 | It's a brand-new dance/We're bringin' it back (![[info]](http://p-stat.livejournal.com/img/userinfo.gif) ms_xeno) wrote,
@ 2008-05-07 10:43:00 |
The Current (News) Always Has The Final Say
Sorry. I awoke full of plans today for posting something somehow relating to current events*, somewhere. But frankly this week already reeks like rotten eggs and I'm not up for it. So here's some Irma Thomas singing "Back-Water Blues" (accompanied by Allen Toussaint in 2006) instead.
She knows what she's singing about. (Link to a news clip from 2005.)
Also here's a link to Thomas' home page. Lots of goodies for sale. You know you wanna' go. ;)
*All right. Never mind.
...According to the report to be officially released on Wednesday, the majority of residents living in FEMA trailers are employed. Residents living in FEMA trailers also tend to be older, with an emphasis on the elderly and disabled. 55% of residents interviewed were 50 years old or older and 22% were 62 years and older, and almost 40% reported that someone living in their trailer had “special needs” including a disability. In addition, many residents reported health problems. Fifteen percent (15%) of the residents interviewed reported they were suffering from depression, anxiety, other symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder and other mental health issues. In addition, 29% reported rashes, itchy eyes, breathing problems and other symptoms usually related to high levels formaldehyde in their FEMA trailer.
With FEMA reporting that over 100,000 people still live in FEMA trailers across the Gulf Coast, it is even more worrisome that 55% of residents interviewed report that if they were to be evicted from their FEMA trailer in the next few months they would have no family they could turn to for help and they expected to be homeless...
-- No Way To Treat Our People, Louisiana Justice Institute, via New Orleans Indymedia, 4/29/08
For the curious,
some history and/or speculation about the song's origins.
