Ah, the youth of today.

A local high schooler works at the Western Street Rod Nationals from 8:30 to 3 and calls it a "really long day."

Still, it's a really short blog post and pretty entertaining. It's here.

There's opinions aplenty on this weekend's beer fest killing at Stramler Park.

There's also numerous blogs to which you can post your comments. Before you comment, you might want to read the latest news on the incident. It can be found here.

Check out these blogs on the topic:

Our Breaking News team blog, includes the coroner's report and loads of comments.

An earlier blog post from Breaking News can be found here.

And there's this blog post, titled: "hmmmm 29... unemployed, 4 kids and drinking beer all day." Guess where the blogger's sympathies lie.

There's also a blog post written by the mother of the alleged killer's children, who also dated the victim. Her blog is called "Reporting at it's worst"

According to a story on San Luis Obispo.com, Kern County and Taft in particular will reap the biggest windfall in tourism dollars should the Carrizo Plain National Monument be developed into a bigger tourist attraction.

Taft is the closest city to the monument. Taft itself doesn't have much in the way of tourist attractions. Taft does have Ollie's. Ollie's serves a great burger.

Read the whole story here.

Just found out that Ollie's is closed and has 'For Sale' sign on it.

Poor Taft.

A local motorcyclist is unhappy that him and his two-wheeled buddies have been kicked off an airport runway.

This from one biker:

"And they were told in short that BPD would rather see them out on the street doing moving felonies than exercising in a controlled environment."

Read the whole post here.

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The bike path is the epicenter of Bakersfield's lawlessness (we're shocked it wasn't included in the new Grand Theft Auto videogame), but that's all set to change now the BPD has these in its arsenal.

Read more here.

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Walking from The Californian's downtown building to get our daily caffeine fix at Dagny's takes us past the intersection on 19th and Eye where construction workers have been busy renovating the third floor of the Hay Building into the 1612 City Lofts.

Real estate reporter Vanessa Gregory wrote about the urban condos in October of last year.

And if the lofts are as snazzy as the Web site, we're predicting they'll sell out quick.

Check it out here.

(and if you can't get the prices, check those out here)

Let's just hope some yahoo doesn't reopen the Bullpen across the street and scare everyone off!

Vanessa has information on a loft preview at her latest blog post here.

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This story published Monday in the Los Angeles Times:

For South L.A. farmers, a new setting for their plots

"Evicted two years ago from a controversial inner-city garden, they're putting down roots in a tiny town west of Bakersfield."

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Day in, day out, our photographers take some arresting photographs. Each week our picture editors choose their favorite local photos and explain why they like them. Check out this week's slideshow and pick your favorite.

See it here.

Kicking things off today, a blogger gives their opinion on this weekend's local car show: "A blue funk at the Street Rod Nationals in Bakersfield this weekend." Read the post here.

Scam warning: According to craigscrimelist.org, a tutor scam is targeting teachers in Bakersfield. Read the story here.

Meanwhile, the heading of this blog post piqued our interest: Bakersfield Nights (The days are not, but the nights are hotter), but the content left us puzzled. Decide for yourself here.

And finally, seeing as it's Tuesday morning, it's time for Radio Free Bakersfield's weekly podcast. Nearly 60 minutes of twang, crunch and oomph (and the F-word). Listen in here.

A longtime resident of Bakersfield talks country music and intersperses recollections of country legends Buck Owens and Merle Haggard.

Read the blog post here.

FARK is a popular Web site which links to strange news and entertainment items from all corners of the globe.

Stories in The Californian and on bakersfield.com have appeared periodically on the site, the latest one being:

"When opening a new pharmacy, make sure the building doesn't share a ventilation system with the morgue next door"

Check out other Bakersfield stories linked to on FARK here.

If only this were possible: From L.A. to Bakersfield in under 3 minutes!

A woman decries Bakersfield's fashion sense, or lack thereof.

A couple poses for their engagement photos at a Kern County fire station.

Two local blogs we thought you'd like: and

One of our favorite bloggers, Dr BLT, sings his birthday song about Billy Mize.

Another local blogger accuses her neighbor of trying to steal her dog in the WitnessLogVxXYz blog.

When the Wall Street Journal talks economics you'd be wise to listen.

So it might be worth paying attention to a columnist there who writes it's time for Americans to start stockpiling food. Read the article here.

Here's TV station Channel 23's report on local food rationing, ending with the classic line: "Costco’s only limitation is that no one costumer is allowed to buy their entire stock."

And finally, CNN's report on the effect around the world of rising food prices.

Not too long ago blogging was like early mornings to our Sports department. They were familiar with the concept, but weren't particularly keen on experiencing it.

So much has changed in the last 12 months.

Here's a few of our sports writers' latest blogs.

Jeff Evans says CSUB and BC should retire the jersey numbers of their best athletes.

Zach Ewing says the CIF flip-flopped in its decision to give Carson's Home Depot Center the state championship prep football games.

Mike Griffith says he can't wait for the next Condors' season to begin.

Andy Kehe wants to remind you that progress is being made in finding a home for CSUB's new baseball team.

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Californian photographer Casey Christie took these bobcat photos on his way to work this morning and it made us think of the beautiful wildlife we'd seen or written about during our time in Bakersfield.

Personally, my favorite encounter happened on the bike path just east of Manor Road early one morning a few years ago. I rode up on a king snake in a standoff with a gopher. The two critters were about 12 inches apart and looked like they were glaring at each other.

I watched as nothing happened for a few minutes, then turned and cycled the other way.

Other wildlife recollections welcome.

— Andrew Mockett

The wonders of the local online library services are espoused in this blog post.

And the third installment of sagefever's trip to Mexico can be read here.

Meanwhile, Cal State Bakersfield's basketball team gets a new recruit.

It's a couple of weeks old, but it's still a goodie. Local TV presenter Mike Hart street races in his wife's Avalon.

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From an anti-discrimination blog, comes this story:

Last December Mr. Sahadur Singh, a Utah resident, was driving in Kern County, California, when a police officer stopped him for a normal traffic violation. The police officer spotted the kirpan underneath Mr. Singh’s clothing and immediately arrested him for violating the State’s concealed weapon law and for resisting arrest when Mr. Singh tried to explain the significance of the kirpan.

On the way to the police station, Kern County officers reportedly screamed at Mr. Singh asking him, “Are you a terrorist?”, “When was the last time you went over there, Taliban?” and “Did you ever send money to the Taliban?”

You can read the whole story here, and find out what a kirpan is here.

Hard to believe that local law enforcement would be accused of cultural insensitivity. However, according to News Blaze, the Sikh American Legal Defense and Education Fund "thanks the Kern County Prosecutor's office for being receptive and understanding about the significance of the Sikh kirpan and deciding not to prosecute this case."

In honor of Administrative Professionals Day, we typed this as fast as we could.

Here's a couple of local blog we liked early Wednesday morning.

An anti-crime blog, called WitnessLogVwXYz,  keeps a close eye on the allegedly criminal activity in her neighborhood.

And one of our favorite bloggers, sagefever, offers part 2 of her trip to Mexico, complete with heatstroke, magical bracelets and some delightful menu options.

And finally, here's local talk show host Ralph Bailey opining on Title IX at CSUB. Some good points; shame he called the CSUB president Homer Mitchell.

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Bakosphere loves to giggle at work and this tab headline got (one of) us going.

The story is actually about a local couple who retrieve batting practice baseballs from behind the fences at Sam Lynn Ball Park in return for season tickets.

No word yet on whether the headline had an uplifting effect on Web traffic.

Read the story and watch the video (sfw!) here.

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Picture the scene ...

It's late-Sunday morning in Bakersfield and you've been to church and had a big breakfast at Village Grill and because the weather is so gorgeous and you want to walk off the huge chile verde omelet residing in your belly, you and the family decide to walk north a half-mile or so until you hit the Kern River.

The river is beautiful and serene and it's refreshing just looking at it. The CSUB crew team is practicing, its strokes powerful and smooth. Anglers perch on stools on the river banks and the youngsters are fascinated by the silvery shapes idling at the bottom of the fishermen's buckets. A discussion develops about the difference between an egret and a heron, but the conversation soon moves on. Nothing lingers too long as the river bubbles by.

Across the water sits the Bakersfield Heart Hospital and next to it, the new Bakersfield Brewery, a shining state-of-the-art, open-to-the-public brew pub, where tourists from far and wide come to sample the increasingly famous 8.5 percent Bakale on the outside patio overlooking the river.

After a pint or two, the new IMAX theater is only a block away and the cinema's employees are out in force giving away coupons for next weekend's special event. It's the inaugural Bakersfield marathon and tickets to the race's after party include admission to the theater.

Nice picture huh?

With water all year in the Kern River through Bakersfield the possibilities are endless. It's exactly what happened in Oklahoma City. They used to have a dry, ugly, dusty river bed, but their city leaders did something about it.

Read the remarkable story of Oklahoma City's revival, and tell me it doesn't remind you of somewhere a bit closer to home.

— Andrew Mockett

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Those people (that person) who follow bakosphere religiously will remember an e-mail we recently highlighted that listed quirks unique to Bakersfield.

An example fom the list: "You will park a mile away from an entrance just to have your car parked under a tree."

Read the whole list here.

Bakersfield.com blogger dianamcd lets us know where the list originated from, while davidhugo adds a quirk of his own.

And while we're on the subject, check out our interactive map highlighting quirky Bakersfield landmarks.

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Our photographers take some incredible photos every week. We highlight the top shots every week in our Week in Pictures audio slideshow.

Which one is your favorite?

See the slideshow here.

Check out previous slideshows here.

Bakosphere is consumed by politics near and far this Tuesday morning.

Our city reporter researches what it would take to recall councilman Ken Weir, as reports of a recall plan gain momentum.

Californian columnist Lois Henry writes it's time to recall Weir in her latest column.

Meanwhile, a few thousand miles away, Pennsylvania voters go to the polls to pick its favorite Democrat. Clinton needs a big win to reinvigorate her candidacy, while Obama wants a strong enough finish to secure the delegates needed to maintain his overall lead in the race. There are 158 delegates up for grabs.

Get the latest news on the race here.

And just when you thought the presidential candidates would do anything for a bit of publicity, WWE came along and the bar dropped a little bit lower.

No such low-brow entertainment for our president. He held out for an appearance on "Deal or No Deal." See the clip here.

No more politics on bakosphere this morning? Deal.

Tuesdays would be so insignificant without Radio Free Bakersfield's weekly podcast. It's billed as 'nearly 60 minutes of TWANG, CRUNCH, and OOMPH.' It's wicked good. It's here.

"Lupe, Lupe Lopez, break my heart, I'll break your legs."

Meanwhile, a blogger has highlighted some Dorothea Lange photos from Kern County taken during the Great Depression.

And finally, a couple from Northern Ireland and their three kids travel across the U.S. and spend a couple of days in Bakersfield where they go to Sam Lynn Ball Park and an all-you-can-eat buffet. Good times.

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Reviews and memories of Elton John's Friday night performance at the Rabobank:

A 19-year-old girl isn't sad she missed the show because her parents who did attend insist on re-creating the memories for her!

A group from Atwater loved the show, but had to travel back early the next day and weren't happy that the girl's soccer coach only played her for 10 minutes!

And an attendee posts some Elton concert pictures on a Billy Joel fan site.

Going back a few days, a local blogger takes bakersfield.com to task for its poorly worded Elton trivia question, then some know-it-all gets on to answer the question while haughtily refusing to accept the prize (not that it was offered), only to be corrected by another blogger that his answer was wrong anyway!

And last, but not least, our entertainment writer, Shellie Branco's, review. 'Sass, glam and no breaks: Elton rocks Rabobank.'

Wandering around cyberspace just now we came across a few really interesting blogs from bakersfield.com bloggers. Here are a couple of our favorites:

Sagefever talks us through the first day of her trip to Mexico, including a mysterious 'encounter' at the airport and a collection of cacti in the desert

Ki6amd has decided to leave Bakersfield in search of pastures cheaper. He gets some solid advice from the blogging community.

Aceyou wonders why his dog insists on taking a 'massive dump' as soon as the two commence their walk/run!

And if you're wondering who the real people are behind their cyber identities, check out the next blogger get together here.

An out-of-towner searches for a local skate park, but is warned of the Delano toilet bowl.

Meanwhile, the the Bakersfield Boogie Boys serve up an electronica dish.

And finally, pictures from a bike ride on the Kern canyon trail.

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Here's Bakosphere's effort:

"I heard there was a reward on that beaver."

Into cats? Really into cats? This site might be for you. Plus there's a Kern County newcomer looking to cat, er  we mean chat.

A visitor from Thailand is coming to Bakersfield for the NSRA western nats and wants advice on things to do/see when he gets here.

And finally, Just Another Typical Day in California, involves a road trip, hippies, a confrontation in Barstow and other such ramblings.

There are other things to do on the Kern River than dying. Like fishing, rafting or birdwatching.

The L.A. Times has a story on its Web site today about fishing along the Kern River.

Or check out our http://static.bakersfield.c...>video on rafting school where the mighty Kern is the classroom.

And finally, how about an audio slideshow on the beautiful, but unpredictable river.

Sports columnist Andy Kehe laments a recent citation ordering him to move his basketball hoop off the sidewalk. If he doesn't comply he may be writing future columns from inside pokey.

Read his "City launches an airball" post here.

Our city reporter is writing about this issue today, so check bakersfield.com later in the day.

Check out this video of a remarkable basketball shot.

One blogger's advice on where to eat if driving through Bakersfield mentions Logan's Roadhouse.

Has anyone seen this movie?

Talking of local restaurants, Arizona Cafe got a glowing review on Your Words. Read it here.

And our Cheapskate blog tells you where to get such deals as free burgers and happy hour slushies.

Or you could just grow your own food like this Californian blogger.

With rising food, gas and everything else prices, our Money Talks blog wonders what you're doing to save on expenses during these tough times.

And if that economic news isn't dampening your spirits enough, how about this fact: If 99 people read this blog post, three of them will be in foreclosure within the next two years, based on the news on this Money Talks blog post.

Wait, this just in on the Cheapskate blog: Sonic saves the economy with Happy Hour slushes.

And the zoom, zoom? Well, our assistant sports editor takes a motorcycle cop to task on his Last Rites blog!

A drive to Kern County yields little scenery but it does allow the blogger to finish knitting a quite lovely pair of socks.

Meanwhile, a blogger looks on the bright side even though she can't attend a car race in Kern County.

And finally, this man wants to hold you and love you (and perhaps take you for a ride on a horse if you're lucky).

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Our photographers take amazing pictures every day. Every Monday, the photo editor and assistant photo editor choose their favorite local photos of the week and explain why they like them in an audio slideshow.

Click here for the latest slideshow.

Which one is your favorite?

The Turner family from Bakersfield won a million bucks in the California Lottery recently. Eric Turner spends about $20 a week or about $1,000 a year on tickets.

What would you do with $1M?

And local real estate agent Jeffe Hernandez won $6,300 on "Wheel of Fortune."

And finally, the Condors are in action tonight in the third game of their playoff series against Victoria. The series is tied 1-1. Read reporter Mike Griffith's preview of the game here. The Condors qualified for the playoffs with a 26-37-9 record.

Everyone's a winner indeed.