Louisiana

updated 8:26 a.m.

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Blessings abound

In one week the Super Bowl Champion New Orleans Saints (From now on SBCNOS or occasionally HFS ) will take the field for the first time in for real football. I hope they sit Morstead out of tonight's fake game, you know, just in case. And just this morning I learned that scientists have finally isolated the fried beer gene . Excuse me while I grin for the rest of the day. ...
Library Chronicles - 8:01 a.m.

Student Protests Over Education Cuts Will Only Become Louder and Better Organized

It’s been nearly three years since he was elected Governor, and honestly, I still don’t understand Bobby Jindal’s prerogatives. He opposed the stimulus and then traveled the State posing for pictures handing out oversized checks from the stimulus. He (essentially) fired his own Secretary of the DOTD, William Ankner, right after Mr. Ankner said Louisiana [...] ...
CenLamar - 2:07 a.m. - 2 clicks 2 clicks

Q & A with The Tea Party of Louisiana

A couple of days ago, in a post about the race for Louisiana’s Third Congressional District, I mentioned that Republican candidate Jeff Landry had been endorsed by The Tea Party of Louisiana, which I implied to be a monolithic group of Republicans. Needless to say, this didn’t sit well with the board of the Tea [...] ...
CenLamar - Wed 5:40 p.m. - 4 clicks 4 clicks

At a recent event I attended someone told me "Bobby Jindal is a fucking douchebag"

Apparently these UNO students affected by the Governor's budget cuts agree A student demonstration at the University of New Orleans turned rowdy today when protesters scuffled with campus police, who arrested two of them and led them away in handcuffs in a police cruiser. One of the students was sprayed by police with mace. At least no one was tazed. Longtime readers will note that I am no fa...
Library Chronicles - Wed 12:04 p.m.

No shortcuts to quality

I'm working on a re-cap of the K+5, RT5 weekend. And that, not surpisingly, is a lot of stuff to digest, puke into a big post, and then spend the rest of the week culling and rearranging the puke a bit. It's very much like one of those Saints game posts that never make it up until three weeks after the next week's game. (Just in time for football season, right?) Anyway try not to sleep on me in t...
Library Chronicles - Tue 12:43 p.m.

Under the Radar, Ravi Sangisetty Raises More Money Than Anyone Else

Currently, there is only one Democrat representing Louisiana in the U.S. House of Representatives, Charlie Melancon of Louisiana’s Third Congressional District. Melancon, of course, has decided to forgo a re-election campaign in order to challenge David Vitter for the Senate. Very early on (actually, before Melancon even “officially” announced his intention to run for Senate), [....
CenLamar - Mon 11:49 p.m. - 14 clicks 14 clicks

Under the Radar, David Melville Prepares a Serious Campaign for Congress in LA-04

Two years ago, Republican John Fleming, a Minden-area physician and the owner of a string of Subway sandwich restaurants, narrowly beat Caddo Parish District Attorney Paul Carmouche, a Democrat, to become the next Congressman representing Louisiana’s 4th Congressional District. Fleming won the seat by a margin of only 356 votes. Although Fleming’s victory ensured the [...] ...
CenLamar - Mon 5:49 p.m. - 12 clicks 12 clicks

Worst. Episode. Ever.

Treme really has jumped the shark. Photo by Times-Picayune 's Matthew Hinton. Feel free to add your own caption. ...
Library Chronicles - Mon 1:50 p.m.

HOAX! Moratorium Job Loss Projections Deceived a Judge and the Public

This post originally appeared here . Three months into the moratorium on the U.S. Department of the Interior's moratorium on deep water drilling and it is abundantly clear that the doom and gloom prophesied by opponents of the moratorium have not materialized. The Louisiana Workforce Commission's (LWC) latest report shows record employment in the state in July, with falling un...
Daily Kingfish - Mon 10:07 a.m. - 6 clicks 6 clicks

David Melville presents a postive message in LA-04

David Melville , a Methodist pastor from Bossier City and political newcomer, was victorious in the Democratic primary and will face incumbent John Fleming this November in Louisiana's 4th District .  Fleming, as you read in our earlier posts ( here , here , and here ), has staked out a far-right position and made it clear that he is not willing to work across the aisle in Congress....
Daily Kingfish - Mon 5:24 a.m. - 8 clicks 8 clicks

President at the Parkway

Early this afternoon, as we were packing to head back to Alexandria, a young man walked by the house and, seeing us on the front porch, announced, “The President’s down the street. He’s eating lunch at Parkway.” I was staying at my friend’s house on Lafitte, about a block and a half away from the [...] ...
CenLamar - Sun 5:46 p.m. - 9 clicks 9 clicks

Oil Spill Flyover

Our good friend Lamar of CenLamar blog had the opportunity last week to join the Coast Guard on a flyover of the Deepwater Horizon site, and he posted a great article along with pictures .  Here's a brief excerpt: I'm not sure exactly why I was invited to do this, but a little over three weeks ago at about seven at night, I received a phone call from someone at the White House, in...
Daily Kingfish - Sun 3:28 p.m. - 5 clicks 5 clicks

HOAX!: Moratorium job loss projections deceived a Judge and the Public

Three months into the the U.S. Department of the Interior's moratorium on deep water drilling and it is abundantly clear that the doom and gloom prophesied by opponents of the moratorium have not materialized. The Louisiana Workforce Commission's (LWC) latest report shows record employment in the state in July, with falling unemployment in every metro market, including the Houma ...
Louisiana Democrat 2 Democrat - Sun 12:07 p.m. - 9 clicks 9 clicks

Flyover of Deepwater Horizon

I’m not sure exactly why I was invited to do this, but a little over three weeks ago at about seven at night, I received a phone call from someone at the White House, inviting me to participate in a flyover of the former site of the Deepwater Horizon oil rig and the current location [...] ...
CenLamar - Sun 12:23 a.m. - 13 clicks 13 clicks

Dispelling Myths

Another Katrinaversary is upon us and with that comes, of course, a fair amount of heavy personal reflection for everyone. In a city of rituals, it's no surprise that a multitude of public happenings are planned around this time of year to commemorate the events of five years ago that changed everyone's lives. One such ritual happening I've become accustomed to attending is the Rising Tide new...
Library Chronicles - Fri 6:23 p.m.

I love it...

So as it turns out the Baton Rouge bar fight was over a pool game...awesome. Tell you what I'll do, I'll challenge Cedric Richmond to a pool match...8 ball, race to 7 games, APA rules....if he wins I will take down every blog post I've written about him, if I win he has to give me a one hour interview and answer all of my questions. And how did his record just "dissapear"?  It s...
American Zombie - Thu 11:08 a.m. - 13 clicks 13 clicks

LA04: Fleming: "There is no way we can reach across the aisle?"

Congressman John Fleming, Freshman legislator from the Louisiana 4 th Congressional District attended an event for the Republican Women of Bossier.   Well Fleming didn’t waste any time in coming out and attacking Democrats as the problem for everything.   The Audio file is available through the Shreveport Times website . If you listen to it you will hear Fleming...
Daily Kingfish - Aug 26 - 8 clicks 8 clicks

44. XLIV. 8-9-10. 2,430.5: My mad dash to the Saints' White House reception with President Obama

The first call arrived at about 3:30 p.m. on Friday, July 31. I was at the CC's on Johnston Street in Lafayette awaiting the arrival of a friend and was on hold awaiting my banker (credit union-er?) to return to the line. It was essential business, so I did not put the held call on hold, but let the incoming call ring through to voice mail. A couple of minutes later, while still on th...
Louisiana Democrat 2 Democrat - Aug 25 - 12 clicks 12 clicks

Breaking somewhere on the internets

Feds may be probing Riley for his supposed shoot-the-looter order after all. Don't have a link yet. Still don't have a reliable source outside of "Rush Radio" . In the meantime, everyone should watch the Frontline report on police activity after Katrina that aired last night . Not a single person in any position of authortity during that time ends up looking any good at all. ...
Library Chronicles - Aug 25

Don't get cut off at the Serpas

New Orleans, LA – As required by the Louisiana Supreme Court, the New Orleans Police Department is issuing a public advisory regarding a sobriety checkpoint that will be conducted. The New Orleans Police Department’s Traffic Division will conduct a sobriety checkpoint on Thursday, August 26, 2010, in the Algiers area, beginning at approximately 9:00 P.M., and concluding approximately 5:00 A.M. ...
Library Chronicles - Aug 25

Failure to communicate

After Katrina, Cops Given OK to Shoot Looters In one instance captured on a grainy videotape shot by a member of the force, a police captain relayed the instructions at morning roll call to cops preparing for the day's patrols. "We have authority by martial law to shoot looters," Captain James Scott told a few dozen officers in a portion of the tape viewed by reporters. Scott, then the com...
Library Chronicles - Aug 25

Tax credits

The most inefficient and stupid way to spend a disaster recovery allocation. Taking into account all the bonds, tax credits, and other benefits extended to businesses throughout the GO Zone regions of Alabama, Mississippi, and Louisiana, the package is expected to cost the country about $9 billion in federal revenue by 2015, according to the U.S. Government Accountability Office. But while the ...
Library Chronicles - Aug 25

Bizarre

Salon: Ex-FEMA chief plans live broadcasts in New Orleans Michael Brown will take his radio show on the road to mark the fifth anniversary of Katrina Pray that no one disturbs him while he's eating. ...
Library Chronicles - Aug 25

Ok I'll bite

Anonymous said... HOLY COW the same Pearlie Elloie who teamed up with Vernon Shorty and a few others who stole over $3,500,000.00 dollars (3.5 million dollars) from HUD and the City of New Orleans in the scam now known as the Desire Community Housing Corporation???? I don't know a lot about it...can you fill me in?  I'm not kidding...I don't know as much as people think I do so...
American Zombie - Aug 24 - 8 clicks 8 clicks

VIDEO: IBEW Members Confront Gulf Coast Crisis

Hammered by Hurricane Katrina and the worst oil spill in history, the residents of Louisiana's Gulf Coast are trying to make it through these tough times with the help of IBEW members who work and live in the region. ...
Daily Kingfish - Aug 24

Baton Rouge is a slow town

Shoes take a bit longer to drop there sometimes. ...
Library Chronicles - Aug 24

Miracle Microbes

They make things vanish with no nasty side-effects A newly discovered type of oil-eating microbe is suddenly flourishing in the Gulf of Mexico. Scientists discovered the new microbe while studying the underwater dispersion of millions of gallons of oil spilled into the Gulf after the explosion of BP's Deepwater Horizon drilling rig. And the microbe works without significantly depleting oxygen ...
Library Chronicles - Aug 24

Mayor of Red Stick gets the Red Ass

The Baton Rouge Advocate finally took on their own flavor of the crime camera scam.  Greg Meffert and Mark St. Pierre managed to finagle Mayor Kip Holden into contracting Netmethods for crime camera services back in 2007, just as we were beginning to realize how screwed up our system was.  The word is there were plenty of back room deals with the B.R. contract, much like the N.O. contrac...
American Zombie - Aug 24 - 3 clicks 3 clicks

Footprint

Stephanie Grace seems ambivalent about it here but she also gives Ray Nagin too much credit for a decision he didn't make. 2) Mayor Ray Nagin rejected the idea of shrinking the footprint. After surveying the angry reaction to the green-dot map, the mayor declared that no area would be deemed unprotectable or unserviceable, and as few homes as possible labeled beyond repair — though, in his ini...
Library Chronicles - Aug 24

LA03: Tea Party could "down Downer" in LA3

The “Louisiana Tea Party” is currently running ads attacking Hunt Downer’s conservative bona fides trying to saddle him with the “R.I.N.O.” label as well as trying to attach him to former Governor Blanco. Here is their ad: And Politico takes this issue on in their piece today : At the heart of the opposition is Downer's decision to s...
Daily Kingfish - Aug 24

"[Blowout preventer] performance problems may be more prevalent than previously assumed"

NEW ORLEANS (WSJ)— Government tests uncovered serious problems with the blowout preventers aboard two deepwater rigs that were drilling relief wells to shut down BP PLC's broken well, regulatory documents show. The problems are likely to spark new questions about whether the devices, touted by the industry as a fail-safe, are reliable. ... The failure of the Deepwater Horizon's blowout prevente...
Right Hand Thief - Aug 23 - 6 clicks 6 clicks

Daily Kingfish on Kudzu Vine Radio Show

Yours truly appeared on yesterday’s Kudzu Vine Radio program and it is now available online at their website - http://www.blogtalkradio.com/kudzu On the show we talked a lot about Louisiana Politics and especially about the upcoming Primaries to be held THIS SATURDAY. ...
Daily Kingfish - Aug 23 - 3 clicks 3 clicks

Disclaimer

For the record: During the last four years, I have learned, first-hand, about the hazards and the pitfalls of publishing an open website about my own impressions of life in Central Louisiana. And without a doubt, I’ve made it doubly difficult for myself, because although my website is a hobby, something that I do on [...] ...
CenLamar - Aug 23 - 9 clicks 9 clicks

SafeGrowth (or Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design)

Last year, I attended a two-day workshop in New Orleans about SafeGrowth, which is, essentially, a pithier term for a concept known as Crime Prevention Through Environmental Design (CPTED). The workshop, which was sponsored and hosted by the AARP, focused in large part on the work currently being done in Hollygrove, a particularly violent and [...] ...
CenLamar - Aug 22 - 6 clicks 6 clicks

Drew Ward: Crossing Guards

I don’t think this issue requires much of an introduction because the debate over paying for crossing guards within the City of Alexandria has been an issue for most of the past years.  The existing system in which crossing guards are paid for by the City of Alexandria is simply not something that works anymore [...] ...
CenLamar - Aug 21 - 4 clicks 4 clicks

Obama, Katrina and human rights

Cross-posted from an article by Sue Sturgis on Facing South President Obama plans to be in New Orleans on Aug. 29 to commemorate the fifth anniversary of Hurricane Katrina -- a prime opportunity to put disaster recovery issues back atop the national agenda. Obama is scheduled to deliver a speech at Xavier University, the nation's only historically black Roman Catholic institution...
Daily Kingfish - Aug 21 - 2 clicks 2 clicks

super-computers

Me: I have been reading some stuff about Cedric Richmond that does not sound too good. My friend: Like What? Me: Well, American Zombie is saying that Richmond was involved with something called the New Orleans Center for Enhancement. They got $150,000 from something called the Louisiana Stadium and Exhibition District that was supposed to buy computers [...]...
Danger Blond - Aug 20 - 3 clicks 3 clicks

Breaking: US Taxpayers Paid for Vitter Aide to travel for Court Appearances

The Advocate’s Capital News Bureau is reporting tonight that Brent Furer, the Vitter Staffer who was convicted of two DWI’s and plead out on charges relating to him assaulting his ex-girlfriend, had tax payer funded travel to and from his court appearances in Baton Rouge. From The Advocate : Taxpayers footed the bill when a former aide to Republican U.S. Sen. David Vi...
Daily Kingfish - Aug 18

Let's take it from the top...

In the past couple of days I've received more documents about grants distributed to non-profits from the Louisiana Stadium Exposition District.  Suffice to say I would love to go back and research many of these non-profits, yet I want to stay focused on NOCE - New Orleans Community Enhancement. One of the documents I obtained was the original grant application to LSED from NOCE....it was ...
American Zombie - Aug 18 - 4 clicks 4 clicks

Vitter in the fight of his life

A new Poll released today shows that Vitter will likely be forced into a Run Off if he is to keep his seat in the US Senate.   The initial and detailed report was first reported by The Franklin Sun . The poll was conducted on behalf of Vitter’s Republican Primary challenger, frmr Chief Justice of the Louisiana Supreme Court Chet Traylor.   After delivering the inform...
Daily Kingfish - Aug 17

BP's oil-spill waste dumped on communities of color

Cross-posted from an article by Sue Sturgis on Facing South Number of Gulf Coast landfills that the Environmental Protection Agency has approved for taking waste from BP's oil spill: 9   Number of those that are located in communities where a majority of residents are people of color: 5   Tons of BP's waste disposed of at the Springhill Regional Landfill in Campbel...
Daily Kingfish - Aug 17

Meet the Candidates - US Senate

Continuing with the theme here – The DSCC concluded the meeting by welcoming the Democrats who are vying for the US Senate.   As there is a Democrat who is challenging Congressman Melancon.   Follow the Jump for the reviews Cary Deaton – Deaton hails from Metarie Louisiana and is a graduate of Tulane Law School.   He worked for the U.S. Patten office and...
Daily Kingfish - Aug 15 - 3 clicks 3 clicks

Our Saints conversation (Sexy coed version)

"Is Beavers a new guy?" "He has to be, or we would have made fun of his name before." "The Saints will be hot this year with Moore, Bush and Beavers." "What do they call the Patriots cheerleaders? I'd think it was the Patriettes." "Let me look it up...No, they're the New England Patriots Cheerleaders. Clever." "Jeremy Shockey shaved himself." "Beavers just muffed the ball....
Ian McGibboney - Aug 13

Drilling companies will return to gulf after successful moratorium returns desired results

Well would you look at that! After all the nay saying and doom and gloom that people tried to have us believe that if a moratorium was put in place that the companies would just get up and leave and never come back… Despite uncertainty about when the federal moratorium on deepwater oil exploration in the Gulf [...]...
Liberty and Justice for All - Aug 6

∞ + Angelina = wasted $

I rarely get to watch movies at the theater these days, unless it's animated flicks with my kids.  So last night we had a date night with another couple and we went to see Salt. I was left with a very bitter taste in my mouth, so I guess the film is aptly named.  The sequel should be named, "Salt: Rubbing It In The Wound". There are bad movies....then there's this one. Half way throug...
American Zombie - Aug 5

periodical and multi-volume biography report

This is a fascinating article in the New Yorker if you enjoy reading about the US Senate. It reminded me of this book. I can’t recommend Caro’s biography series on Lyndon Johnson highly enough. I picked up the first volume, The Path to Power, at the Goodwill store in Hammond and got hooked. I’ve been [...]...
Danger Blond - Aug 4

Nooooo....it's not on the barrier islands

BP's Oil on Louisiana's Barrier Islands - FOX8 Story @ Yahoo! Video ...
American Zombie - Aug 3

Ethics investigations are a good thing

The punditry commenting about these investigations into Waters and Rangel are all backwards and crazy on what party should be suffering by this. See, when Tom Delay had his ethics scandal, the Republicans voted to weaken ethics rules to protect Delay. Our Governor, Bobby Jindal, was one of those Republicans who voted to weaken those House [...]...
Liberty and Justice for All - Aug 2

LOSCO...ever heard of 'em?

Well maybe you should get to know them.  They are a state entity...well funded state entity...whose job it was to help companies prevent oil spills off Louisiana's coastline and " serve as the single point of contact for all programs related to oil spills in Louisiana". Is LA oil spill research a "rigged game"?   Love that list of names and backgrounds: ...
American Zombie - Aug 2

Open Email to Don Dubuc and WWL 870 AM from David C. Bellinger

Subject: Does WWL AM 870 Protect Whore Mongering ‘Republican’ Politicians? I say-- indubitably –- YES!!!!!!!! Don, I am sure the past e-mail that I sent with the evidence (Times-Picayune James Gill Column dated 1/12/2003 – “Who knew the boat did it?”) that you so conveniently are not able to recall is quoted below and is more than adequate evidence to substantiate that WWL’s pal Billy Nungesser, ...
Right Hand Thief - Jul 26 - 2 clicks 2 clicks

Drilling into the core of my bedrock

For the past year or so, prompted largely by the New Orleans Saints’ awesome championship run, I’ve been feeling pretty nostalgic for Louisiana. I’ve been away for more than three years now, but I manage to get down there at least twice a year. My most recent trip, last February, was fed by the exhilaration trifecta of the Saints winning the Super Bowl, my first Mardi Gras in four years and my mo...
Ian McGibboney - Jul 25

Garrett Morris makes a great point...are you listening?

I don't smoke pot and never have, but I think it should be legalized. Garrett Morris makes a very strong case for legalization, encapsulating pretty much everything I've ever said and more. The video quality itself is grainy and the subtitles could use spellcheck, but that's neither here nor there. Once again, the Saturday Night Live alum and New Orleans native doesn't disappoint...
Ian McGibboney - Jul 20