we saw that...

richard pryor dead at 65

this is a sad day. richard pryor has given us a lot of laughs over the years. his albums, movies and stand up appearances are hilarious. silver streak with gene wilder comes to mind. the toy with jackie gleason was filmed at baton rouge, louisiana if memory serves.

if you have a moment, you may go here and leave a virtual flower and note for richard pryor at find a grave.

'It's just a goddamned piece of paper'

Bush on the Constitution: 'It's just a goddamned piece of paper'
By DOUG THOMPSON
Dec 9, 2005, 07:53
Last month, Republican Congressional leaders filed into the Oval Office to meet with President George W. Bush and talk about renewing the controversial USA Patriot Act.

Several provisions of the act, passed in the shell shocked period immediately following the 9/11 terrorist attacks, caused enough anger that liberal groups like the American Civil Liberties Union had joined forces with prominent conservatives like Phyllis Schlafly and Bob Barr to oppose renewal.

GOP leaders told Bush that his hardcore push to renew the more onerous provisions of the act could further alienate conservatives still mad at the President from his botched attempt to nominate White House Counsel Harriet Miers to the Supreme Court.

“I don’t give a goddamn,” Bush retorted. “I’m the President and the Commander-in-Chief. Do it my way.”

“Mr. President,” one aide in the meeting said. “There is a valid case that the provisions in this law undermine the Constitution.”

“Stop throwing the Constitution in my face,” Bush screamed back. “It’s just a goddamned piece of paper!”
I’ve talked to three people present for the meeting that day and they all confirm that the President of the United States called the Constitution “a goddamned piece of paper.”

And, to the Bush Administration, the Constitution of the United States is little more than toilet paper stained from all the shit that this group of power-mad despots have dumped on the freedoms that “goddamned piece of paper” used to guarantee.

Attorney General Alberto Gonzales, while still White House counsel, wrote that the “Constitution is an outdated document.”

Put aside, for a moment, political affiliation or personal beliefs. It doesn’t matter if you are a Democrat, Republican or Independent. It doesn’t matter if you support the invasion or Iraq or not. Despite our differences, the Constitution has stood for two centuries as the defining document of our government, the final source to determine – in the end – if something is legal or right.

Every federal official – including the President – who takes an oath of office swears to “uphold and defend the Constitution of the United States."

Supreme Court Justice Antonin Scalia says he cringes when someone calls the Constitution a “living document.”

“"Oh, how I hate the phrase we have—a 'living document,’” Scalia says. “We now have a Constitution that means whatever we want it to mean. The Constitution is not a living organism, for Pete's sake.”

As a judge, Scalia says, “I don't have to prove that the Constitution is perfect; I just have to prove that it's better than anything else.”

President Bush has proposed seven amendments to the Constitution over the last five years, including a controversial amendment to define marriage as a “union between a man and woman.” Members of Congress have proposed some 11,000 amendments over the last decade, ranging from repeal of the right to bear arms to a Constitutional ban on abortion.

Scalia says the danger of tinkering with the Constitution comes from a loss of rights.

“We can take away rights just as we can grant new ones,” Scalia warns. “Don't think that it's a one-way street.”

And don’t buy the White House hype that the USA Patriot Act is a necessary tool to fight terrorism. It is a dangerous law that infringes on the rights of every American citizen and, as one brave aide told President Bush, something that undermines the Constitution of the United States.

But why should Bush care? After all, the Constitution is just “a goddamned piece of paper.”

bob dean hotel bentley fiasco

this continuing saga only captures our interest because of the hotel bentley. bob dean is something else. he closed the hotel bentley down a year ago this week this is after looting it of its original antiques and artwork which according to the town talk he wasnt supposed to do because it had something to do with his bank loan mortgage.

how he gets away with all this stuff is beyond us because the media has been covering it. anyway, the bentley has been closed before we remember when we were kids we would pass by the hotel and it was closed then. strangely we have only been inside the bentley just a few times, once we were out partying with some friends and got a wild hair to rent a suite at the bentley. the room (what little we remember of it) was nice. the other time was to apply for a front desk clerk job (we didnt get it) but we did visit the gift shop and found a nice print of a pelican which we had framed and gave to our mother its still hanging in her living room.

so now mr dean is angry with the alexandria establishment because he claims that fema approached him about housing katrina evacuees there. if the truth was known it was probably mr dean who approached fema. when the historical society ladies and all that crowd found out they went nuts. lol general quarters general quarters! and that scotched that.

joe betty sterkx photo courtesy noles frye

Happy New Year - WORM_SOBER.AG

There have been reports that the new year will start with a bang possibly on the 5th of January or 6th of January, when a new SOBER variant is suspected to be released by the same group that caused the recent WORM_SOBER.AG outbreak in November.

The reports may have been based on the analysis that WORM_SOBER.AG will download an executable file Sober.exe) possibly on either January 5, 2006 or January 6, 2006 from certain URLs that are hard-coded and encrypted within the SOBER.AG worm. These "predefined" URLs are not the exact sites that may used - an algorithm based on the date is used to generate the exact URLs that will be used on the target date itself.

For more information on WORM_SOBER.AG, please visit
http://www.trendmicro.com/vinfo/virusencyclo/default5.asp?VName=WORM_SOBER.AG

source: Trend Micro Weekly Virus Report - December 9, 2005
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tags: WORM_SOBER.AG email forwards

john lennon 25 years ago today

it seems like yesterday. we remember waking up to get ready for school turning on the radio to 93kqid and hearing the news that john lennon had been shot and killed in new york city. his album "double fantasy" hadnt been out for very long and the single from it "just like starting over" was popular. people can say whatever they want about lennon, his life style, politics and all that however, our focus has always been on his music. he was very talented in that regard no one can deny that.

Lennon - A Final Record

By Jack Mitchell
12-9-5
TWENTY-FIVE years ago today, John Lennon was shot and killed outside his apartment building on the Upper West Side of Manhattan. This previously unpublished photograph was taken a little more than a month before his death.

Back in the 70's and 80's, I took many pictures of people in the arts, and I had been asked by The Times to photograph Lennon and Yoko Ono for a story about their new album, "Double Fantasy."

The session was to take place in my studio on East 74th Street on Sunday, Nov. 2, at 8 p.m. The couple, who had not been in a photography studio for five years, had insisted that I be alone - with no assistant, or anyone else, in my studio during the session. I put up a gray seamless backdrop because I had no idea what they would be wearing.

The two arrived about 15 minutes late, rang my buzzer and walked up to my second-floor studio. They were wearing sweaters, and they were by themselves.

In an effort to gauge how much time I was going to have, I asked John if this was a stop en route to dinner. He replied, laughing: "Dinner? I've not had breakfast yet!"

When we started the shoot, John and Yoko both kept their glasses on - she was wearing dark sunglasses and he had on tinted lenses. After four long-shot takes, I asked that the glasses be removed. I explained that I wanted to take some tight close-ups and needed to show their eyes.

They agreed - and from that point on the photographing went easily. They were both relaxed and agreeable to the poses I suggested. John was especially spontaneous and loose. He seemed to be having fun and laughed a lot.

During breaks John looked at the pictures hanging on the studio walls, admiring especially some portraits I'd done recently of Meryl Streep. He said he was a Meryl Streep groupie. He also liked, and petted, my ginger studio cat, Red.

It was apparent that John and Yoko were enjoying being photographed and were in no hurry to leave. But at 10:45 p.m., with eight rolls of black-and-white film and a half roll of color film shot, I suggested we had more than enough pictures and should stop.

I was scheduled to process the black-and-white rolls by midnight so a photo editor from the Times could pick up the contact sheets. But I was well over an hour late - largely because the couple stayed a while after the shoot.

John mentioned how comfortable he was in my simple, home-like studio and asked if he and Yoko could come back after the first of the year to do a personal sitting. (I said yes.) Then they took the time to draw a self-caricature. John drew himself first, then Yoko drew her face adjacent to his. They both signed it. We never discussed music.

After a photograph from the shoot was published in The Times on Nov. 9, Yoko telephoned to ask if she and John could use the picture on their 1980 Christmas card. I gladly gave permission. Given what happened on Dec. 8, I'm not sure if the card was ever produced.

Over the years, many Lennon fans have asked why I didn't take any solo pictures of John. My reply has always been this: First, my assignment was to photograph John and Yoko together. And second, they were just so together that it simply never occurred to me.
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tags: john lennon 93kqid Jack Mitchell

c b forgotston on moon griffon

this morning paul hurd sat in and hosted for moon griffon. one of hurds guests was c b forgotston and paul and cb really give em hell about the proposed postponment of the new orleans elections. this is really worth hearing for anyone interested in louisiana politics.


the .mp3 audio file is located here: http://www.freewebs.com/wesawthat








photo courtesy: http://www.forgotston.com/
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tags: forgotston moon griffon paul hurd mp3

Louisiana Reservoir of Corruption

pictured: louisiana state representative francis c thompson (d) dist 19

a reader sent us this email tonight and we have reproduced it below please take a few moments and read it.

In Hurricane ravaged Louisiana, drowning in water and political corruption, money flows to build 14 new Reservoirs. Gov. Kathleen Blanco supports waste of Billions with 150 natural and 30 man-made existing lakes.

Politicians using Eminent Domain and tax money are profiting. In 2001, Rep. Francis C. Thompson created House-Bill 1136 allowing sale of land taken by Eminent Domain to Third-Party. Thompson’s Cypress Cove at Poverty Point-LLC and his next-door neighbor are now selling Lakefront-lots.

Rep. Thompson is creating Reservoirs in Richland, Ouachita, Allen, Caldwell, Morehouse, and promoted them in Washington and other Parishes with $41,975,000 approved for 12 in 2004, and $55.2 million in 2005.

Poverty Point Reservoir, created 1992 by Rep. Thompson with brother Michael Thompson as consultant, built by Denmon Engineering has cost taxpayers $40 Million Dollars with $3.5 million approved for 2005.

Taxpayers paid $1.2 million for Poverty Point Island Lots development with $2.2 million keyed gate entry private road sold for $621,200 dollars to Thompson's neighbor.

Mike Thompson in real estate, former Delhi Mayor now Consultant receives $100,000 a year per lake for Allen, Washington, Morehouse, Caldwell, LaSalle, and has proposed Reservoirs in Ouachita, Jackson and Lincoln parishes. Nepotism, Cronyism, conflicts of interest, and ethics violations seem to exist.

Gov. Blanco's transition team member, Mike Thompson’s Commerce Industry Board position is questionable, and former business partner Terry Denmon, Vice Chairman of Wildlife-Fisheries lake-site selections may destroy Scenic streams, Wildlife, and Endangered species. Denmon, and Rep. Thompson both serve on Aquaculture Advisory Council. Brant Thompson, Rep. Thompson’s son is on Reservoir Commission.

Sen. Ben Nevers co-partner corporations with Commission, and Rep. Ritchie may profit from desecration of 5 cemeteries to build Washington Parish Reservoir. Should homes of old-poor and Churches be taken, Cemeteries destroyed, and Taxpayers spend $40-50 million a lake to make developers wealthy?

Model Lake, Poverty Point lacking natural flowing streams uses two 36-inch pumps drawing water from Bayou Macon, a ditch from Lake Chicot Arkansas, and 4 large-bore 16-inch Mississippi Alluvial Aquifer water wells as water source.

Great Real Estate deals brought to you by Louisiana’s Economic Development Policy, and use of Taxpayer's money. Politics as usual in the state of Louisiana.

References: Community Preservation Alliance Website: http://www.angelfire.com/gundam/reservoir/

James Moore

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related posts:

tags: poverty point reservoir frances thompson Eminent Domain James Moore louisiana

dead pelican on tony snow

**updated** friday 09 december 2005 12:21 pm cst
yesterday chad appeared on the moon griffon radio program with guest host paul hurd we have the audio .mp3 file posted at http://www.freewebs.com/wesawthat/


around 10:35 this morning the dead pelican editor chad rogers was on the tony snow show. they spent a lot of time talking about the "phantom new orleans police department officers" it was a nice segment and if you want to hear it for yourself the 2.5mb .mp3 file is located here:

http://freewebs.com/wesawthat
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tags: tony snow the dead pelican talk radio chad rogers

rod noles economic forecast

rod noles bio

clarence fields interview

this morning pineville, louisiana, mayor clarence fields appeared on the "talk back live" radio program with lynn rollins and bob madison. mayor fields took a few calls and talked about things going on in pineville.

the .mp3 audio file for anyone interested in listening is located here:
ksyl is now archiving their shows please see their website ksyl.com.

christmas letter time

photo courtesy the heritage of the great war.

yesterday we were happy to receive our yearly christmas letter from our old childhood friend jeff. jeff wanted to be a marine biologist then suddenly changed his mind to become a mortician. he said it was to fulfill a desire to help people. jeff and his family lived in choctaw hills subdivision near libuse and pineville, louisiana and we went to school together in the 9th and 10th grade. his dad worked for the forest service. one day jeff phoned us up to tell us that his dad had received a transfer to missoula, montana. now, jeff and his own family live near salt lake city, utah.

every year except last year he has sent us a nice christmas card and within that card crisply folded the latest on his "zoo". jeff or his wife always have the best clip art, this year a green wreath with a red bow in the top left, the christmas star over on the right and at the bottom right a lit candle in a brass candle holder with a sprig of holly to finish it off

the reason we are writing about jeff's christmas letter is because this year in it he tells how he has been here to louisiana and so we thought you might enjoy his perspective

Jeff - I am working for [a] Mortuary and am enjoying a nice work schedule, no on call duty! As an avid fan of World War II history, I was looking forward to attending the International Conference on World War II. There was just one little problem: it was scheduled for the first week of October in New Orleans! But, I still got to Louisiana...just not for the conference. As a member of the Department of Homeland Security's Disaster Mortuary Operational Response Team (DMORT), I was deployed on September 1st to assist with morgue operations based near Baton Rouge. My duties that month were handling transportation and logistics for the operation. I also had the "pleasure" of enduring hurricane Rita, just 125 miles away.

I came home for a week then returned for another month. During the second trip, part of my time was spent in recovering remains and caskets from cemeteries destroyed by Hurricane Katrina. The wide-spread destruction throughout southern Louisiana is impossible to describe. It will be years before life returns to normal for many areas. I will be going back after Thanksgiving as the efforts continue. This experience has been one of the most rewarding of my career and I have met some fantastic people. I am fortunate to have a loving family and supportive employer who allow me to assist with these efforts.

As the year draws to a close, we turn our hearts and minds to our families, friends and our Savior, we pray that you will be blessed with health and happiness throughout the New Year.
J,P,D,C,R and B

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tags: christmas letters dmort hurricane katrina hurricane rita