OK .. well .. history New Orleans, as was the rest of Louisiana (remember something called the Louisiana Purchase) owned by the French and was an important port of trade.
But really only a port that sent goods to another land. New Orleans was also the only area in the south that contained a population of "free black". It also needs to be understood that the majority of those "free black" were from a line of "freed" slaves (women) who were the "contract purchased mistresses" of the wealthier French gentry .. and of course .. their "offspring" .. sometimes many, many generations .. with mothers conducting negotiations on behalf of their daughters to obtained the best possible "contract" to ensure their future wealth. The whiter the skin the more desirable. Laws were passed .. because after many generations of black having children fathered by white the features nor the darker skin was no longer there .. these laws required all colored women (any colored blood) to wear head scarves. I have a "thing" about "head scarves"!! .. and .. no .. my ethnic background is German/English/Irish/Scotch/with a bit of Swedish (as if a "bit of anything" could fit in there). The old French Quarter was .. in a large part .. whole sections of neighborhoods (individual houses) that the French gentry would buy for his "contract acquired" (usually for life) concubine .. these were actual contracts .. and even if the the "gentleman" grew tired of his mistress .. the wealth/the house/the contract was fulfilled .. this property was in the name of the mistress and was hers and hers alone. If his wealth permitted he could enter into another contract with another woman. New Orleans wasn't a "planned" neighborhood .. but historically, it has gain a certain reputation of being a great place to party. Party people flocked toward that kind of environment .. and business follows. The fact that oil was discovered in the Gulf just adds to the population .. the businesses .. and the party. .. as an after-thought, once the Americans purchased that area from the French .. a large percentage of the "free black" disappeared (sold north) and their property somehow landed in the hands of others. Mary Lynn Mary Lynn Schmidt ONE SPIRIT ONE HEART TTouch . Animal Behavior Modification . Behavior Problems . Ordained Minister . Pet Loss Grief Counseling . Radionics . Dowsing . Nutrition . Homeopathy . Herbs. . Polarity . Reiki . Spiritual Travel The Animal Connection Healing Modalities http://members.tripod.com/~MLSchmidt/ >From: "Greg and April" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> >Reply-To: Biofuel@sustainablelists.org >To: <Biofuel@sustainablelists.org> >Subject: Re: [Biofuel] Katrina slams New Orleans. Is There Blame? >Date: Wed, 31 Aug 2005 08:36:29 -0600 > >I sorry as all get out for the folks in New Orleans. > >But > >New Orleans is a city that should have never been built. > >I'll disagree with one point, that the government was responsible for all >the problems. > >I believe it's the folks of New Orleans, that started the canals and >drainage ditches ( and allowed the city exist to the point that it became >an >important enough port to cause congress to pass the various act's and laws >that accelerated city's sinking to it's present level ), should carry the >larger burden of guilt. > >Since I first learned of the below sea level issues surrounding New >Orleans, >I have often wondered if the U.S. would be better served by letting go of >the present location of the city, and rebuilding in a location better >suited >for a city. > >Several times I have tried to tally the total preventive and running >maintenance cost of trying to prevent, what has now happened in New >Orleans, >but, have failed each time. With the millions spent each year, the total >must be in the billions by now. And now they have to rebuild virtually >the entire city? > >I always wonder if the city is worth what it would take to move it or ( >recalling Popular Science articles ), build a floating city, that would be >anchored in place and "float" on top of the swampy soil. >http://www.popularmechanics.com/science/technology_watch/1284346.html >http://www.popularmechanics.com/science/transportation/1289186.html >http://www.popularmechanics.com/science/defense/1281531.html >It is not like they couldn't do it so it can let a hurricane blow over ( >and >under in the case of storm surge ) them, the technology is now available >just look at the gulf coast oil platforms. > >I think it is going to be interesting to see, how many people and companies >leave the area, because the cost of rebuilding ( not to mention insurance ) >will be to high. > >How many more hurricanes will it take for New Orleans to wake up to it's >problems? > >Greg H. > _______________________________________________ Biofuel mailing list Biofuel@sustainablelists.org http://sustainablelists.org/mailman/listinfo/biofuel_sustainablelists.org Biofuel at Journey to Forever: http://journeytoforever.org/biofuel.html Search the combined Biofuel and Biofuels-biz list archives (50,000 messages): http://www.mail-archive.com/biofuel@sustainablelists.org/
