Raining on the Tea Party's parade

I can't believe that in 2016 the Tea Party still has a float in the Bellevue/Dayton Memorial Day Parade (as they've had every year since 2009).

The Tea Party claims to be such superpatriots, yet they've stoked the campaign of Donald Trump, who has cheated war vets, prompting public protests by veterans. Trump held a rally that he claimed was to raise money for veterans, but most of the money he raised could not be accounted for. Trump has also tried to shut down New York City street vendors, many of whom are disabled war vets. Trump accused them of "clogging and seriously downgrading the area."

Yet during today's parade, at least one of the passengers in the bed of the Tea Party truck sported a cap bearing Trump's campaign slogan. To support Donald Trump during a Memorial Day event is about as welcome as a case of salmonella on Thanksgiving.

However, while I was watching the parade, I did see a person who was in such a festive mood that they bubbled.

Baste of Cincinnati channels Ploptoberfest

Brrrrring! Channel Ploptoberfest!

I went to Taste of Cincinnati today, and trust me, it wasn't much - at all. The whole time I was there, I wanted to take a nap.

The moment I got there, it started pouring down rain, and it didn't let up for a half-hour. Nonetheless, there was a minor plopping: I noticed someone threw what looked like a big bunch of cardboard packing material in the toilet in the portable restroom. Like I said, it wasn't much.

What really put a damper on the festival was some Fred Phelps-style cult picketing throughout, and roving from place to place. I think this was the same bunch of clods who have picketed Ploptoberfest and other downtown events. Usually, a few people laugh at them, but most folks just ignore them. This time, this "ministry" just kept getting in everybody's way and blocking access to some of the food stands.

I was tired so I left early, and I'll be too tired to come back tomorrow.

Trump lies about crime rate in latest right-wing speech

Donald Trump has been claiming of late that he's the working-class candidate - a claim that's laughable on its face.

He undercut his own argument just yesterday in a speech in Bismarck, North Dakota. While touting his economic platform, the disgraced billionaire declared, "You have to be wealthy in order to be great." This is just like when Bush boasted that he appealed to "the haves and the have-mores."

Trump went on to tell a whopper about the crime rate. He said, "Violent crime is rising in our major cities across the country." No it isn't. It's been declining for 7 years - after a years-long increase. Back when the crime rate was increasing, the right-wing party line was the opposite: They claimed over and over again that it was decreasing, and that it was thanks to their policies. It was as if repeating a lie often enough would make it true.

Everything the right wing says or does these days is built on lies.

Trump operative kept stepsister shackled in dungeon

Donald Trump's followers are all abusers.

Esten Ciboro, 27, is a Trumpthug from Toledo known for his Facebook rants against "queerism" and Target's transgender restroom policy. Now he and his father Timothy Ciboro, 53, have been arrested for keeping Esten's 13-year-old stepsister shackled in a dungeon in a basement of their home.

The girl said she had been shackled on repeated occasions - once for a whole year - and forced to subsist on spoiled food. She also said she hadn't gone to school since 1st grade. The family had been investigated back in 2014, but for some strange reason, authorities took no action then.

For his part, the elder Ciboro also posted right-wing Facebook harangues, including attacks against President Obama and quotes from far-right activist James Dobson. He was also a firefighter once, but the fire chief said, "I remember him not being a very good employee." He was fired after demanding a discount for a friend at an ice cream stand.

(Source: http://www.rawstory.com/2016/05/trump-loving-anti-lgbt-bigot-kept-teen-stepsister-shackled-in-basement-dungeon-police)

I-42 in a bottle of poo

Establishing new Interstate highways seems to have become the last resort by failing state governments to try to regain voters' support - and North Carolina is no exception.

Remember last year when I visited eastern North Carolina because? It was the trip where a person scowled. Now a new major Interstate is being designated in that area: Interstate 42! I-42 will follow US 70 from Raleigh to Morehead City.

Still no bus service to Pikeville.

A laptop arrived the other day...It came to the world in the usual way...

I buyed something big and important - like a big and important person might do.

If I buy something that costs more than a pack of Hubba Bubba, it's a major purchase, so you can imagine what big news it is to buy something that costs in the very low triple digits. Recently, I ordered a laptop. A tiny one, to be sure. I buyed the most inexpensive and basic model I could find - because that's what we coolsters do.

The reason I got it is in case I go out of town any time soon. It's highly conceivable that I'll go on a fact-finding mission in September - and it's even remotely possible that I'll go out of town before then, especially if I decide to go to a roadmeet. I figured I'd need a laptop to keep apprised of all the nifty poo that's going on out there.

Today, the delivery bloke brang this fine device.

I've hooked up my new laptop, and there's not really any good documentation on how to use it, but what's a mere mortal to do? Stink?

Also, while I was out on the front porch today waiting for the laptop to be delivered, some woman driving up the street bubbled.

Carolina in my mind

Perhaps legislators have finally moved on from obsessing over restrooms and tort "reform."

This is the type of story that a lot of you won't care about, but which I find to be strange and scenic: Lawmakers are preparing to approve an effort that would change the boundary between North and South Carolina. The move must be approved by the legislatures of both states in order to take effect.

If the plan is approved, dozens of South Carolina residents will soon find themselves as denizens of North Carolina. To ease the change, the law will allow children in the affected area to continue to attend school in the state where their home was already located, and in-state tuition to state colleges will still apply to them. But folks would have to get new driver's licenses. Plus, if the boundary is changed, it would run clean through some houses and commercial establishments, and inhabitants of these homes will be permitted to choose what state they will be regarded as residents of.

A gas station convenience store was worried that the remap will place them in a dry county, but this legislation assures that they may still sell alcohol - until the owner sells the business.

Some peeps say lawmakers are wasting their time on this, but the problem is that the existing boundary was established in the 18th century and is defined by features such as rocks and fenceposts that can no longer be located. I say let the legislature spend time on this issue, because it keeps them too busy to implement their social and economic engineering agenda that would do significant harm to millions.

(Source: http://www.thestate.com/news/state/south-carolina/article79699747.html)

Local Catholic school implements universal drug testing

If the War on Drugs was so successful, why do areas that had the most militant implementation of the drug war now have some of the highest rates of drug abuse?

Covington Catholic High School is becoming the first high school in northern Kentucky to implement mandatory drug tests of all students. The drug tests at this all-boys school will begin when the new school year starts on August 10. (August 10??? What???) In past years, drug-sniffing dogs have roamed the school.

Covington Catholic is a private school, but that doesn't make drug testing any more effective or justifiable. In fact, drug testing of students should be illegal even in private schools. There is a precedent for this, as a handful of states have prohibited most workplace drug testing. Why should schools be any different from workplaces? The greater point is that drug tests infringe on the right to privacy. There are already laws on the books protecting student privacy - even in private schools.

One thing is for damn sure: This new drug testing program won't prevent drug abuse. I guarantee that. It's never worked anywhere else, so why would that unbroken streak of failure be spoiled now?

Work-for-Less Jamie wins congressional primary

Peep what happend in the Repoo primary in Kentucky's 1st District.

Jamie Comer just won the primary for U.S. House there - defeating several others, including Mike Pape, who was known for his racist campaign ad. Comer - as many of you know - was the subject of a domestic violence scandal a while back.

Will Kentucky elect a domestic violence offender to Congress in November? You'd think it wouldn't, but after a criminal like George W. Bush won all those states, I guess anything is possible.

Clinton finally wins a state

The Hillary Clinton campaign lives to see another day by winning Kentucky by 0.4% - despite not being part of the miserable Super Tuesday that was designed for establishment candidates like Clinton.

To the shock and awe of many, Bernie Sanders was actually ahead in Campbell County for much of the evening.

On the other hand, this could turn out to be a good sign for Clinton in November, since she didn't lose the Kentucky coalfields by nearly the smashing margins as in West Virginia. What this could mean is that the idiotic meme about Clinton talking about coal miners being put out of business is backfiring right in the Republicans' stupid faces. Some predict it's a sign that Clinton will seriously contest Kentucky in the fall. After all, it doesn't make a shred of sense to automatically concede Kentucky to an incompetent New York billionaire like Donald Trump - especially since the Kentucky House is so important this year.

None of that changes the fact that Sanders would still do better than Clinton in November. Then again, Kentucky was so close that Clinton and Sanders may receive an equal number of delegates.

Local GOPer disqualified from election

This is one reason why the Democrats need to run a candidate in every partisan election. If this case had gone differently, the Republicans could have wound up with an easily beatable candidate for a local Kentucky House seat - but with no Democrat to beat him.

Daniel Seifried recently decided to challenge incumbent Adam Koenig in the Republican primary in a district that straddles Kenton and Boone counties. This was in essence a Tea Party primary. But a local resident discovered Seifried didn't live in the district long enough. State law requires candidates to live in the district for a full year before the general election, so Seifried got sued straight to court.

Seifried argued that the date of the election was the date it was to be certified - not the date it was to be held - which would have meant he moved to the district just before the 1-year deadline. This argument is preposterous on its face, since state law is unambiguous on this.

Today, Seifried lost the case. His name will still appear on the ballot - since it's too late to print new ballots - but votes for him won't count.

Tough toilets, Danny.

Kentucky primary looms

Heads up to readers: The primary election in Kentucky is coming up on Tuesday, May 17.

I know better than to officially endorse any candidate after past endorsees went on to do the opposite of what they pledged to do (even when they lost), but just so you know, I'm voting for Bernie Sanders for President. Longtime readers should know why, and much of it is thanks to Sanders's dedication to economic justice and civil liberties.

For Senate, I'm opting for Sellus Wilder, a former Frankfort city commissioner known for successfully fighting against the job-killing Bluegrass Pipeline that would have transported poisonous fracking waste through Kentucky. Much of the press favors the most established candidate, Lexington Mayor Jim Gray, but Gray keeps running away from progressive stances - which has proven to be a recipe for electoral failure. Wilder would have a better chance at unseating the unpopular Rand Paul in November.

Notice I have not endorsed any candidate in a Republican primary in recent years, since the GOP isn't worth listening to.

Bevin's approvals slip to 33%

It just keeps getting worse for the Forehead.

According to a new Morning Consult survey, Matt Bevin is now ranked as the 9th-most unpopular governor of all 50 states. A mere 33% of Kentuckians approve of the Bevster's performance, while 48% disapprove. (Another 48 reference! The Sesame Street jokes just write themselves, don't they?)

Indeedity-doodledy, 8 of the 10 most hated governors are Republicans, with Kansas's Sam Brownback the worst of all.

Bevin is actually less popular among Kentuckians than President Obama is, despite Obama's failure to win the state.

Full rankings here...

https://morningconsult.com/state-governor-rankings

Have no fear, the May ish is here!

The Last Word. It's American know-how in action! Yes we can.

Issue #499 of this fanzine of freedom is now pub, and talks about several exciting things. First, we expose the Kentucky court system's favoritism towards banks and other big corporations. We also talk about people wiping boogers in library books and putting trees in toilets. And we extol the secret love child of sunglasses and eyeglasses.

So point your pooper here...

https://www.scribd.com/doc/312310138/The-Last-Word-5-2016

Sanders wins every county in West Virginia

Don't look now, but the Mountain State may have just redeemed itself politically.

Surprising everybody including everybody, Bernie Sanders has just won the Democratic primary in all 55 counties in West Virginia - of all places.

This underscores just how vital it is for the Democrats to nominate Sanders this summer. The road to growing the progressive movement goes through rural America - and Sanders has emerged as a candidate who will bring voters back into the Democratic fold who have sat out elections for 20 years.

Just think what ol' Bernie would do to the Donald in November - especially considering the Republicans' war on Appalachia.

John Thune probes Facebook for not being right-wing enough

If you're a true believer in any right-wing cause, you can always count on Facebook to promote it. For years, Facebook has hosted a page that endorses assassinating President Obama. Conversely, Facebook actively suppresses progressive causes. After Occupy started, Facebook drastically changed the format of its pages as an attempt to put a crimp in Occupy pages.

Now a former contractor for Facebook claims the social networking site ordered contractors to suppress news items from conservative sources. This allegation was debunked almost instantly. But that doesn't stop fascist Sen. John Thune (R-South Dakota) - the piece of shit who heads the Senate Commerce Committee - from investigating Facebook over the accusation.

Thune has sent a letter to Facebook chairman Mark Zuckerberg demanding - demanding, I tell you! - that he answer numerous questions about the website's operation and policies for handling news stories. Among other things, Thune wants Zuckerberg to hand over a copy of Facebook's supposed guidelines and all changes since 2014. Thune wants all of the letter's questions answered by May 24 - or else something.

This ranks right up there with the spittle crowd's now-discredited claim that the IRS was targeting the Tea Party.

If I was Mark Zuckerberg, I'd tell John Thune to shove his letter right up his ass.

(Source: http://gizmodo.com/senate-gop-launches-inquiry-into-facebook-s-news-curati-1775767018)

Scandals engulf impeachment speakers

I'm a staunch Bernie Sanders supporter, and I'm not one to defend the Clintons. The fact is that civil liberties and economic equality were utterly pulped in the Bill Clinton years. My longtime readers know that, because I made sure they knew.

But when Clinton was being impeached for a sex scandal, 3 different Republicans served as Speaker of the House or as an official designee for that post - and now all 3 of them have been embroiled in sex scandals themselves.

The impeachment effort started under Newt Gingrich, who had an affair with a congressional aide. When Gingrich quit Congress like the sore loser he is, he was supposed to be replaced by Bob Livingston. However, Livingston never got to be Speaker because of his own series of extramarital affairs. Gingrich was instead replaced by Dennis Hastert, who was recently sent to prison because of a scandal in which he concealed his sexual abuse of teenage boys.

Gingrich, Livingston, Hastert - all disgraced for life. Three disgraced politicians, a disgraced party, a disgraced ideology.

Kentucky GOPer convicted of vote buying

Another major scandal involving the Republican Party of Kentucky has hit poodirt.

Jesse Benton was the campaign manager for Mitch McConnell and Rand Paul, and he also chaired Ron Paul's ill-fated 2012 presidential bid. Now he's been convicted of 4 serious federal charges involving his role in the Ron Paul campaign.

Benton - along with 2 others - has been convicted of bribing former Iowa State Sen. Kent Sorenson, who had already been convicted of receiving payments to switch his support in the 2012 Republican primary.

Currently, Benton is a senior adviser for a Donald Trump superPAC.

Trying to lose every state, Repubs?

(Source: http://mycn2.com/politics/chatter-jesse-benton-others-found-guilty-in-2012-endorsement-buying-scheme)

WKRC fails in battle against syringe exchange

WKRC radio in Cincinnati was a lot better back when they did "Forever In Beer Cans."

WKRC - now owned by the right-wing iHeartMedia syndicate, the former Clumpy Channel - has been on a crusade of late against the proposal in Campbell County to enact a syringe exchange program. The once-popular AM has characterized the effort as a "heroin starter kit." That is an outright lie. Nobody is going to start shooting up heroin because of this program. Absolutely nobody.

The FCC used to take a very dim view of radio and TV stations distorting the news. It may be a moot point today, since WKRC has approximately 3 remaining listeners.

WKRC's Tea Party-inspired campaign was all for naught, as the county approved the syringe exchange yesterday evening. Tough toilets, WKRC.

Campbell County approves syringe exchange

Ladies and gentlemen, something has just happened that has never happened before. For the first time in the history of ever, Campbell County Fiscal Court has told the Tea Party to pound sand.

Tonight, the fiscal court voted 3 to 1 to approve a syringe access exchange program to give heroin users access to clean needles. This program has been successful in other communities at preventing the transmission of HIV and hepatitis C, and it also offers counseling. The lone vote to obstruct the program was from embattled Commissioner Charlie Coleman, a Tea Party favorite.

The Tea Party is about the only remaining constituency that opposes it. Campbell County's vote makes Boone County the only county in the area to reject this program.

When the Tea Party has lost Campbell County Fiscal Court, they've lost, period. When the Tea Party loses, the people win.

Trump effectively clinches GOP nod

Well, the Republican Party has finally pulled the trigger.

With reports emerging that John Kasich is quitting his laughable presidential bid - leaving him more time to mismanaging Ohio - this leaves Donald Trump as the only nationally known Republican candidate remaining.

The party of Abraham Lincoln, James Garfield, and Teddy Roosevelt is now led by a right-wing billionaire demagogue who insults coal miners and wets his pants during debates.

For the first time in modern history, we might see a major party presidential candidate lose every state.

Mr. Spock visits Utah

I've just been informed that a Leonard Nimoy look-alike was sighted going through the TSA checkpoint at the Salt Lake City airport.

Maybe he'll ask to see the Captain's log!

Sanders wins Indiana in upset

The right-wing media was fond of touting piece after piece pointing to a Hillary Clinton victory in the Democratic primary in Indiana. But once again, Bernie Sanders has defied the odds: Sanders is winning the Hoosier State by almost 7% with over 60% of the votes counted.

Let that sink in for a moment: A self-described democratic socialist just won Indiana.

Meanwhile, in Indiana's Republican primary, Donald Trump - pissed pants and all - has just sailed to a smashing victory. Ted Cruz has reportedly quit the race as a result - giving Carly Fiorina one of the shortest-lived vice-presidential candidacies in history.

Langley visits Montana

I've been told of a hilarious celebrity look-alike.

Remember the character Langley Wallingford on the now-defunct daytime soap All My Children? I've just been informed that a Langley look-alike was sighted at a Super 8 hotel in Butte, Montana.