The Saints...

I'm really happy that I didn't watch the Saints tonight. *sigh* They always start with a winning record, at least.

Ray Nagin is on CNN

He thought Sen. Obama couldn't win. You would think that he would be in NOLA, but he "had to be here." Jackass says he is "cautiously optimistic" that the levees will hold. I'm "cautiously optimistic" that I'll be able to save some of my things.

NOLA corruption, what's new

More info on Nagin's core strategy at dealing with the NOAH investigations:

Appearing for about an hour before the council, a defensive Nagin repeatedly reassured members that he had launched an internal investigation, but declined to give details under pointed questioning. Nagin's press secretary Ceeon Quiett later said via e-mail that the investigation would be conducted by the same city office that oversaw NOAH's work in the first place, the Housing Department and Office of Federal and State Programs.

I'm sure they'll get to the bottom of it!

Holy crap!

The water main busted on the floor above us and the two offices next to me are raining sewage water...

Republicans take the cake

If the Republicans can claim their un-televised protest to unsuspecting tourists has "lowered gas prices," why haven't they shared this magic ability before?

On a related note, I claim responsibility for Sen. Obama winning Louisiana, because I was in the state when it happened. Moreover, I actually voted for him! (I guess this means I have a better claim than the Republicans...)

Mental Health and Katrina

It's imperative that we create a national health system that more adequately provides for our country's mental health. No where is this more important than in disaster areas, where the effects of a natural disaster linger for years in the form of PTSD.

Thankfully our state government is doing something:

The $89 million package of bills authorize creation of crisis centers and eventually permanent mental health centers that will provide continuous care, make it easier to commit dangerous patients, and allow teleconferencing counseling sessions in the state. The bills provide funding statewide, but the bulk will be spent in the New Orleans area.

This really hits home for me, because my mother is one of the leading disaster/recovery mental-health researchers. I did a lot of psychological interviews in the New Orleans area, and it's incredible what these children have been through. I talked with children that had been shot at, stabbed, seen relatives die, and abused. Truly horrific things.

Scary

While I have been relatively unconcerned about Hurricane Edouard, this picture gave me pause:

Gosh, we look so tiny compared to it!

NOLA Police are crazy

Seriously, y'all think you have problems with the cops, our recruiting standards are so low all they can do is hire crazy, unprofessional people. Another one was fired, because after receiving a 911 call about an office duty police-officer, Ashley Terry waving a gun around in a school carpool lane, he:

He spoke only with Terry [crazy woman] before finding the complaints about her conduct "unfounded."

That's cracker jack investigative skills right there.

Sen. Shepherd Douche Watch

More updates:

Sen. Shepherd is now on house arrest, and the victim has recanted, but they are still going to prosecute because the evidence backs up her original story.

Additionally:

According to court documents, Sen. Shepherd also was arrested in 2000 for simple battery and harassing phone calls involving a different woman -- a scenario similar to what deputies say happened with Ms. Ashford.

Douche.

Disney's New Princess

I knew she was Black, but I didn't realize she's from New Orleans...

via Oliver Willis, the trailer:



I have three wishes for this movie:

1. The accents aren't all that ridiculous as the lightening bug
2. They don't have any songs by Rebirth
3. They manage to not be racist

Hopefully all my wishes will be granted.

You think your traffic is bad

At least you don't have to deal with Alligators on the Interstate during your morning commute.

Indictment in Winnfield taser death

Via TAPPED!, the Chicago Tribune reports that the Winn Parish District Attorney Chris Nevils is going to seek and indictment against the officer, Scott Nugent, who tasered Baron "Scooter" Pikes to death.

Brief history of the case:

Pikes, 21, died Jan. 17 within 39 minutes of being arrested on a drug possession warrant. Winnfield police claimed Pikes told them he suffered from asthma and was high on crack cocaine and PCP, but the local coroner found that Pikes had been healthy and had no drugs in his system. He ruled the death a homicide.

Yeah, the officer tasered him nine times in fourteen minutes, twice while Pikes was already unconscious. That sounds like murder to me. I'm sure Officer Nugent is going to use the "I had no idea what I was doing was dangerous" defense, and he'll probably get acquitted.

BTW, brief history of the corruption present in North Louisiana. I know we are all used to reports of the corruption here, so it's nice to see the whole state represented.

Nevils' predecessor as district attorney committed suicide after he came under suspicion for skimming $200,000 from his office accounts and extorting bribes from criminal suspects. The former police chief, who was Nugent's father, also killed himself, after losing a bitterly-contested election campaign marred by fraud allegations. The current police chief is a convicted drug offender who was pardoned by former Louisiana Gov. Edwin Edwards, who is currently serving a federal prison sentence for corruption while in office.

I miss Marc Morial

Reading this Politico post about the National Urban League, and it's current President Marc Morial made me realize how great New Orleans had it. I remember when this city was on the upward tract, now it seems like we are stagnating.

Shreveport sounds nice

Wow... for the first time in my life, I've felt like it would have been pretty cool to live in Shreveport. If only I had a couple acres there now, maybe I could be a multi-millionaire too.

This just in from the NYT:

A no-holds-barred, all-American gold rush for natural gas is under way in this forgotten corner of the South, and De Soto Parish, with its fat check from a large energy company this month, is only the latest and largest beneficiary.

Another part that stood out was this:

The experts say the hype appears to be justified, which is why companies like the Chesapeake Energy Corporation and the Petrohawk Energy Corporation are now paying top dollar for land that was once hoarded to eke out miserly timber sales, at best.

I work for an Oil/Natural Gas company, and while those companies listed above are respectable middle-sized names, it surprised me that none of the big Louisiana Natural Gas companies were mentioned in the article. I wonder if there is a reason for that beyond general market forces. I know our company is tied up with big Gulf of Mexico drilling project right now, but I would think that they would still be interested in this if it were that promising.

State Sen. now in halfway house

So, in an update to my previous post, the Times-Picayune is reporting this:

State Sen. Derrick Shepherd was ordered to a halfway house by a federal judge this afternoon as authorities seek to revoke his bond in a federal mail fraud and conspiracy case after the senator was arrested last weekend after a fight with his ex-girlfriend.

It also turns out that he confronted his ex-girlfriend's mother and sister after the assault/theft. His lousy defense can only come up with this:

Defense lawyer John Reed said outside court Monday that details of the latest arrest had unfairly skewed the incident.

"The incident over the weekend was unfortunate for everyone," he said. "It was a personal matter. ... I think when the whole story comes out, which it will eventually, I think you'll see a very different cast put on it than the spin put on by the print and media in particular and by the government as well."

I hope he gets his bail revoked - maybe then I can get some adequate representation.

Your local government at work

I bet most of you have a State Senator who does things like "draft bills", "talk to consituents", or even the general "help people". Mine, while not laundering money, like to relax from a busy day of court appearances by punching ex-girlfriends.

According to the article:

State Sen. Derrick Shepherd was released early Sunday morning after being arrested Saturday night, accused of punching his ex-girlfriend and stealing her cellular phone and $100, the Jefferson Parish Sheriff's Office reported.

Oh, and trust me, like all legislators, he always uses money wisely:

Shepherd was arrested at his residence in Stonebridge. The sheriff's office said there were two women in the house, one of whom appeared to be performing a lap dance on Shepherd.

Between him, Ray "Chocolate City" Nagin and "Dollar Bill" Jefferson, I think my "Representatives" have every vice.