Never In New Orleans

Yesterday it was reported that students, at a local high school, in Texas, killed, cooked, and ate a baby racoon in their classroom. I have to go on record by saying: Never In New Orleans.

That statement is important because when teens from New Orleans evacuated to Houston after Hurricane Katrina, there were very cruel remarks made against New Orleans' students as to whether they could measure up to Houston teens. I even heard a news report where the local Houstonians were discussing the difference between the cultures.

There is a difference: New Orleanians are very particular about their cuisine. That is why I can definitely say: Never In New Orleans.

Is This True?

Some cry racism:

This Saturday, the federal Housing Authority will begin demolishing all 723 apartments in the Magnolia projects.

Also set to be destroyed are 896 units at the Lafitte houses, 1,436 apartments at St. Bernard and 1,550 at the B.W. Cooper.

All told, 4,600 low-income housing units will be razed in a shocking act of class and racial cleansing disguised as reconstruction. All the former residents of those projects, after all, were not only low-income, they were all black, say Hann and housing advocates in New Orleans.

The message from the Bush administration couldn't be clearer: We didn't rush to save you poor people in New Orleans when Katrina hit, and we don't want you back now.

What conclusion would you draw after viewing this video?



SCARY, huh

Recovery Cash Slated For Parishes

With the official release Monday of $3 billion from the federal government to plug the Road Home gap, Louisiana's hurricane recovery leaders can finally dole out a half billion to local governments they have been holding on to just in case.

The Louisiana Recovery Authority is expected to allocate the recovery cash to 23 affected parishes at its monthly meeting in Baton Rouge today, in what will amount to a huge shot in the arm for the state's most ravaged parishes.

New Orleans is expected to collect the lion's share of the money, at $296 million. If approved, it would be the largest single allocation of hurricane relief sent to a local government to date. |Read on|

Brad Pitt backs "New Orleans" designer homes

Leading American architects have been commissioned to design homes for the New Orleans suburb that bore the brunt of Hurricane Katrina two years ago, under an initiative launched by the actor Brad Pitt.

The architects have been told to design properties that are cheap to build and maintain, robust and environmentally friendly. Thirteen firms were each asked to draw up a 1,200-square-foot house, built between five and eight feet off the ground, with a front porch and three bedrooms. The cost of building and fitting out each home was not to exceed $150,000 (£74,000).

Morphosis, a Los Angeles firm, has designed a property made of lightweight concrete that would float should the city flood again. The New Orleans-based architectural firm Concordia has proposed a home erected on stilts with steep and wide front steps.

Residents can choose which design they would like and building is scheduled to begin next month. One of the key characteristics of the project is that the properties will be built using structural panels that can be easily stored and erected quickly and cheaply.

Major Art Festival Planned

Dan Cameron, the CAC's new director of visual art, has a grand plan: to frame an international art extravaganza here next year, featuring work of the world's top artists and drawing 100,000 visitors from near and far. |Read on|

HANO to demolish New Orleans' Public Housing

What a tangle web we weave when we practice to deceive.

This Is Very Interesting, Ollie

Feds Ask Judge To Be Lenient
Defendant helps put Oliver Thomas in Prison

The government's motion provides an interesting peek into how Thomas came to be a target of federal prosecutors, as well as the roles that Jourdain and convicted restaurateur Stan "Pampy" Barré played in making the case against the popular councilman.

During the feds' probe into the city's energy contract with Johnson Controls Inc., the document says, investigators discovered four checks written from Barré to Jourdain in 2002. After Barré pleaded guilty to three felony counts in January related to the contract, FBI agents and prosecutors grilled him about the checks.

Stan "Pampy" Barre probably cried like a baby during the grilling.

Barré, who had signed a plea agreement requiring him to cooperate with prosecutors, explained that the checks were part of a larger bribe he paid to Thomas in hopes of getting the councilman to help him keep a parking contract.

Bribery is the only thing Stan "Pampy" Barre knows how to do well.

Thomas had been named in 2002 to the board of the French Market Corp., a public agency that owns various properties in and around the Vieux Carré, including three parking lots near the French Quarter's downriver end.

A company owned by Barré had snared a share in the operation of the lots during the administration of Mayor Marc Morial, a Barré confidant. With the sun setting on the Morial years, Barré sought to persuade Thomas -- who was thought to be close to incoming Mayor Ray Nagin -- to go to bat for him to keep his share.

What did Stan "Pampy" Barre have to give up, during the previous administration, in order to snare a share in the operations of the lot?

Thomas wanted Barré to pay him $15,000 in cash, as well as to install Jourdain -- the brother of Thomas' chief of staff, Andrea Mumford -- as a silent partner in the deal, Barré told investigators. Thomas directed Barré to give Thomas one-third of his proceeds. Barré complied, paying him with checks.

Oliver Thomas must have had previous experience in collecting bribes when he orchestrated this plan. This is not what someone would do if they had never engaged in bribery.

Each time Barré made a payment to Jourdain, Thomas followed up and asked Jourdain for a cut. Jourdain gave him $1,000 in cash on four occasions, according to the government.

Oliver Thomas thought Jourdain would shield him from getting caught.

The prosecution's motion notes that investigators initially had no proof, other than Barré's word, linking Thomas to the deal. But when they interviewed Jourdain, the document says, he "contacted an attorney and agreed to cooperate."

We know we cannot trust only Stan Pampy" Barre's word. But for Jourdain's cooperation, the case would not have been made.

Agents and prosecutors interviewed Jourdain three times, the motion says, and he "provided essential corroboration as to both Thomas' and Barré's roles in this scheme." For instance, Jourdain gave investigators "details of meetings and payoffs with Thomas and Barré" and also "provided documents and records and assisted investigators in interpreting checks and payment records."

When Stan "Pampy" Barre made allegations against Una Anderson last month, was their details of meetings and payoffs with Barre and Una's husband? Could Barre provide documents and records that would assist the feds in interpreting the alleged bribery? If not, why would anyone give any weight to Barre's allegations?

"As a direct consequence of Jourdain's cooperation, the government secured a guilty plea from Oliver Thomas, thereby avoiding a costly and complicated trial," the motion concludes.

One reason why Jourdain should receive leniency.


Along with arguing that Jourdain's help was essential in making the case, prosecutors maintain that Jourdain played only a peripheral role in the scheme, and that Thomas was truly the bad actor.

Another reason why Jourdain should receive leniency.

"The government believes that Jourdain was used by Thomas in an effort to insulate and conceal Thomas' involvement in this bribery scheme," it says. "This scheme was not conceived by Jourdain. Jourdain would likely have never become involved in this criminal activity but for Thomas directing Jourdain to contact Barré on his behalf."

Well Ollie, is this how God uses you? It sounds more as if you are Satan's right hand man.