Saturday, August 26, 2006

No News Is Good News In most cases, no news is good news.  But when it comes to the MSM and the Bush administration, it means something else.   It means sticking to the agenda, sticking to the story line.   Hurricane Katrina has replaced the minute-to-minute coverage of Bush's lowest approval rating ever, because his ratings have been going up for weeks now.  Hurricane Katrina and absurd racial accusations have replaced the minute-to-minute IED explosion in Baghdad, because that sort of violence has decreased by 41% since troop level has increased.   But you'd never know it if you depend on CBS, ABS, NBS, MSNBS, and CNNBS for your news coverage.  6:34:44 PM    comment [] trackback []

	Friday, August 18, 2006

They're going to give us our money. Ray Nagin New Orleans Mayor Ray Nagin still making excuses for his performance.  Before a convention of Black journalists, he says it's because he, and 60% of New Orleans, is Black.  "And I, to this day, believe that if that would have happened in Orange County, California, if that would have happened in South Beach, Miami, it would have been a different response," Nagin said. I agree with that assessment.  The difference is the leaders there would have used their buses, and the people would have handled it better.  The un-preparedness of the good mayor has nothing to do with his skin color, it's his attitude, compounded by incompetence. "We're not going to let that happen. They're going to give us our money, and we're going to rebuild this city." Nagin blames delays on racism, red tape (AP). AP - New Orleans Mayor Ray Nagin on Friday blamed racism and government bureaucracy for hamstringing his city's ability to weather Hurricane Katrina and recover from the disaster that struck the Gulf Coast nearly a year ago. But oh how quickly we forget what the Mayor said at his re-election speech May 20, 2006, just three months ago. "President Bush. I want to thank you, Mr. President.  You and I have probably been the most vilified politicians in the country.  But I want to thank you for moving that promise that you made in Jackson Square forward.  We now have $3 billion for levees.  We have $8 billion for incentives.  We have $10 billion for housing.  You are delivering on your promise, and I want to thank you for all the citizens of the City of New Orleans." [Yahoo! News: Politics News] 11:40:55 PM    comment [] trackback []

	Friday, August 04, 2006

New Orleans Recovery Update I wonder if this is what Mayor Ray Nagin had in mind for New Orleans?  Things in the Crescent City are beginning to flourish.  That is if you call rising violent crime and rising drug trade a recovery.  Drug Problems Escalate After Hurricane Katrina. The drug trade in New Orleans is flourishing again, after its dealers forged closer ties to major suppliers. By CHRISTOPHER DREW. [NYT > Home Page] 10:37:11 PM    comment [] trackback []

	Sunday, May 21, 2006

Rep. William Jefferson, D-La. Target Of Bribery Investigation Tonight on 60 Minutes, a year-long FBI investigation ends with video of a Congressman accepting $100,000 cash to use to bribe a foreign politician.  The tease doesn't tell you that the Congressman is William Jefferson, a Democrat from New Orleans, Louisiana.  Well, the truth be told, 60 Minutes never said a word about it.  It certainly would tend to dispel the democrat talking point that a 'culture of corruption' involves only republicans, when corruption is in fact a bi-partisan issue.  The media would never do anything to counter that, even if it means reporting the truth.  In this case, the truth is better not said.  And who believes that the media would be equally quiet if this guy was a republican?  I'm sure we would see it on all 60 of their minutes. You may remember that William Jefferson (not Clinton) was the politician who commanded National Guard troops and vehicles to go to his house to pick up stuff in the immediate aftermath of Katrina, when the Guard was busy saving lives and restoring order. What else does Rep. William Jefferson do?  From his home page (emphasis added) U.S. Representative William Jennings Jefferson is now serving is eighth term as a Member of the United States House of Representatives. Representing the 2nd District of Louisiana since 1991, he is the first African-American to be elected to Congress in Louisiana since Reconstruction. Jefferson is an active and senior member of the powerful Ways and Means Committee and its subcommittee on Trade. He is also a member of the House Committee on the Budget. He serves as Co-Chair of the Africa Trade and Investment Caucus as well as the Congressional Caucuses on Brazil and Nigeria. Jefferson is also the current Chairperson of the Board of Directors for the Congressional Black Caucus Foundation, a non-partisan, non-profit, public policy, research and educational institute founded by members of the Congressional Black Caucus in 1976. Unlike John Murtha, who accused our troops of being cold blooded murderers before trial and before anyone has even being charged,  I'll assume that William Jefferson is innocent until proven guilty.  Jefferson certainly has the opportunity to use his political sway to be crooked, while at the same time showing the international community that we can be as crooked as the French, Germans, Russians, and Chinese.  Probably like John Murtha, Jefferson either believes that no one pays any attention to what he says, or, he must think that diplomats, and Vice Presidents don't talk to each other.  One week later, 5/27/06, we begin to learn more about the Jefferson investigation.  There are seven other investigations of William Jefferson, or investigations into seven other bribery schemes, where he "sought things of value in return for his performance of official acts." 10:59:30 PM    comment [] trackback []

	Thursday, March 09, 2006

New Orleans Clerk Runs For Mayor, After Jail Sentence New Orleans' Mayoral candidate, and current Clerk of Orleans Criminal Court Kimberly Williamson Butler, is released from jail after serving her three-day sentence for contempt of court.   She is one of two dozen challengers to run against Mayor Ray Nagin.   See the video.  Mayoral Candidate Released From Jail (AP). AP - The clerk of New Orleans' criminal courts — one of two dozen people running for mayor — completed a three-day jail sentence for contempt of court Thursday. [Yahoo! News: Politics News] 10:48:56 PM    comment [] trackback []

	Friday, February 24, 2006

Comparison of Reports on Katrina (AP). AP - A comparison of a White House investigation into Hurricane Katrina released Thursday, and a Feb. 15 House report: [Yahoo! News: Politics News] 12:56:09 AM    comment [] trackback []

	Tuesday, February 14, 2006

Fill The FEMA Trailers Today's news from FEMA is that there is about 10,700 trailers that were 'staged' for distribution to families who were displaced by hurricane Katrina.   Problem is, they're empty.  Word is they are there because they couldn't be shipped to N.O. and similar disaster areas because they are in a flood plain.  Well DUH.  And the law says you can't put temporary housing in a flood plain.  Has anyone suggested those trailers get hooked up right where they are, or another suitable place not in a flood plain, and put them to use?   Isn't it cheaper for us taxpayers to send the still-homeless to where the trailers are, instead of hauling all those trailers all around the country?    To pay for hotel rooms while sitting on such a huge investment in unused trailers is just shy of insane.  It's called bureaucracy. Barring that, you can make a quick buck by buying a trailer towing rig while the government pays you $1,200 and up each to ship them all over the place.  That's uh, more expense for us taxpayers. 1:06:03 PM    comment [] trackback []

© Copyright 2006 Ross Calloway. Last update: 8/27/2006; 1:20:22 AM.