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.

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This might be too easy, but guess who this pool used to belong to?

Bonus points if you know who it belongs to now.

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In Monday's Ask The Californian we published a list of bloggers' responses to the question, "What are the best tourism attractions in Bakersfield?"

The responses focused more on the lack of things to do, though they were certainly an accurate representation of the feedback from the bloggers.

Still, if anyone deserves a chance to respond, it's the Bakersfield Convention and Visitors Bureau. The following e-mail was sent to us by Chris Huot, marketing and events specialist for the Bakersfield Convention and Visitors Bureau.

To Whom It May Concern:

An “Ask the Californian” column in the April 14th newspaper
solicited responses from Bakersfied.com bloggers to answer the important
question of “What are the best tourist attractions in Bakersfield?”


The Bakersfield Convention and Visitors Bureau would like to recommend
a few of the many fun and interesting things to do in and around
Bakersfield:

- The Crystal Palace
- Kern River Bike Path
- Black Gold Exhibit at the Kern County Museum
- Bakersfield Museum of Art
- A variety of world class live entertainment at Rabobank Arena,
Theater & Convention Center
- California Living Museum (Area residents can volunteer)
- Buena Vista Museum of Natural History
- Pick your own fruits and vegetables at Murray Family Farms
- White water rafting down the Kern River
- Fishing along the Kern River, Lake Ming, Lake Buena Vista
- Tule Elk Reserve
- One of the many fine Basque restaurants or the best Mexican food
anywhere
- Motorsport racing including Auto Club Famoso Raceway,
Buttonwillow Raceway and the soon to open NASCAR facility
- Professional sports teams including baseball, basketball,and ice
hockey
- Spring wildflower tours
- Year round golf on both public and private courses


If you are vacationing or staying in Bakersfield at the right time of
year, you may be able to catch one of Bakersfield’s great annual
events.

January
Polar Bear Plunge
Model Train Show

February
Whiskey Flat Days
CIF Wrestling State Championships
Xtreme Sports Paintball League Event
Black American History Parade
Bakersfield Home & Garden Show

March
March Meet Drag Races
Bakersfield Fiesta
Sweet Adeline’s International Competition

April
Scottish Gathering and Games
NSRA Street Rod Show
Women’s Business Conference
Relay for Life

May
PRCA Stampede Days Rodeo
Bakersfield Jazz Festival
Minter Field Air Show

June
Standing Bear Pow Wow
Glenville Roundup Rodeo

July
Bill Pickett International Rodeo
July 4th Celebration

August
B-Town Blues Fest
Tehachapi Mountain Fest

September
Kern County Fair
St. George’s Greek Food Festival
Bob Thomas Eddy Hop (White water rafting race)

October
Highway 99 Cruise N Show
Via Arte Italian Street Painting Festival
Kern Projections Film Festival

November
Veterans Day Parade
Lake Isabella Christmas Parade

December
Bakersfield Christmas Parade
Holiday Lights at CALM (California Living Museum)


For more detailed Bakersfield travel and tourism information please
visit our web site at www.bakersfieldcvb.us.

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We've begin to look forward to Tuesday mornings and the weekly release of the Radio Free Bakersfield. Great music, wacky DJ (Jorge), no commercials. Puts Bakersfield's actual radio stations to shame. We're not sure what this station has to do with Bakersfield, but we don't care. As one of the bands says on a promo, listening to Radio Free Bakersfield "just makes you feel cooler." And we at Bakosphere certainly need that.

Listen to 60 minutes of toe-tapping, trippin', tawdriness here.

Check out a blogger's interview with Jarred Clowes, technical director for Bakersfield's Spotlight Theatre Company.

Clowes talks about the upcoming season and his vision for the Spotlight, but it's his observations about the current local theater scene which are the most interesting:

"Stars has most of the money but none of the talent"

and his dislikes:

"Just because you're a techie doesn't mean that you can't take a shower...come on man."

Read the entire interview here.

The following list has been making the rounds on e-mail lately. The author(s) are unknown.
Care to add one of your own?

A tribute to the quaint town of Bakersfield, California... loved by some, but not understood by most.

You will park a mile away from an entrance just to have your car parked under a tree.

Instead of people thinking you're "rich" for having leather seats, they think you're stupid.

You laugh when people complain about 95 degree weather.

You're not worried about the big "California fires" cause by the time it gets any closer, they close the Grapevine.

You've seen the "Stairway to Heaven" lights" while coming back to Bako at night on the Grapevine. You know to call it "Bako" and why we call it that.

You know what "White, Ming, Rosedale, Calloway, and Panama" mean.

When you go out of town & you see a sign saying "Union Ave" you lock your car doors.

Rosedale is a world all its own.

Rosedale ALSO needs to be turned into a sitcom. And if you live in Stockdale?  OC ain't got NOTHIN on us baby...except maybe an ocean.

You remember the TWO times in the last 25 years that it snowed in Bakersfield, and you remember everything you did that snow day.

Everyone always says they're going to leave, but you know that if you try, you get sucked right back in.

You take the "California Roll" to a whole new level.

You know where all the "haunted houses" are when Halloween comes around.

You know what an "08er is", where "the Dale" is, and who a "Daleon" is.

You know Trouts, and were not talking about the fish.

People who actually MADE it out of this city sit here & laugh at these because they know they're TRUE.

One of your friends owns a house on a spot where you had field parties in high school.

You know the ingredients in a George's Special, or may have had a "Black and White" for lunch.

You get mad every time you see "Best of Times" when Taft wins at the end.

You comment on how expensive Mexican food is in any other city in the country and, more than that...how terrible it tastes everywhere else.

You have offered someone a "Dewar's Chew".

You know if you're not at Luigi's at exactly 10:30 Saturday morning you're not getting a steak sandwich.

You claim to hate LA but go there at least every other month.

You have debated the merits of water skiing at Lake Ming versus Buena Vista.

You have to explain to friends from out of town what animal a tri-tip comes from...and when they don't believe you...you can't prove it as no other butcher shop has them.

You think beans and salsa go with everything.

You think a restaurant is chintzy if it doesn't come with soup, salad, spaghetti, and fries.

You think a red light is just a suggestion.

The best restaurants in town serve pickled tongue!

You think $600 a month for rent is way too high.

You know a swamp cooler is not a happy hour drink.

You know the pool is usually warmer than you are.

You realize that Valley Fever isn't a disco dance.

Anywhere that takes longer than a 10 minute drive is way too far.

You think you're better than people from Fresno.

Someone mentions "the fair" and your thoughts turn to Cinnamon Buns, First Christian Church caramel corn, and Boy Scout potatoes.

You have to "explain" to someone about Beach Park.

Someone from out of town talks about how foggy it is and you chuckle & tell them, "Just wait." 

You drive just as fast on a foggy day as you did yesterday when it was clear.

You swear that just last week there was an orchard where there is now a whole development of houses.

You no longer associate bridges or rivers with water.

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While searching for information on Burleigh Smith, we came across this description of local weather man Lloyd Lindsay Young on Internet encyclopedia, wikipedia:

Lloyd Lindsay Young joined the station in 2005, as chief weathercaster. He is the father of former KGET weatherman George Lindsay Young. Lloyd grew up in Hollywood, California and has been in the TV/Radio broadcasting business since 1962; starting at Bakersfield radio station KWAK AM 970 in 1962. He also spent 10 years at WWOR TV 9 in New York City. His trademark intro is "Hellooooo (insert city name)". He is also known for his outrageous weather pointers which are sent in by viewers. Submissions are usually outrageous & have ranged from a mannequin leg, to a dildo. His wild weather routine has earned him guest spots on "The Geraldo Rivera Show" and the "Howard Stern Show". In a March 2007 interview of Stern's Sirius Satellite radio show, Stern called Young "the most successful mentally challenged person I've ever met." He is widely considered to be one of the greatest local news weather talents of all time.

Check out the wikipedia entry for KERO here.

A Bakersfield woman, Debbie Turner, has won $1 million in the California Lottery.

Meanwhile, Bakersfield.com's interactive graffiti and pothole maps get a shoutout from an online journalism blog.

And in case you haven't been able to sleep until the winner is crowned, wait no more: Miss Rosamond 2008 has been named.

And finally, the oldest urban myth in the world featuring a Budweiser delivery man in McFarland gets more airtime on a Las Vegas radio talk show

What better way to celebrate the glorious spring sunshine than a downtown pub crawl on Saturday? The rickshaws are available for the truly legless or the so-chronically-unfit that a one-block walk is simply out of the question. Check out our preview of the event here.

Don't go overboard, unless you want to find yourself on the arrest log we publish every day. Here's Thursday's.

And while we're on the subject of nice weather, eat outside this weekend using our food critic's guide to local al-fresco dining.

And speaking of outside dining, if you haven't read John Grogan's heartwarming and hilarious account of life with the world's worst dog, check out this excerpt from his bestseller, "Marley and Me."

Finally, if you're in the minority of people who don't consider eating and drinking to be pastimes unto themselves, check out our story, video and map of Kern County's great outdoors.

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The Trekkies just can't get enough of movie scenes being shot in Kern County. Check out a Google Earth view of the location and theories on who was behind the wheel of the red Corvette.

Meanwhile, another day at the Kern County Fairgrounds nets meager profits, but good stories for a rock and gem vendor.

And finally, our blogging singer/songwriter/university instructor, Dr. BLT, pens and sings a song about Merle Haggard's biggest fan. Click on the radio bar above the photo for the song.

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Our favorite crime story of the week involves a man (allegedly of course) found with pirated movies, meth and 23,000 illegal fireworks.

This is the photo of the explosive stash. It was nice of the BPD to arrange them so neatly.

But the man's collection has nothing on the amount of fireworks found in a Bristol, Connecticut convenience store recently. The store owner said he didn't know the fireworks were illegal.

And talking of fireworks, with July 4 only 85 days away, is it time to ban fireworks once and for all? The author of this blog post complaining about last year's smoke thinks so.

This from the Punk Turns 30 blog: "Bakersfield, if you will, was the punk version of country music."

Trekkies are keeping up with the latest "Star Trek" scenes being shot around these parts at the TrekToday bog.

Here's what our entertainment reporter found out Wednesday.

And finally, a visitor to the Kern County Museum posts her photos and describes the day on her blog, Jeanne Grant.

Mr. Oscat, a.k.a. Olen Taylor of the late, lamented, legendary Wichitas, brings Bakersfield's roots-rock/alt-country-ish sound to a new generation with his self-produced debut, "Mr. Oscat Says..."  The Mr. Oscat band has performed in recent months at the 2008 BabyFest and Borders, and will be at Relay For Life, local libraries, and Borders again in the coming months, so you can see and hear them for yourself (and definitely bring along the kids--my daughter loves rockin' out to "Ducks in a Row" and "What Time Is It?").

You can help Mr. Oscat in his mission to get good music to the ears of kids (and their long-suffering parents) by voting for him in a head-to-head kids' music "tournament" hosted by kids' music blog Out With The Kids.  Leave on comment on the original post with your vote for Mr. Oscat by midnight tonight (the blogger's in Pennsylvania, so why not get in there by 10 p.m. just to be safe?).

 --Jason Sperber

Listen in to Radio Free Bakersfield for "Nearly 60 minutes of TWANG, CRUNCH, OOMPH" (some decent music on here).

Or watch executive movie producer Jeffrey Chernov talks to the local news about why the makers of "Star Trek" chose Kern County to stand in for Iowa.

Meanwhile, a blogger drives into Bakersfield to show rocks and gems at the Kern County Fairgrounds and has some interesting observations on the way in to town.

And finally, a young runner tackles the hills during Saturday's Kern River Trail Run.

We're not sure if we're more impressed by the lengths reporter Steve Swenson went to get his story yesterday or the fact he shot a 39 on the front nine at Sundale that afternoon.

But it's not all hard news. Continuing in a long tradition of outstanding photo interns, Coco Walters produced an excellent audio slideshow of a local aerobics instructor/Sizzler server/ultramarathoner.

City officials are under a microscope when reporter James Geluso is around. Geluso got together with our visuals team to construct a fascinating multimedia look at councilman Ken Weir's maneuvering ahead of The Canyons vote.

And finally, prep sports reporter Zach Ewing has quickly become bakersfield.com's authority on local high school athletics. His blog, School House Zach, can be found here.

New to town? Looking for something to do tonight? A b.com blogger wants to meet for happy hour.

Que Pasa not doing it for you? Want to go on a midweek bender? Check out our interactive nightlife map of Bakersfield.

Want to stay in and watch other people imbibe? Watch our entertainment reporter drink absinthe at a local bar.

A retired U.S. Navy Chief Warrant Officer begins with the parable of the camel's nose and ends with a damning condemnation of Jacquie Sullivan's "In God We Trust" posters. Read his blog post here.

Read the Californian's news stories on the posters here.

And read what contributing columnist Marylee Shrider wrote about the topic when the posters were approved in November.

Our high school sports reporter blogs about the new Clovis West football coach who was shot by a disgruntled parent during his coaching tenure in Texas. Check out the latest School House Zach blog post.

You'd be hard-pressed to call it a sport, but jousting was on display during Saturday's Scottish Games and a local blogger took some photos of the event.

And from sports (or not, as the case may be) to board games. Local blogger, the Grumpy Skeptic offers his take on the Ouija Board.

And to finally prove that there are more important things in life than sports, a mother steels herself for the funeral of her daughter's father.

First off, a dinner at Maitia's results in a new appreciation for bamboo clothing, while who knew that Allison Kraus & Union Station sang a song titled, Kern County Breakdown, back in 1995.

A Disneyland employee is excited about a wedding in Bakersfield and a chance to use her new pink, polka-dotted luggage, but not as excited as these dogs pictured at the Kern County Kennel Club Show.

And finally, a blogger mourns the loss of a godly Bakersfield woman: "Her journey is done, her suitcase is empty."

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What's up with Bakersfield as the destination lately for "America's Most Wanted" fugitives?

Last night, Malcolm Kysor was arrested at Saunders Park. The escaped convict from Pennyslvania was reportedly hanging out at the park. According to AMW's Web site, he had been serving a life sentence since 1988 for beating a guy to death with a golf club.

Then, a week ago, Frankie Tucker was arrested at the Greyhound bus station downtown. He had fled Texas with a warrant out for his arrest for sexual assault. (Or as AMW reports, indecency to a child.)

And if you've been following the case of Tanya Brown, here's a link to her AMW report , which states "When AMW aired the story of Tanya Diane Brown and the children that cops say she abducted, it was only a matter of time before someone noticed Tanya and her five kids."

Other unknown fugitives are representin' Bako on the AMW Web site. Check these out:

Unknown Bakersfield Bandit

Unknown Bakersfield Attacker

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Dr. BLT is back on Bakosphere with some advice to Merle Haggard in the form of an original song, "Daddy Tried."

Here are some of the lyrics:

I hope you understand

I don't mean to intrude

I just see another side of

the fightin' side of you

Click here for the entire blog post, and hats off again to the good Dr.

And speaking of Merle, he spoke with our entertainment reporter about the day he'll be back in Bako for good. Read the story here.

And if that's not enough Hag for you, Shellie Branco has posted loads more of her interview with Merle on her blog, Branco Bytes.

Lastly, watch Merle sing "Mama Tried."

Our rollergirls are in action this weekend at The Big One in Davis, while the Necessary Roughness blog has an in-depth review of the Residence Inn Bakersfield, including the number of power outlets by the desk and by the lamp.

And finally, the Imagine points out an interesting fact about the effect of public transport on Bakersfield's oil savings. We say 'fact,' but that's a vague term in blogland. Enjoy.

Bakosphere stumbled across this blog post from a local limo driver. It's a fictitious account of the moments leading up to 9-11.  We thought it interesting and decided we'd feature it on Bakosphere.

Here's the post from the1,000 Days & Nights in Hell ! blog.

Another local blog, Cutting Through Government Lies, talks about an interview former Minnesota governor Jesse Ventura gave yesterday on a radio talk show in which he says 9-11 was a controlled demolition, ie. an inside job.

Read it for yourself here.

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With the recent news that Target might be coming to the Shops at River Walk it got us thinking about Target in general and how incredibly popular its become in the last decade or so. In fact, according to Target's own Web site, its bullseye logo is more recognizable than the Apple and the Swoosh!

It's no exaggeration to say that you could fill your home, your closet and your pantry solely with Target goods. Without wishing to sound like a company spokesman, Target's clothes and home furnishings have gotten more and more stylish even in the last couple of years.

Perhaps that's why the outcry to the proposed location isn't as loud as would a similar announcement concerning a store like Wal-Mart for example. Check out our local poll results here.

Now the quiz: What's the difference between a Target, a Target Greatland, and a Super Target?

Answers here.

And if that's not enough Target for you, you can discuss the local planned location on our Money Talks blog.

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Thanks to Dr BLT's Blog n Roll Studio for this fantastic blog post, chronicling the ongoing searching for the next Buck Owens.

Click on the audio bar above the photo for Dr BLT's original song.

Check it out here.

For many, Buck Owens is/was Bakersfield's most famous resident. He certainly put our city on the map like no one had before him. Take a journey into the life of Buck Owens in our special section.

And listen to an audio tribute to Buck put together a few days after his death.

Bakersfield Jam's Mateen Cleaves says he wants to return to Michigan State and work as an assistant under Tom Izzo. Read the interview here.

Cleaves also talks about playing with Lebron James, getting advice from Magic Johnson and having his jersey retired at Michigan State.

What Mateen wasn't asked about was how much he loves practicing. It's evident if you watch one of the Jam's practice session, as sports columnist Andy Kehe discovered recently. Read Andy's column here.

Bakersfield's drinking club with a running problem alerts its members that the group has been discovered by Bakosphere and its 'crack staff.' More info here.

And from running to walking, a salute to Cesar Chavez and The Longest Walk on The Sirens Chronicles blog. Read the post here.

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This intruder was unceremoniously removed from below assistant Money editor John Cox's desk this morning.

What do you think it was doing there?

The Rosemead Herald blog takes a very succinct look at Bakersfield, while another couples's road-tripping plans to visit our city are derailed by a closed mountain pass.

Meanwhile, a local blogger tries to shed some light on why immigrants coming to America won't learn the language.

And finally, a band plays "Streets of Bakersfield."

First thins first: What kind of trucker describes a rude man as an "ignorant git"?

Check out Trucking Life, a daily journal that logs the ramblings of a British Trucker in North America, and read about his stop in Bakersfield.

Meanwhile, a blogger responds to Bakersfield's old beaver problem with a solution of his own on the martinezbeavers.com blog.

And finally, The Zionist Conspiracy blog proves its point by claiming Bakersfield is next to Sacramento.