[southerngrit]

The last time I set foot in New Orleans was a month or so ago, when my niece graduated from Tulane. The traffic sucked and the roads were in disrepair. I go there several times a year, on business and to visit family and friends. Sorry you don't live across the lake - maybe you would have picked up some manners over there. There's no need to insult me or get all puffed up. I am as entitled to my opinion as you.

Why don't we agree to disagree?

[geaux]

If I had spoken of Lake Charles in the fashion in which you speak of my home, you'd get puffed up, as well. Most well-mannered people I know don't go around critisizing where other people live. This is a national forum, and I refrain from bashing ANY part of this country; someone here lives there, and loves it; to each his own. So don't lecture me about manners when *you* are the one critisizing a town you know very little about, in a place where, chances are, a native will see it.

Here; let's try it: Lake Charles is full of white trash loud mouths. I know because my cousins live there, and I have several friends who work there. My friends, all lawyers, have some great stories about their clients -- most of which start, "So he turns to his friend and says, "hold muh beer" and end with, "So that's why I'm suing the mobile home manufacturer." Lake Charleans can barely speak proper English, and I wonder if there are 20 teeth in their collective heads.

Doesn't feel so good when you turn it around, does it, Ms. Manners? Think about that next time you start critisizing where people live. Where is all this traffic that "sucks" (nice word choice, BTW; ya kiss ya momma wit dat mouth)? Please show me the random crime statistics (I again note B.R. has higher per capita crime than NOLA) indicating New Orleans is such an dangerous place. I'll concede the schools, and, reservingly, the street issue (I don't think the streets are all that awful), but the rest is, frankly, hooey.

With regards to New Orleans politics embarrassing the state, do you *really* believe that? More embarrassing than having a representative who refers to middle easterners as wearing diapers on their heads? More embarrassing than a governor who openly and often laughs at federal investigations? If so, then how come Cooksey's remarks and Edwards' demise made national news, whereas Nagin's clean-up and the associated dirt gets about 20 responses on a national forum, most of which consist a debate over the merits of New Orleans and not the posted story?