Ready? SWAP!

Last week, in the somewhat off-color spirit of the Krewe du Vieux, Polimom suggested that perhaps Houston could send its “native” criminal population to New Orleans, in exchange for receiving NOLA’s highly over-rated criminal talent:

[On] behalf of Houston, I’d like to acknowledge your generous offering of those one-way bus tickets. I can’t promise, though, that we won’t reciprocate by sharing some of our own, locally-grown talent. Consider it a well-meaning cultural exchange that could have some real economic benefit.
Given the size of the Houston market, I’m thinking we could make up some “Thanks, New Orleans” bumper stickers, and donate a percentage of the proceeds to the police departments in both cities. Outta be good for millions of $!

So much has been made of the crime spike here, and the related drop in crime in New Orleans, that the well-intended and heart-felt “Thanks, Houston” bumper stickers have developed a second meaning.
So I can only be amused by these stories from yesterday:

Houston Police Say Violent Crime Falling
While Houston had a spike in homicides in November and December, Sgt. Brian Harris said Friday the homicide rate has stabilized and is only slightly up from this time last year.

If we’re going to be analyzing trends on a monthly basis, Houston’s in for a wild ride, emotionally. Up one month, down the next… one can’t draw conclusions based on such short-term data. However, there seems to be some sort of corresponding uptick over in New Orleans:

Last week, the St. Bernard Parish Sheriff’s Office booked a former MS-13 member with marijuana possession, said Maj. John Doran, head of the Special Criminal Investigations Division.
“The stories this guy was telling,” Doran said. “Bad stuff . . . contract killings. We’re not used to anything like that around here.”
And in Kenner, gang graffiti is popping up on some buildings, including “MS-13” painted on a store on Williams Boulevard. Capt. James Gallagher, a Police Department spokesman, said there’s been no indication that the tagging is connected to actual gang activity

Given a choice between the New Orleans housing project punks and the MS-13, which would you choose, Houston? It’s kind of a no-brainer, eh?
Polimom was kidding when she suggested we send the Houston gangsters over to New Orleans. Honest! But I’m thinking I should go ahead and get those “Thanks, NOLA” bumper stickers made. They’re liable to start selling well soon…