Finally. Something To Do At The Mall.

First Cabela's, now this: An Apple Store will be opening soon in Baton Rouge.

"MacNN meanwhile has obtained information that a store is being built at the Mall of Louisiana, found in Baton Rouge. The shop will not actually be built within the mall, but rather in an outside development as a free-standing structure. It should occupy 4,919 square feet, and feature stainless-steel wall panels in its sales area."

As an iPhone owning, dedicated Apple user since 1988, it's wonderful news. But there is more here, I think, than just making some local Mac-hacks happy. Apple Stores usually appear in tech-savvy, growth markets, like Austin, Houston, Atlanta. Notice where it didn't go. Brinkley's Houston / Galveston analogy may be a more accurate predictor of the future than we think.

Hattip (again): Baton Rouge Business Report.

What If They Gave A Debate And No One Showed Up?

Well, no one worth mentioning. It would look like this.

Our New Do.

Now that we're getting the hang of this blog thing, we've made a few changes to the old site - a wider format and a nicer masthead. Hope it suits everyone. If you have trouble loading or viewing the site let me know in the comments.

If you like the changes let me know that, too. (I so love compliments....)

UPDATE: There may still be some tweaking going on for the next few days, so please be patient. (I'm a perfectionist. Sue me.) The masthead image is one I took it at a jobsite south of New Orleans, pre-Katrina. Yes, the future handbag is very real, and I was that close. (And sometimes rather closer.) Just one of the hazards of the trade in these parts.

Louisiana Tops The List!

Like you didn't know this already; now there is scientific proof: Louisiana is the most corrupt state in the nation.

Hattip: Baton Rouge Business Report.

Michael Yon Reports.

I got an e-mail from Michael Yon this morning with a link to a new post: Under Distant Stars.

From his e-mail:

"I've just spent 10 days on the Iran-Iraq border with an excellent British "Battle Group" called 4 Rifles. We truly were living under the desert stars.

I am currently in Basra. There are reports that Basra is in chaos.

These reports are false. Basra is mostly peaceful; the British have not lost a soldier in combat for more than a month, and Iraqi-on-Iraqi violence has plummeted in the last six weeks or so.

The British have NOT pulled out of Iraq or Basra yet, but from what I can see, their force reduction decisions are militarily and politically sound, and are supported by top American commanders in Baghdad.

The news reports I am seeing about Basra are incomplete at best, and largely inaccurate.

(Reminds me of Mosul during 2005.)"

Architects: Protecting You From Religion.

As a dues-paying member of the American Institute of Archtiects, I can only ask....

WTF is this?????

"Midland Republican U.S. Rep. Dave Camp is among lawmakers objecting because the U.S. Capitol's architect won't allow God to be mentioned in certificates of authenticity accompanying flags flown over the Capitol and bought by constitutents."

I'll bet the architect's an Episcopalian.

UPDATE: I guess the Speaker of the House, Nancy Pelosi (D-Nutterville) is an Episcopalian, too. Pelosi defended the architect's actions in refusing an Eagle Scout's request to have the following dedication inscribed on a flag cretificate: "In honor of my grandfather Marcel Larochelle, and his dedication and love of God, country, and family." Too political and religious, said Pelosi. OK, how about this - "In honor of my grandfather Marcel Larochelle, and his dedication and love of Someone more improtant than Nancy Pelosi, country, and family." Would that be unreligious enough, Nancy?

UPDATE: Hello to the folks from the American Institute of Architects who found this post. Glad to know how you are spending my hard-earned money.

Tolerance, 12th Century Style.

Another fine example of inter-faith dialogue and respect in an Islamic State:

"The body of Rami Khader Ayyad, the 32-year-old director of Gaza's only Christian bookstore, bore a visible gunshot wound to the head, and an official at Gaza's Shifa Hospital said he was also stabbed numerous times. Ayyad had been missing since Saturday afternoon.

Ayyad regularly received anonymous death threats from angry people who accused him of missionary work, a rarity among Gaza's Christians. His store, which is associated with a Christian group called the Palestinian Bible Society, was firebombed in April.

"We feel Rami was killed for his Christian faith," said Simon Azazian, a spokesman at the Bible Society's head office in Jerusalem."

I am (for now) an Episcopalian. Why isn't my Church speaking out about such real attacks on the Faith, instead of focusing their energies on tearing apart the Anglican Communion over gay marriage and a pointy hat for Gene Robinson? What happened here is REAL persecution, folks. What happened here is real sacrifice for the Faith. Remember that next time Integrity throws a hissy-fit about the "sacrifices" of gays and lesbians in The Episcopal Church (tm).

And remember, too, that the people who murdered this man couldn't give a tinker's damn about "full inclusion", or the Millennium Development Goals and how hard The Episcopal Church (tm) works for their implementation, or how many General Convention resolutions were passed in support of peace in the Middle East and Palestinian rights. To them, the Christian Faith is not "another vehicle to the Devine", it is an abomination. An abomination that must, in the end, be eliminated.

Monday Afternoon Time-Waster.

The Smoking Gun has compiled an entertaining group of mugshots that will give you marketing types nightmares. Enjoy.

Personally, if this doesn't say "please don't get Dish Network", I don't know what would.

Scandal? Us?

For all you scandal-junkies out there, keep a watch on what a grand jury uncovers about the prison at Angola. Could well be another black eye for Louisiana as more comes out.

Or not - if memory serves, Warden Cain has dodged this kind of thing before. The difference here is that the investigation is Federal, not State.

At a minimum, I hope it forces Jindal to make some sweeping personnel changes at Corrections and OYD when he gets into office.

Governor's Race Daily Fun Fact.

I'm still posting the 'Governor's Race Daily Fun Fact' over at Louisiana Conservative Dot Com. So stop over for a visit.

Alas, none of my "facts" have made the evening news. At least, not yet. (There is still time....)

What Now? A Five Year Plan?

Mikhail Gorbachev, the last leader of that failed Marxist (sorry, I repeat myself) experiment in Russia, was in New Orleans last Friday. And he had this to say:

"No matter the flooding and the hurricane, the red tape and bureaucracy survive."

Holy dialectic materialism! We've been saying for nearly two years that it's the red tape and the bureaucracy that are choking our recovery after Katrina and Rita, and now we have someone who is an expert on red tape and bureaucracy say so. If Cde. Gorbachev thinks it's bad, it's gotta be bad!!

Mickey also said some things about calling for a revolution, too, but I wouldn't be too concerned. Outside of Hollywood and some parts of the Northeast - and the National Council of Churches - nobody really cares what a has-been Communist leader has to say anymore.

Four Acres of Heaven.

The new Cabela's sporting goods super-store in Gonzales, just south of Baton Rouge, is now open. We went today.

Wow. IKEA for guys. And there is an outlet mall at the same I-10 exit, so the wife and kids will have something to do while you spend the college fund on a bass boat.

Two Grand.

On Friday, Mr. Sitemeter reported that this little site had it's 2,000th visitor since I started tracking stats. And that visitor was............

My mom.

I guess she'll get some kind of award or something, just as soon as I figure what that will be. (I'm taking suggestions.)

For all of you who stop by regularly, thank you for your time and your intetest in what we put up. I hope you keep coming back. And if you like what you see, do tell your friends.

Now all you privacy freaks out there don't, well, freak. I know who the 2,000th visitor was because I know her IP address. I don't know most of the others who visit regularly; all I can see is an IP address, and occasionally a location.

Shooting in Alexandria.

No. Four people in a law firm in Alexandria, Louisiana have been shot. A colleague of theirs in Alec asking for your prayers. Indeed.

I know, I know. This seems to utterly invalidate my snarky post below. I'm going remove the snarkyness, but still leave it up. Below is about Rights. What happened in Alec is about Wrongs. Harm to another, no matter how you convey it, is wrong; both in the sight of God and of Man. Again, pray for all.

UPDATE: It was five people shot, two fatally. The gunman was also killed.

A Liberal Looks At The Second Amendment.

Sit down.

Now, read this: A liberal's lament: The NRA might be right after all.

Yes, that's what it said.

A principled liberal. We need more of these.

My $.02 - Nothing Secedes Like Secession.

File this under "You Gotta Be Kidding".

There are people out there still steamed about being American, and they are holding a meeting. It seems they aren't at all happy with the outcome of Shea's Rebellion, or this little 19th-century difficulty.

The people at this "convention" should thank their lucky stars (and stripes!) they live in the US. You want socialized medicine, multi-culturalism, and gun control, Vermonters? Quebec is just a 30 minute ride from Burlington. It's so multi-cultural you can only speak one language by law. And you nostalgic good 'ol boys who think you look good in grey - do you REALLY want to live in a neo-aristocracy where the vast majority of people - white and black - are dirt poor? No? I didn't think so. (That was the reality in the South in 1861.)

Look, I'm a Southerner; my ancestors were Southern aristocracy on one side, and iconoclastic, independent Vermonters on the other. Some of my ancestors fought (and died) for the South during the Civil War, and others went to jail rather than recognize the State of Vermont (or pay their taxes) when it joined the Union back in 1791. And another set of ancestors helped initiate the West Florida Rebellion and create the Republic of West Florida in 1810. So my family has a rather large and proven rebellious streak. We are a hard-headed (and well armed) bunch known to take our causes very seriously. It's in our genes. So I speak from authority when I say to these "secessionists":

GO HOME. GET A LIFE. You people are depriving your villages of some perfectly good idiots.

My $.02.

White Powdery Substance Found On New Orleans Saints’ Practice Field.

Stunning. Brad Drell has the complete story here.

I think someone seriously dropped the ball on this one.

Yes, I'm With Fred.

Why am I supporting Fred Thompson for President? This is why.

"After a recent Thompson speech in Iowa a member of the audience called out: "Kill the terrorists, secure the border, and give me back my freedom." Thompson replied "you just summed up my whole speech."

"No other candidate could have carried off that quip because no other candidate is capable of delivering a convincing speech focused on those powerful themes."

Gulf Storm Update - 071002

Hmmm. Maybe something. Maybe not.

NOAA:


"Spaghetti Models"



Remember to keep checking Golden Triangle Weather Page, of course.

Harry Lee, RIP.

Jefferson Parish Sheriff Harry Lee died this morning. Lee has been a political icon in Jefferson Parish - and the State - for decades, and his passing leaves a HUGE vacuum in parish politics. I can't even remember the last Sheriff before Harry Lee.

It will be very interesting to watch Jefferson Parish politics over the next few weeks. That's one big hat to fill.

RIP, Harry. You deserve it.