The endorsement
We have chosen not to endorse any candidates in this year’s Election Guide, partly because we’re tired of this hideous presidential campaign, but mostly because we believe that, given the information included herein and consistently in this newspaper, such choices are self-evident. In low-profile races, the political endorsement is often useful. For instance, if you…
Not up for debate
Talk about the epitome of arrogance. Oh wait. They don’t want to. In what can only be referred to as “The Audacity of Hype,” several of our esteemed sitting politicians have clammed up tighter than lines of consumer credit. They have flatly refused to debate their opponents — and they don’t care who is upset…
Inbox — Oct. 22, 2008
IGNORANCE IS BLISS? Mr. Stephen George, Maybe you’re right. Some of McCain’s supporters are ignorant. But your Oct. 15 editorial has shown me that neither side has the market cornered on ignorance, bombastic language or emotionally charged rhetoric that preys on the naive. Simply put, it reeks of the very same “shit-peddling” to the (albeit…
B–Sides
In Memoriam A memorial concert is being planned for Dec. 6 in honor of Mark Watson, a member of The Marks, The Uglies and Tempus Fugit, who passed away at his home in Florida last month. The lineup has not been released yet, but check our music blog Bluegrass Catastrophe (bluecat.leoweekly.com) in the coming weeks…
Small bites add up to fine dinner at De la Torre’s
The next time you settle down to a selection of tapas and find yourself feeling grateful for small-plates dining, you might want to pause for a moment of silence in memory of King Alfonso the Wise of Castile. Legend says that Alfonso, the 13th century monarch known for his smarts and taste for good eats…
Absolut Dive
The other night my friends and I sat at the Mag Bar contemplating the finer aspects of dive bars. We had been to Proof earlier in the evening and were appalled at the $8 we had to fork over for one Absolut drink. Sure, we were mesmerized by the fancy bathrooms of the finer establishment;…
Sunday Breakfast; River of dreams; it’s alive
Friday, Oct. 24 To record live is to battle odd circumstances, finicky rooms and horrendous feedback. John Torstrick, 27, the engineer behind the new compilation CD Livewire, is intimately acquainted with these obstacles. The first volume contains six tracks recorded live in various Louisville clubs over the last year: a March 7 show at The…
AfterTastes
CARLY RAE’S, 103 W. Oak St., 365-1003. With the arrival of Chef David Clancy (of the late Bistro New Albany), Carly Rae’s is emerging as a strong contender to break the spell of the doomed location at the corner of First and Oak streets in Old Louisville. The attractive and fair-priced casual bistro offers a…
Staffpicks
Oct. 22-26 Two ’tunities to laugh When “30 Rock” creator Tina Fey said, “Bitch is the new black,” her co-star and friend Tracy Morgan returned to his SNL role to respond, “Black is the new president, bitch.” Morgan, star of television (“30 Rock,” “Crank Yankers”) and such films as “First Sunday,” returns to his stand-up…
Opera updates classic, comedic ‘Pirates of Penzance’
They’re going round and round over one word. “Stop!” commands the typically British Major General. “I think I see where we are getting confused. When you said ‘orphan,’ did you mean ‘orphan’ — a person who has lost his parents — or ‘often,’ frequently?” “Ah! I beg pardon,” says the King of the Pirates. “I…
The Video Tapeworm
THIS WEEK’S TWIN PEEKS MYSTERY SCIENCE THEATER 3000 20TH ANNIVERSARY BOX SET 2008; $69.95, UR MSTies are no doubt rejoicing to hear that Rhino Records (having become rather stale of late) no longer represents MST3K — future releases will come from Shout! Factory, which is much more in tune with their bad-movie zeitgeist. The first…
Stone’s ‘W’ isn’t as disastrous as its subject matter
(Starring Josh Brolin, Elizabeth Banks, James Cromwell, Ellen Burstyn and Thandie Newton. Directed by Oliver Stone. Rated PG-13; 1:50. LEO Report Card: B-) There’s a scene in Oliver Stone’s “W” that captures the director’s take on the leadership abilities of our 43rd president. With an army of button-down advisers accompanying him on a hike through…
New exhibit explores the art of propaganda
“Propaganda is the deliberate, systematic attempt to shape perceptions, manipulate cognitions, and direct behavior to achieve a response that furthers the desired intent of the propagandist.” —Garth S. Jowett and Victoria O’Donnell in “Propaganda and Persuasion” When deciding on a theme for their next show, artists Robby Davis and Jenny Wingo asked questions. They took…
And now, a message from your provider
Thanks for reading the online edition of LEO Weekly. We are, of course, obliged. Here are some things: If you are a candidate mentioned in this issue, or perhaps one who was only listed as being on the ballot, and you’d like to profess concern about something herein, please write to leo@leoweekly.com in a timely…
Devastator
In an age of ironic appreciation, Catfish Haven ’s unashamed love of dirty, bluesy bar rock feels refreshing, especially when Devastator takes the sound they felt so comfortable with in Tell Me and tries to stretch it in various directions. The album’s opening tracks make use of gospel-style backing vocals, which signals a shift to…
Break Up the Concrete
Chrissie Hynde and her latest lineup have taken a career turn remarkably similar to R.E.M. The 2008 releases from both Rock ‘n’ Roll Hall of Fame groups stepped away from years of calcifying exercises in atmosphere, switching instead to tight songs that often erupt like coiled springs. Hynde breaks right out with “Boots of Chinese…
Squeeze-bot
Even if you are as tired as I am of that overworked lineup of accordion, tuba, banjo and drums, you still need to see why Squeeze-bot stands head and shoulders above its competitors. Leader Todd Hildreth (accordion), Brandon Johnson (tuba), Mick Sullivan (banjo) and Jason Tiemann (drums) explode the cliches of the genre. Beginning with…
Pure Goodness
For those who enjoy frolicking guitar riffs, lengthy instrumental solos, rhythmic, bouncy melodies and soulful vocals with a side of pleasant harmonies, look no further. Fully steeped in the influences of Southern rock and blues, this album ties the common threads of those elements and never ceases to keep the listener engaged. It’s a treat…
Street sense
It is the calling card of mainstream media: The “man on the street” (or perhaps more perfectly described as “person on the street”) interview, typically a shrewd and silly chunk of reportage meant to convey to the news consumer the sentiment of the public on a given issue but, naturally, more often giving an impression…
On the ballot
CANDIDATES FOR NATIONAL OFFICE President/ Vice President Chuck Baldwin/Robert E. Thornsberry (Constitution) Barack Obama/ Joe Biden (D) Ralph Nader/ Matt Gonzalez (I) Bob Barr/Wayne A. Root (Libertarian) John McCain/Sarah Palin (R) Leonard C. Habermahl/ Steven K. Miller (Write-In) Keith Russell Judd/Morty Wayne Judd (Write-In) Shelley Renee Upchurch/Billy Joe Upchurch (Write-In) U.S. Senate Mitch McConnell (R)*…
The Metro Council stroll
A STAFF REPORT *Denotes incumbent District 2 Barbara Shanklin (D)* This incumbent once again beat repeat council candidate Yvonne Woods in the primary. She secured funding for a guinea-pig hi-tech library in her district, and is not a fan of gangs, considering the amount of time and money she’s spent trying to increase people’s awareness…
Good to be King
It’s true Katie King has practiced law for less than three years, compared to her opponent in the race for Jefferson County district judge, an attorney with 19 years experience. It’s also true she’s never actually tried a case, and that she’s been reprimanded for her courtroom demeanor, being late to work and abusing sick…
Ping-Pong in the weird 37th
If all politics is applesauce, then, in the case of the 37th District, it’s also pork chops, giblet gravy and canned cranberry sauce. For not only does the district have a constitutionally-troubled past (it’s cut in two, cleaving Jefferson County’s Senatorial district into East and West Berlins), the southwestern Louisville political environment it represents is…
Senatorial services needed
It’s probably safe to say we, the electorate, overstate the impact of our congressional representatives. As members of one of the two major parties, they are most often obligated to play team ball or face some untoward political consequence. Some control the agenda while others ride it. During campaign seasons, in part due to the…
LEO Weekly’s big hairy quadrennial election guide 2008
“… the vote is the most powerful instrument ever devised by man for breaking down injustice and destroying the terrible walls which imprison men because they are different from other men.” —President Lyndon B. Johnson, delivered Aug. 6, 1965, at the signing of the Voting Rights Act. I wonder how seriously people take voting these…
The sequel
Anne Northup is running a little late for her one-on-one interview, but it’s not a problem. Given the former Republican congresswoman’s rocky relationship with this newspaper over the years, it was a pleasant surprise when her campaign agreed to an interview in the first place. Before Democratic U.S. Rep. John Yarmuth — who founded LEO…
What I did for love
I wouldn’t call it my favorite way to spend a Wednesday afternoon. I’m lying on an examining table with my feet in stirrups and a sheet over my lap. As the doctor brandishes an enormous scissor-like instrument, I take a deep breath and focus my attention on the mother-and-child mobile hanging from the ceiling. The…
We hold these truths to be self-evident
I was laid off from my job last week. This took only three moves: 1. The securities market went haywire. 2. The very wealthy, very nice people whom I’ve worked hard for these last six months watched in horror as their portfolio spontaneously burst into flames like some enchanted parchment in a Tolkien novel.…
O, death (or, Let the mystery be)
The inspiration to create art is rooted in man’s recognition of mortality. It seems to me that creativity flows more passionately from those artists who embrace their temporariness and address the universal spark that animates our withering flesh. As a fan of pop music, I think I came to this position very early. At a…
