Kidwell humiliated in "no confidence" vote

It just keeps getting worse for embattled Campbell County Sheriff Jeff Kidwell - a Tea Party favorite.

After Kidwell falsely claimed to have 18 years of experience in the sheriff's department - a claim that appeared in a law enforcement magazine - both of the county's Fraternal Order of Police chapters have approved a "no confidence" vote against him. One of the chapters approved such a resolution by a vote of 24 to 6.

Kidwell - sporting a Kim Jong-un hairstyle - offered a strange defense in a TV interview. His excuse is that he didn't write the magazine article that repeated his own bogus claim.

The besieged lawman says the FOP's "no confidence" votes are part of a conspiracy to elect a Democrat in the fall. This despite the fact that Kidwell has a challenger in the Republican primary. Besides that, police tend to be a rather conservative bunch.

If Jeff Kidwell remains sheriff after the next election, there must be something truly wrong with people.

(Source: http://www.local12.com/news/features/top-stories/stories/fop-lodges-vote-no-confidence-against-sheriff-11521.shtml)

Lawn Chair Quarterback: "Miracle Man"

Tim talks about a man who should have been President, but wasn't (due to the right-wing media's lies)...

Kentucky to give more bailouts to private schools

Not long ago, Campbell County was one of only 3 counties in Kentucky that spent taxpayer dollars on private school transport. Now this unconstitutional handout has spread to 23 counties - and it's about to get even worse.

Kentucky taxpayers have spent almost $18 million on buses for private schools over the past 6 years - even as funding for public schools has been slashed. Right-wing legislators recently voted to increase this subsidy by 17%.

This not only violates the U.S. Constitution, but also the Kentucky Constitution, which is even more specific. The Kentucky Constitution prohibits taxpayer funding of "any church, sectarian or denominational school."

Maddeningly, these private schools that receive taxpayer money are exempt from paying taxes!

The executive director of the Catholic Conference of Kentucky says the subsidies are justified because private school parents "don't want their kids to be in a government school, brainwashed by secularism." Then why accept government money for transport?

And here's the most shocking part. Because Lexington's Fayette County is not among those that participates in these handouts, Tea Party followers are accusing the city of being anti-Catholic. Seriously, they said that.

This is why Kentucky can't have nice things.

I think it's time for a lawsuit - coupled with efforts by our cities to enforce the Constitution, even if it means blockading buses.

(Source: http://www.kentucky.com/2014/05/03/3225667/kentucky-spending-millions-on.html)

Lawn Chair Quarterback: "'Right-To-Work' Laws Are A Lie"

Tim discusses the signage for Occupy Cincinnati's May Day march (and the LAP bunker blast that filled the air at the library)...

Tea Party warlords set up checkpoints in Nevada town

After what was literally a coup inspired by racist rancher Cliven Bundy, legitimate governance has not returned to Bunkerville, Nevada.

The Tea Party has taken over the town. As part of this putsch, their right-wing mercenaries now patrol the community and have set up checkpoints to stop and harass anyone they feel like. These armed men have demanded that residents explain their activities. They even harassed townsfolk who were going to church on Easter.

If these Tea Party thugs ever stopped me just for going about my business, their bullshit would come to an end right quick. I don't put up with garbage like that. They're not the police, so they have no business commanding anyone to do anything. I sure as hell wouldn't be afraid of these criminals.

It also turns out that they threatened to kill hotel workers who allowed BLM rangers to lodge at their inn.

Try pulling this shit in my town. I dare you. (The only thing I'd be worried about is that Jeff Kidwell would probably support it!)

(Source: http://www.politico.com/magazine/story/2014/04/the-not-so-jolly-rancher-106117_Page3.html)

Toyota jobs leave GOP area

With the news that Toyota is moving 1,600 jobs out of Erlanger, Republican officials are already pointing fingers at "the liberals."

Is that a fact, Repubs? It just so happens that almost every county official in Kenton and Boone counties is a Republican. Where were their efforts to keep Toyota from moving out?

Where were Mitch McConnell, Rand Paul, and Thomas Massie?

Where were the state lawmakers who represent that part of town - all of whom are also Republican?

Long story short: Almost every government official in that part of the area is Republican, but they have done absolutely zero to stem the job losses. I'm old enough to remember when the GOP cost Campbell County a much-needed economic bonanza by scuttling the Cincinnati Spiders proposal, and now the rest of the area is finding out what it's like.

Tide turns against...lowfat milk

Say, what would this blog be without a good old-fashioned food story every now and then? Just looking out for you and your family!

I'll never forget the Andy Rooney segment back in 2005 that angrily lamented the declining quality of milk. "Can't tell some of it from Diet Coke," he declared...



Now everyone else finally seems to be demanding better milk, and surely there must be some worrywart somewhere who thinks this is a sign of society's ruin.

I try to avoid lowfat mayonnaise, because the fat is substituted with artificial cellulose gel. Now researchers in at least 3 different studies say whole milk is actually healthier than lowfat milk. The findings have been published in the European Journal Of Nutrition, the Scandinavian Journal Of Primary Health Care, and the Archives Of Diseases In Childhood. It could be that whole milk is more filling and prevents overindulging. Or it could be that milkfat improves metabolism.

Indeedity-doodledy, consumers are switching back to whole milk, after years of favoring watery lowfat varieties. The CEO of Organic Valley - a cooperative of farmers - said sales of whole milk are up 10%, while skim milk sales are down.

Hopefully, science will win before whole milk is completely banned. It's a shame the Kentucky Farm Bureau is so busy trying to enact right-wing legislation like "right-to-work" that it doesn't care about something like this.

(Source: http://www.npr.org/blogs/thesalt/2014/02/12/275376259/the-full-fat-paradox-whole-milk-may-keep-us-lean)

Lawn Chair Quarterback: "Armchair Storm Chasing"

Tim talks about the latest craze that's sweeping the world...

Man who lost job for supporting Democrat gets better job

Kentuckians who dissent from Republican tyranny usually learn awfully quick that it's best to keep silent if they want to keep their job. I know this firsthand. It doesn't shut me up, and it's too late for me anyway, but you better believe I know it.

But Charles Booker, a 29-year-old employee of Kentucky's Legislative Research Commission, didn't know it until it was too late. Booker appeared in a campaign ad for Alison Lundergan Grimes - the Democratic frontrunner against the embattled Mitch McConnell. In February, the LRC fired him because he supported the Democrat. It turned out that Republican lawmakers had pressured the LRC into firing Booker.

But now Booker has just landed a job that pays better than the one he was fired from. So the joke's on the GOPstapo.

Here's the most mind-numbing part: The Republicans are acting like hiring Booker for a new job is some sort of scandal. The real scandal though is that he was fired from his previous job for his political views.

Hopefully the next step will be rehiring and compensating all the other folks who've lost their jobs, been denied employment, or been expelled from school because they wouldn't support the GOP. It's a very real problem in Kentucky.

(Source: http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/02/18/alison-lundergan-grimes-ad-fired_n_4809975.html;
http://www.kentucky.com/2014/04/23/3209187/legislative-aide-who-was-fired.html)

Laughing all the way to Red Bank

My latest batch of Roads Scholaring photos is up, and it focuses on my recent Peace Bike jaunt to Red Bank Road on the east side of Cincinnati. You'll peep, you'll weep, you'll beg for more (except there aren't any more)...

http://www.angelfire.com/yt2/lastword/roadpics/cineast14a.html
http://www.angelfire.com/yt2/lastword/roadpics/cineast14b.html

Now the Bengals won't even use the stadium they made the taxpayers pay for

It's bad enough when sports teams fleece the taxpayers for new stadiums, but this is totally ridiculous.

A new agreement with Hamilton County commissioners says the Cincinnati Bengals won't even have to play all their home games at Paul Brown Stadium - after taxpayers have been forced to pay for the stadium for years. Under this deal, the Bengals now only have to play 7 home games per year in Cincinnati. They get to play the other game in an overseas location, most likely London.

Playing in London is their idea of a "home" game? Seriously? What good does that do for the long-ailing Cincinnati area economy? Supposedly, the new agreement lets General Electric build nearby, but much of the economic gain from GE would be offset by the Bengals moving their games abroad.

Then again, Hamilton County commissioners always give the Bengals whatever they want, so is this really surprising?

(Source: http://profootballtalk.nbcsports.com/2014/04/17/new-stadium-deal-gives-bengals-the-green-light-to-host-games-in-london)

Lawn Chair Quarterback: "WRFN Memories"

Tim reminisces about the radio station at NKU, which was obsessed with Rick Springfield and Kenny Loggins (before it became obsessed with Air Supply and Neil Diamond)...

Charges dropped against South Fayette student

After right-wing officials in Pennsylvania's South Fayette School District filed bogus wiretapping charges against a high school student who secretly recorded harassment he suffered - charges that were later reduced to disorderly conduct, for which he was convicted - the case has now taken a turn for the better.

After he decided to appeal the conviction, authorities have now dropped the case altogether. The DA's office said, "The behavior does not rise to the level of a citation." That's their way of saying the student never should have been charged in the first place.

Democratic State Rep. Jesse White plans to introduce a bill that would specifically allow students to record the harassment they endure.

America's schools are largely run by right-wing fascists who connive with the prison industry and other mucketymucks to destroy kids' lives.

(Source: http://www.post-gazette.com/local/west/2014/04/16/Charge-against-student-who-recorded-alleged-bullying-will-be-dropped/stories/201404160165)

St. Louiseein' is St. Louibelievin'

You'll peep.

You'll weep.

If you're lucky, you might even oggle-beep!

I've posted 146 Roads Scholaring photos and videos from last month's roadmeet to end all roadmeets in St. Louis (which Greyhound almost ruined). I've divided them into 6 parts, and you're gonna view every last smidgen of them if it's the last thing you ever do...

http://www.angelfire.com/yt2/lastword/roadpics/stlouis14a.html
http://www.angelfire.com/yt2/lastword/roadpics/stlouis14b.html
http://www.angelfire.com/yt2/lastword/roadpics/stlouis14c.html
http://www.angelfire.com/yt2/lastword/roadpics/stlouis14d.html
http://www.angelfire.com/yt2/lastword/roadpics/stlouis14e.html
http://www.angelfire.com/yt2/lastword/roadpics/stlouis14f.html

Religious freedom lawyer dies

Sorry to report the death of Edwin Kagin, a local attorney who championed religious freedom cases. Kagin died late last month at the age of 73.

Kagin ran for Kentucky Supreme Court back in 1998 against a conservative incumbent. He also ran for Kentucky Senate in 2000. In his later years, he continued to be a strong advocate of separation of church and state.

Although he lived in Union, Kentucky, the local press did not cover his death - though the New York Times did:

http://www.nytimes.com/2014/04/09/us/politics/edwin-kagin-atheist-who-battled-religion-in-public-sphere-dies-at-73.html

The only law in Bunkerville

Tea Party wunderkind Cliven Bundy and his followers are now effectively the only law in Bunkerville, Nevada. Why? Because the Bureau of Land Management has surrendered to his self-righteous temper tantrum.

For 21 years, the wealthy Bundy has refused to pay grazing fees for his huge ranching operation on public land - fees that other ranchers are also legally required to pay. In other words, he thinks he shouldn't have to obey the law like everyone else. If I wanted to start a ranch on public land, I'd have to pay grazing fees too. It's not as if Cliven Bundy was a victim of selective enforcement.

Recently the BLM tried to auction off some of Bundy's cattle to cover what he owes. This prompted a Tea Party complain-a-thon in which a handful of right-wing legislators and 1-percenters came to Bunkerville to show support for Bundy. The story was forwarded through right-wing mailing lists and websites, and some parts of the story were complete fabrication.

The BLM didn't handle everything perfectly, so there's no completely innocent parties in this story. But when one of the "peaceful" protesters supporting Bundy kicked a dog, all bets should have been off.

After a few days of this nonsense, the BLM surrendered completely to these violent right-wing bullies. Bundy started a range war - and won, because the BLM raised a white flag.

It's more than just a range war. It's literally a coup d'etat. The Tea Party stamped their feet until the federal and state governments agreed to stop enforcing the law around Bunkerville. The only law there now is Tea Party law.

One of the hallmarks of government is its ability to enforce the law. I support civil liberties, and I will fight to the death for my rights. But I also have a right to expect the government to carry out its basic charges - which it won't do in Bunkerville. The government has given up its powers in an entire town to a small gang of right-wing fanatics.

Cliven Bundy's antics would have never been tolerated in the Old West. What would the Gum Fighter in the old Hubba Bubba commercials think if some rancher decided he should be exempt from the laws that everyone else has to follow?

What message is the BLM sending by surrendering? Now any statist lunatic anywhere in the entire country can gather 5 right-wing thugs together, kick a dog, and yell about how they refuse to obey the law - because they now know that the government will just let it go. And presto! Once that happens, they run they show. And they know it.

A Tea Party coup. Coming to a town near you.

Kmart is your bubbling store...Where your bubbling buys you more...

Now that the Kmart in Newport is closing after 35 years, I don't know of a single Kmart remaining in the area. So I just had to use the above headline now, since it's unlikely that I will ever again witness anyone bubbling at a Kmart (and haven't in years, or else I would have used that headline by now).

Bush ripped his paintings off Google

Right-wing former dictator George W. Bush ran the most tyrannical, corrupt, and scandal-ridden administration in American history. No question about it.

Not long ago, it was revealed that Bush spends his retirement years producing paintings of world leaders. This revelation was a slap in the face to the many veterans of the Iraq War (which Bush started) who lost their arms or legs or even their eyesight in battle.

Now - as Bush's paintings are being displayed in Dallas - art critics note that all he did was just copy his paintings off Google. Usually, the paintings were copied from the very first result on Google Images. He even copied a picture of his own daddy, right-wing former dictator George H.W. Bush, instead of getting ol' Pops to pose for him.

Nice to know Bush has mastered paint-by-numbers. I guess he hasn't mastered copyright law. Or any law. It's a shame that waste of carbon isn't in prison for his war crimes.

(Source: http://www.nzherald.co.nz/international-politics/news/article.cfm?c_id=1503226&objectid=11235682)

Harassment victim charged with wiretapping

Lawn Chair Quarterback: "Luis Is Cool"

Tim praises a long-running character on 'Sesame Street'...

Have no fear, the April ish is here!

Once again, The Last Word is busting its butt to churn out another issue, and this is a special one. It's a "PLANES, TRAINS, AND BUSES" edition!!!

That's right, peepos! This ish is all about mass transport - including a recent bus trip from hell! While much of this edition is a mind-blowing critique of the likes of Greyhound and Delta, there's so much more! There's even another hilarious poo-poo story!

So point your pooper here...

http://www.scribd.com/doc/217153501/The-Last-Word-4-2014

Millionaire who abused welfare gave to GOP

Welp, here's this hour's Republican scandal.

Colin Chisholm III and his wife Andrea Chisholm are a wealthy Minnesota couple who fraudulently collected welfare although they didn't need it. Over a period of 7 years, these con artists took $167,000 in welfare from 2 different states. They even collected welfare from both states at the same time! This despite the fact that they had over $3 million in the bank and lived a life of luxury.

When there's smoke, there's fire. It turns out that Mr. Chisholm has donated $1,250 to Republican campaign funds, including the hated National Republican Senatorial Committee.

Of course, the pop-up media has not covered this. It'll spoil the narrative, you see.

(Source: http://www.dailykos.com/story/2014/04/07/1290381/-Fraudster-who-took-welfare-while-living-a-life-of-luxury-donated-1-250-to-GOP-related-groups)

Another "family values" congressman caught in extramarital encounter

This guy's been in office for only 5 months, and he's already proving what a hypocrite he is.

Right-wing Rep. Vance McAllister (R-Louisiana) campaigned on a "family values" platform in a special election last year. Now he's been caught in an extramarital encounter with a congressional aide.

Oops.

Diet soda linked to heart disease

Here's another story that The Media is never going to touch ever again after today.

Yet another study has found ill effects from diet soft drinks. This study says that women who drink 2 or more diet sodas a day are 30% more likely to suffer a heart attack or cardiovascular event - and 50% more likely to die. It also says that those who drink the most diet beverages were more likely to get diabetes or high blood pressure.

NBC reports, "The findings, being presented at a meeting of the American College of Cardiology, don't suggest that the drinks themselves are killers." Uh, yes they do, NBC. That's exactly what the findings suggest. Literacy is the key to many doors.

Remember this the next time some zillionaire wants to pass a beverage tax that exempts diet soda and acts like it's some great public health revolution.

(Source: http://www.cnbc.com/id/101536768)

Wisconsin GOP covered up sex assault claim

Sen. Ron Johnson and the Republican Party of Wisconsin are in trouble deep. That is, unless this scandal gets swept under the rug by the shit-eating media like most other recent GOP scandals.

Johnson and the Wisconsin GOP covered up sexual assault allegations 3 years ago. That was when State Rep. Bill Kramer was accused of sexually assaulting a Johnson aide. Johnson and other Republican officials were informed of the incident, but they refused to report it to police.

Now more allegations against Kramer have surfaced - resulting in felony charges against him. But in the meantime, Republicans (many of whom already knew about the earlier accusation) chose Kramer as majority leader.

In the original allegation, Kramer is accused of shoving the victim against a car, forcibly kissing her, and putting his hands up her shirt. Then - while inside a car - the lawmaker allegedly locked the doors, kissed the victim again, grabbed her groin, and tried looking down her shirt.

Ron Johnson needs to be expelled from the Senate over the cover-up. That, plus he stole the election, so he never should have been seated in the first place. It's not too surprising that Johnson would cover up an incident like this, because he once testified against a Wisconsin bill that would have required religious bodies to pay damages for sexually abusing children.

(Source: http://www.jsonline.com/news/ron-johnson-did-not-tell-police-of-assault-allegations-three-years-ago-b99240536z1-253954591.html)

Lawn Chair Quarterback: "Library Farts"

Tim celebrates National Library Week (April 13-19) by reminiscing about the hilarity of people passing gas at the libe...

This is bubbling season

Today at Kroger, a person bubbled.

Tim zings USA Today!

Boom goes the bubble gum. The Affordable Care Act has now met the original prediction of 7 million sign-ups on the private insurance exchanges.

Here's an amusing little story I intentionally sat on for months - because I knew there'd be better days ahead to spring it.

Back in November - during the darkest throes of The Media's complain-a-thon against the ACA website - USA Today ran an article titled "Obamacare credibility going up in smoke." I responded to it, saying, "I think USA Today's credibility just went up in smoke."

Who's laughing now? Not USA Today. The government had originally predicted 7 million private insurance enrollees. This was a forecast, not a requirement, but it was perceived as a goal to measure the law's success. Later, the prediction had to be scaled back to 6 million, because the right-wing media squandered the entire first month of the exchanges' rollout by incessantly whining about it. But now it's reached 7 million after all, and may reach 8 million once all the sign-ups are counted.

I knew the day would come in which I could rub USA Today's noses in their own fetid excrement. I had absolute confidence in it. This must be humiliating for them.

I still hope the next step is single payer health care. Remember, the ACA was a disappointment when it passed - only because it didn't go far enough.

It's the Cincinnati Reds playin' basteball again!

Now that the bleeding from Friday has halted for now, I went to the Opening Day parade in Cincinnati today!

Dave Concepción was there, and his presence brang back a fond memory of the 1988 Reds season. That was when Concepción became so angry during an away game in San Francisco that he uprooted first base and threw it. Following his tantrum, Concepción said of his own actions, "I think a lot of people enjoyed it. I think a lot of people think it was a classic."

Celebrity look-alikes abounded today. During the course of the parade, I saw people who resembled Glenn Beck, Morgan Freeman, Debbie Harry, Abe Vigoda, and John Edwards. I'm pretty sure a couple of the aforementioned celebrity look-alikes had been sighted at other events like this.

Also, I saw 2 people who were in such a festive mood that they bubbled.

Archie ruins a mink

Since many folks don't seem to understand anything on this blog that doesn't have to do with TV shows in which a valuable object gets destroyed in a hilarious manner, I thought I'd oblige.

I was told a long time ago that there was an All In The Family episode in which an expensive mink cape got ru by spaghetti sauce. I later confirmed that this was indeed a real episode. But you still don't believe me, so now I'm presenting the proof...



That episode first aired in 1972. I can't help but notice that Archie Bunker strongly resembled an old man who lived in the house next door to me when I was growing up.

The ruinment of Edith's mink resulted in an absolutely uproarious argument between Archie and a houseguest! That might be even funnier than the actual destruction of the mink, if you can believe that! You've got to see that part!

And yes, the magic word does get used a couple times in that episode.