SW "Biggest Loser" UPDATE

Another update on the Southwest "Biggest Loser" contest:

Ok, everyone. I'm sure you are sick of my many emails about the biggest loser contest. Well, Forgive me but I have another:

We are changing the location and time of the weigh in. It will be at BW3's on Dixie Hwy, Sunday the 25th of January between the Hours of 3:30 and 6:30pm.

Our Nice Friends at BW3's (Sean Spalding) are giving us our own corner of the Restaurant, there will be Wings for contestants and drink specials.
There is also a UofL game that day. If you want to come out early to watch, come on. If this time frame doesn't fit into your schedule please email me and I will do my best to get you weighed in a little earlier.

Everyone is invited out even if you are not in the contest.

WHAS = Faux News?

Despite withering bipartisan calls for Louisville Metro Government to "Open The Books" and questionable budget priorities amid a supposed $20 million dollar shortfall, WHAS11 TV has chosen to "investigate" the case of some open windows at Police Headquarters. Be careful. This is riveting television.

See the melodrama HERE.

I am not a media critic, but a ten-year-old can see this type of cheap reporting belongs on "Inside Edition" or "Geraldo", and is not fit for a local newscast. Especially during these times of imminent peril and danger with respect to the dire financial situations and empty mayoral promises many viewers are facing. It is, for lack of a better word, chickenshit.

Sadly, this is what passes for "investigative journalism" at the once-proud WHAS11, and is only more proof that the burden of exposing and reporting the truth on real issues increasingly lies with citizen journalists. With the focus continuing to be placed on head-hunting and the corporate bottom line at Belo, real reporting suffers horribly, and fails the community.

Support real news. Support your local bloggers.

Find A Felon Friday - January 16

This week we are going back a dozen years to catch a little weasel that shot and killed Joyce Skees in a Shively bank parking lot. The sketch of this jackass has been altered to show age progression. When/if you see this man, show no mercy.

Let's get 'em, boys!

Bring In The Brass Monkey, He Will Appreciate It....

Okay. We all know it is cold. This raw Canadian air dances on my exposed nerves and causes frequent frustration around my home. My dogs are utterly refusing to go outside, and my paperboy is still in bed, ignoring pleas to deliver the news. Speaking of news, even the Courier-Journal and the mayor's office admit it is cold. What we have here is a non-partisan issue we can finally all agree on. All we lack now is someone to exploit it....

But what no one is talking about is what they are doing to stay warm.

Do you exercise to stay warm? Do you drink whiskey? Do you burn overdue bills in the fireplace?

Let us know what you are doing to stay warm. The most creative might win a prize. I have a box of popsicles in my back yard, and they aren't getting any warmer.

REMINDER: Tax Help Available

I have received an email reminder on the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance (VITA) program, and I wanted to pass along this information so that you or someone you know may take advantage of the program. We all know times are tough, and every little bit of extra help counts. Please consider utilizing the VITA if you qualify, and spread the word!

Program to help low income families and individuals.
Louisville – It is a program designed to help anyone who makes less than $42,000 file their income taxes for free with expert help along the way.

“I am so pleased that Metro Council members are helping us support the VITA tax service,” says Councilman Bob Henderson (D-14). “It is an easy way to help people through the complexity of the tax code and help them understand what they are entitled to in refunds.
In 2008, the Volunteer Income Tax Assistance program helped 7,000 individuals in 11 locations throughout Metro Louisville.

The Louisville Building Asset Coalition is partnering with Metro Council Members to help provide funding for this free service in 2009. Other partners include the Internal Revenue Service, Metro United Way, Insight Communications, Metro Government and many other organizations.

Joining Councilman Henderson, Council members Vicki Aubrey Welch (D-13), Marianne Butler (D-15), Tina Ward-Pugh (D-9), Rick Blackwell (D-12), James Peden (R-23), David Tandy (D-4) and Brent Ackerson (D-26).

“This year VITA hopes to help some 8,000 individuals,” says Henderson. “In these tough economic times this is a big help to people who need to make sure they are getting every dollar available to them when it comes to a tax refund.”

The free VITA service begins Tuesday, January 20th and runs through April 15th. “On January 20th, the Southwest site will open located at 10646 Dixie Highway,” says Henderson. “The service will run until tax season is over.”

The hours of operations for the Southwest location are Monday, 9:00am to 4:00pm through Thursday 9:00am to 7:00pm. The site will also be open on Saturday 10:00am to 3:00pm.

To learn more about times and locations of VITA Centers call the Metro United Way’s 211 number.

LEO Weekly - The Abramson Interview

LEO Weekly's new issue contains the much-anticipated interview of Louisville Mayor Jerry Abramson. Thank you, Stephen George, for making the audio available as well.

Abramson quickly reminds the reader of his optimist/cheerleader role by classifying himself as a "glass half-full" type of guy, but the people have grown tired of "half-full" or "half empty" glass comparisons. Citizens all agree that the damned glass is not full, so lets move on. In this interview, the questions were different but the song remained the same.

We can learn much about the mayor's agenda by listening carefully to what he doesn't say, but first, a quick rundown of what is actually on the record:

Unions: Nuts
Economy: Bad
Arena: Good
Fort Knox: Good
MetroSafe: Good
Otter Creek: Closed

Somehow, and this escapes my grasp, the mayor sees the consolidation of Dow Chemical and Rohm & Haas as a "hopeful" event. Perhaps he should ask some Rohm & Haas employees how "hopeful" they feel about their future. Questioned on Ford Motor Company, Abramson states Ford has contacted his office and has guaranteed to forge ahead with retooling for the Louisville Assembly Plant, as long as Ford is "still in business in 2010." Not much of a guarantee, eh?

Mayor Abramson's plan for Louisville seems to rely solely on President-Elect Obama's stimulous plan. I think that is a monumental, all-of-your-eggs-in-one-flimsy-basket mistake.

Part of a mayor's job is to promote, so when Jerry is in total optimist mode, I can forgive him for not wanting to be a "Debbie Downer". But he owes the citizens a realistic summary of what is going on in Louisville, no matter if it be positive or negative. We deserve openness and truth, not a spin campaign that frames every issue as "Mayor-as-Victim". Part of that task can be accomplished by opening the books. The other part can be accomplished by walking the talk. Mr. Abramson, if you want to be Louisville's CEO, the CEO of a financially-troubled company, then start paying yourself a dollar per year. Show us that you are willing to sacrifice before asking the citizens to do so.

I want to hear your impression of what you read. And as always, thank you.