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A US delegation is in the Netherlands to study the flood control systems protecting a country that lies further below sea level than New Orleans. The 50-member delegation includes the Governor of Louisiana, Kathleen Blanco, US senators and business leaders.
In the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina, the US is looking to learn from the experience of the Netherlands. Water management experts will be showing the US visitors its massive system of dams and sea walls.
Blanco to Join Tour of Dutch Flood Barriers
BATON ROUGE (Nola.com) Dec. 30 — Gov. Kathleen Blanco will join a delegation of about 50 national and state officials going to the Netherlands next month to learn more about that nation’s advanced flood protection systems, her spokesman said Thursday.
Headed by U.S. Sen. Mary Landrieu, D-La., the group will tour various sites and meet with officials and engineers who helped design the massive structures and technology that protect the Netherlands from North Sea storm surges. Experts say that parts of the state-of-the-art system could be adapted to helping protect New Orleans from hurricane storm surge.
The Netherlands’ ambassador to the U.S. invited Landrieu after Hurricane Katrina broke floodgates and levees, flooding most of New Orleans and all of neighboring St. Bernard and Plaquemines parishes.
They will leave from New Orleans on Jan. 8 and return Jan. 13.
● Dutch Ambassador Eenennaam Visits New Orleans
● Our Dutch Friends Can Help Us Save New Orleans ◊ by Urizon
● Levees and Alternatives ◊ by SusanHu
“Treason doth never prosper: what’s the reason?
For if it prosper, none dare call it treason.”
▼ ▼ ▼ MY DIARY
Dual-intent
I read an article this morning about the invasion of Iraq being a war for energy. Maybe these two are doing prelim surveillance to invade and seize possession of the windmills.
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Ex-Political Aide Pleads Guilty to Bribery
ALEXANDRIA, Va. (AP) Jan 11, 2006 — A Louisiana congressman demanded bribes in exchange for his help in promoting a pair of business deals in Africa, according to court documents filed with a guilty plea by one of the congressman’s former staffers.
Brett Pfeffer, 37, a former legislative director to Rep. William Jefferson, D-La., pleaded guilty to aiding and abetting bribery of a public official and conspiracy. He could get 20 years in prison when sentenced March 31.
A spokeswoman for Jefferson declined to comment.
U. S. Congressman, William Jennings Jefferson, D- La, arrives at a press event at Kurhaus in Scheveningen, the Netherlands. A delegation of 50 U.S. government officials, academics and business representatives began a three-day tour in the Netherlands Tuesday to study flood prevention techniques in the wake of Hurricane Katrina. AP Photo/Bas Czerwinski
The conspiracy took place in 2004 and 2005, years after Pfeffer had left Jefferson’s office, according to authorities.
Pfeffer said in court that a congressman had solicited his assistance in promoting business opportunities in Nigeria and Ghana. The congressmen demanded 5 percent to 7 percent of the newly formed African companies in exchange for his help promoting the deal to African government officials and others, according to Pfeffer.
“Treason doth never prosper: what’s the reason?
For if it prosper, none dare call it treason.”
▼ ▼ ▼ MY DIARY
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Rebuilding commission presentation receives mixture of ire, applause.
NEW ORLEANS (Times-Picayune) Jan. 11 — Tempers flared as expected with the unveiling of a bold plan to temporarily halt the issuance of building permits in flood-ravaged parts of New Orleans — a four-month timeout proposed by Mayor Ray Nagin’s rebuilding commission to allow for a planning process that would chart the future of those neighborhoods.
The message to Nagin’s Bring New Orleans Back commission from many of the roughly 20 audience members who spoke out at the presentation of its land-use plan was direct and simple: Don’t tell me what I can do with my property. Fueling the anger was the plan’s call for using eminent domain, as a “last resort,” to buy out homeowners in areas that show few signs of rebirth.
The proposal also drew a pre-emptive Bronx cheer from City Council members, who held a news conference minutes before the unveiling to assail it. While the mayor appears to be in favor of the four-month planning process, he indicated after the meeting that he is uncomfortable with preventing people from renovating their homes and is unlikely to support the building moratorium.
Hundreds of residents crammed the room; many booed the plan and the commission.
Cheryl Gerber/New York Times
Groups ranging from the NAACP to Louisiana ACORN also objected to the plan, though not all the objections shared the same target and some seemed to contradict one another.
“We don’t want to wait four months,” said Jeb Bruneau, president of the Lakeview Civic Association. “We want to be able to go down to City Hall and get permits. We have the means to help ourselves, so don’t get in our way.”
Others called the plan a “land grab” cooked up by greedy developers. Carolyn Parker of the Lower 9th Ward warned the group that her home would be taken “over my dead body.” Rodney Craft, also of the 9th Ward, warned: “If you come to take our property, you better come ready.”
● Presentation by Bring New Orleans Back Commission
● Bring New Orleans Back :: website
● MAP – Plan for the Future (pdf file)
● NYT – Anger Meets New Orleans Renewal Plan
“Treason doth never prosper: what’s the reason?
For if it prosper, none dare call it treason.”
▼ ▼ ▼ MY DIARY
Hey, got to face facts. Global warming is here now. Sea levels are gonna go up. Heat energy for weather events (i.e. hurricanes, tornadoes, etc) is gonna go up. This is no longer New Orlean’s problem, it’s every coastal state/city/town’s problem.
Everybody should watch what happens in NO, because your turn is next.
Just so all those inland states don’t feel left out: Don’t worry (or perhaps worry more), your Bush WH will continue to protect and provide relief in the case of hurricanes, tornadoes, floods, earthquakes, bird flu and terrorist attack.