Have no fear, the November ish is here!

Fall is in the air in the Northern Hempisphere, and one of the best things about November is the November issue of The Last Word! The Last Word is northern Kentucky's favorite populist zine, known for decades of serious commentary, humor, and surprise ending stories.

And when we say populist, do we mean populist! We mean it like a dictionary!

This ish talks about our city's false claims to have covered up Flock cameras, the football coach who chewed bubble gum, a local university's condescending ways, a well-preserved piece of poop called the Lloyds Bank coprolite, TV executives who hated Leonard Maltin, Kroger wasting milk, the wonders of the human memory, another Google privacy violation, and more! It's not sold in any store! (But it ought to be!)

So read it now before a weirdo stops you...

https://zinesforever.com/z/last-word-3880968bf6

Dr. Oz goes Krogering

Today at the friendly neighborhood Krogie-Wogie, I saw some guy who looked just like lockdown apologist Dr. Oz.

He looked exactly like him!

Kentuckians to vote on pardon amendment

Not everything on the ballot forces us to support the uniparty.

Of course, we're not allowed criticizing the uniparty anymore, because that contradicts "official" election results, which are considered infallible and perfect despite the history of election rigging and overseas interference in our elections. But, while a party or candidate can lie to us, a referendum can't.

In November, Kentucky voters will vote on an amendment to the Kentucky Constitution to rein in gubernatorial abuses of pardon powers. This was prompted by the abuses by far-right Gov. Matt Bevin, who issued gobs of pardons just after losing reelection in 2019. Many of these pardons freed hardcore criminals - including at least 5 convicted murderers. Some of those pardoned went on to reoffend.

Even some of Bevin's fellow Republicans took notice, and the legislature overwhelmingly approved placing an amendment on the ballot to help prevent a repeat of this scandal.

This measure would prohibit governors from issuing pardons or commuting sentences starting 60 days before a gubernatorial election and ending when the governor's term ends.

Remember, this measure is limited to Kentucky, so it wouldn't stop Presidents from abusing their pardon powers - which Presidents of both major parties in my adult life have done. But at least governors of Kentucky would face new limits on their abuses - abuses that have turned dangerous criminals loose on our streets. If somebody should be pardoned, the pardon can be issued in a new term or by the next governor. It's only fair that governors shouldn't be able to act as absolute monarchs just for political gain or retaliation.

So, if you're a voter in Kentucky, you know what to do in November.

I need an eye doctor that won't drive me crazy...

I've just been informed that a John Mellencamp look-alike has been sighted at an eye doctor's office.

Have no fear, the October ish is here!

The October ish of The Last Word is now pub, and it's as spectacular as you might imagine!

The Last Word is a longtime populist zine based in northern Kentucky. We offer a mix of humorous pieces and serious investigative journalism that promotes economic justice and civil liberties. (Some people tend to miss the civil liberties part these days.) Our latest edition talks about smuggling Pepsi into a local festival in violation of its "rules", the end of Flock fascism in a local city, the flatulence-fighting "gas station" in a 2nd grade classroom, toys and comics getting ruined by irresponsible oldsters, our recent trip to Nashville, library farts, Colonel Sanders having angry outbursts over the decline of KFC, and numerous recent public policy disasters. We'll also answer the age-old question of whether anyone ever chewed bubble gum on 'Hee Haw'.

Scribd still has not reenabled uploads after the outage of many weeks ago, because it seems they'd rather dance around and go, "blup a bluh, blup a bluh!" But you can still find the October ish by pointing your pooper here...

https://bunkerblast.info/lastword/lw2610.pdf

Nashville is fivish

As some of you know, I got home last night from a family trip to Nashville. Several bunker blasts were detected throughout the course of this vacay, and a case of food poisoning was also had. I plan to include details in the October ish of The Last Word, which may be delayed slightly, as Scribd is taking a while to get its poop in a group after this month's outage affecting uploads.

Also, in the parking lot at Mammoth Cave National Park, some woman bubbled.

A pile of app

What city in northern Kentucky - very close to our headquarters - recently began requiring an app to use its overpriced parking meters?

We plan to tell you in the next ish of The Last Word. Hopefully, the outside site we use to upload each edition will reenable uploads by then, but we're not confident of that.

The city in this story no longer accepts coins or any other currency in its parking meters. In addition, it expanded the app-mandatory meters to spots that previously had no meter at all. Even before the switchover, this city's parking meters were a poor bargain: A quarter got you only 9 minutes.

The choice of a new generation

Last night, I continued my proud tradition of smuggling soft drinks into Rip-off-fest in violation of the festival's "rules." Last year, it was Sprite. This year, it was Pepsi. Many different brands have been employed over the years.

People also beered, which also violated the Allowed Cloud. And the airy vapors of a certain herb wafted along the Newport floodwall.

Ploptoberfest is in a couple weeks from now, but I have other priorities that weekend. I'm my own designated driver, and I have no desire to hunt aimlessly for water like I did last year and be forced to buy from cashless vendors.

Have no fear, the back-to-school ish is here!

This year's back-to-school issue of The Last Word is now published!

The Last Word is an exciting populist zine that makes your face fly off like there's no tomorrow! Our latest ish includes investigative reports on Social Security robocalls and money-grubbing radio ministries. It also reminisces about high school pals spitting off a local skyscraper. And there's some nifty items about bubble gum and disgusting things being found in libraries, local municipal incompetence, a TV station losing its archive, a hilarious commercial for a record album, soaring power bills, and more!

So point your pooper here...

https://www.scribd.com/document/1078929500/The-Last-Word-9-2026

If that doesn't work, slink on over here...

https://bunkerblast.info/lastword/lw2609.pdf

A Grand old time

I'm all caught up posting my recent road photos, as I now have 13 photos up from July's Scholaring!

This focused largely on Covington's Latonia area, going as far abip as Grand Avenue.

You can always beep, and you can always weep, by pointing your pooper here...

http://bunkerblast.info/roadpics/cov260707.html

A fair 'mount of fun in Fairmount

We've just released 14 Roads Scholaring photos from June!

In addition to the 2 bonus photos, this includes 12 items from our little bippus up to Fairmount. We examine a city street that is all but abandoned, a long-term highway closure, and more!

So point your pooper here...

http://bunkerblast.info/roadpics/cin260618.html

5! 5! 5!

Time to put on your 5 face, as we have 5 more new Scholaring photos - all from northern Kentucky!

The main outing in this batch includes 4 photos from a tiny Scholaring in Dayton in June. This is not one of the more significant photo shoots, but it sheds a little insight on the extended bike trail and a few city streets.

So slide on over here for this blah event...

http://bunkerblast.info/roadpics/day260612.html

19! 19! 19!

19! 19! 19!

We've officially released 19 new Scholaring photos, going back to March! The main event in this batch includes a frustrating outing in Over-the-Rhine that yielded 14 pictures. There's also 3 bonus shoots, which should also cause much bippage of navels.

Bip on over here and click on each of the 4 shoots that amassed in those months...

http://bunkerblast.info/roadpics/cin260309.html

Man, is this gonna be good!

The Last Word will have at least a couple investigative stories in the September ish, and man, one of them is gonna be really good!

It seems the Social Security Administration has been caught with its Underoos down around its ankles deliberately providing personal information of beneficiaries to a private company without their consent. As a result, this company keeps making unsolicited robocalls to beneficiaries.

For an agency that claims to respect people's privacy, it sure likes blabbing private information everywhere.

Have no fear, the August ish is here!

The August edition of The Last Word is a banner issue. This fanzine of freedom has now been around precisely one-third of a century, and it's joining forces with The Online Lunchpail and the rest of the People's Universe for more incisive investigative reporting!

Our latest ish talks about a trashed restroom at a doctor's office, local cities rejecting Flock cameras, another far-right crusade against Social Security, a Catholic high school endorsing a position in an election, a ruined concert, bad policy documents by political parties, a school district violating a disability law, the bare shelves of Kroger, a soccer league blocking websites, the National Mall police state, and more!

To fill your mind with the first issue of this exciting new phase of The Last Word, glide on over here...

https://www.scribd.com/document/1067638222/The-Last-Word-8-2026

If you can't read it on Scribd, just bip on over yonder...

http://bunkerblast.info/lastword/lw2608.pdf

Houston, we have a problem

What major American city is now finding its school system under investigation by the U.S. Department of Education's Office of Civil Rights for its illegal plan to segregate disabled students?

We'll tell you in the next issue of The Last Word.

This is only the latest in a decades-long nationwide buildup of violations of the 51-year-old Individuals with Disabilities Education Act. It seems as if this trend has only worsened in recent years.

Project 2029 B.C.

We at The Online Lunchpail want to know why the Democrats are writing a Republican policy document. Here's a hint: It's because they're pretty much Republicans now.

It's called Project 2029, and it's supposed to be the Democrats' answer the Heritage Foundation's far-right Project 2025. But the first plank the Democrats released in this manifesto is a demand for a law barring anyone under 16 from using social media.

Laws like this aren't meant to protect children, but to micromanage and keep tabs on adults, as adults will be forced to verify their identities just to use sites like Facebook, Twitter, or Reddit.

The next issue of The Last Word will explore this a little more, but in the meantime, we'd like to suggest some good policy stances that actually belong in a party's policy document:

• Expanding Social Security.

• Accountability for the disastrous COVID-19 lockdowns.

• Reviving enforcement of the Voting Rights Act.

• An end to the overprescription of psychotropic drugs.

• Lifting of the Citizens United ruling.

And a lot more! It seems like every political cycle brings another layer of right-wing stupid that needs to be reversed, and the longer the party establishment bogs things down, the harder it will be. It's a shame the Democrats think age limits for social media of all things is more important than Social Security or the Voting Rights Act. Just let that sink in.

School flunks First Amendment test

This Last Word partnership is really good stuff!

In our latest investigation, we will cover a story in New Jersey in which a school got a judge to censor a newspaper that posted surveillance footage from the school.

One of the main problems in this sorry episode is that the ruling represents prior restraint against the free press.

Watch for this and other incisive reports!

Sign, sign, everywhere a sign

As our fusion with The Last Word expands, that monthly road atlas to freedom will be offering an investigative report on an embattled local Catholic high school's foray into electoral politics. This report will explore how this flies in the face of a federal law that bars nonprofits such as religious bodies from engaging in electoral campaigns.

At issue is the school's posting of signs that supported Amendment 2 - a Kentucky referendum in 2024 that would have allowed public funds to be given to private schools. This amendment would have violated the U.S. Constitution, and it ended up losing in every county in the state.

As separation of church and state is in the crosshairs of the far right, watch for this investigative report in the next edition of The Last Word.

Another right-wing attack against Social Security exposed

This blog is experiencing an exciting new link with The Last Word, with more investigative reports that will be shared between each project. You can almost hear the screaming guitars and horns. It's like the upbeat late '80s music that you used to hear in your head when someone graduated from school and went on to the next stage in life.

But don't get too excited, because it's back down to business when we do our investigating. Our latest probe deals with a right-wing op-ed by the Club for Growth's David McIntosh and former Ohio Secretary of State Ken Blackwell that attacked a congressional proposal to shore up Social Security. As a bipartisan duo of senators wants to save Social Security by removing the payroll tax cap, Blackwell and McIntosh laughably assailed the plan.

Each of the points by McIntosh and Blackwell is easily debunked by basic facts that are essentially built into our projects. The pair claims that the American economy is fueled by the wealthy so they shouldn't have to pay more. This is false, as the economy is actually powered by the working class. More buying power for the working class is the real job creator. The op-ed also says that removing the tax cap would turn Social Security into a welfare program, though it contradicts itself in the very same sentence.

More details on the Club for Growth's assault on Social Security lurk in the next ish of The Last Word.