Sarah Palin

We unplugged ourselves from the intertubes Friday afternoon, so here’s just a rundown of some stuff that happened on this hot, slow, muggy weekend:

- One-time almost-Vice President of the United States of America spent her weekend riding on the back of a Harley Davidson and a bus with a giant picture of her face on it. Also, fat white people came from all over the state of Pennsylvania to stand out in 95 degree weather for over 6 hours just to catch a glimpse of Real Amurika’s Last Hope, all for not. Sarah Palin is worth it.

- The non-partisan fiscal conservatives of the tea party who aren’t into social conservative culture wars are takin’ their country back!

Ever since Republicans took control of half the country’s statehouses this year, the anti-abortion movement has won one victory after another. At least 64 new anti-abortion laws have passed, with more than 30 of them in April alone. The campaign is the largest in history and also the most creative. Virginia started regulating abortion clinics as if they were hospitals. Utah, Nebraska and several other states have stopped private health insurers from covering abortions, with rare exceptions. South Dakota will soon tell women that before they go to an abortion clinic, they must first visit a crisis pregnancy center whose mission is to talk them out of it.

- John Yarmuth’s campaign page has a petition up for folks to sign and join his email list, demanding that Rep. Patrick McHenry apologize for being a childish prick to Elizabeth Warren.

- The weekly Richie Farmer embarrassment continued Friday, with literal “LOLOLOLOL” emails from the decadent Ag Land.

- Gatewood’s campaign responded with a press release on Friday afternoon of Memorial Day weekend at 5:30 that used the phrase “pimping your ride”:

We are not above stealing a good idea when we see one. Gov. Jerry Brown of California has taken major steps to reduce the fleet of state owned cars. Kentucky would benefit from following his example.

In light of recent reports about the abuse of state vehicles, Gatewood Galbraith and Dea Riley promise to make these changes as soon as their administration takes office.

Eliminate the assignment of Ford Crown Victoria, large SUV’s and other vehicles for the personal use of all elected officials, including the Governor and Lt. Governor, and all agency and department heads.

A fifty percent reduction in the state owned fleet of automobiles.

The conversion of all state vehicles to more energy efficient vehicles.

Elimination of all reserved parking spaces at state owned buildings except for handicap and visitor spaces.

“If you are important enough to have a reserved parking space you should be at work early enough to get the best space in the lot and the state is going to quit pimping the ride you put in that space,” said Gatewood Galbraith.

- Beshear’s campaign never sends us anything or responds to any of our questions, so I don’t have anything from them on Richie.

- Kentuckians testified before the EPA (PDF) in Atlanta on Thursday, advocating for the new rules to limit mercury and arsenic emissions from coal plants, getting on everybody’s back in the process.