Bayou Music.

Good Afternoon Folks:

I recently completed reading James Lee Burke's Latest Book "The Glass Harmonica", and as usual the book got me started thinking about Louisiana in general, and the natives of Louisiana in particular.

I guess many of us think that all Louisianians are what we call "cajuns".
Nothing could be further from the truth. I found New Orleans to be a giant melting pot, where one could hear accents and patois' basically from all over the world.

For instance, there is, or used to be, a section of the City of New Orleans that was known as the "Irish Channel". I was remiss in not inquiring as to why this area was so labeled, but presumed (I was young) that it was because a lot of the inhabitants of that particular area were of Irish Descent.

I later found out this this was the case, but the area was no longer an Irish enclave, but, in keeping with the rest of the city, had a broad racial mishmash.

One could go to certain areas of the city and hear people speaking whom you would swear had just gotten off the Plane from Brooklyn. You could also go to other areas of the city and surrounding areas and swear you were in Paris.
I guess this is just one of the things that makes New Orleans so interesting, and was one thing that made my wife and I to love it so.

But, on a personal note, the people of New Orleans and the area in general that I found most fascinating were the Cajun People. I have never in my life met a more self-deprecating people, who always ready to laugh, not only at other people and things, but themselves as well. I also found that when one was fortunate to count a Cajun as a friend, you were a lucky person indeed, for a cajun put no limits on his or her friendship, and would do absolutely anything for a friend, a trait I have found in very few people since. Anyway, before I started this diatribe, and the reason for it, is the horror of the Oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico, and the wreckage it is making of the Gulf and the lives of the people who depend on the Gulf for their livelihood.

I know British Petroleum says that they will clean up the area and reimburse every person affected, but just exactly how in the world can that possibly be accomplished?

Hundreds of miles of coastline and tens of thousands of people have been irreparably damaged, their livelihoods ruined and the wetlands impacted to such a degree that there is NO way to repair the damage.

I guess it would be fair to say that all the Gulf States will be "closed for Repair", for a length of time greater than my life expectancy, and I sorrow greatly when reflecting on this fact. I have heard it said that this accident was an act of God. I vehemently object to that statement, for why would a loving God inflict such damage on a people? The answer , of course, is that he wouldn't and didn't. This was purely and simply, an act of Man and his insatiable Greed for his Petrochemical "Fix", around which too many of us have staked out our lives!!

I find it restful and pleasant to daydream about fishing trips I have taken in the past on the Bayous and Lakes of Louisiana and Mississippi and find it sad that I will probably never again find the soul-restoring peace one can find on a lazy float down a Louisiana bayou, spending more time listening to the voice of the Bayou and the Swamps surrounding it. From the Sigh of the breeze through the Spanish Moss and across the water, to the calling of various birds in the surrounding trees, to the occasional Pig-like grunt of an Alligator, seldom seen, but always present, all combined to form a quiet music, which left a lot of time for introspection.

I found I did some of my deepest and best thinking about life in general, and my part in it in particular on these fishing trips;

Of Course one must not assign a minor role in this "nature Play" to fishing, itself the reason for the trip in the first place. for anyone who loved to fish, and in a somewhat spookily darkling atmosphere to boot, I can recommend nothing better than a Louisiana bayou, especially in the early spring.


On one particular trip my Brother and I took with our neighbor, we literally caught fish (largely Speckled Trout) until we were just plain tired of catching fish. My brother has a picture taken of us, with our catch taken just after that trip and it is amazing. This is one of those "Life's Memories" that I will never forget, and is just one of those things that makes my memories of New Orleans and the area around so very pleasant and precious.

I guess what I've been trying to say, in all this uncharted rambling, is that the next time you doubt the existance of God, and perhaps are disgusted with the intrinsic faults of the species homo sapiens sapiens, perhaps its time to go on a fishing trip. I recommend it unreservedly. And while you are about it, offer up a prayer to whichever God you worship, for the Health and Welfare of the people of the Gulf States and the Gulf itself. And God Bless Admiral Thad Allen (U.S.C.G. Ret) for the thankless job he has undertaken to trying to solve this horrible problem, and start to bring the Gulf, and all its inhabitants back to health.

Stay Well


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Correction.

Its a Dark and Stormy Evening here, but we needed the rain so that the farmers crops would progress satisfactorily, so come on rain!

I think I may have reported an untruth in my just previous post, re: the "New" Black Panther Party, and if so I want to correct my unintentional error.

I wrote that the New Black Panther Party was interfering with white voters at various polling places. I based this article on an interview I saw on Television with an old-time member of the Civil Rights movement, who was excusing the actions of the supposed "New Black Panther Party" and their actions at certain polling places.

My mistake stemmed from believing what I saw on Television. You'd think that after spending three-quarters of a Century on this Planet, I would have learned better, but, apparently not.

So.......If I erred in this post, I most humbly apologize, However I am not yet positive of my mistake yet......so..stay tuned, and don't hesitate to correct me at any time.

I Remain,

Your Obedient Servant,

The Old Professor

What's fair for the Goose...........

Good Afternoon Folks:

Well there have been a number of things in the news lately which have caught my eye, and I'm sure the eyes of many of you as well.

First... Several hundred tons of newsprint and several hundred hours of broadcast "Journalism" have been devoted to the subject of "King" LaBron James, and what team he is signing a new contract with. It turns out that he is signing with Miami. Okay, everybody feel either better or worse now??????? This has been one of the silliest bits of reporting I have ever had the extreme displeasure of witnessing, as I could honestly care less where a Multi-multi Millionaire has played, or where he will play in the future. I have said before, and it bears repeating, that out Society is going to Hell in a Hoop, in paying these largely uneducated freaks millions upon millions of Dollars to play a game.. A GAME!!!!!!!!

These jokers make more in one game than a lot of HONEST people earn in a year, and earn more in one year than poor old Joe Lunchbox (without whom society could not function) will earn in his lifetime, and this is just a damnable disgrace.

We pay our Policemen, Firemen, and members of our Armed Services less per year to risk their lives than we pay these tall Idiots to play a game for an Hour or so, and if that doesn't fit the description of inequity, I don't know what does.

The second item in the news that has caught my eye and ear in the past few days is the re-emergence of the Black Panther Party, and their actions in harassing white voters when they tried to vote in a Precinct that had a goodly number of black voters.
They(the Black Panthers) also threw the American Flag to the ground, spat on it and set it afire, BUT,our National News media made no mention of this apparently well known fact, either in print or electronic Journalism, until some "Quisling" of a Journalist let the facts be known, and then the new media reluctantly mentioned the fact, as an aside to their more important subjects, as the above on "King James" and etc.

If white people Had been harassing would-be black voters in the Elections just past, we would not only read about it in the Newspapers, News magazines, hear about it on radio and television, but also probably see Tanks and Troops moving into the affected areas, to quell these savage Caucasians.

But, the worst thing of this particular issue is the fact that the Justice Department, on orders from the White House, is taking NO action on these occurrences.

Can you spell R A C I S M ??? Are you still proud of being a Democrat?

Have a good day


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