A gay rights movement veteran who did work for Daniel Mongiardo’s Senate campaign tells us that he and his campaign staff had changed their tune on gay marriage and equality and that he stands against SB245 these days. Could that be true? Will Mongiardo eventually come out of the proverbial homo woodwork and denounce SB245 in support of equality and gay marriage? We’re not holding our breath. We think our pal was duped. But wouldn’t it be hilarious to watch Mongiardo’s anti-gay supporters foam at the mouth?

Daniel Mongiardo says the ice storm was as a larger disaster than Hurricane Katrina! Not kidding. We lost urine over this. [Barefoot & Progressive]

Earlier today we received a press release from the Energy and Environment Cabinet with the subject, “Gov. Beshear announces crumb rubber grants.” We laughed uncontrollably for a few minutes and then got terribly uncomfortable. While the $200,000 grants program encourages environmental stewardship like we’ve rarely seen in Kentucky, we still think the subject is a tricky one. Thoughts? Are we just sick in the head? [Press Release]

142 days later and Lexington embarrassment Jim Newberry has only erected a sign. [Barefoot & Progressive]

The Department of Parks will be selling freshly baked biscuits with your choice of country ham, sausage or chicken, homemade muffins, apple juice and orange juice for $1.00 at the Governor’s Kentucky Derby breakfast this Saturday. While many are complaining about the Governor’s decision to charge for the once-free breakfast, we think it’s a steal. A dollar a biscuit? That’s crazy. Because Kentuckians know how to make a buttermilk biscuit. So go eat up. Deeeelicious. [Press Release]

Today Attorney General Jack Conway announced the launch of a new website called Kentucky Traffic Safety. The site will allow prosecutors and law enforcement to view dates of upcoming traffic safety trainings, serve as a contact point for community concerns involving traffic safety issues and provide access to state and national statistical data to help reduce highway fatalities. [Kentucky Traffic Safety]

Peep the rest after the jump…

The New York Times bestselling book by David Sirota, which we’ve mentioned a few times, The Uprising, has been released in paperback. The book is an unauthorized tour of the left-right populist revolt that scares Wall Street and Washington. It’s currently dominating national political discussions and Sirota is everywhere talking about it. So now that it’s cheap, pick up a copy. [David Sirota]

Six Kentucky students have been chosen as semi-finalists to be Presidential Scholars. They are: Jacob Bailey, Simon Kenton High School in Independence; Jennifer Grash, Paul Laurence Dunbar High School in Lexington; Connie Wu, Paul Laurence Dunbar High School in Lexington; Austin Brownlow, Kentucky Country Day School in Prospect/Louisville; Adam Horn, Woodford County High School in Versailles; Lila Leatherman, also at Woodford County High School. [Presidential Scholars Program]

Jim Bunning says he doesn’t expect any major GOP opponent. Maybe because he’ll be dropping out of the race at the last minute so someone else can run? [Tom Loftus]

Builders working near the site of the Auschwitz-Birkenau death camp discovered a message in a bottle written by seven young prisoners from Poland and France. The message, written in pencil and dated 9 September 1944, bears the writers’ names, camp numbers and home towns. Wow. [BBC]

Actually, millionaire Bill Caylor, the Obama Administration isn’t against digging coal or burning it, they’re against the rape of the Appalachians and the corrupt practices of mountaintop removal operators. Nice spin job, though, as usual. Also interesting that Rocky Adkins didn’t bother mentioning that mountaintop removal actually reduces the number of jobs for coal miners. [James Bruggers]

When will the traditional media get it? You MUST include photographs when publishing a story like this on the web. [LA Times]

Republicans say Arlen Specter is a political sell-out. That’s the height of GOP hypocrisy, for sure. [Newsweek]