~~ Hurley the Historian says, “Remember during WWII, when soldier Audie Murphy killed 40 Krauts, a dozen Nips, ate a grenade, and saved 100s of PFCs (and still survived)?” Today, soldiers like Matt Maupin and Pat Tillman - who VOLUNTEERED - were just doing their jobs when they got killed. The Colerain firefighters were doing their jobs when they fell in flames into that secret “orchid” growing lab in the basement.

Our Kneepad Liberals in the Press are going crazy trying to label everybody a hero. Have the producers of the TV weather report now got control of the news anchors and reporters? Those sad-sack actors talk in hushed tones and act so concerned about wind currents and precipitation odds like they really know something (when all they want to do is get off work).

You want a hero? How about the white woman trying to teach the belligerent yoofs at We Be Hughes High School every single day? How about the kid clerk at the UDF counter at 3 a.m. when a bunch of thugs come in and start stealing everything? What about the old lady who has lived in her beautiful little house in Westwood now subjected to the animals living next door in the crappy Section 8 house? How about the hard-working single black mama transferring five Metro buses just to get to work every day?

We are surprised the PC Crowd hasn’t demanded that we use "she-roes" for female heroes. Never mind that the PC Crowd complains that the Iraq War continues to drag on, without direction from the White House or Congress, and didn't our hero vice president promise that the Iraqis would be kissing our feet after we toppled Saddam, and be giving us free gas?

Enough of the hero hype already!

~~ Our Responsible reader expressed a similar opinion: “Chide me if you must, but I truly do think that the local media goes way too far on stories like the two firefighters, and of course, Matt Maupin. What is the cost to all of us over-taxed taxpayers? You rarely hear the follow ups after a fund has been set up to pay funeral expenses. Maybe somebody should call it ‘Grieving for Dollars.’”

~~ Our Colerain Criticizer says those Conses from Colerain went 35 miles and two counties out of their way to hire Scott Croswell. Scott Croswell is the rich white guy's version of Johnny Cochran: if you hire him, you know you're guilty, you just hope he can talk your way out of it.

What was even more surprising was to see Fishwrap Boy Wonder Barrett J. Brunsman's story in yesterday’s edition where he quoted attorney Steve Adams as Fishwrap legal analyst. As one prominent criminal defense attorney in town said, "the Fishwrap would have been better off asking an inmate at the Injustice Center about the law than Steve Adams." After all, that inmate would probably be just another one of Adams ' clients after Steve’s last trial.

To many people, the idea that a young couple in their mid-30s, who have plenty of land, are growing orchids in their basement just for a hobby doesn't pass the smell test. But Crooked Crony and Clermont County Commissioner Scott Croswell (certainly well experienced in ethics violations himself) says the "orchid" defense has a wonderful fragrance.

Croswell managed to get the mom who baked her baby in the car off without being charged. Guess they think he can get them off for baking two firefighters to death in their home. They don't realize Croswell didn't get Brenda the Baby Baker off in Clermont County because he's a great lawyer, it was because he set the prosecutor's budget in his other job as county commissioner.

If the Coneses think that Croswell can get them out of this one in Hamilton County , maybe they’ve been growing those “orchids” for their own personal enjoyment.

~~ Commenting on the question in yesterday’s Blower (“At what point does honoring the brave sacrifices of a young soldier become too much?”), our Clermont Crusader says once again The Blower has summed it up precisely. Maupin Mania has reached a fever pitch out here in Clermont County . Grumbling is being heard from an expanding number of veterans and friends and family members of military casualties whose last name isn't MAUPIN. One prominent member of a local veterans group (who is a patriot to the core and is generally quite subdued and reserved) has openly asked why is it that Matt Maupin and his family are getting FAR MORE attention and consideration than others who have given their lives in the cause of freedom. Although Matt 's death was tragic, it was hardly related to an individual act of heroism and valor on his part.

Yesterday, our Crusader was present in a public safety department when a number of those present were remarking about how ONE church was big enough for the funerals of two brave firefighters who actually died while attempting to find and save life, yet a super-sized sports arena is needed for one soldier who was captured from a convoy and killed afterwards. It’s just another pitiful example of how emotion and fantasy have trumped common sense. But Crusader stil says he’d have slowly killing those cowardly bastards who captured and hid behind women’s scarves, if he had half a chance.

~~ And will Rob “Fighting Furiously for Failed Legacies” Portman manage to convince President Bush to attend? One would expect nothing less from a vice presidential candidate.

~~ Nor does he believe That Lying Plagiarizing Meddling Overblown Tax-and-Spend RINO Bitch Mean Jean “Hoffman” Schmidt will be able to keep her mouth shut at the funeral. After all, she and Portman slathered all over the Maupins to show they cared about veterans when running for election. Surely they will not miss this chance to get a photo-op at the event further detracting from the tasteful, private funeral at Great American Ballpark at 1 PM on April 27, which should not be allowed to become a political rally. We simply wonder who will suggest that Mean Jean be locked in a closet during the services and not let out until it is finished. And has WLW Hate Radio Trash Talker Bill Cunningham really scheduled to warm up the crowd?

~~ And with only 207 more days till the November Election, was anybody actually surprised to see that shameless “Heartbreaking Homecoming” e-mail from TLPMOT&SRB, prepared and distributed at over-taxed payers’ expense? Coincidence? We think not.

~~ Meanwhile in Northern Kentucky, Bluegrass Bureau Chief Ken Cambo reports with so many of his constituents coming to his H&R Doofus offices to get their taxes done for free before Tax Day on April 15, Goof Doofus’ staffers will be working round the clock until the filing deadline. Bluegrass Over-taxed Payers wonder when our gringo-loving President says its impossible to track down 12 million illegal immigrants, when all us white guys know it’s actually 25 million. Let’s face it, if the government can't even afford to put those illegals in the Boone County Jail when they have an auto wreck with no insurance, how can the government possibly put all us white guys in jail, if we don’t go down Tuesday night and pay all of our taxes?

~~ Finally, there are only 39 more days till the Bluegrass Primary Elections on May 20. Do you think we’d see some changes if people voted on April 15?

Irv wins a handy list of tax-cheating tips, a “THE+IRS Spells THEIRS” T-shirt, a stack of extension forms for clients who haven't yet begun looking for their W-2s, and a big bottle of Jack Daniels for when he finally remembers he hasn't done his own taxes. His winning limerick is: