Hop on Pop?

I'm sorry Gambit, but so many things scream GAY about this picture that's a part of your Father's Day gift buying guide:

Not that I'm upset by this or anything, but even the caption...all I could do was giggle when I opened my e-mail.

Buy me a drink!

Depending on what circles you run in, you may or may not have heard about the free T Pain show on Tuesday night at the House of Blues.

After waiting in line for, oh, 1.5 hours, we finally made it into the gates of House of Blues, only to be a couple people late to get into the capacity filled HoB. While the security hassled the skanky and obnoxious feather-earringed girl and her crew, my roommate and I watched the show on the tv from the comfort of the bar. Not wanting to lose our prime seating, my roommate filled not one, but two cups with urine, the last one sprinkling slightly on my leg. In my tequila-drunk disbelief I start smacking his arm and yelling at him for pissing on me when the girl next to me realized that she got hit too - despite his protests that there must be a leak in the ceiling! At that moment, three people emerged from the over heated crowd, the new security guy looked right at me, and I grabbed Peaches from the clutches of the hysteric girl and we made it into the show.

All in all an eclectic crowd and actually a pretty good show. But get this - after the last song was played, the crowd pretty much RAN out of the HoB. No encore. I encouraged Peaches to get a set list, and when I turned around from bumming a cigarette off of a stranger, I see him with this plastered on his chest:



HE DIDN'T PLAY ON A MOTHERFUCKIN' BOAT! Thanks shitty New Orleans crowd!!

Where am I?

While zoning out on the drive to work this morning, I suddenly became a little lost at the corner of Melpomene and St. Charles until I realized that St. Charles Tavern had simply received a face lift of sorts:



Don't worry, the fabulous print on the downtown side describing the awesomeness of the tavern is still in tact and faded as ever!

Just another morning commute

This morning while approaching the light at St. Charles at the bridge, I found myself distacted by what looked like an economy size spill of powdered scrambled eggs with a slight off-putting color to them. I always tell myself I will blog, so I try to snap a picture on my cell phone.




As I continue my forward movement, I realize something is missing.

Someone wiped out the light at Calliope and St. Charles. Again. The last time was the weekend of March 6, not even a month ago. I first noticed this on Saturday the 7th and by Tuesday the 10th the light was back in business. I was amazed because this was the fastest light replacement I have ever seen in the city of New Orleans. However, that intersection does have the potential to be extremely dangerous, you know, with the streetcar and all.

What will the turn around be this time? And who is the culprit twice in one month?!

Remembrance

Last Saturday a man was shot in the 2800 block of Chippewa. It was about 8:20 PM. 12 shots were fired off. As the man lay there dead, his pit bull wouldn't leave his side.

Tonight his friends have pulled together to have a vigil at the corner of Sixth and Chippewa. From NOLADIY.ORG:

Brian Turd Vigil
Saturday, November 22. Pete's at 6th Street & Chippewa. 7:30PM. FREE.
There is going to be a candlelight vigil for Brian this Saturday starting at 7:30 pm on the corner of 6th and Chippewa. This is the corner where he got shot. Bring lots of candles and anything else you can think of -- signs, flowers, etc. We are trying to get the message across to whatever (i can't even think of a word bad enough to put here) killed him that people do care about Brian, and we're going to make a big deal out of it. He's not some random guy nobody gives a shit about. We will demand attention for his death from the neighborhood, from the police, and from the media. Who did this to him probably lives RIGHT THERE!. We want them to see us and be nervous and we want their friends to see us and be nervous and turn these murderers in to the police so they can FRY!

I am really sorry for the loss of your friend, honestly. Losing a loved one hurts. However, this doesn't sound like a vigil to me. Rather than engaging in a peaceful remembrance, this group of people wants to come into this neighborhood and try to make people nervous. This ignorance and arrogance enrages me. You think a murder in our neighborhood doesn't impact ALL people that live there? The neighborhood isn't just thugs. There are families, retirees, lawyers, fast food workers, elderly, public servants, and many more people, from all walks of life and broad racial make up. Why do you want to come into a neighborhood that you know nothing about and make everyone nervous? Knowing fully well that your friend was murdered in that area! What are you really accomplishing here by further alienating the people that live in the neighborhood and have stuck it out throughout thick and thin?

Words on various myspaces utter "hugs not thugs" and murmurs of teaching us to take our neighborhood back.

I respect your wanting to honor your friend and seek justice. PLEASE respect the people that live here, though. The words you are using are abrasive and the neighbors are already dreading your presence. Further, please get your facts straight. Your friend was not shot on the corner of Sixth and Chippewa. There is a business on the corner of Sixth and Chippewa that has nothing to do with the events that went down. Rather, the murder took place three houses down towards Washington on Chippewa.

More on this...
Myspace: Brian Turd
WGNO: Friend's Mourn Dog Walker's Death
Humid City: Brian Turd - Vigil and Benefit
Myspace: les turdz - Brian Turd. RIP
Humid City: Getting to the end game
Photobucket: Brian Turd Vigil and Benefit Poster

Pirates v. Ninjas 10/31/08

I so wish I could have been there for this. Alas, I was too busy having a 12 martini lunch and finishing up my bad ass Halloween costume.



More info at nolapenguin

oh boy oh boy

I haven't been this excited for a Politics with a Punch panel in quite some time. But, if thise holds, I think it's going to be awesome. Mainly because I'm a drama queen. Via e-mail, here's the line-up:

Jay Batt, Former Councilman, Chair-Louisiana McCain Campaign

Virginia Boulet, Chairman of Obama Campaign, Louisiana

Manny Chevrolet Bruno, Comic-Troubled Man for Troubled Times

Joe Johnson, Former Saints Star, Member of Saints Hall of Fame

Norman Robinson, News Anchor, WDSU-TV, Channel 6

Chris Rose, Times Picayune Columnist, Author and Commentator

John Slade, Political Cartoonist, Radio Talk Show Host, Comedian

The usual election dramatics aside, I just want to see Chris Rose after his domestic disturbance arrest. Maybe he and Derrick Sheperd could start a drinking group of some sort where they go terrorize ex-girlfriends together??

Check out the comments on the Rose article. The outpouring of support is amazing and disgusting to me.

It's all Cash Money, baby

When listening to Juvenile's "Set It Off," it always bothered me that he rapped about not going down on a woman. Like, really irritated me - you're a thug, but can't deal with a lady in your mouth? Lame. Maybe the project chicks didn't teach him right. Well, I guess if it ever comes down to it, I'm gonna have to go with Hollygrove boy over a Third Ward/Magnolia Projects boy.

Lil Momma I love pussy, but I ain't lickin'
- Juvenile, Set It Off

That pussy in my mouth had me lost for words
- Lil Wayne, Lollipop

oh, New Orleans, how I love thee

Not only does New Orleans rank 24 out of 25 by Travel and Leisure Magazine in the category of "Most Attractive People" (only behind Philadelphia, omg), but we're also one of the top three murder capitals of the world, according to Foreign Policy. Travel and Leisure explored only cities in the United States, but New Orleans is the only U.S. city on the murder capitals list.

At least Travel and Leisure ranked our fine city number one for live music/bands, destination restaurants and ethnic food/cheap eats.

Trouble the Water

Don't think I've heard much about this film...



Trouble the Water: Coming to Canal Place September 19.

capitalism

the fight crosses oceans

Banksy visits New Orleans for the third Katrina anniversary. See more here

Katrinaversary

I really think that New Orleans might as well shut down for the day every day on August 29 for the next ten years. This morning it took me thirty fucking minutes to get out of Mid City because Canal was blocked off at City Park. I was staying right down the street there, so I didn't know it until I had made a block and had to go back to where I started. Then I saw a school bus get into an accident. (Yes, I know, the new memorial was unveiled today. But some of us do have to work.)

Last year I couldn't even get on the interstate to go to work because President Bush was in town so all on ramps were blocked.

Yes, please, remember everything that happened and those that we lost, but for the love of god please don't make my life more difficult than it already is!

Night Out Against Crime

Tonight: Neighbors to celebrate National Night Out

The biggun' is at 3006 Esplanade Ave. vVarious locations in the East are participating. ALTR and I will be hitting up the 3300 Camp Street event, for us uptowners.

However, I am a bit skeptical about turning on my porch light to show support. C'mon, it's still daylight out and my Entergy bill is sky high as usual!

Shockey to the rescue

I've meaning to post this for some time. I know that there was a big bruhaha when the Saints aquired Jeremy Shockey from the New York Giants. But, I think that Jeremy Shockey could be good for New Orleans. Just look what he does for New York and the rest of America:

Just because he calls Bill Parcells a "homo", has bad eye sight, and is "not as wild and rebellious as some people say" (boo), doesn't mean he can't be good for us in some way!

Thank you Sports Argument Wiki!

Soft serve boobies!

Come and get 'em, Grey Ghost!

Money ain't grey

From Sunday's T-P comes the article Vandalism or Art? on, well, the recently hot topic of graffiti throughout the city. At the end it referenced a new bill going into effect on August 15, 2008: House Bill No. 163 (Act No. 8), authored primarily by Rep. Tony Ligi, Jr. of Metairie and by my state rep. Walt Leger, III.

It shall be unlawful for any person to intentionally deface with graffiti immovable or movable property, whether publicly or privately owned, without the consent of the owner.

Sounds fair enough, though this is pretty much stating the obvious. The big deal about this bill is the maximum penalty is booted up from $500 to $10,000. So, what does this mean for our grey friend who has no qualms about doing his community "service" in broad daylight? What does this bill define graffiti as?

"Graffiti" includes but is not limited to any sign, inscription, design, drawing, diagram, eatching, symbol, lettering, name, or marking placed upon immovable or movable property in such a manner and in such a location as to deface the property and be visibile to the general public.

That being said...

"Deface" or "defacing" is the damaging of immovable or movable property by means of painting, marking, scratching, drawing, or etching with graffiti.

Painting...immoveable or moveable property. Sounds like this includes the Grey Ghost to me. Hopefully the NOPD won't continue to look the other way and will actually enforce the law. On Radtke more than anyone else, largely because he is a menace and dangerous. After the stunt he pulled on Dingler he's got to have something coming to him.

On a completely separate note, I'm curious as to why Sen. Cheryl Gray was one of five nay votes.

A Little To the Left to grayc show details 4:20 PM (0 minutes ago)


Senator Gray,

Could you please explain why you were one of five nay votes in the above matter (RE: higher penalties for graffiti)?

Are you in cahoots with the Gray Ghost?

Thank you.

Thoughts on Big Brother...

ALTR and I found ourselves camped in front of a tv bar on Sunday evening in time to realize that Big Brother was on and it was, in fact, what we were watching and not the Mets game. While it was on mute and there was no closed captioning, it looks like our girl Renny may be on her way out! While I have no unique thoughts on the matter, I figured our friendly, judgemental craigslisters could do the job for us:

Opinion Number One

Two

Three

and Four

Long story short, she gives New Orleans [insert Bon Jovi] a bad name.

Big Brother is definitely watching

Looks like someone was paying attention when the Big Brother auditions were in town. Meet Renny, a New Orleans salon owner who will break it down New Orleans style on national television.

This season of Big Brother begins this Sunday at 7 PM. I bet Jeffrey is counting down the hours to quality TV time.

It's time for Bible study, please take off your clothes.

Another real life lawsuit. Sometimes you just can't make these things up. Names not removed this time.

Kelli McGehee
v.
State Farm General Insurance Company; Scott Catalanotto dba Scott Catalanotto Insurance Agency
6/30/2008 08-cv-03851
(New Orleans)

Lawsuit for unlawful employment practices and sexual harassment. Defendant Catalanotto sexually harassed the plaintiff until she resigned. Among other things, he conducted a "Bible study" every morning, which focused on sex and strip clubs, and during the study, he would sit so close to the plaintiff that they would be touching. Also, Catalanotto had a practice of taking showers in his office every morning at 8 am, so that he was naked in the shower when the plaintiff and her coworkers came to work. When Catalanotto ordered a bed for his office the plaintiff became worried.