Merci Beaucoup (pronounced correctly thanks to Obama) to the French; the food is wonderful, but besides imparting fabulous technique and lots of butter to African cuisine, they didn't do much else for Louisiana. (Not that we have either, mind)
Driving through Louisiana, is kind of like driving through the beginning of Omega Man.
The dilapidated parking lots, lack of road signs and/or people able to give directions to "foreigners"
There's the charred sugar-cane stubble, with the petrochemical and fertilizer factories to add an slightly piquant industrial aroma, that successfully detracts from any natural beauty that the countryside might have. The wealth that flows (or used to flow) through New Orleans does not seem to affect it much; though the appearance of living in the 1860's does make it an attractive tourist destination. But why is it stuck? An enormous amount of wealth flows (or used to flow) through New Orleans, perhaps there is the difficulty of resource-rich entities being unable to create sustainable economic growth (in that large amounts of resources go through New Orleans because it is there not because there are necessarily buyers.
France did not have the infrastructure that Britain and later Germany (or Prussia etc.) had, they had a larger population and there was not as much incentive to create labor-saving devices. Is it contagious or something?
Does Louisiana suffer from being ignored? Or is it like Baltimore a place who's time has past, but can't adjust?
Besides the annual manic outburst the state seems to live in perpetual depression. Poverty seems to work like that, depressed people can't be bothered to make to try making themselves happy. It's probably just that it is more difficult to invest in prosperity if you are poor (somewhat obviously.)
The infrastructure can be solved, cultural changes take more time, and can't exactly be legislated (though they do try in California................)
in addition: recognize I must, that word order is often essential in english, "how poverty can invest in prosperity," implies that instead of being a pontificating fool, I actually have suggestions on how to improve the living standards of Louisianans. So I decided to rewrite history, as a result this post is dated wrong.
(by the way, I have no hard feelings after the HOURS spent driving along the left bank of the Mississippi, after not paying $20+ to enter a ramshackle plantation in the middle of NOWHERE, and getting lost because of an AWFUL map----I just feel a particular pity for the people that have to live there.)
Pseudonyms: Pros and cons
The worst part about a pseudonym is that you can't take credit for your work -- which is only a problem if you happen to be incredibly vain. Another downside is that using a pseudonym in contemporary American society appears eccentric, and possibly a little paranoid.
A resoundingly obvious pro is that you are relatively sheltered from the fallout of absurd and offensive remarks. Go anonymity!
People will immediately understand that you are this kind of person however, so remarks by: "twizzle.twinkle.twilight.girl" will pretty much always be ignored.
Another thing that I have considered: given the well-know bias towards subconsciously favoring "pretty people;" if you are of average or above average appearance you should have a picture of yourself. Unless of course, you are prone to making embarrassing, potentially career-destroying statements (see previous paragraph.)
So if you use a pseudonym, do people assume that you are ugly?
Though if you depend on your pseudonym to guarantee absolute anonymity and if you broadcast a lot of information about yourself, then anyone can find out who you are and you are just another idiot on the Internet (who has probably chosen a ridiculous name from science fiction, and then mangled it.)
The good thing about making up a name (especially if your given name is common;) by making it ridiculous enough, you are the only person that comes up on a google search (of course no one bothers to google it, but that's beside the point.)
A resoundingly obvious pro is that you are relatively sheltered from the fallout of absurd and offensive remarks. Go anonymity!
People will immediately understand that you are this kind of person however, so remarks by: "twizzle.twinkle.twilight.girl" will pretty much always be ignored.
Another thing that I have considered: given the well-know bias towards subconsciously favoring "pretty people;" if you are of average or above average appearance you should have a picture of yourself. Unless of course, you are prone to making embarrassing, potentially career-destroying statements (see previous paragraph.)
So if you use a pseudonym, do people assume that you are ugly?
Though if you depend on your pseudonym to guarantee absolute anonymity and if you broadcast a lot of information about yourself, then anyone can find out who you are and you are just another idiot on the Internet (who has probably chosen a ridiculous name from science fiction, and then mangled it.)
The good thing about making up a name (especially if your given name is common;) by making it ridiculous enough, you are the only person that comes up on a google search (of course no one bothers to google it, but that's beside the point.)
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