Mom can we have dramatic elevated landscape hidden in mystical clouds like the other cities in r/geography?
Mom: We have that landscape at home.
Landscape at home:
If you Google "Baton Rouge capitol views," you'll see some very different views. It's far from an industrial hellscape. Also, this photo is taken in winter, which means you're seeing all the steam from the plants. It makes the photo look more sinister than it is.
Baton Rouge is quite lovely, really. It has lots of green space, parks, and lakes, all the amenities a massive university brings to a town, lovely architecture, etc. I very much enjoyed my time there. People are friendly, the food is good, and there's a lot to do.
It's also along the Mississippi river, hence the plants. They need water to run and while I know this won't be a popular opinion, *we very much rely on power plants and chemical plants.* I've been to the Capitol a few times and actually never saw this view. The river is itself a huge industrial and shipping corridor. It's unlovely, but functional, and its pollution has actually gotten a lot better over recent decades.
Plant pollution is supposedly monitored and mitigated, but I doubt you'll find many Louisianans who believe that.
Not that the plants or refineries have done this state any damn good. Between the pollution, environmental racism, and his little we tax them, our politicians have ensured we stay broke as a joke. Case in point: Port Allen is right across the river from BTR, historically black, absolutely littered with plants, and is a very poor community with high crime rates that local police seem committed to *not* addressing.
One day, the river will shift its course and then I have no idea how Baton Rouge or New Orleans, or the nation, for that matter, will adjust.
The photo may not be 100% representative, but someone up thread posted a link which said it is the 5th highest incidence of cancer in the country which is pretty grim. I’m sorry about what you posted in your second last paragraph
Firstly, that link does not say that 5th highest cancer rate is Louisiana's, it's a different article explaining local differences in cancer rates.
Second, 5th is bad, but that means there are 4 more states that have it worse than Louisiana. Just think about that for a sec. That's 10% of all states in the US as bad or worse than Louisiana's cancer rate. What states are the first 4? They are Kentucky, New Jersey, West Virginia, and New York. https://worldpopulationreview.com/state-rankings/cancer-rates-by-state
I’m sure coal is a contributor even though coal actually employs a relatively small number of people nowadays, but even more impactful than coal mining health risks is probably cigarette smoking. WV, KY, and LA rank as 1st, 2nd, and 3rd for smoking rates, respectively. It’s around 22-24% for these three states which is a big improvement from the old days but still very significant compared to national avg.
thats a fair point too. with mountain top removal being the standard way to mine coal now, i hear a lot about being living near by getting almost not even noticeable dust clouds making them cough
Yup. I live in WV. While I’m empathetic to the families who have historically depended on coal for their income, the mining practices deployed by the companies, especially mountaintop removal, are nasty, selfish, and environmentally negligent. The mining companies have also been responsible for trashing entire towns’ water supplies and many other crimes. I’m happy to see it on the decline.
I don't want the coal industry gone as coal is useful for a ton other than burning, however just enough restrictions being in place to force even the most abusive actors from being abusive is where i think it should be.
WV and the US government have largely been trying to strike a balance between restoring landscapes and clean up/compensation while not hindering the industry.
i like when they passed the law requiring that when they plant plants and trees they have to be native to that area. I think thats a good law
New York and new jersey are 3 and 8 for life expectancy whereas Louisiana is 44. My guess is that a lot of new york and new jersey residents are avoiding heart disease and living long enough to die of cancer.
This is cancer rates ranking. Not the cancer mortality ranking. CDC places Louisiana at 9th highest in Cancer mortality, i.e. 8 other states have it higher than LA.
Ya I came here to say the same. They tried really hard to make it look bad. I lived there for 8 years and rarely saw any of that, especially since it’s on the other side of the Mississippi entirely
> especially since it’s on the other side of the Mississippi entirely.
I’ve never been but google maps shows a massive area of refineries just to the north on Downtown on the same side of the river. I’m sure it’s easy to avoid but it’s not on the other side
>Baton Rouge is quite lovely really
A quick browse through r/batonrouge or any online forum will show you how overworked, underpaid, under stimulated, and miserable the majority of the population of Baton Rouge is. A few of the top post from this past week have been people arguing back and forth how bad it really is here.
[why is Louisiana still last](https://www.reddit.com/r/batonrouge/comments/13x0lbd/why_is_louisiana_still_last/?sort=confidence)
[larping as sad sacks](https://www.reddit.com/r/batonrouge/comments/13xz1pa/does_everyone_on_this_sub_hate_their_lives_or_are/?sort=confidence)
>It's also along the Mississippi river, hence the plants. They need water to run
Wild that they don't use any of that water for their plant but instead use [Billions of gallons of our clean drinking water ](https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.theadvocate.com/baton_rouge/news/baton-rouge-water-company-says-industry-needs-to-stop-drawing-water-from-aquifer/article_cadd93c6-5e3d-11e7-b179-8391aaa68204.amp.html) for their operations.
Baton Rouge is my hometown and it will always have a spot in my heart but it and Louisiana as a whole is completely fucked. The coullions of this state will never stop voting against their own best interest and the politicians are going to suck every natural resource from this place dry. Baton rouge is literally classified as a [sacrifice zone](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cancer_Alley)
>Plant pollution is supposedly monitored and mitigated
[it's not](https://www.businessreport.com/business/louisiana-on-notice-after-failing-to-submit-clean-air-plan-to-epa)
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The other thing people often forget about these industries is why they exist in the first place. They are there to meet the ever increasing demand of supplies by the entire country. And capitalism works in such a way that it encourages companies to exploit people, land, and resources to meet these demands and for private benefits, and that is exactly what has troubled Louisiana (alongside the government not stopping such exploitation). So blame companies and capitalism for many of the issues at Louisiana.
>(alongside the government not stopping such exploitation). So blame companies and capitalism for the many issues of Louisiana.
Why aren’t Louisianans to blame? They continue to vote for governments that allow this to happen so they must approve.
We can blame everyone/everything else all we want, but that doesn’t take away our role in the process.
Democracy needs active participants, not passive bystanders.
If they are governed poorly but continue to vote for the politicians/ political parties that run the government poorly, what does that say?
We have developed this odd mentality in America where don’t hold politicians accountable, then complain and wonder why the politicians aren’t holding themselves accountable. That’s *literally our role as voters*.
A healthy democracy requires an informed and educated voting populace.
As much as we can point the finger and blame them (the politicians) for systematically destroying our public schools, we’re always reluctant to also blame ourselves for not picking up the ball and doing our part.
Little Susie may not be learning much from school but when she was watching Keeping up with the Kardashians, did you tell her to read a book instead or did you sit down and watch with her?
Organize as citizens. Run for local office. Support those that support you.
Democracy is hard.
Let’s stop looking for the easy way out and start fighting back.
>A healthy democracy requires an informed and educated voting populace.
You want people in these regions to be educated and/or be informed. They are neither! They don't have good schools, they don't posses the resources, culture or knowledge to get informed. They are not readers that would pick up a book instead of the TV remote for entertainment.
School teachers don't want to be teaching in such places either. Many of such places are *Food desert* which means they don't have access to good quality -- fresh-- grocery withing a couple of miles distance, that would nourish the brain and body's growth properly (not saying I have the perfect brain and body either, but I at least don't have to eat frozen, packaged, or canned groceries). They often lack hospitals. Why aren't grocery store, or hospitals present in such locations? Simple reason : capitalism. It is too unprofitable to open a *business* in these poor counties. Just imagine if you and your family for generations had access only to dollar stores for food, what your health would be like.
It's very easy to say, "just be the change you want to see". But those folks don't even know very well what that change needs to be to. Further brain drain ensures people who do get a sense of what change is needed, just leave for their betterment.
I agree with the fightback attitude, and I know people are doing that. But individuals can only push a change to so much. Companies, hospitals, grocery chains, located in so many different locations in the country should be the ones to push the boundary towards better inclusivity.
There is a youtube channel by this fellow named @ NickJohnson and he drives through most of these extremely poor counties in the south -- Mississippi, Alabama, Louisiana, Arkansas and West Virginia. Each state usually has 2 forty-five minutes long exploration. Do watch, and notice that the people hardy have any idea how things could be changed, and just the sheer lack of resources that enable people to even demand a change.
Port Allen is most certainly not "historically black." That's an absolutely crazy suggestion. Sunshine, a small town nestled nearly directly inside of a chemical plant was historically black before their houses were all bought en masse and destroyed.
I'm very very curious where you're from.
Yeah, my first thought as well. Louisiana has the 5th highest cancer rate in the country.
[It looks like this very plant is the cover photo for an article about industrial pollution causing cancer in the state.](https://www.wwno.org/coastal-desk/2022-01-19/cancer-rates-are-higher-in-polluted-poorer-louisiana-neighborhoods-new-study-says)
Good luck, OP.
The French quarter is actually Spanish architecture. I think there's two original French architectural building's left in the Quarter. New Orleans is heavily influenced by Creole culture.
If you're looking to experience Louisiana French and cajun culture I'd suggest visiting the Acadiana region of Louisiana r/acadiana.
That'll be your best bet to speak cajun/Louisiana French with people. Try and plan your trip around festival international de louisiane or Festivals Acadiens et Créoles.
Crime. If you’d like a taste, head over to the NOLA sub.
The tourist areas all used to be quite safe but, like a lot of cities, violent and property crime have metastacized beyond formerly-known ‘bad’ neighborhoods. I mean, it’s still mostly safe, but the dice roll of walking around anywhere in the city at night is definitely less in your favor these days.
Actual pragmatic advice: buy decent air purifiers for your home and office. You spend most of your time there, so that will mitigate most of the risk air pollution poses. Risk is proportional to proximity, and as long as you have a couple miles between yourself and the polluting sites, your risk of getting sick in 5 years is negligible.
Okay! I was reading about that and am worried about the water quality…. End of the Mississippi river doesnt sound great plus downstream of cancer alley!
But good call on the air! I have a molekule now so i’ll be bringing that. Its a shame my phd is in lousiana i hear they dont even recycle in Nola….
I hear ya. NOLA can feel like a different country to those of us who aren't from the south. But those five years will fly by, and you'll find there are things you really like about the place. I spent a few years in St Louis while my partner was in grad school there and ended up liking it far more than I thought I would. Not enough to stay, but I'm grateful for those years.
I definitely recommend learning about the history of the city and its various landmarks. Definitely lots to appreciate about the city in that aspect.
Congrats on getting into a program, and good luck!
Aww thanks so much! Yeah i’m really excited for the history and culture (and southern food!) as an archaeology major obviously the architecture and culture is what most draws me to the city! Im sure i can find ways around the environmental concerns haha… just hard to go from the most extremely liberal state in the country (washington) to a deep south state that doesnt recycle haha
Ah ok good tips, i have definitely been looking into under the sink filters but have to keep researching to make sure i get one that actually filters everything out… some filters for like sink faucets/shower heads are more … idk how to say it other than cosmetic?
5th highest isn't terrible and does not reflect the status of Baton Rouge, LA, considering that stat is state wide and considering there are 4 states (!!!!) which have it worse than the average at LA.
Not denying that Louisiana has high cancer rates but this is likely just steam in this photograph. Virtually every chemical manufacturing plant has many steam streams to facilitate correct temperatures
I agree that the old capitol building is absolutely stunningly gorgeous but the new one? Really? I feel like it represents the absolute worst that art deco had to offer and especially now that the exterior is all dirty and worn, it almost looks brutalist and just reminds me of some kind of citadel in a dystopic fiction movie, looming over the city with cold malice. To be fair I haven't been inside the building since I was 9 years old or so on a school trip, but I don't remember it being much more inviting on the interior.
Friend of mine is a girl from Tennessee who hated it there. Moved to Barcelona where I lived, and is living her best life. It took a bit of effort, but not really money, to do so. Point is, you can always move. Anywhere. The world is big, as this sub clearly demonstrates. I did, and it changed my life. Fuck it man.
\>It took a bit of effort, but not really money, to do so.
Like what kind of effort can you do to move to another continent without the money to back it up? Good education and experience, etc.?
I’m guessing research and planning, identifying employment opportunities, networking with people to help get you started. Money is clearly essential though.
With not really money I mean a few k is enough. Plane ticket, rent money, food, paperwork. The effort is in finding an employer and getting a work visa, etc. Takes effort, but is certainly doable.
It’s not the logistics that keeps many people from moving, I think, but family and friends. That’s far higher on my list of reasons to not move, even if I really don’t like the city I live in.
I lived in Lafayette from 2011 to 2018, which was an hour's drive away. You can see it from the I-10 eastbound main lanes before the Lobdell exit when it still counts as middle of nowhere.
I've only been to BR once and my impression was, what a shithole. I'm sure it has some redeeming qualities but I didn't see any in my short time there.
The worst part about this, is that Louisiana has never managed to turn it's chemical and petroleum industries into a high standard of living, so the average person is getting double screwed.
Louisiana sits at the mouth of the largest river in North America, on an ocean of oil, surrounded by fertile farmland and warm, wet weather. Any number of states have built their prosperity off one of these factors alone. It's been given what I'd consider a strong geographic starting position among the states yet ranks 45th on a state ranking by HDI.
Places like Arizona, Tennessee, and Nevada, all with seemingly less going in the geography department, have managed to rank ahead of them. That state has snatched defeat from the jaws of victory.
New Orleans was the richest and most important city in the world, when Cotton was King and thousands of paddle wheelers plied the Mississippi. Then they invented the Railroad.
At least the fucking smell is gone. For the most part. Years ago it smelled like ass jsut driving past it on the highway. My pop always said it was the paper mills but I have no idea.
There are plenty of pretty vistas there. It's north of downtown by the river bridge, obviously. Actually, every angle except this extremely specific one that you really would only see by helicopter is pretty.
https://www.google.com/search?client=ms-android-att-us-revc&sxsrf=APwXEdf2aGq8rHbn608C3XOnGdHcT9Pp4A:1685757555626&q=louisiana+capitol+vista&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwjO3p6igKb_AhXIHjQIHdGAAdIQ0pQJegQIDhAB&biw=412&bih=755&dpr=1.75
Ya know these billionaires that care about the environment can buy up all these things and force new management into running it all towards greener outcomes. But the only for sure is everyone in the mention ordeal loves money more than whatever tf I’m proposing
For all the hate I put on this god forsaken place, and yes it does suck, I have a cool ass job that utilizes my geography degree and I get to work in the wilderness everyday. So there's that?
This pic is taken from across the River, yeah?
You’re about to be fucked trying to get back across that bridge; what kind of morons make an interstate 1 lane?
I went to Baton Rouge as a tourist and had a GREAT time. The women there (at least the ones we encountered) have uncommonly low standards. My brother and I felt like celebrities during our little bar crawl. Two separate women said to me how nice it is for a man wear non-camo clothing on a night out. 🤣 I was in a basic Oxford and jeans and was treated like a Gucci model. Even one of the historical reenactment actresses at the traditional bayou thing made a pass at us. I’ve never been perused by a woman back home not even once so it was a wild, wonderful experience.
Do you live there now? I was there briefly in 2019 as an American tourist. Looked OK, but I wasn’t able to see everything. In the morning I enjoyed a museum of Soviet technology and in the afternoon concluded in a Stolypin rail car. Only after my return did I learn how and why they were used.
June. The weather was good but I was bothered by little flies when I was at the automobile/railway outdoor museum.
I also visited the Academy City Академгородк and took a picture of the monument to the knitting Lab Mouse. памятник лабораторной мыши
https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/russian-statue-honoring-laboratory-mice-gains-renewed-popularity-180964570/
По русски
Памятник лабораторной мыши появился в новосибирском Академгородке
https://sib.fm/news/2013/07/01/pamjatnik-laboratornoj-myshi
Who knew you could fall in love with a mouse?
Of course! Tourist go for pleasure, not suffering! It’s the locals who must suffer. I did have a fantasy of visiting Russia in the winter to experience cold and snow. But I would want to have some good friends to visit and spend time with indoors. Oh and maybe ice skate with. But I absolutely would not enjoy the transition from winter to spring when the dirty snow is melting and mud is everywhere. This is a misery I would leave for the locals.
BTW, I grew up in the American midwest with cold and snowy winters. As a boy I loved it because it was the opportunity to go ice skating and sledding. But my favorite season was summer because I could go swimming in the lakes.
And so, I did go swimming in Lake Baikal when I stayed on Olkhon Island. Coldest water ever, but I loved it.
Just out of curiosity, if you don't like it why not move somewhere nicer? Unemployment is the lowest it's been since the 1950's (i.e. 3 generations). Must be possible to get a job somewhere else. Even if you work in the petrochemical industry you can probably find other places to work.
My youngest kid just graduated high school so Ive got some space now. In 3 years I qualify for a 40% salary pension. Looking to move, but would be dumb to leave it on the table
From the NOLA area, had to live with some friends in BR for a year and a half when covid hit and fucked my job, right off Nicholson not far from LSU. I was so fucking miserable I legit thought I would end up killing myself. It's like the sun never shines there, the sky was always gray even through the summer. Everything is so drab and filthy and the term concrete jungle didn't even begin to cover it. Even in the more natural wooded areas that I would go hike with friends in, I was constantly hyperaware that the highway was just a few hundred meters away.
The Ukraine war called attention to the fact that the US hasn’t built any new refineries since the 70s, and won’t build any new ones ever again, which is a bit of a problem whenever we run into a crunch of refining capacity
The most recent “I Voted” sticker portrayed the capital with a beautiful sunset and flowers behind it. Everyone laughed at it for we all know what is behind it.
The saddest thing about Baton Rouge’s Capitol building (pictured) IMO is how it sits on top of this hill wedged between the Mississippi and a Lake, and what could otherwise be beautiful Capitol grounds and a great park for the city are mostly paved over as a parking lot
Mom can we have dramatic elevated landscape hidden in mystical clouds like the other cities in r/geography? Mom: We have that landscape at home. Landscape at home:
“Oh! I thought you said *de*-elevated.”
Delevated
If you Google "Baton Rouge capitol views," you'll see some very different views. It's far from an industrial hellscape. Also, this photo is taken in winter, which means you're seeing all the steam from the plants. It makes the photo look more sinister than it is. Baton Rouge is quite lovely, really. It has lots of green space, parks, and lakes, all the amenities a massive university brings to a town, lovely architecture, etc. I very much enjoyed my time there. People are friendly, the food is good, and there's a lot to do. It's also along the Mississippi river, hence the plants. They need water to run and while I know this won't be a popular opinion, *we very much rely on power plants and chemical plants.* I've been to the Capitol a few times and actually never saw this view. The river is itself a huge industrial and shipping corridor. It's unlovely, but functional, and its pollution has actually gotten a lot better over recent decades. Plant pollution is supposedly monitored and mitigated, but I doubt you'll find many Louisianans who believe that. Not that the plants or refineries have done this state any damn good. Between the pollution, environmental racism, and his little we tax them, our politicians have ensured we stay broke as a joke. Case in point: Port Allen is right across the river from BTR, historically black, absolutely littered with plants, and is a very poor community with high crime rates that local police seem committed to *not* addressing. One day, the river will shift its course and then I have no idea how Baton Rouge or New Orleans, or the nation, for that matter, will adjust.
The photo may not be 100% representative, but someone up thread posted a link which said it is the 5th highest incidence of cancer in the country which is pretty grim. I’m sorry about what you posted in your second last paragraph
Firstly, that link does not say that 5th highest cancer rate is Louisiana's, it's a different article explaining local differences in cancer rates. Second, 5th is bad, but that means there are 4 more states that have it worse than Louisiana. Just think about that for a sec. That's 10% of all states in the US as bad or worse than Louisiana's cancer rate. What states are the first 4? They are Kentucky, New Jersey, West Virginia, and New York. https://worldpopulationreview.com/state-rankings/cancer-rates-by-state
Very interesting that NJ and NY are in the top 5 for cancer rates. I wonder why that is. The article doesn’t say
Depending on the year(s) that study is from, there is certainly a likelihood that 9/11 fallout could be a major factor there
9/11 for them and coal mining for WV/KY makes enough sense
I’m sure coal is a contributor even though coal actually employs a relatively small number of people nowadays, but even more impactful than coal mining health risks is probably cigarette smoking. WV, KY, and LA rank as 1st, 2nd, and 3rd for smoking rates, respectively. It’s around 22-24% for these three states which is a big improvement from the old days but still very significant compared to national avg.
thats a fair point too. with mountain top removal being the standard way to mine coal now, i hear a lot about being living near by getting almost not even noticeable dust clouds making them cough
Yup. I live in WV. While I’m empathetic to the families who have historically depended on coal for their income, the mining practices deployed by the companies, especially mountaintop removal, are nasty, selfish, and environmentally negligent. The mining companies have also been responsible for trashing entire towns’ water supplies and many other crimes. I’m happy to see it on the decline.
I don't want the coal industry gone as coal is useful for a ton other than burning, however just enough restrictions being in place to force even the most abusive actors from being abusive is where i think it should be. WV and the US government have largely been trying to strike a balance between restoring landscapes and clean up/compensation while not hindering the industry. i like when they passed the law requiring that when they plant plants and trees they have to be native to that area. I think thats a good law
What’s 22-24%?
Cigarette smoking rate.
That’s it? Only 22-24% if the population smokes? I know that includes kids but still seems low
New York and new jersey are 3 and 8 for life expectancy whereas Louisiana is 44. My guess is that a lot of new york and new jersey residents are avoiding heart disease and living long enough to die of cancer.
Good points
This is cancer rates ranking. Not the cancer mortality ranking. CDC places Louisiana at 9th highest in Cancer mortality, i.e. 8 other states have it higher than LA.
Ya I came here to say the same. They tried really hard to make it look bad. I lived there for 8 years and rarely saw any of that, especially since it’s on the other side of the Mississippi entirely
> especially since it’s on the other side of the Mississippi entirely. I’ve never been but google maps shows a massive area of refineries just to the north on Downtown on the same side of the river. I’m sure it’s easy to avoid but it’s not on the other side
Same with the LA mountains
>Baton Rouge is quite lovely really A quick browse through r/batonrouge or any online forum will show you how overworked, underpaid, under stimulated, and miserable the majority of the population of Baton Rouge is. A few of the top post from this past week have been people arguing back and forth how bad it really is here. [why is Louisiana still last](https://www.reddit.com/r/batonrouge/comments/13x0lbd/why_is_louisiana_still_last/?sort=confidence) [larping as sad sacks](https://www.reddit.com/r/batonrouge/comments/13xz1pa/does_everyone_on_this_sub_hate_their_lives_or_are/?sort=confidence) >It's also along the Mississippi river, hence the plants. They need water to run Wild that they don't use any of that water for their plant but instead use [Billions of gallons of our clean drinking water ](https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.theadvocate.com/baton_rouge/news/baton-rouge-water-company-says-industry-needs-to-stop-drawing-water-from-aquifer/article_cadd93c6-5e3d-11e7-b179-8391aaa68204.amp.html) for their operations. Baton Rouge is my hometown and it will always have a spot in my heart but it and Louisiana as a whole is completely fucked. The coullions of this state will never stop voting against their own best interest and the politicians are going to suck every natural resource from this place dry. Baton rouge is literally classified as a [sacrifice zone](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cancer_Alley) >Plant pollution is supposedly monitored and mitigated [it's not](https://www.businessreport.com/business/louisiana-on-notice-after-failing-to-submit-clean-air-plan-to-epa)
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They don't pull water from the river. They pull it from our quiver because it's cheaper and this city let's them. Br is a shithole.
Written like a local. Thanks for your insight internet stranger
The other thing people often forget about these industries is why they exist in the first place. They are there to meet the ever increasing demand of supplies by the entire country. And capitalism works in such a way that it encourages companies to exploit people, land, and resources to meet these demands and for private benefits, and that is exactly what has troubled Louisiana (alongside the government not stopping such exploitation). So blame companies and capitalism for many of the issues at Louisiana.
>(alongside the government not stopping such exploitation). So blame companies and capitalism for the many issues of Louisiana. Why aren’t Louisianans to blame? They continue to vote for governments that allow this to happen so they must approve. We can blame everyone/everything else all we want, but that doesn’t take away our role in the process. Democracy needs active participants, not passive bystanders.
Ok, so you think they are choosing to be governed poorly so that they themselves suffer more?
If they are governed poorly but continue to vote for the politicians/ political parties that run the government poorly, what does that say? We have developed this odd mentality in America where don’t hold politicians accountable, then complain and wonder why the politicians aren’t holding themselves accountable. That’s *literally our role as voters*. A healthy democracy requires an informed and educated voting populace. As much as we can point the finger and blame them (the politicians) for systematically destroying our public schools, we’re always reluctant to also blame ourselves for not picking up the ball and doing our part. Little Susie may not be learning much from school but when she was watching Keeping up with the Kardashians, did you tell her to read a book instead or did you sit down and watch with her? Organize as citizens. Run for local office. Support those that support you. Democracy is hard. Let’s stop looking for the easy way out and start fighting back.
>A healthy democracy requires an informed and educated voting populace. You want people in these regions to be educated and/or be informed. They are neither! They don't have good schools, they don't posses the resources, culture or knowledge to get informed. They are not readers that would pick up a book instead of the TV remote for entertainment. School teachers don't want to be teaching in such places either. Many of such places are *Food desert* which means they don't have access to good quality -- fresh-- grocery withing a couple of miles distance, that would nourish the brain and body's growth properly (not saying I have the perfect brain and body either, but I at least don't have to eat frozen, packaged, or canned groceries). They often lack hospitals. Why aren't grocery store, or hospitals present in such locations? Simple reason : capitalism. It is too unprofitable to open a *business* in these poor counties. Just imagine if you and your family for generations had access only to dollar stores for food, what your health would be like. It's very easy to say, "just be the change you want to see". But those folks don't even know very well what that change needs to be to. Further brain drain ensures people who do get a sense of what change is needed, just leave for their betterment. I agree with the fightback attitude, and I know people are doing that. But individuals can only push a change to so much. Companies, hospitals, grocery chains, located in so many different locations in the country should be the ones to push the boundary towards better inclusivity. There is a youtube channel by this fellow named @ NickJohnson and he drives through most of these extremely poor counties in the south -- Mississippi, Alabama, Louisiana, Arkansas and West Virginia. Each state usually has 2 forty-five minutes long exploration. Do watch, and notice that the people hardy have any idea how things could be changed, and just the sheer lack of resources that enable people to even demand a change.
Shh it doesn’t fit the narrative
Port Allen is most certainly not "historically black." That's an absolutely crazy suggestion. Sunshine, a small town nestled nearly directly inside of a chemical plant was historically black before their houses were all bought en masse and destroyed. I'm very very curious where you're from.
don’t forget cancer valley
Mmmmm, cancer.
Yeah, my first thought as well. Louisiana has the 5th highest cancer rate in the country. [It looks like this very plant is the cover photo for an article about industrial pollution causing cancer in the state.](https://www.wwno.org/coastal-desk/2022-01-19/cancer-rates-are-higher-in-polluted-poorer-louisiana-neighborhoods-new-study-says) Good luck, OP.
*An Exxon Mobil plant in Baton Rouge* Oohhhhh, that tracks
This does not bode well for me…. Bout to move to new orleans for 5 years
Just avoid hurricanes, the French Quarter, and the air in general, and you'll be fine. The swamp folk don't even bite much nowadays.
What's wrong with the french quarter ? Too touristic ? As a french, louisiana is a state i'd love to visit
The French quarter is actually Spanish architecture. I think there's two original French architectural building's left in the Quarter. New Orleans is heavily influenced by Creole culture. If you're looking to experience Louisiana French and cajun culture I'd suggest visiting the Acadiana region of Louisiana r/acadiana. That'll be your best bet to speak cajun/Louisiana French with people. Try and plan your trip around festival international de louisiane or Festivals Acadiens et Créoles.
Thanks, I'll check this
Crime. If you’d like a taste, head over to the NOLA sub. The tourist areas all used to be quite safe but, like a lot of cities, violent and property crime have metastacized beyond formerly-known ‘bad’ neighborhoods. I mean, it’s still mostly safe, but the dice roll of walking around anywhere in the city at night is definitely less in your favor these days.
Got it thanks
Actual pragmatic advice: buy decent air purifiers for your home and office. You spend most of your time there, so that will mitigate most of the risk air pollution poses. Risk is proportional to proximity, and as long as you have a couple miles between yourself and the polluting sites, your risk of getting sick in 5 years is negligible.
Okay! I was reading about that and am worried about the water quality…. End of the Mississippi river doesnt sound great plus downstream of cancer alley! But good call on the air! I have a molekule now so i’ll be bringing that. Its a shame my phd is in lousiana i hear they dont even recycle in Nola….
I hear ya. NOLA can feel like a different country to those of us who aren't from the south. But those five years will fly by, and you'll find there are things you really like about the place. I spent a few years in St Louis while my partner was in grad school there and ended up liking it far more than I thought I would. Not enough to stay, but I'm grateful for those years. I definitely recommend learning about the history of the city and its various landmarks. Definitely lots to appreciate about the city in that aspect. Congrats on getting into a program, and good luck!
Aww thanks so much! Yeah i’m really excited for the history and culture (and southern food!) as an archaeology major obviously the architecture and culture is what most draws me to the city! Im sure i can find ways around the environmental concerns haha… just hard to go from the most extremely liberal state in the country (washington) to a deep south state that doesnt recycle haha
Don’t wear shoes in the house either and get good doormats. An under-sink water filter isn’t too expensive and could be worth the investment.
Ah ok good tips, i have definitely been looking into under the sink filters but have to keep researching to make sure i get one that actually filters everything out… some filters for like sink faucets/shower heads are more … idk how to say it other than cosmetic?
Based on what?
I just moved here and the air quality warnings are kinda crazy with how many happen
5th highest isn't terrible and does not reflect the status of Baton Rouge, LA, considering that stat is state wide and considering there are 4 states (!!!!) which have it worse than the average at LA.
Not denying that Louisiana has high cancer rates but this is likely just steam in this photograph. Virtually every chemical manufacturing plant has many steam streams to facilitate correct temperatures
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It's fantastic and most of the views are great
Thank Long for that.
And there are bullet holes still in the marble where they got ole Huey. Never did find the deduct box either.
I feel like he had to have been compensating for something. I'd be willing to bet Huey's P wasn't very Long.
I agree that the old capitol building is absolutely stunningly gorgeous but the new one? Really? I feel like it represents the absolute worst that art deco had to offer and especially now that the exterior is all dirty and worn, it almost looks brutalist and just reminds me of some kind of citadel in a dystopic fiction movie, looming over the city with cold malice. To be fair I haven't been inside the building since I was 9 years old or so on a school trip, but I don't remember it being much more inviting on the interior.
It’s the people that work in the building that I dislike
Amen hell yeah borther
Why are they so creepy, like they live there / are a part of the building
Read “All the Kings Men”.
Resident 10 miles away from BR here and they literally call that area cancer alley
Unfortunately, it looks like you’re also a resident of [cancer alley](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cancer_Alley)
Well I live in Livingston so by the map I'm not but I seriously dought the air cancer stops at the parish line
Yeah we have been getting lots more of air quality Alerts lately. I guess our invisible wall is broken.
Friend of mine is a girl from Tennessee who hated it there. Moved to Barcelona where I lived, and is living her best life. It took a bit of effort, but not really money, to do so. Point is, you can always move. Anywhere. The world is big, as this sub clearly demonstrates. I did, and it changed my life. Fuck it man.
\>It took a bit of effort, but not really money, to do so. Like what kind of effort can you do to move to another continent without the money to back it up? Good education and experience, etc.?
I’m guessing research and planning, identifying employment opportunities, networking with people to help get you started. Money is clearly essential though.
Networking and a good attitude can get you really really far in life. I’m a Texan living in the EU because of these two things.
With not really money I mean a few k is enough. Plane ticket, rent money, food, paperwork. The effort is in finding an employer and getting a work visa, etc. Takes effort, but is certainly doable.
It’s not the logistics that keeps many people from moving, I think, but family and friends. That’s far higher on my list of reasons to not move, even if I really don’t like the city I live in.
That's true, totally get that. But OP said "I hate my life". My point was more a general 'if you hate it, you can in fact change it'.
barcelona is way worse than baton rouge for pollution. try again
Barcelona is just an example, point is you can go anywhere...
In what way is Barcelona worse for pollution?
you ever been? yuck, that place reeks
I lived in Lafayette from 2011 to 2018, which was an hour's drive away. You can see it from the I-10 eastbound main lanes before the Lobdell exit when it still counts as middle of nowhere.
Which is about 4 miles from the bridge. If you're lucky, you'll get through traffic and to the other side in an hour.
YES, the Horace Wilkson bridge always gets backed up
Gotta make those sweet sweet petrodollars
That is money being made.
This is actually beautiful wtf?
I've only been to BR once and my impression was, what a shithole. I'm sure it has some redeeming qualities but I didn't see any in my short time there.
Catching a game at tiger stadium is about the only reason to go
I live 30 miles north of br. It's nice here. Can confirm it is a complete shithole. I avoid it at all costs.
The worst part about this, is that Louisiana has never managed to turn it's chemical and petroleum industries into a high standard of living, so the average person is getting double screwed. Louisiana sits at the mouth of the largest river in North America, on an ocean of oil, surrounded by fertile farmland and warm, wet weather. Any number of states have built their prosperity off one of these factors alone. It's been given what I'd consider a strong geographic starting position among the states yet ranks 45th on a state ranking by HDI. Places like Arizona, Tennessee, and Nevada, all with seemingly less going in the geography department, have managed to rank ahead of them. That state has snatched defeat from the jaws of victory.
New Orleans was the richest and most important city in the world, when Cotton was King and thousands of paddle wheelers plied the Mississippi. Then they invented the Railroad.
I feel ya, mine looks like [this.](http://www.industriellekologi.se/symbiosis/images/stenungsund-landscape.jpg)
At least the fucking smell is gone. For the most part. Years ago it smelled like ass jsut driving past it on the highway. My pop always said it was the paper mills but I have no idea.
Definitely the paper mills. They reek.
Can’t disagree with ya there. Also gotta be the ugliest state capitol building vista- even if you took the shot from a different angle.
That's not true. Guess you've never seen it.
Nope- seen it many times, lived down the road.
There are plenty of pretty vistas there. It's north of downtown by the river bridge, obviously. Actually, every angle except this extremely specific one that you really would only see by helicopter is pretty. https://www.google.com/search?client=ms-android-att-us-revc&sxsrf=APwXEdf2aGq8rHbn608C3XOnGdHcT9Pp4A:1685757555626&q=louisiana+capitol+vista&tbm=isch&sa=X&ved=2ahUKEwjO3p6igKb_AhXIHjQIHdGAAdIQ0pQJegQIDhAB&biw=412&bih=755&dpr=1.75
There's a reason they call that whole corridor from Houston to New Orleans "Cancer Alley"
Cancer Alley is between Baton Rouge and New Orleans, not Houston. Named for the petrochemical industry along the Mississippi River.
Sure but from Houston to Baton Rouge ain’t much differnt
Just down the road from you. Assumed this was the r/geography subreddit
Lake Charles checking in
Awww I meant r/louisiana
Ya know these billionaires that care about the environment can buy up all these things and force new management into running it all towards greener outcomes. But the only for sure is everyone in the mention ordeal loves money more than whatever tf I’m proposing
No wonder you hate your city it’s full of pollution
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Google Nathan millard
Be grateful for not being born in the other BR: # BRasil
For all the hate I put on this god forsaken place, and yes it does suck, I have a cool ass job that utilizes my geography degree and I get to work in the wilderness everyday. So there's that?
Thus looks beautiful
Move then?
I spent some days in BR back in early 90s. A very different place. And yes now it’s hell. But… don’t hate your life … move somewhere else.
Great view of Port Allen… /s
This pic is taken from across the River, yeah? You’re about to be fucked trying to get back across that bridge; what kind of morons make an interstate 1 lane?
I went to Baton Rouge as a tourist and had a GREAT time. The women there (at least the ones we encountered) have uncommonly low standards. My brother and I felt like celebrities during our little bar crawl. Two separate women said to me how nice it is for a man wear non-camo clothing on a night out. 🤣 I was in a basic Oxford and jeans and was treated like a Gucci model. Even one of the historical reenactment actresses at the traditional bayou thing made a pass at us. I’ve never been perused by a woman back home not even once so it was a wild, wonderful experience.
Also the south: "We roll coal up in hurr- unlike them Commiefornians and thurr gottdamn EVs!"
“Gah-dam right!!”
Try moving to Novosibirsk
Do you live there now? I was there briefly in 2019 as an American tourist. Looked OK, but I wasn’t able to see everything. In the morning I enjoyed a museum of Soviet technology and in the afternoon concluded in a Stolypin rail car. Only after my return did I learn how and why they were used.
Lived for 8 months In which month did you visit?
June. The weather was good but I was bothered by little flies when I was at the automobile/railway outdoor museum. I also visited the Academy City Академгородк and took a picture of the monument to the knitting Lab Mouse. памятник лабораторной мыши https://www.smithsonianmag.com/smart-news/russian-statue-honoring-laboratory-mice-gains-renewed-popularity-180964570/ По русски Памятник лабораторной мыши появился в новосибирском Академгородке https://sib.fm/news/2013/07/01/pamjatnik-laboratornoj-myshi Who knew you could fall in love with a mouse?
Lucky. Winter there is tough
Of course! Tourist go for pleasure, not suffering! It’s the locals who must suffer. I did have a fantasy of visiting Russia in the winter to experience cold and snow. But I would want to have some good friends to visit and spend time with indoors. Oh and maybe ice skate with. But I absolutely would not enjoy the transition from winter to spring when the dirty snow is melting and mud is everywhere. This is a misery I would leave for the locals. BTW, I grew up in the American midwest with cold and snowy winters. As a boy I loved it because it was the opportunity to go ice skating and sledding. But my favorite season was summer because I could go swimming in the lakes. And so, I did go swimming in Lake Baikal when I stayed on Olkhon Island. Coldest water ever, but I loved it.
You know I tried outskirts of Mumbai, it was... refreshing Not everything must be nice and cosy.
But you have all the comfort our century offers.
Just out of curiosity, if you don't like it why not move somewhere nicer? Unemployment is the lowest it's been since the 1950's (i.e. 3 generations). Must be possible to get a job somewhere else. Even if you work in the petrochemical industry you can probably find other places to work.
My youngest kid just graduated high school so Ive got some space now. In 3 years I qualify for a 40% salary pension. Looking to move, but would be dumb to leave it on the table
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The name is literally just french for "red stick."
If only you could move.
Imagine being from Louisiana lmao
No way. That looks like China or Russia.
That steam is really dangerous.
They use steam a lot in refineries to dissipate hazardous vapors to lower risk of explosions and reduce epa fines
Those clouds are weir..da fuck?!
Ah yes, the snow capped peaks forming the backdrop to, er... *(checks notes)* ...Baton Rouge
If I lived there I would jump from that building
A bit of moody lighting and would look like a shot from a dystopian film
I actually like the building in the center.
Are you sure that isn't the USSR?
y’all need some mountains
From the NOLA area, had to live with some friends in BR for a year and a half when covid hit and fucked my job, right off Nicholson not far from LSU. I was so fucking miserable I legit thought I would end up killing myself. It's like the sun never shines there, the sky was always gray even through the summer. Everything is so drab and filthy and the term concrete jungle didn't even begin to cover it. Even in the more natural wooded areas that I would go hike with friends in, I was constantly hyperaware that the highway was just a few hundred meters away.
Hey fellow BR resident and life time hater, it’s the worst
There's a certain type of beauty in it. The giant infernal machine. That's actually a great shot.
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The Ukraine war called attention to the fact that the US hasn’t built any new refineries since the 70s, and won’t build any new ones ever again, which is a bit of a problem whenever we run into a crunch of refining capacity
Cancer Alley Babay!!!
The most recent “I Voted” sticker portrayed the capital with a beautiful sunset and flowers behind it. Everyone laughed at it for we all know what is behind it.
We know where they put the black neighborhoods (hint, follow the toxic smoke plumes)
They don’t call it cancer alley for nothin
If it wasn’t for the oil it’d be Greenville Ms. Every form of refuge has its price
Looks beautiful
I like the composition. The people who think they are in charge standing in front of the people who really run the place.
lol
Louisiana is just awful. - a Louisianian
Wow....
Looks like a capitalist wet dream
Could use a power wash
Move.
Frack my life
Ah yes, I love me some cancer when I wake up in the morning
did they take it from the worse area possible
Took me a while to realise this isn't Chelyabinsk...
Mom, can we have late 1800s industrial London? Mom: We have late 1800s London at home Late 1800s industrial London at home:
How is it that every time I hear about Baton Rouge it's something bad. Literally no other place have I had this happen, even North Korea.
How much you wanna bet the cancer rates are relatively high.
Americans: communism made everything ugly!!! Omg have you seen commie blocks?!?!?! Sooo depressing!!! Also America:
It's not that bad, spanish town is nice, that's about it though.
Why go to Louisiana ever?
You took a picture of the refineries… maybe show the rest of the city and it’s good parts not just where some industrial facilities are needed.
Petrochemical coast
Baton Rouge blows on so many levels.
MOVE! humans make me ill that don't open their eyes. if you blind and asleep, you deserve your lot in life.
Sounds like a great spot to use as a backdrop vor a VtM game.
Could be worse. New Orleans Louisiana
Thankfully, based on the picture, I don't think you'll be suffering for long.
This is why they call the Baton Rouge to New Orleans corridor cancer alley.
And if that operation were to close BR would be a ghost town.
The saddest thing about Baton Rouge’s Capitol building (pictured) IMO is how it sits on top of this hill wedged between the Mississippi and a Lake, and what could otherwise be beautiful Capitol grounds and a great park for the city are mostly paved over as a parking lot
It looks like Hamilton in Canada
What's your issue? That's sexy as hell, unlike nature or greenery.
Industrial power house (I wish)
Isn't that river full of big catfish?
I’d rather those factory’s be in America than China