Draconian hiring freeze will hurt Louisiana higher education.

This is the time of year when new faculty are hired. If these requests are denied or even delayed by paperwork, the consequences will set Louisiana education back for years. The notion that Angele Davis knows what colleges need, or what candidates are qualified, is ludicrous.

State colleges pressing for thaw in hiring freeze | News for New Orleans, Louisiana | Local News | News for New Orleans, Louisiana | wwltv.com

BATON ROUGE, La. -- Louisiana's colleges are pressing for at least a partial waiver of Gov. Bobby Jindal's hiring freeze for their campuses, saying the freeze could hinder their recruitment of new faculty, instructional staff and campus police officers.

WWL

File photo SLU

So far, the schools' requests have been denied by Jindal's top budget officer, Commissioner of Administration Angele Davis, who on Monday rejected their latest proposal. The colleges can hire people -- but only with Davis' approval on a case-by-case basis.

Commissioner of Higher Education Joseph Savoie said the public colleges and universities asked the governor's budget office to lift the hiring freeze for filling teaching jobs, security positions and other student services staff, like counselors and advisers.

The hiring would need approval of the college system presidents, rather than just campus administrators, and the presidents would have to report the hiring to Jindal's budget office but wouldn't need Davis' permission, under the proposal Savoie recommended.

"We think that will help to speed the process up, and the system presidents are supposed to be in charge of hiring anyway," Savoie said.

Davis denied the request and said university hirings still will need approval from her office before the jobs can be filled. In a letter to Savoie, she said she would work to quickly review requests for hiring when the universities fill out the required paperwork.

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What is this about?

Multiple Errors In Louisiana Caucus Creates GOP Challenge -

The Louisiana State GOP changed the rules at the eleventh hour to allow other candidates to file more delegates, even though there were plenty of delegates to compose full slates in each congressional district. At the time of the original January 10 deadline, Ron Paul had the largest number of delegates pledged to him. The party then changed the rules to give other candidates until January 12 to file more delegates.

In addition, due to mistakes by the Louisiana GOP, hundreds of voters were forced to file provisional ballots, including nearly 500 that could change the outcome of the election. According to the LA GOP, caucus locations relied on a voter list from November 1, 2007 or perhaps earlier despite the fact that under the caucus rules, voters need only have registered Republican before November 30, 2007.

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EEEEK!

Terror in the Cajundome.

You'd think just being in attendance at a Hannah Montana Concert would be terrifying enough.



Teenage Boy Plots To Crash Into Hannah Montana Concert Feature Story

According to two CNN affiliates the boy was planning on crashing the plane into a Hannah Montana concert being held in Lafayette, Louisiana being held tonight at the Lafayette Cajundome. FBI spokesman, George Bolds, does not know if the concert was the target or part of the boy’s plot.

The teen had handcuffs, duct tape, and some kind of rope or yarn in his possession, which he planned on using to overpower the crew on his flight to Louisiana. How the police became aware of the teen’s alleged plan is not known.

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No you can't replace that doctor. Just double up.

An extraordinarily thoughtful way to begin running state government-- just let the state agencies starve. Every single hire, must now be approved in the governor's office. Including replacement faculty at state universities, doctors at state hospitals, and janitors. More paperwork, more delay. Is this really necessary? Do we not have any confidence at all in anyone in state government?

State agencies feel chill from Jindal’s hiring freeze — Baton Rouge, LA

State agencies feel chill from Jindal’s hiring freeze




Order creates pinch; exemptions sought



State agencies from health care to higher education are seeking relief from Gov. Bobby Jindal’s employee hiring freeze.

“It’s a serious issue for us,” said Fred Cerise, who as vice president for the LSU System’s health care and medical education is over the state’s charity hospitals.

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Vitter. What can I say?

The last refuge of a scoundrel.

CNS STORY: Activists gather on the stage and on the streets at March for Life

A brief roar of agreement greeted a warning by Sen. David Vitter, R-La., that electing Sen. Hillary Clinton, D-N.Y., or Obama as president would mean nominees for federal judgeships would be less pro-life than those nominated under President George W. Bush, so "we need to elect a pro-life president."

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Festival International

Pantomime makeup., originally uploaded by joefromla.

A photo from 2006. A street performer for Festival International in Lafayette LA-- see below for details of this great free festival.

Mark your calendars for Festival International April 23-26

The Daily Advertiser

The 22nd Festival International de Louisiane -- the world's best festival. And it's free.
It looks like another winning program this year. Lots of cajun music, but also my favorites-- Afro Cuban and Latin groups -- plus movies, dance, theatre and visual arts. And great food.

And it's free!!! (But not the food.)

P.S. If you're planning on catching the New Orleans Jazz Fest, then think about fitting in a day, or an afternoon at least for Festival International. Just two hours or so from New Orleans on I-10 -- AND IT'S FREE!!!

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Rain on the windshield

DSCF1109, originally uploaded by joefromla.

Jindal promises new ethics era; Baker retires.

Move along. Nothing to see here.

Richard Baker to leave Congress by Feb. 6 - New Orleans News - NOLA.com

WASHINGTON - The dean of Louisiana's congressional delegation, Rep. Richard Baker, has decided to step down from Congress after 22 years to take a lucrative job in the private sector representing investors he has spent a career regulating.

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Rodeo horses

Rodeo horses, originally uploaded by joefromla.

The rodeo was in the neighborhood this weekend. I had a chance to talk to some of the riders, ropers and bull wrestlers. --- Very friendly and well spoken people. There's not much money in it, but . . . sometimes we just have to do what we love.

And they're really fond of their horses. This one was just about to get a bath. I think he had been napping from the look of his coat.

Is this the same bandid that terrorized Magazine St. boutiques last year?

wwltv.com

The FBI is searching for a man, dressed as a woman, who robbed a Metairie bank.

Special Agent Sheila Thorne, spokeswoman for the FBI, says the robbery took place yesterday at a branch of First Bank and Trust.

Thorne says the man approached a teller and, without producing a weapon, demanded money. He received cash and fled. Thorne says police do not know if the man escaped in car or on foot. No injuries were reported.

Thorne says the robber was wearing a black wig, sunglasses and boots, a dark jacket and pants and carried a black purse.

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Sunset near Durango

Sunset near Durango, originally uploaded by joefromla.

Baker to lobby for hedge funds

Hedge Fund Lobby Courting Rep. Baker - washingtonpost.com

By Jeffrey H. Birnbaum Washington Post Staff Writer
Saturday, January 5, 2008; Page D01

Rep. Richard H. Baker (R-La.), a longtime legislative expert on the regulation of capital markets, is in serious talks to become president of the main lobby for hedge funds, the Managed Funds Association. Baker disclosed the talks yesterday to the House ethics committee, becoming the first lawmaker to file a report about job talks as required under the lobbying law that Congress passed last year. Lawmakers must inform the House Committee on Standards of Official Conduct, as the ethics panel is officially known, when they start serious negotiations with outsiders that might want to hire them.

The job is reported to pay over $1 million a year.

Baker will be most remembered for having said after Katrina, "We finally cleaned up public housing in New Orleans. We couldn't do it, but God did."

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Are we getting what we pay for?

Thanks to The Big Picture for this graphic.

Or is Cuba?