LUCAPblog

Restaraunt

2009-11-04T16:38:00.001-06:00

I think that It would be nice for LUCAP to begin a partnership with Cafe Reconcile, and if we do we could use these tips from the NY times.
Mark Asmussen

The EPA and Harmful Gasses

2009-03-24T10:34:00.002-05:00

Take a look at this article about the EPA's new direction in regards to heat-trapping gasses.

"The move is likely to have a profound effect across the economic spectrum, affecting transportation, power plants, oil refineries, cement plants and other manufacturers.
It sets the agency on a collision course with carmakers, coal plants and other businesses that rely on fossil fuels, which fear that the finding will impose complex and costly rules.

But it may also help the Obama administration’s efforts to push through a federal law to curb carbon dioxide emissions by drawing industry support for legislation, which many companies see as less restrictive and more flexible than being monitored by a regulatory agency. And it will lay a basis for the United States in the negotiations leading up to a global climate treaty to be signed in Copenhagen in December.

Once made final, the agency’s finding will pave the way for federal regulation of carbon dioxide, methane and other heat-trapping gases linked to global warming. "

The full article is below:
http://www.nytimes.com/2009/03/24/science/earth/24epa.html?partner=rss&emc=rss

Yours in not trapping gasses (haha),

-j.

Help the St Bernard Project Win $100,000

2008-10-22T07:43:00.007-05:00

http://www.cnn.com/SPECIALS/2008/cnn.heroes/archive/liz.mccartney.html

Hey All,

So if you haven't, or have, heard, Liz McCartney from the St Bernard Project--yes, that's right! The very group SHROCKIN' works with, here, in New Orleans, at Loyola, is nominated to be a CNN Hero and is one of the Top 10 finalists! Show your support by clicking the link above and voting for Liz. If she wins, the St Bernard Project will receive $100,000! Wowzers! The announcement of the winnder will over Thanksgiving in LA--whoop!

SO GO NOW AND VOTE!

-j.

Care-giving for the Elderly

2008-10-14T11:59:00.002-05:00

Interesting article that speaks a lot about care-giving with the elderly. It relates directly to SMILE (Students Moving into the Lives of the Elderly) which works to bridge the gap between generations and develop fellowship between students and seniors in New Orleans (contact Joelle Brown at jebrown@loyno.edu for more info).

The fact that the question is asked, who is taking care of our elderly?, is indicative as to where they stand in the priority of the American family. How can we better treat and care for our seniors? How do we better educate and prepare family care-givers to be adequate care-takers? Thoughts?

-j.

we think critically about... maps

2008-09-08T13:52:00.002-05:00

Over the summer I was in a Ten Thousand Villages store in Alexandria, VA browsing around and found a bin filled with unusual maps. Map projections have always amazed me - considering that there is no way to put the three dimensional contents of a globe onto the two dimensional contents of a map, something has to be distorted. Where do we distort? Why is the Atlantic in the middle of the map? All questions I still have unanswered.

While the map with countries sized based on their population was cool (India, China = big; Europe, USA = small), I was most intrigued by the map that was inverted. Antarctica was at the top, the north pole at the bottom. I barely recognized it as the same map I've seen since grade school.

So for tonight's LUCAP meeting, I made flyers with that upside down map across them. I this year in LUCAP that seasoned LUCAPers and newcomers alike have their beliefs challenged and learn about the way that others see the world. This totally makes me want to print a bunch of upside down maps and distribute them to grade schools everywhere.

A found a short essay on the upside down map called Dreaming Upside Down and plan to discuss it tonight at the meeting. Here's some of it:

In my dream, a cloud of anxieties closed around me. The United States was now at the bottom. Would we have to stand upside-down, causing the blood to rush to our heads? Would we need suction-cup shoes to stay on the planet, and would autumn leaves fall up? No, I remembered, an apple once bopped Newton on the head - no need to worry about these things.

Other things troubled me more. Now that we're at the bottom, would our resources and labor be exploited by the new top? Would African, Asian, and Latin American nations structure world trade to their advantage?

Would my neighbors and I have two-dollars-a-day seasonal jobs on peach and strawberry plantations? Would the women and children work from dusk to dawn to scratch survival from the earth of California and Virginia? Would the fruit we picked be shipped from New Orleans and New York for children in Thailand and Ethiopia to hurriedly eat with their cereal so they wouldn't miss the school bus?

Would our children, then, spend the morning, not in school, but fetching water two miles away and the afternoon gathering wood for heating and cooking? Would a small ruling class in this country send their daughters and sons to universities in Cairo and Buenos Aires?

A late look at guns on campuses

2008-08-24T15:32:00.002-05:00

I know its a bit late to blog about this story, but I ran across a Loyolacentric article in the Gambit today regarding guns on campuses. Louisiana House Resolution 199 proposed that Universities should no longer forbid the concealed carrying of weapons by licensed citizens. This resolution was defeated and never became law, but it was contentious enough that Loyola University President Kevin Wildes, SJ took a public position on the matter (against).

Apparently not all of Loyola was not in agreement with the President. The article details the impending creation of a Students for Concealed Carry on Campus chapter at Loyola University with support from Dr. Walter Block. Block was quoted in the article wondering why the pro-gun feminist voice was lacking from the discussion, stating that guns are a great equalizer in the physical differences between men and women and would decrease the number of sexual assaults on female students. Dr. Marcus Kondkar pointed out that such a statement implies a fundamental misunderstanding of sexual assault on college campuses, as only 9% of sexual assault at Loyola occurred at the hands of a stranger.

The article is a very interesting read indeed.

Lower your carbon footprint with factory farming?

2008-08-19T23:30:00.006-05:00

Any casual environmentalist would tell you that local food is more sustainable than factory farmed food shipped from across the country. And it makes sense - there's nothing eco-friendly about a soot-belching diesel semi blazing across the interstates of America.

But is eating locally actually a less efficient and therefore more energy intensive activity than eating those delicious Chilean grapes in December?

Art Carden of the austro-liberatrian Mises Institute thinks that is the case. While Carden admits there are many reasons to eat locally, getting the lowest possible carbon footprint is not one of them. He suggests that a more effective step in reducing ones carbon footprint would be to simply reduce consumption of meat and replace it with vegetables. I couldn't agree more, Art.

Whole Foods Article

2008-08-12T00:59:00.002-05:00

For all your Whole Foods-ers!

"The recall is the latest blow for a company already struggling with anemic sales growth because of the economic slowdown.
'The assumption is that for the extra money that you pay for most Whole Foods products, in return you’re getting something that’s safer, fresher and more nutritious,' said Gene Grabowski, head of the crisis and litigation practice at Levick Strategic Communications, who has handled several food-recall cases. 'And this damages that perception a great deal.'"

Do we always get better quality and fresher selection for the higher prices at WF?

-j.

New LUCAP advisor has arrived!

2008-07-22T19:47:00.003-05:00

After months of facebook stalking (haha), I finally met the new LUCAP advisor and Director of Immersion trips Josh Daly. He's a Loyola and LUCAP grad from back in 2004 and I'm really excited to be working with him this year. I even found some Maroon articles mentioning him, so he's totally legit.

He'll be working for the last two weeks of July before leaving for two weeks to get married and go honeymooning.

Come visit him in the new University Ministry space in the Danna Center basement. That's the former SGA office.

Glad to have you, Josh!

New Loyola Website--Major Overhaul

2008-07-10T18:24:00.004-05:00

Not only does the new website look pretty spiffy, but the first link under "Explore Our Jesuit Identity" (not to mention in a host of other places) is LUCAP! BIG THANKS to whomever made or helped make it happen!

Thoughts and comments?
-j.

Want to advise LUCAP?

2008-05-12T19:55:00.002-05:00

LUCAP needs a new adviser, since our beloved Rick Yelton is leaving.

Do *you* have what it takes?

Link.

Colbert rips apart ethanol

2008-05-12T19:25:00.004-05:00

Stephen Colbert hits upon energy conservation in an April 28 segment of "tonight's wørd." Colbert pokes fun at the fact that it takes over 120 gallons of oil to make 100 gallons of ethanol, suggests CFLs as the solution to all our woes, and suggests that a gas tax holiday is sacrificing our need to sacrifice. Enjoy.

Orthorexia in America

2008-05-06T13:44:00.002-05:00

Michael Pollan, author of the Omnivore's Dilemma and In Defense of Food: An Eater's Manifesto, delivers a talk on food vs nutrition at Google. For those worlds healthiest pizza obsessed LUCAPers, this is a very good thing to watch.

Vampire power

2008-05-05T19:08:00.003-05:00

If you've been keeping up with environmental issues, you know that vampire power is the power that your electronic gadgets use when they're turned off but still plugged in.

Good Magazine did a great graphic comparing amounts of vampire power used by common gizmos.

Easiest solution to stop losing power to the vampire effect: plug your electronics into a surge protector and turn off the surge protector when the gadgets aren't in use. Or you could get a fancy surge protector that does it by itself.

NOLA residents want recycling, survey says

2008-05-01T22:53:00.003-05:00

Over the past few months, the city of New Orleans conducted an opinion poll on attitudes toward a city-wide recycling program. The results are in and they're awesome:

10,000 households responded of 120,000 households
9,000 (of 10,000) households indicated they would "voluntarily subscribe" to a recycling program.
When asked how much residents would be willing to pay

2,570 would pay nothing
2,858 from $1 to $3.50 a month
2,127 from $3.50 to $6 a month
1,671 from $6 to $10 a month
772 would pay more than $10 a month

One would think that Sanitation Director Veronica White would take this information and start a kick-ass recycling program. But no - the City has allocated $500,000 toward recycling, which is roughly enough to fund 6 months of pickup. And don't expect glass or cardboard to be picked up. Link.

98% of Americans Favor Public Transit for Others

2008-04-27T17:21:00.003-05:00

Funny and true, yet again the Onion hits the nail on the head with this article.

"Expanding mass transit isn't just a good idea, it's a necessity," Holland said. "My drive to work is unbelievable. I spend more than two hours stuck in 12 lanes of traffic. It's about time somebody did something to get some of these other cars off the road."

Americans love public transportation. They want it readily available, on every street corner, for God's sake. But they sure as hell don't want to ride it.

Green is Universal

2008-04-25T21:50:00.004-05:00

Earth Day was this past Tuesday (the same day as our lovely banquet). While watching an enthralling episode of "Law and Order: Special Vicitms Unit" I saw a commercial for NBC Universal's Earth Week. With tv shows that give you tips on making your everyday life more green and ways that you can make a difference, Green Week promotes slogans like, "Big Ideas for a Small Planet," "Green is Universal," and "Awareness. Activism. Results." Check here for more information and their end-of-the-week update.

Happy Greenification!

Unsubscribe Me: Waterboarding

2008-04-23T14:01:00.001-05:00

Amnesty International released a new commercial as a part of their Unsubscribe Me campaign to end torture. The ad will be playing in select movie theaters in the coming months.

Tell me what you think.

Social Justice for Life Expectancy?

2008-04-22T05:26:00.004-05:00

Overall, the United States has a relatively high life expectancy; women have a couple of years on men. However, as the article posted below shows, that overall number is not the same across the United States:

The study found that 4 percent of the male population and 19 percent of the female population experienced either declines or stagnation in their life expectancy in the ‘80s and ‘90s. Although this deadly trend is mostly centered in the southern parts of the nation, several largely rural counties in Washington – Cowlitz, Lewis, Benton and Grays Harbor – are also on the verge of seeing a decline in overall life span.

Surely, there's something to be said for where the life expectancy is lowest: southern parts of the nation (yes, that includes us!) and in some rural counties. What does this say about the (lack of) quality of life in our own nation? Why are these areas targeted?

Check out the full article for more information.

yours in wondering why some people live longer than others,
-j.

And we thought Nalgene's were so good!

2008-04-18T19:59:00.003-05:00

So, as Chad disappointingly mentioned to me the other day, skipping out on plastic bottles for resuable polycarbonate is NOT as good as an idea as we once thought. If yours has a 7 on the bottom--sorry! You're probably drinking bisphenol-a, which unfortunately is most dangerous for the very old and very young. Check out the article on Canada's new ban below:

http://www.blogger.com/post-create.g?blogID=5215109782482807501

Yours in thinking of other ways to not buy plastic bottles,
-j.

School Busing

2008-04-10T08:27:00.001-05:00

Here's a very interesting slideshow on controversy surrounding busing in Northeastern cities in the 1970s. It focuses on some jarring pictures taken during the era, and concludes with a picture taken during the immediate aftermath of Katrina that I hadn't seen, yet was powerfully moving.

Shame on you, polluters

2008-03-10T15:17:00.003-05:00

The Catholic Church released an article in "L'Osservatore Romano" listing several new ways to sin. Among them: polluting. Its always a good feeling when the Catholic Church supports what you've been believing for a while.

This raises the question. What's the penance for driving an SUV getting 12 mpg?

Presidents: Loyola and Abroad

2008-03-03T05:27:00.007-06:00

Today's LUCAP meeting is focused on the chief executive. As the nation's primary elections close, the country grows closer to the general election in November. Many LUCAPers have been following the races closely and will lead discussion on various positions of candidates.

This week also marks the start of active campaigning for SGA President at Loyola. LUCAP is having both candidates for SGA President speak at the meeting, giving the candidates a chance to explain their platforms and answer (usually tough) questions. This year, pre-med/finance/sociology student Greg Fontenot (pic above)and political science student Cade Cypriano (pic below) are running to represent the student body.

Be thinking of questions you might want to ask the candidates.

Check out their facebook groups, websites, flyers etc. for ideas on their platforms.

Greg Fontenot: website
Cade Cypriano: website

Fair Trade across Freret and beyond

2008-03-01T12:42:00.008-06:00

Fair Trade certified products are items that (in their simplest form) are guaranteed to have paid the people who produced them a fair wage.

While there are tons of places to buy fair trade products online, a few stores are right in New Orleans for your shopping convenience. Whole Foods has a few things, but here's a few more you might not have heard about:

InExchange
Tulane University
Lavin-Bernick Center for University Life
http://www.inexchange.org

A new store in Tulane's LBC (student center) sells exclusively fair trade products and local art. The founder, Erica Trani, is a Tulane alumna and is active in the justice groups of both Tulane and Loyola Universities. Trani drew upon her experiences working with artisans and growers in Ecuador as well as selling handmade jewelry made by independent artists at a French Quarter store. InExchange carries chocolates, coffee from Cafe Justo (starting March 2008), jewelry, rugs, ceramics, glasswork, textiles, reusable shopping bags and so much more. The inventory changes quickly, so check often.

Blue Frog Chocolates
5707 Magazine Street
http://www.bluefrogchocolates.com/

This candy store sells several kinds of fair trade chocolate as well as lots of locally made candy. Not everything is fair trade, but its still a delicious stop.

Fair Grinds Coffeehouse
3133 Ponce de Leon
http://www.fairgrinds.com

By far my favorite coffee house in New Orleans. Its located in the Mid City/Fair Grounds area. All coffee used is locally roasted by Orleans Coffee Exchange and 100% fair trade. Their cold drink cups are made from biodegradable corn plastic. Fair Grinds also hosts some cool community events such as a recent series relating sustainability to spirituality. This is the kind of coffee shop you want to live next to.

More crime in public housing

2008-02-12T11:36:00.001-06:00

The public housing issue has caused so much controversy over the last few months, that it seems as if the City Council and HUD want it to just go away. Well, it isn't, largely thanks to only two reporters, Edward Pound from the National Journal and Lolis Eric Elie from the Times-Pic. I should also note that I only found these articles through the blog run by local artist/advocate/voice of Mr. Burns Harry Shearer.

The articles show what a corrupt fraud the HUD Secretary, Alphonso Jackson, is.
Here are some of the big highlights:

"Federal investigators and a grand jury in Washington are exploring the secretary's ties to contractors who have been handed lucrative business at HANO under HUD. In at least one case, Jackson helped a friend, William Hairston, obtain contracting work, according to an account that Hairston has given to National Journal. Jackson testified before a Senate panel last year and during an earlier federal inquiry that he never intervened in awarding contracts. Jackson's problems may be growing. It turns out that his wife, Marcia, a consultant in Washington, had financial ties to at least two companies that did business at HANO."

-Pound

The news is damning enough, and there is more in Pound's article. But it takes local reporter Elie to put this corruption in the proper context:

"Evidence is mounting that a new, multimillion-dollar crime wave is poised to hit public housing in New Orleans, replacing common street-level operators with well-connected, out-of-town confidence men.

One of the prominent arguments in favor of the destruction of public housing has been the contention that public housing is a breeding ground for crime. If current demolition plans go through, crime in public housing won't go away -- it'll only change class."

The Blog is Back...Again!!!

2008-02-11T18:36:00.000-06:00

LUCAP,
This week's meeting was full of information and insight regarding fair trade and our other projects. Here are some of the highlights and announcements:

Thursday, February 14: 4PM- Global Justice Week Meeting
LUCAP office
4-7PM- InExchange Valentine's Day Bash
Food, Fun and Fair Trade
Tulane University Center
Saturday, February 16: 8AM- Walk for the Hungry
Meet in the LUCAP Office

10AM- Green Light New Orleans
Exchange incandescent lightbulbs with CFL's in the homes
of low income families
Sign up on the board or contact Jamie or Rob for more info
Sunday, February 17 11AM Hunger Relief
Meet in the LUCAP office
contact Roy for details

Fair trade seeks to provide a viable and humane economic alternative to the effects of free trade, which often benefits the richest countries while debilitating the economies of developing nations. Check out the In Exchange fair trade store in the Tulane UC to buy fair trade products and contact Erica Trani for other ways you can help!

Also, Catholic Relief Services is very dedicated to promoting fair trade and sustainable economies for developing communities. Their microfinance work is especially commendable as it targets building up communities for women in poor, rural communities.

Social Entrepeneurs

2008-01-27T11:02:00.000-06:00

There's a semi-inspirational op-ed in today's Times by Nicholas Kristof on young social entrepreneurs making huge differences around the world. Take a look.

New Orleans Housing in Sunday's New York Times

2008-01-26T13:01:00.000-06:00

As the parades start rolling down St. Charles, the NYT publishes a bit of a summary of the hosuing situation in New Orleans. It is incomplete by not delving deeper into the issue, but I think it provides a fair summary of the diverse and oddly developing situation here. The article's confusion over the LRA's redevelopment program is not shoddy journalism, but rather is reflective of the confusing situation the program finds itself in. Not even the highest level of administrators seems to have a clue about what they're going to do with all of the property it is buying up around the region.

It also is in a similar spirit to the latest column I wrote for the Maroon this past week about a report on recovery. Not to toot my own horn, but that can be found here. I always appreciate any feedback I can get on my columns.

The title of the NYT piece is particularly poignant: "So Many Places to Live, but so Far Out of Reach."

Jesuits elect new Superior General

2008-01-23T00:51:00.000-06:00

On Saturday Jan 19 the Society of Jesus (the Jesuits) elected a new Superior General, the leader of their order. The new Superior General is Father Adolfo Nicolás, a Spaniard who has lived most of his life in service to the people of Japan.

It was a rare step for a Superior General to resign as the the position carries a lifetime term.

Many people in the Jesuit community are suggesting that Nicolás may be more akin to the radical former Superior General Pedro Arrupe than his more conservative predecessor Peter Hans Kolvenbach.

Its super-hard to find a photo of the new leader and I may be completely wrong, but I believe the photo below is Fr. Adolfo.

Time Magazine reports "Will the new 'black pope' work?"

Pull your pants up or you're gay

2008-01-22T00:31:00.000-06:00

Update: article amended because I didn't do my research and made some accusations that I can't substantiate and may be completely inaccurate. See the comments. Deletions indicated in ~~strikethough~~, additions in red.

In response to the city of Dallas' campaign to end sagging pants, a Dallas rapper named Dooney da Priest wrote and released a song called "Pull Your Pants Up." While I would normally support all efforts to end ~~the abomination that is excessively sagging pants~~ what I believe to be a silly looking style, Da Priest employs homophobic lyrics to discourage sagging in youth.

From the song:

You walk the streets with your pants way down low
I dunno looks to me you're on the down low.
...
I think its gay, but some of y'all think its cool
Walking around showing your behind to other dudes.

In case you don't know, "down low" is slang for person who lives a straight life but also has secret gay relations.

To discourage sagging by implying that those who wear their pants low are homosexuals plays upon the homophobia that is already prevalent ~~and well-documented in Black communities~~ among young men. Yesterday, Democratic hopeful Barack Obama addressed a Black congregation and spoke out against the ~~rampant~~ exact kind of homophobia Da Priest perpetuates as a failure in achieving Dr. MLK's goals of equality.

Thanks a lot "da Priest" for perpetuating stereotypes and expousing hate speech.

The city of Dallas plans to erect a billboard featuring da Priest and his song.

Listen to the whole song on Da Priest's myspace page.

Gov't ties college funding to cooperation with RIAA

2008-01-21T23:35:00.000-06:00

The Electronic Fonteir Foundation reported that hidden within H.R. 4137, the College Opportunity and Affordability Act of 2007, lies language that could withhold federal funding from colleges where "illegal" file-sharing takes place. While the overwhelming majority of the 800 page bill will serve college students by making college cheaper, the RIAA/MPAA have clearly gotten their way by forcing colleges to prohibit file-sharing technologies from being used (even legitimately) and making universities buy in to new subscription based music services that rob users of their rights through convuluted digital rights managment (1,2) schemes.

Nobody wants to rob the artists from they money they deserve, but clearly the RIAA is not going about this in a sensible way.

This very well might impact your years at college, so you better follow this story as it develops.

Note: the RIAA is the same industry group that claims that ripping CDs to your iPod is not fair use and is illegal.

See also: Digital Millenium Copyright Act

How the City Sank

2008-01-18T14:54:00.001-06:00

Here's an interesting, if old, article from the Times about the flooded infrastructure in the city. The story of the guy at the pumping station is particularly interesting.

Tear it Down

2008-01-16T12:17:00.001-06:00

The international human-rights giant Amnesty International has launched a campaign to close the US detention facility at Guantanamo Bay (where the U.S. holds many prisoners illegally) called Tear It Down. The website brings you to a picture of detainees, and when you sign the pledge, one pixel of the photo is removed.

It takes 50,000 signatures to get rid of the photo and demonstrates how many concerned U.S. citizens want to shut down Guantanamo. I know there are tons of important online pledges you can sign, but I thought this was an interesting and powerful site, and I thought y'all might like to check it out.

How is New Orleans doing?

2008-01-15T23:40:00.000-06:00

The Brookings Institution has been releasing quarterly (occassionally monthly) reports about the status of important indicators in and around New Orleans surrounding housing, the economy, population, and other demographics. Beyond being a very useful research tool, it provides a good snapshot of where the city is, and where some trends say the city is going. Here's the link to the Executive Summary of the newest one, released this week. A few of the most important points:

Repopulation has slowed in recent months
Public school enrollment grew significantly from fall 06 to fall 07, as did the rate of Hispanic students.
More Road Home applicants have received money, but they have received less money than expected.
Unemployment rates have become the lowest since the storm.
The first library opene dup in St. Bernard since the storm. This is not an important indicator, but just sort of a depressing/uplifting detail

Read through the summary and gain a sense of what is going on right now in the city.

Tiny Cars and a New Governor

2008-01-15T08:40:00.000-06:00

Here are two interesting pieces, both with a connection to India, oddly enough:

Last week, the Tata Motors introduced the smallest, cheapest car on the market: the Nano. Anne Applebaum at Slate brings up an interesting conflict: the opposition of the anti-poverty movement and the environmental movement. As Applebaum correctly outlines, the technology that creates cheaper important goods--like the Nano, the world's cheapest laptop, new agricultural techniques that improve food production--will improve the quality of life of the poor.

The company hopes that the car, available for only $2500, will be used by Indians who currently often pack an unsafe number of family members on scooters or bicycles. The car would never pass the safety regulations in most Western countries (including the U.S.), but the lack of extra safety features allows it to be sold for so cheap. While that trade off is certainly interesting, But those same technologies will also damage the environment very greatly. Thousands of Indians will now be able to drive around the Indian countryside with the Nano. But the increase in pollution and emissions from such a cheaply made car could be enormous. Likewise, many of the new agricultural techniques that are used to feed more people in the world have significant environmental drawbacks, too.

Applebaum doesn't do much in her article except point out the conflict, and refute the central argument put forward by both sides (that the two sides are not actually in opposition to each other). I can see how environmental activism can help the poor, including advocacy for more fair location of power/manufacturing plants. But what about when correct environmental policy, such as clean air, directly conflict with the struggle to help the poor climb out of poverty?

Louisiana's new Governor, Bobby Jindal, was inaugurated yesterday. Even if you don't support him, you should at least have a clue about his plans for governing the state. His inauguration speech focused on ethics and economics, unsurprisingly. Here's the somewhat fluffy T-P editorial on the speech.

Clinton's remarks insult Dr. King's legacy

2008-01-13T19:52:00.000-06:00

As the Martin Luther King holiday approaches, now is the time to bring to mind Dr. King's commitment to equality, justice, and social change. Many of you may have heard Hillary Clinton's remarks last Monday that referred to King's role in the Civil Rights Movement:

“I would point to the fact that that Dr. King’s dream began to be realized when President Johnson passed the Civil Rights Act of 1964, when he was able to get through Congress something that President Kennedy was hopeful to do, the president before had not even tried, but it took a president to get it done,” she said. “That dream became a reality, the power of that dream became real in people’s lives because we had a president who said we are going to do it and actually got it accomplished.”

I find this sweeping comment gravely insulting. To say that "Dr King's dream began to be realized when President Johnson passed the Civil Rights Act" completley overlooks the initiative Dr. King took to lead a movement so that the act could be passed in the first place. To say that it "took a president to get it done" minimizes the monumental role that King played in the Civil Rights movement and disregards the power that lies with the PEOPLE to push for social change.

The New York Times has an article today that goes into detail about the ramifications of her comment since last Monday. Note in this article that the primary figure in Hillary's defense is the founder of Black Entertainment Television, which I find to be more than a little bit ironic. Furthermore, he made a cheap shot at Obama's history of drug use (which Obama candidly wrote about in his first book in 1995) and then later passes his comment off as a reference to Obama's "community organizing." (You can read further details in the above article.)

The legacy of Dr. King should be regarded with much more respect than this. While Clinton was clearly trying to promote her own agenda and suggest that she as a president will make change in our country, she certainly made a huge mistake with this comment. Now the question is whether it will cost her votes in South Carolina.

ALSO: Stay tuned for tomorrow's LUCAP meeting, the theme of which will be the radical side of Martin Luther King.

Maroon reports, mischaracterized public housing movement

2008-01-10T16:24:00.000-06:00

The Loyola Maroon reported today on the demolition of public housing in New Orleans.

Mr. Hultine's article, Bill of Rights, a piece mainly on Bill Quigley (Loyola Law), was spot on. Glad to see that Quigley has his tenure to protect him and that the University is honoring it.

The second piece, an editorial entitled Housing Issue nuanced, mischaracterized the public housing movement, ignored the many voices of reason who have advocated for 1:1 replacement of residents in the new housing, and ultimately came to no meaningful conclusion about the issue.

Both pieces are ripe for letters to the editor.

They report, you decide.

Come Meet a Public Housing Developer

2008-01-09T09:48:00.000-06:00

Hey LUCAPeeps (My first post!):

I know that you all are really interested right now in the New Orleans public housing debate. With that said, I'd like to invite you to a presentation held jointly by the Rockefeller Foundation and UNO's Urban Planning department. It's going to be tomorrow - sorry about the short notice- so call or email me if you want to come with me.

The three hour seminar will be given by a St. Louis-based firm that has been given the contract (and all those juicy LIHTC - low income housing tax - credits!!) to redevelop one of the "big four" housing projects. In other words, they are a HUMONGOUS force in this saga. I don't know exactly what the format will be for the evening, but I encourage all of you to come and think critically about their proposal and be challenging. And if anyone wants a little background on the issue, stop by my office.

Here's the info...

Please join us for the Rockefeller Foundation Redevelopment Fellowship public speaker series featuring
Richard Baron, Chairman and CEO, McCormack Baron Salazar

McCormack Baron Salazar is a firm specializing in the development and management of mixed-income communities with an emphasis on large-scale redevelopment projects in central city locations. They are partnering with the New Orleans Neighborhood Development Collaborative to plan the redevelopment of C.J. Peete public housing community.

The event will take place on Thursday, January 10, 2008 from 6-9pm at the Hampton Inn University of New Orleans Downtown Center, Gravier Room, 3rd floor, 226 Carondolet Street

Dixville Notch Fails

2008-01-08T22:45:00.000-06:00

So the small town with only 17 voters failed to adequately predict the winners in the primaries in New Hampshire.

It looks like, with close to 90% of the districts reporting, that Hilary Clinton, and John McCain have one the state. Complicating matters and making the election a little more weird.

View this fairly coherent chart at cnn.

For the Ron Paul Revolutionaries

2008-01-08T16:43:00.000-06:00

So below you will find a quite friendly looking picture of Ron Paul, Don Black, and Derek Black. Derek is Don's son, and Don Black is founder of the white nationalist neo-nazi web forum http://www.stormfront.org/. You'll find that the nazi's are quite fond of Ron Paul.

New Hampshire

2008-01-08T16:32:00.000-06:00

The town of Dixville Notch was the first to finish voting and turn in ballots today, according to this foxnews article.

According to this bordering on hilarious article the town "The town has 17 voters — two Democrats, three Republicans and 12 independents. Turnout was 100 percent. Four votes were cast by absentee ballot despite the fact that each voter was given his or her own booth at the town’s single polling station".

Also mentioned in the article were the results." McCain with 4 votes, Mitt Romney with 2 votes, Rudy Giuliani with 1 vote. Those were the only Republican votes cast". And on the Democrat side, "Obama won a landslide 7 votes compared with 2 for John Edwards, one for Bill Richardson and none for Hillary Clinton".

Lets see if this small town adequately predicts the N.H. primary.

Meeting Update and News

2008-01-07T18:20:00.000-06:00

Hope everyone had a WONDERFUL break! Although our wonderful blog seemed to die out (or is that die-in?) over break, just know that it's back--alive and kicking (think Easter baby!) By no means a full re-cap, here are just a couple of announcements, updates, and new snippits from the meeting today:

NewCAP OFFICE LOCATION!
Please stop by and see us! LUCAP has moved to the old New Student Orientation offices in the basement of the Danna Center between Black Student Union and the new Christian Life Community offices. Our lights are up, posters are hangin' and we're open and ready for business--the business of social justice!
ISN - The Ignatian Solidarity Network's Family Teach-in
March 7-9, Los Angeles, CA. A three-day trip, we have space for around 11-13 students. If you are interested (and, I mean really interested) then please come by the LUCAP office or Rick's office to fill out an information sheet to let us know you're interested.
Recycling - Loyola has recycling! In a recent speech to the faculty, Fr. Wildes announced Loyola's commitment to recycling on campus. Here's the recycling proposal for more information and to learn more about where you can look forward to putting those aluminium cans and mixed paper.
SMILE (Students Moving into the Lives of the Elderly) - Come join Loyola Students and the folks at the Uptown Shepard center for a "Breakfast at Tiffany's" themed Brunch. Mark the date for Saturday, January 19th, from 12-2. Please email Vivi Tran for questions or more information!
Hunger Relief - This Sunday (Jan. 13th), from 11am - 1:30pm, join Roy and the Hunger Relievers for fellowship and conversation with the men at Ozanam Inn. Meet us in the LUCAP office to make sandwiches before we leave.

That's all for now--have a fantastic first day and hope to see you bloggin' soon!

Aaron and the Angels Sing a Hallelujah Chorus

2007-12-25T14:54:00.001-06:00

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays!

I hope that everyone is having a relaxing and peaceful break! Everyone deserves it after all the hard work from last semester!

On this day I would invite all to remember our brothers and sisters for whom Christmas is an especially hard time. Let this understanding guide us and bring us a renewed sense of purpose in our next semester as we work toward equality and justice.

Also (on a somewhat less profound note), as my Christmas gift to you I would like to share this rendition of "Ave Maria" by Aaron Neville. Enjoy.

In Peace.

Ride the Rails

2007-12-23T11:45:00.001-06:00

Today marks the first day since Katrina that the St. Charles streetcar runs the entire length of St. Charles. I think this is the first thing that has happened in New Orleans ahead of its promised deadline and quite frankly, I'm excited.

Its still $1.25 and runs until midnight. Oh and remember, the streetcar has the right of way on the roads.

Link.

Stupid people.

2007-12-20T20:15:00.001-06:00

As Chad blogged about earlier there was an incident if you will between housing protesters and police earlier today when a decision was made not to allow the protesters inside the council meeting [to decide the fate of the big four projects]. You can watch a video of the scuffle below.

After city council approved unanimously in a 7-0 vote to approve the demolition of the big four projects, B.W. Cooper, St. Bernard, Lafitte and C.J. Peete, Mayor Ray Nagin, who notably was not at the council meeting released a statement supporting the councils decision. According to nola.com he said "The decisions made today were ones of compassion, courage, and commitment to this city,"... "This is an incredible day. You heard lots of pain today. The City Council in its wisdom has come up with a solution that will allow us to move forward, to hold HUD accountable".

Shame on Ray Nagin and the New Orleans city council for the lack of attempt at making any attempt at compromise.

4 Remaining Projects to be Razed

2007-12-20T16:58:00.000-06:00

The New Orleans city council voted unanimously to issue a demolition permit for the ~~Lafitte housing complex~~ all four remaining projects in the "big four" this afternoon. Before the vote, there was a clash between demonstrators and police involving tazers and pepper spray. WDSU/CNN have a clip with the clash and Quigley that you should check out.

~~Votes on the remaining projects are upcoming.~~

Articles:
WDSU
Rawstory

Details are sketchy, so this is all I have to work with at this time.

Brazilian Bishop Performs Hunger Strike

2007-12-20T11:13:00.000-06:00

I found this article on the BBC website and to be honest it's the first time I have heard about it. In Brazil Dom Luiz Flavio Cappio had to be hospitalized after performing a hunger strike for 27 days. He was protesting the diversion of the Sao Francisco river citing the detrimental effects to the environment. The Vatican has tried to convince him to cease the strike for the sake of his health, but he refused.

Call the City Council TODAY!

2007-12-19T10:21:00.000-06:00

As a New Orleans resident, you have a powerful way to help. Tomorrow, the New Orleans City Council is scheduled to vote on whether or not to permit HUD to carry out its demolitions. Several council members are on the fence, and your voice can influence their vote. Please join us in calling on them to vote against these reckless, premature demolitions and insist on a rebuilding plan that is fair and good for all New Orleanians.

Calling is simple and takes only a few minutes. Here are the key New Orleans City Council members and their offices:

Arnie Fielkow: (504) 658-1060
Cynthia Hedge-Morrell: (504) 658-1040
Shelley Midura: (504) 658-1010

When you call, you can use the script below or write your own.
Once you've called, please let us know by emailing hudhousing@colorofchange.org.

Script: Hello. My name is [Your Name], and I'm calling to urge [Councilperson's Name] to vote against permitting HUD to demolish public housing units in New Orleans. HUD's plans are flawed and unfair and would greatly reduce affordable housing in the city, making the housing crisis worse.

Until HUD creates a plan that provides 1-to-1 replacement of public housing and deals with the current criminal investigation of HUD and the HANO redevelopment plan, there should be no demolitions.

via Bob Payne (via colorofchange.org)

A Christmas prayer for peace

2007-12-18T17:06:00.000-06:00

The Christmas season has always been my preferred time to refocus myself on my spirituality. Advent gives me the structure I need to start attending Mass regularly again – four Sundays in a row is a realistic goal for me. Time away from the stresses of life at Loyola (exams, moving, BOLOs…) has lended itself to me as time for quiet reflection. With my parents at work, I’ve got the house all to my self. We don’t get this much downtime often, so try taking advantage of it.

In that spirit, I’d like to share a prayer that LUCAP alum Carlos Navarro (’79) passed on to me today. Its written by Jesuit priest and peace activist John Dear, S.J. and was recently published in the National Catholic Reporter.

Here's an excerpt:

Thank you, God of peace, for announcing the coming of peace on earth and for coming among us to make peace. Thank you for siding with the homeless, the refugee, the marginalized, the immigrant, the outsider, the disenfranchised, the imprisoned, the enemy. Thank you for being good news for the poor and the oppressed.

Read the entire prayer.

Public Housing Myths/Facts

2007-12-18T14:12:00.000-06:00

Bill Quigley wrote an excellent fact sheet on the issue of public housing in New Orleans. All of the myths below are propegated on the NOLA.com message boards. Answers to the myths here.

MYTHS

"Federal officials, in partnership with developers, are pushing a plan that will demolish 4500 units of traditional public housing, replacing them with 3343 units of public housing and 900 market rate rental units." Statement in Times-Pic 12.16.2007

If HANO and HUD do not start demolition right away, they will lose their tax credits.

There really is no housing problem, it is just outside agitators who are making it seem like New Orleans has a housing problem.

People do not want to come back to New Orleans. There are hundreds of vacant empty subsidized apartments just waiting for people to move in – no one wants to take them.

Congressional Democrats Get Involved in Public Housing

2007-12-15T12:36:00.000-06:00

This public housing issue isn't going away as quietly as HANO and HUD would like it to. On Thursday night, it seemed as if there was no way to avoid imminent demolition. But there has been a flurry of activity over the last day:

As Rob blogged about yesterday, HANO and the plaintiffs (representing public housing residents) agreed on a deal by which the City Council would decide the fate of three of the housing projects. While this represents an advance for the residents, it probably won't change the end result significantly. At least 3 Council members have decided to vote for redevelopment, with strong support for the 1-for-1 return plan to Lafitte. It would be a significant victory if Lafitte features a 1-for-1 (every family who lived there is accounted for with a new unit) return rate. But the other projects do not have the same sort of redevelopment plans, and the City Council still seems unlikely to force their hands to 1-for-1.

The Democratic Leaders in the House and Senate have written to President Bush, urging him to stop the demolition of housing while more of the issues are worked out. This catapults the issue to the national level, which will hopefully put some more coverage on the issue. But it's important to note that even these Dems didn't ask for the residents to be allowed to return immediately; their letter asks for a 60-day moratorium in order to work out a plan for replacing affordable housing. The letter also connects the homeless--in Duncan Plaza, under I-10, and everywhere else--to the lack of affordable housing.
Congress this year has done a lot of frustrating things, and hasn't accomplished as much as Democrats hoped it would. But reading this letter actually gives me a twinkle of pride that there are actually some politicians left in Congress (not named Barack Obama) who care about the poor and displaced down here. I hope Congress can make some change on this.

Keep reading the blog over break for updates.

HANO halts demolition plans at three public housing sites

2007-12-14T13:36:00.000-06:00

I'll just repost the article below.

-----------------------------------------------------------

HANO halts demolition plans at three public housing sites
by Times-Picayune staff writer
Friday December 14, 2007, 11:31 AM

Susan Finch
Staff writer

The Housing Authority of New Orleans agreed in court today not to demolish the C.J. Peete, Lafitte or St. Bernard public housing developments unless the New Orleans City Council approves permits for the work.

The agreement allows HANO to proceed with demolition work, approved in November 2003 by the City Council, at the B.W. Cooper housing development.

Officials with the housing authority and attorneys for demolition opponents, who sued HANO Thursday to stop tear-downs at C.J. Peete, Lafitte and St. Bernard, reached the accommodation after meeting privately with Civil District Court Judge Herbert Cade, who said he would sign an order later today approving the deal.

Plaintiffs argued that the City Council had to approve demolition work at the three housing complexes. HANO had not secured that approval for the three demolition projects.

Attorney Tracie Washington, representing the plaintiffs, said HANO's willingness to halt demolition work pending a City Council review is a first: "We have never (before) been able to get a court to order a stop to demolition."

The City Council is expected to address the demolition matter next week.

The agreement says that any party to the agreement, if dissatisfied, can return to court to seek a modification.

And don't forget to take a look at the comments here.

from NOLA.com comments: Tell Loyola How You Feel about Quigley

2007-12-14T09:06:00.000-06:00

As many of you know, Bill Quigley is a noted civil rights attorney and professor at Loyola Law School. He is providing legal counsel for residents of public housing in New Orleans and has brought numerous cases against HANO and HUD to keep public housing available in the city.

There's a story on NOLA.com about protesters blocking an entrance to a federal building, which is notable, but the interesting part is a comment. The poster calls for people to call Loyola University and complain that Bill Quigley is "tarnishing the reputation of the institution and it is not appreciated." He continues that "his experiment in Civil Disobedience needs to end. He has crossed the line."   (As a side note, the use of "crossed the line" is funny, considering Quigley is also the legal counsel for the School of the Americas Watch)

View that hilarious comment.

Bill Quigley and the Gillis Long Poverty Law Center that he runs at Loyola Law are some of the best things Loyola has going for it. Its an example of Loyola holding to its mission of being men and women with and for others. I feel that if Loyola is truly doing its radical mission to take our values of of the ivory tower of education and put them into action in the community, there would be more comments like this one.

I'm going to call Loyola and tell Wildes how I feel about Quigley.

I'm going to tell him I'm very proud.

Protestors at HUD office.

2007-12-14T00:58:00.001-06:00

Here is a new development in the public housing crisis in New Orleans...sort of. Protestors apparently blocked off the entrance to the HUD offices downtown for a brief period of time. Performing an action that freaked out reporters enough to put it on the very front, and top, of nola.com for a period of time.

Check it out here.

It seems that despite the protests, and despite HUD and HANO's plans for the projects there still is not any reasnonable alternative, besides the 80% cutbacks, to the pre-katrina public housing system. Even the protestors who want the projects restored do not present any reasonable alternative .

I think someone needs to either come up with a plan, or "throw us a bone" here.

Some News on Education

2007-12-13T04:08:00.001-06:00

Hey all,
It's late. I was sitting in my Magazine Street watching a funny Youtube of Steve Martin on Charlie Rose, when I cape across a few articles that have some relevance for education: nationally, higher, and locally.

Nationally: The NYT had an article today that noted the higher qualifications (SATS, College GPAs) of prospective teachers who took state licensing exams versus the qualifications of the students in the 1990s. The article explains how many of the strongest education systems in Western Europe recruit teachers from generally the highest third of university students, while the U.S. system typically drew students from the bottom third. But promisingly, this trend is changing. While the news is promising, a few questions remain. Do these qualifications have any noticeable effect on teacher quality? Moreover, why have the numbers changed? One would think that non-government agencies like Teach For America have increased the number of highly qualified students who go into teaching (even on a temporary basis).

Higher Education: Harvard University made a big news splash yesterday when it greatly expanded its financial aid to allow students with parents making over $120,000 to pay a smaller percentage of tuition, with the money to be replaced by grants. Undergraduates considered more typically middle class, in betwen $60 and 120K, will pay less than 10% of their income. This is part of a growing trend at the most elite (and rich) private colleges in the country, in which universities are allowing low and middle-income students to attend for free without loans, and upper-income students to receive more subsidies. A school with an endowment like Harvard's, which hovers around $30 billion, could allow all of its students to attend for free. This represents another step in opening up the best institutions of education to a wider range of students.

Local: New Orleans schools are getting millions of dollars from a coalition of foundations, including the Gates Foundation. This should be great news for schools that were consistently underfunded even before the storm. The T-P has the report, and the official announcement is Thursday morning on Nashville St. Uptown. The money is going to three local nonprofits who help with teacher/administrative recruitment as well as student issues: New Schools for New Orleans, New Leaders for New Schools, and Teach for America's local branch. It's welcome news, and I'd imagine the money will be very well spent considering the credibility of all of the organizations involved.

ROCK AND ROLL EDUCATION: In a completely unrelated note, Led Zeppelin reunited this weekend. Everyone watch this clip of them singing 'Good Times, Bad Times' while you celebrate the good times of finals ending.

Two rights don't make...

2007-12-12T14:55:00.001-06:00

Think a little change can't make a big difference in reducing your carbon footprint? UPS reduced their carbon emissions by over 31,000 TONS by making a simple change to their fleet management software. The software change rerouted UPS trucks to make as few left turns as possible. By favoring right turns, the trucks spend less time idling, waiting for a green arrow or for traffic to break.

Amazing and simple.

Link (via digg)

Homelessness

2007-12-12T14:39:00.000-06:00

Hey all,
Finals are busy. Here's an email I received today from Catholic Charities New Orleans that outlines the work they have done within the past month to help the homeless at Duncan Plaza. I found it generally to be a good read. Catholic Charities' care for the homeless and poor in the city present a telling contrast with the drivel posted by some residents on nola.com message boards. The email is below.

Our Response to Homelessness

Amen I say to you, whatever you did for one of these least brothers of mine, you did for me.......Matthew 25:40

Catholic Charities Archdiocese of New Orleans has provided services to the homeless since its founding in 1727 by the Ursuline Nuns, who provided shelter for widows and orphaned children. 23 years ago, the Catholic Charities CARE Centers were opened, utilizing a holistic approach that addresses the many issues that lie at the root of homelessness.

In the two years since Hurricane Katrina, homelessness in New Orleans has escalated due, in large part, to the shortage of affordable housing. However, the causes of homelessness are complex. Many homless people suffer from mental illness or substance abuse. In addition to economic issues, some are fleeing domestic violence.

The encampment of homeless individuals and families in Duncan Plaza, steps from New Orleans City Hall, has been the most visible indication of the growing problem, but it is not the only area where the homeless are living. Homeless individuals and families are sleeping along Claiborne Ave. in the shelter of the interstate, in abandoned buildings and in automobiles. UNITY for the Homeless estimates there are 12,000 homeless people in the New Orleans area but the capacity of the collaborative to house the homeless is at 64% of the pre-Katrina level. As winter closes in, and the holidays approach, many in our community have expressed increasing concern for this population.

On November 21, 2007, the day before Thanksgiving, Catholic Charities, in partnership with UNITY for the Homeless, deployed a large number of staff in Duncan Plaza to being implementing a new program called Rapid Re-housing, paid for by a grant from the Department of Social Services and Administered through UNITY.

The first day, Catholic Charities workers, along with UNITY and five other agencies, were able to place 62 families/individuals in facilities for sheltering. Catholic Charities alone placed 22 families and 4 men in either motels or shelters. Our staff worked into the night providing assistance. The next week, gift cards were purchased for families needing food, and groceries were purchased for those placed in housing. An intact family with three children was quickly screened and housed. The goal is to place that family in one of our residential programs that will help them find the road to self-sufficiency.

The quick work that took place that week was made possible by a $792,051 grant to fund the Rapid Re-housing effort. One Catholic Charities intern single-handedly pre-screened 40 people living at Duncan Plaza. Most of these individuals are now being served by our Community Centers.

The new infusion of funds and the successful efforts to assist the homeless population in Duncan Plaza is only the latest chapter in a long story of Catholic Charities' work to help the homeless:

Our CARE Center Emergency Shelter provided emergency housing for 356 women, families and children
CARE Center provided housing assistance for 315 families that consists of help with a deposit and first month's rent and utilities
Baronne Street Transitional Housing provided a residential facility for 108 working, intact families, couples without children and single adults
Bridges to Self Sufficiency and Beyond Shelter are transitional housing programs that house 16 homeless families
Ciara Community Servicecs and Permanent Housing programs provided housing options for 131 mentally ill individuals
Our Community Center programs provide employment services for the homeless as well as supportive housing. These two services often give the homeless the support and skills they need to make the transition away from homlessness. Since Katrina, our case managers have assisted more than 45,000 people
Second Harvest Food Bank provides 1.5 million pounds of food each month to the hungry in 23 civil parishes. Food is also provided to a number of homeless shelters, including Ozanam Inn. Second Harvest is now providing MREs to those still living on the street.
The Hispanic Apostolate Community Services of Catholic Charities, along with St. Joseph Church, the Presentation Sisters, and the Harry Thompson Center established the St. Joseph Rebuild Center at St. Joseph Church on Tulane Ave. in September 2007. The Rebuild Center serves as a day shelter, and provides basic services such as telephone, showers, laundry and legal services for the homeless. About 140 people use these services daily and up to 175 are provided with a meal each day.
Catholic Charities sponsored the foundation of the Providence Community Housing initiative, which plans to develop 7,000 units to house 20,000 residents over the next 5 years.
Our sister agency, Christopher Homes, provides 1,200 apartments for low-income seniors
Operation Helping Hands has gutted the homes of 1,874 families and has rebuilt 48 homes, with more in development
The advocacy and homelessness prevention efforts of Catholic Charities since Hurricane Katrina have provided job training, case management and direct assistance through our Community Centers
We recognize that Catholic Charities is not the only ministry of the church that responds to homelessness. We are grateful for the work of the St. Vincent de Paul Society and Ozanam Inn, as well as the many other programs and ministries and church parishes that provide services to the homeless population

Our mission statement fully explains our commitment to resolving the problem of those in our community who lack housing:

Respecting the dignity and potential of each human person, Catholic Charities Archdiocese of New Orleans collaborates with the wider community to serve those in need. Impelled by the love and teaching of Jesus Christ, we offer life-giving programs, advocate for the voiceleess, and empower the poor and vulnerable to foster a more just society.

Developments on Public Housing.

2007-12-10T23:18:00.000-06:00

After accidentally ending up at a march to Ray Nagin's home this weekend, to protest the crisis of public housing in New Orleans, this article caught my eye on nola.com.

It's interesting to read the comments below the article, including one criticism of Bill Quigley and a suggestion to Bobby Jindal in regards to bringing New Orleans under martial law. I was also intrigued by the mentioning of posters that read "For every housing unit destroyed, a condo will be destroyed" apparently signed by "the angry and the powerless" and if anyone has any more information about that please post it up here (unless its confidential of course).

I'd like to hear what others think on this issue, so leave some comments.

Friday Meeting with Cameron

2007-12-08T13:29:00.000-06:00

First, I would like to thank everyone for their presence and support on Monday. It was very powerful to have that many people do dedicated to LUCAP and its mission. Thus, I would like to update you on recent developments regarding LUCAP's move.

Yesterday, Jessica Mueller (CLC coordinator), Rick, Danielle, and I had our promised meeting with Chris Cameron. Our goal was to have Chris promise us a space in the Danna Center post-renovation. Unfortunately, this was not accomplished.

However, we did develop a plan in which we have more of a voice in the decision-making process for student organization space. We decided we need a "space allocation committee" in which all student organizations who currently have a space in the Danna Center will have their leaders represent the needs of the organization and have a say in decisions involving the basement. We are supposed meeting before the Christmas break.

I know this is not the answer we hoped for, but this is as much as we could be have promised to us at the time. I have faith that we can make this agreement work in our favor and develop better ties with other organizations while still having our needs met.

We will be moving into the former New Student Orientation office on December 17th. We do not have to physically move our stuff but just pack it up in boxes. Please, do not even worry about any of this until after finals! Use this time to get the stuff you need to done and de-stress (with a spontaneous dance party, perhaps :) ).

Just a reminder that we will be having our end-of-the-semester pary this Monday at 5. We will also be helping Paige make bracelets to sell for her trip to Uganda!

Thank you for all that you do and I can't wait to see y'all Monday!

Mental Health, Football and

2007-12-07T12:12:00.000-06:00

Here are some interesting articles about N.O. from different papers:

There's a really good new mental health study highlighted in the NYT, though oddly the T-P did not include it (as far as I can tell). The Columbia University study says that as of September 2007, 46,000 children on the Gulf Coast are struggling with "serious" mental health problems. The children most at risk are not the ones who haven't returned home yet. Instead, the ones most at risk are the ones who have returned to their home but in a very unstable situation. Kids are living with grandparents, cousins, older siblings, or other families instead of the normal family dynamic. They are living everywhere from trailer parks (though not for too much longer) to houses that have only recently been gutted. As Dr. David Ward says at the conclusion, "The fabric of the family has splintered. Who is going to take care of the kids after school, or draw them into becoming musicians?"

Onto happier things. This story seems straight out of a Disney movie--and not a mediocre Disney sports movie like The Rookie but a really good one like Miracle or D2. The South Plaquemines Hurricanes will be playing for the Louisiana State title this weekend on the Superdome. To say that the families living in Plaquemines Parish have struggled is a huge understatement. Katrina made landfall in the parish south of New Orleans, and you can imagine the struggles that encompass the community. The Times-Pic has a fairly good article on it, but the New York Times has somehow hit the jackpot in covering this story: they have been following the team since September 2006 in a series by Jere Longman. The details of these stories are so finely picked that you can never forget them: the team's new locker room is their old, flooded gym, untouched since the storm. The team has fathers trying their hardest to raise a kid, go to college, and continue playing in order to maintain their sanity. Everyone down there declared a "mandatory Hurricane evacuation" for the parish, to come to New Orleans this weekend for the game.
If you have an hour or more to kill during finals, and you want to cry about how amazing sports/people are, read some of these articles.

Some highlights from today' Maroon
- An editorial rightfully takes the Debate Commission to task for their "specious reasoning"
- Jordan Hultine writes a pretty well-balanced, informative look at the loyno.info "blog" on which faculty discuss issues stemming from Pathways. There is one particularly interesting "comment" on the article that delicately addresses the blog-ish characteristics of the .info message board.

That's all I've got. Have a good weekend, stay sane through finals.
bob

Break Free!

2007-12-06T23:01:00.001-06:00

"But it is what all the downtown bleachers and uptown brownings and Jamaica Whites don't say that they all seem to want most deeply. That is to be something other than poor ad black."

I would suggest, in relation to that quote you take a look at this pdf.

After reading that, next time you are at a grocery store or a wal-mart, take a loot at the ethnic products section and see what you fine.

I'll leave you all with this Tancredo campaign video, you can judge what this means, I don't even need to add my own opinion.

Maroon coverage of Monday's meeting

2007-12-06T07:20:00.000-06:00

The online edition of the Maroon is out, and an article covering Monday's LUCAP meeting that focused on LUCAP's potential relocation was featured on the front page.

I think that the article is pretty thorough, though I don't think its title ("LUCAP asked to leave office temporarily: Move suposed to make way for renovations") embodies the controversy of the meeting, or the article. Otherwise, I feel like LUCAP was well-represented.

Unfortunately, the article doesn't end with any conclusion. But that isn't Lauren LaBorde's fault; that was the nature of our meeting. I think she sums it up well in saying "the pervading sentiment among the group seemed to be that of uncertainty."

Let's hope tomorrow's meeting with Chris gives us some direction.

Mental Health in New Orleans

2007-12-04T15:29:00.000-06:00

Check out this article on post-Katrina mental health.

LUCAP's final home still uncertain

2007-12-04T14:04:00.000-06:00

First, thank you to all the LUCAP and community members who came to our Monday meeting with Chris Cameron regarding our office and the Danna Center revisions. There was a large Freshman presence at the meeting, as there has been at all our events this year (y'all are awesome).

Below is a quick summary of the discussion that unfolded:

Mr. Cameron began with a slideshow of the proposed renovations of the Danna Center. It was full of beautiful visuals showing the renovated spaces around the building. Cameron said that in redesigning the building, the new student center should "reflect the core values of our institution." He explained that the process for renovating the building and assigning space has been entirely fluid and that there is no cohesive plan yet for the building. Cameron emphasized that "its not like there is some evil plan to be sprung on (LUCAP) and no final plans have been made."

Cameron first asked LUCAP what our needs are. Many LUCAP students spoke and explained how our space fosters critical reflection, offers a safe space, provides us with a place for our constant meetings, and has fostered LUCAP's growth. LUCAP said that our dedicated space is critical to our functioning and isn't optional. Afterwards, Cameron summarized our points to ensure nothing was misconstrued. Staff members expressed their dismay with the lack of communication between LUCAP and the administration during the planning process which Cameron will attempt to address by forming a committee to collect student input.

LUCAP stated that it opposes a move to a final space that isn't a space of our own with "four walls and a door." Cameron declined to promise LUCAP a dedicated space as it requested. When LUCAP asked who we could appeal to to secure our space, Cameron could not provide a definite answer beyond himself.

Mr Cameron committed he'd find the answers to our questions and meet with us again on Friday.

LUCAP is scheduled to move to the New Student Orientation office as a temporary space. The move will occur December 15. A final space has yet to be determined.

NOLA News from Today's Papers

2007-12-03T12:35:00.000-06:00

Hey all. Here are some interesting articles about New Orleans from the last few days of papers:

Brad Pitt is starting his project of rebuilding the Ninth Ward with his "Make It Right" project of 100 green houses in the area wiped out during Katrina. It seems like a very good project, that is well funded through Pitt's wealth. For now, in order to raise some awareness, Pitt has installed a "pink city" to symbolize where the houses will be. Take a look at the pic from the T-P, which has the Claiborne Avenue bridge in the background. If you've been in the 9th Ward over the past 2+ years, you have to feel good to see this area at least have a little construction.

The NYTimes has an insightful article summarizing the rental shortage in New Orleans, time pegged to the announcement last week that FEMA was clearing out all trailer parks. The money quote here comes when a FEMA spokesman tries to justify the policy of kicking out residents without helping to provide housing:
“We know it’s a tough decision, and that’s not lost on us,” he said, but “more and more housing becomes available every day, that’s a fact. The sooner you begin the process, the better. You want to start early and pick what’s right for your family.” He added: “We’re very sensitive to the fact that this isn’t an easy move. But it’s a necessary move.”
The NYT also ran an Arts article about the recent performance of Waiting for Godot in the Gentilly and the Ninth Ward about a month back. Though the article focuses on the artist himself for my tastes, it discusses what was supposed to be a great piece of art done in our city. The article was in the top-10 read at the site most of the weekend, which is good, as many people from around the country were reading and emailing it to their friends. The Times has been giving some very expert, nuanced coverage to relevant issues down here in the past few weeks.

Finally, a little more info about flood protection. There were a number of agencies investigating the levee breaches after Katrina, but the independent groups from the University of California and LSU are now alleging that their investigations were purposely disrupted by the Army Corps of Engineers. Read more about it at levees.org, which has nearly single-handedly kept the issue on the agenda.

Try out the comments section below. I'd love to get some discussions going.

That's all for now,
Bob

Important LUCAP meeting Monday: Danna Center Renovations

2007-12-01T01:10:00.000-06:00

Just to catch everyone up...

This past Wednesday LUCAP was informed that we would have to move out of our current office by December 15th (or earlier) and move into the old New Student Orientation office along with Christian Life Communities (CLC). We were told that these changes were necessary in order for Danna Center renovations to remain on schedule.

At least three problems are evident in this plan: First, we were given very short notice during a time in the semester that is already extremely busy with finals and other end of the semester preparatons. Secondly, we have not been invited to be a part of the discussion and decision-making with the regard to our needs for spaces. Finally, LUCAP has yet to be given any assurance that we will have our own space in the future in order to operate as we do now.
That said, Chris Cameron, director of Co-Curricular programs, has agreed to meet with us during our meeting time this Monday at 5 in order to discuss these plans with us. I would like to say that LUCAP has not agreed to any course of action and will not do so until after this discussion has taken place and some of our questions are answered. I would like to invite everyone in LUCAP to be a part of this discussion, ESPECIALLY any underclassmen who will be part of LUCAP in the future and will be most effected by these changes.

I realize that these changes came as a surprise to many, and I am sorry for any additional stress that this process has caused. Please, feel free to post a comment on this blog or e-mail me at if you have thoughts or questions on this matter. Thank you for all that you do everyday to help LUCAP and Loyola at large, and I look forward to seeing you all on Monday.

Interesting New Orleans articles from today's papers

2007-11-30T09:45:00.000-06:00

A few interesting articles from today's newspapers:

This is from yesterday's T-P, but FEMA has announces it is going to close all trailer parks within 6 months.

The FEMA spokesman frames the news as showing that FEMA is "being compassionate and making sure we have people taken care of with housing." But a Loyola law clinic lawyer says that FEMA has not helped previous trailer park residents find housing. The other issue about FEMA trailers is the never-answered questions about formaldehyde in the trailers. Testing has never been done on them.

On another housing-related issue for the poor/working poor, the housing projects around N.O. are slated for demolition December 15th. The article fails to mention any pending lawsuits/appeals to the demolition.

One should also look at the blog comments below any public housing article on nola.com. There are some ignorant/racist comments on there, but there are also a few with different perspectives on the destruction of the projects, including the less compelling argument about important city architecture.

A T-P cover story marks the end of hurricane season.
Anytime Mark Schliefstein writes something, you ought to read it. He is the T-P reporter about things like flood protection, wetlands, etc. He is always able to steer through the b-s peddled to him by the city, state, and federal bureaucracies and get to the heart of the issues. Here, he reviews how hurricanes avoided doing major damage in the U.S. this year, while pointing out the impossibility of predicting these things well.
Most important thing here: the issue of hurricane forecasting is developing all the time. The predictions frequently are way off (as they have luckily been the last two years), but not because the scientists are bad at their jobs. Instead, the science is developing at such speed that every year yields new insights about how to more accurately predict hurricanes.

Finally, a nice travel piece from the NYTimes about some different places to visit around the city. It includes a few different places I haven't been before, in addition to Musician's Village (the go-to feel good place for tourists to visit after viewing the destruction), Ray's Boom Boom Room and Ignatius. Ignatius has good alligator po-boys.

That's all for now.

Festivus is upon us

2007-11-29T11:49:00.000-06:00

Who's not a fan of Seinfeld? What was once a hair-brained idea of George's father's is now a gathering of local business and community members in New Orleans each holiday season.

The annual, month-long Festivus Market starts this Saturday! Festivus provides a "human-scale alternative of the loneliness of on-line shopping or the hassle of big box holiday parking lots." Its a one stop shop for holiday gifts and merriment.

Shopping locally builds a strong community and keeps our money in New Orleans where it can rebuild the city. Shopping at local businesses means your goods are traveling a shorter distance by gas-guzzling semi trucks. It's an all-around better idea!

The market is at 700 Magazine St in the Warehouse District. Go and support the long list of local businesses at the market!

Make trade fair this holiday

2007-11-28T16:42:00.000-06:00

The holidays are here and the retailers are ready. Consumers spent over $8 billion on the Friday after Thanksgiving alone this year. Nearly all of those purchases pay into a commercial system that pays the workers who make the products almost nothing.

Fortunately, there is an alternative.

When buying this year, think Fair Trade.

Fair trade products are certified that the person who produced the item is paid a just wage. Common fair trade items include coffee, sugar, chocolate, clothing, and handicrafts. Fair trade items are like gift central. Tulane has opened a fair trade store called InExchange on their campus and its way cool. Its easy to buy fair trade goods online too. One great store is called A Greater Gift. When your friends and family open their fair trade gifts, you'll see the smile of the person who made the gift.