b.rox

Jason Berry has published a video about the current state of New Orleans which is so much better than my little efforts, it puts me to shame. Seriously. It’s obvious that a lot more work and thought went into this. So check it out.
Also, Michael’s ten-year-old daughter made a video about post-Katrina New Orleans. It’s [...]

Everyone says it’s dangerous to talk on the cell phone while driving a car. But what about doing e-mail while riding a bike?
I was riding down a fairly deserted strech of road this morning, and just for kicks I whipped out the crackberry — and sure enough there was a message for me:

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A few weeks ago I posted about a big demolition project which had begun just a block from our house, and how they tried to stop me from taking pictures.
Thought I’d post a follow-up.
The site, on the 3100 block of Canal Street (downtown side), is the Physicians Hospital complex, which old-timers know as Montelepre.
In just [...]

Garbage has been piling up for the last couple weeks, ever since the city took back over collection. The Army Corps of Engineers had been in charge, and had been doing a bang-up job as far as I was concerned. The amount of debris removed from our little side street in Mid-City was truly astonishing, [...]

Neighbors are coming back. Not just new folks, but neighbors from the old neighborhood. I discovered this the other night when I saw some lights on the upper floor of the house at Iberville and Lopez. They’ve got a generator, and they’re living upstairs. I don’t know these folks, but I expect I’ll meet them [...]

According to a story in today’s paper:

The heights of floodwalls and levees now being rebuilt by the corps are based on research for a likely worst-case storm done in 1959. When new weather service research in the 1970s increased the size and intensity of that storm and its projected surges, the corps stuck to its [...]

Just around the corner the other morning:

Don’t ask me. I have no idea.
(By all means, click the picture for a bigger version.)

Last night we heard someone hammering nearby just around twilight, or maybe later. Xy remarked on it. I didn’t pay much attention.
But this afternoon a (former) neighbor stopped by. It was Gwen, sister of dear departed Dan. She informed us that the hammering was actually a brazen burglary of their house. They forced their way [...]

Six months after the storm. People are taking stock. Me too.
I’d describe my mood as one of tightly bridled optimism. I’m not sure if that puts me in the minority or the majority. There’s all kinds of polls flying around, mostly worthless because the Katrina diaspora and the lack of functioning landlines in New Orleans [...]

The qualifying period is over, and the field is jam-packed. Two dozen candidates for mayor alone!
I’m sorry to say that no one is running as a Green. Les Evenchick is running for City Council At-Large, but his party affiliation is listed as “no party,” which is probably accurate since I think he quit the Greens [...]

This morning I jogged along my old route, from Jeff Davis around Bayou St. John, up to the art museum and back — about 2.5 miles — for the first time in over half a year. That area is in pretty good shape, or so it would appear. Slightly higher ground. And the museum is [...]

Wednesday wasn’t enough. I’m declaring an entire month of ashes. We can call it Ash March. Or maybe the March of Ashes. That sounds about right.
I guess it’s called Lent if you want to get technical. I’m not drinking until Easter at least. No, I’m not Catholic, but it feels right to give it up [...]

Reload page for another random picture of me.
The pictures featured on this page are pretty old. Want to see some more recent pictures of me?

When you’re in a big robe, it’s much easier to pee if you’re not wearing underwear.

Unfortunately I was wearing underwear, and yes, I kept ‘em on all day. Must be my Midwestern Lutheran upbringing.
The major parades? Zulu? Rex? Missed ‘em entirely. We started in the Bywater eaaarly in the morning, made our way up through [...]