6 Steps to Save New Orleans
~Brentin Mock, The Root
~President Obama's visit to New Orleans Thursday was 47 days late and a few hundred million dollars short. His presence was expected on Aug. 29, 2009, the fourth anniversary of Hurricanes Katrina and Rita ravishing the Gulf Coast with wind and floods. The people of New Orleans and the greater Gulf Coast needed only to see and hear from their president that real change was coming and their lives would soon be improving. His town hall speech at the University of New Orleans was disappointing. He spoke vaguely about broad issues, before quickly being whisked off to a fundraiser in San Francisco. It was as if he was speed-dating, and New Orleans got swiftly "next'd."

Here's to the "Idea of Obama" ...we coulda'been contendas!


Fie, Fatal Flaw!~Maureen Dowd
~The White House Web site that went up during President Obama’s first week in office bragged about the four trips that Senator Obama made to the Gulf region after Katrina, promising to “keep the broken promises made by President Bush to rebuild New Orleans.” He may be doing a better job than Brownie’s boss, but Obama didn’t make his first visit to New Orleans until Thursday. He stayed just a few hours before jetting off to a fund-raiser in San Francisco.

Justice system failings in wake of the Corps' Flood of 2005 left wounds that remain unhealed
~Brendan McCarthy

How immigration debate affects Census~James Gill

Congressional energy bills could have impact on Louisiana
~Jeremy Alford

Homeowners with Chinese drywall have been rebuffed by insurers, but hope may not be lost~Rebecca Mowbray

Recuse in the Scruggs news ~Nowducit, slabbed

Human side of Katrina recovery still needs work~Anita Chandra

Chily Sunday, there's a rep for that too! ~Citizen K

Documentary explores La.'s Haynesville Shale gas field

Rising seas put millions of people, trillions of dollars of assets, at risk in coastal cities
~Elaine Kurtenbach

Coming up in this week's Gambit

Dispatches From Baton Rouge and Tipitina's ~Foxessa

New book spotlights early photographs~Daily Advertiser
~C.C. "Curley" Duson looked out on to the southwestern prairie known as Faquetaigue, at the end of a 20-mile railroad spur, and saw progress. He and his brothers had founded Crowley, Mamou and other southwestern Louisiana towns but this new venture was set to beat all.

Oral history project aims to show that there's more to Central City than crime~Chris Rose

Portland Jazz Festival Announces Lineup
~all about Jazz