Fall Ball

Sox wrap up the AL Central (despite toying with me over the past month or two.) They haven't been playing great ball (that's an understatement) but I have a renewed hope for the fall.

Gratuitous Sox Pic

Yeah, Blum looks......glum. It was a rough night for the boys last night. Hopefully, we'll bounce back tonight. The only saving grace of the night? Cleveland lost too.

So, I was on this bridge....

And, apparently, it is one of only two bridges in the world that can turn a full 360 in either direction. Who knew, eh? When I took this picture we were stopped on said bridge, because a lovely barge was crossing underneath.




Hey, that picture was taken with a camera phone out a car window. Not bad.

I want to believe this is NOT true

Brownie re-hired at FEMA? Truly?

Just in case

Just in case you've got money to burn, and helping out the hurricane ravaged gulf coast is SO last month..... your president has a brand new opportunity for you!

Um.....

Well, its Monday. Let's hear it for a brand new week, huh?!

How is that for canned enthusiasm?

Liverpool have been on a maddening draw streak which, of course, isn't quite as bad as a maddening losing streak. Still. A maddening WINNING streak would be even better.

Sox are on an upswing. Raiders and Bears....... and please, I can't even talk about Illinois' performance over the weekend!


I tried to catch up on a lot of the older things that were being conveniently stored on my Tivo. I'm nowhere near caught up, but I'm a lot closer than I was. And why the heck did they move West Wing to Sunday nights? Actually, I can't decide if it was lunacy or brilliance. On the one hand, its up against the Extreme makeover show, so if you're not into reality tv (like me, mostly) then this is a good thing. On the other hand, its up against the Fox Sunday comedy lineup, and Cold Case, both of which do pretty good. I don't know. I guess only time will tell.

Its also up against Rome, so I'm glad (once again) that I have Tivo.

Let's see......Friday night, Bill Maher had 3 brits on the panel. It was interesting to hear American politics from their perspective.

Yep, as you can see, its a boring morning.

Good stuff

You should check out The News Blog if you haven't run across it already. I think I've linked to it before, but I'm much too lazy to search for the post. At any rate, he's got a nifty new essay that I agree with (mostly) whole heartedly. Check it out.

Hard to complain

This has just been a really......freaky week. Its hard to complain, though, when we're not facing a hurricane. Or sitting for a millions hours in a hot car on a stagnant freeway. Or not going back to see the wreckage that was my home. Or, you know, anything like that. Still, I'm glad this week is over. I am looking forward to things like laundry and stuff like that.


I moved cubicles in my office (not by choice) and now I'm in cubicle suburbia. Its so quiet over there, the loudest thing is my clickity-clackity keyboard. I can't stand it, so I've been immersed in online radio with my headphones on. 8-11 is the Stephanie Miller show. After that, its usually The Groove on XM radio, although I am a notorious radio flipper. You can never tell, at any given moment, what I might be listening to. I'm also a big fan of BBC Radio.

In the afternoon, if there isn't a baseball game, then its more radio. It really makes the time go by faster, and keeps me from insanity by silence. I know, I know. Some people would KILL for a bit of silence.

A Gift for my Favorite Packer Backer

Which, I think, might be Kevin. Since no one in my family would EVER sink so low!

Ugh

Today is starting out to be a pretty irritating day.

I'm just saying.

Gratuitous Sox Pic

Tivo is a wonderful thing for people who are too much of a wuss to watch a game that is in extra innings. I had the game on, but on mute. I can't take the pressure! But, I look up and see that Joe Crede has hit a home run. Nice. And with tivo, I can go back and watch the blessed event.

You're kidding me, right?

From Time.com. Because even I couldn't make this stuff up.

Just in case you were wondering

Where the buck stops. Here is a helpful teaching aide.

Interesting

I'm linking to this opinion piece, Being Poor, from the Chicago Tribune. Subscription may be required.

Maybe its dumb

But I'm surprised by this.


I know, I know. I shouldn't be.

My friend has a job interview today and I think I am more nervous than she is! Seriously, its ridiculous! Doesn't matter, though.

Add to that the fact that I stopped at Starbucks this morning, and its just a bad scene.

Add to THAT the fact that its FREEZING in here! Maybe I just need another Starbucks.....

The Sports Law Blog (which I absolutely LOVE) has an analysis of Judge Roberts' analogy of justices and baseball umpires.

This kind of stuff is why law is fun!

We can't afford our gasoline

How cute! Its such a catchy little song too!

Brutal

Do any of you watch Rescue Me?

Cubs fan and I were discussing it awhile ago and he was saying he thought it was a very dark season. Last night I watched last week's episode, and it wasn't dark. It was brutal. Seriously. Excellent but brutal. Tonight is the season finale.

I need a nap

I don't remember feeling this tired at the beginning of last year. Maybe I was just too excited to be tired, but this (school) year, its all tired, all the time! Crazy.

Anyway, it could also be because I drove over to Illinois Saturday and back here on Sunday. It isn't a long drive (4 hours) but its boring. Corn. Corn. Corn. Cow.....Corn.....you get the picture. A lot of the farms have these signs in their fields, though. That always makes for interesting reading. There used to be just a few different versions, but on this trip I saw lots of new ones.

I went to a wedding reception and learned a new dance. I always like learning new dances. If I don't practice it, though, I will forget. I need to do that.

I listened to the Bears/Washington game on the radio. I do love sports on the radio! The game wasn't great, though. I still believe, though. It was a disappointing football week, though, with both the Raiders and the Bears losing.

White Sox lost yesterday too, but I figured that was because I forgot to post my gratuitous Sox pic while I was at home. Mea culpa.

Kelly is back from her Southern (Comfort) Adventure. I can't wait to hear all about it.

Found out tonight that one of my law school buddies got engaged! Congrats, Sean!

That's all the news that's fit to print tonight. I think its time for bed.

Get in the Van!

(with apologies to Henry Rollins for the title)

I'm sure that the NRA is preparing the public outcry as we speak.

So, I'm curious

Why is it, exactly, that our own John Hostettler voted against the aid package for the Katrina victims.

Damn Patriots

That's all I'm saying about that.

Are You Ready?!

Tonight's the night. The start of the NFL Season.

Gratuitous Sox Pic

Pablo Ozuna sliding into third for a rare triple. The Sox did their best to lose the game last night, but managed to win anyway. Let's hope they don't make it so exciting tonight. Its the ROYALS for crying out loud!

For ThatWunGuy

Hey, WunGuy, I found your tickets!

Help Rebuild the Gulf Coast

Consider donating to Habitat for Humanity

I promise

I'm not going to do a post about every "famous" person who comes out of their hovel to do something nice for Katrina evacuees. But, I have to mention Curt Schilling. I haven't really been a fan of his since he was with the Diamondbacks. I certainly wasn't a fan after he shilled for the Bush Administration during the election, after everyone on the Right complained about the Hollywood Elite mucking around in politics. But, I was impressed to hear the Schilling family is putting up a family for one year. Wow.

Start shopping now

My birthday is 2 months + 4 days from now. I'm usually not a big fan of pink, but I could make an exception in this case.

Seriously?

Guess who's coming to storm cleanup


And why the hell not, huh? At least now we know where Cheney has been.

Saints Marching Out?

I can't believe the Saints would have considered leaving. Okay, I can believe it. But, I'm glad to at least hear that (as of now) they aren't going anywhere. If they were to take this disaster as an opportunity to leave a city that had supported their sorry behinds for so long, it would make them even sorrier than they are on the field.

It was funny, though, to hear Harry Connick Jr say last week that "We can survive sitting through a Saints game, we will survive this." Hilarious.

Gratuitous Sox Pic

I'm the only one

Who liked this stupid show. That's probably why it went off the air. Now, Court TV is doing a marathon. I won't watch it all day. I won't watch it all day.....

Gratuitous Sox Pic

Manning Men

Most of you know, by the links along the side if by nothing else, that I'm not a huge Colts fan. I like to see them do well, because its exciting for the city of Indianapolis. But, when it comes to football, its Bears and Raiders for me, thanks. I like the players, some of them, but just not a huge horsehoe fan.

As most of the Indianapolis readers know, Peyton and Eli Manning set out for Baton Rouge over the weekend to see the grim reality for themselves, and to take, and do, whatever they could.

The Times-Picayune

has a message for President Bush. They've agreed to let us all listen in. My favorite part?

"State Rep. Karen Carter was right Friday when she said the city didn’t have but two urgent needs: "Buses! And gas!" Every official at the Federal Emergency Management Agency should be fired, Director Michael Brown especially.

In a nationally televised interview Thursday night, he said his agency hadn’t known until that day that thousands of storm victims were stranded at the Ernest N. Morial Convention Center. He gave another nationally televised interview the next morning and said, "We’ve provided food to the people at the Convention Center so that they’ve gotten at least one, if not two meals, every single day."

Lies don’t get more bald-faced than that, Mr. President."

Yeah. What they said.

Anne Rice wants to know

"Do you know what it means to lose New Orleans?"

Its a NYT editorial, so of course registration is required.

And, every law blog in the world will be reporting, commentating, opining on the death of Chief Justice Rehnquist and the aftermath, so you won't find much of that over here. I'm going to be reading about it on other blogs just like ya'll!

Okay, one to think about until tomorrow

Great post/rant from the News Blog. Here is my favorite part:

"Say 9/11 changed everything now, motherfuckers. Ooops, 9/11, 9/11. 9/11. Doesn't work anymore? Gee, maybe the sea of alligator MRE's once known as the citizens of New Orleans has something to do with that. Now you can shut the fuck up about 9/11. Bush just proved what would happen with another 9/11. Dead Americans as far as the nose can smell."

You can say that again.

Also, do I love Lt. Gen. Honore or what? I especially love how he uses "over" whenever he talks to the press. Why isn't this guy Sec. of Defense? Or.......something? Oh, that's right. Because Rumsfeld is the better candidate. That's right. I nearly forgot. Can you imagine how much better the war in Iraq would have been run.....

I can't even go there about if someone else would have been PRESIDENT!

Its Morning in America

Hey, every now and then you might see a Reagan quote around here. He was an actor. He had great quotes (and great speechwriters.) Not my fault.

Anyway, Bill Maher seems to think we have gotten our press corps. back. I think certain members of the press may have woken up (have I mentioned today how much I am loving Anderson Cooper these days?) But, I wouldn't go so far as to say we have them back. If its morning in America, its still very early morning. I'll go so far as to say they're wiping the sleep from their eyes. Good for them. The usual right shills are very, very quiet these days. (What'd ya say, Hannity? Tucker Carlson? Hmmm? I can't hear ya.)

Speaking of right wing shills, one of my profs sounds VERY MUCH like Rush Limbaugh. Its.....kind of crazy listening to him in class. Its uncanny, really. I mean in a
taste listenting test, I wouldn't know the difference.

He coulda been a contender....

Hop on over to Kelly's blog and leave her a message as she jets off to Nola to put her money where her mouth is and help some people out. God bless her for doing that. Truly. She's asked for prayers and good wishes, and so I expect my readers (most of which also read her blog) to do exactly that. But do more than read. Even if you normally don't visit there, or post there, just drop a quick note in the comments to let her know you're thinking about her. I'm sure it'd mean a lot.

My dad tells me that one of his cousin's sisters (ya'll get that?) was evac'd to the Astrodome. The other two are MIA. I wouldn't know these women if they walked into my living room right now, but I'm sure they would know me. I get a lot of that from older relatives that I haven't seen in awhile. I hope they're in the throngs of people I'm seeing on TV and their more immediate family finds them safe and (relatively) sound.

More on NOLA later. I'm sure you all can't wait.

Mayor of My America

Ya'll can have Giuliani. I'm throwing my lot in with Mayor Nagin.

A transcript of the now (in)famous interview given on radio. My suggestion to you is to listen to the speech, and there is a link imbedded in the transcript. I believe its in the first paragraph of Nagin's speech.

White man came up to me little while ago and offered me some money. I said thank you, but no thanks. I got money to hold us over.

I love this story.

I don't know where

he finds this stuff, but Kevin (over on Kelly's blog) introduced me to NOLA radio scanners. And, like he said there, it is morbidly voyeuristic, but I can't help myself! I'm actually listening to the Astrodome scanner, because it is a little more hopeful. (how sad is that?!) I need to stop.

Concrete Vietnam

Today's CD was the Boyz N the Hood CD. It was like going back to summer of 91! I was mostly laughing while listening to it. Lots of fun memories. I do believe Ice Cube has lost his gangsta cred, though. But, then I forgot that it was Friday and that's Russ Parr "Wrong Songs" day. Good stuff as well, so it was off with the CD, so I could hear:

Ron Base's "Joy and Pain" followed by
Vanilla Ice's "Ice Ice Baby." followed by
Beastie Boy's "Brass Monkey." followed by
Snow's "Informer."

All wrong songs indeed!

Gratuitous Sox Pic

This is Mark Buehrle during the National Anthem. Since I would like for them to win every game where the National Anthem is played beforehand, I thought it was a fitting picture.

Of course, since Contreras is on the mound tonight maybe I should have posted a pic of him.....if this doesn't work, at least I'll know what I did wrong! :o)

Can't google help like this

If you read this week's NUVO, you'll see an article about the library in crisis. It talks a little bit about how the library (and librarians) are being replaced by google.

The very same day that I read that, I get this email. As I'm always interested in suvivor stories, it was even better to hear from libraries in the Nola region. And, as an added bonus/surprise, the woman who wrote this letter has the same name (almost) as my Mom. With a coincidence like that, of course it had to go up on the blog.


-----Original Message-----
From: Dean Perry [mailto:EPerry@lib.subr.edu]

Dear Colleagues,

I know many of you are concerned about us here and I just want you to know that we are safe. The University is open, since yesterday, for administrators and staff but the students will not return until Tuesday, Sept. 6.

In my neighborhood we had some wind damage but not any flooding. Several homes had down trees and one tree split a home in half on my street but no damage to my house. We were without electricity for 3 days but it came back on yesterday. This is so minor compared to what others are experiencing.

We have several hundreds of the evacuees housed here on campus, some arrived with just what they had on when they were rescued. Realizing this, I had my staff on yesterday to go back home and get whatever they had at home (t-shirts, blankets, pillows,shoes, underclothes, socks, baby bottles, coloring books, water, etc) for those in the shelter here on campus. The Library ended up taking 3 cars and a van of items for those housed here on campus. I had a couple of OCLC t-shirts and I included one of them for the evacuees. They were so gratefully for everything as one lady told me she had had the same clothes on for three days, no shoes and no shower during this time. I know this is not much but every little helps. There are about 100,000 people from N.O and the surrounding areas now in B.R. with all shelters full and the traffic is a nightmare, long lines at the gas stations but we are coping and trying to help as much as we can.

Southern University will be allowing any student from the N.O. colleges and universities to enroll here for the rest of the semester. Of course the Library will extend all rights and privileges to these students as we do our own students. Ms. Adrienne Webber, Xavier University who was in the HBCU Leadership Institute I stopped by yesterday and said she is available for work for short term (6 months or so) or a permanent job if there is anything available. Just thought I would pass this on.

Again, thanks for your concerns. Do keep all of South Louisiana and especially New Orleans close to your heart and in your prayers. Take care and take time.

Emma Bradford Perry
Dean of Libraries
Southern University
Baton Rouge, LA 70813

P.S. Look over any typos or errors, got a tight schedule and on my way to a meeting now but wanted to get this out before my meeting.

Tool

I really, really cannot stand David Wells. Truly. Does anyone really believe he means, or even wrote, a word of this statement? For someone who is always criticizing anyone and everything, he should have put his money where his mouth was, and delivered this himself instead of hiding behind the Players Association. He's never shy about shooting his mouth off about anything else.

Asshole.