my generation is gonna be the one to turn this city around.

[JPKneworleans]

NCB, on Aug 8 2007, 06:06 PM, said:

I'd like to hear what you guys think about people/generation that will run this city in the near future.  

I agree with you.  To some extent, there are some changes in attitude.  Stacy Head is in a younger generation, early to mid 30s.  She has no tolerance for "the way things have always been done."  Also, take a look at Desiree Charbonet, Recorder of Mortgages (or is she Registrar of Conveyances?").  She is in her 30s and actively campaigned for the elimination of her own job as part of the court/clerk restructuring.  Those are positive things.

NOLA has been a very insular city.  Outsiders need not apply.  Technology has exploded and has shown the old guard that change is going to happen regardless of whether they like it or not.  Technology also allows more locals to see what happens in other cities and compare that to what happens here.  Some of those locals will, no doubt, say "why should I stay here when I could go to San Diego (as an example), where there are clean streets, beautiful parks, and plentiful jobs and opportunities?"  Others, at least I hope, will say "New Orleans should have what San Diego, Houston, San Francisco, and Chicago have.  We can make it happen."

This fall's elections will be a great opportunity for the state and the city.  First, Jindal, Boasso, and Georges are all from the NOLA area, and they're all self-made.  Jindal, particularly, appears to have no tolerance for NOLA's political culture.  As a New Orleanian and governor, a true state leader can have a significant effect.

Also...so many fat cats in the legislature are about to go "bye-bye."  Over half are term-limited.  True, some house members will run for senate seats, and some senators will run for house seats.  Regardless, there will be significant change in the power structure in BR, and ethics reform is a given.

These are all positive steps that should have happened a decade ago.

[eastover neworleans]

"NOLA has been a very insular city. Outsiders need not apply", it's going to take outsiders to get this city together i.e. Stacy Head , she's not from NOLA. We have to get the Cynthia's out of office, and Juan Lafonta needs to go from the legislature.

New Orleans to do list

1. Get rid of Cynthias and Dale Atkins

2. let Arnie Fielkow take mayor Nagin's place when he decides to make a run for Gov.

3. Jim Letten for district attorney

4.We need to do anything we can to get Chief Richard Pennington to come back

5. Hold a special election for Jeffersons seat

6. Vote Bobby Jindal

[SlidellWX]

I haven't been here long enough to vote for any meaningful elections in this state and region, but you can bet my vote will be for a progressive and business minded candidate for the governorship and the legislature.  I'm starting to take a harder look at all of the candidates, but haven't made a final decision on that yet.   Since I'm a resident of Slidell, I could not vote for the Mayor's race last year.

[Puddinhead]

JPKneworleans, on Aug 8 2007, 10:15 PM, said:

This fall's elections will be a great opportunity for the state and the city.  First, Jindal, Boasso, and Georges are all from the NOLA area, and they're all self-made.

Not to nit-pick.....but how does Jindal fit into that little grouping?  One, he's from Baton Rouge, not the NOLA area.  And two, to my knowledge he really hasn't held a job outside of government work (he'd been an appointed bureaucrat since he was in his twenties before he first was elected to an office) so it's a real stretch to say he's a self-made man on the order of Boasso or Georges.

[JPKneworleans]

Puddinhead, on Aug 9 2007, 07:05 AM, said:

Not to nit-pick.....but how does Jindal fit into that little grouping?  One, he's from Baton Rouge, not the NOLA area.  And two, to my knowledge he really hasn't held a job outside of government work (he'd been an appointed bureaucrat since he was in his twenties before he first was elected to an office) so it's a real stretch to say he's a self-made man on the order of Boasso or Georges.

You are correct about his BR roots.  However, he resides here (well, in Kenner).  His house was flooded by Katrina, and he knows what its like, and he is my Congressman.  As for self-made, I suppose it depends upon your definition.  He is where he is because of his brains and not because of money under the table (at least in my opinion).  To me, that is self-made.  He pulled himself up.  Regardless, though, he has principals, and he personally lives by them.  That's good enough for me.

SlidellWX, on Aug 9 2007, 04:53 AM, said:

I haven't been here long enough to vote for any meaningful elections in this state and region, but you can bet my vote will be for a progressive and business minded candidate for the governorship and the legislature.  I'm starting to take a harder look at all of the candidates, but haven't made a final decision on that yet.   Since I'm a resident of Slidell, I could not vote for the Mayor's race last year.

As the time gets near, we should post our analysis of the various candidates, in a respectful format of course.  We could all enlighten one another.

[nola17]

I found this Economic report on the Bring New Orleans Back website.

[Beukeboom]

For whatever it's worth, I grew up in Mississippi not too far from New Orleans and my parents took us on many weekend mini-vacations to New Orleans. It became my favorite city anywhere. I now live in Florida and the last time my wife and I visited N.O. was pre-Katrina when we took a day trip over from Gulfport (where we were visiting my inlaws). I'm a life-long Saints fan, a big fan of New Orleans and Louisiana music and want to visit again as soon as I can.

Just wanted to say that.

[tombarnes]

Having recently returned from a brief visit to New Orleans, I will share a few thoughts.  Please feel free to comment.  I stayed at the edge of the French Quarter on Canal Street.  The French Quarter looked almost better than it did before Katrina.  I was struck by the fresh paint, the absence of the stench of rotting garbage of old and the general surprise I almost felt that little had changed.  A brief walk up Canal Street was a quick lesson in how this is not so, in spite of the merry sounds of jackhammers.  Canal Street was a shell of its former self, but the brave sounds of construction almost fooled me into thinking that the city is on its way back to health.  Not so fast.

A drive up St. Charles Avenue on Wednesday evening was instructive.  At 6:45 PM, ours was one of what seemed a mere handful of cars on this proud street.  I was left to ponder where everyone had gone.  After dinner, we toured Mid City and Lakeview.  The overpowering smell of mold greeted us as soon as we drew near.  The main streets were better than the side streets, but when side streets are virtually abandoned, it is hardly a cheerful sight.  

I attended the memorial service at the St. Louis Cathedral and noted Governor Blanco's presence.  President Bush's visit was apparently not timed to coincide with this important service.  A shame really.  After the service, I wandered over to the Cafe du Monde for cafe au lait and beignets with a friend from the West Bank.  Something else which hadn't changed, I said to myself.  Perhaps.  And yet, the absence of people, the absence of tourists (I know that New Orleans is usually emptier in the heat of August, but still...) and once again the very absence of residents seemed odd and deeply disturbing.   I am left to wonder how our government has indeed forgotten that New Orleans must recover.  Without its former population base, I wonder how it can support itself.  I'm not saying any of this to invite argument or to chide.  The brutish reality is that one of our great cities has had its feet kicked out from under it.  Who will help it rise again?

Edited by tombarnes, 02 September 2007 - 06:35 AM.

[SlidellWX]

At this point...no governmental organization.  Those who have helped most are the hundreds of thousands of volunteers from the around the nation, and the hardy citizens of this city who have come back to stake a claim in the rebuilding city.  It will be a long road back, but I think another visit at this time next year will show some improvement, and each year after that will show the same thing...with or without the help of our local, state, and federal govt.

[TSmith]

tombarnes, on Sep 1 2007, 09:22 AM, said:

Having recently returned from a brief visit to New Orleans, I will share a few thoughts.  Please feel free to comment.  I stayed at the edge of the French Quarter on Canal Street.  The French Quarter looked almost better than it did before Katrina.  I was struck by the fresh paint, the absence of the stench of rotting garbage of old and the general surprise I almost felt that little had changed.  A brief walk up Canal Street was a quick lesson in how this is not so, in spite of the merry sounds of jackhammers.  Canal Street was a shell of its former self, but the brave sounds of construction almost fooled me into thinking that the city is on its way back to health.  Not so fast.

A drive up St. Charles Avenue on Wednesday evening was instructive.  At 6:45 PM, ours was one of what seemed a mere handful of cars on this proud street.  I was left to ponder where everyone had gone.  After dinner, we toured Mid City and Lakeview.  The overpowering smell of mold greeted us as soon as we drew near.  The main streets were better than the side streets, but when side streets are virtually abandoned, it is hardly a cheerful sight.  

I attended the memorial service at the St. Louis Cathedral and noted Governor Blanco's presence.  President Bush's visit was apparently not timed to coincide with this important service.  A shame really.  After the service, I wandered over to the Cafe du Monde for cafe au lait and beignets with a friend from the West Bank.  Something else which hadn't changed, I said to myself.  Perhaps.  And yet, the absence of people, the absence of tourists (I know that New Orleans is usually emptier in the heat of August, but still...) and once again the very absence of residents seemed odd and deeply disturbing.   I am left to wonder how our government has indeed forgotten that New Orleans must recover.  Without its former population base, I wonder how it can support itself.  I'm not saying any of this to invite argument or to chide.  The brutish reality is that one of our great cities has had its feet kicked out from under it.  Who will help it rise again?

You know, it is odd, but on some nights... for whatever reason, the city is truly alive and electric with activity. Hoards of people on the streets, traffic at every turn, etc... Then some nights, it is indeed dead. Never as dead as most North American city centers, but dead by New Orleans standards. My brother, who moved to Memphis after the storm came back to visit. His first comment was "what in the world is going on in this city? There are people and activity everywhere". He hadforgotten just how alive New Orleans is in comparison to other cities. Memphis... at 5 o'clock, the city empties completely as workers return to the far-off suburbs. This doesn't happen in New Orleans. But like you said, almost unexplicably, some nights are indeed quiet.