Boycott of Golden Compass A Success

The anti-Christian film Golden Compass has been a flop.

Merry Christmas!

Baseball Analogy For Fayette Jail Employees

Some of the criminals working inside the Fayette County Detention Center continue to delude themselves. They seem to think lack of mainstream media interest in their crimes and the fact no one with dark sunglasses and arrest warrants has shown up yet means no one is coming for them.

But several internal conversations at the jail have turned to the the inconvenient fact investigators took four years to indict slugger Barry Bonds.

The jail abuse evidence isn't nearly as hard to sort through as the steroid evidence, though.

Happy Hanukkah: MIller "Mistakes" Like Noodling?

Told you three weeks ago about the Lexington Herald Leader sitting on a Jonathan Miller scandal. Why they put it out now, in the middle of December and on one of the slowest circulation days of the year, makes about as much sense as this:

Overall, Parker saw her salary rise from $21,000 a year when Miller hired her out of college as a secretary in 2000 to $78,981 a year this year as deputy state treasurer. That's an increase of nearly 380 percent in seven years.

Miller denied any suggestion that he gave Parker undue favorable treatment but said he has relied on her input regarding "personal business" matters such as future job opportunities.

For instance, Parker accompanied Miller on a trip to Las Vegas between May 14 and 17, just after Miller dropped out of the Democratic primary for governor.

Miller said in an interview in September that he flew to Las Vegas in May for a trip that was "personal or personal business" in nature.

"No state government work," he said. "I'm kind of looking at my own job opportunities after I'm treasurer and also it's a nice place to relax."

It may well sound like sour grapes at this point, but this sordid episode displays perfectly how the mainstream media in Kentucky covers for Democrats. Can there be any doubt if Miller were a Republican that the last three weeks would have featured wall-to-wall news stories speculating about wild sex and gambling parties in Las Vegas and systematic abuse of the merit system?

This story is far from over.

Blog Blockergate 2

The Beshear administration is trying to decide if state employees should be reading political blogs on the job.

Is A Blog Without Comments Really A Blog?

Kentucky's Rep. Adam Koenig has started our first state legislator blog. It will be interesting to see how he does with it, who else follows him in putting one up, and if he decides to accept comments.

U.S. Sen. Mitch McConnell already has a blog.

Sentenced To Life In New Jersey

We already know that half the people living in casino paradise New Jersey want to leave the state as soon as they can.

So it's hard not to wonder if they are now getting rid of the death penalty as some kind of economic development ploy.

Price Tag For Relevant KY Schools? $60 Million

This bill might have a chance to improve low-performing schools if it didn't have to depend so heavily on the Kentucky Department of Education.

Better Point Out Penalty For Misuse Of Military ID

Rep. David Floyd has pre-filed a bill to allow underage military members to purchase, possess, and drink alcohol.

Lexington's Wildcatting Taxi Service

Not everyone in the Lexington Police Department is happy that University of Kentucky basketball coach Billy Gillispie gets a free ride home when he gets pulled over in town and needs a little extra help finding his way home safely.

Hitting The Ground Walking

Since Governor Beshear seems to be struggling to find things to talk about since his inauguration on Tuesday, may we suggest he seriously engage in the effort to open up the state's finances for oversight by those of us paying his bills?

I Admit I Am Biased

I don't have a problem with a Mormon getting elected President of the United States. What I have a problem with is this.

Is More Gang Violence Coming Here?

Someone with a New York City IP address just came to my site after googling "Are the Latin Kings going to invade Kentucky?"

I have heard about this before, but nothing recently. Any information related to this anyone has would be very helpful.

Beshear's Labor Secretary Co-Sponsors Benefits Bill

Twenty one House Democrats, including Labor Secretary-designate J.R. Gray, co-sponsored a bill that would overturn the domestic partner benefit plans at University of Kentucky and University of Louisville.

Governor Beshear has promised to veto any such bill.

Empty Symbolic Gestures Can Be Fun!

We can wait patiently while taxpayers fund Governor Beshear's drywall hanging stunt, but if he really wants to improve accountability he needs to talk seriously about making government more transparent.

Isn't Mike Huckabee Satan's Brother?

Gov. Mitt Romney gave his "don't hit me; I'm a Mormon" speech so Gov. Mike Huckabee, of course, had to hit him.

I think Huckabee could have done a lot better than this.

Today I'm With Ron Paul and Mike Huckabee

This is not, repeat NOT, a presidential endorsement.

Instead, it is a statement that I'm in favor of a bold federal tax reform plan call the Fair Tax.

Rep. Paul and Governor Huckabee have several problems with their campaigns, but being wusses on tax reform isn't one of them.

I'll be a guest on the Leland Conway radio show this morning at 11:30 talking about the Fair Tax. You can listen on 630 AM WLAP or www.wlap.com.

Will Beshear Look At Lexington Jail?

None of the 89 names on former Governor Ernie Fletcher's last-minute pardon list work at the Fayette County Detention Center. If that's what you were counting on, I'm sorry about your luck.

Meanwhile, one thing jumped out from the coverage of Governor Beshear's inaugural address:

Beshear said he would introduce a legislative package that would strengthen penalties for ethics violations, improve protection for whistleblowers and change the way appointments are made to the Executive Branch Ethics Commission.

It's easy to guess Beshear is talking about merit system whistleblowers. But does he know something about the mess Lexington officials have made of their local jail and the systematic abuse of whistleblower Cpl. John Vest?

Speculation at the jail has the long-awaited federal indictments coming down very soon. But that isn't the important part. With the indictments comes the unsealing of the evidence the FBI collected in their 2006 raid on FCDC. You may remember: that's the hundreds of hours of video and audio evidence which brought dozens of FBI agents in to storm the jail and pull out even more evidence. This is the evidence Mayor Teresa Isaac claimed to have examined thoroughly in a one night cram session.

If he hasn't already, Governor Beshear would do very well to look into this fiasco right away. Getting to the bottom of Mayor Jim Newberry's stunning mishandling of this sorry episode presents a fabulous opportunity for the state's new chief executive.

Global Warming Thaws Frankfort Hiring Freeze

The city of Frankfort is determined to cut energy usage (there is a joke in there about hot air but, never mind...) and so they have decided to start, of course, with hiring a city sustainability coordinator despite the city's hiring freeze.

Another Politician Who Doesn't Know Where He Is

Madison County Judge Executive Kent "Otis" Clark has resolved his latest alcohol-related issue, but not without causing a stir.

When Shirley told Clark he was under arrest, the judge-executive became "very argumentative and began yelling," according to the citation. The document said Clark didn't really resist arrest, but was uncooperative.

"He caused quite a scene," Russell Springs Police Chief Joe Michael Irvin said in an interview.
...
In June 2004, Clark was charged with alcohol intoxication after he was found passed out on a Lexington sidewalk. An arrest citation said Clark did not know what city he was in. Clark pleaded guilty and paid a fine, according to court records.

As Governor Steve "I'm gonna pass it" Beshear lands in Frankfort today, we will wait for his casino industry giveaway ranting and raving to die down a little bit before gently reminding him he is in Kentucky and we don't do things that way around here.

Rich Brooks, Call Your Lobbyist

Tim Tebow grew up a home-schooled student in Florida. Florida has a law that allows home-schooled students to play high school sports. Tim Tebow played high school sports and is now the 2007 Heisman Trophy winner and University of Florida quarterback.

Alabama is working on passing a law.