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Local TV station KGET 17 has done it again.

Right next to a story saying gay couples are rushing to Kern to get married before the Nov. 4 election, there is a Yes on 8 video ad saying that all children will turn into raging homosexuals and start a massive schoolyard orgy if gay marriage is so much as mentioned during class time.

The same thing happened earlier this week. Doesn't anyone read Bakosphere.

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The Little Red School House had it's annual Halloween parade an hour ago and look who showed up!

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She scratched and kicked her way to two Brawlosphere victories (OK, one was against 'wimpy' Ken Mettler), but feisty prosecutor Andrea Kohler finally met her match in yesterday's bout with that pig farmer guy who has a paint roller and is not afraid to use it.

Louis Montgomery was hardly the clear winner, but the 82-year-old swine raiser won the coin toss. The coin toss was blogger Virgil's idea. Blogger Virgil appears to be the only person interested in these daily bouts.

Not to worry, today's bout is sure to bring in the punters.

To offset Monty's long-handled paint roller we searched for an opponent who would be able to withstand the octogenarian's ninja-type blows.

We think we've found her.

This 275-pound Bakersfield prostitute took her assailant's knife, stripped him naked and paraded his trembling 140-pound frame in front of her co-workers.

Will Monty end up in the full Monty?

Ding, ding. Round One.

The winner will face a new challenger Monday.

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The Bakersfield Fire Department is proud of its shiny, red engines, long ladders and massive flags and understandably so.

So when an imposter comes onto the scene and raises its just-as-long ladder on top of its just-as-shiny, red engine and waves a just-as-massive flag, it's understandable for the BFD to get its feelings hurt.

Still, the real fire department is used to putting out real fires and this one took little more than a garden hose.

Here's the BFD's recent press release distancing itself from the commercial cowboys.

"To whom it may concern:

In response to several recent inquiries, the Bakersfield Fire Department would like to clarify that it holds no association whatsoever, implied or otherwise, to private persons, businesses, or entities offering the services of providing privately owned fire apparatus and public safety information at public or private community events.
Specifically, the Bakersfield Fire Department is not associated with, does not
support, and is not affiliated in any way with “Roquemore Fire” or “Fire Trucks 4
Hire”

The Bakersfield Fire Department does not recognize “Roquemore Fire” or “Fire
Trucks 4 Hire” as an emergency response entity, and has not authorized “Roquemore Fire” or “Fire Trucks 4 Hire” to act as an emergency response entity in any BFD jurisdictional areas.
The Bakersfield Fire Department does not recognize “Roquemore Fire” or “Fire Trucks 4 Hire” as a public safety agency, and has not authorized “Roquemore Fire” or “Fire Trucks 4 Hire” to act as a public safety education resource in BFD jurisdictional areas.

Ron Fraze, Fire Chief
Bakersfield Fire Department

BFD, you might say.

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This place is a dirty ol' town at the best of times, but at the moment it's plain disgusting.

Perched on top of the downtown parking structure a few minutes ago I was squinting just to look through the camera lens, the particles of grime were swirling so maniacally.

There was a dead pigeon on the roof too, but I didn't take a photo of that. I couldn't be sure it was a dust-related death.

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Are you sure that was a ghost?

From an article on Bakersfield hauntings:

"Club Paradise: An unknown presence has been reported locking people into the storeroom. Also people have been mysteriously pushed, grabbed, and even groped. And lastly, objects are known to be moved around."

A Red County contributor has taken The Californian to task for its coverage of the Ken Mettler-Rob Badewitz incident.

He calls us "girls and girlie-men," refers to the No on Prop 8 protesters as "hooligans," and accuses us of "Hissyfititus."

He then twists the knife by calling our venerable, historic downtown building a "castle."

And that's just the introduction!

More level-headed commentary here.

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Now pugilistic prosecutor Andrea Kohler has taken on and defeated contenders from the human and animal kingdom in our daily brawlosphere, we searched far and wide to find an opponent who might offer more of a challenge than swinging Ken Mettler and nacho-loving Moe the chimp.

Enter retired pig farmer Louis Montgomery, whose dexterity with a paint roller almost landed in him jail earlier this year.

The 82-year-old hog handler will have to be at his best to knock off the undefeated Kohler, for as blogger, gsisola, commented during yesterday's bout, "I wouldn't want to meet up with her in a dark alley.. (or would I?)"

We're not quite sure what that means.

Ding, ding. Round one.

The winner will face a new challenger tomorrow.

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Who has had more names?

1. Accused animal hoarder Anita Gilbert.

2. Bakersfield businessman and former Republican Assembly candidate Dean Gardner.

3. Prince.

Feel free to add your own contender.

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When discussing such a passionate issue as Prop 8, it helps to keep your head when all around you are losing theirs.

Local radio DJ Inga Barks has added her voice of reason to the ongoing debate.

Here it is.

Thanks to Truxtun Avenue for uncovering this tidbit in the ongoing saga of Rob Badewitz and Ken Mettler, two passionate individuals whose paths crossed on a Bakersfield street corner Friday night.

"Rob Badewitz, 21, who is filing possible hate crime charges against Kern High School District Trustee Ken Mettler for being punched and kicked at a Proposition 8 protest, became an ordained minister on Tuesday."

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After defeating "wimpy" Ken Mettler in yesterday's Bakosphere bout, brawling Kern County prosecutor Andrea Kohler moves on to the next round where she'll face a more formidable opponent.

Moe the chimp may not be alive since escaping into the San Bernardino mountains, but if he is, Kohler will have her hands full against the finger-biting primate.

The scrapping Kohler's best chance might be to heed the words of blogger Virgil, who succinctly pointed out yesterday:

"Andrea needs to warm up with a Jack and Coke first."

The winner will face a new challenger tomorrow.

Ding, ding. Round one.

Isn't it time to leave the Kilt alone?

Back in September, Bakosphere found this story on KGET 17 where the owner of Heidi's Brooklyn Deli complained that the rowdy Tilted Kilt customers are so scary her customers are too afraid to come in for a sandwich!

Well, 5 weeks later deli owner Alley Moyers is at it again, this time moaning to KERO 23 that the Kilt clan are invading her parking spaces:

"In the evening we have lost almost all of our business. There is no parking and the people that are in our spots are not our customers."

According to the story, since the Kilt beefed up security, BPD has not had to come out to the bar/restaurant. The story also states that the Kilt has no parking violations.

And just in case you were wondering if the Kilt is a bar or a restaurant, Kilt GM, Ben Martins, clears up the confusion :

"We are not a bar we are not a club we are a restaurant first. But we do have 24 beers on tap ..."

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They had their moment on the street corner, but now KHSD (Ken Hits Scruffy Dude) trustee Mettler and birthday boy Badewitz (he turned 21 the day after the incident) might be headed for round 2 in Kern's courtroom.

The model of maturity, Mr. Mettler, has indicated his intention to come out swinging again in an article on KGET 17.

"... if the other party has filed charges, which I have not seen, I will file charges as well.''

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If "homosexual activist" (Chad Vegas' words), Rob Badewitz, has learned one thing from  tangling with KHSD's brawling trustee, Ken Mettler, it's not to wear lip jewelry anymore.

The picture is of Badewitz during a KBAK 29 interview Monday night.

At the time of Friday's intersection incident Badewitz had some kind of lip-piercing going on (as you can see in the other picture taken from this video).

Obviously Mettler didn't punch it out with his lethal right hand, but Badewitz isn't taking any chances in case there's a rematch. It couldn't be that he's trying to clean up his image for the impending lawsuit could it?

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KERO 23's news anchor Mike Hart has a simple solution to the Ken Mettler-Rob Badewitz disagreement.

A cage match.

The local TV man even said his station will provide a referee.

Writes Hart on his blog: "My money's on the old guy who's passionate for his cause, not the youngster looking for a fight."

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While reading a KGET 17 story on the Ken Mettler brawl we noticed an ad right next to the story urging voters to support traditional marriage and vote yes on Prop 8.

Hopefully, it's an unfortunate coincidence.

The local TV station's story quotes a witness, Raymond Mars, who saw the fight and said Mettler was provoked. He then cements his credibility with the following quote:

"These people have been known to try and provoke incidents."

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Vote now: Ken Mettler vs. Andrea Kohler

The tussling trustee's kick/punch combo looked like something out of a gangly NBA dust-up. But he does have the Lord on his side.

The wildcat Kern County prosecutor kicked squad car windows and scratched security guards. She has the law on her side.

Ding, ding, Round one.

The winner will face a new challenger tomorrow.

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If brawling KHSD trustees and voracious beavers aren't scary enough this Halloween, how about a trip to one of Bakersfield's fright houses?

Our comrades at Bakotopia have reviewed the two haunts, Talladega Frights and The Chamber.

The 7/11 at the corner of Chester Lane and A Street is also a bit on the scary side.

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We're all for the humane treatment of animals, but the bike path beaver might have outstayed his (or her) welcome.

Sure when this rodent first appeared on the scene we thought he was a cute, little rascal who deserved to have his way with our pretty new trees.

But his latest efforts certainly haven't endeared him to those of us who quite enjoy the shade these trees provide on a hot Bakersfield afternoon.

Sorry Beav, but it might be time for that preventative orange mesh to be replaced by a shiny yellow crime scene tape, if you know what we mean.

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Lost in the excitement of Rusty Shoop's return to KERO 23, was this equally intriguing news from the local ABC affiliate.

Apparently the local TV station is embedding a reporter deep in the mountains to our east.

"ABC23 has added several new reporters, enabling the news department to cover all areas of the county. This includes reporter Julie Flannery, who will live in Tehachapi to report on Tehachapi and the mountain communities."

This is perfect timing to file a story on the annual angy Tehachapians who don't like visitors playing in their snow.

Anyway, back to Rusty. Has KERO 23 found the perfect panacea to your Lloyd Lindsay Young longings?

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A two-week break from Bako and delighted to see the bizarre news didn't miss a beat.

Just watched the bizarre video of a swinging Ken Mettler and found this great interactive map we've put together to help you map your own stolen or vandalized campaign signs.

At least we can finally move on from the silly Chad Vegas-Scott Cox publicity stunt.

9 days until the election. Should have stayed on vacation a little longer!

For those against Prop. 8, the fight is deeply personal and emotional. Check out these two posts from yesterday, one by a Christian mother of a gay son, the other by a lesbian who's leaning on her spiritual health.

Both stories are straight from the heart.

If anyone has seen such personal stories by Prop. 8 supporters, please let us know.

This is a very emotional, polarizing issue. A peek at our Campaign Signs Map will show that both sides are stealing and defacing each other's campaign materials.

How will the defeated side cope after Nov. 4? We can only hope for their health and wellness.

After the suspense from her last blog, I was ecstatic to see the Google alert that Katie Kelly had updated her blog about her trip to Bakersfield. Who was this girl? Why had she backpacked to Bakersfield?

As it turned out, she didn't so much as "backpack" as take the train with a backpack. But it was a trip "home" for her — to see her old friends from CSUB at the alumni swim meet. To cheat a little. To reminisce. Joke. Laugh. Share happy memories.

It seems as though even though Bakersfield is a temporary stop for many, the memories made here last forever.

— Jennifer Baldwin

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Bakersfield College photo student Liz Clarke has created a captivating slideshow about the Gone Fishin Cattle Company rounding up its pregnant cattle to prepare for calving season. The project was made as part of the new multimedia class at BC, taught by The Bakersfield Californian's own slideshow superstar John Harte.

On a personal note, it was a little disconcerting seeing the vet poking and prodding while listening to the sounds of cows mooing. Being that I'm 8 months pregnant, I'm hoping my experience giving birth at Mercy Southwest (affectionately called by many the Baby Farm) is not similar to this round up. Although they did herd us around the other night on a tour of the facility as part of the child birth class. And I'm taking a breastfeeding class out there tonight to learn how to properly use my udder.

But anyway, back to the slideshow — it's a poignant piece of journalism that shows a lot of attention to detail, both with sound and photography. Good job Liz!

— Jennifer Baldwin

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Katie Kelly's blog sounded so promising: "My Bakersfield Vacation." She starts off saying she's a backpacker. I wanted to know why she backpacked to Bakersfield? What did she do when she was here? Camp out with our local homeless along the dry Kern River? Fish in Truxtun Lakes? Fry up said fish on an open grill at Beach Park?

Instead, I ended up laughing about her Amtrak adventure homeward. A train conductor with less economy of words than Joe Biden and more convoluded answers than Sarah Palin. Richmond gangsters getting flashed by the girls in Car 2. A main character named "Conductor Rob."

I'm still on the edge of my seat to read about her trip to Bakersfield, but it was fun to start with the ending on this travelogue. I'm definitely checking back for more ....

— Jennifer Baldwin

Now here's an interesting theory by a San Diego blogger and attorney, Mitchell Freedman, about why he's voting no on Proposition 8 — even though he believes the California Supreme Court got it wrong when it legalized gay marriage.

He states instead that we should "disentangle the primarily religious word 'marriage' from government licensing and define marriage as a ceremony performed in a church or temple. Those of us consenting adults who wish to commit to someone to secure government benefits should simply get a license that is for a 'civil union' or 'domestic partnership.'"

Interesting theory. Only he gets the next part wrong, when he states that we should end "the State's issuing of 'marriage' licenses, just like the clerk in Kern County, California who stopped issuing licenses after the California Supreme Court decision."

Ann Barnett, Kern County Auditor-Controller, did not stop issuing marriage licenses. She stopped performing civil marriage ceremonies in the county office. Her office still gives out marriage licenses to straight and same-sex couples. They just have to go have their ceremonies somewhere else.

I can't remember the last time I bought gas for less than $3 per gallon. But according to our cheap gas map, there are at least three places in town selling it for that little!

One place reported $2.98/gallon last night and two places were reporting $2.99 as of yesterday. (Some places on the map are a day behind.)

Anyone else finding gas less than $3 around town?

— Jennifer Baldwin

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The Sacramento News & Review, the alternative weekly newspaper in the state's capital, has posted its review of "Obscene in the Extreme" by Rick Wartzman — a book detailing the controversy over the publication of "The Grapes of Wrath" and the book-burning reaction in Kern County.

Writer Kel Munger says it was more than just about the "distaste toward Steinbeck’s novel" in Kern — it was about "issues California has fought over since its founding: land, water and labor." Set in the time of the Great Depression and Dust Bowl migration, the book highlights issues of labor organization in the face of wealthy landowners and farners.

In the end, we are vindicated, Munger writes:

"... there’s Clell Pruett, the migrant worker photographed setting fire to the book while his boss watched. Pruett hadn’t read the book, but most of the rest of the country did. Steinbeck got the respect he deserved after all; The Grapes of Wrath was chosen for the One Book One Bakersfield program in the Kern County seat in 2002."

According to this LA Weekly blog, we've got it good in Bakersfield. For one thing, we only have to pay our seven city council members $100 each per month! That's opposed to Los Angeles, which pays its 15 council members the most in the nation — $14,304 per month for a total annual salary of $171,648 each!

But here's the best part:

Blogger Jill Stewart writes, "If you haven't been to former cow town Bakersfield recently, you'll be shocked by its pure livability, tidy neighborhoods and intelligent planning. The Bakersfield council turns out to be actual "public servants" who take a hundred bucks and clearly aren't in it for the cash."

Tidy neighborhoods? Intelligent planning? Thanks for the ego boost!

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Forbes.com has named Bakersfield as the fourth riskiest city in the country to ride out the recession. They used housing and labor data to determine home values and unemployment numbers.

According to the story, "Unemployment and underwater homes are a toxic combination. Someone who can hold on to their job and make payments on an underwater home will eventually rebuild that equity. But without that job?"

Apparently, California, Nevada and Florida are getting hit the hardest. Here's the breakdown by city, in a slideshow format.

Worst:

1. Riverside, Calif.
2. Cape Coral-Fort Myers, Fla.
3. Las Vegas, Nev.
4. Bakersfield, Calif.
5. Fresno, Calif.
6. San Diego, Calif.
7. Reno, Nev.
8. Detroit, Mich.
9. Miami, Fla.
10. Tampa, Fla.

Best:

1. Austin, Texas
2. Oklahoma City, Okla.
3. Honolulu, Ha.
4. Portland, Ore.
5. Tulsa, Okla.
6. Virginia Beach, Va.
7. Seattle, Wash.
8. Balitomore, Md.
9. Boston, Mass.
10. Lancaster, Pa.

A man in Tennessee secretly named his baby girl Sarah McCain Palin when his wife thought he was filling out the birth certificate with the name they had agreed on: Ava Grace.

According to this article by the Tri-Cities Times News, based in Tennessee, Mark Ciptak wanted to do something to help the Republican presidential ticket. After he finally broke the news to his wife, Layla, she was apparently "not fond" of his action. They will likely change the name back to Ava Grace. The state health department allows families one year to change the names on birth certificates.

Some people are blasting Mark Ciptak for the stunt, which has garnered the family national attention.

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This economy is such a roller coaster:

Home prices DOWN. Interest charges UP.

Grocery prices UP. Gas prices DOWN.

That last one has me downright giddy. My favorite gas station, A-One at H and California, had regular unleaded for $3.29 a gallon this morning. Our Cheap Gas Map shows the cheapest at Gasco on E. California Ave. for $3.21 a gallon.

I don't pretend to understand the economy or the laws of supply and demand. All I know is gas is cheap and I'm a happy girl!

— Jen Baldwin

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Our friends over at the Bakersfield Hash House Harriers site (the drinking club with a running problem) has posted an informative article about the benefits of beer — and why it is NOT a nonessential expense that should be given up in this recessive economy.

The original article by George Will appears on WashingtonPost.com, and notes that beer actually contributes to the "survival of the fittest."

Those who can handle their booze when it's necessary to avoid contaminated water, will survive. In short, he writes, "beer is health food."

And, according to this article from All About Beer Magazine, beer is good for the heart, the brain and for cooking. Who knew?

So maybe we can't afford our Stella Artois right now, but don't give up the Coors! It's good for you!

Is it time to dig your money out of your back yard and re-invest? Who knows, but the Dow bounced back more than 900 points today. Maybe it'll continue its yo-yo over the next few days or weeks ... but hopefully this means the road to recovery is not so far off.

Meanwhile, McCain is slumping in the polls. Is his popularity bounce-back not far behind the heels of the stock market? Will time show the two are linked?

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Travis Fox, for the Washington Post, is travelling across the country for a new series called "Hard Times: Lessons from the Great Depression."

One of his first stops was at Westchester Bowl in Bakersfield, where he had breakfast with a group of Okies who reminisced on the government camps they grew up in, and talked about how their experiences taught them to leave within their means.

Check out Fox's blog and video from Bakersfield here.

Local Democrats held a rally at Beach Park in Bakersfield on Saturday in support of Barack Obama. Candi Easter, chair of the Kern County Central Committee said "This is the day the Republicans have been fearing. The day the Democrats came out to the park."

Sounds menacing.

Watch Paul Linfesty's video for Bakersfield.com here. Also, watch Zowietown's video for Truxtun Ave. here.

According to Californian government reporter James Burger's final Twitter last night, "The Prop 8 debate was the best debate of this political season. Better than the presidential and vice-presidential."

Opponents and supporters of the gay marriage proposition battled over the meaning of marriage at CSUB last night. Here are just two of the questions tackled: Is marriage meant for procreation only? Can children grow up healthy without a mother and a father in the household?

Get a taste of the debater's answers in this video by our assistant visual editor Mike Fagans. And read Burger's full story here.

One of the panelists was Californian columnist Marylee Shrider. Here's a column she's written on the topic. Another panelist, Whitney Weddell, is a blogger on Bakersfield.com. Read her blog.

The Bakersfield College student government took a zero-tolerance stance against three of its members after they were caught drinking on a trip to Washington, D.C. According to the student paper, The Renegade Rip, the students have been removed from office, stating that even though one of the students was of legal age, the drinking violated the student government's code of conduct.

And we though drinking in college was part of the code of conduct ...

In a related incident, apparently 2,000 copies of The Rip were stolen off the campus racks after it reported the story. Maybe the thief is planning to use the Scott Cox defense — "I was going to give them back!"

It's about as scientific as licking your finger, sticking it in the air and claming to know which way the wind's blowing, but nevertheless, our 'who won the debate' poll on bakersfield.com proclaimed a clear winner:

Barack Obama.

We're always debating if our online readers have the same political leanings as our print readers, and to a further extent whether our bloggers are more liberal in general than readers who simply visit our Web site without commenting.

Of course our poll could have been boosted.

Previous poll results here.

What's oddest about this story is not that a Bakersfield man can race 85 mph on a lawnmower and win the World of Speed Championships, it's that there's a Bakersfield Lawnmower Racing Association club.

Congratulations Gary Guinn.

How long does it take to cut your grass?

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OK, we know. We've linked to our fair share of Tilted Kilt reviews and stories, from the exorbitant Guinness prices to the unimpressed 'boob man.'

You'd think there's nothing more to say on the matter, but you'd be wrong.

Local band Filthies frontman Kenny Mount has his own unique Kilt review in our edgy sister magazine, Bakotopia.

Mr. Mount begins by listing the credentials he possesses to be a worthy reviewer (we're not sure if he's being serious about the "official genealogy sheet from the KC Fair") and then starts going on about the lack of darts.

Still Mr. Mount uses the word "arse" and for that we applaud him.

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Californian photographer Felix Adamo caught this heron yawning on the creek bank at Hart Park on Friday.

Here's Bakosphere's caption to get you started:

"My old man's a pelican, you know."

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Bakersfield's TV stations were out in force Sunday covering the Prop 8 seminar, where gay marriage advocates voiced their opposition to the statewide initiative which would ban same-sex marriage.

The video montage shows coverage of the event/issue from Channels 17 and 29.

29's Anthony Bailey gets things going:

"the constitutional amendment which would change the constitution to specify that marriage equals one man versus one woman."

It's also fun to watch the seminar-goers turn around as he's obviously speaking a bit too loudly.

Later in the montage there's a cool shot of Ken Mettler's swimming pool and the obligatory "we've got nothing against those people" quote from a Christian-type on a Bakersfield street.

A recent bakersfield.com poll found that 61 percent of respondants would vote for Prop 8.

But not Julia Louis-Dreyfus.

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20,000?

We saw half that many on our commute to work this morning!

CHP officials say they have issued more than 20,000 tickets over three months to drivers breaking the law by using a hand-held cell phone while driving.

1,500 of those were issued in the stretch of highways from Modesto to Bakersfield.

From driving around town it's quite clear Bakersfield drivers just don't give a hoot about the law, but after yesterday's rant about drinking and driving, we're all done with tirades for a day or two.

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From working in the newsroom we're always writing about drunken drivers and the havoc they cause on the roads.

Society as a whole condemns these irresponsible lawbreakers, but it doesn't appear we're doing much to solve the problem.

For instance, why can you pull in to a gas station, fill up your car and leave with a 22-ounce can of Coors wrapped in a paper bag?

And why do so many beer companies sell/give away bottle openers designed to fit on your key ring?

Does it seem sensible for charity motorcycle rides to start or finish at a bar?

Every night at closing time in bars across Bakersfield, patrons get in their cars and drive home. Designated drivers are a rare breed. No viable public transportation exists. Cab rides are expensive (though not compared to the alternative) and take ages to arrive.

And we wonder why so many drunken drivers are on our roads.

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It's been a long time since a blog post has elicited such a one-sided response.

On Thursday we posted a question titled, "Why is the fire department wasting taxpayer money?" on the Ask The Californian blog.

The reader wanted to know why the big, red, gas-guzzling fire engine goes to fast food restaurants, grocery stores and gyms. Why not work out at the fire station and send one person to get the groceries and burgers?

The question was answered by Bakersfield Deputy Fire Chief Doug Greener.

To say our bloggers agreed with Mr. Greener would be a gross understatement.

In this city, you criticize the fire department at your own peril, as our reader discovered.

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Lovin' the Downtown Business Association.

Their Up on the Roof and Down on the Street party is this evening.

And they've put some trees up on the roof which we saw on our way to coffee this morning.

"It's the little things that make me so happy."

That was Oasis. Tonight on the roof it's news anchor Mike Hart's band.

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That poor, unsuspecting granny who got on at the high street for a couple of stops to Marks & Sparks, but fell asleep and woke up far away from her Nottingham home.

In Bakersfield, y'all!

Just got a phone call from a man in Oildale who was astounded that we didn't have any mention in today's paper about the great Oildale blackout of 2008.

"I looked clear down Chester Avenue and it was all blacked out," he explained.

From 6-7 or 7-8 p.m., he couldn't remember which.

The electricity is back on now. Oildalians were only in the dark for an hour.

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Oh, how we miss our favorite weatherman and his goofy approach to a slightly boring topic (at least here in Bako).

Ever since Lloyd Lindsay Young departed local TV station KERO23, our most Bridget Jones-like weather-forecaster is a mechanical bull-riding, spam-judging blonde from Illinois.

When LLY left, Bakosphere commenters weren't always kind, but we just found this nice goodbye note from his co-worker at KERO, news anchor Mike Hart.

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Bcom blogger Dr. BLT is a bit like an ambulance-chaser, but he comes armed not with a business card, but a song.

If there's a local issue in the news, there's a strong likelihood a Dr. BLT song will be forthcoming.

The good doctor didn't disappoint when the D.A. decided not to prosecute shiny-domed, sign-borrowing radio DJ Scott Cox.

Here are the lyrics from BLT's blog.

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The Central Valley arm of Red County says the D.A.'s ruling on Scott Cox means it's open season on stealing campaign signs.

We couldn't agree more. If enough candidates steal enough signs we'll be rid of these eyesores in a couple of weeks.

And this just in: Some candidate are hiring gorillas to guard their signs.

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Are they kindred spirits bridging the coasts with their undying commitment to their health beats?

The Wall Street Journal health blog is apparently a fan of our very own health reporter Emily Hagedorn. They "follow" each other on Twitter and now he's given her a shoutout on his blog.

What did she do to deserve such accolades? She's been following the case of who Bakosphere likes to call "Dr. Feelgood" (Dr. Freesemann) who has a warrant out for his arrest for possession and sale of drugs.

Keep up on Emily's investigation on her blog or via her Twitter page. You can also become a fan of The WSJ by following them on Twitter too.

Here's their Twitter convo from this morning:

WSJHealthBlog: @The_Pulse We hit menu story thanks to your tweet. Hat tipped u and mentioned Freesemann case. Thanks! http://tinyurl.com/3q6x2k

The_Pulse: @WSJHealthBlog Thanks for the shout out, and I'm glad you got something from my tweets. You made my day!

Ah ... is it love at first Tweet?