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The Landrieu Legacy of Failure
By Jeff Thomas
A case study of the failure of the Mitch Landrieu administration
At the end of his administration Ray Nagin got indicted and convicted of fraud. While Nagin chose poorly and is serving his time, Mitch Landrieu has committed a much more destructive scam on the citizens of New Orleans. Statistically, compared to when Nagin left office, NOLA is worse off today. And given the billions of dollars that flowed through New Orleans during his term, Landrieu's gargantuan misfeasance is significantly more debilitating than Nagin's simpleminded malfeasance. Mitch Landrieu's incompetence should also be against the law.
The mess Landrieu leaves in his wake can make only Bobby Jindal envious. Like a sudden levee break that follows a previously hidden but slow and constant leak, the end of the Landrieu administration sees a New Orleans not only mired i
n crime but reeling economically. Murders are up. Property crimes are up. Assaults are up. Unemployment hovers beyond recessionary levels while this administration seems focused on looking good for the upcoming Tricentennial.
Increased tax millages have made the poor poorer
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How do we determine our successes and failures? 
There is a concept in the psychological literature known as locus of control that is unfamiliar to most people, even though, once defined, is commonly understood. Locus of control is an individual's belief system regarding the causes of his or her experiences and the factors to which that person attributes success or failure.
This concept is usually divided into two categories: internal and external. If a person has an internal locus of control, that person attributes success to his or her own efforts and abilities. A person who expects to succeed will be more motivated and more likely to learn. A person with an external locus of control, who attributes his or her success to luck or fate, will be less likely to make the effort needed to learn. People with an external locus of control are also more likely to experience anxiety since they believe that they are not in control of their lives. This is not to say, however, that an internal locus of control is "good" and an external locus of control is "bad."
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Misleading Signs Cause Confusion
Is the city of New Orleans deliberately trying to trick drivers into getting tickets? Is so much of the budget dependent upon the city collecting traffic fines that the city is trying to confuse drivers about the rules of the road? Why are there so many different red light camera signs in New Orleans?
If you started seeing green stop signs in certain parts of town, you might think you something strange is going on. And if you saw traffic signals with purple, blue and brown colored lights with those lights in a circle pattern you would certainly not know what to do when you got to that traffic signal. At the advent of the automobile industry, the variety of signs on roads created confusion and unsafe conditions for the hordes of new drives across the country. Signs from town to town and states not only had different shapes, but sizes, colors and wording were all arbitrary and haphazard. Police officers were able to capitalize and penalize drivers who disobeyed the clearly posted albeit totally random and illogical sign. Drivers were bewildered.
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Landrieu Joins with Republicans to Misspend Tax Money
by Jeff Thomas
Nearing the end of his second and final term in office, New Orleans Mayor Mitch Landrieu must be reflecting on his failure to deliver nearly all of his campaign promises. The man who triumphantly claimed to "know what to do and how to do it," must be the caricature of the nightmare President Trump fears over perceptions of his first 100 days. But unlike Trump who is at the beginning of his term, Landrieu is nearly out of time to deliver on his promises.
Let's see. Budget is balanced. Awesome! But increased fees and taxes and traffic cameras litter the landscape. Crime is up. WAAAYYY Up. That police chief national search landed your friend and confidant Ronal Serpas. Let's just chalk that up to nepotism not always being a good thing. Jobs for New Orleanians. Some good news here. African American male unemployment is down nearly 10 points. Alas, down to quadruple recessionary bad at 46%. Streets are bad, but FEMA is on the hook for $2.4 billion. Problem is the next mayor will get credit as most of the work will be done during the next administration. What's a potential presidential candidate to do?
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Newell Normand Resigns Amid Charges of Corruption 
Sheriff Insists This is all Just One Harry Lee Sized Coincidence
By Jeff Thomas
Jefferson Parish Sheriff Newell Normand's sudden and shocking resignation from office was the talk of the town last week. That Louisiana's most powerful sheriff not named Gusman, who was just reelected 2 years ago resigned to become an AM radio talk show host seemed hard to believe given the scandal not only associated with Sheriff Normand, but the Jefferson Parish Sheriff's office. That Normand is being honest is about as unrealistic as Saints' coach Sean Payton predicting a Super bowl run this season. While both are within the realm of possibility, other realities seem much more likely.
Even more shocking than the sheriff's resignation is the acceptance of his story by the rest of the media. Let me get this straight. Y'all want me to believe that one of the most powerful politicians in the state of Louisiana who was recently reelected is just quitting all of a sudden to go on AM radio? Now as a frequent guest on WBOK 1230AM radio myself, I don't want to denigrate the significance of AM radio, but come on man.
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Sheriff Normand is a National Disgrace
By Jeff Thomas
That a white sheriff in the deep south feels empowered and emboldened to derisively and condescendingly speak to the African American community that dared question his actions and motives after he failed to arrest a white man who murdered an unarmed and innocent black man is the quintessence of white privilege in America. Every bristle and hostile tone used by Sheriff Newell Normand speaks to his disrespect for the rights of all people, especially African Americans. Normand's childish and vulgar display is a national disgrace that is not only about contempt for those who dared speak out but a complete disregard of the actions of his department.
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Jobs Not Jails
Most politicians wish to rise up the ranks and ascend to the highest office possible.
In theory, the pol who has aspirations to be mayor might start in the state legislature, and move to a city council district seat and then get elected to an at large city council seat. The pol would have then finally have the name recognition and experience to run for mayor. In the interim, the pol should offer meaningful or transformative legislation that moves the city forward.
Political leadership means risking re-election or political promotion to promote the common good. Political leadership means doing what is best for the city despite the latest fad concept. Only some of the greatest in recent history have achieved such status. If Mayor Moon Landrieu had listened to conventional ideas, New Orleans would have taken years longer to integrate city government at the highest levels. If Mayor Dutch Morial had been persuaded by the prevailing wisdom, the NOLA
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Narrative Bias
W
e humans generally aren't great at reasoning objectively about uncertainty as we go about our daily lives. We have a universal desire to find meanings and patterns everywhere. Humans are evolutionarily programmed to try to look for patterns because that is how we navigate the world around us, and to some small degree, control it.
Random events can't explain why things happen. The urge for explanations is automatic. When an unpredicted event occurs, we immediately come up with explanatory stories that are simple and coherent. Our intuitive mind is the sense-making organ, which sees the world as simple predictable, and coherent. This coherence makes us feel good.
This pattern-seeking tendency is referred to as narrative bias. It is important that we recognize this built-in mental bias. Because events do not come labeled random. Instead, this must be inferred.
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