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Photo by Jonathan Bachman

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Don’t think a game in which the Hornets never trailed, led by as much as 32 points, thoroughly dominated an over-matched Memphis squad on both ends of the floor and scored the most points in a quarter all season (37) will make Byron Scott take it easy on his players.

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“You take out all the negatives,” Scott said when asked how the Hornets build on this win. “The one thing you gotta do is continue to show tape on things we’re not doing a great job of because that’s the only way you get better.”

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That and remembering that you don’t get to play the Grizzlies every night.

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Photographs by Jonathan Bachman

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In which I take all the best news, quotes, pictures and everything else Saints-related toss it together and serve it up for our readers. This week the Saints (6–6) try to reclaim some sort of respect by undercutting the Atlanta Falcons’ (8–4) season. The season may be on life support in that forgotten corner of the hospital no one talks about but … I don’t know where I’m going with this. Hey, if the Saints can’t make the playoffs, they can at least mess up Atlanta’s season, right?

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It’s holiday time, and that means all those old Christmas chestnuts - I mean classics - are on endless loop, just about everywhere you go. We at the Blog Of New Orleans, though, have a slightly fresher (and okay, a little more damaged) take on holiday music. For the rest of December, I’ll post one new alternative Christmas song per day here on the blog. To kick it off, check out this neo-standard from Lynyrd Skynrd from their album “It’s Christmas Time Again” - a little extra Southern grind to keep the holiday spicy. Enjoy, and check back tomorrow…

 

 Santa Claus Wants Some Lovin': Play Now | Play in Popup

Behold the backside of the Joseph Cao bandwagon. Unknowingly approaching the intersection of Royal and Kerlerec streets en route to my morning Cafe Rose Nicaud fix, I was almost flattened when a fire truck mounted by a certain diminutive congressional hopeful bounded around the corner. Reports of Bill Jefferson sightings atop a paddy wagon on Peniston Street are unconfirmed. 

My neighbor Julie Posner just delivered a fresh-off-the-press copy of her 2009 Louisiana Festivals calendar, which is a great look at the many, many festivals around the state — from the big boys like Jazz Fest to the D’Arbonne Stampede Days Rodeo (May 21-24) and the St. Martinville Pepper Festival (Oct. 18).

It’s jam-packed with information, hilarious graphics, and Julie’s roundup of statewide Mardi Gras information is worth the $14.95 cover price alone. Look for the calendar to be showing up around town this week just in time for Christmas shopping.

The Ogden Museum of Southern Art has started a blog, VersO, with news, photos, and behind-the-scenes info about the museum and its activities. Pretty interesting so far, and an idea that I hope other local museums emulate.

It’s Election Day. Yes, again. Get out and vote.

In this week’s Gambit (available around town tomorrow afternoon):

• You haven’t noticed it on your plate yet, but hurricanes Gustav and Ike did a number on the state’s oyster beds. Ian McNulty looks at the perils ahead for this essential piece of the Louisiana seafood industry in a piece called “Pearl Jammed”…

• Discarded pharmaceuticals are finding their way into groundwater — and into your tap. Should you be worried? Mollie Day looks at all sides in “Dopewater”…

• Clancy DuBos salutes retiring judge Pascal Calogero, Jr.…

• Kara Nelson continues to solve your holiday gift-giving dilemmas. This week: stocking stuffers…

• Greg Peters imagines Bobby Jindal’s new health plan in his latest installment of Suspect Device…

• Moviegoer Rick Barton goes to Australia with Hugh Jackman and Nicole Kidman and finds it shamelessly manipulative — and damned effective…

• …and, as always, beaucoup listings, listings, listings.

Enjoy the weekend. See you on the newsstand, or on our new Web site, Best of New Orleans.