September 29, 2005

Do you know what it means to missNew Orleans? I thought I did, but I only got there once and stayed in the Franch Quarter. But this guy says thay New Orleans has pretty much never done anything right.

And, the history of the place seems to support his contention. The French Quarter appears to have missed the worst of the flooding, but where will the support for the tourist trade come from? Or, will reconstruction continue to victimize the poor? in the meantime, will NOLA give the poor former residents the leeway to take their fate into their own hands? I doubt it, since there's so much to be done.

posted by path 18 years ago
  • New Orleans did one thing superbly right -- it gave America and the world a unique and marvelous music. The history of ragtime and jazz and the blues without Kid Ory, King Oliver, Louis Armstrong et al is inconceivable.
  • Also, Vodoun.
  • Which is from Haiti.
  • Um, via Africa, of course.
  • "I fear its rituals, in which, it is alleged, the blood of cocks is oftimes shed," said the vampire Lestat eying his creatrix, Ann Rice, hungrily.
  • Are you saying there is no Voodoo practiced in Louisiana?
  • There's Voodoo practised in Leighton Buzzard. What of it?
  • Jazz was born there. Vodoun was not.
  • Yep, there are quite a few misconceptions about the place. But, the core of it remains: New Orleans was a dying city, in a dying metro area. It is just about the only American metropolitan area to have a constant population from 1965 - 2005. It topped off at 1.2 million people and stayed there ever since, with more and more of its residents clinging on to stay there - just because of their emotional stake in the city. My mother, sister, and about half of my wife's family are from NOLA - it's close to all of our hearts, but we love it like we love our screwup family members. It's like having a cousin who constantly in jail, losing his job, and late on his bills, and having to constantly bail him out. And you do it because you love him, because it makes no sense for anybody else.
  • "Jazz was born there. Vodoun was not." Jazz was not born there, merely synthesized. Actually, it wasn't even synthesized there, merely popularised. Jazz & blues are as much a product of imported cultural influences as Vodoun. Namely, African, by way of numerous stops.
  • Why can't we all just get along!?
  • Because it's not so much fun.
  • True, ya big nutjob...
  • Youch!
  • There's a growing intellectual movement that suggests Jazz may have as much of its roots in Havana as it does in New Orleans. Also, nobody practices voodoo in New Orleans anymore.
  • That's because it's under water.
  • Kind of like Sodom. It was a great place to visit for fun, and the people there were real interesting and quirky, and you had to avoid going to certain parts of town, and keep an eye on your goat at all times. Then, Wham.
  • Keep an eye on your goatse, you say? Sheesh!
  • Meanwhile, the Vampire Lestat deplored the absence of gore in fish tick's ... um .. depiction. Hypothesis: Southern Gothic literature also has roots in New Orleans, infamous city of floating coffins and crypts. Oh, for someone to say Are ye serious, bees, so I can answer That's rite.
  • Don't start with me, EarWax.
  • Sodom ... was a great place to visit for fun, and the people there were real interesting and quirky ... then, Wham WHAM! didn't come from Sodom, idiot.
  • I'm never gonna sodomise again Yahweh has destroyed my city - Though it's easy to pretend, I know he's not a fool. Shoulda known better that to shag my friends, My mom and dad and all their livestock - I'm never gonna sodomise again, They way I sodomised with you-o-ooo
  • Well done, quid. Double points for putting it in the mouth of George Michael. So to speak.
  • Heh. And who here hasn't done that before? Erm,...I mean... *exits whistling*
  • Also, nobody practices voodoo in New Orleans anymore. That's because it's under water. HA!
  • quid, that made me laugh right out loud, and in the middle of the library, where people are very very seriously watching the Senate confirm John Roberts, so now I'm getting dirty looks and stares. Between that and getting Careless Whisper stuck in my head for the rest of the day, I do thank you.
  • And you do it because you love him, because it makes no sense for anybody else. that's a good way of putting it. One thing i'm going to miss are those fantastic restaurants though. What about Muriel's? Maybe the city as a whole was f*cked up but they certainly knew how to cook da good meal.
  • HOLY SHIT ILYADEUX IS BACK!!1!
  • Do you know what it means to miss ilyadeux? I deux.
  • that animation is nodding in perfect time to James Brown's "Living in America" well almost perfect time
  • That monkey's face is being attacked by two leeches! Must've been kissing hippo butt.
  • Hi quid! I missed you, your dashing charm and blue wit, too. I know I already said this, but really - excellent show of enthusiasm quidnunc! I love it, and love being missed. I've now ditched the stable job and reliable income for a few more madding years of academe, so now I'm back, but without a vengence, and it is still not personal, no matter what your mother told you.
  • Jazz was not born there, merely synthesized. Actually, it wasn't even synthesized there, merely popularised. (sound of guffawing)
  • Ah, Ilyadeux, your first tagline since your grand return: MonkeyFilter: It is still not personal, no matter what your mother told you. We missed you, old friend.
  • So, you're saying Memphis and Kansas City were not important in Jazz history, Wolof?
  • Why on Earth would I say such a thing? Perhaps you could show me where I did.