...or to be more precise, will soon have a new mayor. Good thing too. We have a long history of poor education, eroding tax base, brain-drain, and failure to attract any business other than "entertainment" related stuff like restaurants, music clubs, and ... lately Casinos. Don't get me wrong, New Orleans is a great place to visit, and even to live, but there are problems here that need to be addressed. Looks like someone is finally going to take a whack at it.
Ray Nagin, the mayor-elect, is a former head of Cox Cable's local operation. He has been at the helm as Cox has implemented its roll-out of high-speed Internet access, and he knows that technology and information mangagment are key to this City's future. Today's front page of the Times Picayune tells the story of how Nagin is committed to using tools that help bring him information (tools like his Blackberry) quickly. He understands that technology can be used to create efficiency in government. Can he do it? I don't know. But he's talking the right talk. He is planning on trimming the bloated staff of "mayoral appointees" to free up money to pay talented people who understand how to use technology and want to see it used for the public good. That's cool. What else can he do? Hey, how about bathing a few public parks and community spaces with Wi-Fi? Or figuring out how to use K-logs to gather and publish useful information that is hopelessly dispersed throughout the government? I wouldn't be surprised if he did.
And now for the crime report...
We'll need technology to fight crime too. I don't know all the statistics (frankly, I don't know any of the statistics) but crime ain't what it used to be, especially violent crime. For one thing, there is a lot more of it. But, the way that violent crime is carried out is disturbing too...
Everyday when I watch the local news (on my TIVO, late at night, and purely for entertainment) all I see is reports about these "drive-by" shootings. What's with that? It's laziness, that's what it is. In the old days, when you wanted to kill someone at their house, you went over to the door, made the proper introduction, and then shot them. Now, people aren't willing to take the time to even get out of their cars. I'm telling you, manners and common courtesty are dead in this Country.
Anniversary note
It has now been a week since I started blogging (actually it's been eight days, but the first day was a Mulligan). Anyway, I'd like to thank those of you who have tuned in (all six of you). I think I'm going to celebrate in a big way today, and when I say big I mean big like my friend Copley (who is no stranger to celebration) would mean it. I'm talking Livin' Large. Yes sir, today, I'm going to break open a new bag of Doritos. Wish me well....
