"WHO DAT?" GETTING OUT OF HAND?

This judge found in favor of the Who Dat Nation.

On Wednesday, Orleans Parish Civil District Court Judge Michael Bagneris ordered a Feb. 1 jury trial delayed in light of the New Orleans Saints' historic trip to the 2010 Super Bowl.

"The court takes judicial notice that Saintsmania permeates the city of New Orleans," Bagneris wrote in a one-paragraph ruling in an asbestos lawsuit, filed in 2005 by Dano Paul Becnel against Northrop Grumman Ship Systems, Inc., and about 20 others
....

"Many prospective jurors for the parish of Orleans, several attorneys involved in this litigation and court personnel plan on traveling to the promised land -- the Super Bowl in Miami, Florida," wrote Bagneris, a 17-year veteran of the Civil District Court on Loyola Avenue.

"The court recognizes that this pilgrimage enhances the chances of the Who Dat Nation to acquire the long sought-after Holy Grail: the Vince Lombardi trophy."
....

Reached at his office Wednesday afternoon, Bagneris said that he won't hold any jury trials next week because of the Saints making their first-ever Super Bowl appearance.

"After the victory, everyone will be in a really good mood," Bagneris said. Asked if he expects the Saints to beat the Indianapolis Colts on Feb. 7, the judge nearly scoffed.

"How could anyone doubt that, after watching such a divine intervention on Sunday," he said, referring to the Saints' win over the Minnesota Vikings.

Bagneris set a new trial date for Feb. 9, exactly one week before Mardi Gras.

I dunno. A week before Mardi Gras? If the trial goes into the height of the Mardi Gras season....

Realists know that between Thanksgiving and the beginning of the Lenten period, there's no good time to do business in New Orleans or south Louisiana.

Thanks to Paul (A.) for the link.

A SONG TO INSPIRE...

Ormonde at Thrugh the Dust posted a song to inspire the Saints to victory in the Superbowl.

WHO'S INTERESTED IN A BILLBOARD?

Love the pic.

Thanks to Paul (A.).

EXERCISE FOR PEOPLE OVER 40

I tried it; I liked it--you will too!!


The older we get the more important it is to incorporate exercise into our daily routine. This is necessary to maintain cardiovascular health and maintain muscle mass.

If you're over 50, you might want to take it easy at first, then do more repetitions as you become more proficient and build stamina.


Always consult your doctor before starting any exercise program!


SCROLL DOWN.............











NOW SCROLL UP..

That's enough for the first day. Great job.

Have a glass of wine.


Don't blame me. Blame Doug.

WHO DAT?™ WEDDING AND HONEYMOON

From the Daily Comet:

A lot of couples dream about their wedding, but Jaime Davis Triche and her new husband, Jamie Triche, have been dreaming about a Saints Super Bowl. The couple were married Jan. 22, and there was only one way to spend their honeymoon: cheering the Saints to victory over the Minnesota Vikings.

The Houma couple, who have been together eight years, have spent much of their time together enjoying a shared passion for the New Orleans Saints.

Both Jaime and Jamie say they've been Saints fans since they were children.

The Triches spend most Sundays cheering on the Saints at Spahr's Seafood restaurant, where Mr. Triche is known for doing cartwheels around the restaurant every time the Saints win a game.
....

Many of their wedding guests, knowing the couple's intense Saints' fever, gave them housewares decorated with fleurs-de-lis. But Mrs. Triche said her stepfather had a special gift to start their life together right: tickets to the next day's playoff game, when the Saints would play the Vikings to determine which team would head to the Super Bowl.

Congratulations Jamie and Jaime. May you have many more happy years together cheering on the the Saints.

You, my readers, are probably tiring of the endless Saints talk. I freely admit that I may have who datted™ my blog nearly to death right about now.

ABOUT DA NFL AND WHO DAT?

Attorney General Buddy Caldwell said he had a conference call with the NFL's general counsel to discuss cease-and-desist letters some Louisiana T-shirt makers received from the league. The letters demanded they stop selling shirts featuring the phrase that's part of a popular cheer by Saints fans, citing trademark infringement.

"They've conceded and they've said they have no intention of claiming the fleur-de-lis, which would be ridiculous, or the 'Who Dat,' which would be equally ridiculous," Caldwell said in an interview. The fleur-de-lis is a traditional symbol of New Orleans that's featured on Saints helmets.
....

Lauren Thom, owner of the Fleurty Girl T-shirt shop in New Orleans, said she's changed the product description of her "Who Dat" shirts after getting a letter from the NFL demanding she quit selling them. She's sold out of her stock and is now managing back orders.

"Yes it disrupted business, but it's been kind of great as well. We've had lines of people waiting to buy our merchandise," Thom said. "One lady told me she wanted to buy anything in the store that was not NFL-licensed. I told her 'that's everything in the store!"'

"What started out as a letter that scared the bejesus out of me, has turned out to be the best thing ever for my business," she said.

Seems that a good many folks shared our desire - no official NFL stuff. The shop in Jefferson Parish where we purchased the items in the picture above was doing a brisk business while were there. We purchased our yard sign at the shop, along with a T-shirt for Grandpère and a pewter butter dish with a fleur-de-lis handle on the cover for me.

Story from the AP. Thanks to Ann for the link.

ABOUT THAT $3 MILLION "BRIBE", JIMMY...

Appearing on Fox News' Hannity following his arrest for charges relating to an alleged plot involving Sen. Mary Landrieu's phones, James O'Keefe repeatedly falsely suggested that Landrieu had received a $300 million bribe in return for a vote on health care reform legislation. In fact, Landrieu did not receive $300 million; rather, the Senate version of the health care bill included a provision that could give $300 million to Louisiana Medicaid to deal with the fallout from Hurricane Katrina.

Pipsqueak James (The Pimp) O'Keefe is getting on my nerves. Who would ever believe that he is a pimp, anyway?

Republican Senator David Vitter said:

Sen. David Vitter, R-La., said Landrieu's actions and the controversy that followed it hurt the merits and prospects of state congressional members to securing future federal Medicaid dollars.

"I'm afraid that legitimate arguments in favor of the Louisiana hurricane-Medicaid fix will never be focused on now because of the deal-making over the Obama health-care bill," Vitter said.

Republican Governor Bobby Jindal said:

Without Landrieu's language, Louisiana's federal assistance for Medicaid will be cut because the state's post-Hurricane Katrina economic surge temporarily drove up average income in the state because of government aid and high-paying reconstruction jobs. The federal share of Medicaid aid is higher for states with lower average incomes. State officials have argued the state shouldn't be penalized for an artificial, temporary per-capita income boost.

"Louisiana only asked to stay where we were; to have the same payment schedule that we've always had," Landrieu said.

Republican Gov. Bobby Jindal's administration and much of the state congressional delegation have publicly sought a fix to the temporary drop in federal Medicaid match money for Louisiana, though Jindal and most of the state's congressmen oppose the Democrat's health care bill.

Republican Louisiana Secretary of Health and Hospitals said:

While the Republican National Committee immediately charged that Landrieu has made a "backroom deal with (Senate Majority Leader) Harry Reid for her support of the government takeover of our health care system,'' Alan Levine, Louisiana secretary of health and hospitals in the Jindal administration, said that even those who oppose the bill ought to be grateful that Landrieu used her leverage to try to fix the state's so-called "FMAP'' problem.

"Look,'' said Levine, who has been lobbying the administration and Congress on the FMAP issue for eight months, "it's good to have a senator in a position to be able to make demands like that.''

"While I don't support the bill, she is doing the best she can to help the state, and she should be applauded,'' he said.

No bribe, Jimmy. An earmark maybe, but an earmark that Mary Landrieu did right to insist upon. My necessity is your earmark and vice versa. I'm just saying.

From MediaMatters

AGING

A group of 40 year-old buddies discuss and discuss where they should go for dinner. Finally, it is agreed upon that they should eat at the Gausthof zum Lowen restaurant because the waitresses there have low cut blouses and nice breasts.

10 years later, at 50 years of age, the group meets again and once again they discuss and discuss where they should have supper. Finally, it is agreed upon that they should go to the Gausthof zum Lowen because the food there is very good and the wine selection is good also.

10 years later at 60 years of age, the group meets and once again they discuss and discuss where they should eat. Finally, it is agreed upon that they should go to the Gausthof zum Lowen because they can eat there in peace and quiet and the restaurant is smoke free.

10 years later, at 70 years of age, the group meets again and once again they consider where they should meet for supper. Finally, it is agreed upon that they should eat at the Gausthof zum Lowen because the restaurant is wheel chair accessible and they even have an elevator.

10 years later, at 80 years of age, the group meets, and once again they discuss where they should have dinner. Finally, it is agreed upon that they should try the Gausthof zum Lowen since they have never been there before.

Thanks to Doug and Ann.

WENCHOSTER CALENDAR - FEBRUARY

Feast of St Alfred-cum-Chasuble, 1902




Shown above is the official calendar from the Diocese of Wenchoster. The feast days are somewhat different from the usual Episcopal/Anglican calendar and include saints of whom I have never heard, although I'm sure they're quite worthy of honor - although I confess to a small doubt about St Bernard the Butcher.

As usual, click on the pictures for the larger view.

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY - JESUS SAYS "TAKE THIS BREAD..."

I've never been quite the same since I read Sara Miles' Take This Bread: A Radical Conversion. If you haven't read the book, I recommend it highly. Sara tells the powerful and moving story of her initial conversion and the manner in which she continued to grow and live out her transformation. Secular and unbaptized, Sara's conversion began when she walked into St. Gregory of Nyssa Episcopal Church in San Francisco and took Communion for the first time.

Of that moment, Sara says:

Eating Jesus, as I did that day to my great astonishment led me against all my expectations to a faith I'd scorned and work I'd never imagined. The mysterious sacrament turned out to be not at symbolic wafer at all but actual food - indeed, the bread of life. In that shocking moment of communion, filled with deep desire to reach for and become part of a body, I realized that what I'd been doing with my life all along was what I was meant to do: feed people.

Sara still serves at St. Gregory of Nyssa as Director of Ministry and is the founder of the Friday Food Pantry at the church.

Sara's book, which I read over a year ago, affected me profoundly and led to today's longish "Thought for the Day".

Holy Communion is the Bread of Life and the Cup of Salvation. What human, be it the pope on down to the lowliest of priests and lay ministers, has the right to withhold the Body and Blood of Christ from another human? None! Not one! The Body and Blood of Our Lord Jesus Christ are to be freely given to all who desire them.

Sara has a new book out titled Jesus Freak. Fr Jake posted a review.

Some of you may recall our conversation a couple of years ago regarding Sara Miles' book Take This Bread.
....

I'm pleased to be able to announce that Sara has completed a new book; Jesus Freak: Feeding - Healing - Raising the Dead. It will be out next month, but you can pre-order it now.

I was fortunate enough to receive an early copy, and just finished reading it. I highly recommend it.

Read the rest of the book review at Fr Jake's. I haven't read Jesus Freak yet, but I've ordered the book, and I will read it.