Which Republican will have the opportunity to lose to John Yarmuth in November? We know they’re all slightly homophobic and think women are inferior, some are global warming deniers and some are just flat-out afraid of non-whites. Predictions? [C-J]

Where do your Louisville mayoral candidates stand on issues facing young professionals? YPAL has compiled the answers for you. [Click the Clicky]

The Kentucky Bourbon Cookbook by Al Schmid is the best ever. Amen. [The Kitchn]

First Lady Jane Beshear may not be keen on her title, but she should be. Because she truly is a First Lady that Kentucky’s proud of. [H-L from The State Journal]

How do you feel about misleading bank advertising locally? [Bruce Maples]

Was it really necessary to place an unmarked car at every intersection between 5th and 34th Streets to prevent cruising? No, I’m not criticizing LMPD, just asking a question. No sarcastic responses, please. [C-J]

Tomorrow at 1:30 Chris Thieneman plans to hold a press conference to unveil his plan for economic development. [Media Advisory]

This morning at 11:00 A.M. Commissioner Tony Wilder from the Department for Local Government will appear with J-town Mayor Clay Foreman at Jeffersontown City Hall to announce an Energy Efficiency and Conservation Block Grant. A Renaissance on Main grant announcement will also be made. [Media Advisory]

Greg Fischer’s negatives are catching up with him and the mainstream press is noticing. [FatLip]

The Courier-Journal received letter after letter of complaints. Even employee spouses are lashing out. Of course, there’s always a few mouth breathers who declare anything non-reich-wing as the librul devil. [They Get Letters]

The latest? Massive ad buys in the print version of the Courier-Journal, which only meemaws and poppops read, and this gigantor ad on the C-J’s website (screenshot taken Derby day):

If he repeats it this mess often enough, will somebody eventually believe him?

Interesting that David Tandy secured the UFCW endorsement yesterday, isn’t it? But we saw that one coming a mile away when he flip-flopped on the JBS Swift fiasco, abruptly adopting the UFCW position. After months and months of beating a different drum. [Just Wondering]

The Louisville and Southern Indiana Bridges Authority will meet tomorrow at 10:00 A.M. at Indiana University Southeast. [Press Release]

University of Louisville’s Board of Trustees will meet tomorrow. Grawemeyer Hall. Immediately following a meeting of the Research Foundation and personnel committee, which begins at 1:00 P.M. [Press Release]

The Kentucky Derby Museum is set to reopen with a major launch party in just under two weeks. [WFPL]

Is anyone else a little creeped out by this new KFC trend of using two pieces of chicken as the “bun” of a sandwich? [Business First]

First Lady Jane Beshear will appear on FOX41 at 8:45 this morning and on WHAS11 at 12:30 P.M. to discuss upcoming breast cancer awareness events. Two of them: Pink Out Day at the Kentucky Oaks and the annual Celebration of Hope luncheon. [Press Release]

Tons of Jack Conway’s supporters are slowly growing tired of the U.S. Senate campaign. It’s not just me. [Page One]

Do you have a living will? No? Download the Kentucky Living Will Packet. Please just do it if you’re over 18. It makes life for your loved ones much easier. [OAG]

Local music nerds: THE PASS will be with Electric Six (“Gay Bar” is hilariously great, fyi) at Zanzabar on April 23. Doors open at 8:00 P.M. $12. [Facebook & Buy Tickets]

The voters of Parkland know what’s what. They said yes to alcohol sales. So much for a couple out-of-touch, uptight councilcritters trying to force their hands. [C-J]

Local businessmen Ward Plauche and Don Blackburn are opening Fresh Produce Warehouse at 4044 Taylorsville Road on April 14. With all the fanfare of the Creation Gardens extension, this news has somehow gotten lost in the mix. Big news for the East End, for sure.   [Business First]

Here it is:

I’m a bit confused, really, because I wasn’t aware John Yarmuth had stolen the peoples’ house. Pretty certain he won the seat – for which he donates his entire salary and votes the way a majority of locals want him to vote – by 18 or 19 percentage points over Anne Northup.

I think that risk is going to work.

Owning your mistakes works in political campaigns.

UPDATE: To all of you whiny ass titty babies out there who are flipping out that I got my hands on this ad… why not try developing sources and working them once in a while? You can complain that I got my hands on it… but guess what? The King Campaign is pissed at me for getting it and asked me not to run it before they released it.

This is no longer Jerry’s Land. This is government. There are no secrets. There are no favorites. Complaining that some “half-assed little blogger” (based on the comments you’ve emailed me) got it before you shows just how lazy you are.

Additional thoughts… What is it with unethical “journalists” who feel the need to trash colleagues behind the scenes because they got something first? Maybe they should consider revealing that they have lived rent-free in an apartment owned by a candidate for well over a year in exchange for positive press. You’d think folks like that would take ethics into consideration if they really want to keep the job they so desperately need. This isn’t a game of “fairness” and you aren’t automatically entitled to anything unless you’re working to get at a story. Goodness. People need to calm down.

While clearly the front-runner in the race, I think Heiner could have done a better job making the ad a little less generic. Maybe he could have referred to himself as a Metro Councilman instead of a City Councilman? And “dried up old cow pasture” is hilarious.

The 60-second spot will first air during tonight’s UofL game. Sets the bar pretty high for Chris Thieneman as he inevitably succumbs to the realization that he has no political might in this race.

UPDATE: It’s cute how a particular “journalist” had to upload their own vide so as not to use our file or acknowledge us. Haha. Guess that’s what you do when you live rent-free in an apartment owned by a candidate in exchange for positive press.

At a time when local businesses are suffering – and while our readership of two major sites is exploding – why can’t we work together and do a better job? Sending a nearly blank email that says “see the attached release” is a sure fire way to get ignored in 2010. (I believe Michelle Jones of Consuming Louisville takes a similar stance) And since it’s just plain text, why not include it in the body of the email?

We here in nerd land love Louisville Originals and consistently and publicly support your organization and non-affiliated locals.  As do our readers. But the less seriously you take us, the less we’re able to help you out when it’s needed most.

Out of courtesy, thinking the matter would finally be resolved after several weeks of effort with a small mention, we chose not to publish the name of the advertising company.

But that didn’t work. Like clockwork, we received more and more. So yesterday this was included in our morning round-up:

Dear Schneider DeMuth Advertising: Did you bother reading what we wrote last week? Is that why you continue sending blanket emails (that say “see release”) with gigantic attached images and Word docs? We didn’t use your company name last week out of respect. We wonder if the company that owns The Brown Hotel would approve of this mess.

That got peoples’ attention. Shortly after that post was live, I received an email from Kerry DeMuth telling me that we’ve been removed from their media contact database. I thanked her, but explained that we just don’t have time for unsolicited, impersonal press releases that can’t be easily relayed to our audience– as has been our written policy for years– that it’s better for us to have a direct introduction. And further explained that any time she thought something was relevant to our readership, that we should be approached via email.

I thought all was well until this morning, when I received this mind-blowing message:

Thanks Jake. Now that we understand your policy, we do have one request. Please delete your Schneider DeMuth Advertising postings on these pages:

http://thevillevoice.com/2010/02/16/tuesday-morning-dept-of-this-snow/

http://thevillevoice.com/2010/02/11/dear-louisville-originals-read-this/

Why would we delete those stories? And who in their right mind thinks that’s how we should operate? I understand not wanting negative press. But we weren’t making anything up and honestly wanted to stress that it was a last resort, as no one returned calls or emails for weeks about the matter.

We go out of our way to support local business and can understand the difficulty involved in keeping up with the policies of various media outlets. But that’s what PR professionals are supposed to do.

I don’t even know where to begin with that one. We don’t want to harm relationships, but when something as important as dealing directly with a media outlet (when you’re a PR professional) gets ignored, it becomes a necessary evil to start talking.

Dear Schneider DeMuth Advertising: Did you bother reading what we wrote last week? Is that why you continue sending blanket emails (that say “see release”) with gigantic attached images and Word docs? We didn’t use your company name last week out of respect. We wonder if the company that owns The Brown Hotel would approve of this mess. [The 'Ville Voice]

Goodness. Am I the only person in the entire metro area who is glad Evan Bayh is quitting the gubmint? At least until he scores a fat lobbying deal, I mean. [Wonkette]

Do you grow tasty stuff in your yard? If not, the libruls will come to your hard and beat you about the head until you do so. [Consuming Louisville]

Our fair city has been a trailblazer. Leading the pack when it comes to treating the gays like they aren’t second-class. Something we can all be proud of. [C-J]

You should probably take a look at this video of Mitch McConnell crying on the floor of the U.S. Senate for 18 minutes. Over his departing chief of staff. It’s terrifying. [Page One]

Jerry Abramson and Steve Beshear will make an economic development announcement together at 2:30 P.M. Today. Grindmasters. 4003 Collins Road. How convenient now that the two are running together. [Press Release]

No, Ed Martin, you’re not going to beat John Yarmuth. And being directly involved in your own “draft” effort is embarrassing. Run for a small, local office instead. Running around on tape with Rand Paul’s former spokesperson isn’t exactly going to win you support. Check out this totally impromptu unscripted footage of Kentuckians swarming Ed Martin of Louisville … begging him to join the 3rd District Congressional race against Communist conspirator John Yarmuth on the Libertarian ticket, so he will split the vote and give Yarmie a 30 point win instead of a 20 point win. [Barefoot & Progressive]

Will requiring prescriptions for pseudophedrine really solve our meth problem in Kentucky? I’m more than a little skeptical that this is our quick fix. Would just create another reason for meth heads to go doctor shopping. A new brand of oxy head. [C-J]

Unlike some “journalists,” Phillip Bailey isn’t secretly benefiting from Thieneman on a financial front. So go read what he has to say about the ad. (I’m waiting for somebody to start telling the story about how Thieneman stopped his anti-King activity when word started spreading that he was bankrolling the anti-King mess behind the scenes.)

My initial reaction: there could be campaign finance problems afoot. Using mayoral campaign funds to promote legislation doesn’t exactly pass the smell test.

The PR firm (in Colorado) representing Qdoba, rather than bother checking out our sites, just sent us a press release promoting some new combo offer or whatever to help Americans be less fat. That’s fine and dandy.

But what gets my goat is that the PR professional who sent it included a personal message. A personal message offering coupons/free product, that is, without ever mentioning that the FTC/FCC/yadda yadda requires disclosure of that sort of thing.

I think it’s unethical to offer free meals/product in exchange for positive press (just as it would be unethical to receive, say, housing from a candidate in exchange for positive press or have the financial backing of a candidate without any disclosure). And borderline offensive when there’s no mention of required disclosure on a PR professional’s behalf.

While there’s nothing nefarious going on, I think it’s important to remain objective and open. Receiving something in exchange for coverage is just obscene in my opinion. Local bloggers and press folks need to ditch that practice ASAP.

What do you think, dear reader? Shoot me an email if you’re so inclined.