Trump regime guts vets' PTSD treatment

If you're a chickenhawk like Donald Trump, you're to shut your mouth about this topic, because you don't know a fucking thing about it.

Under Trump, the Department of Veterans Affairs is gutting group therapy programs for combat vets who suffer from post-traumatic stress disorder. Trump's VA is closing these programs or ordering them to move to bad locations where participants receive no privacy.

The VA is also retaliating against employees who criticize these changes by demoting them.

The department is also trying to replace these treatments with medications that participants find ineffective.

Robert Wilkie - the Jesse Helms and Trent Lott protege who Trump appointed to head the VA - lied and said the group therapy sessions were ineffective. Its participants say that's nonsense. Wilkie had also helped cover up the Bush regime's lies that led to the Iraq War - and he has praised the Confederate cause as "honorable" and has said abolitionists were "enemies of liberty."

This comes at the same time that the VA is privatizing some of its mental health services. Knowing the atrocious record of America's private healthcare industry, that's like turning over our school system to Brossart.

The Trump thugocracy certainly is not patriotic, as it does not care about veterans.

Have no fear, the January ish is here!

The January issue of The Last Word is pub-a-dub-dub, and it talks about all sorts of nifty things!

This edition talks about discarding a broken radio, the 1980s computer game Eastern Front, the POP command in Atari BASIC, my desire to become a pirate, a person breaking an antique beer bottle, and other cool topics!

So point your pooper here...

https://www.scribd.com/document/396459293/The-Last-Word-1-2019

If that doesn't work, point it here...

http://bunkerblast.info/lastword/lw1901.pdf

It's beginning to smell a lot like Christmas

Yesterday, I went to an important Christmas Day family gathering. Predictably, a bunkeroo wafted.

We detected the unmistakable audio of a loud-and-proud bunker blast. It was universally agreed that this air biscuit had a canine source.

People waved their hands to dissipate the inevitable aroma.

Government shuts down. Again.

In case you haven't heard, the federal government has shut down. Again.

Now let's spend the duration of this shutdown arguing about which party is to blame - even though only one party has controlled the government for the past 2 years.

A person bunkerooed in front of Charlie Luken

Today, I goed to Kroger and something funny happened. (Imagine that!)

As I was standing in the checkout lane, I detected the unmistakable bouquet of a silent-but-deadly bunker blast. It was as hilarious as you might imagine.

At the same time, I noticed Charlie Luken was buying groceries just a couple lanes away! That means a person released an air biscuit in the presence of a former Cincinnati mayor and congresscritter!

Mr. Luken pretended not to notice the hovering wafto.

Bevin trails badly in new poll

A quick note before I get on with my day.

A new poll by Mason-Dixon - a pollster that usually leans Republican - says Republican so-called Gov. Matt Bevin is badly trailing Kentucky's Democratic Attorney General Andy Beshear in a head-to-head match-up for next year's gubernatorial race. Bevin is behind by a stunning 48% to 40%. Beshear is one of at least 2 Democrats vying for the governorship.

Only 40% for an incumbent governor? Oof!

Trump is called "speed freak" who invited teen beauty queens to suite

Stand-up comic Noel Casler once worked with Donald Trump on his idiotic "reality" show The Apprentice and on some of Trump's beauty pageants. Now Casler says Trump was a "speed freak" who crushed up Adderall and snorted it because he was illiterate and unable to read cue cards.

Remember those debates with Hillary Clinton where Trump kept making a snorting sound the whole time?

Casler also says Trump invited teenage beauty pageant contestants to his penthouse suite. Casler says Trump stuck his fingers in contestants' mouths to inspect their teeth before inviting them.

You built that, Repubs.

(Source: https://www.mediaite.com/donald-trump/former-apprentice-staffer-claims-trump-was-speed-freak-invited-teen-beauty-queens-to-his-suite)

Far Right arguing with Kiplinger's now?

I'm sick of hearing the Far Right whine about disabled workers receiving government benefits that these workers paid for. If the right-wingers think it's so easy being disabled, why don't they try it themselves?

Social Security Disability Insurance (SSDI) is a benefit for workers who are disabled or suffer a chronic medical condition. It's an earned benefit - not welfare. In all cases, these workers paid into the system to receive this benefit. I'm not criticizing welfare, because welfare does serve a need for Americans who qualify. But SSDI is not welfare.

Despite this, Republicans in Congress have introduced bill after bill to slash SSDI or kick people off the rolls. One bill would cut SSDI payments down to poverty levels. Its supporters argue that this is because SSDI is intended to be just a subsistence program - not income replacement insurance. But if that's the case, why do workers pay into it? Why don't they instead just get SSI, which pays far less?

Now a new article about SSDI for part-time workers should kablammo the Far Right's mating call plumb-bob into the troposphere. And it's in Kiplinger's Personal Finance, of all places. The piece says, "SSDI is an income replacement insurance for former workers with disabilities, provided through the Social Security Administration."

Well, how ya like that, right-wingers? Gonna argue with Kiplinger's about SSDI?

I repeat, Kiplinger's says it's "income replacement insurance." That's a direct quote.

Then again, by attempting to slash SSDI payments to the poverty level, the GOP has accidentally admitted that SSI doesn't pay enough - for SSI pays even less than the poverty level. Instead of reducing SSDI to a poverty sum, they should raise SSI to that level. Like SSDI, SSI is an earned benefit.

It's also fair to say that the government defines the poverty level as much lower than it should be. While the official poverty line may be almost enough for an individual who lives in a medium-sized, slow-growing city, what about families who live in one of America's huge, booming cities, where housing costs are soaring faster than anywhere? Instead of tax cuts for the 1% and big corporations, why not stronger benefits for the 99%?

Independence! Florence! Big Bone! It's a great place to start!

Back in June, I had an automotive Roads Scholaring that surrounded a trip to Big Bone Lick State Park. The event yielded 26 Scholaring photos.

Know what you're gonna do? Peep 'em...

http://bunkerblast.info/roadpics/kenboo18a.html
http://bunkerblast.info/roadpics/kenboo18b.html

Vincennes! Columbus! Madison! It's a great place to start!

Back in May, I went Roads Scholaring in Indiana, paying special attention to Vincennes and other cities and towns. I also examined the new stretch of I-69. And guess how many photos this outing yielded? That's right, 69!

So point your pooper here...

http://bunkerblast.info/roadpics/in18a.html
http://bunkerblast.info/roadpics/in18b.html
http://bunkerblast.info/roadpics/in18c.html

Have no fear, the December ish is here!

This is a December to dismember, as yet another issue of The Last Word is published, thus making your face fly off in public!

This ish talks about all sorts of cool things, among them...

• A kid throwing a tantrum at Kroger.

• My new money-making e-book.

• A person chewing gum at an Abraham Lincoln historic site.

• Shipping companies losing beer shipments.

• A feather fetishist who shoplifted.

• Mister Rogers displaying his middle finger.

• Bad reviews for a My Little Pony toy.

• Cassette singles!

So point your pooper here...

https://www.scribd.com/document/394628924/The-Last-Word-12-2018

Lest you can't read it on Scribd, you can find the latest ish here...

http://bunkerblast.info/lastword/lw1812.pdf

Kentucky GOPer wants do-over because he lost

The grapes, they are sour.

In last month's election, Kentucky State Rep. DJ Johnson, a Republican, was defeated by one vote by Democratic former State Rep. Jim Glenn.

County officials conducted a recount and confirmed the margin was one vote. Kentucky's Board of Elections later certified the results. Now - like the sore loser he is - Johnson is contesting the results by taking it to the Kentucky House, which is still controlled by Republicans despite their rather unmistakable net loss. Plus, Johnson apparently expects the Democrats to pay for it.

Of course, there's no basis for contesting it, because it's been shown multiple times now that Johnson lost. But don't expect that to stop the Kentucky GOP. Some years back, Republican Dana Seum Stephenson was elected to the Kentucky Senate, but a court disqualified her because she didn't meet the residency requirement. Then the Republican-led Kentucky Senate defied the judge's ruling and seated her anyway. Later, however, the Kentucky Supreme Court finally forced her to resign.

You lost, DJ, you big crybaby. Last month confirmed that America has a permanent mandate to reject Republican extremism, and the GOP can count on us to enforce this mandate.

Cope.

Church closed over financial irregularities

What? Financial irregularities at a church? Color me shocked!

The Diocese of Covington has temporarily closed Sts. Boniface & James Catholic Church in Ludlow because of a probe into the parish's finances. Parish activities including mass have been suspended.

It may seem surprising for a church to be involved in any financial impropriety whatsoever. But I know better. I attended Catholic schools more than long enough to know about the financial irregularities that sometimes occur in church-run organizations. It's disappointing - but true.

My latest money-making project!

Yesterday, I released a brand bippus-bustin' new project for me to Make Money from!

Remember LeftMaps? LeftMaps was a set of detailed local maps showing streets, terrain contours, and more. The maps were intended for bicyclists - and other cool people! Now, LeftMaps covers all of Campbell County in convenient e-book form!

And it's yours for only $2.15!

Best all, the maps are accompanied by left-leaning commentary that incisively details right-wing extremism, corruption, meanness, and incompetence that has plagued many local communities!

So point your pooper here...

http://www.lulu.com/shop/tim-brown/leftmaps-campbell-county-ky/ebook/product-23883476.html

Dogs bunkerooed on Thanksgiving

Yesterday, I goed to an important Thanksgiving family gathering. SBD bunker blasts were detected. It's generally agreed that these rock snakes had a canine source.

DHS wants immigrants' credit scores

It's wrong for the financial racket to keep credit scores on people.

It's wrong to cut off welfare for people who paid taxes and rightly qualify for welfare.

It's wrong to deny a green card to immigrants who have committed no crime and meet all the legal requirements for immigration.

So leave it to the Department of Homeland Stupidity to use credit scores to determine if someone is likely to go on welfare. Trump's Department of Homeland Security wants to do just that.

The DHS was founded as Bush's personal plaything, and the department has never let up since. Now the DHS wants to force immigrants to provide their credit scores to determine whether they're likely to go on welfare later - as a requirement for receiving their green card.

Credit scores themselves should not be used for anything - ever. They are an illegal title of nobility. Plus, if we're so worried that someone will become dependent on government assistance, why don't we do anything about the 1% and big corporations that receive more handouts than anyone?

The American Immigration Council reported in 2010 that while immigrants paid about $90 billion a year in taxes, they got just $5 billion in public benefits. It's hard for American-born citizens to qualify for any benefit - but much harder for immigrants.

How about no more handouts for corporations - many of whom are responsible for compiling credit scores?

Matthew McConaughey look-alike sighted

I've just been informed that a Matthew McConaughey look-alike was sighted today.

Bevin bars state from doing business with firms that boycott Israel

The New Hampshire Forehead is at it yet again!

A new executive order by so-called Gov. Matt Bevin of Kentucky bars state agencies from doing business with companies that boycott Israel because of its apartheid regime.

The signing ceremony included Ron Dermer, Israel's ambassador to the United States. Dermer attacked the movement to boycott Israel as anti-Semitic. But that is a lie. Bevin said the boycotters were being "discriminatory" by shunning Israel's apartheid government. That too is a lie.

Bevin's supporters made anti-Jewish comments on YouTube during the 2015 campaign. The Kentucky GOP even used an anti-Jewish dog whistle in one of its 2011 campaign commercials. That's not to mention other forms of bigotry that have run rampant in the Kentucky GOP's campaign mailings in recent years.

And the current administration in Israel certainly does practice apartheid. There's no denying it. A 2017 United Nations report even said so. Among other things, the report cited a "dual legal system" that is unfair to Palestinians. Some Israeli politicians and newspapers also call it apartheid.

This blog stands firmly for human rights and against discrimination, and I'm not going to allow election-stealing liars like Matt Bevin - who have supported discrimination themselves - to falsely claim to be champions of tolerance and go unchallenged.

(Source: https://www.courier-journal.com/story/news/politics/2018/11/15/governor-matt-bevin-bars-business-israel-boycotters)

Judge rules neo-Nazi harassment not protected speech

I can't believe there's any serious debate whatsoever about this. But this time, the court got it right.

A federal judge has ruled in a Montana case that a lawsuit accusing neo-Nazi website Daily Stormer of coordinating an anti-Jewish harassment campaign against a real estate agent can't be dismissed on First Amendment grounds. The judge is right. There is no real legal theory that would protect the level of harassment carried out by the website.

The judge observed that the site's publisher incited followers to harass the real estate agent. The site published her personal information and that of her family members, leading to over 700 harassing messages, including death threats and voicemails consisting of gunshots. The civil case will now go to trial.

This harassment is not free speech. No way, no how.

Wildfire destroys California city

Climate change is real.

It appears as if a wildfire has completely destroyed the city of Paradise, California - population 30,000. This is unprecedented. There is no other instance in modern American history of a city that big being absolutely destroyed by a single event.

Residents did evacuate - but the city itself appears to be gone. To compare Paradise with cities in our area, it was about twice as big as Newport and two-thirds as big as Covington.

Elsewhere in California, other wildfires threaten other communities.

Warning signs loom for rural Republicans

To hear the right-wing media tell it, you'd think the Democrats are urban elites who don't do anything except sip lattes, ride around in limos, and dress up like million-dollar troopers. But I remember when the Democrats were portrayed as "golly shucks gee" rural hayseeds. I'm sure they will be again, as Tuesday's election shows serious warning signs ahead for rural Republicans.

Nationwide, rural congressional districts trended Democratic more than suburban and urban districts did - finally reversing what had been a pattern since 2000.

I also checked a few local elections and found that a Republican incumbent was defeated for Gallatin County Judge-Executive. This was completely ignored by our local media. They just cannot even conceptualize a Republican incumbent losing in rural Kentucky.

But it also happened in a few Kentucky House races in eastern Kentucky.

This rural trend back to the Democrats doesn't seem to affect places dominated by zillionaire ranchers - but it does seem to be happening in rural areas where most folks are of normal economic means and where the Democrats actually had prevailed until fairly recently. This may be a warning of what is to come. But there's a looooong way to go.

It might have helped Republicans if they hadn't let the mask slip by calling opponents a "mob."

Campbell strongest county for Marsy's Law

On Tuesday, Kentucky voters voted on a ballot measure called Marsy's Law - which would amend the Kentucky Constitution to outline rights for crime victims.

I support victims' rights, but I voted for the measure only reluctantly. I had some concerns that the poorest crime victims wouldn't be represented as well as the rich. But as a whole, victims' rights is a sound premise - and perhaps that's why the Tea Party opposed the measure, as the Tea Party always opposes common sense. It's obvious that Kentucky gives more rights to hardcore criminals than it does to their victims, and that needs to change.

Voters approved the referendum overwhelmingly, though it lost in a few rural counties. And Campbell County gave the measure its highest percentage out of all of Kentucky's 120 counties, at 74%. I'm not sure why it did best here. The county's torrid history of covering up right-wing crimes because of the perpetrators' influence in the community may have been a factor.

However, the measure may be tossed because it was vaguely worded on the ballot.

Hamilton County Commission now all-Democratic

I have a hard time thinking of Cincinnati as a great Democratic stronghold, but Hamilton County was an absolute disaster for the Republicans in yesterday's election.

In keeping with Republicans' stunning underperformance locally (they lost our Kentucky House election by 20% too), yesterday's upset gave Democrats control of all 3 seats on Hamilton County Commission. We're talking about a commission that was all-Republican less than 20 years ago. When a Democrat won a seat in 2000 (after the 1996 stadium tax debacle), it was the first time a Democrat had won any seats there since 1964.

Plus, although Steve Chabot and Brad Wenstrup were reelected, they actually lost the Hamilton County portions of their districts handily.

Scott Walker defeated

America did it! By taking control of the U.S. House, voters yesterday put a check on right-wing thugocracy and spite. I have a right to expect it to stick this time.

But outside of Congress, one of the pelts I truly wanted to pick up was that of far-right Wisconsin Gov. Scott Walker. I stayed up way past 2 AM, but Wisconsin came through!

Bye Scott, you idiot.

River City News falls on its face in Campbell County

The ridiculous assertion by the River City News that Charlie Coleman was Steve Pendery's real challenger has now fallen to rack and ruin, as Coleman has finished a distant third. This shouldn't be surprising, except for RCN acting so sure about Coleman's candidacy.

The Campbell County Democrats probably wish they put just a little more effort into local races, considering how close they came to defeating Brian Painter and Wil Schroder. For the record, I voted a straight Democratic ticket. I didn't even bother to memorize the party's candidates, because at this point, I figure they can run a sack of rocks and I'd still vote for them over any Republican.

GOP loses U.S. House!

Ladies and gentlemen, the U.S. House's long national nightmare is over.

After a slow night, MSNBC has just called the House for the Democrats - ending 8 years of Republican tyranny.

I wanted one thing tonight more than any other: Republicans losing the U.S. House. And I got it. This is significant because only the House can originate revenue bills. With this flip, the GOP's plans to gut Medicare, Social Security, Medicaid, and Obamacare are likely dead.

The mess made by Republicans will take multiple cycles to clean up, but as for now, you can blow a celebratory bubble!

Phil Moffett defeated

The Democrats have picked up at least 3 seats in the Kentucky House. One of the defeated Republicans is Phil Moffett - a longtime Tea Party favorite from Louisville - who lost by 8%.

The 2 other seats so far are in eastern Kentucky and aren't even that close. In addition, the Democrats may have picked up another seat in that region.

Kim Davis defeated

This is the first election result I'm able to report tonight, and it's from Rowan County, of all places.

Some of you forgot about Rowan County Clerk Kim Davis, who tarnished Kentucky's good name with her antigay extremism and her trips to Europe to promote right-wing laws there. Well, Davis has just been defeated for reelection.

Right-wing River City News tries to game local election

With mainstream media having abandoned northern Kentucky, fringe websites are swooping in to fill the void, and the River City News is at least as right-wing as any outlet it replaced.

The River City News reported today that Republican Campbell County Judge-Executive Steve Pendery's main challenger in tomorrow's election is Tea Party favorite Charlie Coleman. The site provided no polling data to back this up. The site treated Democrat Calvin Sidle as merely a third party candidate, even as Sidle runs on serious issues such as affordable housing and transit. Not only that, but Sidle was the Democratic candidate for U.S. House in 2016.

To relegate a Democrat to third party status is not only factually wrong, but also part of a new effort by local Republicans to try to convince Democratic voters that they might as well just pick their favorite Republican and vote for them instead. No dissent is to be tolerated. This is important because if the Democrats consistently come in third place, they would lose major party status in Kentucky, leaving the Republicans to fill both major party slots.

This isn't a problem we can just bubble away - though I know some of you will. I'm sure that tomorrow, as you're in the voting booth, you'll be blowing a huge bubble with your gum that bursts and sticks to your glasses. Barack Obama once urged, "Don't boo. Vote!" He might as well have just said, "Don't bubble. Vote!" But feel free to do both.

For the media to game our elections is dangerous. Judge-executive is one of our top local offices, and the public has a right to have leaders who will move the community forward, not backward.

The River City News isn't wrong at all when it says there's "an internal squabble on the county's political right." But if the Right is split perfectly down the middle, the opposition gets to prevail - unless we get instant runoff voting. We deserve better than the authoritarian government that the Republican Right wants to foist upon us. If you want to build a right-wing one-party police state, do it in your own back yard, not ours.

Have no fear, the November ish is here!

Around the start of each month, everyone is always teetering on the edge of their toilet seat for the latest issue of The Last Word, and this month is no exception!

The November ish has been published, and it talks about all sorts of fi things! This includes my trip to Zion National Park and the flatulence that filled it, people ruining Speak & Spells by modifying them, Rachael Ray's inability to blow bubbles with bubble gum, the unending wastage of paper and other goodies, strabismus glasses, and more!

So point your pooper here...

https://www.scribd.com/document/392162552/The-Last-Word-11-2018

If that doesn't work, try this...

http://bunkerblast.info/lastword/lw1811.pdf

Chabot has history of making a fool of himself

Rep. Steve Chabot (R-Ohio) is the longtime congressman from a Cincinnati area district. And in recent years, it's just been endless bigotry from him and his supporters.

Chabot's backers also have no respect for IRS regulations against religious bodies endorsing candidates. A couple days ago, while traveling through Cincinnati, I saw what appeared to be a house with a huge Chabot sign. But when I looked closer, I discovered it was a church.

Chabot is also part of the right-wing extremist plen-T-plaint termed the Tea Party. I'm pretty sure that back in 2012, he gave a classist speech at a Tea Party rally on Fountain Square. I believe it was this event, and in this entry I described how I heckled the crowd...

http://onlinelunchpail.blogspot.com/2012/04/another-year-of-public-humiliation-for.html

I was pretty sure I released a "You lie!" during Chabot's speech, but that wasn't mentioned in my account of the event.

After the rally, a Tea Party member confronted Occupy Cincinnati and boasted that he only hired overseas for his businesses because he thought American workers were lazy because they demanded to be paid properly.

Trump planning executive order to end birthright citizenship

In an interview yesterday, so-called President Trump says he is planning an executive order to end automatic citizenship for children born in the U.S. to noncitizens.

Even with Congress's approval, this would of course be unconstitutional. The Fourteenth Amendment reads, "All persons born or naturalized in the United States, and subject to the jurisdiction thereof, are citizens of the United States and of the State wherein they reside." But with the Republican Right's history of violating the Constitution, who's counting?

What's shocking is the way the media acts as if there's any ambiguity about this. They act like birthright citizenship is just an interpretation by legal scholars - when actually it's very clear. There's absolutely no wiggle room. Anyone born in America who is subject to the country's laws is a citizen. Period.

Trump also falsely claimed that the U.S. is the only country with birthright citizenship. Even the anti-immigrant organization NumbersUSA produced a list of 33 other such countries.

Whatever your stance on immigration, it's clear that the President can't just issue an executive order against birthright citizenship. That's simply not what freedom is about.

GOP should be on the hook for nation's PTSD crisis

A newly released study suggests that as many as 1 in 4 American college students may suffer from PTSD because of Donald Trump stealing the election.

This study was conducted last year at Arizona State University, and it says that 25% of the students surveyed had "clinically significant event-related distress", a predictor of PTSD.

Why would an election result cause PTSD? And why would the other side not also suffer from PTSD when they lose? The answer is simple. Some political figures - such as Trump, the Bushes, and Newt Gingrich - have enjoyed harming people. Their policies are rooted in evil.

Some government policies are not just more effective than others - but also more ethical. People do not get PTSD from benevolent actions that bring positive results.

People have a right and a desire to live in a society where they can be safe. The modern Republican Party has long been the party of violent bullying, and now it's become the party of rape and sexual assault too. When party leaders force the public to relive traumatic experiences, that doesn't just go away like a short-term disappointment. That's always going to be there.

That is why the Republican Party needs to be held liable for what is sure to be a national PTSD crisis. The cost of treatment needs to come out of their deep pockets. I don't care to ever hear another word from some rich right-winger complaining that their tax dollars are funding others' healthcare - because in this case, this would be an expense incurred by their actions. You reap what you sow.

(Source: https://www.al.com/news/2018/10/25-of-college-students-could-suffer-ptsd-due-to-trump-election-study-finds.html)

GOP's "mob" claim proves they've lost in the court of public opinion

When you've lost America, you've lost America.

And the Republican Party has lost America.

The Republican Right has long bragged of support from "the people." Clearly, their definition of "the people" didn't include a majority of people who you actually know. But they said it was mostly only "the media" that opposed them. Whenever they claimed "the media" was biased against them, it was their way of saying they really didn't have public support.

Lately, the GOP has generated lots of whining about a "mob" opposing them. This seems to be their final admission that they really don't have public support. After all, Donald Trump lost the popular vote. There's no ambiguity about that. The Republicans regularly lose the national U.S. House vote even when they win a majority of seats. Half of the Senate is elected from states that have a total of only 18% of the country's population.

For having tried so hard to cultivate their phony populist image, it's interesting how the Far Right has now thrown in the towel by being arrogant enough to act like they're the only ones who matter and that everyone else is just an uneducated "mob."

The real question is: Since there's more of us than them, how do we deal with their arrogance as they continue to impose their will on us because they think they're "better" than everyone else?

New polls dash GOP chances

A week ago, I thought the white supremacist Republican Party had a fighting chance of keeping the U.S. House. But - after seeing new polls - now I think they have no chance. There's just no misreading it.

I know they have a better chance of keeping the House than, say, the Sex Pistols have of appearing on Hee Haw, but that's about it. So let's move on.

They're lucky the Senate situation is better for them. This year may turn out like 1996 - when Republicans actually gained Senate seats despite an overwhelmingly unpopular GOP Congress. But this time, it's not because the Democrats are being dragged down by Bill Clinton mimicking Republican policies. It's because the GOP has the most favorable Senate map that any party has had since direct election of senators began a century ago - and because the Democrats have to defend some of their more conservative senators.

Let this sink in. The Republicans have yet to prevail in a presidential or midterm year in my adult life without cheating. It simply has not happened. Time and time again, America has rejected the party's burgeoning extremism. This time, I expect it to stick. The debate is over, and the GOP's deadly policies don't work. At all.

Paddling now banned in North Carolina public schools

Graham County was the last public school district in North Carolina that allowed corporal punishment. But now the county school board has voted unanimously to ban the practice - making North Carolina one of over 30 states to prohibit paddling in public schools.

Most of the states that ban it have a statewide law or regulation, so North Carolina is among the few where all local school districts eschew the practice in the absence of a statewide policy.

Media ignores Eastern Band Cherokee's positive statement on Warren

I understand that citizenship in Native American tribes is not automatically conferred by biological lineage. And I know that Elizabeth Warren took a DNA test so she could call Donald Trump's bluff - not to gain tribal citizenship.

We all know The Media wants 8 years of Trump, so they've been as rough on Warren for taking the DNA test as they would have been if she hadn't. But they've conveniently ignored a statement by the Eastern Band Cherokee supporting Warren. The statement says Warren "has not used her family story or evidence of Native ancestry to gain employment or other advantage" and that she "demonstrates respect for tribal sovereignty by acknowledging that tribes determine citizenship and respecting the difference between citizenship and ancestry."

This statement also listed bills that Warren has supported that would help Native Americans.

The New York Times mentioned this positive statement - but no other media outlet that I've seen has.

Now watch The Media carry on for the next 2 years.

Oregon towns laugh in the Tea Party's stupid faces by reopening libraries

Remember a couple years ago when the fascist Tea Party killed the entire public library system in Douglas County, Oregon?

This happened after many out-of-town Tea Party activists moved into this county of 100,000. They complain about immigrants, yet the Tea Party launched an outright invasion. Now many cities and towns in Douglas County have defied the Tea Party outright! These communities have voted to reopen their libraries - not as county libraries, but as municipal libraries. Recently, voters in the town of Drain even voted 76% for a tax hike to pay for it.

Tough toilets, Tea Party.

Of course, because of the Tea Party's fervor for gutting public institutions, not all county residents will have free access to the libraries. Roseburg's library will charge folks who live outside the city $60 a year for a library card. The libe argues that this is fair because the cities favored keeping the libraries open, while it was only the rural areas that supported closing the libraries.

So the Tea Party is reaping what they sow by having to pay more for services than the cities do.

Tonsillitis probably fails to ruin Utah mish

I plan to be on a fact-finding mission to Zion National Park in Utah next week, but a sense of worry began to befall me a couple days ago.

In the past 4 months, I've pried out several hilarious tonsil stones from my left tonsil. When I start to feel something stuck in my throat, I just dislodge the stone, and it's gone! No muss, no fuss! I found another this past weekend, but this time, my left tonsil swelled along with it.

I thought the swelling would end when I pried out the stone, but it didn't. Instead, for days thereafter, the swelling made it very hard to swallow. This was nothing compared to the severe sore throat that would accompany a Ronald Reagan supercold, but it had to come to an end before I left. I decided if it wasn't better today, I'd visit the bubble gum doctor - and this ailment would go on my feared Illness Log.

According to the Internet, tonsillitis usually lasts about 4 days. True to form, most of the swelling seems to have gone away this morning.

Will it come back to spoil my mish? If poo.

Media still mad at Elizabeth Warren

Before October 15, 2018, The Media hated Elizabeth Warren because she hadn't taken a DNA test.

After October 15, 2018, The Media hates Elizabeth Warren because she has taken a DNA test.

Well, I think I know who I'm probably supporting for President - though I admit she may have tough competition from Bernie Sanders for my support.

A person bunkerooed at Big Lots

Today at Big Lots, I detected the hilarious bouquet of an SBD bunker blast.

When Joe Manchin fought against entitled brats

With Sen. Joe Manchin (D-West Virginia) ahead by as much as 12% in his reelection bid, make no mistake: It would help him even more if he votes against the disgusting Brett Kavanaugh's confirmation, which every other Senate Democrat has pledged to do. There's no denying that. Rejecting a spoiled bully like Kavanaugh would be the right thing to do, and it would be a political advantage.

Manchin fought against entitled brats once before. Even if it was just a few sentences in a speech, it was still more than what almost any other politician was willing to do. Some years back, when Manchin was Governor of West Virginia, he gave a speech in which he quite rightly endorsed revoking the driver's license of high school bullies.

If enacted, Manchin's proposal would have been the very epitome of justice. For years, legislators and agencies had been falling over themselves to find ways to take away licenses and other privileges from victims - never the perpetrators. They didn't come up with those laws because they had some compelling positive interest to do so. They did it because they were rotten people. Manchin's plan would have at least reduced some of the sting of giving special rights to rich bullies.

Sadly, I don't think Manchin's idea was ever enacted. If it ever is, I'm sure there's some right-wing legal foundation with an army of lawyers ready to pounce about how unfair the world is to entitled bullies. Hardly anybody went to bat for their victims. But with perpetrators, it's different. We live in a society where crime pays.

This is somewhat comparable to an earlier story when Congress voted on a commonsense bill to stop schools from overprescribing Ritalin. One of very few legislators to vote against the bill was one who was ostensibly more liberal than most others. But there's no way I'd endorse that lawmaker after that.

Of course, none of this would excuse voting to confirm Kavanaugh - who is the very personification of the rise of entitled brats being allowed to enjoy limitless privileges. So, if Manchin votes to confirm, feel free to support his opponents in the future. Just make sure it's somebody credible and not a joke like Patrick Morrisey.

Boone County candidate endorses property requirement for voting

Every time I think living in Campbell County means I live in America's most unlivable county, I lean back, read The Last Word, and remind myself that it could be Boone County.

Jesse Brewer is the Republican candidate for a commissioner seat in Boone County. The Democrats - in all their wisdom - refused to field a candidate even though it's an open seat, because they were afraid contesting it would increase Republican turnout for other offices. Seriously, that's their reasoning.

Brewer wrote an op-ed for the Northern Kentucky Tribune complaining about how rough life is for big landowners such as himself. I have to give him credit, because the Northern Kentucky Tribune runs a lot of nutty right-wing stuff, so I guess it's the right place for such an article. The Tribune makes the Cincinnati Enquirer look like a far-left rag in comparison.

Brewer complains because he has to pay taxes on property he owns in Kenton and Campbell counties. Well, yeah. Of course he has to pay taxes on it. He says this can be remedied by allowing people to vote in cities and counties where they don't live - as long as they own property there. He says that not allowing landowners to vote in every county where they own property is "taxation without representation."

No it isn't. Being left off the census is, which happened to me in 2000. But letting a big landowner vote only once just like everyone else isn't.

Brewer wants to give a literal meaning to "Vote early and vote often."

Of course, Brewer's proposal is unconstitutional. I shouldn't even need to be saying this in 2018.

Brewer groans, "Wouldn't it be fair to let people who have a vested equitable interest (real estate) in the community - taxpayers - have a right to vote on the local elected officials who can levy taxes and fees on them?" As if people who don't own real estate aren't paying taxes too? Renters indirectly pay property taxes. That is covered in the rent they pay. On average, they pay more in other taxes than landowners do. There is no legal theory that would allow anyone to cast more votes just because they own real property. In fact, it's a violation of federal statute to vote where you don't live.

As the United States expanded the right to vote, one of the first barriers to voting to be abolished was the property requirement. Boone County is about to get a commissioner who wants to set America back by 200 years!

So I took it!

"So I Took It" is the name of a short 1975 anti-shoplifting scare film.

Parodies are protected as fair use under our copyright laws, so guess what I did to "So I Took It"? I took it!

A few years ago, someone purchased an erotic video and posted it to YouTube while adding their ridiculous commentary in a pitched-up voice. Now I've done the same thing to this anti-shoplifting film.

Prepare for some laughs...

North Dakota suppresses Native American vote

North Dakota is the site of one of the most competitive Senate races, in which Democratic Sen. Heidi Heitkamp faces a challenge from fascist Republican Rep. Kevin Cramer. As Cramer stumbles - he even said Brett Kavanaugh should be confirmed even if the sexual assault allegations against him are proven true - the North Dakota GOP still wants this seat.

And now they might not need Russian interference to get it like they otherwise would.

In a move unprecedented in modern America, a federal court is allowing North Dakota to enforce a clearly unconstitutional new requirement on voters - upending a lower court ruling. The new rule says voters must have a street address to vote. Voters may not use a post office box.

Most Native Americans who live on reservations in North Dakota have a post office box - but no street address. The law is intended to suppress the Native American vote.

This is also unprecedented in modern times because it would also deny the homeless their right to vote.

As a progressive consensus forms among the American public, the Republicans must cheat to win.

Have no fear, the October ish is here!

Did you know that the October issue of The Last Word is now published? Cool people know. But what about you?

This ish talks about lots of cool stuff! There's something for everyone, including...

• People losing brand new drones.

• A ruined Kentucky Derby poster.

• Janet Jackson talking about bubble gum constantly.

• The long-awaited reveal of an old music video featuring Big Bird.

• A now-obsolete TV as a cereal prize.

• The theft of bubble gum from SupeRx.

• People making idiotic excuses for airline incompetence.

• And more! It's not sold in any store!

So point your pooper here...

https://www.scribd.com/document/389793235/The-Last-Word-10-2018

If that doesn't work, point it here...

http://bunkerblast.info/lastword/lw1810.pdf

New California law lets utilities pass costs for their mistakes onto customers

A new law in California lets utility monopolies bill customers to cover legal settlements resulting from last year's disastrous wildfires.

The supposed purpose of this law is to prevent Pacific Gas & Electric from having to file for bankruptcy when it's found that its faulty equipment caused the deadly fires. In other words, PG&E will be able to evade being held accountable for its irresponsible behavior.

Courts have rightly ruled that utilities are responsible for wildfires caused by their equipment. This ought to be considered one of the most basic theories of law. It ought to mean the utilities - not their customers - pay. But this law will let PG&E add a surcharge to customers' bills for the next 20 years.

The era of easy money for monopolistic corporations must end.

(Source: https://abc7.com/gov-jerry-brown-signs-measure-allowing-utilities-to-bill-customers-to-pay-for-wildfire-legal-costs/4304446)

White supremacists attack Democratic Socialists at Louisville restaurant

The Trump regime sure does bring the stormtroopers out of the woodwork.

On Thursday, the Louisville chapter of the Democratic Socialists of America held a meeting at a bar and restaurant. As they gathered at the restaurant's patio, a white supremacist gang began yelling at them from the sidewalk.

The gang had lingered around the restaurant waiting for the Democratic Socialists and had ordered some drinks beforehand. During the confrontation, some of the Democratic Socialists were attacked with pepper spray or a similar chemical. One of the right-wingers ordered, "Take your socialist commie bullshit and get the fuck out of here!"

This is another example of how the rise of Trump has emboldened fascist groups to confront and even attack dissidents. Of course, it's not the first period in modern American history that right-wing extremists in public office have encouraged fascist violence. I've seen it since the Reagan years. The escalating far-right violence is a clarion call for strong legislative and law enforcement action against hate groups.

(Source: https://www.courier-journal.com/story/news/2018/09/28/silver-dollar-white-nationalists-attacked-democratic-socialists-louisville-bar/1451993002)

Texas AG uses idiotic argument against teen expelled for sitting during Pledge

If football players want to kneel during the national anthem to protest racism and police killings, let them kneel. If you think it's so bad to kneel during the anthem, then you should stand when you're watching it on TV. And if students want to sit instead of stand for the Pledge of Allegiance, let them sit. That's what freedom means.

Freedom isn't supposed to be about corporations' so-called "right" to pollute our rivers or overcharge patients for preexisting conditions. Sitting for the Pledge is a matter of personal choice.

Last year, a student at Windfern High School in Houston was expelled because she refused to stand for the Pledge of Allegiance. She had sat for the Pledge about 200 times before under 6 different teachers - but the principal expelled her.

After being expelled, she sued the principal, school staffers, and the Cypress-Fairbanks Independent School District. But now, Texas Attorney General Ken Paxton has intervened on behalf of the school system - and Paxton's argument is jaw-droppingly dumb.

"The U.S. Supreme Court has repeatedly held that parents have a fundamental interest in guiding the education and upbringing of their children, which is a critical aspect of liberty guaranteed by the Constitution," a statement by Paxton reads. "The Texas Legislature protected that interest by giving the choice of whether an individual student will recite the Pledge of Allegiance to the student's parent or guardian. School children cannot unilaterally refuse to participate in the pledge."

Ah yes, it's the tired old dominionist argument that parents own their kids. Paxton's statement says in effect that students may not exercise their constitutional rights unless they get parental permission. Is that a stupid argument or what?

In this case, however, it's a moot point, because the student already had her mother's permission. So bust goes that bubble.

While Paxton's argument is laughable, it's really no laughing matter, as bizarre legal theories like this have taken hold all over this once-great land.

(Source: https://www.newsweek.com/texas-black-student-expelled-pledge-allegiance-attorney-general-1140412)

Climate change bankrupts Ploptoberfest organizer

The nonprofit group that puts together festivals like Covington's Oktoberfest is being forced to declare Chapter 7 bankruptcy - and it's because of all the little liars out there denying climate change.

MainStrasse Village Association - which organizes Covington events like Oktoberfest, Maifest, and Goettafest - says all 3 events this year were beset by bad weather, which in turn resulted in substantial losses of revenue for the organization. Losses at Oktoberfest alone were over $100,000. These losses have forced the nonprofit into bankruptcy - and puts the future of these festivals in doubt.

The organization had been solvent for 30 years - before climate change killed festival attendance. The owner of one shop said, "When it's cold and rainy, no one wants to walk around with a cold beer in their hand."

I think Fox News, ExxonMobil, and the rest of the climate change denial racket should be required to reimburse MainStrasse Village Association for the lost revenues.

(Source: https://www.wcpo.com/news/local-news/kenton-county/covington/mainstrasse-village-association-says-it-will-declare-bankruptcy)

Another day means another Kentucky GOP scandal

Because today is a day when you didn't eat caviar, the escargot and Grey Poupon party is having yet another scandal in my home state of Kentucky.

Former Estill County Judge-Executive Wallace Taylor has just been indicted for allegedly stealing over $38,000 in state and federal grants that belong to the county.

This charge of abuse of public trust over $10,000 is a felony that carries 5 to 10 years in the slammer.

Naturally, the Herald-Leader fails to mention the fact that Taylor is a Republican.

(Source: https://www.kentucky.com/latest-news/article218791675.html)

Trump full of shit as usual

As Dr. Christine Blasey Ford's sexual assault claim threatens to derail Brett Kavanaugh's Supreme Court confirmation, Republicans keep doubling down on their outrageous defense of Kavanaugh.

Donald Trump of course is one of the leaders of the smear campaign against Ford. Trump wrote on Twitter...

"I have no doubt that, if the attack on Dr. Ford was as bad as she says, charges would have been immediately filed with local Law Enforcement Authorities by either her or her loving parents. I ask that she bring those filings forward so that we can learn date, time, and place!"

Donald, you idiot, there's reasons why victims don't always report violent crimes - and it can be true of not only sex crimes but also other violent offenses. Much of this is because the victim is afraid of retaliation or having their personal lives pawed through. Or it's because they know that people - even the entire community - will rally around the perpetrator. Some victims report a crime only to see themselves punished and the perpetrators rewarded - so they quickly learn not to report future crimes.

Victims learn the hard way never to complain. Ever.

There's no doubt that many crime victims carry secrets to their grave. The crime doesn't get reported within a day, or even a year. Not even 10 years. Or 20.

Or 30.

If the victim ever comes forward, the smear machine against them revs into high gear.

I don't see how in the hell anyone doesn't know all this by now - but Trump is a moron.

Deleted anti-cycling group returns

Well, Facebook's foray into responsible behavior lasted all of about 5 seconds.

The anti-bicycling group that has stunk up the social networking site - though, admittedly, it fits in with the rest of Facebook, given Facebook's history of tolerating hate groups - had apparently been deleted, but now it's back under a different name.

If Congress can investigate fabricated crises like "violence" in video games or "dirty" rock lyrics, it can investigate hate speech on Facebook.

Facebook deletes anti-cycling group (finally!)

After days of encouraging violence against local bicyclists, the Facebook page "NKY Hates Bicyclists" has finally been deleted. But not before Facebook allowed it to accumulate reams of posts encouraging more and more violence.

Meanwhile, I went Roads Scholaring today on the old KY 8 just out of spite, but nobody ran me off the road - though the Facebook group specifically targeted that road. Better luck next time, assholes.

I guess Republicans just don't know how to act right

I can't believe that one of America's major political parties is trying to normalize the inability to control one's own behavior.

I got my first job in 1991, and I knew how to behave in the workplace. This was just before my senior year of high school, and I knew the right way to act around people I knew from school or in the community. Society had standards that governed proper behavior.

Let that sink in for a moment. That was 27 years ago - which is a long time - in what was then one of the least liberated places in America. Yet our community standards at the time were still more enlightened than what the Republicans try to foist on America today.

This is an area where those who stepped out of line became the target of harassment and threats. This is an area where the President would have been fully justified in deploying the Army to keep order against right-wing terrorism. Yet the area was still ahead of where the GOP is today.

This is an area that allows a violent anti-bicycling group that endorses running cyclists off the road. Of course, nearly all its members are alumni of one right-wing private high school, but the point stands: The Republican Party lags behind where my area was in 1991!

The GOP stands behind those who do things that I've known my whole life not to do. Some of the acts they stand behind were recognized as crimes even in some of the world's earliest criminal codes. The Republicans lag behind by more than just 27 years. They lag by thousands of years!

Well, Brossart, you blew it

Today, I noticed that the new anti-bicycling group on Facebook that endorses throwing lit cigarettes at cyclists has 646 members. But here's the best part: "139 members said they went to Bishop Brossart High School."

I wasn't going to mention Brossart by name in my next for-pay project except in a map of local neighborhoods in which schools would be marked regardless. But they just blew it. Because of this, I'm mentioning the school by name.

Leave it to Brossart to raise such violent idiots. Brossart isn't just a sleeper cell. They sound more like an active terrorist group.

Bill would give tax relief to renters

There's a bill in Congress that would give tax relief to millions of Americans. Sadly, I don't expect the Republicans to support it, despite the GOP's bogus claim to support lower taxes.

As gentrification artificially jacks up housing costs, many politicians refuse to act. In fact, they try to make it worse. But the Rent Relief Act - introduced by Sen. Kamala Harris (D-California) - would reduce the burden of housing costs by giving a tax credit to renters who spend more than 30% of their income on rent and utilities. It would apply to renters who make less than $100,000 a year - or $125,000 in some areas - and it wouldn't apply to luxury rentals.

If this bill passes, it would be the first federal action in modern times to fight America's growing housing crisis. It would also give renters tax benefits that homeowners - especially the richest - already receive.

There aren't many reasons why anyone would oppose this bill - except for the tyrants who yell out, "LET THE MARKET DECIDE!!!" when confronting any situation. Unfortunately, market fascism is the dogma that guides the current Congress.

Pershing project will proceed after all

The rubber stamps never run out of ink, do they?

Covington City Commission had smartly rejected a proposal by a developer to demolish historic houses on Pershing Street and replace them with luxury townhouses. This came after the developer arrogantly boasted that he wanted to tear down everything on the street. The developer's statement reminded me of the nasty presentation by the Monty Burns look-alike at the Highland Heights meeting back in 1996.

But now the city's urban design review board has green-lighted the proposal. In fact, they're letting the developer defy the zoning code by making the new buildings taller than the code allows.

All that in what's supposed to be a historic preservation zone.

I think I know where my next Roads Scholaring needs to be - so I can photograph Pershing Street before its imminent ruin.

(Source: http://www.rcnky.com/articles/2018/09/18/board-gives-ok-raze-historic-buildings-build-townhomes)

Google now stovepiping NRA propaganda

I receive daily e-mail updates from Google News, but now Google is treating the National Rifle Association's propaganda website as a "news" site.

Yesterday, the NRA put out an article in which they claim to debunk the statement that it's harder to buy over-the-counter allergy medicine than a gun. Well, guess what? The NRA is downright wrong - and they know it. It is harder to buy allergy drugs than a gun. That's a fact.

Back in 2015, then-President Barack Obama correctly observed that "you can go into some neighborhoods and it is easier for you to buy a firearm than it is for you to buy a book" and that "there are neighborhoods where it's easier for you to buy a handgun and clips than it is for you to buy a fresh vegetable." Obama's statement was true, thanks to the scarcity of grocery stores and bookstores in many American neighborhoods. But it's even harder to buy allergy drugs - because of a law the Bush regime passed in 2005 that forces buyers to present an ID and submit their name and address. You can't even buy more than 9 grams of it in a month.

Predictably, laws like this have been ineffective at their stated purpose of fighting drug abuse. In fact, they made drug abuse worse. This is more blood on Bush's hands.

Make no mistake, it's much easier to buy a gun - even an assault rifle - than it is to buy a box of Claritin. We can disagree on what to do about it, but that is a factual statement. Personally, I think we should repeal Bush-era laws that prevent allergy sufferers from getting their medicine, but we live under a right-wing Congress that harbors many delusions - like their lie about people abusing SSDI - so don't hold your breath.

Celebrity look-alikes keep being seen on airplanes

After the discomfort that befell me when I flew to Washington, D.C., for a human rights conference, I don't plan on ever flying on a commercial airliner ever again. Once is enough. But I've just received an e-mail reporting that celebrity look-alikes keep being seen on flights.

A Billy Joel look-alike was seen on a flight to Seattle.

A Hillary Clinton look-alike was seen on a flight to Sacramento.

Best all, someone ruined an airline wi-fi information card with a big green wad of bubble gum.

Bevin refuses to support local GOPer

The Republicans are so busy with their own civil war that a Democrat might actually pick up a Kentucky House seat in Boone County.

Republican so-called Gov. Matt Bevin is refusing to support his own party's nominee for that district: ultraconservative Ed Massey. Bevin says Massey isn't right-wing enough.

How?????

Instead, Bevin is supporting an independent, Stacie Earl, who calls herself the "true conservative" in this contest. Earl argues that Republican officials conspired against her to keep her from being the party's candidate.

In almost any other district, Stacie Earl would just be background noise. But that district has a big enough right-wing base for Earl to drain enough votes from Massey to elect Democrat Roberto Henriquez instead - though I'm not expecting Libertarian Lex Hannan to prevail. Plus, Earl is actually supported by some Republican leaders besides Bevin.

Carry on, Repubbies. Keep trying in vain to reassemble the miserable shards of a political party that was once noble but probably collapsed to the point of no return 30 years ago. You reap what you sow.

(Stacie Earl is not to be confused with singer Stacy Earl. I kept trying to think of what song Stacy Earl had, but I keep confusing her with Elisa Fiorillo and Nia Peeples. I'm old.)

Bevin praises indentured servitude

The New Hampshire Forehead strikes again!

In a speech to business leaders, so-called Gov. Matt Bevin of Kentucky romanticized indentured servitude - a practice that forces workers to perform unpaid labor for a fixed period of time. While indentured servitude is not chattel slavery, it is banned under international law as a kind of slavery.

Bevin said indentured servitude was just dandy because it's no different from modern apprenticeships.

What an idiot.

The Courier-Journal looks stupider every day for promoting Bevin as a presidential candidate.

(Source: http://wfpl.org/bevin-like-indentured-servitude-apprenticeships-teach-important-skills)

Kentucky GOPer appeared on white supremacist show

Because this is a day when the sun rises in the east and sets in the west, the Republican Party of Kentucky is mired in yet another humiliating scandal.

Everett Corley is the Republican candidate for a Kentucky House seat in Louisville. Back in 2014, he appeared on The Ethno State, a white supremacist YouTube show. Corley expressed a litany of racist grievances.

Corley complained that whites in one Louisville neighborhood are "completely surrounded" because of a political plot. He said, "It's a bunch of white liberals and minorities who've conspired together to cut the white working class out of power."

This is a bullshit meme that needs to be laid to rest. Even in 2016, exit polls proved that right-wing candidates performed better among the rich than among the working class. Most working-class Americans - regardless of race - don't give a shit what the Far Right thinks.

When confronted about appearing on this show, Corley sputtered and drooled. But he denied any of his comments were racist - though some clearly echoed tired racist complaints.

All this from a leading Kentucky Republican. Everett Corley isn't running for some minor office, but a powerful state legislative seat. He was even pictured on the state party's website. State GOPers say they didn't know of Corley's racism, but he already had a history of racial controversies. He had even called a local professor "a damn dirty black bastard."

Here's the most interesting part: Corley's district is majority African-American.

The Republicans don't like being labeled as a racist party? You picked the weirdo, Repubs. I didn't.

(Source: https://www.courier-journal.com/story/news/politics/2018/09/07/kentucky-gop-candidate-everett-corley-criticized-minorities-white-supremacist-show/1218111002)

Booker threatened with expulsion over Kavanaugh e-mail

I'm not a Cory Booker diehard. But the New Jersey senator has just hit it out of the park.

The Democrat plans to release a "confidential" e-mail about fascist Supreme Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh and racial profiling. In doing so, Booker is actually taking a big risk: Republicans are now threatening Booker with expulsion from the Senate if he releases the e-mail.

I dare ya, Repubs. Republicans didn't follow proper procedures in withholding Kavanaugh e-mails, so they can be released at any damn time. Best all, leading Senate Democrats have Booker's back on this - which, you have to admit, is quite an improvement over the days of the Strongly Worded Letter.

How will it look if the Republicans expel a senator who was elected handily by the people of his state and who did nothing illegal?

Some have actually touted Booker as a presidential candidate, but if he gets expelled, it will boost his chances exponentially. It's like what being expelled from Brossart would be like if the Really Serious People hadn't gummed things up.

Student arrested for disagreeing with dress code

Because this is a day ending in y, the right-wing thought police that runs Kentucky schools is out of control.

Recently, a student at Hopkinsville High School in Hopkinsville, Kentucky, was arrested and sent to juvenile detention because the school started an altercation with her over the idiotic dress code. The student was confronted over her t-shirt, which itself protested the dress code. On the front, the blue shirt read, "Do my shoulders turn you on?" The back of the shirt read, "If so, return to the 1920s."

Upon seeing the shirt, the school promptly caused a ruckus, and a school resource officer violently manhandled the student. The student was charged with disorderly conduct, resisting arrest, and third-degree assault of a law enforcement officer.

Um, no. The officer assaulted the student - not the other way around.

The student was then transported to juvenile detention.

Her mom later tried to take her out of that school system but was told she couldn't do it until a court hearing weeks from now.

If I was in that situation, I'd worry that I'd have to flee the state altogether, because I know how school records tend to follow you around in Kentucky. A person shouldn't have to flee, but considering the thugocracy that runs this state, it would be tempting.

(Source: https://www.kentucky.com/news/state/article217639885.html)

Mello Yello successfully smuggled

Tonight, I once again goed to Riverfest - or as I call it, Rip-off-fest. What brand of soda did I smuggle down to the riverfront this year? Might it be Dr Pepper? Big K Cola? Grape Crush? Did I save a can of Teem from 1977 just for this moment?

Why, it was Mello Yello! Smuggled it right through in defiance of the right-wing Allowed Cloud against bringing beverages to this annual festival. It's a shame they worry so much about people having soft drinks at a festival but not real crimes like the home invasions I suffered, but that's conservaworld for ya.

Best all, a person threw up. Because that's what cool people do. Plus, a person was in such a festive mood that they bubbled. Because that's what cool people do.

Have no fear, the September ish is here!

The September issue of The Last Word is now pub-a-roo, and guess what? It's our Back-to-School edition, people! Doesn't that make you just want to watch 'Sesame Street' until your face flies off in public?

This ish talks about many pibtacular things, including these and more...

• My electric bicycle and class consciousness.

• A burning toilet.

• More eyeglasses found in the street.

• People trying to chew gum with dentures. (Imagine that!)

• Donald Trump's idiotic board game.

• A right-wing politician's bubble gum blowing caper

• Rats getting into cereal boxes at the supermarket.

• Bubble paste.

• The outcome of the lawsuit against AdSense.

So point your pooper here...

https://www.scribd.com/document/387502157/The-Last-Word-9-2018

If that doesn't work, bubble your way here...

http://bunkerblast.info/lastword/lw1809.pdf

National service should be mandatory for undeserving rich

In almost all cases, I'm staunchly against obligatory service. It violates the fundamental value of freedom, and it extracts a price just for being.

But we should make an exception. As we put more and more demands on the poor and working class, shouldn't the rich face these same demands? America's richest young people receive money from their parents and grandparents starting at birth - often adding up to millions by the age of 21. And what did they ever do to earn it?

I think that before they receive any amount over $1 million, they should be required to perform 2 years of national service. Nobody gets more handouts than the 1%, and the era of easy money has to come to an end. Those who receive stocks and bonds from their parents don't even have to pay gift taxes on them. That's a handout.

Some years back, the Supreme Court let stand a public high school's requirement that students perform unpaid community service. If that's legal, how is my proposal not also legal?

Jimmy Carter look-alike sighted at Bob Evans

I've just been informed that a Jimmy Carter look-alike was seen devouring lunch at a Bob Evans restaurant yesterday.

Right-wing activists circulate uniform petition, get laughed at

In Meriden, Connecticut, a small group of right-wing parents is circulating a petition to require students in the city's public schools to wear uniforms.

And the superintendent practically laughed right in their ridiculous faces. He cited the fact that students strongly oppose uniforms.

Shouldn't that kind of like settle it?

Author wanted by Singapore for draft-dodging

Kevin Kwan is an author originally from Singapore, but he's lived in the U.S. since about 1990. He wrote the novel Crazy Rich Asians, which is the basis for the now-popular movie of the same name.

Now the government of Singapore - a dictatorship so extreme that it outlawed chewing gum - is accusing Kwan of dodging the draft, an offense that carries up to 3 years in prison and a fine of thousands.

In Soviet fashion, the totalitarian Singaporean government is also accusing Kwan of staying out of the country without permission. Seriously. This is just like how the Soviet Union wouldn't let its citizens emigrate. Also, in 1994, Singapore rejected Kwan's bid to renounce his Singaporean citizenship.

It's unknown how Kwan is responding to Singapore's plan to reach into the U.S. to punish him for what he allegedly did 30 years ago. Considering perennial U.S. support for right-wing foreign dictatorships, I wouldn't be surprised if the U.S. agrees to extradite him - which would be yet another smudge on America's increasingly sad human rights record.

Bevin loses his own frivolous Medicaid lawsuit

Not only has Matt Bevin lost a federal lawsuit that sought to overturn his illegal Medicaid requirements. Now he's also lost a separate federal suit he filed against the 16 Medicaid beneficiaries who had sued him.

This ruling was issued by a different judge from the one who ruled against him the first time. Bevin lost the suit he filed because he couldn't even show what injustice against him it was supposed to redress.

Bevin is still threatening to end Medicaid expansion altogether in Kentucky if he keeps losing in court - a move that would be illegal under state law.

(Source: http://amp.kentucky.com/news/politics-government/article217012085.html)

Another fascist bill to gut Social Security Disability

The Far Right loves to pick on the disabled, and that's why programs like SSI and SSDI are constantly under legislative attack. It hasn't let up in a quarter-century.

A new bill by Rep. Todd Rokita (R-Indiana) - a known racist who also tried to unconstitutionally ban unionization of federal employees - would gut Social Security Disability Insurance. Cosponsored with Rep. "Taliban Dan" Webster (R-Florida), the bill would punish administrative law judges who award benefits more often than other judges. It would bar recipients from receiving unemployment insurance. It would require recipients to undergo many more continuing disability reviews - which are already very frequent. And it would slash retroactive benefit payments.

I know, man, life is just so easy for disabled workers.

Don't like disabled workers receiving benefits? Well, you can always move to a fascist country.

A person bubbled at Kroger (imagine that!)

Today at Kroger, a store employee bubbled repeatedly. But it didn't burst on her glasses.

Hitler apologist runs on "school choice"

"School choice" is a handout to private schools that don't need any handouts - and don't pay taxes to begin with.

Now its rotten core is laid bare as a politician who declares that "Hitler was right" is running on this issue.

Steve West is the Republican candidate for a Missouri House seat. He's known for his racist, anti-Jewish radio show on KCXL in Kansas City, and he resoundingly won the Republican primary while running on an antigay, anti-Muslim platform. West - a Tea Party favorite - has also failed to pay child support.

Now "school choice" is at the top of his agenda. He's also campaigning against pornography, and whining about welfare recipients visiting casinos. I don't know anyone on welfare who regularly gambles, so that issue is just more right-wing fake news.

But something something free market.

Dumbest headline ever

"Wages drop despite economic boom."

Seriously, that's a headline from The Hill.

Uh, if wages drop, it's not an economic boom. Idiots.

And what economic boom is there anyway??? There is none. Where's all the "HELP WANTED" signs? Is this more fake news like the made-up boom of the late '90s?

Northern Kentucky city passes antidiscrimination law

Yes, I know, we're primarily an economic populist blog, and we don't cover social issues as much. But make no mistake, discrimination must be challenged at every chance.

Maysville has just passed its own Fairness Ordinance - a law prohibiting discrimination on the basis of sexual orientation or gender identity in housing, employment, and public accommodations. This makes 10 cities in Kentucky with such a law - but only 2 in northern Kentucky, with Covington being the other.

"We are pleased that Maysville has joined with other progressive cities around the Commonwealth by adopting a Fairness Ordinance," said a statement released by Mayor David Cartmell. "I wish to commend the Human Rights Commission for the dedication and diligence in crafting this legislation."

But other places won't pass such a law, because the Tea Party won't let them.

(Source: https://www.kentucky.com/latest-news/article216408575.html)

A person bunkerooed at a restaurant and everyone thought it was funny

I was informed earlier this evening that a person ripped a hilarious LAP bunker blast at a local restaurant.

According to legend, a family of 5 was sitting at a table, and a loud clap of flatulence was released. The culprit was some girl who was about 14. This momentous occasion was followed by unrelenting laughter from the whole damn fam.

Tim takes the Junior Bottle Cap Challenge!

Pzt! Papp! Challenge!

Sometimes, having crooked teeth just isn't enough. It's hard to believe, but even we teeth punkers fail sometimes. I know I've spoiled your day with that shocking revelation.

I was asked to take the Bottle Cap Challenge. This perilous game involves opening an unopened plastic soft drink bottle - which still has the plastic ring attached to the cap - with your teeth, and chewing the cap.

Alas, I failed like a boss.

So instead, I took the Junior Bottle Cap Challenge! The only difference is that it involves opening a soda bottle that's already been opened and has the ring broken...



A toast to success! Blublublublublub!

"Right-to-work" does best in George Wallace territory

Back in 1968, race-baiting demagogue George Wallace won only one county in Missouri in his ill-fated presidential run: Pemiscot County.

In yesterday's referendum, guess what county the right-to-scab law did best in?

Here's a hint: It's Pemiscot County.

Gee. What a shock. After all, this law has racist origins.

Out of curiosity, I wanted to see what counties the work-for-less law performed most poorly in, and it appears as if the independent city of St. Louis comes through in that regard, followed by more rural Ste. Genevieve County. In any event, yesterday's nearly 70% vote against "right-to-work" is seismic, and should be receiving much more attention.

Kobach wins primary

This is shaping up to be a humiliating election season for the Republicans.

With 100% of precincts reporting, Kansas Secretary of State Kris Kobach - who helped lead Donald Trump's idiotic voter fraud committee and has demanded that Muslims register with the government - has won the Republican primary for governor of the Sunflower State. Kobach prevailed with all of 40.6% of the vote, defeating incumbent Gov. Jeff Colyer.

Kobach is so extreme that his primary win might cost the GOP the governorship.

Missouri voters repeal right-to-scab law!

Congratulations, Missouri, on becoming America's newest free-bargaining state! And the vote margin isn't even close!

Missouri was a newcomer to so-called "right-to-work" laws, which unconstitutionally infringe on the right of workers to freely bargain. The Show Me State just passed this law last year.

Today, there was a referendum that would have green-lighted the new law. It had been scheduled for the November election, but right-wing lawmakers moved it up to today in an effort to suppress turnout for both this referendum and the regular election.

That didn't work this time. Even on a day when the laughable Kris Kobach has a very real shot of winning the Republican primary for governor of neighboring Kansas, Missouri voters voted resoundingly today to repeal the right-to-scab law. Currently, the vote stands at a smashing 65% to 35%.

Trump regime brings back asbestos

Over 30 years ago, schools and other buildings made a special effort to remove asbestos - a cancer-causing chemical. Well, some schools at least. My high school didn't yet, and forced me to spend each day in the library surrounded by asbestos. But other than that, asbestos was taken seriously back then.

George W. Bush once gave a speech whining about people who were sickened by asbestos daring to file lawsuits over it. But now Trump's EPA is taking it a step further and is now allowing companies to use asbestos again.

The new rule by the Environmental Protection Agency says one of the most dangerous carcinogens ever used in constriction is now permitted back in the manufacturing business. The rule says companies may use asbestos without considering its harmful effects - even though asbestos has been banned in most countries since the 1970s.

The world's largest asbestos exporter is the Russian firm Uralasbest, which has support from the Putin regime even though it has a mine in Russia that endangers the health of nearby residents. Uralasbest has used Donald Trump's face on the seal for its asbestos shipping pallets. Trump himself has denied that asbestos is harmful, despite proof that it is.

(Source: https://archpaper.com/2018/08/epa-asbestos-manufacturing)

While luxury housing is rubber-stamped, Ludlow rejects low-income units

Everybody knows that in northern Kentucky, each new housing development is rubber-stamped by elected officials or zoning boards - without exception.

The only exception of course is low-income housing.

Whenever some developer proposes luxury housing - from urban lofts to rural subdivisions - our public officials can't break ground fast enough to please themselves. But this story out of Ludlow proves that the rules are different if there's any sign that this housing might serve residents of normal economic means.

Recently, a mixed-use building was proposed for Ludlow. Reportedly, about 70% of its apartments would be reserved for people of limited income. I was skeptical that this pledge was for real, but I'll give it the benefit of a doubt for now. Even so, this regulation was slated to last for only a limited time.

But even this modest proposal has just been shot down by Ludlow City Council.

One council member inquired, "Do we need a 72-unit affordable housing project at the gateway to the city?" Actually, yes. America is suffering its worst housing crisis ever - largely because of the unchecked rubber-stamping of luxury projects.

Nobody in the media asked Ludlow officials why they have this double standard. The press seems to just assume that the policy of rejecting low-income residents should stand on its own.

Why?

This is contrary to the values our parents and grandparents taught us in our day. And it's not a problem we can just bubble away.

This double standard isn't limited to Ludlow. Not long ago, a developer announced its plan to convert a Bellevue industrial building into apartments. The Tea Party reportedly circulated flyers urging folks to fight it on the grounds that it would be a low-income development. When it was revealed that it would be luxury apartments instead, the right-wing protests suddenly halted, and the city rubber-stamped the plan.

Why?

All my life, I've lived reasonably close to homes for both the rich and the poor. It's not the poor areas that have been responsible for most of the crime.

We shouldn't be afraid to say public officials' double standard is classist. It's a shame the media never seems to acknowledge such classism. The real mystery is why this inconsistency seemed to gain so much mainstream acceptance. Not only is it an injustice, but I've never been able to figure out the logic behind it.

(Source: http://www.rcnky.com/articles/2018/08/06/city-shoots-down-72-unit-ludlow-yards-development)

John McCain look-alike sighted at McDonald's

Earlier, I was informed that a John McCain look-alike was sighted at a McDonald's.

Best all, the men's room at this Ron McDon was in a state of bottomless ruin. Numerous large wads of toilet paper peopled the floor. A customer of this restaurant was heard declaring, "As is typical for a McDonald's bathroom, it's filthy."

Yes, you do need an ID to buy stuff...but Trump is still an idiot

Ever since America's mania for carding purchasers of just about anything gained height during the rise of the police state in the '90s, I've rallied against this right-wing trend.

And Donald Trump still managed to make himself look stupid.

In some jurisdictions, you need an ID to buy markers. Yes, markers.

And Donald Trump still managed to make himself look stupid.

The so-called President said at a rally in Tampa that shoppers need an ID to buy groceries. And make no mistake, it's true. Maybe not for bread and orange juice - yet - but for some items that didn't require an ID 25 years ago. Naturally, Trump took the wrong lesson from this trend and used this as an excuse for endorsing expanded voter suppression laws - which are unconstitutional.

Instead of using the rise of carding as an excuse to deny Americans their constitutional right to vote, carding should instead be halted for purchases like markers.

Number of Americans living in cars soars under Trump

In America, housing costs have skyrocketed for decades - even as real wages have declined. And politicians won't do a damn thing about it. They'd rather build luxury lofts and fall-apart subdivisions, driving up housing costs.

Now, new information reveals that since Donald Trump seized power, the number of Americans forced to live in their cars has soared. A recent count in Seattle's King County says that in the past year alone, the number of people living in campers, cars, and other vehicles has risen a staggering 46%. It's just as bad in other major cities.

In California's Silicon Valley, most of these homeless work at jobs that pay well above minimum wage but still can't find affordable housing.

But it's also a problem in very rural states - especially in areas where the only new housing allowed is vacation rentals. Ironically, this leaves no housing for low-paid workers who do the jobs that serve rich tourists.

Despite all this, the National Law Center on Homelessness and Poverty reports that the number of ordinances against people living in cars has doubled just in the past decade. That's called "limited government" these days.

"Butbutbut nobody warned us this would happen!" Wait, I did. For 25 years. Kind of like how I warned people about Nazis in the White House and they said it would never happen.

GOP bill would establish 10% bike tire tax

Shame on us bicycle commuters. We act like we own the road or something.

A new right-wing bill in Congress would impose a heavy federal tax on some bicycling items. This legislation by Rep. Bill Shuster (R-Pennsylvania) would slap a 10% federal tax on bike tires and electric bike batteries.

Why? No particular reason. Just because.

The bill would also end the long-running fuel tax exemption that public transit agencies enjoy.

This tax-raising bill is courtesy of the self-proclaimed party of lower taxes.

(Source: https://usa.streetsblog.org/2018/07/30/house-gop-transportation-bill-would-raise-taxes-on-transit-and-bikes)

Have no fear, the August ish is here!

Good afternoon, comrades!

The August edition of The Last Word is now pub, and - not unlike usual - it talks about some important things. This ish discusses an exciting neighborhood dumpster fire, bubble gum in a tube, the continuing decline of Honeycomb, Strawberry Shortcake cereal tasting funny, YouTube flagging a video because a person chewed bubble gum, and more!

So point your pooper here like the superhero you aspire to be...

https://www.scribd.com/document/384949090/The-Last-Word-8-2018

If that doesn't work, go here...

http://bunkerblast.info/lastword/lw1808.pdf

New York revokes Charter merger

If you live anywhere other than the state of New York, don't uncork the celebratory vodka, since this latest development applies only to the Empire State. Still, it should set an example for other states.

Like other states, New York rubber-stamped Charter's 2016 takeover of Time Warner. The company provides Internet under the Spectrum brand, and quality of service has declined since the merger while the price has soared. I recently caught them illegally throttling my Internet traffic. But now, the New York State Public Service Commission has revoked its approval of this merger, because the company didn't live up to its agreement to expand service to rural areas.

After the company also broke its pledge not to raise rates, Kentucky needs to follow New York's lead.

(Source: https://www.reuters.com/article/us-timewarnercable-m-a-charter-commns/new-york-state-revokes-approval-of-charter-time-warner-cable-deal-idUSKBN1KH2EJ)

Right-wing treason not new

So Donald Trump committed treason in Helsinki, and the Republican establishment supports it. And we all act shocked.

But in fact, treason is not new among America's Far Right - and much of it is motivated by their greed and meanness. Despite their bogus claims to be superpatriots, these extremists don't love America.

I remember when they bragged that they wouldn't build their factories in America, claiming Americans were "lazy."

I remember when they let foreign dictatorships police the private behavior of America's fighting men and women.

I remember when they let foreign dictatorships censor American news organizations.

I remember when they sent mail to news outlets praising foreign dictatorships' draconian criminal laws that would be unconstitutional in the U.S. - and were ineffective at fighting crime.

I remember when they let other countries defy American laws by letting them overfish in American waters.

I remember when they backed a bill to repeal country of origin labeling requirements for food - laughably claiming these requirements "discriminated" against other countries.

I remember when they let foreign dictatorships build farms in America to drain our groundwater so they could support their own agribusiness operations back home - polluting local water and leaving some folks with no water at all.

I remember when they sold missiles to Khomeini.

And nobody dared to call these acts what they were: treason. But treasonous they were.

Even Richard Marx thinks Trump is an idiot

Remember singer, songwriter, and musician Richard Marx? In the late '80s, he was known for a string of hits including "Don't Mean Nothing" and "Right Here Waiting."

A few days ago, Donald Trump conceded that he "misspoke" about something. Nobody gave a shit about what, because everyone knew all along Trump had been lying about whatever it was.

So yesterday, Marx posted this on his own Twitter feed...

"I misspoke. I meant to say I 'wouldn't' be right here waiting for you."

What's next for the poor ol' Donald? Hate mail from Mr. Big?

April's Scholaring photos are finally up!

The Roads Scholaring photos have been stacking up like logs for a while now, and now we have April's batch up!

This set covers northern Campbell County and consists of 12 photos and 3 videos! So read 'em and peep...

http://bunkerblast.info/roadpics/bfd18.html

Covington rejects luxury development, but appeal to county looms

Covington City Commission came to its senses this week when it voted unanimously to reject a luxury townhouse project on Pershing Avenue. The development would have demolished historic buildings and artificially driven up housing costs.

This came after the city's urban design review board also rejected the proposal. Local residents also staunchly opposed the plan - especially after the developer told a local media outlet, "If I had my way, I would tear down the whole street."

But don't uncork the celebratory beer just yet. The developer may appeal to the county - as if the city shouldn't be allowed to govern what happens within its own boundaries. (Time for Kentucky to have independent cities?)

(Source: http://www.rcnky.com/articles/2018/07/17/covington-upholds-boards-rejection-proposed-townhomes)

Right-wing think tank whimpers and cries

Stop complaining, you big crybabies.

A new study by the far-right American Enterprise Institute says that the share of low-income students at America's top 200 colleges has actually increased a bit since the 1999-2000 school year.

And the AEI can't stand it.

They can't stand it that more low-income students seem to be able to go to college now. I've heard elsewhere that this isn't really true, but if it is true, shouldn't it be considered a good thing? But, even so - at 15.1% - low-income students would still be underrepresented at these schools. If anyone should be complaining, it should be the poor, not the royalists at the AEI.

The AEI's Jason Delisle sniffed, "It will be interesting to see if people keep pumping out stories and articles saying low-income students are being crowded out. I hope this report gives them some pause before they do that."

One, two, three. Aaaaawwwwwwwwww!

If being rich is so rough, you can always try being poor, you know.

13 more Scholaring photos to terrify the Far Right!

March wouldn't have been March if I didn't do a Roads Scholaring like I do every month. And March's Scholaring was the last before the big April blizzard (which occurred on the same day someone mentioned Dubble Bubble at Kroger).

March's Scholaring took me as far as West Covington, and it yielded 13 bippus-bustin' new photos. You're gonna peep 'em all, so point your pooper here...

http://bunkerblast.info/roadpics/cov18.html

Trump pardons serial arsonists

Remember the Hammonds? The Hammonds are a ranching family in Oregon that became heroes to the Far Right after family members were convicted of intentionally starting wildfires. The Hammonds were supported by extremists who launched a 5-week-long standoff at Malheur Wildlife Refuge in 2016.

Dwight Hammond Jr. and Steven Hammond had been convicted of arson back in 2012 and sentenced to 5 years in federal prison and $400,000 in restitution in 2015. One of the fires they started almost killed Bureau of Land Management firefighters.

Now Donald Trump has given each of them a full pardon. Trump's White House issued a statement saying the arsonists are "respected in the community." The statement goes on to whine about how unfair the world has been to the Hammonds.

What message does this send? It shows Trump has the backs of right-wing extremists who might get violent when he faces criminal charges himself.

Once again, in the upside-down world of the Tea Party, crime pays.

Kind of like when the Tea Party sells heroin.

People used to wipe boogers on stuff

It's always a barrel of guffaws when a person wipes mucus on stuff or when a column of snot dangles out of their nose.

To salute the time-honored sport of booging, we've made a little video. I couldn't just write it down or draw a picture. I had to parlay it into a comedy routine to give you the full effect...

Alvarado verdict tossed!

Far-right Kentucky State Sen. Ralph Alvarado (R-Winchester) was first "elected" concurrently with the Moscow midterm of 2014. And he sues anyone who disagrees with him.

He even sued his Democratic predecessor over a campaign ad - and won $200,000 just for the asking.

But now the Kentucky Court of Appeals has thrown out the verdict - as there was no defamation involved. The court said the ad "is an accurate representation" of the facts.

Naturally, Alvarado plans to waste taxpayer money by appealing this decision to the Kentucky Supreme Court.

(Source: https://www.kentucky.com/news/politics-government/article214064544.html)

Idiot pulls gun on protester

I went to the Families Belong Together rally in Cincinnati today, and it drew thousands of people. There were similar rallies all over the country today, even in much smaller cities and towns.

A few drew counterprotesters. A group of 3 thugs in Trump hats shoved participants at the rally in Petoskey, Michigan. And in Huntsville, Alabama, a counterprotester started a fight with a demonstrator. As the confrontation escalated, he pulled a gun.

He was then arrested for menacing and reckless endangerment.

What a beezweezer.

(Source: https://whnt.com/2018/06/30/man-in-custody-after-pulling-out-a-gun-at-immigration-policy-protest-in-huntsville;
https://www.al.com/news/huntsville/index.ssf/2018/06/man_brandishes_gun_at_families.html)

Have no fear, the July ish is here!

No July would be complete without the July issue of The Last Word, your road atlas to freedom!

This ish talks about tonsil stones, psychiatry protecting dominionism, putting pepper in Super Bubble to thwart gum thieves, watching TV shows just for the poo humor, people fighting over Bubble Tape, an art pen offer in a cereal box, and more!

So I beseech thee, point your pooper here...

https://www.scribd.com/document/382825776/The-Last-Word-7-2018

If you can't read it on $crbd, you can find it here...

http://bunkerblast.info/lastword/lw1807.pdf

Court blocks Bevin's gutting of Medicaid!

Not all of the federal judiciary has been swallowed by Tea Party extremism. Today, a federal judge blocked Matt Bevin from instituting a work requirement to receive Medicaid.

The reason for the ruling seems pretty simple: It's because such a requirement doesn't advance Medicaid's legally stated objectives. Plus, Medicaid is not welfare.

There's no doubt that Bevin will appeal this ruling as far as he dares. But as far as I'm concerned, this ruling is and will always be binding law, for the statute itself is very clear.

Maryland newspaper gunman is Tea Party activist

So tired of this.

The man who gunned down 5 people at a Maryland newspaper today is a Tea Party activist who once sent out a Twitter message criticizing the paper because of what he saw as negative coverage of Donald Trump.

In 2015, he posted that referring to Trump as "unqualified" is something that "could end badly" for the newspaper.

Not for the first time, a mass shooter has been found to be a right-wing activist.