We blog, therefore we are!!!

Does anyone know -- is this the first time The Times-Picayune has acknowledged local bloggers having the ability to shift public policy?

Okay -- actually, it wasn't The Times-Picayune, it was the Associated Press, but the TP printed the AP story about how Governor Blanco was thinking about backing off from her earlier reticence, and might actually veto some of the $31 (or is it 32, or 33) million in pet projects:

Bloggers, editorialists and talk radio hosts were among those who found in the budget what they considered unnecessary "pork barrel" projects unworthy of state funding.

Well, it's nice to know that, every once in a while, we're not just tilting at windmills.

Speaking of battling dragons, G Bitch will not be bringing a long pointed stick to the revolution. She wants to remind everyone that the revolution is not just about replacing corrupt black politicians like Dollar Bill and Renee Gill Pratt with corrupt white politicians -- it's about a fundamental change in the way our public servants think. It's about service to the community first. The rest will have their day against the wall.

Note Stephanie Grace's recent column about the DaimlerChrysler vehicles left in the charge of City Council members. She related an unflattering anecdote from a Baton Rouge dealer which ought to embarrass any red-blooded member of the City Council:

One witness to the distribution in Baton Rouge described an embarrassing feeding frenzy, with council members demanding cars in specific colors.

What a bunch of selfish pigs!

Having celebrated the possible influence of we bloggers in the public sphere and the very serious responsibilities that might accompany such a role, I will now turn to senseless, random esoteria.

On the way to work this morning, I saw one of those personalized bumper stickers in the back window of an SUV: A hunter trains a rifle on a buck springing into flight. The message beside the image: "9/22/50 - 6/7/06. We will always remember you D.A.B." My first passing thought: that's a long time for a deer to live, isn't it? I can understand the logic of hunting for survival, but I'll never understand the blind love of killing.

A friend has an uncle who works in the District Attorney's office. He said that his uncle describes how lax things were when Harry Connick was the D.A. Most people left the office by 1:00 (I'm just repeating what I was told). His uncle says that now, under Eddie Jordan, nobody stays in the office after 11:00. He might go in and check a couple names, then leave for the rest of the day. There's no work getting done there.

By the way, thanks for screwing the taxpayers to the tune of $3.5 million Eddie!

Speaking of the efficiency of the court system, Adrastos and BayouStJohnDavid were having a very interesting discussion about how Judge Calvin Johnson conducts his court. I hope for more insight from these two about the inner workings of the court system, and where its failings are. It's such an insular world within which we citizens really have no tools to measure competence.

The Times Picayune just posted a list of major campaign contributors in the most expensive mayoral race in New Orleans' history between Mitch Landrieu and Ray Nagin. I don't know why, but I'm suddenly overcome with the urge to eat a bowl of cookies and cream ice cream!



You're such an asshole Ray! What happened to burying the hatchet and the "one New Orleans" victory speech?

I'll be interested in finding out what the impact might be of Insurance Commissioner Jim Donelon's pledge to allow policy holders to sue their insurance companies beyond the one year limit, for a total of two years. This just gives homeowners a little more leverage if they're not happy with their insurance claims. I'd bet the insurance companies will challenge Donelon's authority to do this in court. Lisa and Michael sure sound like they could use an extension of the existing one-year law.

That's all the rambling for now. It's sleepy time.

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