Just another day in New Orleans (3 Viewers)

[GrandAdmiral]

Someone ought to tell him that winning (he won't) won't make the indictment go away...

Former Orleans 911 chief Tyrell Morris, still under indictment, to run for mayor

Former Orleans 911 chief Tyrell Morris, who was indicted last year, is planning to run for mayor, Fox 8 has learned.

www.fox8live.com

 

[DJ1BigTymer]

Someone ought to tell him that winning (he won't) won't make the indictment go away...

Former Orleans 911 chief Tyrell Morris, still under indictment, to run for mayor

Former Orleans 911 chief Tyrell Morris, who was indicted last year, is planning to run for mayor, Fox 8 has learned.

www.fox8live.com

Can't hurt to try!

 

[guidomerkinsrules]

So I was on Claiborne (not the overpass) just past Canal
I hear police sirens look out my drivers rear view and see a Kia SUV screaming around the corner it comes up on the left shoulder and runs over the 35mph sign
Cop comes behind right about this time and takes the same path (sans sign)
Kia takes the corner again and the again so it’s going down Claiborne heading uptown
In about a minute maybe 3-4 other rollers in pursuit
How was your day?

 

[The Nomad]

Shh, I got away.

 

[Geldo]

So be honest guys. Is life in US cities really that dangerous or is it blown out of proportion by the way news outlets just concentrate on violence?
Can you walk around most inner cities at night without feeling terrified? Do you actually have no-go areas?

The reason I ask is that Social media creates perceptions which are often not very accurate. So for instance I worked in Birmingham UK and that has a reputation of being a tough city, yet with the one exception of Newtown which I never ever felt safe in, I would walk around anywhere there in the late evening without feeling edgy. I found places like Alum Rock and Hall Green which are known locally as Little Afghanistan were actually okay if you are sensible. As for the centre, apart from Broad Street where people go to party at weekends and where drunken fist-fights are very very common, the city centre is not that scary - unless you're stupid. Liverpool has a bad rep yet is pretty safe except for Liverpool 8. Perhaps as a country bumpkin I'm just naive and don't see the danger.

I see stories on Youtube about British cities with no-go areas and I know almost all this stuff is complete BS. As for the reports where some Youtuber with an agenda says the UK police are scared to go into X district. That's just boll**ks. British police love a fight

Are US cities really that bad?

 

[HoustonSaint68]

So be honest guys. Is life in US cities really that dangerous or is it blown out of proportion by the way news outlets just concentrate on violence?
Can you walk around most inner cities at night without feeling terrified? Do you actually have no-go areas?

The reason I ask is that Social media creates perceptions which are often not very accurate. So for instance I worked in Birmingham UK and that has a reputation of being a tough city, yet with the one exception of Newtown which I never ever felt safe in, I would walk around anywhere there in the late evening without feeling edgy. I found places like Alum Rock and Hall Green which are known locally as Little Afghanistan were actually okay if you are sensible. As for the centre, apart from Broad Street where people go to party at weekends and where drunken fist-fights are very very common, the city centre is not that scary - unless you're stupid. Liverpool has a bad rep yet is pretty safe except for Liverpool 8. Perhaps as a country bumpkin I'm just naive and don't see the danger.

I see stories on Youtube about British cities with no-go areas and I know almost all this stuff is complete BS. As for the reports where some Youtuber with an agenda says the UK police are scared to go into X district. That's just boll**ks. British police love a fight

Are US cities really that bad?

Hmmm, I'd say there are two main points from my perspective:

1) RELATIVELY SPEAKING, major US cities are much more dangerous than (keeping to my own experience) European or Asian cities. Note, that is not the same as saying one should be terrified walking the streets of US cities.

2) Given the plethora of guns in the US, and their easy availability to young criminals without fully developed prefrontal cortexes, the potentially bad consequence of encountering crime is MUCH higher.

Of course, there are many other subjective factors involved which, subjectivity notwithstanding. are relevant.

For instance, when I was in my 20s, I thought nothing of going to some pretty bad areas of NOLA by myself, and walking back to my car half-drunk at 4 in the morning. Objectively bad choice, every time.

Now (in my 60s) when I'm in NOLA, I won't drive my car to park on the street to go out to eat at night many places Uptown or Downtown. I don't like the age-induced worrying throughout dinner about our safety walking back to my car. Objectively, an overreaction.

Clearly, it's a longer discussion and, as with many things, your mileage may vary. All I know is that, after spending a lot of time in Japan, and now living in Spain for a good bit of the year, my personal quality of life has skyrocketed -- all because of the lack of crime. I live on what locals consider to be a "rough street" because one night about 5 years ago a minor drug deal went bad and somebody got stabbed. Oooooo, scary. One thing that tells me all I need to know here: it is quite normal to see young women walking alone, totally absorbed in their phones, on a deserted street at 1 in the morning.

Totally different vibe, engendered by the reality of the low incidence of violent crime.

 

[Geldo]

Hmmm, I'd say there are two main points from my perspective:

1) RELATIVELY SPEAKING, major US cities are much more dangerous than (keeping to my own experience) European or Asian cities. Note, that is not the same as saying one should be terrified walking the streets of US cities.

2) Given the plethora of guns in the US, and their easy availability to young criminals without fully developed prefrontal cortexes, the potentially bad consequence of encountering crime is MUCH higher.

Of course, there are many other subjective factors involved which, subjectivity notwithstanding. are relevant.

For instance, when I was in my 20s, I thought nothing of going to some pretty bad areas of NOLA by myself, and walking back to my car half-drunk at 4 in the morning. Objectively bad choice, every time.

Now (in my 60s) when I'm in NOLA, I won't drive my car to park on the street to go out to eat at night many places Uptown or Downtown. I don't like the age-induced worrying throughout dinner about our safety walking back to my car. Objectively an overreaction.

Clearly, it's a longer discussion and, as with many things, your mileage may vary. All I know is that, after spending a lot of time in Japan, and now living in Spain for a good bit of the year, my personal quality of life has skyrocketed. I live on what locals consider to be a "rough street" because one night about 5 years ago a minor drug deal went bad and somebody got stabbed. It is quite normal to see young women walking alone, totally absorbed in their phones, on a deserted street at 1 in the morning.

Thank you mate - that's a very interesting take, and I'm grateful for you sharing your perspective.
I get the old person's fear thing, particularly now that I'm 60 and I can't fight anymore (We Brits love a fist-fight)
I guess the gun thing is a major major issue.
In the UK you're very unlikely to get shot unless you're a serious criminal or you've slept with a farmer's wife. In 2024 there were just 22 shooting fatalities in all of England and Wales (population 61 million)
We have some issues with knife crime but these are often misreported, so for instance there is a very big difference between being stabbed and being slashed with a stanley knife (I've been slashed for instance and didn't even bother to go to A&E).
Slashings get reported as stabbings so when people say there is a knife crime epidemic it's often not what you think. Even so there were 262 fatal stabbings in the same period (I guess if you're going to kill someone here it's the simplest way to do it).
Spain always seems safe and friendly unless you meet the usual moronic army of drunken Brits.

 

[HoustonSaint68]

Thank you mate - that's a very interesting take, and I'm grateful for you sharing your perspective.
I get the old person's fear thing, particularly now that I'm 60 and I can't fight anymore (We Brits love a fist-fight)
I guess the gun thing is a major major issue.
In the UK you're very unlikely to get shot unless you're a serious criminal or you've slept with a farmer's wife. In 2024 there were just 22 shooting fatalities in all of England and Wales (population 61 million)
We have some issues with knife crime but these are often misreported, so for instance there is a very big difference between being stabbed and being slashed with a stanley knife (I've been slashed for instance and didn't even bother to go to A&E).
Slashings get reported as stabbings so when people say there is a knife crime epidemic it's often not what you think. Even so there were 262 fatal stabbings in the same period (I guess if you're going to kill someone here it's the simplest way to do it).
Spain always seems safe and friendly unless you meet the usual moronic army of drunken Brits.

I'd do the lol thing at the "usual moronic army of drunken Brits" comment, but I know from personal experience that can be genuinely intimidating.

We lived in London when I was in my late 20s (in the pre-Canary Wharf days, back when East London and Islington/North London were considered sorta rough), and I had the same initial "isn't that cute?" reaction to locals talking about "rough" areas in London as I do in Spain now. We (my wife and I) spent a lot of time drinking in some of those "rough" areas, and we always felt comfortable, with two exceptions.

Once, we got on the Tube and were stuck between two football groups chanting aggressively at each other on the way to a match. We were in the middle of them, and my wife was wearing a Tottenham scarf which she had bought simply because she liked the way it looked -- and neither of the groups were Tottenham . Even then, it was obvious that we were Americans so I don't think they would have targeted us specifically, but I thought that if the two groups started fighting I wouldn't be able to protect my wife from the surrounding scuffle. Needless to say, we got off at the next stop.

The second was, oddly enough, in Knightsbridge (totally genteel, but before it was full-on posh). Again, it was football hooligans. We were in a nice wine bar with a big work group, drunk, of course. A group of roaming hooligans came in and started demanding of certain patrons that they sing songs, or stand on their heads and say supporting phrases for their team, etc. At the time, I was in the best shape of my life, but knew that I was outnumbered and that my work colleagues, although standup people for the most part, wouldn't be much help in a scrap. Nevertheless, I was not going to stand by silently if they made my wife a target, so I mentally started to prepare to get my arse kicked, and I simply was hoping they didn't have knives. Thankfully, they got bored before they got to us, and left. But that definitely could have been a bad day for me.

Other than that, I've never felt unsafe in England, although many times we definitely honored the "vibe" when we went into a truly local pub by mistake, and we would down our drinks quickly and leave.

 

[Geldo]

I'd do the lol thing at the "usual moronic army of drunken Brits" comment, but I know from personal experience that can be genuinely intimidating.

We lived in London when I was in my late 20s (in the pre-Canary Wharf days, back when East London and Islington/North London were considered sorta rough), and I had the same initial "isn't that cute?" reaction to locals talking about "rough" areas in London as I do in Spain now. We (my wife and I) spent a lot of time drinking in some of those "rough" areas, and we always felt comfortable, with two exceptions.

Once, we got on the Tube and were stuck between two football groups chanting aggressively at each other on the way to a match. We were in the middle of them, and my wife was wearing a Tottenham scarf which she had bought simply because she liked the way it looked -- and neither of the groups were Tottenham . Even then, it was obvious that we were Americans so I don't think they would have targeted us specifically, but I thought that if the two groups started fighting I wouldn't be able to protect my wife from the surrounding scuffle. Needless to say, we got off at the next stop.

The second was, oddly enough, in Knightsbridge (totally genteel, but before it was full-on posh). Again, it was football hooligans. We were in a nice wine bar with a big work group, drunk, of course. A group of roaming hooligans came in and started demanding of certain patrons that they sing songs, or stand on their heads and say supporting phrases for their team, etc. At the time, I was in the best shape of my life, but knew that I was outnumbered and that my work colleagues, although standup people for the most part, wouldn't be much help in a scrap. Nevertheless, I was not going to stand by silently if they made my wife a target, so I mentally started to prepare to get my arse kicked, and I simply was hoping they didn't have knives. Thankfully, they got bored before they got to us, and left. But that definitely could have been a bad day for me.

Other than that, I've never felt unsafe in England, although many times we definitely honored the "vibe" when we went into a truly local pub by mistake, and we would down our drinks quickly and leave.

I remember the football thing very well. I bumped into the ICF on a tube journey and they were scary. There was a pitched battle between about 50 of them and a squad of riot police.
To this day I don't wear football colours on public transport, especially on match days. (If you ever watch Youtube videos of fan vlogs of English football you'll notice that serious away fans never ever wear their colours - when I see colours in the away end I always think that fan is probably American and doesn't realise ). And after witnessing the Cardiff Soul Crew demolish a train while I was on it I still check where Cardiff, Stoke City and Milwall are playing if I use a train on a matchday. Thankfully the hooligan culture has subsided slightly though still bubbling under.

And I know so well that feeling of emasculation when you know you can fight a little and then you're with a loved one and you're confronted by a gang of yobs and realise that not only are you going to get a beating but you can't defend your beloved.
We were racially attacked in broad daylight in Blackpool because the colour of my girlfriend's skin offended a group of morons. Horrible experience which still scars me to this day!

But yeah, outside of football derbies and drunk morons the UK is pretty safe.
I do love the story about Knightsbridge If there was one place in the UK I'd feel safe it would be there LOL

 

[HoustonSaint68]

And I know so well that feeling of emasculation when you know you can fight a little and then you're with a loved one and you're confronted by a gang of yobs and realise that not only are you going to get a beating but you can't defend your beloved.
We were racially attacked in broad daylight in Blackpool because the colour of my girlfriend's skin offended a group of morons. Horrible experience which still scars me to this day!

Wow, what a horrible experience.

With a nod to the recent thread about Nacua slapping the heckling fan, it absolutely takes an incredible amount of courage to walk away. And frankly, even now in my 60s, I don't know if I have that level of courage and unselfishness when it comes to my wife's "honor".

And it really is selfishness and not courage to rise to the bait in those situations and get your arse kicked. Because your wife doesn't want it (at least mine wouldn't), and my grandkids and loved ones wouldn't want it.

It's really messed up macho/honor bullshirt when only words and not harmful actions are involved.

 

[Geldo]

Sorry guys (and ladies) I should probably point out that Blackpool is the sort of run-down hell hole that despite attracting relatively normal day-trippers is a haven of crack-addicted violent criminals and weirdos and should be avoided at all costs .
It's not really part of the UK it's a place which fell from some chaotic space galaxy and landed on a beach in Fylde.

 

[Geldo]

Wow, what a horrible experience.

With a nod to the recent thread about Nacua slapping the heckling fan, it absolutely takes an incredible amount of courage to walk away. And frankly, even now in my 60s, I don't know if I have that level of courage and unselfishness when it comes to my wife's "honor".

And it really is selfishness and not courage to rise to the bait in those situations and get your arse kicked. Because your wife doesn't want it (at least mine wouldn't), and my grandkids and loved ones wouldn't want it.

It's really messed up macho/honor bullshirt when only words and not harmful actions are involved.

My fiancee was a lot braver than me, she shrugged it off while it made me despair. I guess as a white guy (though I loath defining anyone on the grounds of their melanin content) I had never encountered hatred on such stupid grounds. The attack on us was violent. We were spat at and then when we didn't react, we were punched. They missed my fiancee with a wild swing but hit me a couple of times. They then went off and attacked an old man.

 

[guidomerkinsrules]

So be honest guys. Is life in US cities really that dangerous or is it blown out of proportion by the way news outlets just concentrate on violence?
Can you walk around most inner cities at night without feeling terrified? Do you actually have no-go areas?

The reason I ask is that Social media creates perceptions which are often not very accurate. So for instance I worked in Birmingham UK and that has a reputation of being a tough city, yet with the one exception of Newtown which I never ever felt safe in, I would walk around anywhere there in the late evening without feeling edgy. I found places like Alum Rock and Hall Green which are known locally as Little Afghanistan were actually okay if you are sensible. As for the centre, apart from Broad Street where people go to party at weekends and where drunken fist-fights are very very common, the city centre is not that scary - unless you're stupid. Liverpool has a bad rep yet is pretty safe except for Liverpool 8. Perhaps as a country bumpkin I'm just naive and don't see the danger.

I see stories on Youtube about British cities with no-go areas and I know almost all this stuff is complete BS. As for the reports where some Youtuber with an agenda says the UK police are scared to go into X district. That's just boll**ks. British police love a fight

Are US cities really that bad?

Blown WAY out of proportion
Oye can give you chapter and verse about historical reasons why, but contemporarily we have a massive prison industrial complex (Louisiana locks up the most citizens- per capita - in the WORLD)
That doesn’t happen without significant propaganda from pols and media (both fiction and news fiction)
And it’s a propaganda many Americans are happy to spread fir reasons you might be able to guess but you’d have to ask them specifically why

 

[guidomerkinsrules]

I remember the football thing very well. I bumped into the ICF on a tube journey and they were scary. There was a pitched battle between about 50 of them and a squad of riot police.
To this day I don't wear football colours on public transport, especially on match days. (If you ever watch Youtube videos of fan vlogs of English football you'll notice that serious away fans never ever wear their colours - when I see colours in the away end I always think that fan is probably American and doesn't realise ). And after witnessing the Cardiff Soul Crew demolish a train while I was on it I still check where Cardiff, Stoke City and Milwall are playing if I use a train on a matchday. Thankfully the hooligan culture has subsided slightly though still bubbling under.

And I know so well that feeling of emasculation when you know you can fight a little and then you're with a loved one and you're confronted by a gang of yobs and realise that not only are you going to get a beating but you can't defend your beloved.
We were racially attacked in broad daylight in Blackpool because the colour of my girlfriend's skin offended a group of morons. Horrible experience which still scars me to this day!

But yeah, outside of football derbies and drunk morons the UK is pretty safe.
I do love the story about Knightsbridge If there was one place in the UK I'd feel safe it would be there LOL

I’d read ‘how soccer explains the world’
And they did a deep dive into European hooliganism (Russians in particular were YIKES!!) - it was a jarring read and it sucks you experienced that first hand
But it did illustrate that even when the crime is cultural, its roots are almost always systemic/economic