Naked Burgler in Slidell

Ok....I know, this one's not technically Acadiana, but this is too good to pass up, and it did occur within the state lines of Louisiana, so we're including it in The Meaux. KLFY reports that police in Slidell are looking for a man that broke into a home, ransacked the place, and took off with 1 bed sheet....all while being completely naked. When the homeowners returned to find the mess their house was in, they checked their video surveillance system and discovered that a nude man had come onto the property, washed himself with a garden hose, covered up with a garbage bag, hung out on their back patio for a while and then apparently got hungry. He next broke into the house, fixed himself something to eat, had a few drinks, took another shower and then left. The only thing missing was the bed sheet he used to cover himself with as he left. The man is still at large. WWL has a full report with an interview with the Slidell Police Captain.

Where's Everybody At?

Sorry for finding this a couple of days late, but MSNBC.com ran this Associated Press story about Holly Beach Louisiana after Hurricanes Rita and Ike on Thursday. What used to be a bustling summer get-away destination now resembles a ghost town. According to the article, new improvements to the roads and sewer systems is expected to attract condo and hotel developers, but some residents fear Holly Beach has lost its former charm which earned it the nickname the "Cajun Riviera". From the article:

While the two September storms — Rita in 2005, which destroyed every structure in town, and Ike in 2008 — didn't kill anyone in Louisiana, they effectively ended Holly Beach's status as a vacation destination. Most lots are empty except for concrete slabs and high grass, but several families have built grand homes that tower on stilts to get out of the way of the next storm surge.

More here.

Photo by etohaholic

Teacher Union Files Complaint Against Recruiting Company

NPR's Morning Edition, ran this story on Friday about a complaint filed by the Louisiana Federation of Teachers against Universal Placement International, claiming the company brought teachers from the Philippines to fill shortages in five Louisiana school districts, but then demanded $15,000 from the teachers in administration fees, and 10 percent of their monthly wages for two years. Listen to the story here or read the transcript here.

OK...Off The Ceiling.. Then Off The Glass

While the New Orleans Hornets were in Lafayette this past week, Chris Paul hit this amazing shot during a game of HORSE. The Associated Press was there to capture the shot on video, and the Today Show ran it on their Saturday morning broadcast. All from the campus of UL. How 'bout that?

Nutria News

Anything with teeth that yellow just creeps me out. However, they're here, and they're eating up what's left of our wetlands, so something needs to be done with them. Enter, Cree Mcree, and her Righteous Fur line to the nutria arena. Emilie Bahr wrote this article for New Orleans City Business about Mcree and her partner Oliver Manhattan's efforts to establish a fashion line made, partially, from nutria pelts. Think of the message it will send to the nutria when they see us walking around wearing them as clothes. Maybe they'll think twice before eating their next helping of wetlands. Read the article here.

Photo by amboo who

Lafayette Bus Driver Arrested For DWI Then Drives

Back in May we did a story on the Lafayette Parish School Bus Drivers. It featured an investigative report that the Advertiser did looking at the actual driving records of the bus drivers and the fact that many have had driving citations and offenses not included on their records because they took a class....offenses like OWI and Careless Operation. Well now, after another driver was discovered to have driven his route only 5 hours after being released from a DWI arrest, the school board is considering instituting a policy at least for drunk driving charges. WXVT has a report here on the latest driver and his DWI.

Photo by woodlywonderworks

Dangly Fun

Today's fashion find store had so many beautiful items, I almost couldn't decide what to feature! FireDance Studio is an Etsy shop by Lafayette artists Paula & Jim McDowell and they create really unique, one-of-a-kind pieces that are hand crafted with the finest materials: silver, gold, copper, bronze, brass, gemstones and glass. I love this particular pair of earrings because of the shape of the freshwater pearls and details in the bronze. Super light and cute! This pair of earrings are $40 and available here.

Fighting Breast Cancer

By Yvette Quantz

"According to the American Cancer Society (ACS), an estimated 192,370 new cases of invasive breast cancer are expected to be diagnosed among women in the United States this year. An estimated 40,170 women are expected to die from the disease in 2009 alone. Today, there are about 2.5 million breast cancer survivors living in the United States.” (www.nbcam.org)

If you are concerned about developing breast cancer or concerned about a loved one, please read on.

Your How to Plan for Fighting Breast Cancer

1. Exercise. If you don’t enjoy traditional forms of exercise here are a few ideas that will still get you're your heart pumping (and can actually be way more fun!)

• Sign up for a dance class. A few examples include: Zumba, ballroom dancing, hip hop, tap, and ballet.
• Schedule thirty minutes a day, three times a week to play outside. Playing an old fashioned game of kickball, soccer, or tag will not only get your body moving but also create lasting memories.
• Wear a pedometer and just challenge yourself to walk 10,000 steps per day. That is equivalent to walking 3 miles! Once you are regularly reaching your 10,000 steps per day goal, increase it to 12,000, then 15,000 steps per day.

2. Aim to eat a serving of beans or lentils at least twice a week.

• One night a week swap your traditional meat and potatoes dinner for beans and brown rice. You can make this interesting by cooking white beans, lentil stew, or split pea soup. Be cautious not to negate the health benefits of beans by adding high fat, processed meats to the pot; instead try going vegetarian one night a week.
• For your second serving of beans serve black beans, lima beans, or black eyed peas as a side dish to your meal.

3. Increase fruit and vegetable intake.

• Start your day with an antioxidant and fiber packed blueberry shake.
• For lunch have a bright salad with broccoli, yellow squash, tomatoes, garbanzo beans, and topped with salmon.
• Mid morning and mid afternoons, try snacking on raw vegetables with hummus or fresh fruit and nuts.
• At dinner set a goal to have at least 3 different colors of foods on your plate (i.e. roasted sweet potatoes, steamed broccoli, black beans, and stir fried red, yellow and green bell peppers).

4. Increase intake of Monounsaturated fats and Omega-3 fatty acids in your diet.

• Include more legumes, nuts, and seeds, seafood, canola oil, and flax seeds into your daily food routine.
• Add fresh ground flax seeds to your breakfast smoothie, opt to eat more seafood and less red meat, try snacking on nuts and seeds instead of traditional packaged foods.

More Tips:

• Decrease high fat foods and meat intake
• Increase fiber intake
• Limit alcohol
• Include more roasted garlic or try cooking with more garlic
• Eat soy and soy products in moderation
• Research has found that breastfeeding may reduce breast cancer risk by half

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/

Fujita Takes Moral Stand on Gay Rights

New Orleans Saints Linebacker Scott Fujita came out recently with a pretty gutsy stance for an NFL player. He said that he is in support of full marriage equality and has endorsed the National Equality March in Washington on October 12. Dave Zirin has an article in The Nation magazine looking at homophobia in the NFL and has this quote by Fujita:

"People could look at this issue without blinders on...the blinders imposed by their church, their parents, their friends or, in our case, their coaches and locker rooms. Fujita continued, "I wish they would realize that it's not a religion issue. It's not a government issue. It's not even a gay/straight issue or a question of your manhood. It's a human issue. And until more people see that, we're stuck arguing with people who don't have an argument."

Click here to read the full story on TheNation.com


Photo by Shawn Graham

The Name Is K-Doe!

Here's a snappy break beat to get your weekend going. It's the polar opposite of last week's Lucinda tune, and it goes to show the breadth of the musical spectrum found in Louisiana. Ernie K-Doe rocks you heard me?

BeauSoleil Home in Washington

Team BeauSoleil has arrived in Washington DC and is getting ready for the big solar decathlon and Treehugger.com did this feature story about the self sufficient house. While you're there, watch the video too...it's an interesting story about the project and come to find out, only 20 universities from around the world were selected to participate. You'll hear some pretty wicked fiddle playing too, which I would assume is Michael Doucet of the band Beausoleil. Early on, the group asked Doucet if they could use the name BeauSoleil for their house and he gave them his blessing. The competition starts on October 8....go Team BeauSoleil! If you're on Facebook, join their group here to get behind the scenes updates and photos.

Ticket-takers and Ushers Need Only Apply

2 related stories out today don't paint a very pretty picture for Louisiana's workforce and job prospects. First up, an article on boston.com by Melinda Deslattes from the Associated Press about Curt Eysink, the Director of Louisiana Workforce, saying that the state needs more people to get 2 year degrees instead of 4 year degrees. He says that there are skilled labor jobs out there that can't be filled because we don't have enough graduates with technical degrees. Eysink presented forecasting data that showed the top growth jobs projected for the state included ticket-takers, home health aides, retail salespeople and nurses. Others like Belle Wheelan, Director of Southern Universities and Colleges argue that the state needs to do more to attract more professional businesses instead of service industry, which typically have much lower pay. She says: "If I saw the strongest growth area was ushers, lobby attendants and ticket-takers, I'd leave Louisiana too." Ouch.

The other good news / bad news story comes from Sarah Chako of The Advocate. The good news is, from 2007 to 2008 Louisiana's poverty rate declined. However, the bad news is, it is still one of the worst in the nation with over 17% of Louisianians living in poverty. Us and our friend Mississippi. Read more here.

Photo by John and Keturah