Nothing llike a good night's sleep......

Ya gotta admit....there's nothing like a good night's sleep to bring one back to reality. Sort of like -- Wham! Bam! Plop! Thud! And if that doesn't do it, then the 90 degree + heat we've experiencing alllllllllllllll month surely will!

I've got my feet back (firmly) on the ground. Sunday, in downtown BR, I thought I was near 'bout in heaven. But, I've gotta remember that rivers, old downtown areas, good food and good music make me vulnerable.

Today....I'm (questionably) rational again. And....I'm wondering. Wondering why it is that the bee-u-ti-ful bridge in the background of Sunday's sunset is still referred to as the NEW Mississippi River Bridge, even tho it was built in the 1960's. Okay, I know there's the OLD bridge that Huey built, but....that was in the 1940's.

'New' Bridge: http://www.visi.com/~jweeks/lower_mississippi/pages/lmiss12.html

'Old Bridge: http://www.visi.com/~jweeks/lower_mississippi/pages/lmiss11.html



Even today, whenever most people say the 'new' bridge (and most people still say it), the person usually asks, "Why the hell do we still say the new bridge!?!?" But....we still do it. Old traditions die hard, I guess. And let me tell you, if you don't specifically say 'the new bridge' some a-hole is sure to ask (with an innocent expression on his face), "Are you talking about the new bridge or the old bridge?" WTF!

And then there's the old state capitol. We were sitting within spittin' distance from it. I admit, it's not the prettiest structure around. Mark Twain called it the ugliest building on the Mississippi river. (He even insinuated that dynamite could be put to good use on it.) So today I'm wondering why it is these comments are front and center in Baton Rouge travel info?!?!

And then....these's the New Orleans election that was held last Saturday. Can you even begin to believe that Nagin and Landrieu are in the run-off? Okay, let's see. One was the incumbent when Katrina hit and one is from the family who has ruled NOLA in the past (and apparantly done not much to ensure its safety). And to top it off, most of the city coucil were reelected.

Now, I'm not from New Orleans, so I'm sure there must be something that I don't get. But....I sure as hell don't get it. If I were displaced, sitting in a city that is rotting around me, sitting in a FEMA trailer, or any of the other horrific options that are operating, I just don't think I would vote for the status quo. But then again, maybe there is something I just don't get.

These comments were thought provoking: "In U.S. Senate and gubernatorial races between Democrats and Republicans, New Orleans has often provided a large margin of votes for Democrats, sometimes making the crucial difference.

But the lower number of traditionally Democratic-voting African-Americans participating in Saturday's election could jeopardize candidates who depend on that block of support in upcoming elections, said pollster Ed Renwick, director of Loyola University's Institute of Politics.

"It's going to impact New Orleans politics, area politics, state politics and national politics," Renwick said. "It could have a major impact."

Louisiana pollster Bernie Pinsonat said the New Orleans election was billed as the most important in the city's history, and therefore a turnout of only 108,000, or 36 percent, is probably more an indication of lower population than of disinterest among voters. The Democrats' "cushion" of votes from Orleans is probably gone, he said.

In the 2002 mayoral primary, about 135,000 people voted, a turnout of nearly 46 percent. African-Americans made up 62 percent of the vote.

Democrats have at times enjoyed a margin of advantage of more than 100,000 votes from New Orleans, Renwick said."


Party labels aside (if that's possibly) there could be changes ahead for the state of Louisiana. ....But, then again, maybe not. I'll reserve my opinion until after the next gubernatorial election.

Well, enough of my bitchin'. But....I'm still wondering about one more thing. Thinking back to last Sunday, how can all those policmen watch people imbibe , and then watch those same people get in their cars and drive away?