Coastal policy, science and the media are co-equal props for a shaky stool ~LaCoastPost
~And, Bahr's Scuttlebutt has it...John M. Broder wrote an article for today’s New York Times on the waning congressional support for a cap-and-trade market system to reduce emissions of carbon dioxide. A new approach to limiting CO2 emissions is called “cap and dividend” in which (if I understand the concept) the right to pollute would be auctioned by the government, rather than bought and sold by competing industries under a carbon trading system.
"...licenses to pollute would be auctioned to producers and wholesalers of fossil fuels, with three-quarters of the revenue returned to consumers in monthly checks to cover their higher energy costs."
The effects of this shift are unclear but it would seem to reduce the possibility that cash credit for carbon sequestration may help pay for coastal wetland restoration projects in Louisiana.

Researchers Present Study on How Global Climate Change Affects Violence
~Editilla Rotellas~Uuhm errah...weee jus'guessing now...
One Disaster Myth Scholar can contradict Another?
[Disaster management scholar Joseph Trainor observed that “…people are not victims of disasters, they are survivors…People are adaptive and altruistic, mass rioting and mass looting are just disaster myths for the most part…”]

Sociology professor to speak on post-Flood N.O. at MTSU
~This event, sponsored by the Middle Tennessee Anthropology Society, is free and open to the public. Carter will deliver an informal talk on the grassroots formation of diverse religious movements in Orleans Parish and their influence in post-disaster urban redevelopment and reform. Case studies of religious communities include a Catholic “peace prayer” group; an Episcopal social justice ministry for victims of violence; an inner city Baptist church leading anti-violence and grief recovery ministries; and practitioners of Haitian Vodou conducting “crime ceremonies” for community healing.

Americana Development Says Katrina Flooded New Orleans
~Bad Americana! No Soup For You!!!

Local wetlands project receives grant~Nikki Buskey
~The state will provide $70,000 to continue a Terrebonne land-building project to keep the shoreline separating Lake Mechant and Raccouri Bay intact and slow the Gulf of Mexico’s march into interior parish wetlands.

$24 million federal grant helps La. 1 upgrades inch forward
~John DeSantis~The $24.1 million grant, announced Thursday, comes from the U.S. Minerals Management Service through a program that aims to compensate Louisiana for damage to its coastal wetlands and infrastructure caused by oil-and-gas activity.

Sand Resources, Regional Geology, and Coastal Processes of the Chandeleur Islands Coastal System: an Evaluation of the Breton National Wildlife Refuge ~USGS ~Hat Tweet~ A. Freeman

MS Inshore artificial reefs restored to pre-Katrina levels

Corps of Engineers moving ahead with London Avenue work despite concerns from outside engineers~Regional levee authority officials said they want these first designs reviewed by engineers outside the corps before any construction begins.
"I think we all agree that completely cutting off the canal from those sand layers is desirable, and I think it's a good idea for the corps to get somebody on board to get started with the design," said engineer Bob Turner, executive director of the Southeast Louisiana Flood Protection Authority-East. "But I think the authority and a review team needs to be involved to make sure we're all on the same page with design approach and data," he said. "It's not that I distrust anybody, but it makes for a better product if we can see into the process and have input."
Ray Martin, one of the outside engineers levee commissioners selected to evaluate the reanalyses, confirmed this week that he and other peer reviewers weren't hired to review designs.
"The corps has every right to go forward with a design, but it's my opinion that the engineering needs to be peer reviewed by someone," Martin said.
"It doesn't have to be us, but it needs to be someone outside the corps because of all they scrutiny they're under."
~Editilla gnashes and flays, rattles and humz~
OK, here is where the Rubber meets the Room and the Corps begins the Real Push on our Flood Safety.
They have delayed and slide-balled this operation to leverage Option 1 and only Option 1, and now coming on yet another hurricane season we get the Squeeze, 1 of 3 Card Monte.
We discussed this very inevitability in past comments in this very venue, yet here we are caught in The Vice like a roasted nut.
The Exquisite Corps knows this, time is on their side.
The Corps will Fuck Around with This until we have No Options.
Sooo, if we get a really tough Season this year and their already Bad Floodwalls fail, again, will we then be ready to bend over and assume the position on Option 1???? Well? If another Katrina this time actually rolls onto New Orleans we will be flooded again.
Had we been able to score the Independent 8/29 Review being sold by levees.org then we would not be having these circular conversations like punks wondering which bull took them when. We would not be reading here where the Corps is going to Stick It To Us regardless of the Screaming need for independent peer review of their work at every level.
Had we gotten an Independent 8/29 Review then we would know Exactly what is up or down about these Still Bad Flood Walls.
But we have not gotten such a systemic review of the cause.
Why? Why are we here, watching the Corps go there...
--or where ever they forking want?
Mayor Mitch? Can you handle these Corps Ice Holes???

Texas Proposes $10 Billion ‘Ike Dike’ for Storm-Surge Shield ~Bloomberg~Special H/TnT to Kelly Haggar,
"Suppose Texas succeeds in getting this thing built. Will it export/transfer as much surge into Cameron and Lake Charles as we plan to transfer/export into Pass Christian and Gulfport if we ever succeed in gating (or weiring) the Chef and the Rigolets?"

Hurricane Season Looms, as future Disaster Recovery is Counting on the Census
~Cypress Times

FEMA's levee re-certification could prove costly to river communities~A new regulation placing financial burden of levee certification on the owners has some west-central Illinois river communities having to decide whether to find thousands of dollars or risk becoming classified as flood plains. The latter could end up forcing homeowners to buy high-risk flood insurance.

MoMA: the rising current
~designboom

South Louisiana Passover
~Liprap's Lament - The Line

Charges reduced in phone caper at senator Landrieu's office

Federal prosecutor visits N.O. amid police probe

Feds: We’re Investigating Baton Rouge Police, Too
~A.C. Thompson, Pro Publica

Ray Nagin still has a duty to New Orleans' image~Jarvis DeBerry

Child-Governor Jindal Drowns King Cake Baby in Bath Water
~Former Hindu, Exorcist, and now child-governor of Louisiana Bobby "Brady" Jindal was found this morning, crouched in his bath tub in his Gub'na Suit, with his hands clasped tightly around the tiny helpless neck of a King Cake Baby, muttering drool:
"Die, Whore Child of Bourbon." Quietly, almost subliminally PBJ mewled his frustration beneath a louder drone mantra: "It is by will alone I set my mind in motion. It is by the juice of sapho that thoughts acquire speed, the lips acquire stains, the stains become a warning. It is by will alone I set my mind in motion."
But King Cake Baby Won't Die! It, Louisiana, just stares back at His'Boner with those cute purple and gold plastic eyes, singing to itself, "These poor goddamn fools never learn. Who'dat?"

Lets see who supports a crooked political hack for Jefferson Parish Judge ~slabbed

Vitter grandstands on your mammary vans
~Your Right Hand Thief

War and Peace (Berkeley)
~NOEW~I guess it's kind of ironic that the team working with a client whose company uses the name "Piece by Peace" should call its Idea Village work space The War Room. Honestly, when Mike slapped the sign on the exterior door no-one batted an eyelid. When it comes to self awareness and a basic cognition of things such as these the Berkeley Haas team is evidently a bit slow. It must have something to do with all of the pot dispensaries that litter the region surrounding the Berkeley campus. Berkeley's got a reputation, you know. I'm just sayin'.

Marathon doubles La. refinery capacity in $3.9B project
~Joy Herdes

City Bark opens Saturday in New Orleans City Park for dogs large and small~Katie Urbaszewski
~The park is for members only and requires a card key to gain entry into the black iron fence that encircles it. Members must agree to several rules: Dogs must be vaccinated, spayed or neutered, and at least 6 months old to enter. Children under 8 aren't allowed, and food is off-limits inside the park.
So far about 250 people have paid the $35 annual fee to join, including George Campbell and Anita Delone, who took a lazy walk around the trail Wednesday as their Pomeranian, Kizzie, sniffed out her new play space. They said they plan to visit the dog park up to four times a week.

BeauSoleil marketing explored
~Marsha Sills~The 30 months of planning, designing and building the solar-powered home that placed University of Louisiana at Lafayette students on an international stage isn’t over, the project’s faculty director said Thursday. The 800-square-foot home, named BeauSoleil, sits on the campus near the arts building, Fletcher Hall, with a view of Girard Park. Soon, versions of BeauSoleil could be on the market.

Review: Best American Nonrequired Reading 2009

A great book about a great American city

Dave Eggers' Zeitoun signing Octavia Books today!

Odd Words
~Odd Bits of Life in New Orleans

Night of the Iguana Extended

BECA ICAD (International Center for Art + Design)

New Orleans Bread Pudding With A Whiskey Sauce
~Lindaraxa's Garden

My New Orleans green gumbo welcome wagon~Francis Lam

After tough year, gator farmers see ray of hope~Lloyd J. Nelson

Louisiana Crawfish Festival where'yat New Orleans

Hollywood South breaking records with big stars and projects ~WWL

New Orleans in a Moment –Three Odes
~The G. Hunter Chronicles

Sweet Home New Orleans Seminar ~NOCCA

Students participate in Roots of music ~Program tutors middle school students without access to music education

Susan Cowsill Band April 9th at Carrollton Station
~"Covered In Vinyl" Series, feat: Bob Dylan's Hwy 61 Revisited
w/ special guest Bill Kerchin

Superfly During Jazzfest