A dream world for those who want Idiocracy to become reality.
You’ve probably heard that the Reconsideration Meeting to explore the books that Cindy Rose claims are very harmful to our youth has been postponed. The Frederick News Post filed a complaint against FCPS claiming that the closed meetings violated the law. So, while we wait for a judge to sort all that out, let’s take a peek into a future in which books have to pass the political sniff test.
NPR sponsors a podcast called Planet Money. Last week, this podcast did a story on how picture books can teach young children about a variety of economic concepts. Before this podcast, a list of books was sent to the school district and it was agreed that the books were appropriate for 3rd graders. Well, at least until those 3rd graders had the nerve to connect one story to historical events.
We present the transcript of the incident below:
If we know our readers, and we think we do, most of you are probably crying over your computer or clenching your fists in rage. (Unless you are Cindy Rose who is probably rejoicing at this interaction). What really gets us is even the 9 year olds know what happened is bullshit. How in the world is it appropriate to first, cut off a Dr. Seuss story the kids were enjoying, and secondly make the kids who were making connections to history and the story feel as though they did something wrong? It’s the direct opposite of what should occur in a school. The lesson is that we need to protect our schools and their libraries from this kind of nonsense. For ignorance has no placed in our schools.
We are very sorry to inform you that Blaine wrote another LTEthat sullied the good pages of the FNP. In a very pathetic attempt to be clever, he pretended to write a letter to Santa listing his gripes against the current City of Frederick administration! Glad to see he’s in the holiday spirit!
“I really don’t have time for this nonsense”!
Here’s a few of our favorite exerts:
4. Please add blue safety light phones in some of those areas as the community college has done.
5. Please get smokers to not throw their cigarette butts on the ground. It is out of control.
6. Please sprinkle some economic magic dust on the Golden Mile and the old Frederick Towne Mall property.
8. Please make us a pet-friendly city with responsible pet owners like other cities. Pet owners spend huge amounts of money.
We can’t believe we have to talk about the blue safety lights again. Yes, they were really useful in 1992 when cell phones didn’t exist, but not so much today. Are we to believe that “Mr. Let’s Sell the Government Off” to private vendors is going to go all Big Brother and follow smokers around to see where they put their butts? What is his proposal to stop this? Perhaps he missed the news about the Old Frederick Towne Mall property being turned into a huge entertainment center, which isn’t surprising at all. It’s so much easier to complain than to actually pay attention or do any research. Finally, we Lady Yokels love our pets, but we don’t even want to know what he wants to do with our tax money so he can traipse all over town with these guys:
We are sorry to have to show this to you folks, but someone sent it to us and if we have to see it, so do you.
Do you remember back in 2016 when rumors were flying that Blaine had his eyes on the City of Frederick mayoral office? We shot down this ridiculousness in two posts, one explaining the Scientific Methodto Mr. Young, and the other making him aware that the Electoral College does not exist here in Olde Fredericktowne! Alas, he did not get the message. In today’s editorial section of the FNP, there is a LTE penned by Blaine entitled (hold your chuckles folks!): “Make it shine and sparkle”.
Hold on Tiger, we are going to have some fun here!
On the surface, the LTE looks like an innocuous list of suggestions from a concerned citizen. However, we are NOT new here, and even though case search may have expunged his record, we have NOT forgotten who he is! Let’s examine some of these passages, shall we?
I have only one request of my elected officials and citizens: Make it shine, make it sparkle before the next big taxpayer-funded idea like a hotel and conference center. Most days there is trash on the sidewalks, cigarette butts everywhere, and grass and weeds growing through the sidewalks.
First of all, this is only the first of a few requests he makes. So, until all weeds are picked and cigarette butts removed we can’t have anything new? This is really rich coming from someone who signed off on new development after new development when he was on the BOCC. Did he make sure the county sparkled and shined before starting a new project? NO HE DID NOT!
Also, residents and visitors like to feel safe and not always harassed for spare change. More police presence on foot and bikes would be welcomed by all. Pay them what is needed if that is what it takes. The next decade will be very interesting in the city, as some feel it is not headed with the same dedication, commitment and enthusiasm as in the past.
Look what you did to Shakespeare, Blaine!
Good Zeus on Mt. Olympus, does Mr. $100 tax-refund, let’s privatize the whole countyexpect us to now believe that he advocates raising taxes to pay for more cops? And who, pray tell, does he believe will have this “dedication, commitment, and enthusiasm” of the past?
Finally:
Filled storefronts, a clean and safe city not just on three or four square blocks, would be appreciated by many. I’ll do my part and pick up trash when I can, but it has to be a team effort. One step doesn’t seem like a lot, but the little things add up to big things. It will be contagious in all parts of the city, not just downtown.
First of all, prizes to anyone who sends us a pic of Blaine picking up trash or picking sidewalk crack weeds. And secondly, give us a freaking break Blaine. Encouraging people to pick up trash, weed in between the cracks, and advocating for more police is not going to make us forget that you approved so many developments that this county will be playing catch up for decades. It won’t erase the fact that you and your cronies enacted a very xenophobic and racist English-Only Ordinance,or that you cussed out a teenage referee.And finally, it certainly won’t make us forget your solicitation of prostitution arrest.
Seriously! We don’t want you back in public office!
Stop making this so easy for us! Man, he must really think we are all really stupid or have amnesia to write something like this. Stay vigilant folks and #neverforgetwhatBlainedidtothiscounty!
Last evening’s meeting had the misfortune of running at the exact same time as bells were tolling all over the damn place for the Trump administration.
Uh-oh Donald!
Therefore, we were very distracted!
What we can tell you is that Tony didn’t show up. Billy voted against the agenda, but somehow found it in him to vote for the budget adjustments. Guess he’s given up on getting a Budget Director! Especially since his first choice for this position betrayed Kirby by having the nerve to run for county executive in a free country!
This election season has been something. If you need to catch up on all the drama, click here.
The longest part of the evening is dedicated to express approval for an annex in the City of Frederick. The city wants to have this area available for mix industrial/commercial use. Kirby is worried about water, Mayor O’Connor is not. And we cannot help but feel even more sorry than we previously did to anyone who has to sit through Lame Duck Shrelauter’s questioning. Passes 6-0-1.
Myersville annexation discussion is much quicker and passes with the same vote count.
Bud has brought a school construction fee back to the table. There will be a public hearing soon and you can read all about it here. We would like to point out one quote from Jan about his new bill:
A former proposal from County Executive Jan Gardner would have raised the fees by 56 to 72 percent across those categories. Using the single-family house example, that measure would raise the fee to $6,924, $2,745 and $5,803, respectively.
Gardner said Tuesday she continues to support her original proposal.
“The ‘compromise’ bill proposed by Council President Otis and the work group makes progress but falls short of what is needed,” Gardner said. “The school mitigation fee is only paid when a developer chooses to pay the fee to continue to build even though schools are overcrowded. In my opinion, the full cost of the needed school seats should be paid.”
Can’t say we disagree with that!
Next up is the passage of two bills concerning Accessory Dwelling Units. We remember way back when Kirby and Billy first brought this issue up! But now that Jessica has her liberal fingers all over it, they are magically against it. Billy also takes the time to bring up the most irrelevant issue. His failed attempt to have a workshop on construction costs. Which has nothing to do with the issue at hand. Boo Hiss! Both bills pass.
There’s a break and then the council returns for three public hearings. The first one is the only one that people bothered to show up for. It puts an income cap on Billy’s Elderly Individual and Retired Military Tax Credit. Ray Barnes likes it, three other gentlemen do not.
Bud mistakenly adjourns before council member comments. Billy starts screaming that he’s already gotten rid of 75% of council member comments, he can’t get rid of 100%! The recording goes to the music and when it starts back up Billy and Bud are engaged on a full out war of words!
December cannot come quick enough folks!
Billy is screaming at Bud that he’s a terrible leader. Bud retorts by saying, “At least I vote!” Billy demands to know just what the hell is that supposed to mean. (We know people, we know.) Bud replies that he doesn’t abstain. Billy’s defense? “Abstaining is a vote!” Thank goodness we are not going to embarrass our entire county by sending this Master of Logic to Annapolis!
We can barely listen to the nice comments of Jessica and M.C. through our fury. We do notice that Kirby is texting throughout their comments which is oh so professional. Thank goodness he won’t be leading the county!
This will be hung in our nursing home room when we are old and grey! It never ceases to lift our spirits!
We have only a few more months to bring you the antics of Kirby, Billy, and Tony before their terms mercifully come to an end. If you didn’t catch the post concerning the piece of art above, read all about how Kirby instructed us to “follow the money”. And then hilariously constructed this nonsensical flow chart to show he has no idea what that means.
Not only did Randy donate $200 to Tony’s campaign in 2014, he gave him a sizable contribution this election cycle:
$500 is pretty large for a county council race!
We remember during the discussion of this bill it was said there was no particular site in mind! The skeptical side of us wonders if the Clarion Inn was discussed from the beginning. We also can’t help but wonder who approached Tony to introduce this bill. Could it be that those same people who like to accuse Jan of backroom deals are actually guilty of the same? Kirby says that if you follow the money you will always get your answer. Could it be that he’s right?
We brought you a report of the first part of last night’s meeting, but there’s no way we can sit through three hours of public hearings. We’ll point you in the right direction if you wish to keep informed.
First, for a good old chuckle, go to 4:15:08 of last night’s meeting and prepare to have an F bomb dropped on you by Tom Natelli. Accidentally of course, but still hilarious. (We did feel a little bad for him because he turned a bright shade of red and commented that he knew that was going to be played over and over again.)
There was an amusing discussion on our Facebook page yesterday regarding Billy’s bad habit of voting against the agenda. During our meeting coverages we have suggested if Billy insists on voting against the items on the agenda, he shouldn’t be allowed to vote on anything! Perhaps we should gather the necessary signatures so we can change the charter come next election! At this point, we don’t even believe that Billy knows why he votes against it anymore!
In this morning’s Political Notes, we are treated to some drama between Billy and the Frederick County Republican Central Committee (FCRCC). As we all know, Billy is running for Maryland State Senate. He’s also running for a seat on the FCRCC, which according to the by-laws in a no-no:
“Any FCRCC member who intends to run against another Republican (other than for Central Committee) should, upon filing, resign from his or her position on the FCRCC since such a candidacy creates a conflict of interest between the member’s personal interests and the interests of the FCRCC and/or Party.”
Billy, in a telephone interview with the FNP, stated the by-laws do not REQUIRE him to resign. You know because of the word “should”. And, we all know that Billy doesn’t do what he SHOULD! Well, Lois Gibson, who happens to be the treasurer of Greater Frederick Republican Women, thinks Billy behavior is unethical and was quoted as saying:
“If he has integrity he should, in fact, resign,” she said.
Your Lady Yokels will be chuckling about this all day!
Please, Ms. Gibson, read through our blog to learn all there is to know about Billy’s governing style. Integrity is not in his playbook!
There’s so much to share with our dear readers on this chilly Friday morning. Let’s start with a column in today’s Frederick News Post. Self appointed crotchety old man, Rick Blatchford, shares with us his stream of consciousness rant on everything that is wrong with the world today. From Caitlin Jenner to Bill Clinton to the singer Pink, there seems to be no end to the issues that outrage this man. This kind of stuff is mostly amusing to us. Because, faux outrage is well, funny.
What deserves some real outrage is a piece that appeared in the noodley appendage this morning. The author is so very outraged that Republican Senator Jeff Flake made a donation to Alabama Democratic Senatorial candidate Doug Jones. He is even more outraged that on the donation check Senator Flake wrote: “country before party”. A nice sentiment that we wish more people would adhere to. Well, no, no, no says this author because Doug Jones will kill all the unborn babies, let the immigrants flow through the border in droves (especially those Muslims), and will force all that government health care down y’all’s throats! But, even that hyperbolic drivel isn’t what gets us. It’s this note the author makes at the end of the piece:
Regarding the severity of claims, Mr. Moore had relations with teenagers when he was in his 30’s back in the 1970’s, Moore’s grandparents and perhaps parents, likely would not have batted an eye at such a relationship. Many men in their 30’s and older where (sp) widowers from disease and child birth deaths. Women their age where (sp) all married with their own families. Moore was no widower, but the age mismatch issue is only a recently formulated taboo. It should also be noted that all of the claims against Mr. Moore are for consensual relationships unlike the groping, grabbing, coercing and raping claims filling our news every day against entertainment, news and elected offenders.
Seriously!!
How long ago does this guy think the 1970’s were?! Roy Moore’s behavior was bad and creepy enough that he was banned from the local mall! And, kind sir, if you think that a 15 year old child can consent to a relationship with a 30 some year old man then your view of consent is really warped. Putting aside the issue as to whether or not a child can consent (they can’t!) to a relationship with a much older man, is the fact that he has also been accused of attacking at least one woman as a teenager. It’s also outrageous that you are so worried about protecting all the unborn children, but not the girl children that have already been born. What kind of pro-lifer does that make you? But, go ahead and tell us all the trade-off is worth it. That a Democrat is worse than a pedophile. For that is what is truly worth the outrage.
*Just for clarification MOST 15 year olds were not married in the days of yore. Just take a gander at this chart on the average age of marriage from the Census Bureau:
We got beat out by the hockey blog, but that’s okay!
Coming in second isn’t too shabby! If you want to push your Lady Yokels to the number one position, you still have the chance to do so by nominating us in Frederick Magazine’s Best of the Best contest until November 15th!
So last week, we ever so nicely asked our friendly readers to vote for us in the FNP’s Best of the Best blog contest. Just a little friendly competition among local blogs, right? Well, we thought so until yesterday when we noticed that we were getting quite a few referrals from some blog called Russian Machine Never Breaks. At first we thought, ” Oh no, Kirby and Billy finally got the Russians after us.” But no, it’s just some blog devoted entirely to the Washington Capitals hockey team. What did this blog dare say about your favorite Lady Yokels you ask?
Yeah, why don’t you puck off?!?!
Not sure how this qualifies as a local blog since, besides this post, we don’t see anything on their site that has to do with Frederick. To point out the obvious, these hockey jocks know nothing about how your coterie of ladies works tirelessly to keep y’all up to date on our local political scene. If they would pull themselves away from ESPN for half a millisecond, maybe just maybe, they would be a little angry as well. For how else is one to react after being exposed to the antics of Shrelauter?
Our other friendly competition, Housewives of Frederick County, was also heavily condescended to in this post, because they have what these fellows identify as lady capri pants interests!!! Hockey #1!!! GRUNT! GRUNT! GRUNT!
So dear readers, we are sending out another call for you to vote for a TRUE local Frederick blog. One that makes it so you don’t have to destroy your TV when you throw a glass at it during council meetings. A blog that cares about what happens up here in our fine county, and not on a fake ice rink far, far away.
frederick local yokel 