Melville had its highest-ever population 47 years ago – 1,987. The 2010 census reported 1,041 residents.
Melville is 52.47 percent white; 45.78 percent African-American; 0.87 percent Asian; and 0.87 percent from two or more races. (What are the chances two demographics will be the same?)
Per capita income is $8,881. About 35.6 percent of families and 40.1 percent of total population lives below the poverty line, including 42.7 percent of those under 18, and 37.7 percent of those 65 and older.
“In 2010, Melville had the 12th-lowest median household income of all places in the United States with a population over 1,000.”
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Melville,_Louisiana
The “Welcome to Melville” sign says the town is the “Catfish Capital of Louisiana.” No reference, nor how the designation was determined.
(NOTE: Back when I covered Clarksville, Texas, and Red River County for the Paris, Texas, newspaper, one Clarksville City Council meeting stands out, when the council proclaimed Red River County as “Wild Turkey Capital of Texas.” The mayor explained that the city attorney said the proclamation was OK, since no other place in Texas had made the claim. Maybe it was the same with the “Catfish Capital of Louisiana.”)
The Atchafalaya River is Melville’s east border. The rest of the town is behind a levee. Satellite image here: https://www.google.com/maps/@30.690544,-91.737938,5212m/data=!3m1!1e3
Just about every place in Louisiana capitalizes on Cajun-ism these days, even though there was a time non-Cajuns looked only down at their swamp-dwelling, alligator-catching brethren.
The St. Landry Parish web site is no different, as noted by the “cajuntravel.com” tag.
“There’s good reason that the town of Melville celebrates the catfish festival every October. Much of the town’s history and commerce are tied to the Atchafalaya River. Historically, the town made its fortune in river commerce and then as a crossing point for the railroad.
“Documents also indicate that Melville had several fish docks and ice houses. By the turn of the century, 50 barrels of fish were being shipped from Melville each day. Remnants and photos of those early days can be found at the town’s grocery and hardware store, Cannatella's, which has been in business for 90 plus years serving authentic Italian sausage and Muffulettas.”
http://www.cajuntravel.com/towns.php?name=melville
Sunday, June 4, 2017
Saturday, June 3, 2017
I don’t know art, but I do know how to spend tax money
Madison, Wisc., proposal to require “art” receiving 1 percent of any project of $5 million or more: "Through the proper presentation of public art, places become destinations and enhance the visitor's understanding of the unique space and community they occupy.’ Funding public art would ‘promote cultural heritage and understanding, enhance the environment, contribute to economic development and increase civic involvement.’"
The City of Fort Worth, Texas, government mandates 2 percent.
Raleigh, N.C.’s 1 percent-for-art "provides public places with civic distinction, as well as fostering meaningful connections between people and place." “…Raleigh threw $20,000 at a giant metal acorn, which the city drops Time Square–style to ring in the new year.”
Oregon’s state program “enhances the ‘quality of life for all Oregonians through the arts by stimulating creativity, leadership and economic vitality.’ For example, it spent $600,000 on art for a jail that never opened.”
$600,000. Let’s see – Filling a pothole costs maybe $50, so … But they’re funding art, not math.
Story at http://reason.com/blog/2017/05/31/madison-wisconsins-percent-for-art-ordin
Who decides which “art” will get the tax money – Melinda Taxpayer, or a committee of people intelligent about art and stuff?
Link at maggiesfarm.
The City of Fort Worth, Texas, government mandates 2 percent.
Raleigh, N.C.’s 1 percent-for-art "provides public places with civic distinction, as well as fostering meaningful connections between people and place." “…Raleigh threw $20,000 at a giant metal acorn, which the city drops Time Square–style to ring in the new year.”
Oregon’s state program “enhances the ‘quality of life for all Oregonians through the arts by stimulating creativity, leadership and economic vitality.’ For example, it spent $600,000 on art for a jail that never opened.”
$600,000. Let’s see – Filling a pothole costs maybe $50, so … But they’re funding art, not math.
Story at http://reason.com/blog/2017/05/31/madison-wisconsins-percent-for-art-ordin
Who decides which “art” will get the tax money – Melinda Taxpayer, or a committee of people intelligent about art and stuff?
Link at maggiesfarm.
It's true somewhere
A tweet: “I feel bad for teachers because I distinctly remember my mom bursting into tears once when she was grading papers and she was just mumbling ‘they’re so goddamn stupid’ over and over.”
Personal experience: My wife was helping me grade tests from a college freshman class. She said, “This is disgusting. They’re not trying.” She suggested: “I would have all the A students sit at the front and tell the others to move their desks to the back of the room and keep their mouths shut.”
Just so you know I'm not making up the tweet.
http://knuckledraggin.com/2017/06/a-view-from-the-other-side/
Personal experience: My wife was helping me grade tests from a college freshman class. She said, “This is disgusting. They’re not trying.” She suggested: “I would have all the A students sit at the front and tell the others to move their desks to the back of the room and keep their mouths shut.”
Just so you know I'm not making up the tweet.
http://knuckledraggin.com/2017/06/a-view-from-the-other-side/
Friday, June 2, 2017
Menlow, Texas – population 10
Menlow shares Zip Code 76621 with Abbott. Both are in Hill County. Hillsboro is the county seat. In 2010, Hill County population was 35,089. Abbot’s population that year was 356.
Here is a link to a satellite image of Menlow:
https://www.google.com/maps/@31.8671584,-97.1553926,2167m/data=!3m1!1e3
Lots of land. In some places there are snake-like windings of terrain plowing. That came in during the 1930s and was a way farmers could keep top soil from blowing away in Texas winds or being washed away during heavy rain.
http://www.texasescapes.com/CentralTexasTownsNorth/Menlow-Texas.htm
says: “Founded in the 1890s by settlers from the ‘deep.’” southern states and Europe, the name comes from a park in the Carolinas. The town was granted a post office in 1895, although it closed just 8 years later.
“The town consisted of fifty hale and hearty souls by the mid 1890s, among these Menlowites, there was a doctor and a blacksmith.
“The town peaked in the early 1900s with a population of 100. Cotton was the dominant crop for the region and since Menlow had a gin; it swelled in importance as a shipping center.
“Early settler Joe Steele, donated land for a school and a (Methodist) church. A school (the Treadwell School) was organized in 1920, but it was forced to merge with Abbott schools about 1940. During the Great Depression (and aftermath) the population had declined to a mere 25. The siren call of defense plants in Fort Worth and other towns sapped the strength of Menlow, and there were only 10 people left by the early 1970s.
“Ten remains the given population of Menlow for the 2000 census.”
Abbott, the metropolis east of Menlow, is mostly known as the place where Willie Nelson was born. The 356 count in 2010 is 56 more than in 2000. A pretty good increase. The town’s largest population was 375, in 1970.
The demographic breakdown is phrased a little differently between the 2000 census and the 2010 count. Of the 2000 census, Wikipedia says 96 percent of the population was “White,” 1 percent “African American,” 3 percent from “other races,” and 5.67 percent “Hispanic or Latino of any race.”
The 2010 compilation is termed 91 percent “non-Hispanic white,” with other percentages of the population designated as “black or African American” (2 percent), “two or more races” (0.3 percent), “Asian” (0.3 percent), “Native American” (1.1 percent), and “Hispanic or Latino” (6.5 percent).
So, by federal enumeration, white people are no longer simply “white,” but “non-Hispanic white.”
Here is a link to a satellite image of Menlow:
https://www.google.com/maps/@31.8671584,-97.1553926,2167m/data=!3m1!1e3
Lots of land. In some places there are snake-like windings of terrain plowing. That came in during the 1930s and was a way farmers could keep top soil from blowing away in Texas winds or being washed away during heavy rain.
http://www.texasescapes.com/CentralTexasTownsNorth/Menlow-Texas.htm
says: “Founded in the 1890s by settlers from the ‘deep.’” southern states and Europe, the name comes from a park in the Carolinas. The town was granted a post office in 1895, although it closed just 8 years later.
“The town consisted of fifty hale and hearty souls by the mid 1890s, among these Menlowites, there was a doctor and a blacksmith.
“The town peaked in the early 1900s with a population of 100. Cotton was the dominant crop for the region and since Menlow had a gin; it swelled in importance as a shipping center.
“Early settler Joe Steele, donated land for a school and a (Methodist) church. A school (the Treadwell School) was organized in 1920, but it was forced to merge with Abbott schools about 1940. During the Great Depression (and aftermath) the population had declined to a mere 25. The siren call of defense plants in Fort Worth and other towns sapped the strength of Menlow, and there were only 10 people left by the early 1970s.
“Ten remains the given population of Menlow for the 2000 census.”
Abbott, the metropolis east of Menlow, is mostly known as the place where Willie Nelson was born. The 356 count in 2010 is 56 more than in 2000. A pretty good increase. The town’s largest population was 375, in 1970.
The demographic breakdown is phrased a little differently between the 2000 census and the 2010 count. Of the 2000 census, Wikipedia says 96 percent of the population was “White,” 1 percent “African American,” 3 percent from “other races,” and 5.67 percent “Hispanic or Latino of any race.”
The 2010 compilation is termed 91 percent “non-Hispanic white,” with other percentages of the population designated as “black or African American” (2 percent), “two or more races” (0.3 percent), “Asian” (0.3 percent), “Native American” (1.1 percent), and “Hispanic or Latino” (6.5 percent).
So, by federal enumeration, white people are no longer simply “white,” but “non-Hispanic white.”
Unfunny Girl looks as old as Mrs. W.J. Clinton
Kathy Griffin, alleged comedian, looks old in pictures taken at press conference.
http://legalinsurrection.com/2017/06/kathy-griffins-pity-party-of-a-press-conference/
She again “apologized” for “crossing the line.” Her comment -- “I’m not afraid of Donald Trump. He’s a bully. I’ve dealt with old, white guys trying to keep me down my whole life, my whole career” – shows that she still has no idea about what is going on, and she has not yet reversed cranial-rectal syndrome.
Wah-wah-wah. Just another woman trying to get ahead in the world, but kept down by old white men. What year is this?
http://legalinsurrection.com/2017/06/kathy-griffins-pity-party-of-a-press-conference/
She again “apologized” for “crossing the line.” Her comment -- “I’m not afraid of Donald Trump. He’s a bully. I’ve dealt with old, white guys trying to keep me down my whole life, my whole career” – shows that she still has no idea about what is going on, and she has not yet reversed cranial-rectal syndrome.
Wah-wah-wah. Just another woman trying to get ahead in the world, but kept down by old white men. What year is this?
If Kathy Griffin wants to see a piece of s**t, she needs only look in a mirror
By Shira Levine
December 9, 2016
“It’s a question a lot of comedians are asking themselves lately: What should comedy look like during the Trump presidency? ‘Now more than ever we must absolutely go for all the absurdities,’ Kathy Griffin told Vulture at the Equality Now Gala Tuesday night. ‘For me, that’s Trump and all things Trump. It’s not about trying to be an equal-opportunity offender anymore because Hillary got such a beat down. It’s his turn. So I’m happy to deliver beat down to Donald Trump — and also to Barron. You know a lot of comics are going to go hard for Donald, my edge is that I’ll go direct for Barron. I’m going to get in ahead of the game.’
“So, of course, Griffin supported Rosie O’Donnell when she tweeted a video asking if Barron Trump, 10-year-old son of Donald and Melania, was on the autism spectrum. ‘After the beat down he gave her, she can say whatever she wants to say to that piece of shit,’ Griffin said before correcting herself. ‘Oh, that’s President Piece of Shit.’”
http://www.vulture.com/2016/12/kathy-griffin-comedy-should-go-hard-on-trump.html
Link at http://moonbattery.com/?p=84762
December 9, 2016
“It’s a question a lot of comedians are asking themselves lately: What should comedy look like during the Trump presidency? ‘Now more than ever we must absolutely go for all the absurdities,’ Kathy Griffin told Vulture at the Equality Now Gala Tuesday night. ‘For me, that’s Trump and all things Trump. It’s not about trying to be an equal-opportunity offender anymore because Hillary got such a beat down. It’s his turn. So I’m happy to deliver beat down to Donald Trump — and also to Barron. You know a lot of comics are going to go hard for Donald, my edge is that I’ll go direct for Barron. I’m going to get in ahead of the game.’
“So, of course, Griffin supported Rosie O’Donnell when she tweeted a video asking if Barron Trump, 10-year-old son of Donald and Melania, was on the autism spectrum. ‘After the beat down he gave her, she can say whatever she wants to say to that piece of shit,’ Griffin said before correcting herself. ‘Oh, that’s President Piece of Shit.’”
http://www.vulture.com/2016/12/kathy-griffin-comedy-should-go-hard-on-trump.html
Link at http://moonbattery.com/?p=84762
Thursday, June 1, 2017
I apologize
Yesterday afternoon at the grocery store, I said to my wife, “Let’s get something easy for supper, something I can fix.” She suggested frozen TV dinners. Sounded good to me.
I saw something called Amy’s Mexican Bowl, or some such. I had never tried that. I saw the words “Organic” and “Gluten Free,” but bought the thing anyway.
I apologize for not following my long-held disregard of anything that advertises itself “Organic” or “Gluten Free.”
But, this one-time stumble proved my point: “Gluten Free” is code for “flavor free.”
I might as well have eaten the pizza box that has been sitting on the counter for two days.
Amy, your food sucks.
I saw something called Amy’s Mexican Bowl, or some such. I had never tried that. I saw the words “Organic” and “Gluten Free,” but bought the thing anyway.
I apologize for not following my long-held disregard of anything that advertises itself “Organic” or “Gluten Free.”
But, this one-time stumble proved my point: “Gluten Free” is code for “flavor free.”
I might as well have eaten the pizza box that has been sitting on the counter for two days.
Amy, your food sucks.
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