Aerials du Jour: Recent Images of New Orleans from Space

Long before Google Maps and Google Earth were introduced, the extensive catalog at NASA's fantastic The Gateway to Astronaut Photography of Earth provided plenty opportunity for me to waste hours and hours while mesmerized by tens of thousands of photographic images of the planet. Some were taken from Space Shuttle missions and some from the International Space Station (ISS). Below are some recent shots of New Orleans (link will direct to origin page where high res version can be downloaded):

27 September 2007
The Missisippi River, Bayou Lafourche, Bayou Terrebonne, and
Bayou Teche Ridges all very apparent.

21 November 2006
The evident spoke pattern of streets of Uptown.
Ever notice Naploeon Avenue and Barataria Boulevard have
nearly identical alignment? Hmmmm.

26 February 2007
New earthwork can be seen along the levees along MRGO
and the Intracoastal Waterway in New Orleans East.

26 February 2007
Imagine the further extent of damage if New Orleans East's proposed Orleania mega-development had happened in the late 1960's/early 1970's. Only half of the acreage within the levee protection system in "the East" is currently developed.

18 November 2006
Look how wide MRGO appears in this oblique.
Not quite that wide when dug 40+ years ago.

Map du Jour: Louisiana/Mississippi Landfall Hurricane Paths Over Past 50 Years

Source: 27 May 2007 Times-Picayune.

Photos du Jour: The Baumer Food/Crystal Plant Demolition

Took these last weekend . . . The stale smell of spice permeates the air behind Mid City Rock N Bowl as the Baumer Foods/Crystal Plant falls to the wrecking ball. In addition to the bottles as seen in the images below, various hot sauce labels litter the half-demolished grounds as well. Most of the labels are off-brands and generic hot sauces Crystal made for other companies such as grocery store chains. I did happen to notice a Mike Ditka hot sauce label in the weeds. He'll put his name on anything, won't he.

Would be nice if iconic I-10 viewable sign could be preserved in the re-development (condos).

Crystal Hot Sauce--in Arabic.

Only On Oak

I saw a bumpersticker this morning on a car on South Carrollton:
http://onlyonoak.com/

In October 2006 Oak Street was named one of the four Louisiana Urban
Main Street Program corridors in the City of New Orleans. The
parishline-side of Oak Street from South Carrollton Avenue was
originally the Downtown main drag of the Town of Carrollton. Although
the commerical area never became completely abandoned, it has had its
ups and downs in the last forty years. When I was a kid in the
1970's, I remember Oak being home to many antique stores. Since the
Federal Flood of 2005 several new businesses have opened offsetting
the ones that didn't return. (The "FU" abandonment of New Orleans by
the Feed Store at Oak and on Esplanade Avenue--neither of which
flooded--really bothers me. I suggest avoiding their suburban
locations.) The designation of the street as a Main Street Corridor
is a postive step that in addition to creating a favorable environment
to business (with a concerted marketing effort, etc.) may hasten the
re-surfacing of the street which from what I recall pre-KTMB was
slated to be done in late Fall 2005. That bump between Leonidas and
Monroe is ridiculous--and gotten worse.

Another Test . . .

This is another test. Does doing this work????

A Test . . .

This is a test. I repeat, only a test.

Does this work?