sturtle [dot] com

• In the UK, Chris Bodle has put together an interesting public art project: based on climatological data and the estimated rise in sea levels, he’s projected high water lines onto buildings around Bristol. The effect is a little like post-K New Orleans–presumably minus that smell. You know what I’m talking about. [CreativeReview]
• Would you care to see the single-worst application of Web 2.0 technology ever? Would you? Because I can show you. It’s the weather index at WDSU’s website: an assload of widgets thrown together on a page that looks nothing like the rest of the website. So basically, they’ve loaded up on crappy, gimmicky technology and smacked their brand all in one fell swoop. And don’t even get me started on the Helvetica vs. Arial issue. I mean, as if WDSU.com weren’t ugly enough. [WDSU.com]
• A trove of Civil War-era documents has found its way online. Many are restricted to Ancestry.com members, but a lot of Lincoln’s presidential correspondence and speeches are being hosted for free at the Library of Congress. Another clutch of Confederate docs is en route to the Georgia state archives. Genealogy isn’t really my thing, but my mom ought to be interested and happy. [NOLA.com]
• The Society for Integrative and Comparative Biology won’t be holding its annual conference in New Orleans, thanks to Governor Jindal’s ill-advised bit of legislated godliness, a.k.a. the Science Education Act. So where has the group decided to go instead? Utah. Yes, ladies and gents, we’re more eerily religious than MORMONS. Best of all? Jindal’s response to the cancellation, via his spokesmodel Kyle Plotkin. Said Plotkin: “That’s too bad”. [NOLA.com]
• Leave it to a dude from Louisiana to turn bacon into a lampshade. Awesome. [Flickr]
• THIS IS SO NSFW, IT IS NOT FUNNY. And yet, I find it very funny: every so often, I skim through my Fleshbot news feeds–just for old times’ sake–and every so often I find something deeply disturbing. This is one of those times. [Tube8]
• THIS IS ALSO NSFW: Awesome video, less awesome song, but worth a listen. Courtesy of my friend Ostia.

My queen and me and the best beer I’ve ever sucked down

The madness is over, at least for now. At least for today. At least until Saturday, I hope.

But that sounds so dramatic. That makes it sound as if the ball were an ordeal, something to be avoided, but in fact it was pretty fun. Take a look at Jonno’s photos and you’ll see: I’m not kidding.

However, it must be said: having fun can be very hard work.

…and on the adoptive family front, my father’s new favorite show is U.K. sitcom Keeping Up Appearances. That’s shocking for two reasons: (a) dad’s usually terrified by non-Southern accents, and (b) someone in Mississippi is broadcasting classic British light comedy of the early 1990s. Hmmm.

In honor of Carnival, Callie, my bio-mom, sent a photo of my great-great-great uncle Ludwig Bergen, costuming as Frederick II of Prussia:

Which seems exactly like the sort of thing that one of our relatives–especially one named Ludwig–might do. Huzzah.

• Koalas are unbearably cute, despite their curmudgeonly reputation.
• Versatile though it may be, my iPhone doesn’t need to double as a server.
• There’s an asteroid with our name on it. Maybe.
• Fisting: it’s all part of god’s plan. Atheists: you’re missing out on the fun.
• People (and their viewing habits) are really predictable:

Dear Zack Hudson:

What is it with you? Do you think local politics have gotten too blasé? Are you upset that Louisiana’s getting upstaged by Blagojewhatsisname and Larry Craig and Ted Stevens and the like? What, you don’t think David Vitter and Dollar Bill Jefferson generate enough raised eyebrows? Not satisfied with the sedate, curiously rational, less-dickish-than-you’d-think Bobby Jindal? You had to launch a campaign to draft XXX starlet Stormy Daniels for the U.S. senate?

I mean, sure, there’s room for humor in politics, and yes, we can certainly take a joke here in Louisiana. However, we can also take things very seriously when we want to, and let me tell you: David Vitter is no laughing matter. Not only has he caught a big ol’ case of Grade A Stupid, but he’s bound and determined to infect others. Frankly, after eight years of dumbass in the Oval Office, none of us are in the mood for it. Brains, please. Now.

Listen, you wanna do some good? Get out there and recruit someone else to get in the ring. How’s about John Breaux? He may not fuel your loins the way Ms. Daniels does, but maybe you should try thinking with your other head for a while. That alone is more than Vitter can do.

[thanks, Tyler]

No one bothered to tell me that Blossom Dearie died. I was hoping to find a video of her doing “My Heart Belongs to Daddy” or the Rhode Island song or something a little more conventional, but this one should bring back memories for a few folks.

Dear Oklahoma:

You know I think the world of you, even though I don’t visit as often as I should. You know I love you, even though you’re as batty as Barry Bonds on a steroid binge. But listen: we are about to have some kind of intervention/Come To Jeebus Moment regarding you and your elected officials. About ten minutes ago, I got this notice from a pal of mine; apparently, one of your own is doing some tinkering with Obama’s stimulus package:

The U.S. Senate has voted to accept, by a vote of 73-24, an amendment offered by Sen. Tom Coburn (R-OK) which states, “None of the amounts appropriated or otherwise made available by this Act may be used for any casino or other gambling establishment, aquarium, zoo, golf course, swimming pool, stadium, community park, museum, theater, art center, and highway beautification project.”

This amendment, which was supposedly intended to restrict objectionable spending in a few select federal infrastructure programs, will result in prohibiting any spending through the economic recovery in these
areas. This is the first clear vote on the arts that has occured in the U.S. Senate since July 12, 2000. The Senate final bill passage is still unclear, although it is expected to take place later tonight. Next week they will have a House-Senate conference committee to agree to a final version for the President to sign.

Seriously, Oklahoma, are you okay? Is there something you need to tell us? Is Kansas spiking your drinking water with peyote or fermented yak blood or whatever they drink up there? Does he beat you? Do we need to send help?

Here is a photo of Carlos “The Asshat” Mencia, which I pilfered from the BestOfNewOrleans blog:

He’s atrocious, right? A total douchebag? Perhaps a fucktard, even?

Well, you’ll be happy to know that the once and future rider in Orpheus has been officially uninvited. Doesn’t that make you feel good? Want to feel better? Press the “cornify” button just below him. Repeatedly.

Passover in New Orleans

Bags of trash at unapproved addresses were left on sidewalks and sprayed with an X to let SDT crews know not to collect them later. [NOLA.com]