News opinion 2008-07-28 Andanh.com

Big winner Mon, 28 Jul 2008 11:44:24 -0500
Memo to John McCain: You’re probably kicking yourself right about now for goading Barack Obama into getting out to see the world. That’s like throwing ol’ Br’er Rabbit into a briar patch. Before you could say “photo op,” the junior senator from Illinois was turning Obama Nation into what looked like Obama World. You said Obama needed to return to Iraq, where he had not been in more than two years, and find out the real truth on the ground. You must have known trouble was afoot when Obama agreed to expand that idea into a fact-finding tour of the Middle East and Europe, too, with a sizeable chunk of America’s news anchors, reporters and TV cameras begging to come along. You must have known it was a good omen for Obama and, as such, bad for you when Obama joined some of our troops on a basketball court in Kuwait - and threw a long-distance basket from behind the three point line. Sa-wish! Ah, for the good old days, you must have thought, when Obama was awkwardly trying to bowl his way though the Pennsylvania primary. Next came the mother of all photo ops in Berlin, where Obama was greeted by a sea of well-wishers chanting “Oh! Bah! Mah!” and “Yes, We Can.” Inasmuch as John F. Kennedy famously said, “Ich bin ein Berliner (I am a Berliner),” Obama might as well have said, “Ich bin ein big winner!” And where were you, senator? While Obama spoke to hundreds of thousands in Berlin, you were doing a meet-and-greet with a few dozen in a German restaurant in Columbus, Ohio. Whose bright idea was that? Were you headed for Europe and lost your road map? No, as you told reporters at Schmidt’s Restaurant und Sausage Haus, “I’d love to give a speech in Germany. ... But I would much prefer to do it as president of the United States rather than as a candidate for the office of the presidency.” As Fraulein Stultz, my high school German teacher, might say, you were trying to make a silk purse out of a schwein’s ear. Did it work? Nein. Neither did the anti-Obama radio ads that the Republican National Committee placed on your behalf in three small towns that happened to be named “Berlin” in Pennsylvania, Wisconsin and New Hampshire. Cute. But, at a time when Obama is putting foreign relations, one of your strongest issues, at center stage, it is an odd time to come across as Small Town John. Of course, when all else fails, try media-bashing. Your Web site has even posted a video montage of fawning sound bites from TV news stars and producers against a soundtrack of Frankie Valli singing “Can’t Take My Eyes Off You.” Clever. But, like the Web previews of the anti-Obama documentary “Hype,” your anti-Obama ad has the oddly unintended effect of making Obama look good. Is it smart to brag about being less loved than your opponent is - even by the media? The media bias charge would be bad news, if it were true, senator. But I think your real problem is worse: You are the victim of a lackluster campaign. I say this, by the way, as one of your long-time defenders. I have a soft spot in my heart for all of my fellow Vietnam-era veterans. And, as history is your witness, you certainly sacrificed a heckuva lot more in that war effort than I did. But your coverage lately has been so lopsided that you’re making my profession look bad. Please cut it out. I’m waiting for you to come up with a grand, inspiring and all-encompassing theme like Ronald Reagan did with “It’s Morning in America” or “Are you better off today than you were four years ago?” Elections are supposed to be about the future. Where is your Big Idea around which you can rally the nation? You don’t have to be all that specific. Look at the mileage that Obama has gotten out of “Change You Can Believe In” without going into a lot of details. The public wants change and Obama has a theme that captures the spirit of the times. Where’s yours, senator? Fortunately, it is only mid-summer, senator. Voters don’t start paying serious attention to presidential contests until after Labor Day. Maybe you’re trying to lull the Obama campaign into a false sense of security. If so, my congratulations, sir. You are doing fine job of it.

At meal time, put Kentucky first Sun, 27 Jul 2008 21:47:00 EST
Kudos to Mayor Jerry Abramson, the judge-executives from surrounding counties and all others who called for, and committed resources to, the months-long study of Louisville's local food economy.

Mayor of 'Possibility City' comes calling Sun, 27 Jul 2008 21:47:00 EST
The mayor of Possibility City shows up tonight in the city formerly known as America's Next Great City. Louisville Mayor Jerry Abramson is bringing bourbon and Kentucky Derby tickets to Tampa to help sell former Kentuckians on returning home.

Efficiency standards Sun, 27 Jul 2008 21:48:00 EST
Thursday's front-page story on the 45-mpg Ford vehicles sold in Europe elicited rage in me. The only thing missing was a parallel column of congressional representatives whining about how they can't ask the auto industry for higher fuel standards.

Contractor: No mystery behind one-bid contracts Sun, 27 Jul 2008 21:49:00 EST
The Courier-Journal's June 29 article "Companies capitalize on paving contracts" and the July 2 editorial on the subject are cause for response and correction.

'Fair trial' Sun, 27 Jul 2008 21:49:00 EST
As a 24-year member of Jefferson County Teachers Association, I take offense at the way the rejected contract extension story is being played by the media.

'Perplexed' by lawsuit Sun, 27 Jul 2008 21:49:00 EST
As a taxpayer of Metro Louisville, I am perplexed as to why teachers who have not lived up to their contracts should sue the Jefferson County Public Schools to reclaim their jobs.

Wall Street got drunk... Sun, 27 Jul 2008 21:27:00 EST

Sadly, people equate accent, ignorance Mon, 28 Jul 2008 02:29 EDT

I hope the University of Kentucky isn't spending very much money on the speech professor's study of whether people with an .Appalachian. accent and grammar are less employable. All of us from Appalachia already know the answer.

It's .Yes!. in bold-face letters.

But the Herald-Leader's resources for its article about the study are a bit shaky. The reporter quotes several university professors, most of whom wouldn't know Appalachian speech if they heard it, then quotes a native of Nelson County, which would be very offended to be labeled Appalachian, on the problems he had when he went off to school in California. Another interviewee was from Glasgow in Western Kentucky.

Near the end, there was a quote from somebody from Harlan, and there's no doubt that Harlan County is Appalachian.

Don't ignore good news about juvenile justice Mon, 28 Jul 2008 02:29 EDT

It is no secret that in recent years, Kentucky ranked second worst in the nation for its high number of youth held in secure detention, in large part due to outdated state laws and procedures.

From 2004 to 2006, more than 4,300 Kentucky youth were ordered into secure detention by judges for violations of valid court orders alone, on status offenses which would not even be criminal conduct if committed by an adult.

In the flurry of newspaper articles regarding the need to reform Kentucky's juvenile justice system, an important and poignant fact has been lost among the accusations and posturing. For instance, Terry Brooks, director of Kentucky Youth Advocates, has asserted that the time for change and public support is now. What he fails to recognize is that change has already arrived.

On April 2, Gov. Steve Beshear signed into law House Bill 384, enacting sweeping reforms in the treatment of juvenile status offenders and .non-offenders,. children who are declared dependent, neglected or abused. This bill passed, in part, due to the persistence and rare joint effort between state lawmakers; the Justice and Public Safety Cabinet and Department of Juvenile Justice; the Cabinet for Health and Family Services and Department of Community Based Services; and the Administrative Office of the Courts.

YOUR VIEW: Field names inspire proud response
Recently I had the opportunity to attend league baseball games at the Beaver Trail Complex.

Chinese Dir