Day laborer's troubles with crime exposed in the NY Times. (Be warned, it's an Adam Nossiter article).
And, as if on cue, 4 Hispanic workers robbed, shot in their own home in Mid-City.
UPDATE- Great discussion here. I agree with what Damabla wrote.
Tuesday, February 17, 2009
Sunday, February 15, 2009
Monster Truck? No, Mardi Gras Truck
Tuesday, February 10, 2009
"...the big question is not just why is David Vitter in office, but why is he not in jail?"
Oyster goes over Vitter's possible primary challenger. Could Louisiana send a pornstar to the Senate?
Key quote:
"I might be a porn star but I haven't done anything illegal. And I guess the big question is not just why is David Vitter in office, but why is he not in jail?"
Indeed. Why isn't he in jail?
Key quote:
"I might be a porn star but I haven't done anything illegal. And I guess the big question is not just why is David Vitter in office, but why is he not in jail?"
Indeed. Why isn't he in jail?
Matt McBride's latest letter regarding the Corps
Yet again, permanent pump stations delayed
Dear New Orleanians,
Just about three weeks ago, at the January 22nd Permanent Pump Stations Industry Day presentation, the Corps told contractors and the public that they would be awarding the design-build contract for the lakefront permanent pump stations in the first quarter of 2010. One can see it on page 26 of the slides shown at that presentation:
https://acquisition.army.mil/asfi/upload/W912P809R0013/ACESlidePresentation22JAN09.pdf
It was also on a list of future contracts, issued less than two weeks ago on January 30th (see bottom of page 6):
http://www.mvn.usace.army.mil/hps/Jan30_2009ContractingReport.pdf
Now, on a contracts page that is updated more frequently than the PDF version above, the date of contract issuance has been quietly moved back yet another quarter, to the second quarter of 2010. Scroll down to the very bottom of the main Corps hurricane protection contracts page to see the date for contract PCCP-01:
http://www.mvn.usace.army.mil/hps/hps_contract_info.aspx
Or click here for a direct link to the permanent pump station contract page:
http://www.mvn.usace.army.mil/hps/contractdetails.aspx?ParentRID=98
Both pages - revised on February 5, 2009 - have the second quarter of 2010 as the contract issuance date.
This is how the Corps subtly moves the goalposts without making a stir. And before long, projects are pushed back so far it seems like they will never be built. Will they ever explain this latest delay? I doubt it.
Matt McBride
Dear New Orleanians,
Just about three weeks ago, at the January 22nd Permanent Pump Stations Industry Day presentation, the Corps told contractors and the public that they would be awarding the design-build contract for the lakefront permanent pump stations in the first quarter of 2010. One can see it on page 26 of the slides shown at that presentation:
https://acquisition.army.mil/asfi/upload/W912P809R0013/ACESlidePresentation22JAN09.pdf
It was also on a list of future contracts, issued less than two weeks ago on January 30th (see bottom of page 6):
http://www.mvn.usace.army.mil/hps/Jan30_2009ContractingReport.pdf
Now, on a contracts page that is updated more frequently than the PDF version above, the date of contract issuance has been quietly moved back yet another quarter, to the second quarter of 2010. Scroll down to the very bottom of the main Corps hurricane protection contracts page to see the date for contract PCCP-01:
http://www.mvn.usace.army.mil/hps/hps_contract_info.aspx
Or click here for a direct link to the permanent pump station contract page:
http://www.mvn.usace.army.mil/hps/contractdetails.aspx?ParentRID=98
Both pages - revised on February 5, 2009 - have the second quarter of 2010 as the contract issuance date.
This is how the Corps subtly moves the goalposts without making a stir. And before long, projects are pushed back so far it seems like they will never be built. Will they ever explain this latest delay? I doubt it.
Matt McBride
Sunday, February 8, 2009
Krewe du Vieux 2009
Uncle Sam meets Fannie Mae
Krewe du Vieux is in the bag. Had a lot of fun. KDV and Krewe D'Etat are my favorites because of the bitingly satirical floats. KDV rolls past very fast, though. I guess mules are more reliable than tractors.
Voodoo Economics.
Sidney Torres gets KDV'd
Run on the Sperm Bank
Shave the Wetlands
Saw a few friends there. Here's Ray handing tons of cool stickers to Candice.
Maitri the loan shark has some cool beads.
Lots and lots of brass bands. Very cool
The crowd was mostly adults and it's a good thing. Imagine a little kid asking, "Daddy, why is there a giant penis walking down the street?"
The late, great Ashley Morris.
Rest of the Set here.
Saturday, February 7, 2009
Project Truck Update: Clean driver's door
Looks fantastic after the phosphoric acid and sanding. Few burrs that need to be taken care of, but I"m pleased with the results
Clusterf*ck to the Poorhouse
Don't miss about halfway through when Vitter complains about spending money to reduce the spreading of sexually transmitted disease.
Apparently Vitter has inspected all the hookers and pronounced them disease free. Thanks for saving the taxpayers millions, Senator Vitter!
UPDATE- Vitter once again demonstrates he's a boob:
Blames the entire global depression on ACORN. Congratulations, Louisiana.
Thursday, February 5, 2009
Quarter Century
I'm a quarter century old today. Celebrating by going to Herbsaint tonight with Candice.
Tuesday, February 3, 2009
Can't Sleep. Clowns will eat me.
Up real early this morning (partly because of this), so I'll post a few links.
Wonkette reports on Draft Stormy movement. "VITTER MUST BE DESTROYED!" Related: David Vitter is a jackass (Iced Coffee and a Bagel).
The Politics of Health Reform. Fascinating to get an outside perspective. A sample from the BBC:
Map of New Orleans political donations. Fascinating to click through for a while. I find it especially interesting that a lot of the old St. Charles Ave./Pickwickian-types mainly donated to Fred Thompson and Rudy Giuliani. Now there's money well spent!
Stimulus Battle in Perspective: Of course, the last time we saw a vote like this one was probably the 1993 vote on Clinton's first budget -- every single Republican in the chamber voted against it, hoping to prove, once and for all, that they were right about economics and Democrats were wrong. If memory serves, that budget was the first step towards the longest economic expansion on record, the creation of 22 million jobs, and the total elimination of the federal budget deficit. Related: For Republicans, there wasn't much downside to voting no.
More extensions to housing aid in Louisiana? Those overly generous subsidies to landlords is part of what's keeping market rates up. You remove those payments, the market will fall (it already has fallen from it's post-Katrina highs). Probably won't return to pre-Katrina rents, but that's unreasonable to expect.
Gulfport Mayor indicted for Katrina fraud.
Taibbi + Blago. Need I say more?
Roger Clemens has always been batshit insane. Deadspin clarifies the level of insanity: "Then Donahue would rub the hottest possible liniment on his testicles. “He’d start snorting like a bull,” the trainer said. “That’s when he was ready to pitch.” "
State Farm completely pulling out of property insurance in Florida.
Here's a few companies that have never had mass layoffs. I can thing of a few to add to the list, too (Honda, for one).
When it comes to Israel, to revive or dump the two-state solution?
Bill Gates talks about education, especially high school, and what constitutes a successful school. Two most interesting points: a kid is better off with a good teacher in a "bad" school than he is with a bad teacher in a "good" school. Also, in extremely poor areas, the schools with the longest schooldays tend to do the best.
Sad to see Cerasoli go. Oyster rounds up the reacts. One little tidbit: “People were telling me he [Nagin] was saying they would regret getting the office up and running 10 years from now.
Old media, don't piss off new media. Remember that the "Symbiotic relationship between new and old media" isn't a one way street... Also, McCain-endorser's Pedo son gets out of jail early with barely a peep from local media.
So, after closing Our Lady of Good Cousel, et. al.*, the Nazi Pope decides to embrace a Holocaust-denier and a cleric who said Katrina was God's punishment for being too kind to the gays.
Want to see Scott Cowen foam at the mouth? Mention the letters AAUP and stand back.
And for your amusement:
The Thing, remade with G.I. Joe's.
*BTW- Great comic 2 weeks ago Greg. Can't link to your comic, though, because the archives are down.
Wonkette reports on Draft Stormy movement. "VITTER MUST BE DESTROYED!" Related: David Vitter is a jackass (Iced Coffee and a Bagel).
The Politics of Health Reform. Fascinating to get an outside perspective. A sample from the BBC:
Map of New Orleans political donations. Fascinating to click through for a while. I find it especially interesting that a lot of the old St. Charles Ave./Pickwickian-types mainly donated to Fred Thompson and Rudy Giuliani. Now there's money well spent!
Stimulus Battle in Perspective: Of course, the last time we saw a vote like this one was probably the 1993 vote on Clinton's first budget -- every single Republican in the chamber voted against it, hoping to prove, once and for all, that they were right about economics and Democrats were wrong. If memory serves, that budget was the first step towards the longest economic expansion on record, the creation of 22 million jobs, and the total elimination of the federal budget deficit. Related: For Republicans, there wasn't much downside to voting no.
More extensions to housing aid in Louisiana? Those overly generous subsidies to landlords is part of what's keeping market rates up. You remove those payments, the market will fall (it already has fallen from it's post-Katrina highs). Probably won't return to pre-Katrina rents, but that's unreasonable to expect.
Gulfport Mayor indicted for Katrina fraud.
Taibbi + Blago. Need I say more?
Roger Clemens has always been batshit insane. Deadspin clarifies the level of insanity: "Then Donahue would rub the hottest possible liniment on his testicles. “He’d start snorting like a bull,” the trainer said. “That’s when he was ready to pitch.” "
State Farm completely pulling out of property insurance in Florida.
Here's a few companies that have never had mass layoffs. I can thing of a few to add to the list, too (Honda, for one).
When it comes to Israel, to revive or dump the two-state solution?
Bill Gates talks about education, especially high school, and what constitutes a successful school. Two most interesting points: a kid is better off with a good teacher in a "bad" school than he is with a bad teacher in a "good" school. Also, in extremely poor areas, the schools with the longest schooldays tend to do the best.
Sad to see Cerasoli go. Oyster rounds up the reacts. One little tidbit: “People were telling me he [Nagin] was saying they would regret getting the office up and running 10 years from now.
Old media, don't piss off new media. Remember that the "Symbiotic relationship between new and old media" isn't a one way street... Also, McCain-endorser's Pedo son gets out of jail early with barely a peep from local media.
So, after closing Our Lady of Good Cousel, et. al.*, the Nazi Pope decides to embrace a Holocaust-denier and a cleric who said Katrina was God's punishment for being too kind to the gays.
Want to see Scott Cowen foam at the mouth? Mention the letters AAUP and stand back.
And for your amusement:
The Thing, remade with G.I. Joe's.
*BTW- Great comic 2 weeks ago Greg. Can't link to your comic, though, because the archives are down.
Sunday, February 1, 2009
Project Truck Update: Polishing a Turd Edition, Part 2
Picked up where I left off yesterday.
Left to cure
Here's what the door looks like after I left it to cure overnight.
Patch
Before I could get down to painting, though, I had to secure a little metal patch in the corner.
Tack Weld
Ground down
Took out my welder and tack welded the patch in and ground down the slag and excess weld.
Primed
Primed the door and put it away with it's friend.
Finished
Next weekend, I'll clean up the doors a little more and see about installing hardware into the doors.
Left to cure
Here's what the door looks like after I left it to cure overnight.
Patch
Before I could get down to painting, though, I had to secure a little metal patch in the corner.
Tack Weld
Ground down
Took out my welder and tack welded the patch in and ground down the slag and excess weld.
Primed
Primed the door and put it away with it's friend.
Finished
Next weekend, I'll clean up the doors a little more and see about installing hardware into the doors.
Mini-Baja and Mini-Formula SAE being built
A Mini-Baja car and a Mini-Formula-One car being built by the University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign SAE chapter.
But they're doing it all wrong! It's supposed to be assembled the night before you hit the road on a binge of caffeine and junk food!
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