Friday, May 26, 2006

I Have Lost Every Battle of the Blogs, So Maybe This Will Help



I'm sure part of the reason I can't win one is that no one is posting battles these days, and as soon as I post one the same handful of lurkers grabs my battle (ProducerChic, do you ever get enough of stealing my credits?). And part of my problem has been that I've blogged on some more serious topics lately.

But certainly some of the reason I have lost 18 straight battles (19 after PC wins) is that all of you have beautiful women at the top of your blog, where I have none. Well, now I have all of your beautiful women, wrapped up into one! (Evil Laugh)

Thanks to CatEyes who created this form me, I think she did an awesome job! Plus, we'll add a game element into the post: if you can name 5 of the sites in the montage, I'll give you 10 credits, so play our montage game.

And also submitting comments here will register you for the radio show raffle during Saturday night's radio show on BE Radio. I'll be raffling off 250 credits, so feel free to comment here as to who is the best drummer, or post a dedication or headline you would like read during the show. Musical suggestions will can be posted here too.

That's about it. Have a great weekend all, and I hope you'll be listening Saturday night!

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Posted by Scottage at 5:14 PM / | |  

World Going to Hell: Short Man Convicted of Assaulting Child gets Probation

OK, folks, time for my conservative stream to once again rear its ugly head.  I am going to say that, in my opinion, a court in Lincoln Nebraska we went far too easy on 50-year-old Richard W. Thompson, who was convicted of sexually assaulting a 12 year old girl over a two month period, but was only sentenced to 10 years probation, with electronic monitoring for the first 4 months of that sentence.

You got that right: this poor excuse for a human being assaults a 12 year old girl and doesn’t serve a day in jail!

What’s worse is that he isn’t getting a light sentence because of extenuating circumstances or because the crime wasn’t as horrible as it sounds when but in those terms.  Thompson is getting the light sentence because he’s 5’1” tall, and Judge Kristine Cecava felt he wouldn’t survive in prison because of his diminutive stature.  She even told him that he deserved a long prison sentence but he was too small to survive in prison.

As far as I’m concerned, any person who would assault a 12 year old girl once, let alone over a 2 month period, stealing away her innocence and any hopes she may have at a normal childhood and life, deserves to have their little major put in a guillotine and left to find a new regiment in the trash heap. And I don’t care what his height is, send the asshole to prison, and hope that he feels even some of the fear that girl must have felt.

To me, letting this guy walk is a crime! Lock him up and throw away the key. Give him two cellmates both named bubba and tell them both that they’ll get a year off their sentence to make Thompson their bitch. Because this pond-scum Thompson deserves whatever he gets!

A Bit More

After writing this I was pretty heated up. I came back and looked at my post, and realized there was other material that should be included but wasn’t essential, and were basically outside of the scope of my general anger at the topic. So I’ll add it here, for those interested.

For example, Amy Miller of the Nebraska ACLU said this:

No one has ever come to the ACLU to complain of height discrimination, she said. And using Thompson's height as a reason to avoid sending him to prison is surprising, because neither the U.S. or state constitutions provides protections based on physical stature, she said.


This came from Joe Mangano, secretary of the National Organization of Short Statured Adults:

"I'm assuming a short inmate would have a much more difficult time than a large inmate," said Mangano, who is 5 feet 4 inches tall. "It's good to see somebody looking out for someone who is a short person."


Prison system spokesman Steve King had very interesting comments:

"He's not the shortest guy we have in prison," King said. "We've got some short guys that are as tough as nails. We've got people from all ages, physical stature of all sizes, in general population."

There are protections available in prison to help inmates who feel threatened, King said, but to his knowledge no one has ever taken advantage of them based on fears related to their height.


And Carol Durham of the Pottawattamie County, Iowa Jail, said Thompson’s troubles in jail would derive from his crime, not his height.

"Due to his size, I really don't think so. Due to his crime, probably," Durham said. Durham said other inmates so sometimes target child molesters.


Finally, from the blogosphere, Christopher Largen says this before posting the contact information to contact the judge who presided over the case:

I wonder how small this predator's child victim was. I also wonder if Judge Cecava has given similar rulings when it comes to short people convicted of NONVIOLENT crimes, like prostitutes, drug offenders, etc. Somehow I doubt it.


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Posted by Scottage at 4:48 PM / | |  

Simple Pleasures Meme


I have been tagged by Willis University, and so here we go.  In this meme, I am supposed to name some of life’s simple pleasures that I like the most.  So without further ado, here we go:

  1. The different tastes of different individuals – Because different people like different things, the world is a richer place with all sorts of different pastimes and topics to interest us.

  1. Different cultures to learn about – Each culture has its own unique ways and special beauties.  I’ve been fortunate to experience many, and still have many to experience, but I’m thankful for them every day.

  1. Israel – The existence of the State of Israel means security for me and my people, it means there is a country that will always protect me against the hatred that is sometimes expressed towards Jews.

  1. Music – I’m a huge lover of music, and a number of different types of music and genres.

  1. The ability to play music – A related topic, Music provides me with a creative outlet, a way to express myself outside the box, and I am glad such a channel exists for me.

  1. A woman’s hug – I know people think that all I think about is sex, but really that’s more my sense of humor than reality.  Truly, I just like to hug a woman, feel her close, know that, at least for a second, I’m not alone in the world.  

  1. My car – I’m a huge believer in freedom, and love the ability to just hop in my car and experience some place now. Frankly, It’s become much harder to do this, now that gas prices are so high and I feel like it’s irresponsible to just take a 4,000 mile drive. But I never feel more alive then when I’m on the road.

  1. My computer – I know, it’s weird to think of a computer as something to be thankful for, but it’s allowed me, a pretty isolated person to connect with the rest of the world, and even express my views. So what’s not to be thankful for?

  1. My family – My family is great, filled with amazing individuals, each with their own areas of knowledge and specialty that they can illuminate me on.  They’re all really special people, and while we don’t always get along 100%, I’m more than thankful for them.

  1. My friends – I’ve had really great friends all around the world. The crazy thing is it’s not always possible to keep in touch with people, since I never know where I’m going to be day to day.  But I still feel the attachment, the closeness with these people I’ve met along the journey, and I guess that’s forever.

OK, a bit sappy, but that’s my list of 10 things I’m thankful for. Now, Willis tagged a small army of people, but I’m going to stick to 4 bloggers.  So tag, you’re it, to:

Desert Peace
Sonia Belle
MsCatEyes
Gidget Bones

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Posted by Scottage at 2:58 AM / | |  

Thursday, May 25, 2006

Barbara Bauer vs. Absolute Write: An American Transparency International vs. Moni?


Once again, the corporate world, this time under the name Barbara Bauer is striking out at bloggers, trying to stifle their voice, and prevent negative publicity, just as Transparency International did with Moni two months ago.  And just like in that situation, only bloggers, protecting the community that each of us has helped create, can help insure that free speech is protected and Absolute Write is not stifled.

Absolute Write (notice no link) was a blog with information for writers about writers and publishers.  I found the site a few months ago when I started getting serious about my book, and have referred back to the site on more than a few occasions. It was well written and valuable, providing some of the information not told to aspiring writers, including quite a bit of information on how to avoid being scammed out of your first book.

Absolute Write included a section called Twenty Worst Agents List (this is a reprint of the list, not the original on Absolute Write) which is just what it says it is: a list of 20 literary agents who are out to take your money and/or your work, and who are not looking to help you get published. The list begins with these introductory paragraphs:

Below is a list of the 20 agents about which Writer Beware has received the greatest number of advisories/complaints during the past several years.

None of these agents has a significant track record of sales to commercial (advance-paying) publishers, and most have virtually no documented and verified sales at all (many sales claimed by these agents turn out to be vanity publishers). All charge clients before a sale is made, whether directly, by charging fees such as reading or administrative fees, or indirectly, for “editing services.”

Writer Beware suggests that writers searching for agents avoid questionable agents, and instead query agents who have actual track records of sales to commercial publishing houses.


All this is pretty basic stuff, background if you will. But the story got interesting because one of the publishers, Barbara Bauer, took exception to being on the list.  She began with cease and desist letters, then moved to threats of legal suits for libel if her name was not removed from the list. Absolute Writers was undaunted, and kept the list as is.

Bauer, pictured here, would not just fade away into the night, and went back on the offensive. She attacked anyone who republished the list, and the writer of Making Light, where I read about this whole incident, was nearly fired because of Bauer’s attack. But she never stopped going after the source, Absolute Write, and trying to make them remove the list.

Evidently Bauer contacted the ISP that hosts the site, JC-Hosting in Tennessee, and convinced them that, because her email address was posted in the list, it violated the Digital Millennium Copywrite Act. Now I just wasted an hour of my life reading the document, and no where does it prohibit reprinting of an email address. The act is about privacy, code cracking, and copyrighted materials, but does not touch privacy issues, such as reprinting a person’s physical or virtual address.

Evidently, the ISP did no such research, and notified Absolute Write that, within an hour, the site would be pulled down.  The author immediately removed any email addresses to avoid these ramifications, but JC-Hosting evidently didn’t even notice, and yesterday the site was removed.

Sound familiar?  A few months ago I wrote about Moni, a single mother in German who wrote a simple blog about matters that effected her life, including a post about Transparency International’s decision to not to hire her friend full time. While I believe that TI had the right to decide to hire or not hire the woman, there attacks on a simple blogger, simply for expressing her views, including threats of legal action, were wrong!

Back then, bloggers around the world (though less in the United States) were writing on the indiscretions of Transparency in attacking this woman, which was particularly difficult for a company who sells itself on being a fair and impartial arbiter. In the end, the negative publicity was a large part of forcing TI to withdraw their law suit against Moni, though they never informed Moni or her lawyer of this.  

The blogosphere is meant to be a place where individuals like you and I are able to comment openly and hopefully honestly on the world around us. This is right in line with the core principles of democracy, where the power of the media serves as a check and balance for the corporate and political world. And as such I’m a proud member of the blogosphere.

But the people with the power are not used to being questioned so openly and so honestly, and appear willing to do whatever is necessary to stifle the blogger’s voice when it speaks unfavorably about them. And to me, this is just wrong Wrong WRONG!

When one voice is muted, it diminishes all are voices, and we cannot sit still for it.  So I urge everyone here to take a moment, click on Barbara Bauer’s site, use the email address so prominently displayed on the front page, and tell her she should be ashamed of her actions. If nothing else, it will let you know that you have a voice that must be heard.  And at the most, it may help restore this valuable resource for writers.  

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Posted by Scottage at 2:09 PM / | |  

Big Blogger 2 Task #4: Fixing Up A Room

As consistent readers of POAN know, I have been participating in a game for the past month called Big Blogger 2, a spoof of CBS’ Big Brother.  Ostensibly, a number of bloggers are co-habitating in a virtual house, and have to perform a number of tasks to avoid getting voted out of the house, and be the last blogger standing.  This week’s task is to do interior design, and spiffy up one room.

I am going to work on the basement. Often the most overlooked room of the house, I will make this the feature of the whole Big Blogger 2 house.  It is long and wide with cinderblock walls, making it an ideal room to make noise with lots of space to have some fun.  So I figure this is the room to work with!

First off, the whole concept of Big Blogger always brings me back to the 1970s-80s cold war mentality, so that will be the theme of the room. On the floor, I started with sound-absorbing tiles covered by some nice shag carpeting.  Shagalicious, baby! Then I added some insulation to the walls and covered it over with some nice wood paneling, insulated and tiled the low-hanging ceiling, and walla, instant rec room!

On one side of the room I added a pool table, dartboard, rack for the pool queues, and a chalkboard for keeping score. I cut a bar into the wall and fully stocked it, because who wants to play pool without something to drink?  And I added some pool hall lights above the table that illuminates that whole side of the room.  I added in two couches and an easy chair, and it’s comfortable in that section.

Well, by now I was feeling pretty industrious, so I installed a stage, complete with soundboard, amplifiers, guitars, a bass, drums, a keyboard, and a bunch of mics. I put in spotlights and colored swirling lights, as well as a disco ball, above the stage, and added in the rotating geode spotlight system first implemented in Pink Floyd’s Delicate Sound of Thunder tour to round out the effect.

And this being the 70s-80s, what stage would be complete without….Van Halen?  That’s right; I installed Van Halen in its original inception, including David Lee Roth (so guard the alcohol) and Eddie Van Halen. It’s rumored that drummer Alex has more than just alcohol to help pass the time, so feel to hang out with the band, and ask for a tune while you’re at it.  But no Van Hagar!

And as an added feature, the lovely Valerie Bertinelli screamed something like “no way in hell you’re going on a month long gig for no money by yourself” and clawed her way on to Eddie’s back, also making it into the house.  Please note that neither Bertinelli nor the band are members of the house, and thus should not be fed, even if they plead. (oh my, you would be shocked at some of the Bertinelli photos that popped up.  Blush)

So hang out down in the basement; I suspect that, before long, it will be the cool room in the Big Brother 2 house.

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Posted by Scottage at 10:00 AM / | |  

Wednesday, May 24, 2006

Israeli Diplomats Will Sue Iranian Ahmadinejad


Much thanks to Daled Amos, who alerted me to a recent initiative by Israeli diplomats to sue Iranian President Ahmadinejad utilizing the International Court of Just in The Hague.  What are they prosecuting him for?  For conspiring to commit crimes against humanity and genocide. I’m not sure whether Ahmadinejad would sit for such a trial, but I definitely commend the effort!  

Check out the wording on the Convention on the Prevention and Punishment of the Crime of Genocide, which was accepted by the UN General Assembly in 1948:

The Convention on genocide defined genocide as acts committed with intent to destroy, in whole or in part, a national, ethnical, racial or religious group. The acts for which countries can be punished as part of the Convention include physical genocide, conspiracy to commit genocide, as well as a "direct and public incitement to commit genocide."


The diplomats believe that Ahmadinejad’s many comments calling for the destruction of Israel constitute a “direct and public incitement” to commit genocide, and I’m not sure exactly how any rational person could controvert that. They also point to Iran’s open support of Islamic Jihad, responsible for the recent terror attacks in Israel, and Iran’s recent push to acquire nuclear weapons.

If such a trial were to occur, I doubt Ahmadinejad would attend, and also doubt that he would accept any consequences dealt out by the court.  Today, Iran sees itself in conflict with the West, and as such refused to live by rules created by the West. But I believe that even going through the motions of such a trial are beneficial, if for nothing else then because it truly illustrates the criminality of Ahmadinejad’s words and actions.

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Posted by Scottage at 11:55 AM / | |  

From Sex to Science, Bondage to Bird Pictures, And Neon Lights back to Sex Again; Blogs from my Reunion


When I was at my, reunion a couple weeks ago, I discovered two blogs by people I went to high school with. Well, actually I found one blog and the second blog I knew about, but he really started writing a bunch more.  Since both are great reads, I wanted to post quickly about them here.

Sex, Drugs, Neon Nights: The Movable Buffet, a Review of Life in LV

I’ve known Richard Abowitz nearly my whole life, so it’s amazing to see him reporting on such decadence and, let’s face it, fun as we find regularly in Las Vegas.  Richard’s blog, The Movable Buffet,  is sponsored by the LA Times, and covers anything occurring in the Neon City, including musical performers, casino news, and even news from Las Vegas’ adult community.

A recent post named Open House at a Brothel described a walkthrough of Sheri’s ranch, including her bondage room, which has an average rental rate of $1,000 for 15 minutes, and features a spanking chair, shackles and torture devices. On the flip side, Vegas Parents speaks to the challenges of raising children in a city built upon temptation.  In all, The Movable Buffet is an excellent blog, and well worth a read.

The Night Panther Explores Fact, Fiction, and Philosophy

If you’re a reader of my blog, you’ve certainly seen comments from npath. Well, his sight is Night Panther, and whatever your interests might be, he will certainly blow your mind just a little bit.

NPath’s focus generally toggles between philosophy and science, and he consistently takes an innovative approach towards both.  James’ post You To Me speaks to the anonymity of individuals, and what lies behind it.  In only one paragraph, npath gets you analyzing your inter-personal relationships, and you really should check this post out.

Much of the science posts are above my head, but science people will dig these posts, I guarantee. James is also a photographer, and is now beginning to dabble in fiction.  I must admit I was completely impressed with Lenore, a story of a spouse being unfaithful that never uses gender, leaving you guessing if the wife or husband cheated.  And James tells the story of acquiring his nickname in the post Night Panther.

So, I’m not saying that my high schools rules or anything, but…my high school rules, and these blogs are well worth a read. Take a look, you’ll be glad you did!

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Posted by Scottage at 2:24 AM / | |  

Tuesday, May 23, 2006

Liberal Pundit Dodd Throws Name into Presidential Candidate's Ring

Senator Christopher Dodd (D-Connecticut) threw his hat into the ring today for the 2008 presidential election. The 62 year old Democrat brings all of the experience that the Democrats would hope for from a candidate for president, but his image as an outspoken proponent of partisan causes makes me worry that his appearance on any ticket will turn the 2008 election into a mudslinging event, allowing candidates once again to avoid the crucial issues that face this country.

Perhaps the biggest feather in Dodd’s cap is the Family and Medical Leave Act, which he campaigned tirelessly for. He was chairman of the DNC in 1994, has been a long-standing (and vocal) member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee, and has a strong bond with minority groups around the country.  And he has the right reasons for running, citing the constant rumblings from his constituents that change is necessary.

"Families are under incredible pressure. They're working less and paying more," he said. "There's a sense the challenges they face are unprecedented."

But being a good and qualified candidate gets you no where in a US presidential election.  What will be more pronounced is Dodd’s lack of funds (he has $2M in the war chest, compared to $20M for Hillary Clinton), his history of extra-curricular activities (Dodd was consistently in the tabloinds in the 80s and early 90s for cheating on his wife), and his liberal bias that made him an outspoken leader for partisan causes.

I admit, I’ve liked many of Dodd’s positions over the years, and certainly he is an eloquent and passionate advocate.  But it seems to me that running far to the left in 2008 will only widen the gap that’s growing between the Republicans and Democrats in this country today. Instead, the Dems need a candidate that can help close the rift in the country, and heal the wounds that we’ve all felt on a personal level. And in my opinion, Dodd will not accomplish this.

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Posted by Scottage at 12:30 PM / | |  

The Radio Show, Graduation, A Raffle, and an Ode to Drummers


This was an interesting weekend.  Against the backdrop of a variety of tasks which are essential and a lack of motivation and general malaise, I had two spectacular events: my first radio show in 4 years and the graduation of my first Hebrew school class in 20 years. Let me give you a few thoughts on both, as well as a start a raffle in my Ode to the Drums Contest.

The Radio Show

First, the radio show. It was amazing to get back on the air after many years away.  I have done DJing off and on since college, and I really enjoy the experience. I have a certain love of music, and being able to share it with people, to maybe turn them on to a tune they’ve never heard before or a rare version that is really well done, to me, is a total blast.

DJing for BlogExplosion Radio was even better than past shows, because most of the listeners were also chatting in the ShoutBox chat room on BlogExplosion, and I was able to read their reactions to the songs I played.  Listeners would comment on the songs they loved, and rarities like Santana’s version of She’s Not There had everyone in the room talking.  Such instant gratification is hard to come by and very rewarding.

Ode to Drummers and Raffle

So since I’m doing the show once a week, I figured I would do a theme segment on each show, basically doing an ode to a different instrument each week. What do I mean? Well, for example this week will be an ode to the drums. The two-song segment will feature two amazing drummers that just blow the mind.  One will be my choice, and one will be the choice of the readers of this blog.

Now I’ve made my selection for the top drummer, that being Neil Pert of Rush. Who is your favorite drummer?  A few possibilities I can think of are Keith Moon of the Who, Mick Fleetwood of Fleetwood Mac, or John Bonham of Led Zeppelin.  But submit your choice, and I’ll add popular choices to the survey. The person who submits the drummer that gets voted in will win 250 credits and be named during the radio show Saturday.

Blatant Pandering

And along those lines, I hate to ask people to listen, but I would love it if you would listen in.  You can access the show on BlogExplosion, and give me suggestions for other groups you would like to hear, well, here.  Plus, if you have a headline you would like read, or would like to host a contest, definitely let me know here as well. The show airs at 8pm EST every Saturday, including this one.

Graduation of my Hebrew School Class

The other cool event was the graduation of my7th grade Hebrew school class. They were an amazing group of kids, and extremely bright; I must say I will miss them.  Each student was very unique from the other, and with a class of 5 they sort of reminded me of the Breakfast Club (although it was 2 guys and 3 girls). And they were each outstanding in their own way like the Club as well.

Really, this group of kids was tremendously bright, and anxious to try anything new. During current events they learned to critically analyze the issues of the day, instead of just accepting what they are told. During Israeli history they showed a real attachment to the holy land that I suspect will carry over into other aspects of their lives.

Anyway, it was a wonderful group to teach for my first time in so many years, and I hope down the road I will hear from them, and discover that they’ve become leaders in the Jewish community.  In the interim, I couldn’t be prouder of my graduating class.  

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Posted by Scottage at 1:29 AM / | |  

Monday, May 22, 2006

Attorney General Gonzales Denounces Freedom of the Press


I saw the transcript from “ABC This Week” where Attorney General Alberto Gonzales said that journalists can be prosecuted for publishing classified information.  Evidently, a year plus into his job, Gonzales now feels comfortable throwing out the Bill of Rights and everything that makes this country special.

"There are some statutes on the book which, if you read the language carefully, would seem to indicate that that is a possibility," Gonzales said, referring to prosecutions. "We have an obligation to enforce those laws. We have an obligation to ensure that our national security is protected."


Gonzales argues specifically that the First Amendment, which includes Freedom of the Press, should not be absolute regarding issues of national security. "It can't be the case that that right trumps over the right that Americans would like to see, the ability of the federal government to go after criminal activity," Gonzales told ABC's "This Week.”

You have to be kidding me! The attorney general’s position is to protect the bill of rights and the rights of our citizens, so it’s astounding to watch the AG blatantly willing to denounce on of our most basic rights in favor of the needs of our government.

Freedom of the press is a core value for our society. It ensures that our citizens receive all the information that affects them, and is able to make an educated opinion from these facts.  It differentiates our society from the ex-Soviet society and many fundamentalist cultures which only allow news that is flattering to the government.

Freedom of the press defines our society; in a government established on checks and balances, it creates the final check on the government, that being the American people. And without the freedom of the press, we loose the foundation that differentiates the United States, and makes it a beacon of light onto the other nations.

I know the temptation to abandon the bill of rights in exchange for heightened security. We all fear the dangers that surround us today. But the promise of heightened security is a façade, and a dangerous one that will tear at the very fabric of all we have built here in the New World.  If you want to protect this country, protect the bill of rights. Those rights will protect us through today’s issues and the issues of tomorrow.

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Posted by Scottage at 12:11 PM / | |  

Ray Nagin Secretly Targeted by Party Leader Howard Dean

Reports are just breaking that the Democratic National Committee secretly worked to prevent Ray Nagin from winning the recent mayoral election in New Orleans.  Evidently, Howard Den himself decided to back Lieutenant Governor Mitch Landrieu (D-LA) against Nagin, both with campaign funds and by utilizing political operatives inside the city of New Orleans to work against the Nagin campaign.  

Dean’s efforts evidently were unsuccessful, as Nagin retained his seat by winning the election in New Orleans on Saturday. But Dean’s efforts were not ineffectual; Matt Drudge has determined that Landrieu raised $3.3M for his campaign, versus $541k for Nagin, with finance reports indicating that most of Landrieu’s contributions came from out of state.  It is still unclear what role was played by the political operatives.

As Drudge breaks this story, it’s not entirely surprising to find that life-long Democrat Ray Nagin is now moving towards the right, courting conservative voters by turning to his business background as opposed to Landrieu’s strictly political background.  Nagin predicts a huge boom in the local economy, as money pours in to reconstruct the area, presenting many opportunities for business owners.

And while the election was predominantly split along racial lines, Nagin was able to carry approximately 20% of his opposite demographic, predominantly business people who had originally threatened to leave New Orleans if Nagin was elected, but who were won over by his vision for the improved economy.

"Business people are predators, and if the economic opportunities are here, they're going to stay. If not, they're going to leave," said Nagin, in his now famous vernacular style. "I don't worry about that stuff. I think there's enough interest around the country that we're going to attract top businesses. ... God bless them. I hope they stay, but if they don't, I'll send them a postcard."


Nagin is promising to repair the city, not only the structures, but the spirit.  This means building bridges with a variety of political leaders, including President Bush, who called to congratulate Nagin after the election, and Louisiana Governor Kathleen Blanco.  But it also means working with all segments of the New Orleans community.

"We're going to bring this city together. It's my intention to reach out to every segment of this community," Nagin said a day after defeating Lt. Gov. Mitch Landrieu. "This is our shot. This is our time."


Earlier this year, Ray Nagin presented a comprehensive plan for rebuilding the city and creating a more prosperous, economically balanced community. Those efforts have stalled as funding had been delayed until a mayor was chosen by the city, preventing the dedication of money to a project that may not have been implemented.  Now that the election is completed, Nagin is putting together a commission to prioritize efforts.

Doesn’t this beg the question of why Dean would target his party-member Nagin in the mayoral election? These all seem like efforts in the correct direction for the Big Easy. Why attempt to unseat the mayor who has been doing his best to survive the political disaster that followed the natural disaster in his city? I must admit, it makes little sense to me.  

Perhaps Dean should worry about beating the Republicans instead of attacking other Democrats.  This type of maneuver does nothing but divide the party and make Democrats look like fools in the eyes of the nation. Of course, the story is just breaking, and we’ll have to wait until it unfolds further to determine the full scope of Dean’s maneuvers. But at present, it looks like Dean really made an error in judgment attacking Nagin’s reelection campaign.

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Posted by Scottage at 12:52 AM / | |