Gotta write it down or it's like it never happened

Lately, there have been too many days when I don't get around to putting things on the blog I would like to. The primary reason I type things here in the first place is so I can remember what I've read in the news along with maybe some of the other things that happened each day. More crucially, I put those things here so I can find them later if I need them.  A person can tweet until they're blue in the thumbs but until there's time actually sit down and makes some notes, it ends up being so much just tossed into the void and too many days that feel like they may not have actually happened.

One deterrent to doing the posts is I often want to come over here and write only when it's something that needs a a lot of links and a lot of a fair amount of well at least some explanation beyond, "LOL get a load of these wankers!" Which is why a lot of stuff I'd prefer to have listed here where it's easier to find ends up in a dang tweet hole somewhere. It's also why there are (checks) 670 unfinished posts in "drafts" right now.

A few of those will be up soon. I absolutely have to get the stuff about the tourism "Grand Bargain" finished.  But also I need to remember to just put stuff here so I remember that it existed at all. Gonna have to do better at that before the brain cloud finished eating me. So with that in mind, here are some items I wanted to flag today.

• Yesterday, the Times-Georges-Dotcom informed us that accounting mega-firm Ernst &Young was planning to expand its New Orleans offices.  Which, okay, fine. But why were the Mayor and the Governor there to announce it?



Gov. John Bel Edwards, Mayor LaToya Cantrell and the economic development group Greater New Orleans Inc. announced the deal, which comes as Ernst & Young is set to mark 100 years in the city.

Brian Rotolo, Ernst & Young’s Louisiana managing partner, said in an interview that New Orleans was chosen for the firm’s expansion because of its long presence in the city, the available talent pool in the metro region, and access to affordable commercial real estate.

Everyone on hand emphasized that E&Y had not been granted any of the special incentive payouts or tax breaks that we've grown accustomed to watching state and city officials hand out like Republican Presidents hand out breath mints.  So, again, why were they even there?  Why does it say they were announcing a "deal"? They must want credit for having done something, right? Maybe they just wanted to throw a property state ceremony to honor such a prestigious international firm.  


The Danish Business Authority started its investigation into EY last year as the full scale of the Danske scandal became known. Denmark’s biggest bank is at the center of a $230 billion Estonian laundering saga that spans the years 2007 to 2015. The financial watchdog has more recently warned that smaller lenders are also at risk of being targeted by launderers, as the biggest banks beef up their compliance efforts.

Ernst & Young is on the hook for its work auditing Danske’s accounts for 2014. KPMG has been reported to police for its audit of the 2017 annual report of Kobenhavns Andelskasse.

Well that part makes sense, at least.  If you are looking for a good place to expand your international money laundering operations, New Orleans is a good place to do it.


• Here's what else New Orleans is a good place for.  Comically combative lawyering.
  

  The two attorneys were arguing over whether Pittman should increase the bail for a defendant in a domestic violence case, according to a transcript. Spears claimed the accuser had previously been convicted of filing a false police report against his client, but Dover said Spears had no proof of that.
  
  "Excuse me, sir. You're a liar," Dover told Spears.
  
  "I will punch the (expletive) out of you if you call me a liar again," Spears replied.
  
  Dover responded by calling Spears a liar again.
  
  Spears raised a fist to Dover, who raised his arm up "in a blocking motion."
  
  When Pittman tried to stop the fight, Spears told her he was going to be the bigger man than Dover — but also offered to settle the exchange "outside the courtroom."

  That episode is funny enough as it is. But it's more fun because of the notable status of the players.  Dover is a senior prosecutor at the DA's office and a prominent figure in the controversy over its use of  "fake subpoenas" Spears is well known local political kingmaker. He's also apparently sorry for almost kicking Dover's butt.
  

  "Your Honor, let me first apologize to the court for losing my temper with Mr. Dover, threatening to kick his butt after using profanity in the courtroom. It won't happen again," Spears said.



• Finally, in other legal news, real estate investor Ron Von Kurnatowski is no longer being sued specifically for running a Ponzi scheme.  But there are other problems.
  

  Businessman and former Tipitina's owner Roland Von Kurnatowski has had mixed success in recent weeks in two of his numerous ongoing legal battles, with one New Orleans judge ruling he owes nearly $850,000 to his sister and nephews, while claims he ran a Ponzi scheme were dropped in a separate lawsuit.
  
  Movement on both cases comes less than six months after he sold off Tipitina's, the famed Uptown music club he owned for about two decades, to the band Galactic.
  
  Last year, he also sold off his share of the Orpheum Theater — which he helped restore following Hurricane Katrina. The sales came amid questions about whether he mingled his private business interests too closely with a nonprofit that has shared a name with Tipitina's and was best known for donating thousands of musical instruments to local school bands.

  Sounds like somebody needs to call Ernst & Young.

Anyway. Happy GiveNOLA Day!  Choose which pit you want to throw your money into wisely.