Keepers (in alphabetical order)

Broken Bells – Nothing wrong with this album. But it’s not that great either. But it’s not that bad.

Charlotte Gainsbourg – I have finally embraced this album all the way. It has three or four high points. The rest is just okay.

The National – More of the same from the National. Songs about my lame life. Really good.

She & Him – Sweet music. Really good production. I’m in love with both members.

Sleigh Bells – This has most of my favorite summer songs thus far. Loud crashy cheerleader music. It’s not new, but it’s nice to get a new spin on it.

Surfer Blood – Dave, I think maybe you would like this. It reminds me of the 90′s but maybe not the 90′s that you liked the best. But still worth trying.

Titus Andronicus – I like this album, but I feel like its akin to eating way more food than one should. It just wears me out. Still waiting for it to click.

Vampire Weekend – The rest of my favorite summer songs are on this cd.

Throw Awayers

Beach House – Dear Beach House, You make really boring music. Signed, Brent.

Caribou – Dear Caribou, I don’t understand what you are trying to do. But I see that others do. So there you go.

Gil Scott Heron – Dear Gil-Scott Heron, Even if you were the coolest person ever, there would still be no reason to make this music. No reason.

Gorillaz – Dear Gorillaz, Good for you.

Janelle Monae – Dear Janelle, Kent made fun of me when I wanted to listen to you. Kent was right. Thanks for that.

Roky Erickson & Okkervil River – Dear Roky, Thanks for making an album that puts a permanent blemish on the careers of Okkervill River. I’m not sure they could have done it themselves.

Okay. All done. There are still plenty of cds that are still under consideration for the year-end awards. So don’t give up, Ruby Suns and Morning Benders.

The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers will not allow land barriers to be built to protect the state’s coastline, Plaquemines Parish Billy Nungesser told The Lens today.

“They turned it down,” Nungesser said. “They denied the plan to do the barrier islands, so I don’t know, so we’ll have to come up with something else. We’re going to plan B, but I don’t know what plan B is.”

This is the same type of project that folks have said would help rebuild the wetlands and protect the people living in southern Louisiana from flood surges and hurricanes.

I suspect the real reason it was denied was money.  BP won’t pay for it.  The federal government doesn’t want to pay for it.  So it doesn’t happen.

I got in a nice drunken argument with Dave over the weekend about this.  I don’t know how anyone who has paid a speck of attention to the Gulf Coast in the past five years can say that the federal government has any attention of helping.  They have repeatedly hung us out to dry (or drown).   Dave insisted that surely they are doing the best they that they can, that they have the best minds around working on the problem.

I agree that they have the best minds working on the problem.  Unfortunately for us, the problem as the government sees it is saving money and maintaining their cozy relationship with the oil companies.  They will do everything they can to make sure that they fix the problem.

Please excuse the dust while I re-arrange and break things.

Until then, here’s a cat in a box.

Heather Neville of Tristate Bird Rescue and Research rinses off an oiled brown pelican which was captured on a barrier island off the fragile Louisiana coast on Tuesday, May 4, 2010 at a triage center in Fort Jackson, Louisiana. (MIRA OBERMAN/AFP/Getty Images)

This is a bad situation.

Yes, that is the Lombardi Trophy in C. Ray’s official portrait.  Because of, you know, all the stuff C. Ray did in bringing that thing to New Orleans.

From the City of New Orleans website:

Inside the portrait, painted by Mr. Newt Reynolds, two symbols emerge from a shadowy background. A hurricane graphic, representing Hurricane Katrina, and an image of the Lombardi trophy, symbolizing the Saints first-ever Super Bowl victory, signify the challenges and difficult times as well as the unity and resiliency of New Orleanians. Mayor Nagin’s one-of-a-kind portrait reflects the distinct legacy he will leave in history.

I think that blue thing above his shoulder is the hurricane graphic.

To satisfy those who need Kent to hate popular things, here’s some nitpicking.

Those houses were too clean!  He picked up a photograph that was laying on a table!  He opened his door with a key and it swung open!  hehe.

That’s it.  I’ve got no problem with anything else.

I loved how dark it was at night.  I loved the sound of the helicopters flying over.  I loved that everyone was sweating all the time.

I loved it every time a stranger was called “Brah.”

I loved that the DJ Davis character wanted his CDs back from Tower Records, just like I want my copy of Baller Blockin’ back from the real Davis Rogan.

Today, charges were dropped against the shooters, because the cop that confiscated the gun found on the suspects is one of the cops that recently pled guilty to planting a gun in the Danzinger bridge case.

http://www.nola.com/crime/index.ssf/2010/04/orleans_da_drops_all_charges_a.html

Cursing under his breath as he left a courtroom Thursday, Orleans Parish District Attorney Leon Cannizzaro had his office dismiss all charges against three young men accused in connection with the 2009 Mardi Gras parade shooting that sent seven parade-goers, including a toddler, to the hospital with gunshot wounds.

“I want them back in f—ing court,” Cannizzaro muttered repeatedly to an assistant as he walked away from Judge Frank Marullo at Criminal District Court.

The state’s case became troubled recently, when New Orleans police Lt. Michael Lohman admitted in federal court that he planted a gun in an effort to cover up a deadly police shooting days after Hurricane Katrina.

Lohman is the cop who also confiscated the guns allegedly used in the Mardi Gras shooting.

According to prior courtroom testimony by Detective Jeff Walls, Brooks was a gunman that day and was tackled by a citizen and Lohman as he tried to run away.

When Brooks hit the ground, a fully loaded 9-mm gun fell from his waistband, police said.

What a proud moment for the NOPD.  A shooting on St. Charles Avenue on Mardi Gras, and your corruption lets the gunmen go free.  Thanks.

UPDATE:

The DA has re-opened the cast.  Apparently, charges were dropped mistakenly by an Assistant DA:

http://www.nola.com/crime/index.ssf/2010/04/orleans_da_said_parade_dismiss.html

Cannizzaro said the dismissal took place only because of a “breakdown in communication” between him and Pipes, and that his office will bring  Brooks,  21, Lewis, 19, and Gray, 19, to trial for discharging a firearm along the parade route.

What kind of idiot is that Assistant DA?  ”Yeah, sure let them go, we don’t care.”

Anyhoo, there is a gay podcast called ‘Feast of Fun’ that is one of the biggest in the country, and they sat me down to talk about my ladies and my life in Louisiana. Thought the buzzards might enjoy it.

Can’t wait to get my azzz to New Orleans for some good time wit my baybeez, and Dave…looks like I might be hittin Atlanta with CHRISTEENE in May…possibly.

Also have an EP ready to roll now. If ya’ll could email me your addresses to lulujones13@gmail.com, I can get a disc to you! And check out christeene.org for all the nasty good times. (except you Marnie..keep your life clean)

Here’s the link.

http://www.feastoffun.com/podcast/2010/03/19/fof-1160-christeenes-ugly-is-the-new-beautiful-03-19-10/

Love ya’ll

Claude Mauberret, who made it to the runoff for the city assessor’s office, dropped out:

Claude Mauberret, a district assessor since 1994, will abandon his bid to become New Orleans’ first citywide assessor today, according to a source close to Mauberret.Mauberret’s exit, expected to be announced before noon, will mean that Erroll Williams — like Mauberret a longtime district assessor — will claim the new post, expected to be one of the city’s most powerful political jobs.

Mauberret spent his entire campaign attacking the reform candidate, Janis Lemle, with flyers  unfairly associating her (via a campaign aide) to Dollar Bill Jefferson.   He also used the “scary for white people” picture of her with dreadlocks as opposed to her official portrait.   At first he denied association with these shitty flyers, but the second round that came had his name on them.  He just barely edged her out of the race to get into the primary.

And then he dropped out, handing the race to his buddy Errol Williams.  Thanks a lot, dickhead.  Thanks for ensuring more of the same in New Orleans.

I suppose that we were given our chance to make a change in the assessor’s office during the race and we squandered it.  But Mauberret’s dropping out just makes it feel like the fix was in.