Scruggs, like whoa

Dickie Scruggs is all over the place lately, as a confidential informant and working with whistle-blower, side-switchers from State Farm. But it's all for the greater good, right? I mean, he fought big tobacco!

I had no idea that he was Trent Lott's brother-in-law.

Rock on, Mississippi.

[h/t Iced Coffee and a Bagel]

gay gay gay

With all the gay tendencies being exhibited by the GOP lately what with the dirty online talk of Congressman Mark Foley and a male page, good ol' State Rep. Bob Allen offering to perform blow jobs in bathrooms, President of the Young Republicans Glenn Murphy, Jr. giving a hummer to a guy that was asleep, and of course the now infamous Senator Larry Craig.

Maybe the party should consider having the Republican National Convention or some leadership conference in New Orleans alongside Southern Decadence. That way no one can falsely accuse said party leaders of wrongful acts because, well, everyone is doing it. My first year I saw one dude tossing another's salad in the streets. If they want to stick with anonymity, then hell, wear some leather mask, as the leather daddies and their bitches are welcome.

Tucker Carlson and his other fag stomping buddies can work security at the strictly hetero bars. However, Michael Flory is not invited, to distance himself from the rampant gayness, he will again assault young girls, what with the long weekend and the incoming freshman girls having their first weekend in New Orleans sans parents. Special guest appearance by Senator David Vitter, who will lecture on diaper wearing, hookers, and how these are not gay. Maybe Senator Craig can be named some sort of Grand Marshall or VIP, after he resigns and/or comes out of the closet.

more Hurricane Katrina insurance matters...

5th Circuit rules for Nationwide in Katrina case. Take home message:

The company says its anti-concurrent causation provision works this way: If a policyholder has wind coverage and not flood insurance, then the company is not responsible for damage that comes from a combination of wind and water. A ruling that the clause is ambiguous could have been used against the company in lawsuits involving so-called "slab cases," in which a home was reduced to its foundation, Hartwig said.

As noted in a previous post, the federal court has also ruled that insurance companies are not liable for flood damage - the court did not distinguish between the flood as a result of the levees being overcome (water topping the levees) and the levees being breached (levees were broken and let water through). However, there is a pending case in the state court going to trial in September that may reverse the decision.

And although I am a bit belated in posting this, following the previous LA Citizens discussion, here is the link to their, uh, press release, if you will, confirming their extension of the prescription deadline to September 4 and the other details to go along with it.

Anyone who calls in sick to your office this AM has a Decadence hangover, there is no other explanation...

Since Southern Decadence will likely cause alot of "de-briefing" this weekend, here's a morning briefing:

● Where there's smoke, there's fire. At least this anti-HRC Republican hopes anyway. Some Asian-Americans are angry at the GOP for commenting on the fundraising Clinton scandal. [Politico]

● The NAACP challenges Secretary of State Jay Dardenne's voter purge. Only in Louisiana can dead people and Texans vote. That is, if the NAACP gets its way.[International Herald Tribune]

● It's Turd Blossom's last day in the White House. [WAFB]

● Oh, the irony. McCain qualifies for FEC welfare, interpreted by some as a desperate move. Ironically, this is of the same sort of election reform the senator pushed in the early years of the Bush administration. ALTR really hopes the man has some tricks up his sleeve...[Also from Politico]

● The Larry Craig interrogation tapes are ready for your consumption in a porno-frenzy we haven't seen since the Starr Report. Yes, you liberal sicko, I have a link for you: hear it at TSG. CNN played some of the tape's "greatest hits" over and over again this morning much to ALTR's chagrin during my morning primp session. Larry Craig might not be gay, but his boyfriend is. [MoJo]

Oh how many assless chaps will be seen...

The Head Pelican girls will both be in the Lone Star State this Labor Day weekend. Not that either of us (yes that's right, the Republican too) have anything against the thousands of Lonnies who will descend upon the Crescent City this weekend.

This is an event this hag is sad to miss, but family business calls back at the mothership for ALTR. The Head Pelican girls will be soaking up some sun on the famous Texas cancer beaches and shopping at the Galleria. Also perhaps trying a pub crawl in Houston - sadly ALTR has been to all of 3 bars in H-town since turning 21 not all that long ago. And 2 of them were gay bars. ALTR suspects the Houston gay bars will be all but empty this weekend. Happy Decadence!!

mmm, stuff

Infuriating! 'Cosmo' Wonders: Is it Rape If You Had Too Many Jaeger Shots To Remember It Anyway?

Interesting... Gonzales to be in N.O. Tuesday

Thoughts on New Orleans from: HRC, Edwards, Obama [via Dead Pelican]

Deadline to file suit tomorrow

Doug Sunseri of Nicaud, Sunseri & Fradella is currently on WWL giving free legal advice on how to file your Hurricane Katrina claim and the like.

More on the deadline later.

Before hitting the hay...

• August 26 was Women's Equality Day - 87 years ago women won the right to vote. How things have changed...and yet work remains. [HillaryClinton.com, NOW.org]
  
• Obama was preaching around town on Sunday [nola.com, CNN]
  
• mmmm...August... [Politico]
  
• Ted Nugent bashes HRC & Obama, makes bid for Michigan governor. [Politico - The Crypt]
  
• Corruption and competition will not tear us apart. [nola.com]
  
• Someone on the Hill doesn't like the shit-talking taking place on Wikipedia about Bobby Jindal. [Daily Kingfish]
  

next to the chopping block...

From American Zombie:

Word has it that LA. Senator Derrick Shepard is the next to be summoned to the gallows....execution date is set for Monday.

Uh oh...

Hopeful Green Wave football fans...

Toledo takes Tulane in a new direction

Since it was announced in December of '06 that Bob Toledo would be taking over the Tulane football program, eager and anxious Tulane football fans (yes, some do exist) have been abuzz about the prospects of the next season. Interest seems to have grown, as ticket sales have been seeing numbers they haven't in quite some time. The Toledo name itself has allegedly brought back 20 - 25% of previous season ticket holders.

I'm a skeptic. Tulane football has always been a running joke, this coming from a former student. You only went to the games to tailgate, and if you were lucky you went in at half time. Toledo is trying to appear to a younger demographic, I'm assuming the students. The only way he's gonna get them in the stands is by producing a team that wins. Let's hope he can live up to that, everyone is expecting him to.

Kick off has also been moved from 1 PM to 6 PM because

"People in New Orleans like to come out in the evening. They realized the need to start a little bit later because people get started here a little bit later," said Parenti, who previously worked for the Hornets and is in her first year at Tulane.

Well, we see how well the job with the Hornets worked out for her. Is the 6 PM start time really to appeal to the younger demographic they are trying to hook, or the older folks of New Orleans that are rekindling their interest? When ALTL attended Tulane, there wasn't a chance in hell she'd skip her pre-debaucherous Saturday evening activities to travel out to the Superdome. Hell, Tulane can't even get students to fill the stands at Fogelman by throwing free food at them. Maybe it will be Toledo's rendition of the fireside chat - a weekly radio show beginning Sept. 5 at 7 PM over at Bruno's that will reel them in.

I'm not going to pretend to know much about the Tulane football program. I was all for eliminating it after the storm, as it always seemed like such a waste of time, energy, and money. And I don't want to encourage the apathetic nature of the Tulane student body. We know they can rally around a team, as seen by the overwhelming support for the 2005 Green Wave baseball team as they headed to Omaha for the World Series. BUT...I'm a skeptic. Good luck, Toledo.