A little Sunday Morning Fun

Call the Nestle Hot line at 1-800-295-0051.

When asked if you want to continue in English or Spanish, wait quietly for about 10 seconds and you will smile.

Keep going and press 4.

Then press 7.

If you comment on this, don't give away the surprise.

Shreveport Firefighters shocked by lawsuit

Members of the Shreveport Fire Department, as well as many people in the community, were stunned to learn that Traci Adams, the widow of Shreveport Fire Department Battalion Chief Tommy Adams, has filed a lawsuit against the City of Shreveport in District Court.
The lawsuit, says his death "resulted from substandard care and treatment" and a "breach of applicable medical standards" by Fire Department personnel. "Shreveport Fire Department personnel failed to adequately secure an airway, failed to provide supplemental oxygen and failed to take appropriate measures consistent with applicable medical standards resulting in (Adams') oxygen deprivation and resulting brain damage.”
Mrs. Adams also faulted EMS Personnel for transporting him to Willis-Knighton Pierremont rather than the trauma center at LSU Medical Center.
Adams, 52, died last December of complications from his injuries. He had been in a comatose state since February 2009, when he fell from a ladder truck after a Mardi Gras parade. He suffered neck and traumatic brain injuries.
Fellow firefighters held fundraisers while Adams was injured, orchestrated a honor procession when he returned to Shreveport after treatment in a specialized treatment facility and buried him with honors (video here).
A number of fundraisers were held to help the family pay personal expenses during the time he was hospitalized. According to The Times, his medical expenses were paid by worker’s compensaton, and Ms. Adams received a payout from his life insurance policy. She also received benefits from his retirement account.
Mayor Cedric Glover and Fire Chief Brian Crawford released a statement which says "The brave men and women of the Shreveport Fire Department are extremely disappointed in the lawsuit filed and the allegations that have been made against the city of Shreveport and its employees by Mrs. Traci Adams. Needless to say, we will vigorously and aggressively defend the lawsuit and will refute each and every allegation in the petition."
An opinion piece written by Traci Adams for publication in The Times July 19, states, "I will be forever grateful for those who responded to him in his greatest time of need, the night of Feb. 21, 2009."
"You have saved us," she wrote, referring to the "brotherhood" of firefighters who responded to her family's cry for help. "Thank you for all your hard work, dedication, love, prayers and support. I am forever in your debt."
Before her husband's return home, firefighters helped remodel the Adams' Shreveport home in June to make it suitable for his recovery. At the time, she said, "You can feel the love being built."

More at KTBS and The Times.

Thamm murder trial postponed again

The 1st degree murder trial of Lance Thamm, who is accused of killing his 17 month old daughter in January of 2008, has been postponed again.

This time the defense says it needs time to locate out of state witnesses. The trial is now scheduled to begin April 26th.

Bossier DA Schuyler Marvin is seeking the death penalty in the case.

Man charged in home invasion has internet presence

Ricardo Palos, who was arrested by a Bossier Parish Sheriff's Deputy this morning in the home invasion referred to in the last two blog posts, has quite an internet presence.
On My Space, he introduces himself to us:
• Status: Single
• Here for: Networking, Friends
• Hometown: 2718 S. Homan
• Orientation: Straight
• Body type: More to love!
• Ethnicity: Latino / Hispanic
• Religion: Catholic
• Zodiac Sign: Taurus
• Children: Proud parent
• Drink: Yes
• Education: Some college
• Occupation: carnicero
• Income: Less than $30,000
For education, he lists:
• Latino Youth Alternative Hs
o Chicago, IL
o Graduated: N/A
o Student status: Alumni
o Degree: High School Diploma
1991 to 1994
Under companies he lists:
• Los cuatro Hermanos
o Springdale, Arkansa US
o President
And finally, this:
About me:
Born and Raised in Chicago currently living in Arkansas work with pops and moms in the grocery store proud father of two boys and four girls love them all with all my heart i am very proud of were i come from were i was raised the brothers in the hood lots of love.

And I'll bet those brothers in the hood are proud of him too, ganging up with two other thugs and tying up a 68 year old woman and robbing her.

Mr. Palos has come a long way from that Chicago hood - or has he?

He is also on Black Planet.

You can check out pictures of the family store in Springdale on Flickr.

Benton Homes Invasion: 2nd Suspect arrested, 3rd being sought

26-year-old Gerardo Cortina of Illinois was arrested Thursday afternoon and faces the same charges as 35-year-old Ricardo Palos of Arkansas who was arrested earlier Thursday.

39-year-old Miguel "Bear" Escutia (below) is still being sought.

Benton Home Invasion

From The Bossier Parish Sheriff's office:
An Arkansas man was arrested early this morning and charged with aggravated burglary, false imprisonment and simple battery of the infirmed, said Bossier Sheriff Larry Deen. Ricardo Aleman Palos, 35, of the 600 block of Crutcher Avenue in Springdale, was taken into custody after a home invasion in the 200 block of Hurricane Bluff in Benton just after midnight.
A 68-year-old female told Bossier Sheriff’s deputies she was awakened by her dog barking and was confronted by three males in ski masks and dark clothing. They bound her with duct tape at the ankles and the wrists and put some over her mouth. They kept demanding, “Where’s the safe?”, and repeatedly told her they were not going to harm her.
The three men rummaged through the residence and eventually found a safe. They took it and some jewelry and fled the scene in a pickup truck. At that point, the victim, who suffered only a minor injury, was able to free herself and call the Bossier Sheriff’s Office, at which time a B.O.L.O. (be on the lookout) was issued, instructing law enforcement agencies to watch for a suspicious pickup truck.
A Bossier Sheriff’s deputy soon spotted a pickup truck on LA Hwy. 3 at Cash Point Road and saw a large object under a tarp in the bed of the truck. The object looked like a safe. The deputy continued to follow the truck which began to weave from lane to lane in an effort to get away from the deputy.
The truck led the deputy into the Greenacres Subdivision in Bossier City and back out onto Highway 3. In the 3900 block of Highway 3, the truck stopped and all three men fled. The deputy was able to apprehend Palos, but the other two men escaped.
Deputies are still looking for Palos’ accomplices, but Palos is being held in the Bossier Maximum Security Facility. His bond is pending.

Congratulations Jarrod Jackson

Our congratulations to Jarrod Jackson, a senior at Parkway High School for being chosen as one of two Louisiana students to represent the state at the United States Senate Youth Program in Washington D.C. in March. He plans to attend Howard University after graduation.

The United States Senate Youth Program (USSYP) is an intensive weeklong educational experience and scholarship sponsored by the United States Senate for outstanding high school students who are interested in pursuing careers in public service.
Jackson is one of only 104 students in the country selected to serve as delegates to Washington Week, March 6 through March 13.
Jackson has a 4.0 grade point average and is Parkway’s “Student of the Year”.
He was one of only three
He is president of the student council, vice-president of the National Honor Society, and an athlete.
Complete story at NWLA News

Barbara Norton, The Inquisitor and the Infinity to Understand

Danny Lawler at The Inquisitor gives us a report about State Representative Barbara Norton’s shameful behavior at the African American History Parade earlier this month. The Inquisitor obtained police video of the incident as well as eyewitness accounts of what transpired as police officers began to check drivers of vehicles in the parade, as required by city law.
The law was passed a few years ago when a child was hit by a float being pulled by a vehicle driven by a person who was intoxicated.
Being the ‘public official’ that she is, apparently Norton thought the law didn’t apply to her, and began making racial slurs at the officers, according to reports, calling one white officer a white motherfucker and a black officer, Kevin Anderson, an ‘Uncle Tom’.
There is a lot more to the story, but you’ll have to buy The Inquisitor to read it.
I thoroughly searched Channel 3, Channel 6, Channel 12 and The Times and there is no mention whatever of the incident.
I wonder why?
I did find the video below on Channel 3’s website from January. Gerry May interviewed Ms. Norton about Black History Month and the parade. She said that the purpose is “to teach our children and grandchildren about who they are, where they came from, and to give them the infinity to understand that others can do, and also that they can do it too.”
The infinity to understand? Now what the hell does that mean?

Old Violin

Important Announcement: I'm now a Community Activist

I really enjoy blogging, but I feel led to a higher calling. From now on, I want to be referred to as a ‘Community Activist’.
Shreveport has a few of those, but I just can’t really find a good one in Bossier. I’m willing to assume the mantle.
There are qualifications to consider. Community Activists seem to be loud, obnoxious, make people angry and get in the news. I can do those things, some would tell you that I am supremely qualified. Unlike one local activist, I did not serve time in prison for bank robbery before finding Jesus and becoming a Community Activist. My preparations for the job are much more modest.
Another thing that attracts me to it is that you can say almost anything you want with impunity. Shreveport Community Activist and State Representative Barbara Norton recently cussed out the SPD at a parade downtown. I feel like that is the Community Activist coming out in her, not the state rep. If that were the case, then Jane Smith and Henry Burns would be doing the same thing.
I’m going to try it out. The next time I see a Benton PD car roll by, I’m going to wave them down and give them a piece of my mind. I will inform them that they can’t do anything about it, considering that I am now a Community Activist. If that works, I’ll try it out next week in Bossier City.
Now just being one of Bossier’s premier bloggers is great, but we’re not all called to be Community Activists. My blogging buddy Andy is another premier Bossier blogger, but he is on a much greater mission. Andy is taking on The Gooble. He’ll even be selling T-Shirts.

I’m thinking that while Andy takes on the internet giants, I’ll handle things here at home. Next time you have a beef, call me. I’ll be available to speak (for a small fee of course).

Pilkinton Murder Trial set for May 10th

The trial of Charles R. Pilkinton for second degree murder has been rescheduled for May 10.
Pilkinton was charged in the murder on November 15, 2008 of 66 year old Raymond Tobin. Tobin was found slumped over the steering wheel of his car on Inda Drive shot twice in the back of the head. According to reports, when police arrived at the scene Pilkinton admitted to killing Tobin.
Pilkinton was represented by Shreveport criminal defense attorney Daryl Gold when the case went to trial last fall.
When the jury was unable to reach a verdict as to Pilkinton’s guilt, a mistrial was declared.
Bossier DA Schuyler Marvin said at the time that he would retry Pilkinton.

Benefit Concert this weekend for Madison Johnson

A benefit concert will be held for Madison Johnson this Saturday at the Warehouse at 630 Commerce Street in Downtown Shreveport. It will start Saturday night at 8PM & end Sunday morning at 2AM.
Madison is a 2nd grader at Bellaire Elementary in Bossier City. She was diagnosed with Leukemia in December and is currently receiving treatment at St.Judes Children Hospital in Memphis.

My Annual 'both parties are evil' blog

(I don't know why I do this, I know I will be attacked as a Godless Liberal in the comments section, but so be it.)

We have been brainwashed into believing that we have to make a choice between a ‘D’ or an ‘R’. We are all victims of a dysfunctional system that makes government less responsive, less efficient and less effective.
Independent voters now constitute the largest segment of the American electorate. The Democrat and Republican parties have done everything in their power to ensure their continued monopoly on elections, by enacting election laws and rules that benefit themselves and that make it extremely difficult to get Independent or candidates of other parties on the ballot.
I personally believe that the Democratic and Republican parties are both, at a national level, evil to the core.
What brought on this rant? Since you asked, I’ll tell you. Sarah Palin (and I’m neither a Palin lover or hater, I’m neutral), recently addressed a gathering of Republican and Tea Party activists in Arkansas. Her advice to the Tea Party movement was this:
"Now the smart thing will be for independents who are such a part of this Tea Party movement to, I guess, kind of start picking a party," Palin said. "Which party reflects how that smaller, smarter government steps to be taken? Which party will best fit you? And then because the Tea Party movement is not a party, and we have a two-party system, they’re going to have to pick a party and run one or the other: ‘R’ or ‘D’."
No, no, no Sarah, they don’t have to. I’m sure that the majority of Tea Party members, at least in our area, do belong to the Republican party. If they were happy with that party, they wouldn’t be at Tea Party events.
An alignment of the Tea Party movement with the Republican party would spell the end of the movement, it would become just another fund-raising arm for an already bloated monster. The anti-tax Tea Party movement is a great thing, but lowering taxes while borrowing trillions from other countries to feed our greed just doesn’t work.
I’m preaching to my Northwest Louisiana crowd here, so I will grant you that the Democratic Party is terrible. Nancy Pelosi is everything you say she is and Harry Reid is an idiot. What I am questioning is your choice of an alternative.
If you are a ‘conservative Republican’ answer this for me: what great conservative achievements has the Republican party given us in the last 25 years?
I could name some liberal achievements that both parties have rejoiced in. The Medicare prescription entitlement, which is a convoluted mess being one, and No Child left Behind, which is the bastard progeny of Ted Kennedy and George W. Bush being another.
I will grant you that gridlock worked pretty well when Bill Clinton was president, the Republicans held the line. The problem was that when they got the White House and both houses of congress, we saw an orgy that put the Democrats to shame. With these guys, it is all about being in power.
True, conservatives love to listen to Republicans talk purty, but that’s all it is. If you can prove me wrong, please write a blog and send it to me and I will gladly publish it for you.
I’m really sick of hearing people say that if they vote for an Independent or candidate of another party, they will be ‘wasting their vote’. You only waste your vote if you buy into the mess that these two parties have given us.
You don’t have to choose ‘D’ or ‘R’. Maybe it’s time to choose ‘none of the above’ and start healing our nation and our society.

Opinionated Catholic has posted an answer to this post. Don't miss it.

Did the Bossier Delegation to Washington put the 'gras' in Mardi Gras?

The Times had an interesting article Thursday about local politicians and their taxpayer-paid visits to Mardi Gras festivities in the nation’s capital. Times reporters Alison Bath and Adam Causey uncovered some things that, while not surprising, are disturbing.
Mayor Cedric Glover of Shreveport took a modest, conservative approach to the event. Glover was already in Washington for the Mayor’s Conference with the Assistant CAO. Total Mardi Gras expenses for the City of Shreveport: $4,606.40.
The Caddo Parish Commission sent the Parish Administrator and 3 Commissioners, for a cost of $14,373.
The Council of Governments sent 1 person for a cost of $4,173.78.
The Bossier Parish Police Jury paid for 9 people to attend the events. They were:
Bill Altimus, administrator
Rick Avery, district 6
Wanda Bennett, district 3 and jury president
Glenn Benton, district 2
Barry Butler, district 5
Paul Plummer, district 12
Joe E. Ford, Jr., parish engineer
Patrick R. Jackson, parish attorney
Craig Spohn, Cyber Innovation Center executive director
The cost to taxpayers: $22,809.56 and counting. According to the article “That total doesn't include the tab for a private dinner party for 75 guests (shared by Bossier & Caddo), mostly from Louisiana, at an Italian chain restaurant. Also missing are meals, cab fare and other expenses incurred by the nine officials the Bossier Parish Police Jury sent to the annual gala in the nation's capital.”
It took repreated Public Records request from The Times to get what information they were able to get from Bossier Parish Administrator Bill Altimus.
Why?
Wanda Bennett, Police Jury President said "I understand that some people want to believe that all government and the elected officials are crooks, but this simply is not true.”
As far as I’m aware, no one has accused Mrs. Bennett or other police jurors of being crooks. That is simply a disingenuous answer to unasked questions. The Police Jury is not above public scrutiny, and questioning their expenditures is not to accuse them of being crooks.
Mrs. Bennett went on to say that “"The celebration of Mardi Gras is a special celebration in Washington that was established many years ago to share the culture and food of our state with everyone and to give them an opportunity they may otherwise never have. A lot of hard work is done during this time along with the celebration."
Assuming that some good contacts were made, was it really necessary to send a delegation of 9 people?
Of course, the amount spent is a drop in the bucket when you look at the total amount that the people of Bossier Parish furnish the Police Jury. The point is that, during bad economic times, does it send the right message to the people of Bossier?
Bossier Parish already has a handsomely paid lobbyist in Washington. In 2009 the Police Jury paid the New Orleans firm of Phelps Dunbar LLP $120,000 to represent the Parish in Washington.
The Caddo Commission paid the same firm $40,000 to represent them last year. The City of Shreveport no longer has a paid lobbyist.
What this means in essence is that the Police Jury is reaching into the pockets of Bossier Parish taxpayers to the tune of $10,000 per month to pay someone to encourage the national government to reach into the pockets of taxpayers from the entire country and send that money to Bossier Parish. I know this is how the system currently works, but it is wrong on so many levels that I won’t begin to get into it here.
Schmoozing with Louisiana congressmen John Fleming and Rodney Alexander as well as with U.S. senators David Vitter and Mary Landrieu proved invaluable, said Caddo Commissioner Matthew Linn.
"The contact time in their office and at the dinner table is priceless," Linn said. "Out of sight out of mind comes into play, and these yearly meetings along with administrative follow ups keep Caddo and Bossier on the Louisiana state map."
There is a simple answer to this. Congressman Fleming and Senator Vitter are both running for re-election this year, and if the representatives of our local governments are unable to keep a dialogue going with them locally, then they should outline their grievances so that the people can vote in new representation in Washington.
I will note in Dr. Fleming’s defense that I don’t for a minute believe that he is ignoring Bossier and Caddo Parishes and that our local pols have to go to Washington to ‘schmooze’ with him in order to get his attention, nor do they have to go to Washington to converse with Senators Vitter and Landrieu.
As for Rodney Alexander, I’m sure that he directs any pork he can control to his own district in Northeast Louisiana.
What was the purpose of that dinner for 75 people, mostly Louisianans, held at an Italian Restaurant by the Bossier & Caddo delegations? Was it really necessary? What local government objectives were accomplished by feeding people from Louisiana who were all in Washington for a party?
What was the purpose of having the Parish Engineer and the Parish Attorney in Washington? What were they lobbying for on the trip? I’m not saying that they did not have a purpose, I just believe that it should be revealed to the people who paid for the trip.
Perhaps each of the individuals who attended can present an outline of who they met with and how their meetings benefited the people of Bossier.
They owe the people that accounting.

We look forward to The Times follow up on this.

Snow Video 2-12-2010

Okay, I know I've been a little obsessed with the snow thing, but I promise this is the last one. Well, one more, but it will be about the snow that the boys from the Police Jury encountered during their Mardi Gras jaunt to the nation's capital.

And what's more fun than a 3 year old and her puppy in the snow?

Bossier Snow 2-12-2010

Cool Snow Pictures

Really neat effect when the flash from the camera catches the snow.

Bossier Parish Snow Video

Snowing in Bossier Parish Part 1. We'll see what tomorrow morning brings and post Part 2.

Bossier Schools Closed Tomorrow

Bossier Parish schools will be closed on Friday.
The Bossier Parish Courthouse will close at 4PM today and will not open again until Noon on Friday.
LSUS is closing at noon and will re-open Monday.
Caddo Parish will decide by 1:30 whether to close on Friday.
Webster Parish schools will be closed Friday.
University of Louisiana at Monroe is closing at noon today, and classes will resume Feb. 18. Offices will close at 4 p.m. today and re-open Feb. 17.
Bossier Parish Community College is closing early today and will be closed Friday.
Caddo Parish and Natchitoches Parish schools will be closed on Friday.
Caddo Parish Courthouse will be closed Friday.

Icy Roads by mid-afternoon

The National Weather Service has moved up its timeline for dicy travel conditions due to today's snowfall, saying driving conditions will be impacted by midafternoon.
Temperatures this afternoon are expected to drop to around freezing and that will cause slush and icing on bridges and overpasses, forecasters said. They said they expected travel difficulties to begin around 3 p.m. Travel is not encouraged until noon Friday.
KTBS

Northwest Louisiana under Winter Storm Warning

WINTER STORM WARNING AND WINTER WEATHER ADVISORY ISSUED FOR
FOUR STATE AREA...

LAZ001>006-010>014-017>022-TXZ126-138-151-153-111700-
/O.NEW.KSHV.WS.W.0001.100211T1446Z-100212T2200Z/
CADDO-BOSSIER-WEBSTER-CLAIBORNE-LINCOLN-UNION LA-DE SOTO-
RED RIVER-BIENVILLE-JACKSON-OUACHITA-SABINE LA-NATCHITOCHES-WINN-
GRANT-CALDWELL-LA SALLE-MARION-HARRISON-PANOLA-SHELBY-
INCLUDING THE CITIES OF...SHREVEPORT...BOSSIER CITY...MINDEN...
HOMER...RUSTON...FARMERVILLE...MANSFIELD...COUSHATTA...
BIENVILLE...JONESBORO...MONROE...MANY...NATCHITOCHES...
WINNFIELD...COLFAX...COLUMBIA...JENA...JEFFERSON...MARSHALL...
CARTHAGE...CENTER
846 AM CST THU FEB 11 2010

...WINTER STORM WARNING IN EFFECT UNTIL 4 PM CST FRIDAY...

THE NATIONAL WEATHER SERVICE IN SHREVEPORT HAS ISSUED A WINTER
STORM WARNING FOR HEAVY SNOW...WHICH IS IN EFFECT UNTIL 4 PM CST
FRIDAY...FOR THAT AREA OF THE FOUR STATE REGION OF TEXAS AND
LOUISIANA...SOUTH OF A LINE JEFFERSON TEXAS TO FARMERVILLE
LOUISIANA.

SNOW HAS BEGUN TO FALL IN THE WINTER STORM WARNING AREA...AND IS
EXPECTED TO CONTINUE THROUGH TODAY AND MOST OF TONIGHT. TOTAL SNOWFALL
AMOUNTS OF 3 TO 5 INCHES ARE EXPECTED WITH THIS STORM IN THE
WARNING AREA.

THE MAIN ROADS ARE EXPECTED TO REMAIN WET OR SLUSHY THROUGH THE
EVENT...HOWEVER BRIDGES AND OVERPASSES AND RURAL AND SECONDARY
ROADS THAT HAVE LESS TRAFFIC MAY BECOME SNOW COVERED LATE
THURSDAY NIGHT AND FRIDAY MORNING.

PRECAUTIONARY/PREPAREDNESS ACTIONS...

A WINTER STORM WARNING FOR HEAVY SNOW MEANS SEVERE WINTER WEATHER
CONDITIONS ARE EXPECTED OR OCCURRING. SIGNIFICANT AMOUNTS OF SNOW
ARE FORECAST THAT WILL MAKE TRAVEL DANGEROUS. IF YOU MUST
TRAVEL...KEEP AN EXTRA FLASHLIGHT... FOOD...AND WATER IN YOUR
VEHICLE IN CASE OF AN EMERGENCY.

Hooters for Sale

The restaurant, that is. Seems sales are sagging.
Some analysts estimate the chain might fetch more than $250 million despite the bumpy business climate. Hooters' 450 owned and franchised restaurants, which are as far-flung as Australia and China, racked up more than $1 billion in sales in 2008, according to Technomic, a food-industry research firm.
Nevertheless, insiders said Hooters appears to be strapped financially. The chain's comparable sales lately have suffered steep declines, according to one source, as the hobbled economy has deflated appetites for Hooters' burgers-and-babes fare.
Read more

New Bossier Fire Station Opens

Channel 6 Reporter Karen Hopkins reports on her blog, Shreveport Bossier News, that Bossier City has opened the new fire station. During the budget discussions last fall, the viability of this station and a new one planned in East Bossier was called into question.
Excerpt:
The Bossier City riverfront attracts thousands each day to casinos and the boardwalk. Now the city, struggling with a major budget shortfall, is investing millions to keep you safe. . .
The station is high tech, and the largest in Bossier City. It’s a huge improvement from the old station. The fire chief says it could save lives.
read more

Machete Wielding Bandit in Bossier Max

A machete wielding bandit held up the Family Dollar Store on East Texas Street in Bossier City last night. He demanded, and got, $20 from the cashier and then ran away.

Colby Seth Friedman was arrested by Bossier City police this morning and charged with the crime. He is a guest at Bossier Max. The Times reported that his bond is set at $2,000,000, but the Sheriff's website says $200,000, which seems more realistic. Colby is no stranger to Bossier Max, having visited on prior occasions.

At one point he was charged and fined for battery on a corrections officer in Bossier Parish.

Huge Fan of President Obama

Don't blame me, this is Andy's fault.

And Hell Froze Over!

And the Saints won the Super Bowl!

Only in New Orleans - Priest & Congregation 'Get Crunk'

From WWL TV

The Devil went down to New Orleans

A Super Bowl Drinking Game

I ‘borrowed’ this from Mostly Cajun. I’m hoping he has a ‘name game’ post today, I never miss that on a Sunday! Check it out.
Pat also listed a few of them at And So it Goes in Shreveport. She also has coverage of her adventures at the Centaur Parade with some good pictures.

A SuperBowl drinking game. (This one’s been making the email rounds. Go figure!)
1. Every time they mention hurricane Katrina, drink 1
2. If they show pictures of the City of New Orleans right after Katrina, drink 1
3. Every time they say how much the Saints mean to the City of New Orleans, drink 1
4. Every time the words “tragedy”, “flood”, or “devastation” are used, drink 1
5. Every time they talk about how good Reggie Bush was in college, drink 3
6. If they show Kim Kardashian in the stands, drink 5
7. Every time they show a picture of Reggie Bush with a bat or say “bringing the wood” drink for 5 seconds
8. Every time Reggie Bush gets negative yardage trying to run around in the backfield a bunch and outrun the defense, drink 1 and turn to the person next to you and say “I told you Vince Young should have won the Heisman”
9. Every time Reggie Bush gets up and flexes his arms in that pose he likes to do, drink 1
10. If they mention Tim Tebow for any reason, funnel a beer.
11. Every time they say that “it’s destiny for the Saints to win” drink 1
12. If they show footage of Katrina survivors at the Superdome, take a shot of cheap liquor If they do it twice, on the second, chug a jug of Mad dog 20/20.
13. If they call Saints fans the most passionate fans in football, drink 1
14. If they say that the Saints, Saints fans, or the City of New Orleans “deserve” a Super bowl victory, drink 1
15. Every time they say how good of a story the Saints are, drink 1
16. If Jeremy Shockey pretends to be hurt after dropping a pass, drink 2
17. If they mention the Saints beating the Falcons in 2006 in the first game after Katrina in the Superdome, drink 5 and remember that we are still a better football team with better fans.
18. Every time they compare hurricane Katrina to the Haiti earthquake, funnel a beer and yell “bullshit!”
19. Every time they mention Drew Brees as the Mardi Gras king, drink
20. Every time they show Archie Manning, drink 1, and mention how bad he sucked. If they show old footage of him on the Saints, drink 5. If they mention how tough of a decision it was for him as for whom to cheer for, drink 10.
21. Every time they show a saints fan yelling “Who Dat!” Or a sign/shirt saying the same, drink 1. (This’ll get you done in the first five minutes…MC)
22. If they show Chris Paul at the game, drink 1 and mention to someone how much better he is than Marvin Williams.
23. If they show Mayor Ray Nagin, drink 5 and then punch someone in the face!
Other Rules not involving the Saints:
1. Every time they show Eli Manning in the press box, drink 1
2. Every time Pierre Garcon is mentioned with Haiti, drink 1
3. If Brett Favre is mentioned for any reason, drink 1

Heh. Lawyers Play Rough.

Heh.
From Opinionated Catholic

Quote of the Day:
Lawyers Play Rough
Saturday, February 6, 2010 12:07 PM - By Kashmir Hill
An amazing cross-section of humanity: Men, women, transgender, heterosexuals, gays, bisexuals. Every ethnicity. White-collar and blue-collar. It’s really very, very diverse — though we do have an unusually high percentage of lawyers. I don’t know why.
— Susan Wright, founder of the National Coalition for Sexual Freedom, discussing the people who attend erotic BDSM — bondage and discipline, dominance and submission, sadism and masochism — parties in the Washington Post.

Patriot Fan Fitzy's Super Bowl Conversation

Funny! Take 6 minutes out of your day and get a laugh.

Bossier City Firefighter arrested

News Release from Bossier Parish Sheriff

A Bossier City firefighter was arrested Thursday evening for terrorizing, cyber stalking and improper telephone communication, said Bossier Sheriff Larry Deen. He also has a warrant out of Webster Parish for domestic abuse battery.
David Allen Desadier, 39, who has been living in the Lakewood subdivision of Bossier City but has a listed address in Doyline, was taken into custody in Shreveport by the Shreveport Police Department and the Bossier Sheriff’s Department. His arrest comes after he beat up his ex-wife in Doyline several days ago and began sending her threatening text and phone messages in recent days. Bossier Sheriff’s investigators say, in one message, he told her she needed to be thinking about picking out caskets for their kids—6-year-old twin girls.
The Bossier Sheriff’s Department issued a B.O.L.O. (be on the lookout) for Desadier at about 4:45 yesterday afternoon. Around 5:30, Bossier Sheriff’s deputies were able to locate Desadier’s empty vehicle at Academy Sports on Bert Kouns Industrial Loop at I-49, thanks to information provided by other Bossier City firefighters. When Desadier returned from the store to his truck, he was arrested. Bossier Sheriff’s investigators say at least one weapon, a semi-automatic pistol, was found in the vehicle.
Desadier was transported to the Shreveport City Jail, then transferred to the Bossier Maximum Security Facility and booked, with his bond set at $205,000.
His girls were not harmed.

Bossier City Police officer reinstated, will get 90 day suspension

Fired Bossier City Police officer Philip Vernon was unfired by the Civil Service board this afternoon. Instead, he will receive a 90 day suspension for filing an inaccurate report.

Civil Service hearing for fired officer will continue on Thursday

The civil service hearing for fired Bossier City Police officer Philip Vernon will continue tomorrow afternoon.
Vernon was fired for filing a report that was inaccurate in regards to the threats of intimidation that he had charged. Vernon said in his report that former Webster Parish ADA Sherb Sentell had threatened his, and reserve officer Jared Fisher’s, jobs in the police car while en route to the jail. The tapes reveal Sentell threatening a lawsuit, but not threatening to get the officers fired.
He later filed a supplemental report that said the threat happened between the car and the jail.
Sentell invoked his constitutional right to plead the fifth amendment and not testify at the hearing.
Police Chief Mike Halphen testified that he had no choice but to fire Vernon, since the evidence on the tapes differed from what Vernon said in his report.
Halphen said that the discrepancy called Vernon’s credibility into question in any future cases.
"Any defense attorney would hold up that report and say, 'You lied in that report,'" Halphen said.

Bossier City Mayor’s office affected by hiring freeze

From The Times
Excerpt:
Bossier City Council voted against replacing a departing secretary for Mayor Lorenz "Lo" Walker on Tuesday, the first test of a recently passed hiring freeze that left some behind the dais upset.
"This feels like 'Yeah, I'm all for a hiring freeze, until it effects me,'" Councilman David Jones said.
Bossier City passed a hiring freeze earlier this year stipulating that council would vote on whether to approve new hires for critical positions if existing employees leave.
Tuesday was the first time the ordinance was put to the test. The mayor's office has only four staff employees: a city administrator, a special projects coordinator, an office manager, who is the main receptionist for the office, and a personal secretary for the mayor, who is leaving city employment.
Walker said he needed a personal assistant to help run the city and it was "unbelievable" the council wouldn't renew the position. Without that person, Walker said he was being put in a position where he wouldn't be able to run the city properly.

Counterfeiting Ring Busted in Bossier

According to the Bossier Sheriff's Department, Charles Bradford, 47, of Bossier City, was charged as the alleged mastermind of a counterfeiting ring. Bossier City Police and the U S Secret Service also took part in the roundup.
Bradford is wanted in at least five states for similar counterfeiting schemes and a parole violation.
Also arrested on forgery charges in connection with the counterfeit ring are Jessie Robert Monzon, 21, of Shreveport; Tamer Mohammad Musallam, 23, of Bossier City; Eric Andrew Kirsch, 35, of Haughton; Lewis E. Milem III, of Haughton; Amber Kay Sturgeon, 24, of Haughton; Larry Christoph Gillespie, 34, of Haughton, Rashawn Jamal Lawrence, 23, of Haughton; Kaylin Rashun Jenkins, 22, of Shreveport; Jenny Marie Jackson, 30 of Bossier City; Randy Lamar Funderburk, 38, of Haughton; Sonja Luretha Davis, 40, of Haughton; Jason Joshua Funderburk, 36; and Kelly Davidson, 40, of Shreveport.

New Orleans judge delays asbestos trial due to Saints Mania

“Considering the historic victory of the New Orleans Saints, the court finds that the trial will not be able to proceed as originally scheduled,” Judge Baneris wrote in his order delaying the start of the trial.
“The court takes judicial notice that Saintsmania permeates the City of New Orleans. Many prospective jurors for the Parish of Orleans, several attorneys involved in this litigation and court personnel plan on traveling to the promised land—the Super Bowl in Miami, Florida. The court recognizes that this pilgrimage enhances the chances of the Who Dat Nation to acquire the long sought-after Holy Grail—the Vince Lombardi trophy,” the judge wrote.
The case in question is Dano Paul Becnel v. Northrop Grumman Ship Systems, Inc. et al.