I got a little sidetracked and forgot to say thanks for your post, Sarah! It's so true what you said about bureaucracy, too. Brenda Musicians' Village Aims to Keep the Music Alive in New Orleans New Orleans is renowned as the birthplace of jazz and for a rich musical culture. To keep that unique heritage alive, two famous musicians with roots to the Crescent City, and Habitat for Humanity are combining forces to build a Musicians' Village for displaced musicians. When New Orleans flooded, the city emptied. Several thousand musicians called the Big Easy home and they had to evacuate with everyone else. Not much remained after the floodwater was drained. "Seventy percent lost their homes, lost their instruments, lost their clothes, lost their cars and have to literally rebuild their life one step at a time, and where do you begin? The first thing you begin with is housing," said Ben Jaffe of the city's Preservation Hall, which is dedicated to preserving the music. Last December, New Orleans native singer Harry Connick Jr. and saxophonist Branford Marsalis announced a project with Habitat for Humanity to address the crucial need for housing. The Musicians' Village is a 5-block development in the Upper Ninth Ward, the largest housing project to date in the city since Katrina. The numbers vary but between 75 and 81 colorful new homes are under construction for musicians. The village will also have a performance center. The homes are a hand up, not a hand-out. The musicians who will live there are each putting in 350 hours of their own labor to help build the houses. In turn, musicians are eligible for an interest-free, $75,000 mortgage loan. "It's a happy place, very hopeful," Village spokesman Billy Puckett said. "In fact, the corner of Alva and Roman we call the most hopeful place in New Orleans." One of those working on the project is saxophonist Dan Oestreicher. He agrees having a place to call home comes first, saying, "People can't play music until basic needs are taken care of." Nearly three dozen of the homes are about complete, thanks to Habitat volunteers like Adam Moreland who left Sacramento to help. "I'm doing amazing work, working with amazing people, meeting volunteers from all over the world who want to help rebuild." The new community is funded by contributions to Habitat and numerous performance benefits by musicians. It's one way some are trying to preserve music's integral role in New Orleans. As trumpeter Wynton Marsalis said, rebuilding New Orleans without consideration for its jazz and rhythm and blues culture is like a having a body without a soul.

Greenbows1, I listen just fine. Especially considering not a single point you brought up was discussed in this thread. Yes, I actually check facts and don't just swallow whatever nonsense is spouted in the press. As a child I had personal experience with the reporting of a story which showed me that the press is not interested in the truth but only excitement. I was there when a reporter was taking statements from witnesses, including me. The final story had no resemblence to the actual facts communicated to him. Facts that some posters here are not clear on: 1) Louisiana had lots of funding for the leeves and pumps. They receive the most funds of any state. Somewhere around five times the amount of money California gets, a state that dwarfs them. Louisiana choose to divert that money elsewhere. 2) It was well know to everybody that the Leeves were only engineered to a category 3 storm. Bush knew this and specifically called for mandatory evacuation long before the storm hit. It is the Louisiana Governor who is the only one that is authorized to do this. She waited too long. It's a problem with her. When Bush arrived after the storm and offered help she requested a full 24 hours to make her decision. See here: http://www.mudvillegazette.com/archives/003501.html You can also go there to discover that they were moving in the guard as quickly as possible given the fact that the govenor had to sign off on it. 3) Local officials are responsible for evacuation, shelters and the like. They did not do there job. Even after the storm hit: http://www.blindmanphoto.com/images/Stop-Blaming-FEMA.jpg 4) Local officials are obstructing the delivery of supplies from outside the state, supplies that should not have been required since have already been at the designated shelter sites. They were obstructing help from private and public sources. Hell Nagin and Bianco were still fighting just yesterday over whether to evacuate the city. Nagin ordered an evacuation and her is Bianco's response: "The mayor certainly has ordered that but the governor, and that would be me, would have to enforce it or implement it. We are trying to determine whether there is an absolute justification for that," 5) Declaring a state of emergency is not the same as doing something about it. Not only didn't the local officials act before the hurricane hit, they didn't act afterwards. It was quite clear to them the day before the storm hit that they had screwed up but they just didn't know how to act so they whined. It was their job, why didn't they just do it. Sign the papers, send out the buses for the poor people. Hell the buses were available after the storm. Take a look at this: http://www.blindmanphoto.com/images/Stop-Blaming-FEMA.jpg Why don't you back up your claims with some facts. Be specific. Exactly who believed the levees would hold? Exactly who in the administration is pointing fingers? Here's an article with Nagin pointing fingers at Bianco: http://www.nola.com/newslogs/breakingtp/index.ssf?/mtlogs/nola_Times-Picayune/archives/2005_09.html#076943 This from a guy who didn't follow his own cities evacuation plan: http://www.ohsep.louisiana.gov/plans/EOPSupplement1a.pdf Go to page 13, read paragraph 5. It states: "5. The primary means of hurricane evacuation will be personal vehicles. School and municipal buses, government-owned vehicles and vehicles provided by volunteer agencies may be used to provide transportation for individuals who lack transportation and require assistance in evacuating." 6) I was of the opinion that Mr. Brown was unqualified based on news reports I had read but that doesn't mean he is "totally unqualified". Apparently he had more experience than I was aware of. 7) Congress should be the last organization investigating this as they are the ones responsible for the funding and they though pork barrel projects were more important. I will keep changing my opinion as new information comes in but most of the mainstream coverage appears very one sided, erroneous, and frankly ... stupid.

I think the worst part of the heat in the midwest is the humidity that arrives with it...not exactly just the heat....it stifles the breath right out of you when it reaches 90's. I spent two weeks in Vegas last year and the temps with 105 or more each day. That heat felt much more comfortable the the heat at home in the 90's. As long as we drank..we felt fine. My sister in law who lives in Vegas came to visit Indiana in July last year..when she left Vegas it was 103...she thought hot...but when she got here..it was 92..cooler she thought as she got her stuff ready to deboard the plane. By the time we made our way across the parking lot to the car, she was winded...and said she would take vegas 103 heat ANY day compared to this. A week later she couldn't wait to get back home to her hot dry heat where at least her chest didn't feel like someone was standing on it all day... We also have to remember that the plants in each zone are acclimated for that particular heat and so are the heat and water needs...when it reaches 90's and humid in the midwest..nothing can breathe...not plants, or people. Mid 90's is the top of its range... So it takes extra care to assure things survive..Every zone of the country has diff heat and cold highs and lows..and life, both people and plants are used to that level...and has certain needs at that level. That is why certain things grow in one place and not another.. The plants that we struggle in the midwest to keep alive in the 90's do not even survive in texas or florida heat.... the plants that need the heat from Texas or Florida can not survive here with our cool nights in the fall and spring, or our winters,....its all what is the regions normal and what kind of things we are dealing with. It is really all about what is hot in your region...and what plants and people are use to there. Not about "how" hot it is.... Just my thoughts.

Gas is $3.88 here! It's absolutely ridiculous. The crisis in New Orleans is also over the top. We're spending millions of bucks and have our military in other countries and we can't handle a flood situation on our own land. The military is slow getting in, babies and the elderly are dying, no water or food, and gangs are threatening people with guns. Not to mention the rapes and deaths happening in our (loose term) "disaster shelters". You'd think the government would have plan for a city that's built below sea level. They could take a lesson from Denmark. What a waste of our country's thinking minds, caught up without government funding and now a city that's completely out of control. Arg. Okay, now back to the regularly scheduled board: Dee: Congrats on your anniversary! Did you say you were going to a psychic party? If so, spill about it----what happened? Oh! And thanks for the Janet link! So hows Kimberly faring? MagicKitty~ Good job on the diabetes diet. Glad it seems to be working. My friend's 9 yr old was just diagnosed with diabetes and they're adjusting well. Raeanne~ Well, I hope your ribs are healing well. OUCH! The concert sounded fun. I love any sort of live music though! The girls and I saw some cool shows in Vegas. Marci~ I remembered your surgery was the 31st. Glad to hear your fine. Rest easy, will you? Heal fast! Kindergarten story: When I picked up my DD on her first day of school, (long ago), I asked her if she had a good day, and she replied, VERY loudly, "OF COURSE, YOU HORSE!" Hmmmm... I'm glad THAT nickname didn't stick.... HNSuzanne~ Have a great trip and enjoy the wedding festivities! Are you still doing fat flush? How's it going? Hope you are getting some updates on your mom, even if you aren't able to visit her. That must be hard for you. I'm sure you've written her expressing your feelings and all of that, but maybe she'd welcome the contact if you sent her a phone card or something----or just showed up? Anyway, (((((((HUGS))))))))). Happy belated Birthday, Jen and Tikanas! I was off on my trip when you all celebrated! Jen, I hope your headaches have settled down. I can relate to headaches - mine were due to a thyroid problem, as well as diet, I suppose. It was such a relief when they stopped. I will be thinking of Erica on the 9th. But she'll be thinking of those Dora boots, I'm sure! Tikanas~ Did you get all caught up on your home biz? It's nice to be your own boss, but working from home is SO, SO hard! Along with being a single mom, it must wear you out some days! Gretchen~ (((((((HUGS))))))) on your loss. There's an Eskimo tale that says the stars that shine at night are the souls of the loved ones. I love that thought. Peace to you. I love the photo of your dad and you. Lovely. Maddie! Have you been rolling in your dough? I remember when you talked about that before. It must be so fulfilling to have a successful business even though it's hard work. You sound like you're doing it full time and enjoying it! Will your mom be okay with phone calls? I know you expressed concern over not getting to see her; would she be okay with talking on the horn? Enjoy the corn dawgs! Fair season is almost over! Besh~ CONGRATS on your weight loss! WOW! It really works! Bet you feel great! Speaking of weight loss, JOHN! Great job, skinny! The excitement you have for exercise is so refreshing! And you activities sound like a blast with you GF! I hiked the Red Rock Canyon while in Vegas---BEAUTIFUL!!!!!! I would like to try the prickly pear sorbet you mentioned--- that sounds delish! My teen kids have been getting me the DVD versions of Six Feet Under as they come out and were watching them together. Quite eye-opening for them! We all love it! Big fans, we are. Well, I gotta tackle my list and get some appointments made. Listed a piece of property last night and got a full price offer with an escalation clause this morning. Must be their dream property. It's is a gorgeous piece, but I've got my eye on something else to buy. Gotta get back to the paperwork-----WORK! Make it a good one!