WHO DAT?

Who dat? Who dat say you gonna beat dem Saints?

New Orleans 42 Dallas 17

Oh, yeah, baby!

Whew!

Last weekend we opened It's a Wonderful Life. I must admit that I was extremely nervous - not because of the actors, but because of the technical aspects. As of Thursday, we had some major problems with set changes and lights. However, by Friday, a lot of the problems had been fixed and/or minimized.

Today, our review came out and I am beyond excited that we were able to pull this off as well as we apparently did in such a short period of time.

And, if I can be a little self-indulgent, I will admit that I am most excited by the review I got.

Heading the cast are Ginny Award-winning actor David Jacobs (George Bailey) and Dana Deris Fatic (Mary Hatch/Bailey) whose onstage chemistry significantly clicks.

Fatic is wonderful as George's girlfriend and ultimately his wife. Fatic gives Mary Bailey a sweet innocence. She provides her with Donna Reed qualities that significantly enhance the character's believability.

Well, if I can't toot my horn on my own blog, where can I?

Did you, did you..

Did you vote?

I am most interested to find out how the voters of New Orleans will vote on Amendment 7 (I believe that's the number). That amendment is to consolidate the number of tax assessors from 7 down to 1. Unfotunately, corruption is so rampant and so many benefit from it, I will not be surprised to see it voted down. Very frustrating.

Time to catch up

I have no idea how many people still check in here. I'm sure that it is not many at all. But, if you are one of the few, I thought that I would catch you up on what is happening here. As you might have guessed, I have taken a break from blogging about politics. There just comes a point where you feel like a broken record. I wonder if broken records ever get tired of repeating the same thing over and over, spinning around and around and not getting anywhere. That is how I felt. It is most frustrating.
A few months ago, I decided that it was time for me to get back to having fun. For me, that has always been the theatre. I was part of the cast of a little known musical called "Children of Eden." Last week I auditioned for "It's a Wonderful Life." I was most excited about this because it is my favorite movie of all times. And, Monday, I found out that I was cast as Mary, the loving wife of George Bailey. Even more exciting is that my little boy Jacob is going to play one of my sons. I can't wait to really get started with rehearsals.

We also have some exciting news on the homestead - the FEMA trailer that has graced our yard for the past 8 months is being picked up. It was a total waste of our tax dollars. I think that my aunt and grandmother used it for all of 2 weeks. It took so long for them to get it, that by the time they did, it was too late to be of much use. On the upside, we get to keep all of the wood from the mile-long ramp. We are turning it into a playhouse for the kids.

So now you are caught up on the happenings here. I think that I am going to use this blog space to write about what is going on in life.

And to those of you that have checked in regularly, thank you for being patient.

How cool is this

This is interesting. It seems our little town has gotten some attention from Fox news. And the really great part is that they mention our local community theatre. Where I am currently part of the cast of Children of Eden.

In fact, here is a picture of me dancing.

As Tuesday approaches...

This Tuesday marks the one year anniversary of Hurricane Katrina. As the date approaches, there is a marked increase in the number of Katrina "specials." What surprises me about all of this is my own reaction to it. I find that I am starting to relive all of the emotions that I felt in those days following the storm. The fear, panic and despair can be overwhelming at times and I have to remind myself that we are getting through it.

I grew up in this area and always faced the possibility of hurricanes with a sense of excitement. Not anymore. Now the possibility of another storm fills me with shear terror. And now were are staring down the barrel of another disaster with Ernesto. I don't want to wish this storm on anyone, but, please God, don't send it here. Life is just now return to some semblance of normal for us and we were the lucky ones. Please spare the Gulf Coast.

I don't want to remember Katrina by evacuating for Ernesto.

In case you were wondering

I haven't dropped off the face of the planet again. No, I've been bitten by the redecorating bug. Actually, it bit me months ago, but I have finally found the time to work on my own house instead of my different family members' houses.

I am in the process of redecorating my master bedroom and bath. A project that should only have taken a couple of days is taking much longer thanks to the "do-it-yourself"ers that used to own our house. You know the kind of people I am talking about. Nothing was done correctly. For example, instead of removing all the wallpaper that once lined the bathroom, they only took off the top layer of paper and spackled over the paper backing. Of course, I didn't realize this until the paint that I applied started to cause the paper backing to bubble and peal. Not fun.

But, despite all of the headache, the rooms look great. Now comes the fun decorating and accessorizing part. I have been accumulating things for months and I can't wait to see the rooms pulled together.

I will post pictures, in case anyone is curious. I must admit, I am proud of it so far.

Happy Birthday to Me

34 years ago today, my parents welcomed me into the world. Thanks, mom and dad.

I'm just glad to know the name

For the past few months, I have been struggling with a disorder. I knew the symptoms but had no idea my disorder had a name. And I felt so isolated and alone; surely, no one else was suffering from this. Over the last month or so, I have made a Herculean effort to overcome this malaise I was feeling to some moderate degree of success.

Well, I can wonder no more. Thanks to Jon Swift, I now know my condition is Conservative Fatigue Syndrome.

I'm just glad it has a name. And I'm glad to know I'm not the only one.

I wonder if they will find dinosaur SUVs

Further evidence that supports that, if global warming exists, it is caused by nature.

About 55 million years ago, the Arctic was downright tropical
Wed May 31 2006 11:39:53 ET

Scientists have found what might have been the ideal ancient vacation spot -- smack in the middle of the Arctic! First-of-its-kind core samples dug up from deep beneath the Arctic Ocean floor show that 55 million years ago an area near the North Pole was practically a subtropical paradise, three new studies show.

Developing...

Democrats continue their wishful thinking

In the latest attempt to persuade voters that Democrats will be the clear winners in the upcoming mid-term elections, the AP put out an article today listing the reasons why people will not vote for Republicans. And incorrect assumptions abound.

Republicans are three steps from a November shellacking _ each a grim possibility if habitually divided Democrats get their acts together.

First step: Voters must focus on the national landscape on Nov. 7 rather than local issues and personalities that usually dominate midterm elections.
That would sting Republicans, who trail badly in national polls.

Second step: Voters must be so angry at Washington and politics in general that an anti-incumbent, throw-the-bums-out mentality sweeps the nation.
That would wound Republicans, the majority party.

Third step: Americans must view the elections as a referendum on President Bush and the GOP-led Congress, siding with Democrats in a symbolic vote against the Iraq war, rising gas prices, economic insecurity and the nagging sense that the nation is on the wrong track.

That would destroy Republicans, sweeping them from power in one or both chambers and making Bush a lame duck.

Less than six months out, most Democratic and Republican strategists say the first two elements are in place for now _ a national, anti- incumbent mind-set _ and all signs point to the third.

Back to those three steps.

NATIONAL ELECTION: Among the two dozen Republican and Democratic strategists interviewed in the last two weeks, there was unanimity that the fall campaigns will be national in scope. Voters will give local issues less attention than normal, a bad sign for the GOP.
"If we keep it local we win; if they nationalize issues, they win," said Michigan Republican Party Chairman Saul Anuzis.

Sen. Elizabeth Dole of North Carolina, head of the GOP Senate committee, seemed resigned to a national campaign. "Obviously, we're going to do everything we can here at the Senate committee to minimize any aspect of that," she said.

Even though the article claims that 24 Republican and Democratic strategists were interviewed and ALL agreed that the national issues will be the focus, I'm not buying it. Everyone has heard Tip O'Neill's quote that "All politics are local politics." It was true in the past and nothing has changed. When most voters head into the ballot booth, they vote for "their" guy (or gal, as the case my be), especially if the opponent has nothing different or new to offer. Incumbents also have the advantage of the office. They can and do fill bills with pork for their districts. The more money you bring home, the better your chances of winning re-election. Case(s) in point, Ted Kennedy and Ted Stevens.

THROW THE BUMS OUT: More than 70 percent of Americans tell pollsters that the nation is on the wrong track. Larger percentages think corruption is a major problem in Washington. Incumbents have been roughed up already this year in Pennsylvania and Indiana, and in both cases Republicans suffered the worst.
If this shapes up to be an anti-incumbent midterm, "we'll lose some members" in Congress, said Democratic strategist Steve Elmendorf, "but they have more incumbents."

While the polls are showing growing anger among Americans, I hope that the Democrats aren't relying on this as part of their strategy for reclaiming the House and Senate. Even though the mantra of the voting population might be "Throw the bums out," a lot of voters think that it is the other guy's problem. They lay the blame at the door of all the OTHER Representatives or Senators, while voting for their incumbent. Again, this leads back to what I said before - people tend to vote for the guy who already has the job.

ANTI-REPUBLICAN TIDE: Whether 2006 turns out to be an anti-incumbent or anti-GOP election "is the 15-seat question," said Democratic strategist Dane Strother, referring to the number of seats the Democrats need to win to seize control of the House.

Sen. John McCain, R-Ariz., says GOP majorities are "clearly in jeopardy" because the political landscape is both anti-incumbent and anti-Republican.

All of these "reasons" are missing the point. If the Republicans lose control of Congress it is not because of the "anti-Republican" or "anti-incumbent" sentiment of Americans. It will be because they are not listening to what their constituents want. But in order for the Democrats to win a "landslide," they will have to overcome a lot of obstacles. Oh, I know they are looking at the 1994 mid-term elections as proof that it can happen, but they are forgetting a major detail. The Republicans in 1994 had the "Contract with America." They had ONE clear, concise message that resonated across the country. What is the current Democratic party's message. Well, that depends upon who you ask.

Change Mexican corruption, not US immigration policy

Last week, we added a new member of our family - a 13 pound black lab puppy. Since I am a big fan of National Geographic's The Dog Whisperer, I immediately went out and bought Cesar Millan's book, Cesar's Way, to learn more about dog behavior.

While reading the book, I came across this passage:

It's been publised elsewhere, and I am not ashamed to say it: I came to the United States illegally. I now have my residence card, have paid a large fine for crossing illegally, and am applying for full citizenship status. There's no country I'd rather live in than the United States. I truly believe it is the greatest country in the world. I feel blessed to be living and raising my kids here. However, for the poor and working class in Mexico, there is no other way to come to America except illegally. It's impossible. The Mexican government is about who you know and how much money you have. You have to pay enormous amounts to officials in order to get a legal visa. My family had no way to get their hands on that kind of money. So, with just one hundred dollars in my pocket, I set out for Tijuana to figure out how to get across the border. (emphasis added)

Two thoughts struck me regarding this debate about our immigration policies:

1. Why do we have to change our policy when it is obviously a problem with the Mexican government. How easy it is for Vicente Fox to come here and lobby our Congress instead of doing the hard work of eliminating the corruption and graft of his own government. How arrogant, vain and downright lazy.

2. Why do we have to change our policy when we obviously have steps in place to help illegal aliens gain legal resident status. What the illegal aliens are lacking is not the ability to change their status in our country, it is the will and drive to do so. And no amount of "reform" is going to fix that.

This is good news for the city of New Orleans

Ding dong, the council's dead

Majority of New Orleans City Council gone

The guard is changing at the New Orleans City Council today. It was the last meeting for members defeated in last week's elections. Out are Jackie Clarkson, Jay Batt, and Renee' Gill Pratt. Eddie Sapir is also leaving after reaching his term limit.

This all means there will be four new members on the seven person council. They are Arnie Fielkow, Shelley Midura, Stacy Head and James Carter.

I have often said that a lot of the problems that faced Nagin over the last four years were created by the City Council. Sapir was one of Nagin's biggest critics. The council would oppose much of what Nagin wanted to do. It will be interesting to see how this new board works with the mayor.

Yes, because they always follow church doctrine

In the spirit of blaming others instead of taking personal responsibility, it seems that Elton John has decided that it's the Catholic Church's fault that homosexual friends are dying.

British pop music star Elton John has attacked the Catholic Church and its position on condom use as a reason for the demise of 60 of his friends to the sexually-transmitted disease, AIDS.

Speaking at a business awards ceremony, he said, "We don't have a medical vaccine but we have a social vaccine and it's called education." He failed to include in his so-called education platform that condoms may be a leading reason for the HIV/AIDS epidemic. Even leading health experts at the United Nations have acknowledged that condoms have an estimated 10% failure rate.

My question is: Why were Sir Elton's friends following the "condom rule" while ignoring the bigger church teaching regarding homosexuality? Me thinketh I see a problem with his logic.

And, in case you thought teaching abstinence wouldn't work:

Uganda's AIDS campaign, which stressed abstinence first and being faithful second and condoms only if one was crazy enough to forego the first two, has been seen as the only successful program in reversing the AIDS tide in Africa.

Appearing before the African subcommittee of the U.S. Senate on May 19, 2003, Green stated: "Infection rates [in Uganda] have declined from 21% to 6 % since 1991. Many of us in the AIDS and public health communities didn't believe that abstinence and faithfulness were realistic goals. It now seems we were wrong."

I hope that this isn't true

If this is true, this is obviously not good for New Orleans.

New Orleans seen top target for '06 hurricanes

New Orleans, still down and out from last year's assault by Hurricane Katrina, is the U.S. city most likely to be struck by hurricane force winds during the 2006 storm season, a researcher said on Wednesday.
The forecast gives New Orleans a nearly 30 percent chance of being hit by a hurricane and a one in 10 chance the storm will be a Category 3 or stronger, meaning sustained winds of at least 111 miles per hour (178 km per hour), said Chuck Watson of Kinetic Analysis Corp., Savannah, Georgia a risk assessment firm.

If another hurricane hits New Orleans, recovery will end. There are so many houses that are still unlivable. So many New Orleanians are waiting to see what this coming hurricane season holds for the area. I have heard from a lot of people that if another hurricane hits here, they are leaving. Everyone here is gun shy. We are in no way ready for the threat of another storm.

Let me try to explain Nagin's re-election

Bloggers, such as Michelle Malkin, all around the blogosphere this morning are astonished that Ray Nagin won re-election. I am going to try to explain how it happened.

The first thing you have to do is go back to the days before Katrina. Ray Nagin was a conservative businessman who was actually a very good mayor for New Orleans. He was fighting the in-grained corruption that has plagued the city for decades. It was a hard fight, but slowly he was gaining ground.

Then came Katrina. I'm sure that you are all thinking of those pictures of the flooded buses, right? Well, I don't think the nation understands how little time we had to put plans into action. Yes, we had years to prepare, but we only had 2, yes TWO, days to put those plans into action. In contrast, with Hurricane Rita, Houston started to evacuate a full week before the storm was projected to hit land. As of Friday night before Katrina, we were still being told that the storm was going to Florida. We woke on Saturday to full panic mode. NO ONE WAS PREPARED! I think that this fact has been lost in the aftermath.

That being said, could things have been better handled by the mayor? Absolutely, without a doubt. Could Nagin have been a better leader in the immediate aftermath and in the months following Katrina? Absolutely, without a doubt.

Obviously, many people thought that was the case, too. So many, in fact, that New Orleans was faced with 23 candidates to choose from in the primary election. With so many candidates, no one could gain much traction and the two with the most name recognition headed into the runoff.

Voters in New Orleans were faced with Nagin and Mitch Landrieu. The conservatives in New Orleans had a very tough choice. Judging from the calls into local talk shows, and the results of the election, many New Orleaneans were voting against Mitch Landrieu. The thought of another Landrieu as mayor of New Orleans was a worse scenario than the re-election of Ray Nagin.

Let's look at Mitch Landrieu. He comes from an extremely liberal political family. Some have even referred to the Landrieus as the Kennedys of Louisiana. The national Democratic Party was heavily supporting his run for mayor, over that of the incumbent Democratic mayor. Why would they do that? Because, if Mitch is mayor of New Orleans, it would help greatly with the re-election of his sister, Mary, to the Senate. Mitch's defeat, I believe, also sends a message to Mary. I think that she is going to have an up-hill battle.

Many in New Orleans also want to get out from under the corruption that has held the city and the state captive. Electing a Landrieu would be a step back instead of forward.

Did some voters vote race? I have no doubt. New Orleans hasn't had a white mayor in many years and a certain faction of voters don't want there to ever be another one. Of course, the same is true on the flip side. Some voters voted for Mitch because he was white. There is no denying that. There are racial tensions here. I'm sure it will make some angry to hear that, but, sorry folks, it's true. But, for many remaining in the city, it came down to the vote between a liberal and a somewhat conservative.

I would have loved to seen a change, but, given the choices, I think Nagin was the lesser of the two evils. Before the storm hit, Nagin was a good mayor. Obviously, the New Orleans' voters are hoping to see that good mayor again soon.

Update: Laura over at Dummocrats defends the re-election of Nagin, too.

My faith in the youth has been restored

This story just makes me think how proud I would be to see my son or daughter have this kind of strength of conviction.

Update for Amy:
Judge Blocks Prayer at High School Graduation

The senior class at a southern Kentucky high school gave their response Friday night to a federal judge's order banning prayer at commencement.

About 200 seniors stood during the principal's opening remarks and began reciting the Lord's Prayer, prompting a standing ovation from a standing-room only crowd at the Russell County High School gymnasium.

The thunderous applause drowned out the last part of the prayer.

The revival like atmosphere continued when senior Megan Chapman said in her opening remarks that God had guided her since childhood. Chapman was interrupted repeatedly by the cheering crowd as she urged her classmates to trust in God as they go through life.

The results are in

Nagin projected winner over Landrieu in New Orleans' mayorial race.

I have nothing more to say.

It's Election Day

Tonight we find out if the people of New Orleans learned anything since the last election. I doubt it, but we will see. Of course, decision between the two candidates for mayor comes down to a decision of the lesser of two evils.

Debunking immigration myths

John Hawkins debunks many of the common myths and misconceptions regarding immigration. Check it out; it's a great read.

A quick question

When did toothpaste become a "dental plan?"

The reality of the mayoral race

A Times-Picayune front page article about last night's mayoral debate was titled:

Pair End Up Debating Moderators

And why is that, you ask? Because there is not a big enough difference between these two guys to actually make a debate interesting. How boring would it be to constantly hear, "I agree with Mayor Nagian." and "The lt. governor is correct...."

It basically became a debate between the moderators, Chris Matthews and local talk show host Garland Robinette, and the mayor or between the moderators and Mitch Landrieu.

Why don't they just stomp on the Bible and spit on it, too

I can't believe the audacity and self-righteousness that fills celebrities. I can just imagine how they must view their places in the world - them perched high on their pillars of knowledge looking down on us, the lowly idiots who aren't fortunate or intelligent enough to be one of them. Of course, they know their mission in life is not to entertain us, but to teach us, mold us and remake us into their god-like images. They do this by spouting their words of profound wisdom whenever they can.

... famed British actor Ian McKellen [Gandalf of Lord of the Rings], piped up:
"Well, I've often thought the Bible should have a disclaimer in the front saying this is fiction.

So basically what Sir Ian is saying is "All you yahoos who believe in the Bible as the Word of God are idiots who don't know fact from fiction. The Bible is no more fact than this movie."

Thanks again for reminding me why I discredit everything coming out of Hollywood.

My frustration mounts

Each day that goes by, I can feel my frustration mounting. I look around and I see so many things wrong with our country and feel absolutely powerless. We are no longer heading down a slippery slope. We are rolling full force.

I am frustrated with myself. For those of you dying to know, the topic that I am wrestling with in regards to blogging is homosexuality in our culture. Even though I feel to my very core that I am correct, it is a can of worms that I don't want to open yet. I'm sure one day my anger with surpass my timidness. I am frustrated with my own cowardliness and timidity.

I am frustrated with our local leaders. They continue to feed into politics as usual here in Louisiana. As I have noted before, nothing here has changed nor will it ever.

I am frustrated with Louisianians, specifically in the southeast. The culture here is, to be nice, unique. Historically, people who are born here never leave. They tend to grow up, get married and move down the street from their mammas. That way of living leads to very narrow thinking. Especially since in the last couple of decades, as the economy of Louisiana continues to decline, we have lost, and continue to lose, our best and brightest. What we are left with are a majority of people that are desperately clinging to a way of life that has become obsolete. They have no idea how they are hurting themselves and the state. I had no idea how bad it was until I moved back here two years ago. Even before Katrina, Jim and I decided that we don't want to live in the state any longer that we have to.

And now I am frustrated with national politics and our leaders. Leaders who have, until now, offered a glimmer of hope that the ideas of our founding fathers are not a distant memory alive only in the words of their works like The Federalist Papers, Common Sense and my favorite - our Constitution. With every word that I hear from elected officials, that glimmer of hope gets dimmer and dimmer.

I have always been able to find things to be positive about and have tried to remain optimistic, but I admit it is getting harder and harder. What will become of America? Where are we heading? The obvious answers scare me.

Something I've been contemplating

There has been a topic that I have been compelled to write about. But I am very hesitant to do so. Why, you ask? Because it would be very controversial. If I write about my thoughts on it, I have no doubt that I will get a lot of probably very negative feedback. The question that I am struggling with is "Do I have the energy to deal with the fallout?" In my mind, I continue to waver back and forth. But the need to write about it doesn't seem to go away. It is like a toothache. I know that I should just leave it alone, but I can't seem to stop playing with it. It is something that has been weighing on my mind a lot lately, especially in light of the fact that this issue is EVERYWHERE and is starting to pervade every aspect of daily life.

I will continue to think about it and hopefully I will come to some decision soon.

Thoughts before the weekend

This is just too sad.
A girl is to become Britain's youngest mother after becoming pregnant at 11.
The girl smokes 20 cigarettes a day despite being eight months' pregnant. She conceived aged 11 when she lost her virginity to a boy of 15 on a drunken night out with friends.

This is absolutely ridiculous.
The California state Senate today passed a bill that removes sex-specific terms such as "mom" and "dad" from textbooks and requires students to learn about the contributions homosexuals have made to society.

She can walk!
Authorities said a woman who claimed she was a paraplegic and repeatedly filed claims and lawsuits for noncompliance with the Americans with Disabilities Act was a con artist without any physical limitations.
After her arrest this month by Las Vegas police, Laura Lee Medley, 35, leaped from her wheelchair and ran for freedom, officials said.

So you think there was a surplus?

Maybe you should read this.

Hattip: The New Editor

I'm back

Did ya miss me? The family and I got back Sunday, but this is the first chance that my schedule and the cooperation of the computer have come together. I tried this morning, but was having trouble with blogger.

Anyway, in case you didn't notice, Northshore Politics has a new contributor - Amy. She, too, is a conservative resident of the Northshore. She has great insight into the government mindset after spending about 8 years working for the US Postal Service (If you ever want to get under her skin tell her the government can run things better than private industry). I look forward to seeing more of her posts here.

I must admit that I didn't think much about blogging over the past week. Mostly we went to the parks and visited with family. I didn't even get a chance to see any of my friends - the week went by way too fast. I'm still hopeful that we will be moving back to Florida one day.

Now that I'm back, I'm hoping to get back into the swing of things. Of course, getting back from vacation practically brings you to the point of needing another one.

The Invasion Continues...

Is it just me, or do you think these illegals are going a bit overboard? I don't have a problem if you enter this country in a legal way...apply for citizenship, learn American history, and SPEAK ENGLISH (speak whatever you want in your home, of course); but this new Spanish version of the Star Spangled Banner (with toned down lyrics - no bombs bursting in are and such) is going way too far. I listen to Walton & Johnson (morning radio talk show guys) from time to time and they put it best when they call this illegal alien situation the "invasion" of America. These illegal immigrants don't just want to be in our country, they want to change it... well, this is not Burger King, you cannot have it your way!

Going on vacation

The family and I are going on a much needed vacation. Actually, we will be visiting friends and family in sunny Orlando, Florida. Hopefully, I will be able to blog a little over the next week. Talk to you later.

If a liberal tells a lie

and no one is around to hear it.... This is just too good not to report.

'PROGRESSIVE' MEDIA STALLS: 'AIR AMERICA' IN AUDIENCE PLUNGE NYC, 'DAILY KOS' BOOK SELLS ONLY 3,600 COPIES

Left-leaning new media has hit turbulence at the marketplace, newly released stats show.

A book hyped by major media as documenting a progressive revolution of "blogs" and political power, DAILY KOS 'CRASHING THE GATE,' has sold only 3,630 copies since its release last month, according to NIELSEN's BOOKSCAN. [NIELSEN claims only 2,062 copies of DAILY KOS have been purchased at the retail level; the rest coming through 'discount' outlets.]

Meanwhile, the just released radio Winter Book [Jan-Mar 2006] from ARBITRON shows AIR AMERICA in New York City losing more than a third of its audience -- in the past year!Among all listeners 12+, it was a race to the bottom for AIR AMERICA and WLIB as mid-days went from a 1.6 share during winter 2005 to a 1.0 share winter 2006.

During PM drive, host Randi Rhodes plunged to 27,900 listeners every quarter hour, finishing 25th place in her time slot, down from 60,900 listeners every quarter hour in the fall.

A network source says the radio ratings released today do not reflect the overall growth of the broadcast.

"The demos are better, and listeners trust AIR AMERICA to give them the real truth on issues and the Bush presidency," says the insider.

Let it Snow! Let it Snow! Let it Snow!

I am loving this.

BUSH: Good morning. I'm here in the briefing room to break some news: I've asked Tony Snow to serve as my new press secretary

New Orleans deserves what she gets

Immediately following Hurricane Katrina, despite all of the destruction and devastation, I was filled with some hope. I was excited by the prospect of a new New Orleans. I thought Katrina was a wake-up call to the citizens as to what corruption and graft can lead to. I thought they would see the path that the local politicians and leaders had lead them down. I thought they would realize that these politicians got their power from the citizens. And it seemed that for once they did understand.

There was such anger. Local call-in talk shows were filled with their calls. They couldn't wait to "Vote the bums out." All of them. No incumbent would be spared. As one caller said, "Even the occasional good one has to go."

It was with this in mind that I looked forward to the election. Sitting across the lake, unable to vote, but with a stake in it nonetheless, I couldn't wait to see a fresh start for the city. It was going to be nice to have leaders who were interested in cleaning up and fixing the city as opposed to people who were only interested in grabbing the brass ring in an all out power struggle.

And then - election day. I waited with baited breath at every news break as I went about my normal routine. But it soon became evident, as voters trickled in, that the anger was gone. How is it possible that with such an important election only 1/3 of the eligible voters voted! Not only that, but they voted for the incumbents!

Of course, my anger hasn't gone away. It has merely been redirected towards the idiots living in New Orleans. Do you not understand what you have done? You are killing the city. No wonder people look at us and think of us as incompetent fools. Thank you. Look at the difference between our recovery and that of Mississippi. You are driving people out of this state. Of course, I don't think that you care.

People here are always complaining that Americans are forgetting about them. Well, what do you expect when you yourself have forgotten. Americans aren't forgetting, they are just seeing clearly. New Orleans deserves what she gets.

Will Katrina wash away GOP, too? Dean says yes!

Not only did Katrina's waters wash away people's homes, businesses and lives, but, according to Howard Dean, also the GOP.

Howard Dean: Katrina will put GOP out of business
In his first post-Katrina visit to the Crescent City, Dean helped Acorn, a nonprofit community group that works with low-income families, to clean out Vincent Cooper's flood-damaged home on Derbigny Street in the Lower Ninth Ward in New Orleans.

"I don't want to be partisan at a time like this, but this is why the Republicans are going to be out of business," Dean said, pointing to the destruction around him. "Nine months after the hurricane, to have this? This is ridiculous. This is not the America we grew up in."

When asked if he thought Americans had moved beyond Katrina and may forget about the storm by the time the November elections rolled around, Dean replied, "This is a searing, burning issue, and I think it is going to cost George Bush his legacy and it's going to cost the Republicans the House and the Senate and maybe the presidency in the next election. People will never forget this."

First, his FIRST visit to New Orleans is 8 months after the storm? If I was head of the DNC (oh, Lord, get that thought out of my head), I would have been here a lot sooner. Especially if I was planning on making this a big campaign issue.

Second, let's think this whole Republican thing through.
President - Republican
Governor - Democrat
Mayor - Democrat
City Council - All Democrats, but one
New Orleans Levee Board - 8 members: 6 appointed by the Governor, 1 appointed by the Mayor, 1 appointed by the City Council.

Oh, yeah, I see where he is going with this.

Blogs for Bush reminds us that Dean said the same thing about Terri Schiavo.

It's Election Day!

8:10am - The polls opened this morning at 6am. I will keep you updated throughout the day.

Sorry about the slow blogging

Between being sick earlier in the week and the kids home for Easter break, I haven't really had time to blog. Once school starts back next week, things should get back to normal. Of course, I am waiting with baited breath for tomorrow's election. Sometimes, when you are in the thick of things, you lose track of the big picture. I am interested in how the election will play out and the national implications that will go along with it. But I am more interested in the outcome for the obvious reason of how it will affect me and my family.

What I believe

There is nothing here that I disagree with. Well worth the read.

Feeling much better

I awoke this morning feeling much more human. Now normal activities can resume. I just hope that that was the end of all of this. Thank God for Clorox bathroom wipes.

Tonight's American Idol

I am going to try to blog this as I watch it. I'm feeling a little bit better, so I hope that I can do this.

Start off with a brief history of Rod Stewart's career. This should be an eye-opener for my Grandma. This past weekend my grandma told me she didn't realize that he had been around for a while.

Chris Daughtry - "What a Wonderful World"
Wow! I'm loving this soft side of Chris already. He has a great voice. There is no way that Simon isn't going to love this performance.

Well, I was right. All three judges loved it.

What a great way to start off the night. I hope the other contestants can live up to Chris' performance.

Paris Bennet- "Remind Me of You"
This is obviously going to be the best show yet. Paris has chosen a great song, too. Of course, it could be that this is my favorite music.

I love the simple clothes and hair. You can focus on the music. She just exudes Billie Holliday. This was perfect for her.

I agree with Paula. I would definitely buy an album if she made one in this genre.
Simon must be getting in a good mood tonight. I wonder if he was having his doubts with the previous weeks' performances. So far, they are redeeming themselves tonight.

After the break - my favorite: Taylor

Taylor Hicks - "You Send Me"
Man, I wish I had seen the Taylor parody on SNL.
I love this song. I swear I could just listen to him for hours. I will be the first one in line to buy any CD he puts out and to buy tickets to a concert. I'm just bummed out that I didn't know he existed when he was playing close to here. I would have driven to Alabama to see him.

I love him! He makes me happy! He makes me forget that I'm sick. Great job, Taylor!

Randy agrees with me that these guys are doing great jobs tonight.
I wish Paula would get her hair out of her eyes.
Wow! Simon called it magic. He is going to go home in a good mood tonight.

Elliott Yamin - "It Had to Be You"
Cute way to start off the song. I actually like this and I haven't been a big Elliott fan in the past. I'm so glad that his hair is growing out. Good, good - no bouncing. This is his best performance yet.

Man, I just noticed Paula's chest. Holy cow.
I disagree with Simon. This was the first time that I actually liked Elliott's singing personality. He was very cute.

Killie Pickler - "Bewitched, Bothered and Bewildered"
This could the night that Kellie stumbles in the eyes of the voting public.
Well, it isn't too bad so far. She looks good. A couple of off notes. This is definitely turning out to be the worst of the night - not that she isn't doing an ok job. Ooohhh, key change has thrown her off. And a bad couple of notes at the end.

The judges agree with me. Kellie might end up going home. She will definitely end up in the bottom three.

What the heck did Ace do to his hair? He must read blogs because I just read today on Sisterhood of the Traveling Idol Blogs that he should change his hair.

WHAT ACE NEEDS TO DO: What Ace has going for him, that most of the other guys are lacking, is raw sex appeal. As my friend K-Dawg would say, he is "universally attractive." Ace needs to play that up and choose a song that will make teeny-boppers and grandmothers swoon in their...family rooms. He should mix it up, looks-wise, as I've been suggesting for weeks. He should wear a suit and do something new with his hair (which is getting really kind of scary). The new look would automatically create buzz and would probably buy him a few extra votes. He needs to 86 the trained seal slow clap. And he needs to choose a song that is both sexy and regcognizable.


Ace Young -"That's All"
I don't like the hair. He looks like he's with the mafia. He is also sounding very nasal. Stop with the falsetto, man.

I disagree with Randy. I don't like the falsetto.
Ha, Simon agrees with me about the nasal thing.

I think he will be in the bottom three.

Last, but definitely not least is Katherine McPhee. I can't imagine her doing poorly with this genre.

Katherine McPhee - "Someone to Watch Over Me"
I hope that she wears something elegant. This is one of my favorite songs to sing (did I mention that I was a singer, too). I would love to see her in a beautiful formal gown. She is such a pretty girl, but the stylists just don't dress her to her best. I mean - pants? Really?

The song was great, of course. She did a great job. Just imagine if she would have worn an elegant gown.

All three judges love her.


I have no idea who will be in the bottom three other than Kellie and Ace. I would love for either one to go home tomorrow.

Tomorrow's show will be interesting.

What did you get for Easter?

My family received probably the worst Easter present of all - a nasty stomach virus. It all started Saturday afternoon with it attacking the kids. Jim got it Sunday. I thought I was out of the woods, but surprise, surprise - I got it today.

I probably won't be blogging much today, but I will be back blogging as soon as I feel better.

Have a good day.

Proclaim the Good News!

He is risen! Happy Easter!

Stop the racism already!

I was reading the April 17, 2006 issue of People and saw an article called "Spring Cleaning." As I perused the story, I thought how wonderful that these college students are giving up their spring breaks to help gut homes in the New Orleans area. Even though I am very aware of these kids coming here, it is wonderful that they are getting national recognition in a magazine with such a wide readership.

My heart continued to swell with pride until I read this:

For the young people, the trip has been an eye-opener. "We rode through the white neighborhoods and were shocked," says Brandi Gilbert, 21, a junior. "It doesn't even look like they were hit."

WHAT THE F***!!! DO NOT PLAY THE RACE CARD HERE! I CAN GUARANTEE THAT BLACK PEOPLE WERE NOT THE ONLY ONES AFFECTED! SHALL I BRING YOU TO MY GRANDMOTHER'S HOUSE. HOW ABOUT MY OTHER GRANDMOTHER'S HOUSE. OR MY COUSINS' OR MY STEPSISTER'S, MY AUNTS', UNCLES', ETC - ALL OF THEM WHITE! NOT THAT THAT MAKES ANY DIFFERENCE!

Can you tell that I am hopping mad!!! This is ridiculous. We have trained our kids to look for racism everywhere. Hurricane Katrina didn't care what color or race or religion people in Louisiana and Mississippi were. You do no favors to people by constantly playing the race card. This happened to everyone and was not a social commentary. I'm just disgusted!

And why is People including this quote? Oh, silly me.

Goodbye, Mushmouth (I mean, Bucky)

Well, tonight we said goodbye to the American Idol's resident Mushmouth, Bucky. Why do I call him Mushmouth. In case you couldn't figure it out, I can't understand a single thing he says. Ever.

As AI opens, we are treated to a Queen medley sung by the final eight. Why didn't they sing the songs last night that they sung tonight? Whoever picked who sang what tonight should be picking the contestants songs for future shows. Most of sounded much better during the medley than they did last night. Especially Ace.

I was wondering why tonight's show was an hour instead of the regular 1/2 hour. Now I know. We are going to be treated with hearing how proud everyone's family is of the singers. Well, duh. Let's just get on with it. Although I have to say that Taylor's bandmates seem to be just as much fun as Taylor. It would be a kick to hang out with all of them.

I have to admit that in the beginning I was a Kellie fan, but as the show continues on, she is starting to wear thin. And she is too confident on these elimination nights. She needs to be in the bottom three just to shake her up a little.

So the bottom three are Elliot, Ace and Bucky. I would love to see Ace go, too. He is so cheesy. Especially that "smouldering" look. Whenever he does that I want to kick the TV. It's like nails on a chalk board for me.

And Bucky is leaving. I'm just glad that I won't be seeing his "cool" microphone moves. You know, that microphone hand switch thing. I drove me nuts. Well, that and his footwork.

Next week: Rod Stewart. This should be interesting. There is a lot to choose from.

That reminds me of a story about my grandma. As we were sitting around the kitchen table one morning a couple of years ago, my grandma says, "I saw this new guy on Good Morning, America. I really liked him. I think his name was Rob something. He sings big band. Do you know him?" It took a while before I realized she was talking about Rod Stewart.

I never thought, in a million years, that I would say, "My 82 year old grandma is a big fan of Rod Stewart. She has all of his new stuff." I'll have to make sure she tunes in to hear the new guy next Wednesday.

If you want to read more about tonight elimination, head over to Dummocrats to see what Kris has to say.

Welcome to married life, Chad and Catie

My cousin Chad and his new wife, Catie, are back from their wedding and honeymoon in Hawaii. Congratulations!
I can't wait to hear all about it. Well, on second thought... You know what I mean.

Thought for the day...

All of these protests around the country being attended by illegal aliens made me think. I don't remember hearing about any businesses or industries shutting down. According to many, these illegals should be welcomed here because they are working jobs that "Americans don't want." If this is true, with the amount of them protesting yesterday, wouldn't we have heard about the lack of workers. I mean, if, for example, hotel housekeeping is performed only by these people, then wouldn't we have heard about no one showing up to clean hotel rooms. Wouldn't the MSM have jumped on this. Basically, it would have be a walk-out by thousands upon thousands of workers, in all menial jobs, across the country. And yet, I don't remember hearing about that. Maybe, just maybe, there are enough Americans and legal-non-Americans working these jobs so that large and small businesses across the country did not have to close shop while these illegals were protesting our immigration laws.

My heart is heavy

I must admit that I don't pay much attention to the crop of current movies, especially when I know that they are written, produced and/or directed by people that I philosophically disagree with. That being said, tonight, while surfing Blog Explosion, I came across a post about George Clooney's Good Night and Good Luck. While I knew that it was about McCarthy, that was about the extent of my knowledge of the movie. The post that I read explained the plot further and mentioned Edward R. Murrow. That caught my attention.

While I worked at Disney, I was a VIP hostess. My most memorable experience (not just at Disney, but most memorable life experience) included Fred Friendly. I was extremely fortunate to be able to spend a week with Mr. Fred and his family. He was being inducted into the Academy of Television Arts & Sciences Hall of Fame and decided to make it a family event. He and his wife Ruth planned a family reunion. They opened their arms to me and, for the week, I became a member of their family. They were wonderful and I must admit that I learned one of life's most important lessons from him.

He and I were sitting on a bench at the end of a long day in the parks. As we sat there waiting for the boat that would take us from their hotel to EPCOT for fireworks, we watched his wife, children and grandchildren in the distance. I looked at Mr. Fred and you are a very lucky man. He turned to me, looked me in the eyes and said, "Dana, luck has nothing to do with it." I have never forgotten that and I credit that advice with the family life I have now.

I say all of this because, when I saw that Good Luck and Good Night was also about Edward R. Murrow, I had to see if Mr. Fred was also included since they worked together. He was. And he is played by George Clooney.

This makes me feel better

I think that I'm going to save this and replay it every time I catch a glimpse of Ben Affleck. Now excuse me while I go run to my local Chevy dealer.

Thanks for the hattip, Kitty.

Start the funeral dirge. Death is imminent

The final nail is about to be driven into the coffin of the republican (small r) United States of America. And who holds the hammer? Every politician who sees the number of illegal aliens and immediately starts to drool over them as an untapped voting bloc. They give absolutely no thought to the damage this will have on our country. Of course, to expect anything else from these politicians would be madness on my part.

The most frustrating thing is that no one seems to want to stop this. No one has the courage to stand up and call this what it is - madness, insanity and just plain stupid! Everyday our country is being hijacked by socialists. Control is being wrested away from hard working, TAX PAYING Americans. More and more, we, who invest the most of our hard-earned dollars into this country, are having less and less representation. Of course, the evil of it all is that the left have succeeded in convincing the lower class, the poor, and the "unlucky" that they are victims of the wealthy. And they are there to help.

Well, thank you Ted Kennedy. You and your ilk have managed to destroy what so many have given their lives to protect. And you have destroyed it for your own evil gain. You may have inadvertently helped some, but that was NEVER your intent. You know it was always to advance your career, position and power. And yes, that is the definition of evil.

Looking for a good book?

Recently I was strolling through the library looking for, what else, some books (imagine that). At my library, they showcase newly-arrived books. One was The Big Over Easy. The title immediately caught my attention. I picked it up thinking that it was a new book about New Orleans, maybe even about the city in the aftermath of Katrina. I was pleasantly wrong.

The full title was The Big Over Easy: A Nursery Crime by Jasper Fforde.

It’s Easter in Reading—a bad time for eggs—and no one can remember the last sunny day. Ovoid D-class nursery celebrity Humpty Stuyvesant Van Dumpty III, minor baronet, ex-convict, and former millionaire philanthropist, is found shattered to death beneath a wall in a shabby area of town. All the evidence points to his ex-wife, who has conveniently shot herself.

But Detective Inspector Jack Spratt and his assistant Mary Mary remain unconvinced, a sentiment not shared with their superiors at the Reading Police Department, who are still smarting over their failure to convict the Three Pigs of murdering Mr. Wolff. Before long Jack and Mary find themselves grappling with a sinister plot involving cross-border money laundering, bullion smuggling, problems with beanstalks, titans seeking asylum, and the cut and thrust world of international chiropody.

And on top of all that, the JellyMan is coming to town . . .

After I read the inside flap, I was intrigued. And a couple of chapters later, I was hooked. After finishing The Big Over Easy, I read the only other Fforde novel my library had at the time, The Well of Lost Plots (the third in the Thursday Next series). Last night I finished his first book, The Eyre Affair.

Welcome to a surreal version of Great Britain, circa 1985, where time travel is routine, cloning is a reality (dodos are the resurrected pet of choice), and literature is taken very, very seriously. England is a virtual police state where an aunt can get lost (literally) in a Wordsworth poem, militant Baconians heckle performances of Hamlet, and forging Byronic verse is a punishable offense. All this is business as usual for Thursday Next, renowned Special Operative in literary detection, until someone begins kidnapping charactersfrom works of literature. When Jane Eyre is plucked from the pages of Bronte's novel, Thursday must track down the villain and enter the novel herself to avert a heinous act of literary homicide.

Needless to say, I am an addicted fan. I am going to buy all of his books so that I can read them again and again. If you are an avid reader, you, too, will love these books. They are so much fun to read.

The NOPD needs to be changed immediately

I'm not sure if this is getting national airtime, but there has been another allegation of police brutality here in New Orleans (registration required).

The Pratts refused to discuss the matter, but [Dulcie] Pratt's mother-in-law Scott [Pratt's mother-in-law] said [Jonie] Pratt was returning from visiting her sick father in Baton Rouge early Tuesday when police said she ran a stop sign about two blocks from her house. The woman drove to her house in a middle-class area of the city before pulling over.

"I saw an officer pull Jonie out of the car by her hair," said Scott, who was baby-sitting her grandchildren at the couple's house. "He was swearing at her and pounding her into the car. I said, `Stop that, that's Officer Pratt's wife."'

Scott said the officer twisted Pratt's arms behind her and sprayed Mace in her face. She said two more white officers arrived and the three shoved the 5-foot-2 Pratt to the ground and knelt on her back, and an officer kicked her in the head.

I have no doubt that this happened; however, I don't believe that this is a racial issue. New Orleans police officers don't restrict themselves to beating up people of one particular race. They will intimidate, bully and brutalize anyone they want - white, black, male or female. And it happens more often than is reported.

How do I know this for fact? Because it happened to two members of my family last year (I'll call them Betty and Bob). Her offense? Asking a cop for his badge number.

Betty was picking up Bob from work since he had just had surgery to fix a torn rotator cuff in his shoulder. Since he worked at a hospital, she was going to pick him up at the emergency entrance drive-up (just as she had numerous times before). This particular day, there was a cop blocking traffic at the entrance. She explained that she was picking up her husband and he told her rudely, "I don't care. Move your car. No one can come this way." Since she worked at a hospital, too, she knew that the cop couldn't block all of the traffic and said, "You can't cut-off all traffic to the emergency entrance." He said something like, "I'm a cop. I said move. I don't have to explain anything to you." According to Betty, he was unbelievably rude, so she asked for his badge number. To this he replied, "I don't have to give you anything." She parked her car and again went to the cop to ask for his badge number. Again he refused and told her to go back to her car and get out of here. She went back to her car to wait for Bob to come out of the hospital and the next thing she knows, this cop is banging on her window telling her to get out of the car. She rolled down the window to tell the cop that she was waiting for her husband. He starts to open her car door and pull her out, demanding to see her driver's license and registration. She starts to argue that she has done nothing wrong and refuses to give him this unless he give her his badge number. At this, he pulls her out of the car and throws her on the ground and tells her she is under arrest. Meanwhile, her daughter is in the backseat watching this happen.

The cop calls for back-up and more cops start coming. Betty was thrown up against the car and handcuffed. While this is happening, Bob, who had had shoulder surgery just two weeks before and whose arm is still in a sling, comes out of the hospital and sees his wife being roughed up by a bunch of police officers. He immediately starts demanding to know what is going on. I guess they see Bob and a threat and a police officer throws him against a wall and pull his arms behind his back and handcuff him, too.

Bob and Betty were arrested for resisting arrest. Obviously, they are fighting this. When it happened, I told them to go to the press, but Betty was so upset and embarrassed that she just wanted it all over with.

Ever since this happened, I have heard more and more stories like it. I would love to see the NOPD purged of this egotistical, power-hungry officers, but I'm afraid New Orleans wouldn't have any more cops.

We teach our children that the police are the good guys fighting the bad, but what happens when the police are the bad guys fighting the good? Who is going to protect us for the police?

I just can't believe this happened

OK, I know that there are more important things going on besides who leaves American Idol, but when Mandisa garners the least amount of votes, I just have to comment. I think that she had arguably the best female singing voice this season. So, what happened? How can she be leaving while Bucky, Ace and Kellie are still around to sing another week?

I think I figured it out. I really believe that what put the nail in Mandisa's coffin was her choice of outfits. Let me say that I LOVE Mandisa. I have been a fan of hers since the night AI first showed her audition. Her size was never an issue. I think that she is absolutely beautiful. BUT, last night, I didn't hear what she was singing because her clothes were so loud. I'm not exaggerating. When I heard her sing her song tonight after hearing the results, I realized that I didn't pay attention to a single note she sang last night. If I felt this way (and she is my favorite second only to Taylor), I can only imagine how others reacted to her. Of course, I guess now I don't have to imagine. We all know.

Goodbye, Mandisa. American Idol won't be the same without you. The only consultation is that there is no way this the last we have heard from Mandisa. With her talent, she is guaranteed a recording contract. And I will definitely buy her first CD.

Katie leaves NBC

When I heard the news about Katie Couric leaving the Today show, I started to reminisce about the couple of days that I spent with her 11 years ago. I was a VIP hostess for Disney World and was assigned to Katie while she and the Today show taped at Walt Disney World. It was actually a lot of fun. I found her generous,kind and down to earth with a great sense of humor. She actually encouraged me to go back to school and finish earning my degree. I wish her the best.

Florida Wins! I can't wait to go back to Winn-Dixie

On Saturday, my dad and I went to the grocery store to prepare for a family get-together later that day. While waiting in line, I over heard the lady in front of me talking to one of the workers. They were predicting a match-up between LSU and Florida with LSU winning. Well, since I am probably the only one in Louisiana that can't stand LSU and since I am married to a Gators fan, I, of course, had to tell them that they were wrong. (Hey, I haven't blogged in a while and I had to get my controversy fix somewhere!)

All of a sudden, all conversation stopped. I swear you could hear a pin drop and I think, out of the corner of my eye, I saw my dad try to dig through the tile in the floor. The lady says, "Honey, you are in the wrong part of the world." To which I wanted to reply, "Duh!" What I did say was that I think LSU is too cocky and would love to see them lose. When the woman was leaving she said, "Sorry that your weekend is going to be rotten 'cause LSU is going to win." Well, as it turned out, not only did I have a good weekend, but I just had a really good Monday evening. Ha! Ha! Ha!

I can't wait to go back to Winn Dixie now. I love to see LSU fans sad.

Slowly, slowly I awaken

Hello again. *yawn* It's been way, way too long since I have written. Life down here is starting to return to a new normal. My cousin, Shannon, got her carpet Saturday and is finally moving her family back into their house. Her house is looking great.

It also looks like my aunt and grandmother are going to be buying a new house in a couple of weeks. Right now they are living in a FEMA trailer on my side yard. Of course, it only took 7 months for them to get into it. It sat on my property for 6 weeks while we waited for electricity.

I think part of the reason that I didn't want to blog for a while is that everywhere I looked there was nothing but frustration. Of course, it just strengthened my resolve to never, ever, ever depend on the federal government for any timely help and assistance. It is the most ineffectual entity in existence and I challenge anyone to dispute that! Anyone who thinks that the government can do anything better than the private sector should come down and wait for a FEMA trailer (the military is the only exception that I can think of now).

Much of these last 7 months have been like beating my head against a brick wall. Nothing down here has changed and I seriously doubt that it ever will. The political culture of Louisiana is just that - a culture. And I don't think the majority of people here want it to change. It is almost like they are proud of the corruption and status quo. The sad thing is that the people who are really hurt by this are the ones who truly want change. See - beating my head against a wall.

So, instead of focusing on things that I wish would change, I am going to keep my blood pressure down and write about the positive things that are going on or funny news items - anything to keep blogging.