Dick Cheney did an interview with Blitzer and was snarly throughout including when Blitzer asked about daughter Mary’s pregnancy. Cheney told Wolf…”frankly you’re out of line with that question.” UPDATE: TPMmuckraker has transcript for all of SnarlyPants’ interview Continue reading Snarly
Breaking from WWL… Governor Kathleen Blanco has requested television time tonight for a gubernatorial address that will be carried live on Eyewitness News at 6 p.m. Sources tell Eyewitness News that Blanco will announce she is not seeking re-election. This would be good news in terms of the Dems chance to hold LA governorship. Blanco would not have been re-elected. UPDATE: Michael says in the comments…“And that’s really too bad: Blanco is not a bad governor. She had some bad luck, yes, and she got caught square in the sights of the GOP attack machine.” I don’t know what others … Continue reading Breaking
UPDATE:Ray in New Orleans has much better pics than mine. Also Children of Men.
The sign in the cafeteria of this lower 9th ward school reads “Welcome to the New Louis Armstrong School.” Ray in New Orleans and I went there yesterday and took these photos. It has been 1 year 7 months and 8 days since the levees broke and this building looks as though it happened yesterday. Nothing has been done with it. Nothing. It was as if time stood stll.
The area was silent and deserted yesterday but a pickup truck pulled up as we walked the campus of the school. 3 men got out and talked with us a few minutes. They were contractors checking out the building in order to put in a bid for its demolition. That is really all that could be done with this school given the amount of damage.
It was terribly poignant. to read the writing on the chalkboard from this teacher dated August 26, 2005…a welcome to a new school year that never would be.
If only George fucking Bush could learn this
Once new school books tumbling out of a closet…
Table in the cafeteria
Lockers
More photos after the jump…
(Post title is from the wonderful lb0313 who opens her home to me each time I visit. I am eternally grateful for her gracious hospitality and dear friendship. Thank You lb)
OKBrian Williams would have me on this one but what the heck it’s Saturday blogging. When I had completed editing the Feeling Groovy video below Willie crawled up onto my lap and fell asleep. He was so cute I grabbed the camera and was trying to capture the moment. Of course he awoke and decided enough of this and took off. So I turned the camera on myself and was just acting goofy and singing Feeling Groovy. I caught sight of Willie looking at me as though I was crazy and well watch for yourself. Maybe it was my “singing.” … Continue reading Feeling Groovy…Video Epilogue
YouTube video from Traprock Peace Center On May 26, 2007 Andrew Card faced hundreds of boos and catcalls as he was given an honorary degree during the graduate school commencement at the University of Massachusetts, Amherst. He was really booed… Continue reading Saturday Video–Andy Card BOOED at UMass-Amherst Commencement
Digby gave a wonderful speech and Sinfonian has not only the video but the transcript Continue reading Wonderful
How to smear the Democrats wingnut style: Step 1a:Take a quote from an al-Qaeda member: But he added: “I can assure you that we will start pressuring Bush in a new way at the same time he is facing pressures from the Democrats and the American people. And there will be no problem to sacrifice 10 soldiers in order to abduct a single American soldier and get him on television screens begging for us to release him.” (emphasis mine) Step 1b:Rinse: Ace of Spades precedes the above quote with this… Al Qaeda Claim: We Have Captured US Troops UPDATE: And … Continue reading Rinse, Repeat
From USA Today… Hurricane Katrina drained nearly 300,000 people from coastal areas between Texas and the Florida Panhandle, according to new government population estimates that tally for the first time the storm’s devastating toll on the Gulf Coast. Katrina also doubled the rate of population growth in nearby counties, which absorbed tens of thousands of people the hurricane displaced, the Census Bureau’s estimates show. The estimates for July 1, 2006, being released today, are the first broad measure of the hurricane’s demographic imprint in the 10 months after the hurricane waterlogged New Orleans and splintered houses across Mississippi’s coast. SNIP … Continue reading Census Shows Katrina’s Effects on Populations
The negative impact on children of the very slow recovery on the Gulf Coast continues.USA Today reported the following example… BATON ROUGE — The leader of Louisiana’s largest school system says she believes that up to 200 children in the state’s biggest hurricane evacuee camp are not registered in local schools. And she says the U.S. government — citing privacy laws — is doing little to help officials identify the youths. Other examples comes from a recent report by Columbia University and the Children’s Health Fund which found… Up to 35,000 children– one-third of those across the Gulf Coast still … Continue reading Katrina Kids: 10,000 displaced kids now suffering from clinically diagnosed depression — a 400 percent increase from before the storm
CBS has a preview of Tenet’s interview on 60 Minutes this coming Sunday… Tenet says what bothers him most is that senior administration officials like Vice President Dick Cheney and Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice continue using “slam dunk” as a talking point. “And the hardest part of all this has been just listening to this for almost three years, listening to the vice president go on ‘Meet the Press’ on the fifth year [anniversary] of 9/11 and say, ‘Well, George Tenet said slam dunk’ as if he needed me to say ‘slam dunk’ to go to war with Iraq,” … Continue reading Tenet Talks
MSNBC just announced that Imus simulcast will no longer be carried on MSNBC. More here Continue reading Breaking: Imus off MSNBC immediately
I hadn’t written about the Presidential directive on continuity of power which sounded quite scary because I was not sure there was all that much there, there. TPM takes a look at with this post and found experts that seem to think that is the case… When a presidential directive appeared on the White House’s Web site on May 9, seemingly expanding the president’s powers after a catastrophic attack, readers began emailing us asking why there had been no uproar in the media or amongst civil liberties groups. The consensus amongst experts seems to be that the directive, aimed at … Continue reading OK maybe that’s not scary but what about…
The Army Corps of Engineers used pump specs for bid solicitation right out of the catalog of Jeb Bush’s old company–MWI…the company that ended up getting the bid. NEW ORLEANS—A review of documents by The Associated Press found that when the Army Corps of Engineers solicited bids for drainage pumps for New Orleans, it copied the specifications — typos and all — from the catalog of the manufacturer that ultimately won the $32 million contract. SNIP While it may not be a violation of federal regulations to adopt a company’s technical specifications, it is frowned on, especially for large jobs … Continue reading Oh My! Government Bid Solicitation for those Defective New Orleans Pumps Used Specs from Catalog of Company that got Bid
(money via People Get Ready though we did get a few of these on last NOLA trip)) Dollar Bill Jefferson is to be indicted today according to the AP.Jeffrey at Library Chronicles has more. For some background on his thoughts…there had been rumors in Louisiana that Nagin is looking to make a run for governor. UPDATE: He has been indicted on “federal charges of racketeering, soliciting bribes and money-laundering”… The indictment handed up in federal court in Alexandria., Va., Monday is more than an inch thick and list 16 alleged violations of federal law that could keep Jefferson in prison … Continue reading Dollar Bill Jefferson to be indicted today
New Toy for Willie B… Continue reading Just because kitty blogging
From CBS… The poll finds American’s opinion of the country as a whole even more pessimistic. IF THE FOUNDERS CAME BACK THEY WOULD BE… Pleased 20% Disappointed 72% Many of those polled said the nation is on the wrong track – more so today than ever before. Only 19 percent of Americans believe the country is generally going in the right direction – the lowest number recorded in a CBS News Poll since the question was first asked in 1983. Continue reading If the Founding Fathers came back and saw what’s going on, they’d never stop throwing up
Today the Supreme Court “struck down public school choice plans in Seattle, Washington, and Louisville, Kentucky, concluding they relied on an unconstitutional use of racial criteria…” CNN’s Jeffrey Toobin described the scene at the Supreme Court today… TOOBIN: Boy, Tony, 15 minutes ago the Supreme Court was at war with itself in a drama that is rarely seen inside that room. You had two justices basically shouting out, not literally, but talking about the very premises of what it means to be an American. That was what was at stake in the court today. And the drama and the anger … Continue reading Never in the history of the court…
The GAO released correspondance sent to Joe Lieberman and Susan Collins of the Committee on Homeland Security and Governmental Affairs. It is as update of briefings on Rebuilding Efforts in the Gulf Coast that were given to staff and meant to assist in the committee’s oversight responsibilities. (Yeah I’m still waiting for some of that from Joe) At any rate there is nothing really new here. They once again make this very important point… While the federal government has provided billions of dollars in assistance to the Gulf Coast, a substantial portion of this aid was directed to short-term needs, … Continue reading Scout’s Obsession with the GAO: Perspective
Michael at 2 Millionth Web Log directs our attention to the surge in killings in American cities and a few other things… But…as people have pointed out, as New Orleans goes, so goes the nation. The problems that have plagued the Crescent City–problems residents have been told are their own fault–are showing up elsewhere. Hmmm… Maybe the problem ISN’T with the citizenry, but with the government that constantly blusters about “protecting the American people,” but never actually DOES much of anything when the chips are down…well, never does anything except blame the victims…who just happen to BE the American people. Continue reading Surge…here
Oyster calls Matt at Fix the Pumps blog…”Louisiana’s most important blogger.” This is vitally important stuff, people. Matt’s attention to this issue has uncovered important facts that need widespread exposure, and fearless investigation. New Orleanians deserve the unvarnished truth about the flood control improvements being undertaken by USACE, and the nation deserves an honest accounting of how its tax dollars are being spent. Will we get these things if we don’t demand them? YRHT salutes Matt’s analysis and activism on this crucially important topic. I encourage everyone to listen to what he’s saying. Please go read and pass along the … Continue reading Read him now
Let’s talk Mitt’s dog. It starts with Seamus the Irish setter.Background hereAna Marie Cox has more today on Mitt’s yellow lab named McKenzie Oliver Willis says this story has legs. I think Mitt’s claim that Seamus enjoyed it, only makes it worse. Can he get anymore tone deaf? I find this whole thing just creepy…Santorum like creepy. The story itself is creepy. That someone thought this was a good story to push forward is creepy. But what do you guys think? added: BwahHaaa…Michael Berube on Giuliani’s car trip Continue reading Friday Dog Blogging: Mitt’s got a problem edition
Maitri has info on the Rising Tide II conference in August. Go to New Orleans and join in! Continue reading Rising Tide II
Man I love Elizabeth Edwards. She called into Hardball to confront Ann Coulter.Video at Think Progress Continue reading Elizabeth!
This is from an interview of WaPo’s Chris Cillizza by MSNBC’s Contessa Brewer. The video picks up with Brewer giving a bit of context because she wouldn’t want Ann Coulter to call her names too. Brewer then states: “The point though is if Elizabeth Edwards really wanted to elevate the level of political discourse, woman to woman, you call up and say heh will you [Ann Coulter] go have lunch with me there’s something I want to talk to you about.” And finally she asks Cillizza “And do you think the public really wants polite discourse? I mean aren’t we … Continue reading And do you think the public really wants polite discourse?
Breaking from AP… WASHINGTON – The Senate Judiciary Committee subpoenaed the White House and Vice President Dick Cheney’s office Wednesday for documents relating to President Bush’s warrant-free eavesdropping program. Also named in subpoenas signed by committee Chairman Patrick Leahy, D-Vt., were the Justice Department and the National Security Council. The committee wants documents that might shed light on internal squabbles within the administration over the legality of the program, said a congressional official speaking on condition of anonymity because the subpoenas had not been made public. Continue reading Subpoenaes!
Back in Sept 2005, CREW filed FOIA’s seeking records on the federal government’s plans for a Gulf Coast hurricane. Today CREW has released a new report:“The Best Laid Plans: The Story of How the Government Ignored Its Own Gulf Coast Hurricane Plans.” From CREW’s website we learn… Critically, CREW found that FEMA had created a “Southeast Louisiana Catastrophic Hurricane Plan” (SLCHP), which forecast a range of specific consequences, including: * New Orleans would be flooded with 14-17 feet of water, the levee system inundated with at least 10 feet of water and the hurricane would move into Mississippi;* One million … Continue reading CREW: FEMA’s best laid plans ignored
It’s NOT the Same Guy: The Post-Katrina Emergency Management Reform Act of 2006 mandated that FEMA create a National Advisory Council. Recently they announced the membership. It includes in the category of Elected Local Official, the mayor of Grand Forks named—Michael Brown. Ya think anyone had a moment of hesitation because well ya know ———————————— So now which table is George Bush dining at? Gov. Blanco and Donna Brazille spotted Tony Bennett while dining at Filomena’s in Georgetown. Brazille decided to write a note to Bennett thanking him for his work with the civil rights movement. When she tried to … Continue reading Apropo of Nothing
Yesterday as Christie Whitman was grilled by Congress on the air quality at Ground Zero post 9/11, the GAO released a report (pdf) on the EPA’s efforts on the Gulf Coast post Katrina. The GAO concluded their efforts could have been “enhanced.” One of the main findings involves monitoring of asbestos in the air. However, as cleanup continues, EPA’s assurance that public health is protected from risks associated with inhalation of asbestos fibers is limited because the agency has not deployed air monitors in and around New Orleans neighborhoods where demolition and renovation activities are concentrated. After Katrina the EPA … Continue reading Scout’s Obsession with the GAO: EPA post Katrina “efforts could be Enhanced”
Good for these responsible young people… June 25, 2007 (WASHINGTON) – President Bush was presented with a letter Monday signed by 50 high school seniors in the Presidential Scholars program urging a halt to “violations of the human rights” of terror suspects held by the United States. The White House said Bush had not expected the letter but took a moment to read it and talk with a young woman who handed it to him. SNIP The handwritten letter said the students “believe we have a responsibility to voice our convictions.” “We do not want America to represent torture. We … Continue reading Young Scholars tell Bush…Don’t Torture
Molly Ivins has died… AUSTIN — Molly Ivins, whose biting columns mixed liberal populism with an irreverent Texas wit, died at 5:30 p.m. Wednesday at her home in Austin after an up-and-down battle with breast cancer she had waged for seven years. She was 62. More at the Star Telegram Damn just damn UPDATE: From her final column (via Think Progress) We are the people who run this country. We are the deciders. And every single day, every single one of us needs to step outside and take some action to help stop this war. Raise hell. Think of something … Continue reading Sadness