Gentilly Girl- a part of the 99%

October 27, 2006

Dixie Chicks Denied…

Filed under: Civic Blogging,Progressive News — Tags: , — Morwen Madrigal @ 8:48 pm

Well, the Dixie Chicks’ documentary, “Shut Up and Sing”, will be airing around the country starting Nov.11 unless the Uber Lords of BushCo have their way. NBC has refused to air a commercial for the documentary because it “disparages” our Chimpy.

Give me a freakin’ break! Since when is it not allowed to speak out against our elected officials? (Oh that’s right… since Jan. ’01.)

I think it’s time to order some music from these gals and make it a point to see the film.

October 22, 2006

PTSD or Katrina Syndrome?

Filed under: Aside,New Orleans — Tags: , — Morwen Madrigal @ 10:33 pm

In today’s T-P, Chris Rose offered up a great piece entitled, “Hell and back…”.

For myself, I think Katrina Syndrome more fits the bill for what has been going on with me. Read the essay yourself, and if you see yourself in any of this, please check out the remedies. I did, and I am so glad I did.

October 20, 2006

More Medical fun in NOLA

Filed under: Aside,New Orleans — Tags: , — Morwen Madrigal @ 11:34 pm

I have found myself being very irritable and run down lately. Been eating well and getting my sleep, but this does not seem to make up for this dragging feeling.

Two months ago Tinnitus started in my left ear. It hasn’t stopped since then. Sometimes it’s a steady tone that is mildly discomfiting, but recently it can reach mega-volume that sounds like a train is racing through my head. It can even wake me up at any time during sleeping. Being around too many conversations at once or in a bar with the music blaring can make me get a little crazed. After a time all of my hearing vanishes into white noise and I begin to feel very alone and scared. I am also experiencing episodes of vertigo which is becoming dangerous living in a tiny shotgun that’s crowded and having 7 kittens running around. (I know that’s what caused me fall and crack some ribs recently.)
I’ve doing my homework on the condition and going through my physical remedies, but it’s time to once again attempt to get an appointment with my doc. *rolls eyes* This isn’t any fun and I’m worried that I may be going deaf. The prospect of this happening is more upsetting than my year of blindness. Even blind I could hear things and operate somewhat normally, but not being able to hear is very dibilitating  with my style of living. I like my peace and quiet… I can just think or relax. This sonic nightmare is removing what little fun there is here since the Deluge.

It is also vexing that we have so little of the VA hospital running. Where are they going to send me for all of these tests? The prospect of having to travel to Baton Rouge, Jackson or Houston is rough right now. We have meetings with contractors to do and I spend time at the old house as they are doing their work in case they have questions. It’s a crappy time to need to travel.

Oh well, this little bitch will just have to tackle this latest post-Deluge ailment. Ughhhh.

October 15, 2006

Dollar Bill is not “honored”…

Filed under: Civic Blogging,New Orleans — Tags: , — Morwen Madrigal @ 5:45 am

Our shifty, freezer-favoring and clan-building Representative William Jefferson was NOT endorsed by the Louisiana Demos today. Far freakin’out. Let’s clean all the crooks from our rafters and send them packing.

I’m going to tackle another clan-building going down here in the city come Tuesday. I’ll probably need protection after this one.

October 11, 2006

I’ve Freakin’ Had It

Filed under: Aside,New Orleans — Tags: , — Morwen Madrigal @ 1:57 am

Tonight I learned what some folks thought about me. I’m not surprised by these revelations… I’ve been waiting for a year for this shit.

I don’t give a fuck about what others think. I’m myself, and I want my city whole. I’m the Pooka’s own whelp.  New Orleans is my only concern. (So  is my health, but I don’t care: New Orleans is more important.)

There have been many nasty emails sent to my direction lately. I don’t fucking care about your thoughts assholes. I AM both Male and Female, and my damn ovaries can more than overide your dammned Testies. My brain is functional, and it looks to what must be done. It ain’t about the fact that I’m a Lesbian and Intersexed. (you know who you are.) I am part of this city.

Track me, bio me, doesn’t matter… I stand on my work,and the rest of my work is breaking your power base.

Come on babies… you want dirt? I’ll give it to you, but it will come from the true depths. I will show you a world of lies and abundance. Stupid mother fuckers… no brain equals no thought train.

I’m asking for my compatriots to join me in cleaning up the cesspool that is New Orleans politics. Fuck your favs, it’s time for reality.

It’s unfortunate that I needed to use my Blog for this, but I cannot face writing different emails. My message is the same for all of you: FUCK OFF. I am a Human Being, and I’m from New Orleans, and I really don’t give a damn what they think.

Come after me now you little cowards. I’ll dance upon your graves in joy.

October 3, 2006

Know Your District: The Disparate 97th

Okay, a nod to Stephen Colbert is due here or the little “neo-con” poop will probably sue me.

Tonight we start our multi-part series on the 97th State House District. First we will examine the make-up of the area contained within the District. Next will be the current problems each neighborhood faces in the Post-Deluge world. Later we will examine the two candidates in the November 7th General Election and their visions for the District and whether or not this will create improvement for their constituants.

The 97th is a really odd District. It lays across the city from the river to the lake. It contains parts of the Bywater, St. Roch, St. Claude, Gentilly Terrace, Dillard, St. Anthony, Gentilly Woods, Milneburg, Pontchartrain Park, Lake Terrace and Lake Oaks. It’s a maddening example of Gerrymandering, except I can’t understand why any party would want it that way.

Though the majority of the District is residential peppered with small businesses, there is the commercial area along Chef Menteur in the Gentilly area and the light industrial areas of St. Roch Bend and Sugar Hill. The railroad corrider and the Florida canal effectively cut the 97th in half, and it also gives an explanation for the differences between one half and the other.

Starting at the river is the Bywater, haven for Bohemians and fairly prosperous. Most of what is a worry there is retaining the spirit and feel of the area, especially with the coming redevelopment of the river front. Their major battles at this time are to keep rents from spiraling out of control and the possibility of high-rise condos being built. Population Post-Deluge is fairly high there.
Next we come to St.Roch/St. Claude. These areas are predominantly Black (88.2%) and many buildings are in various states of disrepair, blighted being a good term for the worst of them. Except for a smattering of businesses on St. Claude Ave. and spots in the neighborhoods, there is no great Retail presence. Streets are in horrible disrepair. Much of the population has returned.

Lakeside of the railroad corrider things change. The population is mixed, blighted housing is not a major problem, and there were areas of retail establishments unlike the riverside of the corridor. This area was mostly devasted by the Deluge and their population recovery has been fairly slow. It is one of the most heavily organized areas in the city since the Flood and has been singled out as a good test area for the start of the rebuilding efforts.

The 97th has it’s quandries, and our next segment will look at the runoff candidates and their priorities.

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