People bubbled at the parade

This morning, I went to the Memorial Day parade, and I saw 2 people who were in such a festive mood that they bubbled.

DVD recorders will soon be useless

For years, I warned that digital TV signals were inferior to the old analog signals, because the nature of digital signals would cause them to break up. Nobody listened. Congress, the FCC, and the TV industry chose instead to stand around and play with themselves.

Now a new standard for digital TV is finally being developed to remedy this problem, and some stations have already started using it - though you need a whole new TV set to watch using this standard. Now there's another problem in addition to having to buy a new set. Some stations are encrypting their signals under the new standard using digital "rights" management.

DRM is a refuge of scoundrels. It already rendered digital music tracks useless. When consumers transferred their music to a new computer, tracks with DRM stopped working. That's like if records were designed to break if you got a new record player (though Panasonic did little short of that with their shitty styluses in the '90s). How will DRM will affect the new TV standard? With the new standard, stations may prevent DVD recorders from recording off the air.

The FCC has a mandate to make sure radio and TV stations operate in the public interest and provide free service to the public. You might think free over-the-air TV is here to stay. But the FCC is doing nothing to prevent encryption of broadcast signals, despite the mandate to make sure these signals are free.

The Empire State strikes back

Some of you may know that I was gone all week on a road trip to the Northeast. It ruled! It was better than dealing with society's mind-blowing public policy decline that has continued unabated for most of the past 40 years.

My string of fact-finding missions is generally beyond the scope of this blog. That's really Last Word material. However, on Wednesday, as we were sitting in traffic in Troy, New York, a woman who drove past bubbled.

I did my patriotic duty!

I'm planning on going on a fact-finding mission in the Northeast next week, so I won't be home during the Kentucky primary on Tuesday, May 16.

That means I had to cast an absentee ballot! A few days ago, I filled out my ballot for Geoff Young for governor and took the sealed ballot down to the drop-off box at the county building.

At this point, I'm experienced enough to know that it's seldom productive to give detailed explanations for each vote. Never invest too much effort in any public figure. I've seen too many political figures abandon their strongest stances. I also know never to vote for Andy Beshear again, after his botched pandemic handling, his support of a Republican tax bill, and other foibles.

You're also probably wondering why I'm still a registered Democrat after Beshear's many screw-ups. I had planned to change my registration, but I am delaying it because President Biden might actually have a viable challenger in the 2024 primary. But only if poo.

Have no fear, the May ish is here!

May wouldn't be May without the May ish of The Last Word!

This edition is a special '90s flashback ish! In addition to the recent Columbus roadmeet, this ish talks about '90s events like the Highland Heights City Council meeting with the Monty Burns look-alike, a professor finding a mess in a restroom, the Phil's Gum City commercial, and hilarious online trolls.

Scribd is again blocking it, but you can still find this ish by gliding on over here...

http://bunkerblast.info/lastword/lw2305.pdf

A person bunkerooed at the Columbus bus station

Earlier this evening, I arrived home from the Columbus roadmeet! I plan to include details of it in the next Last Word, but it's obligatory that I post here about the fact that when I was at the Columbus bus terminal, ready to return to Cincinnati, I detected the hilarious sound of 2 loud-and-proud bunker blasts!

Idaho bans corporal punishment in schools

We're pleased to add Idaho as another state that has prohibited corporal punishment in public schools, as state lawmakers have actually passed what appears to be one of the most forward-thinking laws on the subject anywhere in the country.

What's interesting in this case is that Idaho actually has one of the most Republican legislatures in America. For a long time, the Republicans were the ones fighting to paddle kids more, but now that's the Democrats' specialty. In our part of the country, it's the Democratic-leaning major cities where schools have lately resorted to more extreme forms of physical punishment. The Lexington Herald-Leader recently reported that schools in Lexington now use pepper spray as a disciplinary tool. The same has been occurring in Memphis.

Hey Dems, how does it feel to be the party of paddling and pepper spraying 6-year-olds?

Michael Moore look-alike sighted

Remember Michael Moore? He was an Academy Award-winning filmmaker. He used to make some great movies, but now he just stovepipes whatever Apple tells him to say.

Today, at the Wendy's in Newport, I saw a Michael Moore look-alike.

Have no fear, the April ish is here!

Because you're so cool, the April ish of The Last Word is pub. Scribd is blocking it again, and won't respond to my support ticket from last Friday, but you can read the latest Last Word on my own site!

This ish talks about a Central American cruise I didn't go on, legislators vandalizing a restroom at the Kentucky State Capitol, 'Solid Gold', the box-eating chair, the downfall of record fairs, and more!

So point your pooper here...

http://bunkerblast.info/lastword/lw2304.pdf

Aunt Edna goes to the bank

Remember that actress Imogene Coca? Today, I saw an Imogene Coca look-alike bicycling through the parking lot at the bank. She looked like Imogene Coca did when she was older, around the time she played Aunt Edna in 'National Lampoon's Vacation'.

I also received a very important e-mail declaring that a Nina Blackwood look-alike was sighted at a park.

It's the Cincinnati Reds playin' basteball again!

Today, I went to the Opening Day parade.

It was so tame and poorly attended that it made the New Year's event on Fountain Square look like a late '90s Hineygate in comparison.

Still waiting for my check from the Kremlin

The Associated Press is completely off its rocker.

The recent train derailment in East Palestine, Ohio, caused an untold amount of environmental damage. There will be cancers and mass deaths of wildlife resulting from it for decades to come. State officials are lying and covering it up.

But the AP just ran a piece saying this is just "anti-American propaganda" spread by Vladimir Putin, and those who make the above claims are being paid off.

Then where's my check from the Kremlin?

Usually, people who accuse foes of being paid off by Russia are themselves being paid off by China.

Louisville relaxes odor rules

Living in modern America means more stifling statism for individuals but almost total deregulation for big corporations. This bipartisan scourge is the very essence of fascism, and lately it's been modeled fluently in Louisville.

For years, a pork plant on the west side of Louisville has had a history of noncompliance with the city's regulations on odors. Residents have complained of nausea and other symptoms. In addition, nearby neighborhoods have been plagued by odors from other sources, including smells of chemicals and sewage.

But now - instead of enforcing the rules - the city's Air Pollution Control District board has unanimously voted to loosen the rules. Much of this change came at the urging of the Jefferson County Attorney's office. But an environmental lawyer says this change gives more power to polluters.

Being a corporation means never having to follow rules like everyone else. In the past few years, public bodies in America's major cities have enthusiastically regimented individual behavior and lied about the reasons for it, yet corporate polluters can operate with no limits whatsoever.

Another funny dream

Last night, I had a dream I went up to NKU and some guy kept walking through the halls and farting really loud. A professor then called the police.

Lindsey Graham wants to start a war with Mexico

For over 30 years, the U.S. has been in war after war after war almost continuously.

Now Lindsey Graham says he plans to introduce a bill authorizing a war with Mexico, of all places. "I would tell the Mexican government if you don't clean up your act, we're going to clean it up for you," the far-right Republican senator from South Carolina said.

Authorization for war would still need to pass Congress and be signed by the President. You can bet your bottom dollar the media is salivating at that prospect.

Old U.S. 50 is nifty

Last Wednesday, I goed Roads Scholaring on the east side of Cincinnati, and it turns out that most of my route followed the old path of U.S. 50!

But, whatever the weather, this outing yielded 12 photos, and last night, I posted them for you to beep of the oggle variety. So point your pooper here...

http://bunkerblast.info/roadpics/cineast23.html

Ah! More photos! Ew!

You may know that last October, I goed on a little camping trip to Athens, Ohio. This event yielded 113 Roads Scholaring photos, so bip your beeper here...

http://bunkerblast.info/roadpics/ath22a.html
http://bunkerblast.info/roadpics/ath22b.html
http://bunkerblast.info/roadpics/ath22c.html
http://bunkerblast.info/roadpics/ath22d.html
http://bunkerblast.info/roadpics/ath22e.html

Have no fear, the March ish is here!

Time to march into March - with the March ish of The Last Word!

This installment talks about the pros and cons of artificial intelligence, my latest kidney stone, the embarrassment of 'Today' stores in airports, a bad smell in a movie theater, the weird wrinkled pages in encyclopedias, and more!

So bip your beeper here...

https://www.scribd.com/document/628360502/The-Last-Word-3-2023

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

http://bunkerblast.info/lastword/lw2303.pdf

Pelosi praises Bush

This recent quote from Nancy Pelosi about George W. Bush is all you need to know about the Democrats' expanding Gestapoism: "The Bush family, it's because of their humanity, their faith, their generosity of spirit, their compassion. Once again, it's an honor to be associated with President Bush in this."

Well, there ya have it, folks. The country's leading Democrat just praised the worst so-called President in the country's history.

Beshear signs Republican tax bill

Well, at least his first 3 months in office were good. They were certainly better than the last 3 years.

Kentucky Gov. Andy Beshear - a so-called Democrat - has signed a regressive Republican tax bill into law. This bill cuts the state income tax from 4.5% to 4% as part of a long-term effort to eliminate the income tax completely and replace it with a higher sales tax to hit working families harder. This comes several years after Republicans gutted the graduated income tax system. The old system levied a higher tax on those with higher incomes, but Kentucky now punishes the working poor by imposing a flat tax.

This is also while some states - under both Democrats and Republicans - are finally looking into lowering sales taxes. So Kentucky is becoming an outlier on the right.

Let me guess. I bet Beshear signed this bill to appease the Kentucky Chamber of Commerce. That's his excuse for everything.

We'd like to see stronger constitutional protections of a progressive tax structure and against regressive taxation. The newly signed law is actually a form of taxation without representation, for the rich aren't exactly underrepresented in government.

More proof we no longer have a country

This is the top story in the Lexington Herald-Leader this morning: "How often, why does Fayette County use pepper spray on students? What we know."

Whaa, what???

Pepper spray???

Can read...Can read...

Hi there! Long time no pee!

I mean that last sentence literally, given the topic of this entry.

For the past 10 days or so - since Saturday, January 28 - I've felt as if I've begun to recover from several years of cognitive impairment and extreme fatigue. I have a theory that I was suffering from uremic poisoning and that it began to clear up when I passed a kidney stone that morning. This condition would have eventually led to kidney failure had it not apparently cleared.

This apparent recovery means I'll finally be able to catch up on my reading.

Unfortunately, I flushed the kidney stone before I could mail it.

Oregon! Idaho! Nevada! Game day bucket go boom!

Time to blow bubbles in your beer!

The first 201 photos and videos from September's trip to the Western U.S. were already released in the last photo shoot. But for months, you've probably been dancing around your den, chanting, "The rest of it! The rest of it!" You wanted the other 258 items without delay!

But now the second and final photo shoot from that trip is up, and you can roll around in its splendor! So point your pooper here...

http://bunkerblast.info/roadpics/oril22a.html
http://bunkerblast.info/roadpics/oril22b.html
http://bunkerblast.info/roadpics/oril22c.html
http://bunkerblast.info/roadpics/oril22d.html
http://bunkerblast.info/roadpics/oril22e.html
http://bunkerblast.info/roadpics/oril22f.html
http://bunkerblast.info/roadpics/oril22g.html
http://bunkerblast.info/roadpics/oril22h.html
http://bunkerblast.info/roadpics/oril22i.html
http://bunkerblast.info/roadpics/oril22j.html

Have no fear, the February ish is here!

An ish. An ish. An ish, an ish, an ish, an ish, an iiiiiiiish! (To the tune of the 'Pink Panther' theme.)

The February edition of The Last Word is now pub, and you can read it and bip! This ish discusses a man stealing coffee from Kroger, people ruining board games (usually with beer or vomit), the decline of chemistry sets, and more!

So blast on over here...

https://www.scribd.com/document/622478759/The-Last-Word-2-2023

If that doesn't work, slink over yonder...

http://bunkerblast.info/lastword/lw2302.pdf

America is fast becoming a police state

There's no hope for this country.

I just read on one of my Reddit forums that an adult was carded at a grocery store just to buy glue.

That's right. Glue. That stuff we used in kindergarten.

Lexington schools lose school board application

In America, school board applications lose schools. In Kentucky, schools lose school board applications!

Kentucky - the state with one of the most perennially authoritarian and generally broken school systems - strikes again! Fayette County Schools (Lexington) has lost an application to fill a vacant school board seat. This seat became vacant because of a resignation in November, and the board must now take applications to fill it. An application was dropped off at the school board building, but the superintendent said that "we have been unable to locate their paperwork anywhere in the building." The superintendent admitted that this candidate "would have been eligible if not for the error by our administrative team."

After my experiences with the Campbell County Schools - and with the abusive behavior of schools nationwide in the past few years - it's hard to know whether the school district's stupidity is accidental or deliberate.

Every few years, we read about some school suspiciously losing students' completed standardized tests and forcing them to waste time retaking the test. In 2018, schools in Bessemer, Alabama, lost the grades of numerous 8th grade students and forced them to repeat the year. The students weren't told they were held back until a week before the start of the next school year. There is no limit on what school districts can get away with, and they always hire the best attorneys to shield them from accountability. So what's a mere mortal to do? Stink?

AAP wants kids to have weight loss surgery

The American Academy of Pediatrics has already forfeited the privilege of being taken seriously, as it has been one of the leading voices for forcing 2-year-olds to wear masks. Forced masking of anyone would have been considered a human rights violation before 2020, and this principle should still stand. If it doesn't stand, it's not a principle. Principles don't change just because of a pandemic.

The AAP's credibility continues to swirl down the crapper, as now it is advocating that children have weight loss surgery to treat obesity. Just a few years ago, this surgery was considered radical - even dangerous - even for adults. I have known people who sadly have died from it. Yet the AAP now wants it used for children.

New AAP guidelines recommend aggressive drug therapy to treat obesity in kids as young as 12. This guidance suggests the surgery for kids as young as 13.

The drug recommendation shows the disproportionate influence that Big Pharma has in the AAP. This story also displays the AAP's lack of common sense. Instead of drugs and radical surgery, we should instead be trying to make sure children receive the right kinds of food and the right amount of exercise. Yet the AAP is allied with COVID disastrists who promoted lockdowns, which discouraged exercise by forcing children into their homes.

The AAP's new guidance represents the further Ritalinization of medicine.

However, obesity drugs that the AAP loves so much have been in short supply because of videos on TikTok - which is owned largely by the Chinese Communist Party - promoting them.

At this rate, it wouldn't be surprising if weight loss surgery is mandatory 20 years from now.

What is the meaning of this? ('Sesame Street' Wednesday)

There are still some enjoyable 'Sesame Street' segments out there that I recall fondly but have never found online or on a DVD. However, here's one we can finally cross off that list now that it's surfaced...

That skit featuring Maria, David, and Bob reportedly first aired in 1975. Bob and David portray waiters at a fine restaurant, and Maria is their beleaguered supervisor. This is one of few segments where Bob had a mustache. I was really hoping this sketch was the one in which Maria spoke a famous line that was repeated for the rest of my childhood. Well, I got my wish.

That famous line: "What is the meaning of this?"

I remember many times when I was growing up, somebody would ask, "What is the meaning of this?" Inevitably, somebody would always follow with, "As Maria would say."

I also remember being somewhat frightened by this segment. The characters kept dropping trays and dishes and falling onto the ground, leading me to fear that they might be injured.

But good for David for quitting his waiter job! Now the world knows you can't walk all over David!

People smiled their asses off on Fountain Square

Last night, I went to the New Year's celebration on Fountain Square. And when I say it was tame, man, do I mean it was tame! I mean it like a dictionary! A big ol' Webster's!

But the TV networks have forfeited the privilege of me staying home to watch their garbledy-goop, because of their totalitarianism of the past couple years.

At least when I was on Fountain Square, I did detect the airy vapors of a certain herb. Also, before midnight, I saw 2 - count 'em, 2 - people who were in a festive enough mood that they bubbled.

Have no fear, the January ish is here!

An ish is pub. Pub, pub. An ish is pub. Pub, pub. An ish is pub. Pub, pub. An ish is pub. Pub, pub. An ish is pub. A doggone ish is pub!

The January edition of The Last Word has now materialized, and it chugs along as ever. This ish talks about censorship of auditing videos, my successful effort to remove a noisy plate from a city street, handing in school reports full of gibberish and funny sayings, people peeing on the toilet seat at a Senate office building, and more!

So scoot on over here...

https://www.scribd.com/document/616966064/The-Last-Word-1-2023

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

http://bunkerblast.info/lastword/lw2301.pdf