Redstate

Posted at 8:41pm on Jul. 11, 2008 LA-06: Sweet.

By Vladimir

LA-06 is the Baton Rouge vacated by Rep Richard Baker (R), a ten-term incumbent. The special election to replace Baker was won by Don Cazayoux, a Dem, over Woody Jenkins just a couple of months ago.

Qualifying for this fall's regular elections closed today. In an interesting twist,

Jackson throws wrench in 6th District race

Posted in 2008 | Louisiana — Comments (2) / Email this page » / Read More »

Posted at 6:04am on Jul. 7, 2008 NYT Magazine Puff Piece on Rush Limbaugh?

By Vladimir

Considering the source, today's New York Times Sunday Magazine cover article on Rush Limbaugh is almost a puff piece. You wouldn't guess it from the cover:

Sure, certain passages have a "Conservative in the Mist" overtones, but Limbaugh granted unprecedented access for this interview, and actually gave voice to opinions and points of philosophy that went unchallenged by the Times.

Read on . . .

Posted in Culture — Comments (22) / Email this page » / Read More »

Posted at 11:33pm on Jul. 5, 2008 LA-2008: Rundown on Senate and House Races

By Vladimir

Landrieu-Kennedy Senate battle tops fall political lineup

This article provides a decent rundown of this fall's elections, the first regular election in recent history to feature party primaries. The three-day qualifying period opens Wednesday.

The two [Senatorial] candidates both plan three-day tours of the state this week to launch a contest that features atypical juxtapositions.

Posted in 2008 | Louisiana — Comments (8) / Email this page » / Read More »

Posted at 11:08am on Jul. 4, 2008 Rep. Wm. Jefferson (D-LA): Not Guilty of Bribery, Because He's a Thief

By Vladimir

Or so goes the apparent defense that Jefferson's attorney will mount in his Dec. 2 trial on corruption and bribery charges.

Jefferson will be a Superdelegate at the Democratic national Convention Aug. 25-28 in Denver.

Bribery defense hinges on risky tack

Jefferson has promised an "honorable explanation" will be provided at his trial, which is scheduled for Dec. 2, and has so far declined to elaborate.

Posted in $90000 | Congress | IN HIS FREEZER! | William Jefferson — Comments (4) / Email this page » / Read More »

Posted at 9:54am on Jul. 2, 2008 "Even a Blind Hog Finds an Acorn Every Now and Then"

By Vladimir

Here, for your listening and viewing enjoyment, a video clip of Badger Oil Corporation owner Paul Hilliard, from his appearance on CNBC's Squawk Box show this morning.

Posted in Energy — Comments (1) / Email this page » / Read More »

Posted at 8:55am on Jun. 30, 2008 Barack Obama's ACORN Connection

By Vladimir

The defeat that stings the worst is when you feel like you've been beaten at your own game. The narrow defeats of the Presidential elections of 2000 and 2004 have energized the lunatic base of the Democratic Party. Images of Diebold-rigged voting machines, minority voter intimidation and The Political Anachronism That Is the Electoral College have haunted the activists' dreams for eight years. We can expect the Dems to pull out all the stops to make sure it doesn't happen in 2008.

One need not look to the Book of Revelation to find reason to be troubled by the presumptive Democratic nominee. The "Unholy Trinity" -- Barack Obama, Chicago politics and the radical "community development" organization that goes by the acronym ACORN -- should be troubling enough.

Read on....

Posted in 2008 | ACORN | Barack Obama | Obamafiles | Vote Fraud — Comments (10) / Email this page » / Read More »

Posted at 10:23pm on Jun. 29, 2008 Jindal's Legislative Director Resigns

By Vladimir

...and don't let the door hit you in the backside on the way out.

Jindal's legislative director resigns

Gov. Bobby Jindal's legislative director has resigned after serving fewer than six months with the new administration, which is embroiled in a controversy over the Legislature's large pay raise.

Tommy Williams, 65, said Sunday the decision to leave was his and that he left on good terms. He did not offer reasons for his departure, but said he plans to return to his career as a professional lobbyist.

Posted in Bobby Jindal | Louisiana | State Politics — Comments (5) / Email this page » / Read More »

Posted at 5:43pm on Jun. 27, 2008 BREAKING: Recall Petition Filed Against Bobby Jindal

By Vladimir

Recall petition filed against Jindal

What a joke. What a sad, pitiful joke.

Some in th elocal media have been stoking this fire for a week and a half.

Two Jefferson Parish residents have filed a recall petition against Gov. Bobby Jindal.
...

The two would have to collect and then have verified signatures from at least one-third of the registered voters in the state.

Posted in Bobby Jindal | Louisiana | State Politics — Comments (17) / Email this page » / Read More »

Posted at 8:38pm on Jun. 26, 2008 Maureen Dowd's Paean to an Empty Suit

By Vladimir

Maureen Dowd, looking longingly at Barack Obama and apparently finding no there there, invents a romantic persona for him out of whole cloth:

Unlike W., Obama doesn’t have a chip on his shoulder and he doesn’t make a lot of snarky remarks. He tries to stay on a positive keel and see things from the other person’s point of view.

Posted in 2008 | Bob Dylan | new york times — Comments (1) / Email this page » / Read More »

Posted at 10:00pm on Jun. 25, 2008 Who Are the True Visionaries – Capitalist Oilmen, or Politicians?

By Vladimir

Thunder Horse platform finally pumping after three-year delay

When the structure 150 miles southeast of New Orleans reaches its full daily capacity of 250,000 barrels of oil and 200 million cubic feet of natural gas, Thunder Horse will be the biggest producer in the Gulf.
…

When running at full tilt, Thunder Horse alone will increase overall U.S. oil and gas production by 3.6 percent. Add BP's Atlantis platform that started up last year, and the boost grows to 6.4 percent.

Analysts have said that is likely the biggest production increase from just two locations that the U.S. has seen in a decade.

Thunder Horse (and other developments like it) might never have been, had the owners succumbed to the defeatist thinking so common among Democratic and weak-kneed Republican politicians these days:

“What’s the use? Its reserves are only xx months of U.S. consumption.”
“It can’t help our energy picture for 10 years.”
“It will only contribute to Global Warming.”
“What we really need are higher CAFÉ standards.”
“It will spoil the view.”
“Let them drill the leases they already own.”
Or President Clinton’s classically shortsighted excuse for failing to approve ANWR exploration in 1995: “Oil is cheap. We don’t need it now. (Psst, Monica -- you missed a spot.)”

While Congress has been twiddling its thumbs and investigating Roger Clemens’ elbow, BP have been moving ahead with Thunder Horse. (Remember, they’re Brits.)

…more…

Posted in BP | Deepwater | Energy | Thunder Horse — Comments (6) / Email this page » / Read More »

Posted at 9:50pm on Jun. 24, 2008 Jindal: "I've Learned My Lesson"

By Vladimir

WBRZ's video coverage (Baton Rouge ABC affiliate):
Jindal speaks about legislative session

The Times-Picayune's coverage:
Jindal admits mistake in not stopping pay raise for lawmakers

In a press conference today, Gov. Bobby Jindal said he "learned his lesson" about dealing with the legislature, meaning he gave them too much leeway. Look for a more activist Gov. Jindal in the future.

Posted in Bobby Jindal | Louisiana | State Politics — Comments (8) / Email this page » / Read More »

Posted at 5:53pm on Jun. 24, 2008 (Tilting mask...) You Really Should Check Out CNBC Squawk Box Tomorrow

By Vladimir

Paul Hilliard, owner of Badger Oil Corporation, is scheduled to be a guest on Squawk Box on CNBC tomorrow morning (Wednesday, June 25, 6 am EDT), live from his home in North Carolina (hear that, gamecock?).

I invite you to watch (or TiVo) him. At 83, Paul is accustomed to speaking his mind, and quite a mind it is.

A native of Wisconsin (which explains the company name), Paul's family were forced to leave their hardscrabble farming life when brother Wallace (AKA "The Great Emancipator") burned down the barn. Paul served in the Pacific in WWII as a Marine aviator. After the war, he earned a law degree on the GI Bill. Paul has been an independent oil man in Lafayette, LA since the mid-50s. He is past Chairman of the Independent Petroleum Association of America, and was one of the founders of the Louisiana Oil and Gas Association. He serves on the Board of Trustees of the National WWII Museum in New Orleans.

Posted in Archived — Comments (25) / Email this page » / Read More »

Posted at 10:36pm on Jun. 23, 2008 On the Utter Stupidity of "Drill It or Lose It"

By Vladimir

I'd almost rather believe that House Natural Resources Committee Chairman Nick Rahall (D-WV) is lying. It's hard to believe that a man in his position, from a producing state no less, could be so hopelessly uninformed on such a critical issue.

It's major-league stupid, even by the standard of House Democrats. Awe-inspiring in its multi-faceted stupidity.

Posted in Domestic Drilling | drill | drill here | Energy | ocs — Comments (10) / Email this page » / Read More »

Posted at 11:44am on Jun. 21, 2008 Sister of Rep. William Jefferson (D-LA) Cops a Plea

By Vladimir

Jefferson sibling pleads guilty in fraud

Bill Jefferson's sister Brenda copped a plea on Wednesday, agreeing to exchange testimony against brother Mose, sister Betty Jefferson, and neice Angela Coleman in exchange for a lesser charge of misprison of a felony -- basically, knowledge of and failure to report a crime.

Dealing a blow to her family's hang-tough legal posture, Brenda Jefferson, the youngest sister of embattled U.S. Rep. William Jefferson, pleaded guilty Wednesday to concealing her knowledge of a conspiracy to skim money from nonprofit groups controlled by relatives.

The plea marked the first admission of guilt by a member of the Jefferson family, five of whom have been charged with federal crimes in the past year.

In doing so, Brenda Jefferson agreed to provide truthful cooperation, according to her plea agreement. A summary of the government's case against her, which she signed, says she knew of and participated in various schemes being carried out by relatives who are now facing corruption charges. Brenda Jefferson also said that two of her family members charged in the charity scandal made out checks to her from the charities' accounts, then forged the endorsement and deposited the money in their own accounts.

While Brenda's testimony may not directly bear on the bribery and racketeering charges against Bill, it is the first crack in the previously solid wall presented by the Jefferson clan.

Rep. Jefferson will serve his party at its August convention as a superdelegate, as will Mose Jefferson's Main Squeeze Renee Gill-Pratt. Rep. Jefferson has declared his intention to run for reelection this fall. His Federal trail is scheduled for December.

In today's editorial, the Times-Picayune calls for Bill to step aside.

Posted in $90000 | Congress | IN HIS FREEZER! | William Jefferson — Comments (4) / Email this page » / Read More »

Posted at 3:17pm on Jun. 20, 2008 Oil Spill!

By Vladimir

Today, my company reported its first oil spill in quite a while. It's not the kind of thing one normally calls attention to, but in this case, I'll make an exception.

We operate six platforms in the Gulf of Mexico. The bulk of our production is natural gas. We try very hard not to spill a drop, but we have contingency plans for such an event and we know how to react if and when it happens.

There is no "minimum reportable quantity." By law, any discharge of oil which creates a visible sheen on the water must be reported to the Coast Guard. There are serious penalties for violations. Our representatives know that we take our stewardship of the environment seriously.

Posted in Energy — Comments (68) / Email this page » / Read More »