Welcome to Acadiana - The Daily Meaux

Let's Put On A Show

2010-12-23T12:49:00.004-06:00

Hello...my friend Stephanie Broussard sent me this announcement regarding a special event...an Eavesdrop Theater reunion taking place this
Sunday, December 26 · 6:30pm - 10:30pm @ Cite' Des Arts.
You should go to this. As Elaine's boyfriend/psychiatrist once told her "You can and you will. You can and you will."
Take it away Steph:

While many of you would rather sit at home and watch the fights this Boxer's Day, why not do something different? Come join in a reunion of Eavesdrop producers, writers, directors, actors, stage hands, best boys, gaffs, and audience members and parking attendants as they collectively celebrate those magic years at Citi des Arts in downtown Lafayette. More than just this reunion, many people are talking about getting Eavesdrop up and running again on a regular basis. Finally .... something worthwhile to do on Wednesday nights. Won't you help? Come join the party. Although I'm not at liberty to drop names around, I hear that many ex Eavesdroppers will be coming in from out of town and out of state. Someone told me that Nathan Lane and Tony Randall will be making an appearance, although that someone is not the most reliable source. In any event ... please make an appearance. I'll be there, so you can at least see me.

Follow the link and state your intentions.

http://www.facebook.com/event.php?eid=154044981308315

Bluerunners Open 11th Season of Louisiana Crossroads

2010-10-15T07:03:00.004-05:00

So since Mark has been crazy busy with the Louisiana Crossroads series this week (in case you missed this week's Times of Acadiana - check it out....cover story on the Bluerunners reunion Crossroads events) I thought I'd do the music post this week. And because it has been a rather nostalgic couple of days, I thought it only appropriate that I sneak in and post this....the video that accompanied "I Can't Help You" from the Bluerunners Island Records debut. Saturday show at the AcA is sold out, but good tickets are still available for the Lake Charles show tonight.
Happy weekend!
jill :)

Guns for Gas

2010-10-13T20:43:00.003-05:00

I don't really think this is the reason they created the "it's ok to bring your gun to church" law, but in Baton Rouge, 4 churches are not only encouraging it...they're paying you for them. In light of several recent shootings in the capital city, Circle K convenience stores and the churches are partnering to promote a gun trade in event. For every gun they collect, no questions asked, they will give back a free gas card. They have $40,000 worth of gas cards to pass out and the denomination is determined by the class of gun turned in. Assault rifles will earn the highest - a $200 card. HoumaToday has the whole ironic story here.

Shop Locally

2010-10-12T18:42:00.005-05:00

This is pretty nifty...on the heels of the increasingly popular 'Eat Lafayette' campaign, some local business owners have now formed their own group. "Shop Local Acadiana" has just kicked off their advertising campaign to encourage people to spend their money with locally owned businesses instead of national retail chains. They say that when we do, 3 times more of our money stays right here in our local economy for local businesses to hire, invest and contribute more.

Shop Local Acadiana also has a really nice website. On it, shoppers can sign up for 'Local Finds' email specials and text messages and see a directory of participating businesses. Each business also has it's own page on the site so you can learn more, see photos and get links to their websites or facebook pages. Merchants can easily learn the benefits of participating and find out how to join. The concept is pretty simple - business owners pool their money and together they can afford an impactful advertising and promotional campaign.

I say Bravo Gina Girouard Babineaux and Shannon Broussard Lynd. Check out their Facebook page here.

Easy Post Monday

2010-10-11T05:22:00.001-05:00

The joke's on us.

The Colbert Report

Mon - Thurs 11:30pm / 10:30c

Indecision 2010 - Revenge of the Fallen - FearStock.com

www.colbertnation.com

Colbert Report Full Episodes

2010 Election

March to Keep Fear Alive

Don't Touch My Duck

2010-10-07T05:00:00.000-05:00

This is from 1981. I'm pretty sure I attended that year's Festival Acadiens, though, much like the average festival goer who can't tell one Cajun song from another, it's hard for me to remember one year's fest from any other year's. I mean, was it the one when it rained? Or the one where it was super hot and dusty? Or the year when it was super hot and dusty, then it rained and it was super muddy? See what I mean?

However, that would be missing the point. This festival is a party that starts somewhere around Friday, and ends, mostly on Sunday night (maybe a little Monday morning breakfast and farewells). In between, is lots and lots of music, dancing, eating and drinking. It's what is great about living in South Louisiana. Much like the people and culture it celebrates, Festival Acadiens just keeps rolling on, bigger and better every year.

Two Lafayette Community Leaders Pass

2010-10-06T08:21:00.008-05:00

We don't generally run obituaries but when two prominent, life-long Lafayette pillars of the community pass away, we can't not share our sadness. Our condolences go out to the Naomi and Alesi families who are each dealing with the sad passing of the heads of their families. On Sunday, Theresa Begnaud Naomi died at the age of 84. She and her husband of 56 years, Paul, founded Paul's Jewelry store back in 1954 and today that business has grown to two locations and is run by her surviving children, PJ, Patty and Nancy. Her full obituary can be found here.

On Monday, Mike Alesi, patriarch of the famous Alesi Pizza family and forever immortalized in that iconic sign on Johnston Street, passed away at the age of 90. He opened the doors of Alesi Pizza in 1957 on the corner of Cameron and Bertrand streets and just 5 years later moved to it's official home on Johnston Street, where it still thrives today. KATC has a nice remembrance story here.

We wish both of these families peace in their time of sorrow and thank them for all the wonderful contributions their loved ones made to our great community.

Fox....Meet Hen House

2010-10-05T05:44:00.003-05:00

I hate stories like this. When you do a search of Louisiana stories everyday, you see this a lot. Our state sells out to big business at every turn. Who in their right mind would allow BP executives into our elementary schools, for anything other than to write one of those giant checks? It's bad enough they're on TV 24/7, rolling out their saccharine (sweet enough to make me puke) public relations campaign about how responsible they are. Does anybody really fall for this?

Well, officials at Oaklawn Junior High School apparently do. This article by Brian Merchant, for Treehugger.com reveals that the school allowed BP and the National Atmospheric Administration to conduct "science demonstrations" to dispel "myths" about dispersants used in the clean up of the oil spilled from the Deepwater Horizon oil rig. Relevant fact: It was BP's spill! In case anyone has forgotten. From the article:

"The primary purpose [of the demonstration] is to inform and educate students on the methods used to clean up the oil in the Gulf and the wetlands and marshes," Janella Newsome, BP media liaison said in a press release. "It's also to dispel myths about dispersants, subsurface oil and seafood safety."

Photo by xtinaaskew

Tracking Tweets

2010-10-04T06:14:00.006-05:00

I find it difficult to see the usefulness in Twitter...I don't understand all it's special secret codes (RT, #, @) and don't particularly care what everyone in the entire universe is doing at that exact moment, however, a computer science expert over at Southeastern University in Hammond has announced the findings of a study that prove it really can be a useful tool. He and his students studied Twitter and found that it is a pretty good indicator and predictor of flu outbreaks. They found that they are just about as accurate as the Centers for Disease Control and it's a whole lot less expensive with no paperwork or forms to fill out and process. Neat....and kind of scary I guess. Next time you tweet "I'm getting sick" someone is watching and recording. Complete story and technical details here at Science Daily.

J-I-M-I

2010-09-30T05:00:00.000-05:00

I love this version of Born Under A Bad Sign. Booker T and William Bell wrote it. Albert King made it famous. But this version by Jimi Hendrix utterly transforms the original into something sublime and beautiful. I'm telling ya, I love this track. Someone gave me a cassette with this on it, and I drove around listening to it, over and over for a year or more, before I realized it was an instrumental. His playing is so expressive and personal, it feels like lyrics are being sung....through the guitar. I mean, even the way he comes in...off of a pre-bent note AND a volume swell! That's some audacious (you know what) to come in like that....and it just gets better and better as he adds layer after layer after layer...all stream of conscious, live in the moment. I can't think of a better song to have stuck in my head all day. Have a nice weekend folks. It's good to be back.

When You Ain't Got Nothing....You Got Nothing To Lose

2010-09-29T05:00:00.001-05:00

If ever there was a case of "one of these things is not like the others" it's this list of events to consider entitled "Do Something Different In October" compiled by Miss Cellania in her blog on Mental Floss.

Let's see, we've got the North American Wife Carrying Championship; something called the Bean Fest And Great Championship Outhouse Race; World Conker Championships....who knows what that is; and then we have the Angola State Prison Rodeo, where "inmates compete in many events from barrel racing to bull riding to 'convict poker', in which four participants sit at a table while a bull is released. The last one to stand up wins!"

So, serving time in a notoriously rough prison, then risking your life against a raging bull (not the movie...a real raging bull!) merits equal placement on the list as a bean fest? Has anyone been seriously injured in an outhouse race? Given the choice, I'd prefer to sign up for Outhouse Pilot. "The outhouse races are run by three-person teams, with the pilot sitting on a toilet seat and steering, and two others pushing the outhouse."

The rodeo happens every Sunday in October. Check out their website here for details, and directions

Oh Lindsay

2010-09-28T05:43:00.004-05:00

Ah the saga that is Lindsay Lohan. Normally we are able to stay away from Hollywood gossip like this (except...Britney....you've been so quiet lately.....) but not this time....not when Lohan's antics are now affecting us (well, not 'us' directly, but our state).

According to MTV, Lindsay Lohan was about to begin filming her new movie, Inferno, a biopic about porn star Linda Lovelace, in our fair state....that was until now. The producers of the film are moving production from LA to L.A. to accommodate Lohan's 'travel restrictions' placed on her because of her most recent failed drug test and arrest last week. A move that will cost the producers a "sizable amount of money." They say they understand the public exasperation about Lohan's behavior but are committed to her starring in this movie so they are finding additional financing to make the move. And to ensure everything goes smoothly, they are writing special sobriety clauses into her contract. That should go well...

It's The Pants!

2010-09-27T05:00:00.001-05:00

Yes, there was a missed kick. Yes, there were a couple of interceptions (underhanded Drew, really?). In fact, the hated rivals (I won't speak their name...ever) played an OK game. Indeed, by their lowly standard, they played the game of their life yesterday. But, friends, it was an unfair fight. We were not wearing proper uniforms. In fact, whenever we wear those *&%#ing-black leotard things, we take the field at a distinct disadvantage. It's as if we're playing the entire game waiting for our real uniform pants to finish drying.

This has gone on way too long. Do you realize the black pants debuted in the Ricky Williams era? He has since gone to Miami, smoked pot, moved to Canada, came back, quit football all together, only to come back again...and we're still wearing those same pants! Who can forget the sight of Aaron Brooks throwing his vaunted backwards pass (it would actually go backwards, and Deuce would have to run it down and fall on it) donning the no-stripe, black, stocking-pants?

And that brings up another point. All they have to do put a stinking stripe down the sides! I'm no fashion expert (though I am digging Project Runway again. Go Mondo! with your wacky wool tweeds and your gigantic head) but maybe gold would work. Yeah, maybe a gold stripe might be just what is needed. It would work great with the official team colors which happen to be BLACK and GOLD! Not to mention, our gold pants rock! We wore those gold pants through our entire playoff run and Super Bowl victory last season. We win with the gold ones. The black ones suck!.

It's time OK? Get rid of 'em, or put a stripe on 'em!

Nostalgic Fun

2010-09-26T05:59:00.003-05:00

I love old stuff and am really fascinated by what places used to be and what they are now. I also love ebay so I was doubly excited when I typed in 'Lafayette, LA' and up popped over 200 neat old postcards, matchbook covers, mardi gras ball programs and more!

There's a menu from an old restaurant called "The Skunk" (apparently on Hwy. 90 somewhere?), an old Hadacol bottle, a Sambo's wooden nickel (where was that located?), a postcard for the Lafayette Charity Hospital (some big old white building...must be something now?), several old hotel postcards, Evangeline Hotel matchbooks, and lots of images of downtown...the Gordon Hotel from the 20's, City Hall, and General Office Supply. Fun! Oh - AND - a baseball card from one of mark's old Driller's buddies, Gary Alexander.

So, if you're a geek like me about this kind of stuff click here to see all the old nostalgic wonderfulness.

Back in the Saddle Again

2010-09-25T07:28:00.007-05:00

Wow....where to start. Things sure have been crazy in the Meaux household lately. Mark and I have been so busy. To update: dad is feeling much better. He got out of the hospital and has been having physical/occupational/speech therapy four times a week so he is improving. Minor set back a couple of weeks ago, but he's recovering and doing much better. Thank you all for your prayers and concern.

Mark has a bunch of things going on musically too - his new Sam Rey CD is out and available for sale or download on his website: samrey.net and, he has a couple of big gigs coming up in October. Once they are announced, we'll fill you in.

I'm busy at work planning our big fundraiser so that's fun. Fall is here and the broken oil well is dead....things are good all the way around.
- jill :)

Where's Mark & Jill....?

2010-08-02T05:46:00.004-05:00

Unfortunately we're not sitting on a tar-ball free beach with our toes in the sand sipping iced tea.....

Actually my dad has been pretty ill. He has Parkinson's Disease, and now possibly Parkinson's Plus Syndrome (all the goodies that come with Parkinson's, plus a whole lot more....) and has been in the hospital for the past two and a half weeks. They have requested a family member be there with him at all times so we are taking shifts and have a sitter help us at night. We're hoping he'll come home soon, but as a result the blog has been suffering. Our phones have been great to keep us occupied but are not very easy to blog on, so, please bear with us, we'll be back soon....I do see a light at the end of this tunnel.
- jill

School Supply Drive

2010-07-27T13:29:00.003-05:00

The Acadiana Outreach Center, along with Pippin McGee, KLFY TV10, and Big 102.1 are hosting a school supply drive now through next Tuesday.

Collection locations are:
* Pippin McGee on Ambassador (next to Posado's and across the street from Charley G's)
* KLFY TV 10 on Eraste Landry
* Acadiana Outreach Center (125 S. Buchanan Street)

All supplies collected will be distributed to needy families in the community. Please help support a worthwhile cause and pick up an extra pack of paper while you're out. Click here to see a complete list of supplies needed.

Thanks!
jill :)

Makes My Dang Head Spin

2010-07-26T08:05:00.008-05:00

Wouldn't it be awesome if you were BP, to find cheap labor to do the most toxic work of cleaning the crude oil of the beaches of Louisiana? And even better, what if you could easily buy those worker's silence as to what they are seeing and experiencing out there cleaning. Let's go for the trifecta, add the good ol'racial component, and say we could get a workforce of predominantly African-American workers, who BP can get for dirt cheap, and won't speak to the press. Where could they find such a pool of workers? Well, look no further than Louisiana's awesome privatized prison system. In fact, BP gets a nice tax write off for hiring prison labor!

Abe Louise Young, writes this article for the Nation, that details the situation described above. Holy cow, some of this article reads like it was taken from the script for Cool Hand Luke...can this really be 2010?

Photo by quinn.anya

The Downs At The Moon Tonight

2010-07-22T08:44:00.003-05:00

This should be a really good show! Rotary Downs from New Orleans and The Picardy Birds from here in Lafayette both rocking out at the Blue Moon Saloon. Go get your indie-rock on. Weekend is here right about........now!

SWEETS

2010-07-21T08:43:00.008-05:00

I have been remiss is giving kudos to one of Lafayette's rising stars Kody Chamberlain. He's an artist, writer and one prolific dude. His latest work SWEETS was featured in this article by Patrick Strange and Leo Mcgovern in Good, the New Orleans issue. From the article:

The recently published NYPD Blue-meets-Seven crime drama Sweets—created by Louisiana native Kody Chamberlain—attempts to use New Orleans’s staggering murder rate for its fictive advantage. Set in late August, 2005, as the hurricane looms, Sweets follows Detective Curt Delatte as he chases down a serial killer who leaves pralines as his calling cards. Adding somber insult to fatal injury, Delatte’s wife has just left him after their daughter was killed in a brazen hit-and-run. Murder and civic chaos abound, and the surrounding violence only heightens the sense of impending doom as the storm swirls towards the city. “Like it or not, the murder rate gives the city a sharp edge,” Chamberlain says, “which adds weight to any story set in New Orleans." Of course, complicating the case is the encroaching hurricane and the uncertainty of the evacuation—a facet of Sweets that may hit New Orleanians a bit too close to home. But hurricanes, like crime, are a fact of life for those who live in the city. “Every time a major storm enters the Gulf, everyone feels the stress, and that can have a major impact on a character, which, in turn, makes for good stories,” says Chamberlain. As for Delatte, his stress is channeled into hunting a killer. “What if the killer evacuates?” Chamberlain asks, assuming the voice of his protagonist. “What if evidence is destroyed? What if Delatte can’t handle the real-world pressure? Surely New Orleanians would root for Delatte...”

Also, check out Chamberlain's blog In No Particular Order for updates and reviews of SWEETS. He seems to always be working, moving....try and catch up will ya?

World Gone Wrong

2010-07-20T08:35:00.005-05:00

I'll admit it...I'm a bit naive to the ways of the business world. I mean, I get the concept of free enterprise, and profit, and I'm all for that. But in my limited view, those concepts work for the greater good of society when they are practiced within the limitations of shared ethical standards. That's cool right? Just common decency...and I'm not even talking about laws or regulations, I'm talking about the basic assumption of honesty that allows us to conduct the transactions of daily life with a modicum of assurance that the parties involved aren't trying to screw each other. Well....that shit ain't really working so good at the moment.

Case in point: Science and Business. Scientists are the smart guys and gals, the eggheads, the ones who collect and interpret the data. If they lie about their findings, society is put at risk. Fairly simple. However, sometimes their findings don't land within the profit margins of the business folks...and the squeezing begins. That's cool. Squeezing the facts can result in getting the absolute most of a situation, allowing folks to make money and other folks to receive goods and services....and the world goes round. But what if a company, lets say BP, calculates that it's in its best interest to ignore science, or control science or just flat out lie, obstruct, and obscure the collection of data. And further, what if the company then attempts to silence scientists with contracts that prevent them from reporting their findings for years. Oh man, then you got the makings for some ethical violations there...on both sides. And yet, this is exactly what is being alleged in this article by Ben Raines in the Press-Register of Mobile, AL.

BP PLC attempted to hire the entire marine sciences department at one Alabama university, according to scientists involved in discussions with the company's lawyers. The university declined because of confidentiality restrictions that the company sought on any research.The Press-Register obtained a copy of a contract offered to scientists by BP. It prohibits the scientists from publishing their research, sharing it with other scientists or speaking about the data that they collect for at least the next three years.

Now, the scientists at the University of South Alabama declined the offers on ...get this...ethical grounds. Not so much for LSU, University of Southern Mississippi, and Texas A&M. And there's more about Bobby Jindal's sand berm folly, but I've done that to death on here. It blows my mind how cynical these folks are, and how stupid they assume we are.

Photo by Crowolf

Thanks for the tip in Wayne!

Bahr On Olberman Tonight

2010-07-14T14:54:00.002-05:00

Len Bahr, Ph.D., founding editor of LaCoastPost is scheduled to appear on MSNBC this evening at 7:00 PM CDT on Countdown with Keith Olberman to discuss the use of sand berms to save marshes from oil.
Here is an article by Dr. Bahr that appears in LaCoastPost. And here is a segment of the article:

In terms of specific criticisms, I have predicted that the berms will: (1) squander limited sand resources; (2) increase the depth and reduce the friction of the bottom profile; (3) increase the erosive power of tidal exchange; (4) steal dollars from and interest in less dramatic but more effective measures; (5) exacerbate the ongoing tension and lack of cooperation between federal and state agencies; (6) inject political overtones in what should be objective technical discussions; (7) jeopardize the credibility of the overall mission to protect and restore the Mississippi River delta; and (8) – most telling – fail to actually reduce the risk of oiling local marshes.

Thanks for the heads up Paul.

Time Machine

2010-07-14T08:48:00.004-05:00

Here's what happened to Brazil's fisheries after only 350,000 gallons of oil spilled 10 years ago. That's only a quarter of what has been glug, glug, glugging in the gulf for the past three months. And this report was filed by Al Jeezera, not any of the major media here. Kinda ironic. Thanks Tim!

His Name Is Drew...Not Dan

2010-07-14T08:38:00.004-05:00

What the hell? Of all the names this reporter could have been given from Cajun country, he screws up Drew? In spite of that, the main point is Drew Landry has more courage than just about anyone I know, and talent too! Check out this story from the Huffington Post.

Ahh..These Are The Good Kind Of Clowns

2010-07-13T08:54:00.003-05:00

Not today folks. I'm not gonna waste time getting angry about the cynical political pandering our elected officials shovel out to us today. There's stuff out there from the usual suspects. And if the new cap on the broke oil well works...that would be great. But until then, I'm gonna look towards New Orleans for something nice to listen to. It's Tuesday, and it's boiling hot in Louisiana.

Man, This Is Sad

2010-07-12T08:41:00.002-05:00

The State We're In

2010-07-09T08:25:00.006-05:00

OK, so, I start each day casting my proverbial net out into the interwebs looking for Louisiana stories. I don't always like what comes in, and they aren't all keepers, but rarely are the stories boring. Makes me wonder if all states in the union are like this...do Iowa searches bring up stories of jail houses locking up suicidal prisoners in something called a "squirrel cage" and force them to wear shorty-shorts with the words "hot stuff" on the back? We apparently do.

Would a search of ....I dunno...let's say New Hampshire include stories of an elementary school that uses handcuffs and shackles on it's students, and I'm talking students under the age of 7? Well, maybe...but we got that.

And I'm guessing this story of Governor Jindal signing into law a bill that allows guns in church and another law that mandates ultra sound tests on all women getting abortions, with no exception for cases of rape (so much for getting government out of our lives) will be the envy of our fellow southern conservative states. Suck it Alabama, we got there first.

But I feel confident that not too many other places would be ranked in the top 10 music cities in the country (OK, by definition at least 9 others would) like Lafayette did. Nice little mention of the Blue Moon Saloon in there too.

Should I stop wondering here and end on a positive note? Huh? And ignore the man arrested in a Louisiana Wal-Mart for masturbating while looking at a small boy? I mean, he was in the electronics department....does that count as higher learning?

P.S. oil glug.

Sweet Relief

2010-07-08T08:55:00.002-05:00

Ah man...when it sucks...like it does now....here's one guy who got it right.
Weekend starts right after a brief cultural history lesson. Shut up and let Clifton play!

Tar Balls For $200 Alex

2010-07-07T08:23:00.004-05:00

If I ever hear the words "tar ball" again, I'm just gonna spit. That's all any media can cover in Louisiana this summer, and with obvious good reason. Much like the stare down I give my oatmeal in the morning, it's been battle of wills between me and the balls this summer. Who's gonna blink? The thing is, there seems to be way more of them than there are of me. Just yesterday they were found in Lake Pontchartrain, and Galveston.

Add to that the slow-motion quality of the glug..well 21st century folks aren't equipped to be able to pay attention this long, and now we're losing interest. Here's a bunch of graphs that tell you that.

Oh yeah, and Baton Rouge...it's the second ranked metropolis in the country..for AIDS. Really? I mean, with all due respect, it's not even that fun a place to hang out. But there are four prisons in the area, and we've allowed our prison system to degrade in to giant incubators of the HIV virus. Don't be jealous New Orleans, you're in third place.
So, let's recap: tar balls, oatmeal, ADHD, and AIDS....hell let's throw in whore monger since he's been slinking around town lately. Good morning Acadiana!

Photo by BPAmerica

And Yet Again

2010-07-06T09:38:00.003-05:00

I know some folks like to watch the live cop chases on TV. But my favorite is the fake cop. Maybe it's because I've worked so many part-time jobs with guys who wanted to be cops, but failed to make it for some reason. They still really want that uniform though, and I guess some of them, like the guy in this story, won't let the dream die. Now, this could have been a very bad scene, particularly for the woman he illegally pulled over, so it's nothing to laugh about. Except maybe the fact that he recorded it all with his dashboard cam....that's kinda funny. And the part where his girlfriend hands him the phone to speak with the real police, and the speed with which he surrenders...all kinda funny. Cautionary tale: Kids...or adults...don't try this at home.

Here are some other fake cop guys we've posted on, here, here, and here.

Music

2010-07-01T08:56:00.003-05:00

Sometimes, when, there's nothing that can be done....that's when music can help. It can't plug the hole, can't stop the glug, glug, glug, but it can help us get through this crap. It doesn't matter what kind of music. Go find something that does it for you, and put it on. This is for the spirit, and spirit is what we're need to be strong. They talk about this oil killing our culture, but that's not true. It may kill the fish, but our community and our culture is still here. Weekend starts now.

Don't Believe The Hype

2010-06-30T08:16:00.007-05:00

For those of you who may be fans of our Governor, Bobby Jindal, here's a piece from National Public Radio that reports on Jindal's reemergence on the national scene due to the BP oil disaster. In seems, that running around looking angry, and bashing the President, and the federal response to the disaster counts as "doing something". What a load.

Don't forget that the Fed gave Jindal 6,000 National Guard troops, he still has only used 1,053. We just cited a CBS News report on this in our post Saturday, here's the link . And those sand berms he's so pissed about? Turns out they would do more harm than good. Here's the post we did citing a story in the LA Times.

Meanwhile, a new report shows that Louisiana is second only to Mississippi in percentage of population living under the poverty line. Almost %20 of our fellow Louisiana citizens live in poverty. Check the study here. Meet the new boss, same as the old boss.

Photo by Arete 13

New Mini-Golf Coming to Lafayette

2010-06-29T06:18:00.006-05:00

I drive by the old Global Golf location on Johnston Street almost every day and each time I do, I look at the empty lot with nothing left but some big pampas grass and think to myself how much I enjoyed miniature golf as a kid. The bigger and fancier the better. I remember going to giant miniature golf parks on vacation....not the wimpy little putt-putt courses, but big, pirate ship fancy miniature golf courses. Well, the mini-golf gods must have been listening to my opine because there's a new $20,000 miniature golf and batting cage recreation center going up on Duhon Road...not far from the old Global Golf. But in the meantime, if you need a mini-golf fix, visit Kart Ranch...they have one of the best courses around and lots of other fun stuff. Ok, there's no giant pirate ship, but they do have a lighthouse and it is still very nice. Plus, if you get hot, you can cool off in the bumper boats or start a Super Soaker war. Happy summer! jill :)

Happy Monday

2010-06-28T08:04:00.004-05:00

Well, it's a good news-bad news situation with our new friend Tropical Storm Alex. The good news is, it's probably going west of Louisiana and the BP glug. The bad news is the conditions are suitable for the storm to gain strength and become a hurricane. Don't take my word for it, read KATC's Dave Baker's blog here.

In other news, the "Cajun Navy" has reassembled. I think their last mission was helping rescue folks stranded in NOLA, during the Katrina aftermath. Now, they're using barges to block oil from entering into sensitive shrimp and oyster beds. National Public Radio ran this story about the efforts of Louisiana locals to save their coastline, and their livelihoods.

Elsewhere, there's more shenanigans from Gov. Bobby Jindal. He vetoed a bill that would allow public access to records detailing the state's response to the BP glug. So much for transparency. Read this account by The Washington Monthly.

And finally, for those who desire a wallop of human suffering to start their week, the Associated Press ran this article by reporters, Janet McConnaughey and Mitch Stacy, about the mounting psychological toll on Gulf Coast residents. Read it here. It's about what you'd think it would be. And it's very depressing.

Ponies And Balloons

2010-06-26T06:39:00.005-05:00

Righteous anger. Here are two reader submitted clips that will make your blood boil. Try and keep track of who is a true friend of Louisiana. CBS won't let me post their video, but you can watch it here. Thanks to Wayne and Paul for the submissions.

Water (((water)))

2010-06-25T07:52:00.004-05:00

Wow, I'm starting the weekend a day late this week, and it's not like I did it on purpose. I suppose the Mimosa Girls distracted me. So, today is Friday, and I have a maritime theme going with our musical clip. First off, today's clip is dedicated Jill's Dad "Sailor Jim Johnson" who has come to live with us this week; secondly, this is a way to enjoy the water without getting all depressed about the Gulf; and finally, what place besides Louisiana could lay claim to an artist named Frogman? With that, let's sit back and recall one of my favorite scenes in the movie Diner which featured this same tune. Weekend starts (albeit a day late) now! Take it away Clarence!

20 Billion Would Make It Rain....For A Long Time

2010-06-24T08:14:00.004-05:00

With a couple Youtube videos making the rounds of what purports to be oily rain in areas along the Louisiana coast, one gets the sense that the wheels are just about to come off of this oil glug thing. True enough, the environmental damage began months ago, but now the real circus begins as folks line up for a piece of that $20 billion dollar pie.

Enter the "Mimosa Dancing Girls". They are here to remind BP, that fishermen, after they fish, often enjoy a beverage whilst engaging in cultural studies of the female form....at da strip club. But if they ain't no fish, they ain't no fishermen...thus the employees of the Mimosa strip club ain't getting paid. They have filed a claim for lost wages with BP.

Newly appointed BP claim czar, Kenneth Feinberg, says, he was born in the night time, but not last night, a mantra he is sure to repeat ad nausem, for the next couple of decades.

"I’m dubious about that claim. I’m very dubious about that claim,” Feinberg said. “But I don’t want to prejudge any individual claim and I think we will study this and decide how attenuated claims can be that will be eligible or ineligible for compensation under this independent facility.”

Read the article here at George Stephanopoulos' blog, dimly titled, George's Bottom Line.

Where Ya At Vermilion Parish?

2010-06-23T10:43:00.004-05:00

We have been contacted by a Daily Meaux reader in Vermilion parish with a complaint about being unable to receive non-emergency medical transportation, a service which would be paid for by Medicaid. Apparently there are no businesses willing to provide this service in the parish, and providers from other parishes are unwilling to cross parish lines to provide the service.

I'm curious if any folks from Vermilion parish have had similar problems. If so, please email us or leave a comment on this post.

Why Am I Not Surprised?

2010-06-23T09:45:00.005-05:00

OK, you think it's easy being an unpaid blogger? True, the dress code is flexible...very flexible, as are the hours, and really there's no boss or office politics to speak of. But, try watching the USA vs Algeria while composing a little story, and by story, I mean a paragraph, maybe two. Still, we got robbed again on another off-sides goal, which is made all the more infuriating by the fact that I don't understand the rules of soccer. Grr!
And yet, here comes the Whore Monger to bail me out with a story only he could provide. Matthew Mosk and Brian Ross report for ABC News that Sen. David Vitter has a longtime staffer who pleaded guilty in 2008 to attacking his then girlfriend with a knife. Bad, but not Vitter bad yet. The aide, Brent Furer, has been assigned by the senator to oversee women's issues. There, Vitter bad...and all wrapped up with a bow. There's more, like the fact that Furer still has an open DUI warrant in Baton Rouge, and has had repeated brushes with the law since the 1990's.
The attack on Furer's girlfriend was particularly brutal and the victim required medical attention. Here are some details of the attack taken from the police report and included in the ABC Story:

After drinking at a restaurant, the two returned to Furer's Capitol Hill apartment, the report says. Furer "would not let her leave." He "pulled on her coat, which caused it to rip," then "pulled out a knife and stabbed [her] in the hand," the police report says. Furer became angry when he found phone numbers for other men in her blackberry. He smashed her phone when she tried to call 911, the records say, and he shoved her to the floor when she tried to leave, then held his hand over her mouth and threw her on a bed. Furer "uttered the words to her, 'Do you want to get serious.'" Then, the arrest warrant states, Furer "grabbed an unknown object and held it under her neck. The suspect asked the complainant, 'Do you want to die?' The complainant replies and she stated, 'No, I don't want to die.'" After a 90 minute standoff, Furer made her promise not to call police, and then allowed her to leave. She fled to a friend's house, and was taken by ambulance to the hospital. A slash on her chin took eight stitches to close, the police report says.

The story goes on to report that Furer is a former Marine and veteran of the first Gulf War and takes medication for treatment of post traumatic stress disorder. If this is true, perhaps Vitter could help the man get the help he needs rather than giving him a tax payer subsided staff position.

Read the full story here.

Ch-ch-ch-ch-Changes

2010-06-22T08:31:00.003-05:00

I hate being told what to do. I'm sure it comes from some combination of limited intelligence, massive ego, and a natural inclination towards the path of least resistance (hey man, water does the same thing, and nobody nobody questions its ability to be a "self-starter"). So, when I saw an article titled "An Open Letter To Louisiana", I bowed up a little. On a certain level, I knew we had it coming. Our legislature, just finished trying to get guns in church, and solve the oil flood in the Gulf with a day of prayer (not that praying isn't needed, I'd just prefer it was done silently, and without state endorsement).
Well, turns out this outsider, this guy from Washington D.C. makes a lot of sense. In fact, he says the same things that I've been saying (cue the ego). We as a state need to diversify, and see the oil industry for what it is...the past. Big Oil just takes, they don't give back. Here's a quote from the article written by Edward Flattau as it appeared in the Huffington Post:

So while you obviously cannot walk away from your oil industry employer, wouldn't it be wise to begin developing a fallback strategy to save your environment for future generations and preserve your economy when the existing offshore wells run dry? Shouldn't you press your politicians to diversify your local energy economy by obtaining federal seed money for new wind and solar energy manufacturing facilities? Louisiana is a state rich in natural resources. What about expanding commercial activity in biomass, hydro power and geothermal energy? Even if the end of the age of oil were no where in sight, you badly need energy diversification. Petroleum has not been the economic bonanza to your area that it has been made out to be. If it were, how come Louisiana is 40th out of 50 states in per capita income? Either the oil wealth is too concentrated, or it's just not as much of an economic game changer as you think.

Read the rest here.

Photo by toshihiko2001

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Right To The Gut

2010-06-21T08:41:00.004-05:00

OK, it's Monday, back to the depressing. This clip is from a documentary being shot by Olmos Productions. Click here to see their Youtube channel. Stick with the clip till the end for the full emotional donkey kick. Thanks for sending it Tim.

Dat's Beautiful!

2010-06-18T07:56:00.004-05:00

Well, this awkward. I just came back from a consultation with my private jeweler (it could happen) with designs for my new Saints ring. I just sketched out a few ideas for him, "nothing flashy" I said, "just a few dozen diamonds, maybe a Fleur-de-lis.....be a doll and squeeze in the words 'World Champions'."
Imagine my surprise when I see this article, by Susan Langenhennig in the Times Picayune about the ring ceremony held Wednesday in New Orleans. Boy, do I have egg on my face. It's the exact same design!
My concern is for the "little people" who upon seeing my giant head and athletic physique will undoubtedly assume I am a Saints player, and then insist on buying me dinner and drinks. Of course, it would be rude of me to decline.
True story: that birthmark on Drew Brees' cheek...not a birthmark at all. He voluntarily marks himself with a Sharpie each day to help Sean Payton tell us apart. That, my friends, is what is known as a commitment to excellence!

Sportsman's Paradise R.I.P.

2010-06-17T07:45:00.008-05:00

Aww, mes amis, it's breaking me down. It's been heavy on me, but this week I've felt a shift from anger to sorrow, with complete numb-out just around the corner. We're losing.

And I can't help feeling that this happened on our generation's watch. We've let ourselves become so divided and at the same time grown so comfortable, dumb, and entitled. It's not Repub vs. Dem, or liberal vs. conservative....it's giant corporations vs. the People and the Earth. Has this ever been more obvious than what we're seeing unfolding in the Gulf of Mexico?

I got the blues friends. Buddy Guy might be singing about his baby leaving, or maybe he's watching our Gulf fill up with oil. Either way, it's hard to imagine either one of them coming back.

Respirators Would Be Nice

2010-06-16T07:34:00.007-05:00

Is there anything more fun than the "cautionary tale"? Of course there is. Hell, the very notion of the "After School Special" was based on the "cautionary tale", and those were never any fun. However, sometimes they are necessary, and unfortunately, this is one of those times.

For those of you volunteering to help clean up oil coming ashore, do not assume BP will protect you from the harmful affects of exposure to crude oil, and the chemical dispersant that is mixed in with it. Merle Savage volunteered to help clean up the Exxon Valdez spill, and this is what she got for her trouble:

Merle Savage has a wheezy, guttural smoker's cough. But the 71-year-old former Alaska resident and author of Silence in the Sound never smoked a day in her life. She did, however, spend four months as a general foreman during the Exxon Valdez oil spill recovery project in 1989. And she has a message for anyone working at the BP oil disaster sites: "You've got to use your common sense. Breathing crude oil is toxic." Savage moved to Alaska in 1988--just one year before the Exxon Valdez oil spill ravaged Prince William Sound. After the spill, Savage decided to take action. She was assigned to clean oil-coated rocks on the beach, but says that Exxon never provided legitimate safety training. And since Exxon never told her that breathing crude oil was toxic, she didn't think twice about spraying hot water onto the oily rocks.

Read the rest here.

Thanks Mothy for the tip-in!

Photo by Deepwater Horizon Response

Hmm.. A Good Idea...How Can It Be Screwed Up?

2010-06-15T07:55:00.003-05:00

G. Paul Kemp, Ph.D. comes with this resume': vice president, Louisiana Coastal Initiative, for the National Audubon Society. A former associate research professor at Louisiana State University, served in the early 1990s as the first executive director of the Coalition to Restore Coastal Louisiana, a nonprofit organization dedicated to returning Louisiana's Mississippi River delta to environmental and economic sustainability.

In this essay Kemp lays out a logical plan to close some of the gates that redirect the Mississippi River to the Atchafalaya River thus pushing more water through the mouth of the Mississippi in New Orleans and keeping the oil out of the marshes. Sounds good to me, all he needs is the Army Corps of Engineers to close the gates....the Corp? The folks who did such a good job with the levees? Lawd help us. Here's a little from the article:

By closing some gates leading to the Atchafalaya, the Corps could send more water past New Orleans, out to those areas where the oil most threatens the marshes. These are the nursery grounds for most of the commercial fish and shrimp caught in the Gulf, and home to a wonderful variety of resident and migratory birds with declining populations.

How Come We So Broke?

2010-06-14T08:08:00.004-05:00

Here's two articles: one from 2008, and one from this past weekend. Both make the case for Louisiana's importance to the national economy. With all that oil and seafood money being made, why do our roads, education and health systems rank so low? Oh yeah, and now there's a giant underwater oil spew threatening the whole thing.

Here's James Carville's essay from yesterday, (complete with an admission that he didn't get it done for Louisiana when his candidate was in office for 8 years). Thanks for the heads-up Saundra!

Then the oil companies dredged canals in the marshlands in an attempt to grow an industry which now provides the country with more than 30 percent of its domestic oil and natural gas. Saltwater intrusion is killing the marsh. These marshlands provide jobs for tens of thousands of fisherman in an industry that provides over 30 percent of this country's domestic seafood supply. Canals were also dredged for shipping. Five of the nation's top 15 ports are located in South Louisiana. So in essence, we are the gateway of commerce to much of the lower 48 states. Add that to the fact that we have not seen a single penny of royalties for oil produced more than six miles off our coast. We assume all of the risk, produce seafood and oil and gas, with none of the reward. Royalties totaling $165 billion have gone to the federal treasury when they could go to help repair this pressing issue.

And here is an article by Georgianne Nienaber, from two years ago, that shows the situation was bad even before the the BP disaster.

The human sketch is surprising, sad, and begs many questions that the candidates should answer, noting Louisiana's importance to the US economy and how the local population supports an infrastructure that impacts the rest of the country. Consider the fact that Louisiana is ranked number 42 in per capita income in the United States, and 19.2 percent of Louisiana's population lives below the poverty line, and the reasons why someone should care about Louisiana become more compelling.

Photo by Ray Devlin

Cleaning Machine

2010-06-11T06:40:00.003-05:00

Kevin Costner testified before Congress yesterday to talk about an oil filtering machine that he believes can make a significant impact in the Gulf clean-up. Costner invested $20 million of his own money to develop and the premise is pretty simple....water goes into the machine and the oil and water are separated through centrifugal force. Costner was inspired to invest in this after the Exxon Valdeez tragedy and said that for all the boom and old technology designed to capture or corral the oil, there wasn't really anything to clean it out of the water. Costner's machine can clean up to 200 gallons per minute and BP just ordered 32 of them so we're keeping our fingers crossed. To learn more about Ocean Therapy Solutions machine, visit their website here.

Lightin' Strikes Twice

2010-06-10T06:14:00.005-05:00

Oh mais amis, it's deja-vu all over again. Seems like just last month a group from Mississippi came through, and Sam Rey (now w/Michael Juan Nunez!) opened the show, and the Gulf was being destroyed by a greedy oil company. Tonight, at the Blue Moon Saloon Cedric Burnside and Lightin' Malcom headline, and Me and Juan open...and the Gulf is still being destroyed by a greedy (and unethical, perhaps criminal) oil company. Come drown your sorrows in North Mississippi blues!

Weekend starts.....wait for it.....wait....no peeking....now!

Hutslar Exhibit at the ACA

2010-06-08T06:00:00.003-05:00

Photographer Kent Hutslar died of pneumonia earlier this year, but his art lives on as The Acadiana Center for the Arts has announced that they will feature an exhibit of Hutslar's fine art photography from June 12 through July 2. Hutslar was known for his talent as a photographer and an advocate for the arts. Over 50 pieces of Hutslar's finest artwork will be on display and for sale with all proceeds benefiting the Hutslar family.

Curator of the exhibit is UL professor and artist, Herman Mhire. He says "Kent Hutslar was an exceptional photographer and a dedicated, community volunteer / activist. His enthusiasm for the arts, and belief in the value of the arts, was an inspiration to all who knew him. Sought after by collectors from around the country, Kent Hutslar's photographs exhibit the influence of some of the 20th centuries' modern masters. There is no doubt Kent Hutslar will be remembered as a significant contributor to the evolution and history of photography in Louisiana."

For more information, visit the ACA's website at: acadianacenterforthearts.org

Fools Rush In...

2010-06-07T05:54:00.002-05:00

I don't know any scientists. They don't really hang out in the same social circles as I do. And I think that's a good thing. I want them to be doing something important like collecting data....facts, and then relaying their finds to the dullards of society like myself.
One guy who doesn't put much stock in science or scientists is our Governor, Bobby Jindal. When you're representing Big Business and pandering to one of the poorest and most undereducated states in the nation, facts and data...well, the less heard about those the better. Get outta the way egghead.
Which brings us to the spewing oil in the Gulf, and Jindal's plan to build sand berms to protect our coast. Sounds great on the face of it. And when he had James Carville and Mary Matlin with him screaming for Obama to do something, it gave me pause. But now, an article in the LA Times by Julie Cart points out some of the problems with the plan. For one thing, the berms will take at least 9 months to complete; they won't survive even a mild tropical storm; and the dredging may actually increase wave activity.
Best of all, none of the plan was done with the input of scientists here in Louisiana.

Coastal scientists and oceanographers were brought in this week to present their views on the berm proposal to state and federal responders. Many said they were frustrated, wondering why their expertise was not brought to bear sooner. "You cannot do this without some sort of reasonable quantification as to what will happen, Stone said. " I understand we are in a jam right now, but, good Lord, we have sophisticated computer models that can do this in a matter of weeks.… It's sort of unconscionable that we've gone well over a month without scientific input."

Wha? Could this all have been just window dressing to make the Governor and his buddy the whore monger look good, and by implication the President look bad? Was Carville played? I dunno, but you can read the article for yourself here.

Look, I can't leave you with this cynical negativity on a Monday. Here's Jerry Lee Lewis in a sack race.

This Note's For You

2010-06-02T19:34:00.005-05:00

This one goes out to our "friends" over at BP, particularly in light of their recent claims that they remain unconvinced of underwater oil plumes in the Gulf; for their consistent underestimations of how much oil was spewing from their botched well; to their CEO who wants "his life back"; for claiming relief workers from Louisiana were merely "sea sick" or overcome by the heat, rather than suffering from exposure to noxious fumes emanating from the oil and chemical dispersant; and lastly, to whore monger David Vitter for attempting to introduce a bill limiting BP's liability. They all got one helluva nerve.

James Booker don't take no mess, and neither should we. Weekend is here, have a can a beer! Thanks Tim.

(Press Play)

Trail Ride

2010-06-01T05:58:00.003-05:00

Last May we did a story called 'Acadiana Bike Trail May Soon Become A Reality'.....and now, a year later, it really, really may soon become a reality. The $100k grant from the Community Foundation has been allocated and now, Lafayette Consolidated Government has 1 year to complete the project. So...yea! The $100k will cover construction costs and signage for the trail, which will start out running from Parc Sans Souci to Beaver Park. According to the story in the Advertiser, the eventual plan is for it to run all the way from Lafayette to St. Martinville.

Photo by: sasrigais

Environmental Impact

2010-05-30T11:26:00.003-05:00

Aaron Viles of the Gulf Restoration Network was on C-Span today and was really insightful and knowledgeable about the oil spill (or 'eruption' as some are calling it now). Here's his segment on Washington Journal and for some really horrific photos of this messy disaster, visit the Gulf Restoration website here at healthygulf.org.

You'd Never See Hoyt Saying Something Like This

2010-05-29T09:05:00.002-05:00

Hey, it's not all doom and gloom down here in Louisiana, not with local news chuckle-heads serving up Youtube gems like this:

Tell Me When It's Over

2010-05-27T06:05:00.003-05:00

I'm bending the rules a little bit today, using a non-Louisiana artist. I don't really even like this song so much, but it was the one that came to mind while we WAIT to see if those donkeys at BP were able to plug their well. It's the hardest part you know...the waiting. See what I did there? Very clever. Weekend starts now, with one eye on the Gulf and the other on the Cajun Women's Super Regional. Cap it!

Cross Your Fingers Today

2010-05-26T06:57:00.005-05:00

I never thought I'd be so familiar with the terms "top kill" or "junk shot" and not have them pertain to the NBA playoffs, or internet porn. And yet, today BP is preparing to perform the "top kill" maneuver on its hemorrhaging underwater disaster in the Gulf of Mexico. If you're the praying kind, this might be a good time to pull out the big one.

Here's a link to a New York Times article reporting on today's planned action. From the article:

On Tuesday, engineers guided submarine robots through diagnostic tests in preparation for the top kill, a maneuver in which tubes will inject thousands of pounds of heavy drilling fluids into a five-story-tall stack of pipes to clog the well. A 30,000-horsepower engine on a ship floating above the well will shoot the liquids, known in the oil business as drilling mud. The technique has been used successfully for other spills, notably for stopping the oil flooding out of Kuwaiti oil wells sabotaged by the Iraqi army at the end of the first Persian Gulf war.

And this quote from BP Senior Vice President Kent Wells revealed just how out of touch he is with real human beings:

“It has been done successfully in the past, but it hasn’t been done at this depth,” said Kent Wells, BP’s senior vice president for exploration and production. “We always have to be careful about setting expectations.”

Really? You think we have high hopes at this point? Do you have any idea what it is to be from Louisiana?

Photo by myeyesees

Grim Doesn't Quite Cover It

2010-05-25T06:24:00.003-05:00

How bad is this oil spill? Well, before it's over with, my guess is it will affect everyone, not just here but nationwide, probably globally. After the fish and birds and turtles in the Gulf, next in line are our fishermen, and they're taking a hit few of us can even imagine.

This story, by WGNO ABC 26, ran on New Orleans.com details Congressman Joesph Cao's call for mental health services for fishermen in his district. Desperation is setting in in Southeast Louisiana. "

I spoke to a group of fishermen, mainly Vietnamese Americans and a group of them came up to me and said, they told me that they contemplated suicide because they're in such despair," says Congressman Joseph Cao. He says fishermen are feeling compounded stress on top of post-Katrina troubles. "For some people, this is almost a boiling point where they can no longer handle it and they're going to crack. These are grown men that broke down and cried this morning because they don't know what to do and we don't know how long it's going to be," says Plaquemines Parish President Billy Nungesser.

More here.

Photo by New Orleans Lady

The Emerging Immersion

2010-05-25T05:52:00.005-05:00

I don't know if folks still say this, but not that long ago old people (like 40 year olds) used to complain about media never giving any good news. Now, all I hear is how slanted the news is, and it is, but in my view, it's slanted towards the freaks that complain about it. But I digress.

Here, is a genuine good news story in the Wall Street Journal, by Joel Millman, about Louisiana, and Lafayette in particular, regarding our French Immersion program in local schools. The program employs many instructors from West Africa, Canada, Belgium, and France to teach the French language to Louisiana children.

From the article:

For decades, it was forbidden to use French in Louisiana's public schools. Many a Cajun family remembers a grandparent who came home from school in tears after being punished for not speaking English, a language few spoke at home. But in the 1960s, Cajuns successfully adapted African-Americans' civil-rights efforts to gain minority status. Benefits included a mandate to teach French in all public schools. Foreign governments—particularly France and Belgium—pitched in, subsidizing their teachers' passage to Louisiana.

Photo by Gak

Cajun Women Advance To Super Regional

2010-05-24T05:42:00.004-05:00

Count me among Cajun fans that root, root, root for LSU...when they're winning; feel no lasting pain when they lose; and do back-flips of joy on the rare occasions they are beaten on the field by UL. I went to both schools, (though neither of them have erected a statue commemorating my attendance) and actually preferred my time at LSU. But, I'm a Cajun of the Ragin' variety deep down. That status was set in the stone of my thick head by one Dwight "Bo" Lamar, he with the mighty Fro, and deadly 30 foot jumper. And on the rare occasion he missed, Roy Ebron was there to rebound for him. The 70's might have sucked for the Beatles, but they rocked for me.

So, imagine the glee to be had with UL's 6-1 victory over Texas A&M this weekend to advance to the NCAA Super Regional, in of all places, Baton Rouge.

With the win, the Cajuns (45-16) clinched their second Super Regional appearance in the past three years before 1,642 at LSU's Tiger Park. They will travel to play No. 5 national seed UCLA (43-11) in a three-game series next weekend with the winner advancing to the Women's College World Series in Oklahoma City.

Joshua Parrott wrote this article for the Daily Advertiser on the victory. Photo courtesy of RaginCajun.com

Open for Business

2010-05-23T08:45:00.004-05:00

With all the new businesses opening up around town, Lafayette seems to really have earned the title of "One of the Top 20 Cities Surviving The Recession" Here's just a few....

Vanessa V is a new boutique that just opened in the Centerpiece Shopping Center on Johnston Street between Michael's Arts and Crafts and Bailey's Restaurant. They have a bunch of really cute stuff on their website, but for now, no ecommerce so you have to stop in.

Also opening soon - a new Rouses and CVS are coming to the old Graham Central Station shopping center at Bertrand and Congress. Graham and the Blockbuster video on the corner both closed recently making room for the new pharmacy and grocery stores. The groundbreaking is set for July. Speaking of closing though - if you haven't noticed, Hollywood Video on Ambassador is shutting it's doors and so is Whisnat's Jewelry on Ambassador by La Pizzeria.

There are a couple of new restaurants to try.... We mentioned the Elephant Steak House on Kaliste Saloom at Ambassador...well, that's a burlesque themed restaurant now and the old Evangeline Seafood and Steakhouse is reopening soon as "Maya Mexican Grill"

And finally - for your home: Lamp Designs recently opened up at 106 Rue Promenade in River Ranch.

So there's lots of new stores to check out and since there's a tax-free weekend coming up it seems like the perfect excuse to go shopping...although technically that's for hurricane supplies so I don't think you can justify a new handbag as a hurricane necessity, but maybe a new lamp..... :)

Shannon McNally Tonight @The Blue Moon Saloon

2010-05-20T07:04:00.005-05:00

Yep, and I'm opening the show.....self-promotion. Excuse me while I swim another lap in Lake Me.
Now, crank up that oily, tar ball, wetlands coated, (don't forget the chemical laden, noxious fumes) weekend. Whoohoo!

Hooray For Entrepreneurial Students!

2010-05-19T06:26:00.005-05:00

Undoubtedly one of the best things about living in Acadiana is the huge choice of great restaurants we have. So many so that sometimes it's difficult to think of them all....but that's were AcadianaEats.com comes in. Acadianaeats.com is a rapidly growing web hub for Lafayette restaurant goers, and the best part - it was started by a ULL student, Tyler LeCompte, who is graduating this summer. Frustrated with trying to find nice places to eat LeCompte put his skill to work on the idea of connecting those looking for restaurants to the hundreds of fabulous restaurants in the Lafayette area. The result: a food passionistés’ paradise.

Acadianaeats.com uploads menus, pictures, maps, and reviews of restaurants in Lafayette while keeping followers updated on changes and specials through the web page and its large following on Facebook and Twitter. (Visit their Facebook page here)

Acadianaeats.com has had several recent developments. One of the highlights being the option to download coupons from the site of participating restaurants. Restaurants can offer coupons from the site and these can be redeemed at your next visit. In the works: LeCompte hopes to develop an app for the iPhone that allows users to search quickly though menus, locations and store hours to find exactly what they are looking for. No Android?? Anyway - that's awesome Tyler - great idea and site!

This Won't Hurt A Bit

2010-05-18T06:28:00.004-05:00

Well, we made another list again. Top 5! Yes....we are among the top 1% of all the states in the union for....venereal diseases. Yes! So, in an effort to reverse that, Representative Pat Smith from Baton Rouge introduced a bill to the House to require schools to teach Sex Education. That bill failed 23-67 but not without some lively debate like the usual: "Why not just leave that to the parents" (Rep. Greene, BR) and the more bizarre: "would this bill require the teaching of masturbation and homosexuality" (LaBruzzo, Metairie), and my personal favorite: "Will it be a big ole party in there?" (Badon, Carencro).

Yes, health class is nothing but a big ole party....

Full story from the Times-Picayune here.

Photo by: Rogoyski

If He Can't See It...It Must Not Exist

2010-05-17T05:48:00.005-05:00

On the same day scientists discovered an underwater plume of oil "10 miles long", here's two different reports on the oil disaster in the gulf. One is factual, one is Fox News.

Watch CBS News Videos Online

WWJD

2010-05-14T06:21:00.004-05:00

Having solved all other ills, our state legislature turned their focus back to burning issue of bringing guns to church. Indeed, the bill once considered dead has risen again.

Ed Anderson wrote this piece for the Times Picayune, and it was picked up by The Huffington Post. Guns should be allowed in Louisiana houses of worship as a way to protect congregants from attacks, if the pastor or head of the religious body approves, state lawmakers said Wednesday. The state House voted 74-18 for the bill on Wednesday (May 12), sending it to the Senate for debate. Last Thursday, the bill received a 45-39 vote in the House, eight votes short of the 53 needed to pass in the lower chamber.

Quote of the day belongs to State Rep. Ernest Wooten, Republican (shocker):

"I want to see in the Bible where it says you can't bring a gun to church,"

Try arguing with that logic.

Photo by Hermin

Heartbreaking Gut Wrenching

2010-05-14T06:04:00.005-05:00

Thanks to Daily Meaux reader Wayne who sent this link to Boston.com and their photo essay of the disaster in the gulf. These are the images I feared but hadn't seen yet. It appears the worst is still to come. Do yourself a favor and click the link.

AP Photo/Alex Brandon

I Don't Love The Smell Of Napalm In The Morning

2010-05-13T06:05:00.003-05:00

So, yeah, this is a long version of Fiyo On The Bayou, but it's nothing compared to how long that broken well has been glug, glug, glugging crude onto our shrimp and oysters. Looks like it's gonna be a long and oily summer. Weekend is here.

Secrets of the Biggest Losers

2010-05-12T06:26:00.004-05:00

Hi There! This month I am going to share with you "Secrets from the Biggest Losers". Often we start the new year off with a commitment to find a plan to LOSE weight, however the real secret is to never have to go on a diet again. Instead learn how to not just lose the weight, but more importantly how to keep it off! I think you will enjoy reading about the three most common factors that the "biggest losers" have in common.

Secrets of the Biggest Losers
In 1994, The National Weight Control Registry was created to track the characteristics of people who have lost weight and successfully kept it off for an extended period of time. The registry currently consists of 5,000 individuals, who are at least 18 years or older and have maintained a weight loss of 30 or more pounds for more than a year. The average weight loss of was 66 pounds and the members have maintained weight loss for an average of 5.5 years.
* 55% of the participants used a structured program or received professional guidance.
* 98% of participants reduced food intake and modified their diet.
* 94% increased physical activity, with walking being the number one way people increased activity.
* 78% of long term “winners” started their day off with breakfast.
* 75% weighed themselves at least on a weekly basis.
* 62% watched less than 10 hours of TV a week.
* 90% exercised for about 1 hour a day.

If you notice, almost 90% of the participants reduced their food intake and increased their physical activity. No magic pills or formulas...just moving more and eating less.

In conclusion, the study found THREE Common Strategies for Success:
1. Followed a diet moderate in fat, protein, and carbohydrates. For long term success, people used a balanced approach to eating. They did not exclude all carbohydrates or fat, but instead focused on moderation.

2. Regular physical activity. You will hear this over and over, regular physical activity is important. If you struggle with getting in a regular physical activity routine, take some time out and REFLECT on what you ENJOY doing. Maybe you need to change your approach or mindset to what regular physical activity actually means, be creative.

3. Frequent self monitoring. This is key for many people because it is easy to stay on course if you know exactly WHERE you are. Let's face it, if the scale is up a pound or two you may be more inclined to say "no thank you" a little more and take that extra walk. If the scale is up 10 or 15 pounds, then it becomes a lot more challenging to muster up the motivation and "re-tackle" your weight loss. Find something you can use to monitor yourself. You can use the scale, a pair of pants, or a belt. The point is, for long term success be honest with yourself and if you have indulged a little too much, then “reign” in the eating before things get out of control.

Three Common Reasons People Re- Gain Their Weight Loss:
1. Increased fat intake. Fat has 9 calories per gram compared to carbohydrates or protein which are 4 calories per gram. Therefore, it is easy for those fat calories to sneak in and add up. If you have struggled with losing and re-gaining your weight in the past, ask yourself - have I let my fair share of fatty foods start creeping back in?

2. Decreased physical activity. Often times when we have a weight loss goal, we are very focused on reaching that number therefore we do whatever it takes to get in the extra exercise. However, it is labeled as EXTRA exercise, and this is a mental mind block that keeps us from staying within our goal weight. For long term success we need to alter the EXTRA exercise mentality to one that focuses on living an active lifestyle.

3. Reduced self monitoring. Often times not facing the reality that things may be going in the wrong direction will be the factor that keeps you from staying within your weight goal. If you feel like you don't want to "face the reality", then it is probably time to be honest with yourself and start taking it one day at a time with eating a little less and moving a little more.

Yvette Quantz is a well respected Lifestyle and Sports Nutritionist based in Lafayette, Louisiana. She is a member of the American Dietetic Association, Louisiana Dietetic Association, Sports Cardiovascular and Wellness Nutritionist, Nutrition Entrepreneurs, Nutrition and Complimentary Care, and a Certified Eating Coach. You can visit her website at: http://www.foodtherapyonline.com/

Photo by Alan Cleaver

Animal Updates

2010-05-11T06:25:00.004-05:00

Looking back at some of the stories from the past year, we have a couple of very important updates:

First up: Apparently our world's oldest dog, Max from New Iberia has even MORE competition. But of course, when you're on top, there are always people nipping at your heels, thus enters Minius....a mixed breed from Poland. OhMyNews.com is claiming that he's 27 and Max is only 26 in their story here.

On another note, one of the very first stories we ever did may still be one of my favorites - Norman the Nutria in Abbeville. That's the one where 'Norman' allegedly attacked a woman at the Walmart in Abbeville. Well, Rebecca White is finally getting her day in court. According to the Abbeville Meridinal the case has been reassigned to state court and while Walmart says they are not negligent, they do say in court papers that if they are, it's White's fault since she is the one that "startled the nutria, causing it to startle her." Full story here. Love you corporate America.

Make It Stop

2010-05-10T06:29:00.001-05:00

As we wait for new developments with the meandering gulf oil slick (and really....short of plugging the hole, what could be a good development at this point?) National Public Radio has posted this story from a survivor of the rig explosion, Christopher Choy. Choy's chilling account of the blast and the events that followed give a fresh perspective of the risks offshore workers face everyday they show up for work.

Stuff like this:

On the floor of the rig, they spotted a popular crane operator. He'd been blown off the stairs to the rig and fallen some 40 feet below. Fire was burning menacingly close to him. Then, as they tried to reach him, a fireball erupted in their pathway, and they realized they could not reach him to try to save him. Says Choy, "And it just killed me that I knew I couldn't get to him. That's probably the hardest decision I've ever had to make in my life — that we had to leave that and leave him there."

Choy would reach the life capsule on the deck below. And there he found a scene of dangerous chaos. Men — including some with broken bones, open wounds and burning skin — pushed onto the lifeboat. It was built for about 60 men, but many more crowded onto it, making it unstable.

"Some people were trying to just jump in them, and they were going crazy. And I mean, it's actually dangerous to be in a lifeboat if people aren't properly trained or people are panicking in a lifeboat, you can flip the lifeboat," says Choy. "If everybody's not strapped in, they're freaking out, running to one side of it, it'll flip over and it's gonna stay upside down. And if you have the door open, I mean, it's gonna fill with water."

Read/listen here

Bevy of Bandits

2010-05-09T06:47:00.004-05:00

This next story reminded us of how many 'bandits' have been arrested in the area....or at least how the media likes to cleverly nickname offenders. We've seen the famous "Bikini Bandits", the "Beer Bandit", the "Cigarette Bandit" and now - the Billy Goat Bandit. Apparently DeAndrian Latroy Dently from Houston robbed 12 banks over there and was dubbed the "Billy Goat Bandit" because of his distinctive facial hair. He was later arrested in Lake Charles, presumably attempting to double down his take at one of the casinos.

Photo by: wYnand!

Happy Birfday to Us

2010-05-08T09:36:00.005-05:00

This coming Thursday The Daily Meaux turns one. What a crazy, wonderful year of blogging. When we started, we weren't sure exactly what we were doing, but we knew we wanted to create a hub of local newsworthy stories....or at least a collection of items we found interesting. Back then, we had time to post lots and lots of stories all day, but circumstances in our real life changed and we had considerably less time to work on the blog. It emerged as true 'daily' meaux - one story of the day (well...almost every day) that we felt was most interesting or important. One thing that hasn't changed is Mark's Thursday music post. He kicks off the weekend with a YouTube of a Louisiana artist and has found quite a few gems along the way. This week, we'll also present a retrospective of some of our favorite stories from the past year.

We are always surprised that we even have readers, let alone the volume and quality that we do. TDM has had visits from every state in the union along with 56 different countries and for some reason, our little blurb on The Shed BBQ from back in August has been the most popular. We are grateful to have graced the pages of The Independent twice....once as a "find" and once as one of the things that makes Lafayette "cool". We want to thank everyone that has ever linked to us, followed us, or subscribed to our email and especially everyone that has contributed stories, comments and ideas.

It's been an awesome year, and we just renewed our domain names, so we're looking forward to another great one....thanks for sticking around!

Photo by: Lindsay M. Curtis

It Ain't Chocolate Milk

2010-05-06T05:44:00.002-05:00

So,that gusher is still gushing. Despite the best efforts of all the king's men, humpty oil rig cannot be put together again. I'm so outta sorts over this, I was going to put Rod Bernard's classic "This Could Go On Forever" to illustrate the lingering, maddening debacle of oil pumping unabated into our backyard. Yeah, that would have been a great marriage of song and situation....but then I realized the title is "This SHOULD Go On Forever" Not as appropriate. Still a great song, but not for right now.

Enter Van Broussard with Red Red Wine, for no other reason than it's a great song, and he's a great Louisiana singer. Van can kick off the Mother's Day weekend for us, and I'll try to think pleasant thoughts of distraction.

He So Funny

2010-05-05T06:00:00.001-05:00

The Daily Show With Jon Stewart

Mon - Thurs 11p / 10c

Beyond Awful

www.thedailyshow.com

Daily Show Full Episodes

Political Humor

Tea Party

Is That The Best You Got?

2010-05-04T05:59:00.003-05:00

I'm sure I'm not alone in feeling beat down by this oil in the Gulf. The news worsens with each report...well except for this jackass who thought oil looked like chocolate milk.

Towards the end of the week the term "Obama's Katrina" started being bandied about. That was a nice twist from the "we don't want no stinking government interference" crowd. The president's visit to New Orleans, and his placing the responsibility squarely in BP's lap seems to have tamped down that mini-mantra.

Also, over the weekend, the gauging of the size of the oil slick in relation to the size of individual states began. Rhode Island was first first in line for comparison. Then, it became the size of Rhode Island and Delaware combined. Now I see, they're starting in with Puerto Rico. Really? What does it say about our knowledge of our own states that we couldn't find one of the remaining 48 to compare the size of the oil slick to....we had to go to a U.S. territory.

There's other stuff too. Ugly stuff. Such as BP making the rounds to coastal residents and fisherman with release forms in hand...offering "up to 5 thousand dollars" in return for a pledge not to sue for damages. Nice. Then, yesterday, began the faux "conspiracy" theories that the rig explosion was deliberate act, done to sway passage of the cap and trade energy bill. Seriously. This guy, and this guy actually made that claim. If this tact doesn't gain any traction, I'm sure another fantasy will be provided by the same crowd.

There are ways to help. Drew Landry has launched the website Dirty Cajuns as an information hub full of phone numbers and other information for those looking to volunteer for clean up crews. And Stacy Scarce posted this exhaustive list of links on her Facebook page for volunteer information as well as information update sites on the progress and affects of the oil slick.

All this, and I still haven't gotten to sing the praises of Kentucky Derby winner, and Catahoula native Calvin Borel. Sorry Calvin, it doesn't mean I love you any less.

State Champs!

2010-05-03T05:48:00.003-05:00

In a non-oil spill related story, St. Thomas More's Lacrosse team won it's first state championship yesterday, defeating New Orleans Jesuit 12-10.

Nathan Max, writing for Westsidelax.com, covered the game and quoted St. Thomas More coach Mike Guidroz:

“I can’t give enough credit to the kids for doing things the correct way for the last eight months,” St. Thomas More head coach Mike Guidroz said. “They played complete lacrosse. They played defense from the attack to the goal, and they played offense from the goal forward. Everybody was involved in the offense. Everybody was involved in the defense.”

Junior attackman Saban Sellers, senior attackman Joe Boustany and junior attackman Hunter Stinson all registered a co-team-high four points to lead St. Thomas More. Stinson, who came off the bench, was named the game’s offensive most valuable player. Defensively, junior goalie Andrew Broussard came up huge, saving 14 shots, and was named the game’s defensive most valuable player.

Other offensive contributors for St. Thomas More were junior middie David Escott, who finished with three points on a goal and two assists, and senior attackman Scooter Todd, who scored once.

Read more here.
Photo by berecruited.com

Maybe They'll Burn It

2010-04-29T05:56:00.004-05:00

Second weekend of Jazz Fest; Crawfish Fest in Breaux Bridge; gigantic oil slick in the Gulf of Mexico threatening the wetlands and what's left of our natural resources. Just another weekend in Louisiana. Sing it Earl.

p.s. Good luck to STM Lacrosse in the state semis!

A Steep Climb

2010-04-28T05:50:00.004-05:00

Famous people really do read the Daily Meaux! Yesterday we received this nice note from local celebrity, THE Mr. Hoyt Harris and he hipped us to a project he just finished with his soon to be 90 year old dad. What a fun and sweet story.

Harris writes:

...I follow your blog and enjoy what I've seen there. As the following states, over the last three years I collaborated with my father on his memoir. My Dad is a retired Tennessee surgeon, turning 90 next month. ...Among the interesting things I learned about my "family tree" in working on "A Steep Climb" is the fact that we had a "Lorena Bobbitt" in our family before there even WAS a "Lorena Bobbitt." When my Dad recounted that story to me, we were laughing so hard, I had tears running down my face and my father was choking with laughter to the extent that I thought he was going to literally die laughing.

Then he suddenly stopped laughing. He said, timidly: "Hoyt, we can't put this in the book!"

"Are you kidding me?" I said. "You mean to tell me we had 'Lorena Bobbitt' in our family tree and you don't want to see it in the book! No, it is going in the book!"

And so it has. And I'll leave it at that.

The official press release:
In 2006, I encouraged my retired father to write.
"About what?" he asked.
"About your life," I said.

Three years later, the result of that conversation is "A Steep Climb." Our collaboration, recounting his life and 50 years as a practicing surgeon in Middle Tennessee, was a fascinating journey for us both.

The English poet William Wordsworth wrote, "The child is father to the man." As a college English major, I never quite understood that line. But I do now.

While he was writing, my father kept telling me, "The only 'D' I ever made was in English."

As a pre-med student, he was immersed in things like chemistry, biology, anatomy. Grammar, punctuation, precision--how to write the most with an economy of words--was not his forte. But as an English major who earned a master's degree in journalism and has spent more than 30 years as a television anchor/reporter, I became his editor/professor/mentor. "This" child WAS father to "that" man.

The process was fascinating. Walking back with him into his 86 years of memory and experience had us, at times, laughing so hard we cried. I learned fascinating things about the "family woodpile." My Dad says working on the book elicited memories he had not thought about in 50, 60, 70 years.

“A Steep Climb” is available on Amazon.com and barnesandnoble.com.

If your non-chain bookstore doesn't have copies, just give them the following information and they can order it:

Title: "A Steep Climb"

Author: Hoyt C. Harris

ISBN: 978-0-533-16267-3

Library of Congress Catalog Card No.: 2009906137

Wilbert Rideau

2010-04-27T06:04:00.004-05:00

Few subjects are as complicated, emotional as crime and punishment (someone should write a book on that). Wilbert Rideau's story challenges notions of justice, rehabilitation and community service from every side. Check out Teri Gross' interview of Rideau and an excerpt from his memoir, In The Place Of Justice, here on NPR's Fresh Air.

Solitary

January 1972

It's late, and raining. The buildings before me have been abandoned. Life has drained from the traffic arteries below. The wet pavement of empty Lake Charles streets and parking lots doubles the glare of street lamps and neon signs, intensifying the darkness.

It's quiet. Profoundly so. Rain whispers against the open window a few feet away. The only other thing you can hear is your own heart, thumping. I've known men who could not stand this silence, but I've grown accustomed to it. I scratch a fingernail on one of the bars, to reassure myself I haven't gone deaf. I've stood here many nights staring out my second- floor window at the same scene below, week after week, month after month, year after year . . . after year. Except for the rain, it never changes.

Rideau was also featured on CBS Sunday Morning. That segment can be found here.

42,000 Gallons A Day

2010-04-26T05:49:00.006-05:00

So much for the "not in my backyard" outrage that echos throughout many states. Nope, not in Louisiana. Our backyard has been filled with oil wells, and refineries, and chemical plants for longer than I've been alive. The wetlands in our backyard are shriveling up and dying, due in large part to the canals dredged by Big Oil, and now provide less protection from hurricane storm surges; stronger hurricanes due to global warming caused primarily by the burning of fossil fuels; and now we have an exploded oil rig leaking an estimated 42,000 gallons A DAY into the Gulf of Mexico, not to mention the eleven men who are lost and presumed dead. Where's the outrage? Does money put everyone to sleep? Are those right-wing talk radio DJ's making gold out of hate and misinformation going to lead the clean up efforts or rebuild our wetlands? I'm sick of this.

Read the New York Times account of the oil spill here.

Survivor Arrested at Festival

2010-04-24T08:40:00.006-05:00

Well it looks like my new Survivor pick got himself into a little bit of trouble here yesterday. Russell Hantz was reportedly in town for Festival International de Louisiane and was arrested for allegedly shoving a female to the ground. Reports also say he was close to a bar he owns downtown (? not sure what that one is, but supposedly he and 'Boo' Bernis, the Lafayette native from Survivor Fiji, are friends...). Anyway, according to TMZ, Hantz claims that this whole thing was just a big misunderstanding and may file suit against the police department. Hantz was released without bail and issued a misdemeanor and must report back to court on June 24.

This made me think - Acadiana sure has had it's share of celebrity arrests...Willie Nelson, R Kelly, Nate Newton....yikes.

Happy Festival Y'all - watch out for those celebs!
- jill :)

Ms. Sharon

2010-04-22T05:42:00.003-05:00

It's festival time, and NFL draft time, don't judge me. Epic weekend starts now.

STM Hosts State Lacrosse Quarterfinals

2010-04-22T05:27:00.003-05:00

State Quarterfinals for the Louisiana High School Lacrosse League will be held at St. Thomas More Saturday, April 24, 2010. The game features the West District Champions - St. Thomas More Cougars vs. Caddo Magnet and will start at 11:00 am at STM Cougar Stadium.

The winner of this game will advance to the “LHSLL Championship Weekend” to be held May 1 & May 2 at Pan American Stadium at City Park in New Orleans. See website here.

The Cougars come into the game touting a record of 18-4 and ranked # 2 in the state. This is the first time STM has hosted a state playoff game, making it the first time ever in Lafayette Parish.
STM Cougar Head Coach Mike Guidroz expects a battle. “We are honored to be hosting the state quarterfinal game this weekend. Caddo Magnet has a great Lacrosse tradition. It will be a huge challenge for our young team.”
For more information, contact:
Greg Gossen
greg@gochannelone.com
337-962-5430

There's No Place Like Home

2010-04-21T06:04:00.005-05:00

Oh boy do I love lists and Lafayette made yet another one. RelocateAmerica.com came out with their annual list of "Top 100 Places to Live" and Lafayette is the only city from Louisiana to make the cut. They say "Our editorial team discovered communities with strong local leadership, employment opportunities, thriving community commitment, improving real estate markets, growing green initiatives, plentiful recreational options and an overall high quality of life. These are all communities moving in the right direction." You can check out the whole list here (and if you click on Lafayette, it'll take you to a nice big write up) and The Daily Advertiser wrote a blurb here.

Photo by jmeaux

Oh No!

2010-04-20T06:26:00.006-05:00

Mike Triplet reported for the Times-Picayune that Drew Brees is a finalist to appear on the cover of EA Sports Madden 11 video game. This is not good! Many...and I mean many players who have appeared on the cover in past years have been injured and missed the entire season.

The most notorious examples were Detroit Lions tailback Barry Sanders in 1999 (abruptly retired before the season); Atlanta Falcons quarterback Michael Vick in 2003 (broken leg in the summer); Philadelphia Eagles quarterback Donovan McNabb in 2005 (season-ending hernia); and Seattle Seahawks tailback Shaun Alexander in 2006 (broken foot).

I just finished getting Drew injury free through our Super Bowl season by ritualistic game day preparations, and conjuring. I kinda wanted to relax this offseason. But is he helping? No. He actually wants to be on the cover.

"You know what, I'm not rooting against it," Brees said, when asked about his hopes for the vote. "If it does happen, just like records are made to be broken, curses are made to be broken too. If the fans have spoken, if I am indeed their vote, then I'll do my best to break that trend."

Clearly, he's lost his mind. It's as if he doesn't believe in superstition at all. I'm gonna do what I can, but, he has to want to be helped....I can't do that for him.

Read the article here.

Photo by ian_ransley

The Dream Of The Marionettes

2010-04-19T06:00:00.000-05:00

Lafayette, LA — The Dream of the Marionettes, or Le Rêve des Marionettes, an original musical production, will be performed at Cite Des Arts during Festival International de Louisiane, April 21-25. Pre-sale tickets can be purchased at www.citedesarts.org; tickets are $15 for adults and $10 for students and seniors.

The Dream of the Marionettes: An Original Musical Theater Production

Cite des Arts, April 21 - 25, 2010

The Dream of the Marionettes, a burlesque-inspired musical, features an all-star cast of Lafayette locals, with music performed by a live band. The show begins each night at 6:30pm with Cirque du Cite, in the Cite des Arts lobby, featuring fortune tellers, jugglers, stilt-walkers, and an assortment of circus side shows. The play begins at 7:30pm.

In Les Marionettes, a hard, task-driving puppetmaster is cast aside by a freedom-seeking band of marionettes, who begin to express their hidden dreams and aspirations in song. The play was co-written by local artists Christine Leichty and Johanna Divine, with an original score by Divine and Daniel Coolik, and choreography by New Iberia native, John Vincent.

Divine and Leichty hope Les Marionettes offers something different to audiences; “We want to create a new experience – a unique piece that showcases the incredible talent found in Lafayette,” Leichty says. They also hope the piece helps re-define the concept of burlesque; “A lot of people think of burlesque as being risqué, “ Divine says, “but we’re presenting it as it was at the turn of the century, focused on parody and satire. It’s a comedy, first and foremost.”

The show is running as a part of Festival International de Louisiane from April 21 to April 25, 2010. Pre-show festivities begin at 6:30 each night, so come early for the best seats! For pre-sale tickets, contact Cite des Arts, 337.291.1122 or at www.citedesarts.org.

Lafayette's Newest Park

2010-04-17T08:14:00.003-05:00

Lafayette City-Parish Consolidated Government and the Kiwanis Club of Lafayette are set to break ground on Parc Independence on Wednesday, April 21, 2010 at 4:30 pm.

Located within Girard Park, Parc Independence will be the first wheelchair-accessible playground in Lafayette. Parc Independence is designed specifically to accommodate children who have physical and mental disabilities.

Because even the smallest design elements can create the largest obstacles for many children with disabilities, careful attention has been paid towards making the park ADA-compliant. The intent is to eliminate barriers and create a place where all children can play together, regardless of abilities.

“I am thrilled to be a part of this exciting announcement. This park will be a great asset to our community and demonstrate that our community is making an effort to be helpful and accommodating to those with disabilities. I also applaud the heroic efforts of the Kiwanis Club of Lafayette to bring this project to fruition. Anytime we have civic organizations that are willing to partner to achieve a public purpose, it can only strengthen our community,” said Joey Durel, Lafayette City-Parish President.

Well done Kiwanis Club!

Photo by Joshuadelaughter

Meat Lovers Unite!

2010-04-16T06:15:00.003-05:00

Lafayette can soon add one more steakhouse to the growing list of eateries as The Elephant Room is planning to open soon in the old Fazoli's location on Kaliste Saloom at Ambassador (across from Albertsons). There has been construction activity for the past couple of months there but we haven't been able to find out too much more about it other than they describe themselves as "The Unforgettable Steak Place" and have a Facebook page here. The project is headed by G & T Development, Eugene Todaro Sr. and Pecot and Company Architects.

ps - on a completely unrelated note....speaking of elephants....did you hear that PETA paid Myrtle Place school a visit this past week? Check out Danny Cuthbert's photo here...

A Sassy Style That Will Drive You Crazy

2010-04-15T05:54:00.002-05:00

Cue the slow dance selection at the high school dance. It's Leroux with their national hit New Orleans Ladies. 1978. Seriously, I had a horrible childhood. Weekend starts right after therapy.

You Gotta Eat...

2010-04-14T06:39:00.004-05:00

Buffalo Wild Wings is donating 20% of today's sales to Soul Camp, a non-profit UL organization....but in order for your meal to qualify - you must present a flyer. Maybe a member of Soul Camp will be there to give you one, but just in case, check out their Facebook page. Soul Camp - according to their website is:

Service. Outreach. Unity. Leadership. SOUL Camp is a unique experiential transition program for new students designed to provide additional opportunities to build relationships with incoming and upperclass students, engage in community service, learn about campus spirit & traditions, develop an appreciation for multiculturalism and diversity, and discover their personal leadership skills.

Throughout camp, students also participate in activities designed to assist their transition to the University of Louisiana at Lafayette. Students learn about time management, goal setting, career planning, campus involvement, responsible social engagement, and other topics critical to success as a college student at UL Lafayette.

Good luck Soul Camp!

He's A Bad Muth...Shut Your Mouth....Just Talking About Seagal

2010-04-13T06:24:00.004-05:00

Jefferson Parish Lawman, Steven Seagal, is accused of....breaking the law. According to court paperwork obtained by TMZ.com, a case was filed against Seagal for sexual assault and trafficking women for sex. Accuser Kayden Ngyuen alleges that she responded to a Craiglist ad looking for an Executive Assistant for Mr. Seagal. After being interviewed by Seagal, Ngyuen was hired and told to run home and pack to head to New Orleans but once she arrived there, she says he was keeping 2 Russian 'Attendants' who's jobs were to be available to Seagal 24 hours a day / 7 days a week to satisfy his sexual whims. There's a lot of other weird stuff, including him forcing his hand down her pants and forcing her to consume "illegal pills", then she quit and sued. You can read the court papers here and see the original story on TMZ here.

He's Stirring His Pot...I See Mah Dress...It's Cut In Half

2010-04-13T05:44:00.005-05:00

It's Pulitzer season, but I'm guessing this gem of investigative journalism won't be receiving any awards. There's not much story here, but lots and lots of ignorance. Hard to say which is worse, the petty bickering and violence of the folks being interviewed, or KATC for running it.....or me for re-running it here. If you can make it to the end of the video, you can almost see Hoyt Harris questioning how his career brought him to this point. If it's any consolation to Mr. Harris, I ask myself that very question on a daily basis.

P.S. To our chagrin, KATC begins and ends the video with a 15 second ad...... much like the ads we would sell if we were a real news organization.

That's Not How I Thought Things Worked

2010-04-12T06:16:00.004-05:00

Mike Hasten wrote an article for the Town Talk in Alexandria about former Governor Edwin Edwards' recent furlough from prison. Edwards, currently serving a ten year sentence for racketeering, extortion, money laundering, mail fraud and wire fraud related to riverboat gambling licenses, was recently transferred to Oakdale Federal Correctional Complex in Allen Parish from a federal prison in Fort Worth, Texas. The state gives model inmates furloughs near the end of their terms so they can start adjusting to life outside prison. Edwards is scheduled to be released July 6, 2011, according to the Federal Bureau of Prisons, a month before his 84th birthday on Aug. 7.

OK, that's all fine. I understand that he's serving his time, he gets a furlough. No big deal. In fact, he even gets to visit with his family at a campground in Port Allen for Easter. Again, seems reasonable. Then comes the weirdness:

...That wasn't an idle question for three state lawmakers staying in campers at the Cajun Country Campground in Port Allen while the Legislature is in session. Rep. Jack Montoucet, whose legislative office is in Edwards' old hometown, Crowley, and Reps. Johnny Guinn, R-Jennings, and Jerry "Truck" Gisclair, D-Larose, paid a social visit to Edwards.

They stay in a campers while the Legislature is in session? Really? I thought they had chic penthouse apartments to be wined and dined by lobbyists armed with high priced call girls. I'm gonna have to re-assess my baseless opinions. Read more here.

Photo by Bill Ward's Brickpile

Eunice News on the TV Machine

2010-04-09T06:15:00.003-05:00

The Eunice News made some National News recently. Wednesday night MSNBC's Keith Olbermann declared Governor Bobby Jindal as that night's 'Worst Person in the World' and cited this story in the Eunice News. According to the report, Jindal persuaded state Attorney General Buddy Caldwell to come on board the Health Care reform lawsuit by making a deal with him not to cut state jobs from his department. Caldwell originally opposed the lawsuit claiming it was frivolous but then turned on a dime and announced that he supported it. The Governor's Office has responded that there is "absolutely no truth" to the claim.

Music With A Message

2010-04-08T06:55:00.003-05:00

For those with psychedelic aspirations....gnaw on this one for a while. It tells a story, and it looks like it's snowing. Why? I dunno. But this is how I want to start my weekend. Whee!

She's All Yours

2010-04-07T05:48:00.003-05:00

Louisiana Republicans have a new convert to crow about...or deal with. The Boston Herald picked up this A.P. story of adult film star Stormy Daniels' (real name Stephanie Clifford) statement, that should she opt to run for David Vitter's U.S. Senate seat, she will switch parties, and run as a Republican.

In a Tuesday news release making light of a recent Republican spending controversy, Stormy Daniels notes that the Republican National Committee picked up a nearly $2,000 tab at a sex-themed California nightclub. Daniels’ statement says she was a lifelong Democrat, but that the Republicans best espouse what she called her "libertarian" views about sex and money.

Not sure I follow the logic in that statement, but it must have hit a nerve, because Vitter's camp responded with a full-on 8th grade hissy fit, accusing Democratic Charlie Melancon of orchestrating Daniel's party switch.

"Charlie Melancon’s campaign must be fully in desperation mode if they resorted to coaxing the publicity stunt known as Stormy Daniels for U.S. Senate into a Republican primary against Sen. David Vitter," the state party’s news release said.

Melancon's camp has denied any involvement in the Daniels announcement. But party spokesman Kevin Franck may have given the best zinger of the exchange.

"If the Louisiana Republican Party is uncomfortable with a Republican challenger who has a history of selling sex, I would suggest they reconsider standing by an incumbent with a history of paying for it," Franck said in an e-mailed statement.

All this, and Daniels has yet to formally announce if she's going to run for the senate seat. She's expected to give her decision April 15. Whew...stay tune for more installments in the unfolding saga we'll call "Charlie, the Porn Star, and The Whore Monger". It's a long way to November.

More here.

V-Vehicle, We hardly Knew Ye

2010-04-06T05:43:00.005-05:00

Down, but not out....yet, V-Vehicle Company has fired its CEO, Frank Varasano, and canceled its lease on a proposed manufacturing site. The company was to build cars that ran on natural gas combustion engines, and create upwards of 1400 jobs for Louisiana. Richard Read wrote an article for The Car Connection detailing a string of recent setbacks for the fledgling auto maker.

From the article:

A couple of weeks ago, we learned that the Department of Energy had declined V-Vehicle's $320 million application to the Advanced Technology Vehicle Manufacturing Loan Program. That rejection had a domino effect, causing the State of Louisiana to withdraw its offer of $87 million in cash and other incentives. So, instead of ending the day with upwards of $450 million in the bank, V-Vehicle was left with only the $86.5 million it had raised from private investors like Mr. [T. Boone] Pickens.

The company plans to re-apply for the DOE loan, and began testing a prototype in February that claims to earn 40mpg and could launch with a sticker price of around $10,000.

"So, you're telling me there's a chance" (Dumb And Dumber).

Read the article here.

New Saints License Plate in the Works

2010-04-05T09:08:00.003-05:00

Representative Jeff Arnold of Algiers has introduced a new bill to create an official New Orleans Saints World Champions license plate. The bill has passed through committee and is moving on to the full House for debate. If all goes through, the new plate will be available on July 1 and will cost $28.50. The money raised will go to benefit parks, recreation and children's fitness programs. The Times-Picayune has a full report here and if you are into reading the actual bill, you can check that out here.

What The Hell?

2010-04-02T07:43:00.003-05:00

Even in Acadiana where, we've seen the unfortunate incidence of child sex scandals in the past, most notably in the case of Catholic priest, Gilbert Gauthe, and also in the arrests of numerous individuals on child pornography charges, this story of an Acadiana High School teacher allowing his students to have sex in his apartment while he filmed them is shocking. Jason Brown and Richard Burgess, reporting for The Advocate, wrote that Stephen McKay Hurst, 37, was arrested March 26 on federal charges of sexual exploitation of children and attempted sexual exploitation of children for the purpose of producing child pornography.

I was most appalled by the details of the story, such as the allegations that Hurst supplied the students with alcohol, and may have used hidden cameras in some cases to film the students. And while, it's true that some kids in high school drink and have sex, they should not be exploited by an adult entrusted with the responsibility to educate them. Yeah, I know, I'm on my soapbox. Just call me Capt. Obvious. But this quote by Hurst's attorney, Charles Ferrara really put me on tilt:

The defense attorney argued that Hurst is cooperating with investigators, has admitted to many of the allegations, is planning to seek counseling and “wants to straighten out the mess he has done.”
“His biggest concern the whole time is how do I make this right,”

Really? You think the damage done to those kids is something that can just be "straightened out"?

Read the Advocate story here.

Lighthouse Available May 18

2010-04-01T05:50:00.004-05:00

One of my favorite singers in the world, has a new record coming out. Pavarotti? Doubt it. Bob Dylan? Of course, I hope he's working on a new one. Nope, this singer is a woman, and a friend and above all, an artist. Susan Cowsill's new record Lighthouse is out May 18 on Threadhead records. This is the follow up to her solo debut, 2005's Just Believe It. Click here for the first press release for Lighthouse. It gives you a brief bio and tidbits about what went into the making of the record. Susan has an amazing history in the music business, and counts lots of famous folks as fans. People like Jackson Browne, Lucinda Williams, Adam Duritz all have contributed their talents to Susan's work in the past, because they (and I) love her and her work. Her kind of talent is rare and deep and soulful. Here's the title track to Just Believe It, featuring husband and collaborator Russ Broussard on drums, Chris Knotts on guitar, and old buddy Rob Savoy on the Longhorn Bass. Click here for Susan's website.

ndekeeW si ereh