I was shocked and surprised to read today's headline in the T-P that Inspector General Cerasoli quit due to health reasons. I hope his health returns to the better soon and thank him for all he's done and has tried to do. He had to work against great odds and resistance from City Hall. Cerasoli is from Boston, another town known for government corruption. The article says "One main goal has just been to simply identify the entity that is the city of New Orleans, " Cerasoli said. "Nobody can give you an organizational chart." I bet there are a ton of people on the payroll who are unnessary and know that they are but keep mum. I hope we can hire another person willing to go up against Nagin and his crew. On the bright side, we are saddled with Nagin for only one more year and I have hope we can elect someone who will clean City Hall up.

Bamboozle is the word for the Weekly Photo Challenge.

I present to you, hizzhonor, C. Ray Nagin, mayor of New Orleans.

The photo belong to Nola.com and credit goes to T-P staff photo by Matt Rose.

"The Good Neighbor Program"

Need I say more?

Here is what the city said it would do LINK

And here is what happened LINK

I think it's appropriate the photo was taken during his "state of the city address" May 30, 2007.

President Bush was a close second, but he didn't bamboozle me. I knew he was rotten through and through.

Dave and Glenn have the whole list. Some really creative entries this week!

Spotted in the Garden District:

"Here 'Lies' David Vitter and Republican Family Values"

G and I leave this afternoon for a long weekend in Milwaukee. I'm looking forward to many things... exploring the city of beer, visiting the art museum, (The last time I was there was 1990 before the new expansion designed by Santiago Calatrava and it was a pretty impressive museum then.) drinking beer, eating brats, reconnecting with family, drinking more beer, visiting breweries (G's a home brewer so he's happy about this too), checking out the "beer barons" mansions, eating cheese and washing it down with more beer.

It will also be nice to escape the suffocating heat and humidity (NOLA's high 94 degrees, low of 76 and 72% humidity vs. Milwaukee high of 76 and low of 59 55% humidity. brrrr!) and the depressing newspaper headlines:

"Vitter had five calls with D.C. Madam"
"Police, DA battle over dropped murder case"
"N.O. water hasn’t had fluoride since storm"
"Parent faces accusations in school money theft"
"A federal grand jury looking into a bribery scandal at the Orleans Parish School Board continues"

And that's just the front page. *sigh* No wonder this city is in such a mess. Too many people looking to make gobs of money, illegally, or can't keep their you-know-what in their pants.
William Jefferson is probably relieved all this other news is keeping his name out of the head lines, though his brother is connected to the bribery scandal. Political dynasties, some good, but most not.

So to leave on an up note, I quote Homer Simpson: mmmmm..... beeeeeeer....