super-computers August 20, 2010
Me: I have been reading some stuff about Cedric Richmond that does not sound too good.
My friend: Like What?
Me: Well, American Zombie is saying that Richmond was involved with something called the New Orleans Center for Enhancement. They got $150,000 from something called the Louisiana Stadium and Exhibition District that was supposed to buy computers for New Orleans school children, but they only purchased 3 computers.
My friend: I want one of those computers.
humor vs. intolerance August 12, 2010
periodical and multi-volume biography report August 4, 2010
This is a fascinating article in the New Yorker if you enjoy reading about the US Senate. It reminded me of this book. I can’t recommend Caro’s biography series on Lyndon Johnson highly enough. I picked up the first volume, The Path to Power, at the Goodwill store in Hammond and got hooked. I’ve been slogging through the volumes in between romance novels ever since.
The books are dense with details that I find compelling. The first volume contains a passage that has stuck with me for years, describing the typical domestic life of a woman of Johnson’s mother’s era and class in the Hill Country of Texas. The third volume, Master of the Senate, contains no less than the history of the U.S. Senate, with most of its arcane rules and weirdnesses explored.
Some day I intend to read The Power Broker, Caro’s biography of Robert Moses. Moses was New York’s “master builder,” and a hugely influential and controversial figure. I haven’t even looked at the book, but I’ll bet it contains a thoroughly researched history of New York.
hoopleheads July 11, 2010
I woke up this morning to find my brother beside the bed asking me for money. I told him I didn’t have any money and reached down to check that my purse was still safely hidden under the bed beside me.
I went into the kitchen to find the house in an uproar. My brother had two dopehead friends waiting for him in the driveway and he was asking everyone in the family for money. No one would give him any money because we all know it would be spent on drugs of some kind.
My stepdad was saying, “if they don’t get out of my driveway, I’m getting out my gun.”
My mother was saying, “just get in the car and go. Please.”
My grandmother looked at me and said, “Standard Operating Procedure.”
I went outside to get my bag out of my car. I said hello to one of the guys sitting in a car waiting for my brother. He was nodding off and he dropped a lit cigarette into his lap and failed to notice it burning a hole in his pants.
My brother bitched for a while longer about no one giving him any money and finally left. 20 minutes later he called my mother. He asked her to come pick him up because the car had boken down.
Mom said, “I am going to be late for church. OK. Alright. Where are you?”
This is my mom’s life. Everyone has to hide their money, credit cards, and prescription medications because he will steal them and flat-out deny it. There is no point in talking to him about it because it always turns into an argument, which upsets my mother and does no good anyway. Mom won’t turn him out because he’s a paraplegic and mentally ill. She once managed to get him into a mental institution, but within a week they kicked him out.
Having a drug addict in your family is a life sentence without parole.
guess i’d better cancel my hair appointment July 10, 2010
via Roger Ebert on Twitter
just awful July 9, 2010
Another case of authorities tasering a person who poses no threat to them. This time it’s the nephew of U.S. Supreme Court Justice Clarence Thomas. And it’s in Jefferson parish. At a hospital.
I’m on record somewhere around here as being completely against the use of tasers. I agree with Digby on this subject. Tasers were only supposed to be used when the police are in genuine fear of their lives. Now they are being used when mentally ill people get out of control, when people question traffic stops, and generally when the police feel like it.
The authorities cannot be trusted with these weapons. They are delivering 50,000 volts of electricity to people who have not been charged with, let alone convicted of, a crime. Me, I’d rather do a few months in jail, if given the choice. It’s like the electric chair without the chair.
This story also struck me because I once met Justice Thomas’ brother. He lived and worked in New Orleans. He died of a heart attack some years ago. I wonder if this terrible thing happened to his son.
conversations with ruby July 5, 2010
“Hey, how’s that fella you brought up here one time? The one I like?”
“Oh, he’s fine.”
“Does he have a girlfriend?”
“No. I think he’d like me to be his girlfriend, but I’m just not into it right now.”
“I don’t blame you. He’s real sweet, and real smart, but ya’ll don’t make an attractive couple. He’s too short for you.”
“Yeah. Story of my life.”
“Does he have any money?”
“Nah.”
“Well, there you go.”
i love you your beauty, too July 3, 2010
My grandmother, Ruby, is having surgery on her hip later this month. In the mean time, she is in terrible, horrible, excruciating pain all the time. She’s taking tons of Percocet, but the pain endures and she just gets really loopy when she’s loaded.
Last night, she said, in her drug-induced haze, “I just love you so much. You’re my first-born grandchild, out of wedlock.”
“I thought my parents were married when I was born.”
“They were. Wha’d I say?”
“You said I was your first-born grandchild out of wedlock.”
“I meant in wedlock, or whatever it is.”
“OK, but, as far as you know, I was the first, in or out of wedlock, right?”
“Right!”
Tonight, I’m going out to dinner with my mom and step-dad. As is traditional in my family, I got dressed up, did my hair and make-up, and paraded dramatically in front of my grandmother to get her blessing on my outfit.
“Oh, darlin’ you look uhh gah ow! so beautiful. Oh, ow! Ouch!”
“Oh, Ruby! I can’t wait till the surgery. This excruciating pain of yours is keeping you from enjoying my beauty!”
“No it isn’t! I uuuuh love your beauty! Uh gaaaah owwww! I love it!”
cool it, mel. jeez. July 2, 2010
Mel Gibson goes bananas again. To him, I can only say this.
rising tide 5: 2010 ashley morris award nominations July 1, 2010
Every year, the Rising Tide Conference presents an award to a New Orleans blogger who exemplifies the spirit of Ashley Morris. He was a friend, and one of the founders of Rising Tide NOLA. There is more about Ashley, and the past winners of the award, at the Rising Tide blog:
Ashley was a major figure in the New Orleans Internet community and beyond. He carried his love for New Orleans literally on sleeve, or rather under it in the form of a very large fleur-de-lis tattoo. His famously fierce and profane reactions to any attack on New Orleans became legendary in the months and years after the Federal Flood. His larger than life personality still resonates as one of the inspirations for the Treme character Creighton Bernette, played by John Goodman. Bernette has been known to speak words originally written by Ashley. Ashley’s blog is still available, check out the greatest hits.
This year, the conference committee is asking for nominations for the Ashley Morris Award. To nominate a blogger, go to this post and leave a comment.
older posts »
