It’s silly to protest this North Carolina nutjob. He’s so crazy that a protest isn’t necessary. His words do all the work for you. [HuffPo]

The paper in Lexington felt it was necessary to run a NYT piece about the 4th District race. Instead of writing about it on its own, that is. [H-L]

Here comes Mittens Romney pretending that he knows a lot about and cares about public education. [Reuters]

The feds are cracking down on food stamp fraud. We’re left wondering when they’ll start cracking down on disability fraud, which is rampant in Kentucky. [NPR]

The ranking member of the House Judiciary Committee has called on President Barack Obama to order an investigation into the case of Clarence Aaron, a federal prison inmate whose quest for a presidential commutation was the subject of a ProPublica investigation. [ProPublica]

Can you imagine what life would be like if rail travel was part of Kentucky’s reality? [Politico]

You can’t even beat somebody until their school fractures in Barbourville without being arrested these days. [WKYT]

Unemployment rates fell in 110 of Kentucky’s 120 counties in April, according to data released Thursday by the state’s Office of Employment and Training. Maybe because more people fell off the jobless rolls? [H-L]

The Kentucky Supreme Court today reversed the three murder convictions of Lloyd Hammond, who was sentenced to life without parole in 2010 for killing William Sawyers, Terrell Cherry and Kerry Williams. [C-J/AKN]

Yep, the wingnuts are all in a tizzy over the Creation Myth Museum not being the top most important vacation destination on the planet, amen. [Wonkette]

Yep, we know, the Times-Picayune is on its deathbed and is just cold producing fewer papers each week – just three days. Yep, A Kentucky Newspaper will soon be in that same boat. [HuffPo]

Senate appropriators voted 18-12 on Thursday to reinstate funding for family-planning programs abroad, setting up a clash with the House. You know Rand Paul will be losing his elfin mind over this. [The Hill]

The Environmental Protection Agency has concerns about the environmental impact of a 218-acre coal ash landfill in Trimble County proposed by Louisville Gas and Electric. [WFPL]

Way to go Carter County. You’ve done it again. An Carter County man was shot and killed by state troopers Wednesday after police said he pointed a rifle at them and refused to put it down. [H-L]

On a scale of 1 to 10, how sad will it be watching Andy Barr lose to Republican Ben Chandler one more time? [WTVQ]

It’s interesting that in stories like this one, it’s never mentioned how much Bill Bissett is paid to literally spin for the Kentucky Coal Association. That’s his job – to spin – not to provide facts or tell you anything based in reality. [C-J/AKN]

Hal Rogers continues to pretend that there’s some war on coal. Interesting that concern about a devastating practice (mountaintop removal) still equates to a war on every other form of mining in their feeble minds. [WKYT]

Public scholarship funds – meant for the needy – are benefiting private schools. Because that’s how the “conservatives” want it. [NY Times]

The Lexington-Fayette Urban County government has paid $60,000 to settle a lawsuit involving the July 2010 death of Dean Ferguson, a prisoner who collapsed at the local jail and later died. [H-L]

Here’s more of that fancy mainstream coverage about Kentucky. Voters registered a strong protest against President Barack Obama in Democratic primaries in solidly Republican Kentucky and Arkansas, while Republican Mitt Romney easily captured both states, according to unofficial election returns. [Reuters]

Is this maybe why America can’t have nice things? The Senate Appropriations Committee on Tuesday moved forward with legislation to increase airline passenger security fees, beating back a GOP attempt to keep them at current levels. [The Hill]

Consultants paid for by the University of Louisville are saying exactly what UofL money-drivers have been saying. Imagine that! What a coincidence. [Business First]

This American Airlines pilot believes sluts should pay the price based on his backwater beliefs. [Wonkette]

Even Colin Powell says the gays should be allowed to get married. Which will cause a bunch of racist twits to freak out. [HuffPo]

Candidates for the 4th District congressional seat were at KET on Monday for a debate. During a discussion about where money to pay for federal education grants comes from, get a load of what Thomas Massie had to say:

HAHA – China! Seems ole dude is taking his talking points directly from teabagger Phil Moffett. Interesting hearing the other candidates chuckle under their breath.

Bill Goodman’s response/rebuttal was terrific, though.

That’s what the Fourth District has to look forward to.

Mitch McConnell once again forgets that he is the pot calling the kettle black. [The Hill]

How badly will the Time Warner transition from Insight hurt? Will lubrication be necessary for customers in Kentucky? [H-L]

Kentuckians are already familiar with the damage that can be done with outside campaign money and activity. It’s the only way teabaggers can get elected. [NPR]

What? You mean your schools are selling out to big ag like Monsanto left and right? [Mother Jones]

Trader Joe’s is opening in Lexington at the end of June and that means Lexington hipsters are pooping their pants in excitement. [WLEX18]

Thomas Massie seems to have a problem with Kentucky Open Meetings laws and the Office of the Attorney General is sniffing around. [Page One]

This mess in Colorado where bond companies get involved in pushing school construction campaigns sounds a lot like what goes on here in Kentucky. With both schools and court houses, that is. [Denver Post]

A former supervisor of the KFC Yum! Center has sued the Kentucky State Fair Board, claiming he was fired after reporting “illegal and dangerous conduct” by board employees. Which sounds just right in Louisville and Kentucky. Whistleblowers always get fired and torn apart. [C-J/AKN]

Do you live in one of the most well-read cities in America? Of course not! You live in Kentucky. [HuffPo]

The last few years has been pretty much a nonstop ride of positive safety PR for the nuclear power industry, right? I mean, this is a technology that absorbed an enormous earthquake and tsunami and barely even killed anyone/left whole towns uninhabitable/terrified the world. Heh. [Wonkette]

Police in western Kentucky are investigating the fatal shooting of a woman who worked as a counselor in a middle school. [WKYT]

Aww, Michele Beard Bachmann decided to flip-flop and withdrew her Swiss citizenship or whatever. Funny how that works. [Wonkette]

Where was Greg Stumbo months ago when ARH officials reached out to legislators about a certain Medicaid manager? Nowhere to be found. [Chicago Tribune/H-L]

Here’s Mittens Romney hating the gays at Jerry Falwell’s little school. [NPR]

Here’s Mittens Romney being a homophobic prick all the way back in the 1960s. [WaPo]

Let’s talk about how Mittens Romney has flip-flopped left and right about whether or not he hates the gays or loves them. [Wonkette]

Oh, look, it’s the head of the Republicans pretending that the gays haven’t faced persecution, crimes and discrimination. [Politico]

The fates of the American economy and the presidency of Barack Obama are inextricably linked, and both of them hit a bump in April. [The Economist]

Teachers in Boone County have decided to forgo raises in order to keep 46 positions from being cut. [H-L]

President Barack Obama and Vice President Joe Biden honored 34 police officers at the White House on Saturday for “extraordinary acts of bravery,” including two cops from Los Angeles who halted a shooting and one from Chicago who intervened during an armed robbery. [Reuters]

U.S. lawmakers have been unusually silent about federal regulators’ decision to allow a Chinese bank to take over 13 bank branches in New York and California, suggesting that they think American banks have much to gain. [The Hill]

Looks like Michele Beard Bachmann’s glittery husband’s line of work is under major scrutiny. [HuffPo]

Haha, so, funny story… A Kentucky Newspaper’s telephone system didn’t even work after it recklessly and confusingly announced paywalls and subscription price increases. Also, Wes Jackson is pushing the paper because of it’s “coupon savings.” These folks are doing a real disservice to the hardworking people employed by the paper and the community in general. [C-J/AKN]

We’re not sure how horses have anything to do with Mother’s Day but whatever. The newspaper seems to think it’s a big deal. [H-L]

Here’s the glowing mainstream media review of Jerry Abramson and his tax “reform” commission. Absolutely no mention of his attempt to stifle transparency and to keep proceedings secret. [C-J/AKN]

Lexington got something else right: the council voted against discussing a reduction of ambulance staffing levels. In Louisville, Metro Government allows EMS to continually fall off a cliff. [H-L]

Papaw and Jane thanked some man in Kansas for a free hot beef inj… donation. [WLEX18]

Look how cute! It’s Mitch McConnell pretending that only Democrats use Washington to come up with new campaign material. [WaPo]

You already know Whitley County is a hot mess so you won’t be surprised to learn a man assaulted somebody with brass knuckles. [WKYT]

So much for promised transparency! Jerry Abramson and the Beshear Administration tried to hide today’s tax “reform” meeting by asking the Legislative Research Commission to keep its cameras turned off. [Page One]

LG&E and Kentucky Utilities want to give you $30 for your old fridge or freezer. [FOX41]

So Barack Obama was all, hey students, let me come to your college and sing you some Al Green and whisper sweet nothings about Derrida and Pound and TS Eliot and also about how it is important that the interest rate on your student loan does not DOUBLE, and Republicans were all hey that is not fair because our position is really unpopular and you are being “political” and “pathetic” by pointing it out! [Wonkette]

Here you go. Here’s the University of Kentucky’s tuition hike funtimes. [H-L]

Of course a Republican group’s newsletter is urging an “armed revolution” if President Barack Obama is reelected. That’s how mouth-breathers operate. [HuffPo]

Facing federal action, Kentucky moved to increase reclamation bonds for surface mines. Funny how that always works. [WFPL]

Despite his 2008 call to “let Detroit go bankrupt,” presumptive Republican presidential nominee Mitt Romney said Monday that he would “take a lot of credit” for his impact on the U.S. automobile industry’s comeback. [HuffPo]

According to the latest polling data, a majority of Democrats support same-sex marriage. [Daily Kos]

Few have faced challenges as daunting as the one confronting Lyndon B. Johnson on November 22nd 1963. [The Economist]

Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell called a vote to move Senate Democrats’ legislation to extend the current Stafford student loan interest rate a political stunt meant to win over young American voters. [The Hill]

Jerry Abramson and the Beshear Administration tried to hide today’s tax “reform” meeting by asking the Legislative Research Commission to keep its cameras turned off. [Page One]

Just par for the course, really, as Jerry is keen on things like tolling bridges just to toll them. He’s got a lot of excuses. [The 'Ville Voice]

Maybe Downtown Louisville wouldn’t be in such a sorry state if all of the city’s development cash hadn’t been squandered on Cordish Cos. [FOX41]

And the Medicaid wars rage on. This is going to be another black spot on the Beshear Misadministration. [H-L]

Does no one else think it’s odd that Rick Santorum endorsed Mittens Romney at 11:00 P.M.? [HuffPo]

This 5191 documentary has everyone in a tizzy lately. Are you ready for it? [WKYT]

Why is it still a surprise that Jefferson County leads all 119 other counties in tourism dollars spent? [WFPL]

Really, we’re all shocked that it’s always about money? And that someone threatened a lawsuit because someone else dared question where a VA hospital may be built? [C-J/AKN]

The burden of air pollution and asthma is not evenly shared among U.S. children. [HuffPo]

Folks love to hate David Williams and some of that hate is well-deserved. But he helped make this thing in Louisville happen. [C-J/AKN]

Sorry, Marty Cockring, but the jesusian mouth-breathers did refuse to print those t-shirts because the clients were gigantic, sparkly gays. Stop playing pat-a-cake. What you neglect to mention, however, is that the mouth-breathers also did the right thing by finding another company to print the shirts for them at the same damn price. So you can’t really say they’re discriminating. The Lexington gays went after them because they knew it would be a problem. It’s so blatant that you don’t even hear the usual gay voices chiming in to support them. Additionally, I hope you some day have to suffer at the hands of the Aryan Nation for daring compare gay rights activists to the AN. What a despicable thing. [H-L]

Every singly media outlet in the state ran a story about Hal Rogers’ longtime aide retiring. Because that’s apparently important news. [WTVQ]

We’ve heard more about this story from the bourbon industry than we ever imagined. Seems a certain signature industry is about a pop a vein. [The 'Ville Voice]

Yes, this absolutely is the most boring presidential election ever. [Rolling Stone]

Wait, are we supposed to feign shock and surprise that the University of Kentucky board of trustees is going to vote to raise tuition again? [WKYT]

What? Yet another Republican who is unfamiliar with the minimum wage? Surely not! [HuffPo]

Something doesn’t smell quite right about these Kentucky tourism claims made this week. [H-L]

Who wants to bet this Paul Patton effort to take coal severance funds from several counties to create scholarships at the University of Pikeville isn’t going to work out so well? [C-J/AKN]

Looks like Alecia Webb-Edgington’s silly “gun rights” endorsement is negated by the latest teabagger move. [Kenny Coleslaw]

Adam Edelen says he’s going to review micro-government groups like lie-berries, sewer and fire districts. [Ryan Alessi]

An insurance provider must continue to pay for members to be treated at Eastern Kentucky’s largest health care network for 30 days, a state official said Wednesday, and a federal judge ordered negotiations between the two sides. [H-L]

Foreclosure victims are fighting back. Something at least one Democratic State Senate candidate in Louisville won’t like. [HuffPo]

Lending to small business is slowing, a sign that companies are losing confidence in the economy. [NPR]

A federal appeals court has affirmed the convictions and sentences of William Gallion and Shirley Cunningham Jr. for running a “massive scheme to defraud their clients” in Kentucky’s fen-phen case. [C-J/AKN]

Walmart was fined by the Department of Labor for denying workers overtime pay and agreed to pay $4.8 million in back wages. [HuffPo]

Magoffin County Schools are laying people off. Nine non-tenured teachers are expected to get axed. [WYMT]

The Kentucky Transportation Cabinet just finished paying $8.3 million for the Drumanard Estate – $1.3 million above its own appraisal – to build the East End bridge in Louisville. [C-J/AKN]

Newt Gingrich was just on the teevee talking about the moon, jobs, Kaiser Wilhelm, Mitt Romney, Barack Obama, cocaine and methamphetamine, amnesia, his grandchildren, Ellis the Elephant, dropping out of the Republican presidential nominating contest, and everything else he has ever thought about for half-a-second since 1968. [Wonkette]

At last night’s Kentucky Farm Bureau debate, Gary Moore came out in favor of industrial hemp: “We have a very vibrant farming community in the 4th district. Allowing Industrial Hemp to be grown, processed and sold, would provide new opportunities for our farmers. Kentucky has precisely the right soil and climate to see industrial hemp become a major cash crop for our communities. Right now, our nation imports industrial hemp and it’s derivatives from other nations like Canada. We are placing ourselves at a disadvantage for no good reason. Domestic industrial hemp, when processed, can provide a large number of industrial and consumer goods to Americans.” This may be his only proposal worth supporting.  [Press Release]

Papaw Beshear is paying his tax reform consultant $60,000. We’d publish the press release but it’s super-boring. [H-L]

Wait, wait, here’s more craziness from Laurel County. Another stabbing incident. Way to go, folks. [WLEX18]

Buried in a Republican bill to give states more say over health care funds is a provision that could block them from spending their own money on abortions. [Mother Jones]