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Posted on April 28 at 4:30 p.m.

Fred -- you're a dolt!

On Total recall

Posted on April 27 at 2:31 a.m.

Everybody knows that Baton Rouge isn't the least bit interested in being the next New Orleans - it's too busy trying to be the next Austin...or Portland.

A "precious" city? Baton Rouge? You've got to be kidding.

New Orleans: crime ridden, dirty and smelly? Yes. But crime in Baton Rouge is no better and there is just as much litter here as well. The only real difference is that New Orleans has history and culture; Baton Rouge has...Town Centre.

And your claims of Baton Rouge being progressive and interested in growth...listen, you've gotten Perkins Rowe and you're getting Rouzan so you can drop the tired rhetoric. Or at least save it for the next "smart growth develpment" to come along.

I was born in Metairie but raised in Baton Rouge. Nevertheless, I will continue to save my allegience for the Crescent City.

On The New Orleans reality

Posted on January 10 at 4:37 p.m.

Tara - if you find me silly, then I must be saying something correct.

On What now?

Posted on December 22 at 5:57 p.m.

BackfromLafayette, I actually ASKED if Rouzan proponents would be interested in the demolition of BRH. And to that end, we're all jumping to conclusions. You say that I MIGHT find that my life, home and neighborhood are still good after Rouzan comes along, but I might not. I would still like to know if you happen to live anywhere near the Southside area. Are you going to give up your home to move into Rouzan? If not, what is your stake in this (and please, don't go down the "better Baton Rouge road)? Why is it that this piece of land is the only location for Rouzan to magically make B.R. a "real" city? Pardon me if I'd like to err on the side of caution, but my home is my only major asset; I can't afford to gamble with it in the event you're wrong.

On What now?

Posted on December 22 at 5:45 p.m.

Perhaps I do have questionable taste - I would actually prefer the building that was painted purple and gold, celebrating the National Championship. And many things might be true about me, but why would I be envious of an apartment complex? In reality, there is a continuum with an uninhabitable on one end and The Crescent on the other. As I remember, there were already apartments on the lot, was there really a need to build a larger apartment - sorry, I mean condo - complex? Did The Crescent really need to be as tall and as mammoth as it was built? Last time I heard, LSU is moving to requiring all freshman to live on campus. If that comes to fruition, are we really going to need all of this rental property in B.R.? I'll admit that I'm not tapped into that market, but I don't think Baton Rouge is at a loss when it comes to available apartments or "condos".

On What now?

Posted on December 17 at 7:41 p.m.

And really - it's more than laughable that proponents of Rouzan are asking for opponents to vote against the new Casino. Trust me, I have no interest in one being built - downtown or anywhere else for that matter - but we're to cry for "the loss of historic (and rarer by the day) rural space, traffic, crime, declining property values" when Rouzan will be guilty of the very same things?! If Rouzan is approved, I WILL VOTE IN FAVOR OF PINNACLE! If I should be driven out of my home in the name of growth and gentrification, then so should everyone else. In fact, Mr.Spinosa, what ideas can you come up with for Bocage? Maybe we can connect it to Town Centre with a walking bridge over Corporate?

On What now?

Posted on December 17 at 7:23 p.m.

Here's another word du jour for Fisheye - puerile.

BackFromLafayette - what would you have them do with Lee Drive? It runs parallel to Kennilworth and Stanford!

And for those of you who find Wampold's development on Stanford attractive, you're probably the ones who also dress your kids in lace, plaid and ruffles. The Crescent condos are an eyesore - a monstrocity that looms over the skyline of the once beautiful lakes.

And lastly, to those who speak of the "shacks" in the Southside area and the "french faux pas style" of south Louisiana architecture, I now understand why you have this burning desire for Baton Rouge to be molded in the image of Atlanta, Nashville and Austin. You're those people who shop at the same stores and wear the same clothes and cut your hair the same as everyone else in your social circle. Individuality is something you've probably always feared since it would require you to think for yourselves. Here's a news flash - there's more to life than Ann Coulter, the University Club and Polo.

Louisiana IS different than anywhere else in the nation and if everything's so wrong with B.R., why don't YOU pack your bags and move instead of asking me to give up a home that I love? If you don't like the look of the Southside area, then stay in CCLA and shop at Town Centre! YOU won't be missed!

On What now?

Posted on December 13 at 8 p.m.

BackFromLafayette - do you happen to live in the Southside area? If not, are you planning on renting one of the apartments in Rouzan so that you can walk to the corner bookstore and coffee shop? Or will you be part of the overwhelming majority of people who will drive their cars to this so-called "crown jewel" of the city thus adding to the already nightmarish traffic congestion? Perhaps you're one of the many who already use our NEIGHBORHOOD streets as cut-throughs only to ignore posted speed limits and stop signs, and desire a destination other than LSU, Tigerland, IVARS and The Caterie?
I keep hearing (and reading) it said that the desire should be for Baton Rouge to resemble Austin, Nashville, Portland, Atlanta and now, Lafayette. But if these cities are so wonderful, why do people like you come home to the dreary cave that is Baton Rouge? I know there are improvements that could be made, but we shouldn't start by tearing down one of the few wonderful areas in which to live in Baton Rouge. And it just occurred to me - you're all the same people who want to tear down Baton Rouge High in the name of being progressive, aren't you?

On What now?

Posted on December 11 at 6:18 p.m.

I wonder if all of these people clamoring to have Baton Rouge resemble Austin - many of whom still shamefully sport "W" stickers on their cars - would welcome the rest of the Texas town's forward thinking, liberal policies.

How about carpool lanes on I-10 and I-12? How about a REAL commitment to public transportation? Of course, these won't make money for developers and those rolling around our city in a 7 series or a Mercedes couldn't possibly fathom being restricted from the fast lane while they're trying to make their tennis matches.

Or how about commissioners who can't be bought - or at least ones who'll follow the UDC?

With regards to Rouzan in particular, Baton Rouge is a town held hostage by the fad du jour. It's been evidenced time and time again that Baton Rougeans, like children with ADHD, become quickly bored with their new toy and move on to the newest, shiny object put in front of us. Unfortunately, when all of you who do not live on the south side of Perkins Road grow tired of the businesses in Rouzan, those of us in the surrounding neighborhoods will be left with the newest version of Citiplace in our backyards.

My wife and I are part of the demographic that city leaders claim they're trying to lure and keep in Baton Rouge - young professionals in our 30's. We're not wealthy people (I teach high school and my wife works for a non-profit organization) and we can't afford to live ANYWHERE we want in Baton Rouge. We can however, afford to live WHERE we want in Baton Rouge. Forced out of Capital Heights by similar corporate encroachments, we moved to the Southside area three years ago and acknowledge it's the only remaining place in Baton Rouge in which we'd like to live. But as we see the long standing traditions which have governed the south side of Perkins road tumble, we are being forced to consider if there aren't greener pastures (no pun intended) out there for us.

Respectfully submitted (unlike Mr.Ball's article),
Michael Davis

On More people, same result