I stopped in yesterday at the Southern Sting tattoo parlor in Larose, Louisiana, and spent some time talking with the owner, Bobby Pitre. As well as tattoos he does paintings and sculpture, and has decorated the outside of his shop with political statements about the BP oil disaster.

The Southern Sting tattoo shop in Larose, Louisiana.

Much of Pitre’s business since the disaster has been from Coast Guard workers. “One of them got a Spongebob [Squarepants] standing knee deep in oil, screaming, with an oil well blowing up in the background, on his calf,” he said. Read more and see pictures after the jump.

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Early in the Gulf oil crisis, BP coined a term for the shrimping and fishing boats that were now out of business and were being pressed into service to clean up the company’s mess: they were now “vessels of opportunity.” Looks like that opportunity may be drying up as well.

Last month, Louisiana Vessels of Opportunity (VOO) program director Judith Paul announced a new deployment plan that rotates vessels based on “extended,” and 14- or 30-day charters. Most participants fall in the 14-day category, performing waste removal and boom maintenance. The program was designed to rotate out-of-work fishermen into temporary jobs, but with less oil visible on the surface, the likelihood of VOO participants being rotated into action diminishes.

Today, at a press conference in New Orleans, National Incident Commander Adm. Thad Allen said he had a “very productive” meeting with Gov. Bobby Jindal, parish presidents and authorities to determine “how clean is clean” in the ongoing response and what will be the future, if any, of the VOO (through August). “Obviously as we transition to where there’s not as a threat of a spill … the employment of VOO is necessarily going to have to change,” he said.

“We’re not sure if we really know” about the program’s future, Allen added, saying similar cutbacks and reorganizations are happening “all along the coast.” But, “there are things we have to get done” — like removing boom, he said. “As we move from response to recovery we’re going to have to go out and recover that boom. We don’t want to leave plastic, non-biodegradable boom out there forever.” Another opportunity?

Today University of New Orleans (UNO) officials presented the school’s budget plan before the Louisiana State University System (LSUS) Board of Supervisors, the governing body for the state’s universities, as UNO faces $14 million in cuts with the 2011 fiscal year (beginning July 2011) — when its share of federal stimulus dollars run out.

UNO will aim for a leaner, more efficient and nimble university, retaining programs and departments determined by three criteria: economic interest and viability to the city and region, student demand and interest, and reputation. Programs of interest to the university include its jazz, hotel and tourism administration and engineering studies. (Download UNO’s budget presentation here.)

UNO Chancellor Timothy Ryan sent this letter to the school’s community earlier this month:

“… This plan is a serious restructuring plan for the University of New Orleans that much thought has gone into. It is not an attempt to make a few cuts around the edges and continue to do the same things we have always done at a reduced level. UNO has always provided a terrific education to a large number of students at a low cost. Our restructuring, as presented in this plan, will require that we focus on academic areas that have high student demand, have the maximum economic impact, and that have achieved high levels of distinction.

Second, be assured that we will take care of our existing students. If a program that you are majoring in is on the list of programs to be eliminated, we will make sure that you are accommodated. We will facilitate transfer to other, closely related programs. Our faculty will work with those of you who are very close to your degree to get the necessary credits to graduate in that field. You are all UNO students and we want you to graduate from UNO. If all else fails, we will work with you to transfer to another university if that is what it takes to serve you. We will do what it takes!

Third, the programs that will be retained reflect a complex matrix of student demand, program costs, and academic reputation. Those programs that are being discontinued are not bad programs. We have no bad academic programs at UNO. If you are a faculty member in one of these programs, this action is not a reflection on your quality or of the quality of the program. It is simply a reflection of the very difficult economic times we are in and the tough choices that need to be made in order for UNO to prosper.

Finally, don’t let the fact that we have prepared this plan lead you to believe that we have stopped fighting for you, our students, our staff, and our faculty. Nothing could be further from the truth. I will continue to fight as hard as I can for adequate funding for the University of New Orleans as long as I am alive.

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Call it mojo, spice, K2 or fake pot: As expected, Gov. Bobby Jindal signed a bill today that had sailed through the Louisiana legislature, making it illegal to either possess or sell synthetic marijuana/incense blends that have gained popularity in head shops statewide. The doobie brother will now be a Schedule I drug. Making or selling it will be punishable by up to five years in prison, while possession will be capped at six months. (You can read all about it in our May cover story, “Mojo Madness.”) The law kicks in Aug. 15, so smoke ‘em if you got ‘em …

Wait. What are we saying? Just say no, kids.

(This is a preview (with a few updates) of my column that will appear in this week’s Gambit.)

They say money can’t buy love or happiness, but in politics this much is clear: Lack of money will buy you a whole lotta heartache and misery. Add to that the worst environmental disaster in U.S. history and you’ve got some real ugliness.

That pretty much sums up the 2010 Louisiana legislative session.

Gov. Bobby Jindal, who typically stays above the legislative fray, was even more detached than usual because of his daily trips to the oil-threatened coast. In his absence, House and Senate leaders, building on past tensions, nearly came to blows in the final hours. And with so little money to spread around, the inevitable cuts to education, health care and the arts/culture portend even more agony next year, when state revenues are expected to take an even more precipitous nosedive — just in time for redistricting and the next round of statewide elections. Beatings will continue until morale improves.

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