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Post by longinglook on Jul 6, 2015 4:47:33 GMT
...from my Katrina-related posts, I go and find this www.newyorker.com/culture/cultural-comment/dont-call-it-katrinaIt's kind of long, and I certainly understand if you don't want to bother with reading it. But it reminded me of the it-wasn't-a-natural -disaster rants I inflicted on some of you at the time. Sorry! I just couldn't help myself.
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Post by peggs on Jul 6, 2015 17:09:31 GMT
Thanks for posting the link, longinglook.
I did read the entire article and found it very interesting.
The manner in which we, as a society, use language to sway and shift debate or place blame is nothing new but seems to have reached new heights in the past decade or so. In my opinion, this correlates to the rise in power of political and social conservative interests. The debate, or lack thereof, on climate change is a perfect example.
Statements such as, "There was something about the coverage at the time that suggested that New Orleans had been asking for it...That it deserved what it got." "New Orleans as victim of a kind of climatological slut-shaming", because of perceived indecency and lack of morality among the population played well to a receptive segment of the country.
The hard and thankless work of people trying to change the language debate are laudable.
I also liked this passage of the article:
"...studies about the language used in connection with such events such as the Indian Ocean tsunami of 2004 and Katrina: “spawned,” “growing,” “swelled,” “monster from the deep,” “out of the blue.” This is language that makes nature the culprit, and ignores the complicity of man. The onomatological* scolds...make no such mistake, placing nearly all the blame on a very specific subset of humans.”
* I hadn't seen this word since grad school and had a bit of flashback (not a good one either).
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Post by longinglook on Aug 4, 2015 2:48:27 GMT
This article has a decent brief description of the last ten years. It also has Craig Klein calling out Baton Rouge as the hellish place it is, (that doesn't happen nearly enough in print.) Scariest thing about this article? I found myself agreeing with that idiot, Davis Rogan- twice! www.offbeat.com/articles/new-reconstruction/
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Post by longinglook on Aug 22, 2015 13:50:10 GMT
Another week until the big anniversary of The Thing, but I'm already sick to death of the coverage. Still, I do like some of these songs. Fun fact: I went to high school with one of these musicians. www.noladefender.com/content/memorial-music
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Post by longinglook on Aug 27, 2015 2:59:40 GMT
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Post by Introvertigroo on Aug 27, 2015 4:15:58 GMT
Don't worry, longinglook. George W. Bush has appointed Michael Brown to look into this, and the former president has assured us that Brownie is doing a heckuva job. Dick Cheney 2016!
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Post by longinglook on Aug 28, 2015 23:10:21 GMT
From now on, every time I hear someone use the word "resilient" to describe the city I hereby pledge to do a shot of vodka. Please bear with me. I'll probably be drunk for the next few days.
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Post by Introvertigroo on Aug 29, 2015 2:51:18 GMT
In that case, allow me to help you out. Resilient, resilient, resilient, resilient, resilient, resilient. resilient. That should get you off to a good start.
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Post by longinglook on Aug 29, 2015 17:19:47 GMT
Lone protestor... hey, I had to work!
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Post by donavan on Aug 29, 2015 20:03:03 GMT
Don't believe the hype. It's all about money, power and control.
American dream, on.
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Post by longinglook on Aug 30, 2015 20:08:22 GMT
Are you talking about the flood? Politics in general? Marriage?
Once again you've left me confused, don.
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Post by donavan on Aug 30, 2015 20:58:39 GMT
If you don't get that, what chance has Barack Obama got? Head-Fuck America.
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Post by donavan on Aug 31, 2015 8:11:23 GMT
Are you talking about the flood? Politics in general? Marriage? Once again you've left me confused, don. Politics just about covers it all. Leaving out marriage. And the head fuck thing refers to any country. My Obama thing was about the stunning opposition to basic common sense changes he talks about. And the lack of reaction to the flood and eventual reaction were both politically driven. But hey you live it so what do I know? I was just letting off steam and shooting off at all angles. But that's not a bad thing, anger is an energy, apathy is the enemy. Sorry to confuse you, I confuse myself most days.
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Post by longinglook on Sept 1, 2015 2:52:58 GMT
I live in a constant state of confusion - otherwise known as Louisiana!
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Post by Terra Incognita on Oct 4, 2019 17:33:32 GMT
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