One Mayor C. Ray Nagin performed an appearing act at One Shell Square in the CBD today. He toured the facilities (including a visit to the virtual reality center I once ran) and held court before a jampacked audience of Shell employees. Starting with a five-minute overview of the city’s progress over the last few months (nothing new, just in case you’re wondering), Nagin opened the floor to questions. What really upset me about this meeting is everything he promises with nothing delivered. Where are past and upcoming milestones? For more Nagin-ization, read this Adrastos post.

Select statements from the overview:

• “The press has been giving me a hard time about the 100 days. Remember that I was sworn in on June 1st and we started counting a few days later.”
• “I don’t have a script and you know how I get when I’m unscripted.”
• “The Corps [of Engineers] needs one more year to provide the kind of protection we need. Pray to whatever god you believe in that a hurricane doesn’t head this way in the next few weeks.”
• “Crime has a smaller footprint in this city … We have to deal with a group of people who don’t respect life.”
• I’m an optimist.”
• “We will begin enforcing the September-end gutting deadline. However, if you are a senior citizen or otherwise unable to clear out and gut your house, we will consider you a special case and assign you to an organization that can help.”
• “Everything I now say is a national or international event, so I must watch myself with your questions.”

Select questions with punch quotes from the answers:

• Q: “When do you see the city coming back?”
  A: “I hope to see 250,000 people in the city by next year and for it to reach pre-Katrina populations by two years.” Say what?
• Q: “What are we doing to improve the elementary education system?”
  A: “We need to do something between the first and third grades when students start to fail.” [Update: I just remembered this morning that Nagin mentioned Steve Bingler as having a plan to turn schools into after-school community centers.]
• Q: “What are we doing to improve the criminal justice system?”
  A: “There are three elements – police, D.A. and judges. We’ve stabilized the police attrition rate and have help from the National Guard.” Following this, he mumbled something vague about corrupt judges and the D.A. [continue reading…]

Aaah, I missed wearing the Social Maven hat.

September 14 (Thursday) – Dinner with Dave Coustan – time and place as yet unknown – contact Alan G. or Maitri for more details

September 15 (Friday) – In the AM, Maitri uses her Friday off to venture into the exurban wilds, i.e. Veterans in Metairie, and tackles Home De(s)pot to purchase items for Sunday’s and next weekend’s Wrangling of Morwen’s Home.

September 16 (Saturday) – 7pm – The Big Easy Rollergirls present The ‘Aints vs. The Hor-Nots in a fight to the death at Mardi Gras World. “Live music by all-girl rock band Manwitch and MC Trachiotomy!” (Now, is that Manwitch or Manwich? I prefer the latter.)

September 16 (Saturday) – Late PM – Loki celebrates the 10th anniversary of his 30th year on Planet Earth. Contact The Humid One himself for details.

September 17 (Sunday) – AM – Help clear Morwen’s house in preparation for gutting.

September 17 (Sunday) – Noon-3PM – Fahy’s in Da Quawtahs to watch The Green Bay Packers crush The New Orleans Saints. Unfortunately, Brett Favre will not … I repeat, not … reprise his Gunslinger role.

September 17 (Sunday) – PM – Back to clearing Morwen’s house.

Anything else?

September 12, 2006 – In this video clip, Denis Leary rescues us from a fate worse than baseball on TV – baseball commentary on TV.  Leary, in the Red Sox broadcast booth, takes on Mel Gibson and gives major props to the New Orleans Fire Department.  Check it out.

New Orleans geeks, are you interested in having dinner with Dave Coustan, corporate blogger for Earthlink. I’m aware it’s short notice, so we’re going to keep it as informal as possible. This is a great opportunity to expand and share our knowledge of the availability and emergence of communication technologies and sustainable development in New Orleans.

Mark, Bart, Ashley, Loki, Ray, Schroeder, other geekazoids and wannabes, you in? If so, please leave a comment. Neither Alan nor I have picked a time and place yet; this depends on your interest. I’ll update this post as things get clearer.

[Update: Alan informed me that meeting with Mary Rowe of Blue Moon Fund has moved to next week.  So far, it looks like Alan, Karen, Becky (maybe), and me for dinner with Dave.]