Friday, August 31, 2007
Welcome Decadence Visitors
Come for the Java, leave with Joe. We're open early and open latte. Its coffee, with perks. There's a Rainbow Flag flying over our door and a warm welcome inside. Stop by the little shop in the Marigny or visit us online at www.marignyperks.com.
Wednesday, August 29, 2007
What's happened to the Republican party?
What is it with these sexually frustrated Republicans? Lets look at the list. Most recently, Senator Craig has been caught looking for sex in a public bathroom.
Then there was Mark Foley of Florida, who quit the House last year after exchanging sexually explicit e-mail messages with under-age male pages, or Jack Abramoff, the lobbyist whose dealings with the old Republican Congress landed him in prison. They are old news, replaced by a fresh crop of scandal-plagued Republicans, men like Senator David Vitter of Louisiana, whose phone number turned up on the list of the so-called D.C. Madam, or Senator Ted Stevens of Alaska and Representative Rick Renzi of Arizona, both caught up in F.B.I. corruption investigations.
Washington does not have a monopoly on the latest trend among Republicans. Just ask Thomas Ravenel, the state treasurer of South Carolina, who had to step down as state chairman of Rudolph W. Giuliani’s presidential campaign after he was indicted on cocaine charges in June.
Or Bob Allen, a state representative in Florida who was jettisoned from the John McCain campaign last month after he was arrested on charges of soliciting sex in a public restroom.
Other than William Jefferson, the Democrats can't compete in the corruption derby. What has happened to the modern Republican party?
Then there was Mark Foley of Florida, who quit the House last year after exchanging sexually explicit e-mail messages with under-age male pages, or Jack Abramoff, the lobbyist whose dealings with the old Republican Congress landed him in prison. They are old news, replaced by a fresh crop of scandal-plagued Republicans, men like Senator David Vitter of Louisiana, whose phone number turned up on the list of the so-called D.C. Madam, or Senator Ted Stevens of Alaska and Representative Rick Renzi of Arizona, both caught up in F.B.I. corruption investigations.
Washington does not have a monopoly on the latest trend among Republicans. Just ask Thomas Ravenel, the state treasurer of South Carolina, who had to step down as state chairman of Rudolph W. Giuliani’s presidential campaign after he was indicted on cocaine charges in June.
Or Bob Allen, a state representative in Florida who was jettisoned from the John McCain campaign last month after he was arrested on charges of soliciting sex in a public restroom.
Other than William Jefferson, the Democrats can't compete in the corruption derby. What has happened to the modern Republican party?
Thursday, August 23, 2007
Free Coffee Drink
Click on "Coffee Talk" to find out how you can get a free drink. Go to www.marignyperks.com
Beloved fry cook
A legendary Burger King employee, known across the land for the heroic and selfless deed of randomly inserting a single onion ring among the french fries of unsuspecting customers, is believed to have recently resurfaced in this sleepy Illinois town, sources reported Monday.
"That onion ring was such a pleasant surprise," said Burger King patron Richard Jameson, 37, who claimed that he caught a blue-and-yellow blur out of the corner of his eye, but before he could personally thank the mysterious figure, the "Employees Only" door was already closed. "If you're reading this, good sir, thank you."
While none can predict when or at which Burger King franchise the beloved fry cook will strike next, he will not rest as long as his evil nemesis continues placing shriveled-up, nasty brown fries in people's orders
"That onion ring was such a pleasant surprise," said Burger King patron Richard Jameson, 37, who claimed that he caught a blue-and-yellow blur out of the corner of his eye, but before he could personally thank the mysterious figure, the "Employees Only" door was already closed. "If you're reading this, good sir, thank you."
While none can predict when or at which Burger King franchise the beloved fry cook will strike next, he will not rest as long as his evil nemesis continues placing shriveled-up, nasty brown fries in people's orders
Wednesday, August 22, 2007
FDA approves second helpings
WASHINGTON, DC—In a surprising reversal of its longtime single-helping policy, the Food and Drug Administration announced its approval of seconds Tuesday, claiming that an additional plateful of food with every meal can greatly reduce the risk of hunger as well as provide an excellent source of deliciousness. Have another croissant.
Sunday, August 19, 2007
How to measure success in Iraq
Click on Coffee Talk for the definition of success in Iraq. Coffee Talk can be found at www.marignyperks.com
Friday, August 17, 2007
Contacting me
When you post a comment, you are anonymous and I'm unable to reply. If you want me to respond, post your comment on the Coffee Talk page at http://www.marignyperks.com/. That's a forum designed for dialogue. Alternatively, you can write to me directly at marignyperks@yahoo.com. Either way, I'm happy to hear from you.
Thursday, August 16, 2007
The damage they've done
What's so familiar? It's not that the headlines remind me of prior administrations. Its that this one is so alarmingly consistent. They are incompetent, dishonest and arrogant. I don't have any hope for change as long as they are in power. Some of the damage is probably permanent. Some can eventually be repaired.
I wonder if the truth about Bobby Jindal will come out. If it does, it won't be good for Jindal.
I wonder if the truth about Bobby Jindal will come out. If it does, it won't be good for Jindal.
Wednesday, August 15, 2007
Eggs on the sidewalk
Somehow, "it's hot" doesn't quite capture it. Only the tourists and the muggers remain on the streets. At night, a hustler languidly leans against a lamp post in the French Quarter. Men in jeans and tee shirts sweat profusely. Women fan themselves to move the hot, damp air around a bit. Air conditioners run constantly, struggling to cool the baking buildings.
When I was a child, growing up in New Orleans, the urban legend was that you could cook an egg on the sidewalk because of the heat. I never hear that anymore and wonder if its just children who spread such stories.
When I was a child, growing up in New Orleans, the urban legend was that you could cook an egg on the sidewalk because of the heat. I never hear that anymore and wonder if its just children who spread such stories.
Monday, August 13, 2007
Be Offended
Lets consider four words and how the media presents them. The words are: liberal, conservative, moderate, and extremist.
Liberal and Conservative are political philosophies. Moderate and Extremist describe intensity and degree and may be adjectives to describe either liberals or conservatives.
In its rush for ratings, television likes to present extremist liberals and extremist conservatives in debate and call it balanced. That is as balanced as standing with one foot in boiling water and the other foot in ice water. In this formulation; the calm reasonable voices of moderates are not heard at all.
Bush does this for political reasons. Fox does it to fire up the conservative base. CNN does it for ratings. They all polarize the national conversation and, in the process, insult us.
Liberal and Conservative are political philosophies. Moderate and Extremist describe intensity and degree and may be adjectives to describe either liberals or conservatives.
In its rush for ratings, television likes to present extremist liberals and extremist conservatives in debate and call it balanced. That is as balanced as standing with one foot in boiling water and the other foot in ice water. In this formulation; the calm reasonable voices of moderates are not heard at all.
Bush does this for political reasons. Fox does it to fire up the conservative base. CNN does it for ratings. They all polarize the national conversation and, in the process, insult us.
Sunday, August 12, 2007
Today's headlines
Here is the state of affairs, as told by today's headlines:
- Bush From Vacation: Iraq "Strategy Is Delivering Good Results"
- Bomb In Southern Iraq Kills Governor And Police Chief
- Bush Tells Reporter At Sarkozy Meeting: "I Can Barely Speak English"
- US Officials, Former Ambassadors: Bush Admin Ignored Warnings On Afghanistan
- Accused Contractors Never Charged In Iraq Shootings
- Losing the Advantage
How the ‘Good War’ in Afghanistan Went Bad
By DAVID ROHDE and DAVID E. SANGER
At key moments in the fight for Afghanistan, the Bush administration diverted scarce resources to Iraq. - Iraq Security Cost Overruns Soar
Two U.S. contracts with U.K. firms are more than $200M over budget, newly released data show
This, of course, is only a slim sampling.
There are Republican scandals that seem to be erupting regularly now. (The latest is the head of the college Republicans accused of giving a blow job to a sleeping guy. His defense was that it was mutual. It wouldn't matter if they weren't so holier than thou.)
There are Republican political dirty tricks, showing that their leaders lack both moral and ethical standards
You say, "But they all do it". Actually, no. They do not all do it. The current crop of conservatives set high records of low behavior. It is not because they are conservative. It is because they lack a moral and ethical compass, are intellectually dishonest, and suffer from hubris.
Tuesday, August 7, 2007
Click on Coffee Talk
Haved you seen the Borne Ultimatum? I thought it was the best of the three. Its at the Prytania, which is the last locally owned, neighborhood movie theater in town. There are a couple of interesting movies at Canal Place I want to see. What about you? What's your next movie to see? You can find Coffee Talk at www.marignyperks.com.
Monday, August 6, 2007
Hillary looks like Bush?
Obama calls Hillary's foreign policy "Bush lite". Would Hillary as President be a continuation of Bush style governance? Read on:
August 6, 2007
Op-Ed Columnist
The Substance Thing
By PAUL KRUGMAN
Two presidential elections ago, the conventional wisdom said that George W. Bush was a likable, honest fellow. But those of us who actually analyzed what he was saying about policy came to a different conclusion — namely, that he was irresponsible and deeply dishonest. His numbers didn’t add up, and in his speeches he simply lied about the content of his own proposals.
In the fifth year of the disastrous war Mr. Bush started on false pretenses, it’s clear who was right. What a candidate says about policy, not the supposedly revealing personal anecdotes political reporters love to dwell on, is the best way to judge his or her character.
So what are the current presidential candidates saying about policy, and what does it tell us about them?
Well, none of the leading Republican candidates have said anything substantive about policy. Go through their speeches and campaign materials and you’ll see a lot of posturing, especially about how tough they are on terrorists — but nothing at all about what they actually plan to do.
In fact, I suspect that the real reason most of the Republicans are ducking a YouTube debate is that they’re afraid they would be asked questions about policy, rather than being invited to compare themselves to Ronald Reagan.
But didn’t Rudy Giuliani just announce a health care plan? No, he vaguely described a tax cut proposal that he says would do something good for health care. (Most experts disagree.) But he offered no specifics about how the plan would work, how much it would cost or how he would pay for it.
As Ezra Klein of The American Prospect has pointed out, in the speech announcing his “plan” — and since no policy document has been released, the speech is all we have to go on — Mr. Giuliani never uttered the word “uninsured.” He did, however, repeatedly denounce “socialized medicine” or some variant thereof.
The entire G.O.P. field, then, fails the substance test.
There is, by contrast, a lot of substance on the Democratic side, with John Edwards forcing the pace. Most notably, in February, Mr. Edwards transformed the whole health care debate with a plan that offers a politically and fiscally plausible path to universal health insurance.
Whatever the fate of the Edwards candidacy, Mr. Edwards will deserve a lot of the credit if and when we do get universal care in this country.
Mr. Edwards has also offered a detailed, sensible plan for tax reform, and some serious antipoverty initiatives.
Four months after the Edwards health care plan was announced, Barack Obama followed with a broadly similar but somewhat less comprehensive plan. Like Mr. Edwards, Mr. Obama has also announced a serious plan to fight poverty.
Hillary Clinton, however, has been evasive. She conveys the impression that there’s not much difference between her policy positions and those of the other candidates — but she’s offered few specifics. In particular, unlike Mr. Edwards or Mr. Obama, she hasn’t announced a specific universal care plan, or explicitly committed herself to paying for health reform by letting some of the Bush tax cuts expire.
For those who believe that the time for universal care has come, this lack of specifics is disturbing. In fact, what Mrs. Clinton said about health care in February’s Democratic debate suggested a notable lack of urgency: “Well, I want to have universal health care coverage by the end of my second term.”
On Saturday, at the YearlyKos Convention in Chicago, she sounded more forceful: “Universal health care will be my highest domestic priority as president.” But does this represent a real change in position? It’s hard to know, since she has said nothing about how she would cover the uninsured.
And even if you believe Mrs. Clinton’s contention that her positions could never be influenced by lobbyists’ money — a remark that drew boos and hisses from the Chicago crowd — there’s reason to worry about the big contributions she receives from the insurance and drug industries. Are they simply betting on the front-runner, or are they also backing the Democratic candidate least likely to hurt their profits?
All of the leading Democratic candidates are articulate and impressive. It’s easy to imagine any of them as president. But after what happened in 2000, it worries me that Mrs. Clinton is showing an almost Republican aversion to talking about substance.
August 6, 2007
Op-Ed Columnist
The Substance Thing
By PAUL KRUGMAN
Two presidential elections ago, the conventional wisdom said that George W. Bush was a likable, honest fellow. But those of us who actually analyzed what he was saying about policy came to a different conclusion — namely, that he was irresponsible and deeply dishonest. His numbers didn’t add up, and in his speeches he simply lied about the content of his own proposals.
In the fifth year of the disastrous war Mr. Bush started on false pretenses, it’s clear who was right. What a candidate says about policy, not the supposedly revealing personal anecdotes political reporters love to dwell on, is the best way to judge his or her character.
So what are the current presidential candidates saying about policy, and what does it tell us about them?
Well, none of the leading Republican candidates have said anything substantive about policy. Go through their speeches and campaign materials and you’ll see a lot of posturing, especially about how tough they are on terrorists — but nothing at all about what they actually plan to do.
In fact, I suspect that the real reason most of the Republicans are ducking a YouTube debate is that they’re afraid they would be asked questions about policy, rather than being invited to compare themselves to Ronald Reagan.
But didn’t Rudy Giuliani just announce a health care plan? No, he vaguely described a tax cut proposal that he says would do something good for health care. (Most experts disagree.) But he offered no specifics about how the plan would work, how much it would cost or how he would pay for it.
As Ezra Klein of The American Prospect has pointed out, in the speech announcing his “plan” — and since no policy document has been released, the speech is all we have to go on — Mr. Giuliani never uttered the word “uninsured.” He did, however, repeatedly denounce “socialized medicine” or some variant thereof.
The entire G.O.P. field, then, fails the substance test.
There is, by contrast, a lot of substance on the Democratic side, with John Edwards forcing the pace. Most notably, in February, Mr. Edwards transformed the whole health care debate with a plan that offers a politically and fiscally plausible path to universal health insurance.
Whatever the fate of the Edwards candidacy, Mr. Edwards will deserve a lot of the credit if and when we do get universal care in this country.
Mr. Edwards has also offered a detailed, sensible plan for tax reform, and some serious antipoverty initiatives.
Four months after the Edwards health care plan was announced, Barack Obama followed with a broadly similar but somewhat less comprehensive plan. Like Mr. Edwards, Mr. Obama has also announced a serious plan to fight poverty.
Hillary Clinton, however, has been evasive. She conveys the impression that there’s not much difference between her policy positions and those of the other candidates — but she’s offered few specifics. In particular, unlike Mr. Edwards or Mr. Obama, she hasn’t announced a specific universal care plan, or explicitly committed herself to paying for health reform by letting some of the Bush tax cuts expire.
For those who believe that the time for universal care has come, this lack of specifics is disturbing. In fact, what Mrs. Clinton said about health care in February’s Democratic debate suggested a notable lack of urgency: “Well, I want to have universal health care coverage by the end of my second term.”
On Saturday, at the YearlyKos Convention in Chicago, she sounded more forceful: “Universal health care will be my highest domestic priority as president.” But does this represent a real change in position? It’s hard to know, since she has said nothing about how she would cover the uninsured.
And even if you believe Mrs. Clinton’s contention that her positions could never be influenced by lobbyists’ money — a remark that drew boos and hisses from the Chicago crowd — there’s reason to worry about the big contributions she receives from the insurance and drug industries. Are they simply betting on the front-runner, or are they also backing the Democratic candidate least likely to hurt their profits?
All of the leading Democratic candidates are articulate and impressive. It’s easy to imagine any of them as president. But after what happened in 2000, it worries me that Mrs. Clinton is showing an almost Republican aversion to talking about substance.
Saturday, August 4, 2007
Weak Foundations
A bridge and the Bush presidency were built on weak foundations. The bridge lacked strength. The Bush reign lacks honesty. Neither the bridge nor Bush are competent to carry the load.
We will replace both and maybe learn something as a result of these disasters. Engineers will study the bridge to improve future bridge construction and safety. We, as voters, need to question politicians in the future. We let Bush scam us and the price for that is terrible. Next time a president sounds like a used car salesman, resist.
The answer in our civic life is to question.
We will replace both and maybe learn something as a result of these disasters. Engineers will study the bridge to improve future bridge construction and safety. We, as voters, need to question politicians in the future. We let Bush scam us and the price for that is terrible. Next time a president sounds like a used car salesman, resist.
The answer in our civic life is to question.
Friday, August 3, 2007
Marigny Perks Contest
There was a tie for first place: Billy with his "drink coffee, you can sleep when you're dead" table and Aly with his New Orleans table. Both were awarded a gift certificate for an astrological forecast by D.K. Brainard. The runners up will get a week of free coffee. Johnel received a special award for her "Queen of the Perks" table, along with a chocolate cake.
There was a good turnout and Princesse Stephaney charmed the group as the Mistress of Ceremony.
There was a good turnout and Princesse Stephaney charmed the group as the Mistress of Ceremony.
Thursday, August 2, 2007
TONIGHT ! Friday
Come to the shop at 8pm and enjoy Princesse Stephaney as she conducts the awards ceremony for the table decorating contest. Have some free snack food and a good time at the shop tonight. Directions, a map and more are on the web site at http://www.marignyperks.com/
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