Showing posts with label New Orleans. Show all posts
Showing posts with label New Orleans. Show all posts
Thursday, June 5, 2008
Charges, Jail Time and the Saints Win THe Superbowl!
I am now an official correspondent for Humid City! In order to save byte space on the interweb I have linked this entry to the original post. To read about the Jeffersons new woes and how the Saints will win the Superbowl, mosey on over here.
Wednesday, June 4, 2008
The Days Are Just Packed
Breaking News:
Betty and Mose Jefferson and Betty's daughter Angela Coleman have just been slapped with 31 federal charges and if convicted, each faces at least 250 years in jail. Most of the charges concern the incredibly slick ways that the Jeffersons 'allegedly' funneled state and federal monies through various non-profit organizations controlled by them into their personal accounts. Betty and Mose also face 4 and 3 charges, respectively, for income tax evasion.
The charges were announced by U.S. Attorney Jim Letten on WDSU just moments ago. More as it becomes available.
Betty and Mose Jefferson and Betty's daughter Angela Coleman have just been slapped with 31 federal charges and if convicted, each faces at least 250 years in jail. Most of the charges concern the incredibly slick ways that the Jeffersons 'allegedly' funneled state and federal monies through various non-profit organizations controlled by them into their personal accounts. Betty and Mose also face 4 and 3 charges, respectively, for income tax evasion.
The charges were announced by U.S. Attorney Jim Letten on WDSU just moments ago. More as it becomes available.
Thursday, May 29, 2008
Conspiracy Theory
A few weeks ago I wrote about how James Bernazzani is getting the short end of a political stick. Well, guess what? It's shorter than we thought. Mr Bernazzani has declined to transfer to Washington, electing to remain in New Orleans though he will not run for public office. The thing is, it was recently discovered by some smart cookie that even if Bernazzani had a desire to run for mayor in 2010, he couldn't! He simply has not been a resident of the city long enough. Now I'm just "blue-skying" here, (I hate that term, let's just say I'm whistling outta my ass,) but exactly which jackasses pushed JB into the electoral spotlight in the first place? Didn't they know he was ineligible? Or was this in fact, an assassination job? In light of the facts, I am more convinced than ever that JB was pushed into this fiasco with the sole purpose of getting him transfered or fired. Oh well, our loss huh?
Sunday, April 27, 2008
Jimmy, We Hardly Knew Ye
It's been three short years since FBI Special Agent In Charge James Bernazzani came to New Orleans. Transferred to our city just months before Hurricane Katrina, Bernazzani wasted no time in ferreting out the government weasels who have been nibbling away at our city's political infrastructure; two of the more notable clans being the Morials and the Jeffersons. But now those days are over.
Gambit, New Orleans' Weekly Newspaper, ran an item in their April 22nd Scuttlebutt section reporting that "heavy hitters (read: financial backers) with conservative leanings," (ie: Republicans,) had been pressing Bernazzani to run for mayor in 2010. Both WDSU TV 6 and WWL Channel 4 picked up the story and questioned Bernazzani, who never said that it was his intention to run. He told the reporters that it was a decision that, if made, would be made at least ten months from now.
For that simple statement though, James Bernazzani has been transferred back to Washington DC effective immediately. You see, there's a little set of Federal guidelines called the Hatch Act which prevents JB from entering any partisan election as a candidate. Go read it. It's short. I'll wait.
Pretty cut and dried, eh? The thing is, Bernazzani did not state an intent to run. The FBI, however, feels that his thinking about the job creates a conflict of interest in the public eye. I can't say I blame them. What happens if his investigations turn dirt up on his political foes? That would look pretty suspicious, wouldn't it? Keep in mind that the FBI holds JB in the highest regard. They're simply making a pre-emptive strike on what might have become a difficult situation. Still, I can't help thinking that JB's getting a raw deal.
Rawer still is the deal the City of New Orleans gets. We are losing one of the most honest public servants we have ever had. I mean, the guy was eroding corruption in our city like it was one of the Army Corps levees. He's not a moron, (and I know morons,) and I know for a fact that he's familiar with the Hatch Act. He spoke to legal counsel before appearing on TV in order to conform to the Hatch Act, so what's up with the reassignment?
Could it be that he was torpedoed? Was he getting close to someones dirty laundry? Did they ask a few cronies to get the ball rolling in the hope that JB would be summarily dismissed from his duties? Hmmmm. Makes you wonder, doesn't it? Or is it possible that the Current Administration, already disillusioned because Katrina failed to wipe New Orleans off the map, started this whole thing in order to make life easier for the local Republicans? I mean, you can't steal cookies when there's a big, tough Italian-American pit-bull guarding the cookie jar, now can you?
Either way, what's done is done and there's no use crying over spilled agents. First Ape George Bush recently referred to New Orleans as a "City of hope," so we can hope JB's replacement is just as smart and tough. But there's a sliver of sunlight peeking out from behind this dark news cloud. JB has spent the last 25 years with the FBI and is just four years from retirement. He says he loves this city and cares what happens to it and to its residents.
And he hasn't decided whether to accept the transfer yet.
Gambit, New Orleans' Weekly Newspaper, ran an item in their April 22nd Scuttlebutt section reporting that "heavy hitters (read: financial backers) with conservative leanings," (ie: Republicans,) had been pressing Bernazzani to run for mayor in 2010. Both WDSU TV 6 and WWL Channel 4 picked up the story and questioned Bernazzani, who never said that it was his intention to run. He told the reporters that it was a decision that, if made, would be made at least ten months from now.
For that simple statement though, James Bernazzani has been transferred back to Washington DC effective immediately. You see, there's a little set of Federal guidelines called the Hatch Act which prevents JB from entering any partisan election as a candidate. Go read it. It's short. I'll wait.
Pretty cut and dried, eh? The thing is, Bernazzani did not state an intent to run. The FBI, however, feels that his thinking about the job creates a conflict of interest in the public eye. I can't say I blame them. What happens if his investigations turn dirt up on his political foes? That would look pretty suspicious, wouldn't it? Keep in mind that the FBI holds JB in the highest regard. They're simply making a pre-emptive strike on what might have become a difficult situation. Still, I can't help thinking that JB's getting a raw deal.
Rawer still is the deal the City of New Orleans gets. We are losing one of the most honest public servants we have ever had. I mean, the guy was eroding corruption in our city like it was one of the Army Corps levees. He's not a moron, (and I know morons,) and I know for a fact that he's familiar with the Hatch Act. He spoke to legal counsel before appearing on TV in order to conform to the Hatch Act, so what's up with the reassignment?
Could it be that he was torpedoed? Was he getting close to someones dirty laundry? Did they ask a few cronies to get the ball rolling in the hope that JB would be summarily dismissed from his duties? Hmmmm. Makes you wonder, doesn't it? Or is it possible that the Current Administration, already disillusioned because Katrina failed to wipe New Orleans off the map, started this whole thing in order to make life easier for the local Republicans? I mean, you can't steal cookies when there's a big, tough Italian-American pit-bull guarding the cookie jar, now can you?
Either way, what's done is done and there's no use crying over spilled agents. First Ape George Bush recently referred to New Orleans as a "City of hope," so we can hope JB's replacement is just as smart and tough. But there's a sliver of sunlight peeking out from behind this dark news cloud. JB has spent the last 25 years with the FBI and is just four years from retirement. He says he loves this city and cares what happens to it and to its residents.
And he hasn't decided whether to accept the transfer yet.
Monday, January 7, 2008
Welcome To The Nation Mark Kriegel
FOX Sports on MSN recently released a blog post from Mark Kriegel that bears closer scrutiny. You can read the original post here.
I was going to comment directly, but I really don't want to sign up for their spam campaign, so then I was going to use their 'Contact Us' option, but it only allows 1000 characters. Lucky for me, I have my own blog.
Dear Sirs,
Regarding Mark Kriegel's post today about New Orleans and the BCS Championship. Perhaps if he spent more time away from Bourbon Street he'd have something more to talk about than strippers and drunkards. A few corrections:
1. "the French Quarter was awash in dismally drunk tourists,"
The drunks on Bourbon street are rarely dismal, especially when it comes to the college football fans. More appropriate descriptives are raucous, flamboyant, enthusiastic, crazed, happy, and wild, any of which are infinitely more acceptable than dismal. Perhaps you can provide Mr Kriegel with a thesaurus before he attempts to paint any more "word pictures."
2. "Too tired to fling beads,"
Even though January 6th marks the beginning of Carnival Season, Mardi Gras is still a few weeks away and although thousands of tourists do indeed fling beads year round, bead season has not officially started yet. The locals here have a few words for tourists who fling beads out of season. The nicest is 'idiot,'
3. "clutching plastic goblets filled with neon-colored potions"
Most probably, Mr Kriegel is referring to the "Hand Grenade," an original New Orleans concoction available only at one of the three Tropical Isle bars or the Funky Pirate in the French Quarter. In fact, the plastic "goblet" is neon-colored. The drink itself is deep green in color, much resembling bile. Feel free to use dismal to describe the color of this drink.
4."With so many cops... ...trouble couldn't be far behind."
How irresponsible can you be? The police are there to ensure the safety of French Quarter visitors. There will always be the usual trouble when frat boys ingest alcohol, but for the most part everyone manages to enjoy themselves in a fairly responsible way. You make it sound as if certain death stalks every visitor in the city. On top of that, the words "trouble couldn't be far behind" are used in a foreshadowing context which is never fulfilled. Bad form, sir.
5. "a bad scene in a once-beautiful city, party-pooped drunks shuffling through that stalemated space separating the gangbangers and the cops."
Are you sure you weren't visiting downtown L.A.? Or are you simply so racist that to you, any black male in a sports jersey represents a member of the Bloods or the Crips? Please Mark, we have enough tension here without you starting the next big race riot. Stick to the sports and leave the editorializing to those more capable. Like fourth graders.
6. "Even the grand hotels have a Blanche DuBois quality, fading dames with their lipstick amiss."
This is a very pretty sentence. It's a shame you misappropriated a line which for the past half a century has been used to describe some of our historic plantation homes. Our "grand hotels" are all more or less recent constructions and are made of the same glass and steel box style just like they are in the rest of the world. They even have air-conditioning, mini-bars and room service.
7. "on this late stroll through The Quarter, it appears that the only businesses to thrive and proliferate in Katrina's wake are strip joints."
This was preceded by a statement of how Mark has been to New Orleans pre-Katrina. It must have slipped his mind that Bourbon Street has always been festooned with strip joints. Perhaps if he had walked one street over to the left or right he might have noticed the restaurants, art galleries, antique stores and historic buildings that also make up the French Quarter.
8. "but topless and even bottomless establishments seem pedestrian vices in a city where mere meals once qualified as sinful experiences."
For the record, "bottomless" in this context means without pants, shorts or skirt. Panties or thongs are required by law in all New Orleans strip clubs. Also, meals are still sinful experiences here. You just need to visit Arnaud's, K-Pauls, Brennan's, Galatoire's or any number of other fine restaurants we have to offer. Unless I miss my guess, I think you're trying to reference that brief period directly after Katrina when an MRE was a godsend or a blessing. If so, you failed miserably.
9. "I recommend you click on Charissa Thompson's piece from the 9th Ward, lest you think this place really looks as it does in those credit card commercials."
Wow! Charissa explains it all! Except she ignores some very real facts. Yes, the Lower Ninth is still a shambles, but I notice Charissa didn't bother to mention Brad Pitt's Make It Right project, which to this date has collected enough money to build 65 of a promised 150 homes in that area. Nor did she mention Harry Connick's Musician's Village in the Upper Ninth which has rebuilt or replaced entire blocks of homes. Look out of your hotel window again Mark. Our city looks exactly like it does in those commercials. You just need to open your eyes to see it.
10. "The population is down (from 455,000 before the storm to 288,000), but murders are up again, almost 30 percent. Since December 29, according to NBC, more Americans have been killed in New Orleans than Iraq."
Actually, the most recent numbers place the population at 320,000. It is true that the the murder rate has increased, but you should use the words "almost 25%." Murders rose from 168 in 2006 to 209 over the last year. A 24% increase, unless my math is wrong, which it's not. Nothing to be proud of but far lower than the 900+ American casualties in Iraq last year. And those are just military deaths. I think both you and NBC need to check your numbers again. Speaking of NBC, doesn't FOX have any statisticians? You had to use another networks numbers? Incredibly sad and terribly sloppy research there Mark.
11. "what struck me most was back on Bourbon Street: a sign offering lap dances at 'moderate prices.' Some things you don't want at a discount."
So after complaining about the strip clubs you're now going to be a snob about them? Does FOX overpay you so well that you can afford the Platinum Plan? It's a marketing gimmick, Mark. Just some cheap words they use to lure in the suckers, much like "fair and balanced." Ironically, another word for suckers is "marks." Interesting, don't you think?
After the these first few paragraphs, Mark finally gets down to the business of talking football. After a relatively uninspired discussion of the BCS Championship game he closes his blog by stating "College football players can't change anything. Nothing they did would drop the murder rate or raise the price of lap dances." Murder and sex aside, I've seen and read stories of a number of college athletes who have donated money, time and sweat to help many families and neighborhoods in our area and their help is greatly appreciated. Many college athletes devote precious time to young children in order to help them avoid lives of crime, and while this may not have an immediate effect on our murder rate, I guarantee it will make a difference in about ten years. As it stands, it makes a huge difference in the lives of those kids who might not have had a role model without the college athletes you so casually disregard.
Let me ask you this Mark: Other than writing line after line of offensive drivel in order to make our city and our citizens look bad, what have you done to help? Or are you just a bitter hack masquerading as a sports writer. Perhaps your next assignment will be more pleasing to you than an all-expenses paid trip to one of this country's most historic cities including tickets to the BCS Championship game. Maybe you can go back to biographies. I hear there's some interesting things going on in the lives of Barry Bonds and Marion Jones.
Welcome to the Nation of Morons, Mark. Don't let the screen door hit you in the ass on the way in.
I was going to comment directly, but I really don't want to sign up for their spam campaign, so then I was going to use their 'Contact Us' option, but it only allows 1000 characters. Lucky for me, I have my own blog.
Dear Sirs,
Regarding Mark Kriegel's post today about New Orleans and the BCS Championship. Perhaps if he spent more time away from Bourbon Street he'd have something more to talk about than strippers and drunkards. A few corrections:
1. "the French Quarter was awash in dismally drunk tourists,"
The drunks on Bourbon street are rarely dismal, especially when it comes to the college football fans. More appropriate descriptives are raucous, flamboyant, enthusiastic, crazed, happy, and wild, any of which are infinitely more acceptable than dismal. Perhaps you can provide Mr Kriegel with a thesaurus before he attempts to paint any more "word pictures."
2. "Too tired to fling beads,"
Even though January 6th marks the beginning of Carnival Season, Mardi Gras is still a few weeks away and although thousands of tourists do indeed fling beads year round, bead season has not officially started yet. The locals here have a few words for tourists who fling beads out of season. The nicest is 'idiot,'
3. "clutching plastic goblets filled with neon-colored potions"
Most probably, Mr Kriegel is referring to the "Hand Grenade," an original New Orleans concoction available only at one of the three Tropical Isle bars or the Funky Pirate in the French Quarter. In fact, the plastic "goblet" is neon-colored. The drink itself is deep green in color, much resembling bile. Feel free to use dismal to describe the color of this drink.
4."With so many cops... ...trouble couldn't be far behind."
How irresponsible can you be? The police are there to ensure the safety of French Quarter visitors. There will always be the usual trouble when frat boys ingest alcohol, but for the most part everyone manages to enjoy themselves in a fairly responsible way. You make it sound as if certain death stalks every visitor in the city. On top of that, the words "trouble couldn't be far behind" are used in a foreshadowing context which is never fulfilled. Bad form, sir.
5. "a bad scene in a once-beautiful city, party-pooped drunks shuffling through that stalemated space separating the gangbangers and the cops."
Are you sure you weren't visiting downtown L.A.? Or are you simply so racist that to you, any black male in a sports jersey represents a member of the Bloods or the Crips? Please Mark, we have enough tension here without you starting the next big race riot. Stick to the sports and leave the editorializing to those more capable. Like fourth graders.
6. "Even the grand hotels have a Blanche DuBois quality, fading dames with their lipstick amiss."
This is a very pretty sentence. It's a shame you misappropriated a line which for the past half a century has been used to describe some of our historic plantation homes. Our "grand hotels" are all more or less recent constructions and are made of the same glass and steel box style just like they are in the rest of the world. They even have air-conditioning, mini-bars and room service.
7. "on this late stroll through The Quarter, it appears that the only businesses to thrive and proliferate in Katrina's wake are strip joints."
This was preceded by a statement of how Mark has been to New Orleans pre-Katrina. It must have slipped his mind that Bourbon Street has always been festooned with strip joints. Perhaps if he had walked one street over to the left or right he might have noticed the restaurants, art galleries, antique stores and historic buildings that also make up the French Quarter.
8. "but topless and even bottomless establishments seem pedestrian vices in a city where mere meals once qualified as sinful experiences."
For the record, "bottomless" in this context means without pants, shorts or skirt. Panties or thongs are required by law in all New Orleans strip clubs. Also, meals are still sinful experiences here. You just need to visit Arnaud's, K-Pauls, Brennan's, Galatoire's or any number of other fine restaurants we have to offer. Unless I miss my guess, I think you're trying to reference that brief period directly after Katrina when an MRE was a godsend or a blessing. If so, you failed miserably.
9. "I recommend you click on Charissa Thompson's piece from the 9th Ward, lest you think this place really looks as it does in those credit card commercials."
Wow! Charissa explains it all! Except she ignores some very real facts. Yes, the Lower Ninth is still a shambles, but I notice Charissa didn't bother to mention Brad Pitt's Make It Right project, which to this date has collected enough money to build 65 of a promised 150 homes in that area. Nor did she mention Harry Connick's Musician's Village in the Upper Ninth which has rebuilt or replaced entire blocks of homes. Look out of your hotel window again Mark. Our city looks exactly like it does in those commercials. You just need to open your eyes to see it.
10. "The population is down (from 455,000 before the storm to 288,000), but murders are up again, almost 30 percent. Since December 29, according to NBC, more Americans have been killed in New Orleans than Iraq."
Actually, the most recent numbers place the population at 320,000. It is true that the the murder rate has increased, but you should use the words "almost 25%." Murders rose from 168 in 2006 to 209 over the last year. A 24% increase, unless my math is wrong, which it's not. Nothing to be proud of but far lower than the 900+ American casualties in Iraq last year. And those are just military deaths. I think both you and NBC need to check your numbers again. Speaking of NBC, doesn't FOX have any statisticians? You had to use another networks numbers? Incredibly sad and terribly sloppy research there Mark.
11. "what struck me most was back on Bourbon Street: a sign offering lap dances at 'moderate prices.' Some things you don't want at a discount."
So after complaining about the strip clubs you're now going to be a snob about them? Does FOX overpay you so well that you can afford the Platinum Plan? It's a marketing gimmick, Mark. Just some cheap words they use to lure in the suckers, much like "fair and balanced." Ironically, another word for suckers is "marks." Interesting, don't you think?
After the these first few paragraphs, Mark finally gets down to the business of talking football. After a relatively uninspired discussion of the BCS Championship game he closes his blog by stating "College football players can't change anything. Nothing they did would drop the murder rate or raise the price of lap dances." Murder and sex aside, I've seen and read stories of a number of college athletes who have donated money, time and sweat to help many families and neighborhoods in our area and their help is greatly appreciated. Many college athletes devote precious time to young children in order to help them avoid lives of crime, and while this may not have an immediate effect on our murder rate, I guarantee it will make a difference in about ten years. As it stands, it makes a huge difference in the lives of those kids who might not have had a role model without the college athletes you so casually disregard.
Let me ask you this Mark: Other than writing line after line of offensive drivel in order to make our city and our citizens look bad, what have you done to help? Or are you just a bitter hack masquerading as a sports writer. Perhaps your next assignment will be more pleasing to you than an all-expenses paid trip to one of this country's most historic cities including tickets to the BCS Championship game. Maybe you can go back to biographies. I hear there's some interesting things going on in the lives of Barry Bonds and Marion Jones.
Welcome to the Nation of Morons, Mark. Don't let the screen door hit you in the ass on the way in.
Thursday, December 20, 2007
A Few Hundred More
Tonight we welcome a few hundred new members to the Nation Of Morons. Namely, those caring citizens of New Orleans who are fighting the good fight to help keep poor black people stuck in the Projects for another generation.
Emotions came to a head at todays city council meeting when angry citizens lost control and began a brawl which cleared the dais and sent council members scurrying off to safe rooms. The council had just begun a meeting to determine if the City of New Orleans and HANO, the Housing Authority of New Orleans, had the right to demolish the many rat infested, mold covered housing projects around the city. Soon after the disturbance was abated, the council got down to brass tacks and unanimously ruled that the projects must go in order for New Orleans to move forward, but also added provisos that the units must be replaced and no one would be denied their rights to fair housing.
Meanwhile, outside the building, throngs of angry protesters got even angrier when they were denied access to the already over-attended meeting. Instead of the usual chanting and folksinging, a few bright individuals began to storm the gates, breaking them open and starting a riot in an attempt to gain access to the council chambers. NOPD officers responded with tazers and pepper spray until they could regain control of the gates and reseal them with the use of handcuffs. And it was all broadcast live on WDSU channel 6, the local NBC affiliate.
Shortly after order was restored, WDSU began interviewing protesters. My favorite among these is a spindly bald white guy whining about how he was denied access to "our" meeting, (as if he ever spent a day in a housing project in his life,) and complaining that the mean old policeman tazered him and pepper sprayed him. No kidding. What did he expect would happen? The NOPD would give him a front row seat because his vandalism proved how much the meeting meant to him? Get real.
And then there was the post-meeting press conference. Good old C Ray Nagin was asked why he sent a letter of support to be read instead of showing up in person. His response was that "this was the councils' day." In other words, he sent an errand boy to say, "I'll back your vote, but if this blows up in your face I ain't got nothin' to do with it." He sure did bask in the camera glow afterwards though.
The problem I have with these protesters, many of whom I think have their hearts in the right place, is that they're fighting a wrong-headed battle. If it weren't for Katrina, most of the projects would be gone by now and the residents would be living in their new dwellings in the same locations. The demolition plans were finalized years ago and the housing replacement plan was already ongoing. This is not something the city just decided to do. Not only that, but people have to realize that public housing is not the be-all and end-all utopia that some seem to think it is. Before Katrina, all we heard was how terrible the projects are, and can't something be done about the crime in the projects. Now the projects are presented as an idyllic community where the air is fresh and the neighbors are always friendly. Get your story straight, folks!
Public housing was created to give the poor of this country a chance to climb out of the slums and make a better life for themselves and their families. At best, people were expected to stay 2-3 years while they saved up for a home of their own. Unfortunately, many folks in public housing units decided that the cheap rents were worth the occasional bullet through the wall and dug in like doughboys in the Ardennes Forest. There are people in New Orleans who are actually proud to be third- and fourth-generation St Bernard or St Pete. I'm sorry, but that's nothing to be proud of. It's sad and it shows how truly messed up the welfare and housing branches of our government really are.
As for those who are screaming that they have rights and the city can't take away their homes; think again. They are not your homes, no matter how long you've overstayed your welcome. They are owned by the city and you are effectively renting and the rest of the country is footing the bill. If my lease is up and my landlord decides not to renew it so he can tear down my apartment and build a strip mall, there's really nothing I can do about it. My landlord is required by law to give me adequate time to find a new place to live and that's about it. The people of the projects have had over two years. It's time to fight for something other than the right to live in squalor.
Emotions came to a head at todays city council meeting when angry citizens lost control and began a brawl which cleared the dais and sent council members scurrying off to safe rooms. The council had just begun a meeting to determine if the City of New Orleans and HANO, the Housing Authority of New Orleans, had the right to demolish the many rat infested, mold covered housing projects around the city. Soon after the disturbance was abated, the council got down to brass tacks and unanimously ruled that the projects must go in order for New Orleans to move forward, but also added provisos that the units must be replaced and no one would be denied their rights to fair housing.
Meanwhile, outside the building, throngs of angry protesters got even angrier when they were denied access to the already over-attended meeting. Instead of the usual chanting and folksinging, a few bright individuals began to storm the gates, breaking them open and starting a riot in an attempt to gain access to the council chambers. NOPD officers responded with tazers and pepper spray until they could regain control of the gates and reseal them with the use of handcuffs. And it was all broadcast live on WDSU channel 6, the local NBC affiliate.
Shortly after order was restored, WDSU began interviewing protesters. My favorite among these is a spindly bald white guy whining about how he was denied access to "our" meeting, (as if he ever spent a day in a housing project in his life,) and complaining that the mean old policeman tazered him and pepper sprayed him. No kidding. What did he expect would happen? The NOPD would give him a front row seat because his vandalism proved how much the meeting meant to him? Get real.
And then there was the post-meeting press conference. Good old C Ray Nagin was asked why he sent a letter of support to be read instead of showing up in person. His response was that "this was the councils' day." In other words, he sent an errand boy to say, "I'll back your vote, but if this blows up in your face I ain't got nothin' to do with it." He sure did bask in the camera glow afterwards though.
The problem I have with these protesters, many of whom I think have their hearts in the right place, is that they're fighting a wrong-headed battle. If it weren't for Katrina, most of the projects would be gone by now and the residents would be living in their new dwellings in the same locations. The demolition plans were finalized years ago and the housing replacement plan was already ongoing. This is not something the city just decided to do. Not only that, but people have to realize that public housing is not the be-all and end-all utopia that some seem to think it is. Before Katrina, all we heard was how terrible the projects are, and can't something be done about the crime in the projects. Now the projects are presented as an idyllic community where the air is fresh and the neighbors are always friendly. Get your story straight, folks!
Public housing was created to give the poor of this country a chance to climb out of the slums and make a better life for themselves and their families. At best, people were expected to stay 2-3 years while they saved up for a home of their own. Unfortunately, many folks in public housing units decided that the cheap rents were worth the occasional bullet through the wall and dug in like doughboys in the Ardennes Forest. There are people in New Orleans who are actually proud to be third- and fourth-generation St Bernard or St Pete. I'm sorry, but that's nothing to be proud of. It's sad and it shows how truly messed up the welfare and housing branches of our government really are.
As for those who are screaming that they have rights and the city can't take away their homes; think again. They are not your homes, no matter how long you've overstayed your welcome. They are owned by the city and you are effectively renting and the rest of the country is footing the bill. If my lease is up and my landlord decides not to renew it so he can tear down my apartment and build a strip mall, there's really nothing I can do about it. My landlord is required by law to give me adequate time to find a new place to live and that's about it. The people of the projects have had over two years. It's time to fight for something other than the right to live in squalor.
Wednesday, December 19, 2007
Are You ExJasperated Yet?
Presenting Ms Sharon Jasper: Welfare Poster Queen
By now this welfare whiner has been exposed for the useless piece of shit she is, but just in case you missed it, Ms Jasper has become an icon for the poor and downtrodden project victims you see on the evening news here in New Orleans. All she wants to do is return to her St Bernard Project crib where life was simple, but the Powers That Be are trying to destroy her lovely home. Since Katrina, she has been forced to live in the slum pictured above. Look at those terrible polished wood floors. And that teeny tiny TV she is forced to watch! It's a damn shame I tell you!
Further adding to her misery are the missing screens on her windows, the faucet with a slow leak, and a back door that doesn't quite close properly. Go ahead and squirt a few for her, I know you want to. It's amazing that the American people can allow thier tax money to be used so inefficiently to house this poor woman in such squalor. Yes, her rent is paid by a HANO voucher but it's simply not enough. Ms Jasper says she can't afford the security deposit on her "slum home" and her utility bills are just too high. According to her, she just "might do better out there with one of those tents," referring to the homeless tent city set up on Duncan Plaza.
Well I'm here to welcome Ms Jasper into the Nation Of Morons with open arms and a hale and hearty 'Go fuck yourself!' This woman is exactly what's wrong with public housing in America. She is surrounded with better things than most working people have in their homes, but it's still not enough. She wants more. In fact, she wants better. Here's another quote from Ms Sharon Jasper: "It's pitiful what people give you!" Really, that's a pretty pitiful 60-inch TV you have there Sharon. What would you prefer, your own walk-in theater? Howzabout I give you a pitiful kick in the ass sweetheart? Would that get you up off of it long enough to look for a job?
Oh, that's right, according to Ms Jasper, she can't work. I have yet to find out why, but I'll bet it has something to do with watching Judge Judy all day on that TV. Hmmm, did she ever think that the big TV might have something to do with her "high utility bills?" Or does she expect the electricity bill to be part of the gift of the TV?
Here's another gem from Sharon: "If you try to bulldoze our homes, we're going to fight... ...there's going to be a war in New Orleans." Perhaps the FBI should check Ms Jaspers' "slum home" for the equipment responsible for the flyers promising to burn down condos. If it checks out, I'll be awaiting my Crimestoppers check.
Now for those of you who think I'm being too harsh on Ms Sharon Jasper, I'll make her an offer. Move on up to the North Side of Kenner with me dear. You can have your own room in my stylish Chateau Estates home, I get to watch your big screen TV and HANO can put your rent check in my bank account. Of course, The bottom four feet of sheetrock is still missing here, but we'll hang some blankets on the walls for your privacy. Oh, and since the walls aren't done yet, the city won't clear my request for gas service, so you'll have to take cold showers and baths, but at least the faucets don't drip. One other thing, without gas service, there's no heat in the house, but the doors all close properly so if we build a fire in the fireplace it should keep us warm. Except that the carpets and sofas were all ruined in the storm so instead of that terrible hardwood floor or those horrible cushions you rest your ass on, we'll have to sit on the nice cold concrete. Sound good to you? I didn't think so dear, so sit the fuck down, shut the fuck up and pray that you aren't investigated for housing fraud you greedy welfare pig.
I usually like to leave my readers with a wry little comment at the end of each article to sort of take the edge off, but I just can't seem to do so here. The only joke apparent is the fact that we taxpayers allow people like Ms Sharon Jasper to get away with this kind of bullshit. Merry Christmas.
By now this welfare whiner has been exposed for the useless piece of shit she is, but just in case you missed it, Ms Jasper has become an icon for the poor and downtrodden project victims you see on the evening news here in New Orleans. All she wants to do is return to her St Bernard Project crib where life was simple, but the Powers That Be are trying to destroy her lovely home. Since Katrina, she has been forced to live in the slum pictured above. Look at those terrible polished wood floors. And that teeny tiny TV she is forced to watch! It's a damn shame I tell you!
Further adding to her misery are the missing screens on her windows, the faucet with a slow leak, and a back door that doesn't quite close properly. Go ahead and squirt a few for her, I know you want to. It's amazing that the American people can allow thier tax money to be used so inefficiently to house this poor woman in such squalor. Yes, her rent is paid by a HANO voucher but it's simply not enough. Ms Jasper says she can't afford the security deposit on her "slum home" and her utility bills are just too high. According to her, she just "might do better out there with one of those tents," referring to the homeless tent city set up on Duncan Plaza.
Well I'm here to welcome Ms Jasper into the Nation Of Morons with open arms and a hale and hearty 'Go fuck yourself!' This woman is exactly what's wrong with public housing in America. She is surrounded with better things than most working people have in their homes, but it's still not enough. She wants more. In fact, she wants better. Here's another quote from Ms Sharon Jasper: "It's pitiful what people give you!" Really, that's a pretty pitiful 60-inch TV you have there Sharon. What would you prefer, your own walk-in theater? Howzabout I give you a pitiful kick in the ass sweetheart? Would that get you up off of it long enough to look for a job?
Oh, that's right, according to Ms Jasper, she can't work. I have yet to find out why, but I'll bet it has something to do with watching Judge Judy all day on that TV. Hmmm, did she ever think that the big TV might have something to do with her "high utility bills?" Or does she expect the electricity bill to be part of the gift of the TV?
Here's another gem from Sharon: "If you try to bulldoze our homes, we're going to fight... ...there's going to be a war in New Orleans." Perhaps the FBI should check Ms Jaspers' "slum home" for the equipment responsible for the flyers promising to burn down condos. If it checks out, I'll be awaiting my Crimestoppers check.
Now for those of you who think I'm being too harsh on Ms Sharon Jasper, I'll make her an offer. Move on up to the North Side of Kenner with me dear. You can have your own room in my stylish Chateau Estates home, I get to watch your big screen TV and HANO can put your rent check in my bank account. Of course, The bottom four feet of sheetrock is still missing here, but we'll hang some blankets on the walls for your privacy. Oh, and since the walls aren't done yet, the city won't clear my request for gas service, so you'll have to take cold showers and baths, but at least the faucets don't drip. One other thing, without gas service, there's no heat in the house, but the doors all close properly so if we build a fire in the fireplace it should keep us warm. Except that the carpets and sofas were all ruined in the storm so instead of that terrible hardwood floor or those horrible cushions you rest your ass on, we'll have to sit on the nice cold concrete. Sound good to you? I didn't think so dear, so sit the fuck down, shut the fuck up and pray that you aren't investigated for housing fraud you greedy welfare pig.
I usually like to leave my readers with a wry little comment at the end of each article to sort of take the edge off, but I just can't seem to do so here. The only joke apparent is the fact that we taxpayers allow people like Ms Sharon Jasper to get away with this kind of bullshit. Merry Christmas.
Tuesday, September 18, 2007
$-Ville
OK, so here I sit through K-Ville on FOX one more time. I have to give it a second chance. Admittedly, the first viewing wasn't all that bad if you can forgive those incredibly stupid choices producers make when they try to "improve" on the script. Things like chasing a bad guy through the Vieux Carre, then mysteriously under the Westbank side of the GNO Bridges, (you heard me, there is no such thing as the Crescent City Connection,) then ending the chase back downtown without ever crossing the bridges. And the little things like getting the local flavor almost right but stopping just short of 100%. Whatever.
The script wasn't too bad. Farfetched but plausible plot thread for the bad guys in the pilot. The backstory for the white cop however really stretches the limits of credibility. Hell, it stretches the limits of Willing Suspension Of Disbeleif, but again, whatever. I'll go ahead and give it a half-hearted thumbs up because overall it looks like they really are trying hard to get the feel of the city. Only time will tell if this show is for real, or if it's just another vehicle for the Carpet-baggers to make a quick buck off the "po' local folk."
However...
There is one thing that simply cannot be condoned, and that is the epileptic camera work. I get the fact that they're trying to capture the handheld realism that JJ Abrams accomplishes so well at certain points in "Lost," but for crying out loud, it gives me a migraine to watch! It seems like almost every other scene has a spastic at the helm of the cameras. Knock it off guys or you're going to have half the city puking by the third commercial break.
That''s really all I have for now, but I'll let you know my take as it goes.
The script wasn't too bad. Farfetched but plausible plot thread for the bad guys in the pilot. The backstory for the white cop however really stretches the limits of credibility. Hell, it stretches the limits of Willing Suspension Of Disbeleif, but again, whatever. I'll go ahead and give it a half-hearted thumbs up because overall it looks like they really are trying hard to get the feel of the city. Only time will tell if this show is for real, or if it's just another vehicle for the Carpet-baggers to make a quick buck off the "po' local folk."
However...
There is one thing that simply cannot be condoned, and that is the epileptic camera work. I get the fact that they're trying to capture the handheld realism that JJ Abrams accomplishes so well at certain points in "Lost," but for crying out loud, it gives me a migraine to watch! It seems like almost every other scene has a spastic at the helm of the cameras. Knock it off guys or you're going to have half the city puking by the third commercial break.
That''s really all I have for now, but I'll let you know my take as it goes.
Thursday, September 6, 2007
The Katrina Solution
I am here to defuse the conspiracy theorists ahead of time. The six nukes which were "accidentally" shipped to New Orleans via B-52 were not sent here to silence the detractors of the Bush Regime, nor were they sent here to blow the new levees during the next storm. I know many of you think this was a master-stroke of genius. What better way to rid the country of the eyesore that is the Lower Ninth Ward and the spectre of Hurricane Katrina victims who are still living in poison trailers waiting for their Federal Unlimited Cash for Katrina checks than to stage a good old "nukular" terror strike right here in the Big Easy.
Fortunately the First Ape isn't smart enough to think of that.
Sure, we all know the drill from countless Sci-Fi novels. People aren't getting along. Government fakes massive terror attack/alien invasion. People band together in the spirit of brotherhood. But as we also know, the First Ape won't (or can't) read so how would he know about that particular plan. Unless someone told him the plot of the upcoming Watchmen movie...
Fortunately the First Ape isn't smart enough to think of that.
Sure, we all know the drill from countless Sci-Fi novels. People aren't getting along. Government fakes massive terror attack/alien invasion. People band together in the spirit of brotherhood. But as we also know, the First Ape won't (or can't) read so how would he know about that particular plan. Unless someone told him the plot of the upcoming Watchmen movie...
Friday, August 24, 2007
Edwards: Trying The Hard Way
Democratic vice-presidential hopeful john Edwards continues his assault on America by continuing to run for President. This week, the well coiffed candidate took aim at Mrs BJ Clinton by stating that the "White House is not for sale and the Lincoln bedroom is not for rent." Strong words for a man who is currently foreclosing on Katrina victims shattered lives.
Here's an idea Johnny... build a weather machine, send a really big storm to Washington, flood the crap out of 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue and then you and your shit-heel pals at Fortress Investment Group, LLC can foreclose on it and move in. Simple, yes? Of course, that only gets you the address. You'll still just be a leader of men in your own mind.
For more information read the Wall Street Journal story.
Here's an idea Johnny... build a weather machine, send a really big storm to Washington, flood the crap out of 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue and then you and your shit-heel pals at Fortress Investment Group, LLC can foreclose on it and move in. Simple, yes? Of course, that only gets you the address. You'll still just be a leader of men in your own mind.
For more information read the Wall Street Journal story.
Thursday, August 16, 2007
I'm Back!
And apparently, you folks have been letting things slide. As I collapsed on the bed after my second trip to the 'Burgh in three weeks, I popped on the tube to catch up on the news. What did I see? One of the last honest (I thought...) politicians left in the Big Easy resigning in shame over a corruption deal tied to (of all things) the Morial Administration.
Well fuck me.
I'm not even going to go into detail here, but apparently city councilman Oliver Thomas is just as worthless as Vitter, Jefferson, Broussard and most of the other scumbags he has derided in the past. He has admitted taking bribes to ensure certain individuals received lucrative parking contracts. Now I admit that upon first hearing this news, straight from Thomas himself, my mind did a doubletake and said, "No. Ya gotta be kidding. He's the honest one." It wasn't like the Jefferson incident when my mind just said, "Wow, someone finally noticed his shenanigans," then farted qiute loudly in disgust. I watched Thomas' interview with Norman Robinson and actually felt a little sorry for the guy. He gave in to temptation and unfortunately got caught. But then Robinson asked the $64,000 question...
"Were you approached by them or did they approach you?"
What followed next was the most unbecoming twenty seconds of awkward silence I have ever seen a politician go through. Now OT is not a stupid man. The fact that this question stopped him cold like this was very telling. Of course he answered that they came to him, what else would he say? But for a bright guy like him to have to fumble for such an easily answered question... well, let's just say that he buried the needle on my Bullshit-O-Meter.
My advice for Ollie? Follow your current path. You've already done the hard part in confessing and resigning and for that I retain a modicum of respect for you. Now play nice with the Feds and answer all the questions they have honestly and help send some other local scumbags to prison. It's the least you can do for the city you claim to love.
One small side note here: Last night on WDSU, the reporter covering the Sal & Mabel Mangano case was discussing the witness list for the trial and how it included local meteorologists, news directors and politicians. (I think it was Richard Angelico, but I was laughing too hard to be sure.) He had no trouble saying the words "witness list" until he came to the name of Governor Kathleen Blanco who he said was on the "witless list." Freudian slip? Truth stranger than fiction? Who knows, but he certainly nailed that one on its flat head!
Well fuck me.
I'm not even going to go into detail here, but apparently city councilman Oliver Thomas is just as worthless as Vitter, Jefferson, Broussard and most of the other scumbags he has derided in the past. He has admitted taking bribes to ensure certain individuals received lucrative parking contracts. Now I admit that upon first hearing this news, straight from Thomas himself, my mind did a doubletake and said, "No. Ya gotta be kidding. He's the honest one." It wasn't like the Jefferson incident when my mind just said, "Wow, someone finally noticed his shenanigans," then farted qiute loudly in disgust. I watched Thomas' interview with Norman Robinson and actually felt a little sorry for the guy. He gave in to temptation and unfortunately got caught. But then Robinson asked the $64,000 question...
"Were you approached by them or did they approach you?"
What followed next was the most unbecoming twenty seconds of awkward silence I have ever seen a politician go through. Now OT is not a stupid man. The fact that this question stopped him cold like this was very telling. Of course he answered that they came to him, what else would he say? But for a bright guy like him to have to fumble for such an easily answered question... well, let's just say that he buried the needle on my Bullshit-O-Meter.
My advice for Ollie? Follow your current path. You've already done the hard part in confessing and resigning and for that I retain a modicum of respect for you. Now play nice with the Feds and answer all the questions they have honestly and help send some other local scumbags to prison. It's the least you can do for the city you claim to love.
One small side note here: Last night on WDSU, the reporter covering the Sal & Mabel Mangano case was discussing the witness list for the trial and how it included local meteorologists, news directors and politicians. (I think it was Richard Angelico, but I was laughing too hard to be sure.) He had no trouble saying the words "witness list" until he came to the name of Governor Kathleen Blanco who he said was on the "witless list." Freudian slip? Truth stranger than fiction? Who knows, but he certainly nailed that one on its flat head!
Sunday, June 24, 2007
And You Thought Motion Sickness Was Bad...
Found this while looking through a collection of World War II posters. It's a nice little piece of our history from "simpler" times. Remember this next time you decide to tell your friends about your upcoming cruise...
Thursday, June 21, 2007
The Jeffersons
Oh we movin' on up, to the east side...
Certainly one bad apple don't spoil the whole damn bunch, but in the case of the Jefferson family, the bunch may have been spoiled to begin with. I really hate to call negative attention to New Orleans, (yet again,) but my calling is quite clear. After doing a little digging through the Times-Picayune, I collected a few tidbits which I'd now like to share, but get the Alka-Selzer out, what follows is not for the weak of stomach.
US Representative William Jefferson is currently under indictment for 16 counts of bribery, racketeering, fraud and obstruction of justice in a case which has already seen two of his cronies plead guilty. This would be the iGate deal in which Jefferson allegedly used his official clout to broker deals in Africa. Despite the fact that Jefferson was caught on tape soliciting a bribe and was found with $90,000 of that money squirrelled away in his freezer, (which he has yet to "rationally explain" as he promised,) an amazing number of his constituents refuse to believe he is guilty, instead opting for all manner of explanations from "political witch-hunts" to racism. Indeed, his constituents are so enamored of him, he easily coasted to a recent re-election victory over opponent Karen Carter even though her funds outweighed his at a ratio of 4.5 to 1. (Jefferson had slightly over 50% of the vote. Of course, only about 20% of the registered voters bothered to go to the polls.)
According to documents, Bill Jefferson made sure that not only he profited from his office, but his family as well. The indictment lists "Family Members 1-5" as beneficiaries of his supposed shady dealings, one of which is thought to be Andrea Jefferson, Bill's wife and manager of ANJ Group LLC which reportedly received money from the iGate deal. Andrea made headlines back in 1994 when she was paid $50,000 by Grambling State University to teach a class which had a grand total of one student. She also sued Southern University in 2003 for firing her from a top position. Part of the settlement was a job as a fundraiser which paid $72,000/year and it is rumoured that hubby Bill used his local clout to arrange the settlement.
The indictment also indicates that his brother Mose (referred to as "Family Member 2") was also part of the scheme. Mose Jefferson has recently been linked to a bribery scheme involving Ellenese Brooks-Sims, former New Orleans School Superintendant, who entered a guilty plea concerning $140,000 dollars in bribe money she received from Mose, a former cog in Chicago Mayor Richard Daley's political outfit. (And we all know what a shining example of political incorruptability that outfit was.)
But like Bill, Mose knows how to take care of the family too. Mose is the head of BEP Consulting which owns an eight unit building in Central City. This building houses the "unofficial" HQ of Bill's political group, the Progressive Democrats, the office of former city council-whore Renee Gill Pratt and some of the Jefferson families other "non-profit" organizations. Ownership of the building has been shuffled between many of the Jefferson's through the years, each time being sold for just $10,000. Care Unlimited, one of the Jefferson's pet projects housed in the building, has received millions of dollars in state grants thanks to Gill-Pratt who is also a former (or possibly current) girlfriend of Mose and former aide to Bill. One of the units in the building is rented out for 21,000 taxpayer dollars per year, (twice the cost the building was purchased for by BEP,) to current state rep Jalila Jefferson-Bullock, daughter of Bill.
But wait... there's more!
Yet another sister, Betty, was helped to the tax assessors office by Bill and his political groups. Soon after winning the job in 1998, she slashed the taxes on a 27 unit apartment building owned by brother Bill to almost nothing. Betty and Mose also garnered criticism in trying to profit from a deal involving school uniforms in 1989 when she sat on the New Orleans School Board but no wrongdoing was found.
Not related by blood, but by marriage, (and possibly by deed,) Bill's brother-in-law, former state judge Alan Green, is currently serving a four-year sentence for accepting bribes from a bail bonds company in Jefferson Parish.
And some time back, Bill inked a deal with Daimler-Chrysler to donate 16 automobiles to the city for help in recoving from Hurricane Katrina. Although the vehicles were signed over to the New Orleans City Council, most were then handed back to "non-profit" organizations run by Jefferson family members or associated with the Jefferson political machine. In fact, at least four of the autos were donated by then current councilwoman Renee Gill-Pratt. (Remember her?) She sent two of the autos to Care Unlimited, one of which she had been using as her personal vehicle until she was caught. Soon after her defeat in the last election she was hired by, (take a guess,) Care Unlimited, where she has resumed use of her shiny new auto. Luckily, the money still rolls into Care Unlimited thanks to generous help from Jalila Jefferson Bullock who now sits in the legislative seat once held by Gill-Pratt.
The FBI is currently investigating organizations for- and non-profit connected to the Jefferson camp, including the Central City Adult Education Agency, N.O. Drug Education Intervention, Care Unlimited Inc., and Orleans Metropolitan Housing and Community Development Incorporated. One has to wonder how many worms you have to uncover in a basket of apples before you realize that they're all rotten. Why has no-one ever put all this together before? Surely New Orleans District Attorney Eddie Jordan is smart enough to connect the dots. Oh, but then Eddie is a close and personal friend of Bill. In fact, Bill was instrumental in furthering Jordan's career. Jordan, likewise, is a staunch supporter of Jefferson. Fucking Scumbags.
From the cotton fields of Lake Providence, (where Bill and his siblings were born and raised,) to REMCO, (a rent-to-own company owned by the family which faced continual tax problems,) to the slumlord years of the 80's, (Bill's housing units were some of the most distressed in the city and were plagued by tax problems,) and to Harvard and law firms, (yes, more tax woes,) political organizations and Capitol Hill, life has been a strange road for the Jefferson family. The family farm on Jefferson Road, (yes, named after the family,) in Lake providence no longer stands, destroyed ages ago by a tornado. The cemetery where his parents are buried lies along the road amid the cotton fields they once worked, but at the end of Jefferson Road there's a very foreboding structure. Surrounded by fences and razorwire stands the Lake Providence Jail. Now that's irony for you.
Certainly one bad apple don't spoil the whole damn bunch, but in the case of the Jefferson family, the bunch may have been spoiled to begin with. I really hate to call negative attention to New Orleans, (yet again,) but my calling is quite clear. After doing a little digging through the Times-Picayune, I collected a few tidbits which I'd now like to share, but get the Alka-Selzer out, what follows is not for the weak of stomach.
US Representative William Jefferson is currently under indictment for 16 counts of bribery, racketeering, fraud and obstruction of justice in a case which has already seen two of his cronies plead guilty. This would be the iGate deal in which Jefferson allegedly used his official clout to broker deals in Africa. Despite the fact that Jefferson was caught on tape soliciting a bribe and was found with $90,000 of that money squirrelled away in his freezer, (which he has yet to "rationally explain" as he promised,) an amazing number of his constituents refuse to believe he is guilty, instead opting for all manner of explanations from "political witch-hunts" to racism. Indeed, his constituents are so enamored of him, he easily coasted to a recent re-election victory over opponent Karen Carter even though her funds outweighed his at a ratio of 4.5 to 1. (Jefferson had slightly over 50% of the vote. Of course, only about 20% of the registered voters bothered to go to the polls.)
According to documents, Bill Jefferson made sure that not only he profited from his office, but his family as well. The indictment lists "Family Members 1-5" as beneficiaries of his supposed shady dealings, one of which is thought to be Andrea Jefferson, Bill's wife and manager of ANJ Group LLC which reportedly received money from the iGate deal. Andrea made headlines back in 1994 when she was paid $50,000 by Grambling State University to teach a class which had a grand total of one student. She also sued Southern University in 2003 for firing her from a top position. Part of the settlement was a job as a fundraiser which paid $72,000/year and it is rumoured that hubby Bill used his local clout to arrange the settlement.
The indictment also indicates that his brother Mose (referred to as "Family Member 2") was also part of the scheme. Mose Jefferson has recently been linked to a bribery scheme involving Ellenese Brooks-Sims, former New Orleans School Superintendant, who entered a guilty plea concerning $140,000 dollars in bribe money she received from Mose, a former cog in Chicago Mayor Richard Daley's political outfit. (And we all know what a shining example of political incorruptability that outfit was.)
But like Bill, Mose knows how to take care of the family too. Mose is the head of BEP Consulting which owns an eight unit building in Central City. This building houses the "unofficial" HQ of Bill's political group, the Progressive Democrats, the office of former city council-whore Renee Gill Pratt and some of the Jefferson families other "non-profit" organizations. Ownership of the building has been shuffled between many of the Jefferson's through the years, each time being sold for just $10,000. Care Unlimited, one of the Jefferson's pet projects housed in the building, has received millions of dollars in state grants thanks to Gill-Pratt who is also a former (or possibly current) girlfriend of Mose and former aide to Bill. One of the units in the building is rented out for 21,000 taxpayer dollars per year, (twice the cost the building was purchased for by BEP,) to current state rep Jalila Jefferson-Bullock, daughter of Bill.
But wait... there's more!
Yet another sister, Betty, was helped to the tax assessors office by Bill and his political groups. Soon after winning the job in 1998, she slashed the taxes on a 27 unit apartment building owned by brother Bill to almost nothing. Betty and Mose also garnered criticism in trying to profit from a deal involving school uniforms in 1989 when she sat on the New Orleans School Board but no wrongdoing was found.
Not related by blood, but by marriage, (and possibly by deed,) Bill's brother-in-law, former state judge Alan Green, is currently serving a four-year sentence for accepting bribes from a bail bonds company in Jefferson Parish.
And some time back, Bill inked a deal with Daimler-Chrysler to donate 16 automobiles to the city for help in recoving from Hurricane Katrina. Although the vehicles were signed over to the New Orleans City Council, most were then handed back to "non-profit" organizations run by Jefferson family members or associated with the Jefferson political machine. In fact, at least four of the autos were donated by then current councilwoman Renee Gill-Pratt. (Remember her?) She sent two of the autos to Care Unlimited, one of which she had been using as her personal vehicle until she was caught. Soon after her defeat in the last election she was hired by, (take a guess,) Care Unlimited, where she has resumed use of her shiny new auto. Luckily, the money still rolls into Care Unlimited thanks to generous help from Jalila Jefferson Bullock who now sits in the legislative seat once held by Gill-Pratt.
The FBI is currently investigating organizations for- and non-profit connected to the Jefferson camp, including the Central City Adult Education Agency, N.O. Drug Education Intervention, Care Unlimited Inc., and Orleans Metropolitan Housing and Community Development Incorporated. One has to wonder how many worms you have to uncover in a basket of apples before you realize that they're all rotten. Why has no-one ever put all this together before? Surely New Orleans District Attorney Eddie Jordan is smart enough to connect the dots. Oh, but then Eddie is a close and personal friend of Bill. In fact, Bill was instrumental in furthering Jordan's career. Jordan, likewise, is a staunch supporter of Jefferson. Fucking Scumbags.
From the cotton fields of Lake Providence, (where Bill and his siblings were born and raised,) to REMCO, (a rent-to-own company owned by the family which faced continual tax problems,) to the slumlord years of the 80's, (Bill's housing units were some of the most distressed in the city and were plagued by tax problems,) and to Harvard and law firms, (yes, more tax woes,) political organizations and Capitol Hill, life has been a strange road for the Jefferson family. The family farm on Jefferson Road, (yes, named after the family,) in Lake providence no longer stands, destroyed ages ago by a tornado. The cemetery where his parents are buried lies along the road amid the cotton fields they once worked, but at the end of Jefferson Road there's a very foreboding structure. Surrounded by fences and razorwire stands the Lake Providence Jail. Now that's irony for you.
Tuesday, June 19, 2007
One-Hundred Billion
This is the number in dollars that Recovery Director Ed Blakely says we need to fix the City of New Orleans. This includes buildings, streets, levees, sewers and infrastructure, churches and schools. (No mention of how much goes to line local pockets.) The debate has just started on whether Blakely's estimates are accurate or if he's just mouthing off again and has lost his perspective. Regardless, that's a lot of freaking cabbage. So much that I thought I'd run through a list of what that could buy...
One-third of the War On Terror. (To date.)
1 Google.com
17 Louisiana Road Home Programs. (But then you'd automatically need another 54 to 85 billion dollars. Let's make that 10 then.)
60 YouTube.coms (with plenty left over for popcorn.)
67 Oprah Winfreys. (How would that be for a small slice of Hell?)
100 re-makes of Warren Beatty's "Reds," adjusted for inflation. (By contrast you can buy 5 billion copies of the DVD at your local video store or 7.15 billion copies from Amazon.com)
600 Presidential candidate fields for 2008. (All candidates from all parties, based on current campaign fund coffers)
750 Louisiana Superdomes. (And Tom Benson could finally shut the fuck up about a new stadium.)
1,852 Pairs of Roy Pearson's pants. (Up from 1,538 since he reduced his lawsuit.)
6,667 Red Hot Fantasy jewel encrusted bra & panty sets from Victoria's Secret. (Christmas is coming fellas...)
13,334 FEMA trailer parks, 200-lot average. (More or less, depending on location and contractor padding costs. Note, for some reason each 200-lot park is only capable of housing 15-80 families.)
714,286 favors from former New Orleans School Superintendent Ellenese Brooks-Sims. (Ironically enough, the first favor was bought by Mose Jefferson, brother of our next subject...)
One-million favors from (current) LA Congressman William Jefferson. (But you'd better hurry.)
30-billion pounds of crawfish. (Keep in mind you'll need some extra cash for the Zatarains and boiling fixins.)
Well over 33 billion gallons of gasoline. (At 25 mpg, this will take you about 825 billion miles. That's roughly 448 million round-trips from New Orleans to Pittsburgh.)
Now that's some perspective.
Meanwhile today on "Ellen," her very special guest is Hugh Grant. Todays topic will be "Remember 10 years ago when we were almost relevant?"
UPDATE: According to WDSU, my initial source on this, they now say it's only one-hundred million dollars. Whatever. The list is still pretty good, just do your own math.
One-third of the War On Terror. (To date.)
1 Google.com
17 Louisiana Road Home Programs. (But then you'd automatically need another 54 to 85 billion dollars. Let's make that 10 then.)
60 YouTube.coms (with plenty left over for popcorn.)
67 Oprah Winfreys. (How would that be for a small slice of Hell?)
100 re-makes of Warren Beatty's "Reds," adjusted for inflation. (By contrast you can buy 5 billion copies of the DVD at your local video store or 7.15 billion copies from Amazon.com)
600 Presidential candidate fields for 2008. (All candidates from all parties, based on current campaign fund coffers)
750 Louisiana Superdomes. (And Tom Benson could finally shut the fuck up about a new stadium.)
1,852 Pairs of Roy Pearson's pants. (Up from 1,538 since he reduced his lawsuit.)
6,667 Red Hot Fantasy jewel encrusted bra & panty sets from Victoria's Secret. (Christmas is coming fellas...)
13,334 FEMA trailer parks, 200-lot average. (More or less, depending on location and contractor padding costs. Note, for some reason each 200-lot park is only capable of housing 15-80 families.)
714,286 favors from former New Orleans School Superintendent Ellenese Brooks-Sims. (Ironically enough, the first favor was bought by Mose Jefferson, brother of our next subject...)
One-million favors from (current) LA Congressman William Jefferson. (But you'd better hurry.)
30-billion pounds of crawfish. (Keep in mind you'll need some extra cash for the Zatarains and boiling fixins.)
Well over 33 billion gallons of gasoline. (At 25 mpg, this will take you about 825 billion miles. That's roughly 448 million round-trips from New Orleans to Pittsburgh.)
Now that's some perspective.
Meanwhile today on "Ellen," her very special guest is Hugh Grant. Todays topic will be "Remember 10 years ago when we were almost relevant?"
UPDATE: According to WDSU, my initial source on this, they now say it's only one-hundred million dollars. Whatever. The list is still pretty good, just do your own math.
Friday, April 13, 2007
The Imussing of Ed Blakely
New Orleans Mayor C Ray Nagin actually suggested that Recovery Director Ed Blakely stop making comments and focus on helping the city recover. If that isn't the pot calling the kettle black, I don't know what is. Apparently Mayor Wonka is suffering from a serious case of 'Do As I Say, Not As I Do.'
Blakely is currently being 'Imussed' for his recent comments in the New York Times in which he described New Orleans as a third-world country, compared our racial divide to that of Sunnis and Shiites, called the locals insular, and implied that local buffoons are impeding our recovery progress. (You heard it here first folks! Imussed: When someone makes a public comment which causes people to cry out for their immediate firing, stoning, incarceration, etc. I considered 'Nagined' but I'm not naming anything after that idiot.)
Fact: New Orleans is like a third-world country. We all know it and until Blakely was quoted in the paper we all were proud of it in a twisted way. It was a perverse badge of pride in the locals that we didn't operate like other cities. It set us apart and added to the charm of the city. Get over it and move on.
Fact: Blakely is wrong in comparing the racial divide in New Orleans to Sunnis and Shiites. Those groups attack and kill each other for religious beliefs. Here in New Orleans, it's largely 'African-Americans' killing each other over trivial crap like drugs. While there is a sense that racism is rampant in New Orleans, it's mainly kept alive by the 'African-American' community. New Orleans is one of the most culturally diverse cities in the world and we pretty much seem to be getting along except for a scant few who will never be satisfied with anything.
Fact: New Orleans locals are insular. Most people in the world are insular as it's more comfortable mixing with the familiar than it is trying to fit into new situations. There are certainly those locals who get along well with pretty much anyone, but for the most part, while this city desperately tries to get visitors to insert their hard earned money into our economy, there are those of us who glower at visitors from behind our daiquiris and mutter "fucking tourists." Grow a pair and admit it. I've done it, but it's usually aimed at those visitors who can't handle their liquor and end up spewing their whiskey-steeped Crawfish Meuniere across the hoods of parked cars in the French Quarter. Next.
Fact: Local buffoons are hindering the recovery process. There are folks out there like Sydney Torres who are trying very hard to help this city recover and doing a damn fine job. Then there are the buffoons like the folks at Dial One Plumbing, who so far have done excellent work for me, but seem completely inept at turning my paperwork over to the City of Kenner so I can get my gas service turned back on. It's been months now guys and I'd really like to take a hot bath without driving across town! Local buffoons exist here as they do everywhere else. We even elect them to high office once in a while. Deal with it.
As for Blakely, just because he's not far off from the mark this time doesn't mean he's not a moron. Since arriving here and taking the Recovery Director job, he has emulated Mayor Ray-Ray by using taxpayer money to fly wherever he wants, whenever he wants instead of doing the job for which he is being paid a substantial amount of our money. Like Ray-Ray, his head is full of conspiracy theories which he expounds on frequently, such as the "made-up" census numbers he believes falsely bloated the Pre-Katrina demographics of the city so it would qualify for "certain benefits." Blakely also said in an AP interview that he ran this city. Well, someone should, but not certainly this dink.
The upshot of all this is that the local buffoons have taken offense at Blakelys comments and are now calling for his immediate termination. To spot the buffoons, just look for those who doth protest too much. Cooler heads are taking it in stride, namely, City Councilwoman Stacey Head who was quoted thusly: "I think a lot of his comments hit the nail on the head... I don't take offense to his comments, and I think there are problems in the city we need to change." As for Local Buffoon Numero Uno, Mayor Nagin, he would do well to heed his own advice which oddly enough is the same thing I suggested to him over a year ago. For those with short memories, I shall repeat myself: Sit down, shut up and fix the city. Welcome to the Nation, Ed, don't let the screen door hit you in the ass on the way in.
Blakely is currently being 'Imussed' for his recent comments in the New York Times in which he described New Orleans as a third-world country, compared our racial divide to that of Sunnis and Shiites, called the locals insular, and implied that local buffoons are impeding our recovery progress. (You heard it here first folks! Imussed: When someone makes a public comment which causes people to cry out for their immediate firing, stoning, incarceration, etc. I considered 'Nagined' but I'm not naming anything after that idiot.)
Fact: New Orleans is like a third-world country. We all know it and until Blakely was quoted in the paper we all were proud of it in a twisted way. It was a perverse badge of pride in the locals that we didn't operate like other cities. It set us apart and added to the charm of the city. Get over it and move on.
Fact: Blakely is wrong in comparing the racial divide in New Orleans to Sunnis and Shiites. Those groups attack and kill each other for religious beliefs. Here in New Orleans, it's largely 'African-Americans' killing each other over trivial crap like drugs. While there is a sense that racism is rampant in New Orleans, it's mainly kept alive by the 'African-American' community. New Orleans is one of the most culturally diverse cities in the world and we pretty much seem to be getting along except for a scant few who will never be satisfied with anything.
Fact: New Orleans locals are insular. Most people in the world are insular as it's more comfortable mixing with the familiar than it is trying to fit into new situations. There are certainly those locals who get along well with pretty much anyone, but for the most part, while this city desperately tries to get visitors to insert their hard earned money into our economy, there are those of us who glower at visitors from behind our daiquiris and mutter "fucking tourists." Grow a pair and admit it. I've done it, but it's usually aimed at those visitors who can't handle their liquor and end up spewing their whiskey-steeped Crawfish Meuniere across the hoods of parked cars in the French Quarter. Next.
Fact: Local buffoons are hindering the recovery process. There are folks out there like Sydney Torres who are trying very hard to help this city recover and doing a damn fine job. Then there are the buffoons like the folks at Dial One Plumbing, who so far have done excellent work for me, but seem completely inept at turning my paperwork over to the City of Kenner so I can get my gas service turned back on. It's been months now guys and I'd really like to take a hot bath without driving across town! Local buffoons exist here as they do everywhere else. We even elect them to high office once in a while. Deal with it.
As for Blakely, just because he's not far off from the mark this time doesn't mean he's not a moron. Since arriving here and taking the Recovery Director job, he has emulated Mayor Ray-Ray by using taxpayer money to fly wherever he wants, whenever he wants instead of doing the job for which he is being paid a substantial amount of our money. Like Ray-Ray, his head is full of conspiracy theories which he expounds on frequently, such as the "made-up" census numbers he believes falsely bloated the Pre-Katrina demographics of the city so it would qualify for "certain benefits." Blakely also said in an AP interview that he ran this city. Well, someone should, but not certainly this dink.
The upshot of all this is that the local buffoons have taken offense at Blakelys comments and are now calling for his immediate termination. To spot the buffoons, just look for those who doth protest too much. Cooler heads are taking it in stride, namely, City Councilwoman Stacey Head who was quoted thusly: "I think a lot of his comments hit the nail on the head... I don't take offense to his comments, and I think there are problems in the city we need to change." As for Local Buffoon Numero Uno, Mayor Nagin, he would do well to heed his own advice which oddly enough is the same thing I suggested to him over a year ago. For those with short memories, I shall repeat myself: Sit down, shut up and fix the city. Welcome to the Nation, Ed, don't let the screen door hit you in the ass on the way in.
Wednesday, January 17, 2007
Kathy Makes It All Better
Today marks a great day in the history of rebuilding the City of New Orleans. Governor Kathleen Blanco declared today that the weekend of January 18th - 21st shall be known as “New Orleans Louisiana Saints Black And Gold Weekend.” Thank god, I didn’t think she cared! Good to know she’s keeping our hopes up with distractions.
Governor Blanco hand-picked ICF International to administer her Louisiana Road Home Project. According to ICF contracts, they were paid $87,000,000 for phase one of the Road Home Program, plus an additional payment of 43,000,000 for OCD’s or “Other Direct Costs.” That’s 130 million dollars for the first four months of operation in which they organized themselves into a close-knit bureaucracy.
Amendment III of the ICF contract outlines phases two and three and sets a 756 million dollar cap for all phases of the contract. It also adds an additional 13 million for ODC’s. So, 756+43+13 = 812 million dollars.
The ICF contract quotes a per-unit cost of $750 for appraisals. How this compares to the Road Home’s statement that the ICF
is administering at seven cents on the dollar is questionable. Let’s say there are 150,000 vetted and credible applicants from both Katrina and Rita. That’s $112.5 million in appraisal charges, leaving a lot more than seven cents on the dollar sitting in ICF’s coffers. The LRHP has approximately 100 employees. That’s enough money left over for each employee to take home 2.3 million a year during the course of the 3 year operation. Surely that can’t be right?
Maybe the extra $700 million is earmarked for the applicants. According to the press releases, each applicant could receive $150,000 in Road Home money, but you must subtract for any insurance, FEMA, etc., money received. Also, the ICF bases your appraisal on pre-storm home price, not replacement value. The Road Home FAQ’s actually state that most applicants will receive between 60 and 70 thousand dollars. Not good, but enough to kick-start your life. Isn’t it?
Let’s ask Saul and Mildred Rubin. Based on a $130/sq.ft. formula the ICF uses, the Rubin’s uninsured 2000 sq. ft. Lakeview home, which spent the better part of early September under 9 feet of water from the 17th street canal breach, should qualify for about $260,000. Then why did they receive a damage estimate of $550 dollars? And they aren’t the only ones in this situation. April Allen’s similarly destroyed Vista Park home raked in a whopping $6,430 damage estimate. Hmmmm... 700 million divided by 150,000 applicants is about $4,666.67. April got a deal!
No, wait, that can’t be right. Louisiana is only paying ICF International for administering the LRHP. The Feds are smartly keeping applicant money in their own pockets until the ICF notifies them, whereupon the Feds wire the money or line of credit to the applicants lender. So that still leaves the matter of $700 million dollars in the ether.
Since accepting applications in mid-2006, the LRHP has doled out a whopping 177 checks. They’ve also mailed out initial responses, second responses, letters retracting first and second responses due to errors, and letters retracting the retraction letters due to even more errors... wait... I think I have it! After deducting salaries, phone bills and three-Cosmo lunches for the ICF, LRHP and State “leaders,” that leaves about $375 million for postage! That’s one hell of a bulk rate.
Now I may be out on a limb here, but do we really need Kathy proclaiming faux holidays in her Thindy Brady-ethque thtyle? I don’t. I know thew Saints are for real. The City of New Orleans and half the country know. I also know that Kathy can move fast when a bandwagon rolls past. I suppose she needs to make us forget all those little slappy fights with Tom Benson over a new stadium. I’ve said it to Mayor Nagin, and I’ll say it to Kathy. Sit down, shut up and fix the problems. While you still have the power to do so.
View the ICF contracts.
More on the Rubin’s and other cases.
ICF Website
Governor Blanco's Website
Louisiana Road Home Program
Governor Blanco hand-picked ICF International to administer her Louisiana Road Home Project. According to ICF contracts, they were paid $87,000,000 for phase one of the Road Home Program, plus an additional payment of 43,000,000 for OCD’s or “Other Direct Costs.” That’s 130 million dollars for the first four months of operation in which they organized themselves into a close-knit bureaucracy.
Amendment III of the ICF contract outlines phases two and three and sets a 756 million dollar cap for all phases of the contract. It also adds an additional 13 million for ODC’s. So, 756+43+13 = 812 million dollars.
The ICF contract quotes a per-unit cost of $750 for appraisals. How this compares to the Road Home’s statement that the ICF
is administering at seven cents on the dollar is questionable. Let’s say there are 150,000 vetted and credible applicants from both Katrina and Rita. That’s $112.5 million in appraisal charges, leaving a lot more than seven cents on the dollar sitting in ICF’s coffers. The LRHP has approximately 100 employees. That’s enough money left over for each employee to take home 2.3 million a year during the course of the 3 year operation. Surely that can’t be right?
Maybe the extra $700 million is earmarked for the applicants. According to the press releases, each applicant could receive $150,000 in Road Home money, but you must subtract for any insurance, FEMA, etc., money received. Also, the ICF bases your appraisal on pre-storm home price, not replacement value. The Road Home FAQ’s actually state that most applicants will receive between 60 and 70 thousand dollars. Not good, but enough to kick-start your life. Isn’t it?
Let’s ask Saul and Mildred Rubin. Based on a $130/sq.ft. formula the ICF uses, the Rubin’s uninsured 2000 sq. ft. Lakeview home, which spent the better part of early September under 9 feet of water from the 17th street canal breach, should qualify for about $260,000. Then why did they receive a damage estimate of $550 dollars? And they aren’t the only ones in this situation. April Allen’s similarly destroyed Vista Park home raked in a whopping $6,430 damage estimate. Hmmmm... 700 million divided by 150,000 applicants is about $4,666.67. April got a deal!
No, wait, that can’t be right. Louisiana is only paying ICF International for administering the LRHP. The Feds are smartly keeping applicant money in their own pockets until the ICF notifies them, whereupon the Feds wire the money or line of credit to the applicants lender. So that still leaves the matter of $700 million dollars in the ether.
Since accepting applications in mid-2006, the LRHP has doled out a whopping 177 checks. They’ve also mailed out initial responses, second responses, letters retracting first and second responses due to errors, and letters retracting the retraction letters due to even more errors... wait... I think I have it! After deducting salaries, phone bills and three-Cosmo lunches for the ICF, LRHP and State “leaders,” that leaves about $375 million for postage! That’s one hell of a bulk rate.
Now I may be out on a limb here, but do we really need Kathy proclaiming faux holidays in her Thindy Brady-ethque thtyle? I don’t. I know thew Saints are for real. The City of New Orleans and half the country know. I also know that Kathy can move fast when a bandwagon rolls past. I suppose she needs to make us forget all those little slappy fights with Tom Benson over a new stadium. I’ve said it to Mayor Nagin, and I’ll say it to Kathy. Sit down, shut up and fix the problems. While you still have the power to do so.
View the ICF contracts.
More on the Rubin’s and other cases.
ICF Website
Governor Blanco's Website
Louisiana Road Home Program
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