The fifth annual Baton Rouge Mid City Merchants sponsored spring art hop, “Hot Art, Cool Nights”, will be held on Friday night, May 9, 2008, from 6 p.m. until 10 p.m.
http://www.midcitymerchants.com/
I went with Ashley last year and had a blast. I actually ended up buying some art. I wish I could go this year but will be in New Orleans. There is free drinks, so no excuse not to go.
Al-Jazeera cameraman Sami al-Hajj arrived home in the Sudanese capital of Khartoum early Friday after nearly six years in the U.S. Navy prison camp at Guantanamo Bay, Cuba.
http://www.cnn.com/2008/WORLD/americas/05/01/gitmo.journalist/index.html
How can we hold someone for 6 years without charging them with anything and then just let them go? George Bush talks about wanting to spread democracy throughout the middle east. Well we might want to start by giving due process the people to the in our custody. It comes no supervise that the day Mr. al-Hajj is released, George Bush has now official has the highest disapproval ratings of any president in the modern era.*
Peggy Noonan has written a great article on the mess that is airport security. Please read it here: http://online.wsj.com/article/declarations.html.
And, as always: Why do we do this when you know I am not a terrorist, and you know I know you know I am not a terrorist? Why this costly and harassing kabuki when we both know the facts, and would agree that all this harassment is the government's way of showing "fairness," of showing that it will equally humiliate anyone in order to show its high-mindedness and sense of justice? Our politicians congratulate themselves on this as we stand in line.
I wonder if the politicians even have to wait in line? It seems that no one in the executive branch does:
Near the end of my six-hour shift, I'm achy, unaccustomed to standing for hours and lifting bags that feel like they're full of bricks. Just then a buzz goes through the checkpoint—Senator Hillary Clinton is on her way. We all stand as if at attention as she arrives with her secret service agents, smiling vaguely in our direction. I notice that she does not go through normal screening but enters a special lane reserved for law enforcement officers and pilots authorized to carry guns, a privilege accorded to her as a former first lady. Mere politicians must present a plastic bag like everyone else. *
in all fairness the president should have to go through airport screening before he enters AirForce One. They are as likely to be terrorist as my 80 year old grandmother in a wheel chair who had to go through the additional security a couple of years ago. Barbara Peterson, a writer who worked for the TSA sheds some light on the organizations mentality.
The reason the TSA—and my supervisors—give for searching this man is what I will come to call the "you never know" argument. As in you never know if an elderly person in a wheelchair is a dupe for a saboteur. Of course, it's important to keep the extra screening as random as possible to avoid any patterns that a terrorist could exploit. But clearly, unless you believe that The Manchurian Candidate presents a plausible scenario, there are people who could safely be exempted without compromising security.*
These days if I can get there in a day I try to travel by train. It costs the same amount as a plane but I always get their on time and I don't get talked down by an airport screener because I accidentally left my toothpaste in a carry on bag.
If you have some more time read the full article* by Barbara Peterson, about her two month's as an airport screener.
I work very long hours. If I went to get some more work done after 5pm, it not going to be at the office or my house. Here my favorite place to work in Baton Rouge
1. Highland Coffees
Great atmosphere and good coffee. It is very easy to feed off the energy in there.
WiFi: Flaky
Drink of Choice: Granita
2. Perks
Like Highland Coffees but smaller and more intimate.
WiFi: Great
Drink of Choice: Granita
3. The Chimes
Do people actually work at the Chimes? I head over there at 11pm when Highland Coffees closes. There is always another guy on his laptop. Sometimes he passes out. I never have, yet.
WiFi: Good
Drink of Choice: Abita Jackamo
4. The Varsity
Monday is a good time to get some work done and see a movie. Again, I will go over there after the Highland Coffees closes. Also, you can hear Clark yelling all the time.
WiFi: Bad
Drink of Choice: Depends on Drink Special
5. Charlie's Coffees on Perkins
I tend to shy away from chains but you can stay for along time and order a sandwich. The tables are nice to spread out your stuff if you can find one.
WiFi: Good and they also have wired connections
Drink of Choice: Banana Smoothie
Every spring and fall the weather becomes perfect for running in Louisiana. Unfortunately it only last for about 2 weeks. It has finally hit us and this week look great. Weather in the 60s all week and 10 percent chance of rain everyday until Friday. Expect to see me out on the lakes every day this week. I plan on rotating between 4 and 8 miles until Friday.
For my friend's that would be a cowards run and a Big Kahuna.
Also I didn't hear about any drive bys on third street this weekend so maybe the Boyz in the Hood fade has passed.
I was at Boudreaux and Thibodeaux's March 29th standing on the balcony when I saw about 15 police cars pull up and completely shut down 3rd Street. No one had any ideal what was going on and I remained in the dark to I stumbled on this report at the Baton Rouge Business Report:
http://www.businessreport.com/news/2008/apr/04/downtown-brawl-leads-push-more-security/
Which basically describes that a huge fight broke out at one end of third street. I found this part of the article a little disturbing:
An officer told 21-year-old Quintin Alonzo Williams to turn down the music and move on, Kelly says, but Williams cursed and instead turned the music up. The officer then tried to pull Williams out of the 1999 Pontiac Firebird, prompting Williams to allegedly push the officer, pin him against another vehicle and start fighting. That’s when another officer Tasered him. Williams was arrested and charged with several counts. The Police Department later towed his car and discovered an AK-47 with 28 rounds in the magazine, but he is not facing any weapons charges.
I went to Boudreaux and Thibodeauxs the following Saturday and noticed a huge police presence, which is good in the short term but not something that I think anyone really wants. It would probably be a good ideal to shutdown 3rd Street on weekends and make it pedestrian only. That way people won't have easy access to their AK -47s. There is no way I can fit mine into my 7 Jeans and would mostly likely have to leave it in my car.
Confirmation for Jessica Bayer:
Your response has been received and is confirmed for the event honoring the
2007 NCAA FOOTBALL CHAMPIONS
THE LSU TIGERS
In the case of inclement weather the event will be cancelled. Please call 202-456-2510 beginning at 7:30 a.m. on the day of the event to check the status.
Monday, April 7, 2008
The White House
South Lawn
Gates open at 1:00 p.m.
Gates close at 1:15 p.m.
Guests should arrive via the Southeast Visitors entrance accessible via 15th Street and Alexander Hamilton Place.
Photo ID is required for admittance onto the White House Complex.
Attire is business and cameras are permitted, but the following items are prohibited on the White House grounds:
Please keep in mind that parking is unavailable on the White House complex when making your transportation arrangements.
The information, and any attachments contained in this email may contain confidential and/or privileged information and is intended solely for the use of the intended named recipient(s). Any disclosure or dissemination in whatever form, by another other than the intended recipient is strictly prohibited. If you have received this transmission in error, please contact the sender and destroy this message and any attachments. Thank you.
I have been playing a lot of Guitar Hero and Rock Band lately. Enough that I have convinced Clark we should probably purchase it for the house. I think that Rock Band is superior, especially when you have a group of people.
The problem with these games is that deep in my subconscious I know that I could really practicing on a guitar and learn how to play. There is a great Southpark episode on this. Anyway saw this on gizmodo the other day and it seems to be the real solution for people who want to really learn how to play the guitar and have the fun of Guitar Hero: http://gizmodo.com/352800/guitar-rising-for-real-guitar-heroes.
Left New Orleans Tuesday on the train the City of New Orleans for Chicago. Arrived Wed at 9am. Worked the ABA Tech Show, while having a blast every night. Left Friday to fly back to Louisiana. Arrived in Atlanta at 11pm. All flights canceled. No guarantee back to Louisiana until Sunday. Refuse to miss the St. Patrick's Day Parade starting in 10 hours. Rented a car and drove 8 hours straight to Baton Rouge. Stayed awake courtesy of Sugar Free Red Bull and singing We Built This City. Arrived in Baton Rouge at 7:45. Made it to Chelsea's for the first drink at 8:15am. Made it to Brent's for Jello Shots at 8:45. Had one of the best St. Patricks days ever. Had a blast at Chelsea's and assorted party's. Made it to Dijulios again. Ended the night talking with Clark at 2am on the porch.
Was up for 43 Hours straight.
