tinyvices in paris

Thank you Tim Barber!

ALARMING

Burning Trash, Baton Rouge LA 8/2006

all reproduction rights reserved

There was an article in the newspaper this morning about New Orleans Mayor Ray Nagin has been feuding with the New Orleans Fire Department about funding, salaries and raises. It was noted that the average hourly wage for a fireman is $10.81 an hour! Yes, and I find that number alarming!

“Anti-Concurrent” *

Yield Sign, Baton Rouge LA 1/2007
all reproduction rights reserved Wm. Greiner

“Anti-Concurrent” is an insurance industry coined term, which basically means if your home is covered for wind storm damage but not flooding and both occur at or near the same time - the insurance company is going to assume the damage was all flood related! Therefore, the insured collects nothing or close to it!

How does this relate to the Gulf coast and those affected by the hurricane? How about 900,000 property owners seeking payment for hurricane damage may find little help from their hurricane insurance policies.

There is nothing mixed about those signals.

I can see clearly now the rain has gone...

Bluebonnet in Rain, Baton Rouge LA 1/2007 from Baton Rouge Blues
all reproduction rights reserved William Greiner

It rained here for a week! We finally had two days of sunshine , and then it was raining again this morning. I made this picture last round of rain and the scene reminded me of those great images Robert Frank made on the road in the 1950's.

DOUBLOONS?

Jax Brewery doubloon, commemorating the Saints vs. Bears game in 1968

Strange things happen to me sometimes or more aptly , odd coincidences.

We moved again recently , for the second time in a year and a half. I am tired of moving stuff and everytime I do move, I find myself pawning things off on my 7 year old. It's new and exciting stuff to him?

So I gave him a big box of doubloons , which made his eyes light up. Not long after I gave him the box , he brought one to me. It was a promotional Jax Brewery (now defunct New Orleans beer label) doubloon , commemorating the New Orleans Saints vs. Chicago Bears game in 1968. I don't remember who one that game (probably the Bears) but I sure know who I want to win this one!

GO SAINTS, circa 2007.

From the Darkness to the Light

Baronne Street Parking Lot, New Orleans 12/2006

all reproduction rights reserved William Greiner

One of New Orleans’ finest photo journalist , photographer John McCusker of The Times-Picayune, cracked under the stress of covering Hurricane Katrina and having to deal with his own personal problems including the loss of his home after the storm.

It had been reported that John , while driving erratically was stopped by the police. McCusker implored the police to shoot him and to their credit and show of restraint - they didn’t.

Unfortunately, he was charged yesterday with battery on a police officer and flight from a police officer. One charge is a misdemeanor , the other a felony.

I prey that , if convicted, John gets the help he needs and not some jail sentence.

nourishment?

Sandwich Truck, Baton Rouge LA 3/2006

all reproduction rights reserved William Greiner

It might seem odd to blog so much about a professional sport - a football team? However, the fact is that the New Orleans Saints, with their winning, has provided such an emotional lift to a community that has been so trampled down, it’s hard to ignore! There is more than one kind of nourishment!

AMEN

Sign , New Orleans LA 3/2005

all reproduction rights reserved William Greiner

SAINTS 27 , Eagles 24

No it's not the end!

This can't be the end?

Dead End in Subdivision, Baton Rouge LA 12/2006

all reproduction rights reserved William Greiner

The New Orleans Saints professional football team has provided such an emotional lift to the city, I hope this is not the end!

under a tree

Flocked Tree and Moon, Baton Rouge LA 1/2007

all reproduction rights reserved William Greiner

As much bad news that comes out of the Middle East, it was nice to hear about the final installment of a $100 million dollar gift from the Persian Gulf nation of Qatar. The funds have been distributed among quite a few needy causes, such as local housing, universities , disaster relief and human development organizations.

Now that was something to put under a tree.

Do The Math

Fish, Venice Marine, Venice LA 12/2006
all reproduction rights reserved William Greiner

You do the Math?

Today , Associated Press writer Mary Foster, wrote in an article titled “Nine slayings in 8 days makes Big Easy uneasy”, about the unacceptable number of homicides occurring in the city of New Orleans. It has been nine murders in 8 days!

Unfortunately, many people don’t worry or care when its criminal on criminal, minority on minority or drug dealer on drug dealer homicide. However, I find any murder to be unacceptable! The fact that this violent crime is seeping over into the “general” population, is getting a lot of attention.

The police force has gone from 1700 members pre-Katrina to 1400 members now (noting that an additional 100 officers are out due to injury or illness). The state in an effort to bolster the force had in June sent in 300 National Guardsmen and 60 State troopers to help. They are all still there but people keep dying.

And that makes me uneasy.

Wanted Dead or Alive

Leonard after Katrina, Metairie LA 10-13-05
all reproduction rights reserved William Greiner

Alec Soth , in his widely read blog, yesterday talked about the lack of photographs which included people. He went on to talk about Robert Polidori and his Katrina images. Reading this opened a wound, which I thought had healed.

I am speaking about the image Mr. Polidori made of a dead man, on his own bed and in the privacy of his own home, partially covered by a blanket. I spoke to a number of people about this image , and to my surprise, few shared my anger at the invasion of privacy.

I blogged about it at the time , and my feeling then as it is now, is that if I were this dead man's brother, son or friend, and found Mr. Polidori making this photograph - he would be looking for a good dentist to fit him for dentures!

Shoot It, Blog It, Share It*

READ , Venice Marine, Venice LA 12/2005

all reproduction rights reserved William Greiner

*Shoot It, Blog It, Share It

By Miki Johnson

January 3, 2007

American Photo

http://www.popphoto.com:80/photographynewswire/3566/shoot-it-blog-it-share-it.html