SHREVEPORT, LA — I truely am the luckiest motherfucker in the world. I just keep landing on my feet. Yesterday I was finally able to find an avaliable hotel room. FEMA is paying for two weeks of lodging for displaced Gulf Coast residents. So for the next 14 days I will be laying my head down in a suite at the Boomtown Casino. My room has a king-sized bed, a wet bar, a sauna shower and a jacuzzi. Also, due to the previously mentioned hotel shortage I will have some guests this weekend. My suite will be home to the Tulane cheerleading squad. Continuing on the good news front, my neighborhood opens up this weekend and my place of employment should be open by the end of the month at the lastest. Looks like my stay in north Louisiana could be MUCH shorter than expected.

Tonight I will be sleeping at Huey Long’s old lake camp. THAT IS SO FREAKING COOL!

SHREVEPORT, LA — This site will be temporarily publishing from northwestern Louisiana. This should not effect your reading enjoyment. Everyone here has been wonderful and kind. They have opened their hearts, homes and places of employment to me. I haven’t had the opportunity to see much of the city yet. I’m probobly gonna end up with roomates for the first time this century. Interesting times on the horizons. Everyday my safe and sound count rises. Some people I still haven’t heard from. My list of great concern is down to one. Thanks to all my friends around the world that have sent their well wishes and offered to help. I am the luckiest motherfucker in the world. I have been provided with a job and a place to live. Do what ever you can to assist those affected by hurricane Katrina and its aftermath. To those of you that already have donated money, supplies or your time… THANK YOU! From the bottom of my heart thank you. And realize you probobly have evacuees in your community. I guarantee there is something you can do for somebody right there in your back yard. Gonna work on getting some happy stories up soon.

Wow, it’s been weeks since the last hurricane post. OK, so looks like Katrina is coming. And not in that she’s gonna hit the northern Gulf coast kind of way. I think she’s gonna stroll right down Canal Street (edit, new model released two seconds ago says maybe it’s going to Gulfport). It has a projected landfall of 1:00 AM Monday. That’s only 40 hours away. They project it takes 60-72 hours to evacuate the entire New Orleans metropolitan area. Great planning guys. Three Parishes have already ordered manditory or voluntary evacuations. But we have to wait until noon for the press conference for the decissions made about Orleans Parish (edit, another Parish just went to mandatory evacuation). And with the projected path, going east is not an option. Also, going west is not an option. So, if I go, looks like I’m heading to Dallas again. Not only that, I’m supposed to work tonight through Wednesday. I don’t wanna die, but I don’t wanna lose my job either. THIS SUCKS SO MUCH!!! This has totally caught me off guard. Thursday night, Katrina wasn’t even a concern of mine. Friday afternoon, I’m kinda thinking about it and stopping by The Weather Channel more often. And Saturday morning, I’m sitting here agonizing about making this decission. Should I stay or should I go now? If I go there will be trouble, and if I stay it will be double. FUCK ME! FUCK ME! FUCK ME!
Ignore all that stuff earlier. I’m going to Dallas. Hope everyone along the north central gulf coast is safe.

In a shocking turn of events there have been recent allegations of corruption in New Orleans politics. Not everyone was fortunate enough to take Dr. Charles Bullock’s southern politics course at the University of Georgia, but even still, you have to be somewhat familiar with the history of seediness from elected officials down here west of Mississippi, east of Texas and south of Arkansas.
It is commonplace to blame all of these impurities on those in office. But after decades and decades of illegalities, Louisiana voters have to look at themselves. There is an obvious trend of electing people to office that may have a lack of scruples. Why is it that people down here continue to put these folks in positions of power?
Perhaps the corruption has gone overboard. There was a time when a politician could finagle a sweet construction deal for his buddy but the project would still be built. Now there appears to be more of a no work/no show philosophy. The tax payers’ money is still doled out, but there is no end result.
When most citizens of the world think of Louisiana their mind wanders to Cajun food, people with funny accents, bayous, Mardis Gras, Bourbon Street, great restaurants and massive alcohol consumption. But they also think of a contaminated environment and contaminated politicians. But this is something those hailing from the Sportsman’s’ Paradise seem to revel in. Maybe there is a reason why large corporations tend to settle in Houston or Mobile instead of the second busiest port in the whole freaking world. These businesses just can’t afford the kickbacks.
So hey, Louisiana registered voters, how’s about paying a little attention to who you vote for? Maybe, just maybe… It is not only the politicians that are ethically challenged, but the voters themselves.

THREE GENERATIONS OF HEALANS
“Don’t call what your wearing an outfit. Don’t ever say your car is broke.
Don’t worry about losing your accent, a Southern Man tells better jokes.
Have fun but stay clear of the needle. Call home on your sister’s birthday.
Don’t tell them you’re bigger than Jesus, don’t give it away.”
— from “Outfit” by The Drive-By Truckers

“I’m supposed to tip-out 20%? That’s like half of what I made.”

The ice cream truck in my neighborhood plays Dixie.

I will never get tired of laughing at people wearing Livestrong bracelets while smoking.

On the way to dinner the other night my dining companion had to hit the breaks to avoid hitting a guy crossing the street mid-block on his rascal scooter. I guess he couldn’t really get a ticket, the defense would have a solid arguement. “Your honor, my client is a parapalegic, so therefore it is impossible that he was jaywalking, or any other kind of walking for that matter.”