Hot Stuff

LEO, LEO, LEO, thank you for the new layout! Keep up the good job and being a voice in the Louisville community! The changes are wonderful, and obviously you are moving in the direction the print industry is going. How about getting some of the former writers at The C-J to write an article or two, like Byron Crawford and Bob Hill? I would be happy to subscribe to LEO to support your continued growth and service to our community.

Keep Louisville Weird — read LEO, not The C-J.

Bob McAuliffe, Prospect

Oh! No!

I was so looking forward to picking up a LEO with the new format and graphics after listening to WFPL’s “State of Affairs” talking about the big change. I instantly liked the new look and feel of LEO until I looked inside to see what the “Oh! Oh! Oh!” title was about (LEO Weekly, Feb. 11). Are you serious? This tastelessness is the best you have for the COVER at a time when the world is full of news and stories both good and bad? Come on. I’m no prude, but isn’t there anything to put on the cover newsworthy or artistic or interesting other than people in embarrassing, supposedly orgasmic photos?

I seriously hope John Yarmuth does not have a copy of this one in his office. Louisville is a cool, arty town with way more interesting ways to represent itself.

Linda Klosterman, Lyndon

Sex is Funny

Thank you for the “Oh, Oh, Oh!” edition (LEO Weekly, Feb. 11). Although there are prudes among us who would be tightened up a bit by the content, they probably didn’t read it for other reasons. But, all Victorianness aside, it was refreshing to be treated like a grownup by a local media outlet for a change. Sex is fun and funny. Thanks for treating it that way.

Charlie Baker, Highlands

Movin’ On Up

I thoroughly enjoyed Kevin Gibson’s “Guide to Healing a Broken Heart” (LEO Weekly, Feb. 11). My breakup back in September ’08 coincided with the windstorms of Ike. Yeah, I can find humor in it now, but imagine dealing with a fresh breakup and having to do so in the dark!

I found myself laughing out loud reading all the steps that, had I utilized early on in my healing, could have saved me time and further heartaches. I agree with the assessment that guys take breakups extra hard — I know I did. My thinking behind that is to guys, a relationship is like an investment, only it’s all or nothing. But when it does fail, you can’t really cash out. No, you lose your entire 401(k) and all the “benefits” that came with it. I digress.

What helped me out the most were steps 2 and 5: Step 2: “Get all reminders of her out of sight” — Once I bagged up and got rid of all of her reminders — pictures, old e-mails, Hallmark birthday cards and panties — I was finally able to walk back in my apartment and not miss her (as much) anymore. But what really got me through the storm (Ike reference) was Step 5: “Lean on your buddies — they are there to help” — My best friend and I began having regular “Man Up” sessions of beer and barbeque wings at BW3’s in the days and weeks following my meltdown. And I guess by wing No. 148, I was finally able to see the forest through the trees and realize that shit happens and that it’s best to move on, learn from it and find someone new.

Michael Gardner, South End

Historical Context

A bit of irony related to editor Stephen George’s call for the city of Louisville to buy the Louisville Gas & Electric Company (LEO Weekly, Feb. 11): The city of Louisville once owned LG&E, but sold it in 1913. Why? Because voters and businesses demanded sewer and drainage infrastructure, yet resisted paying for them (sound familiar?).

The $1,387,500 in proceeds were spent on some sewer projects — and the conversion of part of Beargrass Creek from a meandering natural stream into a deep, forbidding, concrete-lined channel to reduce flooding of adjacent homes, businesses and the main tracks of the politically powerful L&N Railroad.

When that money ran out in two years, the city lacked not only a mechanism for funding its infrastructure needs, but its gas and electric utilities as well.

Beyond that historical note, I’d add one political observation: While public, nonprofit utilities do commonly deliver superior, more affordable services, they are nonetheless ripe for poor decision-making, cronyism and corruption whenever one politician, typically the mayor, has the power to hire — and fire — managers, i.e. when independent accountability is lacking.

Sarah Lynn Cunningham, Highlands

Stay in the Pen

Regarding “Foul play at the Park” (LEO Weekly, Feb. 11): Once again we hear this same old sad story. More of our citizens are murdered by people who should still be sitting in prison, serving sentences for the last time they murdered someone. Who is keeping tabs on these parole boards that repeatedly demonstrate their incompetence?

Your article stated that Cunningham served only three years of an 18-year sentence. Three years of an 18-year sentence? What use is a sentence by a judge and jury when some anonymous parole board will just throw it out the window and put these violently rabid animals back on the street after serving only a tiny fraction of the sentence?

I guarantee you beyond a shadow of a doubt that if anyone convicted of wrongfully taking another citizen’s life were required to serve not less than 80-90 percent of a sentence, the rate of violent crime would go down. 

Joe Thompson, Highlands

As Time Goes By

I take issue with your characterization of this being the worst winter storm in Louisville’s history (“Apocalypsnow,” Feb. 4 LEO Weekly). Have we forgotten the 22 inches of snow in 24 hours in 1998, or another two inches of freezing rain followed by 10 inches of snow in 1994 that shut down I-65 and nearly led to UPS’s exit? What about the ice storms in 1990 and 1992? I’m sure there were major storms during the 1980s as well. And finally, what about the blizzards of 1977 and 1978 that completely shut down the city for weeks?

Perhaps due to large numbers of downed trees, power outages and downed power lines, and a full week of school lost, and the sheer number of displaced people because of lack of power, or perhaps just that it is the most recent, makes this storm seem that it is greater than all the rest. But all of those previous storms were equally as devastating, some maybe more so. People quickly forget as time passes.

Brian Steele, U of L

Editor’s Note: LEO did not characterize the storm as the worst ever — public officials quoted in the story “Apocalypsnow” did. As the story explained, the ice storm was so classified because of the number of households and businesses without power and the resulting volume of citizens effected.