3 posts tagged “new orleans”

I have a tendency to read several papers every day. Typically, it's the New York Times, the Washinton Post, and occasionally The Huffington Post when I'm in the mood. But my favorite paper is our local paper, the Times-Picayune; the authors have had this grim humor in their articles since the storm and I certainly can't blame them. Things have only gotten more grim in 'Da Paper' (as I affectionately call it) since one of their regular photographers tried to get police to kill him. I can't fault him for that and I frown at those people who would.

So many people seem to have a negative attitude towards suicide, but since Katrina, my thoughts have changed. I still find it gruesome, yes, but seeing the city in this condition, watching as others suffer and doing my very best to help them--I can completely understand why someone would want to die, and I can't blame them for it.

I digress. I think everyone knows that I'm no big fan of Dr. Phil; the man seems to believe that yelling at people is the best way to resolve their issues. He and my father should get together and have lunch, since they both seem to subscribe to the same theories. Frankly, I wish that screaming could solve all of my problems; I would never have my voice, but at least I'd be happy.

As you know, Dr. Phil himself was in town this day, and I was "fortunate" enough to snap a few photos of him outside of the aquarium. I find his "efforts" a bit on the artificial side, if only because his guards kept all people at bay--at least fifteen feet away from the tv psychologist. So much for helping people--he needs to have them screened first--just to make sure they're at the proper level of 'messed up'. If you don't have enough of the crazy, you're not going to entertain. If you have too much, you might try shooting up the studio. But real psychologists help everybody. And considering the mental state of most of the people in the area at the moment, they've certainly got their work cut out for them.

It was local journalist Chris Rose (who is either revered or hated by just about everyone in the area) who managed to catch my eye with his article, Dr. Phil is not In slathered on a side column of the front page. While the article does gloss over how the ever-concerned Dr. Phil stood up Rose for his interview, the jist of the article--like so many of Chris Roses' stories--is about the psychological impact Katrina is still having on the residents of the area.

I won't lie. I still cry over Katrina. Last week as I drove into Lakeview to deal with my financial aid at my university, I just started crying. I didn't even know when I started. Was it when I passed the national guard? Or was it at the red light right after the boat (tagged U.S.S. Katrina in grafitti) that sat on the neutral ground? Or maybe it was right before the lavish, bright sign that sat in a woman's yard, urging residents to 'Please help bring Mary home'--a large picture of an elderly woman covered in wrinkles decorating the right side of the sign?

People tell me constantly that New Orleans will be better because of Katrina. I, frankly, can't figure out where they get these ideas. Will Lakeview be better when millionaires buy out the lakefront property for pennies on the dollar and build their McMansions there? Will things be better when the local shops are forced to closed down because they cannot compete with the wages offered to employers by other big-name fast food places and supermarkets? Will life be better when all my friends have established themselves in far-away states or countries and decide not to return?

The one-year anniversary of Katrina is only two weeks away, but it'll be much longer before the city's wounds are completely healed.

For the first time since Katrina, I had the pleasure of visiting the Aquarium of the Americas, which suffered numerous casualties after the storm. Most of the aquatic life had to be replaced and it wasn't until earlier this year that it finally re-opened.

With my three visiting Belgium cousins in tow, we purchased tickets to the aquarium and the IMAX. Though a few exhibits were still missing and a few various ocean species absent from their usual locations, the aquarium was, as always, a pleasure to visit.

While I waited for the ferry to arrive so I could make my way back to Algiers Point, I spotted Dr. Phil filming in front of the Aquarium; tomorrow, he's supposed to be filming a show at the Superdome. Though I don't particularly care for Dr. Phil (I feel as though the local psychologists are doing much more than he is--and they're not getting millions to play the sympathetic shrink on TV), I did snap a few photos from the waiting area.

My brother recently acquired a job at the SuperDome. Last year he worked at the SuperDome parking lot selling twenty dollar parking spots to those individuals too tired of driving around looking for a parking spot or too wary of parking in one of the many side streets. However, this time, he's going to be working on wiring the 'dome, and will continue to set up the wires before concerts and other events held there.

His friend was the one who helped him to get the job and we were discussing his new place of employment over Japanese at Sake Cafe. While I slurped down my clear soup, he told me how the SuperDome contained a number of rooms that hadn't been used in years; given the size of the stadium, I find it hardly surprising.

However, he told me that his friend and a couple of others were searching the vacated rooms after Katrina and stumbled upon a sealed padded envelope in one of them. Curious, they opened it and discovered a beta tape inside.

After acquiring a beta tape player, they slipped the tape in and watched the video. For the most part, it was relatively uninteresting--some big businessman giving some long and droll speech on something-or-other.

Until the end.

The businessman then proceeded to pull out a gun and then shot himself in the head.

Eyes wide, I set my bowl back on the table. "What happened to the tape?" I asked.

My brother shrugged. "I don't know. One of them still has it. But I bet they put it on YouTube."

I haven't checked for it yet.