Making Sense Out of Nonsense

Dave's version of the Night before Christmas 'Twas the night before Christmas, let me give you the scoop. Not a creature was stirring, cause they all fled the coop. No G-Ma in Lakeview, no Joe in Chalmette, No Towanda on St. Claude, no one's heard from her yet. No Boudreaux in Waveland, no Jacque in Grand Isle, No Jean in Slidell, man that girl makes me smile. The place it was emptied by Katrina's great tide. They all headed north, now they're spread far and wide. As I sat there alone, I wondered out loud, What Christmas would bring without the usual crowd. And I questioned how Santa would find all my friends, Now they're gone cross the country from beginning to end. So I sat at my desk, which was no more than a book, Cause all of my stuff damn Katrina done took. And I wrote me a letter, crafted with care, Made my list for St. Nick, a New Orleans prayer. I start, "Pere Noel, you know times are hard, And I guess fun and laughter, well they're not in my c...

'Twas de night before Katrina, when all tru da state Not a gas pump was pumpin', Not a store open late All da plywood was hung, on de windows wit care, Knowing dat a hurricane, Soon would be dere. Da chilren were ready wit deir flashlight in hand While rain bands from da hurricane covered over our lan And Mom wit her Mag-lite, and me wit my cap Has jus filled da battub for flushing our crap.. When out on de lawn, there arose such a clatter I sprang from da closet to see what was de matter The trees on da terrace, and de neighbor's roof torn, We feared we'd be dyin' in dis terrible storm. Wit a little wind gus, so lively and quick, I membered quite clearly our walls was not brick More rapid than Eagles, her courses they changed! And she whistled and wafted and surged all the same. Off shingles! Off sidings! Off rooftops! Off power! Down trees! Down fences! Down trailers! Down towers! On da street of New Orleans, s he continued to maul, Screaming Blow away! Blow away!...

N A T I O N A L I S S U E S: Let's FLOOD WASHINGTON - Demand a Commitment to Louisiana's Coast andCommunities with the Gulf Restoration Network's quick link petition An excerpt from Aaron Viles' message "New Orleans and South Louisiana must haveCategory 5 hurricane protection. This protection must integrate an effectivelevee system with marsh restoration and protection of coastal forests (that arethe first buffer from storms' impact). If businesses are to have the confidenceneeded to return and revitalize the city that gave the world Louis Armstrong,seafood gumbo, and America's best Mardi Gras, we must give New Orleans theprotection it deserves." http://healthygulf.org THE LEVEES: GOVERNMENT ENGINEERS CONFIRM the findings of LSU Team Louisiana engineersshowing that the 17th Street Canal levee pilings were "short-sheeted" - drivendown only 10 ft below sea level, instead of the 17.5 ft that the Army Corpsdesigns required. The Corps has not been...