A Time for Celebration, but Not for Complacency Has it really been ten years already? Indeed it has: a long ten years. And the work of rebuilding, the labors of love and determination, dedication, devotion, and sometimes of desperation—aided by countless volunteers...
Relief/Recovery
Must We? For Now, But for How Long?
A Reluctant, Tentative Endorsement of (More) U.S. Military Action in Iraq “As Commander-in-Chief, I will not allow the United States to be dragged into fighting another war in Iraq. . . . American combat troops will not be returning to fight in Iraq, because there’s...
Rising Tide Update: “Category 5 General” Russel Honoré Is Keynote Speaker
Three-star general hailed as “John Wayne dude” by former N.O. mayor Ray Nagin The annual Rising Tide conference has been ramped up to a whole new level: the keynote speaker will be Lt. Gen. Russel L. Honoré, the no-nonsense “Category 5 General” who took command of Joint Task Force Katrina that coordinated military relief efforts […]
Happy Thanksgiving to You: Much to Be Grateful For
Happy Thanksgiving! We hope you and your friends and family have much to be thankful for this year, and that you’re able to spend the day with people you love. We wish you a festive gathering over a Thanksgiving dinner with good food and drink, and happy memories of...
Ask Not “Why Live There?”—Ask “How Can I Help?”
[ cross-posted at Daily Kos ] Please Give to Red Cross We just made a donation to the American Red Cross. We’re asking all our readers to please make a donation if you can. Click here or phone 1-800-HELPNOW or text “RedCross” to 90999. Even $5 or $10 can help buy...
Gov. Cuomo cites “dramatic change in weather patterns”
Sees Evidence of Climate Change, Need for Upgraded Infrastructure In his 11:30 a.m. briefing the day after Hurricane Sandy, New York Gov. Andrew M. Cuomo made a clear reference to climate change, or global warming, about 30 minutes into his remarks: “Anyone who thinks...
Hurricane Watch in New York City
Extreme Weather Coming Soon to an Eastern Seaboard Near You * “We have a tropical hurricane merging, or folding in, with a mid-latitude weather system, one of those low pressure systems that track across the country. The two systems’ dynamics are very different and...
Rising Tide 7 Is Sat. Sept. 22 at Xavier > Register Now!
Everyone within walking, flying, or hiking distance of the Croissant City is urged to sign up now for the seventh annual Rising Tide conference on the future of New Orleans. This year’s keynote speakers—why have...
Hurricane Isaac and Tampa’s Blizzard of Lies
What Would Romney-Ryan Mean for FEMA and Infrastructure? [ cross-posted at DailyKos ] * “One of the themes of the Tampa convention will be the failure of government, and the prosperity that will result if it is cut to ribbons. But in a different corner of the...
As We Enter 2012, Best Wishes to All
May the new year bring you all the good things you wish for. We’ll be brief with our greetings and good wishes, as last night’s champagne slowly wears off, and as there’s some house-cleaning to do before guests arrive for the New Year’s Day dinner . . . For all our...
Dedra Johnson of ‘The G Bitch Spot’ Wins Rising Tide’s Ashley Award
Each year at the Rising Tide conference on the future of New Orleans the coveted Ashley Award, named in honor of the legendary, larger-than-life Ashley Morris,* is presented to a blogger who has made outstanding contributions to writing about post-Katrina New Orleans....
When Harry Met a Cover-Up:
Shearer Talks about “The Big Uneasy”
* [ cross-posted at Daily Kos ] We sat down recently with Harry Shearer—that is, we sat down and e-mailed him some questions, and he sat down and wrote some thoughtful replies—to talk about his new film The Big Uneasy, which tells the real story of why New Orleans...
Venice (Calif.) Hearts Venice (La.)
* 9/21 Rock and Rally for Victims of Oil Spill (with live stream) A benefit concert to aid citizens of Venice, Louisiana, and help with restoration of the BP oil–stricken Gulf Coast. The fund-raiser is the idea of Melissa McGinnis (in video below), host of the hit...
9/11 “Battle of New Orleans” Joins Victims of BP Oil Spill, Exxon Valdez, Hurricanes, and 9/11 First Responders
[ The following press release is presented as a public service announcement ] NEW ORLEANS — In a historic gathering, Gulf Coast residents devastated by the BP oil spill will join 9/11 first responders, victims of the Exxon Valdez oil spill, and survivors of hurricanes...
Launching Midterm Campaign, Obama Mocks Republican Recklessness
httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=klO3pM_7YHo&feature=related * “We are united. We are strong. That’s why they call them unions.” President Obama was in full campaign mode as he rallied a lively Labor Day crowd of some 5,000 supporters at Milwaukee’s LaborFest on...
Celebrity Sighting: Levees Not War Meets FEMA’s Fugate
Tomorrow we’ll post some comments on President Obama’s remarks at Xavier University on the fifth anniversary of Hurricane Katrina. But first, allow us to babble excitedly about the public-safety-and-disaster geek’s idea of a celebrity sighting: After all the...
Come Surf the Rising Tide : Aug. 28 in New Orleans
* We’ll be in New Orleans for Rising Tide 5—and you’re invited too. First, on Friday afternoon, we’re embarking on a boat tour of Barataria Bay southwest of New Orleans—thanks to friendly connections at the Plaquemines parish government, Loyola University, and the...
Drew Landry Sings “BP Blues” to Presidential Commission
httpv://www.youtube.com/watch?v=52am1DN_svA&feature=player_embedded * “Just Do the Right Damn Thing” Some of the most sensible and melodious testimony we’ve heard in a long time was given yesterday in New Orleans by crawfisherman and singer Drew Landry before the...
What Happens When You Call OSHA, White House
Before we tell about the fun we had today phoning OSHA, sweet OSHA, we wanted to mention our recent and more enjoyable phone experience with Adam Green, co-founder of the Progressive Change Campaign Committee, a 400,000-member grassroots organization that is behind...
Stop BP from Hurting Cleanup Workers:
Join the “BP Makes Me Sick” Coalition
“We cannot let the denial of protective gear that hurt so many 9/11 cleanup workers happen again with the Gulf cleanup workers.” BP Refuses Respirator Masks for Cleanup Workers Levees Not War has joined the “BP Makes Me Sick” Coalition of Gulf Coast fishermen,...