we saw that...

commercial christmas trees available

the first christmas trees we've spotted this year went on sale in pineville, la., sometime wednesday, 24 november 2010.

workers were busy setting up the trees which had arrived moments before we passed by, so no immediate information about pricing was available.

the trees are located in the parking lot opposite the circle k/shell/subway convenience store.

we also saw this temporary roadside advert sign for a&n christmas tree farm in echo, louisiana. the phone number is 318.447.9666.

susek drive

according to a 13 november 2010 piece by the gannett repeater jeff matthews, the city of pineville, louisiana, (actually gilchrist construction company) is presently finishing up work on its susek drive project: work almost finished on pineville's susek drive project or click here to download two page .pdf [55 kb].

gannett repeated that:

The $8.6 million project is being funded through federal stimulus dollars.

Susek has been widened, flattened and resurfaced.

Sidewalks also are being constructed and drainage in the area improved.

so we had an opportunity to pass through there thanksgiving eve and found it to be pretty much as advertised.

in the article susek drive resident daniel o'reagan is really pleased and said "they made a neighborhood out of what was basically a rural road." and that's really true too. its not been all that many years ago when there were few people living along susek and no subdivisions that you could zoom over the hills to get a little something of the roller-coaster effect.

you cant do that now though cos the hills are gone. thanks president obama.

one observation -- although susek drive is open to through traffic its still a good idea to avoid it if you can -- until its renovation is finally complete -- especially if you're the type who likes to yak away on a cell phone while driving and/or you arent really comfortable driving in conditions where the circumstances are fluid; demanding a quick reaction time for human beings working on the shoulder and in the vicinity as well as tractors and other heavy equipment entering, working on or near and exiting the roadway -- all at the same time.


we would have preferred to have filmed this standing in the bed of a pick-up (and might do that for the return trip unless someone else does it first).

there appears to be an annoying bug on the windshield but the likely culprit we discovered later was a smudge on the camera lens.

although our vid is three minutes and thirty-four seconds long, for now the transit takes around four and a half minutes.

we trimmed the first forty seconds off cos we were stopped just inside the intersection to let a tractor pass. the rest of the time was trimmed from the end.

when susek is fully open you will probably be able to shave around ninety seconds or so off.

the perspective is going west from pinehurst drive to edgewood drive.

EXTERNAL LINK

ksyl caller becky: david vitter a cosponsor of S.510 fed/homeland security takeover of food supply

while we're unsure about all of the other stuff that frequent ksyl talk radio caller "becky" was on about, this is the first time that we've heard it mentioned in the msm that senator david vitter is a cosponsor of S.510 fda food safety modernization act -- so we give her props for that.

we wont hold our breath, but perhaps now someone will question senator vitter -- who, of course, claims to be a conservative republican -- just how he can justify cosponsoring and supporting such a massive expansion of federal authority and expenditure and still claim to be a conservative or even a republican. we're sure others would like to know the chapter and verse from the republican party platform that senator vitter is using as justification.

(NaturalNews) If there's one thing to give thanks for this year, it's the fact that the Senate floor vote on the so-called "Food Safety Modernization Act" has been delayed until after the Senate's Thanksgiving recess.

This gives all of us -- the commonsense opponents of S.510 who don't want the FDA having authority over raw milk, seeds and backyard gardens -- another week to flood the offices of U.S. Senators with calls, faxes and emails that express opposition to the bill.

The jury is still out on the Tester-Hagan Amendment which would exempt small farmers from some of the more tyrannical requirements under the law.

If this amendment were adopted, it would substantially improve the bill, but even with this amendment, the bill is just another overreaching expansion of Big Government into yet another area of incompetence. (If the government can't run health care worth a darn, how are they supposed to manage the entire food supply?)

As part of this debate over the safety of the food supply, Sen Mike Johanns is making a courageous attempt to kill the new, idiotic 1099 reporting requirement that would require every person running a small business in America to get 1099 forms from Best Buy, Wal-Mart, Costco, Amazon.com or any other retailer where they've spent over $600 in the previous year.

This absolute nightmare of 1099 paperwork was passed as part of the Obamacare health care reform legislation earlier this year.

It will turn America's small business owners into paperwork pack rats and criminalize anyone who doesn't spent several hundred hours a year chasing 1099 forms from corporations that are almost certain to refuse to give them to you.

This is the government's way of penalizing small business owners in America and killing off yet more jobs as a way to destroy the economy.

This 1099 recall is the only real positive thing being considered in the Food Safety and Modernization Act. And as you've probably noticed, it has nothing to do with food.

On Monday, November 29, a vote will be taken on the Harkin amendment, which is merely a rephrasing of the bill with some new wording that came out of committee.

After that, a vote is planned for the bill itself, meaning S.510 could be passed into law on November 29th.

Additional debate time might be invoked for various amendments to the bill, as there are some motions still pending (Johanns, Baucus, Coburn). So it's not a given thing that a final vote will happen on Nov 29th.

Watch NaturalNews.com for more updates on this bill throughout next week. We will continue to rally opposition to the bill.

I'm not against some commonsense improvements in food safety, but to give Big Brother yet more control over seed saving, backyard food production and small organic farms is an outright disaster, not an improvement.

Besides, as we now know, the problem with e.coli, salmonella and other pathogens in the food supply is really a problem with factory animal farms -- notably cattle and chicken operations.

That's where these pathogens come from (e.coli grows in the intestines of animals), so cleaning up factory animal farms is the answer to food safety, not invoking the FDA and its food irradiation agenda.

It's amazing to see that people are lining up to grant more power to the FDA -- the very agency that has killed more Americans through its corruption, fraud and negligence than any other organization in the history of the nation.

I've written a full story on this important fact, which details how the FDA is far more dangerous than terrorists and that putting the FDA in charge of our national food supply can only lead to disaster. Read that story.

Your voice needs to be heard on this issue. The vote on this bill has been delayed until after the Thanksgiving recess, so you have more time to oppose this dangerous legislation.

Call the Capitol Switchboard and ask to be directly connected to your Senator's office: 202-224-3121.

You can find other contact information for your US Senator here. ~ source

link to audio download page

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wild geese

some clips of migratory geese over rapides parish, louisiana heading south.

EXTERNAL LINK

beaver moon 2010

couple of decent snaps we got this evening of the beaver moon...

Nov. 21, 12:27 p.m. EST -- Full Beaver Moon. At this point of the year, it's time to set beaver traps before the swamps freeze to ensure a supply of warm winter furs.

Another interpretation suggests that the name Beaver Full Moon come from the fact that the beavers are now active in their preparation for winter.

It's also called the Frosty Moon. ~ space.com

ALERT ALL CLEAR: entire east bank of new orleans under boil water advisory: councilmember kristin gisleson palmer

UPDATE-3 times-picayune:Boil water order lifted across east bank of New Orleans

and .. uh ... yeah the saints won beat seattle 34 - 19 in the superdome.
UPDATE-2

cont'd:
The State recommends that you disinfect your water by boiling it for one minute and letting it cool down prior to consumption (including drinking, cooking, brushing teeth, bathing or preparing food).

Boil water for one full minute in a clean container.

The one-minute boil time begins after the water has been brought to a rolling boil. (If there is a flat taste, it can be eliminated by shaking the water in a bottle or pouring it from one container to another.)

"We're uncertain at this point if there was a compromise to the system," said Dr. Takeisha Davis, Regional Medical Director at the Louisiana Office of Public Health. "The major risk is from ingestion, and we think that this risk is very low."

Davis added, "There is little risk to taking a shower, as long as individuals close their mouths and do not ingest the water.

However, we recommend that individuals with open wounds or immune system deficiencies take special precautions and avoid showering while the precautionary boil advisory is in effect."

At approximately 7:00 am on Saturday, the Sewerage and Water Board's chemists and technicians began collecting 28 water samples from sites throughout the East Bank.

Analysis began at 12:00 PM of all samples. Tests are being conducted at the Board's Water Purification Laboratory.

Tests will be incubated for 24 hours to determine if any harmful bacteria are present in the samples.

If the tests show that the water is free of harmful bacteria and has a normal chlorine concentration, the precautionary Boil Water Advisory would then be lifted with the approval of the Department of Health and Hospitals (DHH).

At approximately 10:30 pm on Friday, the Sewerage & Water Board lost 25 cycle power at its main water plant, causing low water pressure (as low as 10 pounds per square inch) throughout the East Bank of the City.

The Board has restored its 25-cycle power and is also operating on commercial power.

According to the Board, water pressure has approached near-normal pressure, as repairs to the electrical system at the main water plant are underway.

The Mayor has ordered an after action report to determine what caused the power failure.

The City's Office of Homeland Security and the State Department of Health and Hospitals are in contact with hospital, hotel, restaurant, and tourism officials to help ensure continuity of operations.

For information, citizens can log onto www.nola.gov or www.swbno.org.

Citizens can call 311 (and press zero) or 658-4000.

UPDATE: times-picayune -- boil-water advisory in effect at least until 3 p.m., sunday, [21 november 2010] landrieu says

urgent press release from new orleans city councilmember for district c kristin gisleson palmer:

Important Boil Water Advisory

Due to a drop in water pressure last night, the State Department of Health and Hospitals and the Sewerage and Water Board have released a precautionary boil water advisory for the entire east bank of the New Orleans.

Citizens are urged to boil their tap water vigorously for at least one full minute prior to using it for drinking or cooking (the minute starts when the water begins to bubble).

This includes water used for brushing teeth, making ice, washing raw foods, preparation of drinks, and water for pets.

Wait for the water to cool before using it, or store it in the refrigerator in a clean container.

You should throw away ice made during the time the advisory or notice was issued, as freezing does not kill bacteria.

This boil water advisory will remain in effect until further notice.

To sign up for future notices visit www.nolaready.info

EXTERNAL LINK

1st kolin kolache festival 2010

alexandria, la. attorney edward a. kaplan permanently resigns from practice of law

Edward a Kaplan Permanent Resignation November 2010

excerpt:

[T]he ODC is conducting an investigation into several new complaints which allege serious attorney misconduct by respondent.

Respondent now seeks to permanently resign from the practice of law in lieu of discipline.

The ODC has concurred in respondent’s petition.

Having considered the Petition for Permanent Resignation from the Practice of Law filed by Edward A. Kaplan, Louisiana Bar Roll number 7622, and the concurrence thereto filed by the ODC,
[...]
IT IS FURTHER ORDERED that Edward A. Kaplan shall be permanently prohibited from practicing law in Louisiana or in any other jurisdiction in which he is admitted to the practice of law; shall be permanently prohibited from seeking readmission to the practice of law in this state or in any other jurisdiction in which he is admitted; and shall be permanently prohibited from seeking admission to the practice of law in any jurisdiction.

EXTERNAL LINK

S.510 fda food safety modernization act federalizes and places food production under homeland security

"even if the intent is not explicitly stated as control over all farms -- that is -- what is -- this legislation and they can use that to impose their world view on everyone."

~ liz reitzig, secretary, national independent consumers and farmer's association.

~ "S.510: oversight or overreach?"

see also "S.510: a clear and present danger."

(NaturalNews) Senate Bill S 510 Food Safety Modernization Act vote imminent: Would outlaw gardening and saving seeds

Senate Bill 510, the Food Safety Modernization Act, has been called "the most dangerous bill in the history of the United States of America."

It would grant the U.S. government new authority over the public's right to grow, trade and transport any foods.

This would give Big brother the power to regulate the tomato plants in your backyard.

It would grant them the power to arrest and imprison people selling cucumbers at farmer's markets.

It would criminalize the transporting of organic produce if you don't comply with the authoritarian rules of the federal government.

"It will become the most offensive authority against the cultivation, trade and consumption of food and agricultural products of one's choice.

It will be unconstitutional and contrary to natural law or, if you like, the will of God." - Dr. Shiv Chopra, Canada Health whistleblower

This tyrannical law puts all food production (yes, even food produced in your own garden) under the authority of the Department of Homeland Security.

Yep -- the very same people running the TSA and its naked body scanner / passenger groping programs.

This law would also give the U.S. government the power to arrest any backyard food producer as a felon (a "smuggler") for merely growing lettuce and selling it at a local farmer's market.

It also sells out U.S. sovereignty over our own food supply by ceding to the authority of both the World Trade Organization (WTO) and Codex Alimentarius.

It would criminalize seed saving, turning backyard gardeners who save heirloom seeds into common criminals.

This is obviously designed to give corporations like Monsanto a monopoly over seeds.

It would create an unreasonable paperwork burden that would put small food producers out of business, resulting in more power over the food supply shifting to large multinational corporations.

I encourage you to read more about this dangerous bill at the Food Freedom blog.

Watch this excellent video on NaturalNews.TV which explains S.510 in more detail:

In addition, the Cornucopia Institute recently sent out an urgent call-to-action email containing the following information:

1) Go to Congress.org and type in your zip code in the box in the upper right hand corner.

2) Click on your Senator's name, and then on the contact tab for their phone number.

You can also call the Capitol Switchboard and ask to be directly connected to your Senator's office:


3) Once connected ask to speak to the legislative staff person responsible for agriculture. If they are unavailable leave a voice mail message. Be sure to include your name and phone number.

Give them this message in support of the "Tester Amendment" which would exempt small farms from S.510:

"I am a constituent of Senator___________. I ask that he/she support the Tester Amendment to the food safety bill.

The Tester Amendment will exempt the safest, small, owner-operator farms and food facilities and farmers who direct market their products to consumers, stores or restaurants.

Food safety legislation should not create inappropriate and costly regulatory barriers to family farms and the growing healthy food movement in the drive to crack down on corporate bad actors.

Please support the Tester Amendment and market opportunities for small and mid-sized family farms, and small food processing facilities."

You may also wish to explain that you oppose the Food Safety Modernization Act in its entirety, and it is a destructive, freedom-crushing law that will destroy the future of food in America.

Remember, America has already lost control over its money supply to the Federal Reserve (nearly a hundred years ago);

America has lost its health due to the medical industry and its profit-from-sickness agenda.

Now we may lose our right to grow our own food and save our own seeds if Senate Bill 510 passes.

This is a dangerous, tyrannical law that would thrust the American people into an age of darkness and malnutrition.

It would criminalize many of the very people growing our food and turn food production into yet another corporate monopoly.

Please take the time right now to contact your U.S. Senator and voice your strong opposition to this bill.
S.510 is sponsored by senator richard durbin and some twenty co-sponsors including senator david vitter -- who became a cosponsor on 27 may 2010.
we phoned senator david vitter's washington, d.c. office this morning. surprisingly (or not) he is a cosponsor of S.510.

we were unable to speak to his "legislative staff person responsible for agriculture," as the staffer who answered the phone said that he was in a meeting.

we asked him to tell senator vitter, that although we know that he is a cosponsor -- to vote against S.510 or alternatively to vote for the "tester amendment."

next we phoned senator katrina mary landrieu snellings washington, d.c.office. we were put in contact with olivia phillipe (phonetic), when we asked to speak to the agricultural staff person.

we requested that she tell katrina mary to vote against S.510 or alternatively, vote for the "tester amendment."


we were looking around but couldnt find a copy or the text of the amendment. so we phoned senator jon tester's washington, d.c. office and spoke to very friendly staffer's who said that in basic, it exempted farmers and farms making $500,000 or less. senator tester's office promised to email or send a copy of the text before long.
S. 510--111th Congress: FDA Food Safety Modernization Act. (2009). In GovTrack.us (database of federal legislation). Retrieved November 17, 2010.

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body of suellen roberts believed found in arizona

fox8live.com

excerpt:

PHOENIX (AP) - Arizona authorities said Monday they discovered the body of a woman believed to be the missing mother of a girl found dead in Louisiana.

The possible remains of Suellen Roberts, 31, were found in a remote area off Interstate 40 in northwestern Arizona, according to the Yavapai County Sheriff's Office.

Thomas Steven Sanders was arrested in Mississippi on Sunday in the kidnapping of Roberts' daughter, 12-year-old Lexis Roberts.

The girl's skeleton was found by hunters last month in Louisiana. ~ read more

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sports illustrated: projects lsu vs boise state in sugar bowl

also projecting university of louisiana at monroe vs northern illinois in the godaddy.com bowl.

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