The city of New Orleans suffered one of the worst disasters in U.S. history when Hurricane Katrina flooded the city in 2005. Then when the Saints won the Super Bowl in 2010, the people felt like the city was back. But seven weeks later, BP’s Deepwater Horizon oil rig blew up in the Gulf of Mexico.

An Interview with
photographer David Rae Morris
by Glynn Wilson
LocustFork.Net

Obama Speaks from New Orleans on the Fifth Anniversary of Hurricane Katrina

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His Ideas on Democracy and Freedom Survive On The Web Press

The Big Picture
by Glynn Wilson

NEW ORLEANS – The prose and punch of Mark Twain have been rolling around in my head for the past few weeks as I traveled back and forth to the Gulf coast. I happened to think of him recently while in New Orleans, when I stumbled — in my bumbling reporter sort of way — into a restaurant called Huck Finn.

The place is connected to the lobby of the Hotel Chateau Dupre on Decatur Street, right off Canal Street in the first block of the French Quarter. It is any easy five minute walk to the river from there, and another minute or two over to Café du Monde in the French Market district.

Glynn Wilson

The sidewalk in front of Huck Finn’s restaurant in the French Quarter of New Orleans

Now comes word that the The University of California Press will publish the first of three volumes of the 500,000-word Autobiography of Mark Twain in November. Now, for the first time, the American people will finally get to read his real thoughts on American capitalism, imperialism, politics and religiosity relatively unedited.

The timing could not be better.

“From the first, second, third and fourth editions all sound and sane expressions of opinion must be left out,” Twain instructed his Victorian editors in 1906 when the first version of his spoken autobiography came out, when a more radical voice could have been silenced and shut out of the for profit book market — as well as for profit newspapers and magazines.

“There may be a market for that kind of wares a century from now,” Twain mused. “There is no hurry. Wait and see.”

The manuscript was dictated to a stenographer in the four years before his death at 74 on April 21, 1910. Twain thought speaking his recollections and opinions — rather than writing them down — allowed him to adopt a more natural, colloquial and frank tone. Twain scholars who have seen the manuscript agree.

Twain’s opposition to American imperialism and military intervention in Cuba and the Philippines were well known in his time. But according to the New York Times, which has apparently been given an advance view of the book, “the uncensored autobiography makes it clear that those feelings ran very deep and includes remarks that, if made today in the context of Iraq or Afghanistan, would probably lead the right wing to question the patriotism of this most American of American writers.”

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Glynn Wilson

One of the most common, iconic photos in the French Quarter, especially among the faithful who come here to expose themselves to a little sin, is the backside of the St. Louis Cathedral after dark. Sometimes you can also get the moon in the shot. [Click on the image for a larger view]

The Big Picture
by Glynn Wilson

THE FRENCH QUARTER – Some folks along the Gulf of Mexico coast believe in prayin’ at a time like this, when such an unmitigated disaster befalls them in the form of British oil and chemicals killing their sustenance.

They fought the British and ran them out of here a long time ago, but they allowed them back in corporate-style, just like the tea companies of old, back when capitalism was called mercantilism.

This time the British have won, it seems, in spite of pretty statements about the region coming back, the diversity of life that is — and the life itself spawned by that diversity.

Other folks may say the disaster is just another plague sent to punish men for sin.

Some may even interpret those sins to be what goes around comes around to those who flaunt wealth and power to rape Mother Nature, all while pretending to believe in a god through their political lackies.

They think they can use front groups to downplay the spill’s effects.

But you know, they they tend to believe their eyes around here on the bayou, and you know what they say about truth.

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Glynn Wilson

A great egret [ardea alba], a.k.a the great white heron, in New Orleans’ Audubon Park, home to what must be the largest flock just about anywhere. Meanwhile, birds are dying by the thousands just south of here in the Gulf of Mexico, where BP’s Deepwater Horizon oil gusher continues to pour into the Gulf at a rate of perhaps 2.52 million gallons per day.

This just in from my good friend and source Aaron Viles

NEW ORLEANS, La., Sept. 1 — As I type this Houma is getting hit by Hurricane Gustav, Baton Rouge is being pummeled, and Gulfport is dealing with some wind and high water. Most troubling though, is that New Orleans’ Upper Ninth Ward is beginning to flood as the Industrial Canal flood walls are over-topped.

So far the situation hasn’t become critical, as the flood-wall is holding. But I’m holding my breath.

If the flood-wall breaches, the long term future of NOLA could very well be in question. As I watch anxiously, I’m hit by how unnecessary this all is. If we had our coastal wetlands, if the oil companies and the Army Corps of Engineers hadn’t set the stage for our massive land loss, we would be far more secure. Levees alone are not enough. We need to restore our coastal lines of defense, our wetlands and cypress swamps.

Walter Williams has created a new video which captures our crisis, “Blood and Oil.” Take a break from your CNN/Weather Channel viewing and head over to YouTube and help us take advantage of this teachable moment.

Viles is with the non-profit Gulf Restoration Network. The group is asking people to take action to hold Shell accountable — as one of the largest operators in Louisiana, and the most visibly concerned about the coast, “they can help fund the actual restoration,” he said.

They are also requesting that people ask Senators Obama and John McCain to come to New Orleans and debate a sustainable city.

“We need them to take a break from their highly scripted campaigns and come take questions from real people about the real challenges facing our region,” he said.

Hurricane Gustav made landfall about 10 a.m. Monday as a Category 2 storm, with maximum sustained winds of 110 mph, missing New Orleans to the Southwest.

NOAA

Hurricane Gustav Hits Land Southwest of New Orleans

While the “Big Easy” seemed to dodge the bullet, the storm blew a huge hole in the planning for the Republican National Convention, forcing the GOP to drastically change plans and reminding voters of the mishandling of Hurricane Katrina three years ago by the Bush administration.

Speeches by President George W. Bush, First Lady Laura Bush and others were canceled on Monday. And Republican nominee John McCain’s scheduled appearance to accept the nomination on Wednesday was also in doubt.

As Gustav Nears, Republicans Change Course

GOP Convention Turns Into Appeal for Hurricane Aid