Ivor van Heerden, who pointed fingers in Hurricane Katrina levee failures, fired by LSU
~Mark Schleifstein
~Also, engineering professor Marc Levitan has stepped down as the center's director.
Although he does not have an engineering degree, van Heerden was granted a doctorate in marine sciences by LSU in 1983, and the research he had overseen at his health center was aimed at determining the potential for hurricane storm surge to over-top the New Orleans levee system.
"I brought a copy of Ivor's resume, showed them his background and degrees and a copy of the summary of the Team Louisiana contract that Ivor was appointed to head, " Levitan said.
He also pointed out that van Heerden had issued his critiques of the corps as the director of the forensic investigation, which included a team of scientists and civil engineers.
~Editilla stirs da'pot~ This is a Bad News Corps Victory.
This bad scene probably has as much to do with Dr. van Heerden's Storm Surge Modeling running afoul of Gerald Galloway's, the Storm Surge Modeling Business, FEMA Flood Zone Mapping and undue ASCECORPS influence in National Flood Control Policy.

~Video Interview with Dr. van Heerden, WBRZ

Stupid is as stupid does: Scientific Integrity at LSU gets a black eye ~slabbed
~Although van Heerden did not become an expert for hire in Katrina litigation, other members of the L.S.U. engineering department and geology/meteorology/climatology departments did for State Farm. This was a “too cute” move by State Farm to try and lend LSU credibilty to its bs defenses.

Whistle-blowers say disasters from storms can be avoided
(Part 6)~Carol Forsloff

Chinese Drywall and the Cost of Truth-Telling~Harry Shearer

Holbrook, AZ, Seeks Help To Overcome Its Levee Recertification Problems
~Tammy Gray-Searles
Holbrook has been working its way through the process, but has met with several significant roadblocks, including being unable to produce documents proving that the levee was constructed to 100-year flood standards. Although the Corps of Engineers designed and constructed the levee, corps officials have been unable to locate documents relating to construction. Without the documents, the city needs to have significant work done to recertify the levee, such as core sampling, a geotechnical survey and other hydrology studies.

Artists want to turn floodwall into mirror of local homes
~Sheila Grissett
~A New Orleans public art group asked regional levee commissioners Thursday to let 65 local artists paint shotgun houses on an Industrial Canal flood wall to help rejuvenate the Lower 9th Ward.
The nonprofit community group NOLA RISING told a committee meeting of the Southeast Louisiana Flood Protection Authority-East that it wants to paint 3,900 feet of flood wall visible from the neighborhood.
Graffiti eradicator Fred Radtke opposes the proposal.

Who say I say I say? Let ‘em have it …with noooo problem
~Kevin Allman

New Orleans Easter parade schedule~The Gambit

Deacon John lived New Orleans history~John Wirt

Fifth Annual "Midnight Preserves" Series in New Orleans

Lil Wayne saved by alert off-duty cop~Ramon Antonio Vargas