Valentine's Day With a Twist

Well, here's a distasteful little twist on Valentine's Day/Presidents' Day:

This billboard is located on I-30 in Little Rock.  It advertises AshleyMadison.com, a "dating service" for married folks whose copyrighted motto is "Life is Short. Have an Affair."  For real.

In a recent press release, the founder of the site explained the connection among the former presidents and her "service" --

"Throughout history powerful men, particularly those in politics, have sought out the romantic company of women who weren't their wives. We chose to honor these three men as each had well-documented affairs during their time in office." In addition to their wandering eyes, Noel Biderman says the men have another major thing in common. "Despite their dalliances, they were still considered heroes by the American people, who never stopped viewing them as great leaders."

The website includes a link to "Infidelity News" and an online Adult Toy Store "by popular demand." And a freakin' blog!

"Great leaders" my foot.  Great politicians, yes, but I'm not so sure about the leader thing, and Bill Clinton is certainly not a hero by any stretch of the imagination.  Maybe JFK, but he went off and got all dead and stuff, so we never saw his full evolution.  I'm not even going to acknowledge that Progressive FDR.

If this is a legitimate business and not some colossal, cosmic joke, then as a society, We. Are. Doomed.

Or, perhaps you may call me "Pollyanna."

It is kind of a clever ad.

Happy Valentine's Day.

Scandal and Secession

A few hours ago, a Petition Permitting Louisiana to Secede from the United States of America amassed more than the number of signatures required for the White House to issue a response.  BayouBuzz reports:

Louisiana secession petition signatures reached the threshold for a response from the White House on Tuesday morning. The White House We The People programs offers all citizens the power to initiate a petition drive. Once a petition reaches more than 25,000 signatures in a 30-day period, the issue is routed to the appropriate office for review and a response issued.  

As of Tuesday morning, Louisiana’s petition to secede had 27,028 signatures, according to the Atlanta Black Star . Louisiana celebrated its statehood bicentennial earlier this year. A man identified as “Michael E” of Slidell created the secession petition on November 7, according to The Advertiser .  

University of Louisiana at Lafayette political science professor Ryan Teten had this to say about the We the People petition drive:

“It doesn’t represent the state and its population. It’s another form of protest. Given Louisiana’s position and its struggles."
 

 As of this afternoon, the HuffPo is reporting that some 30 similar petitions have been filed on the White House website's "We the People" feature. 

[Of course, there's also a petition seeking to name Duncan Trussell as Emperor of Planet Earth. (Don't ask me -- I have not made the acquaintance of Mr. Trussell.)  Mr. Trussell has already accumulated 221 signatures.  Personally, I don't see the Young President granting the status of Emperor to anyone but himself, so Mr. Trussell probably should put off ordering the leopard skin cape with ermine trim for awhile.  (You don't want to know what he wants his throne made of.  Seriously.) But, it's nice to have aspirations, I suppose.]

Interestingly enough, one must create an "account" and "log in" before one may add a signature. Yeah.  I want to create an "account" on the White House website.  When pigs fly.  I'm sure someone already monitors every time I brush my teeth or eat an extra potato chip or two, so I'm pretty sure I don't want to give the squiggly-wire-earpiece guys tacit approval to monitor me .

I'm seriously unsure of what to make of the secession movement.  There are already more than 78,000 signatures on a Texas petition.  More than 27,000 on Louisiana's. Kick in Arkansas, Tennessee, Georgia, and Missouri, and another 74,000+ add to the total.  Heck, even someone in Wisconsin and Kalifornia has filed petitions -- and people are signing them!  Of course, these are statistically insignificant numbers, but they are relevant numbers. 

There is a cauldron of smelly stuff, and fear, coming to a boil out there while the media go on and on about the indiscretions of senior military leadership rather than voting discrepancies or murdered ambassadors. Something is getting ready to hit the fan, and I doubt whether those who plan to pitch it are willing to wait four more years.

Get ready to duck.

Justice Kagan's Refusal to Recuse Will Leave a Lasting Taint on the Obamacare Decision

Justice Kagan Sullies the Supreme Court Bench. Badly.

Article III, sec. 1, of the U.S. Constitution establishes the federal judiciary.  The requirements aren't much -- one needn't even be a lawyer to qualify as a federal judge.  There are only two simple requirements:

The judicial Power of the United States, shall be vested in one supreme Court, and in such inferior Courts as the Congress may from time to time ordain and establish. The Judges, both of the supreme and inferior Courts, shall hold their Offices during good Behavior, and shall, at stated Times, receive for their Services a Compensation which shall not be diminished during their Continuance in Office.

So, to become and remain a federal judge (or Justice) for life, one need only (1) behave him/herself and (2) get paid.

In my opinion, if she continues to refuse to recuse herself from the Obamacare case, Justice Elena Kagan will meet only one of those two simple requisites for service in the federal judiciary.

In her role as Solicitor General, Kagan became so inextricably intertwined in efforts to pass the Act that she cannot possibly be able to remain impartial in hearing arguments against, and deciding on, its constitutionality. Because such an appearance of impropriety falls well shy short of "Good Behavior," Justice Kagan should be Impeached, convicted by the Senate, and removed from the bench.

Yes.  I contend that such egregious behavior amounts to nothing less than "high crimes and misdemeanors."  The woman clearly perjured herself during her confirmation hearings by denying any participation in the Obamacare process, and her threatened participation in the Obamacare case is an oozing blemish on the face of the Supreme Court. 

Where's the Clearasil?!?!

Maxine's Observations About Life in these United States

It seems that Maxine Waters is awake.  I speculate that she's awake because, if she's awake, she's talking.  And, as you can see, she's indeed talking.



Well, perhaps "blathering" is a more accurate description of what she's doing.  "That's life."  Seriously?!?!

With the investigation into her startling lack of ethics ongoing, you'd think she'd lay low instead of stepping into the OWS sewer.  I wonder when the outside counsel hired by the House Ethics Committee back in July will issue an opinion?  Seeing Maxine get slapped around a little like Charlie Rangel did (or, a lot more than Charlie Rangel did) would make something nice to be thankful for!

(H/t to Chicks on the Right)

Stuff, and Summer Celebrations -- a Little Late, a Little Early -- Eh, Who Cares, We're in the South

It's a miserable, beastly hot Saturday afternoon in New Orleans.  I just came in from taking Rosie out -- I swear I worked up a sweat just sitting on the steps in the shade, watching her go around and around in circles.  It even smells hot.

Nonetheless, this morning some 9,000 crazy folk, dressed in white with red sashes and neckerchiefs, participated in the 2011 Fiesta del San Fermin de Nueva Orleans -- The Running of the Bulls in New Orleans -- just a couple of days after its famous progenitor took place in Pamplona.  

Moogie was not among the 9,000 but at least 2 of SIL#1's cousins were.  One wore a red tutu instead of a red sash.  She looked adorable, at least she did in the picture she posted on Facebook. 

(Photos were stolen from the NOLA.com and a Facebook friend.)

As we tend to do down here, we added our very own twist to the festivities.  First off, alcohol is de rigueur.  Obviously.  If one is to get out in the heat very early on a Saturday in July, one should be adequately lubricated.  Note that I did not say, "hydrated."

Next, there are no bulls.  Or even cows.  Instead, the festival-goers are chased and bludgeoned with foam bats by be-horned New Orleans Roller Girls -- members of the local women's roller derby team.

The after-party will take place tonight and is entitled, "La Fiesta de Pantalones" (The Pants Party).  Don't ask me, I don't know why there's a pants party with Spanish food and Latin music, but it does kinda sound like fun.

When I mentioned to Pepper that the Running was this morning, he said that while walking Bouie earlier, he saw a bunch of  people waiting for the streetcar dressed in white and red, but he thought they must have been going to some new gay event like Southern Decadence.  Heh.  I guess you can't read a book by its cover.

Also, many of the celebrations of Bastille Day kicked off yesterday.  I think my favorite is the Waiters Race, where a whole bunch of waiters compete against one another by running with full trays of cocktails.  At Moogie's Mansion, we will be celebrating France's Independence on July 14th by accepting delivery of a new mattress.  Excitement abounds around here during the summer.

Finally, here's a re-post of the lizard getting a drink, downloaded from YouTube.  The quality is definitely better than the original.


And UPDATE!!  The Causeway is still the world's longest bridge over open water, after the Guiness folks added a new category, "Longest Bridge Over Open Water (continuous)!" The Cheating Cheater Chinese now have the "longest bridge over open water (aggregate)."  So, I guess sometimes, cheaters do prosper.  But record-holding bridges are record-holding bridges, as the article expresses!

About Cheating Cheaters -- it seems that THE Ohio State University "vacated" its wins for the 2010 season, including the Sugar Bowl, which was stolen from the Hogs by various and sundry guys wearing stripes.  But, apparently, the Suckeyes don't have to forfeit and they don't have to return the money they got from the good folks at the Sugar Bowl.  So, I guess, sometimes, cheaters really prosper.

But, even though it may be hot, life is generally good down here in southeast Louisiana.

It would be even better if some terrorist would blow up the Golf Channel's transmitter.  Just sayin'.

A Jefferson Family Update: Movin' on Out

There has been a lot of activity going on in New Orleans' once powerful Jefferson clan.

You might recall that William Jefferson is my former congressman who was convicted of bribery after federal investigators found, among other things, $90K in cold hard cash in his freezer.  He has remained free, pending appeal, since being sentenced to 13 years in the federal pen in November 2009.  Yes, it's been that long.  Oral arguments were re-scheduled for May of this year, but they have since been postponed yet again due to his attorney's battle with lymphoma.  No date has been set while Dollar Bill cools his heels out in the fresh air.

Brother Mose Jefferson, who was also convicted in 2009 on several counts of bribery and obstruction of justice, had been serving his 10-year sentence when he succumbed to cancer in May of this year. His passing got him excused from another unrelated trial for criminal fraud, not yet set, that involved a scheme to divert monies intended for charitable endeavors, cooked up by Mose and gal-pal, former City Council member and state legislator, Renee Gill-Pratt.  Her first trial in February of this year resulted in a hung jury, and re-trial begins this coming Monday.

Testifying in that re-trial against Gill-Pratt will be sister Betty Jefferson and her daughter Wanda Coleman, who pleaded guilty in the scam and took a deal.  Betty and Wanda are scheduled to be sentenced on August 31st -- happy birthday to me!

And now, it looks like there might be even a little more action on the Betty front.  You might recall that Betty Jefferson had served as the New Orleans Fourth District Assessor for a number of years, and that misappropriation of Parish funds made up the bulk of the charges against her in the bogus charity scheme with Mose, Gill-Pratt, and daughter Wanda. 

Get ready for this -- it gets even more convoluted.

It was revealed yesterday that an audit of the last five years of Betty's tenure as Assessor revealed up to $114,000 additional checks in possibly misappropriated funds.  It might be simply a matter of sloppy record-keeping, but when you consider that several of the checks drawn on the Assessor's work fund were made payable to an Assessor's office employee whose endorsement was then forged by a Jefferson family member, who subsequently kept the money, something smells stinky in the Crescent City. 

Among those invited to respond to the audit, but all of whom declined, were the office employee, Betty, Wanda, and Wanda's daughter Tawanda Coleman.  So now we've added another generation to the family business in public corruption. 

It seems to me that the Betty clan might be looking at state charges and orange jumpsuits in the near future.

I warned you previously about Bill's daughters -- the highly educated ones -- but his great-nieces and nephews didn't blip on my radar.  I've said it before and I'll say it again: this family is nothing more than a band of amoral brigands aiming to "spread the wealth" from the public and the poor by channeling it to themselves.

I'd better get the ol' radar tuned up.

The Causeway Rules!

In 1956, the Causeway Bridge was officially opened -- a 23.83 mile-long span that traverses Lake Pontchartrain from Metairie to Mandeville.  It was expanded to 4 lanes in 1969, as pictured in the lower photo above.  It's the world's longest over-water bridge. 

But now some Chinese dudes claim to have built a longer bridge in Qingdao -- some 26 miles long. 

Those cheating cheater Chinese!  Their Jiaozhou Bridge doesn't go in a straight line and some of its span is not over open water!  Even if it a kinda prettier bridge, it's still a cheater.

Cheating cheaters.

They do plan eventually to implement a toll to cross the bridge, akin to the Causeway, which charges $3.00 to come into the City. Both Greater New Orleans toll bridges let you leave the city for free, but you gotta ante up if you want to come in. No tickee -- no Bourbon Street.  I'm not sure what the reward will be after the Cheaters pay the toll to get into Qingdao, but it can't be better than the French Quarter, the New Orleans Museum of Art, Saints football, the Garden District, St. Charles Avenue, or beignets!

Our Causeway General Manager isn't giving up the longest bridge title just yet without a fight, calling the Cheating Cheater Chinese "wannabes."  This wouldn't be the first time someone tried to emulate and surpass good ol' American ingenuity and came up short.  Nor will it be the last. 

I just dare 'em to make a better gumbo or crawfish bread, though.  C'mon, Cheating Cheaters, bring it!

I Give

Okay, Mr. Blogger.  I'm not sure what it is that you want of me, but I give up.  Mardi Gras 2011 in Video is apparently not to be.

Jerk.

So, to assuage my pain and sense of loss, I think I'll try to post some ordinary pictures and see if you sabotage them, too.

It's oak flower season in New Orleans.  This year isn't as bad as some have been, especially the spring after Katrina when all the trees were working overtime to recover, but it's plenty bad enough.  This is what my car has looked like every morning this week (the birds have been using it for target practice, too):

The parades may be over, but the memory (and the evidence) remains.  I saw a guy on St. Charles Avenue the other day with a long hook, picking beads out of the trees and dumping them in his trunk.  He had enough to set up a stand in the French Market after he sorted and banded them -- and that's probably what he planned to do!  And he probably picked this tree bare.  That's a shame because the rest of us really like to look at them all year long.

There.  Do your worst, Mr. Blogger!  I shall not yield on photographs.  Nay, say I!  I shall not yield.

Santa Brought Me an Early Present!

The full Senate voted unanimously this morning to convict Federal District Judge Thomas Porteous on all Articles of Impeachment!  He was immediately removed from the bench and will be denied his $174, 000 per year pension.

You may recall that his primary defense centered around the notion that most of the things he and his cronies were accused of doing occurred while he was sitting on the state bench, so the feds shouldn't have any problems with them.  The very brazen idea!!

As a resident of southeast Louisiana, I have only this to say:  Merry early Christmas to me!

Since they actually voted to boot out one of their own, maybe they're not all crooked in D.C..  

What am I saying?!?  They almost sucked me in!  (See: Charles Rangel.)

Congressional Shenanigans Are Getting Tiresome -- UPDATED

UPDATE -- GUILTY!!!  Guilty on 11 counts by consensus, you self-righteous, pompous, slimy, oily-haired reprobate!  Suck on that for awhile as you contemplate your ignominious future.

Bring on Maxine!!!


Standard definition of "Hand in the cookie jar" -- "If someone is caught with his or her hand in the cookie jar, he or she is caught doing something wrong."  UsingEnglish.com.

Pictorial definition of hand in the cookie jar:

Just who the devil does he think he is?!?!  How can one human being possess so much gall to complain about how "his family has caught hell," and to suggest that the 27-month investigation is somehow a calculated mistreatment of the Royal Rangelness?  And, then, he strides out of the hearing before proceedings begin like a petulant little boy. Once again, the hand in the cookie jar analogy leaps to mind. I wonder why?


Plus, have you ever noticed how politicians always seem to have some "legal defense fund" to finance a defense to charges of wrongdoing against the taxpayers?  A fund that they are permitted to do fundraising to supply?  How about taking out a signature loan or mortgaging some property or, heaven forbid, dipping into your savings?!?! 

Next up?

I guess we can harbor little doubt that the ol' race card will be trotted out, saddled up, and ridden like a racehorse in Maxine the Mouth's hearings.

Watching how we handle them with kid gloves, and watching how we continue to elect them and their ilk, I'm convinced that we have unwittingly annointed our career politicians as a regal class in America.  That, folks, is sad. Very sad for us.  And it must stop.

Just Try to Stop the Who Dats!

You remember this cute tee shirt that supports my Saints and a clever local business. 

Do you also remember the lawsuit for trademark infringement by some guys who lucked into obtaining a mark based on some obscure, unsuccessful song filed against the NFL, several local businesses (including Fleurty Girl), the state of Louisiana, and the Saints organization ?  The Louisiana Attorney General has weighed in with an opinion, along with Junior Senator David Vitter.  Now it's coming to a head, even though trial isn't scheduled until next summer, with hearings on pre-trial motions this week.

The Saints organization doesn't seem to be backing down.  It has responded by starting the tradition of a "Who Dat!" chant before the beginning of every home game led by the game's honorary Captain from the 30 yard line right before kick-off:

And, after a brief period of time having its Facebook page shut down by various powers that be, Fleurty Girl returned on Wednesday with a vote for its latest tee shirt design!  And the winner is:

You gotta love entrepreneurs!  The original lemonade-out-of-lemons people. 

You can pre-order the shirt here, but only for a limited time.  I'm thinking everyone on my Christmas list could be sporting a Fleurty Girl creation this year!

I'll keep you briefed.

Richmond, Congressional Candidate From a Culture of Corruption

Let's chat about Cedric Richmond, Democratic candidate for the Second District of Louisiana Congressional seat currently held by Republican Anh "Joseph" Cao.

Cedric is an attorney (sort of) and a term-limited state Legislator whose antics give new meaning to the term "weasel."

Back in 2005, he thought it might be a lark to sit on the New Orleans City Council. So, he filled out his qualifying papers and declared an address that turned out not to be his "domicile." The Supreme Court was not amused and removed him from the ballot 8 days before the April 2005 election. Subsequently, in 2008, following an investigation into misconduct by the Louisiana Attorney Disciplinary Board, the Supreme Court suspended his law license for six months in a 5 -2 decision (one dissenter would've imposed a lengthier suspension) for falsifying an official document.   Charming.


In 2007, while serving in the Legislature, Richmond, while patronizing a pool hall in Baton Rouge, got into a bar brawl with another guy and was charged with misdemeanor disturbing the peace, with charges later dropped. The police report notes that "alcohol was a factor" in the fight over a pool table.   Dripping with class.


The State Board of Ethics has fined him $2,000 for failing to disclose within the appropriate time frame some legal work he did between 2004 and 2006 for absentee parents in adoptions. The guy is a lawyer and a legislator and he doesn't know when and which form to file? And he wants us to send him to Congress?!?!   Mensa candidate.


There are also some pretty serious, Jefferson-family-worthy allegations that Richmond solicited and steered substantial amounts of grant money intended for underprivileged kids to his main squeeze (who was later charged with felonious theft, but pleaded out to misdemeanor theft) and other diversions.   Soulless.

The injuring-kids scheme is the main issue that Cao's campaign seems to be hitting -- this arrived in the mailbox on Saturday.

I just cannot fathom why any thinking person could possibly cast a vote for this scum. Sure, he's rounded up the endorsements of a few local big-wig Dems and even the Young President filmed a commercial for him that ran during the Saints opener ("New Orleans needs Cedric Richmond in Congress, and so do I . . . ." -- as if that's not enough to tell you what Ced's made of!) .




But, consider this -- his closest competition in the primary (a rather earthy, brash young man) recently endorsed Cao! Also jumping across the aisle to endorse Cao and his unquestionable ethics are a New Orleans City Councilwoman, Orleans Parish Assessor, an Orleans Parish judge and the popular Sheriff of Jefferson Parish. Folks, this just doesn't happen to the Democratic party in a general election in Southeast Louisiana.


While I believe Cao to be a RINO, I can't begin to think about sending someone as corrupt as Richmond in Congress. There are other candidates in the race, but to call them longshots is masterful understatement. So, I suppose I shall hold my nose and vote for Cao. At least he responds to my emails, and is usually on point.

The DCCC has pulled its advertising money from this race -- speculation as to why ranges from "Richmond has it in the bag," to "we didn't vet him well enough and now need to leave him twisting in the wind."

This is getting really interesting.

A Gentle Warning to LSU on College Gameday Eve

Watch your backs in Auburn!