But I digress.

On August 19, 2009, Nagin stood for a photo op with Spongebob Squarepants and announced that Nickelodeon would be redeveloping Six Flags. But like a good souffle, the deal didn’t keep, and now the city is looking for a new partner to rescue the property.  If you’re the sort of person with a dream in your pocket and several million dollars in a Swiss bank account, you have until October 10 to submit your proposal.

My personal take? There are certain parts of New Orleans that are perfectly fine for habitation and others that should return to their natural state. There were some contentious discussions about which neighborhoods fit into those two categories after the storm, but I don’t think anyone would complain if Mitch Landrieu ripped Jazzland off the map and signed the deed over to Bayou Sauvage National Wildlife Refuge.

And yet, there were some good things to come out of the 2011 legislative session that wrapped up in June. I’ll start with the bad, though:

• As of today, there are more obstacles standing between women and safe, legal abortion: “Abortion clinics must give more information to women before they can terminate a pregnancy, including new signs telling pregnant women that they cannot be coerced into abortion, that fathers are liable for child support and that adoptive parents may pay for prenatal care and birth expenses.” [AP]
• New Louisiana residents used to be required to wait six months before receiving a concealed handgun permit. Not anymore.
• And of course, Representative Austin Badon’s anti-bullying bill was defeated on the House floor, which tickled the backward-looking Louisiana Family Forum pink (a very butch pink, I assume).

And on the plus-side:

• Nonviolent prison inmates over the age of 60 are now eligible for parole, so long as they’ve served at least 10 years of their sentence and they’ve completed a high school degree. Maybe that’ll lower Louisiana’s sky-high incarceration rate.
• When deciding what to do with their tax refunds, Louisiana taxpayers can now send all or a portion of that money to the Louisiana Food Bank Association.
• And perhaps best of all, Louisiana’s infamous “Crimes Against Nature” law has been de-fanged. “Crimes Against Nature” is an alternate law under which police can charge alleged sex workers. Technically, “Crimes Against Nature” covers oral and anal sex, while the garden-variety prostitution law covers everything else — vaginal intercourse, handjobs, e-stim, whatever. Only problem is that, until now, the prostitution charge has been considered a misdemeanor, while those convicted under “Crimes Against Nature” have had to register as sex offenders. Worse, police haven’t applied the laws consistently, using “Crimes Against Nature” to harass women of color, transgender women of color, and many gay men. As someone who’s had friends from each of those categories prosecuted under the law, I’m happy to hear that “Crimes Against Nature” will now be treated as a misdemeanor. (Let’s hope it’s new status becomes retroactive, too).

And because I can’t write about sex crimes without singing a certain song, here’s the video for the Eurythmics’ 1984 semi-hit, “Sex Crime (1984)“. Happy Monday.

*Being one of those things is fine, I suppose, but all three is a deal-breaker in my book.

Just head to dinner at one of the many participating restaurants. There’s a range of spots on the list — from the very affordable to the slightly swanky — and a percentage of every sale will go toward the LASPCA’s noble efforts. Plus, it’s a nice break from the daily routine of coming home, playing partypoker cz, and heating up some Soup for One.

No time for a full meal? No problem: even Pinkberry is participating. Don’t tell me you don’t have time to pop in for some yogurt on a scorching hot day like this.

On the off-chance that you’re reading this from afar, though, you can always make a contribution to the LASPCA on the web. Not that we’re pushy or anything, but consider that a hint. Need more info? Visit the LASCPA website.

See you at 8. (Dinner’s always at 8, kids.)

Apparently, I’ve reached “some point”. I recently sat down with Eva’s letters and started to type, keeping her curious capitalizations, spellings, and punctuation intact.

In the end, I’m sorry to say, there’s not a lot of new information about her or about Disney & Co. In fact, sometimes, she repeats herself, occasionally on the same page. And her story follows a predictable path: an artist working in a medium that’s changed by emerging technology — technology that she finds cold and inferior. She dismisses the computer-animated Disney films of today, and it would be easy to write her off as yet another person who’d rather bash technology than adapt and use it.

Unfortunately, she talks very little about her experience as one of the few women working in a field dominated by men, or about her impressions of Walt Disney’s political/world views. But even though I didn’t get what I was hoping for, the act of writing seems to have been cathartic for her. And so, I kept transcribing. Because I know that when I’m her age (90, I’m guessing), I’d want the chance to be heard.

I haven’t seen Eva on the street in months — maybe a year. I don’t know if she’s still alive, but I can’t find an obit for her. Perhaps she was taken in by her relatives. Or maybe, knowing her, she’s taken them in. She’s kind of spunky.

If you’re interested in what she had to say, the transcriptions are after the jump.

* * * * *

Letter #1 (with attachments)

Richard:

Hereby a complete, timely News Paper observation (I WON’T NEED IT BACK). Do read it very carefully, as it sums up the rapid CULTURAL CHANGE (due to the ever increasing modern technology). WORLDWIDE, not just the U.S.A.

FASTER & FASTER, encompassing MORE & MORE with LESS & LESS individual attention. Impressions coming on fast and getting crowded out fast by ever new fast impressions.

Initial Disney styles…SAME FATE. GONE, and therefore not missed by the unacquainted new generations.

Trying to go back to initially meticulous old styles would be way too slow, and therefor [sic] way too expensive. Life rushes on and on, impressions being glimpsed at and soon forgotten due to onrushing further & new styles. Good or bad – the new generations do not know, not care what had been & what won’t come back. CANNOT COME BACK.

Walt Disney must have reused this in the 1950s. I was a steady employee at the Walk Disney Studio from March 3, 1950 till March 1968 – 18 years. So I left Disney’s some 41 years ago.

I knew everyone by sight (HIGH-UP, or WALT…) by walking by out in the halls or outdoors… (do not greet, just walk by minding your own business – else reprimanded by your own boss, or fired.) And one knew all the Artists & Workers & Laborers, as colleagues. STUDIO GOSSIPS and RUMORS…good people, bad people, and not so bad people, and fakes, and destroyers of colleagues. One had to be careful. Also WALT & UPPER ESCHELON STRONGLY REPUBLICAN (employees NOT to speak up against Vietnam War!). Also they patriotically did hire a whole group of talented young Vietnam War Veterans, graduated from a G.I. Bill at Los Angeles Art School into the Disney Cartoon Department. Our Vietnam War colleagues.

By then, the Vietnam War had started. And young protesters were coming out everywhere in demonstrating masses. Walt Disney & the Executives saw to it, that all ensuing HIPPY CULTURES strictly were forbidden on the Disney Studio lot.

No hippy clothing, no long hair, no beards, no anti-talks [?] or anti-shouts. Walt wanted his enterprise to be strictly conservative. And also because there were GUIDED DISNEY STUDIO TOURS, showing around every work-day for visitors by special appointment from the U.S.A., and people from all around the world. Mostly in relatively small appointed groups, & Disney employed explayning [sic] steady tour-guides. All in all, the Disney Studio and Disney business enterprise had a honorably steady reputation, compareably [sic] with other bad Hollywood Studios, or Some of all of them.

* * *

Being a new PENCIL DRAWING animation employee at Disney’s in 1950, (“PETER PAN”) was already in the middle of production. And also the very foundation of an overall SCREEN CARTOONISTS UNION with raised salaries for every employee: INKER, PAINTER, ANIMATOR, ASSISTANT ANIMATOR, PENCIL INBETWEENER….making them work even HARDER & FASTER (increased production) else their work output cost them too much.

Therefore SHORT-CUTS in PRODUCTION…no more each individual pencil drawing formerly hand-inked (inked by hand) on too a numbered cellophane sheet. THE INKING DEPARTMENT (all woman) therefore got CLOSED for good. Faster, simpler production for studio PROFITS, please!

And it showed awefully [sic], starting with BAD “The Lady & the Tramp) after “Peter Pan”, and from then on. With SOME EXCEPTION (maybe) “JUNGLE BOOK” (Africa & its Musik [sic]). They even had a great song with the huge Chief of the Apes in it. “OOH BE DOOH”, “OOH BE DOOH”, “I WANNA BE LIKE YOOH”. Terrific colors & beat. They especially flew in LOUIS PRIMA from New Orleans for the RECORDING. I did see him on the studio lot. TERRIFFIC!! THAT BEAT & VOICE! NOW L. PRIMA IS LONG DEAD.

Brothers originally from KANSAS City, MISSOURY [sic]

WALT DISNEY

He could not really draw. But it was said, that he was an amazingly to the point DIRECTOR of all Disney Cartoon Films. With a quick eye, he approved or disapproved, or changed lengths and details in every film presentation. And he just about NEVER then changed his mind afterwards. It just SAT successfully, and therefore proved him to be right.

ROY O. DISNEY

Mr. Roy had NOTHING to do with Disney film & entertainment production. Nothing else than the OVERALL FINANCES. Which turned into a fantastically wide field of all the DISNEY ENTERPRISES.

Walt had some years long given the impression of an ageing ailing man. He did not want to be disturbed by employees greeting him. He once (towards his end) did speak to me in the hall, when I worked evening-overtime. And when I walked back to my work-room he still stood in the hall, waiting for the elevator. And HE WAVED TO ME (!) when I walked by. And I just silently smiled & walked on. HAS ANYONE EVER BEEN WAVED TO BY WALT DISNEY?!!! I had not provoced [sic] it, looking straight ahead and walking along.

One day at mid-morning a sudden rumor exploded. Someone had just heard on the radio WALT DISNEY had died at the hospital. LUNG CANCER. One hour later a message from management: EVERYONE GO HOME, WORK-DAY is OVER. It was 11 A.M. The following day was an ordinary work-day (8 A.M. – 5 P.M.) again.

And a vast lay-off of worker’s departments (not artists) started immediately. No public funeral. It already had been attended to privately by the small & immediate family.

Lay-offs in the Animation Department also, I could stay on a little, 1 ¼ year longer, then had to work for FILMATION STUDIO (BILL COSBY T.V. SERIES etc. etc.). I think DISNEY merged with PIXAR by now. And the once beautiful cartoon movies are gone for good, not to return. I certainly would NOT like to work there again. I had been LUCKY with old.

Letter #4

DISNEY CARTOON SHORTS PICTURES (Donald Duck, Goofy, Pluto, etc. etc.) got eliminated from the Disney Productions, starting around 1951, before & around MID 1950s.

From then on JUST FULL LENGHS [sic] FEATURE LENGTHS PICTURES, each taking a year, or years for full-staff to work on. “SNOW WHITE (1930s) had been Disney’s very first full-length feature in full animation. A world-wide NOVELTY & huge success (great fame, praise, & financial profits). I saw it in ZURICH (SWITZERLAND) when I was about 10 years old. Everyone just knew & started to talk about the name WALT DISNEY!

In March 1950 I started to work at the large Walt Disney Studio in Burbank, Calif. The room I started to work in happened to be only some doors from the old animator FRED MOORE’s work room down our hall-way. He was the designer & sole animator of the SEVEN DWARFS [sic] in “SNOW WHITE”. He kept his door mostly shut while working, so no one saw him only mainly when he came down the hall to the little fountain at its end, where he rinsed & washed his coffee cup.

A short old little man, unfailingly always softly well-meaning & gracious to everyone. That was FREDDY MOORE. Known as an Alcoholic. As such he would have long been terminated at the studio. But I guess for all that fantastic work (design and animation on “Snow White’s Dwarfs”) Walt kept him on and on at the Studio, as long as Fred wanted to.

One morning, only a few weeks after I had started to work in that nearby room, there were sudden startling new around: FRED MOORE had DIED LAST NIGHT!! We then went to his funeral, it was the day before THANKSGIVING 1950. Walk did not attend his funeral, only Bill Anderson (one of his top Studio executives) in honor of FRED MOORE. – Those 7 DWARFS on “SNOW WHITE” were brilliantly designed in individual Looks & individual PERSONALITIES. Of course the STORY DEPARTMENT of a few members had created the DIALOGUE & DEEDS & LOOKS, and then FRED MOORE designed & illustrated to their further approval. It was (IS) MASTERFUL, and cannot be matched, I think.

ADDITION TO “SNOW WHITE”

All MOVIE THEATRES in the CITY of ZURICH (SWITZERLAND) in the 1930s had only 2 shows each day (7 days a week). 3 P.M. and again 8 P.M. Show: (1) GENERAL REPORT, on “WEEK IN REVIEW”. (LIFE ACTION.) (2) Then a “Donald Duck” or “Goofy” short movie of Disney’s. (3) And then THE FULL FEATURE OF THE PRESENT PROGRAM, “SNOW WHITE” this time.

This time (1930s) it was the sensationally brand-new Walt Disney full-length CARTOON FEATURE “SNOW WHITE”. EVERYBODY WENT TO SEE IT. In unusually social light conversation… Everybody asked Everybody “HAVE YOU SEEN SNOW WHITE?” The picture was running at the “CAPITOL” theatre in Zurich. All positive, admiring responses.

But…then right away: Mothers phoned “CAPITOL” theatre: their children cannot sleep & are afraid of the dark, after having watched THAT HORRIBLY MEAN Witch. And to TOTALLY CUT OFF THAT FRIGHTENING SCENE WITH THE WITCH IN THAT 3PM show, when children attend.

Therefore the “CAPITOL” THEATRE decided right away, to exclusefly [sic] run that very part at ONLY THEIR 8 P.M. SHOW when children were in bed & sleeping. Showing it only after 8 P.M.

I now remember another instance while working at the studio: A work man, doing repairs out in the hall near my room, talking with me in a casual way, said to me: “The Disney Cartoon Movies are good & O.K. Exept [sic]…but they in part are so FRIGHTENING (Snow White) etc. and so VERY SAD (Bambi) etc. for CHILDREN (and grown ups)! A work-man’s observation & experience. And I admit: SO TRUE.

Letter #6

Yesterday Sunday, I had meant to close this entire report of my memories. But while cleaning out Today Monday, I happened to come upon hereby enclosed earlier sheet that I had assumed I long had dropped off to you. I am still enclosing it hereby for you.

It really also had been refreshing to myself, digging up from my mind some long almost forgotten memories once more, and in retrospect now even more clear for me to understand!

Looking back I retired at 63 in California, and moved to New Orleans in 1966 to retire for good at 68. That was 43 years ago, never regretting the moving to here.

I had met quite a few great talents at the studios, and so are even famous with screen credits, and had even worked with (under) them. So many interesting & great aqueintences [sic] with people.

But (in closing this report now)…the envies, the intriegues [sic] & backbiting amongst collegues [sic] & other people from other departments one is not even acquainted with. Overall, not just to me. At Filmation Studio in the end I worked with (amongst others) old VIRGIL ROSS (AGE ALMOST LATE 70s, the inventor & animator of BUGS BUNNY at Warner Bros. Cartoons Inc. He told me: he really never cared, he just kept on working in peace, did not react to it & let it roll down his back. (Best advice anyone could get).

But one did see it happen: some less achieved & less conspicuous good workers got squeezed out that way, & got laid off!

Time ago in Europe, when I was young, the program at the movie theatres was

(1) FILMED “WEEK IN REVIEW.”

(2) AMERICAN SHORT CARTOON MOVIE (DISNEY: “DONALD DUCK, GOOFY, PLUTO…” OR: WARNER BROS, “BUGS BUNNY”.” OR: METRO GOLDWYN MAYER [M.G.M.] TOM & JERRY (GREAT STUFF  of many decades ago. NEVER TO BE SEEN AGAIN…DONALD DUCK (DISNEY) & GOOFY, BUGS BUNNY (WARNER BROS.) TOM & JERRY (METRO GOLDWYN MAYER M.G.M.)

(3) MAIN FULL-LENGTH ADVERTISED FILM.

Metro Goldwyn Mayer M.G.M. always ended their little Cartoon Pic. with letters on screen: “THAT’S ALL, FOLKS”.

Therefore I’m going to say here the very same things on my numerous Disney Reports: “THAT’S ALL FOLKS”.

END.

As I see it, the problems, they are three:

1. The Hubig’s mini king cake has the texture of a bialy, or possibly a yeast roll: powdery and wheat-like. This is confusing to king cake consumers expecting hunks of dough glued to a carry-out box with pounds of sugary-sweet frosting.

2. The Hubig’s mini king cake looks kind of a like a bagel – granted, a bagel covered in goop and decorated with purple, green, and gold hamster pellets, but still: bagelish. It is a visual conundrum of sweet and savory. (Those of you who eat blueberry and fruity bagels may think this sounds delicious, but remember: blueberry and fruity bagels are a travesty not technically part of the bagel family. Well, not my bagel family.) It is the sort of thing that M. C. Escher might’ve created if he’d become a pastry chef and not an overachieving mathlete-cum-sketch artist.

3. The Hubig’s mini king cake is not as delicious as I want it to be. It doesn’t taste like a bialy or a bagel (thankfully), it is sweet, and yet…. Well, do you remember McKenzie’s king cakes? The “traditional” ones? To me, they tasted like three-day-old cinnamon buns thrown in a blender with some cardboard, then baked into a hard, rubbery loaf. The Hubig’s king cake is not that bad, but it is definitely not good.

Now, I admit, I may have been expecting too much. When I first heard about Hubig’s king cakes, I envisioned a pint-sized version of a Hubig’s pie, which, for the uninitiated, is kind of like a fruit pie, but magnified. It is like the Bugatti Veyron of fruit pies. It is the Balenciaga of convenience store pastry. It is like a tardis filled with passion fruit and served piping hot. It is THAT GOOD. The mini king cake, she is not. Not yet, anyway.

Back to the drawing board.

Of course, like Prospect, DesCours has spawned ancillary, “fringe” events. And of the many press releases I’ve seen, Hypothetical Development‘s event called “Implausible Uses For Unpopular Spaces” seems among the most entertaining. It’s Friday night at Beckham’s right across from House of Blues on Decatur Street. Some of us will be in performance, but for the rest of you…

* * * * *

Hypothetical Development Preview Party
Beckham’s Book Shop, 228 Decatur Street New Orleans Friday
December 10, 2010, 6-10 PM
For ONE NIGHT ONLY – The Hypothetical Development Organization will preview a selection of our renderings of IMPLAUSIBLE USES FOR UNPOPULAR PLACES. See selected works from this newly launched public art project, featuring signage advertising hypothetical uses for abandoned and derelict buildings. Get an up-close look at our contributing artists’ convincing renderings of The Museum of the Self, The New Orleans Loitering Centre, a Velvet Rope Artisan Workshop, and who knows what other absurdities?

H.D.O. is a group of people creating signage that advertises blatantly implausible future uses for neglected buildings. The inspiration was noticing the sorts of signs of that developers put up on buildings depicting what they will (supposedly) become in the future — condos or boutiques, for instance. Since the economy and real estate market crashed, it’s become clear many of these developments will never happen, so those signs seem to be little more than stories about hypothetical futures. We decided this is an interesting medium, and we would use it to tell stories, too. But instead of boring condos, we would tell more imaginative stories that are interesting, engaging, provocative, fun.

I don’t go out much these days because I am often sleepy and easily disappointed. Between my work schedule (I get up at 5am) and my hard-to-shake-off, been-there/done-that jadedness, nightlife doesn’t usually keep me awake.

Usually.

But Saturday night’s party at the New Orleans Candle Factory — hosted by New Orleans Airlift — was EPIC. With a lineup that included MC Sweet Tea and sissybounce star Big Freedia and cuckoo-for-cocoa-puffs drag queen (and closepersonalfriend) Christeene, it was bananas up in that place.

And best of all: the bouncing baby bear who did as Big Freedia commanded and put his ass in the air, ass in the air. Jonno has video. Awesome video. (FYI, if you get an error message after clicking that link, just refresh. Tumblr has been hemorrhaging fuckups for the last 24 hours.)

See if you can spot the contingent of Uptowners who bailed on the New Orleans Museum of Art’s Odyssey Ball and ventured downtown for fun.

Oh, Italy: you’re so adorable when you’re confused.

Advertising Agency: JWT/RMG Connect, Milan, Italy
Executive Creative Director: Daniela Radice
Associate Creative Director & Copywriter: Davide Boscacci
Copywriter: Jack Blanga
Art Director: Giulio Nadotti
Illustrator: Giulio Nadotti

[via Copyranter]

Dan Savage

By now, most of you have seen the video clips — the ones recorded as part of the “It Gets Better” campaign. On the off-chance that you haven’t: the campaign was begun by author Dan Savage in response to the recent spate of suicides by LGBT teens. Savage conceived it as a way of assuring those kids that, although life may seem rough now, things will get better.

So far, most of the clips in heavy rotation have come from celebs — and that’s to be expected. But there’s a local element to “It Gets Better”, too, which gives everyday people like you and me the chance to share advice, encouragement, and coming-out stories. And it’s coming to New Orleans this weekend.

This Saturday, October 16, cameras will be set up on the patio at Cure (4905 Freret Street) from 5pm – 7pm. There, you’ll be able to record a testimonial of your own to share with LGBT teens. The event is being organized by Megan Hargrode, who’s put together a Facebook page to publicize the local element of the campaign.

Admittedly, I’m not a fan of Cure (or any place with asinine dress codes). And holding an event like this at a hipster haute-cocktail lounge isn’t the best way to ensure diverse representation from the local LGBT community — nor is it the best place to generate sober, intelligible testimonials. However, Hargrode deserves tons of credit for pulling it together, and Cure earns a begrudging pat on the back for allowing her to do it.

If you have time this Saturday evening, drop by and say a few words — tomorrow’s LGBT leaders need to hear them. Just be sure to dress appropriately.

[via BlogOfNewOrleans]