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It is by now obvious that even after we stop the gentle trickle of oil that's currently expressing itself into the Gulf of Mexico (thank you so much, BP) we are not going to be able to get that oil out of the water for some considerable length of time--and if you think it could take years, I wouldn't bet against you.
While BP is the legally responsible party, out on the water it will be up to the Coast Guard to manage the Federal response, and to determine that BP is running things in a way that gets the work done not only correctly and safely, but, in a world of limited resources, efficiently.
Which brings us to the obvious question: can the Coast Guard manage such a complex undertaking?
While we hope they can, you need to know that the Coast Guard has been trying to manage the replacement of their fleet of ships and aircraft for about a decade now...and the results have been so stunningly bad that you and I are now the proud owners of a small flotilla of ships that can never be used, because if they go to sea, they might literally break into pieces.
It's an awful story, and before we're done you'll understand why Deepwater was already an ugly word around Headquarters, years before that oil rig blew up.
We're now into day way too many of the BP oil spill, and the President has just yesterday been down on the Louisiana coast-again.
There have been suggestions that the Administration should take action to essentially push BP out of the way and take over the work itself, particularly as it relates to the cleanup.
It may have even occurred to you that an official declaration of some sort might be needed, in order to bring the full power of the Feds into play.
That's some good thinking, but before we go jumping right into declaring things we better understand the law, because if we don't, we could actually make things worse.
Baton Rouge (FNS)-Facing both a massive oil slick from a sunken offshore drilling platform and a second year of declining tourism revenues along the Louisiana Gulf Coast caused by high gas prices, Louisiana Governor Bobby Jindal today introduced a new tourism promotion that he reports is going to "...make lemons into lemonade".
Jindal, flanked by British Petroleum's Director of Marketing Dick Timoneous and the Executive Director of the Louisiana State Tourism Board, Jenna Talia, announced that the "All The Oil You Can Carry Festival" would officially commence today just east of New Orleans, and last at least through the month of May.
For those of you who have been to Cajun country or just love Cajun music, this will knock your socks off - for those who haven't heard this kind of jam before you are in for a mega-treat!
Laissez les bon temps roulez!
(Note: there is something a little odd with the code on this embed, I had to hit the play button in the control bar to make it run, maybe it's getting too many hits)
On the second anniversary of Katrina, I attended a candlelight vigil held on the Haynes Boulevard Levee in New Orleans East. It was well attended by city officials, community leaders and regular citizens that came out that night to honor the dead and renew their commitment to bringing New Orleans East back as a viable and vibrant part of New Orleans.
As we stood on "the levee that did not fail," Cynthia Willard-Lewis, New Orleans council member from District E, urged us to
continue to talk about what we have seen and what we have heard. For two years we have seen great confusion and a sense of abandonment. And so we continue to tell the stories that hope beyond hope drives the people of Eastern New Orleans.
So in that spirit follow me below the fold to meet Jennifer and Eva, two survivors making it work in the city they love and still call home. New Orleans, cher.
I went to New Orleans for a spot of some guerrilla vlogging last month around the anniversary of Katrina.
I roamed around the city quite a bit with Eddie Mims, my favorite taxi driver, and stayed at the Hotel St. Marie in the French Quarter with my favorite restaurant staff in the Moise, like Louise, clan from Hillery's on Toulouse: Ed; Hillery; Katie; Gregory and Thaddeus. It was nice to see all of them again and to see that they' re still surviving in the city they love so dearly.
This diary is just a coming attractions. I hope you read these vlogs or watch some of the tape in them and think about people living down on the Gulf Coast who have been effected by Katrina and Rita because what Katrina spared Rita then took that year. An area the size of Great Britain was wiped out between those two storms and so many thousands struggle to reclaim their lives and their homes from the water, the politics, the storm - that damn storm.
I went to New Orleans last month to do some guerrilla vlogging. I asked people what they wanted to say about New Orleans today and their future. I asked people what they wanted me to know about their city. They wanted me to tell you that they're alive.
They are alive.
It's not the politics. It's not the water. It's not the death and devastation. It's not the humiliation that Katrina brought to all of our homes through the scenes of government failure and abandonment.
They are alive and they want you to know it's okay to come back. They need you to come back.
In this installment of the NOLA Speaks series we take a tour through the Ninth Ward through the "high water" areas that got as much as 20 ft. of water when the levees failed. Eddie Mims is our guide. So follow me below the fold and take a ride with Eddie.
Okay so this clip is really not in the spirit of Friday Cat Blogging, but meet Kojak Davis. He's a small business owner in the Marigny in NOLA. I interviewed him for my NOLA Speaks series. He gave me the greatest interview and touched on so many aspects of the Katrina story. This clip is the final clip in the interview.
direct link to video: Cat blogging with Kojak (5:57)
The full vlog can be seen at dailykos: Vlog: NOLA Speaks - Meet Kojak Davis
I went to New Orleans recently to do some guerrilla vlogging. I asked people what they wanted to say about New Orleans today and their future. I asked people what they wanted me to know about their city. They wanted me to tell you that they're alive.
They are alive.
It's not the politics. It's not the water. It's not the death and devastation. It's not the humiliation that Katrina brought to all of our homes through the scenes of government failure and abandonment.
They are not pathetic, doomed, corrupt, racist, lawless or any such nonsense.
They are alive and struggling to bring themselves back from the absolute worst thing that any one of us can face in our own lives. They got wiped out.
But they are alive and I've got the tape to prove it. Follow me below the fold to meet Ed and Hillery Moise.
On the second anniversary of Katrina, I attended a candlelight vigil held on the Haynes Boulevard Levee in New Orleans East. It was well attended by city officials, community leaders and regular citizens that came out that night to honor the dead and renew their commitment to bringing New Orleans East back as a viable and vibrant part of New Orleans.
I went to New Orleans last month to do some guerrilla vlogging. I asked people what they wanted to say about New Orleans today and their future. I asked people what they wanted me to know about their city. They wanted me to tell you that they're alive.
I went to New Orleans recently to do some guerrilla vlogging. I asked people what they wanted to say about New Orleans today and their future. I asked people what they wanted me to know about their city. They wanted me to tell you that they're alive.
