Saturday, August 22, 2009

Thank you

It pains me that I couldn't be at Rising Tide today and I apologize to my fellow bloggers. I also want to thank them for honoring me with the Ashley Award, as their recognition means more to me than anything. A big thanks to Jacques Morial for mindfuckingly accepting it for me....I hope today's special guests are thoroughly confused.

In case you weren't there (like me), this was my thank you:

I am deeply honored to be recognized by all of you…and even more honored to receive an award named after Ashley Morris. He was truly one of kind, and while I only got to know him in the last couple years of his life, he was one of those individuals who leaves a lasting impression..

I, like many of you, started blogging in the wake of Katrina. It has proven to be a multi-faceted experience for me….therapeutic, cathartic, rewarding, anxietal, obsessive, and even threatening.

What I would like to tell the people in this room is that you are all special. You all share a collective love for this city and are using your blogs and activism to shape a better vision of New Orleans. While we all may not agree on everything, we all….most certainly…..care. We care enough to pay attention….and that means everything to the health of a community.

We all know that traditional mainstream media resources are facing some serious challenges with the advent of the internet and quite often blogs are portrayed as the nemesis to quality journalism. I don’t believe this is true. Blogs are just another tool for the 4th estate to perform it’s job. In a way, I think the internet is the ultimate evolution of the 4th estate. All of you…particularly you….New Orleans bloggers…have proven that in the years following Katrina. Nowhere have bloggers made such an impact as they have here in New Olreans in the aftermath of Katrina.

And for that matter, I think the MSM, investigative journalists in this city are head and shoulders above the national pack. I am personally not worried for their future as some….as I have faith that quality and integrity is always in demand regardless of the medium or technology used to relay the message. I hope our blogs continue to serve them in the future. After all…we’re on the same team.

Although, I must say….it would be nice if we could figure out a way to get paid too. It would definitely help me justify the amount of time I spend blogging to my wife….and believe me I need all the help I can get there.

Regardless, I will continue to do my best for this city…because I care. I know all of you do as well and I know how privileged I am to be a part of this community. Once again, thank you so much.

Sinn Fein and Ashe’


21 comments:

Unknown said...

Congrats, you deserve it.

Kevin Allman said...

Well played, sir/ma'am. And well-deserved.

Sending Jacques Morial as your Sacheen Littlefeather (look her up if you don't get the reference) was a mindbender.

Clay said...

http://humidcity.com/?p=2467

Video here.


Thanks again,
Clay

Charlotte Hamrick said...

*high five!*

Anonymous said...

Congratulations.

Judy Thorne said...

again, kudo's to you. well deserved.

Unknown said...

I look forward to moving the American Zombie to Humidbeings.com when we launch next weekend.

But I do have to say I am uncomfortable having to communicate through a drag-queen consigliere at The Pheonix. Is there not a chance I can meet you in person?

Angelique said...

You certainly deserve recognition for all that you do. Congratulations!

Civitch said...

An honor well-deserved.

Leigh C. said...

Once again, mazel tov. I was honored to engrave your name on the Ashley.

Be well. Yashir koach.

Anonymous said...

Dambala Zombie
spills the beans, makes things come clean
for the city we love

MS

Mark Folse said...

Congratulations on your well-deserved award, Dambala.

Kevin, that's an excellent reference.

And who were those people casing the place in case you showed up. Hopefully someone who recognized them for who they were will out them here.

Sam Jasper said...

We were all so proud of you. A couple of us were fighting back tears (yeah, we're saps!) Lemme know when you're ready for that drink! Jacques was great. I think you have my number. If not, drop me a line. You totally deserved this, and everyone agreed. Wish you coulda been there, but ya know, you WERE there in everyone's hearts.

Jason Brad Berry said...

thanks all,

Kevin...I suspect Brando had a more intimate relationship with Littlefeather than I do with Jacques. I had to look it up...great analogy.

mominem said...

Congratulations and keep up the great work.

Clay said...

A don't-miss article in today's paper:

http://www.nola.com/politics/index.ssf/2009/08/jefferson_case_shows_meltdown.html

Jefferson Case Shows NOPS Meltdown.

Fascinating.

Clancy DuBos said...

Dambala,
Congratulations on a very well deserved honor. Sorry you couldn't be there, and I echo Kevin's compliment on sending Jacques to accept it. Looking forward to more from you as the IT scandal explodes.

droudy said...

Congratulations!

Anonymous said...

letters@timespicayune.com



Kudos to Molly Reid's brilliant and insightful article on bloggers trying to expose corruption in New Orleans City Hall. She didn't even have to get a comment from one of the checkbook lawyer shlubs who appear too often in your pages with some inane comment. New Orleans City Attorney Bob Ellis sounds like a bully and a thug to me ("thug" pending before the Louisiana Supreme Court as to whether it is libelous per se). The sad thing is that Mr. Ellis, unlike any first-year law student taking a correspndence course, appears to know very little about libel law. Four important hurdles he has to overcome to prevail to win such a ridiculous "libel" lawsuit are (1) He has the burden of proof to show the alleged defamatory statements made by Jason Berrry are untrue; (2) He also has the burden to show that those statements caused him pecuniary (money) damage; (3) He has the huge burden of showing he is not a public figure and therefore just a regular John Q. Public, whose burden in a libel suit is far less than that of a public figure; (4) He must show deliberate malice by Mr. Berry. Of course, lawyers are often liars who drive defendants to despair and bankruptcy out of their own sheer malice. Mr. Ellis is a bully -- and a thug. Let him come after me with a lawsuit. The good thing about Louisiana law, as with the British system, is that losers in civil litigation are subject to being throttled with Motions to Pay Court Costs. And any such lawsuit, based on the four mentioned points, is easily dismissable under Article 863 of the Louisiana Civil Code, which addresses the matter of improper and frivolous lawsuits. Shame on you and your thin skin, Mr. Ellis!

Lawrence Zeilinger
2443 Park Place Drive
Gretna, Louisiana 70056
Home Phones:
393-7208
392-9253
Cellphone:
432-2925

Anonymous said...

letters@timespicayune.com



Kudos to Molly Reid's brilliant and insightful article on bloggers trying to expose corruption in New Orleans City Hall. She didn't even have to get a comment from one of the checkbook lawyer shlubs who appear too often in your pages with some inane comment. New Orleans City Attorney Bob Ellis sounds like a bully and a thug to me ("thug" pending before the Louisiana Supreme Court as to whether it is libelous per se). The sad thing is that Mr. Ellis, unlike any first-year law student taking a correspndence course, appears to know very little about libel law. Four important hurdles he has to overcome to prevail to win such a ridiculous "libel" lawsuit are (1) He has the burden of proof to show the alleged defamatory statements made by Jason Berry are untrue; (2) He also has the burden to show that those statements caused him pecuniary (money) damage; (3) He has the huge burden of showing he is not a public figure and therefore just a regular John Q. Public, whose burden in a libel suit is far less than that of a public figure; (4) He must show deliberate malice by Mr. Berry. Of course, lawyers are often liars who drive defendants to despair and bankruptcy out of their own sheer malice. Mr. Ellis is a bully -- and a thug. Let him come after me with a lawsuit. The good thing about Louisiana law, as with the British system, is that losers in civil litigation are subject to being throttled with Motions to Pay Court Costs. And any such lawsuit, based on the four mentioned points, is easily dismissable under Article 863 of the Louisiana Civil Code, which addresses the matter of improper and frivolous lawsuits. Shame on you and your thin skin, Mr. Ellis!

Lawrence Zeilinger
2443 Park Place Drive
Gretna, Louisiana 70056
Home Phones:
393-7208
392-9253
Cellphone:
432-2925

Anonymous said...

The interesting thing is there is an excellent cover of identity in the "keyboard" world.

In the military we called this, battlefield supremacy. The enemy is clueless they are being observed.

You never know who is watching you. And as fast as you got into the fray, the ghosts fade away.

Keep writing, Jason. I'll keep watching.