Bobby Hebert in Drag

One week before Super Bowl Sunday, hundreds of men wore dresses, in a parade to honor the late sportscaster Buddy Diliberto. Buddy D, as he is affectionately called, had promised his listeners that if the Saints ever made it to the Super Bowl, he would wear a dress. Here's former Saints quarterback Bobby Hebert at the parade - he poured beer on a Colts fan, all in fun of course.
The video is from the You Tube channel of nosaints2687 – check it out for more of the same.

Bossier City first responders are looking out for you. Are you doing the same for them?

A lot has been said about the cuts in fire and police protection in Bossier City, and in the next couple of months a lot more will be said. A lot of people are very unhappy about the cuts and about the way the city has been managed; some people are saying that because of this perceived mismanagement, they will not vote for the tax renewal on May 1.
Think about this seriously. As to managing or mismanaging, that is for the people to decide. You are very upset now but where were you 8 months ago? This problem has been building, but last spring Bossier City had an election and the people who are now howling were strangely silent. The only person to get into a city race against an incumbent was in the at-large council race, where Marsha McAllister put in a bid for one of the two seats currently held by David Montgomery and Tim Larkin. One of her themes was the budget and Bossier City’s financial crisis. She received 20% of the vote and both incumbents were returned to office.
In District 5 incumbent Dr. James Rogers stepped down, and James “Chubby” Knight was elected to fill the seat.
Mayor Lo Walker was unopposed.
Councilman Scott Irwin was unopposed.
Councilman Jeff Darby was unopposed.
Councilman David Jones was unopposed.
Some of you are calling for their heads now, but 8 months ago it was your responsibility to give them a report card and pass or fail them, and you gave them straight A’s – across the board.
Come down to reality, the fiscal situation is what it is. It is time to get past the blame game and face the future in an intelligent manner. You didn’t care anything about accountability half a year ago, so you’re going to have to wait another 3½ years to deal with it.
In the meantime, the choice is simple. You can vote for the fire and police tax renewal on May 1st, not a new tax but renewal of a current one, and keep police and fire levels at the already cut current levels, or you can vote no to the renewal and probably cause a lot of problems for the city in the very near future.
In addition, the increases in contributions to the Police retirement fund will create another shortfall that could dictate even more layoffs. The council needs to step up and deal with this in some manner, and you need to let them know where you stand.
Remember the old adage, if you are pointing a finger at someone you have three more pointing back at you.
Bossier City has some really great firefighters and police officers, men and women who sincerely love the city and the people in it, and who work selflessly to serve. They have your back, and they trust that you have theirs.
If you are not willing to pay them, then quite frankly you don’t deserve them. It’s your decision.

Bossier Councilman 'gravely concerned' about possible cuts

Bossier City Councilman David Jones says that he is ‘gravely concerned’ about passage of the tax renewal on May 1st. In an email to My Bossier, Jones says “The city cuts were huge. There is nothing left to address the magnitude of the hole that non-passage would cause.” He goes on to say “the cuts would probably lead to fire station closures, lay-offs, and pay cuts. Not a threat, just the truth.”
On the increase in the pension fund, which is expected to cause another $1,000,000 shortfall in the 2010 budget, Jones says that it “is more of a legislative question. The State legislature has to change the system to make them more accountable to their members. Currently they can make terrible decisions and we have to make them whole again. There will be legislation offered this next session. Who knows if it will pass? Without a doubt, the pension is and will be the biggest problem in Bossier City's finances and current services will be sacrificed to make state mandated payments. The pension is the cause of our deficit.”
The retirement fund, the Municipal Police Employees' Retirement System, or MPERS, has been under investigation by the Attorney General since October. MPERS been criticized in recent years for investing in golf courses that never turned a profit, two of them in the Bossier Parish.
I asked Jones about the fact that Bossier City has trained so many policemen and firemen only to see them go to other departments. He answered that “it makes me sick to think that we paid for training for another department and that we purchased equipment that will sit on a shelf.”
When it comes to the tax renewal or the specter of facing more cuts, he says “people either want to pay for it, or they don't want it.”
During the budget process last fall, David Jones promised that he would not vote for a budget that contained any cuts to public safety. He kept true to his word, voting against the final compromise budget which did make those cuts.

The Sentell Tapes

If you have trouble hearing some of the audio, this is not an official transcript, just what I heard. If I made any mistakes, feel free to correct me. Warning, some of the language is rather graphic.

Tape #1 - At the Horseshoe before transit to jail

Sentell: Hey! Hey buddy! Hey, it’s too tight. Can you loosen them a little bit, they are too tight. Man, they’re cutting off my fucking arms. Try them again, please try, they’re too tight.
Come on dude, I’m Schuyler Marvin’s chief assistant. C’mon buddy, let me talk to you buddy, what the fuck is wrong with you? They’re tight. Come on man, what the fuck is wrong with you?
Please buddy, Jesus. What the fuck is wrong with you? Hey, what’s wrong with you man? Call Schuyler. What the fuck’s wrong with you? Hey, come on, hey, come on.
Hey, can you call Schuyler? Look, c’mon, what the fuck Dude? What the fuck is wrong with you? Call Schuyler Marvin, he’s my boss. Look, I run the Webster Parish DA’s office, what the fuck is wrong with you man?
Call him. Dude, what the fuck is wrong with you? Dude, hey, hey look. I’m not a criminal, what the fuck is wrong with you? Man this is all about justice. Justice, we want justice for all.
Dude, hey, I know you can hear me – call him. Could I give you the number? Dude, what the fuck is wrong with you man?
Why are you locking me up in the fucking car? Dude. Hey man, man what the fuck is wrong with you? C’mon man, it’s about justice, it ain’t about fucking convictions, it’s about justice. I know you fucking hear me.
Let me talk to you, can I tell you his number?
Dude, what the fuck is wrong with you? Man. Dude.
Hey. Hey, will you call Schuyler? What the fuck is wrong with you guys?
I mean dude, what the fuck is wrong with you?
Hey dude!
Officer!
Call Schuyler, I’ll tell you his number. What the fuck is wrong with you?
I’m chief assistant DA. I got, hey look come here! I’ve got a badge.
What the fuck is wrong with you man?
You talk to Steve . . . . man!
You talk to Rogers. What the fuck is wrong with you man?
Dude, what the fuck is wrong with you?
Talk to me man. I got Steve Rogers number man, call me. Talk to me.
What the fuck is wrong man? Let them know what’s wrong.
You want to talk to Cedric? You want to talk to Cedric Glover? What the fuck, man?
Hey dude! Officer!
What the fuck is wrong with you? Talk to me.
I’m not drunk. Talk to me.

Tape #2 - In transit to the police station

Sentell: Dude, man, what the fuck man, call Schuyler. What the fuck is wrong with you?
Man, what’s wrong with you, seriously? Why won’t you let me call, I mean, Jesus Christ. What’s the problem guys? (Can’t understand), I mean what the fuck is wrong?
Seriously guys, what the fuck is wrong? I mean, like, why are you like hauling me away?
I’m not drunk at all, I’m not. What the fuck, I mean, I’m absolutely . . . .
Police Officer: this doesn’t have anything to do with being drunk, this has to do with you getting arrested for domestic abuse battery.
Sentell: What are you talking about? Domestic abuse battery, what are you talking about?
Police Officer: A police officer and other witnesses saw you grab your wife and push her up against a wall. I wasn’t there, I’m telling you that’s what happened.
Sentell: Did you ask her?
Police Officer: I haven’t talked to her about that.
Sentell: Call Steve I mean . . .
I mean, guys, seriously, I mean call Schuyler, I mean Steve, I mean this is crazy. Call Hugo Holland, I mean this is ridiculous.
I mean I’m the guy that puts all the rapists and robbery away in Webster Parish.
Police Officer: Well, that don’t give you the right . .
Sentell: No, I would never, absolutely never abuse my wife. Absolutely not, I agree, if I did you should absolutely arrest me. But this is ridiculous – I mean, I mean, what are y’all fucking doing? You’re crazy.
You’re trying to like, you know, like submit yourself to a lawsuit? I mean what the fuck are you thinking?
Police Officer: You’d better watch your mouth.
Sentell: No, no I mean Ron Miciotto and I we gonna be, we gonna be all over this. Don’t worry about it, Ron Miciotto and I, we’re close, and I mean, you guys, you’re crazy. What the fuck are you thinking? Man, it’s crazy, what were you thinking arresting me?
I mean, seriously, what the fuck were you thinking?
I mean, I appreciate you guys, you guys you know nobody ever understands the hardships y’all go through, but Good God. I mean, what are you thinking? Sometimes I wonder, now I really wonder. Man, it’s stuff like this that makes me wonder what the fuck, I mean seriously, what the fuck are you thinking? I mean do we like pull over, and y’all arrest me? I mean why, I mean what the fuck are you thinking? This doesn’t make any sense at all. I mean I want to give everybody a fucking chance, if they make a mistake you know, everybody’s human but you guys, what the fuck are you thinking?
Sad, sad. I mean, whatever you want to do. Call Schuyler, call Steve Rogers. Call them, seriously, call them. What the fuck, call them. You’ve got somebody in the back seat who’s in handcuffs and he doesn’t know why he’s in fucking handcuffs. Call them. Call them, guys, call them.
CAR STOPS, DOOR OPENS, END OF TAPE

Sentell will not be prosecuted

Kurt Wall of the AG's office has announced that Sherb Sentell will not be prosecuted. The AG received an affidavit from Mrs. Sentell asking that the charges not be pursued.
Attorney General's statement:
After conducting a thorough investigation into the case of any alleged criminal conduct arising out of an apparent domestic dispute in a public place involving former Assistant District Attorney Charles S. Sentell, III, the Attorney General's Office has found no merit to the allegations worthy of prosecution. Furthermore, after receiving a request for non-prosecution by the alleged victim, Ms. Julie Sentell, she was interviewed by a relevant expert witness in this matter. The interview(s) also support non-prosecution. The case in its entirety substantially lacks merit for any further action of criminal consideration, and any complaints are hereby finally dismissed for at least these reasons.
Kurt Wall
Director, Criminal Division

More Bossier City Police layoffs in the works?

Just when you thought it was safe, we find out that Bossier City will possibly have to layoff more police officers before the end of the year.
This is in addition to any layoffs that will be necessary if the tax renewal proposal is defeated on May 1st.
Due to an increase in the Police Pension Fund of possibly more than $1,000,000 which was not figured into the 2010 budget, the Bossier City Council will have to come up with the shortfall or face the specter of firing even more police officers.
The increase in the Fire Pension Fund was included in the recently passed budget.
One question being asked is if the administration was aware that the police contributions would be increased at the time they proposed the budget. They were certainly aware of the Fire increase.
If they were, why didn't they deal with it at the appropriate time?
Another question that comes to mind is when are the people of Bossier City going to rise up and demand some action to keep their public safety apparatus intact?
If current levels are not upheld, Bossier City is going to face some serious problems. It will be interesting to see where the solutions come from.

Politico: Landrieu scolds Flanagans

Sen. Mary Landrieu said Wednesday that the U.S. attorney in Louisiana “most certainly should be” disappointed in his son, who was arrested this week for allegedly attempting to tamper with the phones in the Democrat’s New Orleans office.
Robert Flanagan, the 24-year-old son of William Flanagan, the acting U.S. attorney for the Western District of Louisiana, and three other men were charged with entering federal property under false pretenses for the purpose of committing a felony when they attempted to access Landrieu’s 10th floor office by posing as telephone repairmen.
“This isn’t a child – this is 24-year-old, I’m sure his parents are terribly disappointed, they most certainly should be,” Landrieu told POLITICO, adding that it was “very disconcerting” that Flanagan’s father is a top federal official in her state.
Read the entire story from Politico here.

Side Note: Information has come out that Joseph Basel, another co-conspirator, also was the campaign manager for Minnesota Sen. Bill Ingebrigtsen, R-Alexandria, three years ago. Ingebrigtsen said he's talked to Basel only a few times since then and was "baffled" by his former aide's arrest.

Veritas

Veritas. Truth. That was spoken by James O’Keefe as he left jail in Chalmette after being charged with entering federal property under false pretenses with the intent of committing a felony. The felony intended was tampering with U S Government telephones.
Now I don’t know Latin any more than O’Keefe does, but since we are throwing phrases in that noble classical language around, I did vaguely remember this one and looked it up.
Eventus stultorum magister.
It means Events are the teacher of stupid people. We’ll see.
“The truth shall make me free”, O’Keefe shouted as in got in a taxi. I’m afraid that the old axiom may not apply in this case, in fact the truth may serve to take away his freedom for a while.
I’m still trying to wrap my head around this one. What the hell were these guys thinking? What did they possibly hope to achieve? No matter what the ultimate goal, they had to know that what they were doing was illegal.
Did they believe they would truly become Republican heroes for their efforts? Not likely. Even Senator David Vitter said "I've seen the news reports and it's obvious this is a very serious matter. We're blessed with an extremely competent U.S. attorney's office in New Orleans, and I know they'll handle this as aggressively as they have other serious cases.”
We know how seriously Senator Vitter takes the word serious, so I get the idea that the fellows are going to be disappointed if they are looking for support from the very quickly disappearing Republicans who lauded O’Keefe’s efforts in the ACORN expose`.
I especially am having trouble grasping the fact that Robert Flanagan was involved in this. Although it wasn’t his intent, he has hurt his father, Acting U S Attorney Bill Flanagan.
While we don’t blame the father for the sins of the son, it will nonetheless affect the father in a very real way. When people see him on TV representing the US Attorney, or read an article in the paper where he is quoted, the first thing that will pop into their mind is “Oh, his son is the one who . . . . “. I really do feel badly for his family. I wish he had thought of them before he did this.
Flanagan’s attorney, J. Garrison Jordan, said "I think it was poor judgment. I don't think there was any intent or motive to commit a crime."
Poor judgment - ya think?? Please. The intent to do something with that telephone service, whether to tap it or to interrupt it, clearly was criminal. These guys are educated, they are not stupid, and they were fully aware of what they were doing. If they weren’t fully aware of what the consequences would be, that is their own fault.
You can read the FBI affidavit here.

I realize that this is a disjointed writing, but I have really been thinking ‘out loud’. I just have trouble comprehending the stupidity.

What do you think, can you shed some light on it for me? What do you think they were trying to accomplish?

Shreveport Media ignoring local twist on bizarre Landrieu phone bugging story

The Shreveport/Bossier media seems to be ignoring the local twist to the Mary Landrieu phone bugging story. One of the 4 men arrested is the son of William Flanagan, who is the acting U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Louisiana.
I checked The Times, which had the story sans Flanagan, KSLA & KTAL, which had nothing at all and KTBS, which had the story but didn't mention Flanagan.
Here is an excerpt from the Times-Picayune. Click on the link to read the entire story.
Alleging a plot to tamper with phones in Democratic Sen. Mary Landrieu's office in the Hale Boggs Federal Building in downtown New Orleans, the FBI arrested four people Monday, including James O'Keefe, 25, a conservative filmmaker whose undercover videos at ACORN field offices severely damaged the advocacy group's credibility.
Also arrested were Joseph Basel, Stan Dai and Robert Flanagan, all 24. Flanagan is the son of William Flanagan, who is the acting U.S. Attorney for the Western District of Louisiana, the office confirmed. All four were charged with entering federal property under false pretenses with the intent of committing a felony.

Saints first win ever was in Shreveport

I had the privilege of being at the first game the New Orleans Saints ever won. It was a pre-season game, so didn’t count officially, but it counted with those who were there!
The St. Louis Cardinals came to Shreveport to play the Saints on August 12, 1967.
It was held at Fair Grounds Stadium, now Independence Stadium, home of the Independence Bowl. It was a good bit smaller 42 years ago.
I was 20 years old at the time and got together with a group of friends to go see this new Louisiana team.
It was a great time and a pretty good party too, before, during and after!
Any of you other oldies out there attend this one?