Guest Commentary: The power to change the game
Politics is the only game for grown-ups, Robert Heinlein wrote in his novel “Double Star.” That was 50 years ago, and he was looking hundreds of years ahead, envisioning a world in which politicians are under public scrutiny, cameras everywhere, most of the time — even when zipping around the solar system. That was prescient…
Who killed Brad Will? And why have Mexican and U.S. authorities allowed the murderers of an American journalist to go free?
By John Ross [img_assist|nid=5219|title=The gunmen:|desc=Raúl Estrella/EL UNIVERSAL news agency The gunmen: This photo from the Mexican newspaper El Universal, taken just as Brad Will was killed, shows clearly identifiable Oaxaca police officers firing at the crowd. From left to right, Juan Carlos Soriano, aka|link=|align=left|width=200|height=136]OAXACA — Those of us who report from the front lines of…
High-rollin” at Fancy Farm: The Morality Police try to take on gambling — but they”ve got a bad hand
Fancy Farm Candidates: From left, Todd Hollenbach (treasurer), Crit Luallen (incumbent auditor), Dan Mongiardo and Steve Beshear (lieutenant governor and governor), Jack Conway (attorney general) and Bruce Hendrickson (secretary of state). FANCY FARM, Ky. – Overwhelmed by the angry boos and catcalls that repeatedly drowned out his supporters’ shrill chants for “Four More Years,” Gov.…
City Strobe
Sod in the cityLouisville Metro government is now seeking proposals for a green roof to go atop the 444 building, a former parking garage on South 5th Street that now houses Metro’s design, contracting and planning offices. It would be the first green roof on a city building here, and one among a few roofs…
Welp”s Louisville
Sugar and I ran into Pop Quiz Guy on our morning stroll and he taught us that the first Model T Ford sold in Louisville changed hands on Shelbyville Road in St. Matthews. This seems like fate, since the area has been an auto-sales wasteland ever since. Imagine if that first customer had walked away.…
We wish to inform you … that peace is possible
Rwandans torn by genocide visit Louisville to learn about moving forward David Bucura: a Quaker pastor from Kigali, Rwanda, and Steve Brady, a counselor at Indian Trail Elementary School in Louisville, participated in a group activity discussing what they had learned during the Peace Education Program. “It is no longer a choice between violence and…
Rumor & Innuendo
Cats WAVE goodbye. A source tells me that UK’s relationship with that Louisville TV channel has severed, at least temporarily. If he’s right, there will be no Wildcat football replays on the station. I’m told the breach occurred when Mitch Barnhart wouldn’t insist that the UK-U of L telecast in this market be on that…
Erosia
LEO welcomes letters that are brief (250 words max) and thoughtful. Ad hominem attacks will be ignored, and we need your name and a daytime phone number. Send snail mail to EROSIA, 640 S. Fourth St., Louisville, Ky. 40202. Fax to 895-9779 or e-mail to leo@leoweekly.com. We may edit for length, grammar and clarity. Louisville…
Plus ça change at Café Lou Lou
Café Lou Lou: Photo by Nicole Pullen One of the reasons Café Lou Lou’s new locale works is the retention of the original look, including striking art pieces. The 19th century French satirist and polymath Alphonse Karr was not, as far as we know, a food critic. But when he penned the lines, “Plus ça…
Aftertastes
MAYAN CAFÉ, 813 E. Market St., 556-0651, www.themayancafe.com. Former Mayan Gypsy chef Bruce Ucan is back with Mayan Café, and it ranks as one of the most original Mexican restaurants in town, featuring an innovative take on Mayan cuisine — the tropical fare of Mexico’s Yucatan and neighboring Guatemala. The eclectic menu features dishes like…
Mug Shots: Abreast of a great beer fest
I’ve never been to Madison, the capital of Wisconsin, but that will change this weekend when I embark on an overdue visit to a city that has often been accused of being “The People’s Republic of Madison.” That’s encouragement enough to elicit warm and fuzzy pre-trip vibrations from me, but moreover, Saturday also is the…
Where the “streets” have a name – Mark Maxwell and friends take the message “out there” with Christian concert series
When the Doobie Brothers first took it to the streets, I was living out my youth in a pastor’s home where Doobie Brothers records, or any other rock albums, weren’t allowed until I was darn near packing for college. Today, of course, you can’t set foot in a suburban church and fail to be greeted…
Old friends: Patty Griffin is big now, but Louisville knew her way back when
Patty Griffin: Photo by Traci Goudie A dozen or so years ago, when the Twice Told Coffee House was on Bardstown Road and booking shows in its tiny back room, an amazing array of talent went through. A lot of it was singer-songwriter in nature, people like Lucy Kaplansky and Alejandro Escovedo (with the acoustic…
Welcome home (Sanatorium): “Sounds from the Underground” makes last stop at Waverly Hills
Gwar Summer is festival season. There are the destinations (Bonnaroo, Coachella, Bumbershoot, Lollapalooza and, locally, Forecastle) and the traveling variety, many of which seem to lean toward the metallic end of the music spectrum. You’ve got the big dogs, like the free Ozzfest and Family Values, the Vans Warped Tour, which caters to mall punks,…
Home, sweet home: Immigrant Penny Sisto illuminates the struggle through her quilts
“Arrival” by Penny Sisto In this time of renewed debate over America’s immigration policy, viewing the new series of art quilts by Penny Sisto should be mandatory before forming and sharing an opinion. They contain visual history and political and social lessons, all delivered with a hefty dose of empathy. To drive home the point…
Staffpicks
Friday, Aug. 10Comedy and art on Bardstown Road This Friday is going to be a little crazy on Bardstown Road — more than usual, in fact. Two key events, along with a lot of accompanying special offers by the local businesses, should assure that the area will be hopping all evening. First off, the Comedy…
Video Tapeworm: Releases through Tuesday, Aug. 14
THIS WEEK’S TWIN PEEKSAIR GUITAR NATION2006; DVD $26.95, RA lively and entertaining look at the U.S. Air Guitar Championships where hundreds of would-be rockers climb on stage and rock out to their favorite heavy metal epics for fun and prizes. And babes. You can’t forget the babes. LES PAUL: CHASING SOUND2007; DVD $24.95, URIf all…
Film – Paprika
Paprika 3 starsStarring Megumi Hayashibara, Toru Emori, Katsunosuke Hori, Toru Furuya and Akio Otsuka. Directed by Satoshi Kon. Released by Sony Pictures Classics. Rated R; 1:30. The art-house anime “Paprika” is worthy of your attention for two reasons. First, its eerie blend of media theory and otherworldly visuals will draw in both anime and…
Film – The Bourne Ultimatum
The Bourne Ultimatum 4 starsStarring Matt Damon, Joan Allen, Julia Stiles, David Strathairn and Paddy Considine. Directed by Paul Greengrass. Released by Universal Pictures. Rated PG-13; 1:51. Director Paul Greengrass supposedly joked to his star Matt Damon, “This one should be called ‘The Bourne Redundancy.’” That is funny if not quite true; the director is…
